No “Art in the Park” for the Co-op This Year

Wednesday, Mar 31, 2010 5:16pm  |  COMMENTS (0)

We just learned that the Montclair Cooperative School will not be holding its annual Art in the Park–the super cool art and family festival. From a message on their website:

The Board of Trustees of the Montclair Cooperative School has decided to suspend Art in the Park for this year. Art in the Park was scheduled to be held April 30 – May 2, 2010 at the Montclair Art Museum. We appreciate everyone who expressed interest in the show, but the current economic climate has taken a toll on the total number of artist applications; consequently, it is not prudent to produce the show this year.

My family loved Art in the Park. We saw our first Elizabeth Mitchell concert at one and Kristen and I had a blast introducing Barista Kids to everyone there last year.
The Co-op will hold a fundraiser instead called The Forest Street Flea Market and Craft Festival and is calling for artists & crafters:

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This Week’s Highlights: March 31 – April 6

Wednesday, Mar 31, 2010 3:00pm  |  COMMENTS (0)

This wetlogged month is at its end and hopefully April will bring less showers than March did. It’s a busy week and there are lots to do. Don’t forget to check out our Easter Bunny Sightings story so you know where to find an egg hunt before Easter Sunday. Stay on top of all local happenings by checking our Upcoming Events calendar often, signing up for our newsletter and becoming a fan on Facebook. Here are this week’s highlights:
Get Crafty
April 1
Just Kidding Around in Montclair has started a weekly craft time.
Be a Builder
April 3
Home Depot offers a Kid’s Workshop. Make your own Butterfly House.
Listen to a Story
April 6
Bring your little one over to Watchung Booksellers for Miss Elaine’s storytime.

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The Lost Etiquette of Being on Time

Wednesday, Mar 31, 2010 1:00pm  |  COMMENTS (7)

lateclock.jpgI had a crazy, terrifying teacher in first grade. She carried a ruler around and banged it on your desk when she screamed at you. She sat kids in the corner for just looking at her the wrong way and never let us use the bathroom, which ended in lots of puddles on the floor. But despite her sadistic teaching methods and rules, she taught us one thing of importance–being on time.
She would tell us daily that being on time showed respect, good work ethic and manners. She said, “a person that shows up late is saying ‘I matter more than you’.” This is the one lesson that I agree with, and being on time is the one thing that I see less and less of these days.
I am a Pre-K teacher and every single day kids are brought in late to school. My daughter is in kindergarten and at Back to School night, her principal said that lateness was a big problem. Not only are the kids missing out on the morning routine, but they are being taught that they can show up whenever they want.
I asked a couple of local preschool directors if lateness was a problem at their schools and not surprisingly–it is….

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Spring is in the Air and at the Park

BY  |  Wednesday, Mar 31, 2010 11:00am  |  COMMENTS (7)

hersheypark.jpgWe were granted a glimpse of spring, taunted by a glimmer of hope and then flung back into the dark days of floods and near freezing temperatures. But all that’s about to change– in Hershey, Pennsylvania at least. For the next two weekends Hershey Park is hosting its annual pre-opening season celebration, Springtime in the Park.

This year the park has extended the event to two weekends so visitors have even more opportunity to enjoy the park at reduced rates.

To me, even at full price, Hershey Park is heaven, but maybe that’s because I spent virtually every family vacation there since birth. In fact, my dad even had a Hershey Park outfit, which he wore every day for the entire week at Hershey. My mom packed the suitcase full of coordinated short sets for him, but my dad decided he only needed one, his chocolate brown shorts and tan plaid button-down. He said he was trying to do Milton Hershey proud with an all chocolate-themed outfit. I think he accomplished his goal.

For our part, my sister and I achieved a less lofty but equally ambitious aspiration, which was to ride the Mini Himalayas until the park closed without throwing up.

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Giveaway: 4 Tickets to See Dan Zanes and Friends at Bergen PAC

Wednesday, Mar 31, 2010 9:00am  |  COMMENTS (14)

DZ76trombones.jpgWINNER: Congratulations to NJGator–the winner of the 4 tickets to see Dan Zanes & Friends at Bergen PAC on April 17. Enjoy!
Dan Zanes and Friends are back in town for two concerts at Bergen PAC on April 17. Dan Zanes and his record company, Festival Five records, are celebrating 10 years of making awesome family music and the release of their latest album 76 Trombones.
Bergen PAC has generously offered a family 4-pack of tickets to one lucky Barista Kids reader.
To enter the contest, keep reading..

