Parenting Tips

Mar 21 2013

NY State ELA and Math Test Prep for 2013: Resources and Strategies for the New Assessments

Things to do with kids: NY State ELA and Math Test Prep for 2013: Resources and Strategies for the New Assessments

Last week we shared important information about changes to the NY State ELA and Math Assessments that will make the tests much more challenging, as well as advice about how to approach them without freaking out. This week, we're highlighting specific resources to help parents and elementary public school students prepare for the new NYS English Language Arts and Math standardized tests this April.

Keep in mind that nobody knows what will be on the new tests this year—not even publishers of test prep books. Old tests are not representative of the format or the content of the 2013 test. So the most effective test prep is to focus on the reading, writing and mathematics skills children are learning in their classrooms. Some familiarity with basic testing formats and situations can also be helpful so kids are comfortable with the experience in general.

Most schools provide some amount of test prep, information, free tutoring and practice work. If you haven't gotten any information from your kids' school, ask your children if they have done any test prep or what they know about the tests, and then follow up with their teachers.

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Dec 6 2012

Make Facing Challenges Fun for Kids with a Challenge-a-Day Project

Things to do with kids: Make Facing Challenges Fun for Kids with a Challenge-a-Day Project

As parents, we instinctively want to make things easy on our kids, but making sure they are faced with appropriate challenges is one of the best things we can do for them. Tackling a challenge builds self-esteem and teaches new skills, resilience and perseverance.

This past summer, I organized a challenge-a-day project for my son that turned out to be really great. Not only were the challenges fun, they exposed him to new experiences and helped him learn new skills. By the end, he was doing all kinds of things that he didn't think he was capable of and, by repeatedly tackling challenges, he internalized the idea that he can, in fact, achieve things that seem hard. A challenge-a-day program can also be great for kids with sensory issues, anxiety or other struggles since it allows them to slowly build up tolerance to desired tasks.

If you'd like to try a challenge-a-day project like my family did, here's what you need to know:

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Oct 23 2012

7 Creative School Fundraising Ideas for NYC Kids

Things to do with kids: 7 Creative School Fundraising Ideas for NYC Kids

It doesn't matter whether your kids attend public, private or parochial: New York City parents are always being called on to donate their money and (even more precious) time to help their children's schools. In fact, vigorous fundraising is an integral part of many schools' success, academic and otherwise.

As a PTA board member for my son's school, I have been very involved in the fundraising process. I've developed initiatives for new money makers and also managed tried-and-true cash cows. While I don't pretend to be the next Jean Joachim, the über PTA mom who helped raise more than $1 million for the Upper West Side's PS 87 and then wrote the book Beyond the Bake Sale, I am a former marketing executive with more fundraising ideas than my son's school can feasibly handle in a given year. I'm happy to share a few of my favorites with my fellow NYC parents.

In addition to raising money for the school, my ideas are meant to be fun for families and foster community. All of these projects require a bit of prep, but since school just started, there's plenty of time to get them going. June is a long way off!

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Aug 9 2012

Mommy Poppins' Back-to-School Guide

Mommy Poppins' Back-to-School Guide

The back-to-school season is filled with anticipation, excitement and stress—for kids and parents. There are new clothes and school supplies to buy, lunches and snacks to plan, and classes to prepare for (no easy task after summer slump). If you're worried that you'll never get it all done, stop, take a deep breath and check out our Back-to-School Guide, which is packed with simple tips and advice to help take the edge off. If your kid is going to school for the first time, we've got a list of books that help with the transition to kindergarten. Need name tags? We know about some super-cool ones. We also have plenty of meal posts, like our favorite meal planning apps, healthy lunch ideas and sensory savvy snacks so kids can make it through the school day. We hope our Back-to-School Guide helps your family make it through the madness, sanity intact.

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May 13 2012

Older Mothers: NYC Mom Groups, Meetups and Resources for Parents Over 35

Things to do with kids: Older Mothers: NYC Mom Groups, Meetups and Resources for Parents Over 35

Although the average age for first-time mothers in the U.S. is mid-20s, many New York City women are on a different schedule. In the city, it's not uncommon to see thirty- and fortysomething moms proudly pushing strollers down the streets—often double ones. Becoming a mom later in life has many potential advantages, like maturity and financial security. But there are challenges too, like connecting with your peers. Sure, you can make plenty of mommy friends on the playground, but if you're hoping to meet other parents who grew up on Sesame Street before Elmo, you may want to join a specialized playgroup or meetup.

We previously posted about general parent groups in NYC. In honor of Salute to Moms 35+ Week, which runs May 13-19, we've rounded up some of New York City's best resources for mothers with a bit of life experience under their belts.

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