WestchesterParent NOVEMBER 2016
NYMETROPARENTS.COM
An Ounce of Prevention Tips for keeping your kids healthy
Toddlers & 911
Teaching kids to handle emergencies
t n e
r R a lP G FO Y
Decision 2016
The election comes to local classrooms
ia IN THE P c pe NN EN U
S PLA H OW W R G
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NYMetroParents NYMetroParents
Helping Parents Make Better Decisions
Contents
November 2016 ›› Features
16 The Voters of Tomorrow How local teachers are using the election to engage students and raise civic awareness
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18 Better Than an Apple a Day Tips to help kids aviod common health problems, and how to treat them when it fails 22 Why Messy Can Be Better Not all bacteria are bad 44 A New Spin on Thanksgiving Favorites Three variations on traditional side dishes to amp up our favorite fall feast 48 All Grown Up What to consider when your child with special needs turns 21—and is no longer a child
16
52 Planning for the Worst Teaching toddlers and preschoolers how to handle emergencies
48
Connections
6 Editor’s Note 8 New Places, New Programs 10 Quotables 14 Voices: When Awkward Becomes Unsafe 15 NYMP Q&A: Marie Kondo talks about the art of organizing
44
Family Activities CALENDAR ››
Fun & Activities
12 Media Matters: Apps for Learning & Fun 13 DIY Corner: Hot Glue Magic Wand 28 Outing: Morris-Jumel Mansion 31 Family Activities Calendar 42 Where-To Guide: Ice-Skating
Directories
31
24 50 56 57 57 58
Health & Wellness Directory Special Needs Directory Meet the Health Care Professional Open Houses Party Planner Advertisers’ Index
ON THE COVER ›› 16 Decision 2016 18 An Ounce of Prevention 42 Where to Go Ice-Skating facebook.com/nymetroparents
@NYMetroParents
44 Thanksgiving Side Dishes 48 Planning for When They Grow Up
52 Toddlers & 911
Visit NYMETROPARENTS.COM for family activities updated daily and more than 2,000 parenting articles!
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NOVEMBER 2016 • Vol.16 • No.23
NYMetroParents Publications
EDITOR’S NOTE
Planning for Whatever Comes
W
e had a fire in our home last year, small but terrifying. A crackling noise woke my wife and me early one morning, and it took only a groggy second to notice flames leaping up just beyond the foot of our bed, sparked by an old extension cord. While my wife hustled the kids outside, I doused the fire before the firefighters even arrived. Afterward, we talked to our children about what to do in case of another fire, especially if a grown-up can’t get to them. I was reminded of this scary episode while editing this month’s feature about teaching toddlers to handle emergencies (p. 52)—and learned that we didn’t go far enough in training our children to handle such situations. There is more we can do to prepare them for a moment we hope will never come, and I hope all of you will do the same. When it comes to avoiding dangerous situations, we parents are always on guard. But illness—short-term and long-term, serious and less so—seems to lurk everywhere. To help, we’ve put together a helpful guide to preventing common childhood health problems, from cold and flu to diabetes and depression (p. 18). And since illness will sometimes come despite our best efforts, we offer our seasonal directory of health care professionals (p. 24). One thing we cannot avoid this season is politics. Melissa Kagan looks at how local educators are using the campaign in creative ways to engage students and teach them about the candidates, the issues, and the importance of participating in the process (p. 16). Voting is one of those exciting rites of passage that comes with growing up, along with learning to drive, going to college, and eventually moving out and starting a life of one’s own. For parents of children with severe special needs, however, these milestones are not always possible, and the vision of their children’s future may be very different. As their children approach adulthood, there are many unique issues parents of kids with special needs face. To help them, Samantha Neudorf speaks with experts about how parents should prepare for the future (p. 48). As Thanksgiving approaches, we can all take a moment to reflect on the blessings we have in life, no matter what challenges we face. It’s also a time when many of us focus on helping others through community service. If your kids—or your whole family—volunteer to help others at any time during the year, we want to hear about it! We’re launching the NYMetroParents Caring Kids Awards to recognize those who are giving their time and energy to make the world a better place. See below for details. Wishing everyone a happy Thanksgiving, filled with blessings and peace.
EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Michael Kress DEPUTY EDITOR: Bethany Braun-Silva MANAGING EDITOR: Katelin Walling ASSISTANT EDITOR: Samantha Neudorf REGIONAL EDITORS: Karen Demeter (Fairfield, Suffolk); Rosalind Muggeridge (Brooklyn); Jamie McGillian (Westchester); Samantha Beranbom (Rockland); Dorette Saunders (Nassau); Emma Steven (Manhattan); Gail Warren (Queens) DIRECTORIES EDITOR: Alice Van Dyke EDITORIAL INTERNS: Jonathan Perry, Kathryn Sheridan
ADVERTISING SALES Big Apple Parent 212-315-0800; Fax: 212-271-2239 Jeunesse Jackson, Linda Pierce Queens Parent 718-878-4860 Annene Guertin, Ellen Klein Westchester Parent 914-397-0200 Nini DeLuca, Manager Randi Shulman, Merrill Sugarman, Mary Wender Brooklyn Parent 718-878-4860 Phyllis Crupi, Ellen Klein, Selene Rodriguez Rockland Parent 845-848-8021 Cara Roteman, Jim Russo Fairfield Parent 914-397-0200 Judy Samuels, Randi Shulman Long Island Parent, Nassau 516-883-4543 Joan Bergman, Manager, Dani Pollack Long Island Parent, Suffolk 631-472-5437 Lisa Herlihy, Karen Shapiro To Advertise: nympads@davlermedia.com DIR. OF OPERATIONS -- EVENTS: Rebecca Stolcz DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS: Ray Winn OPERATIONS COORDINATORS: Ray C. Guédez, Leonard Porter DIRECTOR OF TRAFFIC: Heather Gambaro TRAFFIC MANAGER: Alexis Brower ADMINISTRATION MANAGER: Erin Jordan
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ACCOUNTING
CONTROLLER: David Friedman
MARKETING
Michael Kress Editorial Director
The NYMetroParents Caring Kids Awards So many children and teenagers dedicate time to helping in our communities, and plenty of families do volunteer work together. If this describes your kids or your family, enter The NYMetroParents Caring Kids Awards, and be eligible to win a $500 gift card!
Here’s how it works: • Go to nymetroparents.com/caring-kids between Nov. 1 and Nov. 30. • F ollow the directions there to tell us—in 75 words or less—about your child’s or your family’s community service efforts and the impact this volunteer work has on others. If you’d like, you can upload a photo or link to a video of them volunteering. • E ight Caring Kids will each receive a $500 gift card and a letter of commendation, and many more will be featured in our magazine and/or website. 6
November 2016 | nymetroparents.com
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OPEN HOUSE Sunday, December 11th, 2016 from 2-4 PM
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NEW PLACES, NEW PROGRAMS
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Who: Westchester Family Orthodontics What’s New: An office in Harrison that is completely digital and paperless. The new location features digital radiography, digital photography, digital intraoral scanning and models, and computerized patient charting and imaging. “Because we’re a new practice, I can spend time getting to know the patients. A lot of orthodontic offices are very high-volume and fast-paced, so at this stage of the game I can really sit down with the patient and develop a customized treatment plan and offer minimal wait time,” says Bradley Schnebel, D.M.D., founder of the practice. Want More Info: 450 Mamaroneck Ave., Suite 406, Harrison; 914-732-3777; westchesterfamilyortho.com
Courtesy Westchester Family Orthodontics
Orthodontics Practice Opens in Harrison
Westchester Family Orthodontics’ digital office
Sunday, December 18 at 3 PM
Family Holiday Concert Steven Reineke, Music Director and Conductor John Bolton, Narrator | Allison Blackwell, Special Guest New York Theatre Ballet | Diana Byer, Founder and Artistic Director | Liza Gennaro, Director and Choreographer | Tristan Raines, Costume Designer Essential Voices USA | Judith Clurman, Music Director and Conductor
’TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
The New York Pops holiday concert led by Steven Reineke is always a joyous occasion for the entire family. Song, dance, and lots of fun surprises bring Clement Clarke Moore’s classic poem ’Twas the Night Before Christmas to life with a festive helping of Yuletide cheer.
Tickets start at $10. Sponsored by Mastercard, the Preferred Card of Carnegie Hall
Ages 5–10
Carnegie Hall Family Concerts are made possible, in part, by endowment gifts from The Irene Diamond Fund, Mr. and Mrs. Lester S. Morse Jr., and the Henry and Lucy Moses Fund.
Artists, programs, and dates subject to change. © 2016 CHC. Photo by Richard Termine.
THE NEW YORK POPS
carnegiehall.org/FamilyConcerts | 212-247-7800 | Box Office at 57th and Seventh 8
November 2016 | nymetroparents.com 1611101_Big Apple Parent_Pops_AW.indd 1
10/14/16 12:03 PM
A customized day full of imaginative adventures for them. A stress-free party for you, or in other words an
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UOTABLES My daughter, a quintessential all-American girl, loves to sing, dance, and perform. She has indulged in ballet, gymnastics, drama, musical theater, piano lessons—and she’s only 6 years old. I tell her she can do anything she can imagine and I want to make sure she knows it and gets to try. —NYC mom Galina Nemirovsky in a post entitled “’Living Vicariously Through My Children’ Club” on her blog heartseverywhere.com
in an instagram Raise your kids to reach new heights...Literally and figuratively. #ApplePicking #Fall #Autumn #HoodieSeason #DamianJai #Dadlife #dedicateddads #idad #toddlerproblems #Citydads #LifeofDad (Posted by @itzmvp, aka Mario Coronado, a dad in Valley Stream)
THE BLESSING OF SIBLINGS
in an instagram Another day, another Instagram wall. Love spotting these colorful murals all over town. #nyc #streetart #instanyc #citystreets #instagramwall #underthesea #instaart #exploreyourcity #chelsea #mural
“Having a sibling is a gift, which should be savored forever.” —Roslyn Haber, Ed.D., and Marlyn Press, Ed.D., in an article on nymetroparents.com entitled “How to Promote Positive Sibling Relationships.” Read more at nymetroparents.com/siblings
(Posted by @globetrottingmommy, aka Lyla Gleason, a Manhattan mom who blogs at globetrottingmommy.com)
“Listen to your body, and especially to that little voice deep inside. I promise there are no guidebooks that will lead you into this journey of parenting feeling fully equipped, but if you listen to that voice you will always be led in the right direction for you.” —Holly Schumacher in a post entitled “My Best Parenting Advice: Go Easy On Yourself “on the website scarymommy.com
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November 2016 | nymetroparents.com
MORE NYMetroParents.com HIGHLIGHTS: MAKE IT A MEANINGFUL THANKSGIVING: Find new traditions to try at nymetroparents.com/thanks NURTURE GRATITUDE: How to teach your kids to be thankful (nymetroparents.com/thankful) MAKE A DIFFERENCE: Find places to volunteer this Thanksgiving (nymetroparents.com/volunteer) NAVIGATING THE SYSTEM: Find tips for applying to NYC high schools at nymetroparents.com/high-school
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Media Matters: APPS
Apps for Fun & Learning
Puffin Rock Music (iPhone, iPod Touch,
Recommended Age: 3+ H H HH This
iPad, Chromebook)
gentle music-maker won’t overwh
elm the senses.
Homer—#1 Learn to Read Progra m: Educational Games, Stories and Songs (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad) Recommended Age: 4+ H H H H H This beautifu l app promotes skills and a love
Isoland (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad) Recommended Age: 9+ HHHH An artis
of reading.
tic, atmospheric, tough puzzle adv
enture
Mimo: Learn How To Code Throug h Interactive Tutorials and Quizzes! (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad) Recommended Age: 12+ H H H H Mini-lesson s build big coding know-how for
tweens to adults.
In Theaters Nov. 18: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Our Partner: Common Sense Media An independent nonprof it that helps families make smart media choices. Check out thousands of ratings and reviews at commonsensemedia.org
Parents need to know that Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is based on J.K. Rowling’s original story about Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), the author of a Hogwarts textbook that describes various beasts and dragons. The movie follows Newt’s adventures in New York’s secret community of witches and wizards 70 years before Harry Potter first arrived at Hogwarts. As in the Harry Potter movie saga, there may be some action and violence to watch out for as Newt searches for his misplaced magical creatures in the No-Maj (American for “Muggle”) world.
See more at NYMetroParents.com/media
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November 2016 | nymetroparents.com
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DIY CORNER IMAGINARY PLAY
Hot Glue Magic Wand
Constructed from everyday materials, this magic wand is both customizable and quick to assemble, making this a project perfect for mass production and outfitting a classroom full of wizards. Supplies 1 sheet of copy paper Clear tape or masking tape 1 unsharpened wooden pencil 1 marble or similar small trinket Craft paint (brown suggested)
Tools Hot glue gun Pliers (optional) Paintbrush
Directions 1. On a flat surface, slowly roll a sheet of copy paper (or an old wizard wanted poster) into a tight paper cone. When finished, one end should come to a point, while the other end should have a ¼to ½-inch opening in it. Once it’s tightly rolled, use clear tape or masking tape along the side of the cone to fasten it in place. The finished cone will be roughly 10-13 inches long. 2. Slide an unsharpened wooden pencil into the open end of the paper cone, with the eraser end facing out. Wedge the pencil into the tip of the cone until the combined assembly is 11-15 inches long. Secure the pencil by adding some hot glue to the open end of the paper cone, around the wedged pencil. Additional hot glue can be used to strengthen the wand tip as well.
3. With your fingers, dislodge the pencil’s eraser from the metal band that holds it in place. Avoid bending the metal band. Add hot glue to the inside of the empty metal band, and then attach a small marble or a similar small trinket. Add more hot glue around the bottom of the attached item for increased strength. When dry, the attached item will serve as the wellspring of your wand’s mystical powers—and the ideal base for your wand’s finger grip! 4. With the glue gun, add front and back grip details 3-4 inches apart. As the glue dries, increase the thickness of the new grip details by adding additional layers of glue. With more glue, create custom textures around the grip area of the wand shaft. When the hot glue has dried, use craft paint to add some color. Excerpted from John Austin’s Labcraft Wizards, currently in stores. © 2016 by John Austin. Used with permission from Chicago Review Press. All rights reserved.
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VOICES When Awkward Becomes Unsafe ›› Our kids interact regularly with people who are different and might make them uncomfortable. Sometimes, though, ‘uncomfortable’ becomes dangerous. By Ann Lapin
I
don’t know if it was a parenting fail or not but it certainly didn’t feel good—not for me, and not for her. Our middle child had an after-school function with three other schools. Gavri, our eldest, had attended the same function two years before and joined us, curious to see if she’d recognize any alumni from her year. Sure enough, close to the end of the evening, I spotted Gavri sitting on a windowsill with a teenager from one of the other schools. I snapped a picture of the two girls in long skirts, one with fair skin and a sweater modestly covering her shoulders, one with dark skin and a hijab. I planned to caption it, “Stolen Moments,” along with some witty hashtag, no doubt. I recognized the young woman from earlier in the evening: She had approached me when the schools—two Jewish and two Muslim—took time to recite their respective afternoon prayers. I suspected from her overly affectionate behavior that she might have some social delays. But Gavri was smiling and nodding her head as the girl talked to her. My children spend a lot of time with people who are “different.” Our family hosts a free meal at our synagogue every week. Every week, my children interact with folks who want a free meal and folks who need a free meal. My husband serves as rabbi for a local retirement residence, and we visit their Shabbat (Sabbath) table at least monthly. My kids help set the table and serve the residents. My children are used to feeling uncomfortable. They are sometimes annoyed that this is how we have chosen to live our lives—surrounded by people who are “different”—as well as the fact that we expect them to actively engage with all of these people. “Arrrrgh! But I’m BORED! I don’t WANT to!” they might argue. “I don’t care,” I have responded. I have definitely told my children that I don’t care about their feelings in situations like these. Big mistake. At one point during the after-school function, I looked up and the girl had her arm around Gavri. But what had at first looked like two teenage girls sharing personal space and innocent secrets soon looked more like the other girl dragging my daughter from one person to the other. I finally realized Gavri had a combined look of “I’m so flattered she likes me!” and “OK, this dragging is a little awkward and uncomfortable—OMG, when will she STOP?!” I had ignored any inclination I had that my daughter was unsafe
because they were such a vision of harmony—a picture of peace and unity and the innocence of youth. But there was something about the way Gavri was pressing her lips into a smile as she was dragged from person to person. There was something about the way she seemed to plead with me with her eyes. I knew something was wrong even if I didn’t know what it was. So I approached them. “Do you need a break?” I asked Gavri. She didn’t quite answer. So I asked in Hebrew, a language we both speak but I knew the other child would not understand, “Do you need help?” She replied. “Maybe...kinda...yeah...” I ended up having to remove the girl’s arm from around Gavri’s shoulders. When she walked away, Gavri started crying. She hadn’t really believed that anything bad would happen, but felt scared nonetheless. The girl had actually whispered threatening comments in her ear, but Gavri could tell the girl had delays and didn’t want to hurt her feelings by asking for help “I realized afterward I should have asked you for help in Hebrew,” she said the next day. I pointed out that because she is regularly pushed outside her comfort zone, spending time with people who are different than she is, she is used to suppressing expressions of discomfort. But this crossed a line. “There doesn’t have to be a ‘should have,’” I told her. “Now you know, going forward, sometimes your feelings have to be more important than someone else’s. It wasn’t so nice for me to speak to you in Hebrew in front of someone else (who wouldn’t understand), was it?” Gavri nodded. “It’s not my job to be nice. It’s my job to be your mommy.” I know it’s the exposure Gavri has to people who make her feel uncomfortable and the fact that she placed greater emphasis on the other girl’s feelings than her own that caused Gavri to not ask for help outright or even to really advocate for herself. It really is important to us that our children learn to tolerate a little discomfort. I’m hoping, going forward, our children will feel confident and understand the distinction between “uncomfortable” and “unsafe.” I’ve also made an effort to begin reminding my children that everybody’s feelings count—including theirs.
