NewportMommy's Posts - NewportMommy2024-03-29T00:28:24ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2538280348?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1http://newportmommy.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=30lkddir5s295&xn_auth=noMotherhood -an integral part of our DNAtag:newportmommy.com,2017-05-14:6466865:BlogPost:640372017-05-14T14:30:00.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545870589?profile=original" target="_self"><img alt="Image result for happy mothers day to work women" class="mainImage accessible nofocus align-center" height="500" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/dd/ef/8f/ddef8f5f5acf2cfbcca081d7147d25dd.jpg" title="View source image" width="375"></img></a></p>
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<p>As 200 women came together to celebrate their motherhood this Friday with us..A thought struck me - Aren't all women 'mothers' in a sense? Don't all of us have a natural inclination to nurture ?</p>
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<p>Along the course of my life-journey, I have seen inspiring examples of :</p>
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<p>- Women who single handedly take care of their parents,…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545870589?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="375" height="500" title="View source image" class="mainImage accessible nofocus align-center" alt="Image result for happy mothers day to work women" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/dd/ef/8f/ddef8f5f5acf2cfbcca081d7147d25dd.jpg"/></a></p>
<p></p>
<p>As 200 women came together to celebrate their motherhood this Friday with us..A thought struck me - Aren't all women 'mothers' in a sense? Don't all of us have a natural inclination to nurture ?</p>
<p></p>
<p>Along the course of my life-journey, I have seen inspiring examples of :</p>
<p></p>
<p>- Women who single handedly take care of their parents, brothers and sisters (and even extended families) - Many of these women never physically battled the cry of birthing</p>
<p>- Women who take care of other men and women at work by sharing advice, advocating for promotions</p>
<p>- Women who champion for causes that might have never even touched them</p>
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<p>This list can go on..and we could even expand this notion to the other gender who will be celebrated for this quality next month on Father's Day.</p>
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<p>So what are we celebrating? In my mind, we are recognizing the 'Mother' in all of us - the dimension of our personality that gives birth to 'new beings', 'new ideas' and nurtures others. <strong><em>No one is disqualified from serving</em>.</strong></p>
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<p>So to all of you -brave, caring and loving people - A Happy 'Mothers' Day!! Celebrate yourselves and the 'mother' in all your fellow beings!</p>
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<p>Love and hugs!</p>
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<p>NewportMommy</p>Get out of Newport: Local DayTripstag:newportmommy.com,2017-04-22:6466865:BlogPost:205162017-04-22T12:58:51.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<h1 class="marketing-text-heading-epic marketing-text--white text--centered" id="sizzling"><span class="font-size-2">Newport is GORGEOUS in the summer and with all the lovely water sprinklers and the beach clearly nothing more can be asked for. But we live close to one of the most popular cities in the world where you can find some superb day trips accessible by just a short train ride - So dont miss out on this fun too!…</span></h1>
<h1 id="sizzling" class="marketing-text-heading-epic marketing-text--white text--centered"><span class="font-size-2">Newport is GORGEOUS in the summer and with all the lovely water sprinklers and the beach clearly nothing more can be asked for. But we live close to one of the most popular cities in the world where you can find some superb day trips accessible by just a short train ride - So dont miss out on this fun too!</span></h1>
<ul>
<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><img class="g-img" src="http://eventbrite-s3.s3.amazonaws.com/marketing/summerguides/nyc_assets/cloisters.jpg"/><h2 class="marketing-text-heading-secondary l-block-3 marketing-text--white">The Cloisters</h2>
<span class="address marketing-text--white">Manhattan</span><br/>
<p class="marketing-text-body-medium marketing-text-body--faint marketing-text--white">This is a branch of the Met even many locals fail to enjoy. If you’re into a shorter trip, hop on the subway and enjoy the amazing medieval art and architecture overlooking the Hudson River.</p>
</li>
<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><img class="g-img" src="http://eventbrite-s3.s3.amazonaws.com/marketing/summerguides/nyc_assets/snug.jpg"/><h2 class="marketing-text-heading-secondary l-block-3 marketing-text--white">Snug Harbor Botanical Gardens</h2>
<span class="address marketing-text--white">Staten Island</span><br/>
<p class="marketing-text-body-medium marketing-text-body--faint marketing-text--white">The Staten Island Ferry is a fun and free way to get great city views. Snug Harbor Botanical Garden is a short bus ride from the ferry terminal, where you’ll quickly forget you’re in the city at all. Don’t knock it ‘til you try it!</p>
</li>
<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><img class="g-img" src="http://eventbrite-s3.s3.amazonaws.com/marketing/summerguides/nyc_assets/rockaways.jpg"/><h2 class="marketing-text-heading-secondary l-block-3 marketing-text--white">The Rockaways</h2>
<span class="address marketing-text--white">Queens</span><br/>
<p class="marketing-text-body-medium marketing-text-body--faint marketing-text--white">THE BEACH BUS IS BACK! Pre-game on this fast and cheap ride with your buds. In addition to beach lounging, your agenda should include: tacos from Rockaway Taco, frozen sangria (yes, it’s a booze slushy) from Caracas, and partying at Playland Motel.</p>
</li>
<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><img class="g-img" src="http://eventbrite-s3.s3.amazonaws.com/marketing/summerguides/nyc_assets/orchard.jpg"/><h2 class="marketing-text-heading-secondary l-block-3 marketing-text--white">Orchard Beach</h2>
<span class="address marketing-text--white">Bronx</span><br/>
<p class="marketing-text-body-medium marketing-text-body--faint marketing-text--white">Less developed than Coney Island; try biking from the 6 train to this beach. When things get busier in the warmer months, take advantage of the quiet nature trails. Feeling adventurous? There’s a nude beach in Section 1—no joke.</p>
</li>
<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><img class="g-img" src="http://eventbrite-s3.s3.amazonaws.com/marketing/summerguides/nyc_assets/roosevelt.jpg"/><h2 class="marketing-text-heading-secondary l-block-3 marketing-text--white">Roosevelt Island</h2>
<p class="marketing-text-body-medium marketing-text-body--faint marketing-text--white">The views of Manhattan and Queens are gorgeous, and the air tram is reason enough to go. Be sure to visit Four Freedoms Park at the southern tip of the island—you’ll feel like you’re on a giant ship in the middle of the East River. Ahoy, Matey!</p>
</li>
</ul>
<hr class="line"/><p class="marketing-text-heading-secondary marketing-text--white text--centered"><strong>OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS</strong></p>
<div style="margin-left: 2em;"><ul>
<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><img class="g-img" src="http://eventbrite-s3.s3.amazonaws.com/marketing/summerguides/nyc_assets/fireisland.jpg"/><h2 class="marketing-text-heading-secondary l-block-3 marketing-text--white">Lighthouse Beach</h2>
<span class="address marketing-text--white">Fire Island, NY (Long Island)</span><br/>
<p class="marketing-text-body-medium marketing-text-body--faint marketing-text--white"> Named for the nearby lighthouse, this is the largest clothing-optional beach in New York. It draws a fun and accepting crowd, which is probably why a visit to Fire Island is a right of passage for many New Yorkers.</p>
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<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><img class="g-img" src="http://eventbrite-s3.s3.amazonaws.com/marketing/summerguides/nyc_assets/asbury.jpg"/><h2 class="marketing-text-heading-secondary l-block-3 marketing-text--white">Asbury Park</h2>
<span class="address marketing-text--white">NEW JERSEY</span><br/>
<p class="marketing-text-body-medium marketing-text-body--faint marketing-text--white"> Like many parts of NYC, this New Jersey beach town has experienced a major transformation in recent years. Located two hours from Penn Station on NJ Transit, Asbury Park is home to a bunch of great boardwalk restaurants and legendary music venues. Plus, The Empress Hotel’s gay club, Paradise, has fabulous karaoke nights every Thursday and Sunday.</p>
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<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><img class="g-img" src="http://eventbrite-s3.s3.amazonaws.com/marketing/summerguides/nyc_assets/croton.jpg"/><h2 class="marketing-text-heading-secondary l-block-3 marketing-text--white">Croton-on-Hudson</h2>
<span class="address marketing-text--white">NEW YORK</span><br/>
<p class="marketing-text-body-medium marketing-text-body--faint marketing-text--white"> Only 70 minutes away from Grand Central Station on Metro North, Croton-on-Hudson has many peaceful hiking trails—most notably, the breathtaking Croton Dam. Don’t go home without trying ice cream at The Blue Pig. </p>
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<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><img class="g-img" src="http://eventbrite-s3.s3.amazonaws.com/marketing/summerguides/nyc_assets/beacon.jpg"/></li>
</ul>
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<h2 class="marketing-text-heading-secondary l-block-3 marketing-text--white"> </h2>
<p><strong>MY LIST OF 20 FUN PLACES TO GO WITH YOUNG KIDS</strong></p>
<ol>
<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><a href="http://www.pointpleasantbeach.com/">Point Pleasant Beach, NJ</a>: Complete with boardwalk, aquarium, skee ball and rides ( Carry your own food)</li>
<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><a href="http://www.capemay.com/">Cape May, NJ</a>: Not only are there gorgeous beaches, but there's a light house, old Victorian homes, nice shopping and dinning, too. </li>
<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><a href="http://www.sandy-hook.com/">Sandy Hook, NJ</a>: 7 mile beach MommyPoppins <a href="/ny-kids/top-5-beaches-near-nyc-for-families">Top Five Beaches for Families in NYC</a>.</li>
<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><a href="http://www.crayolaexperience.com/" target="_blank">Crayola Factory</a>, Easton, PA</li>
<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><a href="http://www.lomb.com/" target="_blank">Land of make belief, Hope , NJ</a></li>
<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><a href="http://sesameplace.com/"><em>Sesame Place</em> - Family Amusement Park in Pennsylvania</a></li>
<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><a href="http://www.hersheypark.com/"><em>Hersheypark</em> - featuring 12 coasters and The Boardwalk at <b>...</b></a></li>
<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><a href="http://alstedefarms.com/"><em>Alstede Farms</em> NJ</a></li>
<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><a href="http://fieldstationdinosaurs.com/index" target="_blank">Field Station Dinosaurs - Secaucus</a></li>
<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><a href="http://www.centralparkzoo.com/" target="_blank">Central Park Zoo</a></li>
<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><a href="http://www.bronxzoo.com/" target="_blank">Bronx Zoo</a></li>
<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><a href="http://www.nyaquarium.com/" target="_blank">NY Aquarium and Coney Island Beach</a></li>
<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><a href="http://www.amnh.org/" target="_blank">Prospect park and the ZooThe Museums - Natural History and MET are my favorite for kids</a></li>
<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4">Picnic at <a href="http://nysparks.com/parks/13/details.aspx">Bear Mountain State Park, NY</a></li>
<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><a href="http://www.fireisland.com/">Fire Island, NY</a></li>
<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><a href="http://www.sixflags.com/GreatAdventure/">Six Flags Great Adventure</a> / <a href="http://www.sixflags.com/greatAdventure/nearbyParks/WildSafari.aspx">Wild Safari</a>, NJ ( Although I have heard that the one in MA is better suited for kids under the age of 5)</li>
<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><a href="http://turtlebackzoo.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Turtle Back Zoo</strong></a>, West Orange</li>
<li class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><a href="http://www.westwindsornj.org/recreation/" target="_blank"><strong>Waterworks Family Aquatic Complex</strong></a>, West Windsor</li>
<li><div class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"> <a href="http://www.zoomziplines.com/en/usa/index.htm"><strong><font face="Trebuchet MS">Zoom Ziplines at Mountain Creek</font></strong></a></div>
</li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.mystic.org/"><font face="Trebuchet MS"><em>Mystic</em> Country</font></a></strong></li>
</ol>
<p class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"> </p>
<p class="g-cell g-cell-12-12 g-cell-md-6-12 g-cell-lg-4-12 l-padded-v-4"><strong>Talkback: Know of other nice places one can visit? Leave a comment below</strong></p>5 strategies can help with your college savings effortstag:newportmommy.com,2016-09-29:6466865:BlogPost:578312016-09-29T21:54:37.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<p><i>By Roger Michaud</i></p>
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<p><i>Roger Michaud is a senior vice president and director of sales for Franklin Templeton 529 College Savings Plan. Mr. Michaud is also chairman-emeritus of the College Savings Foundation, the leading nonprofit helping American families save for their children's college education.…</i> <i><br></br></i></p>
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<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545878633?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" height="108" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545878633?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="293"></img></a></p>
<p><i>By Roger Michaud</i></p>
<p></p>
<p><i>Roger Michaud is a senior vice president and director of sales for Franklin Templeton 529 College Savings Plan. Mr. Michaud is also chairman-emeritus of the College Savings Foundation, the leading nonprofit helping American families save for their children's college education.</i> <i><br/></i></p>
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<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545878633?profile=original"><img width="200" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545878633?profile=RESIZE_320x320" height="108" width="293"/></a> </p>
<p>Saving for college is similar to the learning process we all go through as children. It cumulates with lots of little steps that take work over a long period of time. The desire to learn can be spurred by parents who read to their young children, and later, read with their older children. Getting children interested in school and stimulating their curiosity are essential steps that fuel a desire to learn.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The same rationale that applies to early education applies to saving for college. To a young child, learning to read can seem overwhelming and even impossible at first, but breaking it down into individual letters and sounds is the first of many small steps toward the goal of finishing an entire book. In some ways, saving for college can be a similar exercise. The required sums may seem staggering, but even small contributions over time—maybe including the help of family and friends—can make a huge difference in the final outcome.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In 2014, the College Savings Foundation surveyed American families about how they were saving for future college costs (if at all).<sup>1</sup> The survey revealed something very interesting. The families that were considered “successful” when it comes to saving for college all used five common and simple strategies. Whether you are just getting started or are already saving, <a href="http://app.brainshark.com/frk/5strategies?&r3f1=" target="_blank"><b>these five strategies</b></a> can help with your college savings efforts:</p>
<p></p>
<p><b>1. Start Early</b></p>
<p><b>2. Invest Regularly</b></p>
<p><b>3. Ask Friends and Family to Help</b></p>
<p><b>4. Educate Yourself</b></p>
<p><b>5. Work with a Financial Advisor</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>This holiday season, I encourage you to tap into your pool of family or friends who would be willing to help finance your child’s college with a monetary gift opposed to the hottest gadget or game. Have a niece, nephew, or grandchild that you are shopping for? There really is no better gift than gift of education. Albeit maybe a hard one for young kids to understand now, they will thank you later. And in the meantime, perhaps throw in a card, small toy, or candy to hold them over? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Saving for college may seem like an impossible task—the good news is you don’t have to do it alone. Happy holidays—and good luck!</p>
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<p>To learn more about saving for college, visit <a href="http://www.franklintempleton.com/" target="_blank"><b>franklintempleton.com</b></a> and <a href="http://www.njbest.com/" target="_blank"><b>njbest.com</b></a>.</p>
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<p>What Are the Risks?</p>
<p>All investments involve risks, including potential loss of principal.</p>
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<p><i>Investors should carefully consider college savings plan investment goals, risks, charges and expenses before investing. To obtain a disclosure document, which contains this and other information, talk to your financial advisor or call Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc., the manager and underwriter for a 529 plan at (800) DIAL BEN® / (800) 342-5236 or visit</i><a href="http://www.franklintempleton.com/" target="_blank"><b><i>franklintempleton.com</i></b></a><i>. You should read the disclosure document carefully before investing and consider whether your, or the beneficiary’s, home state offers any state tax or other benefits that are only available for investments in its qualified tuition program.</i></p>
<p> </p>
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<p><sup>1</sup> Source: College Savings Foundation, “State of College Savings.”</p>Summer day trips around New York/New Jersey (Mom handpicked)tag:newportmommy.com,2016-05-27:6466865:BlogPost:372322016-05-27T22:30:00.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<p><b><u><br></br></u></b> Check out our updated list of over 50 places that are worth visiting this summer - click on links to read more and fill your calendar with fun day trips all summer long!</p>
