Articles
10 Facts for Families New to Speech and Language Services
As children across the country embark on a new school year, some will have their first experiences with being evaluated or treated for speech and language disorders through the school system. This is something that occurs only with a parent’s consent. Many parents are worried about their child’s communication. Recent national polling commissioned by the American Speech-Language-Hearing […]
L.A. Helps Families Get Back-to-School Ready
Heading back to school can be a challenging time on both parents and kids (traffic, back to school shopping, new teachers– oh my!). Happily, businesses and organizations across the L.A. region have your back to help ease the transition– and help you save a few bucks as well. Here is just a peek at some […]
The Sasha Project LA: Art That Helps Heal
In some ways, Sasha Bogosian is like many 11-year-old girls you might meet. “I love unicorns and rainbows. My favorite colors are the rainbow colors. I like going to the movies with my friends. I like having sleepovers, going to museums, playing with my dog,” she tells me enthusiastically when we chat on the phone. […]
Open Captioning Comes to the Pasadena Playhouse
The 100-year-old Pasadena Playhouse is reaching out to theater lovers who are deaf or hard of hearing with a new assistive option this fall. In partnership with not-for-profit theater support organization TDF, the playhouse will add open-captioning technology to each of its five mainstage plays and musicals during the 2019-2020 season. One performance of each […]
Go Retro for a Back-to-School Film Fest
As a latchkey kid of the ’80s, I enjoyed summers that were far from over-scheduled. I watched soap operas, fried my skin with friends at the beach and never, ever missed $2 Tuesday movie night at the local theater. We’d pay for the 6 p.m. show, sneak into the 8 p.m. show and eat popcorn […]
Play Hooky With Your Kids
Ever think of taking a day off work and playing hooky with your kids? You should this month! August is chock full of weekday events and unique experiences you should fit in before the freedom gates of summer clang closed. From chasing dancing fairies through Descanso Gardens to leaping across giant indoor trampolines and handcrafting […]
Sticky Chicken Dodgers Style
As our L.A. Dodgers play their way through the season, the team has coaches for almost every aspect of the game, from pitching, hitting and the bases to the bullpen and the bench. There are also strength and conditioning coaches, athletic trainers and physical therapists on staff. With all this focus on performance, it should […]
Back to School: Getting Kids to Open Up
From pressure around grades to anxiety about transitions, bullying or home-related tensions such as divorce, some kids will start this new school year facing a host of issues. “One of the big, big issues is immigration,” says Suzanne Silverstein, M.A., founding director of the Cedars-Sinai Share & Care program. “Because a number of them are […]
How Much is Too Much for Young Athletes?
Eleven-year-old Gus Armstrong has been an athlete since before he was born. “[When I was pregnant] I remember distinctly sitting in a business meeting and people started laughing because my belly started running,” says his mom, Roslyn Simpson, who ran track at USC. Gus started playing basketball and baseball at age 5, and now plays […]
Life Lessons from Voice Actor Rob Paulsen
When talking to voice actor Rob Paulsen, you never know who might join your conversation. It could be Raphael or Donatello from “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” Carl from “Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius,” “Animaniacs” Pinky and Yakko, or other characters Paulsen has voiced during a career that spans nearly 30 years. At 63, Paulsen is busier […]
‘One Day on the Gold Line’ is an Intersection of Race, Motherhood, Class, Culture
In her new memoir, “One Day on the Gold Line,” Pasadena author Carla Sameth’s aching desire to become a mother, followed by the life she experiences once that dream becomes a reality, will crack your heart open with pain and joy. This collection of loosely woven essays meditates on desire, motherhood, race and culture. Sameth’s […]
Esther Turan: On Creating Opportunities for Women in Film
It’s no surprise that Esther Turan – born and raised in Budapest to a theater family – became a filmmaker. After graduating from the Hungarian Film Academy in 2004, she established Moviebar Productions, featuring an all-female crew, to collaborate with filmmakers in Europe. As a director and producer, Turan creates innovative film projects that are gaining […]
Tween Time: August Eeriness
If you are the type of person already thinking of Halloween, consider Mid-summer Scream (midsummerscream.org). Hailed as the largest Halloween and horror fan convention in the world, the Scream will haunt the Long Beach Convention Center Aug. 3-4 with creepy installations and more than 300 exhibitors, panels and presentations. Despite its frightening appearance, this scare […]
