Have some power struggles in your family? Kids wearing you out? You wearing them out? Enter the lovely and down-to-earth Susan Stiffelman, author of Parenting Without Power Struggles: Raising Joyful, Resilient Kids while Staying Cool, Calm and Connected. Ms. Stiffelman is a licensed Marriage, Family and Child counselor, an Educational Therapist, and Parent Educator. She's also a teacher. And a mom. A mom to a college student, which means that she raised a child to adulthood without killing him or having a nervous breakdown. This alone would give her the authority to speak on the topic at hand, but, oh, there's so much more.

Is everybody ready for spring break? We know your kids are. Public-school students are off from Saturday through Tuesday, April 26 and it's certainly an eventful time. Passover kicks off the evening of Monday, April 18, and Easter follows on Sunday, April 24. In between, we celebrate our planet on Earth Day, which falls on Friday, April 22. No need to wait until the official dates; you can hunt for eggs, munch on matzo and honor Mother Nature this weekend and all spring break long. 

There are lots of non-holiday activities too. We've rounded up awesome (and inexpensive) things to do over spring break as well as some cool camps. The Tribeca Film Festival is hosting free "drive-in" movies and there are exhibits to explore, concerts to rock out to, shows to see, fairs to attend and other spring fun.

Break is the perfect excuse to finally take a day or weekend trip, or just hit another borough or cross a nearby bridge. So read on to see what else we covered this week on Mommy Poppins in NYC, Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut.

Many Mommy Poppins writers absolutely adored Birdhouse Factory, the last show Cirque Mechanics brought to the New Victory Theater. So we were all really looking forward to the Las Vegas troupe’s new spectacle Boom Town. Of course high expectations can sometimes lead to disappointment.

So I’ll be honest: Not everyone here enjoyed Boom Town as much as my five-year-old daughter and I did. There’s no question that the Metropolis-esque Birdhouse Factory was more striking in terms of aesthetics, narrative and feats. But Boom Town, which is set in the Wild West during the Gold Rush days, has a lot of hokey charm, with silly clowns, impressive aerial and balancing acts, and lots of silly slapstick.

Here are seven reasons why I think circus lovers should book a trip to Boom Town.

Warning: Mother Nature is reminding us who's boss by bringing storms our way on Earth Day weekend. Before you head to an outdoor event, be sure to check its official website for weather-related updates or cancellations.

The very first Earth Day in 1970 was a grassroots event that hoped to inspire the U.S. government to enact important environmental legislation. Four decades later, Earth Day—which always falls on April 22 but is also celebrated on other days—is a worldwide phenomenon with more than 1.5 billion participants. To some, it's a massive secular holiday; to others, it's a day of action.

There are tons of Earth Day activities for kids, including huge green festivals, fun eco-crafts, educational workshops and much more. No matter how you decide to mark the day, take heart in knowing that NYC is one of the greenest cities in America.

Here's how to celebrate Earth Day 2011 in the Big "Green" Apple.

Planning what to do this weekend? We’ve got some exciting weekend events lined up for you. With warmer temperatures upon us, you’ll find more fun activities to enjoy outside. From farm animals to National Park Fee Free Days to Easter Egg Hunts, you are sure to find something fun to start your weekend off right!
 

This weekend you're sure to find a kid-friendly event that will suit everyone from theater-goers to nature nuts and history buffs to girly-girls. There's a Kids Trout Fishing Derby, a Martial Arts Expo, a Revolutionary themed weekend of events in Morristown, theater performances of favorite books like the Hungry Caterpillar and the Berenstain Bears, a fair at Grounds for Sculpture, and an Easter-themed Alice in Wonderland Chocolate tea party. And don't forget the many Earth Day events!

There's so much for New York City families to do this weekend (not to mention during next week's spring break) that it's hard to decide where to start. You can head to Coney Island for Luna Park's opening day. Or get into the Easter spirit with an old-fashioned egg hunt. There are quite a few this weekend, including the annual shindig in Carl Schurz Park, which features a concert by Moey’s Music Party. And don't forget about all of the Passover festivities.

If you're looking to rock out, catch The Fuzzy Lemons in Williamsburg, one of many cool kiddie concerts happening this weekend. Tweens should enjoy the coming-of-age musical Barrio Grrrl! in Greenwich Village, or they can try their hand at a funky art project inspired by the Jewish Museum's Maira Kalman exhibit.

Other fun includes a comic book convention just for kids, Healthy Kids Day at the Park Slope Armory, free animal films at MoMa and early Earth Day activities. If you're just looking to get out and celebrate the season, our brand-new Mommy Poppins Spring Fun Guide is full of great spring activities in NYC and beyond.

Finally, The Mommy Poppins Event Calendar overflows with storytimes, live theater, music, Easter, Passover and other activities this weekend and beyond. Enjoy!

My son is three and like many kids his age, he has trouble staying still. But at Potato Needs a Bath—a 30-minute puppet show currently playing at the New 42nd Street Studios—he sat rapt, and only moved his little body when he needed a better view of puppeteer Shona Reppe and her colorful cast of fruits and vegetables.

Even though this one-woman show was created with two- to five-year-olds in mind, I loved it just as much as my son thanks to clever puns and a creative set with cool nooks and crannies. Here's what to expect, plus a roundup of other New York City theaters that regularly put on shows for preschoolers.