New York Family Brooklyn Family Queens Family Bronx Family Long Island Family Ultimate Guide to Summer Camp Ultimate Guide to Afterschool Programs Annual Guide Long Island Special Child New York Special Child Ultimate Guide to Schools Ultimate Guide to Fall/Winter Fun
New York Family Brooklyn Family Queens Family Bronx Family Long Island Family Ultimate Guide to Summer Camp Ultimate Guide to Afterschool Programs Annual Guide Long Island Special Child New York Special Child Ultimate Guide to Schools Ultimate Guide to Fall/Winter Fun

Best Of The Web: November 30-December 6

By Posted on

Contributors: Veronica
Torok and Briehn Trumbauer

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

How was your Thanksgiving? One mom blogger’s was perfectly
imperfect, reminiscent of so many Thanksgivings past. Variety show, anyone?
(Mom-101)

Even Santa is taking the economic slump into consideration.
Santas-in-training are being taught to gauge
Christmas morning expectations—with children requesting everything from
high ticket gifts to jobs for their unemployed parents. (NY Times)

Ready for some mama drama? From the folks who brought us Jersey
Shore comes a TV show about
party-loving moms and their daughters…and the debauchery that ensues. (Babble)

Like Occupy Wall Street, Occupy
Seattle has been getting violent. A pregnant woman who was hit by police
and blasted with pepper spray says she had a miscarriage days after the
incident. (The Stranger)

People read parenting news! Does that surprise you? Facebook’s list of most frequently shared articles for 2011 includes quite a bit of parenting coverage, along with natural disasters and other hot topics. (TechCrunch)

Is technology
ruining the magic of Santa Claus? With St. Nick tracking apps, websites to
submit a letter to Santa and even a Twitter account for the jolly guy, the Internet
just might give away the secret. (HuffPo Parents)

Does risk always trump reward? Lenore Skenazy has had enough
of overly
cautious parenting. From riding the rails to inflating balloons, seems like
kids these days aren’t allowed to do anything…at all. (Wall Street Journal)

The recent SAT cheating
scandal should have New York Education Commissioner John King reconsidering what
to do about testing security and punishment. How can we discourage students
from trying to simply beat the system? (Democrat and Chronicle)

Labradors make great family pets, but
Lisha the South African Labrador retriever takes puppy love
to a whole new level. Check out these adorable photos of some of the
animals she has “mothered.” (Mother Nature
Network)

Studies show that drinking several cups of coffee a day may help keep women
healthier, so bring
on the java! (Washington Post)

When is a book more than a book? When it’s a slam-dunk
first birthday present. (Mom Filter)

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New York Society of Play Summer Camp and Classes

<p dir="ltr"><strong>Summer Game Camp</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">There are many who do not feel safe sending their children back out into the world with summer camp, this year. To serve those parents and keep the children connected and stimulated during this challenging time, we are offering NYSP Digital Summer Camp. The name of the game with NYSP Summer Camp is community. We have made a large effort to make our camp feel like a living space, with features including –</p> <p dir="ltr">- Role-Playing games familiar and new, led by our master storytellers!</p> <p dir="ltr">- Enriching electives such as Chess, World Building, Character Acting, Crafts, Drawing, and more!</p> <p dir="ltr">- Discussion and media screening rooms during lunch!</p> <p dir="ltr">- A digital campus!</p> <p dir="ltr">- Moderated chat hours!</p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr">Join us for a summer of games, friends, and more!</p> <p dir="ltr">Mon - Fri 10am - 2:30pm</p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Roleplay Expeditions: Dungeons & Dragons</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">No experience is required to join one of our Dungeons & Dragons games. Our game masters have pre-made character sheets, so you'll be able to start playing the game right away! We adapt the rules of traditional Dungeons & Dragons to make them more approachable to children of various ages. Battle in dungeons, search for relics, and make new friends in our one-of-a-kind Dungeons & Dragons workshop! </p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr">Public games meet once per week, with different groups every time. Private games meet 1 to 2 times per week with the same group of kids. Since the players and the storyteller in the group are consistent, this enables us to tell epic tales of adventure together!</p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Dungeons & Dragons Junior</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">No experience is required to join one of our drop-in Dungeons & Dragons games. Our Dungeons & Dragons Jr. game provides a D&D storytelling experience without character sheets. Battle in dungeons, search for relics, and make new friends in our one-of-a-kind Dungeons & Dragons workshop! A great way to introduce young children to D&D so they can eventually move onto the main game.</p>

Brick-or-Treat at LEGOLAND® New York Resort

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Monstrous Family fun returns with Brick-or-Treat at LEGOLAND® New York Resort!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The signature children’s Halloween event kicks off October 3<sup>rd</sup> when the Park transforms into a bewitching party filled with candy, seasonal shows, and Halloween themed LEGO characters. The event runs on all operating dates in October, with all festivities included in general admission. Meet LEGO Monster characters like Spider Lady and Wacky Witch and make your way to the treat stations around the Park. Don’t forget your costumes!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">New for 2024: Monster Party Nights at LEGOLAND New York Hotel! Book a Brick-or-Treat overnight package in October to enjoy extra sweet Halloween-themed fun after a day in the Park. Hotel guests will have the opportunity to eat breakfast with a Monster, participate in themed crafts and LEGO builds, rock out at the Monster Dance Party each night, and more!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">AWESOME AWAITS at LEGOLAND® New York Resort, the ultimate LEGO® theme park destination, for kids ages two through twelve and their families. Ride, climb, and build your way through seven LEGO themed lands.</span></p> <p> </p>

WICKED Broadway

<p>There’s no place like Oz—and there’s no show like WICKED. Are you ready to experience the original Broadway blockbuster?</p>