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<p><b><u>BEACHES</u></b></p>
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<p><b><u><a href="http://hdwallnpics.com/wp-content/gallery/jones-beach-pictures/Picture-087.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://hdwallnpics.com/wp-content/gallery/jones-beach-pictures/Picture-087.jpg?width=400" width="400"></img></a></u></b></p>
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<p><b>JERSEY SHORE LINE BEACHES…</b></p>
<p><b><u><br/></u></b> Check out our updated list of over 50 places that are worth visiting this summer - click on links to read more and fill your calendar with fun day trips all summer long!</p>
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<p><b><u>BEACHES</u></b></p>
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<p><b><u><a href="http://hdwallnpics.com/wp-content/gallery/jones-beach-pictures/Picture-087.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://hdwallnpics.com/wp-content/gallery/jones-beach-pictures/Picture-087.jpg?width=400" class="align-center" width="400"/></a></u></b></p>
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<p><b>JERSEY SHORE LINE BEACHES</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.pointpleasantbeach.com/">Point Pleasant Beach, NJ</a>: Complete with boardwalk, aquarium, skee ball and rides ( Carry your own food) – While you are there checkout <a href="http://jenkinsons.com/aquarium" target="_blank"><b>Jenkinson’s Aquarium</b></a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.sandy-hook.com/">Sandy Hook, NJ</a> - 7 mile beach rated in the <a href="http://newportmommy.com/ny-kids/top-5-beaches-near-nyc-for-families">Top Five Beaches for Families in NYC</a>.</li>
<li><b><a href="http://www.visitlongbranch.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=60:beachbadge&catid=68:recreation&Itemid=100" target="_blank">Long Branch, NJ</a> -</b> Boardwalk, great restaurants, shopping – Checkout <a href="http://www.oceanfestnj.com/">Oceanfest on July</a> 4</li>
<li><a href="http://www.ocean-grove.com/">Ocean Grove Beach</a>, NJ - Quiet and very clean beach in an elegant resort town</li>
<li><a href="http://www.cityofasburypark.com/" target="_blank">Asbury Park </a>– If you are looking for the less crowded experience, head to the north beach</li>
<li><a href="http://www.springlake.org/">Spring Lake Beach</a> – Pristine beaches with family friendly crowd</li>
<li><a href="http://www.capemay.com/">Cape May, NJ</a>: Not only are there gorgeous beaches, but there's a light house, old Victorian homes, nice shopping and dining, too. </li>
<li><a href="http://www.atlanticcitynj.com/">Atlantic City</a> – The furthest but the one with the mostest fun. Not a daytrip but more an overnight stay. Casinos don’t allow kids so plan accordingly.</li>
</ul>
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<p><strong>LONG ISLAND, NY BEACHES</strong> <strong>– Don’t own a car? MTA from Penn will take you there. <a href="http://web.mta.info/lirr/getaways/beach">Click here</a> (Recommend only for folks who ‘love’ train rides and day trips.. Can get harrowing for families with babies/toddlers)</strong></p>
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<ul>
<li><strong><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Moses_State_Park_%28Long_Island%29" target="_blank">Robert Moses State Park,</a></strong><strong>– This is the traditional and quintessential Long Island massive beach that families have been going to since 1908</strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="http://nysparks.com/parks/10/details.aspx">Jones Beach State Park</a> –</strong> <strong>Relatively cleaner compared to the Robert Moses Park</strong></li>
<li><a href="http://www.fireisland.com/">Fire Island, NY</a> <u> -</u> <strong>Make a weekend trip out of this. The place is far and a hike to get to but well worth it</strong></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nyaquarium.com/" target="_blank">NY Aquarium and Coney Island Beach</a><u> -</u> <strong>Not a Long Island Beach but one that is closest to Manhattan and accessible by Subway. Easiest for mums that want to do a daytrip without being driven there.</strong></li>
</ul>
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<p><b><u>AMUSEMENT PARKS</u></b></p>
<p><b><u><a href="https://shorevacations.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/sesame_overview.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://shorevacations.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/sesame_overview.jpg?width=400" class="align-center" width="400"/></a></u></b></p>
<p></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.victoriangardensnyc.com/">Victorian Gardens Amusement Park at Central Park</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.dutchwonderland.com/" target="_blank">Dutch Wonderland</a> (Lancaster, PA) (Combine visit with Hershey park that is 40 mins away)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.crayolaexperience.com/" target="_blank">Crayola Factory</a>, Easton, PA </li>
<li><a href="http://www.lomb.com/" target="_blank">Land of make belief, Hope , NJ</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://sesameplace.com/"><i>Sesame Place</i> - Family Amusement Park in Pennsylvania</a> (Parade is a must see)</li>
<li><u><a href="http://www.hersheypark.com/" target="_blank">Hershey park</a>- Roller coasters, water rides and more ( Visit <a href="http://www.hersheys.com/chocolateworld/" target="_blank">Hershey's Chocolate factory also</a>)</u></li>
<li><a href="http://www.westwindsornj.org/recreation/" target="_blank"><b>Waterworks Family Aquatic Complex</b></a>, West Windsor</li>
<li><b><a href="http://www.keansburgamusementpark.com/">Keansburg Amusement Park</a></b></li>
<li><a href="http://www.mtlaurelcocokey.com/index.aspx">Coco Water Resort</a> , Mount Laurel, NJ ( Indoor)</li>
<li> <a href="http://www.zoomziplines.com/en/usa/index.htm"><b>Zoom Ziplines at Mountain Creek</b></a></li>
<li><a href="http://saharasams.com/" target="_blank"><b>Sahara Sam's</b></a><b> (West Berlin) (Indoor)</b></li>
<li><a href="http://www.greatwolf.com/" target="_blank"><b>Great Wolf Lodge</b></a><b> (Scrotun, PA) (Indoor)</b></li>
<li><a href="https://www.dorneypark.com/" target="_blank"><b>Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom</b></a><b> (Allentown, PA)</b></li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><b><u>PARKS, FARMS & ZOOs</u></b></p>
<p></p>
<p><b><u><a href="http://www.ihavekids.com/upload/photos/13720977615639435.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.ihavekids.com/upload/photos/13720977615639435.jpg?width=400" class="align-center" width="400"/></a></u></b></p>
<p><b><u> </u></b></p>
<ul>
<li>Picnic at <a href="http://nysparks.com/parks/13/details.aspx">Bear Mountain State Park, NY</a></li>
<li>Picnic at <a href="http://www.nynjtc.org/park/south-mountain-reservation" target="_blank">South Mountain Reserve, NJ (Short Hills)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Branch+Brook+Park/@40.769265,-74.175847,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xd305cc01d34d9263?sa=X&ei=jEYkVYrKHquasQTG-YCoDg&ved=0CHcQ_BIwCw">Branch Brook Park</a><b>, located within Newark and Belleville</b></li>
<li><a href="http://www.centralparknyc.org/" target="_blank">Central Park</a> and <a href="http://www.centralparkzoo.com/" target="_blank">Central Park Zoo</a> <b>– Manhattan</b></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amnh.org/" target="_blank">Prospect park and the Zoo</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nybg.org/" target="_blank">New York Botanical Garden</a><b> and</b> <a href="http://www.bronxzoo.com/" target="_blank">Bronx Zoo</a><b>– the Bronx</b></li>
<li><a href="http://alstedefarms.com/"><i>Alstede Farms</i> NJ</a></li>
<li><a href="http://turtlebackzoo.com/" target="_blank"><b>Turtle Back Zoo</b></a>, West Orange</li>
<li><a href="http://capemaycountyzoo.org/" target="_blank"><b>Cape May County Zoo</b></a> (Cape May)</li>
<li><b>Six Flags</b> <a href="http://sixflags.com/greatadeventure" target="_blank"><b>Safari Off Road Adventure</b></a><b> (Jackson)</b></li>
<li><a href="http://www.dukefarms.org/" target="_blank">Duke Farms, Hillsborough</a></li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p><b>CAMPING</b></p>
<ul>
<li><b><em>Adventure Bound Camping - Cape May- (</em>Camp grounds by the ocean) <em>609-465-4440, <a href="http://abcamping.com/abcapemay" target="_blank">abcamping.com/abcapemay</a></em></b></li>
<li><b><em>Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Camp Resorts (Elmer) -</em> Cabins - <em>856-451-7479, <a href="http://campjellystone.com" target="_blank">campjellystone.com</a></em><em><br/></em></b></li>
<li><b><em>Sea Pirate Campground (Long Beach Island) (wooded lakeside setting) - Cabins, tents, RVs- <em>609-296-7400, <a href="http://sea-pirate.com" target="_blank">sea-pirate.com</a></em><br/></em></b></li>
<li><b><em><em>Delaware River Family Campground (Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area) - <em>908-475-4517 or 800-543-0271, <a href="http://njcamping.com/delaware" target="_blank">njcamping.com/delaware</a></em><br/></em></em></b></li>
<li><b><em><em><em>Spruce Run Recreation Area (Clinton) (Lakefront camping) - <em>908-638-8572, <a href="http://reserveamerica.com" target="_blank">reserveamerica.com</a></em><br/></em></em></em></b></li>
<li><b><em><em><em><em>Keen Lake Camping and Resort (PA) - <a href="https://search.yahoo.com/local/s;_ylt=A0LEVjbLi0lX7.sAWw8nnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTByMjB0aG5zBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzYw--?p=keen+lake+campground&addr=Lake%2C+PA&loc=woeid%3A28745336&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-001&selectedId=12122880&fr=yhs-mozilla-001">Keen Lake Camping and Cottage Resort</a></em></em></em></em></b></li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p><b><u>WATERFALLS</u></b></p>
<p></p>
<p><b><u><a href="https://c3.staticflickr.com/7/6235/6252321896_3cdec2d815_b.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/7/6235/6252321896_3cdec2d815_b.jpg?width=400" class="align-center" width="400"/></a></u></b></p>
<p><b><u> </u></b></p>
<ul>
<li><b> </b><a href="http://waterfalls.nature.st/NewJersey/Passaic.html" target="_blank">Great Falls of the Passaic</a>, Paterson</li>
<li><a href="http://waterfallrecord.com/2009/06/23/boonton-falls-new-jersey/" target="_blank">Boonton Falls</a>, Boonton</li>
<li><a href="http://waterfalls.nature.st/NewJersey/Passaic.html" target="_blank">Bridal Veil Falls</a>, North Haledon (near William Paterson University)</li>
<li><a href="http://waterfallrecord.com/2009/07/06/silver-spray-falls-new-jersey/" target="_blank">Silver Spray Falls</a>, Walpack Township</li>
<li><a href="http://www.njpalisades.org/greenbrook.html" target="_blank">Greenbrook Falls</a>, Tenafly</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p><strong>MUSEUMS AND OTHER FUN PLACES</strong></p>
<p><img class="align-center" id="yui_3_5_1_1_1464436914941_1429" src="https://sp.yimg.com/xj/th?id=OIP.Mbfa2afc497b99897c4b7d1fba18f1853o0&pid=15.1&P=0&w=300&h=300" alt="" style="width: 202px; height: 162px; margin-top: 0px; margin-left: 0px;" name="yui_3_5_1_1_1464436914941_1429" height="263" width="329"/></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.pleasetouchmuseum.org/" target="_blank">Please Touch Museum</a>, Philadelphia</li>
<li><a href="http://www.balloonfestival.com/" target="_blank">Hot Air Balloon Festival - Jul 29-31st, 2016</a>, Readington, NJ</li>
<li>High Point Monument, Sussex </li>
</ul>
<p>Know of any other great places that you have visited and want to recommend to other? Just list them below on the comments.</p>Top questions to ask during a Parent Teacher Conferencetag:newportmommy.com,2016-05-19:6466865:BlogPost:526412016-05-19T16:00:00.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<p dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_5008"><br></br><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545870399?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545870399?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600"></img></a> <span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4683"></span></p>
<p dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4903">Its the time of the year when parents and teachers will meet to discuss the progress of the child on academics and extra curriculars. While most teachers prepare for the meeting in advance, sometimes the…</p>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_5008" dir="ltr"><br/><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545870399?profile=original"><img width="600" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545870399?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600"/></a> <span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4683"></span></p>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4903" dir="ltr">Its the time of the year when parents and teachers will meet to discuss the progress of the child on academics and extra curriculars. While most teachers prepare for the meeting in advance, sometimes the parents enter the conversation, anxious and unprepared. We have tried to put together a list of questions you can leverage for the meeting. Remember, that the teacher is there to help and wants only the best for each child (overall success of the class is one of her/his success goals) - so be nice and grateful!</p>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4991" dir="ltr"></p>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4786"><strong id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4787">Key Questions Every Parent Should Ask</strong></p>
<ol id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4788">
<li id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4789">What is the curriculum you have been following?</li>
<li id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4791">What information and skills has my child been acquiring?</li>
<li id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4792">Are there any tests that she/he took and any standards she/he needs to adhere to?</li>
<li id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4793">Does she/he have a unique learning style and if so how do you handle different learning abilities and styles?</li>
<li id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4794">What seem to be her/his favorite subjects? Her strengths and weaknesses?</li>
<li id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4795">Did she/he participate in class and if not what should we be doing at home to help her/him?</li>
<li id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4796">How are classes structured? Is she assigned to a group? How is the group determined?</li>
<li id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4797">Are evaluations and grades based on tests, attendance, homework, portfolios, discussion, or another means? If my child falls behind, how will you handle it?</li>
<li id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4798">Is my child friendly with other students in class? Are there any special friends she/he interacts more with?</li>
<li>Should I be doing anything different at home to help build social skills?</li>
<li id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4799">What kind of support should I be giving her/him at home? How can I learn about homework assignments?</li>
<li>Find out if there are any ways you can get customized homework for your child based on her/his skill level</li>
<li id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4800">Have you noticed any worrisome behavior? If there's a problem, when, where, and what's happening and how can it be fixed? </li>
</ol>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4801"><strong id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4802"> </strong></p>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4804"><strong id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4805">Thank the teacher for her/his time and make sure to let her/him know that you value the feedback and are open to receiving it. </strong></p>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4826"></p>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4807"><strong id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4808">Once you get home:</strong></p>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4810"></p>
<ol id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4813" dir="ltr">
<li id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4814">Tell your child about the conference and make sure to let her/him know that you are proud of her 'hardwork' and that there are certain areas of opportunity where she/he can build her strengths (if appropriate).</li>
<li id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1463242946450_4815">Its best to keep in touch with the teacher so that she/he can apprise you of developments - a quick email every few months does the trick</li>
</ol>Its All True - Part 2tag:newportmommy.com,2016-04-22:6466865:BlogPost:502682016-04-22T02:19:10.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<p>When I first arrived in the US.. little did I know that the glamor of the Big Apple wears off fast enough for people who are pampered at home with moms cooking, help in the kitchen etc etc etc.. I quite literally did not know how to boil an egg.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Fast forward 12 yrs and counting, I know how to work my way around the kitchen. I have experimented with spices, followed YouTube videos half way through (and then decided that my Cooking Math/Science is essentially a perfect Art!) and…</p>
<p>When I first arrived in the US.. little did I know that the glamor of the Big Apple wears off fast enough for people who are pampered at home with moms cooking, help in the kitchen etc etc etc.. I quite literally did not know how to boil an egg.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Fast forward 12 yrs and counting, I know how to work my way around the kitchen. I have experimented with spices, followed YouTube videos half way through (and then decided that my Cooking Math/Science is essentially a perfect Art!) and basically won some and lost some. My biggest woe was and still is that I need to do grocery maybe once a week due to my work schedule and life in general and as a result need to ensure that the veggies and fruits we buy remain fresh for a week.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Towards this objective, some hacks have helped me which I want to share with you.</p>
<p></p>
<p>- Cilantro or dhania patta looks fantastic on cooked food. But retaining them for a week with care in the refrigerator is something only my Mom can do. I have learnt that to prolong the freshness of this herb without too much effort, all you need to do is to keep it in a vase or glass bottle with a bit of water ( Just the way you would keep flowers). Then pluck them whenever you need it and wash under cold water.</p>
<p></p>
<p><img alt="... cilantro would stay fresh when placed in water and left on the counter" title="... cilantro would stay fresh when placed in water and left on the counter" id="ihover-img" src="https://sp.yimg.com/xj/th?id=OIP.M11845a3c8399e6511c498267fecce8b5o0&pid=15.1&P=0&w=300&h=300" height="300" width="258"/></p>
<p></p>