This Boutique Airline is Autism Certified
A couple of years ago, Alex Wilcox was on a business trip when he encountered a family with a child on the autism spectrum. The child was so distraught by the sights, sounds and overall airport experience that it was impossible for the family to board the plane. As co-founder and CEO of airline JetSuiteX, […]
Dream, Explore, Create in Octavia Lab
The library was once the place we ventured to research, study, check out books. Along came the internet, and some of us began viewing libraries as halls of dusty irrelevance. In response, the Los Angeles Public Library has for some time positioned itself as a hub of state-of-the-art technology and learning, and its latest foray […]
Words Matter When Communicating With Your Child
How often have we said to our significant others, “Honey, it’s not what you said, it’s just how you said it.” Well, I’m definitely guilty of that! Delivery can make all the difference. And, so it is with our children. Their feelings are just as intense as ours … actually, more so. They haven’t had […]
Tips for Healthy Summer Travel
Summer is the time to get outdoors and travel. Whether your family is headed for the beach, the mountains or even venturing overseas, smart preparation goes a long way toward helping to ensure a safe and healthy vacation. Here are some preventive health measures and treatment tips to help family members enjoy their time away […]
#CampReady: Dropping in This Summer
You’ve planned an amazing summer for your kids, one packed with camps, family travel, trips to the beach, time at the local library or just relaxing at home. But not everything always goes as planned. There may be gaps between when one camp ends and the next begins. Or maybe your family trip starts midweek […]
Family Recipes: A Mama and Her Pasta
When she’d used the last of the homemade lasagna and ravioli from her freezer, Leah Ferrazzani faced a dilemma. The busy food writer had been making her own pasta once or twice a week. Now, she was also a new mom. “All of a sudden, that time was gone,” Ferrazzani says. She wanted her family’s […]
Tween Time: Midsummer Night’s Shakespeares
It’s summer and there’s no shaking Shakespeare on LA stages. The kids might think seeing Shakespeare seems like schoolwork, but there really is nothing like watching his work performed live. The first of two productions of “Twelfth Night” occurs at Theatricum Botanicum (theatricum.com) during its summer repertory season. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” – a Theatricum […]
Sunscreen That’s Safe
Recent media coverage might have made you think twice when reaching for sunscreen to slather on your child. A study published in early May in JAMA concluded that avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene and ecamsule – ingredients used to chemically filter the sun’s harmful UV rays – are absorbed into the bloodstream at significant levels. Previous research […]
Vaccine Bill Seeks to Curb Bogus Medical Exemptions
In 2015, following a measles outbreak that began in Disneyland and sickened more than 100 people, California enacted a law removing the “personal exemption” option for waiving school immunizations requirements. Since passage of SB 277, only children with medical exemptions signed by a physician can attend school without being vaccinated. Vaccination rates improved in many […]
Anthony Alabi: on Family, Fatherhood and Failure
For four years, Anthony Alabi lived what many would consider the NFL dream. He played offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs. After those stints, another team was angling for him, but Alabi was already in L.A., pursuing a different dream that had been with him since childhood: acting. It was 2010 […]
Chiqui Social: Playing in Spanish
If having your child learn a second language is a priority, chances are you’ve scoured the city for language-immersion schools and programs. Chiqui Social, a play-based children’s language center in Culver City’s Arts District, is a new option on the scene. Founded by mother and native Angeleno Lizet Alvarez, Chiqui Social is a bright and […]
Connecting the Dots to Get Your Child’s Best IEP
Not long ago, I met with a family who’d just finished their son’s second IEP. They were confused and upset because they felt like they hadn’t been heard by the team. And even if they had been heard, the parents didn’t believe they had enough knowledge to know what to share. Instead, they left the meeting […]
Lisa Popper: Finding Creative Ways to Teach All Children
When it comes to teaching children who learn differently, Lisa Popper wants educators to approach educating them as a puzzle, not a box. A puzzle, she says, inspires a sense of mystery – a many-faceted journey waiting to be solved in a variety of ways. Determined to offer children more diverse ways to learn, Popper […]
Does My Child Really Need Psychotherapy?
