A SPECIAL SECTION OF
The Rivertowns Enterprise
MARCH 23, 2012
PAGE 2A | RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE
Kids!
MARCH 23, 2012
MARCH 23, 2012
Inside Kids!
Beyond baby talk: Early intervention key for kids’ speech growth...16A A world without germs? Handwashing the key to health ........... 18A From nursery to big kids’ room: Time to redecorate! ...................... 20A Cover Contest Kids..10A, 13A, 24A, 27A, 38A Parent’s Guide: Arts, Camps, Enrichment ..........................26A-33A Advice for parents of hyperactive children........................................ 34A
THE RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE |PAGE 3A
Benjamin Meyer
Parenting: Seeing the other side of the fence of mothering choices....... 6A
Breaking the habit: Thumb sucking and pacifers can be risky business..12A
Kids! Cover Contest Winners
It’s playtime! Why independent and group play matter (so much).......... 4A
Lactation consultants: Help for sucessful breastfeeding .................. 8A
Kids!
COVER WINNER
B
enjamin’s face might look a little familiar to you — his then 14-month-old sister Sophie was last year’s cover winner. “We took a picture of the two of them recently and I swear they look like twins three years apart,” mom Lori said. “They look so much alike.” There’s a reason that Benjamin was happy in this winning photo — he was doing what he loves to do to end every summer, attending a carnival in Hartsdale. The Irvington resident loves to go, get tickets and pick out which rides to go on. On this day the Ferris Wheel was his favorite. Mom said, “It’s an interesting angle and it just caught him in his element — youthful, happy, care-free.” Benjamin also loves to play with his friends; play with super heroes, Legos and card games like Uno; and listen to music and dance. Tomorrow is actually Benjamin’s birthday and turning 5 means that he’s headed off to kindergarten in the fall, a huge milestone in the life of any parent and child. “He’s very excited to start kindergarten,” Mom said. “We signed him up and there was a tear in my eye. It’s such a big deal.”
Sleep tips for children. infants...... 35A Help kids achieve good oral health....36A
Isabel Lily Spain
Medication safety for children...... 40A Endpaper: Oh, the places we go!...46A
DIVISION ONE WINNER 2012 Rivertowns Enterprise
PRESCHOOL GUIDE
PAGES 41A-44A
Kids!
I
sabel is one lucky little 10-month-old. On a daily basis she’s hanging with Mrs. Cooper — aka her grandmother, Carmen Cooper. They live in the same house in Dobbs Ferry, so it’s a real treat for everyone. “It’s a blessing because you can give them all your best and in return you see them grow from that love,” Carmen said. Mom and Dad are always taking pictures, but Carmen fell in love with this one. “I love the smile,” she said. “It’s what she tells me with her look. I see personality in there. She’s so pleasant, such a great disposition. You can tell she’s loved and she gives back that love.” For such a young one, Isabel sure is busy between her music classes, sign language classes and a mommy and me group with others her age. She also loves playing with her dog, J.B. What’s extremely unique for Isabel is that her family is raising her to be bilingual, saying everything to her in both English and Spanish. Some day they hope to teach her a third language, too. The whole family is happy to have Isabel. “We’re a big group here and we’re really big fans of Isabel,” Carmen said.
A special section of
Sebastian Corrales Russell
95 Main Street, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 (914) 478-2787
DIVISION TWO WINNER
The Rivertowns Enterprise
www.rivertownsenterprise.net
PUBLISHER Deborah G. White SECTION EDITOR Todd Sliss ART DIRECTOR Ann Marie Rezen ADVERTISING DESIGN Kathy Patti ADVERTISING SALES Marilyn Petrosa, Thomas O’Halloran, Barbara Yeaker, and Francesca Lynch ©2012 W.H. WHITE PUBLICATIONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART IS FORBIDDEN WITHOUT THE PUBLISHER’S WRITTEN PERMISSION.
W
hen 4 1/2-year-old Sebastian Corrales Russell arrives at Days of Wonder Child Care Program in his hometown of Dobbs Ferry, everyone takes notice. And that’s exactly how he likes it. Whether he’s entering and showing his affectionate side by giving hugs to all of his classmates or telling his teacher he’s going to marry her, which he has done on multiple occasions, Sebastian “usually enters with a bang,” his mom Anna-Lisa said, adding, “He’s the class clown at his school.” After all he loves being at school, especially for art class. Other things Sebastian loves about life are the delicious smoothies his mom makes him — hence the reaction in this winning photo — Star Wars, riding his bike and drawing. “He loves learning and asked me to teach him a new word every day,” Mom said. “He’s very curious.” Sebastian gets along well with his 20-month-old sister Siena, but the two are polar opposites so far — he’s “loud and expressive,” she’s “soft and quiet” — but that doesn’t prevent them from getting along well.
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Kids!
MARCH 23, 2012
IT’S PLAYTIME!
Why independent and group play matter (so much) BY LAURIE SULLIVAN
age physical play and manipulative play.” With independent play, kids can use those skills in a group. “It’s the same play, but the social piece is different. The sensory piece is more chaotic,” she said. “If, for example, a child isn’t good at kicking a ball, they may not want to do that in a group and perhaps parents should work with the child to improve those skills. Kids need experience with balls.”