Ann Lapin and her family live in Riverdale, Bronx. They have been an interim boarding care family for more than four years. Ann owns a Mary Kay business and teaches classes at Fit Figure Boot Camp in the northwest Bronx. Follow her at facebook.com/annephrat and on Twitter @ann4marykay.
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November 2016 | nymetroparents.com
NYMP Q&A
Tidying Up With Kids ›› By Bethany Braun
When your little angel thinks he’s a daredevil...
Marie Kondo is an organizing guru, founder of the KonMari method, and author of the New York Times best-sellers The Life‑Changing Magic of Tidying Up and Spark Joy. What are your tips for parents to stay organized with kids? The first thing parents should teach their child is not how to organize toys, but how to fold clothes correctly. Folding clothes is equivalent to taking care of what you wear daily, and by habituating your children to fold clothes, they naturally begin to learn the KonMari way of organizing—to value the things that are important to you. Do you find that there is value for children in being raised in an organized home? Being organized means knowing what is important to you, and also knowing what it means to value what is important to you. Children with these skills have the power to make decisions and accomplish things under their own criteria when they face many situations as they grow up. Any tips for negotiating with a child who might not want to give up or let go of certain items? If the item is something valuable to the child, there is absolutely no need to let go of it. Parents should not decide whether the item is necessary or not. What is important is how the child feels about it, and whether the child wants to keep and take care of the item. Can you recommend any organizational tips that children can practice? Like I said before, to teach children how to fold clothes first. Other than that, it is basically the same with adults—to keep only what you want to keep and value, to designate a “home” (a specific spot to keep things) for each item that you own, and to put the items back to their “homes” every day. How do you balance children’s creativity, which can also be messy, with an organized home? There are two points. First, designate a play area for the child. Teach the child where the play area is, and whatever goes out of the area, put it back every time. The second point is to put each item back to its “home” every day. It depends on the age of the child, but if they are still little, parents should put the item back in its “home.” If they are big enough to think for themselves, parents should teach them to put the things that they value back to their “home” every day.
Better have a good pediatrician. Make sure your kids are covered.
Contact Affinity Health Plan at 866.247.5678 (TTY 711) to obtain more information about Child Health Plus, a free or low-cost health insurance program sponsored by New York State for kids under the age of 19. 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 WestchesterParent 15
The Voters of Tomorrow
››
How local teachers are using the election and its aftermath to engage students and raise civic awareness. By Melissa Kagan
E
very four years, educators use the presidential election to impart valuable lessons to students about the electoral process, democracy, government, and the responsibilities of citizenship. While many teachers avoid discussing matters of personal opinion, they are finding creative ways to use the campaign as fodder for especially impactful lessons and classroom activities. Teachers across the region have implemented lesson plans and programs for students of all ages, and many have ambitious plans for the weeks leading up to Election Day and beyond, as they dissect and discuss the results. Because the 2016 election has been especially contentious, Jen Hickey, a sixth grade Individuals and Societies (formerly known as social studies) techer at Dobbs Ferry Middle School in Dobbs Ferry is using this opportunity to teach her students about respect and how it’s possible to get a point across without using inflammatory language. “This will prepare them for adulthood,” she says. “In order to be taken seriously, it’s important to sound educated while discussing topics such as the election.” Hickey oversees a lesson in which students work in small groups and read excerpts from the candidate’s websites. They focus on five issues the students have identified as being important to them. However, the excerpts are labeled 16
November 2016 | nymetroparents.com
as Candidate A and Candidate B, instead of identifying the candidate with whom they are associated. “After reading all of the text excerpts, students decide which candidate their views align better with and vote for that candidate,” Hickey says. “After all of the classes have voted, at the end of the day, we announce who was Candidate A and who was Candidate B. In our next class, we talk about their vote and would it have been any different if they knew which candidate was A and B. It’s a great opportunity for students to have conversations with each other and also their families about how they voted on certain issues.”
Debating the Issues
Students at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Hall Regional School in Bellmore are required to watch the presidential debates and engage in discussions about the campaign during time set aside for current events every Friday. “I want my students to know where each candidate stands on key issues so they can see how their opinions impact our country’s economy,” says Laura Sena, a middle school social studies teacher at the school. The seniors in Richard Salerno’s Advanced Placement Government class at Iona Preparatory School in New Rochelle are also encouraged
to engage in debate. “I partner up with our speech-and-debate coach Charles Sloat, using his debate methodology on our shared project,” Salerno says. “We coordinate topics to be debated by my students on our blog. This year our first two topics were fashioned to discuss the 2016 presidential election.” The first topic for debate was whether social media coverage of the presidential race this year will do more to influence the outcome of the election than traditional news outlets. The second topic focused on whether contempt for the candidates has made many Americans feel disenfranchised—and whether that will lead to a particularly low voter turnout.
Voter Registration
Speaking of turnout, eighth grade students at Pelham Middle School in Pelham are focusing heavily on voter registration and how to get people to the polls. The students have been tasked with creating public service announcements to encourage voting, and discussions and lessons have emphasized citizens’ responsibilities. “In addition to the PSAs and the analysis of last year’s voter turnout, we are also asking students to interview relatives about their voting experiences,” says Maria Thompson, director of humanities at the Pelham Public Schools. “We want to find out what they remember most about their first time voting and their last time voting.” Some schools took their election lessons outside of the classroom. Five Oceanside High School students were randomly selected by their social studies teacher, Laura Trongard, to attend a day-long series of election-related events at Hofstra University in Hempstead. Their day culminated with attending the first debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, which took place on campus. Members of the Massapequa mock trial team also spent the day on Hofstra’s campus, taking part in various media events. They were involved in panel discussions led by political correspondents, witnessed historical reenactments of the 1872 and 1972 debates, learned about the role social media is playing in this election, saw a video art display on the issues at stake, and participated in a mock vote. Their day concluded by participating in a debate party, during which they were able to watch a live feed of the debate in an auditorium on campus with students from other area high schools.
Mock Elections
Pelham students will participate in a mock online election, which will occur just prior to Election Day, with the results posted online as well. Mock elections like this are particularly successful at energizing young people to take an interest in voting, teachers say. “The mock election gives students the chance to understand how the election system works,” Hickey says. “My hope is that when the students become old enough to vote, they will remember what they learned here and take the time to study the issues before they vote in a real election.” The mock election at Dobbs Ferry Middle School will require students in sixth through eighth grades to “sign in” at a polling site and cast their vote. The school will post interviews with students at the “polling site” throughout the day on its Facebook page and announce who the students “elected” for President.
Engaging Even the Youngest Students
This time of the year, even the youngest children know something is up. They see a running stream of political advertisements on television, flyers coming in the mail with photos of politicians, and the ubiquitous lawn signs. To address the election with the younger set, many schools are turning to visual displays. Elementary schools in Pelham, for instance, have set up “word walls” highlighting vocabulary related to the election so kids can make the connection between what they sometimes hear at home and how it relates to the real world. Some educators, such as those at the Green Ivy Schools in Manhattan, approach the topic differently when it comes to the younger grades, waiting for them to raise the issue and ask questions. “Because we are committed to relevant and purposeful inquiry, we would explore the particular aspects of the election children ask about and want to pursue deeper knowledge in,” says Christina Stanfield, chief marketing officer at Green Ivy, “rather than preformulating how we want them to view any important election.” Whatever the approach, teachers know that a presidential election offers a once-in-four years opportunity to add some real-world excitement and engagement to their curriculum. “Our lessons are ideal for preparing students for life outside of the classroom,” Hickey says. “We want to open their eyes beyond Dobbs Ferry to create educated global citizens,” she says. Melissa Kagan is the former editor-in-chief of the now-defunct lifetimemoms.com. She is currently a freelance writer whose work has been featured in Mommy Poppins, Westchester Magazine, and Westchester Family. She lives in Pelham with her husband and two children.
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Better Than an Apple a Day
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Prevention is always preferable to having to treat your sick child. We asked area pediatricians how to help kids avoid common childhood health problems—and how to treat them when that fails. By Alison Kotch
W
hat’s more challenging than dealing with the ever-changing demands of parenting? Dealing with sick children: They’re miserable, and you want to do everything you can to make them better, fast. Your first instinct might be to call your pediatrician for advice once they’re under the weather, but let’s face it: You’d rather they didn’t get sick in the first place. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by conflicting online research and advice, so we asked local pediatricians how to prevent and treat several common health problems, so your little one can get back to happy and healthy, fast.
Cold and Flu
Among the most common and easily transmitted fall/winter/backto-school illnesses, colds and flu can strike regularly, as they’re spread by mucus and saliva. Symptoms: While a stuffy or runny nose, coughing, sore throat, and fever can be symptoms of both cold and flu, you’ll know if it’s the flu if your child is complaining—a lot. “I tell my parents all the time that snots are ok—kids are full of snots,” says Elissa Rubin, M.D., of Happy and Healthy Pediatrics in Mineola. “If they’re miserable, that’s what you should pay attention to and look to avoid.” Causes: Sharing food or drink, or spending time in close contact with someone who is already sick Prevention: The flu vaccine is the best preventative measure: Once your child is 6 months old, it’s safe to get it. Other than that, “there’s no bubble to put our kids in to avoid all germ 18
November 2016 | nymetroparents.com
exposure,” says Stanley Jacob, M.D., of Helping Kids Pediatrics in New City. But you can reduce the spread of germs by encouraging frequent hand washing to stop the illness from spreading. Treatment: Lots of rest, and avoiding exposure to others who are sick will help; electrolyte-enhanced fluids such as juice will go a long way toward helping strengthen the immune system to help it fight off infection.
Ear Infection
Aside from cavities, ear infections are one of the most common bacterial infections, and they occur when the middle ear becomes inflamed: Fluid builds up behind the eardrum, causing an earache. While five out of six kids will have one by their third birthday, these infections drop off by age 5 or 6. Symptoms: While ear pain is the most recognizable (your child will probably tell you she’s hurting), look out for ear pulling, which could be a sign of wax buildup and/or infection. Causes: In some children, viruses are the culprit; others might just be more prone to them. However, environmental factors such as smoking in the home or allowing your child to go to sleep with a bottle can also contribute. Prevention: “There is no way to prevent an ear infection, but talk to your doctor if your child is having recurrent ones for a otolaryngology referral,” recommends Dyan Hes, M.D., medical director of Gramercy Pediatrics in Manhattan.
Treatment: While your initial reaction might be to agree to put your child on antibiotics, stat, many physicians and parents are opting for the “watch and wait” approach. “If a child comes in with pain and an infection and has a cold, the recommendation is to wait for 24 hours and see how they’re doing, rather than just knee-jerk prescribe antibiotics,” says Christina Johns, M.D., senior medical advisor for PM Pediatrics, which has locations in New Jersey and the New York metro area. “Sometimes they feel better naturally, and the body becomes better at getting rid of it faster.”
Diabetes
In children without diabetes, the pancreas releases insulin into the bloodstream after meals, helping the body regulate blood sugar naturally; between meals, the liver releases stored glycogen and converts it into glucose, keeping blood sugar within a normal range. While the causes of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are different, both cause a buildup of sugar in the blood that needs to be regulated. Symptoms: Extreme hunger, weight loss, excessive thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, irritability, and blurred vision Causes: While Type 1 diabetes is thought to be caused by genetics or exposure to viruses such as Coxsackie or EpsteinBarr, as children’s lifestyles become increasingly more sedentary (thanks, television and technology!), Type 2 diabetes is becoming more common: “We think of Type 2 as adult-onset diabetes, but with the obesity epidemic on the rise, we’re seeing it in 9-and 10-year-old kids,” Dr. Johns says. Prevention: There is no known way to prevent or cure Type 1—you’ll need to administer insulin shots for life—but Type 2 is avoidable. To prevent Type 2 diabetes, it’s important to be a good
role model through your own exercise and dietary habits. “If you keep your children active with at least 30-45 minutes of exercise daily and limit television and video games to no more than two hours, you can stay ahead of the potential development of diabetes and manage it if it comes—hopefully prevent it,” Dr. Jacob says. Treatment: If your child has Type 1 diabetes, topical anesthetics and a pep talk can ease the anxiety that can come with daily shots, Dr. Jacob says. A child psychiatrist can also assist with open communication about how to manage a chronic disease. For kids with Type 2, a healthy diet and daily exercise is key. Plus, studies have shown that people with diabetes tend to have low vitamin D, so adding dairy can help, too: Aim for two or three 8-ounce glasses of milk per day.
Depression
While the occasional bout of sadness is normal, depression can often go untreated because parents mistake it for normal emotional or psychological changes that occur as your child matures—and early depression can also be masked by acting out. Symptoms: Loss of interest in activities at home or school, hopelessness, appetite or sleep fluctuations, lack of energy, anxiety, anger, and not spending time with friends Causes: Change in family setting (divorce, death of a family member, moving); bullying, academic or social pressure. Lack of parental connection can also be an issue: “We live in a generation where parents look at their cellphones more than their children,” Dr. Rubin says. Be aware that the causes of a child’s depression are not always apparent, and it may not take a major event or obvious problem to spark depression.
Where Your Child Comes First
continued on next page ››
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‹‹ continued from previous page
Prevention: Trust your instincts, and let your children know you’re there to talk (and just as importantly, listen) during the tough times. “Let them know that you’re there but be open minded, and remember what it was like to be their age,” Dr. Jacob advises. “Actively listen and engage, be observant and ask questions—but realize when they need space.” Treatment: Since depression can be caused by neurotransmitters being out of balance, this is one case where a child’s psychiatrist can recommend medication—in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy—as a form of treatment. Just as important: Tending to your own mental health. “Parents need to be aware of their own anxieties, since issues from their own childhood often resurface,” adds Dr. Rubin. “Anxiety and depression is taught behavior. Break that cycle by being aware of your own emotions and monitoring them.”
Obesity
While some children are naturally heavier due to excess muscle from fat, bone, muscle, water, or a combination of all of the above, obesity is on the rise: According to the CDC, 1 in 6 children in the United States is obese. Symptoms: Children are considered obese when their body mass index is at or above the 95th percentile compared to children of similar age and sex. (To calculate BMI, divide your child’s weight in kilograms by the square of their height in meters). Causes: Poor diet and a lack of exercise are top causes, but stress (and the emotional eating response to it) can also be contributing factors, especially if you’re guilty of this as a parent. “If you eat when you’re stressed or relate emotions to food, kids will notice that and do it too,” Dr. Rubin says. Prevention: Getting your kids interested in and excited about food at an early age is key. Try taking them to the store and letting them pick out their own fruits and vegetables, or allowing them to be involved in food preparation at home. Doing this will encourage kids to select fruit as a snack instead of sugary treats, Dr. Johns says. Another tip: Instead of rewarding accomplishments like a great report card with ice cream, ask your child what activity or outing he wants to do to celebrate instead. Treatment: If your child isn’t involved or interested in sports, take a walk with her, or offer to watch him doing his favorite activity. “What kids like more than anything is attention,” Dr. Johns says. “Whether it’s jumping rope or shooting hoops, they’ll be more likely to do something if you watch and give them positive feedback.”
Asthma
If you’re wondering if your child’s cough could possibly be asthma, consider this: Most children with asthma have symptoms before age 5 and experience recurring coughing or wheezing that gets worse in the presence of irritants such as smoke or dust mites. Symptoms: Coughing at night, wheezing while breathing out, and/or fast breathing that causes the skin to tighten around the neck or ribs. A good test if you can’t tell: Have your child take a deep breath. If he starts coughing at the end or has spastic, relentless coughing fits, he likely has asthma, Dr. Rubin says. Causes: Although allergens and exercise can trigger asthma, the change in seasons can, too—especially the cold, dry air that winter brings. Genetics can also play a part, and so can your family pet (but don’t worry, you won’t need to get rid of it!) Prevention: If your household has pets, your pediatrician can administer a blood test to find out if your fluffy loved ones are the culprit. If they are, don’t worry: You can limit the pet to certain rooms in the house, or install a HEPA air filter to purify air in your 20
November 2016 | nymetroparents.com
child’s room. Cleaning your home regularly (to reduce dust) and not smoking indoors can also help her breathe easy. Treatment: While a rescue inhaler can help children with intermittent asthma ward off periodic attacks, children with prolonged attacks will need to administer medication from a controller inhaler daily. Regardless of the type of asthma your child has, it’s wise to have an inhaler on hand—at home and at school. “Kids will let you know when they have tightness in their chest and ask for relief,” Dr. Rubin adds.
