LongIsland SUFFOLK EDITION
Parent NYMETROPARENTS.COM NOVEMBER 2017
Changing the World Amazing kids who started their own nonprofits
Choosing the Right Doc 15 questions to ask Plus: Kids and eating disorders
SpecialParent
Abilities, Not Disabilities
A new approach to kids with special needs
HELPING PARENTS MAKE BETTER DECISIONS
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SU M M E R GROW T H SPU RT Usdan is an award-winning day camp for students ages 4-18 to explore music, dance, theater, visual arts, sports and more on our Long Island campus in the woods. JOIN US FOR AN OPEN HOUSE: Saturday, November 18 or Sunday, December 17. Reservations required. Visit usdan.org/visit.
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NYMetroParents
Helping Parents Make Better Decisions
Contents
November 2017 ››
42
Features
14 15 Questions to Ask a Pediatrician How to find the best doctor for your family’s needs
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16 Kids Making a Difference These five young adults launched their own nonprofits. Here’s how—and how your child can, too. 22 Thanksgiving Desserts Kids Can Help Make Amanda Grant shares recipes from Kids in the Kitchen that are perfect for children to help bake. 36 Does My Child Have an Eating Disorder? Three experts share what to look out for, the physical and mental health risks, and getting your child the help she needs. 42 Focus on Your Abilities When your child with special needs starts to feel discouraged, let him read this, or use this as a guide, to help him through it.
14
Connections
6 Editor’s Note 8 New Places, New Programs 10 Quotables 11 NYMP Q&A: Jess Shatkin, M.D., M.P.H., talks adolescent angst. 54 Voices: Growing Up with a Brother with Special Needs
Fun & Activities 12 20 24 25 34
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Family Activities CALENDAR ››
DIY Corner: Making Snot! Where-To Guide: Volunteer with Your Kids Outing: Long Island City, Queens Family Activities Calendar Where-To Guide: Ice-Skating
Directories
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46 48 50 52 53
Professional Services Party Central Long Island Parents Day Sponsors Meet the Health Care Professional Advertisers’ Index
Original photo by PhotoOp NYC (photoopnyc.com) Clothing provided by Appaman (appaman.com)
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ON THE COVER ›› 14 Choosing the Right Doc 16 Changing the World 36 Kids and Eating Disorders 42 Abilities, Not Disabilities facebook.com/nymetroparents
@NYMetroParents
Visit NYMETROPARENTS.COM for family activities updated daily and more than 2,000 parenting articles!
The greatest superpower is the power to inspire.
We see the same three things in the children we treat at every Cohen Children’s location: bravery, courage and determination. That inspires us to look at childhood cancer differently. Our researchers are developing treatments personalized at a cellular level, because the smallest detail can have the biggest impact. See why we’re inspired at Northwell.edu/CohenHeroes Cohen Children’s Medical Center is a nonprofit hospital supported by the people and the communities we serve. LongIslandParent
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NOVEMBER 2017 • Vol9 • No.6
NYMetroParents nymetroparents.com
EDITORIAL EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Michael Kress
EDITOR’S NOTE
MANAGING EDITOR: Katelin Walling DEPUTY EDITOR: Caitlin Berens SENIOR EDITOR: Bethany Braun-Silva ENGAGEMENT EDITOR: Samantha Neudorf
Season of Gratitude
L
ike many parents, I struggle to instill in my kids a sense of caring about the world around them and empathy for those less fortunate than we are. I see glimmers of hope occasionally, such as when we attended a political rally as a family or when my kids decide to donate some of their toys to charity. But sparking in our children a sustained sense of responsibility for other people and for the welfare of our planet is a daunting job. So it was with a mix of awe and envy that I read Julia Hyman’s report about amazing kids and teens who went beyond caring and even volunteering to actually found nonprofit organizations, allowing them to have a much broader and longer-term impact than they could on their own (p. 16). If you have a budding social entrepreneur on your hands, you’ll also find tips for kids who want to start their own charities. For the rest of us, we offer a guide to local organizations at which families can volunteer this holiday season (p. 20). As we head into Thanksgiving and then December holidays, food—and lots of it— will be front and center at our family gatherings. It’s a time to feast and indulge, but we also need to be conscious of the fact our attitude and behavior toward food sends a message to our kids. For too many young people, food turns into its own struggle, leading to potentially serious health problems. Katelin Walling tells us what parents need to know about kids and eating disorders, from preventing them to recognizing the signs, to treating them when they happen (p. 36). When health problems do strike our kids, it’s essential we have a trusted pediatrician to turn to. For our family, that’s been a huge comfort and help in times of crisis. If you’ve got doubts about your doctor—or are expecting your first child and seeking a pediatrician—Bethany Braun-Silva offers 15 questions to ask that will help you find the right match (p. 14). For those kids with ongoing special needs, the barrage of specialists, therapists, tutors, and doctors can sometimes feel overwhelming and, I am sure, demoralizing. To help combat those feelings, check out our feature about focusing on kids’ abilities, rather than their disabilities (p. 42). And then see what that looks like by reading Amanda Marrone’s heartwarming essay on growing up with a brother who has special needs (p. 54). This issue marks my last one as editorial director here at NYMetroParents, and in this season of gratitude I want to say thank you to all of you, our readers, for being part of our community of parents and enriching my time here. I leave you with wishes for a happy Thanksgiving filled with gratitude and blessings!
REGIONAL EDITORS: Samantha Beranbom (Rockland); Karen Demeter (Suffolk); Whitney C. Harris (Manhattan); Rosalind Muggeridge (Brooklyn); Jamie McGillian (Westchester); Dorette Saunders (Nassau); Gail Warren (Queens) DIRECTORIES EDITOR: Alice Van Dyke EDITORIAL INTERN: Jordan Laird To Submit Events: nymetroparents.com/submitevents
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Bar Mitzvah Bat Mi t zvah Sweet Sixteen Quinceañera
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NEW PLACES, NEW PROGRAMS
nymetroparents.com/np-sp
Who: Gersh Academy @ West Hills Day Camp What’s New: Increased integration opportunities for campers with special needs on campus and in the community, starting summer 2018. Gersh Academy @ West Hills Day Camp is a camp for children on the autism spectrum and who have other neurobiological disorders. Gersh Academy, a school for children on the autism spectrum, located in West Hempstead, began its partnership with West Hills Day Camp in 2009. Held on West Hills Academy’s campus, the camp gives children on the autism spectrum in kindergarten to 12th grade the opportunity to experience a traditional summer camp while receiving the support they need. Want More Info: 21 Sweet Hollow Road, Huntington; 631-427-6700; gershsummerprogram.com
Courtesy Gersh Academy @ West Hills Day Camp
Summer Camp to Expand Programming for Children with Special Needs
Gersh Academy @ West Hills Day Camp provides a traditional summer camp experience for children on the autism spectrum.
Who: theCoderSchool Syosset What’s New: An after-school coding program location in Syosset for children ages 7-18, which opened Oct. 14. The after-school program offers drop-off classes in coding and programming for kids of all skill levels, which take place weekly. “We decided to place our first site in Syosset because of the incredible energy and focus that the district has on educating [its] students,” says Noreen Kazi, owner and general manager. Coding classes at various levels are also offered throughout the year, as well as coding camps during summer and school breaks. Want More Info: 45 Ira Road, Syosset; 516-584-4244; syosset@thecoderschool.com; thecoderschool.com/syosset
Courtesy theCoderSchool Syosset
After-School Coding Program Opens Syosset Location
Children ages 7-18 learn how to code throughout the year at theCoderSchool Syosset.
Who: Long Island Nets What’s New: The team’s 24 home games will be held at NYCB Live, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, beginning Nov. 4 with a game against the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. For the first time in 40 years the Long Island Nets, the minor league affiliate team of the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets, will be bringing a full schedule of professional basketball to Long Island. “Fans can expect an exciting atmosphere filled with family-friendly activities,” says Alton Byrd, vice president of business operations. Want More Info: NYCB Live, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, 1255 Hempstead Turnpike, Uniondale; 516-231-4848; longislandnets.com
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November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
Courtesy Long Island Nets
Long Island Nets to Debut at NYCB Live
In addition to watching the Long Island Nets, families can enjoy the Kids Zone at NYCB Live, with activities such as face painting and inflatables.
Box Office Open Tues-Thurs & Sat 12:30PM-5PM ALL DATES, ACTS AND TICKET PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. TICKETS SUBJECT TO SERVICE CHARGES.
For more information visit www.TheTheatreAtWestbury.com
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UOTABLES As Marlowe grew from a baby to a toddler, I thought a lot about structure and discipline. About the dichotomy of allowing our children to be children, but also having behavioral expectations that they are aware of in order to create a structure that allows them to blossom and mature and learn. —Eva Amurri Martino, in a post entitled “Disciplining a Toddler,” on her blog happilyevaafter.com
in an instagram How city kids get to their recital. #DDF #ddfrecitals2017 #citykid #mta #subway #dance (Posted by @thebrooklynmom, aka Vanessa Muskopf, who blogs at thebrooklynmom.com)
WHEN FAMILY IS FAR
in an instagram My two champions!! Lately these two have been really pushing each other’s buttons. The arguments happen every hour on the hour, and it gets a bit out of hand. They have mastered it, and I honestly truly believe they do it out of enjoyment!? They are competing with each other a lot more— to be “better” or for everyone’s attention. It’s been tough, something really difficult to watch over & over throughout the course of the day. But I also try and remind myself that this is normal sibling stuff, and they absolutely adore each other no matter how much they annoy each other #brothersforlife #bestfriends #momlife #momstruggles #motherofboys (Posted by @mommygorjess, aka Jessica Salazar, who blogs at www.mommygorjess.com)
“I find myself getting depressed about the state of the world, wondering if I made a mistake bringing kids into it, wondering if anything I do even matters. But when the world feels like too much, I have to remind myself to focus on the way I can make a difference—especially because it’s been right in front of me all along, right here at home.” —Chaunie Brusie, in a post entitled “What Can We Do When The World Is Falling Apart? We Can Keep Showing Up,” on mom.me
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“Coping with distance can be tough. The good news is that there are lots of ways to keep geographical distance from putting real emotional distance between your kids and their relatives.” —Cora Waring, in an article entitled “Wish You Were Here!: How to Keep Kids Close to Distant Relatives;” read more at nymetroparents.com/distant-relatives
MORE NYMetroParents.com HIGHLIGHTS: A SPIN ON THANKSGIVING SIDES: Give favorites a flavorful makeover at nymetroparents.com/thanksgiving-sides. NURTURE GRATITUDE: Learn how to teach kids to be thankful at nymetroparents.com/thankful. ENJOY FALL FOLIAGE: Discover where to go leaf peeping at nymetroparents.com/leaf. NAVIGATING THE SYSTEM: Get tips for applying to NYC high schools at nymetroparents.com/high-school.
Allied Call Us First-August Ad_Allied Call Us First-August Ad 8/6/15 1:04 PM
NYMP Q&A
Adolescent Angst
#FightFlu Call Your Pediatrician First
››
By Bethany Braun-Silva
Jess Shatkin, M.D., M.P.H., leads the educational efforts of the NYU Child Study Center and recently wrote Born to Be Wild: Why Teens Take Risks and How We Can Help Keep Them Safe. What is it about adolescents that make them want to take risks? We have known forever that adolescents act at times impulsively or irrationally. The confusing thing is, when you talk to them 1-on-1 or even in a classroom, they’re totally rational and are able to explain their thoughts and feelings. They are able to tell you whether it’s a good idea to do something or not to do something. They don’t make bad decisions because they can’t think them through. Part of it is the brain and all the disconnects from the frontal cortex and the emotional center. Kids feel passion, they can feel love, anger, envy, desire. You can control it when you are in your 20s much better than you can at 15, so there is a lot of unbridled passion. There is also a lot of dopamine in the brain that is higher than it will ever be. The intrigue of sex, the excitement of being on a roller coaster, the excitement of driving 100mph, the excitement of jumping off a roof into the pool—that is more exiting than it will ever be again, and teens are just driven by that thrill. How can parents be cognizant of the risks their children take or may want to take? The way we address risk is knowing our kids, knowing their friends, knowing their friends’ parents, spending time with our kids. Kids who have parents that spend time with them and who are available to them take fewer risks. They talk to their parents about the risks they are thinking of taking, they talk to their parents about their friends who are taking risks, and they see their parents as a reliable source of information and counsel. Parents who aren’t around, who aren’t engaged in the process, who don’t ask their kids about sex, who don’t ask their kids about drugs, who don’t just listen and hang out and let their kids chatter about whatever they want to chatter about, those parents don’t know what’s going on with their kids and their kids don’t come to them. By the time you find marijuana in your kid’s dresser, it’s pretty late, quite honestly. Are there any trends in this behavior and how has risky behavior evolved over the years? Things are pretty much the same in that the three top killers of young adults ages 13-25 are accidents, suicide, and homicide. Suicide has increased, and that has to do with social networking and with all of the access we have to constantly knowing what everyone else is thinking about us or the message they are trying to send about how great they’re doing or how wonderful their life is. You see this very clearly with this FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) thing kids talk about. It is a very real thing, and new imaging studies of the brain show when a kid is left out, they feel pain in the brain in the same areas as when they experience physical pain. If you are left out of a group, your brain feels like you are being burned or hit hard. Kids will do a lot to avoid that physical pain; they will take a lot of risks to be part of the group.
Urgent Care is Not Always Now is the the time Best of yearCare! to vaccinate your
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familyo against the flu. one knows your child like you, and no
can take careBut of him or her medically You’reone busy—we know. did you know that a flu like your pediatrician. shot is the single best way to prevent influenza?
Anyear, Allied is on-call atflu, alland times Each 1 indoctor 5 Americans get the more and we want to hear from you. than 200,000 people are hospitalized due to flu— It is sometimes hard forFlu parents to know a 111 related complications. is the causeif of million missed work. sick child needsdays to be of seen right You away,can or if avoid it is becoming part of those statistics by getting your okay to wait until morning to see the doctor that flu shot—one shot helps protect you and knows your child best. Most things can wait your family for the entire flu season. until morning, and many times there is a benefit in waiting. we will help you figure out The CentersCall forand Disease Control and Prevention the best treatment for your child. 6 months of (CDC) recommend that everyone age and older, with rare exception, receive a flu Emergencyevery Roomyear. doctors Urgicare vaccination Evenand pregnant woman and providers entities, many of whom those with are eggunknown allergy should get the flu vaccine. just don’t have our training or our resources. For the 2017/2018 Season, the CDC recommends Your the useAllied of thepediatrician flu shot only.has your child’s complete medical history, including allergies, medications, past illnesses and consults from specialists. The in Allied Physicians Group Thispediatricians information paints a picture of your child believe in the importance of flu prevention and that allows us to provide the best care. offer convenient care in all of our locations. Call your Allied to schedule theHelp flu vaccine Call office Us First & Let Us You. - the sooner the better! Many of our offices Save your pediatrician’s phone number vaccinate in your parents as well, so make it a family affair! phone – and have it readily available in your walletoffices and at offer home.walk-in flu clinics for existing Many and patients. For new a listing of all of our offices and contact details, visit www.AlliedPhysiciansGroup.com. And, in caseswith of emergency, dial 911 first and #FightFlu Allied Physicians Group
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LongIslandParent 11
DIY CORNER Health Experiment
Making Snot! To understand more about what snot is (and to gross out your friends), make some fake snot and then find out why you should never sneeze into your hand.
You will need: Kettle 2 small bowls 3 packets of unflavored gelatin Fork ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) corn (golden) syrup Green food coloring Vaseline Glitter 1. Ask an adult to help you heat water in a kettle until it is very hot, but not quite boiling. Pour half a cup of the almost boiling water into a bowl and sprinkle on the three packets of gelatin. Stir the powder in with a fork and then leave to soften for 5 minutes. 2. Put the corn (golden) syrup into another bowl. 3. Stir the gelatin mix with a fork until all the lumps have gone and then slowly add it to the corn syrup until your mixture looks like snot. Use a fork to stir it, as it will pull out long strands of snot. Add a few drops of green food coloring to make it even more disgusting. This looks like snot because it is made of the same ingredients as snot—protein, sugar, and water. They are different types of protein and sugar, but snot has a very similar chemical make-up.
STEP 1
STEP 4
4. Now wipe a very thin smear of Vaseline onto a door handle that everyone in your family uses a lot. Sprinkle a thin layer of glitter all over it—it should stick to the Vaseline. Don’t tell anyone. 5. After a while get everyone to check their hands to see if there is glitter on them. Become a detective and check other places to find how far the glitter has spread. Imagine that you had cold and had sneezed into your hand and then opened a door. The bacteria and viruses from your snot would have been wiped onto the door handle. The next person who opened the door would have got it on their hands and spread it further and probably caught your cold. This is why you should never sneeze into your hand—unless you are going to wash it straight away!
Excerpted from My First Book of My Body ($14.95) by Susan Akass and Frances Butcher, photography by Terry Benson, with permission of CICO KIdz.
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November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 5
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LongIslandParent 13
15 Questions to Ask a Pediatrician
››
A good pediatrician is an invaluable resource—here’s how to find the best fit for your family’s needs. By Bethany Braun-Silva
A
s soon-to-be parents can imagine, and current parents know, having a trusted pediatrician is monumentally important. When you’re expecting, the checklists of tasks to be completed before baby comes home are already substantial, but nevertheless, it’s important to take the time to vet different pediatricians in order to find the right doctor for your family, location, and needs. And, since your baby will need to be seen by a doctor within the first week of birth, it’s important to find the right fit before baby arrives so you’re comfortable and confident at appointments. If you’re past that stage, there are many reasons why you might be considering switching pediatricians, from the practical concerns such as office hours or location to worries about fit and approach. So whether you’re expecting your first child or looking to switch pediatricians for your kids, we’ve come up with a list of 15 questions to guide you on your journey to finding the right doctor. 1. Is the practice in a convenient location? It’s one thing to strap your week-old baby in a carrier and hop on the subway for a few stops, but it’s quite another to lug a stroller up and down those subway stairs or call a car service to get you to the opposite end of town. A convenient location might not be the 14
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
most important requirement, but it sure does help should your child need an urgent sick visit or if you will be traveling solo or with more than one kid. 2. Is the pediatrician board-certified? If the doctor is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics, that means she has passed a specialized exam in pediatrics. Additionally, if the doctor is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics the letters “FAAP” will appear after her name. This means she has met established standards for providing child health care. 3. What’s his child-care ideology? What are his thoughts on breast-feeding? Co-sleeping? Circumcision? These are all important things your pediatrician can help you with. You might also want to find out his philosophies on sleep training, potty training, and discipline. If your thoughts don’t align, this can make for some challenging visits. 4. How long does a typical check-up last? This is something you can get an idea of during a prenatal visit with a pediatrician, should you choose to have one. Does the doctor
take her time? Does she give you an opportunity to ask all of your questions? It is best that you don’t feel rushed during appointments. New parents are especially exhausted and overwhelmed and it’s important they feel at ease at the pediatrician’s office. 5. Is it a group or solo practice? If it’s a solo practice you will be seeing the same pediatrician each time you visit, although you should ask who covers for him while he’s away. If it’s a group practice you might be scheduled with different pediatricians or nurse practitioners each time you are there. Consider what’s important to you: seeing the same pediatrician every time, or the accessibility that can come from multiple doctors on staff. 6. Does the pediatrician have a subspecialty? Certain pediatricians have subspecialties, such as advanced training in allergies, behavioral issues, endocrinology, or psychiatry. This might be something to consider if there are pre-existing conditions that run in your family. 7. What is the doctor’s stance on vaccinations? While the topic of vaccinations can be a bit touchy, you’ll want to get clear before you commit on what the doctor’s opinion is regarding the timing of vaccinations. Some practices offer a gradual vaccination schedule, if that’s something you might be interested in, while others will only stick to the standard schedule. 8. Can you get a same-day sick visit? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve called my son’s pediatrician needing an appointment for that same day. I have never been denied, and it has been a source of great relief for me and my family. Not all doctors offer this service, so if urgency is important to you, make sure this is an option. 9. Does the office offer evening or weekend hours? If you’re a working parent, it will be difficult to get your child to well visits, never mind sick ones, during regular working hours. Extended and weekend hours can be a lifesaver for some parents. 10. What’s the wait time? You’ll probably experience some wait time in any doctor’s office, but if the office is consistently behind schedule that can be a real issue. Waiting rooms are notoriously germy and full of not-sohappy-kids. Visit prospective offices and check out the wait time for yourself, or ask a parent who’s there. There’s nothing worse than a room full of crying kids waiting to get shots. 11. How does the office look? Is the place clean? Are there toys and books for your child to play with? Because you might spend at least a few minutes waiting to be seen, it’s best to have an office that is appealing to kids. Some offices even provide patients with separate waiting rooms for sick and well kids—something to consider. 12. Can you call with questions? Is there a number to call if you have a simple question regarding your child’s health? Sometimes issues are small enough they don’t warrant a trip to the office. You want to make sure your office has a number you can call that will connect you to a doctor, nurse, or nurse practitioner on staff. This is also an important after-hours feature as well.