In the wonder years of childhood, no parent is anticipating bringing their beautiful, perfect child to see a therapist. I sure wasn’t. You see the other children at school, happily playing. You hear the other parents talking about their children’s incredible accomplishments, and you feel so alone. You swallow hard because you know something is […]
Frostig Opening School for Kids with Learning Differences
The Frostig Center is opening a new school in West Los Angeles for children and teens with learning challenges. Frostig School West will serve students in upper elementary, middle school and high school. The school, located on the campus of Bel Air Church, will open August 26 with two classrooms and gradually grow enrollment. The […]
Put your Child on a Path to Success by Building Healthy Attachment
What is healthy attachment and how is it linked to my child’s success in life? Healthy attachment, also referred to as secure attachment, is the emotional connection formed by communication exchanges, even wordless ones, between a parent and child. That connection will have a big impact on the wellbeing of your child. A secure attachment bond teaches your […]
From Dad, With Love
Every dad I know is proud of his children. We brag about their accomplishments at every turn: when they walk, when they talk, what they do in the classroom, on the sports field and at every stage of life. But not enough of us know how to tell our children we love them. I don’t […]
Review: Disney’s ‘Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge’
Like so many Star Wars fans, I anxiously awaited the May 31 opening of Disneyland’s new “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.” I recently got my chance to visit the park and its new land, set on the planet Batuu, a busy marketplace and trading post in an uncharted region called the Outer Rim. At the beginning […]
PBS KIDS Writers Contest Celebrates Local Students
On June 8,PBS SoCal celebrated young students’ writing achievements with an event at the Los Angeles Public Library in Downtown L.A. Guests were welcomed with opening remarks from PBS SoCal’s Director of Early Learning Susie Grimm as well as Senior Librarian for the Children’s Literature Department of the Los Angeles Public Library Brooke Sheets. Hosted […]
4 Meals from One Roast Chicken
Our L.A. Parent editors were delighted to be invited for a morning of cooking at the Gourmandise School of Sweets and Savories at Santa Monica Place. Co-owner Clemence Gossett helped us be more efficient in the kitchen with her roast chicken recipe that actually creates four meals. Clemence walked editor Christina Elston through roasting the […]
Tomorrow’s Sci-Fi Writers Shine Today
Each May, the Pasadena Playhouse District transforms into a literary mecca. Its streets, alleyways, the playhouse itself and surrounding buildings teem with novelists, memoirists, journalists, food writers, political columnists and actors who cross the brick-laden streets to attend LitFest Pasadena. This year, L.A. Parent was a proud sponsor of a Litfest Pasadena event called The […]
When Families With Disabilities Should Seek Legal Help
“Our kids are not their kids,” says Veronica Mijangos, an Eagle Rock mom of two. That’s why parents of children with disabilities advocate, push, spend hours combing the internet, bug doctors and teachers, join support groups and, yes, sometimes, even seek legal help. Most parents face challenges now and again and have to become their […]
#CampReady: Last-minute Tips for L.A. Summer Camp Procrastinators
In March, I sat in a Silver Lake theater watching “Expressing Motherhood,” a show that gives women a platform for their mothering experiences. I expected to https://expressingmotherhood.com/ chuckle and cry as people shared their stories. I did not expect to be crushed by overwhelming summer-camp anxiety. A piano rolled onto the small stage and Mommy […]
Tween Time: Art and Soul in L.A.
