Californians are always talking about this proposition or that, trying to make sense of the way we do politics out here. Proposition 39, because it has to do with school and space for all children, can elicit intense feelings of fear, competition, and defensiveness in parents - and confusion in everyone else. What is Prop 39 and why do public school parents get so worked up about it? We'll attempt to explain the whats and whys of Prop 39, in order to help readers consider how we, as adults, can address an issue we emphasize with our children: how to share and be fair.

Looks like it's going to be a monster of a holiday! The Memorial Day weekend is the main event on all of our sites. Lots of summer attractions open for the season this Saturday, including beaches, Governors Island and tri-state area amusement parks, including Victorian Gardens in Central Park.

There are some big openings outside NYC as well. Right across the Hudson in Secaucus, New Jersey, Field Station: Dinosaurs is poised to make a roar with more than 30 animatronic dino robots. Interestingly, Boston's Franklin Park Zoo is opening a similar prehistoric wonderland Zoorassic Park this holiday weekend, in case you're looking for a last-minute getaway. Other great day or weekend trips include strawberry picking at farms on Long Island, in New Jersey and Connecticut, and hitting a suburban beach. You can find even more inspiration on our Travel site.

Of course Memorial Day weekend marks summer's unofficial start. If you haven't figured out summer camp yet, you're in luck: We're running deals on a bunch of NYC summer camps. What you see is just a preview, so be sure to check back next week for additional deals.

Here's what else we shared this week on our NYC site.

(Photo courtesy of Breathe N Flow Yoga)

You can probably imagine the benefits kids receive from practicing yoga even if you have never taken a class yourself (or hijacked the kids’ Wii for some Wii Fit Yoga!). Physically, yoga improves kids’ strength, flexibility, coordination, balance, posture, and the list goes on.  Beyond the physical benefits are the mental benefits. Yoga teaches children self-awareness, self-respect, and most important in the eyes of this mom, self-relaxation skills that do not require the use of a remote control, game controller, snack, or couch.

We’ve rounded up Long Island yoga studios that offer a wide range of classes and services for kids sure to educate and entertain your children and develop skills and practices they will employ for life.

It’s a long holiday weekend, and there are plenty of fun and free things to do with kids in and around Boston, from Discovery Day in Lexington and the Zoorasic Park Grand Opening at the Franklin Park Zoo to the Run to Remember Expo and Play Date at the ICA. And please be sure to see our special Memorial Day activities post for special events happening on Monday, including an Open House at the MFA, the Garden of Flags tribute on the Boston Common, and the Faneuil Hall Street Performer Festival. Read on for for more of our weekend picks, and be sure to visit our Events Calendar for more ideas.

And if the holiday weekend has you thinking ahead to summer activities, check out Tara’s Highland Street Foundation’s Free Fun Fridays picks plus 25 things to do in Mount Washington Valley, NH.

Enjoy!

Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer. The beaches open, the sprinklers turn on (assuming it's over 85 degrees), Governors Island begins welcoming visitors and kids start having trouble focusing in school. (Funny, we have the same problem with work.)

In anticipation of a wonderful season full of fun and free activities and cool destinations, we've updated our Summer Fun Guide. Highlights include: