I just came across an incredible bunch of people who started a non-profit to better the lives of sick or sheltered children by truly rolling up their sleeves and getting involved in what it would take to make each individual child happy.

Their mission is simple: “to help children escape their everyday pain and allow them to be a kid again, even if it’s for a short period of time. We respond to the needs of the children and provide whatever we can to make their day a little brighter. We help put a smile back on the faces of children who need it most.”

They have chapters located in Florida, Philadelphia & North Carolina. Check them out HERE and if you’re able, lend a hand however you can!

Everyone needs a little smile.

Like a Boss: Honing Your Leadership Skills

On February 7th (9-10a) I will be speaking at the kids’ entertainment industry’s most important annual event, Kidscreen Summit. The session lets you sit down with some of our industry’s most experienced executives and unearth the secret ingredients of effective leadership. Join us and be inspired by the vision, wisdom and personal “growing pains” stories of the following:

Kate Ebner – Panelist – Founder & President: The Nebo Company
Donna Friedman Meir – Moderator – President: Lemonade Creative Consulting
Thomas Lynch  – Speaker – CEO & Executive Producer: Tom Lynch Company
Angela Santomero – Speaker Founding Partner & Executive Producer: Out of the Blue Enterprises

As mentioned in an earlier post, I’ll also be moderating the Channel Team Spotlight: PBS Kids Panel at 3p that day. I hope to see you there!

I’ve always been interested in the theatre. And I know that my girls got the bug as well. People are often leery when it comes to the acting business, especially when it involves their children.  I went to THE Annie & a veteran in the biz for PBS’ The Parent Show to get some questions answered about how to protect our kids in the business (while staying clear of becoming that “stage” Mom) and how we can best support our kids in their search to follow their dreams, while dealing with rejection & other serious matters, in a healthy manner.

First, I went to Marc Tumminelli who is the owner/director of Broadway Workshop, NYC’s top training program that gets the next generation of young actors to hone their craft while having fun with it. Next, I went to Aileen Quinn, who was chosen from 8,000 girls to play Annie in the original 1982 film version of Orphan Annie.

I could have stayed there all day asking Marc and Aileen questions. Check out the interview to see some of their responses that absolutely apply to basic parenting as well.

[Preview The Parent Show episode]

Bullying has been a top story in the news lately but if you’ve spent any time talking or reading about the subject, you’ll find a huge range in opinions about what actually constitutes bullying and even what age bullying can begin.  We adults have a hard time agreeing what is “normal” kids-being-kids stuff and what is malicious and potentially dangerous.

Since my own 11 year old daughter is dealing with some of this now in middle school, I did a little research on the subject to help her, and me, tackle these issues in a way we can both feel good about.  I think it is important for her to take the lead when confronting a possible bully, but I want her to know that I’m standing firmly behind her in how she handles each situation…especially when I’m not there.

I found that American Girl makes a well thought out but simple book called, Stand Up for Yourself & Your Friends: Dealing with Bullies and Bossiness, and Finding a Better Way.  It is written specifically for girls, however, the information can be applied to boys equally well. Though it targets ages 8+, many of the tips can be shared with children as young as pre-school when they are first learning to navigate friendships.

Often children are unsure as to whether or not the behavior should be considered bullying. The book that can help your child identify bullying behavior:

• Gossiping & spreading rumors
• Name-calling
• Intentionally & repeatedly leaving someone out
• Teasing & insulting
• Intentionally embarrassing someone
• Scaring or threatening someone
• Telling secrets that were shared in confidence
• Using a computer to do any of the above (cyber-bullying)

The book goes on to help each reader by giving her tips on how to either A) ignore the bullying behavior or B) speak up in a way that will be both effective and not cause her trouble of her own.  Next, it gives advice for staying strong under pressure, figuring out why her bully might be acting that way, when to seek support from grown-ups, and finally, how to make sure she is being a good friend herself and what to do if she makes a mistake that hurts someone’s feelings.

There is also a companion journal that offers quizzes and questions for the reader to work out her thoughts and feelings.  My daughter dove right into it.

Let us know how you may have handled a bullying situation with your child or yourself and how it worked out in the end.

We ventured on our 1st vacation with another family…ever.  We picked a great place to go and a great family to go with.  These were the professional Disney go-ers. You know the type, they know all the ins & outs – the best place to stay, the best rides for kids our age, the best way to avoid the lines – while we were one step behind most of the vacation, we added in the best restaurants and shows to see!  As Tom said, “You need to try out all the rides so you can blog about it!”  So as not to waste your time & $ when in Disney, here are some valuable tips:

Disney’s Swan and Dolphin Resort – A nice resort with great pricing where you can be in the mecca of Disney but also get away from it for a while and hide out at the Cabana Grill to feel as if you’re in Miami for a bit…

A walk to the Boardwalk  – where we had family bonding on our 4-person Surrey bicycle and motorboats to rent

Boat Launch to Epcot & Hollywood Studios (I’m old school so I kept calling it MGM studios!)