<p>- Green chillies similarly turn mushy if kept in the green veggie bags that you buy them in. Store them in Tupperware containers that keep the air out to an extent.</p>
<p></p>
<p>- A half cut Avocado starts turning dark if left outside for over an hour but sometimes all you need is just one half.. Some folks recommended putting a couple of drops of vegetable or olive oil over the cut half (fleshy side) and then storing in the fridge. It works well for me!</p>
<p></p>
<p><img id="yui_3_5_1_1_1461291490093_725" src="https://sp.yimg.com/xj/th?id=OIP.Mdde880ee60520b5d8cf7b9f358a9f7b4o0&pid=15.1&P=0&w=300&h=300" alt="" style="width: 171px; height: 171px; margin-top: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"/></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p>AND MY MOST FAVORITE....</p>
<p></p>
<p>- Onions start turning bad if left in the plastic bags. One way to prolong their life is to grind them into a paste and then freeze that paste in ice cube holders. Pop a cube out and use it in sauteed curries whenever you need fresh onion paste. To reduce prep time, you could do the same with ginger and make frozen cubes out of its paste. I have maintained a stock of onion paste for 1-2 months at a time! Really cuts cooking time in half.<br/> </p>
<p></p>
<p>:) Whats your best hack?? Share in the comments below.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>Its all true.. Part 1tag:newportmommy.com,2016-02-23:6466865:BlogPost:480052016-02-23T02:48:24.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<p><img alt="Vaseline Jelly jar" height="313" src="http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content_width/hash/01/70/0170e40cca221edbb7adbce3ec95bc8b.jpg?itok=VSCkQ5VS" title="Vaseline Jelly jar" width="350"></img></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p>I have no patience for pedicures and as a result, most of the time, the soles of my feet are cracked and gory! While I dont like sitting down in one place for a pedicure, I love spending on a variety of products. So I have bought all kinds of ' cracked heel' ointments and creams, various kinds of machines and must honestly report that they are safely sitting in my closet (used once at the most).</p>
<p></p>
<p>But this winter, I decided to dedicate 2 mins of…</p>
<p><img src="http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content_width/hash/01/70/0170e40cca221edbb7adbce3ec95bc8b.jpg?itok=VSCkQ5VS" alt="Vaseline Jelly jar" title="Vaseline Jelly jar" height="313" width="350"/></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p>I have no patience for pedicures and as a result, most of the time, the soles of my feet are cracked and gory! While I dont like sitting down in one place for a pedicure, I love spending on a variety of products. So I have bought all kinds of ' cracked heel' ointments and creams, various kinds of machines and must honestly report that they are safely sitting in my closet (used once at the most).</p>
<p></p>
<p>But this winter, I decided to dedicate 2 mins of my time to a $1 product that I had read cures eczema in babies - Vaseline or 100% pure petroleum jelly. I applied it one night rather miserly to my heels and wore a pair of clean socks over them.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Robert Chesebrough, the man who discovered Vaseline, in 1859 probably had the same exhilaration as I did when I saw the results...Next morning, 80% of my cracked heel had softened up. 2 more nights of religiousity brought 100% relief. It was a true miracle for me !</p>
<p></p>
<p>Since then, I have discovered that Vaseline also heals up pigmented patches of skin on the knees/elbows and am now experimenting on getting rid of my kids' chapped cheeks, bruises etc.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><em>I am not the kind who gushes over beauty products - what I gush over are hacks that make my and other's lives simple! So every few weeks I will start contributing hacks that have worked for me. Love it or ignore it and better still share your own hacks!</em></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>Holiday greeting ideas for procrastinators!tag:newportmommy.com,2015-12-23:6466865:BlogPost:461612015-12-23T14:35:47.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<p><span class="font-size-2">It’s that time of the year when some of you have probably sent out several copies of your kid's best photos to family and friends wishing them a happy holiday season and yet another group has realized today that its a tad bit late to send anything saying "Happy Holidays" out. (I belong to the latter group - I haven't sent any cards out.)</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">I totally believe that it’s a good idea to send heartfelt wishes to near and dear ones AND…</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">It’s that time of the year when some of you have probably sent out several copies of your kid's best photos to family and friends wishing them a happy holiday season and yet another group has realized today that its a tad bit late to send anything saying "Happy Holidays" out. (I belong to the latter group - I haven't sent any cards out.)</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">I totally believe that it’s a good idea to send heartfelt wishes to near and dear ones AND also will say that it’s a good opportunity for folks that want to 'network'.</span></p>
<h1><span class="font-size-2"><strong>This post is for those who want to utilize the opportunity to connect with people at this time of the year to purely 'network'. (For everyone else, your best bet to call/meet your friends and family! That’s what the Holidays are for!. Here are some tips on how to meet folks who are hard to catch</strong> <a href="http://www.yesandyes.org/2015/12/ways-to-catch-up-with-friends.html" title="15 ways to catch up with friends that aren’t grabbing coffee or a cocktail">15 ways to catch up with friends that aren’t grabbing coffee or a cocktail</a>)</span></h1>
<p><span class="font-size-2"> </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><strong>So what are our options NOW:</strong></span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><strong>- Send an email today/tomorrow</strong> <strong>-</strong> An email has the advantage of being sent to a broader group of people and for users of Outlook, a batch process, with delayed option can be set at your own convenience. More importantly, you don’t have to pay for stamps and write or stick return address labels! The most critical thing is Personalization – Unless you are the Country President of a large corporation who is addressing a Town Hall, a mass email typically has very little effect at this time of the year. Most people get spammed with greetings from Macy’s, Amazon, etc etc and another email wishing a sundry group will only be overlooked (if looked at, at all).</span></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><strong>- Send a card out wishing folks a Happy New Year</strong> - Those of Indian origins, will testify to the fact that New Year cards were the big deal back in the day. Our parents sent out cards nearly till the middle of January and everyone loved the CRY and UNICEF cards that showed their philanthropic side. They are not really a part of the culture here (and you will rarely find them in card stores), but no one ever minds getting a nice handwritten note card in the mail wishing them well. They will also help you stand out from the rest and make you seem like a person who is ‘forward looking’. So, for the ultimate slackers, this can be a good way to catch up!</span></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><strong>- Send a message on LinkedIn -</strong> For senior leaders and acquaintances that you don't know very well, LinkedIn messages work just fine too. They are unobtrusive, give the reader a chance to figure out who you are and are a gentle reminder of the fact that you are a part of their 'professional network'. You could hint at a meeting and say something as simple as:</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Hi John,</span></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Hope all is going well. Here's wishing you and yours a very festive holiday season and a wonderful New Year.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Hope to catch up with you over coffee in 2016.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Warm regards,</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Andres (Project Manager @ UBC)</span></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">- <strong>Facebook messages</strong> <strong>–</strong> This option is the least recommended as your message will seem too casual (unless you have a business that is Internet and Facebook dependent) and more often than not office friends are not friends on Facebook too. But if this is the only way for you to connect with people, go for it!</span></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Anyhow, the above is my own opinion and the opinion of one who has been relatively ok in keeping in touch with people. So, good luck on your holiday networking and I wish you all a Happy Holiday season !</span></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Have other ideas? Post below.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">(Posted on behalf of anonymous writer)</span></p>Medela recycles - Dont throw your breastpump just yet!tag:newportmommy.com,2015-09-30:6466865:BlogPost:427712015-09-30T13:15:01.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<p>Medela has launched their <a href="http://yummymummystore.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5d7c80c293ffb505b04f2162d&id=f77917b51c&e=9c4d0a5149" rel="nofollow" style="color: #20749f; text-decoration: none!important;" target="_blank">Medela Recycles</a> program, focused on helping moms who have finished their breastfeeding journey help new moms start theirs.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Now you dont have to throw away your breastpump after you have weaned the baby. Medela will dismantle the pumps…</p>
<p>Medela has launched their <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://yummymummystore.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5d7c80c293ffb505b04f2162d&id=f77917b51c&e=9c4d0a5149" style="color: #20749f; text-decoration: none!important;">Medela Recycles</a> program, focused on helping moms who have finished their breastfeeding journey help new moms start theirs.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Now you dont have to throw away your breastpump after you have weaned the baby. Medela will dismantle the pumps at a processing center and the materials will be properly recycled.</p>
<p></p>
<p>To date, Medela has recycled over 6,000 pumps. Their current goal is to recycle 12,000 breast pumps and put 24 Medela hospital grade pumps and breastfeeding supplies in Ronald McDonald House Charities.</p>
<p></p>
<h3 id="yui_3_16_0_1_1443615054977_14258">How It Works</h3>
<ul id="yui_3_16_0_1_1443615054977_14261">
<li id="yui_3_16_0_1_1443615054977_14260">Moms should register at <a id="yui_3_16_0_1_1443615054977_14267" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://yummymummystore.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5d7c80c293ffb505b04f2162d&id=488250e921&e=9c4d0a5149" style="color: #20749f; text-decoration: none!important;" name="yui_3_16_0_1_1443615054977_14267">medelarecycles.com</a> to prepare their pump for recycling.</li>
<li id="yui_3_16_0_1_1443615054977_14263">Registered participants get a pre-paid shipping label and instructions on how to complete the process once they are done pumping.</li>
<li id="yui_3_16_0_1_1443615054977_14265">Once the used pump is shipped back to Medela, Medela works with a third-party company to properly dismantle the pump for recycling.</li>
</ul>
<p></p>New Car Seat Law for New Jersey - In Effect starting September, Tuesday 1tag:newportmommy.com,2015-08-31:6466865:BlogPost:419112015-08-31T17:46:13.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<p>New Jersey state law<a href="http://www.nj.gov/lps/hts/childseats/childseats_newlaw.html" target="_blank"> currently requires</a> all children under the age of 8, weighing less than 80 lbs., to ride in the back seat of a vehicle in either a child safety seat or booster seat. Those under the age of 8, and those between the ages of 8 and 18, are only required to wear a regular safety belt.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p>Under the new law:</p>
<p></p>
<p><b>Infant to age 2: </b></p>
<ul>
<li>Car seats…</li>
</ul>
<p>New Jersey state law<a href="http://www.nj.gov/lps/hts/childseats/childseats_newlaw.html" target="_blank"> currently requires</a> all children under the age of 8, weighing less than 80 lbs., to ride in the back seat of a vehicle in either a child safety seat or booster seat. Those under the age of 8, and those between the ages of 8 and 18, are only required to wear a regular safety belt.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p>Under the new law:</p>
<p></p>
<p><b>Infant to age 2: </b></p>
<ul>
<li>Car seats must remain rear-faced in the vehicle if the child is under 30 lbs. and under the age of 2. The car seat also has to have a five-point harness.</li>
<li>Children over the weight or age limit can be placed in a forward facing car seat</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p><b>Ages 2 to 4: </b></p>
<ul>
<li>Children under the age of 4 or under 40 lbs. must remain in either a rear-facing or a forward-facing car seat with a five-point harness in the back seat of a vehicle.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Children over the weight or age limit can switch over to a booster seat.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Ages 4 to 8:</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Children under the age of 8 or height requirement of 57 inches tall must remain in the back of the vehicle in a booster seat.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Once the child has exceeded the weight and height limited they are eligible to use a regular seat belt.</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p><b>When can my child sit in the front seat?</b></p>
<ul>
<li>A child can sit in the front seat of a vehicle if that vehicle does not have a back seat - such as a pick-up truck or a sports car. However, the car seat and booster seat regulations still apply (i.e. Car seats must remain rear-faced in the vehicle if the child is under 30 lbs. and under the age of 2).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Also, the vehicle’s passenger-side airbag must be disabled if a rear-facing car seat is strapped into the front seat of the vehicle.</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p><b>What if you don’t comply with the law?</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Those who don’t follow the new laws will face fines ranging from $50 to $75 beginning in September. Before the revisions, the fines were only $10 to $25.</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p><strong>FREE CAR SEAT INSPECTIONS:</strong></p>
<p></p>
<p>Visit the Jersey City Medical Center EMS Building, 415 Montgomery Avenue, in Jersey City for a free child seat car inspection on Thursdays in September and from October to March on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays between 10am and 2pm. No appointments needed. </p>
<p></p>
<p>For more information call 201-915-2906, or email <a href="mailto:mfisher@libertyhcs.org" target="_blank">mfisher@libertyhcs.org</a></p>20+ Apps and Websites for kids under 6 - Recommended for Children by a Childtag:newportmommy.com,2015-08-19:6466865:BlogPost:414182015-08-19T20:30:00.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1440004567522_34073"><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1440004567522_34092">My name is Ananya, and I am a middle school student - Thought I would share some of the websites and apps my mom used for me and now my baby brother (credit goes to her too for saving this information for me).</div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr">Hope you and your child could enjoy and benefit from these too.…</div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1440004567522_34073"><div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1440004567522_34092">My name is Ananya, and I am a middle school student - Thought I would share some of the websites and apps my mom used for me and now my baby brother (credit goes to her too for saving this information for me).</div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr">Hope you and your child could enjoy and benefit from these too.</div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"><a href="http://mobilemarketingmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Baby-child-toddler-on-phone.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://mobilemarketingmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Baby-child-toddler-on-phone.jpg?width=300" width="300" class="align-center"/></a></div>
<div dir="ltr"><p><b><u>0-2 years</u></b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Bubbles (app) – Great for roadtrips</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Age 1+</li>
<li>Good distraction for babies – but costs a dollar to download</li>
</ul>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Baby First (website)</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.babyfirsttv.com/games#toddlers" target="_blank">http://www.babyfirsttv.com/games#toddlers</a></li>
<li>Age 1+</li>
<li>Easy and engaging way for infants and toddlers to explore early concepts.</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p><b>Toddler Flashcards (app)</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Age 1+</li>
<li>Simple pictures and sound effects teach children different words in multiple languages.</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p><b>Alphabet Zoo (app)</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Age 1 +</li>
<li>The baby can click on the letter, hear its name, the sound it makes, and see an animal that starts with that letter. You can also do a vehicle-version, instead of animals. </li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p><b>I Hear Ewe (app)</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Age 1 +</li>
<li>Animal names and sounds</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p><b>Talking Ben (app) – Great for roadtrips</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Age 1 +</li>
<li>Like Talking Tom – the cat , the dog inn this app can also interact with the kid, read a book etc.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><b><u><a href="http://www.greenmomguide.com/sites/default/files/toddler-with-phone-babyzone-com.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.greenmomguide.com/sites/default/files/toddler-with-phone-babyzone-com.jpg?width=300" width="300" class="align-center"/></a></u></b></p>
<p></p>
<p><b><u>2- 3 years</u></b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Fisher Price (website)</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.fisher-price.com/en_US/gamesandactivities/onlinegames/index.html" target="_blank">http://www.fisher-price.com/en_US/gamesandactivities/onlinegames/index.html</a></li>
<li>Age 2+</li>
<li>A great way to spend quality time with your child, this site features a wide variety of educational games to choose from.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>PBS Kids (website)</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.pbskids.org/" target="_blank">www.pbskids.org</a></li>
