Archives for 2019

Allowing Enrichment Activities Without Adding Stress

Every parent wants their child to be well-rounded and develop additional talents beyond excelling academically, and after school enrichment programs can be the answer.

Whether you are considering sports, theater, or martial arts, or music, ballet, or art lessons for your youngster, experts say everything from scheduling and to financial commitments can help make the selection easier.

The most important criteria for determining a child’s activity is their age, according to several experts we spoke with recently.

The best age to introduce drama and theatre is kindergarten at age five or six, according to Nicole Hermansen, who runs a theater group at four Island schools, called “Standing Ovation Players.”

Even at that young age, students can learn the basic terminology of a stage production, while vocal lessons should be introduced at around age eight, she noted.

“We have found that the best timing for scheduling classes with kids is directly after school or on Saturday mornings,” she explained.

“The skill level of each child determines their work load,” according to Ms. Hermansen, who runs her company with Fiona Gannon at St. Teresa’s School, St. Joseph Hill Academy, Our Lady of Good Counsel, and P.S 38.

Magi Kapllani, owner and director of DEA Music & Art School, recommends elementary school children take individualized lessons once a week for 30 minutes.

“They can add more classes depending on their skills and grade level,” Kapllani said. Trial classes can help them decide which instrument is best for them, she added. “This will give them a real feel to see how it works,” Mrs. Kapllani noted.

Diane Bush, owner of Dance, Dance, Dance in West Brighton, also suggests a monthly trial.

Three-year-olds should maintain one class for 60-90 min. weekly as to not overwhelm them, especially if they suffer from separation anxiety, according to Ms. Bush, who has owned and operated the school with her sister, Karen, for 32 years.

Older dancers can take an average of two and a half to three hours of instruction a week, while dancers on the competition team put in six to eight hours a week.

“Dance is something that takes years to master — it’s not an instant gratification sport,” Ms. Bush explained. “It takes years to mold the body a certain way.”

Dance and martial arts are two of the enrichment programs the experts here say can give students invaluable life skills.

“It’s a real confidence booster,” Ms. Bush said of dance.

Joanne McKernan, a Great Kills resident, said her son, Peter, 13, found a love of Tae Kwon Do at the age of seven after taking a few trial classes and is now awaiting promotion to third-degree black belt.

“I feel this type of training helped him focus, it helped him with his self esteem, it helped his maturity level, Mrs. McKernan added.

A $140 monthly fee allows Peter McKernan to attend twice a week — and the option of a Saturday class, a schedule he has juggled successfully over the years as his mom felt it was flexible enough not to interfere with his academics, and the tuition was affordable.

Many of the enrichment programs offer monthly or quarterly payment plans to make it economical for parents — especially if they have more than one child, or more than one program.

Martial arts can be the right choice for students who want to learn discipline, character, respect, and courage, according to Shihan Carmel Sorrento, owner of Legend Karate in Midland Beach.

“We teach structured learning and we try to instill trust, patience, and eye-hand coordination, so it does enable them to go into other sports,” she said.

She recommends younger students from age four to six attend classes two days a week for continuity, but not more than that. “We don’t push it,” she said.

Meanwhile, Thomas Cordes, 9, followed in his brothers’ footsteps on the basketball court, according to his mother, Jennifer Cordes. “They have a lot of interest in it,” she said.

Her older sons, Matthew, 13, and Christopher, 12, play travel basketball, which Mrs. Cordes’ husband, Chris, said can cost up to $500 just to join the team — not to mention the cost of gas, tolls, and lodging.

The timing is also a consideration, Mrs. Cordes said. Thomas spends no more than one to two hours a week playing basketball, while his brothers play five hours on average, not including the weekend traveling. “They do all their school work first, and practice is later,” their mom said.

By Christine Albano

Look through the pages of SI Parent magazine to find the perfect activity for your child, or check the directory listings on our home page.

School’s out for the summer and kids are enjoying alarm-free mornings and homework-free afternoons. While parents are likely more focused on planning vacations and keeping their kids occupied, summer is a good time to pick up select school supplies for the upcoming season. Taking advantage of summer sales means spreading out the cost of back-to-school supplies, which in 2015 cost families an average of $630.

