Bronx Family: November, 2014
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stroller contestNovember winner! 2014 BRONX/RIVERDALE Meet ourFREE Family Where Every Child Matters The struggles of Preemies Taking charge of Stuttering The spirit of Thanksgiving Find us online at www.NYParenting.com Susan E. Wagner Family of Schools • Therapeutic, structured and nurturing Special Education Preschool Program for children ages 3-5. • Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy and Counseling. • We also conduct Preschool Evaluations. 4102 White Plains Road 5401 Post Road Bronx, NY 10466 Bronx, NY 10471 1732 Davidson Avenue 1140 E. 229th Street Bronx, NY 10453 Bronx, NY 10466 To inquire about placement for your child, please contact: Beatrice Goodwyn, Special Education Coordinator | (718) 547-0501 ext 213 To inquire about preschool evaluations, please contact: Desrene Frederick | (718) 547-0501 ext 206 BRONX/RIVERDALE Family November 2014 12 28 FEATURES COLUMNS 6 The preemie experience 10 Healthy Living Part 1: A mom chronicles the struggles of BY DANIELLE SULLIVAN premature birth BY TAMMY SCILEPPI 24 Good Sense Eating BY ChRIstINE M. PALUMBO, RD 8 An attitude of gratitude Celebrate Thanksgiving for what it’s really about 26 Growing Up Online BY CAROLYN WATERBURY-TIEMAN BY CAROLYN JAbs 12 Detecting and dealing with a 34 The Book Worm BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER stutter BY DR. HEAthER GROssMAN CALENDAR 14 How to help your kids cope with divorce 28 November Events Watch for these behaviors in your children BY NANCY L. WEIss SPECIAL SECTIONS 16 Nervous no more 23 Contest Winners Age-specific tips for taming kids’ anxieties BY MALIA JACObsON 33 Party Planners 18 Making adoption affordable Helpusadopt.org awards adoption grants to help build families 34 BY SHNIEKA L. JOHNSON 20 Thankful giving Put gratitude in action with these inspired ideas BY DR. HEIDI SMIth LUEdtKE 22 Solar & savings More schools are using solar energy to save money and jobs BY SHAVANA AbRUZZO 24 A laugh-out-loud comedy Kid critic enjoys trials of ‘Alexander’ November 2014 • BRONX/RIVERDALE FAMILY 3 Letter from the publisher The spirit of the holiday ovember is a A wonderful part introduce them to this wonderful kids, whether in person or on TV, lovely month of this holiday is the national holiday of Thanksgiving. is a parent’s gift. N to be in New spirit behind the day. There are great holiday shows Wishing all of you a very Happy York. So festive and Reaching out to oth- beginning throughout the five bor- Thanksgiving. Stay healthy, and so many happenings ers, helping someone oughs that you should definitely be let us all be grateful for the abun- throughout the five else to have a feeling taking your kids to — and why not dance we have and for the rela- boroughs as we lead of “family” who doesn’t be novel indeed and go to some- tive peace around us. Think of all into the Thanksgiving have one of their own thing in a borough outside your those around the world who are holiday. Our calendar nearby, is something own residence. struggling with basic survival and is full of terrific events that can make you and If you log on to our website, kiss your children and hold them to engage your family your kids feel more en- www.NYParenting.com, not only close. and most of them are free. gaged in this special spirit. In addi- will you find our expanded cal- Thanks for reading. It’s an important time to think tion, it begins life lessons for your endar, but also if you sign on to of others who may be alone, may children that are invaluable and get our newsletter you will receive be ill, or just in need of an invite to that reach out beyond the borders wonderful reminders every week whatever festivities your family is of your individual lives. and get the links to connect with planning. Try to reach out and see New York is filled with newcom- loads of activities. if there’s someone in your life with ers from all over the globe who are This is my favorite holiday. I nowhere to go who would be an ap- perhaps far away from their loved say it every year and it’s because Susan Weiss-Voskidis, preciative guest in your home, at ones and what a great feeling to I mean it. It’s also my favorite pa- Publisher/Excutive Editor your table. share your table with them and to rade and watching it