| Wednesday, January 23, to Tuesday, January 29, 2008 |
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A Note from New York Family's Editor:
The Advice Gene: If you're a friend of mine and you're pregnant, it's always a good idea to have lunch with me, because a tremendous windfall of parenting freebies come my way and will shortly come your way. The downside is my unfortunate tendency to give advice. Yesterday, at a long-overdue lunch with my friend Suzanne, who at 45 years old is 7 months pregnant, we talked a lot about her anxieties for the year ahead. Would she feel too alone? How would she incorporate work back into her life? Should she favor new friends over old ones? My response was essentially this: that as she goes through the ecstatic joys and depressing lows of the first year, she should keep in mind that it's a very challenging phase--and not a reflection of what the rest of her life will be like. We agreed that she'd be well served bonding with other new moms, who can be there for her (and vice versa) in a way that old friends often cannot. Did I get this right, or is it time for this guy to edit Popular Mechanics?
---Eric Messinger
(emessinger@manhattanmedia.com) |
 Parenting Tip
Toilet Talk: If you're gearing up for that messy phase of parenting known as potty training, there are a few books that can help. Parents who want to get an early start might want to try "extreme potty training": introducing kids to the potty as early as 6 months. In the book "Early-Start Potty Training," Dr. Linda Sonna notes that this is the age when most other kids around the world start learning how to go on their own, and she offers tips on how train your child by the age of 1 year. For parents who prefer a more traditional approach, the colorfully illustrated book "Once Upon a Potty," by Alona Frankel, is a classic tale available in both "his" and "hers" versions that tells of one child's potty training success story. Finally, if you really need some magic, pick up a copy of the new children's book "The Potty Train," by husband-and-wife team David Hochman and Ruth Kennison, which depicts a little boy's journey to bathroom independence aboard an impressive train (replete with toilet seat) and a gang of animals cheering him on. |
 Joy's Shopping Tips*
Your Little Secret: Remember when, as a child, you wanted to share your thoughts with one of your dolls or stuffed animals? Give your little girl her own secret friend, the Whisper Doll. Made in Nepal, this small doll comes in a rice paper box with a little window and contains a diary to hold your child's secrets, along with a coupon that entitles the recipient to weave a blanket for her own doll. The Whisper Doll, which costs $35, is available at the Weaving Hand, 320 2nd Street, Brooklyn; www.weavinghand.com.
Lovey Dovey: How are you planning to say "I Love You" to your special someone this Valentine's Day? If you have a unique (or simply wonderful) way to spell out this message, My Dove Chocolate and Kwiat Diamonds want to hear it. The two companies are sponsoring a Valentine's Day contest in which contestants describe in 51 characters or less (including spaces) how they plan to say "I love you" to their partner. The winner will receive a Kwiat diamond necklace and a luxury package from Dove, which offers custom-order inscriptions inside the foil on its chocolates. The contest begins on January 21, and the winner will be chosen on March 3. For more information: www.mydovechocolatecontest.com.
Runway Access Card: American Express card members now have exclusive access to tickets for an exceptional fashion show by designer Peter Som during New York Fashion Week. The show will take place in the tents at Bryant Park at 9 pm on February 6. AmEx members can purchase tickets with their card at www.americanexpress.com/entertainment.
*Joy Sherwood is the Style Director of New York Family. She can be reached at jsherwood@manhattanmedia.com. |
 Activity Tips*
Cat Can Cook: On January 26, Iron Chef Cat Cora will team up with The Children's Museum of Manhattan to get kids eating right. As part of the "We Can!" series focusing on nutrition for children, the session will have children ages 5 and up learning about healthy eating, planning menus, and whipping up some tasty dishes of their own. Recipe handouts will be available. Details: Presentation at 2 pm; tickets available starting at 12:30 pm the day of the event; seating is limited. CMOM, 212 West 83rd Street, 212-721-1234, www.cmom.org.
Little Maestros in Concert: The super-popular Little Maestros have been wowing young children for years with their fun, whimsical performances. Catch them for free on January 26 at Barnes and Noble on the Upper West Side. Details: 4 pm. Barnes and Noble, 1972 Broadway (at 66th Street), 212-595-6859, www.barnesandnoble.com.
Children's Compost Workshop: Kids can get dirty and learn how to help the environment through compost at this workshop on January 26. The Manhattan Compost Project will show children how to compost old food scraps indoors using red wiggler worms. Each participant can make a mini worm bin to bring home. Details: 2-3 pm. Ottendorfer Public Library, 125 Second Avenue, 212-477-3155, www.lesecologycenter.org.
*Activity Tips are from New York Family and GoCityKids.com. |
This Week's Bonus Tips
Family Day With a Cause: On Sunday, January 27, Citibabes will host a community day to raise money to help build a library for a downtown NYC public school. 100% of the ticket sales will be donated to this cause. The afternoon includes activities and entertainment for the whole family, including green art projects, volcano eruptions, cooking, a magic show by kids' entertainer Magic Al, a concert, playtime on Citibabes' 1,500-square-foot playground, and more. A light breakfast buffet is included. Details: 10 am-2 pm. $20 per family for non-members; donations welcome from Citibabes members. 477 Broadway between Broome and Grand Streets. To RSVP, send an e-mail to rsvp@citibabes.com or call 212-334-5441, ext. 117. Visit www.citibabes.com for more info.
Party for the Park: Come have fun and help raise money for Madison Square Park on January 27 during "Play for the Park!" a fundraising party hosted by apple seeds, Hill Country, Country Restaurant, and Eleni's Cookies. MSP provides a great, safe space for kids and families to play, meet up, listen to concerts, and engage in programs. The party will donate 100% of the profits of the donations to the park to help continue its great programs. The party will feature food and activities, as well as live entertainment by AudraRox, Mr. RAY, Paul Helou, and Erin Lee & Marci. Details: 11 am-1:30 pm (early bird entry at 10 am); tickets $25-$2,000 (every attendant, including babies, must hold a ticket to enter). Held at apple seeds, 10 West 25th Street. For more info: 212-538-9310, www.madisonsquarepark.org/Donate/SpecialEvents.aspx. |
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