I'm the worst mother on the planet (well, maybe just in NJ), because I basically packed the same school lunch for my daughter 180 days in a row: PB & J, cheese stick, juice box, fruit and 2 cookies.  So, after looking at Mommy Poppins' great school lunch article from last year, Get Packing!, and our terrific Back to School Guide, I decided to try some new stuff. This year when my daughter opens her lunch box, she'll be in for a surprise!

With a son who is totally into ballet, it wasn't long before his little sister wanted lessons, too. While I try to be fair when it comes to extracurricular activities for my kids, enrolling in multiple classes really adds up, especially with dance, which can quickly go from once a week to twice a week to oh my God, we're living in the studio!

As a result, I'm always on the hunt for the most reasonably priced dance classes in New York City. And today, I'm sharing what I've found with all of you.

For several consecutive years, almost 50 percent of children in certain NYC neighborhoods have managed to score in the top 10 percent on the Gifted & Talented test. In an attempt to level the playing field, the Department of Education has announced that it's replacing one section of the exam—the Bracken School Readiness Assessment, which tests kids on their knowledge of colors, numbers and shapes—with the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test, which covers visual reasoning skills and abstract logic. The DOE claims this change will make the G&T test more difficult to prep for but is that actually the case?

This morning I was on the WFSB Channel 3 news showcasing some outdoor family safety products. If you are new to the site, welcome! We hope you enjoy Mommy Poppins CT. Please subscribe to our weekly newsletter so that you are in the loop about fun things to do with the kids each week. You can also like us on Facebook and Twitter. As promised, here are the details on each product that I featured:

Labor Day weekend marks the unofficial end of summer and is a popular time for family vacations.  If you haven’t done any advanced planning, never fear, there are still last minute deals. 

Parents with very young kids might also want to consider a post-Labor Day September getaway.  Lower prices, fewer crowds and still-warm water temps make it an ideal travel month. But, even school age children in places like New York City where schools close for the four-day Rosh Hashanah school holiday can take a September mini-vacation to visit Orlando. Destinations like Disney and SeaWorld are quiet this time of year with bargains galore. 

Read on to learn about deals in Orlando, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, Embassy Suites and Intercontinental hotels, Aruba and the Doral Arrowwood, a throwback-style resort that is just outside of New York City.

Julie A. Ross, our guest writer and the Executive Director of Parenting Horizons, is a mom and the author of three parenting books. She runs numerous parenting workshops and events throughout the metropolitan area.

For many children, going back to school evokes a mixture of feelings: anticipation, excitement and apprehension, among others. As school approaches, we need to help our children make the transition with as little stress and anxiety as possible.

Small Factory Productions is a little studio nestled in Fair Haven, NJ that is producing some of today’s most innovative work in art, design and animation, even winning an Emmy in recognition of their efforts. So what makes them different from other television or music studios? At Small Factory, all of the directors, producers and designers are children. This unique facility allows kids to create music, art, cartoons and more through interactive programs that spark the imagination. Read on to learn more about Small Factory and how you can receive a special discount at one of their upcoming Factory Nights.

We soaked up a lot of sun and cool culture this week (that's my daughter posing on a giant arachnid at the American Natural History Museum's awesome Spiders Alive! exhibit). But we also started to prepare for the new academic year. We just launched our Back-to-School Guide, which includes healthy breakfast and lunch ideas, cool kids' clothing websites and even do-it-yourself back-to-school fashion and supply projects.

If you're still in vacation mode, our Travel site continued its focus on Brattleboro, Vermont with a roundup of the best things to do and places to eat and stay with kids. Closer to home, our New Jersey bloggers took a fun-filled spin around the Pole Position Raceway in Jersey City while up in Connecticut we spent a day at the New Britain Youth Museum. And if you're looking for a great end-of-summer weekend getaway, consider a last-minute trip to the Jersey Shore or hitting one of the many New York State fairs happening this month.

Here's what else we shared this week on our NYC site.