Schools WeekJanuary 2018 BRONX/RIVERDALE CatholicFREE Family www.NYParenting.com Chill Winter activities across the city How to help with homework Get vigilant about food allergies 7 Lessons in Chemistry. And kindness. Invest in a Catholic education when it makes the most difference. Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York offer a unique combination of academic and spiritual development that helps children of all backgrounds get the best start in life. Our students learn in an environment where respect, courtesy and service to others are always part of the curriculum -- and they are outpacing New York State and New York City public school students in both Math and English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency standards. We invite you to see the value of a Catholic education: schedule a tour at a nearby school at any time, or attend one of the upcoming TOURING TUESDAY open house events being held at 133 participating Catholic elementary schools. Open Houses: January 9 & January 30 from 9-11am. 2018-19 ADMISSIONS ARE OPEN Book a Tour at a School Near You or Apply Today CatholicSchoolsNY.org/admissions Bilingual Helpline: (646) 794-2885 Bronx/Riverdale Family NEW YORK January 2018 Parenting Where every child matters 29 FEATURES COLUMNS 6 Be vigilant about food 29 Healthy Living allergies BY DANIELLE SULLIVAN BY JUDY M. MILLER 30 Good Sense Eating 8 The value of Catholic BY CHRISTINE M. PALUmbO, RD schools Why parents choose this thriving, CALENDAR effective alternative BY CANDI SPARKS 24 January Events 20 What to know before you SPECIAL SECTIONS adopt an adolescent BY JUDY M. MILLER 10 Catholic Schools Directory 22 Homework helper Supporting their studies at home 18 Kids Activity Directory BY JAN PIERCE 22 January 2018 • BRONX/RIVERDALE FAMILY 3 LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER Twentieth year of publishing his year we are enter- ate. Additionally, I wanted it are now taller than us and call us things ing the 20th year of to be completely reflective of like “little mommy” which is what my T publishing Brooklyn the whole of Brooklyn, not taller than me daughter sometime calls Family. At the time I was com- just “some neighborhoods” me. Whether taller or smaller, the parent- pletely new to this business and set about to make sure it ing experience never really ends. They are but extraordinarily enthusias- was distributed everywhere our children forever just as we were to our tic about the idea of creating and that it didn’t cater to a parents. a parent guide that could help readership of largely top-end 2018. It’s amazing where the time and moms like me. My daughter parents. years go and how fast they move from was then 6 and in the first Apparently it worked. With one to the other. Hopefully, we’ll all have a grade at a public school in the a lot of hard work, consistency great year and that our children will grow Boerum Hill section of Brooklyn where we and distribution in the right places, it flour- and flourish with the good nurturing that managed to get her in on a variance and ished and was soon followed by a maga- we, as engaged and concerned/loving par- then win a place in the lottery. We wanted zine in Queens, the Bronx and my original ents will be giving them. her to go there because they offered such a borough of Manhattan. The Special Child Thanks for reading! Happy New Year great multi-cultural program with a human magazines came next, then NYParenting. to all. rights core curriculum, things that were com and now an Annual Guide and a soon important to our family and important to to be published Summer/Camp Guide. me as a soon to be publisher. It’s been a real labor of love and I’ve So as a busy multi-tasking working had the pleasure of working with many Mom, I was also a parent seeking infor- talented and committed people over these mation about programs, schools, support years. Parenting small children united us Susan Weiss-Voskidis, groups, etc. that I hoped would be the all. Some of us don’t have “small” children Publisher/Excutive Editor backbone of the magazine I would cre- anymore. Many of us have children who [email protected] Community News Group Contact Information CEO: Les Goodstein ADVERTISING: WEB OR PRINT ADDRESS PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER: (718) 260-4554 New York Parenting Media/CNG Jennifer Goodstein [email protected] 1 Metrotech Center North 10th Floor CIRCULATION Brooklyn, NY 11201 New York Parenting (718) 260-8336 [email protected] PUBLISHER / EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Susan Weiss EDITORIAL www.NYParenting.com PUBLISHER / BUSINESS MANAGER: (718) 260-4554 Clifford Luster [email protected] OPERATIONS ASSOCIATE: CALENDAR NEW YORK Tina Felicetti (718) 260-2523 SALES REPS: Erin Brof, Mary Cassidy, Parenting Shelli Goldberg-Peck, Jay Pelc ART DIRECTOR: Leah Mitch The acceptance of advertising by New York Join the conversation