with your [email protected] Community News Group Contact Information CEO: Les Goodstein ADVERTISING: WEB OR PRINT ADDRESS PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER: Jennifer Goodstein (718) 260-4554 New York Parenting Media/CNG [email protected] or 1 Metrotech Center North New York Parenting [email protected] 10th Floor CIRCULATION Brooklyn, NY 11201 PUBLISHER / EXECUTIVE EDITOR: (718) 260-8336 Susan Weiss [email protected] PUBLISHER / BUSINESS MANAGER: www.NYParenting.com Clifford Luster EDITORIAL SALES MANAGER / ADVERTISING: (718) 260-4554 Sharon Noble [email protected] OPERATIONS ASSOCIATE: CALENDAR Tina Felicetti (718) 260-2523 SALES REPS: Alexis Benson, Shanika Stewart, Jackie Tarantino ART DIRECTOR: Leah Mitch The acceptance of advertising by New York Parent- New York Parenting Media has been recognized LAYOUT MANAGER: Yvonne Farley ing Media does not constitute an endorsement of for editorial and design excellence by PMA. the products, services or information being adver- WEB DESIGNER: Sylvan Migdal New York Parenting Media is published monthly tised. 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Jesseca Stenson Join the conversation on Facebook. 4 BRONX/RIVERDALE FAMILY • November 2014 State of the Art Dental Facility • Kid Friendly Celebrate your child’s birthday at the Garden for an unforgettable experience! We Welcome Little Smiles! Dr. Dionne Finlay, Pediatric Dentist Dr. Steve, Orthodontist Book now and get a FREE GIFT when you mention this ad! 2100 Bartow Ave., Suite 246 Bay Plaza, Coop City Behind Pathmark, Next to AMC & Bally’s More information: 718.817.8687 | [email protected] | nybg.org St. Francis of Assisi School Now Enrolling FREE Full-Day UPK Touring Tuesday 9 am to 11 am Register Now! Catherine Corry Early Childhood Academy 718-231-0858 (A Division of St. Francis of Assisi School) 718-994-4650 (Main Campus) 4321 Barnes Ave., Bronx, NY 10466 sfabx.com November 2014 • BRONX/RIVERDALE FAMILY 5 and epic challenges they must face. In honor of Prematurity Awareness Month, and the fourth annual World Prematurity Awareness Day on Nov. 17, organizations like the March of The preemie Dimes are hoping to educate all ex- pecting parents about the possibility of and potential risks associated with preterm births, which occur prior to 37 weeks of pregnancy. Extreme pre- term births of micro preemies occur experience prior to 34 weeks. Author and New York mom Jenni- fer Degl went through a heart-rend- BY TAMMY SCILEPPI ing experience after giving birth to Part 1: A mom her micro preemie daughter Joy, who hey call the first 24 hours after is now 2. Degl said she would love to chronicles the a premature birth the “honey- use this special day as an opportu- T moon.” It’s when the newborn nity to spread awareness of prematu- struggles of remains relatively stable, after just rity and hospital neonatal intensive being cradled — safe and protected care units. (You can read her touch- premature birth — in mama’s womb. Then things seem ing story, and find out about another to go haywire and suddenly, that tiny mom’s preemie experience in Part 2 preemie’s fate is in the hands of the of this article.) neonatal intensive care unit staff. After her miracle baby came Can you imagine that for weeks on home from 121 days in the neona- end, your only contact with the baby tal intensive care unit, Degl wrote a you just carried is through a plastic memoir called “From Hope to Joy: box? You can’t hold or even touch A Mother’s Determination and Her your little one through the ventilator Micro Preemie’s Struggle to Beat the opening because his skin is so ter- Odds” (www.fromhopetojoy.com). ribly delicate. The book chronicles her life-threat- This is a tribute to all the brave lit- ening pregnancy, and Joy’s struggle November is tle souls out there, born before their to survive (while Degl’s three young time — those tiny preemies fighting sons were at home). She says it was Prematurity to stay alive in their ventilator co- harder to live. quite a roller coaster! coons, covered with scary tubes and Did you know that more than one Joy was born at 23 weeks in 2012, Awareness machines. And let’s not forget about in 10 babies around the world (an es- at Westchester Medical Center in the teeny tiny ones — those other timated 15 million) are born too soon Valhalla, New York.