13. What is the practice’s emergency protocol and hospital affiliation? If your child has a serious accident or allergic reaction, you will need to know your pediatrician’s protocol for handling these emergencies. Does she make house calls? Will he visit children if they end up in the ER? If the practice has a hospital affiliation, find out about its reputation and if it’s close to where you live. Ask how the hospital works in conjunction with the pediatrician’s office and if it allows parents to stay in the room overnight with admitted children. Hopefully this will be something you never have to experience, but it’s good information to have nonetheless. 14. Does the practice accept your insurance? Find out what plans the office accepts and whether your plan is one of them. Also, it’s a good idea to have some knowledge of all the plans they accept in case your insurance changes. If the practice does not accept your insurance, find out if it offers payment plans or a sliding scale for certain services. 15. What is your gut feeling? This is a question for yourself, not the pediatrician, but an important one nonetheless. This doctor will be a very important part of your child’s life for years to come. Ultimately you want to find someone who you trust and feel comfortable with. After all, he will be a key player in your child’s health and development.
LIU POST’S CENTER FOR GIFTED YOUTH
FALL 2017 AND SPRING 2018 SATURDAY PROGRAM Oct 7th – Dec 16th and Feb 3rd – April 28th, 2018 for students entering grades K-8
Are You the Parent of a Gifted Child?
LIU Post’s Center for Gifted Youth announces its 37th annual fall and spring program for gifted children. The fall
program runs on Saturdays from October 7th to December 16th and the spring program runs on Saturdays from February 3rd to April 28th. The program is open to gifted children entering grades K-8 in September 2017. The program expands
students’ knowledge, develops creative and critical thinking skills, and offers children the opportunity to learn in an exciting and accepting environment.
For information call 516-299-2160 liu.edu/post/giftedyouth Now find us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Admission is highly selective and enrollment is limited.
LIU Post • College of Education, Information and Technology • 720 Northern Blvd. • Brookville, NY 11548-1300 liu.edu/post/giftedyouth • Dr. Lynne Manouvrier, Director
LongIslandParent 15
Courtesy the Klein family
Courtesy the Ladybug Foundation Hannah Taylor started The Ladybug Foundation when she was 8.
Jake and Max Klein, founders of Kids That Do Good, pose at a school event.
Kids Making a Difference
››
These young people were so dedicated to improving the world they launched their own nonprofit organizations. Here’s how they did it—and how your child can, too. By Julia Hyman
W
hen Hannah Taylor was 5, she saw a man searching through a dumpster on the street. She was sad, angry, and kept asking herself, Why? For the next year, that man seemed to be all she could think about. He inspired her to learn everything she could about homelessness. After educating herself, Taylor, who grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba, took action to help make sure no one else would have to live like that man did. With her parents’ help, at age 8 she founded the Ladybug Foundation, a nonprofit organization that raises money for and awareness about poverty and homelessness. Her motto: “Share a little of what you have and care about each other always.” “I’ve always lived an incredibly fortunate life,” Taylor, now 21, says. “Always had a bed to sleep in, food to eat, and love and care. I didn’t realize that anybody in Canada had to live a homeless life. It hit me right in the gut. I think that everyone has a moment like that in life. A striking realization that you just cannot let go and forget about. For me, this was it.” Starting a nonprofit organization is difficult to do at any age, involving a lot of planning and researching, not to mention inevitable challenges implementing even the best-crafted plans. To become a registered nonprofit in the United States, founders need to do their homework about the legal requirements. They’ll need to create a mission statement and business plan, establish an executive board, file for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, and more. The process can take multiple years and hit unexpected snags at any point—and that’s aside from the difficulties any individual
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November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
or group faces in tackling massive problems such as poverty or climate change. We spoke to several teens and young adults who have successfully navigated these challenges and created their own nonprofit organizations that are still thriving today. They told us how they did it and offered advice for how other kids can follow in their footsteps and make a lasting difference of their own by starting their own nonprofit groups. Since starting her organization, Taylor has spoken about its work at conferences, schools, and to whoever would listen. Because of her age, her efforts weren’t always successful, and she says many people challenged or doubted her along the way. Taylor recalls a difficult moment when she spoke at a conference and a man stood up and asked, “Do you think that is going to work?” She responded, “Well it’s a good place to start”—and he came back with, “It will work when pigs fly.” A few months later, she received a letter in the mail from that same man from the conference. He wrote that every day he would pass someone asking for change on the street. “After learning about Ladybug, a voice in his head would tell him to stop and ask how he is,” Taylor says. He ended up having an hour-long conversation with the man asking for change. His views on that man and those living in poverty changed as a result. “Along with the letter came a cast-iron pig with wings,” Taylor says. “It’s a challenge that you end up learning from. The only way to overcome it is to keep working and hope that you change
someone’s mind and hope that they show care and love in another way.” When starting a nonprofit, there always will be challenges and struggles along the way, but there are also going to be moments when the founders realize their work is changing lives. For Taylor, that moment happened when she was 10. She was on a tour of a homeless shelter so she could understand more about the people who use it. Kids from the shelter would join in on the tour and play with Taylor. “There was one girl, about 15 years old, who was quiet and hung back the whole time,” Taylor says. “Right when I was about to leave, she snuck through a crowd of people and hugged me. She had tears in her eyes and said, ‘Before today, I thought nobody loved me, and now I know you do.’” For Taylor, it’s essential to see past the challenges and remain focused on the mission, the purpose for which a young person is starting a nonprofit in the first place. “If things get hard or overwhelming or you are facing self-doubt, just remember your job as a change-making leader, and that is to create hope in other people,” Taylor says.
Kids That Do Good
Max and Jake Klein, 15-year-old twin brothers from Edgewater, NJ, have always loved helping those in need. They spend their birthdays raising money for charities instead of receiving presents. However, every time they wanted to volunteer, they were turned down because of their age. They didn’t want other kids to feel the same way they did, so they decided to do something about it. When they were 12 years old, Jake and Max founded the nonprofit organization Kids That Do Good. It’s an online platform that helps children of all ages find charities where they are able to volunteer. The website allows you to filter your search by age, location, religious affiliation, and cause. There is also a “Donate” option for people to help support their organization. “When people donate money, we hold it in our account until the end of the month and then donate that money directly to the Charity of the Month,” Jake says. Max and Jake insist they are just normal kids. The boys go to camp, participate in specialized clubs, and attend a business academy, all while still maintaining their organization. “Our board of advisors helps us make sure organizations we put up on our website are true charities, they help us search things, and they look at information from different angles than we do,” Max says. The Kleins started out by raising funds for organizations in their town that needed help, but Kids That Do Good has now grown to encompass charities nationwide. In 2015, a fire in Avalon, NJ, displaced 200 local families. Right away, Max and Jake decided to create a website to raise funds for those families. “Everyone responded really quickly and we had such a large outcome that we brought in over $200,000 that we divided up and gave to the families that were affected by the fire,” Jake says. The boys hope to keep Kids That Do Good up and running for a long time. When they move on to college, they hope to influence other young adults to do good as well. “We want kids to learn that giving back should be a part of everyday life, not just something that they do on a yearly basis when their parents tell them to,” Jake says. “For anyone that is starting their own website or organization, keep going at it and never give up,” he advises. “Because it could end up being a big thing and you should never give up on your dreams.” continued on next page ››
ADVICE ON STARTING A NONPROFIT— FROM KIDS WHO’VE DONE IT Hannah Taylor, the LadyBug Foundation If you are a young person who is interested in making a difference, you have to try a bunch of new things. Join organizations that people around you think are amazing or that you learn about in class. Often times, trying new things has to happen outside of your comfort zone. Once you find that thing, learn as much about it as you can. People talk about how knowledge is power, but I think that knowledge is only powerful when you turn that knowledge into understanding. I think the next step is that yes, one person can make a difference, but together we can make an even bigger difference. Jake and Max Klein, Kids That Do Good If you find something you care about, you will be excited to do it. You will be looking forward to it, and you will also need to ask your parents to help with some of it. Kids aren’t going to be the ones to contact the IRS to become a 501(c)(3) organization, so that will have to be put up on the parents’ end. Instead of just having a lot of kids involved, you should also have grown-ups so you are diversifying the age groups you have. Make sure you have people that will help you in starting your charity because we have had people help search things, build our website, and more. Always get opinions so you have something else to refer to. Cory Nichols, C the Difference: Cory Cares The one thing I’d say to all kids is that there is no idea too small, and you should go for anything you believe in. That was my mindset at 12 and I think it would be totally different if I did it now than at 12. You can’t really see the obstacles or what can go wrong. You just see the possibilities and that is what brought me to where I am now. You don’t know how good it feels to give back until you do it and giving makes yourself feel so much better. I know how I feel once I walk out of the food pantry, to see the shelves go from empty to notso-empty. I’ll never be able to fill up a pantry by myself, but just seeing the impact that you do make, makes you feel so good about yourself. Teagan Stedman, Shred Kids’ Cancer It can be difficult to get your own community involved with your efforts, but sometimes there is a ton of support through your events and by getting your friends to volunteer. There is a lot of variability as to how readily people will support your cause, but I think the biggest thing is to be persistent and to be sort of loud in trying to get your community on board. Try to plan very well. So if you’re trying to hold a fundraising event, make sure you market a lot. That can be a difficult thing to learn, making sure you know how many people you can get to come to your event, try to go around and get sponsorships and things like that. Social media is definitely the most powerful tool for getting the word out. You have to really try and keep your expenses low. We’ve had events that weren’t that successful, even just with the fundraising aspect. Even though you might be successful in engaging people and raising awareness, be aware because the expenses really hinder your efforts a lot. Venues and services from private people are really hard to control, which is one of the bigger challenges in fundraising. LongIslandParent 17
Courtesy Cory Nichols
Courtesy Shred Kids Cancer
‹‹ continued from previous page
Oceanside teen Cory Nichols with some of the food that will go toward stocking local food pantries
A Bar Mitzvah Project Expands
After watching the documentary Hard Times: Lost on Long Island, Cory Nichols, then age 12, didn’t like knowing there were kids at school who rely on food pantries for their meals. The Oceanside resident decided to devote his bar mitzvah project to raising funds to stock the local food pantry for an entire year. That’s when C the Difference: Cory Cares was born. Today, Cory is 17 and C the Difference: Cory Cares, is a registered nonprofit organization. It has a junior advisory board made up of kids ages 12-18. The organization “shops and stocks,” Cory says. “We shop for food in the supermarket and then we stock the pantry shelves with food.” C the Difference: Cory Cares usually stocks five food pantries per month. It holds events to raise funds, such as Halloween for the Hungry, during which volunteers ask people to donate food to pantries that will be picked up at a later date. Cory says he loves to hang out with friends, play sports, and act in shows. It wasn’t easy for him to start his organization. He had to plan, prepare, and ask for help. “I had my idea and what I wanted to do. I think it all started because I asked for help,” he says. “You need to have your strength in terms of standing by what you believe in and knowing what you want to do, but you also need to be ready to ask someone to help you get to where you want to go.” Raising money to buy food and then stocking food pantries takes dedication and makes a difference, but actually seeing where the food goes and who benefits from it drives home to Cory the importance of the work his organization does. “In the five years I have been doing this, I never really saw where and to who the food was going to,” he says. “But then when I was volunteering, I actually watched the people who were with me put food together into the bags for the people who were walking in and out to receive them. ...Just seeing where everything that I have done is going and seeing that it is going to the right place and making a 18
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
Teagan Stedman, second from left, presents a check from his nonprofit, Shred Kids Cancer, to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
difference is one of the biggest eye openers for what I started.” You never know who is going to be there to help you, Cory says. The willingness of the people who wanted to help surprised him. “There is always that worry that I’m not going to raise enough money, that no one is going to volunteer, but then as soon as I gave people the opportunity to, they were so helpful,” he says.
Kids Fighting Kids’ Cancer
When Teagan Stedman was 8, his friend Alex Berson was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Instead of just saying “get well soon,” Teagan searched for things he could do to support the fight against pediatric cancer. Not many organizations would allow an 8-year-old to volunteer in hospitals, so he did the only thing that made sense to him—he started his own. Teagan and Alex both loved music, so what better way to show support than by raising money through music? He decided to plan a concert, a battle of the bands, with different children performing. He says he wanted to literally “shred kids’ cancer,” which is how he came up with the name of his nonprofit organization. Shred Kids’ Cancer has now been around for almost nine years. It continues to hold battle of the bands and other events to raise money and awareness. Originally from California, Teagan, now 17, moved to Avon, CT, and has continued running his organization there. One of the biggest challenges for him was his age. To get sponsorships and be taken seriously was a struggle because he was so young when he started. “Trying to become a nonprofit was difficult, especially when you have so little knowledge of that world,” he says, adding that the Internet was the biggest help in figuring it out. Teagan loves to play the guitar, spend time with his family, and work in the lab on his research project. He spent his summer working on drug delivery and cancer research. He says he realized
even the smallest things you do can make a difference when Children’s Hospital UCLA was granted a clinical trial. Noah C. Federman, M.D., a doctor at the hospital, was treating one of the “shredheads,” as the children helped by Shred Kids’ Cancer have come to be known. “Dr. Federman told me that the funding we gave was really crucial to their clinical trial because it was the funds that got the ball rolling on their progress, and eventually got them to their million-dollar grant that pushed the clinical trial through,” Teagan says. “That was something that really showed me how that what we were doing was important and actually making some sort of a dent.” Shred Kids’ Cancer is also working to help kids launch their own start-ups or clubs that will be connected to and partner with the larger organization. Its leaders are setting up a program to give kids guidance so they can be more equipped to start their own organizations. “We really want to be a resource to help guide kids through this process,” Teagan says. “We want kids to set up their own events, awareness campaigns, or clubs at school, or anywhere to benefit pediatric cancer research.” Julia Hyman, a former NYMetroParents editorial intern, is in her senior year at Pennsylvania State University.
HOW TO START A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION Do your research. There can be a lot of challenges that come with starting a nonprofit organization, so make sure you create a plan and identify everything you need to about your specific organization. Build a solid foundation. You need to build a structure for your organization. Think about who is going to be involved, what you need to do, when you should start, etc. Incorporation and state forms. Each state has different laws and protocols for starting a nonprofit, so be sure to research your particular state and ask the appropriate agencies if you have questions. Filing for federal tax-exempt status. Does your organization have the appropriate legal paperwork? To be considered for exemption, the IRS must recognize you as a trust, a corporation, or as an association. Ongoing compliance. In some states, local governments require you to complete additional filings to be recognized as tax-exempt. Make sure you check with your local legal counsel to ensure you have all of the initial filing requirements.
Ohman’s New York Dance Theatre Presents
The
Nutcracker 36th Season
Hofstra University John Cranford Adams Playhouse
Saturday,12/16 and Sunday 12/17 at noon & 5 p.m. Starring New York City Ballet's Daniel Ulbricht and Brittany Pollack
Tickets:
www.OhmanBallet.org 631.462.0964
Regular $42 Seniors 65+/Children 12 and under $32
How to Incorporate a Nonprofit • Choose a name for your organization, but make sure to check your state’s laws for naming a nonprofit. • Create a board of directors, along with operating rules. • Decide on a legal structure—is your organization going to be a trust, corporation, or association? • Hand in your incorporation paperwork—you must file all the proper paperwork and pay a small filing fee to your state. • Apply for tax-exempt status—the IRS provides guidance and instructions on how to apply for this status. • Get necessary licenses and permits—did you get all of the necessary licenses and permits that you need to comply with federal, state, and local rules?
Photo by Nick Biondo LongIslandParent 19
WHERE-TO GUIDE
nymetroparents.com/where-to
Volunteer with Your Kids
››
Research by Jordan Laird
Gear up to give back with our guide to volunteering with your kids! Projects big and small require lots of hands, and there are tons of local organizations that rely on the selflessness of volunteers to make sure that these resources continue to contribute to the Suffolk community. Plus, volunteering with your kids is a great way to teach important, lifelong values of giving to others, and helps little ones realize the impact that one person can have on the entire world. Please call ahead to confirm volunteer requirements and details before heading out to serve others! of Olympic-style sports for all children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Volunteers can coach athletes, raise money, coordinate events, provide office support, volunteer at one-day events, serve on local program committees, help with sport development, and more. There is a place for volunteers of all ages (ages 13-16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian), abilities, and interests. For more information on sports events, contact Lindsay Coyle at lcoyle@ nyso.org or call 631-254-1465 x4202. For more information on development, contact Jennifer Cantone at jcantone@ nyso.org. For more information, call 631-254-1465 x4204 or visit specialolympicsny.org. The Long Island office is located at 560 Broadhollow Road, Suite 106, Melville.
Feed the Hungry
Befriend a Furball
Save-A-Pet Animal Rescue and Adoption Center is a “safe harbor” for companion animals. The shelter also serves the community by teaching and practicing humane behavior toward man and all living things. Save-A-Pet accepts volunteers: Anyone older than 18 can walk dogs, children 16 and older can work with the center’s cats, and children younger than 16 can do things offsite to help orphaned pets. Volunteers can help out in a variety of ways, from tidying up and fixing the shelter and its grounds, to bringing pet therapy to the residents of the Jefferson Ferry Assisted Living community (21 and older only; must have own dogs that pass the rescue’s criteria). To volunteer, contact Lynne Schoepfer at saveapetedu@ optonline.net. The center is located at 608 Route 112, Port Jefferson Station. For more information, call 631-4736333 or visit saveapetny.org.
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Build a Home
Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk recruits volunteers ages 16 and older to pitch in building houses for underprivileged families. Teens ages 16-17 must have an adult present. School-aged children can prepare and serve morning refreshments to work crews, help prepare and deliver lunches to the construction sites, assist new homeowners with seasonal cleanups, and assemble housewarming gift baskets. Enterprising families can also organize fundraising campaigns to raise money for building supplies. For volunteer information, call 631-422-4828 x100 or email outreach@habitatsuffolk.org. 643 Middle Country Road, Middle Island. habitatsuffolk.org.
Do Something Special
Special Olympics New York aims to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
Island Harvest works to end hunger and reduce food waste on Long Island. The organization offers opportunities for all ages to make a difference. Kids and adults can help out at community fairs, food drives, and other events. Groups can organize “food raisers” or fundraisers with help from Island Harvest. Activities for children include participating in the Students Feeding Students Challenge, which is a school-based food and fundraising event; organizing food and/or fund drives; or volunteering with Island Harvest at street fairs and other community events. One idea is to run a themed food drive through your group or in your neighborhood, with themes such as “sandwich fixings,” or “holiday trimmings.” To become a volunteer, contact volunteer and community relations coordinator Ryan Haugstatter at 613-873-4775x228 or ryan@islandharvest.org. If you are planning a food drive, contact community outreach and food drive coordinator Jordan Buffa at 631-8734775x243 or jordan@islandharvest.