<li>Age 3+</li>
<li>Simple and safe, this is a great first site for preschoolers.</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p><b>Curious World (website and app)</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://curiousworld.hmhco.com/" target="_blank">https://curiousworld.hmhco.com/</a></li>
<li>Age 3+</li>
<li>Children can create with fun tools and prompts.</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p><b>Big Bird’s Words… A Sesame Street App (app)</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Age 3+</li>
<li>Impressive use of technology is wonderful for little readers.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><b>ABC Match (app)</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Age 3+</li>
<li>Colorful app enhances memory skills while teaching the alphabet.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Preschool Adventure (app)</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Age 3+</li>
<li>Great choice for teaching toddlers shapes, colors, and other basics.</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p><b> Juno’s Musical ABCs (app)</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Age 3+</li>
<li>Clever musical book app multitasks by teaching kids musical instruments and concepts while reading a story and going through the alphabet.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="http://images.agoramedia.com/wte3.0/gcms/kids-cell-phones-300x300.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://images.agoramedia.com/wte3.0/gcms/kids-cell-phones-300x300.jpg?width=300" width="300" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p><b><u>4 – 5 yrs</u></b></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><b>ABCmouse.com (website and app)</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.abcmouse.com/" target="_blank">www.abcmouse.com</a></li>
<li>Age 4+ </li>
<li>Ad-free pay site is appealing and educational for little ones</li>
</ul>
<p><b> Starfall (website)</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.starfall.com/" target="_blank">www.starfall.com</a></li>
<li>Age 4+</li>
<li>Entertaining and amusing learn-to-read site is arranged into four main sections to play, based on where your child is on the journey from beginner to independent reader.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><b> Interactive Sites for Education (website)</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://interactivesites.weebly.com/" target="_blank">http://interactivesites.weebly.com/</a></li>
<li>Age 4+</li>
<li>This mélange of games is sure to engage and teach your child.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>SesameStreet.org (website)</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.sesamestreet.org/" target="_blank">http://www.sesamestreet.org</a></li>
<li>Age 4+ </li>
<li>Highly interactive game site is a fun, safe, and educational place for kids to play and learn.</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p><b>ABCya (website and multiple related apps)</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.abcya.com/" target="_blank">www.abcya.com</a></li>
<li>Age 5+</li>
<li>Enticing and educational site organizes games by grade level (K-5) and subject categories, including letters, numbers, holiday games, and more.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><b>BrainPop Jr. (website)</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.brainpopjr.com/" target="_blank">www.brainpopjr.com</a> </li>
<li>Age 5+</li>
<li>Engaging and fun, this animated website teaches kids about topics that range from dental care, Ancient Rome, the work of Thomas Edison, and more.</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p><b>Ziggity Zoom (website)</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.ziggityzoom.com/" target="_blank">http://www.ziggityzoom.com</a></li>
<li>Age 5+</li>
<li>Fun, light website encourages reading with games, printables, and craft activities.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Tell Time (app)</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Age 5+</li>
<li>Very useful app helps kids tell time independently.</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p><b> Memory Train (app)</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Age 5+</li>
<li>Engaging, fast-paced memory game is aimed at young children, but older kids will find the app interesting too.</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p><b>Reading Website: <i><a href="http://www.readingeggs.com/">Reading Eggs</a></i> </b>(<a href="http://www.readingeggs.com/">Reading Eggs</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li>Reading website for children 3-8 yrs old</li>
<li>Early parts are good for preschoolers who are just beginning to read</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p> </p>
</div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<p dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1440004567522_51864"><em>Our new guest blogger, middle school student, Ananya Jain, enjoys writing, taking photos, and playing with her little brother when she isn't buried under homework. </em></p>
<p dir="ltr"></p>
</div>You are not alone.tag:newportmommy.com,2015-04-29:6466865:BlogPost:357762015-04-29T13:24:42.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<p><b>April is Autism Awareness Month.</b></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><i>Dr. Meika Roberson, Chief Medical Officer of CarePoint Health – Hoboken University Medical Center is a devoted advocate of autism awareness. Along with the staff of the dedicated Children’s section of the Emergency Department, she has been an active advocate for properly assessing and interacting with children who are on the autism spectrum and their parents.</i></p>
<p></p>
<p><i>“In the our pediatric emergency department, we…</i></p>
<p><b>April is Autism Awareness Month.</b></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><i>Dr. Meika Roberson, Chief Medical Officer of CarePoint Health – Hoboken University Medical Center is a devoted advocate of autism awareness. Along with the staff of the dedicated Children’s section of the Emergency Department, she has been an active advocate for properly assessing and interacting with children who are on the autism spectrum and their parents.</i></p>
<p></p>
<p><i>“In the our pediatric emergency department, we will take your cues while you help us to understand, communicate, soothe and calm your child in a safe environment.</i> <i>CarePoint Health – Hoboken University Medical Center is dedicated to training and educating our staff so that we can help you and your child if the need for emergency services arises,” said Dr. Roberson.</i></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><b>This blog post is dedicated to Davey Cronin.</b></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><b><u>Common signs and symptoms:</u></b></p>
<ul>
<li>Little or no eye contact.</li>
<li>Resistance to physical contact</li>
<li>Unaware of surroundings</li>
<li>Abnormally loud or quiet speech</li>
<li>Repeats words or phrases</li>
<li>Sniffing, licking, spinning, rocking, humming, tapping, sucking</li>
<li>Screaming</li>
<li>Biting</li>
<li>Head banging</li>
<li>Running</li>
<li>Sensitivity to sounds, touch, tastes, smells or light.</li>
<li>Laughs or cries for no apparent reason.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>He sat on his bed watching him sleep, trying not to move and disturb the brief hours that he finds peace. Davey is not a sleeper. Davey runs.</p>
<p></p>
<p><i>Parents we understand your pain, but we are not you</i>.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Davey was diagnosed at age 18 months, he was regressing. He had no real language, and it took months to teach him the 5 words in his vocabulary. But, he was brilliant. His mind worked so fast. It was a pleasure to watch him paint, color, draw, finish a puzzle, and rearrange his toys. I knew what he wanted without speaking.</p>
<p></p>
<p><i>Parents, only you are your child’s voice</i>.</p>
<p></p>
<p>He went broke trying to give his son everything. His son was not a project, but a gift. He was an amazing person to watch and grow. But he also needed help every minute. He needed his father to guide him and keep him safe, help him from running into the street, jumping off the jungle gym, shedding his clothes in public. He needed his father to stay awake with him, figure out what he would do when he grew-up. Group home? Assisted living facility? Would his older brother keep him safe? Davey didn’t know the agony, and struggles of his father. Davey was laughter and giggles. His father did everything he could to keep him safe, but Davey lost his life when he was 6 years old. His father wouldn’t have changed his son, he was a precious gift.</p>
<p></p>
<p><i>The life of a parent of an autistic child will never be easy. It is filled with sleepless nights, painful days, pleading moments, and loneliness. You are not alone.</i></p>
<p></p>
<p><i>Shared with the permission of Care Point Health </i></p>
<p> </p>Best Cherry Blossom spots around Jersey City/New Yorktag:newportmommy.com,2015-04-07:6466865:BlogPost:343482015-04-07T21:55:44.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545870975?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545870975?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"></img></a></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="font-size-3" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; color: #666666; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;"><strong>“Here's a little known…</strong></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545870975?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545870975?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"/></a></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; color: #666666; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;" class="font-size-3"><strong>“Here's a little known fact - New Jersey has more cherry trees than Washington D.C. And every spring residents and visitors alike can see the largest cherry blossom collection in the United States here in New Jersey.”</strong></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><strong><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">So where do you see them besides the esplanade in Newport and some in Hoboken? </span></strong></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;" class="font-size-3">Around Jersey City/Hoboken:</span></strong></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><strong style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;" class="font-size-3"><a href="https://sp.yimg.com/ib/th?id=HN.608000209512958556&pid=15.1&P=0" target="_blank"><img src="https://sp.yimg.com/ib/th?id=HN.608000209512958556&pid=15.1&P=0&width=300" width="300" class="align-left"/></a></span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;" class="font-size-3"><b style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #545454; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-xg-p: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Branch+Brook+Park/@40.769265,-74.175847,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xd305cc01d34d9263?sa=X&ei=jEYkVYrKHquasQTG-YCoDg&ved=0CHcQ_BIwCw">Branch Brook Park</a></span></b><span style="color: #545454; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-xg-p: initial; background-repeat: initial;">, located within Newark and Belleville</span> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal;">has more than 2,700 Japanese</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal;"> </span><em style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span style="color: #6a6a6a; font-style: normal; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-xg-p: initial; background-repeat: initial;">cherry blossom</span></b></em><span style="color: #545454; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-xg-p: initial; background-repeat: initial;"> </span><span style="color: #545454; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-xg-p: initial; background-repeat: initial;">trees that burst into full bloom (anticipated around <b>April 20-24 this year</b>) during the annual </span><em style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span style="color: #6a6a6a; font-style: normal; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-xg-p: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Cherry Blossom</span></b></em><span style="color: #545454; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-xg-p: initial; background-repeat: initial;"> </span><span style="color: #545454; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-xg-p: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Festival</span><span style="color: #666666;">. For more information visit <a href="http://www.essexcountynj.org/festival" target="_blank" title="www.essexcountynj.org/festival" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #448abd;">www.essexcountynj.org/festival</span></a></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;" class="font-size-3"><b><u>Cherry Blossoms in New York</u></b></span></p>
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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -.25in; line-height: 115%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;" class="font-size-3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545871127?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545871127?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300" class="align-left"/></a></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: #0066ff; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> <a href="http://www.centralparknyc.org/" target="_blank">Central Park</a></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #333333;"> <b>– Manhattan</b><br/> Bridal path at 90th Street, East Drive at 66th Street, the east side of the Boathouse at 74th Street and </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.centralparknyc.org/visit/things-to-see/south-end/cherry-hill.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0066ff; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Cherry Hill</span></a></span> <span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #333333;">mid-park at 72nd Street just west of Bethesda Terrace.</span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: -.25in; line-height: 115%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;" class="font-size-3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545871174?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545871174?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300" class="align-left"/></a></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: #0066ff; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> <a href="http://www.bbg.org/discover/cherries/" target="_blank">Cherry Blossom Esplanade</a></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #333333;"> - <b>Brooklyn Botanic Garden</b></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -.25in; line-height: 115%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;" class="font-size-3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545871592?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545871592?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300" class="align-left"/></a></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: #0066ff; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> <a href="http://mommypoppins.com/event/cherry-blossom-festival-0" target="_blank">Randall's Island Cherry Blossom Festival</a></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #333333;"> <b>– East Harlem</b><br/> Annual festival is on Saturday, May 2. Also enjoy kite flying, face painting, arts and crafts, and more</span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in; line-height: 115%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;" class="font-size-3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> <a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545871754?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545871754?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300" class="align-left"/></a></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/riversidepark/highlights/9748" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #0066ff; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Riverside Park Cherry Walk</span></b></a></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #333333;"> <b>– Morningside Heights</b><br/> Cherry trees are located between 100th and 125th Streets.</span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in; line-height: 115%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -.25in; line-height: 115%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;" class="font-size-3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"><a href="http://media.timeout.com/images/100672015/660/370/image.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://media.timeout.com/images/100672015/660/370/image.jpg?width=300" width="300" class="align-left"/></a></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: #0066ff; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> <a href="http://www.nybg.org/" target="_blank">New York Botanical Garden</a></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #333333;"> <b>– the Bronx</b><br/> Find them at the </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://mommypoppins.com/content/new-york-botanical-garden-for-nyc-kids-planting-harvesting-and-other-hands-on-nature-fun" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0066ff; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">NYBG</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #333333;">'s </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.nybg.org/gardens/plants/cherries.php" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0066ff; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Cherry Valley</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #333333;"> and </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.nybg.org/gardens/conifer-arboretum/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0066ff; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Ross Conifer Arboretum</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #333333;">.</span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: -.25in; line-height: 115%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;" class="font-size-3"><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; color: #333333; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> <a href="http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/c1/87/87/c187871ec27f7927fc7e5b187a86bf8c.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/c1/87/87/c187871ec27f7927fc7e5b187a86bf8c.jpg?width=300" width="300" class="align-left"/></a></span></span></strong><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #0066ff;">Roosevelt Island Cherry Blossom Festival </span></b><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; color: #333333; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-xg-p: initial; background-repeat: initial;">- Manhattan </span></strong></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: -.25in; line-height: 115%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;" class="font-size-3"><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; color: #333333; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-xg-p: initial; background-repeat: initial;"> </span></strong></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #333333;">Annual festival is on</span> <strong style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; color: #333333; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-xg-p: initial; background-repeat: initial;">April 25, 2015 11am-4pm</span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: -.25in; line-height: 115%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;" class="font-size-3"> <a href="http://rooseveltislander.blogspot.com/2015/03/roosevelt-island-residents-association_6.html" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino; outline: 0px;">Click to read more</a> </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: -.25in; line-height: 115%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;" class="font-size-3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: -.25in; line-height: 115%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;" class="font-size-3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> (Don’t forget to ride the famous Spiderman movie tram from 60</span><sup style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;">th</sup> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">street to this gorgeous island in Manhattan- yes Manhattan!)</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;" class="font-size-3"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #333333;"><br/><br/></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><em><strong><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino;" class="font-size-3"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #333333;">Talkback... Know of other places that should be on this list? Add them on the comments below.</span></span></strong></em></p>Crying for every small thing - How to manage crying spellstag:newportmommy.com,2014-12-10:6466865:BlogPost:296492014-12-10T13:50:52.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<p>Questions) <i>My daughter is very stubborn and keeps crying for every small thing, like when hungry, tired or sad. When we try to talk to her she won’t listen. Sometimes we do give in and sometimes we loose our patience. Is it normal for a 5 year old to cry this frequently?</i></p>