on Facebook. Parenting does not constitute an endorse- New York Parenting has been recognized for WEB DESIGNER: Sylvan Migdal ment of the products, services or informa- editorial and design excellence by PMA. tion being advertised. We do not knowingly GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: Arthur Arutyunov, present any products or services that are New York Parenting is published monthly by Gardy Charles, Earl Ferrer, John Napoli, fraudu lent or misleading in nature. New York Parenting Media/CNG. Subscrip- tion rate is $35 annually. Reproduction of Mark Ramos Editorial inquiries, calendar information, New York Parenting Media in whole or advertising rates and schedules and subscrip- part without written permission from the tion requests may be addressed to New York th publisher is prohibited. All rights reserved. Parenting, One Metro tech Center North, 10 Copyright©2018 MANAGING EDITOR: Vince DiMiceli Floor, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201. ASSISTANT EDITOR: Courtney Donahue New York Parenting can also be reached by COPY EDITOR: Lisa J. Curtis calling (718) 260-4554, emailing Family@ NYParenting.com or by visiting our website, CALENDAR EDITOR: Joanna Del Buono NYParenting.com. 4 BRONX/RIVERDALE FAMILY • January 2018 FREE First lesson & Belle School of Music Consultation Pediatric ENT and Audiology Specialists “Where Learning is Fun!” Your SPECIALIZINGSPECIALIZING IN PIANO, KEYBOARDS ANDAND VOICEVOICE Priority Ages 2-4 with parent participation. is Our Plant the seed of music in your child! MUSIC LAND Ages 4-5 with parent participation. Priority A delightful experience for Mozarts of the future MUSIC FOR LITTLE PEOPLE Ages 5-7 with parent participation. Unique Russian-Japanese method. Experience the Magic of Music. Our pediatric team is dedicated to the compassionate, ADVENTURES IN KEYBOARD Ages 8-12. Tradition expert care of all young patients with disorders of the on a new note. Piano instruction for the child of the new millennium. ear, nose, and throat. When it comes to caring for your child’s health, there’s no concern too big or too small. Bring out the musical talent in your child! Susannah Hills, MD Scarsdale: 1088 Central Park Ave Flora Holderbaum, AuD White Plains: 283 Tarrytown Rd TOP 5 WINNER 2016 Yonkers: 1537 Central Park Ave 2015 ColumbiaDoctors Riverdale 3050 Corlear Ave., Suite 202 • Bronx, NY 10463 914-961-5511 646-317-5100 • 212-305-0029 www.belleschool.com January 2018 • BRONX/RIVERDALE FAMILY 5 Be vigilant about food allergies BY JUDY M. MILLER rowing up, I was not aware of any friend that was aller- G gic to a food. However, upon becoming a parent, I quickly became aware of a number of children with food allergies, several so acute that I now routinely ask about food aller- gies prior to having any child in my care. Food allergies in children have dou- bled in the past decade; www.foodal- lergy.org states that one in every 13 children under age 18 has a food allergy, and among preschoolers, the incidence is one in 10. More than one-third of children with food allergies are allergic to multiple foods. These numbers are alarming. During a recent inter view on NPR ( http:// www.npr.org/2013/04/15/177319365/the- doctor-trying-to-solve-the-mystery-of- food-allergies) Dr. Kari Nadeau, a scientist at the forefront of food allergy research, shared that it is suspected that the reason food allergies have exploded is multifac- torial. In other words, there is no single reason or simple answer. She is conduct- Learn More: Signs ing clinical trials on desensitizing children of anaphylaxis who have multiple food allergies. The re- Anaphylaxis is a life-threaten- sults look promising. ing allergic reaction. It can occur The most common food allergens suddenly and escalate quickly, are tree nuts, peanuts, milk, eggs, soy, usually within minutes of a person wheat, fish, and shellfish. These eight food eating. Mild symptoms can be a sources account for 90 percent of food al- runny nose, a funny feeling, or a lergies. The U.S. Food and Drug Adminis- sudden rash, but these can swiftly tration (FDA) does not require labeling on escalate to more serious issues, trace amounts (trace contaminants) up to such as: 200 milligrams. Although 200 milligrams • Difficulty breathing does not sound like a lot, it is roughly the • Swelling, hives or swollen lips equivalent of a peanut. But a parent of a • Hoarseness child with a severe food allergy will tell • Constriction of the throat you otherwise. Those 200 milligrams can • Nausea and vomiting throw their child into a severe reaction, • Abdominal pain and cramping anaphylactic shock or worse. These trace • Diarrhea amounts can kill. • L ow blood pressure Sarah, mom to a middle-school-aged • Dizziness son who was diagnosed with a severe milk • Fainting allergy when being weaned from breast- • Rapid heartbeat feeding at one year old, lives with this • Cardiac arrest knowledge.