Bedwetting
Also known as enuresis, bedwetting is a common childhood problem that can be embarrassing for children, and frustrating and stressful for parents. The good news is that it’s usually easy to treat and typically stops on its own as your child learns how to control his or her bladder during the late stages of potty training. Symptoms: Touch your child’s sheets in the morning. If they’re wet or she comes downstairs with wet PJs, you’ll know something’s up. Causes: While some children can inherit it from their parents, others fall into such a deep sleep that their bladder just lets go. Even if your child is already potty trained when it occurs, younger children often regress due to divorce, separation, or during life changes, such as moving. Prevention: Behavioral change, such as limiting drinks and caffeine prior to bedtime, can help. In addition, products designed to treat the condition, called wet stop alarms, trigger an alarm that reminds your child to get up to use the bathroom. Treatment: Whatever you do, don’t make your child feel ashamed. Some children experience it until age 9 or 10, and pullups are a great solution to avoid frequent loads of laundry. Finally, don’t torture yourself thinking you’re doing something wrong. “No child will go to college wearing a diaper—they just need time to mature,” Dr. Rubin says.
Nightmares
Any parent who’s had to comfort her child in the middle of the night knows that nightmares are a common—but easily fixed— childhood health problem. While young children in their “afraid of the dark” phase are most susceptible to nightmares, they can affect children at any age. Symptoms: Luckily, this one’s easy: Your child will likely let you know that she’s scared to go to bed (or wake you in the middle of the night, looking for comfort). Causes: Fear of the dark, lack of sleep, exposure to scary or unsettling TV without context Prevention: “Parents should make sure that children aren’t exposed to anything frightening on the TV or internet, and discuss if there are any stressors leading to nightmares. Often, they will pass with time,” Dr. Hes says. Treatment: “There’s not much a parent can do but comfort during these times,” Dr. Hes says. A night light, bedtime security object, or temporary distraction—such as face-washing, a back rub, or calming conversation about what’s troubling them—can help soothe them back to sleep. Remember, no child is healthy all the time and no amount of preventative effort is going to be 100-percent effective. So don’t beat yourself up when your child gets sick, and focus instead on giving her the TLC and medical care she needs to get back on her feet as quickly as she can! Alison Kotch is a writer living in Brooklyn.
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HEALTH
Why Messy Can Be Better
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It turns out bacteria aren’t always the enemy. By Patricia Schnabel Ruppert, DO, MPH
I
n the wake of the recent news that the Food and Drug Administration has ordered many antibacterial soaps off the shelves, I have a surprising call to action for parents: Sit your toddlers on the floor, let the dog lick their faces, and use plain soap and water later to wash your toddler’s hands. A move away from antibacterial products isn’t a call to avoid dirt—it’s a reminder that what lives in mess is often our friend. The FDA’s concern is that in our effort to rid our lives of microbes, we are doing two things that will harm us. First, we are wiping out the bacteria that actually help us in countless ways, from digesting food to supporting our immune system in avoiding disease. The other concern is that we are contributing to the growing threat of bacteria that are resistant to medications, the so-called “superbugs.”
The Role Microbes Play
To really understand the thinking behind the FDA’s decision, it’s important to understand the countless microbes that surround us and the billions that inhabit our bodies. We cannot and should not live without them. As referenced in Ed Yong’s book, I Contain Multitudes, when it comes to microbes in our environment, diversity is best. We have
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November 2016 | nymetroparents.com
more bacteria in our intestines than there are stars in the sky, yet a small fraction of those—fewer than 100 species—actually cause infection. The rest do not cause disease, and many actually work to protect our health. These include those bacteria that synthesize vitamin K to protect us from bleeding to death. At birth, legions of microorganisms “set up shop” in and on the newborn, aiding digestion and keep harmful microbes away. There is a temporary suppression of the infant’s immune system that allows for this establishment of microorganisms. Sugars in human milk actually nourish the bacteria that live in the baby’s intestine. Keeping the bacteria healthy keeps the infant healthy. Research even shows that an antibody in human milk (Secretory Immunoglobulin A or SIgA) assists in setting up the healthier environment in the baby’s intestine, which is associated with less diarrheal illness in the infant and a reduction of inflammatory bowel disease and other chronic diseases later in life. In our industrialized society with its antibacterial soaps, lotions, and cleansers we have almost “sterilized” our microbe environment, leaving fewer “good” bacteria to fight the “bad” bacteria. However, it is frequent challenges to our immune system from everyday bacteria that keep our army of good microbes in fighting shape for the more dangerous threats to our health.
In fact, you may be surprised to know that the licks of dogs contain microbes that are thought to strengthen the immune system of children, which may relate to a decrease in the frequency of asthma and other allergies. None of this, however, is to discount the danger of some bacteria and the millions of lives that have been saved by hygienic practices and the judicious use of antibiotics. Hand washing with plain soap and water for 20 seconds or cleansing with an alcohol-based sanitizer for 15 seconds remains the most effective way to prevent infection.
The Rise of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria
The other issue the FDA is addressing through this action is the rise of bacteria that are now resistant to treatments such as antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance is the ability of a microorganism to resist the effects of an antibiotic to which it was once sensitive. The unnecessary and broad prescribing of antibiotics has led to this increase in resistance and serious infections, which are becoming more deadly. Each year, there are more than 700,000 deaths worldwide due to antibiotic resistance with 10 million per year predicted to occur by the year 2050. One example of an increasingly antibiotic-resistant bacterium is Clostridium Difficile (or “C.Diff”), which causes more than 200,000 cases of a serious and often fatal infection of the colon in the U.S. each year. C.Diff can make your grandparent’s simple hospital stay morph into a life-threatening contagious
illness. This can occur because of the altered balance of “good vs. bad” bacteria in the intestines and the overgrowth of the toxic C.Diff bacteria. Complications can occur even when antibiotics are used appropriately, but we need to focus on decreasing unnecessary prescribing, including for patients with viral conditions such as the common cold. Antibiotics don’t treat viral infections. Never. Ever. While the main cause of this increasing resistance is the misuse of antibiotics, this is part of a much larger issue. We are also contributing to resistance when we overuse antibacterial products. You can think of the issue of antibiotic resistance as an arms race between humans and the bad bacteria. Our efforts to blindly avoid bacteria are only tipping this arms race in the favor of the bad bacteria. So what can you do? Remember: Bacteria aren’t the enemy, and we need a diverse balance of good and bad bacteria in and on our bodies and in our environments. Help your children build up their own defense to the bad bacteria. Let the dog lick your child. Allow your child to play on the floor. Don’t follow her around with antibacterial wipes. And only take antibiotics when it is appropriate. Remember that we can be clean without trying to be sterile. And we’ll all be much better off. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert, DO, MPH, is the Health Commissioner of Rockland County, an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, and Fellows Ambassador of the New York Academy of Medicine.
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Health & Wellness A LOCAL GUIDE FOR YOUR FAMILY’S NEEDS! HEALTH Affinity Health Plan
866-247-5678 affinityplan.org For almost 30 years, Affinity Health Plan has been offering New York state-sponsored free or low-cost health coverage to New Yorkers who have Medicaid or no health insurance at all. Building on this unparalleled success, we added Medicare Advantage to seniors and dual eligible. Our managed care programs meet the need for coverage among people who are “underserved,” those who may find it hard to get health care for different reasons such as language barriers, social and economic status, or other factors.
Caring for Kids - Dr. Ivis Getz
140 Lockwood Ave., Suite 315, New Rochelle 914-355-2265 caringpediatricdentistry.com caringpediatricdentistry@gmail.com Dr.Ivis Getz, a board-certified pediatric dentist, is committed to providing the highest quality dental care to infants, children, adolescents, and those with special needs. Dr. Getz recognizes that each child is a unique individual who deserves compassion and respect, which is evident in her friendly manner and calm demeanor. The dental team truly enjoys working with kids and will treat your child with warmth and compassion. The practice participates in many dental insurance plans and has convenient after-school and Saturday appointments available.
Creative Wonders Therapy Center
David Green, clinical director 470 Mamaroneck Ave., Suite 204, White Plains 914-421-8270 x1 facebook.com/#!/ creativewonderstherapy creativewonderstherapy.com Creative Wonders is a pediatric therapy center with seasoned occupational, physical, and speech therapists. Our therapists have significant training in many areas including sensory integration, PROMPT, and therapeutic listening. Our professional team
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collaborates closely with families to provide carryover activities for the home setting to maximize a child’s progress. Our state-of-the-art facility features a sensory gym that includes a “crash” pit, climbing wall, and vestibular equipment including various suspension swings.
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1600 Harrison Ave., Suite 305, Mamaroneck 914-721-0660 elenakochinrd.com info@elenakochinrd.com Using integrative nutrition and functional medicine to care for children and adults with autism spectrum disorders and other chronic illnesses. By using comprehensive testing and a variety of biomedical interventions, I help my patients to rediscover their healing potential. Specializing in the following conditions: food allergies and delayed sensitivities, eczema, anxiety, gastrointestinal disorders, behavioral problems and irritability, autism, ADD/HD, OCD, learning disabilities, and delayed language development. Call for a free consultation: 914-7210660; elenakochinrd.com.
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Gentle Care Pediatric Dentistry
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November 2016 | nymetroparents.com
forward to! Our dental office is a bright, happy place that has been carefully designed for both the physical and psychological needs of your infants, children, or young adults. Dr. Jaish Markos, a board-certified pediatric dentist, provides the most up-to-date dental procedures, including digital X-rays, white tooth fillings, sealants, and hospital dentistry. We are committed to building a special relationship with children and their families to achieve a healthy and lasting smile for now, and years to come.
Hartsdale Family Eyecare
221 E. Hartsdale Ave., Hartsdale 914-725-1600 hartsdalefamilyeyecare.com Featured on ABC News, Dr. Schwartz has more than 35 years of experience treating children’s vision. Many vision problems are often undetected during routine screenings. Warning signs include avoiding reading, poor comprehension, or re-reading words. Dr. Schwartz can determine if visual problems exist and prescribe special reading glasses, prism glasses, or vision therapy. Dr. Schwartz also prescribes special eyeglasses or contact lenses to stop vision from getting worse. Your child may be a candidate for orthokeratology, a non-surgical eye treatment using specially designed lenses to gently correct vision during sleep.
Main Street Pediatric Dentistry Dr. Penny Resnick-Graulich
115 Main St., Suite 302, Tuckahoe 914-633-4440 mainstreetpediatricdentistry.com drpennydds@aol.com Dr. Penny Resnick-Graulich has been practicing children’s dentistry in Westchester for more than 20 years. Dr. Penny and her amazing staff pride themselves on making the entire dental experience a positive one for children, infants through teens, and their parents. They help anxious children feel secure during dental treatment and make every patient feel calm, confident, and comfortable, while promoting optimal oral health care. Special attention is given to those children with medical, physical, emotional, and
mental disabilities. Their goal is to make your child an expert in preventative dentistry.
Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital
100 Woods Road, Valhalla 914-493-7000 westchestermedicalcenter.org Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center is the children’s hospital for the Hudson Valley. It is the hospital that will care for a child you love if he or she is seriously ill or injured. Parents from Saugerties to Scarsdale and beyond bring their kids to Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital for life-changing and lifesaving care such as open-heart surgery, brain surgery, organ transplants, burn care, and cancer treatments. Its clinical expertise is matched only by its supportive, healing environment that gets the whole family feeling better.
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1-800-TALK-MVP (825-5687) mvphealthcare.com MVP Health Care has a range of affordable, high-quality health plans—from free or low-cost New York State sponsored Medicaid Managed Care and Child Health Plus, to our many individual and family plans available through the NY State of Health™ Marketplace. Call us today and see if you qualify for free or low-cost health insurance.
Pediatric Associates of Southern Westchester, P.C. Drs. Susan Meisler, Hilary Smith, Lisa Mandelker, and Debra Etelson
145 Huguenot St., Suite 200, New Rochelle 914-235-1400; pasw4kids.com Pediatric Associates of Southern Westchester provides quality, comprehensive healthcare from birth to age 21. We are recognized at the highest level of distinction by the National Committee for Quality Assurance as a Patient Centered Medical Home practice. Our physicians are affiliated with Montefiore New Rochelle, and Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Children’s Hospital. We accommodate same-day sick visits, continued on page 26 ››
RJ_Coming Soon_WestchesterParent.pdf
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Penny Resnick-Graulich, D.M.D. Francisca Ceron, D.D.S.
Voted 7 years in a row one of Westchester’s Top Pediatric Dentists 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, & 2015 by Westchester Magazine
MAIN STREET PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY 115 Main Street, Suite 302, Tuckahoe (914)633-4440 www.mainstreetpediatricdentistry.com
Located in Tuckahoe, we have one of the most innovative & modern offices around! Swim over & become part of the exciting Dental World at Main Street Pediatric Dentistry.
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have extended hours weeknights, and Saturday morning hours. To learn more about our practice and physicians, please visit our website and Facebook at pasw4kids.com, and facebook.com/pasw4kids.
Scarsdale Medical Pediatrics
550 Mamaroneck Ave., Harrison 914-723-8100 scarsdalemedical.com amyc@scarsdalemedical.com At Scarsdale Medical Group, we take pride in caring for your children. We understand their health is your top priority. It’s our No. 1 priority too, which is why we are dedicated to providing the most up-to-date, high-quality pediatric care from birth through 21 years of age. We offer a full range of pediatric services: well exams with screenings, same day sick visits (appointment only), newborn hospital care (Greenwich Hospital), preventive medicine, care for acute and chronic illness, vaccinations, sports and camp physicals, and physicians on call 24-hours. To learn more, visit scarsdalemedical.com.
Westchester Family Orthodontics
450 Mamaroneck Ave., Suite 406, Harrison 914-732-3777 westchesterfamilyortho.com info@westchesterfamilyortho.com Westchester Family Orthodontics is a brand-new, completely digital and paperless office that uses the latest advances in orthodontic technology. Dr. Schnebel is among the select group of orthodontic specialists that has been board-certified by the American Board of Orthodontics. Westchester Family Orthodontics offers orthodontic care, both braces and Invisalign, for the entire family, including children, teens, and adults. Our annual Halloween Buy Back event donates all candy to troops overseas as part of Operation Gratitude.
FITNESS GymCats Gymnastics and Birthday Party Center
DANIEL TIGER © 2016 The Fred Rogers Company; ELMO™ © 2016 Sesame Workshop; TM FRED FLINTSTONE & © 2016 Hanna-Barbera; MR. POTATO HEAD © 2016 Hasbro; OCTONAUTS™ Meomi Design Inc. Copyright © 2016 Vampire Squid Productions Ltd, a member of the Silvergate Media group of companies. All rights reserved; PADDINGTON BEAR ™ © 2016 Paddington & Co. Ltd.
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1 Odell Plaza at Equalize Fitness, Yonkers 914-965-7676; gymcats.net GymCats Gymnastics is located within Equalize Fitness Club, giving GymCats so much more to offer its students and parents. While children learn the skills and confi-
dence they need for many of life’s challenges, parents get to exercise in a world-class fitness facility. Exciting gymnastics classes are offered for children ages 20 months and older, including Mom and Me classes, Tiny Cat classes, toddler open gym, cheerleading groups, private tumbling lessons, summer camp, holiday camps, and birthday parties. Contact GymCats for more information on how to get started!
House of Sports Westchester
1 Elm St., Ardsley 914-479-5419; houseofsportsny.com Health and fitness is a crucial part of all child development. The House of Sports Tots Academy is the area’s leading child physical development program. It uses a variety of fun and games to delight and engage kids in physical activity, while teaching them different sports. Children ages 18 months to 4 years can learn baseball, basketball, soccer, or multisports in a non-competitive environment that promotes fun above all else! Our spring programs are now in session, and registration is open. Call 914-479-5419 to register, or visit houseofsportsny. com for more information.
ISG Gymnastics
Annie Pipia and Joann Distler, directors 151 Crotona Ave., Harrison 914-835-0010; isggymnastics.com ISG Gymnastics, serving the community for 40 years, is a family-run business at which the kids come first! Classes for children, ages 10 months through high school. Ongoing registration. Birthday parties available. Girls’ team and camps. Call for information and start your child toward a healthy future today.
Jodi’s Gym
25 Hubbels Drive, Mount Kisco 914-244-8811 244 E. 84th St., Manhattan 212-772-7633; jodisgym.com Jodi’s Gym has been providing New York kids the highest level of fun and fitness for 34 years! Its step-by-step, no-fail approach ensures that every child feels a sense of accomplishment. It offers gymnastics (ages 3-12), Ninja Challenge (ages 4-8), Game On! (ages 3-5), parent and child gym, Music Together, summer and holiday break camps, free playtime
and perks for members, private lessons, and the best birthday ever! Need transportation after school? It also busses from every Chappaqua elementary school!
