By Hillary Chura

There is only so much choice my mommy brain can handle—especially when it comes to shopping—which is why I’d always avoided Century 21, that mecca of merchandise mess.

It’s partly because we don’t live near the department store, but also because my first exposure was during the torture that is Christmas shopping. Whatever the reason, I was never ever ever going back. Hearing friends’ tales of smashing deals at Century 21 did not sway my conviction. Nor did seeing shoppers trying to wedge their bulging Century 21 bags onto crowded subway cars (another kind of hell altogether—for everyone involved).

Visit newyorkfamily.com to read the full article.

We all know about the city’s holiday trees–but here are four lesser known spots for holiday lights that are totally worth visiting.

By Meredith Greene

One of the best parts of the holiday season is the glittering lights and snazzy decorations, and we all know about the city’s plethora of holiday trees. But here are four under-the-radar spots to see holiday lights that Manhattanites might not immediately think of that are definitely, totally worth seeing:

1. Holiday Light Spectacular
South Slope’s Holiday Light Spectacular is the amazing two-man show of homeowner Chris Schneider and friend Ryan Powers, who make all their displays by hand. Each annual show features a different theme and storyline—think “The Grinch House” to 1950s styles–and this year it’s North Pole’s Got Talent. Shows are every 20 minutes from 5-11pm daily. 310A 22nd Street, Brooklyn.

For the complete list, please visit newyorkfamily.com.

By Whitney C. Harris

Would you sequence your baby’s genome? It sounds like a question from some futuristic sci-fi thriller, but it’s slowly becoming a reality for present day parents according to this recent NPR feature by Rob Stein.

Whole genome sequencing–the process of uncovering the entire DNA makeup of a living creature as early as in utero–just might become the next major decision that expectant parents need to make on the journey through pregnancy, as the procedure is becoming more common and less costly.

To read the full article, please visit newyorkfamily.com.

Enlist your kids to recreate a takeout favorite right at home for a cozy afternoon of messy fun.

By Christine Wei

When I was growing up in Taiwan, dumplings were the epitome of family bonding in the kitchen. Every time the Lunar New Year rolled around, I’d gather in the kitchen with my mom and grandmother, mixing filling and wrapping little nuggets around the dining table. (Dumplings are an auspicious food at the annual New Year’s feasts.)

But dumplings also make delicious and nutritious snacks any time of the year. Wontons, the thin-skinned and triangular-shaped variety, are simple enough for even the littlest of fingers to wrap. As we enter the winter season, this hands on recipe is perfect for an indoor afternoon of messy family fun–the best kind of all.

For the complete recipe, please visit newyorkfamily.com.

By Angela Johnson

Photo by Karen Haberberg

When California native Latham Thomas first arrived in New York, she couldn’t help but feel that the city could use a little of the warmth she was used to back home.

“There were no trees and people were so much less open. I was like, ‘Oh, I’m needed here!’” Latham recalls. “So I decided to stay.”

After graduating from Columbia University and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Latham thought she’d be using her skills in a laboratory. Instead, this vibrant Manhattan mom is coaching women through one of the most important times in their lives: pregnancy.

To read the full article, please visit newyorkfamily.com.

McCourt emceed all the Blackboard Award ceremonies until his death in 2009, and I have no doubt his words and wisdom still echo in the minds of many the educators—teachers and principals alike—who were there during those ceremonies. They certainly do in me. McCourt’s message was that only a teacher really knows what it’s like to stand in front of classroom full of kids and get them to learn something. He bristled about how the teaching profession was besieged by so-called experts telling teachers what to do, when many of the experts themselves were never teachers. Mostly, though, he expressed a lot of camaraderie, respect and dark-humored sympathy for his fellow educators.

Only Frank could say it like Frank, but we try to carry his message forth in our own way: hoping to express that you, our dedicated and talented local educators, are deeply appreciated by many around you, your colleagues, students and parents. Chances are it was one of them who put in the nomination for you or your school.

Originally founded by the leaders of Manhattan Media, Tom Allon and Richard Burns, the Blackboard Awards are dedicated to honoring excellence in local education wherever it exists—public, private, charter or parochial school. It humbles us to learn about the good work you do, and that, in turn, impassions us to get out the word.

Speaking for all my colleagues at Manhattan Media, I have two final words for you: Thank you.

