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2019 / Archives for September 2019

Archives for September 2019

This Is How to Balance School Days and Sports

September 30, 2019 By Joe LoVerde

It’s no easy task, especially when you have multiple children playing on multiple teams. When those children attend different schools with different dismissal times, and the sports events are at different locations, the strategizing gets more complex.

But rest assured — you can do this! Here are some tips to help you survive the next few months.

Put everything on a calendar

 Get a good-size monthly box calendar — you can print out PDFs from various websites — and list each day’s activities. Put the morning events at the top, afternoon events in the middle and evening events at the bottom. You can even use different color highlighters to color code the events and make it easy to see which child has what activity.

Be sure to include slots in each day when homework and studying will be done, and when you’ll have dinner. Being able to see the whole day in chronological order will help you come up with a plan to successfully navigate the day.

Make sure your child knows the day’s plan

. Including the child is important, both in helping get through the day and to help the child learn responsibility. If there is reading that can be done in the car while a sibling is practicing, put it on the child to remember the book. Your children should also be responsible for bringing the equipment they’ll need for that day’s sports activity. Giving them a role in managing the day provides a valuable life lesson.

Team up with other parents

 Once you get to know the other families on the teams, you can help each other by carpooling and keeping an eye on each other’s children. Getting to events at different locations is challenging for everyone, and even more difficult if you are a single parent or if one parent is unavailable that day to get a child to a game or practice. Get everyone’s cell phone number in case of emergencies. If you can get some help from an adult with a child on your son or daughter’s team, and that family lives close to you, you can help each other get through the day.

But it’s important to remember that whoever is responsible to picking up the child at the end of practice should be there before practice is scheduled to end. The coach should not have to wait around for parents who come late to get their children. The coach may have kids playing on other teams like you do, and he or she might need to be someplace right after practice. Respect the coach’s time.

Read Next | Youth Sports & Coronavirus: When and What Can Kids Play?

Sometimes you have to accept the fact that you’re only human

 The best planning can go awry, and there will be times your child will have to miss a sports event because of a conflict or a school responsibility. Yes, you should find reasons to get your child to a sports event, and not excuses why you can’t. But when it’s impossible to do so that day, level with the coach. He or she likely has had to deal with the same challenges themselves and should understand, unless it happens often.

If you find your child is missing too many of a team’s practices or games, your schedule just might not mesh with that activity or team and you should probably look to sign up him or her someplace else.

The outdoor sports season is the most difficult time of year, since there are so many different sports at so many different locations. Things should calm down somewhat once the weather forces the change to just indoor activities. More than anything, don’t build up the commitment of your child playing a sport bigger than it is. You can get through it. There are 168 hours in a week; 10 of which are generally required to dedicate to playing a team sport. Although the math makes it look easy, it does take some juggling and prioritizing – but with some commitment, it can be done!

Joe LoVerde has coached youth sports on Staten Island for more than 40 years. He’s also a longtime newspaper editor and sportswriter

after school dance class
Read Next | Find Great After School Programs in Staten Island

Filed Under: Positive Parenting Tagged With: sports

Christmas Tree & Menorah Lightings in Staten Island

September 18, 2019 By Michelle Yannaco

2019
Is there any view more breathtaking than the twinkle of glowing holiday lights? Kick off your yuletide celebrations this season with a Christmas Tree or Menorah Lighting Ceremony here on Staten Island. Bring your whole family and bask in the bright lights together!

Always call ahead to confirm dates, times, locations, and details.

Castleton Avenue Holiday Tree Lighting

Saturday, November 30 • 5pm
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church • 347 Davis Ave
Join The Castleton Merchants Organization and St Mary’s Episcopal Church for a Holiday Tree Lighting. Before the tree lighting head down to shop on Castleton Avenue on Small Business Saturday.

5th Annual New Dorp Lane Christmas Tree Lighting & Holiday Festival

Sunday, December 1 • 4pm
On New Dorp Lane • between New Dorp Plaza & 10th Street • 718-477-1400 ext 827
Featuring Christmas caroling, a family photo booth with Santa, a trackless train, animals, costume characters, free gift wrapping and much more.

Victory Blvd Merchants Association Holiday Event & Tree Lighting

Tuesday, December 3 • 5pm-7pm
Victory Blvd & Westcott Blvd • 718-273-8802
Santa, caroling, entertainment and more!

Read Next | These Are the Best Christmas Tree Farms Near Staten Island(Opens in a new browser tab)

Empire Outlets Tree Lighting Ceremony

Tuesday, December 3 • 3-6pm
Empire Outlets • 55 Richmond Terrace • 929-262-6710
The first-ever tree lighting at Empire Outlets will showcase a 40-foot crystal tree and an evening of live music and caroling, hot chocolate, seasonal bites, in-store shopping deals and holiday revelry for the whole family. Guests are asked to bring much-needed toys for kids in need during the holiday season, to be donated to Toys for Tots in honor of #GivingTuesday.

Borough Hall Tree Lighting

Thursday, December 5 • 6:30pm
10 Richmond Terrace • 718-816-2000
More details TBA.

Conference House Annual Grand Illumination

Friday, December 6 • 7pm
The Conference House • 7455 Hylan Blvd. • 718-984-6046
Welcome the holidays at this free outdoor community event. Enjoy live music and warm cider and cookies as the Conference House is illuminated from within.

Annadale Tree Lighting

Sunday, December 8 • 5-7pm
Annadale Road next to Richmond County Savings Bank
Featuring a DJ, music, train ride for kids, bouncy houses, live performance by Miss Caroline’s Dance Elite, photos with Santa.

Christmas in Richmond Town

Sunday, December 8 • 12-6pm
Historic Richmond Town • 441 Clarke Avenue • 718-351-1611
Visit New York City’s most complete historic village all dressed up for Christmas. Take an old-fashioned carriage ride down historic Center Street and immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of winter in the country. Plus see the annual tree lighting.

Rab’s Christmas Tree Lighting Spectacular

Sunday, December 8
Rab’s Country Lanes • Hylan Blvd. & Delaware Ave.
Join the very first annual Tree Lighting at Rab’s!

Richmond Road Christmas Tree Lighting and Holiday Festival

Sunday, December 15 • 3-5pm
Santander Bank Parking Lot • 1630 Richmond Rd. • 718-477-1400
Free family photos with Santa, trackless train, Christmas carolers, free refreshments, giveaways, dance demonstrations and live reindeer.

Staten Island Mall Grand Menorah Lighting

Sunday, December 22 • 4-6pm
2655 Richmond Avenue
Staten Island’s Largest Menorah Lighting at the SI Mall. Join us in an evening of unity and light. Latkes, hot cocoa, Chanukah Arts & Crafts, entertainment and more!

Borough Hall Menorah Lighting

Monday, December 23 • 6:30pm
10 Richmond Terrace • 718-816-2000
More details TBA.

Filed Under: Winter

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