Swan Paddle Boats just off the beach – so cute!

Access to “Magic Hours” which was a life saver during this very busy time of the year.  **warning – to me, this was like running the marathon without training! ( 7-8am, 10-12m or 12-3am  Needless to say we passed on the 12-3am!)

Kimono restaurant – good sushi and even better Karaoke for our 11 year olds to get up and sing!

BlueZoo Restaurant – good food for all, fun ambiance

Epcot Must Sees – We got all of these in during magic hours, without them the fast passes were gone by 11am and the wait times were 2+hours on average!

Soarin’ – crazy fun (nauseating/scary if heights are in issue – as they are for me) ride were you feel like flying.  I had my eyes closed half the time while my eight year old daughter was basically trying to jump off….

Norwegian Boat Ride (sans movie)

Fireworks  – sitting at a café table with cappocino, chocolate crepe watching the fireworks cheoographed to classical music – (my favorite, although not a ride!)

Test Track – for the adventuresome – not my family.  But those with the need for speed love this one!

Magic Kingdom –

Cinderella’s Castle – really…Stop and stare.  So pretty.

 Splash Mountain – we all loved it.  Our family favorite!  Cute, sweet boat ride, then a fun log flume drop to kick it up a notch!

 Jungle Cruise – much tamer than the others, but our guide packed on the silliness, which our kids ate up!

 Peter Pan – So great to be immersed in the world and to fly through it.

 Pirates of the Caribbean – I felt like I was 12 again, but we almost lost my 8 year old who did not appreciate the dark…or the dark humor

 It’s a Small World – a classic.  A must.  I just want to put one of those dolls right in my pocket

 In serious need of a rewrite?  Bear Jamboree – Seriously, bears singing about “blood on the pillow”, making sexual innuendos, and showcasing stupidity and overweight bears?  I know it’s been around forever but that doesn’t make it a classic!

 Fireworks – I didn’t have a chance to get closer to the castle, but the fireworks over Magic Kingdom (as seen from Narcoosee’s) are so good that kids are spoiled forever and all other fireworks shows fail in comparison

Hollywood Studios –

 Toy Story – A favorite for the younger set.  One of the kids couldn’t get enough and between the fast passes and magic hours I think he went on it 5 or 6 times in 3 days!  High score?  101,000 points!

 American Idol Experience – as close as it gets to being immersed in the real experience

 Sci Fi Diner – What can I say, we love a good food experience!  Pretending to be outside, with a dark blue sky, twinkling stars, eating in convertible cars with headlights that light up, watching silly old sci fi movies and eating burgers, shakes and fries!

 Monster’s Inc Laugh Factory – another underground favorite – we loved the interactivity (surprise, surprise!)  where all of us in the audience were featured as part of the personalized animated show.  (“Want to see something cute?  [pause] A baby!”)

 Muppet Vision 3D – Greg and my personal favorite (& Jim Henson’s last completed project) Sooo funny and we love the 4D smells waffed in, water spirted on you, puppets appearing in the theater….

Let me know if I missed any of your favorites!

Two year’s ago seemed like our last “grown ups” New Year’s Eve.

We had a festive dinner with family in Palm Beach, took the kids home, tucked them in and let loose with some friends at The Breakers.  We had a blast, but the next morning the girls woke up and asked, “What about the New Year’s Eve party?  Is it tonight? Wasn’t there supposed to be a party?”  So, at 6 and 8 they were already well aware of the festivities that surround New Year’s Eve and we have since been in search of the best family celebration.

This year we rang in the New Year with close family friends who also have children our kids’ age. What better place to go for a family New Year’s Eve than Disney World!  After much debate and multiple reservations (Elizabeth and I are both in search of the best family NYE), we ended up getting dressed up for a party of 8 at Narcoossee’s at the Grand Floridian for 5:30pm reservation.  Chef Noah was outstanding (dealing with my never ending scroll of multiple food allergies in style).  We all had our best meal of the vacation – and Chef Noah went completely off menu to create a special dish for me – – fresh sauteed winter greens, kobe steak, and even my own dairy free tofutti ice cream and brownies for dessert!

The kids enjoyed the balloon man who made them all atypical balloon hats and then we watched the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the outdoor patio on the water – with accompanying music. A great way to ring in the new year!  We headed inside for the party – a grand celebration in the lobby of the Grand Floridian.  Drinks, live big band music and thousands of big, multi-colored balloons hanging over our heads for a midnight balloon drop.  Problem?  Well…the big band music was a tad sleepy and soft for a real rockin’ party…even with kids.  We can all dance up a storm – – if the band was playing something upbeat and fun!  But instead, we had hours of “A Dream is a Wish You’re Heart Makes” (my personal favorite but for 2 hours?) and sleepier Count Basie selections than the event required.

I know we kept the kids up late, but at 11 and 8 years old they were really excited. And once they saw the netted balloons, just waiting to be released overhead, they weren’t going anywhere.  So after the big countdown, midnight finally came, thousands of balloons dropped overhead to Old Anzine and it was a New Year’s Eve to remember!

