Education

Getting Organized for School

By Dina Newman
Dina NewmanBack to School is a time for meeting new challenges and taking on new responsibilities.

The following 7 Tips will help you get organized & help you stay organized throughout the school year.

THE IMPORTANCE OF ROUTINES


I. Create a morning schedule and practice it at least once before the start of school.

a. Try setting up a schedule in the morning that will help you stay organized. A sample schedule might be: Wake up and shower at 6:45, get dressed at 7:00, eat breakfast at 7:15, pack your lunch at 7:25, do your hair and makeup at 7:35 and leave at 7:50.
b. Make sure you allow extra time in case something goes wrong (ex: you wake up late)
c. Follow the same routine every day.

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Lifestyle

Top 3 Healthy Life Choices for Back To School

By Leana Greene
Leana GreeneIt’s that time of year again! School supplies freshly bought, new clothes ready to be put on, another school year of opportunity awaits! With the new school year rapidly approaching, now is a good time to stress the importance of keeping your children well nourished while class is in session. Here are 3 tips to ensure that your children are staying nutritious, even while at school:

1. Stay hydrated!
An often overlooked but crucial part of the day. Kids need to make sure that they have more than enough water on a daily basis, especially if they’re going to be active during hot recess days or participating in sports after school. How can your child be sure they’re hydrated enough? Pediatricians offer a simple measuring test: checking the color of their urine. “Your child should drink enough water that their pee looks like water. If it’s too bright yellow or dark yellow, they’re not getting enough liquid in.” (more…)

Health

Tips for Helping a Family Member Through Divorce

By Karen Silver
Karen SilverNext to death, divorce is one of the most difficult and painful things a person can experience. It is not only the parties to the divorce who experience anguish, but certainly their children and often family members as well.

Divorcing parties often turn to family members for support. But how do family members provide the necessary support and guidance without relinquishing their own lives, finances and sanity in the process? Here are some useful tips and guidelines for when your family member says “I’m getting a divorce.” (more…)

Lifestyle

How to Eat Healthy While Traveling

By Shirin Yadegar
Shirin YadegarTraveling with four kids for a month in Israel and Italy equates to a lot of leftover shwarma, pasta and pizza on the little one’s plates that’s hard to resist.

My family loves fine dining so our travels are always focused around our next meal. We search for the best chefs, local organic fare and a fun atmosphere.

We recently returned from what was truly the best vacation of our lives. We spent two weeks in Israel celebrating my eldest daughter’s bat mitzvah and then flew to Italy where we spent another two weeks devouring the best tuscan cuisine.

So how did we manage to stay gluten free, organic and still enjoy all that these fabulous countries had to offer? (more…)

Education

Parents as Partners in Education

By Kami Laura
Kami LauraBoth parents and teachers play a significant role in preparing children to become knowledgeable, caring and responsible adults. Whether your child is returning to school or a new kindergartener, there are ways that parents can clearly send a message to their children that school is important and education matters.

When parents create routines at home for homework, free time, meals and bedtime, they set the stage for school success. Some techniques that teachers use in the classroom can easily be adapted at home. Many teachers display visuals in the classroom, such as, schedules, to establish transitions throughout the school day. Parents, too, can prepare their child for events and post daily calendars of those events. (more…)

Health

Staying Healthy During the School Year

Are your children prepared to return to school?

By Peter S. Waldstein, M.D., F.A.A.P and Julia A. White, M.D., F.A.A.P
Julia WhiteBack to school time is upon us, which is a great opportunity to make sure your child is ready from a health perspective. It is also a great time to refresh on illness prevention while being at school.

Staying Healthy
Maintaining proper health begins at home. Back to school time is a good excuse to refamiliarize your children on the importance of hand washing at home and school. Most illness is spread through contact, and hand washing has been proven to be one of the most effective ways to prevent your child from becoming ill while at school. Washing before eating, after playtime, and anytime before touching the face, mouth, or eyes is key. If you are not able to wash, you may use hand sanitizer instead. You can consider packing a small travel-sized Purell bottle in your child’s bag to encourage proper hygeine. Also remind your child to cover coughs with the arm. Should your child become ill, he or she should stay home to prevent others from becoming ill. Check with your pediatrician if you are unsure if they should stay home. (more…)

Lifestyle

Mango Custard

By Kristin Garemani of SilverFork Productions
Kristin Garemani of SilverFork ProductionsIngredients:

1 5/8 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
3/8 cup flour
1 egg and 2 egg yolks
1/8 tsp. cornstarch
1-2 Tbl. butter
homemade whipped cream (whip heavy whipping cream with powdered sugar)
two teaspoons of mango juice
a handful of fresh raspberries
fresh mint leaves, for garnish (more…)

Education

My Child’s Tutor Isn’t Working but She Loves Her Tutor

By Nathalie Kunin
Nathalie KuninEveryone’s happy. Your child loves her tutor. They laugh and learn together, the sessions fly by. It all seems to be going well and she even looks forward to the tutoring. But then the scores come back. The teacher’s opinion hasn’t changed. What do you do?

As a parent, getting to the bottom of what isn’t working and why will require strong communication skills between yourself, your child, tutor and teacher. Once you evaluate the situation, you’ll have several options moving forward to ensure that tutoring sessions are both enjoyable and efficient. (more…)

Lifestyle

Swimsuit Season is Here

By Lauren Haas
Lauren HaasSpring is here and that means…SWIMSUIT SEASON! Yikes! Instead of dieting, here is what I tell my clients to do:

1. DO NOT DIET. DIETS DO NOT WORK. They leave you hungry, irritable and the moment you stop dieting, you will gain all the weight back…PLUS SOME MORE! YIKES! Instead, be consistent with a healthy meal plan and exercise routine. (more…)