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South Slope Pediatrics Blog

Drag Queens and Other March Fun-ness!

2/27/2018

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I can’t stop repeating myself - I’m so totally over this winter!  Aren’t we all?  What fun activities can we plan to help us get through this last stretch here….wait, I know!  How about a Drag Queen Story and Party Hour?  Yes please!  A live performance of “The Snowy Day” & other stories by Ezra Jack Keats at St. Luke’s Theater in midtown? Love it!  Or rocking out to “The Women of Soul”, a family event at Brooklyn Bowl, featuring the music of Aretha Franklin and more.  YESSSS!!!  Here are some of the fun activities we are so very, very lucky to be exposed to living here in NYC.

March 3rd, Drag Queen Party Time (Park Slope United Methodist Church): From 3-5pm enjoy all things FUN like face painting, kid-friendly performances, storytime, arts & crafts and of course a dance party!  Celebrate diversity and help encourage our children to look beyond stereotypes while having the time of your life.  Tickets start at $20 per family.  

Saturdays & Sundays, The Prince & The Magic Flute (Puppetworks):12:30 & 2pm showings,  adapted for Marionettes by Nicolas Coppola (suggested for ages 4 and up). Child: $10, Adult: $11.  Reservations suggested.  

March 17th, Math Through Art Workshop (Jnana Wellness Center in Boerum Hill):  2:30-4pm, These workshops are for your child to learn math by expressing themselves creatively. The goal is to explore math concepts in a hands-on way! $20/session.  

March 18th, Story Time with Authors of Ladybug Girl, David Soman & Jacky Davis  (Powerhouse on 8th): 11:30 - 12:30pm, Come to storytime and listen to the adventures of Ladybug Girl read by the husband and wife who wrote this beloved series! In Ladybug Girl and the Rescue Dogs, Lulu comes up with a plan to help all of the rescue dogs get adopted and find a home. RSVP suggested. 

March 18th, The Rock & Roll Playhouse Presents Women of Soul (Brooklyn Bowl): Featuring the music of Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross and Whitney Houston.  Doors open 11am, all ages.  These shows allow kids to “move, play and sing while listening to works from the classic-rock canon” (NY Times). Using the songs created by the most iconic musicians in rock history, The Rock and Roll Playhouse offers its core audience of babies and kids games, movement, and stories and an opportunity to rock out. 

Saturdays & Sundays, NYTM Train Operators Workshop (NY Transit Museum): 3:30-4:30pm, Drop by the Computer Lab to take control of a NYC Subway car and operate it over virtual miles of track, using some incredibly realistic software!  Suggested for ages 10+. 

Through June 10th, Block Party (Brooklyn Children’s Museum): BLOCK PARTY brings together the elements of the iconic Brooklyn block party all under one roof, including a series of dimensional stoops set against a backdrop of artistic facades of residential buildings, and different ”street” and green spaces to play games, meet friends, relax, and have fun. Large-scale photographs by Brooklyn-based artist Anderson Zaca, who has long documented block parties in Brooklyn, will be featured and invoke the joy, action, and diversity of block parties celebrated annually across neighborhoods in New York City. Families will be invited to add to the photographs, and record their own images and experiences in the city among those of their neighbors. 

March 24th and 25th, A Fool’s Errand (BAM Theater):  In this physical comedy about the transformative power of friendship, an adventure unfolds from the moment clowning virtuoso Jamie Adkins falls onstage. Tuba player and composer Julie Houle provides an innovative soundtrack that ranges from fanfare to experimental, as Adkins crawls, sways, and stumbles with acrobatic skill and expertly timed comedic despair, finding a delicate balance between chaos and control, loneliness and companionship. A Fool’s Errand tests the laws of gravity, reminding us that the path to success is sometimes a wobbly rope.  Ages 5+. Tickets: $16. 

Saturdays through March 31st, The Snowy day and Other Stories by Ezra Jack Keats (St. Luke’s Theater, Midtown West): 11am, Celebrate the wonder of childhood in the city: the excitement of a fresh snowfall, the delight of whistling for the first time, the awe in finding a special treasure. Four of Ezra Jack Keats’ best stories are brought to life, including The Snowy Day, Whistle for Willie, Goggles!, and Letter to Amy. Tickets: $35, recommended for kids 3+.

