Rockland Parent September 2019 by City Guide NY

Rockland Parent NYMETROPARENTS.COM SEPTEMBER 2019

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Talented? What you need to know about G&T programs and test prep Plus, back-to-school resources for every grade

Why are tweens and teens self-conscious? And the Winner Is… A behind-the-scenes look at our cover contest photo shoot!

HELPING PARENTS MAKE BETTER DECISIONS

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8/8/19 12:25 PM

Happy. Healthy. Loved. These are the dreams we have for our children. So we cherish the moments when little giggles fill the room, imaginations take us on great adventures, and when it seems our hearts could burst with pride and love. Here and now, we’d stop time if we could. Because when kids are being kids, we all feel better.

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RocklandParent

contents table of

Original photo by ›› Big Apple Portraits (bigappleportraits.com) Clothing provided by Land’s End (landsend.com)

september 2019

back to school

And the Winner Is...

A behind-the-scenes peek at the 2019 Cover Kids photo shoot.

16 Is Your Child ‘G&T’? 18 Back-to-School Programs Directory

22 34

Remembering 9/11 in NYC

Visit these Manhattan memorials to remember those who lost their lives.

The Age of Self-Doubt

Self-consciousness in early adolesence will lead to greater well-being in adulthood.

raising kids

things to do

family life

6 Editor’s Note 8 New Places, New Programs 10 Savor Each Moment? 12 Empowering Your Differently-Abled Student 14 And the Winner Is... 34 The Age of Self-Doubt 38 Day Care Center, Nanny, or Relative? 41 Party Central 42 Meet the Health Care Professional 44 Party Planner, Family Resource Guide 45 Advertisers’ Index 46 You’ve Got Mail

22 Remembering 9/11 in NYC

36 Made the Move

23 Family Activities Calendar

40 Separation Strategies

NYMetroParents

Helping Parents Make Better Decisions ON THE COVER ›› 14 And the Winner Is... 16 Gifted&Talented 34 Why are tweens and teens self-conscious? facebook.com/nymetroparents

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

Capturing life at its best

family photo shoots senior portraits mitzvahs sweet sixteens milestone birthdays and more!

RocklandParent

raising kids editor’s note

SEPTEMBER 2019 • Vol.12 • No.12

NYMetroParents

Cute Kid Alert!

id you see the beautiful teen in the cover? That’s 14-year-old Daniela from Suffolk County, the older than 6 grand-prize winner in our 2018 Cover Kids contest! She’s the last of the finalists from 2018 to grace the cover of Rockland Parent, so it’s only fitting that the 2019 grand-prize winners be announced in the behind-the-scenes peek of the photo shoot in this issue. It took a lot of work to get here, though. More than 1,000 of you, dear readers, submitted your children in our call for cover models, and our editors narrowed down the list to 10 (who knew looking at cute pictures of kids would be so difficult?!), shopped for outfits at Macy’s Backstage, planned the photo shoot at Sarah Mariens Photography & Video Company in Manhattan, and coordinated 10 kids’ schedules. The results, as they say, are priceless! Flip to p. 14 to see our finalists in action—and be sure to keep an eye out in the coming months for our future cover stars! While we can’t stop thinking about the great photos we got of our 2019 Cover Kids finalists, we have to start planning for the back-to-school season. If you’re a parent of a child with a learning disability, you’ll definitely want to read “Empowering Your Differently-Abled Student,” p. 12, for five great tips to ensure your child has the best school year possible. And if you’re wondering how to keep the fun of summer going all year-round, read, circle, highlight (put those new office supplies you snuck in the cart when buying school supplies to work!) the “Back-to-School Programs” directory on p. 18. It’s full of fun after-school classes that will keep your kids engaged even after the school day ends. With all this thinking about school, don’t forget to soak up the last days of summer with your kids! This issue is packed with fun for September, but you can always find great things to do every day at nymetroparents.com—and get a curated list of weekend fun hand-picked by our editors sent to you at nymetroparents.com/register. Happy first day of school!

nymetroparents.com

EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Katelin Walling PRODUCTION EDITOR: Melissa Wickes FEATURES EDITOR: Shana Liebman ASSISTANT EDITOR: Jacqueline Neber EDITORIAL INTERN: Laura D’Angelo CALENDARS CALENDAR COORDINATOR: Whitney C. Harris EVENT RESEARCHERS: Lisa Fogarty, Kristina Johnson, Shara Levine DIRECTORIES EDITOR: Alice Van Dyke COPY EDITOR: Christina Vercelletto

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Big Apple Parent 212-315-0800 Jeunesse Jackson, Manager Lauren Alperin Meirowitz, Managing Director Queens Parent 718-878-4860 Annene Guertin, Manager Westchester Parent 914-397-0200 Nini DeLuca, Manager Lauren Anchin, Merrill Sugarman Brooklyn Parent 718-878-4860 Phyllis Crupi, Selene Rodriguez Rockland Parent 845-848-8021 Cara Roteman, Jim Russo Long Island Parent 516-883-4543 Joan Bergman, Manager Lisa Herlihy, Karen Shapiro, Gayle Sherman To Advertise: nympads@davlermedia.com To Submit Events: nymetroparents.com/submitevents To Submit News: nymetroparents.com/submitnews

STATEN ISLAND PARENT

Katelin Walling Editorial Director P.S. Share your first-day-of-school photos with us by tagging @nymetroparents on Instagram!

Helping Parents Make Better Decisions

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

Free Birthday Gifts for Your Kids!

EDITOR/PUBLISHER: Roselle Farina-Hecht 718-494-1932

MOMMYBITES

MANAGING DIRECTOR: Lauren Alperin Meirowitz 646-736-3609 EDITOR: Jennifer Rojas

OPERATIONS

DIR. OF OPERATIONS -- EVENTS: Rebecca Stolcz DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS: Ray Winn OPERATIONS COORDINATOR: Leonard Porter DIRECTOR OF TRAFFIC: Heather Gambaro MARKETING SERVICES MANAGER: Erin Jordan

PRODUCTION

DIRECTOR | PUBLISHING MANAGEMENT: Anthony Diaz DIRECTOR | DIGITAL CONTENT: Silvia Balu

MARKETING

ASSISTANT MARKETING MANAGER: Kristine Pulaski

FINANCE

CREDIT MANAGERS: Rosa Meinhofer, Dan Finnegan

Davler Media Group

Local businesses are celebrating the birthdays of children in our community. Once you enroll your child in the birthday club, they’ll receive gift certificates to have fun at these participating businesses: • Bounce! Trampoline Sports in Valley Cottage • New City Bowl and Batting Cages • Palisades Climb Adventure in West Nyack • Jill’s Ceramics in West Nyack • Chocolatier Matisse in Orangeburg

davlermedia.com

CEO: David L. Miller GENERAL MANAGER: Thomas K. Hanlon CFO: David Friedman 213 W. 35th St., Suite 12W, New York, NY 10001 Phone: 212-315-0800; Fax: 212-271-2239

BIG APPLE PARENT, QUEENS PARENT, WESTCHESTER PARENT BROOKLYN PARENT, ROCKLAND PARENT, BERGEN • ROCKLAND PARENT, STATEN ISLAND PARENT, and LONG ISLAND PARENT are published monthly by Davler Media Group, LLC Copyright © 2019, Davler Media Group, LLC No part of contents may be reproduced without prior permission from the publisher.

RocklandParent

raising kids new places, new programs

Courtesy Studio Jacked

Dance Company in Nanuet Offers Hip-Hop for Children with Special Needs Who: Studio Jacked What’s New: A hip-hop program for students with special needs, slated to begin Sept. 6. The classes, which will be held Friday evenings, aim to allow children with special needs to express themselves while introducing adults to a community of like-minded parents. Owner Jackie Galgano says she hopes dance will help her students develop social skills, identify emotions, master taking turns and following directions, and gain bodily awareness. Students will be asked to identify how a song makes them feel, then dance in a way that mirrors those feelings to connect their bodies to their emotions. Want More Info: 149 Main St., Suite J, Nanuet; 845-623-5225; studiojacked.com; studiojackeddance@gmail.com Studio Jacked also offers jazz, ballet, lyrical, and contemporary classes, as well as mommy-and-me classes and adult dance and fitness classes.

September 2019 | nymetroparents.com

Courtesy Now You’re Talking Spee

Who: Now You’re Talking Speech Therapy Comprehensive Services What’s New: An expansion of Mommy, Me and Speech Therapy classes, slated to begin this month. The classes will now be held three days a week instead of one. The eight-week fall session is scheduled to begin Sept. 6 and will be held Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 9:30-10:30am. Classes are designed for kids ages 1-3 to develop verbal and nonverbal communication skills. The practice also offers private and group sessions designed to care for a variety of speech and language conditions, including speech delays, stuttering, difficulties in literacy, tongue thrust, and hearing impairments. Want More Info: 43 S. Liberty Drive, Stony Point; 845-533-5544; nowyouretalkingspeech.com

ch Therapy

Speech Therapy Clinic Expands Mommy-and-Me Classes

Now You’re Talking Speech Therapy Comp rehensive Services specializes in orofacial myofunctional therap y, which treats conditions caused by a discrepancy in the muscles of the face, mouth, and throat.

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ADVANCING CARE. HERE. To learn more about the Institute for Women’s Health and Wellness or to make an appointment, please call 845.288.1100. RocklandParent

raising kids voices

Savor Each Moment? ››

It wasn’t until my own babies were tweens that I truly understood what “enjoy them while they’re young” means. By Kate Haas

hey were everywhere when my kids were small: older women smiling at me in the grocery store, approaching me at the library, their expressions softening at the sight of my baby’s plump cheeks, my toddler’s irrepressible grin. Before they opened their mouths to speak, I knew exactly what they were about to tell me: It all goes so fast. Enjoy them while they’re young. These women did not tend to catch me at my most serene. Typically, I was attempting to locate the mac and cheese on sale or explain to a distraught 3-year-old that Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! wasn’t on the library shelf today, but there were lots of other books—really!—that we could take home instead. Still, when approached by a member of the “treasure each moment” brigade, I always smiled politely and assured them I would do exactly that. Naturally, I didn’t mean a word of it. Life with young kids is full of moments no one treasures, and the hours until a toddler’s naptime can seem slower than the day of labor it took to produce him. Didn’t those old ladies remember that? Why, I wondered, did they feel so compelled to urge me to enjoy every second? Once my kids were tweens, those older women disappeared. There is universal agreement, it seems, that the parent of a 10-year-old need not be advised to enjoy every second. By then I felt far removed from the world of babies. My friends and I were focused on matters such as basketball practice and homework, and how to get our children to clean up their appalling rooms. I’d certainly acknowledge a cute infant when I spotted one in my daily rounds, but always with quick sigh of thankfulness to be done with diapers and sleepless nights. It was only when my kids were teenagers that I began to notice babies again—really notice them. One day, minding my own business at the grocery store, I became aware of a curious pair of eyes regarding me unblinkingly from over the shoulder of a woman in the produce department. The baby’s cheeks were so delectably plump that I was tempted to give them a squeeze, like an avocado. Instead I smiled—and was rewarded by a huge, delighted grin.

I wanted to scoop that baby up and give her a kiss. The impulse was so strong that I actually had to take a step back to avoid being mistaken for a creepy hoverer. The mother turned around and caught my smile. “Um, your baby’s super cute,” I said. She thanked me and moved on to the bananas. As she walked away, I realized there was something I wanted to tell that woman. But following her and her baby would have been stalkerish, so I didn’t. It was the sight of that baby’s uncomplicated smile that did it, that finally made me understand what those women had been trying to tell me all those years ago, when they repeatedly noted how fast it goes and urged me to enjoy each moment. Frazzled and sleep deprived, I could only interpret that advice literally, and puzzle over it. Which was not, I now realize, the intent. What those women were telling me to enjoy in my little kids was something specific, something I took for granted until it disappeared from my life as a parent: unconditional love and affection. I get it. I was a quiet, withdrawn teen myself, spending hours alone in my room with a book. I wasn’t particularly demonstrative—at least, not where my parents were concerned. I accepted their affection routinely, as my due. So I am unsurprised that my two teen boys don’t greet me with joy when I return home after a few hours away. I don’t expect them to tell me how much they love me, or to offer spontaneous hugs and kisses. But it sure was nice when they did those things. I’ll never be the type to advise a weary mother to treasure each moment. But that day in the produce section, I wanted to tell that woman something else: to soak up the embraces, the sweet heft of a toddler on the hip, the fun of coaxing a smile from a baby, the joy of a preschooler spotting you at pickup. Because if I had understood how much I’d miss all that affection, maybe I really would have tried to savor it a little more. Of course, I didn’t say a word to that mother at the grocery store. I’m not one of those older ladies. Not yet, anyway.

Kate Haas is a freelance writer and editor. A mother of two boys, she has written on parenthood for various publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Slate, and Salon.

September 2019 | nymetroparents.com

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RocklandParent 11

raising kids in the know

Empowering Your Differently-Abled Student ›› By Jacqueline Neber

ood parent-teacher communication is crucial for any successful school year, but being on the same page becomes even more important when your child has a learning disability. You should take a few key proactive steps to ensure your child has the best year possible. Know your rights and speak up. Parents are entitled to receive information about special education from their schools and teachers— reading up and staying informed is the best way to advocate for your kid. When attending Committee for Special Education meetings, annual review meetings, or parent-teacher conferences, if you don’t understand something, ask questions. Communicate with teachers frequently. Kathy Devine and Emily Cole co-teach at Waverly Avenue Elementary School in Holtsville. They say parents of students with special needs must be extra communicative with teachers. “We would like to know sooner when things might be happening at home, whether it’s medication changes or maybe something in the home life has changed,” Cole says. When it comes to homework, “reach out to us as soon as possible so that we’re not waiting until the end of a trimester to know [kids are] struggling,” Devine says. Another tip? Write a letter describing your child and his needs at the beginning of the year. Understand Individualized Education Plan goals. Equally important is understanding your child’s IEP goals—which can differ from her classroom goals. This difference often confuses parents who see their student accomplishing goals on one end of the spectrum and not the other.

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September 2019 | nymetroparents.com

Involve your child. Cassie Reilly, the current Transition Coordinator at Northport High School, suggests involving your kid in IEP and parent-teacher conferences. Being open with kids from the time of diagnosis helps them stand up for themselves and understand their learning disability does not make them inferior to others. Be sensitive to difference. Parents should understand their kids might be different at home than at school, Reilly adds. And, even more importantly, their kids might have an atypical path toward success. Communicating with teachers is key to understanding how your kid can progress in the best way.

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RocklandParent 13

And the winner is…

A behind-the-scenes peek at the 2019 Cover Kids photo shoot

t’s official: You, dear readers, have cute kids! We knew picking finalists wasn’t going to be easy. In fact, it wasn’t easy times 1,000—that’s how many children were entered. Well, 1,006 to be exact. Once our editors were done exclaiming, “I love her hair!” “Look at his outfit!” and “Kids wearing glasses are adorable,” we poured over the entries and narrowed it down to nine cuties, plus our Fan Favorite. Those 10 kids were then invited to a photo shoot at Sarah Merians Photography & Video Company in Manhattan. And, boy, did they deliver! All the kids rocked the shoot decked out in clothes from Macy’s Backstage.

Promotional Partners:

September 2019 | nymetroparents.com

The really difficult choice was choosing the two grand-prize winners. We powered through, though, and it’s Jasper from Manhattan and Jordan from Nassau County who are the grand-prize winners! Jasper and his family will celebrate the win with a two-night stay, plus two Paw Passes, at Great Wolf Lodge in Scotrun, PA, and Jordan will get nextlevel modeling advice with a scholarship to and photo shoot at Barbizon Modeling and Acting Studio. Nyla, our Fan Favorite from Brooklyn, also received a two-night stay at and two Paw Passes to Great Wolf Lodge. Congrats to everyone—and keep an eye out to see these beautiful faces on our future covers!

