Elizabeth Lutsky, MA BCET and Lainie Donnell, MA ET/P

Co-Founders of LiLa Learning, LLC.

After a long, hot summer of lazy days that bleed into night, getting back into a routine at the start of the new school year can feel overwhelming for students and parents alike. Fortunately, we have some tips and strategies to help ease this inevitable, yet exciting, transition.

PICKING YOUR WORKSPACE: It all starts with a well-stocked, functional workspace. We highly recommend getting started before the school year begins. (more…)

By Randi Ball
As a lifelong New Yorker and a mom, I never imagined a place where I could slow down without giving up the rhythm and energy I love. But that’s exactly what I found in The Hamptons. What started as summer weekends eventually turned into a full-time move, and raising my children here has brought balance, beauty, and an unexpected sense of ease to our lives.

Finding Harmony Between Hustle and Hamptons

I still carry that New York hustle—strong coffee, tight schedules, big goals—but here, I’ve learned to move through it with more grace. My days are packed—real estate deals, school runs, client calls—but there’s something about doing it all under a watercolor sky with the sound of the ocean never far off that shifts your whole mindset. (more…)

By Shirin Yadegar

This Mother’s Day, I want to remind all of us: we are not machines.

We were not brought into this world to be Uber drivers, short-order cooks, maids, or tutors. We were brought into this world to create, to laugh, to love, and to live fully. And yet, somewhere between the laundry piles and lunch boxes, we can forget that.

As a mother of four daughters, I’ve learned that our children are always watching. More than listening to what we say, they absorb how we live. They take note of how we treat ourselves, how we treat others, and how we move through the world. And those quiet observations shape them more than any speech ever will. (more…)

By Shirin Yadegar

“Mom, there’s a big fire coming towards our house!” Camille, my 13-year-old, screamed from her room.

I rushed to her side, my heart pounding, and froze when I saw the flames—red and raging—getting closer, too close. I had never seen anything like it before.

“Pack a bag. Be ready to go, just in case we get the alert to evacuate,” I told her, my voice steady even though my insides were in turmoil. Lily, my 15-year-old, was already in tears, her face full of panic. I held her tight, trying to comfort her, while the fire continued its relentless march toward us. (more…)

By Jill Levin

“The greatest things we can give our children are roots and wings.” – W. Hodding Carter II.

As parents, one of our deepest desires is to offer our children a sense of security, love and belonging – the strong roots that allow them to feel grounded and confident in the world. But we must also give them wings – the freedom to explore, learn and grow beyond the familiar. In parenthood we must strike a delicate balance between nurturing our children’s roots and allowing them to spread their wings, take risks and experience life in new and exciting ways.

One of the most powerful ways to give your child those wings is by encouraging them to attend an overnight camp or participate in a specialized overnight summer program. These experiences aren’t just a way for children to fill a few weeks of summer; they are transformative experiences that often stay with them for a lifetime. (more…)