Buying a stroller just may be the most important baby purchase a New York City parent makes. After all, a stroller in NYC gets a serious daily workout as you take your tot to visit wonderful parks and museums, explore vibrant neighborhoods and use it as a makeshift grocery cart. Even if you prefer to wear your baby, your back will probably need a break at some point.

Since we NYC parents are incredibly hard on our strollers—pushing them over uneven sidewalks, jerking them up subway stairs, collapsing them every time we get on a bus or in a cab—we can't just go with whatever model happens to be in. We need our stroller (or, more accurately, strollers, since you'll probably start off with a heavy-duty model for your baby and then graduate to a lightweight umbrella stroller around age 2) to be able to accommodate our unique lifestyle. Having been down this bumpy road myself, here are 10 questions I wish I had known to ask before buying a stroller to use in NYC.

The clocks have officially sprung ahead and the temperatures are slowly on the rise. Spring is in the air (finally!) and for many of us, that means locking down a choice summer camp where our kids can play and learn in a fun, nurturing environment. Last week we told you about traditional day camps in Southern Westchester. Now we're turning our focus to the northern part of the county.

Our round-up of traditional summer camps in Northern Westchester includes nine camps that incorporate all aspects of providing an amazing summer experience with expansive grounds, modern facilities and a wide variety of programming sure to please any camper. Read on for our top picks for fun and educational day camps in Westchester's northern towns and villages.

Also, don't forget to check out our new Westchester Camp Directory, full of information for camps of all kinds in and around Westchester. Plus we continuously update our Summer Camp Guide to keep you up-to-date on the latest camp offerings.

We've been researching, crowd-sourcing and reminiscing like mad, and we're thrilled to be able to present our Guide To Great Small Towns in Northern NJ! The first of our Guides to small towns in the Garden State (Central NJ, you're next), our growing database of "sweet", "charming", and just plain old "great" little towns touches on our writers' favorites, from Chester to Nutley to my personal fave, Hoboken; and so many more. Check out our picks and feel free to tell us some of your beloved small towns in the comments!

Summer is right around the corner (hooray!), which means it’s time to think about camp for the kids. Why not check out Camps R Us? Founded by Long Island natives Joanne and Gary Turnier, Camps R Us aims to give families the highest quality summer camp programs at the most affordable price.

Regardless of whether your kids attend public, private or parochial, chances are their school is always looking for ways to raise much-needed funds to pay for enriching extras. Parents are often called upon to give money. But there are also lots of fun and easy ways for families to get involved in the fundraising process that involve donating your time and creativity, not your cold hard cash.

A few years back, I wrote a post featuring 7 successful large-scale fundraising projects I helped oversee at my son's school when I was PTA president. Today I'm sharing 9 simple fundraising ideas that can be implemented relatively quickly. In fact, inspired PTAs could get a couple of these off the ground before spring break arrives! You may have heard of some of these before (hello, bake sale) but I've included tips for ways to maximize profits and enjoyment.

Westfield, NJ is a Union County town that brings together small-town charm and metropolitan appeal. The downtown area is home to well-known retailers, trendy boutiques and an abundance of restaurants, from fine dining to casual eateries. Westfield is a family oriented community, and there’s no shortage of family restaurants to choose from. With popular chains as well as neighborhood establishments, there’s always something to satisfy hungry little ones. Here’s a taste of the many kid friendly dining options in Westfield.

White, the latest family-friendly production at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, is sweet, funny, and an excellent introduction to the theater for young ones. Simple but smart, the award-winning White captivates young audiences without speaking down to them.

A few short weeks ago my husband and I motivated to take our kids into New York City to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  Many hours later (as well as many toll roads, parking fees, and bathroom stops later), my 4 year old informed me that she preferred the artwork in her Olivia the Pig book to the John Singer Sargent exhibit we just viewed.  Why, oh why did I spend so much money on taking them to a fabulous NY museum when there are so many phenomenal museums in our own backyard here in Fairfield County?  Our next museum adventures will be within a 20 mile radius of home – and just look how many great exhibits there are in the local area! And don't forget to check out our Kid-Friendly CT Museum Guide too!