—Eric Messinger, Editor, New York Family

2012 Blackboard Award Winners

West Side YMCA, Where Teachers and Parents Work Hand-in-Hand

Students Learn to ‘GELL’ at Village School

Nurturing the Whole Child at St. Stephen of Hungary

PS 199 Creates Lifelong Learners

Horace Mann: A Century of Quality Teaching in the Heart of the City

Character Counts at Harlem Village Academies

The Uncommon Way: Improving the Norm for Inner-City Students

Small Step From High School to College

A Blueprint for the Global School of the Future

The World Awaits at Leman School

Emphasis on Whole Child at Battery Park School

Prepping for a Bright Future at Winston Prep

Math and Sciences Under Microscope at High School

All the World’s a Stage at Performing Arts School

Opening the Doors to the Future for Students

Empowering Students and Teachers to Find their Voice

For Curious Adventurers

Skip the museum and creep up your day at The Evolution Store, where those with a taste for adventure can get a glimpse of prehistoric specimens and exotic insects. Channel the likes of Indiana Jones and Allan Quatermain as you trek through this enthralling treasure trove of obscurities; no need for spelunking when you can head straight for their wide array of minerals—crystal, agate, and more. Take home a mammoth hair sample or a scorpion lollipop—or fall in love with a taxidermied friend. Surely not for the faint of heart, this shop is full of curiosities that will incite “oohs” and “aahs” galore, and may introduce you to creatures and artifacts you never knew existed. Adventure awaits at this truly astonishing SoHo store.
120 Spring Street, theevolutionstore.com

To read the full list, please visit newyorkfamily.com.

Now through January 13 
STUFF LEGENDS ARE MADE OF
[ALL AGES]
The Big Apple Circus is back and better than ever with a new Legendarium show at Lincoln Center! Inside the Big Top circus tent, which holds more than 1,700 people, circus artists will perform feats of daring from aerial stunts to contortionism to juggling. Fans of this iconic not-for-profit troupe know that no matter where you sit, you’ll be no more than 50 feet away from all of the action.
From $25; times vary. 63rd Street and Amsterdam Avenue, 800-922-3772, bigapplecircus.org

To read the full article, please visit newyorkfamily.com.

Tutoring, babysitting, even vacationing—There are more ways to contain the cost of an nyc childhood than one might think

By Hillary Chura 

You don’t need to move to the suburbs to save money. (In fact, that usually doesn’t work, but more on that later.) In my experience, there are ways to reduce the cost of almost any good or service you and your family enjoy as part of living in the city—it just takes a little creativity and moxie. I’ll get you going with some of my favorite money-saving tips for New York families, but once you start noodling it over, about I’m sure you’ll come up with some of your own.

Travel 

New York is the country’s top tourist destination, so the next time you start planning a family trip, consider a home swap. For about $10 a month, websites like HomeExchange and Intervac can connect you with members in places you’d like to visit. You stay in their home (usually complete with washer/dryer, kitchen, lawn and sometimes even a pool and car) while they stay in yours. No additional money changes hands. Tip: some co-ops don’t allow swaps, so be sure to check with your building beforehand.

Neighborhood Goods and Services

The big lesson here is to look farther afield. Take storage, for example. If you live in Manhattan, you’re likely to find it cheaper (and just as safe) to use a reputable storage facility in Queens or the Bronx. The same lesson works for birthday cakes, children’s clothing, car washes, dental work, groceries, manicures, kitchen cabinets and almost anything else you’re looking to save money on. Also, never assume that prices within your neighborhood are uniform. I recently was stunned to discover I could pay $19 for a pound of wild-caught salmon at Fairway, $30 at Agata or $40 at the local fishmonger—all within a mile of one another. And don’t even get me started on price differentials in overnight parking! You never know.

Child Labor

Nowhere is it written that you need a 30-year-old CPR-certified, tax-paying professional for a babysitter. Especially if your children are somewhat self-sufficient, consider asking a responsible and smart younger teenager to watch the kids on date night. They can stick a frozen pizza in the oven, help the kids with their homework and be infinitely more entertaining and energetic than an adult who’s babysitting after a full day in the office. Expect to pay $8 to $10 an hour—did I just hear you gasp?—about half of what high school seniors, college students and professional sitters charge. If you’re queasy about leaving a 15-year-old in charge, remember who watched you on those Love Boat-Fantasy Island Saturday nights when your parents were out!

Teacher Tutors

This is New York, so even academic rock stars will need a private tutor at least once before they go on the grand college tour or start applying for financial aid. If you can’t or don’t want to spend $150 an hour for established tutoring services, try connecting with one of your child’s former teachers (a good one, of course) or ask friends for recommendations. Many full-time instructors are already tutoring on the side, and guess what? They’re usually really good at it—they’re teachers! (Plus, they’re often familiar with the specific tests your child will be taking.) Since you’re enlisting just their expertise with no middleman, expect to pay one-third to one-half of what established tutoring agencies bill.

