As we all navigate closures and quarantines due to the coronavirus outbreak, L.A. Parent is #SupportingFamilies with this helpful series of articles. To receive daily updates via email, sign up for our newsletter!
#SupportingFamilies
Avoid a COVID Scare this Halloween
Halloween isn’t going to be the same this year, but families can still have fun while reducing their risk of exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19 (coronavirus), says Priya Soni, MD, a Cedars-Sinai pediatric infectious disease specialist. “The bottom line is there is no safe way to celebrate a traditional Halloween in this pandemic,” Soni says. Haunted […]
Quality Child Care is a Pandemic Essential
A low point for me during the pandemic – OK, admittedly, one of a few – was when I had to miss a late afternoon Zoom meeting, at the last minute, because of a more pressing concern. At least, it was a much louder one: my kids’ complaining that, “Mom, we’re staaaarving.” And so rather […]
Dealing with Physical Disability During the Pandemic
Even before COVID-19, families with children who have physical disabilities faced challenges and isolation in daily life. The pandemic has exacerbated those challenges. Fortunately, experts and organizations in the Los Angeles community are ready to help. Josan Wright Callender is an education consultant with more than 40 years of experience teaching special education. Her focus […]
A Little Bit Crazy!
Here is how I gauge that we are losing our minds a little: it seems a daunting task to try to get all four of us out of the house. I find myself drawn to pop-up ads that have masks built into the neck of a sweater. Hours go by each morning and I have […]
Accessing Early Intervention Services
“Early intervention oriented me at a vulnerable moment in the lives of my children and put me on a lifelong path of care and advocacy for them.” These words were shared with me by a mother whose daughter, a recipient of early intervention services, was preparing to start college. As the director of an early […]
29 Distance-Learning Field Trips in L.A.
Whether you vied for one of those few parent chaperone spots on your kids’ school field trips or actively sought to dodge them, we are all in this together (again). Only now, we must take the reins of field trip coordination like cruise ship directors channeling Julie McCoy from the 1970s sitcom “The Love Boat.” […]
Caring for Your Family’s Mental Health this School Year
Some time has passed since COVID-19 initially impacted our lives, lessening some of our early worries about the pandemic. As we continue to navigate drastic changes, my concerns these days turn mostly to my children and other children around me. My kids worry about how they will stay connected with the friends they saw daily […]
Great Distance-Learning (and Work) Packages at SoCal Resorts
You’re intimately familiar with staycations – 2020 made sure of that – but have you heard of study-cations? Picture it. Fed up working and schooling at home while the fridge empties like water running through a sieve and dishes pile up like trash at a landfill, you and your family pack an overnight bag. You […]
It’s Time to Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact communities, UNICEF USA is launching a virtual Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF experience this year. Through the month of October, you can add purpose to Halloween by collecting lifesaving donations for UNICEF virtually. Celebrating its 70th year, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF is the longest-running youth engagement campaign in the U.S. and has raised $180 […]
Parents Anonymous Offers a Helpline and Support Groups for Families
This year has been extremely difficult for people of all ages due to the many uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Many Californians are out of work and under serious financial stress. Children are partaking in virtual learning, which has come with unforeseen challenges and setbacks. Most recently, California has been dealing with devastating wildfires, and many parents are unsure on how to help their children cope with all that is going on. One resource […]
SoCal Eighth Grader Creates COVID Memorial Quilt
Eighth grader Madeleine Fugate has created a Covid Memorial Quilt to honor people who have passed away during the pandemic. Her goal is to foster healing for those who have lost loved ones, in the U.S. and around the world, by displaying the Covid Memorial Quilt as a living online memorial and in public spaces. […]
Best Music for Enhancing Kids’ Virtual Learning
With so many kids learning from home during this unprecedented start to the new school year, many students are in desperate need of help concentrating, staying focused and remaining in good spirits. Music might be just what the doctor ordered. Soothing, relaxing music can help students minimize stress or anxiety while learning virtually. During long study sessions, […]
Video: How are Your Teen’s Executive Function Skills?