Happy New Year everyone & please let us all know your favorite New Years spot!

While having lunch on Monday with some co-workers, I couldn’t keep from glancing to the side at an adjacent table. There was an eight(ish)-year-old child with a woman who seemed to be either the girl’s older aunt or grandmother. On the surface, it looked like a nice, inter-generational date between two people.

But when I looked closer, I was a bit uncomfortable by the lack of warmth between them—although there were little smiles exchanged from time to time, there was little connection between the two. There were but a few words exchanged between them, and the adult’s responses to questions were short and brief. Much of the time was spent looking around the room, down at the menus or fidgeting with whatever was within arm’s reach. From my vantage point, neither seemed to truly gain anything from the experience.

It’s unsettling for me to see people physically together, but lacking any visible connection when all they have to do is make just a small conscious effort. Sure, it can be difficult to turn away from our to-do lists and adult responsibilities to get some focused, one-on-one time with a child or teen. And when the generation gap increases, it seems to be even more of a chore for both parties to engage each other. Their interests, points of view and sometimes even their language can seem so different. (Although, I personally found my grandma’s stories and spunky attitude fascinating, and as a result, we connected with each other when others found it difficult.)

But bridging the generational gap benefits both sides: Being around younger people can help you feel youthful, even. I remember how my grandma would light up with enthusiasm when we spoke—it was nice to see. And as the older person, you can help educate your young companion, and offer him or her the insights of your wisdom and experience.

As a mother of two who works in children’s TV programming, I’m around kids all the time. I typically use the four strategies below to really connect with them when we’re spending quality time together.

Get Personal – There’s nothing better than sharing with each other unique anecdotal stories that make each of you who you are. The more personal and sacred, the better—both parties should feel special to be privy to this type of semi-private information. My girls love the story of when my aunt talked a then nine-year-old me into cutting off my long hair, just like my aunt’s hair style, simply because I was too embarrassed to say no to her.

Be a Student – Whether it’s something he learned in school, a magic trick or a joke, have him share it with you, and then repeat it to him afterward. In this way, he’ll believe that something he said or shared with you was important enough for you to remember.

Go one-on-one – It doesn’t matter if you have one or five children or grandchildren—if you’re looking for long overdue quality time, try to schedule it so you can spend alone time with each one individually. The undistracted focus on one child at a time does wonders. Just don’t forget to spread the wealth among the others.

Focus on quality over quantity – You don’t have to plan a full day of non-stop activities to get the most of your time together. Whatever time you have, dig in, learn from each other and, if you allow it, you may just come out knowing a little more about yourself.

Too much or not enough?

To help or not to help?

Homework…these are the questions.

When I was asked about it recently, I realized I have very strong opinions on the subject. Here are a few of the things I feel passionately about:

1. Homework should be either a review, a reflection or an extension of something learned in class.  It should NEVER be new material assigned for a student to learn by himself because the teacher doesn’t have time to teach it
2. Unless otherwise specified by the teacher, a parent’s role in homework is to make sure your child understands the assignment and make sure he does the assignment.  That’s it!   Homework is used as a tool for the teacher to know what the child is capable of doing on his own outside of class. You are not doing your child a favor when you micro-manage or correct your child’s homework.  It isn’t your homework!  And besides, we always know  😉
3. The amount of homework to give is one of the most difficult issues to manage for teachers.  What may be too much for one child in the class may seem not enough for another based on learning style, organizational skills and the subject matter.  Expectations of the (collective) parent body, school, school district, etc. also factors into homework.  Not to make excuses, but it is hard to please everyone!

When in doubt about a teacher’s homework policy or the type or amount of homework your child is getting, don’t be afraid to talk to the teacher and explain any concerns you have or difficulties your child may be experiencing.

Hip Hip Hooray!

Do you know a SuperWhy fan whose name is Hannah, Nathan, Hailey or Aneliese?

If so: 1) LIKE my Fb fanpage & 2) post why they’re a fan & I’ll send your Super Reader some free, personalized Super Why gifts!

Good luck!

Throughout the blogosphere I’ve met some wonderfully talented, intelligent and creative people who have their own unique voice and something to share. My favorite relationships are those that are based on mutual respect. Lately, I’ve been corresponding with Kia Robertson,  a woman whose philosophy on nutrition and healthy eating I feel strongly about and equally share.

Kia had recently sent me her latest, a Today I Ate A Rainbow! kit, which allows children to monitor their progress within their quest to eat well. This is all done in a fun, intuitive and informative way with the assistance of charts, magnets, shopping lists and illustrated books. We all know that kids yearn for order, repetition and to be challenged, so Kia skillfully incorporates this into the Today I Ate A Rainbow! kit.

Should you have a picky eater at home or if you simply want a fun way for your kids to instill and nurture lifelong healthy eating habits, this kit will undoubtedly assist in that process.