P
addy cake, paddy cake baker’s man, bake me a cake as fast as you can…” Believe it or not, this age-old game of Paddy Cake is one of a baby’s first forays into group, interactive play. But independent play really starts at birth. Newborns delight in discovering their fingers and toes. Dimpled hands reach out for chubby little feet as baby rock backs and forth! They are quite content to explore and play by themselves. So why are both independent and group play so important for kids? According to Robbie Levy, program director of Dynamic Kids in White Plains, both independent and group play are essential to a child’s development. “They start to experience both with a caregiver. They learn to be soothed and comforted and explore their bodies, and work on their physical development,” Levy said. “When they move into group play they begin to play Paddy Cake.” Ever watch a baby delight in playing dropsies — baby dropping a toy or bottle, with the adult playing retriever? Yup, that’s group play too. By 18 months, toddlers will parallel play while in a group. “Some 2- and 3-year-olds are ready for group play,” Levy said. “They learn the rules, take turns. They learn, for example, what a broom is, they know it is used to sweep.” According to Levy, when kids turn 3 they’re into more imaginative play. The broom becomes a horse or a dance partner. “They use play to work through emotional situations,” Levy said. “They learn separation. It helps explain the world. They start to make up rules for games and play their own games.” By 4-4.5, kids are capable of painting, holding a pencil, climbing. “From an attentional point of view at this age they’re capable of sticking to an activity,” Levy said. “They can do craft activities or motor activities, climbing, etc.” They also go from playing next to other kids to really playing WITH other kids. Pull the plug on electronic toys Levy, the founder of Dynamic Kids, which offers pediatric physical and occupational therapy and provides early intervention to help kids reach their full potential, also lectures around the country on the surging problem of young children spending too much time playing with electronic devices and games, and not enough time playing with traditional toys and games. She believes that it’s important for caregivers to encourage independent play, but not the use of electronics such as TV, handhelds, iPads and computers. Levy said the use of these devices “is a
challenge” and has been for the past five years. Kids are held captive to these devices indoors and they discourage outdoor, physical play. Levy cited a study by the American Pediatric Society published last year that set guidelines for kids 2 and under, recommending that they should not have any “screen time” — that includes TV and electronic devices of any kind. Levy said kids spend hours and hours a day, sometimes upward of eight hours, using these devices. So what can parents do about limiting their use? “It’s very hard for parents to put limits on it,” Levy said. “The people who make the programs for these devices lead parents astray. They make them seem like they’re good for kids. They say kids are going to write early, etc. We’re seeing kids who have problems like not being able to grip a pencil.” Levy said kids need to have a combination of quiet independent play without electronics and group activity that are not adult directed. “Kids are losing the ability to use their own activities and have quiet time,” Levy said. “Parents often mistake the use of electronic toys as quiet time, but it’s not the same thing. They need time to just sit and look at books, use toys to come up with things on their own.” Kids also need to spend time outdoors in a safe environment and play with
building toys and manipulative, sensory toys like Play-Doh. Levy noted that “a lot of parents don’t like their houses to be messy, but it’s really important for kids to have those things.” It’s critical that parents get down on the floor and play with their child since they’re the child’s first teacher and help with their social, emotional and language development. Levy said that kids are spending a lot of time in strollers and in carriers and parents are on the phone and not talking to their children. “It used to be that when you were walking you talked to your child, pointed out a flower, but now parents are on the phone and in cars there’s music playing or again, parents are on the phone, not talking to their child,” Levy said. “These are missed opportunities. I don’t think parents realize that.” So what can parents do to encourage independent play? Levy advised that first parents should take away or limit the playing time with electronics and be role models for their children. “When parents go outside and do things, kids will,” said Levy. “Make good use of leisure time. Kids can model that behavior. It’s important for parents to sit on the floor with them or participate in table games. And if a child only sticks to one thing that they’re good at, say if a child only colors, parents should encour-
Why are both so important? Dawn Meyerski, the program director at Mount Kisco Childcare Center, explained that with independent play kids have the opportunity to develop their own individual interests and do problem solving. By playing independently, Meyerski said it fosters risk taking and builds confidence. Kids are willing to try out lots of different kinds of ideas and “they don’t have to worry about being silly in front of others … It allows kids the freedom to explore, interpret without the group.” Parents can encourage kids to play independently by providing them with toys and materials that match their interests, such as Legos, puzzles, baby dolls, etc. And kids should also have the “opportunity to play with kids in the neighborhood alone” so that they can invent “their own rules without structure.” Like Levy, Meyerski also believes that parents should play with their kids. She said it’s important and a good way for kids to learn about winning and losing and taking turns. However, generally it’s not a good idea for parents to let kids win. “If kids lose all the time, you should encourage them to win. It’s a fine line that you walk [in letting them win] all the time,” Meyerski said. “You don’t want them to always win, but you don’t want them to always lose.” She also agreed with Levy, saying independent play makes it easier to participate in group play, and vice versa. “Independent play gives kids the confidence to play with kids in the block area and they’re more likely to assert themselves,” Meyerski said. “The more practice you have at a skill, the more likely you are to assert yourself in a group.” Group play also allows a child to watch other kids at play and it gives him or her “energy.” She stressed that if a child sees other kids build blocks in a certain way it might encourage the child to go home and try it on his or her own. “At the center we make sure that kids have both experiences,” said Meyerski. “We understand the need that kids have to explore their own interests. We teach kids to respect each other and respect their failures and their successes. Through your failures you learn how to be successful.” Meyerski is fascinated by “the way kids develop in play.” A group of toddlers in CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE
MARCH 23, 2012 CONTINUED FROM THE PREVIOUS PAGE
a group will parallel play and by 3 and 4 they start to play cooperatively. There are exceptions, Meyerski said, noting that some 2-year-olds are capable of group play and some 4-year-olds are not. Learning and playing together Joann Ferrigno is the camp director at Somerset, a nonprofit camp at St. Matthews Church in Bedford, and also a K-2 reading teacher at Primrose Elementary School in Katonah. Somerset is a reading and writing summer camp for kids entering kindergarten through fifth grade that incorporates learning with play. At camp the children have already integrated into group play and learning, so Ferrigno sees the benefits of team effort. “Even in learning, it’s important to work together,” she said. “You think of things from other kids you might not have thought of before. When they’re writing somebody might say, ‘Do you want to include, say this?’ You share your thoughts and in return the other kids are giving you feedback about your work.” Ferrigno, who is a “big believer in group dynamics and cooperation,” doesn’t allow phones or computers at camp and encourages creative play. As with Levy, Ferrigno sees the use of electronic games as more and more of a problem because it’s taking away kids’ ability to talk to “a real live person.” At school they are starting to see kids with language and communication difficulties, even those kids entering kindergarten.