The Little Gym
777 White Plains Road, Scarsdale 914-722-0072 tlgscarsdaleny.com 2121 Broadway, 2nd Floor (between 74th and 75th streets), Upper West Side, Manhattan 212-799-1225 tlgupperwestsideny.com 207 E. 94th St. (between Second and Third avenues), Upper East Side, Manhattan 212-787-1124 tlguppereastsideny.com 28 Franklin Turnpike, Waldwick, NJ 201-445-4444 tlgwaldwicknj.com The Little Gym is an exercise and motor development center offering gymnastics classes, sports skills development, dance, cheerleading, and karate classes for children ages 4 months to 12 years, in a loving, non-competitive environment. Qualified instructors implement programs designed to build self-esteem and confidence. An emphasis on music and fun encourages both physical and emotional growth. The Little Gym also offers summer camp, holiday camp, Parent Survival Night, and Awesome Birthday Bashes.
schedule classes for most levels each day, an advantage for families with busy schedules. We offer 10&Under Tennis with specially sized racquets, shorter courts, nets and lower bouncing balls that enable younger players to learn to rally quickly and play matches. Cardio Boot Camp, drop-in clinics, and Starter Tennis are enjoyable choices for adults for keeping fit and in the game!
Steffi Nossen School of Dance
216 Central Park Ave., White Plains 914-328-1900; steffinossen.org Since 1937, Westchester’s dance
destination! Our faculty—college dance graduates with performance experience—transmits the joy and discipline of dance with warmth and enthusiasm. Our dance classes develop creativity, technique, and proper body alignment. Classes include modern, ballet, jazz, hiphop, tap, classical story ballet, and Moving Wheels and Heels adaptive dance. Live music! Dance birthday parties arranged at our studio or your home, based on your child’s special interests and theme ideas.
Studio B Dance Center
277 White Plains Road, Eastchester
914-793-2799 studiobdance.com Studio B offers a wide variety of classes for boys and girls, ages 2 and older. The nurturing staff have college degrees, professional performance experience, or certification in early childhood dance education. Convenient class schedules allow parents to bring siblings to dance at the same time in one of three spacious studios. Pleasant waiting rooms have viewing windows and television monitors for parents to watch their children dance. Please call the studio for more information.
A CIRCUS SPECTACULAR BACK FOR THE HOLIDAYS BY POPULAR DEMAND!
December 2 – January 1 FOR EVERYONE AGES 5+
Purchase College Aquatics
Christine Klint, director 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase 914-251-6546 purchasecollegeathletics. com/sports/2011/6/14/ GEN_0614112216.aspx christine.klint@purchase.edu Held in our sparkling six-lane pool, the Purchase College aquatics program runs year-round and features children’s group lessons, parent and child classes, and specialty programs including adult lessons, lifeguarding, scuba certification, springboard diving, and private and semi-private lessons. All lessons are taught by certified American Red Cross instructors.
“Exuberant, high-energy entertainment.”
Sound Shore Indoor Tennis
303 Boston Post Road, Port Chester 914-939-1300 soundshoreindoortennis.com Group tennis instruction is an affordable, fun way for your child to learn to play tennis. Classes are offered every day for ages 4-18. Our twelve courts enable us to
The New York Times
THE NEW VICTORY THEATER ®
#LoveOfTheater starts here NewVictory.org 646.223.3010
®
A NEW 42ND STREET ® PROJECT
209 W 42ND STREET, just west of Broadway
WestchesterParent 27
OUTINGS: Morris-Jumel Mansion
nymetroparents.com/outings
Manhattan’s Oldest House 1
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1 Inside the historical mansion, visitors can see the way people lived centuries ago. 2 Children take care of the lush gardens surrounding the property. 3 The outside of the Morris-Jumel Mansion, NYC’s oldest house. 4 Many people including George Washington have called the mansion home. 5 The mansion offers
yoga on the grounds.
Morris-Jumel Mansion serves as a cultural resource for national and international visitors and particularly the diverse residents of New York City. Visitors will learn about the lives of the people who have been an important part of the history of this mansion, which includes both the Morris and Jumel families and even George Washington. Harlem Renaissance artists and many immigrant groups have been neighbors to the mansion as well.
Year-Round Features
The mansion provides an unsurpassed educational history for children and young adults via writing, critical thinking, and art. The adult program focuses on theater, music, lectures, and tours of the mansion. Docent-guided tours of the mansion are offered regularly—$12 for adults and $9 for students and seniors. Lead by one of the mansion’s expert docents, families can learn about the rich history of the mansion, the famous people who have come through it over the years, and the rich lives of people from centuries ago.
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School tours, full of hands-on learning adventures, are beloved by students. Kids learn about archaeology, the Revolutionary War, and more. The garden and grounds are spectacular, and events such as yoga and picnicking are a wonderful way to see the manicured landscape, the lush greenery, and fresh flowers. Various art exhibitions from artists worldwide are on display year-round and change season by season.
illusions that create a moving image. The event is free with the price of museum admission. RSVP by calling 212-923-8008 or email education@morrisjumel.org. This event is recommended for kids ages 8-14. An additional Family Day is scheduled for Nov. 19 during which you can make homemade butter and learn about colonial-style cooking to prep for Thanksgiving. It’s free to attend this mouthwatering event with the price of museum admission.
November Highlights
Details
This month offers some exciting programs and events that are not to be missed. From Nov. 3-5, see a theatrical performance from 8-9pm entitled Fancy Me Mad. The play is set in Baltimore and will intrigue the audience with a story of a young man visiting the home of his recently deceased grandmother at which he learns of her obsession with Edgar Allen Poe. Family Day will be held Nov. 5 from 11am1pm. Families can create a movie as they were made in the 1860s using zoetropes—optical
Address: 65 Jumel Terrace, Manhattan Directions: Approximately 45-minute drive from White Plains Hours: Monday, by appointment only; Tuesday-Friday, 10am-4pm; Saturday-Sunday, 10am-5pm. The museum is closed on New Year’s, Memorial, Labor, Thanksgiving, and Christmas days. Admission: $10; $8 seniors and students; free for children 12 and younger and members For more information: 212-923-8008 or morrisjumel.org
Courtesy Morris-Jumel Mansion
See an example of domestic life in New York City as the immigration of people from Europe to Washington Heights came forth in the late 1800s in this historical mansion. ›› By Melissa A. Kay
Kid Friendly. Parent Approved.
2016 Acura MDX Serving Westchester County and the Tri-State Area since 1986.
Acura
2155 PALMER AVE. • LARCHMONT, NY
1-888-928-3008 AcuraOfWestchester.com
Mon-Thurs 9am-9pm, Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 11:30am-5pm
MOTHER AFRICA: MY HOME Circus der Sinne
Friday, December 16, 7pm FOR EVERYONE AGES 5+
ELEPHANT & PIGGIE’S WE ARE IN A PLAY! Based on the Elephant & Piggie books by Mo Willems Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audiences On Tour
Sunday, February 5, 3pm BEST FOR AGES 4–7 PHOTOS: TERESA WOOD, NICOLA SCARMAGNANI
SOMETHING Liberi Di... Physical Theatre
AUTISM-FRIENDLY PERFORMANCES
Sunday, April 2, 5pm FOR EVERYONE AGES 6+
in consultation with EVAN CASEY AS ELEPHANT GERALD
TICKETS
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®
A NEW 42ND STREET ® PROJECT
NewVictory.org/Autism 646.223.3010
209 W 42ND STREET just west of Broadway WestchesterParent 29
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November 2016 | nymetroparents.com
Ideas When You Need Them:
Sign up for our FREE newsletter & never hear “I’m bored!” again. We email the top kids’ events every Thursday—just in time to make weekend plans!
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Turn the page for details on The New York City Ballet performs George Balanchine’s ‘The Nutcracker’ (No. 7 on our list).
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nymetroparents.com/submitevent UPDATED DAILY AT nymetroparents.com/calendar EDITOR: JAMIE MCGILLIAN calendared@davlermedia.com
NOVEMBER CALENDAR
32 Editor’s Hot Tickets
37 Holiday Fun
34 We Can’t Believe It’s FREE!, Once Upon a Time
38 Smarty Pants
35 Animal Lovers
40 Crafty Kids, On Screen
36 Show Time!, Special Needs, Little Foodies, Browse & Buy
39 Must-Sees in NYC
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EDITOR’S HOT TICKETS
Our calendar is full of great ideas. First, here are the eight events we consider can’t-miss—the ones we’re taking our own kids to. Consider it your cheat sheet to the best of what’s great this month!
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‘Hatched’
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 12, 11am and 1:30pm WHERE: Emelin Theater, 153 Library Lane, Mamaroneck AGES: Newborn to 5 WHAT: Hatched is a beautiful tale of the awakening of baby animals on an American family farm told by means of handcrafted puppets. Intimately staged, young audience members are encouraged to interact with the newborn animals as they explore their worlds. WHY WE LOVE IT: A great introduction to theater and farm animals. WANT TO GO? $15. 914-698-0098. emelin.org.
‘Beatlemania Now!’
WHEN: Monday, Nov. 14, 8pm WHERE: Westchester Broadway Theatre, 1 Broadway Plaza, Elmsford AGES: 5 and older WHAT: If you love The Beatles, you will love this show that features all of its great songs. Relive them and share them with your children. WHY WE LOVE IT: If your child is musical, this show will have a tremendous impact. WANT TO GO? $50 show only. 914-592-2222. broadwaytheatre.com.
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Family Art Project: Cornhusk Dolls
WHEN: Nov. 19-20, Saturday-Sunday, 10am-1pm WHERE: Wave Hill, West 249th Street and Independence Avenue, Bronx AGES: All WHAT: Celebrate corn and harvest time by listening to
November 2016 | nymetroparents.com
Native American tales, and hear about the power of a talking stick. Then tie, weave, and shape dried husks into a single, cornhusk doll or corny doll family. WHY WE LOVE IT: This activity is corny in the best way possible. WANT TO GO? $8; $4 children ages 6-18. 718-549-3200. wavehill.org.
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Thanksgiving Friday Holiday Kick-Off
WHEN: Friday, Nov. 25, 12-5pm WHERE: Hudson River Museum, 511 Warburton Ave., Yonkers AGES: All WHAT: See the premiere of a brand-new star show, join in on a Victorian Holiday sing-along, see a magic performance, create art projects, and more. WHY WE LOVE IT: A day full of activities the whole family can enjoy. WANT TO GO? $6; $3 children. 914-963-8558. hrm.org.
Holiday Train Show
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WHEN: Nov. 26-27, Saturday-Sunday, 10am-4:30pm WHERE: Greenburgh Nature Center, 99 Dromore Road, Scarsdale AGES: All WHAT: Train lovers of all ages will love the HO gauge model trains on display among replicas of area landmarks, courtesy of Yonkers Model Railroad Club. Members of the club will be on-site to answer questions. WHY WE LOVE IT: An event that will become part of your family’s yearly celebration. WANT TO GO? $10; $8 children ages 2-12; free for children younger than 2. 914-723-3470. greenburghnaturecenter.org.
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‘The Nutcracker’ Young Dancers Performance Program
WHEN: Through Dec. 3: Saturdays, 11am-2pm WHERE: Isaac Young Middle School, 270 Centre Ave., New Rochelle AGES: 3-12 WHAT: Ajkun Ballet Theatre, a New York City-based professional ballet company, invites children to participate in The Nutcracker, with dance performance classes in either ballet or hip-hop, divided by age. WHY WE LOVE IT: What a great opportunity! WANT TO GO? $40. 646-368-9800. ajkunbt.org.
The New York City Ballet Performs George Balanchine’s ‘The Nutcracer’
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WHEN: Nov. 25–Dec. 31, see website for times WHERE: David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center, 10 Lincoln Center Plaza, Upper West Side, Manhattan AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Tchaikovsky’s beloved melodies will transport you to a magical world in which mischievous mice besiege a battalion of soldiers, and an onstage blizzard leads to an enchanted Land of Sweets. WHY WE LOVE IT: A New York holiday tradition—the original and the best! WANT TO GO? $40 and up. 212-496-0600. nycballet.com.
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Holiday Express: Toys and Trains from the Jerni Collection
WHEN: Through Feb. 26, 2017: Tuesday-Thursday and Saturdays, 10am-6pm; Fridays, 10am-8pm; Sundays, 11am-5pm WHERE: New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park W., Upper West Side, Manhattan AGES: 5-17 WHAT: The first floor of the museum is transformed into a choochoo lovers delight with the installation of treasures from the renowned Jerni Collection of model trains, scenic elements, and toys. The dynamic display will appeal to all age groups, showcasing an amazing range of vintage toys from a bygone era. WHY WE LOVE IT: It may not be the biggest holiday train show, but it will still delight little train lovers thanks to the beautiful detail and fantastic antique trains and buildings. WANT TO GO? $20; $15 seniors; $12 students; $6 children ages 5-13; free for children 4 and younger. 212-873-3400. nyhistory.org. ››
New Location in Mt. Kisco & Now Accepting NEW Patients
GCPD provides a kid themed office with the most advanced dental procedures including: • State-of-the-art-equipment • Advanced sterilization procedures • Treatment of toddlers, teenagers and special needs children • White tooth fillings & Sealants • Kid friendly environment with gaming stations • Sedation & Hospital Dentistry • We accept most insurances Your child will love going to the dentist! Our office has been designed so that every child will have a fun dental experience. Stop in and see how enjoyable dental care can be!
50 Dayton Ln | Ste 103 | Peekskill, NY | 914.402.6980 40 Radio Circle | Mt. Kisco, NY 10549 | 914.241.1933
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Westchester Ballet Company’s
The Nutcracker A magical journey and a delightful family tradition!
Westchester County Center White Plains
Dec. 16 - 18
$26 General $22 Children/Seniors (Ages 10 and under/60+) $22 Groups of 20+ $32 Day of Performance
HATCHED
A seedling drama about life on the farm
SAT, NOV 12 @ 11AM & 1:30PM
Click, Clack, Moo SAT, dec 3 @ 11AM & 1:30PM
the paper bag players A trip to the moon mon, dec 26 @ 11AM & 1:30PM
tickets on sale now!
emelin.org | 914.698.0098 153 library lane mamaroneck, ny 10543 Learn more at westchesterballet.org
WestchesterParent 33
97th NYC Veterans Day Parade: America’s Parade FREE
WHEN: Friday, Nov. 11, 11:25am-3:30pm WHERE: Fifth Avenue, between 26th and 56th streets, Midtown, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: Join the United War Veterans Council, New York City, and Americans everywhere to honor the service of our veterans and to salute our currently serving military. WANT TO GO? 877-727-2333. americasparade.org.
Children’s Creative Writing Club FREE
WHEN: Nov. 3-17, Thursdays, 4-4:45pm WHERE: Yonkers Riverfront Library, 1 Larkin Plaza, Yonkers AGES: 9-12 WHAT: Word Games is a new club for kids in fourth through sixth grades who think writing is fun. Play games such as Mad Libs and Round Robin, and even write your own book. Registration required. WANT TO GO? 914-969-6660. ypl.org/riverfront.
2016 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting FREE
WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 30, 7-9pm WHERE: Rockefeller Center, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, Midtown, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: Join the tens of thousands crowding the sidewalks for the performances and lighting (or watch it on TV!). The tree will remain lit and can be viewed until 8pm on Jan. 7, 2017. WANT TO GO? 212-632-3975. rockefellercenter.com.
ONCE UPON A TIME Multilingual Mother Goose FREE
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. Pumpkin Smash FREE
WHEN: Nov. 1-7, see website for times WHERE: Various locations throughout New York City, see website AGES: All WHAT: Don’t let your leftover jack-o’-lanterns and pumpkins haunt a landfill. Head down to an event at which you can smash and compost it, as well as take part in other outdoor activities. WANT TO GO? on.nyc.gov/pumpkin-smash.
Brain Breakers FREE
WHEN: Friday, Nov. 11, 3-4pm WHERE: Grinton Will Branch Library, 1500 Central Park Ave., Yonkers AGES: 13-17 WHAT: Solve jigsaw puzzles, play word search games, and win prizes in the Young Adult Room. WANT TO GO? 914-337-1500. ypl.org/grinton. 34
November 2016 | nymetroparents.com
WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 3, 2:30-3pm WHERE: Chappaqua Library, 195 S. Greeley St., Chappaqua AGES: 3-5, adult WHAT: Learn and share songs and rhymes in other languages. WANT TO GO? 914-238-4779. chappaqualibrary.org.
All Together Now FREE
WHEN: Monday, Nov. 7, 11:30am-12pm WHERE: Chappaqua Library, 195 S. Greeley St., Chappaqua AGES: Newborn to 5 WHAT: Drop in for stories and songs with an adult. WANT TO GO? 914-238-4779. chappaqualibrary.org.