Executive function is a set of mental skills that include working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control. According to the experts at Understood.org, we use these skills every day to learn, work, and manage daily life. Trouble with executive function can make it hard to focus, follow directions, and handle emotions, among other things. School psychologists […]
It’s Time to Make a Plan to Vote
L.A. County has a new Make a Plan to Vote tool to assist everyone in voting safely during the upcoming presidential election Nov. 3. To help nearly 1 million eligible but non-registered voters, and the 5.6 million registered voters in L.A. County – the county registrar-recorder’s office has launched an easy-to-use website, available in 12 […]
Don’t Forget Your Flu Shot This Year
With everyone’s focus still so firmly fixed on the COVID-19 pandemic, health experts are warning families that we can’t afford to ignore a much more familiar threat. Flu season is approaching, and flu shots are more important this year than ever. Because the flu can be a serious illness, public health officials are warning that […]
Navigating Nutrition: 5 Ideas for Healthy, Easy School Lunches and Snacks at Home
By now, many parents and kids have accepted they will be taking part in distance or hybrid learning at least for the short-term. Having nutritious ready-made foods in the fridge will increase the amount of time (and focus and energy) students have for learning. Planning ahead can also alleviate some stress for parents. Here are […]
Can Kids’ Videogame Play be Healthy?
Amidst historic wildfires and a global pandemic, virtual worlds hold an understandable appeal. Yet, many parents fear that videogames pose risks of their own – that these all-too enticing digital ecosystems may interfere with children’s healthy emotional, physical, and cognitive development. Indeed, parents have struggled to manage their kid’s videogame play, even before COVID-19 relegated […]
Turning Family Meals into Learning Time This Fall
When I became principal of a second- and third-grade elementary school, each grade had just 22 minutes – start to finish – for lunch. What was the result? Rushed eating. Food waste. Frequent friction between kids and lunch aides. General mayhem. Then, while traveling in Japan, I visited a school in which the students served […]
Free Digital Tool Helps Families Identify Early Signs of Learning Differences and ADHD
With many families spending more time together during the COVID-19 pandemic, parents and caregivers might notice things about their children’s behavior that they don’t fully understand. Some of these things could be signs of learning differences. A survey by Understood, an organization dedicated to empowering individuals with learning and thinking differences, found parents are more […]
Get Kids’ Brushing Habits Halloween-Ready with Elmo
Already dreading the sugar bath your children’s teeth will take this Halloween? Get good dental habits started now with some help from Sesame Street’s Elmo. In a new video, created in partnership with a UCLA-led consortium called More LA Smiles, everyone’s favorite furry red monster teaches children “Elmo’s Toothy Dance.” The 2-minute YouTube video is designed […]
7 Optimistic Observations about Distance Learning
Since COVID-19 quarantine began mid-March, we’ve experienced longing for “returning back to normal” – a pre-quarantine normal. Humans have a natural craving for seasons: we long for cool indoors when experiencing hot and humid air or sitting by the fireside when it’s raining or snowing outside. Seasons can not only be based on months or […]
L.A. Volunteers Prove Love Has No Limits
They say love conquers all and money is the root of all evil, but Love Has No Limits is attempting to change those narratives. The organization launched a campaign last month to relieve 2,000 families in Inglewood, Lynwood and Compton of $5 million worth of unpaid (and unpayable due to families’ economic situations) medical bills. […]
Three Bike Safety Rules Your Family Needs Now
As fitness centers and yoga studios closed due to COVID-19, and stay-at-home rules opened up people’s schedules, Angelenos have been taking to their bikes. “There is a bike boom that we haven’t seen since the 1970s,” says Eli Kaufman, executive director of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition (LACBC). “That’s what we’ve been after for […]
12 L.A. Enrichment Programs for Kids
However your children began school this year, you’ve been doing all you can to help them participate and stay engaged with their learning. These times aren’t easy for anyone, and children have been impacted by the separation from their teachers and friends, their only window to the classroom a screen. Fortunately, L.A. is filled with […]
L.A. Theatre Works ‘Sets the Stage’ for the School Year
From Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” to Culture Clash’s “Chavez Ravine,” educators and parents can stream a plethora of theater productions through L.A. Theatre Works as part of its expanded curriculum, Setting the Stage for Learning. A nonprofit media arts organization and producer of audio theater, L.A. Theatre Works’ mission is to present, preserve and disseminate classic […]
Why Reading to Your Child Matters Now More than Ever
Whether your child has returned to school remotely or via a hybrid model this fall, their education is more digitized than ever. I learned new online platforms through several professional development classes myself this summer, and I couldn’t help but think about how little actual reading students will need to do to complete their schoolwork. […]
A Happier, More Organized Home for Distance Learning
Home is supposed to be a haven, but we never imagined it would need to be everything – work, gym, church, the place for date nights and summer “vacation” and, once again, school. But here we are, most of us a few weeks into the 2020-21 school year, trying to make the best of another […]
Back-to-School Mental Wellness Help From Moms Who Care
If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy. Secure your own oxygen mask first so that you can help your child. Your kids don’t want a perfect mom, they want a happy one. There are plenty of quotes urging mothers to take care of themselves. But do we listen? Sharon Feldstein, Patsy Noah, Meredith Wolff and […]
Dr. Deepika Chopra, the Optimism Doctor, Keeps it Real
Dr. Deepika Chopra calls herself the “Optimism Doctor” but admits that she is far from the most optimistic person you’ll meet. Still, her understanding of the deep range of human emotions and challenges drew her to the study of optimism more than a decade ago. Today, individual clients, boutique brands and Fortune 500 companies seek […]
9 Great Back-to-School Products
However the school year is starting off for your family, make it more fun with these back-to-school products: backpacks, lunch options, learning tools and sweet toys.
How to Talk to Children About Online Meanness
With many schools starting the year online, kids of all ages are spending more time than ever on their devices. While this shift is designed to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, it’s also fueling the rise of another worry for parents: online meanness. Bullying is nothing new, of course, but it takes a […]
COVID Youth Sports Disruptions: A Golden Opportunity for Families
It didn’t matter that everyone thought Brian was crazy. If 9-year-old son Jeffrey had two soccer games in Riverside sandwiched around a basketball game in Torrance, Brian would make sure that Jeffrey got to all three. The 250 back-and-forth miles he logged in the Highlander Hybrid was just a typical Saturday. Jeffrey was a multi-sport […]
More Tips for Remote Learning Success
For many students, back-to-school this year means heading back to the living room or bedroom where they will be learning remotely. That creates a host of challenges for parents, teachers and students, who have to grapple with how to make remote learning as engaging as classroom learning. And that is a tall order, says Rebecca Hedrick, […]
Building Critical Thinking Skills During Distance Learning
As distance learning commences this fall and parents again take on the role of teacher and facilitator, myriad issues will emerge. Managing daily logistics and keeping children motivated and engaged are among the enormous tasks that parents must take on. The distance-learning model is imperfect and fraught with complexities and shortcomings. Nonetheless, it must be […]
This Year, Turn Your Kids into Smart Voters
Are you home with kids and running out of things to do? Here’s a challenge – turn your stay-at-home doldrums into an interactive civics lesson and lively debates that will inspire your children – and you – to become active, engaged citizens. Why is this important? According to a just-released study by the Knight Foundation, […]
Encouraging Your Child to Wear a Mask
As schools work on plans to safely reopen and more in-person activities become available, there will be more occasions where children will need to wear masks. Many parents are concerned that their child will refuse to or even take their mask off during the day. How can parents encourage and maintain mask wearingwhen they struggle with this […]
Finding Strength in Motherhood and Fitness During the Pandemic
My day in the life as a FIT4MOM manager and instructor looked really different back in March than it does now. Our Stroller Strides class was a full-body workout for moms with babies in tow. We would sing and squat and do jumping jacks to the ABCs. If a baby started crying, I would rock […]
Our End-of-Summer L.A. Field Trips
A friend of mine calls them “field trips,” as a nod to the 12 years I spent as an elementary school teacher. She’s referring to the day-long outings my son and I engage in during breaks from school. Because there really is no shortage of things to do in Los Angeles with kids – of all […]
Why Happy Parents Apologize