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Camp Highlight: Unbelieva-Bills Adventure Camp

Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 3:00pm  |  COMMENTS (0)

unbelieva-Bills summer camp.jpgSummer camp at Unbelieva-Bills offers a great blend of counselor-led camp activities and a fun time playing arcade games. Kids get to enjoy all that Unbelieva-Bills offers: shows in the Theater, music, drama classes, arts & crafts, dancing, laser tag, magic shows and lessons and much more.
It’s a full morning of fun from 9 am – noon, offered daily, 3-day or weekly. Unbelieva-Bills also offers extended day packages, which includes lunch in their cafe. Check out the cute picture from last year’s camp at left. Unbelieva-Bills is offering a sweet deal if you register in April: weekly $195, 3 day $110, daily is $45. This is around 40% off original price.
Unbelieva-Bills Adventure Camp
Where: 310-312 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, NJ, 07042.
Who: Kids ages 4 – 8 split into two groups: Jr. Campers and Campers.
What: Mix of fun and staff-led activities such as music,drama, crafting, science, magic, dance and so much more. Go on a scavenger hunt, play rock band, see a show in the state of the art theatre, play laser tag, make an original music video, learn enough magic to put on your very own show, or win big in arcade games tournament.
When: July 5 – August 27 from 9 am – 12 pm. Daily, 3-day and weekly options. Extended day options are available on request for an additional fee.
Cost: Rates before 6/15 – daily ($60), 3-day ($145) and weekly ($225) / rates after 6/15 – daily ($75), 3-day ($175) and weekly ($275). Includes snack.

Motherhood to Otherhood

Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 1:00pm  |  COMMENTS (0)

Local mom Julia Roberts is an author and life coach who helps moms devote
the same amount of time it took to bring their child into this world–nine months–to
realizing their own personal dreams and goals. She calls the plan “Unpregnancy” and has structured it much like a pregnancy with trimesters, labors, and check-ups. By the end of the nine months, the goal is for moms to “give birth: to a new life.”
The plan is laid out in her book Motherhood to Otherhood. As moms, we know all too well that when Roberts says, “We wake up and take care of kids, husbands, houses, jobs, pets, lunches, dinners, volunteer work and at the bottom of the list… we take care of ourselves…” she speaks the truth.

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Play at Unbelieva-Bills For a Fundraiser

Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 11:00am  |  COMMENTS (0)

unbelieva-bills.jpgWatchung Cooperative School came up with a really fun way to raise money–two hours of play at Unbelieva-Bills. For $15, your kid can play on the jungle gym, see a magic show in the Children’s Theater, and play arcade games with the game card included in admission. Watchung Co-op receives a generous portion from each admission.
Get out of the house and head over to the event on Thursday, April 1 from 5 pm – 7 pm. Unbelieva-Bills serves food in their cafe, so don’t worry about dinner time, you can feed the kids there.
Watchung Cooperative School Fundraiser at Unbelieva-Bills
Who: All ages.
What: A two hour fun event that will raise money for the Watchung Co-op: jungle gym, magic show and arcade games.
Where: Unbelieva-Bills, 310-312 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, NJ, 07042.
When: Thursday, April 1 from 5 pm – 7 pm.
Cost: $15 per child. Open to the public.

Let’s Talk About Sex

BY  |  Tuesday, Mar 30, 2010 9:00am  |  COMMENTS (0)

sexeducation.jpgAll parents know that the time will come when we will be faced with the “talk”. Does the thought of talking about sex with your kid make you uncomfortable? Do you think that you have until they are tweens to have the dreaded discussion?

Actually, it will (and should) happen a lot sooner– like kindergarten soon. My 6-year-old has already started asking a lot of questions, both about her body and how babies are made. I’m pretty comfortable discussing it with her, but you should see my DH squirm when the subject comes up.

An upcoming workshop, presented by Dr. Eva Goldfarb, Professor of Health Education and Chairperson of the Department of Health & Nutrition Sciences at MSU, will help you understand the subject of sexuality and young children. Sex education with young children is not just about how babies are made, it’s also teaching them about their bodies.

I spoke with Evelyn Shalom, a former public school teacher for over thirty years who also has a Master’s degree in health education and is certified by the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists as a sexuality educator. She’s also a mom and grandma, with lots of life experience. Evelyn now has a parenting consulting practice in Montclair.

She offered her advice on “The Most Important Things Parent Can Do with Children in Grades K – 3″…

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Our Children / Our Schools Petition

Monday, Mar 29, 2010 3:00pm  |  COMMENTS (2)

AFRAbutton.jpgOur Children / Our Schools is an organization based in Newark that advocates for adequate funding for public education, access to high quality preschool, safe facilities and other programs, including alternatives to New Jersey’s heavy reliance on local property taxes to fund education. With the recent announcement of Governor Christie’s school aid cuts, Our Children / Our Schools is collecting signatures on a petition urging the Legislature to “fund the formula” — the School Funding & Reform Act passed three years ago.
According to the petition:

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