Babies and Books FREE
WHEN: Friday, Nov. 18, 11-11:30am WHERE: Yonkers Riverfront Library, 1 Larkin Plaza, Yonkers AGES: 18 months and younger WHAT: Books, songs, and fingerplays for babies. WANT TO GO? 914-337-1500. ypl.org/riverfront.
Morning Laptime FREE
WHEN: Friday, Nov. 18, 11:30am-12pm WHERE: Chappaqua Library, 195 S. Greeley St., Chappaqua AGES: 3-5, adult WHAT: Storytimes for pre-walkers with an adult. WANT TO GO? 914-238-4779. chappaqualibrary.org.
ANIMAL LOVERS Wild for Wolves
WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 2, 1-3pm WHERE: Wolf Conservation Center, 7 Buck Run, South Salem AGES: 5-12 WHAT: Learn all about wolves and participate in fun field groups and activities. WANT TO GO? $25 per class. 914-763-2373. nywolf.org.
Owl Prowl FREE
Special Education Advocacy Guardianship Transition Planning Special Needs Planning www.littmankrooks.com 399 Knollwood Road ▪ White Plains, NY 10603 ▪ 914.684.2100 655 Third Avenue ▪ New York, NY 10017 ▪ 212.490.2020
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 12, 7-9pm WHERE: Muscoot Farm, 52 Route 100, Katonah AGES: All WHAT: Join naturalist Anne Swaim as she takes you on a nocturnal walk to call these magnificent birds. WANT TO GO? 914-864-7282. muscootfarm.org.
Fall Birding
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 13, 9:30am WHERE: Wave Hill, West 249th Street and Independence Avenue, Bronx AGES: 9 and older WHAT: Wave Hill’s garden setting overlooking the Hudson River provides the perfect habitat for resident and migrating birds. Naturalist Gabriel Willow contributes his extensive knowledge of bird species and their behaviors on these captivating walks. WANT TO GO? $8; $4 children ages 6-18. 718-549-3200. wavehill.org.
Turkeyfish Weekend
WHEN: Nov. 12-13, Saturday-Sunday, 10am-5pm WHERE: Maritime Aquarium, 10 N. Water St., Norwalk, CT AGES: All WHAT: Guests touch real turkeyfish spines while learning about lionfish and other invasive species, and what makes them such a challenge to native flora and fauna. WANT TO GO? 22.95; $20.95 children ages 13-17; $15.95 children ages 3-12; free for children younger than 3. 203-852-0700. maritimeaquarium.org.
Ravens & Crows: The Amazing Intelligence of Corvids
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 20, 2pm WHERE: Greenburgh Nature Center, 99 Dromore Road, Scarsdale AGES: All WHAT: Come to the Greenburgh Nature Center for an illuminating program about ravens and crows. WANT TO GO? $8. 914-723-3470. greenburghnaturecenter.org. ›› WestchesterParent 35
WHAT: A fun, bilingual adaptation of the famous Aesop’s fable, adding music and magic to the race that has entertained kids and adults alike. WANT TO GO? 914-963-6222. hammandclov.org.
Blithe Spirit
WHEN: Nov. 4-12, Friday-Saturday, 8-10pm WHERE: Muscoot Farm, 51 Route 100, Katonah AGES: 9 and older WHAT: A supernatural comedy set in 1930s England, Blithe Spirit is a quick-paced, exciting night of professional theater. WANT TO GO? $20. 914-864-7282. muscootfarm.org.
The Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival Story Concert
SHOW TIME! Glenn Miller Orchestra
WHEN: Tuesday, Nov. 1, 1pm and 8pm WHERE: Westchester Broadway Theatre, 1 Broadway Plaza, Elmsford AGES: 13 and older WHAT: Enjoy the big band music of Glenn Miller. WANT TO GO? $50 show only. 914-592-2222. broadwaytheatre.com.
Concert: Brasil Guitar Duo
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 6, 2pm WHERE: Wave Hill, West 249th Street and Independence Avenue, Bronx AGES: 9 and older WHAT: Douglas Lora and João Luizs, both Brazilian-born and classically trained, perform music from the Baroque period to Argentinian tangos and contemporary Brazilian pop tunes. WANT TO GO? $28; $22 children. 718-549-3200. wavehill.org.
Imagination Movers
WHEN: Nov. 5-6, Saturday-Sunday, 11am-3pm WHERE: Paramount Hudson Valley Theater, 1008 Brown St., Peekskill AGES: 3 and older WHAT: Imagination Movers is currently on the Disney Junior Channel and are known as a high-energy, interactive, live music act. WANT TO GO? $26; $23 seniors and children. 914-739-0039 x2. paramounthudsonvalley.com.
Arts in the Afternoon
WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 9, 1:30pm WHERE: Hudson River Museum, 511 Warburton Ave., Yonkers AGES: All WHAT: Matt Turk and Jim Keyes sing and perform American classics and popular songs from the Civil War period. WANT TO GO? $6; $3 children. 914-963-4550. hrm.org.
Colin Hay
WHEN: Friday, Nov. 11, 8-10pm WHERE: Paramount Hudson Valley Theater, 1008 Brown St., Peekskill AGES: All WHAT: Colin Hay, a songwriter and vocalist of pop sensation Men at Work, has reinvented himself as a solo artist. WANT TO GO? $30-$40. 914-739-0039. paramounthudsonvalley.com.
‘The Tortoise and the Hare’ FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 12, 2pm WHERE: Yonkers Riverfront Library, 1 Larkin Center, Yonkers AGES: 3-8
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November 2016 | nymetroparents.com
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 19, 4pm WHERE: Wallace Auditorium, 480 Bedford Road, Chappaqua AGES: All WHAT: Paul Shaffer narrates A Family for Baby Grand by Sharon Dennis Wyeth, preceded by Ogden Nash’s The Tale of Custard the Dragon, sung by Broadway star Timothy Warmen. WANT TO GO? $25; free for children younger than 4. 845-842-0010. chappaquaorchestra.org.
‘Saturday Night Fever’
WHEN: Through Jan. 29, 2017: Wednesday-Sunday, see website for times WHERE: Westchester Broadway Theatre, 1 Broadway Plaza, Elmsford AGES: 9 and older WHAT: A stage version of the hugely popular 1977 movie. WANT TO GO? $50 show only. 914-592-2222. broadwaytheatre.com.
SPECIAL NEEDS
Sensory-Friendly Morning
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 6, 8am-12pm WHERE: Maritime Aquarium, 10 N. Water St., Norwalk, CT AGES: All WHAT: Lights will be lower, and music and other sounds will be turned down or off. Aquarium educators will offer special tactile activities. WANT TO GO? $22.95; $20.95 children ages 13-17; $15.95 children ages 3-12; free for children younger than 3. 203-852-0700. maritimeaquarium.org.
LITTLE FOODIES Concert Tea
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 6, 12pm WHERE: Wave Hill, West 249th Street and Independence Avenue, Bronx AGES: All WHAT: Enjoy Afternoon Tea in the Mark Twain Room prior to the concert in Armor Hall. The Café at Wave Hill pairs a classic menu with an assortment of green, black, and herbal teas, with the classic elements of savory, scones, and sweets. Registration required. WANT TO GO? $36. 718-549-3200. wavehill.org.
BROWSE & BUY Farmers’ Market
WHEN: Through Nov. 13, Sundays, 9:30am-2:30pm WHERE: Muscoot Farm, 51 Route 100, Katonah AGES: All WHAT: Enjoy more than 20 choice vendors. WANT TO GO? Free admission. 914-864-7282. muscootfarm.org.
HOLIDAY FUN Annual Christmas Tree Sale
WHEN: Nov. 25–Dec. 24, Thursday-Friday, 4-8pm; Saturday-Sunday, 9am-9pm WHERE: North White Plains Fire Company, 621 N. Broadway, North White Plains AGES: All WHAT: North White Plains Fire Company is hosting its annual Christmas tree sale, with all proceeds benefitting the fire department. WANT TO GO? Free parking. 914-949-3575. ncsfd1.com.
www.whimsiesdollhouseshop.com
‘The Polar Express’
WHEN: Nov. 25–Jan. 2, 2017, check the website for dates and times WHERE: IMAX Theater, Maritime Aquarium, 10 N. Water St., Norwalk, CT AGES: 3 and older WHAT: On Christmas Eve, a magical locomotive takes children on a magical trip to the North Pole to show them Santa really does exist. WANT TO GO? $11.50; $10.50 children ages 13-17; $9.50 children ages 2-12. 203-852-0700. maritimeaquarium.org.
GingerBread Lane
WHEN: Nov. 11–Jan. 15, 2017, Monday-Friday, 9:30am-5pm; Saturday-Sunday, 10am-6pm WHERE: New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th St., Corona, Queens AGES: All WHAT: Marvel at the homemade gingerbread houses made entirely of edible gingerbread, royal icing, and candy. The winner of 2015 Guinness World Record for the largest gingerbread village is drafted, designed, baked, planned, built, and decorated by chef Jon Lovitch. WANT TO GO? $15; $12 seniors and children ages 2-17. 718-6990005. nysci.org. ››
Co-directed by John Mahoney, Ph.D, MT-BC, LCAT & Nancy Landy, ATR-BC, LCAT Providing music and art therapy to children and young adults
16 Villard Avenue Hastings, NY | 914.476.7662 WestchesterParent 37
WHAT: Is Earth the only planet with life? Narrated by Rupert Grint from Harry Potter films, embark on an epic ride in the hunt for the evidence of alien life. WANT TO GO? $6; $3 children. 914-963-8558. hrm.org.
‘The Sky Tonight’
SMARTY PANTS Fall Scientist in Residence Public Lecture
WHEN: Nov. 5-27, Saturday-Sunday, 2pm WHERE: Hudson River Museum Planetarium, 511 Warburton Ave., Yonkers AGES: 5-17 WHAT: Take a live tour of the night sky as seen from our area with a planetarium educator. WANT TO GO? $6; $3 children. 914-963-8558. hrm.org.
‘Tycho to the Moon’
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 5, 2-3:30pm WHERE: Hudson River Museum, 511 Warburton Ave., Yonkers AGES: 13 and older WHAT: Fall Scientist in Residence Alexandra Bausch, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, will discuss her research in the Indian Ocean, Hudson River, and in the lab, focusing on how rising carbon dioxide levels effects creatures at the center of the oceanic food web. WANT TO GO? $6; $3 children. 914-963-8558. hrm.org.
WHEN: Nov. 5-27, Saturday-Sunday, 12:30pm WHERE: Hudson River Museum Planetarium, 511 Warburton Ave., Yonkers AGES: 5 and older WHAT: This dog doesn’t just howl at the moon—he goes there! Blast off on an amazing ride with Tycho and his young friends, Ruby and Michael, and learn about night and day, space travel, phases of the moon, and features of the lunar surface. WANT TO GO? $6; $3 children. 914-963-8558. hrm.org.
Mathnasium Trimathlon FREE
WHEN: Nov. 2-30, Wednesday-Sunday, 1pm and 3pm WHERE: Hudson River Museum, 511 Warburton Ave., Yonkers AGES: All WHAT: See the restored 19th century period rooms, furniture, and paintings in the context of the political climate in Westchester leading up to, during, and after the Civil war. Gain insight into what people in Glenview’s neighborhood were talking way back when. WANT TO GO? $6; $3 children. 914-963-8558. hrm.org.
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 5, 2-5pm WHERE: Mathnasium of Scarsdale, 747 White Plains Road, Scarsdale AGES: 5-12 WHAT: Students at each grade level compete in three math events to help raise money for local schools and PTAs. WANT TO GO? 914-725-6284. mathnasiumtrimathlon.com.
Sunday Stories
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 13, 1pm and 3pm WHERE: Hudson River Museum, 511 Warburton Ave., Yonkers AGES: All WHAT: See a performance of Lady Spies and the Slave Grapevine as part of The Civil War Series with Teaching Artist-in-Residence Vienna Carroll and Keith Johnston. A formerly enslaved fugitive from Maryland describes her life as the lady’s maid of a secret Union sympathizer to her new friends in “The Hills.” WANT TO GO? $6; $3 children. 914-963-4550. hrm.org.
Lego Star Wars™ Days ®
WHEN: Nov. 19-20, Saturday, 10am-9pm; Sunday, 10am-7pm WHERE: Legoland Discovery Center Westchester, 39 Fitzgerald St., Yonkers AGES: 3-12 WHAT: The weekend will feature fun-filled activities for all ages including build competitions, a Lego® Star Wars™ themed Master Builder Academy, and a large scale Lego® Yoda™ group build. WANT TO GO? $15.95 and up; free for children younger than 2. 866243-0770. legolanddiscoverycenter.com/westchester.
‘We Are Aliens’
WHEN: Nov. 5-27, Saturday-Sunday, 3:30pm WHERE: Hudson River Museum Planetarium, 511 Warburton Ave., Yonkers AGES: 9 and older
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Glenview Tours
Civil War and the American Spirit
WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2-3:30pm WHERE: Hudson River Museum, 511 Warburton Ave., Yonkers AGES: 5-8 WHAT: Dr. Lawrence Kramer, focuses on music from the Civil War and later conflicts, as well as Walt Whitman’s collection of Civil War poems steeped in musical language, Drum-Taps. WANT TO GO? $6; $3 children. 914-963-8558. hrm.org.
America Reads FREE
WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 30, 3-6pm WHERE: Yonkers Riverfront Library, 1 Larkin Plaza, Yonkers AGES: 5-12 WHAT: Sarah Lawrence students volunteer to read aloud to children. WANT TO GO? 914-337-1500. ypl.org/riverfront.
Kids Short Story Connection Workshops
WHEN: Sept. 10–May 3, 2017, 10am-12pm WHERE: Greenburgh Town Hall, 177 Hillside Ave., Greenburgh AGES: 9-17 WHAT: An ongoing creative workshop for kids who love to write. In a round-table setting led by published authors and teachers, small groups of peers explore creativity, create new works, read works aloud, peer critique, and support each other’s growth. WANT TO GO? See website for prices. 914-682-1574. greenburghartsandculture.org. ››
CityBound
34
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Green Chimneys School
MSG Entertainment
The Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade marches onto Central Park West for its 90th (yes 90th!) year this month. Get up really early (6am) on Turkey Day to secure a spot to see the parade and take in the holiday atmosphere. Seeing the giant helium balloons, performers, and marching bands in person is a must-do Thanksgiving tradition. The whole family will be transfixed at the sight of favorites such as Spider-Man, Buzz Lightyear, and SpongeBob. You can also check out the helium giants up close at the popular big balloon inflation event the day before, which has become as big an event as the parade itself! See nymetroparents. com for details. Nov. 24, 9am-12pm. Age: All. Parade begins at 77th Street and Central Park West, Upper West Side. 212-494-4495. macys.com/parade.
Gymnastics • Music • Playtime • Summer Camps School Break Camps • Jodi’s To Go • Best Birthdays Ever
High Kicks and Holiday Fun Whether it’s your first time or your 10th, a visit to the iconic Radio City Music Hall to see the The Christmas Spectacular Featuring The Radio City Rockettes is a New York holiday tradition. Audiences have been lining up since 1933 to see classic routines such as The Parade of the Wooden Soldiers and The Living Nativity as well as high-kicking new numbers. Old fashioned fun that will appeal to all ages. Nov. 11-Jan. 2, 2016. Check website for show times. Age: 6 and older. $49-$120. Radio City Music Hall, 1260 Sixth Ave., Midtown. 866-858-0007. radiocitychristmas.com.
greenchimneys.org
WestchesterParent 39
ON SCREEN ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’
CRAFTY KIDS Woodworking Workshop
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 5, 1-5pm WHERE: Wave Hill, West 249th Street and Independence Avenue, Bronx AGES: 9-12, adult WHAT: Turn invasive plants such as mulberry and honeysuckle into a squirrelsized chair with rustic-furniture artist and landscape architect David Hughes. WANT TO GO? $50. 718-549-3200. wavehill.org.
Family Art Project: Papermaking
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 5, 10am-1pm WHERE: Wave Hill, West 249th Street and Independence Avenue, Bronx AGES: All WHAT: Join visiting artist and paper-making expert Randy Brozen to make richly-colored paper using red, orange, and yellow pulp. WANT TO GO? $8; $4 children ages 6-18. 718-549-3200. wavehill.org.
Coloring for Teens FREE
WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 9, 3pm WHERE: Grinton Will Branch Library, 1500 Central Park Ave., Yonkers AGES: 13-17 WHAT: Coloring pages, colored pencils, and crayons will be provided. WANT TO GO? 914-337-1500. ypl.org/grinton.
Family Art Project: Dances with Leaves
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 13, 10am-1pm WHERE: Wave Hill, West 249th Street and Independence Avenue, Bronx AGES: All WHAT: Toss fall leaves in the wind, walk through a leaf pile, or use them to fashion a crown. Make artful arrangements to carry home. WANT TO GO? $8; $4 children ages 6-18. 718-549-3200. wavehill.org.
