Best Of The Web: January 11-17

Contributors: Sharon
Beesley, Elizabeth Raymond

Here’s a weekly roundup of parenting articles that piqued
our interest. Enjoy! —

A Staten Island girl stepped in front
of a bus between Christmas and New Year’s and just passed away last week. The
teen took
her life after being bullied relentlessly at school. (NY Daily News)

Pregnancy rates often dip with the economy, but the numbers
seem to show that having more
kids means you’re likely to spend less on each—and not to the detriment of
the children’s wellbeing. So the first may be the most expensive, but not each
kid costs the same! (USA Today)

Read about how an
irreverent (and very popular) mom blogger has used the power of a gorgeous red
dress to inspire outrageous acts of self-fulfillment by others.(Forbes)

Do you know the 5 “words” all babies use?
Oprah does. Learn out what they are and how you can recognize what your baby is
actually “saying”! (Oprah via Youtube)

A reason you should
videotape EVERYTHING your kids do, even if they are sick with the chicken
pox. (A Little Sussy)

Inspired by the song Jay-Z promptly released after the birth
of his daughter, The New Yorker
created a list of sweet,
and sometimes hilarious, songs about parental joy. (The New Yorker)

In other Blue Ivy baby girl news, some New
York parents are downright angry at the indignities
they say they suffered while Beyonce’s labor maxed out security at Lenox
Hill hospital. (NY Times)

Happy 65th Birthday to the legendary Dr. Spock’s Baby and Child Care. In celebration, the
9th edition has just hit the stands so you can get the same age-old advice
that your great-grandparents received! (Huffington
Post)

Physical exercise is not only good for the body, it’s good
for the brain. Here’s
proof: recent research in the Netherlands
has found a link between activity and academic performance. (TIME)

Joe's Music & Dance Academy

Private and group music lessons &amp; dance classes for Guitar, Bass, Voice, Violin, Viola, Cello, Upright Bass, Drums, Piano, all woodwind &amp; brass instruments, Choir, Preschool Dance, Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap, Step, African and Modern Dance and more. Helping thousands of students begin and continue on their musical journey since 1998!

Speakitaly NYC

SPEAKITALY NYC offers stimulating and entertaining lessons for children 0 to 16 years through a wide combination of activities based on the communicative approach anchored in the Common European Framework of Reference: active learning (group work, role plays, etc.) and practice exercises aimed to improve listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Kids will start speaking and using Italian in a very natural way.&nbsp; Small classes capped at 6 students to make sure each one gets the needed attention and facilitate learners' progress.&nbsp; Our method is driven by a didactic method that is the result of constant updates, professional certifications and more than 10 years of experience in working with non-native speakers from different native languages and levels of knowledge. Our aim is to develop a range of Italian language skills while improving accuracy that will enable the students and participants to interact without stress or feeling rushed. We want to help those in the community really embrace not only the true culture in Italy but the Italian culture within New York City&hellip; Who doesn&rsquo;t love what Italy represents in the kitchen, in history &amp; in the arts? Speakitaly wants to support multilingual families who want to learn a new language or pass along their ancestor&rsquo;s heritage and culture. Raffaella, the founder said: "We see language awareness and intercultural sensitivity as the milestones for an inclusive society. Italian, like all other languages, is an enrichment and a growth in every way. Vi aspettiamo!"

Dance Workshop - NY

Nestled in the heart of the UES, Dance Workshop is a community-focused studio committed to dance education in a loving and safe environment. Dance Workshop offers Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Hip-Hop, Musical Theatre and Acro for ages 2+. They also offer a Pre-Professional Company track for dancers interested in taking their technique to the next level. Trial classes may be scheduled with the studio at the start of the season. Dance with Dance Workshop! MaryAnn Grasso founded Dance Workshop in 1979. Her daughter Nanci later joined her at the helm and in 2016 established Dance Workshop on the Upper East Side of NYC. MaryAnn and Nanci have devoted their lives to dance education, community and the development of children; raising dancers and sound human beings alike. Dance Workshop has seen thousands of dancers pass through the doors. They believe dance has the power to elevate and change lives!