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!

On Sunday, November 4, the Boston Children’s Chorus (BCC) is kicking off its Tenth Anniversary Season with a concert, and we're giving away tickets! Read on to find out more,,,

Culture. We all want it — and not just in our yogurt. We live next to one of the best museum cities in the world, but our dear NJ also has much to offer in the 'get smart' department. From the wonderfully curated Newark Museum, to lovely small spaces like Monmouth Museum, there's an array of exhibits and activities for the whole family. And NJ museums don't take all day, so get cultured up until lunchtime, then go for a hike, have a picnic, or hit another gallery. You'll be more interesting by dinnertime. 

We all try to make the best, most wholesome meals for our families, but life happens, and increasingly, families are eating out; of course, increasingly, prices are going up, and budgets are getting tighter, often making family dinners at restaurants the first thing to get cut. But it is possible for a family of four or more to eat out affordably. Lots of restaurants across the Island offer kids-eat-free deals with the purchase of adult entrees. Here, a good sample of the deals.

As you can see from the photo of my daughter in full Nightmare Before Christmas regalia, we're ready for Halloween in our house! We're ready for it on the Mommy Poppins sites, too. This week, we rounded up free family-friendly Halloween parades in NYC, do-it-yourself Halloween decorations and accessories, haunted houses in New Jersey and Halloween train rides in Connecticut. Be sure to check out our Halloween Guides for NYC, New Jersey and Connecticut for a truly terrifying amount of seasonal activities.

Of course Halloween isn't the only scary thing on our mind: We're also all obsessed with the upcoming election. Our Boston site shared a wonderful post about teaching your kids about voting. Regardless of which candidate you support, it's important to involve your kids in the process so that when they grow up, they become voters, too.

In other big news this week, Mommy Poppins is getting our own ice cream flavor! And we want you to help us choose what it will be. Our friends at Malu, which is one of our top places to have dessert in Long Island City, are considering five different flavors and you can vote for your favorite on our Facebook page. Make it sweet!

Here's what else we covered on our NYC site this week:

Are you looking to add a new member to the family? A pet can be a friend for life for the little ones—and the rest of the family. So if your home has an open space ready to be filled by a furry friend, here are NYC's top places to adopt a new dog or cat. Plus, check out some lesser-known options for adoption and some things to consider before taking the plunge if you're a first-time pet owner. 

And if you're a dog lover, don't miss out on Grand Central's Museum of the Dog!

This weekend has the stink of Halloween all over it.  Oh, some folks might try to pull the cobwebs over your eyes, talking about “autumn” and “the harvest.”   Yeah, that’s why we’re hitting every pumpkin patch and hayride within a 50 mile limit.  For autumn. And throwin’ candy in kids’ bags is totally a harvest thing.

We all know where this is heading. Four weeks of Halloween mania will give way to two solid months of … the C word. (Not the bad one, the good, merry-jolly one, but I don’t want to say it too loud lest little ears get ideas).  Wouldn’t it be nice if we had a little something up our sleeves, something to help you get an early start to your holiday prep?  Silly old bear!  Anyway, you know what they say: giveaways - you never have them until you’re having them. Surprise! We're having one! (You can do that sort of thing when you have 500 Facebook followers.)

This weekend holds tons of other surprises, like the Kinetic Sculpture Race, a skateboard art workshop, LA’s Largest Block Party and the Jewish County Fair, a concert at the beach and a chance to look to the stars.  Might even be enough to distract someone who has pumpkin on the brain. Or hunny…

Keep reading for our favorite picks for the weekend, and to get the deal on that giveaway…

Boston families are treated to a host of family-friendly festivals this weekend, from the Fungi Fest at the Harvard Museum of Natural History and the Great Pumpkin Fest at the EcoTarium to Applefest at Wachusett Mountain and the National Cranberry Festival at Edaville Railroad; two celebrations of National Archaeology Day; and the opening of Anne of Green Gables, Wheelock Family Theatre's musical adaptation of the classic book. These, plus a pumpkin float, the annual Head of the Charles Regatta, and Boo at the Zoo are just some of the many weekend options available. And be sure to check our Events Calendar for more things to do.

We’ve also added some scary-fun haunted houses (among other things) to our growing collection of things to do for Halloween. Plus, let your creative spirit run wild with our DIY Halloween decorations (and some really cute masks) for you and the kids to make together. And while the Presidential debate is fresh on our minds, it’s a good time to read our post about Teaching Your Children about Voting. Plus, be sure to enter our Boxcar Children Signed Book Giveaway!

Enjoy!