Caribou Baby Has it Going On This Weekend and Next
by Karen on 2/08/12 | 0 Comment(s)
Caribou Baby in Greenpoint can really stock their calendar with solid events and I thought I would give a shout out to some of their upcoming ones. One of my all-time favorite class teachers, Ellynne Skove of GoGo Babies, will be teaching a Baby Massage Workshop this weekend. I would go just to have her [...]
10 Most Common Car Seat Installation Mistakes
by Karen on 1/30/12 | 4 Comment(s)
I know I’ve made about 4 of these car seat installation mistakes and I’m pretty sure that I’m not alone. In fact, I know I’m not: studies show that 82 percent or 9 out of 10 car seats are not installed and used correctly. Even more upsetting? Crashes are the leading cause of death for [...]
Pregnant or New Parent with Burning Questions?
by Karen on 1/26/12 | 0 Comment(s)
If you are pregnant or a new parent and have some questions like “what is a doula?”, “how bad is this labor pain going to be?” to “do I need a carrier and how do I know which one?”- count yourself lucky! All those questions and more will be answered this Monday night at a [...]
Want to “Raise a Good Sleeper”? We Have a Discount if You Do!
by Karen on 1/21/12 | 1 Comment(s)
Who wouldn’t want to raise a good sleeper?! Imagine this: a full night’s good sleep for you and your partner…. and upon waking, you find you have a cheery baby who has also had a good night’s sleep! Not that she is making any promises, but Dr. Janet Kennedy (aka the NYC Sleep Doctor), will [...]
Big Movies for Little Kids Start Up This Monday
by Karen on 1/20/12 | 0 Comment(s)
Nothing beats the cold more than a good movie and snuggling up to your …..baby, toddler or little kid! If you love classic movies and want to share them with your child in an actual theatre, then head out to the popular series Big Movies for Little Kids. This series, begun by two mothers, is [...]
Medications and Breastfeeding
by Karen on 1/17/12 | 9 Comment(s)
I was having problems with frequently choking and was prescribed some medicine for “silent reflux” by an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor. She said that the medicine was “fine for a nursing mom”…..without checking. I wasn’t convinced she really knew. I called my general practitioner to see if the medicine was okay for a nursing [...]
Kids Can Try a New Language for Free
by Karen on 1/16/12 | 0 Comment(s)
If your child can say “nǐhǎo” and “gracias”, you might not worry so much about them saying “please” and “thank you” in English. This week and next, two language programs are offering the opportunity to give both Spanish and Mandarin a try with your tikes- for free! Lango Kids NYC Free Trial Mandarin Class It [...]
A New Playspace Opens Today: Get In Line To Check It Out
by Karen on 1/09/12 | 3 Comment(s)
With the grand opening of Frolic! today in Williamsburg, you have even more options for indoor play this winter. Located in the new condominium building, The Edge, Frolic has the advantage of lots of space (approximately 5,000 square feet), ground floor access and ample stroller parking. The soft opening and ribbon cutting ceremony was on [...]
A Cool Cast of Puppets Rock Williamsburg
by Karen on 1/08/12 | 0 Comment(s)
Meet some really cool puppets- this cadre of friends have tattoos, bandanas and style. They make the Muppets look like….well, boooring. This new group of performing puppets have taken up residence in Williamsburg, having recently expanded from their Hoboken, NJ location. Brooklyn parents who have already attended the shows have been singing the new puppets’ [...]
Dying to Go to a Good Movie? Join These Parents
by Karen on 1/05/12 | 1 Comment(s)
With the best movies of 2011 out in theatres right now, it would be total shame to miss them. Thanks to a new group of movie-loving parents, you can forget having to hire a babysitter in order to see Hugo or The Artist. One Brooklyn mom has started Parent and Babies Movies, a community of [...]
Free Yoga Class for Kids At Lululemon
by Karen on 1/04/12 | 0 Comment(s)
Besides being a Lululemon clothes groupie (hey, I can go from pjs to daywear and no one knows the difference!), I also love their whole attitude of sharing. Their local stores often host free yoga classes and seminars and it’s all in the name of good karma. This Friday, Lululemon in Brooklyn is spreading the [...]
Free Baby Proofing Seminar
by Karen on 12/28/11 | 0 Comment(s)
Babyproofing seems likes pretty standard issue stuff. Put up some gates, install tot locks, put medicines away. But, in reality, there’s a lot to it. There are safety gates, window guards, stove knob covers, cabinet locks, plants, steps and fireplace guards (and variations of all of these). It’s helpful to get some advice on what [...]
Coat Donations Desperately Needed For Infants and Children In NYC
by Karen on 12/28/11 | 4 Comment(s)
I got an email plea from New York Cares asking if I could help get the word out that they are in desperate need of coats for children and infants this winter. Can you help? Perhaps you have a snowsuit, coat or snow pants that are too small? Any gently used coat would be greatly [...]
