September Surprises

Our executive editor, Whitney Harris, is off to greater pastures. We wish her well. (Photo by Sam Camens)

Whatever age your child is, I’m sure you can look back at the previous years (or months) and find the signs, so obvious in retrospect, of the people they are now. At the same time, as a parent, I feel like I owe it to my children to not be overly presumptuous about their strengths and weaknesses, who they are, and who they might become. Childhood is one long act of self-discovery, and it’s so easy for opinionated parents to get in the way of their children’s journeys, and to assume that their life lessons are the right ones or the only ones…

I have a pretty good relationship with my children, who are now 9 and 13, but if I could make some gentle course corrections as we head into fall, it would be to spend less time worrying about them, correcting them, challenging them, and generally trying to enhance them (as bizarre as that sounds)—and to spend more time simply enjoying them and leaving more room to simply be surprised.

How I wish I could promise that this magazine will help us all to accomplish these goals, but a more realistic expectation is that if you spend some focused time with this month’s magazine, you’ll come away with a bunch of good ideas for parenting and family fun as autumn ascends. There will be tangible items like back-to-school clothes and shoes and more cerebral inspirations, like the wonderful insights on parenting first children sprinkled throughout our Last Word essay.

Likewise, I think many of you will find something to relate to in the wit and candor of this month’s cover mom, Bethenny Frankel; some savvy suggestions for raising kids in the digital age; and plenty of temptation in our story about fall family travel in New England. And, of course, there’s our guide to fall classes for children of all ages.

So as the leaves start to turn and the temperatures begin to drop, let’s gracefully step back into our routines, dutifully make our lists and hatch our plans, and, most of all, let’s also enjoy our kids.

A happy and surprising September to all,

Eric Messinger

Relevant Directory Listings

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Queens College Summer Camp

<p>Running from Wednesday, June 28th through Tuesday, August 22nd, the Queens College Summer Camp continues to be the hallmark and cornerstone of the Athletics and Recreation Department and a staple of summer plans in the NYC metropolitan area. The camp, which has always followed New York State Board of Health guidelines, will conduct this summer's programs following current state guidelines, which follow CDC recommendations regarding COVID-19. The camp's outdoor and indoor activities include:</p> <ul type="disc"> <li>Pool use.</li> <li>Use of the new turf fields.</li> <li>Other facilities around Queens College Campus. </li> </ul> <p>Five specially designed programs are available for the 2023 season:</p> <ol start="1" type="1"> <li>The Education and Sports will have three hours of academics. The rest of the day will include sports activities on the fields and gym games. Indoor Gym Games include obstacle courses, scooter games, and a daily introduction to basketball and swimming for ages 5-6. The older kids will participate in group sports such as basketball, soccer, tennis, volleyball, softball, and swimming. The counselor will remain with the group through all activities, including lunch. Choose the Education Academy based on the grade they will enter in September.</li> <li>Theater Arts Programs provide instruction in singing, dancing, and acting, culminating in a performance. Past productions included Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, and more.</li> <li>All Day Sports Academy provides instruction for developing generalized skills across various sports.</li> <li>Single Specialty Sports Camps provide individualized volleyball instruction by the college's coaches and varsity players.</li> <li>Counselor-in-Training Program A unique program created for teenagers focused on developing strong leaders. It helps prepare young adults for the next phase in their lives-college and the workplace.</li> </ol> <p>With summer right around the corner, there is no better time to secure your child's plans for July and August by enrolling them in the Queens College Summer Camp.</p> <p>For more details, visit the Queens College Summer Camp homepage, or email  <a href="mailto:qc.summercamp@qc.cuny.edu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">qc.summercamp@qc.cuny.<wbr />edu</a> for more information.</p>

LIU Summer Sports Camps

<p>This July and August, young athletes will have the chance to participate in week-long athletic camps at Long Island University designed to connect them with NCAA Division I coaches to learn fundamentals and help improve their skills -- all while having fun and making lifelong friends. Camps are open to children entering grades 2-8 at any skill level. Select from 18 camps at one of our two campus locations in Brooklyn or Long Island.</p> <p> </p> <p> Sports include: Baseball, Basketball, Cheer, Dance, Esports, Fencing, Field Hockey, Football, Lacrosse, Marching Band, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Volleyball and Wrestling.</p>

Chelsea Piers Summer Sports Camp

<p><span style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; background-color: #ffffff;">Chelsea Piers Summer Camp in Chelsea and NOW Brooklyn, offers both Preschool and Full-Day camps where children can learn, play and have fun. With flexible weekly enrollment, your child can join us for a week or all 11 weeks. Camp runs from June 19 to September 1. In Brooklyn, campers receive three swim periods per week with the option to add a 30-minute swim lesson to their camp day at an additional charge. </span></p> <p><span style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; background-color: #ffffff;">Save 15% when you enroll by 2/28!</span></p> <p><span style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; background-color: #ffffff;">NY: camps@chelseapiers.com <br />BK: info-bk@chelseapiers.com</span></p>