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<p><i><br></br><span>Answer by </span><span>Early Childhood Specialist from </span><a href="http://www.sara-zaidi.com/" target="_blank">Building Healthy Minds and Happy…</a></i></p>
<p>Questions) <i>My daughter is very stubborn and keeps crying for every small thing, like when hungry, tired or sad. When we try to talk to her she won’t listen. Sometimes we do give in and sometimes we loose our patience. Is it normal for a 5 year old to cry this frequently?</i></p>
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<p><i><br/><span>Answer by </span><span>Early Childhood Specialist from </span><a href="http://www.sara-zaidi.com/" target="_blank">Building Healthy Minds and Happy Families</a></i></p>
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<p>Children often tend to cry when they feel overwhelmed by feelings. The frequency of crying usually subsides when they start to talk and are better able to verbalize themselves. The ability to manage these emotions usually also kicks in around 3 years old but isn’t mastered by many children before the age of 5.</p>
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<p>There are different types of cries at different ages. An infant cries so that his basic needs may be met. A 2 year old may cry because he doesn’t have the words to express himself and that leads to frustration. At 5 years old, children often cry in anticipation, for example, of not getting what they want or expecting some kind of change to occur. It’s essential to distinguish a cry for attention from one that has been triggered by something genuinely upsetting, and respond accordingly. You describe her as being stubborn, it sounds like it may be a battle of wills to see who wins or who gives in first. 5 year olds especially, don’t like being told “no” because they feel independent and worthy of more freedom.</p>
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<p>Here are specific changes you can make to help manage these crying spells:</p>
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<p>- <i>Act preemptively when she is tired or hungry:</i></p>
<p>In an effort to avoid her crying spells when she is hungry or tired, try putting her to bed earlier than you usually do, or encourage a short nap during the day. Have her eat healthy meals at regular times to ensure she isn’t cranky because she’s hungry. Help her recognize that she may be crying for those reasons when you feel that is the case, tell her, “it seems like you’re upset because you might be hungry, let’s get something to eat” or “it looks like you’re a little tired, let’s lay down for a while.”</p>
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<p>- <i>Identify when she may be seeking attention and be consistent in your response</i></p>
<p>The importance of consistency in disciplining techniques cannot be emphasized enough. If a parent’s reaction is unpredictable, a child is more likely to test them hoping for the most positive response. Giving in to her demands just to get her to stop allows her to win the battle and become invigorated for the next round. Loosing patience with her probably just leaves you feeling guilty once she is asleep. You have to armor yourself to not let it get to that stage.</p>
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<p>- <i>Connect with her emotionally, then appeal to her logic</i></p>
<p>During a tantrum, mirror her emotions with your words so she learns how to speak her mind rather than act it out, “You didn’t like that at all, I wish it could have been different. That’s disappointing.” Comfort her with nonverbal cues, a light touch or a nurturing look. Once she calms down, you can appeal to her logic. If she is upset about not getting her way: affirm her feelings, explain to her why that’s the case, and then busy yourself with something else such that you are immune to her reaction.</p>
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<p>- <i>Evaluate your reaction to her crying spells</i></p>
<p>Provide appropriate levels of attention for different situations. For example, if she cries over getting hurt, examine the injury, if it’s minimal, give it a quick kiss and move things along. If she is genuinely feeling sad about something (a friend moving away or a grandparent leaving), help her learn that it’s okay to cry quietly when she feels sad on the inside and comfort herself with a favorite blanket or toy.</p>
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<p>- Finally and perhaps most importantly, <i>assess the quality of time spent together</i></p>
<p>If she is indeed looking for attention, ask yourself the following questions: Is she able to spend time with you when you aren’t busy or preoccupied with something else? Is she able to play games or read books with you without interruptions (including glancing at your phone)? Does she know that she is your priority when you are with her?</p>
<p>Ideally, every child is entitled to one-on-one interactions with no distractions or interruptions for a specific amount of time (even fifteen minutes each day makes a huge difference), at approximately the same time of day (so they know when to expect it), doing an activity that does not involve any screen or technology (face to face is the idea). This allows children to see that their parent is willing to prioritize them and give them undivided attention. Therefore, if such a dynamic can become a regular feature, the need for seeking attention through crying can be minimized and an improvement in behavior should be evident within two to three weeks.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Meanwhile, try to remember that at five years old, the primitive (emotional) and evolved (rational) parts of the brain are only just beginning to connect. With time and with some help, she will learn how to exhibit more self-control and then, hopefully, the tears will be a part of the past. </p>
<p></p>
<p class="yiv1874024912MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417483629249_57095"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417483629249_57094">Please also look at the <a href="http://www.sara-zaidi.com/parenting-blog/" target="_blank">“Understanding Academic Achievement”</a> blog post on the<a href="http://www.sara-zaidi.com/parenting-blog/" target="_blank">Building Healthy Minds and Happy Families</a> for a more detailed explanation on the theory behind this approach. </span></p>
<p class="yiv1874024912MsoNormal"></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><span>Related Posts:</span></p>
<p></p>
<div class="tb"><h3><a href="http://newportmommy.com/profiles/blogs/21-month-old-started-hitting-everyone">21 month old started hitting everyone</a></h3>
</div>
<p></p>
<h3><a href="http://newportmommy.com/profiles/blogs/super-cranky-kid-and-how-to-help-them-by-early-childhood-speciali">Super cranky kid and how to help them - By Early Childhood Specialist</a></h3>
<p></p>
<h1><span class="font-size-4"><a href="http://newportmommy.com/profiles/blogs/how-can-i-get-my-child-to-stop-being-picky-about-her-food" target="_self">How can I get my child to stop being picky about her food?</a></span></h1>
<p></p>
<h3><a href="http://newportmommy.com/profiles/blogs/a-perfectionist-child-and-helping-her-suceed">A perfectionist child and helping them succeed</a></h3>Caring for your Children’s Teeth by Dr. Louis Zazzaro from Newport Dental Artstag:newportmommy.com,2014-12-10:6466865:BlogPost:297082014-12-10T13:27:46.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<p>Courtesy: </p>
<p><b><u><a href="http://www.newportdentalarts.com/">www.newportdentalarts.com</a></u></b></p>
<p><b>201.626.6210</b></p>
<p></p>
<p><b><img class="align-center" src="http://jeffreysterlingmd.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/baby-teeth_1214906c.jpg"></img></b></p>
<p></p>
<p>I am sure you already know that children are little sponges, constantly absorbing your habits and behaviors on a daily basis. Getting your little ones started at a young age on the road to good oral hygiene is a step in the right direction for lifelong overall health.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p>For babies, teeth…</p>
<p>Courtesy: </p>
<p><b><u><a href="http://www.newportdentalarts.com/">www.newportdentalarts.com</a></u></b></p>
<p><b>201.626.6210</b></p>
<p></p>
<p><b><img src="http://jeffreysterlingmd.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/baby-teeth_1214906c.jpg" class="align-center"/></b></p>
<p></p>
<p>I am sure you already know that children are little sponges, constantly absorbing your habits and behaviors on a daily basis. Getting your little ones started at a young age on the road to good oral hygiene is a step in the right direction for lifelong overall health.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p>For babies, teeth should be cleaned as soon as they erupt. You can use a soft washcloth with baby toothpaste to start and then begin using a soft-bristled toothbrush once your baby has three or more teeth. Make sure to always soak the brush in warm water for a few minutes beforehand to soften the bristles, as this will be more comfortable for your child. Make sure to brush your child’s teeth twice daily, concentrating a good portion of the brushing time on back molars, where cavities often appear first. You may also begin flossing your child’s teeth as soon as two teeth emerge that are next to each other. Floss sticks often make this process easier with a squirmy toddler. </p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p>When choosing toothpaste, keep in mind that most children’s toothpastes are flavored to further entice your child to brush and certain formulas are not recommended before a certain age. I highly recommend toothpastes which display the American Dental Association’s (ADA) Seal of Acceptance, as they meet the ADA criteria.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p>Make tooth brushing as fun as possible by using an egg timer to time it for about two minutes. I find it helpful to also play one of their favorite songs and brush till the song is over. This will give your little one a routine of good dental hygiene to look forward to.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p>Diet is another factor that affects children’s oral health. Frequent and long-term exposure to liquids that contain sugars commonly result in tooth decay. In addition to removing sugared drinks from your child’s diet, parents should also avoid giving their child milk, formula or juice at night and naptime.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p>Our office is conveniently located at 100 Town Square Place, Suite 408, right in the heart of the Newport Community. Newport Dental Arts is a comprehensive general dentistry office, established in 2004, providing high-quality dentistry. Dr. Louis Zazzaro and his highly skilled team utilize state of the art technology while performing cleanings, fillings, root canal therapy, implants, teeth whitening, veneers, crowns bridges and oral surgery. We treat adults and children over the age of five. We look forward to meeting you and helping to keep your smile healthy!</p>
<p></p>
<p> </p>A perfectionist child and helping them succeedtag:newportmommy.com,2014-12-02:6466865:BlogPost:291992014-12-02T15:30:00.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<p class="yiv1874024912MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="yiv1874024912MsoNormal"><span><b>Question) <span>It appears that my daughter has very high expectations from herself. She has to turn in the perfect piece of work or else she will not even make an attempt. It is a struggle to help her understand that it will take several attempts before you can get it right. Some examples would be she would not practice her violin lessons because she thinks it doesn't sound right when she plays. She will not…</span></b></span></p>
<p class="yiv1874024912MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="yiv1874024912MsoNormal"><span><b>Question) <span>It appears that my daughter has very high expectations from herself. She has to turn in the perfect piece of work or else she will not even make an attempt. It is a struggle to help her understand that it will take several attempts before you can get it right. Some examples would be she would not practice her violin lessons because she thinks it doesn't sound right when she plays. She will not start writing her essays because she thinks that her opening will not be impressive enough. She is in elementary school.</span></b></span></p>
<p class="yiv1874024912MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="yiv1874024912MsoNormal"><span><b>Answer by <span>Early Childhood Specialist from </span><a href="http://www.sara-zaidi.com/" target="_blank">Building Healthy Minds and Happy Families</a></b></span></p>
<p class="yiv1874024912MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="yiv1874024912MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="yiv1874024912MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417483629249_57079"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417483629249_57078">Having high expectations of oneself is a wonderful quality to have but it can become burdensome if the focus is always on the result. It sounds like she has become afraid of failure, whatever form that takes shape in her mind. Her desire to succeed needs to shift from “getting it right” and receiving the rewards and praise that go along with that, to an intrinsic self-motivation, where the desire is to learn. Because the value of getting things right is so important to her, it will be a gradual change.</span></p>
<p class="yiv1874024912MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417483629249_57077"><span> </span></p>
<p class="yiv1874024912MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417483629249_57076"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417483629249_57089">The goal here would be to move her focus off the end product to the process. The vocabulary used to encourage her to do so should be carefully chosen. All of us are rather liberal with phrases such as, “good job” and “well done”. If the feedback given to children is based on the result rather than the method they may feel that they always have to do well, show reluctance to take on bigger challenges, fear that they might disappoint the parent or the teacher resulting in lower self-confidence, and require a constant need for approval. Instead, the attention should be shifted to the effort they put in to accomplish the task, the thought process behind their work and the strategies they use to problem solve. It would also be helpful to speak to her school teachers and caregivers so that they are on the same page.</span></p>
<p class="yiv1874024912MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417483629249_57090"><span> </span></p>
<p class="yiv1874024912MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417483629249_57092"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417483629249_57091">It might be easier to begin with sports and games as the change may be less obvious. For example, if you’re playing a board game with her make it a fun event which isn’t about who wins, but about spending quality time with family. If she plays a sport, encourage her to give it her best rather than score the most goals. If she is doing a puzzle, instead of saying, “you did it” say, “you really thought hard about how to solve that.” It may also be helpful to have her tell stories that aren’t for school. Maybe play a game where each family member contributes one sentence at a time. Similarly, encourage her to create her own tune on the violin which is original and cannot be compared to something else. The idea here is to take the pressure off from having an end goal.</span></p>
<p class="yiv1874024912MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417483629249_57093"><span> </span></p>
<p class="yiv1874024912MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417483629249_57072"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417483629249_57071">When she is trying to accomplish something difficult, explain that it’s helping her learn something new and if she feels frustrated, acknowledge that feeling, ask her to take a break and try again. Tell her stories about how you may have struggled to learn something new and how it took several attempts before you mastered it—parents are role models for kids and it may have an impact.</span></p>
<p class="yiv1874024912MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="yiv1874024912MsoNormal"><span>There are also several children’s books on wanting to be a perfectionist and you may be able to find one that is a good fit. (One example is “The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes” by Mark Pett and Gary Rubinstein.) You can discuss the book with her and ask questions about the central character and how she feels when she thinks she will fail. This creates a degree of separation from her own situation and she may be able to articulate her fears better. Once she does so, you can address them (in the context of the story and the character) and help her find solutions.</span></p>
