Sophia and I have recently started taking mommy and baby Italian classes together. “But, she’s only nine months!” And, “She doesn’t even speak ENGLISH yet!” are a couple of the reoccurring comments I find myself fielding. While many of our family and friends are excited for us and eager to hear what we learn each […]
Tag: Education
Make Your Way to “Show Way”
On the day that Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream reached a new level of realization – with the first Black President of the United States being inaugurated for the second time – I had my own serendipitous experience by taking my kids to a wonderful new play, which gives a broad strokes history of African […]
My Daughter’s Smilestone: Locks of Love
This past weekend, my daughter reached a big goal. For a year, she’s been growing her hair in order to donate it to Locks of Love. Shortly after the cut, she was sporting her new adorable bob, and had a giant smile plastered on her face. She told me that she had reached a big […]
Children with Chronic Health Issues
An Introduction to Chronic Illness and Its Challenges In my 35 years of working with children with a chronic illness – known today as ‘Children with Special Health Care Needs’ (CSHCN) – and their families, there are still many gaps in services in the US for these children. There are financial entitlement issues, psycho-social concerns, […]
The Learning Curve: Kindergarten Readiness
Heading to kindergarten is a major milestone and important transition for a little learner. It is an exciting time of exploration and discovery. With kindergarten comes greater responsibilities, and a more complex, faster-paced curriculum than pre-school offered (See here for an example of a typical day in a kindergarten classroom.) It’s a big step, and […]
Surreal Times in the City
It’s a week like this past one that makes your head spin in more ways than one. Our family, like so many others, gathered batteries and flashlights and stocked up on groceries and water in preparation for Hurricane Sandy. Our kids have been dying for a black out – we didn’t have one during Irene. […]
Does Money Buy Happiness?
I heard the old saying, “Money can’t buy happiness” the other day and it reminded me of a very interesting Blog Talk Radio show that we hosted a while back on “Advantaged Children.” Our guests were Dr. Karen Rancourt (from ask our Ask Dr. Gramma Karen column) and Dr. Christine Fernandez. Here is an overview […]
Explaining Natural Disasters to Your Children
In light of Hurricane Sandy, we thought we would share this article from NY Family Magazine with you that we wrote a few months ago that provides ways to talk with your children about severe weather conditions. With ever-increasing incidents of severe weather occurrences come questions – questions that are, for many parents, not so […]
NYC Nursery School Admissions
It’s that time again. The pre-Labor Day lull before the storm. So what do you need to know about the NYC nursery school admissions process? Our friends at NY PEAS (Private Education Advisory Service) explained the ins and outs of this often overwhelming process in this hour-long free teleclass. A big thank you to Lil […]
A Home with a Heart
Last year, in lieu of presents for her seventh birthday, my friend’s daughter requested $7 donations to Charity: Water. As adults, we supported her readily and applauded her efforts. Her passion was contagious. She inspired my daughter to find a cause for which to raise money. It took us some time to find the right […]