As parents, we all have challenging days – and moments. One of the most difficult things for us to do during those times is to summon the ability and the courage to recognize our own faults. We know how patience and empathy work. When we are calm, quiet and relaxed, we respond to our little […]
Los Angeles Dream Center Offers Drive-Through Lunches and School Help
With distance learning the norm as the new school year gets underway, the Los Angeles Dream Center in Echo Park is pitching in to fill some gaps for kids in underserved communities. School lunch, an important source of nutrition for at least 85% of children in California, is one. During a normal summer when school […]
Red Cross Virtual Family Assistance Center Offers Care for Families Who Have Lost Loved Ones to COVID-19
The American Red Cross Los Angeles Region has launched a Virtual Family Assistance Center to support families struggling with loss and grief due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. People can visit redcross.org/get-help to access a support hub with special virtual programs, information, referrals and services to support families in need. People without internet access can call 833-492-0094 for help. Many […]
Dealing with Uncertainty During the Pandemic
When Laura Yocum’s 12-year-old son is feeling anxious, they’ll sometimes sing a doomsday song together. Yocum is a licensed psychotherapist and the clinical director of the OCD Center of Los Angeles, and this is her humorous way of helping him cope with the uncertainty we’re all facing during the coronavirus pandemic. With cases of COVID-19 […]
Silver Linings of the Pandemic
“The best thing I’ve ever done in quarantine is ignore my kids,” says special education master teacher, mom and wife Susie Snyder of Los Feliz. While there still isn’t enough time in 24 hours to manage all of the responsibilities of our myriad titles, at five months and counting, the COVID-19 pandemic is revealing a […]
Are Play Dates OK During COVID?
Complaints about schlepping their kids to and from them aside, most parents (and children) are missing play dates about now. “The increased family time during this pandemic has been wonderful for many families, but by now both parents and children can probably use some new people scenery,” says John Rodarte, M.D., with Descanso Pediatrics/Huntington Health Physicians […]
Drive-Up Childhood Vaccines Available at the Saban Community Clinic
August is National Immunization Awareness Month, and while campuses in the Los Angeles Unified School District (and many others) will be closed as the 2020-21 school year begins, vaccines are still required to register for school and parents are advised to keep up to date with their child’s vaccines, now more than ever. Amidst COVID-19, […]
6 Tips for Healthier Time Online During the Pandemic
When the coronavirus pandemic arrived and health officials urged us all to stay “safer at home,” no one chained us to our computers, televisions or phone screens – but they might as well have. We’ve worked and learned online, celebrated birthdays and graduations at our computers, visited grandparents and sat in on virtual camps, play […]
Tips for a Healthy New School Year – Wherever You Are
I spoke with Nava Yeganeh, a pediatric infectious disease doctor with UCLA Health, minutes after Gov. Gavin Newsom’s mid-July announcement that California schools will not reopen for in-person instruction in the fall – following months of speculation and a patchwork of announcements by various schools and districts about their plans. “It’s a big deal, because […]
An Inglewood and Windsor Hills Date To-Go
Recently, my husband, Byron, and I got a little break when my mom volunteered to keep our daughters (12 and 3) for a few days. After months of being quarantined and not interacting with the public, we were happy to get a little break (that’s putting it mildly). We had so many elaborate plans, such […]
8 Things to Learn with Your Kids
You’ve baked muffins, walked the neighborhood, had Zoom parties and play dates, soaked in the kiddie pool, started virtual summer camp and driven around to every outdoor spot where you could keep your social distance. Somehow, there are still hours left in the day – and maybe a few days left until school starts – […]
Teens Use Quarantine to Teach Others
We’ve all spent countless hours worrying about our kids during the pandemic. We talk about how adaptable kids are, but none of us imagined our kids would have to face the kind of intense global and national experiences we’ve had over the last few months. But while we do have to be vigilant about our […]
CalBike Is Linking Angelenos to Bike Match
Because of the quarantine, local bike shop owners have seen bikes wheeled out of their stores more than ever before. Angelenos who haven’t hopped on a bike in years are back in the saddle, hoping that old adage – you never forget how to ride a bike – is true. Rusty or not, bike riding […]
Where Will Your Family Find the Fun in the New School Year?