<p class="yiv1874024912MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="yiv1874024912MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="yiv1874024912MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417483629249_57095"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1417483629249_57094">Please also look at the <a href="http://www.sara-zaidi.com/parenting-blog/" target="_blank">“Understanding Academic Achievement”</a> blog post on the<a href="http://www.sara-zaidi.com/parenting-blog/" target="_blank">Building Healthy Minds and Happy Families</a> for a more detailed explanation on the theory behind this approach. </span></p>
<p class="yiv1874024912MsoNormal"></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><span><strong><span>Related Posts:</span></strong></span></p>
<p></p>
<div class="tb"><h3><a href="http://newportmommy.com/profiles/blogs/21-month-old-started-hitting-everyone">21 month old started hitting everyone</a></h3>
</div>
<p></p>
<h3><a href="http://newportmommy.com/profiles/blogs/super-cranky-kid-and-how-to-help-them-by-early-childhood-speciali">Super cranky kid and how to help them - By Early Childhood Specialist</a></h3>
<p></p>
<h1><span class="font-size-4"><a href="http://newportmommy.com/profiles/blogs/how-can-i-get-my-child-to-stop-being-picky-about-her-food" target="_self">How can I get my child to stop being picky about her food?</a></span></h1>How can I get my child to stop being picky about her food?tag:newportmommy.com,2014-11-27:6466865:BlogPost:293102014-11-27T15:26:08.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<p><b>Question)</b> <i>How can I get my child to stop being picky about her food?</i></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Answer)</b> Infant feeding patterns affect taste preferences for longer than we think. As children begin to transition to table food it’s essential to begin introducing a variety of healthy food items with different tastes and textures. For an older child whose eating habits are already established it’s a little bit harder to encourage them to eat different things. However, it is possible to…</p>
<p><b>Question)</b> <i>How can I get my child to stop being picky about her food?</i></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Answer)</b> Infant feeding patterns affect taste preferences for longer than we think. As children begin to transition to table food it’s essential to begin introducing a variety of healthy food items with different tastes and textures. For an older child whose eating habits are already established it’s a little bit harder to encourage them to eat different things. However, it is possible to change that with a few simple steps!</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li>Eliminate random snacking. An average child should have three large meals and one small snack through the course of the day</li>
<li>Meals should be well balanced with regular intervals in between so their body expects food at a similar time each day</li>
<li>Establish a rule where they cannot access food or snacks from the fridge or cupboards without your permission and explain that snacks may ruin their appetite for dinner.</li>
<li>Avoid feeding children on the go (i.e. in cars, parks or strollers) and don’t fall in to the trap of distracting children with electronics. </li>
<li>Encourage children to sit down at a table to eat without getting up until everyone is finished and make mealtimes fun.</li>
<li>Shift the focus off the food. Focus instead on the conversation about their day or anything else they want to talk about.</li>
<li>Give children at least two options on their plate with one item being something they like.</li>
<li>Serve realistic portions and allow them to tell them you when they are full.</li>
<li>Be sure to serve whatever it is the adults are eating that day. Eat with the children whenever possible and model behavior—kids like to copy adults.</li>
<li>If a child does not like a particular food item, don’t be deterred from presenting it again a few days later. Often, children don’t want to try something new but familiarity will encourage them to be a little more adventurous.</li>
<li>Create a rule where they have to try at least one bite and can choose to not eat the rest if they don’t like it.</li>
<li>Be wary of providing alternatives just to get them to eat something. They will soon begin to accept that these are the only choices available and be more amenable to eating to what’s presented.</li>
<li>Talk to your children about how eating right can help them become stronger, be more energetic, run faster, kick a ball harder etc.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>The key element is to not allow feeding to become a power struggle where the parent is bribing a child to eat. As long as the child does not have any nutritional issues and is more energetic than you at the end of the day, he or she is probably getting enough calories. Remember you are instilling a lifelong habit of eating well and that requires patience and discipline!</p>
<p></p>
<p><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1416534044485_34320" style="font-size: 11pt;">For more techniques and suggestions on discipline see the previous posts below and the <a href="http://www.sara-zaidi.com/parenting-blog/" target="_blank">parenting blog</a> at <a href="http://www.sara-zaidi.com/parenting-blog/" target="_blank">Building Healthy Minds and Happy Families.</a></span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Previous Posts:</span></strong></span></p>
<p></p>
<div class="tb"><h3><a href="http://newportmommy.com/profiles/blogs/21-month-old-started-hitting-everyone">21 month old started hitting everyone</a></h3>
</div>
<p></p>
<h3><a href="http://newportmommy.com/profiles/blogs/super-cranky-kid-and-how-to-help-them-by-early-childhood-speciali">Super cranky kid and how to help them - By Early Childhood Specialist</a></h3>
<p></p>
<p> </p>21 month old started hitting everyonetag:newportmommy.com,2014-11-21:6466865:BlogPost:291092014-11-21T15:30:00.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<p class="yiv5703227886MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> QUESTION FROM PARENT:</span></strong></p>
<p class="yiv5703227886MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="yiv5703227886MsoNormal"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><em><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"My 21 month old baby girl started hitting everyone and is a cranky child. She does not want to share anything in playdates and starts crying . Please suggest some tips to improve her behavior."…</span></em></span></p>
<p class="yiv5703227886MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> QUESTION FROM PARENT:</span></strong></p>
<p class="yiv5703227886MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="yiv5703227886MsoNormal"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><em><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"My 21 month old baby girl started hitting everyone and is a cranky child. She does not want to share anything in playdates and starts crying . Please suggest some tips to improve her behavior."</span></em></span></p>
<p class="yiv5703227886MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="yiv5703227886MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: 11pt;">RESPONSE FROM Early childhood specialist at <a href="http://www.sara-zaidi.com/" target="_blank">Building Healthy Minds and Healthy Families</a></span></strong></p>
<p class="yiv5703227886MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="yiv5703227886MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">At 21 months old, babies are just learning to be independent, they have not yet developed a full vocabulary nor have they established any impulse control. It’s not a coincidence that your baby is being a bit difficult – there is a lot going on with her right now.</span></p>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_1_1416534044485_34264" class="yiv5703227886MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_1_1416534044485_34206" class="yiv5703227886MsoNormal"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1416534044485_34205" style="font-size: 11pt;">Firstly though, it’s important to rule out physiological and psychological reasons for her being “cranky”. Is she sleeping and eating well? Have there been any changes in her life recently that could be causing her to act out? If not, then let’s put it down to age-appropriate behavior for now and think of ways to curb it.</span></p>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_1_1416534044485_34265" class="yiv5703227886MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_1_1416534044485_34267" class="yiv5703227886MsoNormal"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1416534044485_34266" style="font-size: 11pt;">Teaching children to recognize some basic emotions can go a long way in preventing them from acting out because even though their level of comprehension is significantly developed by 6 months they don’t have the ability to express their feelings through words. You can use books, puppets or even just draw “feeling faces” on paper and teach her what feeling sad, mad and happy look like. Ask her to point to one of those pictures or pick up a ‘feeling’ puppet when she demonstrates any of those emotions and you do the same when it’s your turn. Make statements such as, “You seem sad,” or “looks like that made you are really mad” etc to help her understand the context. (Feeling frustrated, though a difficult word, is a useful one to teach as well.)</span></p>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_1_1416534044485_34303" class="yiv5703227886MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_1_1416534044485_34305" class="yiv5703227886MsoNormal"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1416534044485_34304" style="font-size: 11pt;">Since children’s receptive language develops sooner than their expressive language, it’s important to talk to them and explain what your expectations are and what consequences there will be if those are not met – even at 21 months old. Set clear and consistent limits in simple language that she will understand. If she hits somebody, remove her from the situation. Speak in a calm but firm tone of voice and tell her that’s not okay, pick her up gently and carry her away from your body. Take her to a quiet place and help her calm down. Once she is ready to play again, encourage her to give the other child a hug. If she is unwilling, model behavior for her- go over to the child that she hit, rub the part of the body that was hurt (if the child allows you to do so) and ask if they are okay. Then step away and let them continue playing. If it happens more than twice end the play date if possible.</span></p>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_1_1416534044485_34306" class="yiv5703227886MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_1_1416534044485_34308" class="yiv5703227886MsoNormal"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1416534044485_34307" style="font-size: 11pt;">Instead of using the phrase, “time-out,” which often has a negative connotation use the words, “take a break”. Help her learn how to calm herself down with a favorite cuddly or a blanket when the emotions are running high. This helps children learn how to self-soothe and begin to understand the concept of impulse control.</span></p>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_1_1416534044485_34309" class="yiv5703227886MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_1_1416534044485_34311" class="yiv5703227886MsoNormal"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1416534044485_34310" style="font-size: 11pt;">For play dates, act preemptively. Before her friends come to your place, separate some of her favorite things and let her know that she doesn’t have to share those if she doesn’t want to. Remind her during the play date that she needs to share everything else and if she would like to separate more things for next time she may do so. This allows her to have some sense of control over her things.</span></p>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_1_1416534044485_34312" class="yiv5703227886MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_1_1416534044485_34314" class="yiv5703227886MsoNormal"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1416534044485_34313" style="font-size: 11pt;">Also substitute the word “sharing” with “turn taking” and explain how that works. Often children perceive “sharing” as having to give up what they have, whereas with turn taking they feel like they only have to wait until it’s time for them to have it back. Make sure she gets the toy back within a few minutes so she understands this concept.</span></p>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_1_1416534044485_34322" class="yiv5703227886MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_1_1416534044485_34316" class="yiv5703227886MsoNormal"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1416534044485_34315" style="font-size: 11pt;">Once children learn how to express their feelings through words rather than through their behavior and begin to practice some form of self-control, it becomes much easier to reason with them. Until then, try to think of every challenging situation as a teaching moment – these are important life skills that every child needs to learn.</span></p>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_1_1416534044485_34317" class="yiv5703227886MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
<p id="yui_3_16_0_1_1416534044485_34321" class="yiv5703227886MsoNormal"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1416534044485_34320" style="font-size: 11pt;">For more techniques and suggestions on discipline see the <a href="http://newportmommy.com/profiles/blogs/super-cranky-kid-and-how-to-help-them-by-early-childhood-speciali" target="_self">previous post</a> and the <a href="http://www.sara-zaidi.com/parenting-blog/" target="_blank">parenting blog</a> at <a href="http://www.sara-zaidi.com/parenting-blog/" target="_blank">Building Healthy Minds and Happy Families.</a><br/></span></p>Super cranky kid and how to help them - By Early Childhood Specialisttag:newportmommy.com,2014-11-17:6466865:BlogPost:284962014-11-17T01:30:00.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<p>QUESTION FROM PARENT:</p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3" style="color: #ff0000;"><em> I have a 6 year old super smart daughter. However, every play date or birthday party she goes to ends up in a fight with some other kid, a lot of crying & high drama. It is becoming increasingly painful for me to take her out anywhere. I don't know how to make her get along, help her enjoy these play dates and parties and generally have a good time</em></span></p>
<p></p>
<p>RESPONSE FROM…</p>
<p>QUESTION FROM PARENT:</p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3" style="color: #ff0000;"><em> I have a 6 year old super smart daughter. However, every play date or birthday party she goes to ends up in a fight with some other kid, a lot of crying & high drama. It is becoming increasingly painful for me to take her out anywhere. I don't know how to make her get along, help her enjoy these play dates and parties and generally have a good time</em></span></p>
<p></p>
<p>RESPONSE FROM E<span>arly childhood specialist at <a href="http://www.sara-zaidi.com/" target="_blank">Building Healthy Minds and Healthy Families</a></span></p>
<p></p>
<p>There are three things that can be helpful in this situation: identifying the cause, considering what needs to be done in the moment of conflict, and having a long term plan.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>1) In this particular case, the first thing to look for would be a pattern of behavior. If this is happening during most play dates then consider what the precipitating circumstances might be:</p>
<p>- Look at what happened right before the fight with the other child began. Did she want something the other child had, or did she want a turn first, or did someone take something away from her?</p>
<p>- Consider whether it is directed at a particular child or a certain kind of child, perhaps ones with different temperaments than hers and take precautions to guard against that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>2) During play dates, in the heated moment, speak to your child at eye level, in a calm and gentle way. If you get upset, ask her to apologize or even ignore her behavior, the situation will most likely escalate.</p>
<p>- Reflect what she may be feeling. For example, “I see that you are really mad right now,” or, “I think you really want to play with that toy right this minute” etc.</p>
<p>- Next, try redirecting her toward something else if possible. Distract her until the wave of emotion passes.</p>
<p>- Sometimes it isn’t possible to distract a child down no matter what, try giving her a hug and holding her while talking to her soothingly. If she is unable to calm down remove her from situation and avoid reprimanding in front of her friends. It may make her feel embarrassed she may try to regain control by acting out further.</p>
<p>- Don’t have her apologize immediately. Children often perceive saying, “I am sorry” as having to take full responsibility of their actions when they don’t feel it was entirely their fault.</p>
<p>- Keep in mind that some of these situations can be avoided by preemptive actions so keep a watchful eye on her interactions and if you foresee a situation that may be a trigger for her, distract her with something else or try to resolve the issue before it escalates.</p>
<p>- Keep play dates short and leave before she gets tired or hungry.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>3) Next, set some ground rules and help her to problem solve. Have a conversation with her on a day when she is calm and willing to listen.</p>
<p>- Talk to her about your feelings of frustration in such situations, tell her you want to help make these play dates and birthday parties fun and ask her why she thinks she gets upset sometimes (in a non-accusatory way) and what you can do differently as her parent who wants her to be happy.</p>
<p>- Remind her of instances when she got upset and ask her gently what she thinks might have triggered her i.e. help her figure out what her goal might have been (did she want something first etc).</p>
<p>- Point out consequences of her behavior, if someone got hurt or if something broke. Identifying the cause and effect helps children realize why something is wrong and teaches them empathy.</p>
<p>- Encourage her to find specific solutions to those precipitating circumstances and assure her that you will help her implement those solutions if the need arises in the future. For example, if she really wants something right away, ask her friend if she could have it after two minutes rather than having her wait for longer.</p>
<p>- Also, establish a rule that after two reminders and attempts to help her problem solve in the moment, if she is unable to show restraint, that the play date will end. Execute this rule repeatedly until she understands that you are unwilling to compromise on this. It’s important not to get angry while implementing though because it is merely a consequence of the choice she made, not a punishment.</p>
