The photo shoot for our cover contest was held last month at Big Apple Portraits on the Upper West Side, and we asked the nine finalists how they felt when they found out they were chosen. We also feature quotes from our go-to blogs and sites, including quotes about parenting intentions, remembering the sounds of our children’s laughter, and helping teens thrive in college. Plus, check out our first original comic, drawn just for NYMetroParents, about how parenting is like hit TV shows.
How did you feel when you were chosen as a f?inalist in our cover contest?
“I was very happy and excited to be able to come.”
—Daniella, 14, Suffolk
“Excited. I’ve never done this before and I think it’s really exciting.”
—Brielle, 12, Rockland
“I felt great! I mean, I was excited for this!”
—Chazz, 12, Manhattan
“Excited!”
—Sophia, 4, Rockland
“I don’t know.”
—Aaliyah, 4, Rockland
[Ran away]
—Jaden, 3, Manhattan
“I felt excited because this is something I wanted to do for a while. I like acting and modeling and this stuff. So I was super happy when I found out I won.”
—Dillon, 11, Westchester
“I felt happy.”
—Samantha, 6, Nassau
“I was excited.”
—Scarlett, 4, Queens
Check out our upcoming September issue to find out who the Grand Prize winners are!
Cherish the Nothing Moments
“I hope that you look at today, tomorrow, and the rest of your life seeking out the nothing moments. I hope we can all realize that the nothing moments are what we are going to be holding onto during our last few years. We aren’t going to care about how much money we made or how many small wonders we photographed. But we will remember the sound of our children’s’ laughter and how good we made people feel. I wish for you a lifetime of nothing.”
—Vera Sweeney, in a post entitled “The Nothing Moments”
Parenting Intentions
“I start each day with the best intentions. I’m going to apply all those expert parenting tips I’ve read. I’m going to be present. Mindful. Patient. And…then the kids wake up.”
—Ilana Wiles, in a post entitled “A Day Inside a Mom’s Brain”
Thriving in College
“Teens may think that heading off to college will be four years of partying. But what they might not realize is college can be one of the most stressful times of their lives. To ensure your teen is successful in college and beyond, spend the summer preparing him to effectively deal with stress, handle the anxiety that comes with it, and learn from it to reduce stress in the future.”
—Licensed clinical psychologist Lata McGinn, Ph.D., in an article entitled “How Can I Help Prepare My Teen for Stress in College?”
