The Weekly Scoop: Father's Day Stories + Win A Day With The Real Dora! + Tonight's Big Carnival Benefit

Editor's Note

When friends decide that they are going to separate and dissolve the family unit they've spent years being a part of--or at least morph it into something very different--it makes me wonder about my own marriage and why, thankfully, it's never been plagued by the specter of divorce. What better person to consult on this matter than my wife, with whom I'll be celebrating a 14th wedding anniversary tomorrow? Perhaps "celebrating" is the wrong word...[More Here]

--Eric Messinger emessinger@manhattanmedia.com

Parenting Tips

*In celebration of Father's Day, we asked some of our favorite local dads for their best parenting stories. From getting kicked out of Disneyland to earning the nickname "Captain Kibosh"--these dads share their failures, their triumphs and life lessons learned along the way.

*Given how dads are taking a more hands-on role in raising kids than they did even a generation ago, it's time to ask working fathers the questions that female executives get asked all the time. "In The Balance," moderated by the NYC Dads Group, is a candid and enlightening conversation between five working fathers on the juggle between work and home.

Contests & Giveaways

*Say "¡Hola!" to this incredible Dora the Explorer trip to the zoo giveaway! This is your child's chance to meet Fátima Ptacek--the 11-year-old Queens girl who plays the voice of Dora. Fátima will spend some time with your family, exploring the Bronx Zoo and enjoying lunch. For details about this special day and how to enter, click here. Deadline is Friday, June 29.

Treats

*Are you ready for gift-giving this Sunday? To help, we have some great Father's Day Finds from DivaMoms' Lyss Stern--in addition to our six picks for dad appreciation.

For more shopping finds from our Treats blog, click here.

The Week @NewYorkFamily.com

*If you have a young child who likes music, do we have a dance party for you! This weekend, eight-year-old DJ Fulano will be spinning the turntables at Fulano's Funhouse in the Meatpacking District. In anticipation of his upcoming family-friendly event, we caught up with the young DJ to find out what he does when he's not mixing music.

*Sometimes the best way to figure out your child is to just listen. Parenting In Progress blogger Tali Rosenblatt-Cohen finds this out after her son turns her into a cartoon turtle.

For more articles and tips, visit newyorkfamily.com.

Best Of (The Rest Of) The Web

*Perhaps unsurprisingly, Manhattan ranked #1 as the place where children are most spoiled by their parents. And Brooklyn is #2! (The Huffington Post)

*Some surprising explanations for why smart kids are more likely to become heavy drinkers as adults. (The Week)

For more of our favorite articles from the web this week, click here.

Bonus Tips

*Last call! Tonight's Carnival Night For Kids (5:30-8pm) is a fun-filled evening with rides, games, raffles, food, live music and more--and all proceeds benefit the Coalition for the Homeless' youth programs. For more information, click here.

*Benefit concert tonight! If you want to learn more about the Speyer Legacy School for advanced learners or support their special mission, join their community for an amazing concert-fundraiser tonight, with one of the world's great classical pianists--Vladimir Feltsman--at Merkin Concert Hall. For more info, contact Daniel Brewer, at 212-581-4000 (ext. 13), or dbrewer@speyerlegacyschool.org.

June 13-19, 2012

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