The start of a new school year often comes with excitement, but it can also mean uncertainty, nerves, and tough conversations… To help with some of the challenges families may face this fall, we’ve partnered with Connecticut Children’s to share guidance from their free 2023 Back to School Kit. As always, this year’s toolkit provides straight-forward, age-appropriate, expert advice about the issues that could have a big impact on your child’s health and happiness in the upcoming academic year.

Here are five common challenges and tough talks you may be taking on this school year, plus advice on how to navigate:

Sending a college care package to your college student is a rite of passage for both of you. Whether your college kid is at StateU or has traveled across the country, being on the receiving end of one of these college care packages is sure to make them feel special, especially during high-stress times!

So, whether you're sending a college care package to your first college kid, or you’re a recent empty nester who has already sent your fair share of college care packages, we’ve got 100 college care package ideas to inspire your next trip to the post office. Find more back-to-school tips for kids from pre-school to post-grad in our Back-to-School Guide for Kids.

NYC pizza is like nothing else. As a small-town kid, I had three options for pizza growing up: Pizza Hut, Little Caesars Pizza, and Domino's Pizza. While I enjoyed stuffed crust and bigfoot pies in my day, I'll never forget my first NYC pizza slice. It had that perfect not-too-chewy, not-too-crispy crust, the right amount of sauce, gooey, greasy cheese running over the edges, and it came just as it should: on two paper plates that felt like they were going to disintegrate in my hands, all for the whopping price tag of two bucks.

Needless to say, I was in NYC pizza heaven. Now that I have two kiddos, I get to share a little slice of that NYC pizza heaven with them, too.

Whether you're a local, or visiting NYC for a family vacation, know this: NYC pizza lives up to the hype if, you know where to find it. Whether you're looking for a pizza slice at an iconic, only-in-NYC restaurant or an off-the-beaten-path neighborhood NYC pizza joint, we've laid out our favorite pizza spots below. Bookmark our NYC Kid-Friendly Restaurant Guide for all our top picks of where to eat with kids.

Whether you're day-tripping or hunkering down for a few days, Riverhead, on Long Island's East End, offers plenty of family-friendly things to do. Located at the end of the Long Island Expressway, Riverhead boasts the kid-friendly Long Island Aquarium, plus a slew of family-friendly wineries to visit with kids, vintage ice cream parlors, Long Island Sound beaches, rustic farms, and a quaint Main Street.

For more fun expeditions, check out our Guide to Day Trips on Long Island, and keep up to date with all the East End happenings with our Hamptons & North Fork Guide.

Afterschool programs offer Connecticut children the opportunity to participate in flexible (and fun!) learning activities, get physical exercise and establish friendships with peers. They also fill up those afternoon hours during which kids need afterschool care while parents are at work. Many programs will bus the student directly from the school. Some are even held on school grounds–an ideal solution for working parents!

Be sure to peruse our calendar which is updated weekly and check out the Connecticut Fall Fun Guide for more fun with school-age children.

The school year is headed toward us full steam ahead, which means it's time to start thinking about afterschool programs in Boston. Families looking for affordable (or even free) programs for Boston kids have lots to choose from. From sports to arts, academics to theater, there are programs for your kids, no matter their age or interests. Check out our picks for free and cheap afterschool programs in Boston!

School doesn't have to end when the bell rings; there are plenty of free and inexpensive options for enrichment in Philadelphia's after-school programs. If you’re looking for a fun and educational way for your kids to spend their late afternoons and early evenings, you’ll be happy to hear that after-school programs don’t have to break the bank. These programs are a great way to help kids stay ahead of their schoolwork, and also hone in on their specific interests.

Looking for more classes for Philly kids? Check out our Classes Guide for more great learning opportunities. If you've got a sports lover, we've rounded up the Best Sports Classes for Kids, too!

After-school programs are a great way for Westchester and Hudson Valley kids to learn new skills, get help with their homework, and have fun with their friends. These programs are also essential for working and commuting parents. 

To help, we’ve rounded up a handful of after-school programs in Westchester and the Hudson Valley that can be a great starting point. Even better—all the programs listed here are either FREE or on the less-expensive side.

For even more after-school programs, check out our full Classes Guide for Westchester Kids and our Back to School Guide.