SCHOOLS MARKETPLACE org. For more information, visit islandharvest.org or call 631-873-4775. Sign up for volunteer opportunities online at islandharvest. volunteerhub.com. Kids United Against Hunger is a project funded by United Way of Long Island that provides young people with an opportunity to volunteer at The Harry Chapin Food Bank in Hauppauge one Saturday each month. Volunteers assist in sorting food, personal care items, household supplies, and pet food and the supplies that are delivered to the Long Island Cares network of 560 community-based member agencies. Kids United Against Hunger consists of two components: a Hunger 101 workshop in which students play scripted roles of those in need to witness firsthand
what it’s like to be struck by hunger, and a community service project, both of which volunteers ages 7-14 attend with their parents or teachers. Sessions fill quickly and are booked on a first-come, first-served basis. Students in seventh through 12th grades can also be part of the DREAMS for Youth Advisory Board and assist the United Way staff with decisions about the organization’s scholarship program. For more information or to register for the Kids United Against Hunger project, contact Christine Brown at 631582-3663 x120, or cbrown@ licares.org; for DREAMS for Youth Advisory Board, contact Sandra Mahoney at 631-940-3703, or smahoney@ unitedwayli.org. 819 Grand Blvd., Deer Park. unitedwayli. org/volunteer.
CAMPAIGN FOR THE
EXPLORE YOUR FUTURE
The Long Island High School for the Arts (LIHSA) offers a unique opportunity for Grades 9-12
as part of your free, public high school education through Nassau BOCES. At LIHSA, talented young artists actively explore the world of
dance, drama, filmmaking, instrumental & vocal music, theater technology, musical theatre and visual arts
Ask about our
Summer Arts Academy for Grades 6-12
OPEN HOUSE Thursday,
NOV 16
8-9:30am
239 Cold Spring Rd, Syosset (516) 622-5678
Find the full guide at ›› nymetroparents.com/volunteer
OPEN HOUSE Wednesday, November 15th at 9:30 AM
Sappo School K-12 Non-Religious Private School TAILORED LEARNING – “One size education does NOT fit all.”
25+ Years of Success for Anxiety, ADD, Dyslexia, & Gifted Children NYS Regents Approved Tailored Learning Individualized Attention Small Class Size Project Based Learning College Preparatory STEM Program Visual & Performing Arts Renowned International Program Intensive ESL Classes
631-736-2146
www.SappoSchool.com LongIslandParent 21
FOOD & NUTRITION
From left: What’s-in-Season Fruit Crumble, Toffee Apple Tarts, and Mini Fruit Pies
Thanksgiving Desserts Kids Can Help Make ››
Amanda Grant shares pie, crumble, and tart recipes from ‘Kids in the Kitchen’ that are perfect for children to help bake.
W
e love when our kids help us out in the kitchen, and what better time to get them involved than preparing the Thanksgiving feast? While having them underfoot on the big day might not be the best option, try baking Thanksgiving dessert with them the day before, when you’re not stressed about getting the turkey in the oven on time and preparing a dozen side dishes. What we love about these recipes from Kids in the Kitchen by Amanda Grant is they are geared toward different age groups and help each specific age group develop important cooking skills, which are noted within each recipe. Happy cooking!
Mini Fruit Pies (ages 3-5)
Ready-made puff pastry dough is just right for these mini fruit pies. When you are rolling pastry, it is much easier to roll one small piece at a time instead of rolling one large piece, which is why I have broken the pastry into four pieces. These pastries taste delicious and are good for packed lunches, at snack time, or for desserts. If you choose to use big dried fruits like mango or apricots, you will need to use scissors to cut them into small pieces first. To make 16 mini pies you need: Ingredients: Small piece of butter, about the size of 2 pieces of chocolate, melted (ask an adult or older child to do this), plus a little extra 20 tablespoons (11/3 cups) dried fruits 1 teaspoon mixed spice 22
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
12½ oz. puff pastry dough A little flour for sprinkling A little demerara sugar for sprinkling Equipment: scissors, parchment paper, baking tray, mixing bowl, spoon, rolling pin, 2 pennies, round cutter about 2¼ inches across, table knife, pastry brush Skills: mixing, rolling pastry, cutting circles, brushing, using oven 1. Turn the oven on to 350°F. Cut a piece of parchment paper big enough to cover the baking tray. Put the melted butter, dried fruits, and spice in a mixing bowl and mix with a spoon. 2. Break the pastry in half, then break each piece in half to make 4 pieces. Sprinkle a little flour on the work surface. Flatten one piece of dough with a rolling pin until it is about the same thickness as 2 stacked pennies. 3. Take the cutter and, starting at the edge of the dough, push it down to cut out circles. Keep going until you have used up all of that dough. Roll out another piece of dough and cut out circles. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Using a teaspoon, spoon a little fruit mixture onto the middle of each circle. Bring the edges of the circle up together to seal the mixture inside. There should be no gaps in the pastry! 4. Turn the parcels over and flatten slightly with your hand. Using a table knife, carefully cut two or three short slits in the top of each pastry—this will let the steam escape when the pastries are baking.
5. Put them on the baking tray. Dip a pastry brush in a little melted butter and brush over all the pies. Sprinkle with sugar. Ask an adult to help you put the tray in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. They should look golden!
What’s-in-Season Fruit Crumble (ages 5-7)
One of the first things my mom taught me to make was a crumble. It’s a great way to learn how to rub butter into flour. Once you know how to do this you can have a go at making pastry. You can sprinkle this crumble mix on top of so many different fruits. Try to choose fruit that is in season—if you are not sure what that is, ask the person working in the produce section of the supermarket or go to a local famer’s market. Berries are easy to use as you don’t need to chop them first. For 4-6 people you need: Fruit filling: Seasonal fruit e.g. 15 plums or about 1 lb. 4 oz. fresh or frozen berries or about 12 peaches or nectarines 4 tablespoons orange juice 3 tablespoons light brown sugar 1 level tablespoon plain / all-purpose flour Crumble topping: 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons plain / all-purpose flour 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces 2 handfuls oats (or muesli if you prefer) 4 tablespoons light brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice / apple pie spice or ground cinnamon Equipment: cutting board, small paring knife, spoon, 2 small or 1 large ovenproof dish Skills: rubbing butter into flour, cutting with knife, mixing with spoon, sprinkling topping 1. Turn the oven on to 350°F. To make the fruit filling, use the bridge-cutting technique to cut the plums in half: on a chopping board, make a “bridge” with a thumb and finger of one hand and hold the plum. Hold a small paring knife in your other hand and put the blade under the bridge, then cut downwards firmly. Move the plums around as you cut to avoid cutting through the stone. Take out the stones. 2. Put the plums into two small or one large ovenproof dish. Pour the orange juice over the plums, add the sugar and flour, and mix with a spoon or your hands. 3. To make the crumble topping, put the flour into a bowl, add the butter and rub the butter into the flour with your fingers until it looks like fine breadcrumbs. This can take a few minutes. Add the oats, sugar, and spice and mix with your fingers again. 4. Spoon the mixture over the top of the plums. Ask an adult to help you put the dishes into the oven using oven mitts. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the crumble topping is crisp, the plums are soft, and the fruit juices are bubbling up around the edges.
Toffee Apple Tarts (ages 7-11)
These tarts are so enjoyable to make that the boys who came over to my house to make them for this book asked to make some more in between taking the photos. Once you know how to make pastry dough, you can make so many different pies, cheese straws, small tarts, big tarts, and lots more. To make 24 little tarts you need: Sweet pastry / pie crust dough: 1 stick unsalted butter, chilled 1¾ cups plain / all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon sugar 1 egg yolk 1-2 tablespoons cold water Filling: 6-8 eating apples 12 toffee sweets / candies Equipment: table knife, mixing bowl, clingfilm / plastic wrap, parchment paper, two 12-hole cupcake tins / pans, rolling pin, round cutter about 3 inches across, cutting board, oven mitts Skills: cutting, rubbing butter into flour, lining tart tins / pans, sharing fillings, bashing with rolling pins, using oven 1. Use a table knife to cut the butter into small pieces and put into a mixing bowl with the flour. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingers until it looks like fine breadcrumbs. This can take a few minutes. 2. Add the sugar, egg yolk, and water and stir the mixture together with the table knife until it comes together and you can form a ball with your hands. Wrap the pastry in a piece of clingfilm / plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for 30 minutes this will make it easier to roll out. 3. Turn the oven on to 350°F. Using a scrap of parchment paper, rub a little butter inside the holes in the cupcake tins / pans. Break the pastry into four pieces. Sprinkle a little flour on the work surface, then roll out one piece at a time. Dip the cutter in flour, then cut out 24 circles. Gently press the circles into the holes of the pans. 4. Use the table knife and a cutting board to cut the apples in small pieces, avoiding the core in the middle. Divide the pieces between the pastry cases / dough crusts. 5. Put the toffees on a solid work surface and gently bash with the rolling pin to break into pieces. Scatter the pieces evenly over the apples. Using oven mitts, put the pans in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the toffee has melted and the apples are cooked.
Excerpted from Kids in the Kitchen ($19.95) by Amanda Grant, with photography by Susan Bell, with permission of Ryland Peters & Small.
LongIslandParent 23
OUTINGS: Long Island City, Queens
nymetroparents.com/outings
5 Reasons We Love Long Island City, Queens
Culture, street art, and scenic views abound along the East River. ›› By Sabrina Sooknanan 2
Courtesy RESOBOX
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Sabrina Sooknanan
Courtesy Chop Em Down Films/Zane Meyer
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1 Top To Bottom is a unique public mural project by talented street artists on a three-story building south of the Queensboro Bridge in Long Island City. 2 The Pepsi-Cola sign, a relic from a past bottling facility, shines bright near Center Boulevard and 46th Avenue, overlooking Gantry Park. 3 Children participate in the Amigurumi workshop at RESOBOX, in which they make stuffed crocheted animals.
L
ocated across the East River from Manhattan in the borough of Queens, Long Island City is a fun place to explore with the family. The neighborhood is known for its increasingly diverse community, thriving public art projects, and kid-friendly piers and skating rinks.
Different Cultures
While Queens consists of the most culturally diverse demographic among the boroughs, Long Island City exemplifies culture diversity in its people and in its food. Explore Japanese culture at RESOBOX, an all-in-one art gallery, café, and activity center that offers cultural classes in Japanese cooking, manga drawing, Japanese ink painting, and more. A vibrant restaurant scene— including Mexican hotspot Casa Enrique—further represents LIC’s diverse cultures.
Street Art History
Long Island City was once home to the 200,000-squarefoot graffiti mecca 5 Pointz NYC, an aerosol art museum that was whitewashed in November 2013 and demolished a year later. Fortunately street art murals were revived in 2015 by Arts Org NYC with Top To Bottom, a public mural project that showcases a vibrant union of colors and shapes by talented street artists on a three-story building south of the Queensboro Bridge in LIC.
Scenic Views
Take in an amazing view of the New York City skyline by visiting Gantry Plaza State Park. Located in Hunter’s Point, LIC, this waterfront park offers a stunning panoramic view and
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November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
peaceful piers. And we can’t forget about a famous city landmark overlooking Gantry Park: the Pepsi-Cola sign, which once rested on top of the soda company’s bottling facility. In 2001, the Pepsi plant was torn down and today you can see the sign light up in red in front of a high-rise apartment building near Center Boulevard and 46th Avenue.
Art Programs at The Noguchi Museum
On the first Sunday of every month The Noguchi Museum offers Open Studio for families with children ages 2-11. Led by museum educators, families can enjoy the galleries and make art based on their experiences. Arts for Tots is offered on select Saturdays and Sundays so families with children ages 2-4 can view the galleries while exploring art materials. The Noguchi’s collection includes sculptures, drawings, models, and designs. Enjoy free admission the first Friday of every month.
Ice-Skating Year-Round
City Ice Pavilion offers public ice-skating sessions on select weekdays and weekends. It offers holiday camps, group lessons, and youth hockey. You can also check out Long Island City’s ICE, which offers a wide range of opportunities, from elite personalized training to the Future Islanders Program, eight introductory hockey-training sessions for children ages 5-8 led by former New York Islanders Arron Asham and Radek Martinek.
Want to Go?
Directions: Approximately a 1-hour drive from Huntington For more information: nymetroparents.com/lic
Ideas When You Need Them:
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Turn the page for details on The Martial Artists and Acrobats of China (No. 3 on our list).
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EDITOR: KAREN DEMETER suffolkcal@davlermedia.com
NOVEMBER CALENDAR
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Editor’s Hot Tickets
31
Must-Sees in NYC
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We Can’t Believe It’s FREE!
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Show Time!, Smarty Pants
Holiday Fun, Special Needs
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Crafty Kids, Movers & Shakers
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The Great Outdoors
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EDITOR’S HOT TICKETS
Our calendar is full of great ideas. First, here are the nine events we consider can’t-miss—the ones we’re taking our own kids to. Consider it your cheat sheet to the best of what’s great this month!
1
‘Aesop’s Fables’
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 4, 2pm WHERE: Madison Theatre, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre AGES: 3-8 WHAT: With the help of Aesop and his faithful dog Moral, Jim and his partners share the famous fables. WHY WE LOVE IT: Kids get exposed to classical music as well as comedy. WANT TO GO? $15 and up. 516-323-4444. madisontheatreny.org.
F³: Free Film Friday FREE
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WHEN: Friday, Nov. 10, 12pm WHERE: Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington AGES: 3 and older WHAT: Enjoy a free showing of Family Shorts. Register online. WHY WE LOVE IT: Through animation and live-action storytelling, these shorts offer fun for the entire family. WANT TO GO? 631-423-7611. cinemaartscentre.org.
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The Martial Artists and Acrobats of China
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 11, 8pm WHERE: Staller Center - Stony Brook University, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook AGES: 5 and older WHAT: The artists and acrobats bring art forms that combine music, acrobatics, mime, and dancing. 26
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
WHY WE LOVE IT: From plate spinning to body contortion, the action never stops. WANT TO GO? $42; $21 for children younger than 13. 631-632-6000. stallercenter.com.
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The Magic of Lyn: Master Illusionist
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 11, 7pm WHERE: Patchogue Theater for Performing Arts, 71 E. Main St., Patchogue AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Award-winning illusionist Lyn Dillies performs her eye-defying illusions and spectacular magic for the whole family. WHY WE LOVE IT: Lyn offers some of the most masterful, mind-blowing illusions in magic today. WANT TO GO? $40-$55. 631-207-1313. patchoguetheatre.com.
‘The Great Turkey Chase!’
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WHEN: Nov. 4-18, Saturdays, 2pm WHERE: Bayway Arts Center Children’s Theatre, 265 E. Main St., East Islip AGES: 3-8 WHAT: Jenny Jura foils her mother’s cooking show and frees the wise and funny turkey that was to be the main course. WHY WE LOVE IT: Kids will learn a valuable lesson about friendship and standing up for what you believe in. WANT TO GO? $13. 631-581-2700. broadhollow.org.
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‘Mouse on the Move’
WHEN: Nov. 4-25, see website for dates and times WHERE: Long Island Children’s Museum, 11 Davis Ave., Garden City AGES: 3-8 WHAT: Two adventurous mice are ready to explore the world beyond their little mouse hole. They decide to go to the moon because they believe it is made entirely of delicious, mouth-watering cheese. WHY WE LOVE IT: Audience members become active in the storytelling as they use props and their imagination to help the mice. WANT TO GO? $13; $12 seniors 65 and older; free for children younger than 1. 516-224-5800. licm.org.
‘The Three Pigs Build a Better House’
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WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 25, 11am WHERE: Goat on a Boat at Bay Street Theater, 1 Bay St., Sag Harbor AGES: Newborn to 5 WHAT: A delightful and hilarious new take on an old tale performed by the award-winning Crabgrass Puppet Theatre. WHY WE LOVE IT: Featuring beautiful puppetry, lively music, and three adorable pigs. WANT TO GO? $15-$18. 631-725-9500. baystreet.org.
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Disney On Ice Presents ‘Dare To Dream’
WHEN: Nov. 15-26, Thursday-Sunday, see website for times WHERE: NYCB LIVE, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum Presented By New York Community Bank, 1255 Hempstead Turnpike, Uniondale AGES: 9 and older WHAT: Celebrate what’s possible as the adventures of five daring Disney heroines spark the courage inside us all at Disney On Ice Presents Dare To Dream. WHY WE LOVE IT: It’s the kind of performance that yells, “Yes, you can!”—and we love it. WANT TO GO? $25 and up. 800-745-3000. nycblive.com.
From Frankenthaler to Warhol: Art of the ‘60s and ‘70s
WHEN: Nov. 18-March 11, 2018, Wednesday-Friday, 10am-5pm; Saturday-Sunday, 11am-5pm WHERE: Heckscher Museum of Art, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington AGES: All WHAT: Kids and adults will appreciate the colorful and iconic artwork created during this exciting era, but will have even more fun with the activities in the galleries. WHY WE LOVE IT: Multiple Lite Brite stations—a toy introduced in 1967—will delight young and old. WANT TO GO? $8; free for children younger than 10. 631-351-3250. heckscher.org.
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WE CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S FREE
Think a freebie has to be ho-hum? Don’t let the price tag (or lack of one) fool you. Here are the five no-cost events we’re excited about now. You’re welcome. Open House FREE
WHEN: Friday, Nov. 3, 9:30-11:30am WHERE: The Bridges Academy, 339 Snedecor Ave., West Islip AGES: 3-12 WHAT: Visit The Bridges Academy to learn about academically enriched programs for preschool through eighth grade. WANT TO GO? 631-358-5035. thebridgesacademy.net.
Parade of Flags FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 11, 8:45am-3pm WHERE: Heritage Center, 633 Mount Sinai Coram Road, Mount Sinai AGES: All WHAT: Walking between national, state, territory, and local flags and reading about our history promotes pride in our country and reminds us of those who have served our nation. WANT TO GO? 631-509-0882. msheritagetrust.org.
Community Day FREE
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 12, 12-4pm WHERE: Parrish Art Museum, 279 Montauk Highway, Watermill AGES: All WHAT: The Parrish celebrates its fifth anniversary in Water Mill with free admission to the museum, artist-led collaborative art projects, workshops, tours, an art scavenger hunt, refreshments, and more. WANT TO GO? 631-283-2118. parrishart.org.
Favorite Poem Project FREE
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 12, 2-4pm WHERE: Walt Whitman Birthplace State Historic Site, 246 Old Walt Whitman Road, Huntington AGES: 13 and older WHAT: Join community members and share your favorite poem from the great history of poetry. WANT TO GO? 631-427-5240. waltwhitman.org.
31st Annual Harvest Gospel Concert FREE
WHEN: Friday, Nov. 17, 8pm WHERE: Mattituck Presbyterian Church, 12605 Main Road, Mattituck and Friendship Baptist Church, 59 Anchor St., Flanders AGES: All WHAT: This series of free concerts features the Harvest Gospel Choir of more than 70 singers and guest soloists, led by artistic director Reverend Maryanne McElroy. This non-denominational celebration connects community members while sharing the joy of music from the soul. WANT TO GO? 631-727-0900. eastendarts.org. ››
LongIslandParent 27
SHOW TIME! Anything But Silent: Buster Keaton Shorts
WHEN: Tuesday, Nov. 14, 7:30pm WHERE: Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Classic short films with live organ accompaniment by Ben Model. WANT TO GO? $16. 631-423-7611. cinemaartscentre.org.
OLA Film Festival
WHEN: Friday, Nov. 17, 5:30pm WHERE: Parrish Art Museum, 279 Montauk Highway, Watermill AGES: 5 and older WHAT: View the independent, Spanish language film Neruda, curated by the Organización Latino-Americana of Eastern Long Island as part of its multi-venue film festival. WANT TO GO? $12; free for students and children. 631-283-2118. parrishart.org.
Joplin’s Pearl: Janis Joplin Performed by Amber Ferrari
WHEN: Friday, Nov. 17, 8pm WHERE: The Suffolk Theater, 118 E. Main St., Riverhead AGES: 9 and older WHAT: Amber Ferrari’s shows are fully-staged with costumes, audience participation, and a nine-piece band. WANT TO GO? $35-$45. 631-727-4343. suffolktheater.com.
Sons of Serendip
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 18, 8pm WHERE: Staller Center, Stony Brook University, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook AGES: 9 and older WHAT: This musical group of four friends have put together the unique combination of harp, piano, cello, and voice. WANT TO GO? $42. 631-632-6000. stallercenter.com.