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WINNER

n6 a h t r e g n You

WINNER

Jordan

Jasper

Age: 13 y Nassau Count Hometown: t lis a hairsty He wants to be up. s ow gr when he

Age: 2 hattan Hometown: Man e colors in th He can name all d shoes. re lo co tihis very mul

FAN FAVORITE Nyla

Age: 5 Hometown: Brooklyn t Her favorite book is The Ca lly ecia esp She t. in the Ha loves Thing 1 and Thing 2.

Olivia

Age: 9 Hometown: Westchester County She loves to swim, and her favorite movie is Trolls.

Henry

Age: 3 Hometown: Brooklyn If he could pick a superpower to have, he would fly. His favorite superhero is his mommy!

Teagan

Age: 7 unty Hometown: Suffolk Co do! on ekw Ta do to es lov She

Leilani

Age: 9 Hometown: the Bronx the Her favorite books are sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and , ies ser ter Pot Harry . an up to Prisoner of Azkab

Zachary

Age: 4 Hometown: Queens He has an older sister and a younger brother who came to watch his photo shoot, and he liked answering questions with his sister.

Anthony

Age: 3 Hometown: Suffolk County His favorite colors are green and yellow.

Ghianna

Age: 11 unty Hometown: Rockland Co is w sho te Her favori es DanTDM, and she lov playing Minecraft. RocklandParent 15

Is Your Child ‘G&T’? ››

What parents need to know about the Gifted & Talented program in New York—and how to prep for the test By Madeleine Burry

very year, tens of thousands of kids across New York City— and some in the suburbs of NYC—opt to take a test to qualify for the Gifted and Talented program. The program holds classes (within public schools) that are geared to the test’s highest scorers: kids the Department of Education deems “exceptional” students. The test is administered to kids entering kindergarten through third grade. Will your child be one of those test-takers? Find out what you need to know about the program and the exam—including the best way to prep your little ones for it.

The Basics

The city actually offers two separate district and citywide G&T programs. In the citywide option, children from all of the city’s neighborhoods attend a school with only G&T students. Districtlevel programs, in contrast, prioritize admitting students who live within the district, and these G&T students share the school with non-G&T kids. They also take some classes, such as art and PE, with the non-G&T students. Both programs rely on test results to determine eligibility. A score of 90 or above qualifies kids to apply to district programs; a score of 97 or above is required for application to the citywide programs. However, test score alone is not enough to guarantee entrance for either program—students are entered into a lottery system for programs since more kids qualify than there are available seats. That’s what happened to mom-of-two Dahlia Thompson’s oldest child. “Maya ended up scoring a 97 and made citywide,” Thompson says. But since Maya didn’t get a spot in a citywide school, she instead attended a neighborhood district G&T school 16

September 2019 | nymetroparents.com

for kindergarten. If you live in a school district in New York City or the metro area that doesn’t offer a Gifted and Talented program, you can explore after-school programs that offer this type of enrichment. For example, Village East Gifted in Huntington Station and Roslyn Heights and G-tec Kids in New Rochelle offer hands-on activities and classes designed for advanced students to strengthen their cognitive skills.

Taking the Test

Any child who lives in New York City, and is entering kindergarten through third grade in September, can take the G&T test during the previous January (they just have to register by late fall). This includes students with disabilities (with accommodations potentially available for kids who have IEPs, IESPs, or 504 Plans). The exam is also administered in many languages other than English, including Arabic, Mandarin, Spanish, and Cantonese. Emily Levitt, vice president of education at Sylvan Learning, explains that the test is divided into two parts. Test-takers get both a raw and percentile score on each part, which are then combined into an overall score used to determine eligibility. The first part of the exam is nonverbal, Levitt says. Questions are drawn from the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test—students are shown pictures and asked to predict which one would come next in a pattern or combine objects to form a new pattern. The second part of the exam is verbal, with questions from the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test. This multiple-choice portion tests verbal comprehension and reasoning, Levitt says. With applying for kindergarten, the proctor will read the questions aloud once and mark down the child’s responses.

The test is untimed, but according to the NYC Department of Education, students usually complete it within 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Practice and Prepare

The biggest challenge for test takers is age. “Really little kids and tests don’t always go well together, for no other reason than that the kids are so little,” Levitt says. “Trying to prep a four-yearold for a test is going to look different than prepping your high schooler for the SAT.” One way to prepare your kid for the G&T exam (without causing undue stress) is to practice abstract lessons at home. Make it feel like playtime! Starting a few months before the exam, have kids identify patterns and sequences, Levitt suggests. Use toys to create a pattern of small, medium, large, and then have your child continue the pattern. Or use M&M’s to make colorbased patterns. Another strategy she recommends is to ask questions throughout the day to help get kids in the habit of explaining their thinking and reasoning. The NYC DOE also publishes a booklet with practice exams (you can find it at schools.nyc.gov), though some warn against taking this too seriously. “We went through the examples in the DOE booklet a few times beforehand and that’s it,” Thompson says. Levitt also suggests parents avoid being drill sergeants—do a few questions per sitting, she says. Don’t forget: Your attitude toward the test can be contagious, and stress and anxiety aren’t helpful to your child. Frame any prep you do in terms of getting kids comfortable, so they know what to expect, Levitt says. And no need to go into detail about test results or their implications. Thompson’s son missed the cut-off score by one point. “Lev vaguely knows he didn’t pass the test, but we didn’t make a big deal out of it,” she says.

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Should your kids take the test?

There are few reasons not to take the test: A strong test result opens the door to potential inclusion in the program—and your child’s score will not be shared with schools. That said, the test—and in fact, the G&T program as a whole—is not without controversy. Students in wealthier districts are more likely to take the exam than students in poorer ones. And, while there are many G&T programs in Manhattan and parts of Queens, there are fewer G&T options in historically Black and Latinx districts in the Bronx and Brooklyn, according to a report from the DOE’s School Diversity Advisory Group. “The racial demographics of kindergarten G&T programs are not representative of the racial demographics of kindergarteners as a whole,” the SDAG report notes. Black and Latinx students make up 63 percent of all kindergartners, but only 18 percent of the G&T kindergarteners. Some schools are now considering phasing out their G&T programs because of these types of diversity issues. Levitt argues that you should only avoid the test if it will be a stressful event for your child. Thompson’s advice: Consider your kid’s personality. “I don’t think there’s harm in taking the exam to expand your options if the kid does well, but gauge the kid. My kids think workbooks and puzzles are fun, so the test didn’t stress them out,” she says. “But it’s not for everyone.” Madeleine Burry is a freelance writer and editor who has held staff positions at Parents. com, Scholastic, and About.com. Burry lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn, with her husband and their cat. You can follow her on Twitter @lovelanewest.

RocklandParent 17

Back To School Programs CLASSES

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT/LANGUAGE Huntington Learning Center

58 East Route 59, Nanuet 845-624-6800 23 Jefferson Ave., Westwood, NJ 201-664-2000 75 N. Maple Ave., Ridgewood, NJ 201-447-1200 huntingtonhelps.com Huntington is the premier tutoring and test prep provider for students kindergarten-12th grades, including SAT, ACT, and state tests. The company prides itself on personalized attention and proven results. Founded in 1977, Huntington’s mission is to give every student the best education possible. Learn more about our mission at huntingtonhelps.com.

ART Jill’s Ceramics

180 Germonds Road, West Nyack 845-623-4975 jillceramics.com jillsceramics@aol.com “Where children and adults create their own functional works of art.” Established for more than 37 years, we offer a huge variety of plaster pieces that can be painted and taken home same day, or glazed ceramics with a large assortment of finishes. Open Ceramic times and free instruction offered weekly.

DANCE Coupé Theatre Studio

430 Market St., Nanuet 845-623-2808 coupedance.com For more than 45 years Coup Theatre Studio has offered the finest training in all areas of the performing arts. Classes include Ballet, Pre-pointe and Pointe, Variations, Partnering, Jazz, Contemporary Jazz, Acro, Tap, Modern Dance, Hip-hop, Theatre Dance, Musical Theatre, Acting, and Vocal Technique. For students ages 3 through adult.

Danceworks

69 Lake Road, Congers 845-268-4669 Offering classes in creative dance, pre-ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, and hip-hop for ages 3 through teen as well as adult ballet workout classes (free babysitting). Specializing in children-encouraging a friendly, non-competitive atmosphere. Several children have gone on to study at the School of American Ballet in Manhattan. Free trial classes.

Studio Jacked Dance Company

149 Main St., Unit K, Nanuet 845-623-5225 studiojacked.com studiojackeddance@gmail.com We welcome dancers of all abilities into our dance family with love, support, and positive vibes. Offering recreational and competitive dance classes including ballet, jazz, lyrical, lyrical hip-hop, contemporary, street jazz, blast, all boy hip-hop, mommy and me, Jacked Ice Breakerz, and adult fitness. Come join Rockland’s coolest dance family.

Vicki’s Dance Studio and Kreative Kids

61 Maple Ave., New City 845-634-2202 vickistudio.com For more than 30 years, Vicki’s Studio has been inspiring and motivating students. They offer beginner to advanced classes for ages 2-adult, including jazz, tap, hip-hop, ballet, pointe, lyrical, modern, creative movement, boys hip-hop, gymnastics, combination classes, and musical theater classes. For experienced dancers they offer a competitive dance team (tryouts required).

FOREIGN LANGUAGE German Language School - Westwood

Saturday only class and Summer Camp 460 Hillsdale Ave., Hillsdale 201-825-9770 germanschoolnj.org info@germanschoolnj.org The German Language School Westwood is a non-profit organization in Bergen County. We welcome students of all nationalities and backgrounds. Most classes meet on Saturday mornings, for children of all levels, with additional adult classes offered on evenings. All teachers are experienced language instructors.

GYMNASTICS & CHEERLEADING Tumble-Bee Gymnastics and Fitness

401 Market St., Nanuet Mall South, Nanuet 845-623-2553 tumble-beegymnastics.com Tumble-Bee Gymnastics and Fitness offers an education in gymnastics, fitness, and fun. Serving Rockland for more than 30 years, we offer programs for children ages 10 months to 12 years. Our staff is warm, caring, and well trained to work with your child building confidence and self-esteem to achieve success in the future.

September 2019 | nymetroparents.com

HORSEBACK RIDING Venture Equestrian Center

15 Fernald Drive, Stony Point 845-947-0093 venturerockland.org/programs/equestrian-center horseprogram@campventure.org Venture Equestrian is pleased to offer yearround private riding lessons to adults and children. Our instructors have more than 20 years of experience in horsemanship and riding, and our site director is PATH certified. Lessons are available Monday-Thursday, and Saturday, afternoon and evening.

MARTIAL ARTS The Academy For Martial Arts

8 Orangetown Shopping Center, Orangeburg 845-359-4500 rocklandkarate.com 7-11 Suffern Place, Suffern 845-368-3209 martialartssuffern.com As a parent, you want to protect your child from dangerous situations. Martial arts lessons are a fantastic solution and TAMA has been teaching them for more than 20 years. Every kid should learn self-defense. It’s like learning to swim-it’s lots of fun, can save your life, and builds self-control and self-confidence.

MULTI-SPORTS New City Bowl and Batting Cages

90 N. Main St., New City 845-634-4977 newcitybowlandbattingcages.com Children love bowling! We offer something for everyone-all ages and abilities are welcome. All league members get a shirt, awards, trophies, free practice and membership in our VIB club for discounts. Join a league and participate in every game. We offer inexpensive clinics and camps for those who want to improve.

THEATER Clarkstown Theatre Company

8 Second St., Lower Level, New City 845-708-2288 clarkstowntheatrecompany.com Clarkstown Theatre Company began in our community to create and develop artists as actors and performers. We are a year-round studio that offers acting classes, musical theater workshops, and intimate, original showpieces. Join us where the craft of theater is experienced in a warm and positive environment with professional instructors.

BACK TO SCHOOL SERVICES DENTISTS & ORTHODONTISTS

Dental Wellness of Suffern

Sherri Alpert, D.D.S. 2 Executive Blvd., Suite 307, Suffern 845-918-1801 dentalwellnessofsuffern.com dentalwellness@optonline.net Dr. Alpert is excited to offer drill-free, needle-free dentistry with the Solea CO2 Laser. A parent herself, Dr. Alpert enjoys working with children who are apprehensive about the dentist, as well as those with special needs, creating a fun environment with magic tricks, a wall mural, and a lot of patience.

Kastin Orthodontics

6 Medical Park Drive, Pomona 845-354-7233 kastinorthodontics.com drkastin09@yahoo.com Dr. Kastin prides his practice on conservative early treatment and cost-free childhood dental monitoring, enabling the most effective treatment possible, as well as being a knowledgeable, compassionate clinician and friend. State-of-the-art materials and customized treatment planning for every patient ensure quality care. Certified Invisalign provider. Complimentary initial exams.

Marita Smith, D.D.S. Smith’s Little Smiles Pediatric Dentistry 5C Medical Park Drive, Pomona 845-414-9626 smithslittlesmiles.com drsmith@smithslittlesmiles.com Dr. Marita Smith is a board-certified pediatric dentist dedicated to providing excellent dental care for children infancy-adolescence in a warm and friendly environment. Dr. Smith completed her pediatrics specialty at a Level 1 Trauma center, with extensive training at the Rose F. Kennedy Center in caring for children with special needs.

Nyack Pediatric Dentistry

Dr. Angela Boudounis-Hatzis 265 N. Highland Ave., (Route 9W), Nyack 845-512-8434 nyackpediatricdentistry.com drb@nyackpediatricdentistry.com Nyack Pediatric Dentistry is a cutting-edge practice that delivers state-of-the-art oral health care to the pediatric population, from

birth through their teenage years. We believe that good oral health begins with prevention. Using age-appropriate techniques, we accomplish this through education and motivation. We welcome patients with special needs.

S. Ramaswamy, D.D.S.

515 S. Main St., New City 845-634-9603 ramaswamysmile.com info@ramaswamysmile.com Our state-of-the-art practice specializes in helping kids, teens, and adults achieve a beautiful smile with orthodontic solutions tailored to suit each patient’s lifestyle and preferences. All patient work is expertly provided by Dr. Ramaswamy and is the best way to reduce emergencies and decrease treatment time. Invisalign certified. Most insurance accepted.

Sachdev Family Orthodontics

124 E. Ramapo Road, Suite 2, Garnerville 845-786-7736 sfojustsmile.com sfojustsmile@gmail.com We provide individualized braces and Invisalign treatment to kids and adults. Dr. Ameeta Sachdev has been in the dental field for two decades with dual dental degrees, from India and the U.S. She teaches orthodontics at St. Barnabas Hospital. Most insurance accepted, evening and Saturday hours, and 24-hour emergency service available.

Smile More Kidz Dr. Darren Tong

140 Oak Tree Road, Tappan 845-367-7782 smilemorekidz.com Dr. Tong is a certified pediatric dentist, voted Favorite Kids Doc by NJ Family Magazine for five consecutive years. He specializes in treating children including those with special needs. Dr. Tong and his entire Smile Team is focused on the specific dental needs of kids of all ages.