Saturdays, Family Tours (Whitney Museum): 10:45- 1:20, Short, interactive family tours of kid-friendly works on view! Learn about art together through lively discussion and fun gallery activities. Ages 5+. 


And don’t forget, Sunday mornings at 10am and 11am at Lark Cafe (Prospect Park South), come sing and dance with the incredibly talented Amy Miles, who we interviewed back in November.  You may have seen Amy on PBS kids Lomax the Hound of Music, Amy Poehler's Smart Girls, or Amy's own web series Meow Meow Music. Amy is a working composer and performer for adults and children. From performing with They Might Be Giants, writing music for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and being a full time Momma herself, Amy stays busy. Playing original and well known songs on guitar, ukulele, and percussive things, singing stories with puppets and bubbles, Amy brings her quirky, country rock and casual style to the sing along arena. $10 per family.  






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Their Voices Must Be Heard

2/10/2018

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It’s impossible to avoid the topic of sexual abuse on the news.   The personal stories those brave young women shared about Larry Nassar go just so far beyond words, and I know many of us cannot watch these women speak without tears rolling down our cheeks.    It’s incomprehensible.  This story in particular has tore the face off of a subject that traditionally gets buried beneath the surface of society.  As a mother of 2 small children, I need to know...how do I create the most open and honest dialogue with my little ones?  How do I  ensure that our relationship is built on trust and honesty, where they know that they can share anything and everything with me? How do I teach them that they must speak up and that their voices need to be heard?  How do I even begin to address these topics when they are old enough to understand.


So many questions...so I started researching and have found some articles that might help all of us.

  • Fostering Open Communication and Trust:
    • Here are 5 ways we can do this, like always asking for your child’s opinion and understanding his point of view - creating trust and a willingness to share their thoughts:  http://www.rulesofparenting.com/letting-it-all-out-5-ways-to-foster-open-communication-with-your-child/
    • This article lists 7 powerful ways we can improve existing communication, like responding to your child with REAL emotion and encouraging our children to be “emotionally literate”.  http://time.com/65324/7-powerful-tips-for-great-parent-child-communication/
    • More tips for the best communication, like trying to respond to them in a way they will hear - acknowledging that it’s OK to disagree and focusing on your child’s feelings, rather than your own.  http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/communication-parents.aspx
    • Build trust by keeping confidences, making sure our children know beforehand if we are going to share anything that they consider “private”.  Respond, keep promises, and tell the truth.   http://www.ahaparenting.com/parenting-tools/communication/trust

  • Helping Our Children Speak Up:
    • One of the many ways we can encourage our children to speak their mind is reinforcing the fact that “no means no”.  That also means we have to listen when they tell us “no”.  If they tell us to stop tickling them, or if they say no to hugging someone, we must respect their wishes.  http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2017/12/29/teach-kids-speak-up_a_23319489/
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  • Addressing the Topic of Sexual Abuse:
    • First and foremost: “Parents should teach kids how to identify things that make them uncomfortable by asking questions that help them to listen to their bodies”.  Preventative Education is critical.  http://abcnews.go.com/US/larry-nassar-talk-kids-sexual-abuse/story?id=52434084
    • Here are 10 pieces of advice to help us address this topic, like teaching your kids to be assertive (and encouraging a discussion with our children about the difference between being assertive and aggressive).    http://www.firstforwomen.com/posts/talk-to-kids-larry-nassar-152633

Bottom line: they must learn that it’s always OK to speak up if something doesn't feel right.





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    Jen Valu
    contributor + supermom

    Jen Valu is the mom of 2 small children who were SSP patients. She enjoys spending time with her family, especially the silly dance parties and creative time with her kids. Recently relocated to the suburbs, she misses Park Slope terribly but appreciates the sanity that has come along with space and a yard. "Embrace the crazy" is her motto.

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South Slope Pediatrics,
​Dr. Hai Cao, MD
​501 5th Avenue, Park Slope, NY 11215
718.576.2450
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  • Expecting? Book a Free Meet & Greet
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