There’s nothing like the anticipation of a new school year. Kids are filled with excitement to see their friends, meet new teachers and learn. But this year the global pandemic has robbed our kids of the joy of returning to school safely. So, what will it be? Distance learning, hybrid (online and in-person) home school […]
How are L.A. Parents Coping with this Pandemic Back-to-School Year?
The other day, I was looking for a long-lost bowl in the kitchen when my eyes fell on my son’s lunchbox. It stopped me in my tracks with a deep welling-up of yearning and sadness. I fled the kitchen and closed myself in the bathroom so that my son would not be able to hear […]
Your Kids Can Learn to Swim at the Rose Bowl This Summer
With so much canceled this summer, your kids can still enjoy some cool fun with lessons at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center in Pasadena. With a mission to make sure that every person is water safe, the RBAC has implemented new policies and procedures – and is operating at a limited capacity – in order […]
Scream of Consciousness
One Black woman’s prayer, lament and battle cry for the safety of her baby grandson echoes over 400 years of collective hope and heartache for our youth James Baldwin wrote, “people are trapped in history and history is trapped in them,” and if this is so, I look at those people, particularly some white Americans […]
5 Fun Writing Prompts for Kids
We’re all looking for ways to lure our kids away from their screens for a couple of hours. Why not ignite their imaginations through the wonderful world of stories? No, I don’t mean stories in the form of movies or video games. I’m talking about the old-fashioned written word. These five writing exercises, or “prompts” […]
5 Tips to Help Your Kids Make the Most of Video Chats
Video chat using apps such as FaceTime and Skype is a great way for young children to stay in touch with long-distance family and friends. Through video chat, children have an opportunity to to build a relationship, communicate with, and learn from a loved one on the screen. Here are five ways to help your […]
Steering Clear of Unsafe Hand Sanitizer
With coronavirus cases continuing to climb in Los Angeles and surrounding areas, hand sanitizer sales have been through the roof, to the point where there have been times when it is hard to find. Given the increased demand, the Food and Drug Administration is finding that some companies might be cutting corners and using replacement […]
Pediatricians Offer Guidance on Returning to Youth Sports Amid Coronavirus
Sports activities offer children and teens many physical and psychological health benefits besides fitness, such as socializing with friends, a critical part of development. Many children have missed these activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, and re-engaging youth in sports will require careful thought and safety precautions. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), drawing on the […]
Here’s Your Family Road Trip Safety Checklist
We all need to have an adventure this summer, and one of the safest ways to do that is to take a road trip! When planning your road trip with the family, adding certain items to your checklist is essential to keep you all healthy. All travel requires some thoughtfulness and pre-planning. Below are my suggestions on ways […]
AccuWeather Summer Camp is in Session
It’s hot outside, and global weather information portal AccuWeather is providing fun, science-based learning all summer long for children, parents and interested adults. AccuWeather Summer Camp is a virtual educational series that draws on insights from AccuWeather expert meteorologists, teaching hands-on science lessons and activities remotely while “campers” are sheltering at home. AccuWeather Summer Camp features daily lessons […]
Don’t Skip Well-Child Visits and Vaccines During the Pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic is creating health risks that go far beyond the dangers of COVID-19 itself as families skip well-child visits to the pediatrician – and the childhood vaccinations that go with them. Priya Soni, M.D., a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Cedars-Sinai, says that well-child visits in the U.S., including those for immunizations, are […]
How to Get Your Family Ready for Wildfire Season
L.A. families shouldn’t let the COVID-19 crisis make them forget about another danger in our community: Wildfire season. The 1,400-acre Soledad fire in the Santa Clarita Valley earlier this month should serve as a reminder, according to officials. “A wildfire can come without warning and spread quickly, leaving you little time to get to safety. […]