Kids!
In her role as teacher, she explained that when they have teacher conferences, the kids sit outside together and each has a computer game and they don’t talk to each other, other than to say they won or lost. “I don’t like what I see,” Ferrigno said. “It worries me and the other teachers because there’s no cooperative playing. When you see a successful person it’s a person who knows how to work with others. I think working and playing cooperatively is an important thing. It all goes hand in hand. You don’t learn by yourself … you need to have cooperation.” She went on to say that it’s important that kids, especially only children, learn how to wait their turn. Somerset encourages kids to be creative. When they play outside, they make up their own games, with teachers and volunteers out there keeping an eye on them. If a child is working on something and “wants to sit by the stream, we really encourage them to play with the group because cooperative learning and play, I feel, is very important.” In the camp’s Destination Imagination program the kids work in teams to come up with the best solution to solving a problem, “kind of like a think tank.” Last year the children were challenged to come up with the solution on how to make a boat float. The kids were put into small groups and put to task to come up with ideas. For this camp director, play is learning and it works best when kids do it together.
THE RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE |PAGE 5A
PAGE 6A | RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE
Kids!
MARCH 23, 2012
Parenting
Seeing the other side of the fence
Breaking through the stereotypes of mothering choices BY JACKIE LUPO
H
eidi Michaels knows how easy it is to get “lost in the woods” of full-time motherhood. “I got married young,” said Michaels, who worked in the music field and was a video buyer at the corporate headquarters of Waldenbooks before she became a mother. “I have two step-kids and then I had three more, so I pretty much gave up a career to become a full-time mom. With such a busy household, I felt I had lost myself. I began asking myself, ‘What am I going to be when I grow up?’” Today, Michaels, a Katonah resident, is a life coach whose clients include women trying to find that elusive balance between kids and career. She often finds that both the working moms and the at-home moms that she counsels have two things in common: strong opinions about what the other group of moms should be doing, and a tendency to feel that whichever role they themselves choose, they’re not performing it well enough. “Working moms and at-home moms have a disconnect. And I hate to say it, but it seems there’s so much judgment,” said Michaels. “We need to disarm this.” What do things look like from each side of the fence? Moms who work full time might feel that the stay-at-home moms resent them for not bringing homemade cookies to the PTA bake sale or volunteering for committees. Or, those working moms might overcompensate by baking even more cookies or volunteering for more committees than their stay-at-home neighbors. Working moms may feel that their children’s schools favor the at-home mothers, who are available to help out during the school day and to work on homework projects that demand hours of parent participation.
Stay-at-home moms may feel isolated from their peers and, if they’re new moms, they may miss the predictability of their old jobs. They may also feel they have a lot to prove. Are they doing enough? Are they respected for what they do? Having looked at the worlds of working moms and stay-at-home moms from both perspectives, Michaels is in a good position to advise women in both situations. After years of stay-at-home parenting, Michaels said she felt “off.” “Something was missing,” she said. “I ended up calling a personal trainer. I’d never spent money on myself. But this was after my fifth child and I had not been exercising.” Michaels found herself at the gym: “I discovered the athlete in me, someone who likes a challenge.” And, she added, “When I went to the gym, people knew me as me. They would say, ‘Hello, Heidi.’ It really helped me have my own identity.” She began working out frequently and, after two years, she got to the point of training for a triathlon that was six months away. But she had always been terrified of being out in open water. She knew that she had come a long way from the “unhappy housewife” she had been, but she knew she would have to overcome her water phobia to compete in a triathlon. She missed that first triathlon, but finally she was able to conquer her water phobia and compete in many triathlons in the following years. Overcoming her fears made Michaels think of what other challenges she could set for herself. She enrolled in the Coach Training Institute and became a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach. Still, taking the plunge into a professional career after years away from the working world wasn’t easy for Michaels. “The biggest transition had to go on in my head,” she said. “I saw myself as a fulltime mom. It was hard to put on a differ-
Hudson Family Dental Jacqueline Paramo, DDS
ent hat and call myself a working mom, to say I could be available to my children and be a really good mom, and have a career to fulfill me and challenge me.” Now that she coaches both working moms and stay-at-home moms, she finds that both groups have a tendency to be hard on themselves. She said that working moms are juggling, “trying to find that balance.” Meanwhile, many full-time moms worry about whether they “should” be doing more. “I find we always say in our culture that we don’t value motherhood, value being a full-time mom,” Michael said. “And some of the most guilty participants are full-time moms. They’re not valuing themselves.” The U.S. Census Bureau publishes statistics about mothers leaving the workforce to have children and mothers reentering the workforce after childbearing. In 2010, 60.7 percent of women with chil-
dren under 3 years old were in the labor force. About 30 percent of these working mothers worked part time, and the rest full time. As children grew older the balance of part-time to full-time working mothers decreased, but not by much: among employed mothers of children under 18, 26.3 percent still worked part time. Misconceptions abound as to which mothers are likely to work and which are likely to stay home. The perception that most stay-at-home moms are rich women who don’t “need” to work is not borne out by the statistics. Census Bureau research published in 2009 found that just over 24 percent of families with stay-at-home mothers had incomes over $100,000. The study also found that women with household incomes of over $200,000 were only slightly more likely to stay home than women in households with incomes over
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Kids!