<p>- Provide positive reinforcement if the next play date or birthday party goes smoothly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Such an approach helps children connect the logical part of their brain (the left hemisphere) with the emotional part of their brain (the right hemisphere). Eventually the ability to rationalize and balance emotions begins to improve. Once your daughter internalizes some of these methods she will be able to control her emotions and reactions more readily and hopefully it will become easier for you to take to her parties and play dates again. </p>
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<p>The team behind <a href="http://www.sara-zaidi.com/" target="_blank">Building Healthy Minds and Healthy Families</a> provides a comprehensive set of early childhood services based on the disciplines of developmental psychology and behavioral medicine. </p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>Have a question? <a href="http://newportmommy.com/page/do-you-have-a-question-about-your-child-s-behavior" target="_self">Ask your question here - Your Identity will remain hidden from even us!</a></strong></p>
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<p><strong>Answers will be posted on NewportMommy blog</strong></p>Enterovirus - Does your child have symptoms?tag:newportmommy.com,2014-10-21:6466865:BlogPost:275302014-10-21T13:30:00.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545891016?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545891016?profile=original" width="400"></img></a> <strong>As the fall season starts with fears of the Enterovirus doing the rounds, I thought it might be a good idea to understand what we are up against.</strong></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.carepointhealth.org/" target="_blank">Dr. Texidor of CarePoint Health Medical Group</a>, kindly shared the below information with us about the Enterovirus…</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545891016?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545891016?profile=original" width="400" class="align-center"/></a><strong>As the fall season starts with fears of the Enterovirus doing the rounds, I thought it might be a good idea to understand what we are up against.</strong></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.carepointhealth.org/" target="_blank">Dr. Texidor of CarePoint Health Medical Group</a>, kindly shared the below information with us about the Enterovirus infection:</strong></p>
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<p></p>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1413897881889_6543"><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1413897881889_6542"><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1413897881889_6541"><div class="yiv3216521006" id="yiv3216521006"><div class="yiv3216521006" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1413897881889_6540"><div class="yiv3216521006" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1413897881889_6539"><div class="yiv3216521006" id="yiv3216521006yui_3_16_0_9_1413817822446_4"><div class="yiv3216521006" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1413897881889_6538"><p><span style="color: #ff0000;"><b>WHAT IS ENTEROVIRUS D68?</b> </span></p>
<p>Enterovirus are common viral infections that occur in the US during the summer and fall months. It is not a new virus and was first identified in California in 1962. This year in particular EV-D68 has been a common cause of respiratory illness in children .</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?</b> </p>
<p>Symptoms can be mild and can include fever, runny nose , sneezing, cough, and muscle aches. More severe symptoms can involve wheezing and difficulty breathing especially in children with asthma.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="color: #ff0000;"><b>HOW DO YOU GET THE VIRUS?</b></span> </p>
<p>The virus can be spread from an infected person's saliva, mucus or sputum when he or she coughs, sneezes, or touches a surface and passes on the virus.</p>
<p><b><br/> <span style="color: #ff0000;">WHAT ARE THE TREATMENTS FOR THIS ILLNESS?</span></b><b> </b></p>
<p>There are no specific treatments for this virus and it is mostly supportive. Those with more severe symptoms may need to be hospitalized. At increased risk are asthmatic patients. Talk to your doctor about your child's long term control medicine. Make sure flu vaccines for the season has been given to the child. And discuss use of short term asthma control medications in case of exposure or respiratory symptoms.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="color: #ff0000;"><b>HOW WILL I KNOW IF MY CHILD HAS ENTEROVIRUS D68 OR THE COMMON COLD?</b></span></p>
<p> eV-D68 can only be diagnosed by doing specific tests. Symptoms can be similar to the common cold or even the flu. See your doctor if you experience any of the symptoms. Currently centers for disease control only recommend testing for patients with severe respiratory illness .</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="color: #ff0000;"><b>WHAT CAN I DO TO PREVENT MY CHILD FROM GETTING SICK?</b></span></p>
<p>1. Wash hands often for 20 seconds with soap and water</p>
<p>2. Avoid touching eyes, mouth, nose</p>
<p>3. Avoid close contact with sick persons ( kissing, hugging, sharing cups and utensils, etc)</p>
<p>4. Cover face with tissue or shirt sleeve ( not hands) when coughing or sneezing</p>
<p>5. Clean and disinfect surfaces ( toys, door knobs, etc)</p>
<p>6. Stay home or keep sick child out of school if sick</p>
<p>Please feel free to share with friends and family.</p>
<p></p>
<p>So take care and stay healthy!</p>
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</div>How to help your child gain weighttag:newportmommy.com,2014-10-08:6466865:BlogPost:245152014-10-08T21:28:47.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<p><img class="align-center" height="287" id="irc_mi" src="http://a.dilcdn.com/bl/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2012/05/i-die.jpg" style="margin-top: 99px;" width="400"></img></p>
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<p>I know some of the moms will be furious with me for saying this - but those who have kids that are on the downward slope with regards to weight will hopefully be ok with me writing this.</p>
<p></p>
<p>I am 'petite', and have 2 girls who are delightfully cute but also petite and tend to stay on the early percentiles on the weight chart. The doctors were ok with the older one's weight till a particular time, but when the downward slope did not turn up, they began to…</p>
<p><img class="align-center" src="http://a.dilcdn.com/bl/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2012/05/i-die.jpg" style="margin-top: 99px;" id="irc_mi" height="287" width="400"/></p>
<p></p>
<p>I know some of the moms will be furious with me for saying this - but those who have kids that are on the downward slope with regards to weight will hopefully be ok with me writing this.</p>
<p></p>
<p>I am 'petite', and have 2 girls who are delightfully cute but also petite and tend to stay on the early percentiles on the weight chart. The doctors were ok with the older one's weight till a particular time, but when the downward slope did not turn up, they began to suggest options that I thought they never would. </p>
<p></p>
<p>To cut to the chase - here are some techniques I have tried to help with weight gain (most worked and my kid is better than bony now, per the scale too):</p>
<p></p>
<ol>
<li>Give whole milk, flavored milk, buttermilk, hot cocoa or milkshakes rather than low fat milk options.<ol>
<li>If none of this works try Pediasure, Carnation Instant Breakfast milk or Ensure – Not all</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol>
<p>kids like these</p>
<ol>
<li>Try giving only Organic Milk or Milk from Grass Fed Cows – the growth hormones in regular milk will in the immediate term make your child gain weight but can lead to increased chances of early onset of puberty</li>
<li>Greek yogurt provides high calories and could be used instead of plain yogurt.<ol>
<li>Added tip: When making rice/yogurt, mix whole milk and not water with the greek yogurt to get a thinner consistency. My favorite brand is Fage .</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li>Add whipping cream to any dessert and you could even mix it with rice/yogurt type food</li>
<li>Cream cheese instead of butter for bagels/sandwiches</li>
<li>Peanut butter or Nutella instead of jams (if your kid is not allergic to nuts)</li>
<li>Melt cheese with almost everything – Added to Pizzas, Pastas, Roti, Rice etc. ( My girls love white sauce recipes that are heavy on cheese – to add the nutrients, I would buy Spinach Ravioli and mix white sauce in it)</li>
<li>Boil rice/pasta in half/half milk rather than plain water</li>
<li>Avocadoes are heavy in nutrition and also provide good fats – Try blending them in smoothies, or make ‘atta’ dough with just them mixed in without any water</li>
<li>Eggs and meat also help in providing good proteins for the growing body – if you can, try and add some olive oil when you serve to add up some calories</li>
<li>And finally – My 6 years of chasing around playgrounds has taught me to always try to pack calories for the picky eaters in small meals – If a good eater will eat a full bowl, expect that your selective eater will only eat half – but make that half worth his/her and your time!</li>
</ol>
<p></p>
<p>And finally, don’t push the kid and yourself if it’s not working – My older one would not eat till a particular age but does relatively ok now. Sometimes it’s just a phase that passes away and other times, the kid is just following genetic makeup.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p>I derived some of the above from reading below as well:</p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/CANCER/pedresource/pedres_docs/HowHelpChildGainWeight.pdf">How to help Child Gain Weight</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/01/magazine/puberty-before-age-10-a-new-normal.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0">Puberty before Age 10 – A new normal?</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Disclaimer <b>: I am just a mom and not a doctor and am sharing my experience with 2 picky eaters. So, please apply your own judgment when trying any of the above.<br/></b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>.</p>2014 Rankings: Top High School in NJtag:newportmommy.com,2014-09-11:6466865:BlogPost:246242014-09-11T18:07:32.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<div class="xg_module_body"><div class="discussion"><div class="description"><div class="xg_user_generated"><p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2312191732?profile=original" target="_self"> Based on : Top-High-Schools-2014-by-New-Jersey-Monthly.pdf</a></p>
<p>Based on the above article shared by a fellow member Sheena Singh and recommended realtor <a href="http://http://newportmommy.com/page/recommended-realtors-puneeta-kalra-vikram-vashisht" target="_blank">Puneeta…</a></p>
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<div class="xg_module_body"><div class="discussion"><div class="description"><div class="xg_user_generated"><p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2312191732?profile=original"> Based on : Top-High-Schools-2014-by-New-Jersey-Monthly.pdf</a></p>
<p>Based on the above article shared by a fellow member Sheena Singh and recommended realtor <a href="http://http://newportmommy.com/page/recommended-realtors-puneeta-kalra-vikram-vashisht" target="_blank">Puneeta Kalra</a>, the Top High School list shows Chatham at the zenith.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The highlights are as follows:</p>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #0000ff;">Sadly, McNair Academic, the renowned magnet high school in Jersey City has lost its spot since the last few rankings. McNair had held the number-2 spot in the last three rankings, but fell to number 62 this year. While McNair students are still among the best in the state as far as SAT and HSPA scores are concerned, the school was pulled down the chart by its post-secondary enrollment rate of 76 percent—far below the state’s best-performing schools.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>The ranking methodology includes SAT Scores and Post Secondary Enrollment rate:</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>SAT Scores.</strong> Rather than just report a school’s average SAT scores, the DOE now calculates the percentage of students scoring 1,550 or better, a benchmark that it says is “associated with a high likelihood of college success.” At Chatham High School, 74.3 percent of students surpassed that benchmark. It was the 14th best result in the state.<br/> <br/> <strong>Postsecondary Enrollment.</strong> Two years ago, the state introduced the adjusted cohort graduation rate as a more accurate way of calculating student results. <span style="color: #0000ff;">Now it has added the postsecondary enrollment rate, which is described as the percentage of students enrolled in a two- or four-year college 16 months after high school graduation</span>. Chatham was number 3 in the state.<br/> <br/> <em>New Jersey Monthly</em> made other methodology changes for this year’s rankings. <span style="color: #0000ff;">We’ve dropped two factors: average class size (which is no longer available from the DOE) and percentage of faculty with advanced degrees. We also have stopped compiling separate rankings by District Factor Group, a classification based on a district’s relative socioeconomic status that is no longer included in the DOE reports.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="color: #0000ff;"><a href="http://njmonthly.com/articles/towns_and_schools/highschoolrankings/the-top-high-schools-2014.html" target="_blank">The entire article can be found here.</a></span></p>
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</div>Liberty Science Center - Fun events this Fall seasontag:newportmommy.com,2014-09-04:6466865:BlogPost:242032014-09-04T18:20:36.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
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<tbody><tr valign="top"><td valign="top" align="left"><a href="http://tracking.wordfly.com/click?sid=MjkwXzEyOThfMjkyODhfNjk3Mw&l=db9079ac-9433-e411-b26f-e41f1345a486&utm_source=wordfly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=September2014Insiders&utm_content=version_A" target="_blank"><img alt="Murder Mystery Camp In!" src="http://media.wordfly.com/libertysciencecenter/Insiders/sept14insiders_murdermystery.jpg" border="0" hspace="0" vspace="0" width="498"/></a></td>
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<tr valign="top"><td valign="top" align="left"><h3><a href="http://tracking.wordfly.com/click?sid=MjkwXzEyOThfMjkyODhfNjk3Mw&l=db9079ac-9433-e411-b26f-e41f1345a486&utm_source=wordfly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=September2014Insiders&utm_content=version_A" target="_blank">Family Halloween Camp In</a></h3>
<p>Join us Friday, October 17, for our brand new Camp In program, Mystery at the Museum. Explore the Center after dark. Sleep in your favorite exhibit. Solve a crime?! A priceless artifact has been stolen from the Science Center and we need your help to solve the mystery. Everyone is a suspect and the clock is ticking... We need to find out whodunit before bedtime.</p>
<p>Call 201.253.1310 for more information and to register. Sign up by October 1 and receive $10 off per person!</p>
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<p>LSC will be closed weekdays from September 3 – September 19 for annual maintenance. We are open on Saturdays and Sundays during this time from 9:00 am—5:30 pm.</p>
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<p>Music and pop culture lovers will really dig<em> Guitar: The Instrument That Rocked the World</em>, opening October 4, 2014. Experiment with the science of sound and jam on our playables. See the world’s largest guitar, the world’s oldest electric guitar, and guitars autographed and owned by rock legends. And be sure to check out our live performances by jazz, blues, rock, and kids’ bands on weekends throughout the fall. See LSC.org for showtimes.</p>
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<p>Clifford and his friends are leaving on Sunday, September 14 to make way for the new Guitar exhibit.</p>
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<tbody><tr valign="top"><td align="left" width="389"><p>Liberty Science Center is a not-for-profit organization. <br/>Liberty State Park | 222 Jersey City Boulevard <br/>Jersey City, NJ 07305 <br/><a name="phone"></a>201.253.1310 | <a target="_blank" href="http://tracking.wordfly.com/click?sid=MjkwXzEyOThfMjkyODhfNjk3Mw&l=df9079ac-9433-e411-b26f-e41f1345a486&utm_source=wordfly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=September2014Insiders&utm_content=version_A">Support Us</a> or <a target="_blank" href="http://tracking.wordfly.com/click?sid=MjkwXzEyOThfMjkyODhfNjk3Mw&l=e09079ac-9433-e411-b26f-e41f1345a486&utm_source=wordfly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=September2014Insiders&utm_content=version_A">Donate</a></p>
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</table>Work Permit (EAD) for H4 Spouses *(certain categories) (Coming soon!)tag:newportmommy.com,2014-07-07:6466865:BlogPost:211322014-07-07T21:30:00.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<p class="yiv5101893783msonormal">Take Action and Contribute to the Solution</p>
<p class="yiv5101893783msonormal">The Department of Homeland Security proposes to extend the availability of employment authorization to certain H-4 dependent spouses of principal H-1B nonimmigrants. The extension would be limited to H-4 dependent spouses of principal H-1B nonimmigrants who are in the process of seeking lawful permanent resident status through employment. This population will include those H-4…</p>
<p class="yiv5101893783msonormal">Take Action and Contribute to the Solution</p>
<p class="yiv5101893783msonormal">The Department of Homeland Security proposes to extend the availability of employment authorization to certain H-4 dependent spouses of principal H-1B nonimmigrants. The extension would be limited to H-4 dependent spouses of principal H-1B nonimmigrants who are in the process of seeking lawful permanent resident status through employment. This population will include those H-4 dependent spouses of H-1B nonimmigrants if the H-1B nonimmigrants are either the beneficiaries of an approved Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker (Form I-140) or who have been granted an extension of their authorized period of admission in the United States under the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-first Century Act of 2000 (AC21), as amended by the 21st Century Department of Justice Appropriations Authorization Act. This regulatory change would lessen any potential economic burden to the H-1B principal and H-4 dependent spouse during the transition from nonimmigrant to lawful permanent resident status, furthering the goals of attracting and retaining high-skilled foreign workers. (Source: <a href="https://contactmonkey.com/api/v1/tracker?cm_session=4d6af755-96e2-440a-b8e5-2ae632646896&cm_type=link&cm_link=14000688-8322-4ee2-9779-ed57e8f7ce74&cm_destination=http://www.regulations.gov/#%21documentDetail;D=USCIS-2010-0017-0001" target="_blank">http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=USCIS-2010-0017-0001</a>)</p>
<p class="yiv5101893783msonormal"></p>
<p class="yiv5101893783msonormal">As per DHS, there are 100,600 H4’s who will be eligible to get EAD’s….unfortunately, we have only 9,785 (less than 10%) commenters on their website. Please click the below link and click the blue Comment Now button and register your comments.</p>