Take in a fascinating mosaic of African American and art history – from the rise of the civil rights movement through the ascension of hip-hop – by visiting exhibits at four L.A. art institutions. “Black Is Beautiful: The Photography of Kwame Brathwaite,” an exhibit on view through Sept. 1 at the Skirball Cultural Center (skirball.org), […]
Ful Medames Recipe: A Lot of Little Bites of Breakfast
Tim Hollingsworth grew up eating what he calls “very American” food: chili, chicken and dumplings, Sunday pot roast, tacos, barbecue tri-tip and burgers. As an adult, he’s been on quite a food journey, working with culinary legends such as Thomas Keller, Alain Ducasse and Gordon Ramsay – and eventually opening Otium next to The Broad […]
Teens, Tweens and Vaping
Don’t be fooled by the terminology. It may be called JUULing or “vaping,” but that doesn’t mean it’s as benign as inhaling water vapor. And these devices created to help smokers quit are now popular among young adults, teens and even tweens. Michael Ong, M.D., professor of medicine at UCLA and chair of the State […]
Mom’s Health: Working Through Worry
If you’re a parent, anxiety comes with the job, but not all anxiety is healthy. And what if you pass your fears along to your kids? Don’t worry! Pasadena-based clinical psychologist and dad Scott Symington, Ph.D., author of “Freedom from Anxious Thoughts and Feelings: A Two-Step Mindfulness Approach for Moving Beyond Fear and Worry,” offers […]
Watch for Summer Asthma Warning Signs
Summer brings higher temperatures and increased pollen and pollution in the air. That can cause trouble for the thousands of SoCal kids living with asthma. Watch for these warning signs from the American Lung Association that your child’s asthma might not be under control: 1. Needing to use a quick-relief inhaler more than two times […]
Teaching and Poetry Are Still Alive In Los Angeles
Memory and perspective are a funny thing. I’m in my 20s now, and I feel ashamed to say I didn’t think the beloved L.A. poet Mike Sonksen was a good teacher when I was a student in his class at View Park Preparatory High School. In hindsight, a more accurate description would be that his […]
Go Wild in L.A. This Summer With an NHM Guide
The words “wild L.A.” might conjure images of Hollywood celebrities and lavish parties, but this story is about the flora and fauna that exist in our urban sprawl. In the book “Wild LA: Explore The Amazing Nature In And Around Los Angeles” by Lila Higgins and Gregory B. Pauly with Jason G. Goldman and Charles […]
The Silver Lining of the Measles Epidemic
Last week, my four daughters, along with a handful of their friends, were scheduled to travel for a short but much-anticipated trip to Mexico for my oldest daughter’s birthday. It was a great plan until measles was reported at Los Angeles International Airport. One of those daughters, Sarah – not the birthday girl, but the […]
#CampReady: What Could Go Wrong?
For some of us, the ruminating starts when we’re lying in bed at night, listening to the air conditioning whir. What if he hates summer camp? What if she gets sick? What if it’s the hottest day of the year and I forget to pack him sunscreen/a bathing suit/a fill-in-the-blank? What if she gets eaten […]
Marvels of Representation
When my son Noah managed to discover his early 5th birthday present, an authentic special-edition Miles Morales Spider-Man costume, the look on his face proved the costume was well worth the $40, plus shipping and handling. After seeing the animated movie “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” he came home and told me, “I really am Spider-Man, […]
Granada Hills Charter Captures National Academic Decathlon
Granada Hills Charter (GHC) High School recently reclaimed the United States Academic Decathlon (USAD) title, capturing the school’s seventh national championship with a total of 53,108.5 points out of a possible 60,000. The school secured the national title in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019. A celebration with bagpipers, cheerleaders and special guests […]
6 Tips for Private School Applications
When it comes to choosing a private school for your child, the stakes can seem incredibly high. The hope is that if you choose the right preschool, she’ll get into the right grade school, followed by excellent middle and high schools and, ultimately, a top-tier college. While the school your child attends isn’t necessarily a […]
Catalyst: A Learning Hub Middle School Set to Open in September in Agoura Hills