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 19, 12pm WHERE: Jacob Burns Film Center, 364 Manville Road, Pleasantville AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Mr. Fox starts to steal chickens and other foods from the farms close by. Fed up with the antics of Mr. Fox, the evil farmers—Boggis, Bunce, and Bean—set out to capture him. WANT TO GO? $13; $7.50 children. 914-773-7663. burnsfilmcenter.org.
‘Born to Be Wild’
WHEN: Nov. 1–Dec. 31, call, text, or go online for show times WHERE: IMAX Theater, Maritime Aquarium, 10 N. Water St., Norwalk, CT AGES: All WHAT: This film follows orphaned baby orangutans and elephants, and the people who rescue and raise them for release back into the wild. WANT TO GO? $9.50; $7 children ages 2-12. 203-852-0700. maritimeaquarium.org.
‘A Beautiful Planet’
WHEN: Through Dec. 31: check the website for dates and times WHERE: IMAX Theater, Maritime Aquarium, 10 N. Water St., Norwalk, CT AGES: All WHAT: Made in cooperation with NASA, the film features a breathtaking portrait of Earth and the effects humanity has had on it over time. WANT TO GO? $9.50; $7 children ages 3-12. 203-852-0700. maritimeaquarium.org.
‘National Parks Adventure’
WHEN: Through Dec. 31: check the website for dates and times WHERE: IMAX Theater, Maritime Aquarium, 10 N. Water St., Norwalk, CT AGES: All WHAT: Join mountaineer Conrad Anker, photographer Max Lowe, and artist Rachel Pohl as they work their way across America’s parks. WANT TO GO? $9.50; $7 children ages 3-12. 203-852-0700. maritimeaquarium.org.
‘Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Secret Ocean’
WHEN: Through Dec. 31: see website for dates and times WHERE: IMAX Theater, Maritime Aquarium, 10 N. Water St., Norwalk, CT AGES: All WHAT: The film introduces audiences to more than 30 species of animals. WANT TO GO? $11.50; $10.50 children ages 13-17; $9.50 children ages 3-12. 203-852-0700. maritimeaquarium.org.
Family Studio Projects
WHEN: Nov. 5-27, Saturday-Sunday, 1-4pm WHERE: Hudson River Museum, 511 Warburton Ave., Yonkers AGES: 5-17 WHAT: Activities led by Junior Docents and arts and science professionals. WANT TO GO? $6; $3 children. 914-963-8558. hrm.org.
Art Classes
WHEN: Through Dec. 15: Tuesday-Thursday, 4-5:30pm WHERE: MADE, 118 W. Boston Post Road, Mamaroneck AGES: 5-17 WHAT: Young artists can explore many different art mediums. WANT TO GO? $28 per class. 917-733-3900. madeartstudio.com. 40
November 2016 | nymetroparents.com
Coming up next month: DEC. 4: The Nutcracker, Tarrytown Music Hall, Tarrytown ASSORTED DAYS IN DECEMBER: Holiday Tea Musicals, Caramoor, Katonah WEEKENDS IN DECEMBER: Holiday A Cappella, NY Botanical Gardens, Bronx
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1 North Greenwich Road, Armonk, NY Armonk, NY 1 North Greenwich Road, www.westfieldschools.info∙914-967-2530
Learn to Swim (Levels 1-6) Parent & Child Lessons (6 mos. & up) Adult Lessons (All Levels) Springboard Diving Private Lessons Snorkeling Classes Discover SCUBA Classes SCUBA Certification Lifeguarding Certification
Upcoming Sessions Fall 2: Oct. 26 - Dec. 11
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Winter 3: Feb. 1 - March 12
(we will have class for President Week)
Spring 4: March 15 - May 7 (no class April 8-16; Spring Break)
All of our instructors are American Red Cross-trained Water Safety Instructors For more information contact: Christine Klint christine.klint@purchase.edu | 914-251-5939 www.purchaseaquatics.weebly.com
Ask About Our Toddler Open Gym Programs! A walk in, non-instructional playtime for crawlers to 4 year olds Private Birthday Parties
Air castles • Obstacles Courses • Trampolines & more
All of our famous parties are private. Our interactive staff will make your child’s party a very special one. Gymnastics Classes Boys & Girls • Ages 20 months & up Beginner-Advanced • Competitive Teams Cheer Tumbling • Private lessons
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914-965-7676 gymcats.net
WestchesterParent 41
WHERE-TO GUIDE
Ice-Skating
nymetroparents.com/where-to
›› Research by Jonathan Perry and 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. Westchester Skating Academy 91 Fairview Park Drive, Elmsford 914-347-8232; skatewsa.com Hours: Year-round: Monday, 11:40am1:10pm and 1:30-4:30pm; Tuesday, 9:3011:30am and 1:30-3:30pm (Mondays and Tuesdays are subject to change during the winter season); Wednesday, 9:30-11:30am, 11:40am-1:10pm, and 1:30-4:30pm; Thursday, 9:30-11:30am; Friday, 9:30-11:30am, 11:40am-1:20pm, 1:30-4:30pm, and 7:30-10pm; SaturdaySunday, 1:30-4pm. Extended hours during holiday periods. Hours subject to change. Check website. Price: $11; $10 children ages 4-10; $6.25 seniors and children ages 3 and younger; $4.50 skate rental.
Rockland County Outdoor Rinks
Ebersole Ice Rink Delfino Park, 110 Lake St., White Plains 914-422-1390 914-422-1348 ebersoleicerink.com Hours: Wednesday, 12-2pm; Thursday, 12-2pm; Friday, 3-5pm and 8-10pm; Saturday, 1:15-4:30pm and 8:30-10:15pm (adults only); Sunday, 1-5pm. Price: $10 adults; $8 children 18 and younger; $5 seniors; $5 skate rental. Indoor Rinks
EJ Murray Memorial Skating Center: Ice Skating Rink 348 Tuckahoe Road, Yonkers 914-377-6469; yonkersny.gov Hours: Tuesday-Thursday, 9:30am12:30pm; Friday, 9:30am-12:30pm and 8:30-10:30pm; Saturday, 12:30-2:50pm and 8:30-10:30pm; Sunday, 12:30-2:50pm and 7:10-8:30pm. Extended hours during holiday periods; call for schedule. Price: $10; $4 skate rental.
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Hommocks Park Ice Rink 140 Hommocks Road, Larchmont 914-834-1069; hommocksparkicerink.org Hours: Oct. 1–April 15, 2017: Monday, 12:30-2:30pm; Tuesday and Thursday, 1-5:15pm; Friday, 1-5:15pm and 7:159:15pm; Saturday, 1-5:15pm; Sunday, 11am-5:15pm (During October, the Sunday Public Sessions end at 4pm). See website for special holiday weekday schedule. Price: $8.50; $7.50 children younger than 12; $6.50 seniors; $4.50 skate rental. Discount with resident ID card (and Discount Cards for 12 sessions) and season passes available. The Ice Hutch 655 Garden Ave., Mount Vernon 914-699-6787; 914-668-1165 icehutch.com Hours: Year-round. Call for weekly schedule. Sept. 1–Oct. 31: Tuesday, 3-5pm; Saturday, 1-2:30pm. Schedule updated two months in advance; November and December schedule available at the end of October. Price: $8 adults and children; $5 seniors; $4 skate rental.
Outdoor Rinks
Bear Mountain State Park Ice Rink Palisades Parkway/Route 9W North, Bear Mountain 845-786-2701 bearmountainicerink.com Hours: Scheduled to open Saturday, Nov. 5. Monday-Tuesday, 10-11:30am and 121:30pm; Friday, 8-9:30pm; Saturday-Sunday, 10-11:30am, 12-1:30pm, 2-3:30pm, 4-5:30pm, 6-7:30pm, and 8-9:30pm (last session is on Saturdays only). See website for additional holiday schedule information. Price: $5; $4 children ages 4-11; $2 non-skaters and seniors; free for children ages 3 and younger; $4 skate rental; $5 skate sharpening; $8 parking on weekends and holidays. Indoor Rinks
Palisades Center Ice Rink 4900 Palisades Center Drive, West Nyack 845-353-4855 palisadescentericerink.com Hours: Daily, year-round. Call or check the website for public skating times. Price: $10; $8 seniors and children
younger than 10; $4 skate rental. Ten-visit punch cards and season passes available. Sport-o-Rama 20 College Road, Monsey 845-356-3919 sportorama.com Hours: Wednesday skate sessions: 3:30-5pm until Nov. 2. Times subject to change and were not released at the time of publication; call to verify. Price: $6.50 Wednesdays; weekend and holiday prices were not confirmed at the time of publication. $4 skate rental.
Wednesday, 12-1:30pm and 3:30-5pm; Thursday, 121:30pm; Friday, 12-1:30pm, 3:30-5pm, and 7:30-9pm; Saturday-Sunday, 2-4pm. Price: Proof of Greenwich residency is required for admission. A Greenwich resident may bring a nonresident as a guest. $8/$10 guest; $6 children ages 5-15/$8 guest; free for ages 65 and older ($8 guest) and children younger than 4.
Fairfield Ice Academy 85 Mill Plain Road (Building J), Fairfield 203-254-8399 fairfieldiceacademy.com Hours: Year-round. Hours vary, check the website. Price: $7; $5 skate rental; $10 Friday night teen disco 7:45pm.
Sports Center of Connecticut 784 River Road, Shelton 203-929-6500 sportscenterct.com Hours: Year-round: Hours vary, check the website. Price: $12; $10 children ages 12 and younger; $6.50 skate rental; $8 skate aids for children ages 6 and younger ($5 deposit required)
Find the full guide at ›› nymetroparents.com/ice-skating
Fairfield County, CT Indoor Rinks
Danbury Ice Arena 1 Independence Way, Danbury 203-794-1704; danburyice.com Hours: Year-round: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, 11am2pm; Wednesday, 11am-2pm; Friday, 11am-2pm and DJ Teen Night for ages 13 and older, 8:30-10:30pm; Saturday, 1:10-3:10pm; Sunday, 2:304:30pm. Schedule is subject to change, please check website. Price: $9; $7 for children 12 and younger; $6 seniors; $4 skate rental; $4 helmet rental. DJ Skate on Fridays: $10 Darien Ice Rink 55 Old Kings Highway N., Darien 203-655-8251 darienicerink.com Hours: Year-round: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, 9:50-11:50am and 12-2pm; Wednesday and Friday, 122pm; Sunday, 1-2:50pm. Schedule subject to change, check the website for updates. Price: $7; $6 children; $5 seniors; $4 skate rental. Dorothy Hamill Skating Rink Sue Merz Way off Sherman Avenue, Greenwich 203-531-8560; greenwichct.org Hours: Monday, 12-1:30pm; Tuesday, 12-1:30pm, 6:30-7:45pm, and adultsonly skate 7:45-9pm;
WestchesterParent 43
FOOD & NUTRITION
A New Spin on Thanksgiving Favorites ›› Three cookbook authors share their takes on traditional side dishes to amp up our favorite fall feast. Oyster Stuffing for American Thanksgiving American Thanksgiving is always a big hit at our farmhouse. Each year, I carefully plan a harvest menu using as many ingredients from the farm as possible. We invite family and friends and generally serve the traditional stuffed turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie, but I always like to add a few surprises depending on what is left in the garden as well. One Thanksgiving, a fellow American expat living in Dublin joined us at the farm. She made an unforgettable oyster stuffing that we have adopted as a new Thanksgiving tradition ever since. Here’s my take on it. Serves 8-10 Ingredients 11 cups crusty bread cut into ½-inch cubes 6 slices bacon, coarsely chopped 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing the pan 6 shallots, thinly sliced 1 leek, thinly sliced 4 celery stalks, thinly sliced 40 medium (about 1 lb) oysters, shucked, with 1 cup of the liquor reserved
1 cup chicken stock ¼ cup sherry 1/ 3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley 2 tbsp. chopped thyme leaves 2 tbsp. chopped sage leaves 1 tsp. sweet marjoram, chopped 1 tbsp. fennel seeds ½ tsp. hot pepper sauce Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions 1. P reheat the oven to 300˚F. Butter a 2-quart oval baking dish; set aside. 44
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2. Arrange the bread cubes on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake, stirring occasionally, until dried but not browned, approximately 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. 3. Cook the bacon in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until it is crisp and the fat has rendered, approximately 10 minutes. Add 4 tablespoons of the melted butter. Add the shallots, leek, and celery; reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, approximately 10 minutes. 4. Add the oyster liquor, chicken stock, sherry, parsley, thyme, sage, marjoram, fennel seeds, hot pepper sauce, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl, and stir in the bread cubes and oysters. Set aside to allow the flavors to come together for 10 minutes. 5. Raise the oven temperature to 400°F. Transfer the oyster mixture to the prepared baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, drizzle with the remaining butter, and continue baking until golden brown and crusty, approximately 15 minutes more. 6. Serve immediately. Scullery Notes Fresh oysters are best, but if you are in a pinch, canned or jarred oysters in liquor will work as well. From The Farmette Cookbook, © 2016 by Imen McDonnell. Reprinted by arrangement with Roost Books, an imprint of Shambhala Publications Inc., Boulder, CO. roostbooks.com
Eggplant Mashed Potatoes
Roasted Squash with Ginger Shallot Browned Butter
Eggplant mashed potatoes? Sounds a little crazy, right? Trust me— they’re not! This recipe is perfection, as well as a wonderfully creative way of hiding extra veggies in a well-loved dish. The inspiration for this was sort of random: I once had a comment on my blog about putting tahini in mashed potatoes. Months and months later, while I was cooking, my mind jumped back to that comment. My taste buds and brain went from tahini to hummus to babaganoush to eggplant to “Hey! That might not be too bad!” And it wasn’t bad—in fact, it was awesome! Just make sure you roast the eggplant to complete creaminess, and you’ll have yourself a surprisingly delicious side dish featuring a double dose of vegetables!
I could happily eat plain roasted squash on a regular basis. Its natural sweetness paired with a sprinkle of salt and wrapped in a crisp-on-theoutside, soft-on-the-inside bite is near perfection. But since I like to make it easy to spice things up, I often dress my roasted squash in ginger shallot browned butter. And boy, is it mouthwateringly good.
Serves 4 as a side dish Ingredients 1 small eggplant, halved Olive oil for roasting 1 tsp. salt, plus more for baking eggplant 3 medium creamer potatoes, chopped
2 tbsp. dairy-free butter Splash of dairy-free milk Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Directions 1. P reheat the oven to 400°F. 2. B rush the flesh side of the eggplant with olive oil and sprinkle it with salt. 3. P lace the eggplant halves peel side down on a baking sheet and cook for 30-40 minutes (depending on the size), until the insides are very, very tender. Pierce through the top to test the inside; the softer, the better. 4. W hile the eggplant is roasting, place the potatoes in a medium pot and cover them with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the potatoes are soft. 5. D rain the water from the potatoes and place them in a large bowl. Remove the peel, if you prefer. 6. S coop out the inside of the eggplant and place it in the mixing bowl with the potato. Discard the peel. 7. W hip the potatoes, eggplant, butter, and salt together until smooth and creamy. Add a splash of milk, if necessary. 8. Season with salt and pepper. A Note About This Recipe: While I don’t like to rely on “hidden vegetable” meals, since I think kids should learn to love every vegetable on its own (okay, well, maybe not every one), sometimes they are the quickest way to get your kid to start eating less-palatable veggies. This dish works like a charm. Tip: Garlic mashed potatoes? Yes, please! Since you’ll be heating up the oven to cook the eggplant anyway, consider roasting a whole head of garlic, too, and mixing it in with the potatoes. Kid-Friendly Tip: Nutritional yeast, always and forever. A sad day for Marlowe (the author’s daughter) involves mashed potatoes without it. Throw in a tablespoon when you whip the potatoes.