DOCTORS Crystal Run Healthcare

2 Centerock Road, West Nyack 845-348-1100 crystalrunhealthcare.com Crystal Run Healthcare is a multi-specialty medical group offering the convenience of more than 50 specialties and 400 providers. Our West Nyack facility offers high quality health care with more than 20 medical and surgical specialties, an

BOWLING LEAGUES FOR ALL AGES & ABILITIES EVERYBODY PLAYS NOBODY SITS ON THE BENCH

• Have Fun, Make Friends, Win Scholarships!! • Bowling is a lifetime sport and great conﬁdence builder, start young and get the opportunity to earn scholarships throughout the year. • Bowling is a Varsity Sport in the Clarkstown, Nanuet, North Rockland, Nyack, Pearl River, Suﬀern, and Tappan Zee Schools - earn a varsity letter while having a great time! • Birthday Parties • Bar + Snack Bar • Instruction + Clinics • Outdoor Batting Cages Join a Fall league and get 1st week FREE, new customers only, up to $20, exp 9/15/19

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infusion center, urgent care, diagnostic testing services, on-site laboratory, diagnostic imaging, and women’s imaging.

EDUCATIONAL SERVICES Lipson Family Coaching Melissa Lipson

275 Route 304, Bardonia 914-649-6923 lipsonfamilycoaching.com melissa@lipsonfamilycoaching.com Melissa Lipson, a professional school guidance counselor, works with children and teens to give them tools that are transferable to all aspects of their lives. Using a variety of strategies and techniques, she teaches important life skills that allow them to function well emotionally now and in the future.

Now You’re Talking L.L.C.

Sandra Gotthardt, M.S., C.C.C.-S.L.P., T.S.S.L.D. Diana Hughes, M.S., C.C.C.-S.L.P., T.S.S.L.D. Pediatric Private Speech Therapy Clinic 43 South Liberty Drive, Stony Point 845-533-5544 nowyouretalkingspeech.com sgotthardt@nowyourtalkingspeech.com We offer the utmost care in treating your child’s unique needs with a fun, tailored speech language plan aimed at bringing communication skills to an age-appropriate level. Sandra and Diana are nationally board-certified speech language pathologists. Sandra is also a certified orofacial myofunctional therapist who works collaboratively with other related health specialists.

STORES & RESOURCES Fidelis Care New York

888-FIDELIS (343-3547) fideliscare.org Fidelis Care is a mission-driven health plan offering quality, affordable coverage for children and adults of all ages and at all stages of life. With more than 1.7 million members statewide, Fidelis Care believes that all New Yorkers should have access to affordable, quality health insurance.

SPOTS Special Programs in Occupational Therapy Services

30 Ramland Road, Orangeburg 845-848-2228 spotsot.com SPOTS is a pediatric occupational therapy practice that provides

services for toddlers-teens. We are committed to fostering a child’s self-esteem and confidence while utilizing their strengths to improve areas of difficulty, such as sensory processing skills, fine and gross motor skills, handwriting skills, social skills, attention and self-regulation skills.

TUTORS & TEST PREP Huntington Learning Center

58 East Route 59, Nanuet 845-624-6800 23 Jefferson Ave., Westwood, NJ 201-664-2000 75 N. Maple Ave., Ridgewood, NJ 201-447-1200 huntingtonhelps.com Huntington is the premier tutoring and test prep provider for students in kindergarten-12th grades, including SAT, ACT, and state tests. The company prides itself on personalized attention and proven results. Founded in 1977, Huntington’s mission is to give every student the best education possible. Learn more about our mission at huntingtonhelps.com.

EDUCATION

DAYCARE & CHILDCARE Bright Beginnings Preschool & Childcare

6 Charles St., New City 914-420-5785 2 Mountainview Court, Pomona brightbeginningsofrockland.com

We offer two great locations to meet your preschool and childcare needs for ages 2 to school-age. Owned and operated by a NYS-certified elementary teacher, we follow a full NYS pre-K curriculum, offer before- and after-school programs, flexible scheduling, NYS-licensed/NAFCC accredited facility. Staff are CPR- and first aid-certified.

St. Catharine Early Childhood Center 517 Western Highway, Blauvelt 845-359-4330 stcatharineprek.org

Our program provides an opportunity for young children to join together in a loving, nurturing, educational, fun environment. Phonemic awareness skills, social, cognitive, fine and gross motor skills are introduced through creative curriculum.

September 2019 | nymetroparents.com

A wonderful place for preschoolers to learn, grow, and have fun!

PRESCHOOLS Bright Beginnings Preschool & Childcare

6 Charles St., New City 914-420-5785 2 Mountainview Court, Pomona brightbeginningsofrockland.com

Kreative Kids & Vicki’s Dance Studio 61 Maple Ave., New City 845-634-2202 vickistudio.com

Kreative Kids is a toddler and nursery program for ages 16 months to 4 years (diapers welcomed)! Classes are divided by age. We offer arts and crafts, music with instruments, singing, creative movement, tumbling, story time, snack time, and early learning skills. We offer small class sizes and flexible, extended hours.

The Lindgren Nursery School and Camp 211 Irving Ave., Closter 201-768-3550 lindgrenschool.com

It is our mission to engage young children in direct and meaningful experiences with the natural world and other people. Our campus includes seven classrooms, three-anda-half acres of gardens, play areas, and farm animals. Daily program is a balance of indoor and outdoor free play, teacher directed experiences, and small group activities.

Palisades Country Day School

248 Herbert Ave., Closter 201-784-7600 Palisades Preschool and Kindergarten 2324 Fifth St., Fort Lee, NJ 201-947-3898 Palisades Country Day School and Camp 212/248 Herbert Ave., Closter, NJ 201-784-7600 palisadescountryday.com

With more than 50 years in early childhood education,

our schools are trusted and proven to be a positive first step for young children. Palisades enhances learning through small group size and age appropriate curriculum, taught by experienced, professional educators in a child-centered, hands-on learning environment. A memorable experience for every child who attends.

St. Catharine Early Childhood Center

517 Western Highway, Blauvelt 845-359-4330 stcatharineprek.org

Young World Day School

585 Wyckoff Ave., Mahwah, NJ 201-327-3888 youngworlddayschool.org director@ywdschool.org

Young World provides a safe, nurturing environment where children grow academically, socially, and emotionally. We offer traditional preschool beginning at age 2, Montessori at age 3, and small, mixed-age elementary classrooms beginning with TK/K through sixth grade where we offer individualized instruction. Enrichment includes Spanish, music, yoga, computers, and athletics.

SPECIAL NEEDS Otto Specht School

260 Hungry Hollow Road, Chestnut Ridge 845-352-5020 x130 ottospechtschool.org info@ottospecht.org

At Otto Specht School, we work to discover each child’s path to lifelong learning, offering exceptional educational programs that reach beyond the four walls of a traditional classroom. Designed for students with learning challenges and developmental delays, we offer kindergarten-12th, Transitional Life Skills, and 21 plus programming.

GLSW

German Language School Westwood

GERMAN LANGUAGE CLASSES Small Classes All Ages and Levels Preparation for all College Admissions Tests

Accredited Non-Profit Since 1972

Lipson Family Coaching

Strengthening your Family

Social Skills Groups

starting this Fall for children ages 5-12 Prepare your child for a successful school year while having fun and making new friends. Learning Social Emotional Skills will boost student achievement, improve behavior, help develop positive relationships and regulate feelings of frustration and anger.

Self-Awareness • Self-Management Social Awareness Manage Relationships • Decision Making Ages 5-8 Mondays 4:30-5:30

Starting Sept 16

www.germanschoolnj.org

MELISSA LIPSON Child & Family Coach

Ages 9-12 Wednesdays 4:30-5:30 PM Starting Sept 18

(914) 649-6923 • www.lipsonfamilycoaching.com 275 Route 304, Bardonia, NY 10954

201-825-9770 Celebrating our 20th Year!

Dental Wellness of Suffern Now Offers:

ANESTHESIA-FREE & VIRTUALLY PAIN-FREE PROCEDURES

Mrs. Feeney and her staff are celebrating another fabulous year educating and nurturing the children in our community

Registration Ongoing for September 2019

Half and Full Day Sessions for 3-5 yr old • Extended Care Hours Readiness Skills Including: Math, Science, Reading, History, Religion, Fine & Gross Motor Skills Technology Touch Screen Tablets, Smart Boards Fun Arts & Crafts, Yoga, Class Trips, Hands on Activities

We are proud to announce that we have added the Solea dental laser to our practice: No drill No numb feeling No needles No jarring noises No soreness And multiple procedures done in one appointment

St. Catharine Early Childhood Center 517 Western Highway • Blauvelt

359-4330

NY State Licensed All Staff NY Certified CPR & First Aid

www.stcatharineprek.org st.cprek@yahoo.com UPK Participant

Dental Wellness of Suffern | Sherri Alpert, D.D.S. 2 Executive Blvd., Suite 307, Suffern | (845) 918-1801 dentalwellnessofsuffern.com RocklandParent 21

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N Y C

Remembering 9/11 in NYC By Melissa Wickes

The Table of Silence Project aims to celebrate and honor peace in a united moment of silence.

A Moment of Silence

Courtesy NYC Fire Museum

The 9th Annual 9/11 Table of Silence Project is a free public dance tribute to Sept. 11 designed to commemorate those lost and pray for peace. More than 100 dancers from major companies and schools in New York City come together for a presentation that begins at 8:15am and ends exactly at 8:46am, the time the North Tower was struck. Wednesday, Sept. 11. Ages: All. Free to attend. Josie Robertson Plaza, 10 Lincoln Center Plaza, Upper West Side. tableofsilence.org.

The NYC Fire Museum’s 9/11 Memorial Room is the first permanent memorial to the members of the FDNY who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001.

Honor and Commemorate First Responders

The NYC Fire Museum holds a 9/11 Memorial Ceremony on the anniversary each year, led by a NYFD commissioner with a speech by the museum director. While you are there, spend some time at the museum’s memorial to the 343 members of the FDNY who lost their lives that day. The exhibit chronicles and commemorates with a marble and tile memorial, tools recovered from Ground Zero, and opportunities to learn more about the late firefighters. Wednesday, Sept. 11, 11am. Ages: All. Free to attend event. NYC Fire Museum, 278 Spring St., Hudson Square. Visit website for museum admission information: nycfiremuseum.org. 22

September 2019 | nymetroparents.com

On Sept. 11, 9/11 Memorial & Museum visitors place flowers in the names of victims on the memorial panels.

9/11 Memorial & Museum

Every year on Sept. 11, New Yorkers and Americans remember the thousands of lives lost in 2001. The reflecting pools and the new 9/11 Memorial Glade, a dedication to recovery workers and community members who have become sick or died due to toxins at the WTC site, offer a peaceful place for remembrance and meditation. And the museum offers an in-depth experience for families of all kinds. Visit it: 180 Greenwich St., Tribeca. 911memorial.org. Can’t-miss event: Tribute in Light; Wednesday, Sept. 11 Directions: Approximately a 1-hour, 20-minute drive from New City

Courtesy 9/11 Tribute Museum

Terri Gold

Ciara Bergin

W he hile y re ou , v ’r isit e …

9/11 Tribute Museum Walking Tours are personal, emotional tours given by people who were there and directly affected by Sept. 11, 2001.

9/11 Tribute Museum Walking Tours

Survivors, family members of lost loved ones, first responders, recovery workers, and other people who lived and worked in lower Manhattan in 2001 offer their personal, emotional experiences of Sept. 11. Each tour is unique to your guide while also providing history of the WTC and the aftermath, stops at the Firefighter Memorial Wall, an opportunity to tour the 9/11 Tribute Museum, and more. Visit it: 92 Greenwich St., Tribeca. 911tributemuseum.org. Can’t-miss event: Annual 9/11 National Day of Service & Remembrance: Bike Build; Wednesday, Sept. 25, 10am-3:30pm Directions: Approximately a 1-hour, 20-minute drive from New City

Ideas When You Need Them:

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

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Turn the page for details on CORNupcopia (No. 1 on our list)

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SEPTEMBER CALENDAR

24 Editor’s Hot Tickets

28 Fun Fairs & Festivals

25 We Can’t Believe It’s FREE!

29 Little Foodies, Holiday Fun

26 Smarty Pants, Movers & Shakers

WANT US TO INCLUDE YOUR EVENT?

nymetroparents.com/submitevent UPDATED DAILY AT nymetroparents.com/calendar rpeditor@davlermedia.com

27 The Great Outdoors,

30 Animal Lovers, Crafty Kids

31 Once Upon a Time

Mini Musicians

32 Show Time!

EDITOR’S HOT TICKETS Our calendar is full of great ideas. First, here are the 10 events we consider can’t-miss—the ones we’re taking our own kids to. Consider it your cheat sheet to the best of what’s great this month!

CORNucopia

WHEN: Aug. 31-Sept. 1, Saturday-Sunday, 10am-5pm WHERE: Philipsburg Manor, 381 N. Broadway, Sleepy Hollow AGES: All WHAT: Bring the family to the Lower Hudson Valley’s only corn festival. Indulge in sweet corn ice cream from The Blue Pig, challenge yourself in a corn maze, and play corn-y games! You’ll work up an appetite watching live cooking demonstrations, taking a walking tour of the farm, and tapping your toes to live bluegrass and folk music. WHY WE LOVE IT: Kids can quench their thirst with root beer (and grown-ups can opt for draft beers) from the local Captain Lawrence Brewing Company. WANT TO GO? $16; $12 students 18-25 and seniors 65 and older; $8 children 3-17; free for children younger than 3. 914-366-6900. hudsonvalley.org/historic-sites/philipsburg-manor.

Woodstock-New Paltz Art & Crafts Fair

WHEN: Aug. 31-Sept. 2, Saturday-Sunday, 10am-5:30pm; Monday, 10am-4pm WHERE: Ulster County Fairgrounds, 249 Libertyville Road, New Paltz AGES: All WHAT: Check out more than 200 juried exhibitors and engage in ongoing craft demonstrations, from wood-turning and alpaca fiberspinning to brush painting, metal-smithing, and soap-making. WHY WE LOVE IT: The festival includes a complimentary and supervised drop-off children’s tent where kids will enjoy face-painting, interactive musical performances, wildlife shows, and more. WANT TO GO? $13 Early Bird 3-day weekend pass online only; $10 adult; $9 seniors; free for children 12 years and younger. 845-516-4342. quailhollow.com.

Mario the Magician

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 7, 6:30-7:30pm WHERE: Rockland Center for the Arts, 27 S. Greenbush Road, West Nyack AGES: 3-12 WHAT: Nyack’s own Mario the Maker Magician is returning to RoCA. Expect Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin for the modern age, with a mad inventor twist! WHY WE LOVE IT: The show is perfect for littles ones as it runs just 5060 minutes without intermission. WANT TO GO? $20; $15 per child. 845-358-0877. rocklandartcenter.org.

September 2019 | nymetroparents.com

Tenth Annual Highlands Bluegrass Festival

WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 8, 1pm WHERE: Harmony Hall Jacob Sloat House, 15 Liberty Rock Road, Sloatsburg AGES: All WHAT: Spend the day at the 10th Annual Highlands Bluegrass Festival for music, food, and crafts. WHY WE LOVE IT: Kids can run around outside while parents enjoy the live bands. WANT TO GO? $10 suggested donation. 845-712-5220. friendsofharmonyhall.org.

2019 Yorktown Grange Fair

WHEN: Sept. 6-8, Friday, 4-11pm; Saturday, 10am11pm; Sunday, 10am-7pm WHERE: Yorktown Grange Fair Grounds, 99 Moseman Road, Yorktown Heights AGES: All WHAT: The Grange Fairgrounds will be bursting with local farm animals, contests, and carnival fare. WHY WE LOVE IT: Highlights include a tractor parade and live music! WANT TO GO? $10 per carload; $5 walk-ins and single occupant vehicles; free for children younger than 2. 914-962-3900. yorktowngrangefair.org.

