Weekday Picks for LI Kids: Goodnight Moon, Carnival, Painting May 18-22

You don't need to wait for the upcoming holiday weekend to have some fun with the kids. This week, little ones can bounce around at Toddler Time or watch Goodnight Moon come to life, while the entire family can enjoy an activity-filled carnival.

And remember, this is just a sample of what's happening across Long Island this week. For more, take a look at our Event Calendar.

Weekday Picks for Boston Kids: Free Museums & Parent Book Talk, May 18-22

My kids and I love museums, and there are some excellent free events at a couple of our favorites this week: the Museum of Science and the Harvard Art Museums. Most local parents know that visiting the Museum of Science with kids is always a fun time, but my girls also enjoy the three Harvard Art Museums. From the triangle sculpture in the indoor courtyard (pictured) to famous paintings and ancient treasures, there's plenty to hold the attention of young art fans.

Another fantastic pick this week is a parent book talk with Ron Lieber about his bestseller, The Opposite of Spoiled. With its compelling cover photo of "give," "save," and "spend" jars, this book is definitely on my must-read list.

Whatever you choose to do, have a great week, and don't forget to check out our full Event Calendar!

Weekday Picks for Connecticut Kids: Classic Cars, Turtles and a Family Musical May 18-22

Memorial Day weekend is coming up and there's lots going on this week to get you ready for the holiday. It might be nice to take a moment to explain to your kids what Memorial Day is about, and why it's important to honor those who died while serving our country. With summer right around the corner, check out our CT Beach and Water Fun Guide for fun ideas about where to cool off.

We only highlight one event per day in this post, but there are many other suggestions in our Event Calendar. Camps still have spaces open so be sure to check out our Camp Guide for info on day and sleepaway camp options.

Weekday Picks for Westchester Kids: Farm Fun, Churn Butter, Westchester Children’s Museum, May 18-22

The week ahead offers an eclectic mix of things to do around Westchester—everything from farm fun to a museum opening—and we've gathered all the details to help you plan your week!

It isn’t every day that the opportunity to churn butter comes along (especially in suburbia), but that’s just what’s in store at Make Break. Find more hands-on excitement at the opening day of the Westchester Children's Museum, and wee ones will love meeting animals at Little Folk Farm Days.

Read on for our top picks, and check out our Event Calendar and May GoList for lots of other activities you won’t want to miss!

Weekday Events for NYC Kids: Fleet Week, Nature Fun, Free Movies May 18-22

With Memorial Day coming up, there are some early ways for NYC families to get into the spirit of the holiday, like Fleet Week's annual Parade of Ships and the Intrepid's FREE Top Gun screening. A visit to one of NYC's National Parks, strawberry picking and a FREE screening of Big Hero 6 round out the awesome activities on tap this week.

Although we only highlight one event per day in this post, you can find plenty of other options in our Event Calendar and our Spring Fun Guide.

Waldorf Astoria Boca Offers Luxury of a Caribbean Resort Minutes From Ft Lauderdale

The Waldorf Astoria Boca Raton Resort & Club is the most luxurious U.S. vacation destination my family and I have ever visited. The sprawling property feels more like a Caribbean resort than the other beachfront hotels you find in Florida. With a surfing school, a kids’ camp, water sports, the new FlowRider wave simulator, fantastic restaurants, plus a world-class spa, tennis program and golf course, the Waldorf Astoria Boca Raton lets everyone in your family feel entertained, pampered and restored by the time you go home.

The resort is not all-inclusive, and what you save on airfare you’ll easily spend on meals and activities. But the Waldorf Astoria Boca Raton offers an incredibly luxurious and family-friendly Caribbean-style vacation located just an hour's drive from the Fort Lauderdale airport, so no need for passports.

‪ADHD Awareness Week: One Family's Story

OUR STORY

In first grade my son's teacher noticed that there was a large discrepancy between his capability to verbally demonstrate knowledge and his ability to write and memorize simple three letter sight words. This turned out to be the first clue we had that something was off. When things didn't get easier, we had him tested and found out that he had dyslexia, a learning disability in children affecting reading, writing and spelling. After going down the IEP path, we were fortunate to get him into an incredible school in Manhattan built just for kids with learning differences called The Churchill School. Because, day in and day out, they dealt with kids like my son it was soon suspected that dyslexia wasn't the only issue. Surprise, surprise! ADD was also part of his brain package. We figured that out in 3rd grade. It took a while because there are two types of ADHD: the part with hyper-activity and the part without - called Inattentive Type (which is what my son has). Having these issues definitely serves up some challenges, however with education and clear communication with a child's teachers and pediatrician we can make a world of difference in a child's life. ‬

Some say having ADHD can even be a gift. Come to find out, many famous and brilliant people had ADHD brains. Beethoven, Hans Christian Andersen, Winston Churchill, Leonardo da Vinci, Walt Disney, Albert Einstein, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Benjamin Franklin, Ernest Hemingway, Michael Jordan, Picasso, and the incredible list goes on and on.

Many people are still  unaware of what ADHD really means. The more we all know, the more we can accept and help those wired differently. The other day my younger son was sitting in class while the teacher was explaining to the children what dyslexia and adhd are. My son proudly stated, "Hey! That's what my brother has!" He thought it was pretty cool.

(Read on for lots of facts and resources about ADHD).

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