MARCH 23, 2012 CONTINUED FROM THE PREVIOUS PAGE
$100,000, but under $200,000. The big difference came in the lowest income levels: 45 percent of families with stay-athome mothers had incomes of $50,000 or less. Nor is it a fact that once women have a baby, they seldom return to the workforce. A 2008 Census Bureau study found that over 79 percent of women who had worked during pregnancy had returned to work within a year of their first childbirth. Returning to work makes financial sense for some women, but not all. After calculating the cost of child care, commuting, work clothes and other job-related expenses, some women find that it actually costs the family more for the mother to work than to stay home with the kids. The Child Care Council of Westchester found that the average weekly rate for child care centers in their database was $316 for babies under 18 months. Salaries for a full-time nanny vary widely in this area, but can easily amount to hundreds more per week. Catalyst, an organization working to advance women in business, concluded in a 2011 report that women’s decision to leave the workforce to stay home with children is not a simple one: “There is a misunderstanding that women find it easy to leave their jobs to stay home with their children. Through our work with our clients, including exit interview and assessment projects, we find that most women are conflicted about
leaving their jobs and find it very difficult to do so,” the report concluded. “They have spent much time and money investing in their professional development, and their jobs are a large part of their ongoing personal and professional identification. If they do leave, often it is because employers are not making available or not making obvious a way to conceivably combine work with the rest of their lives.” Catalyst’s 2003 study of women in corporate leadership found that 51 percent agreed with the statement “I find it difficult to balance the demands of my work with family/personal life.” Even if companies offer women the opportunity to change their work schedules, few mothers feel comfortable about what getting off the fast track will mean to their career. Only 15 percent of the Catalyst study participants agreed with the statement “I believe I can use a flexible work arrangement without jeopardizing my career advancement,” and only 14 percent agreed with the statement “I believe I can use a parental leave or sabbatical without jeopardizing my career advancement.” Women who choose to stay home with a baby after many years at work can find the adjustment more difficult than they anticipated. “People who are really used to working and who suddenly find themselves home full time miss the social interaction and miss that schedule. They’re used to having that schedule and structure,” said Michaels. She urges her clients to look CONTINUED ON PAGE 45A
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THE RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE |PAGE 7A
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Kids!
MARCH 23, 2012
Lactation consultants
Help for successful breastfeeding BY JACKIE LUPO
M
others have been breastfeeding for millions of years. It’s a natural process, whose benefits for both babies and mothers are now backed up by tons of scientific research. But if breastfeeding is so natural, why do so many mothers experience problems nursing their babies? And why has a whole new profession called lactation consulting sprung up to address these problems? In past generations, said Erica Charpentier, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) based in Mount Kisco, “You had families around you who you lived in the middle of, who had experience. When people were giving birth, they were in a setting conducive to breastfeeding success.” Charpentier is one of 25,000 IBCLCs worldwide. This new category of health professional includes consultants working in hospitals, doctors’ offices, clinics and private practices. Some are also doc-
tors, nurses, midwives, nutritionists or women with a background in counseling for breastfeeding organizations. In order to be certified, they must go through a rigorous education program that includes training in not only the anatomical and physiological aspects of breastfeeding, but also the practical, psychological and emotional elements. Other professionals, such as maternity department nurses, midwives and doulas may also provide breastfeeding support. Whether a mother looks to an IBCLC or another consultant, these professionals can provide needed support and information — and also serve as a buffer between new parents and the well-meaning, but often outdated advice of family and friends. “Most of the time, moms have a sense of what’s not right,” Charpentier said. She recommended that parents “take a prenatal class and know what normal looks like. Knowing what it looks like when things are going well can be incredCONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE
Rivertown’s Dental
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MARCH 23, 2012
CONTINUED FROM THE PREVIOUS PAGE
ibly valuable.” Having a private consultation with a lactation expert can help prevent small issues from becoming bigger ones. “When breastfeeding is off to a good start, there shouldn’t be any pain or anxiety when anticipating breastfeeding,” Charpentier said. “If you find that’s what’s going on, it would probably be helpful to talk to somebody. Basically, any mother who has pain while nursing, a baby who is not gaining well or a baby with some kind of sucking or swallowing problem,” can benefit from a consultation, said Charpentier. “It’s not just pain. It’s anything that’s preventing you or your child from having that relationship.” A lost tradition Even mothers who are enthusiastic about breastfeeding are likely to be on the receiving end of misguided information that can affect how successful they are at breastfeeding and how long they continue with it. Many of today’s mothers belong to the first generation of women in their family to breastfeed in a century. Breastfeeding went from an almost universal practice in the late 1800s to a rarity by the 1950s, when only about a quarter of all babies started out life being breastfed. Mid-century customs around the childbirth experience were very different from what they are today. Most mothers delivered their babies under anesthesia. When they left the hospital, they were
Kids!