The Great Nyack Get Together FREE

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 14, 12-6pm WHERE: Village of Nyack Memorial Park, 4 Depew Avenue, Nyack AGES: All WHAT: Check out more than 60 Rockland non-profit and business organizations that are offering family-friendly activities. The fun includes live music, food trucks, art by community artisans, a human foosball game, an obstacle course, and a bounce house.

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WHY WE LOVE IT: Kids will flip for the fire truck and a fire boat on display. WANT TO GO? 845-358-2600. greatnyackgettogether.com.

‘The Tap Dance Kid’ Directed by Savion Glover

WHEN: Sept. 13-15, Friday-Saturday 7pm; Sunday 2pm WHERE: New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 1 Center St., Newark, NJ AGES: All WHAT: Tony Award-winning tap dancer and choreographer Savion Glover directs a talented cast of young performers in a revival of the hit Broadway musical. WHY WE LOVE IT: Kids who love to dance will be wowed by the wonders of tap! WANT TO GO? $29-$36. 800-466-5722. njpac.org.

Suffern Day FREE

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 21, 11am-3pm WHERE: Suffern Ballfields, 1 Ramapo Ave., Suffern AGES: All WHAT: A fun-filled community event featuring emergency services and displays including police, fire, EMS, SWAT, and helicopters as well as a kidzone, hayrides, local performers, local restaurant samplings, refreshments, community organizations, and more. WHY WE LOVE IT: Stay through the evening for fireworks and live music by Country Fresh! WANT TO GO? suffernny.gov/events

Autumn Campfire & Night Hike

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 21, 6:30-8:30pm WHERE: Tenafly Nature Center, 313 Hudson Ave., Tenafly, NJ AGES: All WHAT: Develop your night vision, play games, and listen for animals. Registration required. WHY WE LOVE IT: Families can gather ‘round the campfire to explore seasonal changes, listen to stories, and roast marshmallows for s’mores. WANT TO GO? $10; $5 members. 201-568-6093. tenaflynaturecenter.org/ seasonal-programs.

Fall Foliage Festival FREE

WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 22, 10am-5pm WHERE: Historic Downtown Port Jervis; for GPS: 1 Jersey Ave., Port Jervis AGES: All WHAT: See live bands, dance performances, and classic cars, and enjoy delicious foods from around the world. WHY WE LOVE IT: Little ones will have fun with a petting zoo, bicycle stunt show, and antique fire trucks. WANT TO GO? Admission is free, prices vary for goods. 845-858-4017. portjervisny.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. Opening Reception for Lauren Rudolph | STAR FREE

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 7, 7-10pm WHERE: Volition Gallery, 103 S. Greenbush Road, Orangeburg AGES: All WHAT: See this exhbit by Lauren Rudolph, whose paintings are captivating in their extraordinary ability to capture human emotion. WANT TO GO? 845-596-0870. facebook.com/events/643480326132551.

Music Fest FREE

WHEN: Monday, Sept. 9, 1pm WHERE: Memorial Park at Van Neste Square, South Walnut Street, Ridgewood, NJ AGES: All WHAT: A full day of music featuring pop, rock, R&B, country, jazz, and more! WANT TO GO? 201-493-9911. ridgewoodguild.com/events/music-fest.

Coffee and Coloring: Playgroup and Meetup

WHEN: Friday, Sept. 13, 9:30-11am WHERE: Pearl River Library, 80 Franklin Ave., Pearl River AGES: Newborn to 5 WHAT: Meet local parents and kids for some free play and enjoy coffee, tea, and light snacks. Registration required. WANT TO GO? 845-735-4084. pearlriverlibrary.org.

FIT4MOM Rockland: Stroller Strides FREE

WHEN: Through Oct. 30: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 9-10am WHERE: The Shop at Nanuet, 5101 Fashion Drive, Nanuet AGES: 3-5, adult WHAT: Stroller Strides is a functional, total-body conditioning workout designed for moms with kids in tow. Each 60-minute workout is comprised of strength training, cardio, and core restoration, all while entertaining little ones with songs, activities, and fun. Try your first class for free! WANT TO GO? 845-367-9450. simon.com/mall/the-shops-at-nanuet/ stream/fit4mom-rockland-stroller-strides-6137503.

Weekly Drop-In at Rockland Baby Café FREE

WHEN: Through Jan. 31: Tuesdays, 10:30am-12:30pm WHERE: Rockland Baby Café, 14 S. Main St., Spring Valley AGES: Newborn to 2, adult WHAT: Meet and talk to new moms, learn how to make breast-feeding easier, and get tips on pumping, going back to work, and other parenting topics. WANT TO GO? 914-922-2240. rocklandgov.com. ››

RocklandParent 25

WHAT: Learn more about physics and balance while making sculptures. WANT TO GO? $18; $15 seniors 65 and older; $8 ages 5-18 and students with valid ID; free for members and children younger than 5. 845-534-3115. stormkingartcenter.org.

Preschool Science Storytime FREE

SMARTY PANTS Eat SAT/ACT Nonfiction for Breakfast FREE

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 14, 1-2:45pm WHERE: Pearl River Library, 80 Franklin Ave., Pearl River AGES: 13-17 WHAT: Strengthen and sharpen key passage reading skills with practice and guidance. Registration required. WANT TO GO? 845-735-4084. pearlriverlibrary.org.

Children & Families: BioBus + Storm King

WHEN: Sept. 13-Nov. 18, Fridays, 10-10:45am WHERE: Pearl River Library, 80 Franklin Ave., Pearl River AGES: 3-5 WHAT: Join the library for stories and activities that will encourage interest and exploration in different areas of science. WANT TO GO? 845-735-4084. pearlriverlibrary.org.

Weekly Drop-In at Rockland Baby Café FREE

WHEN: Through Jan. 31: Thursdays, 11am-1pm WHERE: Martin Luther King Multi-Purpose Center, 110 Bethune Blvd., Spring Valley AGES: Newborn to 2, adult WHAT: A drop-in to meet and talk to new moms, learn how to make breast-feeding easier, make sure your baby is latching and gaining well, get tips on pumping and going back to work, and learn about other parenting topics. WANT TO GO? 914-922-2240. rocklandgov.com.

WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 15, 12-4pm WHERE: Storm King Art Center, Old Pleasant Hill Road; for GPS: enter 1 Museum Road, New Windsor AGES: All WHAT: Climb on board the BioBus, a solar-powered, state-of-the-art mobile microscope lab to see what you’ll find. Scientists will share their expertise and knowledge through direct, hands-on experiences, allowing participants to reshape their view of science through participation in the discovery process. WANT TO GO? $18; $15 seniors 65 and older; $8 ages 5-18 and students with valid ID; free for members and children younger than 5. 845-534-3115. stormkingartcenter.org.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

SAT/ACT Algebra Fundamentals FREE

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 14, 1:30-3:30pm WHERE: Hwarang Taekwondo, 7 College Ave., Nanuet AGES: 3-17 WHAT: Learn about Hwarang Taekwondo, try free lessons, and enjoy games, snacks, and drinks. WANT TO GO? 845-623-2002. ourhwarangtkd.com.

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 21, 1-2:45pm WHERE: Pearl River Library, 80 Franklin Ave., Pearl River AGES: 13-17 WHAT: Student will learn central algebra skills and concepts tested by the SAT and ACT. Registration required. WANT TO GO? 845-735-4084. pearlriverlibrary.org.

Choosing the Right College FREE

Dungeons and Dragons FREE

WHEN: Tuesday, Sept. 3, 7-8:45pm WHERE: Maurice M. Pine Free Public Library, 10-01 Fair Lawn Ave., Fair Lawn, NJ AGES: 16 and older WHAT: Join Gamemaster David Vogel in a new series of Dungeons and Dragons! Registration required. WANT TO GO? 201-796-3400. fairlawnlibrary.org.

September Open House FREE

Teen Board Games FREE

WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 25, 6:30-8:30pm WHERE: Pearl River Library, 80 Franklin Ave., Pearl River AGES: 13-17 WHAT: Learn how to choose the right college for you. Both students and parents welcome. WANT TO GO? 845-735-4084. pearlriverlibrary.org.

WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 18, 3:45-4:30pm WHERE: Maurice M. Pine Free Public Library, 10-01 Fair Lawn Ave., Fair Lawn, NJ AGES: 13-17 WHAT: Stop by and play some fun board games with other teens. Play fun games like Dixit, Sushi Go!, and Bananagrams! WANT TO GO? 201-796-3400. fairlawnlibrary.org.

SAT/ACT Grammar No One Ever Taught You FREE

Gaming Hour FREE

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 28, 1-2:45pm WHERE: Pearl River Library, 80 Franklin Ave., Pearl River AGES: 13-17 WHAT: Learn usage, mechanics, and rhetorical skills tested throughout the SAT Writing and ACT English tests but seldom touched upon in school. Registration required. WANT TO GO? 845-735-4084. pearlriverlibrary.org.

WHEN: Sept. 3-24, Tuesdays, 4:30-5:30pm WHERE: Haverstraw King’s Daughters Public Library, Village Branch, 85 Main St., Haverstraw AGES: 6-13 WHAT: Play the Nintendo Switch and the PS4 on a big screen! WANT TO GO? 845-429-3445. hkdpl.org.

Children & Families: E=MC2

WHEN: Sept. 9-Nov. 25, Mondays, 4-6pm WHERE: Nyack Library, 59 S. Broadway, Nyack AGES: 13-17 WHAT: Play some awesome new board games and meet fellow gamers. WANT TO GO? 845-358-3370 x214. nyacklibrary.org.

WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 29, 1pm WHERE: Storm King Art Center, Old Pleasant Hill Road; for GPS: enter 1 Museum Road, New Windsor AGES: All 26

September 2019 | nymetroparents.com

Master Ben’s Boardgames FREE

Magic the Gathering with Master Ben FREE

Pick Your Own Apples

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Sunset Hikes

WHEN: Sept. 4-Nov. 27, Wednesdays, 4-6pm WHERE: Nyack Library, 59 South Broadway, Nyack AGES: 13-17 WHAT: Learn the basics of Magic the Gathering or learn new tricks. WANT TO GO? 845-358-3370 x214. nyacklibrary.org.

Splash Zone

WHEN: Through Sept. 2: daily, 10am-5pm WHERE: Darlington Park, 600 Darlington Ave., Mahwah, NJ AGES: All WHAT: Stay cool with ramps and slides and a trampoline, all sitting on the surface of the water. WANT TO GO? $15 all-day passes; $10 all-day passes for residents. 201-336-6000. co.bergen.nj.us.

Parents Night Out

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 14, 5:30-9pm WHERE: Tenafly Nature Center, 313 Hudson Ave., Tenafly, NJ AGES: 5-12 WHAT: Children will have a meal and participate in fun activities while parents enjoy some time to relax or have an adult evening out. Activities may include crafting, night hike, trail game, animal encounter, and a campfire with s’mores. Pre-registration required. WANT TO GO? $45; $35 members; sibling discount $10. 201-568-6093. tenaflynaturecenter.org/seasonal-programs.

Biodiversity Celebration

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 21, 11am-3pm WHERE: Trailside Museum and Zoo at Bear Mountain State Park, 55 Hessian Drive, Highland Falls AGES: All WHAT: Take your Habitat Passport to different stations and earn stamps to win a prize, all while discovering ways you can help protect and provide habitat for wildlife. WANT TO GO? $1. 845-786-2701 x293. trailsidezoo.org.

Digging Up the Past FREE

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 28, 1pm WHERE: Sterling Forest State Park, 116 Old Forge Road, Tuxedo AGES: 5-12 WHAT: Learn about fossils and then dig for your very own to take home. Parental supervision is required. Registration required. WANT TO GO? 845-351-5907. parks.ny.gov/events/event.aspx?e=74-24833.0.

WHEN: Aug. 31-Oct. 12, daily, 9am-5pm WHERE: Masker Orchards, 45 Ball Road, Warwick AGES: All WHAT: With 14 varieties of apples ripening throughout the season at Masker Orchards, you’re sure to find all of your family’s favorites. WANT TO GO? Admission is free; $29.95 per bag of apples. 845-986-1058. maskers.com. WHEN: Through Oct. 22: Tuesdays, 7pm WHERE: Flat Rock Brook Nature Center, 443 Van Nostrand Ave., Englewood, NJ AGES: 10 and older WHAT: These hikes are great for beginners, an easy workout, and a relaxing way to end your day. Register online. WANT TO GO? $5; free for members. 201-567-1265. flatrockbrook.org.

Apple Cider Making

WHEN: Through Oct. 27: Sundays, 2-3pm and 3:30-4:30pm WHERE: Tenafly Nature Center, 313 Hudson Ave., Tenafly, NJ AGES: All WHAT: Use an apple press to help make cider and learn about the history of apple cultivation and cider making. Help by bringing three or more apples per person. Pre-registration is required. WANT TO GO? $30 family max; $15 family max members; $10 per person; $5 per person members. 201-568-6093. tenaflynaturecenter.org/applecidermaking.

MINI

MUSICIANS Open House: Arts Training at NJPAC FREE

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 7, 11am WHERE: New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 1 Center St., Newark, NJ AGES: 9-17 WHAT: Prospective students will have the opportunity to meet members of the faculty and participate in trial classes. Learn more about programs in film, hip hop, jazz, and musical theater. Register online. WANT TO GO? 800-466-5722. njpac.org.

Music Together FREE

WHEN: Tuesday, Sept. 17, 11:45am-12:30pm WHERE: Piermont Public Library, 25 Flywheel Park West, Piermont AGES: Newborn to 5 WHAT: Children enjoy singing, moving, chanting, listening, watching, and exploring musical instruments. WANT TO GO? 845-359-4595. piermontlibrary.org.

New City School of Music Carnegie Hall Debut

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 28, 1pm WHERE: Carnegie Hall, 881 Seventh Ave., Midtown, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: See the New City School of Music make their Carnegie Hall debut in New York City. WANT TO GO? $40. 845-709-8383. newcitymusicschool.com.

Music at The Barn: Sharp Edge (Rock N’ Roll) FREE

WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 29, 4-6:30pm WHERE: Wortendyke Barn Museum, 13 Pascack Road, Park Ridge, NJ AGES: All WHAT: Bring a chair or blanket and rock out with Sharp Edge! Food vendors will be there too. WANT TO GO? 201-336-6000. co.bergen.nj.us. ›› RocklandParent 27

Bell-ans Open Studios FREE

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 14, 2-6pm WHERE: Bell-ans Center of Creative Arts, 103 S. Greenbush Road, Orangeburg AGES: All WHAT: Enjoy the vibrant atmosphere at Bell-ans and the works of several talented artists. Learn and engage with the community! WANT TO GO? 845-596-0870. facebook.com/events/2340238599390255.

Ridgewood Fall Craft & Art Street Fair FREE

FUN FAIRS & FESTIVALS The Dead Man’s Curve 8th Wild Hot Rod Weekend

WHEN: Aug. 29-Sept. 1, Thursday-Sunday, 12pm-11pm WHERE: Sheraton Mahwah Hotel, 1 International Blvd., Route 17 North, Mahwah, NJ AGES: All WHAT: See more than 25 bands, celebrities, pinstripers, TV cars, and more. WANT TO GO? $15 Thursday and Sunday; $20 Friday and Saturday. deadmanscurveusa.com.

