Our Favorite Parenting News Stories Of The Week

Violin Soloist Barbie

Barbie hasn’t been a big hit in China, but Mattel, the makers of the blond, leggy, blue-eyed doll, are hoping to change that with the addition of a violin (presenting: Violin Soloist Barbie). By making Barbie appear more educational, Mattel hopes sales will increase, particularly among “Tiger Moms and Dads.” (The Gloss)

College-bound teens and tweens take note: it turns out that most college admissions pros are very social media savvy and definitely track mentions of their institutions on twitter. So be careful before tweeting negatively during a campus visit! (The New York Times)

Health officials are reporting four Tennessee cases of a rare infant illness that have been linked to parents refusing a routine shot for newborns. (The Huffington Post)

Pregnant moms ought to look to Drew Barrymore for inspiration and fighting off body image woes. Barrymore, expecting her second child, says that worrying about looking perfect while you’re pregnant is beside the point. The perfection, she says, is in the baby-making. (Parents)

Nhung Nguyen, one half of the duo behind chic clothing label and shopping destination Gargyle, is also a mom. Writer SuChin Pak gets the scoop on how the busy mom manages to look so put together, run a successful business, and raise a child in NYC. (Daily Candy)

Puppies and babies: was there ever a cuter combination? Blogger Jessica Shyba (click here to see her cityscape photo gallery on our site) took some incredibly cute photos of her toddler taking his daily nap with the family’s 7-week-old puppy. (The Mirror)

It’s a well-known fact that twins share a special bond, but few videos have captured it as exquisitely as this one by a French nurse of baby siblings who just can’t stop hugging. (The Huffington Post)

Though long-regarded as a sacred saying, “mom is the most important job” is being called into question by one mother that sees over-glorifying moms as diminishing to every other relationship in a child’s life, as well as patronizing to motherhood itself. What do you think? (The Guardian)

Getting ready to set the table for Thanksgiving? Try one of these festive and fun DIY place card crafts! Let you kiddos join in the fun to make holiday décor a family affair. (Elizabeth Street)

Who ever thought that diapers could be functional, eco-friendly, and super-stylish all at once? One our fave bloggers and local moms—Joanna Goddard of A Cup of Jo—ones our eyes to Honest Fall Diapers (think prints with foxes, anchors, and more)! (A Cup Of Jo)

Relevant Directory Listings

See More

Broadway Dance Center Children and Teens

<p dir="ltr">With more than 35 years of experience, Broadway Dance Center Children & Teens provides young movers ages 3-18 with exceptional training. BDC delivers the finest all-around dance experience for students by offering a wide variety of styles and levels, performance opportunities, and the highest caliber dance instruction that only New York City and BDC Children & Teens can provide.</p> <p dir="ltr">This studio is so much more than a training course for young dancers; it is a diverse, family-friendly community for budding creatives. It has an exemplary faculty who follow the vision to not only develop a dancer’s love and ability in dance, but to do so in a nurturing and supportive way.</p> <p style="text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-16583089-7fff-d8a9-61c2-8f689f7348b2"></span></p>

Speakitaly NYC

<p>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.  Small classes capped at 6 students to make sure each one gets the needed attention and facilitate learners' progress. </p> <p>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.</p> <p>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… Who doesn’t love what Italy represents in the kitchen, in history & in the arts?</p> <p>Speakitaly wants to support multilingual families who want to learn a new language or pass along their ancestor’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!"</p>

Studio E Art Classes

<p>Art, drawing, illustration, painting, and pottery.  Studio E Art Classes for ages 2 ½ to adult offers a creative space to find joy and rest in the creative arts. 7-week sessions are available for all classes, or just drop into a class to give it a try.</p> <p>Studio E Art is a great place to schedule a birthday party, celebration, scout troop activity, fundraiser and more.  Summer camps for children and tweens are available for half or full day in art or pottery.</p> <p>Find a complete list of classes, descriptions, and times on our <a href="https://studioeartclass.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>, or give us a call at 631-744-4001</p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-bc02a8ce-7fff-3ce7-fefb-13163f0a79b6"></span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2e621915-7fff-f490-fe96-ea466c05ebda"></span></span></p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-eef1d235-7fff-f52c-632b-0a2c03581014"></span></p>