Camps 

Think outside the tent. Some of the more affordable day camps are sponsored by nonprofits like the Brooklyn Arts Exchange, the Van Cortlandt House Museum, Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden, YMCAs and other local community centers, New York Botanical Garden and Greenwich House. Likewise, many neighborhood churches offer week-long half-day programs where kids do crafts, sing and play outside, with some Old and New Testament stories sprinkled in. A week-long program rarely tops $80 per child, and many churches offer discounts for siblings. Though technically not a nonprofit, the Parks Department itself offers a $500/summer program via a lottery.

Student Practitioners

If you or your child needs a service like a haircut, dental work, ADHD or speech therapy or even a family portrait photography session, make a call to a local professional school. To get the practice they need, student apprentices will knead your muscles, snip your locks, address your lisp or drill your cavities under the watch of a veteran at a cost of next to nothing. You can also call the school’s placement offices and ask about how to hire recent graduates. Believe it or not, I did this to find my most recent (OK, only) home decorator. She was young, but kept me from making some headache-inducing mistakes.

Outsource Parenting

If you can make it happen, ship the kids to the grands in a cheaper ZIP code for a week or two of intergenerational bonding over this summer. Even if you enroll the kids in camp, living expenses go down radically when you’re almost anywhere but here. And if you can’t accompany your kids on the drop-off or pick-up trip, consider the fact that you generally pay only an extra $50 to $100 for an unaccompanied minor (aged 5 to 11) to fly solo on nonstop flights.

Negotiate

New York is full of mom-and-pop businesses, and just about everyone, from dentists to the proprietors of kids’ activity and enrichment centers, may lower their bills if you ask. One friend with three kids tried this for summer camp and was so stunned at the discount offered by the camp that he told the owner he didn’t expect that much of a break. Given the economy, even big businesses like hospitals may offer after-the-fact rebates if you receive a bill that’s higher than you expected.

School Auctions

To raise money, many local schools now feature some of the items from their annual benefit on their websites prior to the actual benefit. These are great ways to find big breaks on local children’s classes and birthday parties, among other things. And you don’t have to buy a ticket, dress up or go somewhere to participate; they just want your money. Also check out biddingforgood.com, an online auction clearinghouse where schools, foundations, religious organizations and other charities across the country auction off summer camps, trips, memberships, jewelry, sports tickets and other donations all year round. This spring, I snagged a local museum membership, baseball class, professional consulting, dolphin watching and chess camp for less than half the price I had paid in the past.

In case you’re pondering a move to the land of lawn care and shopping malls to cut costs, you may want to reassess. Assuming you move close enough to the city to keep your day job, chances are your monthly outlay is likely to remain similar to whatever it was in the city, if not more. Soon enough, you’ll wonder where it all goes at the end of the month (much as you probably do now) thanks to paying for niceties like lawn care, garbage collection, snow removal, commuting, heating and cooling, lighting for an extra 2,000 square feet, a car (or two), insurance and higher real estate taxes. On the positive side, with your extra hour (at least) of commuting each day, you’ll have the plenty of time to figure it out.

Hillary Chura is a freelance writer, longtime business reporter and New York City mom of two. Look for her work on newyorkfamily.com, where she’ll soon be starting a blog about, yes, parenting money savers. 

By Tali Rosenblatt-Cohen

A few years ago, when my older son was three and a half and my daughter newly a year, my son began referring to me as “Franklin” and insisting that we call him “Harriet.” For those of you not already humming the theme song (Hey, it’s Franklin!), Franklin is a TV show about a sweet turtle who has a baby sister named Harriet. My husband and I couldn’t quite figure out where this role playing was coming from: Was it gender-related? Did he want to be a girl? What was he trying to tell us?

About a month or so into our new identities, I took both of my kids to the park. My son was off and running while I watched my daughter crawl and toddle about. Soon, a woman–looking rather confused–approached me.

“Are you…Franklin?” she asked.

“Um…yes? Sort of?” I stammered.

“Well, there’s a little boy named…Harriet looking for you.”

With that mortifying conversation, I had an epiphany. This was my son’s way of expressing his jealousy at all of the attention his baby sister was getting. He became the baby sister. And I, in some mash-up of Freudian and toddler logic, became him–the older brother, the one with responsibilities. It sounds ridiculously obvious now, but we were so focused on trying to understand just who our son was, that we forgot to listen as he told us exactly what he was feeling.

To read the full article at New York Family click here.