Recipe from The Plantiful Table: Easy, From-the-Earth Recipes for the Whole Family, copyright © Andrea Duclos, 2015. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Available wherever books are sold. theexperimentpublishing.com
Serves 4 Ingredients Approximately 6 cups peeled, seeded, and cubed butternut squash, cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces (from one mediumsize squash or two 20-ounce packages of precut squash) 2 tbsp. olive oil
¼ tsp. salt, plus more to taste Freshly ground black pepper 4 tbsp. (½ stick) unsalted butter ½ cup thinly sliced shallots 2 tsp. chopped fresh ginger Chives, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Directions 1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, toss the squash with the olive oil, the ¼ teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of pepper. Spread the squash in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet (set the empty bowl aside to keep cleanup to a minimum) and roast until tender all the way through and caramelized in spots, approximately 40 minutes. (Make sure that the squash can hold its shape well enough to be handled without getting mushy.) 2. In the meantime, in a small pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter has melted completely and begins to foam, start swirling the pan continuously. Watch carefully as the butter cooks and turns color: once you see it turn chestnut brown, remove the pan from the heat and add the shallots and ginger. Swirl the pan a couple more times and return to the heat. 3. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the ginger is fragrant and the shallots are soft and caramelized in spots, approximately 3 minutes. Take off the heat for good and set aside. 4. R emove the squash from the oven and carefully transfer it to the bowl you’ve set aside. Pour the ginger shallot browned butter over the squash and gently toss. Season with more salt and pepper to taste, if desired, and garnish with chives, if using. Serve immediately. Make It Easier: Get help from the store—or a very sharp knife. Let’s be honest, dealing with butternut squash can be a total drag. Although you don’t always get the same vibrant flavor out of the precut kind you can find in most supermarkets nowadays, I find the shortcut totally worth it, especially when roasting will coax out so much delicious flavor. If you can’t find or just refuse to buy precut (hey, we all choose the hard path for something!), make it easy by using a sharp knife and sharp peeler. Start by cutting off each end of the squash, then peel—with a peeler, not your knife. Once you’ve removed all the skin, stand the squash upright on one of the cut ends. It should be stable so that you can cut the vegetable in half lengthwise. Once split open, you can scoop out the seeds with a spoon and cut each half where the neck meets the body. The neck will be solid; cut it into slices at whatever thickness you like (1½-2 inches is good), then cut each slice into strips and, after that, cubes. Cut each remaining half in slices and each slice into cubes. You did it. Excerpted from Make It Easy: 120 Mix-and-Match Recipes to Cook From Scratch—with Smart Store-Bought Shortcuts When You Need Them by Stacie Billis. Copyright © 2016. Available from Da Capo Lifelong Books, an imprint of Perseus Books, LLC, a subsidiary of Hachette Book Group, Inc.
WestchesterParent 45
C. Lara Bakshi
Special Needs Attorney & Special Education Specialist Providing a clear road map of the law and zealously advocating for you and your child.
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SPECIALIZING in disciplinary matters for both special needs and general education students. Suspensions • Expulsions • Manifestation • Determination Hearings
CALL 917-244-6133 to set up a consultation
305 Broadway, 14th Fl., NY, NY 10007 Sliding Scale Depending on Income
lara.bakshi@gmail.com • www.lawbakshi.com Servicing Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk Counties), NYC Boroughs, Westchester, Rockland and Upstate NY
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Come learn from our experienced Montessori teachers who provide an individual, hands on learning environment. We offer a variety of toddler and pre-K programs! Extended hours are available.
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Scarsdale
27 Crane Rd. 914-472-4404 46
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Dobbs Ferry
535 Broadway 914-693-4443
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ONLINE EXTRAS Don’t let your child’s needs be a burden on your savings. Learn about financial and future planning for those with special needs at ›› nymetroparents.com/special-finances.
Does your college-bound child rely on assistive technology to compensate for a learning disability? Learn what questions to ask colleges at ›› nymetroparents.com/at.
The Achieving a Better Life Experience Act was signed into law in 2015. Find out how it benefits your child with special needs at ›› nymetroparents.com/able.
Learn about a strategy that works to teach your child with ASD important life skills at ››nymetroparents.com/special-skills.
INSIDE
NG EY I NN N TH A PL HE UP R W ROW O F G 48 A ll Grown Up: What to consider when your child with special needs turns 21—and is no longer a child. 50 R esource Directory: Special needs businesses in Westchester County you’ll want to know about
WestchesterParent 47
SPECIAL NEEDS
All Grown Up
››
What to consider when your child with special needs turns 21—and is no longer a child. By Samantha Neudorf
A
s parents, we hope for our children to grow up and— difficult though it may be for us emotionally—fly the coop to live on their own as full-fledged, independent adults. But if you have a child with special needs, these concerns may run deeper, and that goal may seem elusive or even impossible. That is why parents should start to consider what happens to their children with special needs, no matter how young they may be, well before they turn 21. The first thing to consider is what your child with special needs will do after completing high school. Will she go to college? Will he attend a vocational school? Will she live on her own? These are all conversations you should be having now. Here are some points to consider when planning the future for your child with special needs.
Obtaining Guardianship
If your child has health issues, you may want to consider applying for guardianship, because once your child with special needs turns 18, you as the parent may not have access to his health care information because of HIPAA: the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. Under HIPAA, patients older than 18 have their own rights to privacy for their medical records, meaning parents or caregivers do not automatically have the right to this information. One way to work around this, if your child is unable to take care of himself, 48
November 2016 | nymetroparents.com
is to obtain guardianship—which means, essentially, that you will retain legal responsibility for your child even though he is of age to be considered an adult. Bernard Krooks is an attorney and founding partner of Littman Krooks, a law firm that specializes in elder law and special-needs planning, with offices in Manhattan and White Plains. Krooks advises that parents start to apply for guardianship by the time their child is 17 years old because the process could take longer than six months. The guardianship process involves petitioning the court. Parents begin by filling out an application to certify that their child does indeed have a disability, and a doctor must submit a form to verify this. The application must also specify why the child with special needs is not able to care for himself. Then there will be a hearing in front of a judge, which is why it may be valuable to hire a special needs attorney to assist in the process. Krooks also suggests setting up a special needs trust to create a supplementary source of funds to pay for everyday necessities that government benefits will not cover, such as services that are not covered by Medicaid. “The reality is what the government gives you is decreasing due to fiscal constraints,” Krooks says, “so it’s very important to have a special needs trust to pay for things that help improve the quality of life of somebody with disabilities.”
Pursuing Higher Education
Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, children are entitled to free and appropriate public education by federal law, and schools must provide them with an education through 12th grade. The IDEA covers 13 kinds of disabilities, including autism, deafness, orthopedic impairment, and visual impairment. As a part of the IDEA, children with special needs will receive an Individualized Education Program, which is a document that specifies what your child’s disability is and how the school will support her. The IEP will specify how the child is doing in school, educational goals, and transition planning to prepare him for life after high school. In order for a child to move on to college, she will need a regents diploma if she went to high school in New York, and will have to undergo psychoeducational testing to analyze the mental processes that might affect her educational performance. Once a child takes this test, he can apply to college and the school will provide the proper accommodations when taking exams. Lara Bakshi, special needs and special education attorney and founder of Bakshi Law in Manhattan and West Islip, strongly advises that, if they are able to, children with special needs either receive a higher education or pursue a vocational program. “The most important thing for a child with special needs is to be able to interact with their peers that are not special,” Bakshi says. Bakshi suggests that a child with special needs attend a small liberal arts college because it will be more structured and less overwhelming than a large university. If he decides to attend a vocational school, programs such as the Boards of Cooperative Educational Services, which has 37 locations across New York state, are popular choices. There are programs, such as Career and Technical Education to learn how to operate different machineries. Littman Krooks, among other companies, employs people with special needs in its office to help with administrative tasks, including making photocopies, filing paperwork, and helping with shredding and scanning documents.
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Deciding Where to Live
The other big question to consider is where your child with special needs should live because she will technically no longer be a child after turning 21. Krooks says that parents tend to keep their children at home, but the problem is it’s not preparing them to live independently. “Statistically speaking, the parents will predecease the child,” Krooks says. “Years ago, children with special needs did not have a normal, typical life expectancy, but now many kids, even with Down syndrome and other special needs, are able to live a full or close to full life expectancy.” Parents should therefore consider helping their child with spcial needs find a place to live in proximity to his doctors, he says. Krooks suggests finding a specialist who has worked in the area for a long time and to establish a relationship with the doctor throughout the child’s lifetime. “The sooner you plan for this, the fewer things that you’ll be unprepared for along the way,” Krooks says.
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WestchesterParent 49
SpecialParent
Resource Directory
Bakshi Law
Offices in the Long Island, Manhattan, and Westchester 917-244-6133 lawbakshi.com lara.bakshi@gmail.com Bakshi Law specializes in special education law. We represent parents and children with disabilities, acquire correct classification under IDEA, ensure proper implementation of IEP, ascertain correct placement for children, and tuition reimbursement. We attend CSE meetings, resolution meetings, and suspension hearings, and all disciplinary hearings for special needs and general education students. Bakshi Law’s attorneys are passionate about your child’s education and offer assistance on a sliding scale for parents experiencing financial difficulties.
Body 4 Brain Janessa Rick, P.T.
100 Melrose Ave., Suite 104, Greenwich, CT 917-353-2412 body4brain.com jrick@body4brain.com Body 4 Brain is a physical therapy program that uses a developmental and brain-based assessment and treatment approach to help children with sensory processing disorders affecting academic, behavioral, and developmental skills. Children with learning disabilities, developmental delays, dyslexia, autism spectrum disorders, ADHD and anxiety disorders, motor coordination, and core muscle weakness; and adults with neurological pathologies, aging concerns, and motor disabilities will improve with the Body 4 Brain approach. Weekly therapy sessions and intensive model are available.
Camp Huntington
56 Bruceville Road, High Falls 855-707-2267 camphuntington.com dfalk@camphuntington.com Camp Huntington is a coed, residential program for children (ages 6-22) with autism and related learning and developmental needs. Our summer and weekend camp programs maximize a child’s potential, and locate and develop strengths and hidden abilities. Campers enjoy fun-filled days while learning practical social and life skills. Our unique program of adaptive, therapeutic recreation combines key elements that encourage progress: structured programming, nurturing care, a positive setting, and academic instruction to meet IEP goals.
Creative Wonders Therapy Center David Green, clinical director 470 Mamaroneck Ave., Suite 204, White Plains 914-421-8270 x1 facebook.com/#!/ creativewonderstherapy creativewonderstherapy.com Creative Wonders is a pediatric therapy center with seasoned occupational, physical, and speech therapists. Our therapists have significant training in many areas including sensory integration, PROMPT, and therapeutic listening. Our professional team collaborates closely with families to provide carryover activities for the home setting to maximize a child’s progress. Our stateof-the-art facility features a sensory gym that includes a “crash” pit, climbing wall, and vestibular equipment including various suspension swings.
Dicker Reading Center of Westchester 75 Brook St., Scarsdale
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914-472-0600 dickerreading.com Our revolutionary reading program will teach any child to read, even children diagnosed with a learning disability, dyslexia, ADD, or ADHD. Whether your child is reading above, below, or at grade level, they will accomplish three to six years of reading achievement in just one year. Parents will see immediate improvement in reading achievement, comprehension, and vocabulary development. More than 10,000 children from preschool to 12th grade have accomplished these remarkable results. Your child’s grades, confidence, and self-esteem will soar as he or she learns to love reading and school.
Green Chimneys
400 Doansburg Road, Brewster 845-279-2995 33 Clearpool Road, Carmel 845-225-8226 greenchimneys.org Green Chimneys School is designed for students who have been unsuccessful in a traditional educational environment and require a highly structured and supportive setting. An enriched curriculum on two campuses (Brewster and Carmel), incorporates innovative and therapeutic programming in an experiential learning environment to promote academic, social, and emotional success. Serving grades K-12. School district and private referrals accepted.
Huntington Learning Center
Eastchester Shopping Center 721 White Plains Road, Scarsdale 914-722-6100 650 Central Ave., Scarsdale 914-946-7800 335 Downing Drive, Yorktown Heights 914-245-8882 58 E. Route 59, Nanuet
845-624-6800 huntingtonhelps.com Huntington Learning Center is an accredited K-12 tutoring and test prep leader with certified teachers providing individualized instruction in phonics, reading, writing, math, science, study skills, executive functioning skills, SAT, ACT, and state and standardized exams. Huntington helps students at all levels achieve results including students with dyslexia, ADHD, and other learning disabilities. The skills, confidence, and motivation developed by Huntington help students succeed and meet Common Core State Standards. A former parent states: In just four months, the improvements I have seen in Jessica’s grades and confidence were incredible.
Littman Krooks, L.L.P.
399 Knollwood Road, White Plains 914-684-2100 655 Third Ave., Manhattan 212-490-2020 littmankrooks.com Identifying the best services for someone with special needs can be daunting. Littman Krooks can help you navigate the system, understand your child’s legal rights, and establish the financial foundation that will enable as much independence as possible. Our goal is to empower families with the tools they need to advocate for their loved ones for a free and appropriate education, public benefits, and social services. Let our team of attorneys and advocates help you safeguard the future of your loved one.
Music Conservatory of Westchester’s Music Therapy Institute Serving Multiple Disabilities and Offering a Variety of Ser-
vices and Creative Arts Therapies 216 Central Ave., White Plains 914-761-3900 musicconservatory.org jon@musiced.org For 28 years, the Music Conservatory of Westchester’s Music Therapy Institute has been the largest provider of professional music therapy services in the greater Westchester region. Board-certified music therapists work individually and in small groups with more than 2,000 children and adults each year. The institute provides music therapy programs and adapted instruction on-site at the Music Conservatory of Westchester in White Plains, as well as throughout the county through the institute’s extensive outreach program.
Pegasus Therapeutic Riding
310 Peach Lake Road, Brewster 845-669-8235 pegasustr.org Pegasus Therapeutic Riding provides equine-assisted activities for people with special needs, veterans, and individuals at risk. We offer therapeutic horseback riding and unmounted programs to participants ages 4 and older. Diagnoses include, but are not limited to, autism, Down syndrome, PTSD, developmental delays, multiple sclerosis, ADD/ ADHD, visual impairment, anxiety disorder, cerebral palsy, and traumatic brain injury. Our main equestrian center is located in Brewster. We have limited lesson opportunities at regional chapters in Fairfield County. Visit pegasustr.org for information and links to our social media. PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center.
Sportime USA
380 Saw Mill River Road, Elmsford 914-592-2111 sportimeusa.com Sportime USA is the ideal place to visit after a long day at school! With a restaurant on the premises, we have activities for all ages including a 4-D motion theater, laser tag, rock climbing wall, 18-foot Spider Climb, batting cages, bumper cars, kiddie rides, 200 video and redemption games, Ballocity Ball Blaster Arena, and soft-adventure play zone. We
are ADA-compliant and able to help everyone with any special needs enjoy all the attractions. Birthday parties are our specialty, so come give us a try.
Steffi Nossen School of Dance
216 Central Park Ave., White Plains 914-328-1900 steffinossen.org At the Steffi Nossen School of Dance, everyone can dance. People with special needs have their own class to experience the joy of dance or be mainstreamed as appropriate. In Moving Wheels & Heels adaptive dance for standups and sit-downs, selected “Best of Westchester” by Westchester Magazine, participants learn technique; improve focus, balance, and range of motion; and enjoy a social experience in a warm, supportive atmosphere. Classes have live music, and typical siblings are encouraged to participate. Learn about our great variety of classes at steffinossen.org.
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16 Villard Ave., Hastings 914-476-7662 wcats.org Westchester Creative Arts Therapy Services is a source for high quality music and art therapy services. Westchester CATS provides Saturday group sessions at its location in Hastings as well as art and music therapy for interested agencies and schools in Westchester and neighboring areas.
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The Westfield Day School
1 North Greenwich Road, Armonk 914-967-2530 westfieldschools.info wdsinfo@optonline.net The Westfield Day School is a therapeutic school for sixth12th grades and is unique in its ability to link emotional and academic support. Since 2000, the school has been dedicated to helping students overcome learning differences and personal obstacles. Students, whether gifted or struggling with learning issues including ADHD and underachievement, are given individualized programs that meet traditional academic standards.
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WWW.CREATIVEWONDERSTHERAPY.COM Contact us to schedule an appointment 470 Mamaroneck Ave. Suite 204 White Plains, NY 10605
WestchesterParent 51
Planning for the Worst
››
Teaching toddlers and preschoolers how to handle emergencies. By Melissa Kagan
D
o your little ones know what to do in the event of an emergency? If the answer is no, it’s time to equip them with some basic skills so they can manage worst-case scenarios independently and confidently. While it’s a topic many parents avoid because they don’t want to scare their toddlers and preschoolers, readying your family for a fire, serious injury, or any other emergency is one of the most important lessons you can teach them. Most small children can be taught to handle the basics of emergency situations, but the first step is to define what an actual emergency is. Generally speaking, a problem requires the attention of a parent or trusted adult, while an actual emergency warrants the assistance of police, emergency medical, or firefighter services. Giving examples will make it easier to establish which situations fall under which category. A fire in the house or an unconscious family member qualifies as emergencies. A stolen bike, a scraped knee, or a lost pet do not.
need to realize that police or fire trucks will arrive, even if the kids call just out of curiosity,” says Barbara Schori, director of the Ridge Street Country School in Rye Brook. Also, prepare youngsters for any questions they will be asked by an emergency operator, such as “Where are you calling from?” or “What is your emergency?” It’s natural to be nervous when urgent situations arise, but being prepared for these questions will help. “A small child may forget his or her own address,” Tween says, “but calls can be traced, so if they do forget, they will still get the help they need.” Paul J. Donahue, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and founder and director of Child Development Associates in Scarsdale, recommends telling kids ahead of time that the operator is there to help them and that they can trust the voice at the other end of the line. “This will help little kids to remain calm so that they will be able to stay on the line for as long as the operator needs to them to.”