given complicated recipes for the preparation of formula and strict instructions on instituting a schedule of feedings. The culture changed during the next generation, as more mothers began to embrace the practices of natural childbirth, feeding on demand and breastfeeding. But during the same period, infant formula manufacturers stepped up their marketing campaigns to promote their products as “scientific” alternatives to breast milk. New mothers were routinely sent home with discharge packs containing free samples of infant formula. In fact, as awareness of breastfeeding grew over the last half of the century, formula companies became even more aggressive in their techniques, enlisting hospitals and medical practitioners as marketing partners. The entrenchment of formula marketing via hospitals continues today, even though the American Academy of Pediatrics and the governments of the United States and other developed countries have all stated — unequivocally — that formula does not provide the quality of nutrition that babies get from mother’s milk. According to the U.S. Surgeon General’s office, three-quarters of U.S. infants now start out life being breastfed. Within three months after giving birth, more than two-thirds of breastfeeding mothers have already begun using formula. By the time the baby is 6 months old, less than half of mothers are still breastfeeding. Although mothers who have just de-
THE RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE |PAGE 9A
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PAGE 10A | RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE
Jake Daniel Aluisio
Campbell Brown
Kids!
Brady Armstrong
Thomas Burke
MARCH 23, 2012
Jayden Bailey
kids! Alexandra Grace DeLieto
Leda Germaine Graeber
Jacob Rice Brensilver
Ignatius (Iggy) Brownstein
Phinneas Buckley
Mia DiChiaro
Anne Burke
MARCH 23, 2012
Breastfeeding CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9A
livered their babies may receive some advice from hospital staff, the nature of today’s in-hospital childbirth experience is seldom conducive to establishing good breastfeeding practices. “In the hospital, every hospital has a breastfeeding coordinator and you should be able to get advice from them. Usually they have a group morning breastfeeding session,” said Robert Rosenberg, M.D., of Hartsdale Pediatrics. “The trouble with the hospitals is that with the two-day discharge, your breast milk is not going to come in for 96 hours.” Dr. Rosenberg recommends that new mothers visit the pediatrician within 24 to 48 hours of discharge. He also applauds the idea of calling a lactation consultant. “I think it’s a great idea,” he said. “Lactation consultants can help, since we don’t have a tradition of breastfeeding. Lactation consultants have a lot to offer.” He notes that mothers don’t have to wait until problems arise to call a consultant. “If you’re motivated to breastfeed and you have some anxieties, I think it would be helpful,” he said. Lactation consultants see clients before and after childbirth. Some of their services are purely educational and preventive, while others are aimed at solving problems that are interfering with nursing success.
Kids!
Getting help early “For the most part, women can create an excellent milk supply,” said Beth Shulman, an IBCLC in Hastings. But when mothers come home with a new baby — especially first-time mothers — they may not know when they should ask for help. That’s where private consultations and postnatal breastfeeding groups come in. For example, while breastfeeding is being established, “intermittent discomfort is something normal, but pain is an indication that something is not right and should be — and could be — improved by better positioning, or something going on with the baby’s suck,” Shulman said. “It’s an indication to call for help. I would say that getting help early in the breastfeeding experience is really valuable because as each day goes by, the difficulties can go unresolved, and it makes the experience more difficult in general.” When mothers have trouble establishing a good milk supply, “Most frequently it’s unrelated to her physiology, but more related to the way breastfeeding got started early on, in terms of the supplydemand situation,” Shulman said. “Also, the birth experience can influence milk supply.” She explained that medical intervention during childbirth, or having a Caesarean section, can interfere with the early establishment of a good milk supply. “You can come back from that,” she said. “Every woman’s body is a little different. Some women’s milk supply reCONTINUED ON PAGE 15A
THE RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE |PAGE 11A
PAGE 12A | RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE
Kids!
MARCH 23, 2012
Breaking the thumb-sucking habit Thumb sucking and pacifers can be risky business as children develop
S
BY JACKIE LUPO
ucking is the most basic human instinct. Fetuses can be seen in sonograms sucking their thumbs in utero. Human infants need to suck to feed from the mother’s breast, and they respond to a touch on the cheek by rooting for their mother’s nipple moments after birth. And as babies grow, they may suck on a thumb, finger or pacifier as a way of self-soothing. A natural behavior Throughout infancy, sucking is a natural behavior. The combination of an infant’s mouth and a mother’s soft, yielding breast is ideal for healthy feeding and correct development of the baby’s mouth and facial structure. The action of sucking also causes the brain to produce endorphins, making sucking a highly pleasurable activity for babies. But the same behavior that is good for infants can be harmful for older babies and children, when they are not sucking on a mother’s nipple, but on a pacifier, thumb or finger. And the problems can get worse the longer pacifier or thumb sucking continues. While a mother’s nipple is soft and flexible, other things babies suck on, such as pacifiers or thumbs, are not — and as a result, the developing structures inside the baby’s mouth can be affected. What’s more, once a child passes the age when sucking is no longer a necessary, natural behavior, excessive thumb or pacifier sucking can become a habit that’s very difficult to break. Many people think a 2-year-old with a thumb in his mouth looks cute. Fewer people think the same about an 8-year-old thumb sucker with buck teeth, a receding chin and a tendency to breathe with his or her mouth open. Unfortunately, even the most beautiful baby can develop serious changes to the teeth, jaws and overall facial structure if a natural and normal activity — thumb sucking — continues too long. Similar problems can result if a baby is allowed to use a pacifier beyond the toddler stage.