‘On Golden Pond’
WHEN: Nov. 3-19, Friday-Saturday, 8pm; Sunday, 3pm WHERE: St. Joseph’s College - Long Island, 155 W. Rose Blvd., Patchogue AGES: 9 and older WHAT: An aging husband and wife, who enjoy every summer at their lake home, spend the season reconciling relationships, dealing with developing health issues, and preserving the precious time a family has together. WANT TO GO? $15; $12 seniors and students. 631-687-5100. sjcny.edu.
Starry Nights Fall
WHEN: Tuesday, Nov. 21, 8pm WHERE: Staller Center - Stony Brook University, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook AGES: 9 and older WHAT: World-class musicians come together for an evening of music with artistic director and cellist Colin Carr. WANT TO GO? $38. 631-632-6000. stallercenter.com.
Best of the Fest 2017 New York International Children’s Film Festival
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 25, 1-3pm WHERE: Parrish Art Museum, 279 Montauk Highway, Watermill AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Enjoy a selection of whimsical, extraordinary, and awardwinning animated and live action short films. WANT TO GO? $12; free for students and children. 631-283-2118. parrishart.org.
‘Annie, Jr.’
WHEN: Nov. 18-25, Saturdays, 2pm WHERE: Studio Theatre Long Island, 141 S. Wellwood Ave., Lindenhurst AGES: 3-12 WHAT: This performance lasts approximately 1 hour. WANT TO GO? $12. 631-226-8400. studiotheatreli.com.
‘Frosty’
WHEN: Nov. 18-Dec. 31, Saturdays, 11am; Sundays, 10:30am WHERE: John W. Engeman Theater at Northport, 250 Main St., Northport AGES: 3-12 WHAT: Join Jenny and Frosty on their chilly adventures as they try to save the town of Chillsville from mean old Ethel Pierpot and her evil machine that will melt all the snow. WANT TO GO? $15. 631-261-2900. engemantheater.com.
‘Oliver’
WHEN: Nov. 11-Jan. 21, 2018, Thursday-Sunday, see website for times WHERE: Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. Main St., Smithtown AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Enjoy the award-winning musical based on Charles Dickens’ novel Oliver Twist. WANT TO GO? $25; $15 for children younger than 12. 631-724-3700. smithtownpac.org.
SMARTY PANTS Home School Day
WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 2, 2-4pm WHERE: Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook AGES: 5-17 WHAT: Special opportunity for home-schooled students to explore the In Harm’s Way exhibition about natural disasters. Call 631-751-0066 x212 to register. WANT TO GO? $5; $20 per family. 631-751-0066. longislandmuseum.org.
Family Make It Night FREE
WHEN: Friday, Nov. 3, 6-8pm WHERE: Brentwood Public Library, 34 Second Ave., Brentwood AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Families will have the opportunity to explore fun maker activities. WANT TO GO? 631-273-7883. brentwoodnylibrary.org. 28
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
Hands On History
WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 16, 4:30-5:30pm WHERE: Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook AGES: 5-8 WHAT: Visit the Dog Days exhibition, highlighting 19th- and 20th-century dogs depicted in art, then make a canine-inspired craft. WANT TO GO? $10. 631-751-0066. longislandmuseum.org.
Arrowhead Workshop
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 26, 1-2pm WHERE: The Whaling Museum and Education Center, 279 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor AGES: All WHAT: Did you know Native Americans were a key part of the whaling workforce on Long Island? See and touch a Native American whale oil lamp, and create an arrowhead necklace. WANT TO GO? $12. 631-367-3418. cshwhalingmuseum.org.
Hunting the Whale: The Rise and Fall of a Southampton Industry Collaborative Book Club FREE
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 5, 3-4:30pm WHERE: Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook AGES: 9-12, adult WHAT: Take a guided tour of the exhibit Dog Days, then join in a book discussion of One Dog and His Boy with the Emma S. Clark librarians. Register at the library in person. WANT TO GO? 631-751-0066. longislandmuseum.org.
WHEN: Through Dec. 30: Wednesday-Saturday, 11am-4pm WHERE: South Hampton Historical Museum, Rogers Mansion, 17 Meeting House Lane, Southampton AGES: All WHAT: Whaling tools, maps, illustrations, archival images, and text will be displayed with an eye toward making the exhibit accessible to audiences of varied interests and all ages. WANT TO GO? $4. 631-283-2494. southamptonhistoricalmuseum.org. ››
Family History Roundtable Series: Fact, Fiction, or Fish Tale? FREE
WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 8, 7-8:30pm WHERE: Connetquot Public Library, 760 Ocean Ave., Bohemia AGES: 13 and older WHAT: Learn how to research and analyze your family stories to decipher which ones are fact, fiction, or fish tales. WANT TO GO? 631-567-5079. connetquotlibrary.org.
Walk Through History with Farmer and Revolutionary War Spy Abraham Woodhull
INTO OUR GIANT MINIATURE WORLD
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 11, 2-3:30pm WHERE: Caroline Church and Cemetery, 1 Dyke Road, Setauket AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Abraham Woodhull, portrayed by historian Beverly Tyler, leads tour-goers on a walk through the nature sanctuary that was once Woodhull’s farm. Tour-goers are introduced to the woods, fields, ponds, and bays that tell the story of Long Island’s colonization and settlement preceding the Revolution and the creation of the new nation. WANT TO GO? $10. 631-751-3730. threevillagehistoricalsociety.org.
Upcycled Newspaper Structures FREE
WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 16, 7-8pm WHERE: Brentwood Public Library, 34 Second Ave., Brentwood AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Work with your family to build structures out of newspaper. See who can create the highest, longest, sturdiest, and most fabulous objects. WANT TO GO? 631-273-7883. brentwoodnylibrary.org.
Little Voyagers
WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 16, 9:30-10:30am WHERE: The Whaling Museum and Education Center, 279 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor AGES: 3-5 WHAT: Explore how people like the pilgrims traveled by sea. Learn fun facts about boats, enjoy story time, and create your own boat to take home. WANT TO GO? $12; $4 siblings. 631-367-3418. cshwhalingmuseum.org.
MONUMENTAL. MESMERIZING. MINIATURE.
216 WEST 44TH STREET gulliversgate.com
LongIslandParent 29
Thanksgiving Paint Event
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 19, 4-5:30pm WHERE: Key to My Art, 10 W. Oak St., Amityville AGES: 5-12 WHAT: Paint a cornucopia to celebrate Thanksgiving. WANT TO GO? $20. 631-608-9048. keytomyart.com.
Enchanted Unicorn Party
CRAFTY KIDS Digital Photography for Teens FREE
WHEN: Tuesday, Nov. 7, 4-5pm WHERE: Guild Hall, 158 Main St., East Hampton AGES: 13-17 WHAT: Jeremy Dennis will be conducting a workshop on digital photography. Registration required. WANT TO GO? 631-324-0806. guildhall.org.
Hands on Art
WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 9, 4:30-5:30pm WHERE: Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook AGES: 5-8 WHAT: Visit In Harm’s Way, an exhibition about natural disasters, then use different materials to learn the elements of art and create your own masterpiece inspired by the natural world. WANT TO GO? $10. 631-751-0066. longislandmuseum.org.
POP! Draw Presents Dark Knight Sketch Night
WHEN: Friday, Nov. 10, 6-10pm WHERE: Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington AGES: All WHAT: This fundraising event for the Jeffrey K Fisher Drawing Studio offers kid-friendly photo-ops with Batman, live drawing opportunties, raffles, prizes, and more. WANT TO GO? $30; $5 sketch materials. 631-423-7611. cinemaartscentre.org.
Veterans Day
WHEN: Nov. 10-11, Friday-Saturday, 12-3pm WHERE: The Whaling Museum and Education Center, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor AGES: All WHAT: Make a red, white, and blue craft. WANT TO GO? $6; $5 children; free admission for veterans. 631-3873418. cshwhalingmuseum.org.
Corn Husk Figure Teen Workshop
WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 15, 4-5pm WHERE: The Whaling Museum and Education Center, 279 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor AGES: 9-17 WHAT: Discover the origins of corn husk dolls and create a unique one from dried husks for yourself. WANT TO GO? $12. 631-367-3418. cshwhalingmuseum.org. 30
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 19, 11am-2pm WHERE: The Whaling Museum and Education Center, 279 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor AGES: All WHAT: Create unicorn crafts, wear a unicorn horn, and mix up a batch of rainbow sap. WANT TO GO? $15 children; $5 adults. 631-367-3418. cshwhalingmuseum.org.
Let’s Recycle FREE
WHEN: Tuesday, Nov. 28, 6:30-7:30pm WHERE: Brentwood Public Library, 34 Second Ave., Brentwood AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Create your own robot out of recycled materials. WANT TO GO? 631-273-7883. brentwoodnylibrary.org.
Learn to Draw with Art Teacher Amy
WHEN: Nov. 1-29, Wednesdays, 4:15-5:20pm WHERE: St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, 3 Lawrence Lane, Bay Shore AGES: 9-12 WHAT: Intermediate to advanced art class for students in fourth-eighth grades. Learn to draw portraits, landscapes, still lifes, and works by famous artists using watercolors, oil pastels, colored pencils, and pencil shading. WANT TO GO? $20. 206-484-7711. artteacheramy.com.
MOVERS & SHAKERS My Gym Parent’s Night Out
WHEN: Friday, Nov. 3, 6-9pm WHERE: My Gym Children’s Fitness Center, 1320 Stony Brook Road, Stony Brook AGES: 3-8 WHAT: Children enjoy a life-sized board game as well as games based on classics such as Battleship, Wipe Out, and Kerplunk. A themed craft and pizza dinner are included. WANT TO GO? $33; $18 each additional child. 631-751-5437. mygym.com.
American Girl Club FREE
WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 8, 4pm WHERE: Westhampton Free Library, 7 Library Ave., Westhampton Beach AGES: 5-8 WHAT: Participants can bring their doll, listen to an American Girl story, and participate in a number of activities. WANT TO GO? 631-288-3335. westhamptonlibrary.net.
‘Ladies of Liberty - A Musical Revue’
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 19, 3pm WHERE: Southampton Arts Center, 25 Jobs Lane, Southampton AGES: 9 and older
CityBound Must-Sees in
N Y C Courtesy Madison Square Garden
WHAT: This exuberant and lively performance of sometimes humorous and often touching songs and stories traces the struggle for Women’s Suffrage. WANT TO GO? $10. 631-283-0967. southamptonartscenter.org.
Mommy & Me FREE
WHEN: Through Nov. 22: Wednesdays, 10-11am WHERE: The Chai Center, 501 Vanderbilt Parkway, Dix Hills AGES: Newborn to 2 WHAT: Bond with your child while exploring music, singing, arts and crafts, bubbles, parachute play, and more. Registration required. WANT TO GO? 631-351-8672. thechaicenter.com.
Mitten Tree FREE
WHEN: Through Dec. 26: Wednesdays, 4-9pm WHERE: Sky Zone Mount Sinai, 269 Route 25A, Mount Sinai AGES: 9 and older WHAT: Take part in epic Nerf battles on trampoline courts. WANT TO GO? $22 for a 2-hour session. 631-938-1420. skyzone.com/mountsinai.
Public Ice-Skating
WHEN: Through Feb. 28, 2018: Monday-Tuesday, 10am-2:30pm; Wednesday-Thursday, 10am-10pm; Friday-Saturday, 10am-11pm; Sunday, 10am-9pm WHERE: Wollman Rink, 59th Street and Central Park South, Central Park, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: This outdoor rink offers an amazing view of the Manhattan skyline, plus a skating school, a hockey program, and birthday party offerings on the ice. Check out the nearby carousel for $3 a ride in between skates. WANT TO GO? Monday-Thursday: $12; $5 seniors; $6 for children 11 and younger; Friday-Sunday and holidays: $19; $9 seniors; $6 for children 11 and younger. 212-439-6900. wollmanskatingrink.com.
The Holidays Are Officially Here!
A New York City tradition, the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes will dazzle novice and veteran audiences once again this holiday season! Combining the old with the new, the ever-popular holiday spectacle takes audiences on a gorgeously choreographed journey from Santa’s workshop at the North Pole, to the streets of Manhattan, to a beautifully classic “Living Nativity.” You’ll be on the edge of your seat waiting for the fat man in the red suit to make his appearance too. Nov. 10-Jan. 1, check website for times. Age: All. Starting at $35. Radio City Music Hall, 1260 Sixth Ave., Midtown. 212-247-4777. rockettes.com/christmas. Kent Miller
Sky Wars
Get in the holiday spirit with the parade of the wooden soldiers.
Meg Banks
WHEN: Nov. 6-Dec. 8, Monday-Friday, 9am-9pm; Saturday, 9am5pm; Sunday, 1-5pm WHERE: Riverhead Free Library, 330 Court St., Riverhead AGES: All WHAT: Donate gloves, hats, scarves, and socks to hang on the mitten tree. Items will be given to local agencies. WANT TO GO? 631-727-3228. riverheadlibrary.org.
Ice-Skating Season
WHEN: Through April 1, 2018: daily, 8:30-12am WHERE: The Rink at Rockefeller Center, 600 Fifth Ave., Midtown, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: Take a skate around the outdoor rink before stopping by the many shops and restaurants at Rockefeller Center. Skate lessons are offered as well. WANT TO GO? $25; $15 seniors and children younger than 11. 212332-7654. therinkatrockcenter.com.
Meditation for Kids
WHEN: Through July 30, 2018: Sundays, 11:30am-1pm WHERE: Kadampa Meditation Center Long Island, 282 New York Ave., Huntington AGES: 5-12 WHAT: Classes are presented in a lively, creative, and interactive way. WANT TO GO? $3. 631-549-1000. meditationonlongisland.org. ››
This not-to-be-missed march is good reason to give thanks.
A Turkey-Day Tradition
The 91st Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade promises its aweinspiring balloons—Hello Kitty, Ronald McDonald, the Elf on the Shelf, and Charlie Brown, to name a few—plus marching bands, performers, and floats that families always love. Arrive early so you can snag a good spot on the sidewalk or turn your TV to NBC and watch from home with some hot cocoa in hand. The parade will make its way from the Upper West Side down through the heart of Manhattan. Nov. 23, 9am-12pm. Age: All. FREE. Central Park West and 77th Street, moving south to Macy’s Herald Square on 34th Street via Central Park South and Sixth Avenue, Upper West Side and Midtown. 212-494-4495. macys.com/social/parade/2017. LongIslandParent 31
Santaland FREE
WHEN: Nov. 24-Dec. 24, daily, 9am-9pm WHERE: Macy’s, 151 W. 34th St., 8th floor, Midtown, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: Visitors will wander through a 13,000-square-foot Christmas Village filled with holiday treasures, the biggest of which is Santa Claus himself. After meeting Santa, guests can buy a photo package. Visits are by reservation only this year. WANT TO GO? 212-494-4495. macys.com/santaland.
‘George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker’
WHEN: Nov. 24-Dec. 31, Thursday-Sunday, see website for show times WHERE: David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center, 20 Lincoln Center Plaza, Upper West Side, Manhattan AGES: 5 and older WHAT: From Swan Lake to sugarplum fairies, the music of Tchaikovsky rings beautiful and clear thanks to this classic holiday performance. Watch ballerinas flit across the stage in a magical world where mice besiege a battalion of soldiers and a blizzard leads to an enchanted Land of Sweets. WANT TO GO? $40 and up. 212-496-0600. nycballet.com.
HOLIDAY FUN Thanksgiving Table Centerpiece
SPECIAL NEEDS
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 18, 9am-12pm WHERE: Hallockville Museum and Farm, 6038 Sound Ave., Riverhead AGES: 13 and older WHAT: Learn how to create your own natural Long Island Pumpkin centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table. Materials will be provided, but feel free to bring cuttings from your own garden. WANT TO GO? $35. 631-298-5292. hallockville.com.
Ariella’s NY Friendship Circle: Teen Scene FREE
Preschool Turkey Time FREE
‘Mouse on the Move’ Relaxed Performance
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 18, 10-11am WHERE: Riverhead Free Library, 330 Court St., Riverhead AGES: 3-8 WHAT: Join Miss Barbara to listen to turkey stories, learn “thankful” songs, and make a special craft. WANT TO GO? 631-727-3228. riverheadlibrary.org.
Turkey Cupcakes FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 18, 3-3:45pm WHERE: Riverhead Free Library, 330 Court St., Riverhead AGES: 5-12 WHAT: Decorate adorable cupcakes just in time for Thanksgiving. WANT TO GO? 631-727-3228. riverheadlibrary.org.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade Balloon Inflation Event FREE
WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 22, 3-10pm WHERE: Theodore Roosevelt Park, West 79th Street and Columbus Avenue, Upper West Side, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: Watch the big balloons fill up before they make their Thanksgiving Day trip through the heart of Manhattan. WANT TO GO? macys.com/parade.
Tree Trimming Event FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 25, 10am-3pm WHERE: Fire Island Lighthouse, Robert Moses State Park parking field 5, Fire Island AGES: All WHAT: Bring a handmade ornament relating to the sea, nature, or the lighthouse to hang. Free hot chocolate and cookies. WANT TO GO? 631-661-4876. fireislandlighthouse.com. 32
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 5, 1:15-2:15pm WHERE: The Chai Center, 501 Vanderbilt Parkway, Dix Hills AGES: 13 and older WHAT: Teens with special needs will be matched with teen volunteers. Register a week in advance at nyfriendshipcircle.com. WANT TO GO? 631-351-8672. thechaicenter.com. WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 12, 2pm WHERE: Long Island Children’s Museum, 11 Davis Ave., Garden City AGES: 3-8 WHAT: Two adventurous mice are ready to explore the world beyond their little mouse hole. Visitors will be able to use a number of fidget items, noise-reducing headphones, and other helpful materials, as provided by the museum. WANT TO GO? $13; $12 seniors 65 and older; free for children younger than 1. 516-224-5800. licm.org.
ASD: Playdough Robots FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 18, 10:30am WHERE: New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th St., Corona, Queens AGES: 5-8, adult WHAT: Design and build a funky robot using playdough and recycled electronic parts. Join us for hands-on science experiments and sensory-rich projects in workshops specially designed for children with autism spectrum disorder and their parents and siblings. Registration required. WANT TO GO? 718-699-0005. nysci.org.
Ariella’s NY Friendship Circle: Bowling Buddies
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 19, 1:15-2:15pm WHERE: Strike 10 Lanes, 849 Long Island Ave., Deer Park AGES: 5-17 WHAT: Ariella’s NY Friendship Circle of Suffolk County unites teen volunteers and children with special needs in a wide range of social and educational innovative programs and activities for hours of fun and friendship. Price includes two games and shoes. WANT TO GO? $12. 631-351-8672. nyfriendshipcircle.com.
Ariella’s NY Friendship Circle: Hip-Hop Dance Class Session 1 FREE
WHEN: Through Dec. 6: Wednesdays, 5-5:45pm WHERE: The Chai Center, 501 Vanderbilt Parkway, Dix Hills
AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Learn how to dance hip-hop with an instructor. Children with special needs children will be matched with teen volunteers. WANT TO GO? 631-351-8672. thechaicenter.com.
Ariella’s NY Friendship Circle: Zumba Session 1
WHEN: Through Dec. 18: Mondays, 5:45-6:30pm WHERE: The Chai Center, 501 Vanderbilt Parkway, Dix Hills AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Individuals with special needs will be paired with age appropriate volunteers to help them be successful in the class. Registration required. WANT TO GO? $15 per class. 631-351-8672. thechaicenter.com.
Sky Zone Cares
WHEN: Monday, Nov. 6, 3-6pm WHERE: Sky Zone Deer Park, 111 Rodeo Drive, Deer Park AGES: All WHAT: Sky Zone dials down the music, increases the staff ratio, and limits capacity for children and adults with special needs. WANT TO GO? $16 per hour. 631-392-2600. skyzone.com/deerpark.