From the founders of The Sycamore School in Malibu, an independent elementary school featuring a challenging curriculum rooted in collaboration, innovation, and learning through play and creativity, comes CATALYST: A Learning Hub, a revolutionary middle school based on the same foundational belief that education must be humanized for the 21st Century. Assumptions of the industrial-age-model […]
An Easy L.A. Bread Adventure
The best way for me to introduce Elisa Callow’s delightful book, “The Urban Forager: Culinary Exploring & Cooking on L.A.’s Eastside,” is to share my own experience with one of the recipes: the Twenty-One-Hour Boule. Following the book’s suggestion, I headed to Pasadena flour mill Grist & Toll and was met with a friendly “Do […]
Protecting Your Kids from Molestation
Bring up the topic of child molestation around any parent and the word “nightmare” inevitably comes up. But the problem is far too real. The National Center for Victims of Crime reports that 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 20 boys are victims of sexual abuse. Sandra Murray, M.D., medical director of the Child […]
State’s First Surgeon General Takes on Childhood Toxic Stress
Did your last checkup include discussions of stressors such as physical, emotional and sexual abuse, violence, mental illness or substance abuse in the home, divorce or the incarceration of a family member? If California’s new Surgeon General Nadine Burke Harris, M.D., has her way, your next one will. Our state’s first surgeon general, Burke Harris, […]
Balancing Motherhood and Caring for Mother Nature
In April, Marissa Christiansen, executive director of Friends of the LA River (FoLAR), was gearing up for the 30th Great LA River Cleanup. She and her team were looking to galvanize 10,000 volunteers to pick up 140 tons of trash along the 51-mile span. But while she was excited to lead FoLAR’s cleanup for another […]
‘Your Future Family’ Offers Advice for Parent Hopefuls
In her new book, “Your Future Family: The Essential Guide to Assisted Reproduction,” Kim Bergman offers people who need reproductive assistance to become parents a volume of hope and sound practicality. She says almost anyone can build a family. “Your wish can come true,” she writes. “I must warn you, however, that having a baby […]
Kidsave and ‘Instant Family’ Creator Team Up for Foster Kids
Every year, more than 250,000 children are placed into the foster-care system. Even more heartbreaking than this National Foster Youth Institute statistic is this one: More than 23,000 of those children will age out of the system with nowhere to go. About 20 percent of them will become instantly homeless after they leave foster care. […]
HBO’s ‘FOSTER’ Reveals Complexity of Foster Care in L.A.
L.A. has the largest county foster-care system in the U.S., and an engaging new documentary explores it from the inside. “FOSTER” was written and directed by Mark Jonathan Harris and produced by Deborah Oppenheimer, the pair that worked together on the Oscar-winning documentary “Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport.” That movie told […]
Joy Cho: Making Everyday Products Bring Cheer
Contemporary parents are probably familiar with the fresh, colorful work of Oh Joy! founder and creative director Joy Cho. Her super-popular blog, Oh Joy!, is now in its teen years, and Cho’s lifestyle brand creates cheery versions of everything from luggage to baby clothes to, most recently, Clorox wipes. Her fans are especially looking forward […]
How Research Can Help Parents of Children with Autism Prepare for the Future
When I became a parent, my anxiety grew astronomically. Minutes after the births of my sons, I felt entirely responsible for the fate of these little human beings. I was the Earth and they were seemingly the Sun around which my every decision revolved. Parental worry is a common problem and it can take a […]
Our 7 Favorite August Family Events
You can wiggle with The Wiggles, pop into an opera, have a food fest, help clear the shelters, build cars and cardboard boats and celebrate books at our favorite August events.
Helping Your Kids Cope with Allergies
The spring season for sniffles and sneezes has arrived. More than 40 percent of U.S. children suffer from allergies. Most common are reactions to seasonal indoor/outdoor allergens, including those caused by pollen from trees (spring), grasses (summer), weeds (fall) and mold spores. Seasonal allergies can start as early as age 1 and peak at ages […]
Inclusive Products We Love
For kids of all abilities, we’re showcasing cool relaxation cards, visual schedules, a guide to learning issues, a tech assessment tool and an imaginative CD.