UNICEF Launches Free Virtual Kids’ Camp That Gives Back
Kids stuck at home this summer can have fun, and help out, through CAMP@HOME with UNICEF Kid Power. The online UNICEF camp features more than 75 short videos (only a couple of minutes long) that guide children through activities and new skills including sports, crafts, cooking and campfire songs. Videos run the gamut from crafts such as […]
Coronavirus Testing Update
As the county continues to wrestle with the coronavirus pandemic, health officials remind us that the virus has not gone away. Testing will still play an important role in protecting us from infection, and L.A. County Department of Health Services Director Christina Ghaly, M.D., shares the latest on whether you need to be tested and […]
Free Comic Book Summer Comes to SoCal
Free Comic Book Day usually takes place the first Saturday in May. This year, because of COVID-19, it’s going to happen throughout July and early September, effectively making it Free Comic Book Summer! Between July 15 and Sept. 9, comic shops will receive five to six free titles. The shops may release one free title […]
L.A. Parks and Splash Pads are Ready for Summer Fun
The official start of the 2020 summer season is here at L.A. County parks, and the county is celebrating July as “Parks Make Life Better” month to highlight splash pads, swim beaches and recreation trails sure to draw families this year. Working with the Department of Public Health, the county has developed COVID-19 health procedures […]
Kids Can Read Their Favorite Books at Storyline Online Summer Camp
The SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s Storyline Online literacy website streams free storytime videos of actors of all ages reading books for kids. It’s a delightful and literacy-building program, and this summer the foundation is giving kids a chance to get into the act through Storyline Online Summer Camp. To join in, kids just choose their favorite book […]
The perfect picnic snack, side, sandwich or dessert
One of the few fun, safe outings for families this summer is to picnic – and Anne Kirk, pastry chef at Little Dom’s in Los Feliz, has the perfect picnic recipe. “I love focaccia as picnic food because of its versatility,” she says. “You can really top it with anything – salt and herbs, grated […]
What Families Can do About the COVID Slide
Responsible parents don’t let summer go to waste. That, for a long time, has been the thinking among parenting experts. And so, instead of the carefree summers of our own childhoods, we parents squeeze little more than a “free” day or two in between sports practices, well-curated family vacations, “meaningful” camps designed to advance our […]
L.A. Volunteers are Doing Good
Help. We’ve been living through a spring and summer where plenty of people in our community need it as we all come to terms with the devastating impacts of a health crisis around the world and systemic racial injustices here at home. But even these stormiest of clouds have a silver lining, lately displayed as […]
A Family Takes Its First RV Road Trip
My husband Marcus, born on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood and raised in apartments across L.A., is a bona fide city man. He loves the idea of nature, being particularly obsessed with astronomy, but I can probably count on one hand the number of times in our 14 years together that he’s suggested going hiking. Heck, […]
Fighting for Educational Justice for Black Children
As I wander through this constant maze of eight minutes and 46 seconds murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and all of the other members of my Black family and friends and culture, I think about my six children, the three sons and three daughters that left my womb and are becoming Black […]
L.A. Parents Weigh in on Racism
It was Jan. 20, 1992, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but the civil rights icon was far from my mind. I was home on maternity leave, having given birth to a baby girl just two weeks before. In a maternal fog, I wandered out to the curb in front of the house – baby in […]
Kids can Earn Junior Wildlife Ranger Badges at Home
Junior Wildlife Ranger, an environmental education nonprofit working to get kids ages 7 and up outside and learning about their local ecosystems and public lands, is offering a free Neighborhood Badge Program designed to give children safe, engaging outdoor experiences this summer. Kids first need to sign up to become a Junior Wildlife Ranger and start their […]
Tweens Can Learn Civics – and Contribute to Charties – By Playing Online Games