Adoptee or Adoptive Parent Support Groups and Playgroups
by Karen on 12/20/11 | Comments Off Comment(s)
Whether you are an adoptive parent or an adoptee, there is a playgroup and peer-support group called All Together Now (ATN), where you can gather, connect and share resources. There is something for all ages: an adoption playgroup for 3-8 year olds, Tweens Peer-Support Group, Parent Group Discussions, and Volunteer Opportunity for Teens. For 3-8 [...]
Top of the Shop: Hanky Blanky
by Karen on 12/09/11 | 1 Comment(s)
This is the tenth installment of our feature called “Top of the Shop”. It’s a biweekly (well, sometimes!) look at a shop in Brooklyn and its 2 top selling items and then our favorite 2 top items. I hope that you see some new shops to visit or old shops that you might have forgotten [...]
Avoiding Toxic Chemicals- Mount Sinai Workshop
by Karen on 11/29/11 | 0 Comment(s)
How do exposures in the womb and during early childhood put our children at risk for disease later in life? Join Mount Sinai’s Children’s Environmental Health Center (CEHC) for a half-day workshop that examines the environmental causes of some of the most common diseases: ADHD, autism, breast cancer, obesity and infertility. Learn how to keep [...]
Holiday Shows and Theater Performances for Kids
by Serena on 11/23/11 | 1 Comment(s)
It is truly magical to see a show in NYC, especially a holiday show, but it also a limited-time opportunity. We have put together an extensive list of holiday theatre including the classics like the beloved Radio City Christmas Spectacular and various productions of the Nutcracker. This year, there are also some new productions of [...]
Playtime in Greenpoint: playgroup, donuts, library and lunch
by Karen on 11/15/11 | 0 Comment(s)
The family-friendly amenities in Greenpoint and Williamsburg are starting to rival those of Park Slope. The play spaces, play groups and stores that have cropped up in the last year seem to be mainly begun by design-minded mums and dads, whose stylish taste brings sophistication to kid stuff. But there are a few Greenpoint places [...]
50% Discount On My Fav Vitamins For My Fav Readers
by Karen on 11/09/11 | 0 Comment(s)
Last year I wrote about my triumph in finding the perfect multivitamin for my children. Yes, some go on a quest to find themselves, but my 3 year quest was to find the ideal kid’s vitamin! SmartyPants gummy is an all-in-one vitamin that has BOTH the Omega-3s and 100% of recommended daily vitamins. Forget that [...]
Daylight savings sleep tips!
by Karen on 11/04/11 | 0 Comment(s)
Daylight savings is coming up this Sunday: this is when we move our clocks back one hour and “gain” an extra hour. Even just an hour change can be a disruption in your child’s (*and yours!) sleeping. Janeen Hayward, a parent consultant at Swell Being, was kind enough to share her daylight savings sleep tips [...]
Are You Paying Your Nanny Enough? (Nanny Survey Results Are Out!)
by Karen on 11/02/11 | 0 Comment(s)
Are you paying your nanny enough? According to the 2011 Park Slope Parents Nanny Survey that came out today, “nannies (in Brooklyn) are earning an average of $14.89- twice the NY minimum wage of $7.25- and are receiving an average of 11 paid days off a year”. Their findings also noted that despite the higher [...]
New Developments for Bija Kids
by Karen on 11/01/11 | 0 Comment(s)
I dropped by Bija Kids a few weeks ago to host one of our Meetups- and marveled at their new studio design with two open airy spaces that accommodate both yogis and kids. Lauren Maples, the owner of Bija Kids, mentioned that she was considering offering a drop-in playtime for the cold weather- and, she [...]
New La Leche League in Kensington (and other meetups listed too)
by Karen on 11/01/11 | 0 Comment(s)
A new Kensington La Leche League group is starting this Wednesday morning. This mother to mother breastfeeding support group is open to all. To find out where they are meeting, email [email protected] For other Brooklyn LLLs, I’ve listed the contact information below: (If you are looking for general breastfeeding support, visit our Marketplace listings on [...]
Childproofing Heating Pipes: How To and With What?
by Karen on 11/01/11 | 2 Comment(s)
Whether you live in Brooklyn or Portland, exposed heating pipes in older homes can give kids some nasty burns. The question is: how to do this effectively and also have it look nice? We opted for a clean-looking, minimal solution at our place: fiberglass shell pipe insulation. My husband and I went to the hardware [...]
How to Find a Nanny in Brooklyn
by Serena on 10/30/11 | 7 Comment(s)
One of the many unfortunate results of the tanking economy, is that there are a lot of nannies out there looking for positions. But with all the available nannies, it still comes down to finding the right one for you and your family. This includes a nanny that can meet your needs (number of hours, [...]