“The habits from using a paciΩer and sucking a thumb or Ωngers and putting objects in the mouth can not only harm the teeth and how they erupt but speech, and how they eat, and other issues.” — Dr. Paula Fabbie “It’s a pretty common problem, and it’s very hard to stop,” said Gary Heitzler, D.D.S. of Hastings Pediatric Dental. “It definitely could cause malformation of the jaws and teeth.” Dr. Heitzler said thumb sucking and pacifier use could change the growth and formation of the palate. “Some kids can get away with it,” he said. “It depends on how hard a sucking seal they’re forming. But we always try to have them stop between 2 and 4.” Thumb sucking or pacifier use during the first few years of life is usually harmless, and most toddlers gradually give up
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the sucking habit on their own. Some kids find the habit hard to break, though. And for the really vigorous thumb suckers, the constant pressure of a thumb against the roof of the mouth can cause the palate to grow in a high, arched shape instead of a nice, rounded one. When the shape of the inside of the mouth is distorted, so is the positioning of the teeth. Common results include malocclusion — when the teeth in the upper and lower jaw don’t meet properly; protruding or buck teeth; teeth that are crooked and widely spaced; and excessive development of the upper jaw along with underdevelopment of the lower jaw. According to the American Dental Association, “Children who rest their thumbs passively in their mouths are less likely to experience difficulty than those who vigorously suck their thumbs.” If you’re not sure how hard your child is sucking his thumb, a sure tip-off is a “popping” sound when he removes his thumb from his mouth. Paula Fabbie, an orofacial myologist in Highland, helps clients, from young children to adults, overcome oral habits that cause problems with oral and facial development and the health issues that result. “The habits from using a pacifier and sucking a thumb or fingers and putting objects in the mouth can not only harm the teeth and how they erupt but speech, and how they eat, and other issues,” Fabbie said. She explained that along with the palate, teeth and jaw not developing properly, there could be additional problems with the correct placement of the tongue in the mouth, and with the muscular development of the lips. Children can have problems with speech, may breathe through their mouths because the lips don’t close properly, and even have issues such as snoring or obstructive sleep apnea. Breaking the habit The earlier kids can break the sucking habit, the more likely it is that they can avoid permanent damage. But doing that can be hard. “A thumb and pacifier affect the teeth
the same way, but it’s easier to take away the pacifier,” said Heitzler. Thumb sucking is harder to stop unless the child is really motivated. And even then, she may revert to thumb sucking in her sleep if the habit is not completely broken. There are three basic approaches to stopping thumb sucking: behavior modification, aversion therapy and mechanical intervention. Robert Rosenberg, M.D. of Hartsdale Pediatrics, recommends a positive approach to behavior modification. He suggests giving children positive reinforcement, praising them when they are not actively sucking — what he calls, “catching them when they’re being good.” Sometimes, a bribe can break a habit. A little girl, for example, might be convinced to stop sucking her thumb with the promise, say, of a beautiful manicure at the local nail salon. Negative reinforcement — punishing children by taking away privileges or scolding, seldom works and can even make the problem worse, since it can cause the child to become tense and upset, and revert to sucking even more. Aversion therapy involves changing the thumb sucking experience from a pleasant experience to an unpleasant one. There are all sorts of bitter, horrible-tasting products on the market that can be applied to the nails. These work quickly for some kids, and not at all for others: they just get used to the taste and go on sucking. Some people say this method of stopping thumb sucking is cruel, but if the result of using it is that a child stops ruining the shape of his mouth and teeth, how cruel is it, really, in the long run? That’s for the parent to decide. Mechanical intervention also has mixed results. Some kids are highly motivated to stop sucking, especially older ones who are teased at school for sucking their thumbs in front of other children. Heitzler recommends putting a little band-aid over the thumb as a reminder. Wearing mittens to bed, or even a sock over the hands, works for some nighttime thumb CONTINUED ON PAGE 14A
MARCH 23, 2012
Nina Hankewycz
Gabriel Bush
Kids!
Michaela Heinlein
THE RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE |PAGE 13A
Callie DiChiaro
Joseph Distefano
kids! Isabella Murray
Madison Murray
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Eden Gary Garnevicus-Vowels
Keely Merrill
Tyler Goodman
PAGE 14A | RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE
Kids!
Thumb sucking
Forgotten
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Emergenc y
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ild ...you’re ch hool calls
Sc
P
acifiers should not be used by children over 2 to 3 years of age because of the risk of damaging the jaws and teeth. But they are generally harmless for younger infants if they are used correctly, and they can even have health benefits. The American Academy of Pediatrics, in a 2011 report on safe sleeping environments for infants, recommends offering a pacifier to young babies at nap and sleep time: “Although the mechanism is yet unclear, studies have reported a protective effect of pacifiers on the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome,” the report states. The protective effect is believed to continue throughout the sleep period even if the pacifier falls out of the baby’s mouth. If you do decide to let your baby use a pacifier, take these precautions: • Do choose a one-piece pacifier if possible. Two-piece pacifiers can come apart with vigorous use. • Do choose a pacifier with air vents in the shield. • Do be sure the pacifier shield is wider than the baby’s mouth. Discard tiny pacifiers after the baby has
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Pacifier dos and don’ts
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12A
suckers. There are also thumb coverings that look like gloves, but that cover only the thumbs. Of course, all these strategies work only as long as the band-aid or mitten stays on the hand, since kids can remove them at will. It is possible to buy “thumb guards” made of plastic. They strap on the hands and make it impossible to suck the thumbs, but some determined children have been known to figure out how to remove them, or to chew right through them. If all else fails and a dentist or orthodontist determines that a child is on the way to developing serious problems, a consultation with an orofacial myologist may help. “An orthodontist will never put braces on a child who still sucks his thumb,” said Heitzler. The habit has to be broken first, or the act of sucking will defeat the whole purpose of braces. Fabbie noted that it’s important not just to break the sucking habit, but to undo the other problems that go along with it, such as improper placement of the tongue in the mouth. “A child has a habit that is causing the problem,” she said. “You can put the braces on, but when you take the braces off, if the child isn’t retrained it will go right back.” During therapy, said Fabbie, “We retrain the tongue and lips, and retrain the supporting muscles to keep the beautiful faces we hope to have.”