44th Civil War Reenactment

WHEN: Aug. 31-Sept. 1, Saturday, 10am-5pm; Sunday, 10am-4pm WHERE: Museum Village, 1010 State Route 17M, Monroe AGES: All WHAT: Visitors can stroll through the camps, meet and talk with the troops and civilians, and more. WANT TO GO? $17; $14 seniors; $12 children. 845-782-8248. museumvillage.org.

The ‘Drive Your Dreams’ Car Show

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 7, 12-5pm WHERE: Meadowlands Exposition Center, 355 Plaza Drive, Secaucus, NJ AGES: All WHAT: See some of the hottest cars from around the world and enjoy kid-friendly fun including a bounce house, stilt walker, and face painters. WANT TO GO? $25; $20 in advance. 201-330-7773. mecexpo.com/event/dj-envy-drive-your-dreams-car-show.

WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 15, 11am-5pm WHERE: Downtown East Ridgewood Avenue, Corner of Maple and East Ridgewood avenues, Ridgewood, NJ AGES: All WHAT: Check out an impressive 190 exhibitors, inflatables, pony rides, a petting zoo, games and face painting for kids, music, and delicious festival foods. WANT TO GO? Admission is free, prices vary for goods. 201-666-1340. pjspromotions.com.

Suffern Jamfest

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 21, 12-5:30pm WHERE: Mahwah Elks Lodge #1941, 1 Foxwood Drive, Mahwah, NJ AGES: All WHAT: Suffern Jamfest will feature music, food and beverages, face painting, bounce houses, and local and international humanitarian projects. WANT TO GO? $20; $15 ages 13-20; $10 ages 7-12; free for children younger than 6. 314-496-7322. facebook.com/rotaryclubofsuffern.

Rockland Arts Festival FREE

WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 22, 12-4pm WHERE: Pavilion @ The Pier, 95 Ferry Road, Piermont AGES: All WHAT: Enjoy unique crafts, live music, kids’ activities, and food. WANT TO GO? Admission is free, prices vary for goods. 845-364-2170. rocklandartsfestival.org.

69th Annual Autumn Festival FREE

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 28, 10:30am-3:30pm WHERE: Sisters of St. Dominic of Blauvelt, NY Motherhouse, 496 Western Highway, Blauvelt AGES: All WHAT: Enjoy music, affordable vendors, pony rides, carnival games, raffles, and more. WANT TO GO? Admission is free, prices vary for goods. 845-359-7327. opblauvelt.org/autumnfestival.

New York Renaissance Faire

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 14, 10am-4pm WHERE: Kirkbride Hall, 5 Patriot Hills Lane, Stony Point AGES: All WHAT: Have a blast with bouncy rides, Two By Two Zoo, Hurley Mountain Highway Band, pony rides, vendors, food, and more! WANT TO GO? Admission is free, prices vary for goods. 845-786-2242. stonypointpal.org.

WHEN: Through Oct. 6: Saturday-Sunday and Labor Day, 10am-7pm WHERE: Sterling Forest, 600 Route 17A, Tuxedo AGES: All WHAT: The Faire is a rollicking romp through Elizabethan England, set within the Majestic Groves of Sterling Forest. Join Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth I on a grand visit to a beautiful 16th-century English village. Cheer your favorite knight at the Joust Tournament. Feast on savory sweets and tempting treats. See amazing acrobats, magical fairies, swashbuckling pirates, and more! WANT TO GO? $29.95; $25.95 seniors and military; $13 children. 845-351-5171. renfair.com/ny.

Haverstraw Riverwide Arts & Music Festival FREE

Haverstraw Farmers’ Market

The Stony Point Fall Festival and Family Fun Day 2019 FREE

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 14, 11am-5pm WHERE: Emeline Park, 16 Front St , Haverstraw AGES: All WHAT: Enjoy live music, art, handmade goods, food, kids activities, and sailings on South Street Seaport’s schooner, Pioneer. WANT TO GO? Admission is free, prices vary for goods. 845-372-6552. haverstrawriverwidearts.org/festival-info.

September 2019 | nymetroparents.com

WHEN: Through Oct. 27: Sundays, 9am-1pm WHERE: Haverstraw Village Hall, Maple Avenue, Haverstraw AGES: All WHAT: Stop by for fruits, vegetables, healthy eating, and more at the Haverstraw Farmers’ Market. WANT TO GO? Admission is free, prices vary for goods. 845-429-0300. voh-ny.com/farmers-market-every-sunday-9am-1pm/.

Piermont’s Farmers Market FREE

Pick Your Own Apples

WHEN: Through Nov. 24: Sundays, 10am-3pm WHERE: M & T parking lot in downtown Piermont, Piermont AGES: All WHAT: Visit booths with Hudson Valley farmers, artists, artisans, and chefs. WANT TO GO? piermontchamber.org.

WHEN: Aug. 31-Sept. 29, Monday-Friday, 3-4:30pm; Saturday-Sunday, 9am-4:30pm WHERE: Demarest Farms, 244 Wierimus Road, Hillsdale AGES: All WHAT: Pick your own apples and enjoy a day on the farm. WANT TO GO? $7; $10 for apple bag. 201-666-0472. demarestfarms.com.

Oradell Farmer’s Market FREE

Opening Day and Strawberry Festival FREE

WHEN: Through Nov. 24: Sundays, 10am-3pm WHERE: Oradell Post Office’s Parking Lot, 618 Veldran Ave., Oradell, NJ AGES: All WHAT: Peruse a variety of vegetables, fruits, honey, bread, jelly, nuts, cheese, plants, herbs, flowers, eggs, pastries, pickles and olives, and great coffee. WANT TO GO? 908-605-0041. co.bergen.nj.us.

Nyack Farmers’ Market FREE

WHEN: Through Nov. 28: Thursdays, 8am-2pm WHERE: Main Street Parking Lot, Nyack AGES: All WHAT: Enjoy live music, cooking demonstrations, and much more while you shop! WANT TO GO? 845-353-2221. nyackchamber.org.

Farmers Market

WHEN: Through Dec. 29: Sundays, 10am-2pm WHERE: Hudson Valley Regional Farmers Market, 15 Mt. Ebo Road S., Brewster AGES: All WHAT: See what this year-round indoor-outdoor Farmer’s Market has to offer every Sunday. WANT TO GO? Admission is free, prices vary for goods. 845-629-2824. facebook.com/hvregionalfarmersmarket.

LITTLE FOODIES Meet and Mingle Barbeque FREE

WHEN: Friday, Sept. 6, 5pm WHERE: Nanuet Hebrew Center, 411 South Little Tor Road, New City AGES: All WHAT: Join the NHC Family for Tot Shabbat followed by a barbeque. RSVP requested. WANT TO GO? 845-708-9181. nanuethc.org.

WHEN: Through Nov. 24: Sundays, 9am-2pm WHERE: Ramsey Farmers’ Market, Ramsey Main Street Train Station, Ramsey AGES: All WHAT: Celebrate everything strawberry! Plus, fresh local produce and products, including organic and responsibly grown vegetables and fruit, artisan breads and fine cheese, and so much more. WANT TO GO? 2016756866. ramseyfarmersmarket.org.

HOLIDAY FUN Music Under The Stars Concert Series: Labor Day Celebration FREE

WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 1, 7:30pm WHERE: Trophy Point Amphitheater, 117-119 Washington Road, West Point AGES: All WHAT: This Labor Day concert has it all: music, fireworks, and live cannon fire! RSVP online. WANT TO GO? 845-938-2617. westpointband.com/trophypoint/ september-1st.html.

Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day

WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 15, 12-6pm WHERE: Rockland GAA, 160 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg AGES: All WHAT: Enjoy the day featuring live music, food and drink concessions, vendors, and kids activities! Tickets available online. WANT TO GO? $15; free for kids. 845-558-0925. eventbrite.com/e/ halfway-to-st-patricks-day-festival-tickets-64233949472.

The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze

WHEN: Sept. 20-Nov. 30, see website for schedule WHERE: Van Cortlandt Manor, 525 S. Riverside Ave, Croton-on-Hudson AGES: All WHAT: See more than 10,000 individually hand-carved, illuminated jack o’ lanterns in this elaborate walk-through experience. WANT TO GO? See website for pricing. 914-631-8200. hudsonvalley.org. ››

Snack Attack with Carolyn Travers FREE

WHEN: Tuesday, Sept. 17, 4:30-5:30pm WHERE: Sloatsburg Library, 1 Liberty Rock Road, Sloatsburg AGES: 13-17 WHAT: Decorate an apron, create snacks, and finish with a mini cookbook. Register online. WANT TO GO? 845-753-2001. sloatsburglibrary.org.

Teen Cooking FREE

WHEN: Sept. 3 and 17, Tuesdays, 6-7pm WHERE: Nyack Library, 59 South Broadway, Nyack AGES: 13-17 WHAT: Come cook stuff with Miss Morgan. WANT TO GO? 845-358-3370 x214. nyacklibrary.org.

RocklandParent 29

Children & Families: Aquatic Creature Feature

WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 22, 1pm WHERE: Storm King Art Center, Old Pleasant Hill Road; for GPS: enter 1 Museum Road, New Windsor AGES: All WHAT: Join a Hudson Highlands Nature Museum educator at the pond’s edge for a close look at the creatures inhabiting Storm King’s ponds. WANT TO GO? $18; $15 seniors 65 and older; $8 ages 5-18 and students with valid ID; free for members and children younger than 5. 845-534-3115. stormkingartcenter.org.

CRAFTY KIDS Fairy Houses and Toads Abodes

ANIMAL LOVERS Jack Horner’s Dino Dig

WHEN: Through Sept. 2: daily, 9am-5:30pm WHERE: Liberty Science Center, Liberty State Park, 222 Jersey City Blvd., Jersey City, NJ AGES: All WHAT: You’re invited to become a paleontologist by digging through 35 tons of sand to uncover more than 60 fossils, many of them replicas of those discovered in Montana by Jack Horner, the famed paleontologist who inspired Jurassic Park! WANT TO GO? Free with admission: $24.99; $19.99 children 2-12. 201-200-1000. lsc.org.

Sean Kenney’s Art Made with LEGO Bricks

WHEN: Through Sept. 2: daily, 9am-5:30pm WHERE: Liberty Science Center, Liberty State Park, 222 Jersey City Blvd., Jersey City, NJ AGES: All WHAT: Explore art and nature through stunning sculptures made with LEGO pieces. Some sculptures show the majesty of various wild species including pandas, tree frogs, polar bears, and hummingbirds. WANT TO GO? Available with the purchase of a Combination or Premium Pass: $24.99-$34.99. 201-200-1000. lsc.org.

The Lion Guard: The Exhibit

WHEN: Through Sept. 8: daily, 9am-5:30pm WHERE: Liberty Science Center, Liberty State Park 222 Jersey City Blvd., Jersey City, NJ AGES: All WHAT: Kids will be inspired to protect the Circle of Life, train in the Lion Guard’s secret lair, explore the power of teamwork by going on special missions, and learn about the African savanna and the animals that live there. WANT TO GO? Free with admission: $24.99; $19.99 children 2-12. 201-200-1000. lsc.org.

Dog Party: Paws In The Pool!

WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 8, 12-3pm WHERE: Spook Rock Pool, 171 Spook Rock Road, Suffern AGES: All WHAT: It’s your pup’s day to paddle, jump into the pool, and enjoy a cool dip! WANT TO GO? $10; $5 residents. 845-357-6100. ramapoparks.org.

September 2019 | nymetroparents.com

WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 8, 10am WHERE: Hudson Highlands Nature Museum’s Outdoor Discovery Center, Muser Drive, Cornwall AGES: 5-12 WHAT: Learn about habitats while using your imagination to create homes for fairies and other whimsical creatures. WANT TO GO? $5 ages 3 and older; free for members. 845-534-5506. hhnaturemuseum.org.

Children & Families: Agrisculpture + Follies

WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 8, 1pm WHERE: Storm King Art Center, Old Pleasant Hill Road; for GPS: enter 1 Museum Road, New Windsor AGES: All WHAT: Join artists and Agrisculpture founder Amy Lewis Sweetman for a hands-on workshop inspired by Mark Dion: Follies. WANT TO GO? $18; $15 seniors 65 and older; $8 ages 5-18 and students with valid ID; free for members and children younger than 5. 845-534-3115. stormkingartcenter.org.

Crafternoons with Colette FREE

WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 18, 4:30-5:30pm WHERE: Pearl River Library, 80 Franklin Ave., Pearl River AGES: 5-8 WHAT: Join master crafter Colette Thomas for some creative fun. Registration required. WANT TO GO? 845-735-4084. pearlriverlibrary.org.

Piermont’s Art in the Park

WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 22, 1-6pm WHERE: Flywheel Park, On The Hudson, Piermont AGES: All WHAT: Many of the artists offer workshops and create work on-site. WANT TO GO? Admission is free, prices vary for goods. 917-691-0409. psfdn.org/artfestival.

Henna Party FREE

WHEN: Tuesday, Sept. 24, 4:30-6pm WHERE: Pearl River Library, 80 Franklin Ave., Pearl River AGES: 10-15 WHAT: Teens create their very own Henna designs, and anyone who wants one will go home with a Henna design. Registration required. WANT TO GO? 845-735-4084. pearlriverlibrary.org.

Coloring Club for Children and their Adults FREE

WHEN: Sept. 4-25, Wednesdays, 10:30am-12pm WHERE: Haverstraw King’s Daughters Public Library, Main Library, 10 W. Ramapo Road, Garnerville AGES: All WHAT: Relax while you color! Unstructured art for all ages. WANT TO GO? 845-786-3800. hkdpl.org.

ONCE UPON A TIME Sensory Storytime FREE

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 7, 10am WHERE: New City Library, 220 N. Main St., New City AGES: 3-8 WHAT: Enjoy stories, music, movement, and playtime in a safe and accepting environment. Join Miss Amy for a program that thoughtfully considers the developmental needs of children on the autism spectrum. WANT TO GO? 845-634-4997. newcitylibrary.org.

Celebrate Curiosity Day FREE

WHEN: Tuesday, Sept. 17, 6:30-7:30pm WHERE: Haverstraw King’s Daughters Public Library, Main Library, 10 W. Ramapo Road, Garnerville AGES: 3-6 WHAT: Celebrate Curious George with stories, songs, snacks, and crafts. WANT TO GO? 845-786-3800. hkdpl.org.

Apple Mania FREE

WHEN: Monday, Sept. 23, 7-8pm WHERE: Haverstraw King’s Daughters Public Library, Main Library, 10 W. Ramapo Road, Garnerville AGES: 3-8 WHAT: Celebrate apples with story-time fun! WANT TO GO? 845-786-3800. hkdpl.org.

Pajama Storytime FREE

WHEN: Tuesday, Sept. 24, 7-7:30pm WHERE: Pearl River Library, 80 Franklin Ave., Pearl River AGES: 3-5 WHAT: Wear your PJs, bring your favorite stuffed pal, and your grownup for a fun evening of bedtime tales. WANT TO GO? 845-735-4084. pearlriverlibrary.org.

Playtime Storytime FREE

WHEN: Sept. 6-27, Fridays, 10:30-11:15am WHERE: Haverstraw King’s Daughters Public Library, Main Library, 10 W. Ramapo Road, Garnerville AGES: Newborn to 5 WHAT: Stories and songs, sensory story time with cool activities, fun with non-fiction, and more! WANT TO GO? 845-786-3800. hkdpl.org.

3 & 4’s Story Time FREE

WHEN: Monday, Sept. 30, 4-5pm WHERE: Bergenfield Library, 50 W. Clinton Ave., Bergenfield, NJ AGES: 3-5 WHAT: Listen to some stories and complete a coloring page or craft with Ms. Jen. Registration required. WANT TO GO? 201-387-4040. bergenfieldlibrary.org.