Calling 911
Take the Fear Out of Situations Ahead of Time
The first step is to teach your kids how to dial 911. You can unplug a landline and teach even a 3-year-old to dial the numbers. And while you may think your kid is an expert at mobile devices, show them how to use a cellphone. “Many cellphones also have an emergency button that can be used to call for help,” explains Michelle Tween, director of early childhood education at The Chapel School in Bronxville. It’s also important to stress to kids that they should only dial 911 for emergencies. “Kids of all ages 52
November 2016 | nymetroparents.com
Loud sirens, smoke alarms, and firefighters in uniform are all examples of things that can be very scary to young children. Tween recommends taking the time to familiarize toddlers and preschoolers with them ahead of time. “Take a family trip to your local fire department and show them the equipment the firefighters will be wearing or holding,” she says. “This will give them a frame of reference should a fire actually occur and the fire department shows up.” This would also be a good time to have a discussion
about the Stop, Drop, and Roll and Stay Low and Roll techniques. Tween also recommends intentionally setting off fire alarms and the carbon monoxide detectors in your house during a family meeting so that your kids can hear what they sound like in a controlled environment. (If your alarms connect directly with the local fire department, don’t forget to disable them beforehand, or else you will have real-life firefighters at your door in minutes.) “These sounds can be very loud and scary so you want your kids to be familiar with what they sound like ahead of time in order to reduce panic or anxiety,” she says. You can further involve toddlers and preschoolers by asking them to help you change batteries in fire detection devices and assemble emergency supply kits. Create and practice your escape plan with your family from every room in the house. Practice staying low to the floor and checking for hot doors using the back of your hand. It’s just like a routine school fire drill—but in your home. “Involving your kids will empower them,” Tween says.
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Provide Reassurance
It’s easy to become so wrapped up in teaching small children the basics of emergency preparedness you forget how easily overwhelmed they can become. While you’re teaching them how to handle an emergency, make sure you also explain they are safe and protected. Let them know these things probably won’t happen, but it’s your job to make sure they know what to do in a worst-case scenario. Barbara Klein, director of the Huguenot Nursery School in Pelham, runs emergency drills during the school year, but it is done without frightening her students. “Our goal is to be prepared for any event, but to keep it low key for the children,” she says. “I feel strongly that at this age the children should not have to worry about ‘what might happen’ and to feel safe knowing the teachers will always look out for them.”
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First Aid
Emergencies happen, but it isn’t always the child who needs emergency care. If a parent or caregiver is injured, it may be the child who must administer basic care until emergency medical services arrives. For this reason, children should be taught basic first aid. If a child finds herself with an incapacitated caregiver, her own survival may depend on knowing what steps to take. Her sharp mind is limited only by her physical strength and emotional state. Helping feels good and soothing someone feels important and grown-up. Learning a few first-aid principles does more than prepare kids for the worst: It also helps them develop their compassion, self-esteem, and sense of purpose. Here’s how to do it in an age-appropriate way: • I ntroduce basic first aid (treating scrapes and bruises) by using a doll. • V ideotape your child treating a friend’s mock injury and then review the tape with all of the children, asking what could have been done better or more safely. • E ngage with their natural love of playing “doctor” by pretending to be their imaginary patient and telling them your symptoms. • Ham it up! Use ketchup for blood, white rags for bandages, socks stuffed inside clothing to indicate swelling. • G o through the first aid kit together, and have some extra bits of gauze, tape, and cotton balls on hand so your child can practice with real tools—smaller kids get a special thrill out of these materials. continued on next page ››
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‹‹ continued from previous page Bradley Schnebel, DMD American Board of Orthodontics
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• Focus on emergencies your family is most likely to encounter such as someone who has epilepsy. Make sure your child is aware of the conditions and knows how to name them to emergency personnel. • Finally, remember part of our job as parents is to assure kids they never need to be a hero or overstep their abilities. Make sure children know their first and most important job is to stay safe themselves. Melissa Kagan is the former editor-in-chief of the now-defunct lifetimemoms.com. She is currently a freelance writer whose work has been featured in Mommy Poppins, Westchester Magazine, and Westchester Family. She lives in Pelham with her husband and two children.
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• B rainstorm words that relate to emergency preparedness and create flashcards to review and discuss with your child. • Encourage children to prepare a skit or role-play how your family should respond to an emergency such as a fire in the house. • Preschoolers may find it easier to use songs to learn your phone number. Tunes such as “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” and “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” lend themselves to this exercise. • Break out the glitter glue, scissors, and construction paper to have your child write out important phone numbers in a decorative fashion.
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Pegasus Therapeutic Riding provides equineassisted activities for people with special needs and individuals at risk. Pegasus is a PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center serving 90 towns in southern NY and southwestern CT.
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Meet the Health Care
PROFESSIONAL To be in this section, call 914-379-0200 or email nympads@davlermedia.com
Caring for Kids Dr. Ivis Getz 140 Lockwood Ave., Suite 315, New Rochelle 914-355-2265 caringpediatricdentistry.com caringpediatricdentistry@gmail.com Dr. Ivis Getz, a board-certified pediatric dentist, is committed to providing the highest quality dental care to infants, children, adolescents, and those with special needs. Dr. Getz recognizes that each child is a unique individual who deserves compassion and respect, which is evident in her friendly manner and calm demeanor. The dental team truly enjoys working with kids and will treat your child with warmth and compassion. The practice participates in many dental insurance plans and has convenient after-school and Saturday appointments available.
Putnam Orthodontics 667 Stoneleigh Ave., Suite 207, Carmel 845-459-8500 325 S. Highland Ave., Briarcliff Manor 914-432-7625 putnamorthodontics.com Dr. Satish Pai has been practicing, and teaching orthodontics at Columbia University for 14 year. Dr. Pai specializes in Invisalign® and Damon® braces for children, teens, and adults. Dr. Pai is a clinical assistant professor in the Division of Orthodontics at Columbia University, College of Dental Medicine. Dr Pai completed a master of science (M.S.) and doctor of dental surgery (D.D.S.) from Columbia University, College of Dental Medicine.
TEMPLE EMANU-EL SKIRBALL CENTER (10 EAST 66TH STREET) TICKETS $20 ONLINE / $25 AT DOOR FREE FOR STUDENTS WITH VALID ID
FALL PROGRAM
Family Owned & Operated Since 1973 Experienced Teachers
PUBLIC FORUM AND BOOK SIGNING BOOKS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
• Serving Children 2 months–14 years
To purchase tickets go to
www.thejewishweek.com/gordis-greenblatt
• Field Trips • Stimulating Environment • Flexible Schedules • Beautiful Campus Setting
www.thejewishweek.com PRINT
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DIGITAL
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CUSTOM PUBLISHING
November 2016 | nymetroparents.com
EVENTS
www.annandandychildcare.com 914-592-3027 • 2170 Saw Mill River Rd, Elmsford
OPEN HOUSES 2016 French-American School of New York (FASNY)
Campuses in Scarsdale, Larchmont, and Mamaroneck Nursery to First Grade: Scarsdale Campus 85 Palmer Ave., Scarsdale 914-250-0521 Lower School: Larchmont Campus 111 Larchmont Ave., Larchmont 914-250-0469 Upper School: Mamaroneck Campus 145 New St., Mamaroneck 914-250-0451 fasny.org Our preschool and kindergarten open house is scheduled at 85 Palmer Ave. in Scarsdale on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 10am. Child care will be provided. RSVP today at fasny.org/ admissions/inquire/schedule-a-visit.
German International School New York (GIS) 50 Partridge Road, White Plains 914-948-6513 gisny.org admissions@gisny.org
Join us for an open house Friday, Oct. 21 at 10am, and Friday, Jan. 20, 2017 at 10am.
Green Meadow Waldorf School
307 Hungry Hollow Road, Chestnut Ridge 845-356-2514 gmws.org/admissionseventschedule Upcoming events include weekly Tea & Play for nursery and kindergarten parents, monthly Introductory Sessions, High School Open Day in November, and Introduction to the Lower School in January.
Hudson Country Montessori School
340 Quaker Ridge Road, New Rochelle 914-636-6202 hudsoncountry.org Tours are available each weekday beginning at 9:30am. Please call to schedule a visit and see how we inspire a love of learning in each child.
PARTY PLANNER
To advertise: 914-397-0200 or nympads@davlermedia.com Stu Ted NEW ffi dy ! ng B Pa ear rti es
FOR ALL YOUR PARTY NEEDS
Need to plan the perfect party? FIND venues, entertainers, suppliers, and other ideas to create the ideal party in our online Parent Resources Directory.
NYMetroParents.com
We bring the party to you! · Jumping Houses · Slides · Popcorn Machines · Cotton Candy · Party Balloons · BBQs · Face Painting · High Peak Tents · Tables, Chairs & Linens
347.326.5567 amandabearpartyrental.com
Iona Preparatory School
Lower School (kindergarten-eighth grades) 173 Stratton Road, New Rochelle 914-633-7744 Upper School (ninth-12th grades) 255 Wilmot Road, New Rochelle 914-632-0714 Westchester’s only all-boys pre-K to 12th Catholic school program will hold a lower school open house Nov. 3 from 6-8pm.
Thornton-Donovan School
100 Overlook Circle, New Rochelle 914-632-8836 td.edu Join us for Thornton-Donovan School’s open house on Dec. 11 from 2-4pm.
100 + CHARACTERS, INTERACTIVE DJ’S FROZEN & NEW KIDS BAND ‘THE HONEY BEATS’ PHOTO BOOTHS NEW! ROBOTIC ANIMALS (ROBO ZOO) CARNIVALS INFLATABLES CHARACTER SHOWS FAIRYTALE PRINCESS PARTIES THEME PARTIES SHOWS & ATTRACTIONS
COMPLETE CARNIVAL & PARTY PLANNING
To Advertise Call 914-397-0200
914-235-7100 www.davescast.com
WestchesterParent 57
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ACROBATICS / GYMNASTICS Gym Cats Gymnastics................................................................. 41 International School of Gymnastics............................................. 54 Jodi’s Gym - Westchester............................................................ 39 AUTO Acura of Westchester.................................................................. 29 BIRTHDAY / PARTY SERVICES Amy Rosen Cooking by Design................................................... 51 Blue Moon Mexican Café ........................................................... 46 Dave & Buster’s Pelham Manor.................................................. 53 Gym Cats Gymnastics................................................................. 41 House of Sports........................................................................... 13 International School of Gymnastics............................................. 54 Jodi’s Gym - Westchester............................................................ 39 Kids Cookery............................................................................... 54 Little Gym - Westchester............................................................... 9 Rockin’ Jump - Mount Kisco........................................................ 25 Sound Shore Indoor Tennis......................................................... 54 Sportime USA Inc........................................................................ 17 Westchester Parent Party Planner.............................................. 57 CAMPS Alcott Montessori......................................................................... 46 Ann & Andy.................................................................................. 56 Camp Ramaquois........................................................................ 41 Hudson Country Montessori........................................................ 21 International School of Gymnastics............................................. 54 Jodi’s Gym - Westchester............................................................ 39 Kids Cookery............................................................................... 54 Little Gym - Westchester............................................................... 9 Music Conservatory of Westchester............................................ 49 Purchase College / SUNY Aquatic Program................................ 41 Studio B Dance............................................................................ 35 Thornton Donovan School............................................................. 7 CHILD CARE / DAY CARE Ann & Andy.................................................................................. 56
Westchester Creative Arts Therapy Services.............................. 37
PERFORMING ARTS / ACTING
Wetherby-Pembridge School....................................................... 21
New 42nd Street.................................................................... 27, 29
EDUCATION Archdiocese of New York............................................................... 2
RELIGIOUS
Bakshi Law.................................................................................. 46
Archdiocese of New York............................................................... 2
Blue Rock School........................................................................ 53 Dicker Reading Method................................................................. 5 Hudson Country Montessori........................................................ 21 Thornton Donovan School............................................................. 7 Westfield Day School.................................................................. 41 Wetherby-Pembridge School....................................................... 21
Cross County Shopping Center................................................... 60 Pedigree Ski Shop....................................................................... 55
Carnegie Hall................................................................................. 8
Sportech...................................................................................... 51
Cross County Shopping Center................................................... 60
Tilly...A Deer’s Tale....................................................................... 55
Dave & Buster’s Pelham Manor.................................................. 53 Emelin Theatre............................................................................ 33
Whimsies Dollhouse Shop........................................................... 37
Green Chimneys.......................................................................... 39 Illusionists: Turn of the Century................................................... 11
SPECIAL EVENTS
Nutcracker Ballet......................................................................... 33
Carnegie Hall................................................................................. 8
Rockin’ Jump - Mount Kisco........................................................ 25 Smugglers Notch Resort............................................................. 43
Cross County Shopping Center................................................... 60
Sportime USA Inc........................................................................ 17
Dave & Buster’s Pelham Manor.................................................. 53
Stamford Downtown.................................................................... 26
Illusionists: Turn of the Century................................................... 11
Whimsies Dollhouse Shop........................................................... 37
Jewish Week (The)................................................................ 46, 56
FAMILY TRAVEL Acura of Westchester.................................................................. 29
Nutcracker Ballet......................................................................... 33 Stamford Downtown.................................................................... 26
Smugglers Notch Resort............................................................. 43 FITNESS International School of Gymnastics............................................. 54
SPECIAL NEEDS Bakshi Law.................................................................................. 46
Jodi’s Gym - Westchester............................................................ 39
Creative Wonders Therapy Center.............................................. 51
Sound Shore Indoor Tennis......................................................... 54
Easter Seals Project Explore....................................................... 37
HEALTH Affinity Health Plan...................................................................... 15
DANCE Steffi Nossen School of Dance.................................................... 55 Studio B Dance............................................................................ 35
Schwartz, Arlene Dr..................................................................... 53
Elena Kochin LLC........................................................................ 54 Green Chimneys.......................................................................... 39 Hampton Cares (Body 4 Brain)................................................... 54
Creative Wonders Therapy Center.............................................. 51
Huntington Learning Center........................................................ 49
Elena Kochin LLC........................................................................ 54
Littman Krooks, LLP.................................................................... 35
Fidelis Care New York................................................................. 21
Pegasus Theraputic Riding......................................................... 55
Gentle Care Pediatric Dentistry................................................... 33 Hampton Cares (Body 4 Brain)................................................... 54 Main Street Pediatric Dentistry.................................................... 25
Westchester Creative Arts Therapy Services.............................. 37 Westfield Day School.................................................................. 41
Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital (The)......................................... 59 MVP Health Care......................................................................... 12
SPORTS
Pediatric Associates of Southern Westchester............................ 19
Camp Ramaquois........................................................................ 41
Putnam Orthodontics................................................................... 56
House of Sports........................................................................... 13
Scarsdale Medical Pediatrics........................................................ 3 Westchester Family Orthodontics ............................................... 54 LEGAL SERVICES
November 2016 | nymetroparents.com
RETAIL
FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT / EVENTS / OUTINGS
Caring for Kids Pediatric Dentistry............................................... 56
58
Blue Moon Mexican Café ........................................................... 46
Westchester Creative Arts Therapy Services.............................. 37
CLASSES Alcott Montessori......................................................................... 46 Amy Rosen Cooking by Design................................................... 51 Blue Rock School........................................................................ 53 Easter Seals Project Explore....................................................... 37 Gym Cats Gymnastics................................................................. 41 House of Sports........................................................................... 13 Kids Cookery............................................................................... 54 New 42nd Street.................................................................... 27, 29 Purchase College / SUNY Aquatic Program................................ 41 Steffi Nossen School of Dance.................................................... 55 Studio B Dance............................................................................ 35
DEVELOPMENTAL Creative Wonders Therapy Center.............................................. 51 Dicker Reading Method................................................................. 5 Elena Kochin LLC........................................................................ 54 Huntington Learning Center........................................................ 49
RESTAURANT / FOOD SERVICES
Purchase College / SUNY Aquatic Program................................ 41 Rockin’ Jump - Mount Kisco........................................................ 25 Sound Shore Indoor Tennis......................................................... 54 Sportech...................................................................................... 51
Bakshi Law.................................................................................. 46 Littman Krooks, LLP.................................................................... 35
THEATER
MUSIC
Emelin Theatre............................................................................ 33
Music Conservatory of Westchester............................................ 49
New 42nd Street.................................................................... 27, 29
The children’s hospital for the Hudson Valley.
Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital The most pediatric specialties in the region. The only comprehensive cardiovascular, neurosurgery and cancer care programs for children. An extensive minimally invasive surgery program. Only Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital.
westchestermedicalcenter.com/mfch
Westchester Medical Center Health Network includes: WESTCHESTER MEDICAL CENTER I MARIA FARERI CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL I BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTER MIDHUDSON REGIONAL HOSPITAL I GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL I BON SECOURS COMMUNITY HOSPITAL I ST. ANTHONY COMMUNITY HOSPITAL HEALTHALLIANCE HOSPITAL: BROADWAY CAMPUS I HEALTHALLIANCE HOSPITAL: MARY’S AVENUE CAMPUS I MARGARETVILLE HOSPITAL
WestchesterParent 59
HOLLY & JOLLY
PARADE HOLIDAY CONCERT TREE LIGHTING Saturday, November 19 | 6-8pm
F O LLOW US! CROSSCOUN T Y CENT ER. CO M