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outgrown them. • Do choose a pacifier with a symmetrical nipple that will stay in the right sucking position in the baby’s mouth. • Do clean the pacifier frequently with soap and water, or at least in clean running water. • Don’t use a pacifier that is broken or damaged in any way. Check pacifiers for cracks, and pull on the
nipple before giving it to the child to be sure it is not damaged. • Don’t coat a pacifier with any substance such as sugar or syrup. In particular, never give a baby honey or corn syrup, whether on a pacifier, a finger, or in any other form, as these products can cause botulism in infants. • Don’t hang a pacifier around the baby’s neck. Pacifiers attached to a ribbon clipped on to a baby’s clothes should only be used under constant supervision. A baby should never be left alone with a pacifier clipped to a stuffed animal in the crib; suffocation can result. • Don’t clean a dropped pacifier by putting it in your own mouth. Even mom’s mouth has plenty of germs. • Don’t buy cheap, off-brand pacifiers. • Don’t use a pacifier before breast-feeding is well established. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends waiting four to six weeks before introducing a pacifier. • Don’t let a toddler walk around with a pacifier in her mouth all day. It can cause orthodontic and speech problems later. — JACKIE LUPO
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MARCH 23, 2012
Breastfeeding CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11A
sponds more to various factors than others. It’s a very individual thing.” OK to seek help “Years ago, when I started working as a lactation consultant, moms were sometimes disappointed with themselves if they needed help because they felt this was a natural process,” Shulman said. “There has been a shift that I’m very happy with. Breastfeeding is a learned behavior. There are a lot of people who want to be helpful based on their experience. But there’s evidence-based information that can really inform people, in a very professional way. Moms are lucky now.” Shulman likes to have both parents come to the prenatal classes or consultations: “I feel if the mom has the support of her family, of her partner, she’s most likely to succeed if the partner is on board and part of the team. I think it’s a family thing. I also feel that when couples have a sense of what is coming in that first week or two after the baby is born, it helps people to cope with the early days.” Shulman noted that parents are often surprised at how frequently and how long babies have to nurse in the first weeks after birth. “The supply of milk depends on the baby’s demand,” she explained. “The time spent on the breast and the amount of milk removed from the breast goes to the brain and determines the amount of milk made. So the baby needs full access
Kids!
Breastfeeding:
What the research says
T
oday, experts encourage mothers to breastfeed for the entire first year of life if possible, but for at least the first six months. The U.S. government has been coming out with progressively stronger statements in favor of breastfeeding for three decades. In a 2011 report, “The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding,” the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published the results of a systematic review of all the major research about breastfeeding in developed countries. Some of the findings: • Formula feeding has health risks for babies. They are more likely to have common childhood ailments such as diarrhea and ear infections. Babies who are exclusively formulafed for the first six months of life have a risk of ear infections 100 percent higher than infants who are breastfed exclusively during the first six months. • Formula-fed infants are 250 percent more likely to be hospitalized with lower respiratory disease during the first year of life than
babies who have been exclusively breastfed for at least four months. • Infants who are never breastfed are 56 percent more likely to suffer Sudden Infant Death Syndrome than breastfed babies. • Higher rates of necrotizing enterocolitis, a severe gastrointestinal infection that can cause destruction of colon tissue, are found in vulnerable premature infants who are formula-fed. • Formula-feeding appears to be associated with a higher incidence of common conditions later in life, including childhood obesity, asthma and type 2 diabetes, all three of which have been increasing over time in the U.S. • Breastfeeding can also confer significant health benefits to mothers. Several studies have found that breastfeeding can lower the risk of breast cancer. • Studies indicate that women who have never breastfed have a 27 percent greater chance of developing ovarian cancer than women who have breastfed for some period of time. — Jackie Lupo
THE RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE |PAGE 15A
to the breast whenever desired.” Shulman runs a twice-monthly breastfeeding support group at Pediatrics on Hudson in Hastings. Breastfeeding groups help moms establish connections with other new nursing mothers. They also give mothers the peer support to continue breastfeeding longer. Breast milk continues to confer benefits to older babies and toddlers, even when the child has begun to eat solid food. The composition of breast milk changes according to the needs of the child, and continues to be superior to formula at any stage of the baby’s life. Yet the longer a mother breastfeeds, the more likely she is to encounter criticism, even from people who applauded her efforts to breastfeed when the baby was born. Your own decision A mother’s decision to breastfeed — whether to do it, and how long to do it — is a personal one. Lactation consultants do all they can to help mothers who want to breastfeed. But it may not be right for everyone. “I really try not to be dogmatic about breastfeeding,” said Shulman. “There are people who have problems with this, and I really feel my role as a lactation consultant is to offer proper, evidence-based information in a supportive way, so couples can make their own decisions about the best way to feed their baby. “I try really hard to be nonjudgmental about what people choose to do.”