Wildlife Weekends
WHEN: Nov. 4-12, Saturday-Sunday, 11am-4pm WHERE: Queens County Farm Museum, 73-50 Little Neck Parkway, Floral Park AGES: All WHAT: Have fun learning about interesting critters at this pay-one-price event. Admission includes the Birds of Prey show, Frogs, Bugs, & Animals show, hayrides, animal feeding, and pony rides. WANT TO GO? $9. 718-347-3276. queensfarm.org.
Egg Taking Demonstration
WHEN: Nov. 4-12, Saturday-Sunday, 1pm and 3pm WHERE: Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery & Aquarium, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor AGES: All WHAT: See how the centuries old process of trout reproduction at a hatchery takes place. WANT TO GO? $6; $4 children ages 3-12; free for children younger than 3. 516-692-6768. cshfha.org.
Guided Autumn Bird Walk
Special Olympics Bowling at the All Star
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 18, 9am-12pm WHERE: Hallockville Museum and Farm, 6038 Sound Ave., Riverhead AGES: All WHAT: Mary Laura Lamont, local naturalist and birding expert, will lead the search through the woods and fields of Hallockville and Hallock State Park Preserve. Bring binoculars, appropriate apparel, and sturdy footwear. WANT TO GO? $7. 631-298-5292. hallockville.com.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Opening Day at The Rinx at Harborfront Park
WHEN: Through Dec. 1: Mondays, 5pm WHERE: The All Star, 96 Main Road, Riverhead AGES: All WHAT: Bowlers with special needs are invited to bowl on the main lanes and experience the arcade with the latest games. WANT TO GO? $10 for two games. 631-998-3565. theallstar.com.
Evening Tower Tour
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 4, 5:15pm WHERE: Fire Island Lighthouse, Robert Moses State Park parking field 5, Fire Island AGES: All WHAT: View the sunset from the top of the Lighthouse. Bring a flashlight for your walk back to the parking field. WANT TO GO? $20. 631-661-4876. fireislandlighthouse.com.
Hidden Pond Day Camp Open House FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 4, 10am-2pm WHERE: Hidden Pond Day Camp, 660 Terry Road, Hauppauge AGES: 5-17 WHAT: Tour and learn about the multiple athletic, creative, and performing arts activities. WANT TO GO? 631-232-3222. therinx.com.
Mindfulness Mondays: The Nature Connection FREE
WHEN: Monday, Nov. 6, 7-8:30pm WHERE: Connetquot Public Library, 760 Ocean Ave., Bohemia AGES: 13 and older WHAT: Thomas Schuchaskie, who runs a wilderness school from his home in Manhattan, shares insight on how you can tap into this beneficial power in every season and climate. WANT TO GO? 631-567-5079. connetquotlibrary.org.
WHEN: Friday, Nov. 24, 10am-10pm WHERE: The Rinx at Harborfront Park, 101-A E. Broadway, Port Jefferson AGES: All WHAT: Port Jefferson Harbor is the backdrop for this outdoor skating rink. WANT TO GO? $11; $8.50 for children younger than 12; $5.50 skate rental. 631-473-1414. therinx.com.
Thanksgiving Weekend Evening Tower Tour
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 25, 4pm WHERE: Fire Island Lighthouse, Robert Moses State Park parking field 5, Fire Island AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Experience the Lighthouse at night while working off some of those holiday calories. Bring a flashlight for your walk back to the parking field. Reservations required. WANT TO GO? $20. 631-661-4876. fireislandlighthouse.com.
Ice Skating Holiday Super Session
WHEN: Nov. 24-26, Friday, 12-5:45pm; Saturday-Sunday, 11am-3pm WHERE: The Rinx, 660 Terry Road, Hauppauge AGES: 3 and older WHAT: Get into the holiday spirit and skate during this holiday Super Session. WANT TO GO? $12; $9.50 for children younger than 12; $6 skate rental. 631-232-3222. therinx.com.
Veterans Day
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 11, 10am-5pm WHERE: Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery & Aquarium, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor AGES: All WHAT: To thank our veterans, the hatchery is offering free admission when you show your military ID. WANT TO GO? $6; $4 children ages 3-12; free for children younger than 3 and military veterans today. 516-692-6768. cshfha.org.
Coming up next month: DEC. 7: Swim Team at Cinema Arts Centre, Huntington DEC. 10: Breakfast with Santa at Heritage Center, Mt. Sinai DEC. 17: It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play at The Suffolk Theater, Riverhead
LongIslandParent 33
WHERE-TO GUIDE
Ice-Skating
nymetroparents.com/where-to
››
Research by Kathryn Sheridan
Time to lace up your skates and practice your figure eights! Winter is upon us and local rinks are ready to have you on the ice. Whether you’re just learning to skate or a total pro, ice-skating is fun for the whole family. Plus, if you don’t land that jump you’ve been working on, you can always cheer up with a cup of cocoa at many ice rink concession stands. As always, call ahead to verify hours and prices before your ice-skating outing. 2:15pm, 3:45-5:45pm, and 8:1510:15pm (DJ night); Saturday, 11:30am1:30pm and 2-4pm; Sunday, 11:30am1:30pm and 2-4pm. Check website for holiday schedule. Price: $12; $9 children, teens, and seniors. With Rec Card: $7.50 adult; $6 children; $5 seniors. $4 skate rental.
Outdoor Rinks Mitchell Park Ice Rink Mitchell Park on Front Street, Greenport 631-477-2200 greenportvillage.com villageofgreenport.org Hours: Opening date TBA; weather permitting: Monday, 3-6pm; TuesdayFriday, 3-5pm; Saturday, 11am-6pm; Sunday, 11am-5:30pm. Holiday hours vary. Open for all Greenport school holidays from 11am-5pm. Price: weekdays: $5; $3 children and seniors. Weekends and school holidays: $10; $7 children and seniors. Season passes and youth group discounts available. $5 skate rental. Prices subject to change. The Rinx at Harborfront Park Port Jefferson Village Center, 101-A E. Broadway, Port Jefferson 631-403-4357 therinx.com/port-jefferson Hours: Starting Nov. 24: Monday-Friday, 12-1:30pm, 2-3:30pm, 4-5:30pm, 6:308pm; Friday, 8-10pm; Saturday-Sunday, 10-11:30am, 1-2:30pm, 2:45-4:15pm,
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6:30-7:30pm; Saturday, 8-10pm. Price: weekdays: $10 ($12 Friday and Saturday night); $7.50 children ages 11 and younger; $4.50 seniors. Weekends and school holidays: $11; $8.50 children ages 11 and younger; $5.50 seniors. $5.50 skate rental. Tanger Outlets Deer Park 152 The Arches Circle, Deer Park 631-242-0239 tangeroutlet.com/deerpark/events/11 Hours: Nov. 18-March 4, 2018: MondayFriday, 3-9pm; Saturday, 11am-10pm; Sunday, 11am-9pm. Hours are subject to change due to weather. Price: $10; free children younger than 5. $4 skate rental. Indoor Rinks Dix Hills Ice Rink 575 Vanderbilt Parkway, Dix Hills 631-462-5883; huntingtonny.gov Hours: Open year-round: Labor DayMemorial Day schedule: Monday-Friday, 10am-12pm; Monday, 12:15-2:15pm; Thursday, 3:45-5:45pm; Friday, 12:15-
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
The Rinx 660 Terry Road, Hauppauge 631-232-3222; therinx.com Hours: Year-round: Monday-Friday, 12:30-2:30pm; Tuesday-Friday, 4-5:45pm; Friday, 8:15-10:15pm (Rock & Roll Night); Saturday-Sunday, 11am-3pm. On holiday and school vacation days, call for additional public admission times. Price: weekdays: $11 ($13.50 on Friday nights); $8.50 children ages 11 and younger; $5 seniors. Weekends and school holidays: $12; $9.50 children ages 11 and younger; $6 seniors. Islip residents receive $1 off adult admission with recreation card. $6 skate rental. Superior Ice Rink 270 Indian Head Road, Kings Park 631-269-3900 superioricerink.com facebook.com/superioricerink Hours: Year-round: Wednesday, 12:302:30pm and 4:30-6pm; Friday, 8:3010:30pm (with DJ); Saturday-Sunday, 12:30-2:30pm. Price: $9 adults; $7 children ages 11 and younger; $5 seniors and children ages 3 and younger. $11 Friday night DJ skate admission. $4 skate rental.
NASSAU COUNTY Outdoor Rinks Grant Park Skating Rink Broadway and Sheridan Avenue, Hewlett 516-571-7821; nassaucountyny.gov/parks Hours: End of November through midMarch: daily, 1:15-3:15pm; WednesdayThursday and Saturday-Sunday, 10:30am-
12:30pm; Friday-Sunday, 4-6pm. Price: $22; $15 children. With Leisure Pass: $8; $6 children (children ages 12 and younger must be accompanied by an adult); $4 seniors. $5 skate rental. Marjorie R. Post Community Park Ice Rink 451 Unqua Road (at Merrick Road), Massapequa 516-797-7990; oysterbaytown.com Hours: Opens Friday, Nov. 24. Updated hours were not available at press time; call or check the website for updates. Price: Admission per 2-hour session. Residents: $5; $4 children ages 5-17; $2 children ages 2-4 and seniors ages 60 and older. Nonresidents: $8; $7 children ages 5-17; $4 seniors ages 60 and older; $3 children ages 2-4. $4 skate rental. Syosset-Woodbury Community Park Ice Rink 7800 Jericho Turnpike, Syosset 516-677-5990; oysterbaytown.com Hours: Opens Friday, Nov. 24 for the season. Skating hours were not available at press time; call or check the website for updates. Price: Admission per 2-hour session. Residents: $5; $4 children ages 5-17; $2 children ages 2-4 and seniors ages 60 and older. Non-residents: $8; $7 children ages 5-17; $4 seniors ages 60 and older; $3 children ages 2-4. $4 skate rental. Indoor Rinks Andrew Stergiopoulos Ice Rink/ Parkwood Ice Skating Rink Parkwood Sports Complex, 65 Arrandale Ave., Great Neck 516-487-2975 x4; greatneckparks.com Hours: Through May: Monday, 12:302:30pm; Tuesday, 10am-12pm and 12:30-2:30pm; Wednesday, 10am-12pm, 12:30-2:30pm, 3-5pm, and 8:30-10pm; Thursday, 10am-12pm and 12:30-2:30pm; Friday, 12:30-2:30pm, 3:30-5:30pm, and 8-10pm (Teen Night); Saturday, 3:305:30pm, 8:15-10:15pm; Sunday, 9:3011:30am, 2-4pm, 7:45-9:45pm (14-years and older). Price: Residents or customers with Park Card: $7. Non-residents or customers without Park Card: $12; $10 children. $5 skate rental. Cantiague Park Ice Skating Rink 480 W. John St., Hicksville 516-571-7056 or 516-571-7058 nassaucountyny.gov/parks
Hours: Through June: 1-3pm daily; additional sessions on Fridays, 3:30-5:30pm. Hours vary by month; call to confirm. Price: $22 for non-resident adults; $15 for non-resident children (with accompanying adult) and seniors. $8 for resident adults; $6 for resident children; $4 for resident seniors. With Leisure Pass: $8; $6 children ages 12 and younger with adult; $5 seniors, veterans, disabled, and civil volunteers; free for children ages 3 and younger with paying adult. $5 skate rental. Freeport Recreation Center 130 E. Merrick Road, Freeport 516-377-2314; freeportny.com Hours: Through April 13, 2018: Thursday, 3:30-6pm; Friday, 7:30-9pm; Saturday, 1-3pm; Sunday, 1:30-3pm and 3:154:45pm. Check the website for school recess hours. Price: $6; $7 non-residents; $9 guests. $4 skate rental. Iceland Ice Skating 3345 Hillside Ave., New Hyde Park 516-746-1100 x1 icelandlongisland.com Hours: Year-round: Friday, 3:30-5:30pm and 8:30-10:30pm (Teen Night for ages 11 and older only); Saturday, 122:45pm, all ages; Sunday, 11:15am12:45pm (children’s session for ages 10 and younger only) and 1-3pm, all ages. Price: $9; $7 ages 9 and younger; $10 for Teen Night admission. Children’s session: $9 parents; $7 children. $5 skate rental. Prices and times are subject to change. Newbridge Arena 2600 Newbridge Road, Bellmore 516-783-6181 newbridgearena.com Hours: Open year-round; Wednesday, 4:15-6:15pm; Thursday, 8-10am; Friday, 8:30-10:30am, 4:30-6:30pm, and 8:30-10:30pm starting Nov. 17; Saturday-Sunday, 12:30-2:30pm and 2:45-4:45pm. Call or check the website for holiday hours. Price: Wednesday-Friday before 6pm, excluding holidays: $6; $4 Town of Hempstead residents; $5 non-resident seniors. Nights, weekends, and holidays: $9; $7 Town of Hempstead residents; $5 fire, police, ambulance, and military personnel; free for children younger than 5 on Mondays and Fridays until 6pm (with paid adult). $4 skate rental.
Port Washington Skating Center 70 Seaview Blvd., Port Washington 516-484-6800; pwskating.com Hours: Open year-round: Schedule through November: Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 2-4pm; Tuesday, 2:304pm; Friday, 1-2:30pm; Saturday-Sunday, 2:15-3:45pm. Hours subject to change in December. See website for more information and special holiday hours. Skating and hockey instruction are offered for children. Price: $8. $4 skate rental. Town of Oyster Bay Ice Skating Center Bethpage Community Park, 1001 Stewart Ave. (at Cherry Avenue), Bethpage 516-433-7465 x1 oysterbaytown.com Hours: Through April 8, 2018: Monday, 4-6pm; Tuesday, 10am-12pm; Wednesday, 4-6pm; Thursday, 10am-12pm; Friday, 4-6pm and 8-10pm; Saturday-Sunday, 1-3pm and 3:30-5:30pm. Schedule is subject to change. Price: Town of Oyster Bay residents: $6; $4 seniors ages 60 and older, veterans, and firefighters; $5 children ages 5-17; $3 children ages 2-4. Non-residents: $10; $8 children ages 5-17; $5 seniors ages 60 and older, veterans, and firefighters; $4 children ages 2-4. $4 skate rental.
QUEENS Indoor Rinks City Ice Pavilion 47-32 32nd Place (between 47th and 48th avenues), Long Island City 718-706-6667; cityicepavilion.com Hours: Year-round: Wednesday, 123:50pm; Sunday, 11:40am-2:20pm. Price: $7 Wednesday; $10 weekends and holidays. $6 skate rental. Bring your own helmet. World Ice Arena 131-35 Avery Ave., Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Flushing 718-760-9001; worldice.com Hours: Year-round: Monday-Thursday, 10:30am-5:15pm; Friday, 9am-5:15pm and 7-9:50pm; Saturday, 12-4:45pm and 8-9:50pm; Sunday, 12-4:45pm. Opens at 11am on summer weekdays. Price: $7 weekdays; $10 weekends (starting Friday at 7pm) and holidays, including school vacation weeks. $6 skate rental.
Find the full guide, including rinks in NYC, at ›› nymetroparents.com/ice-skating LongIslandParent 35
Does My Child Have an Eating Disorder? ››
Three experts share what to look out for, the physical and mental health risks, and how to get your child the help she needs. By Katelin Walling
N
ational surveys estimate that nearly 20 million females and 10 million males will have an eating disorder at some point in their lives, according to the National Eating Disorders Association. And when most eating disorders get diagnosed? “Between the ages of fourteen and eighteen,” says Joanna Steinglass, M.D., associate professor of clinical psychiatry and director of translational research in eating disorders at the Columbia Center for Eating Disorders. “There are some reports that people are noticing and diagnosing and getting kids to treatment even earlier, which may be a sign that parents are getting more informed.” In fact, NEDA cites an increase in the diagnosis of children, some as young as 5 or 6. Eating disorders are mental illnesses that are serious and can be treated, though it’s unclear for certain why they occur. Some factors include body image issues, self-esteem issues, being bullied about looks, the need to control something in his life, and societal pressures for looking like the actresses and models she sees on TV,
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November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
in magazines, and in the movies. There is also a possibility that eating disorders could be genetic. Studies have found that having a parent or sibling with an eating disorder increases a child’s risk of developing one, according to NEDA. And while the Internet and social media may have a negative role in eating disorders, a lot of celebrities and “regular people” have used various platforms to talk about their experiences with eating disorders, including Sadie Robertson of Duck Dynasty and Dancing with the Stars, who wrote about her eating disorder on her blog Live Original; actress Troian Bellisario, known as Spencer Hastings on FreeForm’s Pretty Little Liars, who wrote about her eating disorder for Lena Dunham’s Lenny Letter; and pop star Kesha, who wrote some of the songs on her new album during a three-month stay at an impatient facility for women with eating disorders, addictions, mood disorders, and trauma while getting treatment for “an eating disorder that nearly killed her,” according to her recent Rolling Stone profile.
With eating disorders being talked about more and more often, parents may be left wondering whether their child has one, what the signs are, and how they can support him.
Eating Disorders Explained
“I think it’s probably most helpful for parents to know that there are a lot of different ways that eating disorders can present themselves,” Dr. Steinglass says. “It may be more important to have a sense of whether something feels like it’s not quite right and let the doctors figure out what the right name for it is.” While a medical professional should do specific diagnosing, it may be helpful for parents to know about the various eating disorders and how they typically present. Anorexia nervosa: A person with anorexia generally restricts the number of calories and the types of foods she eats, according to NEDA. Typically someone with anorexia is of low weight and is restricting his eating to the point where if he is growing, he’s not gaining weight, so he becomes thinner and more out of his range for expected weight and height, says Michelle Miller, Psy.D., a psychologist at the Child Study Center at NYU Langone Health. Alternatively, if she’s stopped growing and stays at the same height, her weight is going down. “That is all due to restriction of eating that’s related to control, which may be a concern about weight or body image. Some individuals may be over concerned about a health focus as well. They feel that every food has to be ‘healthy,’ and so they’ll only eat certain types of food to maintain that,” Dr. Miller says, adding that an individual with anorexia may engage in compensatory behavior such as self-induced vomiting, using laxatives, or excessive exercising to address their concerns about body image and compensate for what he has eaten. Bulimia nervosa: An individual with bulimia will go through periods of two hours or less during which she eats an amount of food that is larger than what one would expect to eat in that period—and feels she has no control over the behavior. After that period of time, she engages in a compensatory behavior to “undo” the effects of binge eating, according to Dr. Miller. Binge eating disorder: Like with bulimia, an individual with binge eating disorder consumes a large amount of food in a short period of time. However, unlike with bulimia, compensatory behaviors are not present, and patients will typically present very overweight, according to Michele Calderoni, D.O., who specializes in adolescent medicine at Crystal Run Healthcare. While we all have occasional periods of time when we might eat more, such as a dinner out with friends or at Thanksgiving, “when they do it, they feel a lack of control in the episode, like they can’t stop eating,” Dr. Miller says. “They’ll eat until they feel extremely, uncomfortably full, and they keep eating even when they’re not physically hungry. They also may eat alone.” Avoidant / Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: Previously referred to as Selective Eating Disorder, ARFID is similar to anorexia in that it involves limitations to the amounts or types of foods consumed, but it does not involve concerns about body shape or size, according to NEDA. A person with ARFID is “avoiding whole food groups not because of fear of weight gain or body image concerns or a need for control, but because of a lot of sensory difficulties, because they have low interest in food, and/or because they’re continued on next page ››
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Events
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Plus: Learning to Let Go
Vaccines at Every Age Plus: Journaling for Your Child
Where-To Guide: Berry Picking
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Dinosaur Fun
Where-To Guide: Apple Picking • Outing: New York Hall of Science
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concerned with having negative consequences from eating, such as feeling so uncomfortably full that they’re nauseous or they’re afraid of throwing up,” Dr. Miller says. “The condition usually starts early on, so it’s not something that we would typically see as developing later. You see it usually starting in childhood and they become pickier and pickier as they get older and start getting more and more anxious around food.” Rumination disorder: Those with rumination disorder regurgitate or vomit food, chew it, and swallow it, and there is no known gastrointestinal etiology, Dr. Calderoni says. “I actually have a patient right now who has this. She has had a full GI workup, and we can’t find any reason for her vomiting. It can happen any time on any day. There are no real triggers or explanation…and there are no electrolyte abnormalities that correspond and no physiological abnormalities that correlate,” she says. “[Rumination disorder] is very rare, but we do see it from time to time.” Orthorexia: Although it’s not formally recognized in the DSM, awareness of orthorexia—a fixation on so-called “healthy eating” that a person damages his or her own well-being—is on the rise, according to NEDA. Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder: Previously known as Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, OSFED is considered a “catch-all” to classify eating disorders that do not meet the criteria for anorexia or bulimia, according to NEDA. “It’s a huge category, which we all hate to use, but sometimes it really is the only diagnosis that encapsulates what’s going on at the time,” Dr. Calderoni says. “But we try very hard not to put our patients in that category.”