<p class="yiv5101893783msonormal"></p>
<p class="yiv5101893783msonormal"><b>It will take less than a minute of your time and has the potential to impact your lifetime. Click the below link and make your voice heard. H1 spouses should also comment and join the effort! You can post anonymously if you like.</b></p>
<p class="yiv5101893783msonormal"><a href="http://www.regulations.gov/#%21submitComment;D=USCIS-2010-0017-0001">Comment Now!</a> </p>
<p class="yiv5101893783msonormal"></p>
<p class="yiv5101893783msonormal">or you can visit <a href="http://www.regulations.gov/" target="_blank">http://www.regulations.gov/</a> and search <i>Employment Authorization for Certain H–4 Dependent Spouses</i></p>
<p class="yiv5101893783msonormal">Please Share with friends.</p>
<p></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; color: #1f497d;"><br/></span> <span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1404761959146_92112" style="font-size: 8.0pt; color: #333333; background: white;"></span></p>July 4th Macy's Fireworks moves back to East Rivertag:newportmommy.com,2014-06-30:6466865:BlogPost:208312014-06-30T03:05:24.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<p>If you haven't heard the news already, I feel bad breaking it to you - The famous and spectacular Macy's 4th of July fireworks is moving back to East River ( i.e. the side of Manhattan that is not visible to us in Newport).</p>
<p></p>
<p>But don't sulk too long - The mayor, Steve Fulop, in partnership with the Liberty State Park is bringing a day full of fun and fireworks (at night) to you at the Liberty State Park. As the Hudson Reporter states " Jersey City will host the Freedom and…</p>
<p>If you haven't heard the news already, I feel bad breaking it to you - The famous and spectacular Macy's 4th of July fireworks is moving back to East River ( i.e. the side of Manhattan that is not visible to us in Newport).</p>
<p></p>
<p>But don't sulk too long - The mayor, Steve Fulop, in partnership with the Liberty State Park is bringing a day full of fun and fireworks (at night) to you at the Liberty State Park. As the Hudson Reporter states " Jersey City will host the Freedom and Fireworks Festival, a free concert followed by a large fireworks display in honor of the 4th of July. The festival will also feature a Taste of Jersey City with food offered by local establishments, children’s rides, and local musicians. The event will run from noon to 9 p.m."</p>
<div style="overflow: hidden; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><br/>Read more: <a style="color: #003399;" href="http://hudsonreporter.com/bookmark/25359715/article-Rocket-s+red+glare-+-+Several+towns+will+hold+Independence+Day+events+this+week-#ixzz365VJ4bs7">Hudson Reporter - Rocket s red glare Several towns will hold Independence Day events this week</a></div>
<div style="overflow: hidden; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"></div>
<div style="overflow: hidden; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">The Liberty State Park website and the JC government website are yet to post further details on the event.</div>Kicking off the Summer Season with Pools & Park Sprinklerstag:newportmommy.com,2014-06-23:6466865:BlogPost:202752014-06-23T22:46:19.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<p><a href="http://www.jerseycitynj.gov/" target="_blank">The office of the mayor along with the Department of Recreation</a>, has started the summer recreation season with the kickoff of the outdoor basketball, tennis, and volleyball leagues, as well as the opening of two outdoor pools, seven indoor pools, and sprinklers at 13 parks throughout Jersey City for youth and adults to cool off during the summer months. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Water sprinkler…</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.jerseycitynj.gov/" target="_blank">The office of the mayor along with the Department of Recreation</a>, has started the summer recreation season with the kickoff of the outdoor basketball, tennis, and volleyball leagues, as well as the opening of two outdoor pools, seven indoor pools, and sprinklers at 13 parks throughout Jersey City for youth and adults to cool off during the summer months. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Water sprinkler locations:</strong></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong><a target="_blank" href="http://www.jerseycitynj.gov/uploadedImages/Homepage/sprinklers-schedule2.jpg425.jpg"><img class="align-full" src="http://www.jerseycitynj.gov/uploadedImages/Homepage/sprinklers-schedule2.jpg425.jpg"/></a></strong></p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="http://www.jerseycitynj.gov" target="_blank"></a><strong>Swimming pools:</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><img title="View or Download Flyer Now" style="margin: 3px;" alt="View or Download Flyer Now" src="http://www.jerseycitynj.gov/uploadedImages/Homepage/pool-schedule.jpg425.jpg" align="absmiddle" hspace="3" vspace="3"/></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>For more summer fun options click here :</b> <a href="http://www.jerseycitynj.gov/">City of Jersey City Kicks-off Summer Season with Sports, Pools & Park Sprinklers; As School Year Ends, Mayor Fulop Encourages Youth to Get Active in Summer Sports Leagues </a></p>Mom's best advicetag:newportmommy.com,2014-05-12:6466865:BlogPost:189282014-05-12T02:30:00.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<p>In honor of Mother's Day, here are some thoughts that our moms have shared with us over time, to help us become better individuals - and hence better mothers, wives, sisters, daughter-in-laws etc.</p>
<p></p>
<p>So here's some precious advice that you all kindly shared -</p>
<p></p>
<p><em>'Never judge the action of other people or their children because you dont know when you may be in the same situation</em>'</p>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1399862007527_3672">Akanksha…</div>
<p>In honor of Mother's Day, here are some thoughts that our moms have shared with us over time, to help us become better individuals - and hence better mothers, wives, sisters, daughter-in-laws etc.</p>
<p></p>
<p>So here's some precious advice that you all kindly shared -</p>
<p></p>
<p><em>'Never judge the action of other people or their children because you dont know when you may be in the same situation</em>'</p>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1399862007527_3672">Akanksha Bhalla</div>
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<div><em>'To be the best mom you can be, take care of yourself - workout & be fit!'</em></div>
<div>Aarti Mehendale</div>
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<div><em>'Never be jealous of another person's wealth/happiness - you will only burn your own blood and draw negative energy to yourself.'</em></div>
<div>Shruti Jain</div>
<p></p>
<p>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<div><em>'Silence and patience sometimes is the biggest weapon</em>'</div>
<div>Manasi Vohra</div>
<div>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</div>
<div><em>'Children are individual souls who have charted their own goals and should be respected for the same. Don't try to pressurise them into agreeing to your own ambitions. Who knows, their path, will bring them far more success than you ever anticipated. Let them do what they love doing most and they will achieve success automatically.'</em></div>
<div>Prema M</div>
<div>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</div>
<div><div><em>'Keep the faith'</em></div>
<div>Claire Blumenfeld</div>
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<div><em>'Share - because when you share the universe will give you far in excess of what you gave'</em></div>
Supriya Jha</div>
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<div>Happy Mother's Day to everyone:)</div>
<p></p>Thinking of Returning to the Workforce?tag:newportmommy.com,2014-03-06:6466865:BlogPost:158412014-03-06T04:30:35.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<p><a href="http://momcorps.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=4&aff_id=1080" target="_blank"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545884469?profile=RESIZE_180x180" width="177"></img></a> Its the time of the year when companies start hiring - so gear up to take advantage of the time.</p>
<p></p>
<p>A few opportunities that I highly recommend as an HR professional:</p>
<p></p>
<p>- <strong>Join Mom Corps University</strong> - MomCorps is a prominent staffing and placement firm for Moms and has recently started an online portal through which you can avail of interview coaching,…</p>
<p><a href="http://momcorps.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=4&aff_id=1080" target="_blank"><img width="177" class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545884469?profile=RESIZE_180x180" width="177"/></a>Its the time of the year when companies start hiring - so gear up to take advantage of the time.</p>
<p></p>
<p>A few opportunities that I highly recommend as an HR professional:</p>
<p></p>
<p>- <strong>Join Mom Corps University</strong> - MomCorps is a prominent staffing and placement firm for Moms and has recently started an online portal through which you can avail of interview coaching, resume workshops and more importantly access to recruiters. Membership to this portal is on discount</p>
<p>.<a href="http://momcorps.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=4&aff_id=1080" target="_blank">Join Mom Corps YOU at a special introductory price of $99.99 (regularly $149.99).</a></p>
<p class="ng-binding"></p>
<p class="ng-binding">- <strong>Attend events organized for career comebackers.</strong></p>
<p class="ng-binding">iRelaunch.com regularly organizes event on resume building, elevator pitch creation etc. for their 8000+ members. They often partner with large organizations which offer innovative programs and career workshops for the 'returners'.</p>
<p class="ng-binding"></p>
<p class="ng-binding"><strong>- Watch out for more career reentry programs</strong> - Most financial services firms are coming out with robust internships, rotational programs and workshops for women who want to return to the workforce. A good way to keep tab on such programs is through the above mentioned websites and then directly through the company websites.</p>
<p class="ng-binding"><br/> </p>Fun and free events by the Department of Recreationtag:newportmommy.com,2013-09-06:6466865:BlogPost:68602013-09-06T20:49:07.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<p></p>
<p>Mark your calendars for some free or subsidized events by the Department of Recreation- Our thanks to Mayor Steven Fulop.…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545866499?profile=original" target="_self"></a></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545866499?profile=original" target="_self"></a></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545866499?profile=original" target="_self"></a></p>
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<p>Mark your calendars for some free or subsidized events by the Department of Recreation- Our thanks to Mayor Steven Fulop.</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545866499?profile=original"></a></p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545866499?profile=original"></a></p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545866499?profile=original"></a></p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545866499?profile=original"><img width="250" class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545866499?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250"/></a></p>
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<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545866666?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545866666?profile=original" width="250"/></a></p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545866773?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545866773?profile=original" width="275"/></a></p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545871446?profile=original"><img width="500" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545871446?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500"/></a><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545871634?profile=original"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545871634?profile=original" width="425"/></a></p>
<p> </p>Teaching Math and making your child love it.tag:newportmommy.com,2013-09-06:6466865:BlogPost:69572013-09-06T20:07:47.000ZNewportMommyhttp://newportmommy.com/profile/30lkddir5s295
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545866614?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545866614?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"></img></a></p>
<p>I am not a blogger but I definitely like paying forward – Think I will begin with sharing what I experience every day as a parent – the desire to instill the love of Math in my 5 year old Montessori schooled, independence loving kid.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I am sure a lot of you will relate to the feeling of fearing math! I grew up feeling totally paralyzed every time I was…</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545866614?profile=original"><img width="300" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545866614?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"/></a></p>
<p>I am not a blogger but I definitely like paying forward – Think I will begin with sharing what I experience every day as a parent – the desire to instill the love of Math in my 5 year old Montessori schooled, independence loving kid.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I am sure a lot of you will relate to the feeling of fearing math! I grew up feeling totally paralyzed every time I was asked to take a Math test. My strategy for success became memorizing the methods by heart and more often than not it worked in the Indian type of exam systems. However, once I was thrown into real life the fear of numbers, came back to haunt me in the various jobs I took on. I attributed my sense of fear to my lack of understanding of the concept of numbers. While over time I have come to a much better place through relentless practice (being paid to do it helps as well(smile)) and the patience of my managers, I would say that instilling a basic comfort with numbers really helps take out the fear of Math.</p>
<p>How do you do that?</p>
<ol>
<li>Making Math business-as-usual and being comfortable with smaller numbers before you head into the big concepts of addition/subtraction/multiplication will ideally help</li>
<li>Visualizing the concept makes it even more easy.</li>
</ol>
<p>These are opinions (not expert advice).</p>
<p>Anyhow, in my search for better methods of teaching my child, I have come to find some of the bestsellers below:</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/075700184X/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=075700184X&linkCode=as2&tag=rim0e-20"><img class="align-left" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=075700184X&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=rim0e-20"/></a><img src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=rim0e-20&l=as2&o=1&a=075700184X" alt="" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" border="0" height="1" width="1"/><br/>Glenn Doman, founder of The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential was famous for his pioneering work with brain-injured children and for the work in early development for well children. His books on “ How to teach your baby Math” are very simple and are based on the Dot method. I tried this method and must say that it needs discipline to see good results. Nevertheless, if you are able to follow the regimen, you will give your child a very strong foundation in the core concept of numbers.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545866670?profile=original"><img width="100" class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545866670?profile=RESIZE_180x180" width="100"/></a>Starfall.com - We started off with this website and realized that my kid loves this more than Dinosaur Train. She started with the free section and after she exhausted that we moved on to the More.Starfall.com section. This site allows you to print custom worksheets and has a Kindergarten curriculum teacher’s guide and weekly plans in PDF format to download.</p>
<p></p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545866768?profile=original"><img width="100" class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545866768?profile=RESIZE_180x180" width="100"/></a>IXL.com – This is a subscription based math practice website for preschool to middle school children. My preschooler needed some direction with this website as by then she had not started reading. In my view this is a complete website for early education and has a variety of methods of teaching the same concept. You will need to assist your kid in reading out the questions but by and large the website is attractive for a kid who has a medium-long attention span</p>
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<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545866689?profile=original"><img width="100" class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545866689?profile=RESIZE_180x180" width="100"/></a>ABCMouse.com – We did buy the subscription for this website too but honestly this seems to be more of a ‘play’ website for preschoolers. It’s bold in colors and has great animation. My kid likes having her way and only plays in the art section. I would recommend this for people who are just starting out - preschool, pre-k, and kindergarten</p>
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<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545866814?profile=original"><img width="100" class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2545866814?profile=RESIZE_180x180" width="100"/></a>LivingMath.net – This is my latest discovery and I haven’t tested it out on my kid yet. I love the concept and I know it will be hard work but very effective in the long run. The website propounds the learning of math through non traditional methods – history, literature, science etc. As the author states “I’ve seen the results of early exposure to <em>real</em> mathematics in natural settings, without requiring mastery of arithmetic on a set timetable - this has been a key to the ease with which my kids attain mastery when the time is right for them” My favorite on this site is the <a href="http://www.livingmath.net/ReaderLists/tabid/268/language/en-US/Default.aspx">Math Reader List</a></p>
<p>Besides this we have also purchased some Montessori Math Toys which make it easy for the kid to see the ‘numbers’ better than just memorizing them.</p>
<p> - Montessori Checker Board</p>
<p>- <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Resources-LER2509-Fraction-Activity/dp/B000296LSO/ref=pd_sim_t_14http://" target="_blank">Fraction Towers</a></p>
<p>- Abacus - Best place to buy is Ikea</p>
<p>- Numbers Chart 1-100</p>
<p>- Movable Clock image (also available at <a href="http://www.montessorimaterials.org/Math/bigclockmovable.pdf">http://www.montessorimaterials.org/Math/bigclockmovable.pdf</a>)</p>
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<p>Good Luck and keep sharing!</p>