Finding the Right Parent Support Group
I’m a joiner – always have been. Hello, my name is Megan and I’ve attended AA, OA, Al-Anon, Weight Watchers, The Artist’s Way meetings and Co-Dependents Anonymous. (Did you even know that was a thing? It is.) I’ve spent hours in drafty Kiwanis clubs and musty church basements, sitting on metal folding chairs and nodding […]
Addressing Your Child’s Language-Based Learning Difference
Then 10-year-old Adeela Gokal was 5, most people couldn’t understand her. “She had difficulty finding the right words,” says Alison Gokal, Adeela’s mom. When referencing objects, Adeela might say, “The thing with the thing.” Her parents figured it was something she would grow out of. And when Adeela struggled to read in kindergarten, her teacher […]
Supporting Siblings With and Without Disabilities
In the spring of 1993, like a good mother, I began creating my baby daughter Kelene’s photo book. I purchased colorful paper, stickers and stamps to decorate the blank pages. I pasted in her newborn photo, where she smiles so much her nose squinches and her chubby arm hugs her stuffed Lamb Chop doll. I […]
Meet Jennifer Bliss of Vista del Mar Child and Family Services
Jennifer Bliss, LCW, Psy.D., is director of adoptions and foster care at Vista del Mar Child and Family Services, a local nonprofit that provides education, autism, adoption, residential-care, prevention and early-intervention programs. She recently shared some information about herself – and about Vista. What are some of your immediate goals in your new position? Building […]
Don’t Get Caught up in College ‘What If’s’
“What school is your child going to?” No other question (other than perhaps “Do you have a reliable babysitter?”) is uttered more frequently at playgroups and birthday parties. And none evokes more anxiety. Most Angelenos are well aware of the pressures of school choices. This parental one-upsmanship starts in preschool and grows with the child. […]
The Family That Works Out Together
Many of us feel some pressure to “do it all” after we have children. That might look like taking on most (if not all) of the following: providing a safe and stimulating environment for our children, earning money, cooking nutritious meals, maintaining a social calendar and, somehow, staying in shape. It’s a high bar, and […]
A Cat-and-Mouse Story Explores Issues of Homelessness
L.A. County is huge, but its burgeoning homeless population is impossible to hide. And while tents and boxes dotting the 110 Freeway and people sleeping on benches at parks, beaches and bus stops are clearly visible, what is often not as apparent is how many of our homeless neighbors are children. As community leaders continue […]
The Ins and Outs of Sleep-Away Camp
Sleep-away camp is a rite of passage in some families, while others have never even given it a thought. It may seem scary to send your little one off into the great unknown alone, but there are tremendous benefits – from gaining independence and making new friends to exploring the world and acquiring an appreciation […]
Fun Foods Help Healthy Eaters Sprout
Shannon Payette Seip grew up in California in the 1970s and ’80s in a house that wasn’t too adventurous when it came to food, but still was pretty healthy. “We weren’t trying sushi and eating mangoes. It was like chicken and rice and go get a burger,” she says. “But we didn’t have a lot […]
Curbing Influencers’ Influence on Kids’ Eating
Once upon a time, adults worried about the sugary breakfast cereals advertised to kids on Saturday-morning cartoons. The times and the frontier have changed, with children as likely to tune in to YouTube or Instagram as Nickelodeon or the Disney Channel. The problem of media swaying children’s diets toward the unhealthy, however, remains the same. […]
When Autism and Sleep Issues Collide
New parents expect to be sleep deprived – but they expect the sleepless nights to eventually end. For parents of children with autism, though, they don’t always. A study in the March issue of the journal Pediatrics found that children with autism are more than twice as likely to have sleep problems as those without […]
Stay Strong: How to Make Parenting and Fitness Work Out
On a recent Sunday, as I was lying in bed (still half asleep), a light drizzle showered the orange tree outside my window. I stared at the ceiling, feeling awfully lazy. Suddenly, I heard the thundering footsteps of my 4-year-old, Hank, rushing toward my door. The door burst open. “Dad! Wake up!” he yelled, yanking […]
Sensory-Friendly Story Times at L.A. Libraries
Librarians have special powers. With the use of dramatic recitation, song and dance, interactive Q&A sessions and art – and a good story, of course – librarians can captivate any gaggle of children scattered about their feet. They make reading fascinating and make the library a central location for early learning. Story time is a […]