Signs of an Eating Disorder
The main signals for parents that their child may have an eating disorder are changes in behavior of eating, changes in behavior of physical activities, or changes in weight, Dr. Steinglass says. As an eating disorder progresses, you may start to see your child isolate himself, and see mood changes. Typically with anorexia, a child will become preoccupied with what foods she is eating, a decrease in the amount of food she is eating, she may push food around the plate, or make excuses as to why she can’t eat. “Bulimia and binge eating disorder are a little trickier to recognize because they’re often done in secret,” Dr. Miller says. Another possible sign of binge eating disorder or bulimia is if quantities of food disappear over an evening or a short period of time, Dr. Calderoni adds. Other possible signs of bulimia include frequent use of the bathroom immediately after meals, signs of vomiting or laxative use, and tooth decay from vomiting frequently. “And I think with all of these conditions, except with ARFID, you’re hearing concerns about how they look and what they’re eating and complaints about their weight,” Dr. Miller says.
Talking to Your Child
If you suspect your child may have an eating disorder, it’s best to approach him in a nonjudgmental way. “I think it’s really wise to sit down with your child and ask your child very nonjudgmental questions about their health and how they’ve been feeling. I think you need to make it nonjudgmental because you want your child to trust you and to feel that they can tell you what’s going on because many kids will try to hide this,” Dr. Calderoni says. “You can comment that you may have noticed changes or things they’re saying about themselves or things about their eating that made you concerned,” Dr. Miller says, adding to be cautious if 38
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
your child is showing signs of bulimia or binge eating as those conditions are associated with a lot of guilt. “So going about it like, I’ve noticed you’ve been stressed around your eating, and I want to see if there’s a way we can help you feel better,” she says. As with any medical diagnosis, it’s important to see a doctor to get your child evaluated. “It’s good to go to a doctor to get a health workup to see if there’s anything going on with [your child’s] health, and rule out any cause that is unrelated to eating. I’d also recommend getting an evaluation through a psychologist or psychiatrist who specializes in eating disorders to help identify if it is an eating disorder before jumping to any conclusions,” Dr. Miller says. “If it is identified as an eating disorder, either through a physician or a therapist, then the next step would be to make sure the child is enrolled in treatment. Eating disorders can be very complex and is not something you should try and fix outside of therapy.”
Treatments for Eating Disorders
Across the board, “parents play a huge role in helping kids get out of an eating disorder and they may need to take a big role in figuring out how to get their kids back on track with normal and healthy eating,” Dr. Steinglass says. “The kinds of treatments that tend to be helpful are things that have a real emphasis on seeing change in behavior and paying attention to what’s actually happening with eating and normalizing eating. That can occur in all kinds of settings and all kinds of different ways,” While specific treatment plans will vary depending on the child and the eating disorder, there are a few techniques medical professionals employ when treating a child or teen with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, or ARFID. Multi-disciplinary approach: With this approach, your child will have a three-person treatment team: a medical provider, a nutritionist, and therapist. “Eating disorders are multi-factorial and the treatment has to be tailored to each of these components,” Dr. Calderoni says. The medical provider identifies the medical consequences of an eating disorder and ensures the patient is physically and medically safe. The nutritionist ensures adequate nutrition is part of the treatment plan. “It’s important to have somebody who understands nutrition from a macro- and a microelement perspective, and who also understands eating disorders,” Dr. Calderoni advises. The therapist addresses the mental health piece of the eating disorder. “Again, it should be a certified eating disorder therapist. That’s very important as well because there are triggers and other behaviors that are just really not understood by all therapists,” she adds. This approach is very individualized, meaning the child is the one who works with the medical provider, nutritionist, and therapist. Family-Based Therapy: Unlike with the multi-disciplinary approach, parents are heavily involved in FBT, which can be used to treat adolescents with anorexia or bulimia. Families work with an FBT therapist through three phases of treatment. During phase one, the parents have complete control over what the child eats—the parents plan, serve, and supervise all meals. In phase two, the patient gradually gains control over mealtimes—deciding what, when, and how much to eat. In phase three, the FBT therapist works with the family in addressing other issues in adolescent development as needed, according to Dr. Calderoni. Off the C.U.F.F.: Developed for treating ARFID by Nancy Zucker, Ph.D., a child and family psychologist, eating disorder specialist, and director of the Duke Eating Disorder Center, C.U.F.F. stands for clear, undisturbed, firm, and friendly. This program provides practical strategies to help parents deal with their child’s eating behaviors.
When treating a child with ARFID, “it’s important that parents use different terms that are very clear and specific around what they want their child to eat and how much of it while remaining as calm and undisturbed around their child as possible,” Dr. Miller says. “That they’re being very firm in what they want their child to do, but they also have moments where they’re doing positive things with their child unrelated to food because often times when a child has an eating disorder, it can become the sole focus for the family. So we want them to do things with each other outside of the eating disorder.”
Physical and Mental Health Risks
Eating disorders have a number of associated physical and mental health risks. Eating disorders can: cause abnormalities in electrolytes; cause changes in potassium, phosphate, and magnesium; affect bone marrow and white blood cell count; put a young adult at risk for a heart attack; and affect growth. They can also compromise fertility and reproductive systems. “In young girls, they either won’t get their period, or if they were getting a period, their periods will go away, and when we look at the hormones that correlate with cycling normally—LH, FSH, and estrogen—those hormones are decreased. In young boys or young men, testosterone will also become decreased,” Dr. Calderoni says. The decrease in estrogen and testosterone affects bone density. Bulimia affects tooth health, while those with binge eating disorder are at risk for obesity. And “the starvation that comes with anorexia nervosa has one of the highest mortality rates of any psychiatric illness,” Dr. Steinglass says. As a result of a malnourished brain, individuals with eating disorders may also experience depression, anxiety, irritability, inability to sleep, cognitive impairment, and decrease in memory and attention, Dr. Calderoni says. And social anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder are common in those with anorexia, according to Dr. Miller.
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Reducing the Risk
While there are no sure-fire ways to prevent children from developing eating disorders, there are things parents can do at home to reduce the risk of their child developing one. The experts we spoke with agree that families should not talk about food in terms of good and bad or healthy and unhealthy, and instead focus on having a balanced diet and moderation in meals. “Teach your child that having fruit one night and having ice cream one night for dessert is okay,” Dr. Calderoni says. “What I find is if you tend to have a very restrictive food environment at home, many times these kids become binge eaters or they learn that being restrictive is the way to eat.” Other things that can help reduce the risk are: have family meals together as often as possible, keep conversations during family meals positive, and make sure meals include a variety of foods, Dr. Miller says. Dr. Steinglass advises parents also keep the focus on body wellness—how your body can be healthy for you—rather than body image or size. “I also think families should try to not use negative terms like ‘chubby,’ or ‘you have thick legs,’ or ‘you’re built like Grandma, who is three-hundred pounds.’ I think staying away from comments about their bodies and body types is really important,” Dr. Calderoni adds. “We’re all born differently. Sometimes you do get one kid in the family that’s a little heavier than everyone else. It’s just best to not really talk about it. When you go shopping for clothing, try to stay away from sizes and comparison between children and not be so concentrated on what size your children are. Just love your child for who they are.”
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SpecialParent
42 Focus on Your Abilities: When your child with special needs is feeling discouraged, use this as a guide to help him through it. 54 G rowing Up with a Brother with Special Needs: The important life lessons I learned from my brother—and why I wouldn’t change a thing
SPECIAL NEEDS
To help your child focus on his abilities rather than disabilities, have him write down positive qualities about himself and tack it on the wall for him to look at when he’s feeling down.
Focus on Your Abilities
››
When your child with special needs starts to feel discouraged in school, let him read this, or use this as a guide, to help him through it. By Wendy L. Moss, Ph.D., and Denise M. Campbell, M.S.
W
herever you are in the process of getting special education, you have probably been working hard at things that are challenging for you. But it’s important to remember that your challenges are not what make you special. They are not what make you YOU. There is a lot more to you than your difficulties. And it is important not to forget about all your strengths, talents, and skills.
Six Steps for Being a Positive, Confident You
Life can be pretty stressful when you worry a lot about why you have challenges and what you can do about them. It is important to focus on improving areas that are hard for you. But it is just as important to focus on your abilities. To help you do this, this excerpt will talk about six big steps. These steps can help you learn ways to feel positive about yourself and your skills. You can use these steps even while you’re working to improve in your areas of difficulty. As you read about these six steps, you may be tempted to skip 42
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
over some of them. But try to go step-by-step without missing any. Each step is important. Step #1: Focus on the Positive Have you ever cheered up a friend who was feeling sad? Maybe you did this by reminding that friend how great he or she is. Good friends do this for each other. Confident people also do this for themselves—and you can, too. First, take a few minutes to think of at least three positive qualities about yourself. These qualities shouldn’t be about what you can do well. You’ll think about that next. Right now, think about your personality. Can you think of three great things about your personality? You can write them on notebook paper. Or you can type them on a computer and print out your list. You can also have an adult help you type or write the list. Then keep this list in a place where you can look at it often. If you have trouble coming up with three special qualities, look over the following list. Which words describe you? Feel free to use different words if you have qualities that aren’t on this list.
SPECIAL NEEDS MARKETPLACE • athletic • trustworthy • cooperative • patient • creative • considerate • insightful • honest • sensitive • responsible • happy • funny • respectful • outgoing • generous • positive
• gentle • awesome • sweet • brave • thoughtful • courageous • energetic • confident • helpful • smart • unique • caring • fair-minded • studious • loving • kind
Now, add some areas of talent or ability to your list. Maybe you really enjoy one of these activities or are really talented in one of these areas: • reading • remembering things • taking care of animals • painting • karate • chess • solving problems • spelling • being • organized • soccer • collecting coins
• dancing • juggling • computer games • baking • drawing • creating fun videos • writing poetry • swimming • taking care of younger kids • making people laugh • magic tricks
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This list does not cover every talent that people could have. Write (or type) what your talents are, even if they are not on this list. Then, keep paying attention to things you’re good at. Whenever you notice one of your talents, skills, or special qualities, add it to your growing list. It can also be helpful (or just fun) to ask family, friends, teachers, or other people you trust what positive words they would use to describe you. Add those words to your list. Look at your list whenever you need reminders of all the great and special qualities that make up you. Step #2: Be Kind to Yourself In Step 1, you came up with a list of great things about yourself. How do you feel when you read the list? In other words, do you appreciate your special qualities and skills? Do you smile when you think about what makes you a unique person? You can be kind to yourself by remembering your abilities and talents. Be sure to do this even when things are tough. In fact, it is especially important to be kind to yourself at those times. Of course, everyone has bad days when it is hard to focus on the positive qualities. Maybe you are struggling with a homework assignment that seems easy for your friend. Or you might have baked a cake that came out lopsided. On days like this, can you still feel good about your abilities? If you struggle to stay positive during difficult times, try some of these ideas for being kind to yourself.
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• Admit that you wished for a different outcome. It’s okay to feel disappointed when things don’t go as you had hoped. But it’s important to remind yourself that you are still a great person. • Remember that one disappointment does not represent who you are. One difficulty does not define you or explain who you are as a person. You will have disappointments and challenges. Everyone has them. But these difficulties don’t take away from all your abilities. Remember that your abilities are part of you no matter what challenges you currently have to deal with. • Learn from the experience. Use it to set new goals for the future. At the same time, try to feel proud of what you tried and what you did. • Laugh with yourself. We all mess up sometimes. But try not to laugh at yourself. That can hurt. Laughing with yourself is like saying, “Oops! Oh well. I may have made a silly mistake, but who cares? It really was a little funny.” Laughing at yourself is like someone teasing or bullying you. • Ask friends, family members, or teachers for tips on how they stay positive when they face challenges. Step #3: Believe That Hard Work Pays Off . . . Really Lots of kids roll their eyes when adults say, “Hard work pays off.” So, before you roll your eyes and skip this section, hang on! Putting in a lot of effort definitely can pay off. But maybe it hasn’t always worked that way for you in the past. If you try a plan over and over again and it doesn’t lead to success, you are still working hard. But it’s only leading to frustration. You probably need a new plan—one that gets you closer to reaching your goals. You also don’t need to focus only on tasks that are difficult for you. You may find it pays off to work hard in areas that you are already talented in. Working hard doesn’t mean you will have instant success. And it doesn’t mean you’ll be able to figure out how to do everything by yourself. Working hard does mean that you are willing to put in time to improve and that you are willing to try different ways to improve. It means asking for help when you need it. And it means feeling proud that you have the courage to keep trying. (This idea is also called perseverance.) Step #4: Remember That No One Is Perfect Have you ever looked around your class and thought, “That kid has it all together. He’s perfect!”? Or maybe you’ve looked at a friend and thought, “She just does everything right.” You might be surprised to learn that many kids have these thoughts about others. Even some adults feel like a coworker “knows everything” or a friend “never struggles with anything.” Here’s the truth: No one is perfect. And remembering this will help you accept yourself when you make a mistake or don’t do something perfectly. Instead of thinking that there is something wrong with you, you can remind yourself that you are human. That means that you and everyone you know will make mistakes and not be perfect at everything or on every day. So, why put pressure on yourself to be perfect? Confidence plays a big part in how other people see you. And it’s easier to be confident when you remember that no one is perfect. This can help you laugh at your mistakes rather than feeling disappointed or embarrassed. And it can help you feel better about getting extra help. If you feel like you have to be perfect all the time, think about this: Even Olympic athletes, who are some of the best in the 44
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
world at their sports, aren’t perfect. In the Olympics, ice-skaters sometimes fall and runners sometimes trip. If you worry a lot about being perfect, talk about this with someone you trust. Step #5: Keep Trying When Things Are Hard We all run into obstacles and difficulties. We all fail or make mistakes sometimes. These mistakes don’t mean that we can’t eventually succeed at a task. They simply mean that we need to keep trying. What’s most important is how we handle the difficulty. It can be tempting to give up when we feel discouraged. And it’s true that some goals are impossible. When you were younger, did you ever try to fly by flapping your arms? No matter how hard you worked at that goal, it would never happen. Try to set goals that are possible and realistic. And as you work toward your goals, take pride in improvements you make along the way. As you work on not giving up, it can help to think about how you usually handle challenging events. Do you feel easily defeated? Or do you remember that you have lots of positive qualities, even when you’re struggling with something? Think about the following situations and pick the choice that is closest to how you would probably respond. 1. You and a friend both play a video game for the first time. You lose in Level 1. Your friend easily makes it to Level 4. You: (a) Think, “I’m terrible at this. I’ll never get better at this game no matter how hard I try. I’m never playing this game again.” (b) Want to buy the game to get better at it. Even so, you doubt that you’ll ever get past Level 1. (c) Plan to ask your friend for tips on how to improve. Then you’ll play the game again to see if you can come up with even more ideas. 2. Your teacher gives your class a week to complete a homework assignment. You have to write about your hero and then read your essay in class on the due date. When it is time to share, all the kids at your table have three or four paragraphs written about their heroes. You only wrote three sentences. You: (a) Think, “I know I stink at writing, and this proves it! I’ll have to find a way to leave the classroom before it’s time for everyone to read their essays.” (b) Tell the other kids, and your teacher, that you had a lot of things to do after school this week. You say that’s why you didn’t have time to write more. Then you read your three sentences aloud. (c) Tell kids, and your teacher, that you think of great ideas but have a hard time writing essays. You also ask for tips on how others write, so that you might be able to write more easily next time. 3. You like to run, and have always thought you were fast. Your older brother is on the track team. He says you should think about trying out. So you decide to go to a practice and see what it’s like. At practice, the coach times everyone running 500 meters and then a mile. You come in 6th place out of 13 in the 500 meter, and last place in the mile. You: (a) Think, “I obviously can’t run fast when it really counts. My brother’s idea was stupid. I’m never going back there again.” (b) Feel embarrassed. You wonder whether you could ever be fast enough to make the team. But you decide you’ll go back to the track to try to beat your times. (c) Remind yourself that you are a hard worker. And now you feel really motivated to improve your times. You decide you’ll still try out for the team. If you make it, you’ll learn from
your teammates and coach. You feel confident that you could be faster by the end of the season. How did you answer these questions? If you gave some “a” answers, you may sometimes give up when you run into challenges. If that’s true, it’s important to find ways to build your confidence and stay motivated. If you responded with some “b” answers, you learn from your experiences. You probably feel okay about yourself, even when you face obstacles. If you gave some “c” answers, then you know it’s okay to admit that you are not perfect. You probably also know how to set goals and work toward them. When you feel good about yourself, you’re able to handle challenges more easily. You are more likely to find the strength to keep trying and not give up. And you feel proud of your efforts. Here are a few tips on how to keep trying and not give up: • Check on whether your goal is possible. You might want to talk this through with an adult. If your goal is reachable, remind yourself of that. If it isn’t, work on setting a new goal. • Remind yourself of your abilities so you don’t get too discouraged or upset with yourself when you can’t succeed immediately. • Most people have to work to get better at things. Remind yourself that you may feel frustrated but that is not always a reason to stop trying or to get mad at yourself. • Remember that it’s okay to ask for help. If you are getting really frustrated, then it’s time to calmly ask for the specific support that would help you. • Rather than trying to reach a huge goal right away, try reaching a smaller goal that can eventually lead to the bigger one. For example, you could work on playing a scale on the piano before playing a difficult song. You might discover that you feel excited about taking on the challenge of learning something new or reaching a goal. It can also be fun to pay attention to your improvements along the way. These can help you stay motivated and positive as you work through obstacles. Step #6: Show Your Confidence It’s great to feel confident. It can mean that you aren’t too nervous to take on new experiences, because you believe you can handle them or you can comfortably ask for help. And showing your confidence can
let others know that you value yourself and like being you. But many kids are not sure how to share their talents with others without sounding like they are bragging. (Some adults have trouble with this, too.) Here are some great ways to let your friends, teachers, and other people know that you are happy being you: • Smile! • Stand or sit up straight and tall. • Make eye contact with other people. (But remember not to stare.) • Expect that most people will like you. • Honestly compliment others on their abilities. • Accept compliments from others. You deserve credit for your strengths. • Share your interests and talents with others so they know about what you like and what you do well. But try not to brag. For example, instead of saying, “I’m great at archery!” you could say, “One of my hobbies is archery. What do you like to do?” • Show that you are comfortable asking for help. • Show that you can bounce back from mistakes or tough times. Sometimes it’s hard to do this after something difficult happens in your life. But you can take steps to help yourself. For example, asking others for support is a sign of strength and courage. So is spending time focusing on what is relaxing or fun for you. Even if you can’t do this right away because you feel stressed or upset, it’s a goal to strive for when you are ready. • Try not to put yourself down, either out loud or in your mind. If you do, it’s okay to tell yourself, “Putting myself down doesn’t help. I need to be my own best friend and be kind to myself instead.” Think about people you know who seem confident. Pay attention to how they act and talk. You will probably notice that they do many of the things you just read about. You may spot other confident things they do, too. Next, give it a try yourself— act confident. It can help you eventually feel confident.
Excerpted from The Survival Guide for Kids in Special Education (And Their Parents) by Wendy L. Moss, Ph.D., and Denise M. Campbell, M.S., © 2017. Used with permission of Free Spirit Publishing Inc., Minneapolis, MN; 800-735-7323; www.freespirit.com. All rights reserved.