iCivics, a civic education provider, has launched a summer initiative to engage students and their families in learning important civics skills at home – while also helping to make donations to national and global charities that are working every day to address urgent public needs like healthcare access, food security, racial inequality and youth engagement […]
How Families Can Safely Make Outdoor Play a Priority this Summer
As these first weeks of summer unfold, the American Academy of Pediatrics reminds parents of the benefits for young children of outdoor play. “Getting outside to play is good for children’s health on so many levels,” says AAP President Sally Goza, MD, FAAP. “Children play harder outdoors, and so getting them outside can help with […]
JOANN Launches Masks for Schools Buy One, Give One Program
Although plans for the fall academic season are far from solidified, one thing is undoubtedly true: students, teachers and staff will be wearing masks when they return. JOANN fabric and craft stores are helping to prepare the nation’s most at-risk schools to get back safely with a new Masks for Schools program. With every pre-made […]
City of L.A. Offers Free Street Trees During COVID-19 Crisis
As Angelenos stay home to help flatten the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic, a City of Los Angeles partnership is offering a unique way to bring families and neighborhoods together and build healthy communities – with free trees. There are so many benefits to trees: they clean the air we breathe, cool our streets and […]
Los Angeles YMCA Branches Begin Reopening
YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles announced the reopening of six of its gyms June 22, with the remainder of its 26 branches to open in phases over the next month. The reopenings are being conducted in accordance with local public health and CDC guidelines, with the health and safety of members and staff of the […]
Parents: Stay Focused on Your Goals
In times of uncertainty, it is sometimes difficult to stay focused on your personal and career goals. As parents, we might even feel guilty for pushing forward to achieve success. When areas of our lives at home or at work add to our daily stress, it is important not to ignore the chaos. But it […]
What Travel Might Be Like This Summer and Beyond
We can all agree travel will look different in the future. Even if we are wearing masks, covered in antibacterial, and can’t touch anyone, we will get back out there. Here are my predictions for this summer and beyond. Flexibility: We’re getting some power as we move into the future of travel, since airlines, hotels, car […]
Report Says Black and Brown Babies are Born at a Disadvantage
Studies have long shown that where in the U.S. a baby is born can have a major impact on that baby’s health and wellbeing going forward. But a new report out this month notes that Black and brown babies, which make up more than half of all U.S. infants, start life at a disadvantage no […]
Find Your Family’s Summer Fun in This Handy Guide
There is something so wonderful about summer. Its long days and warm nights are just right for backyard barbecues, hammock story times, bike rides, baseball, a splash down in the swimming pool or a run through the garden sprinkler. With everything going on in the world these past few months, our kids need some old-school, […]
L.A. Kids can Grab Free Lunch at the Library and Snacks at the Park
The L.A. County Department of Parks and Recreation and the L.A. County Library are once again offering kids free lunches and snacks this summer. Both programs – Summer Lunch at the Library and the Free Summer Lunch and Snack Program – are shifting to grab-and-go, no-contact pickup to keep everyone safe during the coronavirus pandemic. […]
Getting Dad Out (Safely) for Father’s Day
During the pandemic, we’ve all had plenty of time to reflect on the beauty and freedoms we took for granted. On a good day, for instance, I can get to the beach from home in 20 minutes flat, but did our family take advantage of that nearly enough? You know the answer. And so, when […]
L.A. Area Libraries Offering Curbside Service
Summer is a great time for reading, and libraries offer access to a world of books free of charge. SoCal libraries have closed their doors during the coronavirus pandemic, but filled the gap with an amazing raft of virtual services. And if, after months of Zoom meetings, distance learning and reading on your Kindle or […]
Virtual Birthday Party Tips to Put Your Celebration on Top
They come around once a year – global pandemic or not – and kids look forward to them more than most adults. I’m talking birthdays and, specifically, birthday parties. When safer-at-home guidelines closed down traditional party options, parents replaced backyard petting zoos and princess visits, mini golf and trampoline park field trips with Zoom get-togethers […]
