And the Senior Superlative Goes to…the Parents!

One more reason I love social media: Without it, I likely would not discover stories such as this one, headlined “Adorable Same-Sex High School Couple Wins ‘Cutest Couple’ Yearbook Superlative.” Brad Taylor and Dylan Meehan were named “cutest couple” at Carmel High School in Putnam County, NY—it was the first year same-sex couples were “eligible” (I wonder: Were... Read More

Bragging Rights: Yours, Mine, Every Parent’s

Our Constitution guarantees us freedom of speech—and as far as I’m concerned, that includes parental bragging rights. I’m not one of those obnoxious parents who touts my child’s every last feat to every person I meet, nor do I post hourly video updates of his antics to my Facebook page. But I do boast when it’s called for, and I do share milestone albums on Facebook, funny... Read More

Call It a Comeback: Sea Lions Welcome You to Their New Home!

   New York Aquarium, normally the only Coney Island attraction open to the public every day of the year, opens its doors again today after having been closed since Hurricane Sandy hit our shores last fall. The partial re-opening allows guests to see otters, walruses, and plenty of other marine mammals, including the resident sea lions. NYMetroParents got a preview of the... Read More

This Weekend: A Seasonal Event that’s Multi-Generational, Multi-Cultural

I’ve been going for a few years with my family to the cherry blossom festival at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden—we bring a picnic, enjoy the longed for warmer air, take lots of pictures under the beautifully blooming trees, and let my little guy run around and around. Even my grandmother gets in on the act; she’s the quintessential people watcher (you know, the senior... Read More

Reading Is Fun(damental)

March 1 was the kickoff of the annual Read Across America celebration, which falls on the birthday of the inimitable Dr. Seuss and highlights the importance of developing a love of reading at an early age. But what many don’t realize is that this day marks the beginning of a full year filled with events and promotions around reading to—and with—children. The National Education... Read More

Your Child’s Wonderful, Magical Brain (92Y Conference, Part 2)

I’ve always been intrigued by the wonder of our brains (even going so far as to sign up for a Neuroscience course my last semester of undergrad despite the fact that I was the sole English major/non-premed student enrolled—a rain-on-my-senior-year-parade decision that did little to help me understand the brain). Recently I’ve been exposed to some research that has... Read More

21st Century Parenting Thought Leaders

Every field has its thought leaders—individuals who are out ahead of the curve, blazing new trails with research and revolutionary ideas, challenging old wisdom. On Monday I was fortunate to listen in as five thought leaders in the world of parenting addressed a crowd of a few hundred (mostly mothers, a scattering of fathers, and some journalists as well) at the 92nd Street Y... Read More

At the Intersection of Make-Believe & “Making It Work”

Imagination—it’s something I had in spades when I was a child, and I have been proud and giddy as I’ve watched my son develop a healthy imagination of his own. He’s loved, loved, loved indulging in make-believe scenarios, and it’s been one of our favorite “together” pastimes over the past two years. But I have found myself wondering lately:... Read More