While electronics and basic supplies are better purchased in August, the following items can be purchased over the summer at a discount.

1. Basic Apparel Styles
Starting Memorial Day weekend, spring and summer apparel staples including tees, tank tops, shorts, and skirts go on sale as retailers try to woo consumers who are otherwise focused on outdoor activities. These basics are great for back-to-school because they can be worn during the first several weeks of school and as layers when the weather starts to cool off. Look for savings of 20% to 50% off, and use online resources like Retale and Flipp to scan store circulars digitally and compare discounts between retailers like Target, JCPenney, Kohl’s, and more.

2. Uniform Garments
Though kids are not focused on school during the summer months, retailers know parents are always thinking ahead. In the past, uniform basics like polos, skirts, and slacks are offered at a discount from retailers ranging from Macy’s to Old Navy to Lands’ End.

3. Athletic Apparel & Goods
Parents of athletic kids know how expensive sporting gear can be at the start of each new season. Fourth of July sales often feature deals from such retailers as Dick’s Sporting Goods, Sports Authority, and Big 5 Sporting Goods. During the first two weeks in July last year, for example, Sports Authority offered savings of up to 40% on football gear, while Big 5 Sporting Goods offered discounts on name-brand competitive swimwear. Look for stackable discounts from sites like
CouponSherpa.com, where you can sometimes find coupons with extra percentages off your purchases.

4. Furnishings for the College Bound
Grown-up kids heading back to college can find deep discounts on furniture basics in July. New styles of furniture debut in February and August, making the month prior to each of these events a great time to pick up clearance styles for less. Last year, Target and Kohl’s offered great discounts on furniture in July. In addition to department stores and furniture shops, scout online stores like Overstock and Wayfair, both of which offer a huge selection of furniture and discounted or even free shipping.

5. Double-Duty Supplies
While some supplies are better purchased at the end of summer, items your child can use right now and later are a good buy. For example, a new travel backpack can double as a school backpack once class starts, and online retailer eBags typically has discounts and sales of some kind to help offset the cost. Same goes for crayons and markers, which can be used during family road trips and at the start of class. One way to save money on double-duty items that aren’t yet on sale is to sign up for retail e-mail clubs. You can often score 10% to 25% off with a new-member discount.

When I’m not busy contributing to all great stuff you find here at Staten Island Parent, I blog about my adventures in parenting. After perusing my website recently, a very sweet reader left a comment stating she only has one kid but still really enjoys all the stuff I write about. “ONLY” one kid, she said.

My kids are over three years apart, so I had “only” one kid for a while myself and let me tell you, having one kid is not necessarily easier than having two. It’s probably not even much easier than having a whole litter of ‘em actually.

Now that I have two kids, a nice chunk of my day is admittedly spent physically prying my children off of one another, mediating arguments prompted by pressing matters like whether it’s time to watch Team Umizoomi or Scooby Doo, and who gets to eat the last package of fruit snacks. But in between those annoying spurts of fighting, my home is filled with the joyful sounds of children playing together. Frequent fits of giggles and shrieks of laughter, freckled by mischievous moments of quiet scheming, then followed by even more explosive laughter– these are the sweet, sweet sounds of siblings getting along. And to me, they’re some of the most beautiful sounds you will ever hear. I think that if you could bottle the blissful sound of children’s laughter, it might just cure every illness under the sun.

I’m not implying that having one child will leave you with a dull, laughter-less home. Not at all. As any parent knows, all children are hilarious in their own way. We just tip the laughter scale around here even more than we used to before my second child came along.

Particularly for a new parent, caring for “only” one child can be one of the loneliest feelings in the world.  In fact, I was extremely depressed for most of the three years I spent as a mother of one child. The door would close in the morning as my husband headed off to work, and the seemingly endless hours of loneliness would begin. I’d look down at my little guy and he’d look up at me, his eyes as wide as his expectations for the day, and I knew that keeping him content for those long hours was all on me. It’s a big job, and not an easy one.

Fact: there is really only so much coloring, finger-painting, and shape-sorting you can do before you start to lose your ever-loving mind.