Kids’ Mental Health During the Pandemic
As we move from spring to summer and fewer things seem to be getting back to “normal,” many kids are struggling. Clinical psychologist Bridgid Mariko Conn, Ph.D., of the division of adolescent and young medicine at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, offers some insight. What are the major sources of anxiety for kids right now? What […]
Tips from School Psychologists on Managing Anxiety
School psychologists Natalya Bogopolskaya and Kendrea Hart of the Los Angeles Unified School District, and Jennifer Ganz of the Baltimore City Public Schools, have created a video (with Spanish subtitles) offering tips to help adults and children in managing anxiety – during any time, due to any stressor, not just as emotions related to COVID-19. […]
Father’s Day Wisdom from a Dozen L.A. Dads
A million questions run through your head when you become a father – most of them driven by panic because you and your partner are now responsible for another person. Yikes. But as things settle down and life takes on more meaning as you realize that you’re a parent, you start looking ahead. You wonder […]
Virtual Camp Programs Spring up for Summer
“All indicators point to the fact that this is not going to be a normal summer.” That’s how Korey Kalman, founder and CEO of Got Game Sports, sums up the uncertainty that the coronavirus pandemic has brought to our family routines. Got Game runs after-school, physical education and summer camp programs at a host of […]
Volunteers Pitch in to Create Now
Create Now is using Fridays to create free fun programming for families on its Facebook and Instagram livestreams. Every Friday, the local nonprofit hosts “Volunteer Takeover Fridays,” offering a variety of arts programming, including fashion design, cooking, music and even TikTok dances. Create Now’s mission is to empower at-risk and high-risk youth and young adults […]
Planting Early Learning at Home with Child360
The emotional, social and educational development of young children has always been at the core of Child360’s mission. Now that more young children are at home, the early-education nonprofit has launched a digital series to help parents innovate learning with their children. Home Grown with Child360 incorporates tips and activities from Child360’s child development experts […]
Bring Those Cool Summer Vibes Home
“School’s out for summer!” Yes, Alice Cooper! Could there be a better feeling than the last day of school? One of the things I savor about my kids’ childhood is the gift of experiencing summer vacation and summer fun again, but – as we are reminded over and over – the end of the school […]
Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts Keeps Us Looking Up
I have a special place in my heart for Los Angeles Dodgers team manager Dave Roberts. As the first person of color to lead the MLB team, he’s broken barriers while unifying players and fans in new ways. On top of that, he’s a genuinely good guy – hardworking and full of grit, sure, but […]
L.A. Drive-ins Reopen for Family Fun
On May 26, L.A. County officials announced further progress in reopening local businesses and easing restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic. This reopening opened up the possibility of a fun family outing you might not have considered lately: L.A. Drive-ins. There are a few new rules. All will require you to practice social distancing of […]
Simple Steps to Changing Unwanted Behavior
With everyone stuck at home right now, I’m hearing from many parents that behaviors are escalating. When that happens, so many times frustration takes over. It feels like everything is going wrong and there is no way to deal with it. Here are some simple steps to help you pinpoint the behaviors you dislike and […]
Hybrid Battery Recycling Company Pivots to Assist Medical Field
Eric Lundgren is a masked superhero of a different sort. As founder and CEO of BigBattery Inc., the largest hybrid battery recycling company in the country, Lundgren is importing millions of KN95 masks, COVID-19 test kits and medical supplies, and is donating mobile emergency power trailers at no cost to Los Angeles-area hospitals to power […]
How to Properly Care for Your Face Mask
As California and other states begin loosening stay-at-home orders and reopening businesses, it’s likely that everyone will be encouraged to wear a mask in public for months to come. But to be effective in slowing the speed of COVID-19 infection, a mask must be used correctly “Properly using a mask is just as important as actually wearing […]