Our Favorite Parenting Stories Of The Week

In a city with an endless amount of extracurricular options it’s easy to fill every moment of your children’s day, but what about down-time? The knowledge and social skills children gain from enrichment activities are invaluable, but they also need time to decompress and just hang-out. (The New York Times)

Don’t let pregnancy put a damper on your Halloween celebration. Check out these creative couples’ costumes for expectant mothers and dads-to-be! (The Huffington Post)

Think chickenpox is a harmless rite of passage? One mom thinks otherwise and speaks out in favor of vaccinating little ones against this often-underestimated ailment. (Mommyish)

NYC style and business maven (oh, and daughter-of-the-Donald) Ivanka Trump and her husband welcomed a healthy baby boy this week. Congrats to the happy family. (Elizabeth Street)

Research shows that kids are not receptive to tutors on television. The screen is not the issue, but rather, the unreliability of the speaker. Children need connectedness to learn. They know when someone is speaking to them or when they’re hearing pre-recorded material. (Baby Center)

Planning a baby shower? Get inspired by Jennifer Love Hewitt’s gender-neutral shower, which was planned by celebrity party planner Mindy Weiss. At the Hotel Bel-Air this past weekend in Los Angeles, Hewitt’s guests got to create their own fragrance and enjoy baby themed cupcakes! (Parents)

Kids in Virginia are rebelling against healthier food. A school district’s transition from serving 27-ingredient “meat” burgers to serving all beef burgers was not well received by its students. (The Washington Post)

Many parents strive to teach their children empathy, but these 8-year-old boys are coming out ahead of the curve. This band of North Dakota kids headed to the salon to have their hair dyed hot pink in support of breast cancer awareness. (CBS)

Pumpkin carving is a fun fall activity, but when kids are involved, it’s typically not a safe one! These playful no-carve pumpkins are a great knife-free alternative for little ones. (Mommyish)

Worried about incurring the wrath of safety-conscious parents, the US Postal Service puts a stop to the “Just Move” campaign’s stamp designs. Why? Depictions of seemingly dangerous activities and helmet-free headstands. What do you think? (Motherload)

Relevant Directory Listings

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PaleyLand Holiday Experience

<p>Celebrate the holidays at PaleyLand at the Paley Museum, New York's must-visit destination for a holiday adventure, just steps from Rockefeller Center!</p> <p>Our five-floor immersive holiday extravaganza, includes photos with Santa and holiday characters, crafts, giveaways, screenings of classic holiday favorites, hot chocolate, a magical train display, and more.</p> <p>Escape the cold and the crowds, and enjoy our indoor wonderland where families can play, relax, and create timeless memories together in our holiday oasis in the heart of midtown Manhattan.</p> <p>General Admission to PaleyLand is free for children under 12.</p> <p>The holiday extravaganza is open from November 20 – January 5 at the Paley Museum, 25 W 52 Street, NYC. Paley Members enjoy free access. Come to PaleyLand again and again to see all your favorite characters and screenings. After just one visit, membership pays for itself!</p> <p><span style="color: #888888;"> </span></p>

Cucu's PlayHouse

<div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">Interactive, live-streaming music and movement class in Spanish for babies, toddlers and preschoolers!<br />Join us every day from Monday through Saturday at 1:30 pm EST to sing, dance and play together while learning Spanish from your home.</div> <div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;"> </div> <div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">This class is part of a Spanish Immersion Program where your child will be introduced to basic concepts like the animals, colors, numbers and letters. All of these through the universal language of Music. Each session is fun, interactive and engaging.<br />A selection of Children Songs in Spanish guides the class from start to finish. Activities are related to the lyrics, in order to familiarize the children with the words and their meanings. Some of the songs encourage the children to dance. Nilda uses puppets, musical instruments, and props to teach children basic vocabulary through action and interaction, rather than through translation.</div> <div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;"><br />The classes are streamed on Zoom's webinar platform. Participants (children, parents, nannies) are able to join the video from their homes and interact with us in real-time, it is a fun and engaging experience.</div>

Dance Workshop - NY

<p dir="ltr">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!</p> <p dir="ltr">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!</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-78b9d4ab-7fff-0ea8-b84f-04a5fe908f8c"></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-78b9d4ab-7fff-0ea8-b84f-04a5fe908f8c"><br /></span></p>