SoCal Programs Let Kids with Disabilities Play with Purpose
On a recent afternoon at Rocket’s Universe Playground in North Hollywood, kids – some with disabilities, some without – were bouncing on an oversized teeter-totter, climbing on a moon sculpture, drumming on hollow plastic tubes and waiting their turn to slip down a reverberating slide. They were doing what kids do best: playing. For children, […]
Local Programs Support Teens and Young Adults with Disabilities
Imagine if parents made birth-style announcements marking their children’s transitions into young adulthood. One might read something like this: “We are excited to announce we are now the proud parents of a teen. Weighing in at 130 pounds, and 67 inches tall, our teen comes with a healthy dose of attitude, eye rolling and a […]
Summer Camps for All Abilities
Bonding with teammates to learn a new sport, flexing a new artistic muscle, working as a group to achieve a united goal, gaining a deeper understanding of self – each year, more than 11 million children attend some kind of overnight or day camp in the U.S., according to the American Camp Association. These extended […]
What You Need to Know About Measles
This is shaping up to be a banner year for a childhood disease declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000: measles. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention received reports of 79 cases in January, compared with 372 in all of 2018. A public health emergency has been declared in Washington state, where 52 […]
Should Your Kids Pump Iron?
Health experts have long promoted the idea of kids playing sports, swimming, hiking, biking and just plain running around. But when it comes to another form of exercise, strength training, the jury has been out. Specialists once cautioned that strength training was a no-no before puberty, when the growth plates – the areas of tissue […]
Bump Bestie Gets Parents Baby-Gear Ready
Pregnant with my first child, I daydreamed about how fun and memorable it would be to shop for baby gear. Determined to make thoughtful decisions, my husband and I studied the popular “Everything You’ll Need for Baby” lists and purchased a book that swore to make baby prepping stress-free. Saturdays were designated for scouring stores […]
A Journal to Start Revolutions
A few years ago, a friend gave me a unique journal for adults featuring creative prompts, a concept also used successfully in “I Am a Rebel Girl: A Journal to Start Revolutions” by Francesca Cavallo and Elena Favilli. For elementary- and middle-school-aged girls, the “I Am a Rebel Girl” journal provides a welcome and judgment-free […]
The Pop-Ups (and Downs) of Popping Up
Like many L.A. mamas, I turned an innovative idea into a small business. Pop-up stores have been all the rage for a while now, and while you may view them as a trendy wave, they can be a great way to sell and market your products. On the flip side, they can also turn into […]
The Dude-la Helps Build New Dads’ Skills
Brian Salmon was a 19-year-old surfer dude in L.A. when he assisted as coach for his friend’s childbirth. “It was a humbling experience to witness and assist the birth of a human being, just amazing,” says Salmon, now dad to Daisy, 9, and Eva, 14. The life-changing experience led him to open two ultrasound clinics […]
Jessica Chang: Committed to Affordable Quality Daycare
As the mom of a toddler and baby, and the owner of three L.A.-area preschools, Jessica Chang understands the challenges facing parents seeking quality and affordable childcare close to home. Surprised and frustrated by the lack of affordable childcare in her Rancho Park neighborhood, Chang did some research and found that California is among U.S. […]
Love in the Bottom of the Pot
As I turned the pages of Naz Deravian’s cookbook, “Bottom of the Pot, Persian Recipes and Stories,” I was instantly hooked. This is the food of my childhood and carries memories of growing up in an immigrant family in L.A. I was 9 years old when we left Iran, and while just about everything was […]
Products for Greener Parenting
L.A. parents are, in many ways, at the forefront of ecoparenting. Many Angeleno kids grow up visiting farmers markets, recycling their trash and spending time outdoors hiking or at the beach. But many products that our children use every day still contain a cocktail of chemicals. Children’s soaps, moisturizers and other personal-care products often contain […]
Cash for Camp
“Summer is expensive,” says Korey Kalman, owner of Got Game Sports, an L.A. day camp he started in 2011. He isn’t just stating the obvious. While as parents we might start our summer-camp planning with visions of our children leaping playfully in the sun and creating magical memories while learning and growing, those dreams dissipate […]