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alternativesforchildren.org
Alternatives for Children is approved/licensed by the NYS DOH, NYSED, NYS OCFS, Nassau Suffolf County Divisions of Services for Children with Special Needs. To refer a child suspected of a developmental delay, call Suffolk or Nassau County DOH for children 0-3 yrs; or the child’s school district for children 3-5 yrs. Services for eligible children are provided at home, in the community, at daycare or at one of our locations as determined by the child’s IEP or IFSP, at no out-of-pocket cost to families. If services are delivered in a childcare/community setting that requires a fee, the family is responsible for any associated child care costs. Funding for these programs is through NYSED, NYS DOH, and Suffolk/Nassau DOH.
Building BlocksBlocks an Early Early Intervention and Preschool Preschool Program dedicated to to Building Blocks isis an and Program dedicated to Building is anIntervention Early Intervention and Preschool Program dedicated Building Blocks is ancommitted Early Intervention and Preschool dedicated toall educational excellence and committed to meeting meeting the developmental developmental needsneeds of all of all educational excellence and committed to meeting theProgram developmental educational excellence and to the needs of excellence andprovided committed to meeting thein developmental all youngeducational children. Services are at home, home, in the the community, atneeds daycare, young children. Services are provided at home, the community, at of daycare, young children. Services are provided at in community, at daycare, young children. Services are provided at in community, daycare, orat atour our center as determined determined byhome, theby child’s IEP orIEP IFSP. or center at our center as determined thethechild’s oratIFSP. or as by the child’s IEP or at our center as determined by the child’s IEPororIFSP. IFSP. %) 0RESCHOOL !UTISM 0ROGRAM s 3%)4 3Ervices %) 0RESCHOOL !UTISM 0ROGRAM s 3%)4 3Ervices %) 0RESCHOOL !UTISM 0ROGRAM s 3%)4 3Ervices %) 0RESCHOOL !UTISM 0ROGRAM s 3%)4 3Ervices Family 4RAINING s 3PEECH 4HERAPY Family 4RAINING s 3PEECH 4HERAPY Family 4RAINING s 3PEECH 4HERAPY Family 4RAINING s 3PEECH 4HERAPY /CCUPATIONAL 4HERAPY s 0HYSICAL 4HERAPY /CCUPATIONAL 4HERAPY s 0HYSICAL 4HERAPY /CCUPATIONAL 4HERAPY s 0HYSICAL 4HERAPY /CCUPATIONAL 4HERAPY s 0HYSICAL 4HERAPY #OMPLETE $IAGNOSTIC 3Ervices #OMPLETE $IAGNOSTIC 3Ervices #OMPLETE $IAGNOSTIC 3Ervices #OMPLETE $IAGNOSTIC 3Ervices
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Building Blocks is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit agency and has been providing services to children from birth to age 5 years and their families for 30 years. BuildingBlocks Blocks 501(c)(3) agencyand and hasbeen been providing services tochildren children fromfrom birthbirth to age age years and their families for 30 30years. years. Building isisisaaa501(c)(3) agency has providing services to from birth to 555 years and for 30 years. Building Blocks 501(c)(3) not-for-profit agency and has been providing services to children birth to age years and their families for 30 years. isnot-for-profit anot-for-profit 501(c)(3) agency has been services to children to age 5 years andtheir theirfamilies families ToBuilding refer aBlocks child suspected of not-for-profit developmental delayand please call providing Suffolk County DOH EIPfrom at 631-853-3100 for children 0-3yrs; or thefor child’s school district referaaachild child suspected of developmental delayplease please call Suffolk CountyCounty DOHEIP EIP atEIP 631-853-3100 forchildren children 0-3yrs; ororthe the child’s schooldistrict district To suspected developmental delay Suffolk County DOH 631-853-3100 for 0-3yrs; or child’s district Tofor refer a childof suspected of age. developmental delaycall please callprovided Suffolk DOHat at 631-853-3100 for children 0-3yrs; the child’satschool school ToTorefer refer child suspected of3-5 developmental delay please call Suffolk County EIP at 631-853-3100 for children 0-3yrs; or the child’s school children years of All authorized services toDOH eligible children are funded through NYS & Suffolk County no costdistrict to families. for children 3-5 years of age. All authorized services provided to eligible children are funded through NYS & Suffolk County at no cost to families. for children 3-5 years of age. All authorized services provided to eligible children are funded through NYS & Suffolk County at no cost to families. for years children 3-5 of age. Alland authorized services provided to eligible children arespecial funded through & Suffolk County no cost cost families. for childrenBBDPS 3-5 age.years All authorized services provided toIntervention eligible children are funded through NYSNYS &services Suffolk County atatno families. is anofapproved provider evaluator of Early & Preschool education and is regulated bytoNYSED and NYSDOH. BBDPSisisisan anapproved approved provider and evaluator EarlyIntervention Intervention Preschool special education services andand bybyNYSED NYSED and NYSDOH. NYSDOH. BBDPS provider and evaluator &&&Preschool special education services and isisis regulated BBDPS is an approved provider and of evaluator of Early Intervention & Preschool special education services isregulated regulatedby NYSED and NYSDOH. BBDPS an approved provider and evaluator ofofEarly Early Intervention Preschool special education services and regulated by NYSED and NYSDOH.
LongIslandParent 45
Professional services
Your local guide to tutors, teachers, lawyers, financial planners, and other professionals. DENTISTS & DENTAL PROVIDERS ISLAND ORTHODONTICS HORIZON ORTHODONTICS: DR. SCOTT FRIEDMAN 1150 Portion Road, No. 13, Holtsville 631-698-2424 Find us on Facebook: @horizonorthodontics Our practice’s top priority is to provide you with the highest quality orthodontic care in a friendly, comfortable environment. We utilize the latest technological advances in the industry, such as invisible ceramic braces and Invisalign®, along with the latest in computer technology. PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY OF SUFFOLK COUNTY: DR. MIKE IOANNOU 2171 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 145, Commack 631-486-6364 3237 Route 112, Building 6, Suite 7B, Medford 631-320-0880 supermolar.com mikeioannou@hotmail.com Dr. Michael Ioannou, a native of Suffolk County, strives to make visiting the dentist a fun experience, all while providing exceptional dental care. He uses excellent behavioral management approaches, a child-friendly environment (TV and cartoons in all treatment rooms), and he sings to the patients! SUFFOLK PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY 8 Medical Drive, Port Jefferson Station 631-928-8585 6144 Route 25 A, Suite D20, Wading River 631-929-7575 750 Roanoke Ave., Riverhead 631-727-8585 suffolkpediatricdentistry.com infoportjeff@suffolkpediatricdentistry.com For 40 years, we have provided dental care that’s friendly, gentle, and compassionate. We provide preventive and comprehensive treatment for infants, children, and adolescents including sedation and general anesthesia dentistry. We strive to help our patients develop good oral hygiene habits, and beautiful healthy smiles. DOCTORS & MEDICAL PROVIDERS LONG ISLAND CENTER FOR SPEECH AND MYOFUNCTIONAL THERAPY Locations across Suffolk and Nassau: East Yaphank, Farmingville, Stony Brook, Commack, Jericho, 46
Wantagh, and Lake Success lispeechandmyo.com Suffolk: 631-689-6858 Nassau: 516-216-1791 Queens: 718-640-6767 Janine Stiene, speech-language pathologist, along with her group of therapists, supports families and children across Long Island, specializing in PROMPT, feeding, myofunctional therapy, voice disorders, fluency, augmentative communication, articulation, auditory processing disorders, and expressive and receptive language disorders. PEDIATRIC IMMEDIATE CARE 150 E. Sunrise Highway, Suite 105, North Lindenhurst 631-956-PEDS (7337) 1077 W. Jericho Turnpike, Smithtown 631-864-PEDS (7337) 698 Manhattan Ave., Brooklyn 718-389-PEDS (7337) pediatricimmediatecare.com Pediatric Immediate Care is a team of hearts where kids come first. State-of-the-art medical office equipment allows us to deliver your test results during your visit. Kid-friendly; walk-ins welcome; most insurance plans accepted. RMG SPEECH PATHOLOGY RACHEAL MCINNES, M.A., C.C.C.-S.L.P., SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST 775 Park Ave., Suite 255-4, Huntington 631-372-4142 rmgtherapy.com Racheal Gardega McInnes, speech-language pathologist, is founder of RMG Speech Pathology. Treatment areas include expressive/receptive language disorders, articulation disorders, fluency, voice disorders, auditory processing disorders, and feeding and swallowing disorders. EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANTS STRATEGIC STAFFING WORKS Brooklyn and Long Island locations 631-649-6573 strategicstaffingworks.com strategicstaffingworks@gmail.com Offers workshops designed to help parents, family, and friends aid people with diverse abilities in their search for volunteer opportunities related to their field of college interest.
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
FOOD & NUTRITION THE FOOD WIZARD FOR KIDS Serving all of Long Island 631-606-2680 thefoodwizardforkids.com info@thefoodwizardforkids.com Making food and nutrition fun for the whole family. Available for speaking engagements. Also provides workshops for kids, family night dinners, and healthy weight counseling. LEGAL SERVICES LAW OFFICES OF BRAD H. ROSKEN, P.L.L.C. 1772 E. Jericho Turnpike, Suite 2, Huntington 631-379-9569 specialedcounselor.com brad@specialedcounselor.com Brad H. Rosken is an experienced trial attorney. He’s also a parent of a child with special needs. He knows how far to push a school district to obtain the maximum that your child is entitled to under law. SPECIAL NEEDS ALTERNATIVES FOR CHILDREN 1116 Main Road, Aquebogue 631-722-2170 600 South Service Road, Dix Hills 631-271-0777 14 Research Way, East Setauket 631-331-6400 168 Hill St., Southampton 631-283-3272 alternatives4children.org Licensed day care, EI/Preschool Special Education evaluations provider for eligible children. Early childhood professionals create a natural learning environment, promoting a child’s cognitive, social, and emotional development. LAW OFFICES OF BRAD H. ROSKEN, P.L.L.C. 1772 E. Jericho Turnpike, Suite 2, Huntington 631-379-9569 specialedcounselor.com brad@specialedcounselor.com Brad H. Rosken is an experienced trial attorney. He’s also a parent of a child with special needs. He knows how far to push a school district to obtain the maximum that your child is entitled to under law.
LONG ISLAND CENTER FOR SPEECH AND MYOFUNCTIONAL THERAPY Locations across Suffolk and Nassau: East Yaphank, Farmingville, Stony Brook, Commack, Jericho, Wantagh, and Lake Success lispeechandmyo.com Suffolk: 631-689-6858 Nassau: 516-216-1791 Queens: 718-640-6767 Janine Stiene, speech-language pathologist, along with her group of therapists, supports families and children across Long Island, specializing in PROMPT, feeding, myofunctional therapy, voice disorders, fluency, augmentative communication, articulation, auditory processing disorders, and expressive and receptive language disorders. DR. ELLEN T RICHER, EDUCATION CLINICIAN & COUNSELOR Convenient Long Island locations 347-668-3676 etrdream@aol.com We co-develop strategies to improve executive functioning, sensory processing, and social cognition challenges, and provide enrichment opportunities to engage and motivate highly capable yet underachieving children. RMG SPEECH PATHOLOGY RACHEAL MCINNES, M.A., C.C.C.S.L.P., SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST 775 Park Ave., Suite 255-4, Huntington 631-372-4142 rmgtherapy.com Racheal Gardega McInnes, speech-language pathologist, is founder of RMG Speech Pathology. Treatment areas include expressive/receptive language disorders, articulation disorders, fluency, voice disorders, auditory processing disorders, and feeding and swallowing disorders. SPECIAL NEEDS EMPLOYMENT STRATEGIC STAFFING WORKS Brooklyn and Long Island locations 631-649-6573 strategicstaffingworks.com strategicstaffingworks@gmail.com Offers workshops designed to help parents, family, and friends aid people with diverse abilities in their search for employment and life-fulfilling volunteer opportunities. THERAPY & COUNSELORS DR. ELLEN T RICHER, EDUCATION CLINICIAN & COUNSELOR Convenient Long Island locations 347-668-3676
etrdream@aol.com We co-develop strategies to improve executive functioning, sensory processing, and social cognition challenges, and provide enrichment opportunities to engage and motivate highly capable yet underachieving children. TUTORS & TEST PREP
Planning an Activity or Event for Children or Families?
ST. PATRICK YOUTH COMMUNITY: ST. PATRICK TUTORING CENTER St. Patrick Church, Smithtown 631-724-1261 stpatsyouth.com spyouth@optonline.net St. Patrick Tutoring Center is here to assist your learner from kindergarten to 12th grades with Catholic Entrance Exam Prep, SAT, Regents, or daily schoolwork. ST. PATRICK YOUTH COMMUNITY: YOUTH ENRICHMENT LEARNING CENTER St. Patrick Church, Smithtown 631-724-1261 stpatsyouth.com spyouth@optonline.net St. Patrick Youth Enrichment and Learning Center provides programs for your child ages 1½ years to sixth grade. A faith-based program offers a loving, caring environment. SYLVAN LEARNING CENTER OF HUNTINGTON 1160 E. Jericho Turnpike, Huntington 631-424-5600 sylvanlearning.com sylvanlearning@optonline.net Sylvan of Huntington offers personalized tutoring programs in reading, writing, mathematics, and SAT and ACT prep. Sylvan will help identify the right program for your child and exactly where your child needs to start to get the best results. VILLAGE EAST GIFTED: ENRICHMENT CENTER FOR THE GIFTED LEARNER Village East Gifted of Huntington 33 Walt Whitman Road, Huntington Station 631-549-2313 Village East Gifted of Roslyn 216 Willis Ave., Roslyn Heights 631-549-2313 villageeastgifted.com info@villageeastgifted.com Village East Gifted provides after-school enrichment and private tutoring. Enriching every qualified, gifted child. We are also a John Hopkins CTY info and SAT testing center.
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PartyCentral PARTY ENTERTAINMENT A COUPLE OF PUPPETS THEATRE 631-276-1014 acoupleofpuppets.com acoupleofpuppets@gmail.com Entertain your party guests with a Little Red Riding Hood puppet show! The show is 30 minutes and most appropriate for ages 2-7. We travel to your home or venue. THE FOOD WIZARD FOR KIDS Serving all of Long Island 631-606-2680 thefoodwizardforkids.com info@thefoodwizardforkids.com Try a healthy twist on birthday parties! The Food Wizard for Kids provides birthday party workshops for younger children. Kids discover new foods through fun activities including taste tests and art projects. MAD SCIENCE OF LONG ISLAND Call for locations throughout Long Island: 855-264-1672 madscienceli.com info@madscienceli.com A Mad Scientist brings all the necessary equipment to you. Party packages include invitations and a take-home activity each child makes. Optional grand finales include Bubbling Potions, Rockets, and Cotton Candy. PARTY PLACES ART BUZZ KIDS 35 Jackson Ave., Syosset 516-802-4954 syosset@wineanddesign.com 21 N. Village Ave., Rockville Centre 516-442-0330 rvc.ny@wineanddesign.com wineanddesign.com Spark your child’s creativity and imagination! Art Buzz Kids offers family-friendly painting and craft classes for children of all ages. Our birthday party themes are designed to inspire and excite all children. @ PLAY AMUSEMENTS 229 NY-110, Farmingdale 631-815-5355 atplayamusement.com info@playamusement.com Have your next party at the newly renovated @ Play Amusements! 48
It offers 30,000 square feet of fun including 92 arcade games, inflatables, bumper cars, roller coaster, a carousel, disco room, and laser tag! BOUNCEU FARMINGDALE 101 Carolyn Blvd., Farmingdale 631-777-JUMP (5867) bounceu.com/cities/farmingdale.ny farmingdale.ny@bounceu.com BounceU Farmingdale was voted “Best of Long Island” for Children’s Party Place and Family Amusement Center. We provide the ideal combination of inflatable structures, a clean environment, incredible customer service, and non-stop excitement in a private party atmosphere. CELEBRATIONS IN THE KITCHEN 63 E. Old Country Road, Hicksville 516-396-2193 celebrationsinthekitchen.com celebrationsinthekitchen@gmail.com The most unique, fun-filled, joyous event! We have created a true baking experience for everyone to enjoy, including cookie baking and decorating, cupcakes “from scratch,” muffin and scone baking, and brownies. Come in, call, or visit celebrationsinthekitchen. com for more information on parties. COLD SPRING HARBOR FISH HATCHERY & AQUARIUM 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor 516-692-6768 cshfha.org; steved@cshfishhatchery.org Celebrate your child’s next birthday at the Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery & Aquarium! See the hatchery and aquarium’s exciting live exhibits. Feed the hungry trout and learn about fish, reptiles, and amphibians with an upclose animal encounter. HUNTINGTON CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS 310 New York Ave., Huntington 631-271-4626 huntingtoncenteronline.com huntingtoncenter@yahoo.com Make your child’s birthday a memorable and creative event with our dance-themed birthday parties. As a special treat, a guest artist will come in costume to perform for your guests! KEY TO MY ART INC. 10 W. Oak St., Amityville 631-608-9048 keytomyart.com
November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
Your local guide to entertainers, party places, activities, and other resources.
At Key to My Art, our children’s paint parties include all supplies from aprons to easels. The guest of honor picks the theme, we provide the instruction, and each guest leaves with a finished painting! KIDZHITZ 304 Main St., Huntington 631-470-9788 kidzhitz.biz kidzhitz@gmail.com RockStar Parties at KIDZHITZ are like no other party. Children record their own song in our state-of-the-art recording studio, design their own CD cover, and perform for each other on our Main Street location stage. LONG ISLAND AQUARIUM & EXHIBITION CENTER 431 E. Main St., Riverhead 631-208-9200 xH20 (426) 631-208-9200 x186 longislandaquarium.com Have an Aquatic Birthday Party at the Long Island Aquarium! Take a private tour of the Aquarium, receive preferential treatment at our Submarine Simulator and Discovery Tower rides, and special seating at our Sea Lion Show! MY GYM CHILDREN’S FITNESS CENTER 1320 Stony Brook Road, Stony Brook 631-751-KIDS (5437) mgym.com/stonybrook 128 W. JerichoTurnpike, Huntington Station 631-427-GYMS (4967) mygym.com/huntingtonstation My Gym parties include exclusive use of the gym, including a zip line, rock wall, trampoline, trapeze, climbing structures, and slides. Instructors lead your guests through action-packed activities of your choice from Gazillion Bubbles to sports, with multiple theme options. NOT JUST ART 183 South St., Oyster Bay 516-922-8300 notjustart.com create@notjustart.com Not Just Art has oodles of excellent music, art, and science parties for ages 1-12 and beyond. Choose from our treasury of super imaginative projects or use favorite themes and activities as a creative springboard. PICASSO KIDZ, CREATIVE ART STUDIO FOR CHILDREN 72 Broadway, Greenlawn
631-261-5500 picassokidz.com picassokidzart@gmail.com Picasso Kidz puts the “ART” in pARTy! Birthdays at Picasso Kidz are truly unique and memorable. We have many packages and options to choose from for ages 2-17. SAFARI ADVENTURE 1074 Pulaski St., Riverhead 631-727-4386 thesafariadventure.com dan@thesafariadventure.com Safari Adventure is Long Island’s premier family fun center and birthday party place. Fun for the whole family with inflatables, four-level soft playground, arcade, interactive floor games, and a full café! SMITHTOWN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS 2 E. Main St., Smithtown 631-724-3700 smithtownpac.org boxoffice@smithtownpac.org Treat your child to a different type of birthday party this year! Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts presents great shows for kids, and a private room for your gathering. Cast members will meet with your party to sign autographs and pose for pictures. THE VILLAGE ARTIST 630 New York Ave., Huntington 631-271-0715 thevillageartist.com lori@thevillageartist.com Create art for your next birthday party! The Village Artist Fine Arts Center is proud to host your next birthday party. Enjoy a fun and creative time with your family and friends including an art project of your choice. WHAT’S COOKING? 30 E. Main St., Oyster Bay 516-922-COOK (2665) whatscookingny.com info@whatscookingny.com Martha Stewart, Newsday, and News 12 boast What’s Cooking? is a No. 1 Choice Birthday Party Place where children can explore their creativity in culinary arts. Funtastic cookie, cupcake, Cupcake Wars, chocolate, or pizza party can be customized in our spacious party room making your party memorable!