Stories, Songs, and Silliness FREE

WHEN: Sept. 9-Oct. 21, Mondays, 11-11:30am WHERE: Pearl River Library, 80 Franklin Ave., Pearl River AGES: Newborn to 3 WHAT: Stories, songs, and a book or two. Come for the stickers, stay for the bubbles! WANT TO GO? 845-735-4084. pearlriverlibrary.org.

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Twos & Threes Together FREE

WHEN: Sept. 11-Oct. 23, Wednesdays, 9:30-10am WHERE: Pearl River Library, 80 Franklin Ave., Pearl River AGES: 2-3, adult WHAT: This story time is for folks with short attention spans and lots of energy. WANT TO GO? 845-735-4084. pearlriverlibrary.org.

Stories and a Craft with Dee FREE

WHEN: Sept. 10-Nov. 12, Tuesdays, 10-10:45am and 11:15am-12pm WHERE: Pearl River Library, 80 Franklin Ave., Pearl River AGES: 3-5 WHAT: Read, sing, move, and create in this fun story time that supports early literacy. WANT TO GO? 845-735-4084. pearlriverlibrary.org.

Preschool Storytime FREE

WHEN: Sept. 4-Dec. 18, Wednesdays, 3-4pm WHERE: Teaneck Public Library, 840 Teaneck Road, Teaneck AGES: 3-5 WHAT: Children are invited to this fun Preschool Storytime. WANT TO GO? 201-837-4171. teanecklibrary.org.

Storytime

WHEN: Through Dec. 30: Mondays, 11:30am WHERE: Glaze, 34 Orangetown Shopping Center, Orangeburg AGES: 3-8 WHAT: Children enjoy 30 minutes of a new book, then paint a piece of pottery. WANT TO GO? $20. 845-359-9020. glazeartstudio.com.

Saturday Storytime FREE

WHEN: Sept. 7-Aug. 25, Saturdays, 11am-12pm WHERE: Teaneck Public Library, 840 Teaneck Road, Teaneck AGES: Newborn to 5 WHAT: Enjoy old and new favorites at this family story time. WANT TO GO? 201-837-4171. teanecklibrary.org. ››

A Lavishly Illustrated Children’s Story of Friendship and Overcoming Obstacles

Tilly... A Deer’s Tale (BASED ON A TRUE STORY)

Follow the adventures of a rescued baby deer. Share Tilly’s courage and valiant recovery. Call 914-764-5564

to schedule a free Tilly Event for schools, libraries & hospitals Available at Barnes & Noble, Walden Books and at Amazon.com For books preview and sale, visit us at:

www.tillyadeerstale.com

RocklandParent 31

LINDGREN IS THE NATURAL CHOICE. At Lindgren Nursery School, we let children be children. With 3½ acres of woods, gardens and play areas designed for exploration, spacious, sunny classrooms, and a truly exceptional teaching staff, we have created a learning environment made for natural discovery and development.

We nurture young children so their bodies, minds, and feelings develop naturally. FIND OUT MORE! Visit lindgrenschool.com or call 201.768.3550 today.

CLASSES MARTIAL ARTS

BACK TO SCHOOL SPECIAL 3<8!&MF&B8JFFH&B7?8N<H $4& ?1#/==&.6&<)2)+$&O "15 and Enroll by September 30th #%,%(P%&"&DE??&Q1(A/#9&"15

receive a FREE Official School Uniform " &DE?? &FAA(,("=&B,4//=&M*B4(#$ Not to>/$&$/&.%&,/9.(1%5&K($4&"16&/$4%#&/AA%#G be combined with any other offer.

8 Orangetown Center Orangeburg, NY 10962 www.TheAcademyForMartialArts.com

(845) 359-4500

7-11 Suffern Place Suffern, NY 10901 www.MartialArtsSuffern.com

(845) 368-3209 32

WHEN: Friday, Sept. 13, 6:30pm WHERE: Ulster Performing Arts Center, 601 Broadway, Kingston AGES: 3-5 WHAT: Join Peppa on an exciting camping trip to the woods with George and her school friends, including Pedro Pony, Suzy Sheep, and Gerald Giraffe. WANT TO GO? $29 and up. 845-339-6088. upac.org.

Peppa Pig Live! Peppa’s Big Adventure

The back-to-school checklist is far more than pencils and paper these days. Stop by or call our studio to see how we can make a positive difference in your child.

FOR MARTIAL ARTS

‘Peppa Pig Live! Peppa’s Big Adventure’

WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 15, 4:30pm WHERE: Mayo Performing Arts Center, 100 South St., Morristown, NJ AGES: 3-8 WHAT: Come dressed as your favorite Star Wars character and learn the ways of the Jedi with Panniken Moonjumper! Family audiences will be wowed by comic antics, exciting physical challenges, magical mayhem, light saber lessons, and a visit from our space hero’s furry alien sidekick. WANT TO GO? $12-$15. 973-539-8008. mayoarts.org/shows/davidengels-star-force-academy.

Karate • Jiu-Jitsu • Kickboxing Birthday Parties • Camp & Mini Camps • Adults Classes

THE ACADEMY

WHEN: Friday, Sept. 6, 5-9pm WHERE: East Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ AGES: All WHAT: See what has been called the best nighttime car show in New Jersey with lots of music and fun! WANT TO GO? 201-445-2600. ridgewoodchamber.com.

David Engel’s Star Force Academy: A Madcap ‘Star Wars’ Parody

Back-toSchool Checklist Discipline Goal Setting age Great Self-Im steem Higher Self-E

SHOW TIME

Ridgewood Chamber 26th Annual Car Show FREE

September 2019 | nymetroparents.com

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 21, 12pm WHERE: Mayo Performing Arts Center, 100 South St., Morristown, NJ AGES: 3-5 WHAT: Join Peppa on an exciting camping trip to the woods with George and her school friends, including Pedro Pony, Suzy Sheep, and Gerald Giraffe. WANT TO GO? $40-$60. 973-539-8008. mayoarts.org/shows/peppa-pig-live.

‘As You Like It’

WHEN: Sept. 1-29, see website for showtimes WHERE: The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, 36 Madison Ave., Madison, NJ AGES: 9 and older WHAT: Journey to the Forest of Arden with Rosalind to woo Orlando in this classic romantic comedy. WANT TO GO? $29 and up. 973-408-5600. shakespearenj.org.

Jeff Boyer’s Big Bubble Bonanza

WHEN: Monday, Sept. 30, 12:30pm and 3pm WHERE: Mayo Performing Arts Center, 100 South St., Morristown, NJ AGES: All WHAT: Bubble rainbows with people inside. Audience members making volcano bubbles. Gigantic bubbles that blow their own bubbles! Guinness Book of World Records-holder master bubble wrangler Jeff Boyer takes bubbles to the max with big bubble flair. WANT TO GO? $12-$15. 973-539-8008. mayoarts.org/shows/jeff-boyersbig-bubble-bonanza.

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raising kids teen

Because your teen is preoccupied with how others perceive him, he’ll notice changes in himself more keenly than when he was younger.

The Age of Self-Doubt

››

While self-consciousness in early adolescence can seem crippling for your child, it’s a phase that will lead to greater well-being in adulthood. By Jaimie Seaton

nyone with a teenager has witnessed the transformation: Their fearless, confident child becoming a reticent, self-conscious teen. One day, he marches out of the house on adventures, happily clad in clothes picked out by his parents. The next? He’s hiding out in his room with his phone, with zero interest in any ideas you have in regard to his clothes, his hairstyle, or even his backpack. She becomes obsessed with her looks and studies her face in the mirror as if it were an undiscovered country. A bad hair day or emergence of a pimple can turn into a crisis and leave her wishing she could stay home from school. As a parent, it’s hard to make sense of this—and even harder to know how to help.

Belonging Above All

Parents may be tempted to dismiss their teen’s behavior as typical adolescent self-absorption, but what may seem like egocentricity actually serves a higher purpose. It goes back to evolution and our need to belong. “If the goal in adulthood, at the most basic level, is to have social skills in order to ensure social belonging and the associated positive outcomes, then adolescence is a time of learning social competency,” explains Alexandra Rodman, Ph.D., lead author of a 2017 Harvard study on how adolescents and adults process and integrate peer feedback. “One way in which we learn all the complex social rules is by being hyper-attuned to feedback from others.” 34

September 2019 | nymetroparents.com

For example, your teen isn’t fixated on his looks, per se, but because he is so highly preoccupied by what others may think of him, he notices changes in himself more keenly than he did as a child, Dr. Rodman explains. His reaction to those changes depends on how he is viewed in the peer group. “It all depends on what enhances belonging and it corresponds with changing trends,” Dr. Rodman says. “If it was a sign of health and highly coveted to have a pimple, then maybe it wouldn’t lead to such distress to have a pimple.”

The Instagram Age

Most teenagers think they have it worse than their parents— and they’re right. When it comes to pressure to fit in, at least, today’s teens really do have it worse, according to Seoka Salstrom, Ph.D., a child and adolescent psychologist who practices in New Hampshire. “There are so many more opportunities for compare and despair,” Dr. Salstrom says. “Before social media, we had half of our day at school and half of our day at home or with a few friends, but we didn’t have 45 people that we were interacting with in some way, often times in picture perfect form. Every time we see something like that, our mind is automatically geared toward, ‘How do I fit in to this?’ and sees the inadequacies.”

Coping Strategies

When teens express anxiety or distress about their looks or not fitting in, Dr. Salstrom advises parents to start from a place of “your feelings make perfect sense.” “It’s not to say that you agree with the statement behind it or the content. If they say, ‘I’m so ugly,’ of course you’re not going to agree with that,” Dr. Salstrom says. “But if we don’t start from the place of ‘it makes perfect sense that this thought/feeling is showing up’ (given our evolutionary and cultural context), then anything we say in that moment has the potential to be invalidating.” There’s no denying it can be difficult for parents to see their teens go through this stage, but Dr. Rodman explains it’s a normal and healthy part of development—and it does eventually end. “When you have this low-level or moderate level feedback from your peers, and you feel this drop in self-esteem, that actually feels bad in the short term, but in the long term it leads to greater gains and better outcomes and well-being in adulthood,” Dr. Rodman says. In late adolescence, a self-protective bias kicks in and teens no longer experience that drop in self-esteem after rejection, Dr. Rodman explains. Older teens start to buffer themselves from their peers’ rejection because they’ve gained social skills and learned the social rules they didn’t have or know as an early adolescent. “That’s all to say for parents that a little bit of feedback from peers isn’t a catastrophe, and feeling a little down on yourself, that’s just part of being a teenager,” Dr. Rodman says. “I think a helpful reframe is, it just helps kids learn how to get along with their peers.” Jaimie Seaton has been a journalist for more than 20 years and is the former Thailand correspondent for Newsweek. Her work on divorce, parenting, dating, and a wide range of topics has been featured in The Washington Post, The Guardian, Glamour, and numerous other publications.

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family life home

Made the Move

›› Leaving your friends and community can be difficult; making friends and becoming part of the community in your new neighborhood doesn’t have to be. By Lambeth Hochwald

t’s super exciting to move to a new neighborhood—new cupcake shops to discover, new playgrounds for your kids to explore, and new friends for you all to meet. However, it can also be a challenge to feel like you are part of the community. We polled those in the know for tips on how to become part of your new neighborhood fabric.

Get your kids excited about their new town.

“It’s a big adjustment for kids to move to a new town, but my husband and I try to get them focused on new adventures to come,” says Liz Tenety, co-founder of Motherly, who has moved nine times since her first child was born seven years ago—due to changing careers, graduate schools, and a growing family. “We know that our moves were hard on our kids, but by focusing on new people and experiences, they were able to stay resilient.”

Visit your town’s website.

“Before the moving van even arrives at your door, you can learn a lot about your new town by visiting its website,” Tenety says. “You can request a welcome kit and start making connections— before you even unpack one box in your new neighborhood!”

Take an exercise class.

“Once you’ve settled in, an exercise class is a great way to meet new people,” says Alison Bernstein, founder of Suburban Jungle Group, a real estate firm exclusively focused on buyers leaving New York City for the suburbs. “Going to the same classes consistently can be like joining a squad. Friendships are bound to manifest in this ‘we’re in it together’ environment.”

Connect with Facebook groups in your new town.

“These are goldmines for answers to those key questions that come up,” Tenety suggests. “Who’s everyone’s favorite pediatrician? How do I enroll in public school? Who makes the best pizza in town?”

Find other parents with kids who are the same age.

“When I first moved back to my hometown of Greenwich [CT], I signed my kids up for activities, which helped me meet other new moms,” says Layla Lisiewski, a mom of three who started The Local Moms Network to share resources and create community for moms across the country. “Once my eldest was in a twos program, I met more moms, some of whom are still my closest friends. The important thing was meeting other moms with similarly aged kids—you have an underlying common factor, even if you have little else in common.”

Experts suggest taking group fitness classes in your new neighborhood to meet new people.

Consider adopting a pet.

If your family has been planning to add a dog to your family, right after you get settled in your new home may be the time to finally do it. “Dogs make great conversation starters and many towns have dog parks, which become great places for socialization,” Bernstein says. But make sure your family is ready to add a furry friend to the household.

Join neighborhood parent listservs.

“These include groups such as BoCoCa Parents, Park Slope Parents, or Next Door,” says Jennifer Rhodes, a broker at Ideal Properties Group, who moved to Brooklyn from Berlin in 2007 and has two daughters ages 14 and 18. “These groups provide a wealth of information on anything and everything parents in any given neighborhood care about, from lost keys to stoop sales to recommendations for local contractors.”

Seek out local volunteer opportunities.

“These are endless, whether it’s joining a gardening club, volunteering at a soup kitchen, or donating your time to, say, the town library,” Bernstein says. “There are tons of organizations in each town—find what interests you and connect with those with similar interests and a penchant for the altruistic.”

Be active in your child’s school or PTA.

“Being involved in your school is one of the best ways to meet other families,” Rhodes says. “This then helps to connect you to the community and keeps you aware of everything that’s going on.”

Do some playground networking.

“One thing about being a parent is that your social life changes considerably,” Rhodes says. “Not only do you want to socialize, but your little one does, too. When you move to a new town, I always recommend taking advantage of time on playgrounds, slow walks around the neighborhood, and time in the park to make connections with other parents in the neighborhood.”

Attend community board meetings.

“If you want to become more civically engaged, research which community board is in your neighborhood and when it meets,” Rhodes says. “There are multiple community boards that cover various neighborhoods and since those meetings are open to the public, consider attending one and introduce yourself to at least one neighbor.”

Lambeth Hochwald is a New York City-based journalist covering trends, relationships, and life in New York City.

September 2019 | nymetroparents.com

Acting Workshops For Kids Of All Ages!

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Pediatric Speech Therapy Clinic Every Sunday: June-November 9am - 2pm, Ramsey Main Street Train Station

Rain or Shine, Ample free parking 50+ great vendors Music, Chef Demos, Children’s Crafts

Ramsey Pays It Forward

Bring a non-perishable food item to the market each week to be donated to The Center for Food Action

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ramseyfarmersmarket.org

sponsored by the Ramsey Historical Association and Borough of Ramsey

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RocklandParent 37

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raising kids baby

Day Care Center, Nanny, or Relative? ››

Choosing a child care provider can be an anxiety-filled decision—you are leaving your infant with someone else, after all—but selecting the best option for your family is easier if you understand the pros and cons of each. By Christina Vercelletto

dding a new baby to your family, whether it’s your first or your fifth, is probably life’s most memorable milestone. And of course, along with the excitement and joy comes a long list of to-dos, including the task of identifying the right child care arrangement for your family if you’re heading back to work. This should be sorted out as early as possible—before birth, if possible. (Trust us: Your three months of maternity leave will feel more like three weeks.) But how do you make this very important and often challenging decision? Here, we weigh the three most popular options to help you choose.