Some moms like to stay busy by filling their toddler’s schedules with exciting play dates. And that’s great. But what about parents who, like I was, are new to their neighborhood and don’t have a ton of mommy friends with whom to set up play dates? You could sign your kid up for a playgroup or some type of class that encourages socialization, but those things aren’t always cheap. For new parents making ends meet, there’s rarely room in the budget for such expenses when you can roll a big ball around and sing The Wheels on the Bus to your kid at home for free.

Another problem I had when my son was an only child was sharing. At home, all of his precious toys were his and his alone. Without the frequent wails of “but it’s MY turn!” from a jealous sibling, sharing was a foreign concept to my little guy. I’ve always found it to be painfully awkward when your kid has engaged in a knock-down, drag-out, tug-of-war match with another kid over a toy, and the parents need to step in and encourage the angry toddlers to “take turns,” as if that really works. Usually the match rages on until the toy is removed and both children are sulking, or the other kid hands it over and your kid ends up looking bad. Either way it’s an uncomfortable situation that rarely results in any follow-up play dates.

So moms of “only” one child, do yourselves a favor and give a little, in fact a LOT, of credit where it’s due. Raising kids is tricky business, no matter how many you have. Every type of parenting comes with its own set of challenges- one kid, two kids, ten kids, twins, triplets, whatever. The bottom line is that you are raising a living, breathing, human being who is depending solely on you to keep him or her thriving and well, 24/7. It’s a big responsibility. I think, even for those parents raising a whole boatload of kids, we’re all just figuring out this parenting thing as we go.

By Jeannine Cintron, a Staten Island mom of two who would like to state, for the record, that she does NOT want a whole boatload of kids. Read her blog at www.HighchairsandHeadaches.com.

New York Sports Connection Presents the 2016 Essay Contest on Sportsmanship

“What Role Does Sportsmanship Play in Youth Sports?”

Open to NYC Kids Ages 12 – 18! CASH and/or PRIZES of up to $500!!

Mickey Mantle, a true sportsman, once said, “After I hit a home run I had a habit of running the bases with my head down. I figured the pitcher already felt bad enough without me showing him up rounding the bases.”

Have you witnessed, or been a part of, an act of good sportsmanship? Have you ever wondered why acts of good sportsmanship are sometimes remembered long after the score of the game is forgotten? Have you ever acted like a poor sport, and regretted it later?

New York Sports Connection, the hub for youth sports information in New York City, will award top prizes of up to $500 (in cash and/or other prizes) to the the best original, never-before-published essays that promote sportsmanship and fair play in several age groups! Additional prizes may be awarded to runners-up depending on the number of entries received.

WHO CAN ENTER: Authors must be between 12 and 18 years of age as of April 30, 2016, and a legal resident of one of the five boroughs of New York City (Brooklyn, The Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, or Staten Island.) Only one entry may be submitted per author. For essays authored by someone under 18, a parent or guardian must fill out the contest entry form and upload the essay (but it still has to be written by the child!) Authors who are 18 years of age, can fill out the contest entry form and submit their own essays. Parents & Guardians: If you are entering on behalf of more than one child under 18, please fill out a separate entry for each child. Please read the complete rules for detailed instructions.

WHAT TO WRITE: Authors should write an original essay between 400 and 500 words (500 maximum!) about, “What Role Does Sportsmanship Play in Youth Sports?” Authors should include their definition of sportsmanship. If an author can share a true story of good sportsmanship that he or she has observed or been a part of, that’s great, but it’s not required.

HOW TO FORMAT: Submit essays in 12-point font with the author’s name, age, grade, school and contact details (of person who submitted the essay) printed at the top. Files must be named with the first and last name of the author and the contest name. For example, “John-Doe-2016 Essay Contest.”

HOW ESSAYS WILL BE JUDGED: Essays will be judged on the basis of use of the theme (30%); originality (10%); grammar and spelling (20%); emotional appeal (10%) and writing skills appropriate for the author’s age (10%). The judging panel includes Olympic Silver Medalist in fencing, Tim Morehouse, WFAN Radio’s Craig Carton, and Kym Hampton, a former NY Liberty player and current Community Ambassador for the team.

THE ENTRY DEADLINE IS APRIL 30, 2016

CLICK HERE FOR RULES AND CONTEST FORM