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Thank You to our Sponsors! Our annual day of fun and information was a huge success, thanks to these local businesses and professionals. Absolute Best Care 40 Underhill Road, Syosset 516-802-3780 absolutebestcare.com Act As If Etiquette & Protocol Serving all of Long Island 718 Walt Whitman Road, #1138, Melville 561-889-4464 actasifetiquette.com Allied Physicians Group 3 Huntington Quad, Suite 105-S, Melville 866-621-2769 alliedphysiciansgroup.com ASL Discoveries 516-697-2933; 516-637-5507 asldiscoveries.com Babyganics foundingfathers@babyganics.com 800-378-7803 Beneduce Method 1447 Northern Blvd., Manhasset 347-739-1768 johnbeneduce.com Big Bang Beverages 479 Sterling Lane, Upper Brookville 631-617-4375 wubbawater.com
Center for Science, Teaching & Learning 1450 Tanglewood Road, Rockville Center 516-764-0045 cstl.org The CIIT Center 131 Sunnyside Blvd., Suite 100, Plainview 516-243-8600 Clowns.com 200 Meacham Ave., Elmont 516-577-0000 clowns.com
East Woods School 31 Yellow Cote Road, Oyster Bay 516-922-4400 eastwoods.org Eden II 600 Newbridge Road, East Meadow 516-937-1397 eden2.org Eglevsky Ballet 700 Hicksville Road, Suite 102, Bethpage 516-746-1115 eglevskyballet.org
Grace Music School 10-10 Fort Salonga Road, Fort Salonga 631-239-6169 Steinway and Sons 505 Walt Whitman Road, Melville 631-470-9705 gracemusicschool.com Great Play of Syosset 180 Michael Drive, Syosset 516-364-1500 greatplay.com/syosset
Elina Physical Therapy 347-834-3575 elinaphysicaltherapy.com
The Green Vale School 250 Valentine’s Lane, Old Brookville 516-621-2420 greenvaleschool.org
Coffee Angel 28 Chestnut Ave., Greenvale 888-526-3264 coffeeangeldelivery.com
EyeLevel Learning Center Multiple locations; visit our website to find a center near you myeyelevel.com
GT Party Entertainment 48 W. Pond Court, Smithtown 631-623-7084 gtpartydj.com
Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery & Aquarium 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor 516-692-6768 cshfishhatchery.org
Family Center for Autism 1517 Franklin Ave., Garden City 516-355-9400 familycenterforautism.org
Haven Enterprises LLC P.O. Box 613, Kings Park 631-406-7832 yourlocalkids.com
GameTruck 917-327-8700 gametruck.com
Huntington Learning Center of Manhasset 1506 Northern Blvd., Manhasset 516-365-4455 huntingtonhelps.com
The Coder School 45 Ira Road, Syosset 917-861-6841 thecoderschool.com/syosset
CryoCell 700 Brooker Creek Blvd., Suite 1800, Oldsmar, FL 516-987-9216 Billy Bloom – Author eifrigpublishing.com/childrensbooks/ cryo-cell.com walter-and-the-wallet.html Cutco / Mike Leone Serving all of Long Island Birthday Parties mycutcorep.com/mleone @ Spin DJ Academy 516-532-2656 202 Merrick Road, 2nd Floor, Rockville Centre Diocese of RVC 16 Broadway, Amityville 128 Cherry Lane, Hicksville 516-678-5800 631-608-8858 licatholicelementaryschools.org spindjcademy.com
Gersh Academy - for Students on the Autism Spectrum 21 Sweet Hollow Road, Huntington 631-385-3342 gershacademy.org Good Shepherd Lutheran School 99 Central Park Road, Plainview 516-349-1966 gsplainview.org
Iceland Long Island 3345 Hillside Ave., New Hyde Park 516-746-1100 icelandlongisland.com InterExchange Au Pair USA 100 Wall St., Suite 301, Manhattan 800-287-2477 interexchange.org/become-a-host/ au-pair-usa
The Jewish Education Project 520 Eighth Ave., 15th Floor, Manhattan 646-472-5346 jewishedproject.org Juice Plus+ 516-815-7375 staceywhitmer.juiceplus.com Kadampa Meditation Center Long Island 282 New York Ave., Huntington 631-541-1000 meditationonlongisland.org Kidz Therapy Services 300 Garden City Plaza, Garden City 516-747-9030 kidztherapy.com KidzHitz 304 Main St., Huntington 631-470-9788 kidhitz.biz Kudo Banz 35 Nutmeg Drive, Suite 200, Trumbull, CT 203-590-1726 kudobanz.com Law Offices of Brad H. Rosken 1772 E. Jericho Turnpike, Huntington 631-379-9569 specialedcounselor.com The Little Ladies Club 246 W. Old Country Road, Hicksville 516-939-2582 thelittleladiesclub.com
Long Island Whole Child Academy for the Twice Exceptional Child 175 Wolf Hill Road (at St. Elizabeth’s Church), Melville 347-688-3676 liwholechild.org Mad Science 216 E. Meadow Ave., East Meadow 516-620-6768 madscience.org Mommybites 917-572-9192 mommybites.com Need-A-Chef Serving All Long Island Areas 631-461-5125 needachef.com NEFCU 1000 Corporate Drive, Westbury 516-561-0030 mynefcu.org Newsday Community Affairs 235 Pinelawn Road, Melville 631-843-2214 New York Life: Eileen Spade 520 Broadhollow Road, Melville 516-903-9806 eileenspade.com Not Just Art 183 South St., Oyster Bay 516-922-8300 notjustart.com Oasis Oasis Camp at LIU Post 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville 646-205-7785 oasischildren.com
The Safe Center LI 15 Grumman Road W., Suite 1000, Bethpage 516-465-4600 tscli.org
Super Soccer Stars 183 S. Broadway, Hicksville 516-740-7171 longisland@supersoccerstars.com supersoccerstars.com
Saundra M. Gumerove & Associates 42 Marian Lane, Jericho 516-822-3397 smgesq.com
Tilles Center For The Performing Arts 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville 516-299-2752 tillescenter.org
Sensory Bounce Multiple locations; visit our website to find a center near you sensorybounce.com
Tiny Sparkles Pediatric Dentistry 164 Main St., Port Washington 516-888-9789 tinysparkles.com
Soccer Shots 171 Eileen Way, Syosset 516-558-2266 soccershots.org
Tower Talent 535 Broad Hollow Road, Suite#A2A, Melville 516-765-2400 towertalent.com
Social Competence & Treatment Lab Stony Brook University, Stony Brook Psychology Department A-140 631-632-7857 lernerlab.com South Shore Recreation 1132 Penatiquit Ave., Seaford 631-860-3126 southshorerecreation.com Sparkle Grill Cleaning 631-209-5688 sparklegrill.com Spin DJ Academy / After School 202 Merrick Road, 2nd Floor, Rockville Centre 16 Broadway, Amityville 631-608-8858 spindjcademy.com
LIU Center for Gifted Youth LIU Post, Brookville 516-299-2160 liu.edu
PM Pediatrics 1 Hollow Lane, Suite 301, New Hyde Park 516-869-0650 pmpediatrics.com
State Farm: Victoria Van De Van 4020 Merrick Road, Seaford 516-221-3200 statefarm.com
Long Island Center for Speech and Myofunctional Therapy 213 Hallock Road, Stony Brook 631-689-6858 lispeechandmyo.com
PSEGLI Serving all Long Island areas 516-289-4724 psegliny.com
Stay n Eat Plate 35 Monterrey Drive, St. James 631-291-9605 stayneatplate.com
Long Island Children’s Museum 11 Davis Ave., Garden City 516-224-5800 licm.org
Psychoeducational Consultants: Dr. Steve Imber 61-43 186th St., Fresh Meadows 516-273-1961 dr-imber.com
Steps to Socialization 13 S. Bayles Ave., Port Washington 516-767-0266 s2sny.com
Long Island Nets 15 Metro Tech Center, 11th Floor, Brooklyn 718-942-9079 longislandnets.com
Royal Princess Prep Party Company 1 Larsen Ave., Glenwood Landing 516-639-3939 royalprincessprep.com
Super Smiles Pediatric & Family Dentistry 562 E. Jericho Turnpike, Huntington Station 888-915-7645 kidsupersmiles.com
Trendi Accessories Corp. 176-9 Central Ave., Farmingdale 516-531-3565 trendiaccessories.com The United Way of Long Island Serving all Long Island areas 631-940-3733 unitedwayli.org Variety Child Learning Center 47 Humphrey Drive, Syosset 516-921-7171 vclc.org Village East Gifted - Academic Enrichment for the Gifted and Talented 33 Walt Whitman Road, Huntington Station 631-549-2313 villageeastgifted.com Vincent Smith School 322 Port Washington Blvd., Port Washington 516-365-4900 vincentsmithschool.org Wealth Advisory Group LLC 250 Crossways Park Drive, Woodbury 516-677-6200 wagroupllc.com West Hills Academy - Nurturing the Unique Learner 21 Sweet Hollow Road, Huntington 631-427-6700 westhillsacademy.com YMCA of Long Island Multiple locations across Long Island ymcali.org
Meet the Health Care
PROFESSIONAL
To be in this section, call 631-472-5437 or email nympads@davlermedia.com
Pediatric Dentistry of Suffolk County Dr. Mike Ioannou 2171 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 145, Commack 631-486-6364 3237 Route 112, Building 6, Suite 7B, Medford 631-320-0880 supermolar.com
Dr. Michael Gruttadauria, The Center for Integrative and Innovative Therapies (The CIIT Center) 131 Sunnyside Blvd., Suite 100, Plainview 516-243-8660 theciitcenter.com
Long Island Center for Speech and Myofunctional Therapy Locations across Suffolk and Nassau: East Yaphank, Farmingville, Stony Brook, Commack, Jericho, Wantagh, and Lake Success lispeechandmyo.com Suffolk: 631-689-6858 • Nassau: 516-216-1791 • Queens: 718-640-6767
Pediatric Immediate Care 150 E. Sunrise Highway, Suite 105, North Lindenhurst 631-956-PEDS (7337) 1077 W. Jericho Turnpike, Smithtown 631-864-PEDS (7337) 698 Manhattan Ave., Brooklyn 718-389-PEDS (7337) pediatricimmediatecare.com
Dr. Michael Ioannou, a native of Suffolk County, received his dental degree at the University of Connecticut - School of Dental Medicine, with a residency in pediatric dentistry from Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center. A friendly, patient dentist, Dr. Ioannou strives to make visiting the dentist a fun experience, all while providing exceptional dental care. He uses excellent behavioral management approaches, a child-friendly environment (TV and cartoons in all treatment rooms), and he sings to the patients! Dr. Ioannou currently participates with most insurance companies and has convenient evening and Saturday office hours.
Janine Stiene, speech-language pathologist, is owner and operator of Long Island Center for Speech and Myofunctional Therapy. Along with her group of therapists, she supports families and children across Long Island, specializing in PROMPT, feeding, myofunctional therapy, voice disorders, fluency, augmentative communication, articulation, auditory processing disorders, and expressive and receptive language disorders (adults and children). Intensive feeding therapy for individuals who suffer from texture and consistency aversions, and FEES—Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing—are also offered. There is a total of seven affiliated offices across Long Island, all participating with most major health insurance companies and offering evening and Saturday hours.
Allied Physicians Group, Peconic Pediatrics, Dr. Megan Kasnicki, M.D., F.A.A.P. 34 Commerce Drive, Suite 2, Riverhead 631-722-8880 peconicpediatrics.com
Dr. Kasnicki is a graduate of SUNY Downstate College of Medicine. She completed her pediatrics residency at New York University and is a board-certified pediatrician. She has a special interest in caring for underserved populations, especially in managing the psychosocial and cultural concerns of immigrant families. She is fluent in Polish and is active in the local community.
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November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
Dr. Michael Gruttadauria leads the operations at an advanced treatment center for autism spectrum disorder called The CIIT Center. The CIIT Center’s mission is to approach each child with autism as a total entity by enhancing the biomedical, neurological, nutritional, electrical, and immune system of each of our patients and combining this with occupational, physical, and speech therapies, along with applied behavioral analysis. Our comprehensive approach starts with identifying the underlying factors that may be holding the child back, not just treating their symptoms. This gives each child every opportunity to reach their potential.
Pediatric Immediate Care is a team of hearts where kids come first. State-of-the-art medical office equipment allows us to deliver your test results during your visit. Kid-friendly; walk-ins welcome; most insurance plans accepted. Complete pediatric and adolescent care, as well as baby, camp, school, and sports physicals. Certified urgent care recommended by Urgent Care Association of America. Thirty years of dedication to our patients. The offices are open seven days a week including holidays, 8am-11pm.
Building Blocks Developmental Preschool 29 Pinewood Drive, Commack 631-499-1237; bbdps.com
Donna M. Charbonneau is the executive director of Building Blocks Developmental Preschool. BBDPS offers a range of programs and services to children from infancy through age 5. Currently staffed with more than 100 teachers, therapists, and paraprofessionals, including registered nurses as well as psychologists, speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists, a physical therapist, and a developmental pediatrician. Early Intervention services are provided for children younger than 3, who have developmental delays. Building Blocks Developmental Preschool continues to ensure delivery of the highest quality educational services to all students.
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BIRTHDAY / PARTY SERVICES
EDUCATION
PERFORMING ARTS / ACTING
@ Play Amusement...............................................................39
Alternatives for Children........................................................45
Long Island High School for the Arts.....................................21
Food Wizard for Kids (The).....................................................9
Building Blocks Developmental Preschool......................45, 52
Gulliver’s Gate.......................................................................29
Law Offices of Brad H Rosken..............................................40
CAMPS Camp Huntington...................................................................43
LIU Center for Gifted Youth...................................................15
PLAY SPACES
Sappo School........................................................................21
@ Play Amusement...............................................................39
Sylvan Learning Center - Huntington....................................13
LIU Center for Gifted Youth...................................................15 Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts...........................................2
SPECIAL NEEDS FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT / EVENTS / OUTINGS @ Play Amusement...............................................................39
CHILD CARE / DAY CARE Alternatives for Children........................................................45 YMCA of Long Island.............................................................13
CLASSES Food Wizard for Kids (The).....................................................9 LIU Center for Gifted Youth...................................................15 Long Island High School for the Arts.....................................21
Gulliver’s Gate.......................................................................29 Live Nation - NYCB Theatre at Westbury................................9
C.I.I.T. Center..................................................................43, 52
Posey School of Dance.........................................................13
Janine Stiene Suffolk Center for Speech.........................40, 52
FITNESS YMCA of Long Island.............................................................13
Pediatric Dentistry of Suffolk County.................................3, 52 Pediatric Immediate Care................................................40, 52
Allied Physicians Group................................................... 11, 52
Posey School of Dance.........................................................13
Fairy LiceMothers..................................................................39 Food Wizard for Kids (The).....................................................9
Alternatives for Children........................................................45
Law Offices of Brad H Rosken..............................................40
HEALTH
C.I.I.T. Center..................................................................43, 52
Allied Physicians Group................................................... 11, 52
Building Blocks Developmental Preschool......................45, 52
Ohman School of Ballet.........................................................19
Ohman School of Ballet.........................................................19
DEVELOPMENTAL
Alternatives for Children........................................................45
Camp Huntington...................................................................43
Affinity Health Plan................................................................55 DANCE
Allied Physicians Group................................................... 11, 52
Long Island Nets....................................................................56
Sylvan Learning Center - Huntington....................................13 YMCA of Long Island.............................................................13
Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts...........................................2
Pediatric Dentistry of Suffolk County.................................3, 52
Sappo School........................................................................21
SPORTS Long Island Nets....................................................................56
THEATER Live Nation - NYCB Theatre at Westbury................................9
Pediatric Immediate Care................................................40, 52 Northwell-Cohen Children Clinical Mag...................................5
Building Blocks Developmental Preschool......................45, 52
Ohman School of Ballet.........................................................19 Posey School of Dance.........................................................13
C.I.I.T. Center..................................................................43, 52
MUSIC
Janine Stiene Suffolk Center for Speech.........................40, 52
Long Island High School for the Arts.....................................21
TUTORS
Sappo School........................................................................21
Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts...........................................2
Sylvan Learning Center - Huntington....................................13
LongIslandParent 53
Courtesy Amanda Marrone
VOICES Growing Up with a Brother with Special Needs ›› The important life lessons I learned from my brother—and why I wouldn’t change a thing By Amanda Marrone
W
hen I was young, I don’t think I fully grasped the concept that there was something “wrong” or “different” with my brother. Joe and I are exactly 1 year and 4 months apart, so I have no real recollection of the many surgeries he had to endure or the fact that he had to be fed through a feeding tube as a baby. As the older sister of a brother with special needs, I just took Joe for how he was instead of acknowledging his differences compared to other kids. Joe was born with a birth defect that affected the blood flow from the left ventricle of his heart, which lead to him having multiple open-heart surgeries in his infant and early childhood years. As a result, he did not have enough oxygen going to his brain, and he was put on a heart and lung machine three times before he was even 6 months old. Due to this, Joe has developmental delays. Growing up with a sibling with special needs comes with a unique set of challenges and blessings. When we were little, we did a lot of the same things together, including playing on the playground, watching the same television shows, and playing with our toys. As time when on, I started to move on to more complex games and TV shows while Joe didn’t. I began to realize the limitations Joe had made him different from other kids his age. Joe required a lot of special attention from my parents to deal with his many issues, whether it was bringing him to frequent doctors’ visits for his heart or seeing a speech or physical therapist. I was often dragged along to these appointments and spent a lot of my time in doctors’ waiting rooms with the most boring games imagined. But that is how things were, so although I am sure I often complained, I began to accept it as a part of my life. At a very early age I needed to learn about the virtue of patience that comes with having a brother with special needs. Joe would often have outbursts when learning new things he felt were too difficult to learn. My parents and I would have to reiterate multiple times the simple instructions of buttoning up a shirt or removing the cap off a water bottle. It took Joe a lot longer to learn these simple tasks that come naturally to most. As we both got older, the way the world perceived Joe started to become more important to me. I think it is natural for older
Amanda Marrone with her brother Joe as young children
siblings to protect their younger siblings; however with Joe’s issues, I always seemed to take it more personally. I hated the way people would talk or ask about my brother when it was done with a sense of pity or discomfort. I don’t see Joe’s disability as a burden or a tragic event that happened to my family. Joe’s disability is part of him, and I don’t define him based on it. Joe is the life of every party or event my family attends. Everyone always seems to know (or at least know of) my brother. He is friendly and welcomes everyone with open arms. He makes the effort to get to know everyone he comes in contact with, even the waiter at a restaurant. Joe loves music and hanging out with his friends. He thrives in any situation that involves him interacting with people. He enjoys watching football on ESPN and knows more about the sport than one would expect. Although there are challenges that made growing up with a brother with special needs difficult, these experiences shaped me into the person I am today. Joe not only taught me patience in any situation, but also to have empathy toward others; that what might come naturally to one person might be a challenge for another. Joe’s issues also taught me a great deal about sensitivity to other people’s situations since everyone is fighting a battle that most people do not know about. The most important lesson Joe taught me is, even though someone has a disability, this does not diminish their capability to make a difference in the world or teach others. Joe has taught me that no situation can ever be that bad, and happiness is a choice regardless of circumstance. Without being Joe’s older sister, it is hard to say that I would have gained these characteristics or learned these life lessons that are essential to the person I am today. And because of that, I wouldn’t change a thing.
Amanda Marrone, a former NYMetroParents editorial intern, is in her senior year at Fairfield University.
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November 2017 | nymetroparents.com
When your little angel thinks he’s a daredevil...
Better have a good pediatrician. Make sure your kids are covered. Call 866.247.5678 (TTY 711) To learn more about applying for health insurance, including Child Health Plus and Medicaid through NY State of Health, The Official Health Plan Marketplace, visit nystateofhealth.ny.gov or call 855.355.5777.
AffinityPlan.org/CHP LongIslandParent 55
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