That said, day care centers are not cheap. In our area, you’re easily looking at $1,500 a month, if not more, for full-time day care. It can start to get cost prohibitive if a second child comes along and you, naturally, want both your kids in the same place. Also, day care centers charge extra for late pick-up or early drop-off.

Day Care Center

Pros: Nannies (and plenty of mannies!) are committed sitters who enjoy being part of a family and watching their charges grow up. It’s hard to beat the concept of a caring professional utterly dedicated to your child.

Pros: One major advantage of day care centers is they are statelicensed and regulated. (The U.S. Administration for Children & Families recommends you ask about a license when you visit.) They offer a structured day for children (yes, even for infants), with outdoor time, naps, meals, and snacks. And caregivers typically have a degree (or are earning one) in early childhood education. Many parents like the social aspect of day care centers— children are grouped by age, and starting at 2 years old spend the day in a preschool classroom with a real curriculum and progress reports. Plus, a familiar environment from infanthood through kindergarten is appealing. “The social element cannot be overstated,” says Jessica Wertheim, chief learning officer at Dearest Inc., a child care-sharing marketplace based in New York City. “Social-emotional skills that support children’s ability to focus and engage in other classroom environments, manage their own emotions, and socialize well with peers are often taught more directly during day care and preschool than at any other time.” Cons: The day will come when your baby will have a wet diaper at pick-up, or your child will be given the center-provided snack instead of the special one you bring in every day, no matter how great the caregivers are. If these sorts of instances sound like dealbreakers, this probably isn’t the way to go. Cost: Due to state-regulated child-to-teacher ratios, the older the child, the lower the cost. Centers have to charge the most for infants, since they are required to hire more people to care for them. 38

September 2019 | nymetroparents.com

Bottom Line: Day care centers can be the right choice for parents with a 9-5 job, who don’t often work late, and prefer a socialized group setting for their child.

Nanny

Cons: All your eggs are in one person’s basket. Nannies get the flu, wake up to a busted water pipe in their home, have car trouble, and need to take their suddenly-sick cat to the vet like anyone else. When that happens, you’re stuck scrambling. Also, nannies can quit even under the best of circumstances (say, their spouse gets a new job out of state), and depending on the age of your child, this can be a devastating loss. Cost: Nannies are costly. In our area, parents can expect to pay upwards of $15 an hour for one child, according to payscale.com. As her employer, you need to provide your nanny with disability insurance, and you may need to pay the IRS an employment tax. It’s also expected that you ante up for birthday and holiday gifts, food in the fridge, and paid vacation. Live-in nannies earn a lower salary, but many families don’t have enough space to make that option possible. Bottom Line: If you can afford it and prize personal attention above all else, this is the way to go.

Family Care

Pros: “Having a relative care for their baby often gives parents a sense of relief,” says Martha Mendez-Baldwin, Ph.D., a psychology of childhood assistant professor at Manhattan College in the Bronx.

Cons: Your mother or mother-in-law may have offered to step in, but as tempting as this alternative may feel, assess the situation realistically. She may not be prepared for the hard work of caring for a newborn. “Is this relative aware of today’s best child care practices? Do they know the safest sleep position is on the baby’s back?” Dr. Mendez-Baldwin asks. Plus, with a relative, you will still have to lay out a few ground rules and make requests about how you want things done, which can create conflict in an already-delicate relationship. You still need a back-up plan for early mornings when the phone call starts with, “I’m so sorry, but…” Cost: While this could be a free arrangement, you may want to insist on paying your relative to underscore the fact that this is a real responsibility. On the other hand, she might refuse payment, so cost really depends on the individual family. Bottom Line: If Grandma is energetic, and you have a solid relationship that can withstand honest and open communication, this may be worth considering (especially if money is an issue). Child care arrangements are a big decision, and there is no one-size-fits-all option, Wertheim says. However, there is no bad option either. “When any adult creates experiences that are personalized and respond to a baby’s interests with enthusiasm, positivity, and warmth, they support that baby’s social and cognitive development,” she says.

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44th CIVIL WAR REENACTMENT August 31st 10:00-5:00 & September 1st 10:00-4:00

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Representations of Federal and Confederate infantry, artillery and calvary units. Medical demonstrations and civilian life are also a part of the scenery. Witness re-enactments of standard Civil War tactics and troop movements as the two armies meet in battle. Visitors can stroll through camps, meet and talk with the troops and civilians, and shop at Sutler’s Row, the civilian merchants who followed the Army. ADMISSION: Adults $17 | Seniors $14 | Children 4-12: $12

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RocklandParent 39

family life legal

Separation Strategies Here’s how to develop a solid co-parenting plan you both will follow. ››

By Lambeth Hochwald

f you’re separated or divorced, you know how important it is to make a plan for sharing time with your child. However, this isn’t always easy and can lead to frustration or even anger. Here are eight tips to develop—and agree on—a plan to co-parent successfully.

be in a written form, such as email or text,” says Steven J. Mandel, a family law attorney in New York City. “Besides ‘making a record’ of events, this also really helps to avoid possible confusion.”

Consider everyone’s schedules.

It’s very common for kids to play the “mommy vs. daddy” game. “Children are great at wearing parents down until they get the ‘yes’ they want,” Mandel says. “That is why it is in the best interests of all concerned for everyone to be on the same page when it comes to making decisions concerning the health, education, and general welfare of your child.”

It’s important to take into account the kids’ schedules (including school, sports and other extracurriculars, and social activities), as well as each parent’s work schedule. If a father leaves for work at 6am and doesn’t come home until 7pm—but he doesn’t want to lose time with his kids—his schedule could make shared parenting hard, says Tanya Helfand, a divorced mom, lawyer in New York City, and author of 20 Great Tips for a Successful Divorce. “In this case, it’s important for his ex-partner to allow him to have a nanny so that he can get to work on those days that he has the child with him,” she suggests.

Keep it consistent.

A set schedule is key for fostering stability, says Emily Stulman Klein, a divorced life strategist and mom of a 12-year-old daughter who lives in Montclair, NJ. “For example, her dad sees my daughter on Wednesday afternoons/evenings, Friday nights for sleepovers, and Sunday evenings. Our daughter knows where she will be and when. It’s also great for the parents because we know our schedule for work, fun, and even dating.”

Put yourself in your kids’ shoes.

Children should have an open relationship with both parents—and never feel like the go-betweens. “A major problem arises when the parents prevent that relationship from happening and then put the children in the middle,” Helfand says. “You want to do your best to look at everything from your child’s perspective.”

Be practical and precise.

Leave the emotion out of discussions and decisions as much as possible. “I also suggest that communication between the parties

Skip the good-cop, bad-cop scenario.

Make kids feel treasured.

Kids should feel like both parents are choosing to spend time with them. “We want to be with our daughter, and she knows that,” Klein says. “So, when we have conversations about who has her, we use the words who ‘gets to’ be with her rather than who ‘has to’ be with her. This is important in ensuring that she feels loved and wanted.”

Be accommodating.

Life happens and sometimes you will need to swap times. Do your best to always be gracious about it. “My daughter’s dad is a realtor and sometimes he needs to show a property on ‘his night,’ so I am more than happy to support him in doing that if I am available,” Klein says. “I’ve been known to move things around to accommodate his schedule, and when I have a conference or retreat, he will stay at our home with our daughter and our pets.”

Remember: You will be in each other’s lives—for life.

“Too often, I hear about people being horrible to each other— saying mean things, not showing up, punishing the children out of spite,” Klein says. “Just because it didn’t work out for us doesn’t mean we have to be mean. The happier we are individually, the happier we all are as co-parents.”

Lambeth Hochwald is a New York City-based journalist covering trends, relationships, and life in New York City.

September 2019 | nymetroparents.com

PartyCentral PARTY ENTERTAINMENT FUDGIE THE CLOWN AND MYSTIQUE THE MAGICIAN Serving Rockland and Bergen counties 201-825-7481 fudgietheclown.com

Invite Fudgie or Mystique to your next party, picnic, or event! A professional family entertainer specializing in magic, face painting, and balloon animals. Ask about mid-week special rates. Fully insured.

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Premier state-of-the-art inflatables and entertainment equipment at a price that can’t be beat. Every rental includes our risk-free rain policy. We specialize in delivering the type of fun guaranteed to make your next event one to be remembered and talked about for years to come.

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

PARTY PLACES ABRAKADOODLE ART STUDIO FOR KIDS 53 Prospect Place, Hillsdale 201-383-0027 abrakadoodle.com; kroberts@abrakadoodle.com

Paint, slime, draw, fun, clay, and glitter are all the cool things we do at our studio! Abrakadoodle has been serving the community for more than 13 years offering Artie Parties and “no school Workshops” for ages 3 and older.

THE ACADEMY FOR MARTIAL ARTS 8 Orangetown Shopping Center, Orangeburg 845-359-4500 rocklandkarate.com 7-11 Suffern Place, Suffern 845-368-3209 martialartssuffern.com

A karate party is a great way to enter the world of martial arts. It’s also a great way for experienced students to share the martial arts with friends and family. Spacious, fully-equipped facility, an energetic, cheerful, and professional staff, and martial arts-themed fun and games.

SWEETGUY ICE CREAM TRUCK Serving Rockland and Bergen since 2011 845-499-5480 sweetguyicecream.com sweetguyicecream@gmail.com

BACH TO ROCK - NANUET 150 E. Route 59, Nanuet 845-215-9536 nanuet.b2rmusic.com; nanuet@bachtorock.com

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JILL’S CERAMICS 180 Germonds Road, West Nyack 845-623-4975 jillceramics.com; jillsceramics@aol.com

Invite SweetGuy to your child’s birthday party and get some really sweet extras! We provide a photo booth and props for souvenir photos. The birthday child will get a free t-shirt and a guest server spot onboard the

BIRTHDAY GIFTS TILLY...A DEER’S TALE 914-764-5564 tillyadeerstale.com

“Tilly...A Deer’s Tale” is about a real deer that lives in upstate New York and faces challenges after an accident. This powerful story is meant to inspire children living with physical challenges or limitations. The book makes a great birthday gift!

TOYRIFFIC2 TOY STORE 1581 Route 202, Pomona 845-362-6053 toyriffic2.com toyriffic2@aol.com

Looking for the perfect birthday gift? Come visit our unique toy store in Pomona. We offer a great selection of Melissa & Doug crafts and many other quality, affordable, educational toys, crafts, games, and puzzles for kids of all ages, both boys and girls.

Bach to Rock offers birthday parties for kids of all ages and adults. Call to find out more about The Rock Birthday Party, Karaoke Birthday Party, and The Rock City Birthday Party!

We offer a fully equipped ceramics and plaster studio where children and adults let their creativity run wild. Parties for kids include paper goods, a painter’s hat for the birthday child signed by their friends, and an item for each child to paint.

NEW CITY BOWL AND BATTING CAGES 90 N. Main St., New City 845-634-4977 newcitybowlandbattingcages.com

We are well known for our great birthday party packages and offer Glow Bowling for Sunday parties. All parties include bowling, shoe rental, food, paper goods, invitations, setup, and cleanup.

ORANGETOWN CLASSIC DINER 512 Route 303, Orangeburg 845-359-3592 orangetownclassicdiner.com

The perfect place to celebrate! Offering Wild Shakes, creative pancakes, delicious appetizers, burgers, salads, and comfort food favorites with gluten free options and

vegetarian choices. Be our guest for breakfast, lunch, or dinner seven days-a-week.

PALISADES CLIMB ADVENTURE 4590 Palisades Center Drive, level 4 of the Palisades Center, West Nyack 845-727-3500 palisadesclimb.com Palisades Climb Adventure offers the world’s tallest indoor ropes challenge course with 75 unique challenge elements. Our Sky Tykes kids’ ropes course is designed for ages 2-7. Both courses are available for birthday parties. Book your party today!

ROMP N’ ROLL 28-29 Orangetown Shopping Center, Orangeburg 845-580-9065 rompnroll.com; orangeburg@rompnroll.com

Our awesome parties for kids ages 1-6 include exclusive use of gym and party room, moon bounce, rock wall, monkey bars, and bubble party. Plus games, music, and activities!

TUMBLE-BEE GYMNASTICS AND FITNESS 401 Market St., Nanuet Mall South, Nanuet 845-623-2553 tumble-beegymnastics.com

Our bright, colorful facility is the perfect place for your child’s private birthday party (ages 1-12) We’ll provide two wonderful, exciting, and energetic party instructors. Also, free invitations, paper products, and utensils. The birthday child receives a free gift and balloons. Reserve in advance. They book quickly!

VICKI’S DANCE STUDIO AND KREATIVE KIDS 61 Maple Ave., New City 845-634-2202 vickistudio.com

We offer great birthday parties for boys and girls of all ages with a variety of themed options such as Hip-Hop Dance Party and Games Mix, Jumping Gymnastics, Disney Dance Mix, and Dress-up Princess Party!

VISION SPORTS CLUB Youth Fit Zone 37 W. Jefferson Ave., Pearl River 845-517-1427 parties visionsportsclub.com

Our fun-filled parties are 1½ hours with one hour of games and activities of your choice in our 7000-squarefoot Sports Zone, private party room, pizza, and drinks.

WEST ROCK INDOOR SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX 21 Pralle Lane, Nanuet 845-623-3636 westrockindoor.com

West Rock offers the ultimate place to hold your birthday party. Our unique and versatile facility boasts 40-foot ceilings, 26,000-square-feet of turf, two regulation-size basketball courts, six Har-Tru tennis courts, indoor bouncers, and private party room.

RocklandParent 41

Meet the

Health Care Professional Bobby Crohn, D.D.S. Monroe Dental Office 400 State Route 17M, Suite 2, Monroe 845-782-0189 monroedentaloffice.com monroedental@optonline.net

Dr. Crohn graduated from SUNY Stony Brook with a degree in biology. He received his Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University at Buffalo in 1992, and he completed his general practice residency at Danbury Hospital in 1993. Dr. Crohn has done extensive additional training in implant dentistry including training with Dr. Nick Elian at Vistara Institute, DentalXP Symposiums, and training at Zimmerman Institute. Dr. Crohn is a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists. He offers state-of-the art treatment including on-site cone beam 3-D imaging.

Marita Smith, D.D.S. Smith’s Little Smiles Pediatric Dentistry 5C Medical Park Drive, Pomona 845-414-9626 smithslittlesmiles.com drsmith@smithslittlesmiles.com

Dr. Marita Smith is a board-certified pediatric dentist dedicated to providing excellent dental care for children from infancy through adolescence in a warm and friendly environment. As a mother of two, Dr. Smith knows how important it is for a child to be comfortable and stress-free during their dental visits. Dr. Smith places great focus on prevention and her goal is to keep your child’s smile healthy! Most insurances accepted. Evening and Saturday hours and 24-hour emergency service available. Se habla Español.

Kastin Orthodontics 6 Medical Park Drive, Pomona 845-354-7233 kastinorthodontics.com drkastin09@yahoo.com

With 17 years of orthodontic experience, Dr. Brett Kastin prides his practice on conservative early treatment and cost-free childhood dental monitoring, enabling the most effective treatment possible, as well as being a knowledgeable, compassionate clinician and friend. He utilizes state-of-theart materials and customized treatment. Dr. Kastin is a certified Invisalign® provider, has been president of the Rockland County Dental Society since 2006, and was voted Rockland’s “Top Orthodontist” by the dentists of Rockland County for the past 10 years. Initial exams are complimentary, as are children’s recall appointments.