Just Say Yes to ‘No More Poems’
Life on the road led Americana singer-songwriter Rhett Miller to write his first book, a collection of children’s poems entitled “No More Poems” The poems, however, weren’t inspired by wild rock band escapades (except maybe for “Stinky Mouth You”). They were created as a way for Miller to extend his Facetime conversations with his two […]
A Sneaky Take on Granville’s Mac and Cheese
Faced with a toddler who was a picky eater, Glenda Galvan-Garcia resorted to something that has worked for many parents: sneaking vegetables into his food by disguising them among the other ingredients. It worked for a while, until Isaac was about 3. Taking a bite of the macaroni and cheese into which Galvan-Garcia had mixed […]
The Food Chain for Picky Eaters
By Christina Elston Every mom and dad wants to have a kid who’s a good eater. “One of your major roles as a parent is to make sure your child is well nourished,” says Judy Hopkins, an occupational therapist at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles specializing in children with feeding disorders. That’s why having a child […]
Start Your Kids on a Heart-Healthy Path
February is a great time to show your kids a little extra love by helping them take good care of their hearts. A paper published in December in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology noted that heart-healthy habits in adults are rooted in childhood and could be the key to preventing future heart […]
How Pint-Size Influencers Mila & Emma Took Over Instagram
When a mom and her kids visit a café in L.A., it usually doesn’t turn heads, but the Stauffer family isn’t just any family. This family includes Instagram-famous twins Mila and Emma Stauffer, the 4-year-old stars of the clan who can hardly go out in public without being recognized. When asked if they’re famous, in […]
Becoming an Expat Parent
I’ve never been one to stay in one place. As a journalist for more than 20 years, I’ve been able to make a living in my hometown of Detroit; the city where I went to college, Atlanta; the city where I married, New York; and the city where I landed after my divorce, L.A. Moving […]
Novel Explores Familial Love as Expansive as the Sky
I was reading something the other day that urged parents not to “forget about the kids” this Valentine’s Day. Maybe your kids will make grams for their friends or give their teachers boxes of chocolates, but while the day is all about love, the focus is usually on the romantic kind. And although romantic love […]
Julia Storm: Educating Parents About Digital Media
In my household, we were not on the same page about what age our son should be when he received his first cell phone. My husband (and son) figured turning double digits was the magical time, whereas I’d been thinking more like 13. Or 15. The guys won out, but it has been quite a […]
Because of Them We Can Campaign Launches Black History Subscription Box for Kids
From Instagram to the White House to the everyday household, the Because of Them We Can (BOTWC) campaign has come full circle. In 2013, Eunique Jones Gibson launched the Instagram campaign (@BecauseOfThem) during Black History Month, featuring photos of kids dressed as African American historical and contemporary figures such as Janelle Monae, Langston Hughes and […]
Kids Gym Provides Inclusion for Children – And its Owners
When Howard Luck was graduating from high school, his counselor told him that college would be way too demanding and that he should limit his career aspirations to bagging groceries at a local market. Howard has a variety of learning differences and had been in special education for much of his time in school. He […]
Despite Fire Devastation, Shemesh Enterprises Unique Culinary Program Continues
In the path of the Woolsey Fire that devastated our region in November was a unique occupational program, business and social enterprise that, thankfully, is already rising from the ashes. Shemesh Enterprises is many things to many people. To the farm fellows who work there – all young adults with disabilities – it is a […]
7 Reasons to Join a Parent Support Group
Recently, a father of a 14-year-old boy called to ask for a family session. He described how he got so fed up with his son’s video gaming that he turned the WiFi off in his house. A shouting match ensued and his son got so mad that he jumped out of the ground-level window and […]
Behold … Fatherhood!
Behold, the only thing greater than yourself. That’s the only line I remember from the original “Roots” miniseries. Kunta Kinte’s father lifted him up to the Gambian sky and with those words declared his son’s horizon to be boundless. Looking back on it, I suspect those words were more Hollywood scribecraft than west African wisdom. […]