September 2019 | nymetroparents.com

Tenafly Pediatrics 74 Pascack Road, Park Ridge 201-326-7120 Offices also in Tenafly, Fort Lee, Clifton, Paramus, and Oakland, NJ tenaflypediatrics.com

Dr. David Schaumberger is one of the pediatricians working out of our newly expanded Park Ridge office. As someone who lives nearby, he enjoys working in Northern Bergen and Rockland counties. Dr. Schaumberger completed his pediatric residency from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and has been working at Tenafly Pediatrics since 2001. On a personal note, he enjoys ethnic cuisine and spending time with his three children. Tenafly Pediatrics is a recent Angie’s List Winner with offices conveniently located throughout Bergen County.

A & R Advanced Dental Group, Anna Alekseyeva, D.D.S., Roman Izmailov, D.D.S. 5C Medical Park Drive, Pomona 845-364-9400 aradvanceddental.com

At A&R Advanced Dental Group, patient satisfaction and comfort is our No. 1 priority. We are a cutting-edge practice that delivers state-of-the-art dental care to our patients. Dr. Roman Izmailov and Dr. Anna Alekseyeva have more than 30 years of experience in all phases of dentistry, including high quality and affordable dental implants, zirconia crowns, porcelain veneers, fixed bridges, root canal treatments, teeth whitening, and composite fillings. Evening appointments are available and we accept most insurances.

Sachdev Family Orthodontics 124 E Ramapo Road, Suite 2, Garnerville 845-786-7736 sfojustsmile.com sfojustsmile@gmail.com Facebook.com/sachdevfamilyorthodontics Instagram: @sachdevfamilyorthodontics

At Sachdev Family Orthodontics, we provide individualized braces and Invisalign treatment to kids and adults. Dr. Ameeta Sachdev has been in the dental field for two decades with dual dental degrees, from India and U.S. She teaches orthodontics at St. Barnabas Hospital, Bronx. She pays attention to detail, whether it is designing the state-of-the-art office herself or perfecting your smile. Being committed to serve, she is an active supporter of community events and local art. Most insurance accepted, evening and Saturday hours and 24hour emergency service available.

Dental Wellness of Suffern Sherri Alpert, D.D.S. 2 Executive Blvd., Suite 307, Suffern 845-918-1801 dentalwellnessofsuffern.com dentalwellness@optonline.net

Dr. Alpert is excited to offer drill-free, needle-free dentistry with the Solea CO2 Laser. Her practice offers comfortable cosmetic dentistry for the entire family including implants and full mouth reconstruction if necessary. Dental Wellness of Suffern provides natural, effective, quality dental care to make your visit as enjoyable, comfortable, and relaxing as possible. A parent herself, Dr. Alpert enjoys working with children who are apprehensive about the dentist, creating a fun environment with magic tricks, a wall mural, and a Find the Dental Helpers game.

Crystal Run 2 Centerock Road, West Nyack 845-348-1100 crystalrunhealthcare.com

Crystal Run Healthcare is a premier multispecialty group medical practice with more than 400 providers, offering the convenience of Primary Care and nearly 50 medical specialties. Our state-of-the-art West Nyack facility offers patients easy access to quality health care with more than 20 medical and surgical specialties, including Adolescent Medicine, Pediatrics, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, including Urogynecology. Our innovative facility boasts an Infusion Center, Urgent Care, diagnostic testing services, on-site laboratory services, diagnostic imaging, and women’s imaging. Crystal Run also has offices in Haverstraw, Stony Point, and Suffern.

Smile More Kidz Meet Your Smile Team 140 Oak Tree Road, Tappan 845-367-7782 smilemorekidz.com

At Smile More Kidz, we are part of a local tradition of providing children with the very best that dentistry has to offer in a friendly, comfortable setting. Our entire team understands how children develop and learn and make sure nervous kids feel comfortable and respected. We welcome patients with special needs and offer 8am–7pm and Saturday appointments so patients don’t have to miss school for their care. We believe in building a foundation for a lifetime of healthy smiles by making every visit to our office a fun and informative experience.

S. Ramaswamy, D.D.S. 515 S. Main St., New City 845-634-9603 ramaswamysmile.com info@ramaswamysmile.com

Our state-of-the-art office specializes in helping our patients achieve beautiful smiles. All work on our patients is expertly provided personally by Dr. Ramaswamy and not delegated to auxiliaries. Dr. Ramaswamy belongs to an elite group of orthodontists that have board certification with the American Board of Orthodontists. Only 25 percent of orthodontists have achieved this recognition and have this commitment to the standards of specialty practice. He attends continuing education courses yearly to ensure the best care possible. Invisalign certified. Most insurance accepted.

We've got everything for a…

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! NYMetroParents.com is Parents' Party Central—one—stop shopping for the best in:

H Party Places (for the trendiest, newest, or most classic locale)

H Entertainers (clowns, balloon twisting, magicians, spa parties & so much more!)

H Gift-Giving (from charitable ideas to the best presents for every age)

H At-Home Party Themes (think

pirates, princesses, superheroes, Harry Potter…)

H Planning Help H Tips & Tricks from the Pros (…and parents who’ve been there!)

Bergen•RocklandParent NORTH

HILLSDALE • MONTVALE

SEPTEMBER 2012

NORTHVALE • NORWOOD • OLD TAPPAN • PARK RIDGE • RAMSEY • RIDGEWOOD • SADDLE RIVER/UPPER SADDLE RIVER • WALDWICK • WESTWOOD • WYCKOFF

NYMETROPARENTS.COM

LongIslandParent Parent SPETEMBER 2012

Class Is In!

After-School Activities

✓ ❑ ✓ ❑

Resource Guide

✓ ❑ ✓ ❑

SLOW DOWN!

How to Manage Kids’ Schedules

NYMETROPARENTS.COM

Back-to-School Resource Guide Pack a Smarter Lunch Ease the Morning Rush Advocate for Your Twins

What Makes a Good Mentor?

+ 174 Family

+ 130 Family Events

Events

(see our calendar, p. 32)

(see our calendar, p. 26)

Plus: Learning to Let Go

Vaccines at Every Age Plus: Journaling for Your Child

Where-To Guide: Berry Picking

•

Dinosaur Fun

Where-To Guide: Apple Picking • Outing: New York Hall of Science

NYMetroParents

Helping Parents Make Better Decisions RocklandParent 43

PARTY PLANNER

To advertise: 845-848-8021 or nympads@davlermedia.com

Looking for the perfect birthday gift? Come visit our Unique Toy Boutique!

Mention this ad for 15% OFF!

We offer over 7,000 games, toys, crafts, puzzles, gadgets and NEW specialty balloons.

Jill’s Ceramics

Where children & adults create their own functional works of art

• Kids Birthday Parties • Adult’s Night Out • Specialty Items For Every Holiday • Paint & Go or Glaze & Fire

Mon, Tues & Wed 930am-300pm Tues & Thurs 700pm-930pm

Call for Extended Group Hours / Pricing & Current Weekend Hours

Friday Kids Classes 300-500pm 1581 Route 202 • Pomona, NY

845-362-6053

Invite Fudgie or Mystique to your next party!

180 Germonds Rd. West Nyack, NY 845-623-4975 • www.jillsceramics.com

FUDGIE

MYSTIQUE

Magic - Face Balloon Animals Magic - FacePainting Painting –– Balloon Animals Birthdays Picnics Birthdays–– Camps Camps ––Picnics

Special Reduced Rates Mon – Thurs! 201-825-7481 www.fudgietheclown.com Fully Insured

FAMILY RESOURCE GUIDE BIRTHDAY

ERRANDS & CONCIERGE SERVICES

FIND venues, entertainers, PERFECT PARTY SPACE FOR KIDS 3 AND UNDER! • Budget Friendly • Customizable Options • DIY Parties • Premium Themed Parties • Add-on's like Face Painting & Carnival Corner Packages Start At Just $150 For Up To 12 Kids. Each Additional Child Only $15!! Call: 845-533-5544 visit: nowyouretalking speech.com location: 43 S. Liberty Drive Stony Point

HOW MUCH IS FREE TIME WORTH TO YOU? LET US HELP YOU MANAGE YOUR ERRANDS! Grocery & Personal Shopping All Local Errands Senior Concierge Services Personal & Virtual Assistance Clerical work www.pressed-fortime.com facebook.com/areyoupressed 914-661-3477

Our Editors Find the Best Events for You! Every Thursday, you’ll receive a curated list of the best of what’s happening that weekend—from sports and theater to festivals and petting zoos.

NYMETROPARENTS.COM/NEWSLETTER 44

September 2019 | nymetroparents.com

suppliers, and other ideas to plan the perfect party at

NYMetroParents.com

raising kids ad index NYMetroParents.com features more than 20,000 businesses serving the NY metropolitan area! acrobatics / gymnastics

education

performing arts / acting

Tumble-Bee Gymnastics................................................12

Bright Beginnings Preschool & Childcare ......................35

Clarkstown Theatre Company........................................37

German Language School Westwood ...........................21

Coupe Theatre Studio ...................................................17

birthday / party services

Huntington Learning Center ..........................................17

Academy for Martial Arts................................................32

Lindgren School & Camp ...............................................32

restaurant / food services

New City Bowling & Batting Cages ................................19

Museum Village .............................................................39

Palisades Center .............................................................7

Palisades Climb Adventure ............................................13

Otto Specht School ........................................................11

Ramsey Historical Association Farmer’s Market............37

Rockland Parent Party Planner......................................44

Palisades Country Day School ......................................48

SweetGuy Ice Cream Truck .........................................19

St Catharine Early Childhood Center ............................21

Tumble-Bee Gymnastics................................................12

Young World Day School ...............................................33

West Rock Indoor...........................................................33

retail Palisades Center .............................................................7

family entertainment / events / outings camps

Fit4Mom Rockland..........................................................39

Academy for Martial Arts................................................32

Museum Village .............................................................39

Danceworks .............................................................35, 39

New City Bowling & Batting Cages ................................19

German Language School Westwood ...........................21

New City Street Fair.......................................................33

Kreative Kids & Vicki’s Dance Studio ............................13

Palisades Center .............................................................7

Lindgren School & Camp ...............................................32

Palisades Climb Adventure ............................................13

Palisades Country Day School ......................................48

Ramsey Historical Association Farmer’s Market............37

Ramsey Historical Association Farmer’s Market............37 Tilly...A Deer’s Tale.........................................................31

special events Museum Village .............................................................39 New City Street Fair.......................................................33 Sarah Merians Photography ............................................5

West Rock Indoor...........................................................33

fitness child care / day care

Academy for Martial Arts................................................32

Bright Beginnings Preschool & Childcare ......................35

Danceworks .............................................................35, 39

Kreative Kids & Vicki’s Dance Studio ............................13

Fit4Mom Rockland..........................................................39

Mommybites...................................................................47

Studio Jacked Dance Co. ..............................................37

St. Catharine Early Childhood Center ...........................21

Tumble-Bee Gymnastics................................................12

classes

health

Clarkstown Theatre Company........................................37

Clemente Orthodontics ..................................................39

Fit4Mom Rockland..........................................................39

Crystal Run Healthcare..............................................2, 43

German Language School Westwood ...........................21

Dental Wellness of Suffern.................................21, 42, 43

Tumble-Bee Gymnastics................................................12 Young World Day School ...............................................33

Fidelis Care New York .....................................................3 Good Samaritan Hospital ................................................9 Kastin & Newman Orthodontics......................................42

special needs Camp Venture ................................................................35 Coupe Theatre Studio ...................................................17 Huntington Learning Center ..........................................17 Lipson Family Coaching.................................................21 Now You’re Talking Speech Therapy .............................37 Nyack Pediatric Dentistry ..............................................37 Otto Specht School ........................................................11 Spots OT........................................................................35 Tumble-Bee Gymnastics................................................12

sports Academy for Martial Arts................................................32 Camp Venture ................................................................35 New City Bowling & Batting Cages ................................19

dance

Lipson Family Coaching.................................................21

Coupe Theatre Studio ...................................................17

Now You’re Talking Speech Therapy .............................37

Danceworks .............................................................35, 39

Nyack Pediatric Dentistry ..............................................37

Kreative Kids & Vicki’s Dance Studio ............................13

Sachdev Family Orthodontics...................................11, 42

Studio Jacked Dance Co. ..............................................37

Smile More Dentistry ...............................................33, 43

theater

Smith’s Little Smiles Pediatric Dentistry...................35, 42

Clarkstown Theatre Company........................................37

Palisades Climb Adventure ............................................13 West Rock Indoor...........................................................33

developmental

Spots OT........................................................................35

Now You’re Talking Speech Therapy .............................37

Suresh Ramaswamy. D.D.S. ...................................39, 43

tutors

Otto Specht School ........................................................11

Tenafly Pediatrics ..........................................................42

Huntington Learning Center ..........................................17

RocklandParent 45

raising kids stuff we like

You’ve Got Mail

››

By Kirsten Clodfelter

Creative Reading

KidArtLit draws inspiration from specially curated children’s books to combine a love of reading with a love of making art. Unbox a beautiful new book to read together each month. Then, dig in to open-ended, process-based art projects that help kids unleash their creativity. Choose from Deluxe or Spark options and enjoy a monthly digital PDF with every subscription. (Ages 3-8; $39.95; kidartlit.com)

Lil’ Chefs, Big Appetites

Little Sous Kitchen Academy was launched from a Kickstarter campaign, and it’s working to inspire culinary interest from a young age. First, unbox a new kid-friendly kitchen tool or non-perishable ingredient each month. Next, learn how to put the special item to use with a step-by-step cooking lesson that empowers kids to cook confidently. Each box also includes collectable recipe cards, hands-on activities, a ready-to-color poster with games and puzzles, and a themed sticker sheet. MasterChef Junior, here you come. (Ages 5-12; $24.99 and up; mylittlesous.com)

World Culture at Home

Encourage your little ones’ wanderlust and open their minds with Little Global Citizens, an interactive culture box. Co-founders, parents, and world travelers Akeelah Kuraishi and Tim Minnick are on a mission to foster kids’ global awareness and compassion with a bimonthly box exploring a new country. Each box includes a guide booklet, a children’s book, cultural crafts and activities, a recipe, and country souvenirs. (Ages 3-8; $39.95; little-global-citizens.com)

Adding Art to STEM

To encourage a love of science, technology, engineering, art and math, start by getting your hands dirty. That’s the premise behind this monthly STEAM box subscription from Banyan Tree Kidz. Each box includes a hardcover book to introduce an idea, activity, or experiment. After reading, kids will find all the supplies they need for hands-on creative learning. You’ll appreciate the helpful parent’s instruction guide. (Ages 2-7; $29.99 and up; banyantreekidz.com)

Imagination Beyond the Page The super-fun, unique Little Bookish Wardrobe inspires imaginative play each month with an engaging hardcover book, plus a costume and craft to go along with it. After reading, kids can extend the life of every story through dress up and art. Bonus: The boxes have gender-neutral and sibling options for customization that fits any family. (Ages 3-7; $32.99; littlebookishwardrobe.com)

Kirsten Clodfelter is a Midwest-based freelance writer, the co-founder of Rise Marketing, Inc., and a mom of three. Learn more at kirstenclodfelter.com or follow her on Instagram: @icanmotheranyway.

September 2019 | nymetroparents.com

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