PAGE 16A | RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE
Kids!
MARCH 23, 2012
Beyond baby talk
Early intervention key for kids’ speech growth BY MARY LEGRAND
B
aby talk, as defined by Merriam-Webster: “The syntactically imperfect speech or phonetically modified forms used by small children learning to talk.” Or, alternatively: “The consciously imperfect or altered speech used by adults in speaking to small children.” Whichever way you look at it, baby talk is not the best way to speak. If you’re a parent of a toddler or preschooler and wondering if the child’s speech is progressing correctly, the issue can be worrisome, to say the least. But it turns out there are other, more serious issues speech experts say parents should be more concerned about. Baby talk is a bit of a misnomer in this day and age. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is the professional, scientific and credentialing association for 145,000 members and affiliates who are audiologists, speech-language pathologists and speech, language, and hearing scientists. The group’s website lists speech-related behaviors by children at certain ages that should trigger referrals to speech and language professionals. For example, children should be seen by a professional if by age 3 they cannot be understood by family and/or caregivers; correctly produce vowels and such sounds as p, b, m and w in words; or repeat certain words when not understood without becoming frustrated. Other triggers are appropriate when children are 4 and 5 years of age. Robbie Levy, owner/director of Dynamic Kids in White Plains, a multidisciplinary pediatric therapy center, said children benefit from complementary services that address occupational, verbal and social needs. “Many of the kids we see will come in
for more than one service, or they come in at first for one and then at another time for another service,” Levy said. “We see more boys than girls, but there are plenty of girls who need to come. Interestingly, behavior plays a part in that children who have good behavior tend to be referred less. Sometimes a child who’s quiet is assumed to be fine.” The range of children’s speech development “is very large,” Levy said. “Parents who suspect a problem often have a wait-and-see approach, and doctors may support that as well.” Levy feels that parents who think a child needs help should not wait to begin advocating on that child’s behalf. “We have an early intervention point of view at Dynamic Kids and have a tendency to err on the opposite side,” she said. “Our
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frame of reference is that the earlier you intervene, the better the outcome is. You don’t want to be an alarmist, but on the other hand, if you wait too long it takes longer to deal with.” Children who come to Dynamic Kids for help with speech usually arrive because a parent or preschool thinks help is needed. “Most children in this area go to school from a very young age,” Levy said. “Since they can be compared to their peers it’s very easy to see when a child is not keeping up. Most parents know this already, though, because if you go to a playground, play date, play group, you see that your child is not performing. You start asking around, going on the Internet, talking to other people. That’s how most parents start finding the services themselves.”
There are different kinds of speech issues, Levy said. “Some kids babble, just making sounds; others have echolalia and just repeat what they hear and don’t come up with their own speech. Often you see that in the autistic population, so they mimic back what they hear on television or what their parents say. That would be a concern.” Low speech volume often is confused with baby talk, Levy noted, adding that sometimes a shy child can talk in a way that seems more immature than his or her real age. “And there are some children who can’t participate in the back and forth of a conversation,” she said. “They may be able to speak words on their own, but they can’t necessarily do it in a conversation.” CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE
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Levy also cautioned that young children having problems in other aspects of their lives “might revert to a more immature language pattern, and if they’re really frustrated, could walk away and not participate.” A relatively high number of children in Westchester County receive early intervention for a variety of developmental issues including speech. “Most professionals really feel that early intervention is the way to go, and there’s not the stigma anymore about receiving services that there used to be,” Levy said. “The great thing about early intervention is that you can intervene for a short period of time and be finished. Way back when, you would wait until the child was 7 or 8. This is a much faster service, and then also you don’t have the behavioral ramifications of all that frustration.” It’s also easier, Levy said, to undo learned patterns of speech and behavior if the child is being trained to undo them sooner rather than later: “Children are much less apt to want to try new behaviors when they’re older, but when they’re 3 or 4 are much more apt to try something new.” Cheryl Small Jackson of the Center for Small Jewels in New Rochelle, an organization that supports children and families as they move through the developmental stages, said she does not see many children whose speech would be defined as “baby talk.”
Kids!
“The whole notion of baby talk was good at one point, maybe 15 or 20 years ago, but I don’t know if it’s the right term anymore,” Jackson said. “We’re really looking now for certain flags, what should parents be concerned about with speech and language. The children who end up in early intervention are using gestures, or they don’t have any form of communication or very little communication. Rather than kids maintaining or holding on to baby talk, there are children who are not developing these early skills at all.” As with other local service providers, some children treated at the Center for Small Jewels are brought in because their parents suspected a developmental delay; others come through referral by a pediatrician or school. Jackson agrees that there’s no need to wait for help. “There’s no reason to assume a child is going to grow out of something,” she said. “There’s a lot of research that proves that if children do get the intervention that their speech can definitely improve. Sometimes mothers will come in and say that something’s not right, but their husband or in-laws tell them to wait because a relative spoke similarly at the same age and ended up being okay. “But we know now that the earlier we can get to this, the better it will be. We have clear documentation that the brain is plastic. When we put good stuff into children, the brain will integrate it and they will learn, and, in most cases, the speech will become age-appropriate.”
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PAGE 18A | RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE
Kids!
MARCH 23, 2012
A world without germs?
Hand-washing, antibacterials the key to health
I
BY MARY LEGRAND
t seems so simple, really. The best way to avoid contracting illnesses such as colds and flu is to wash one’s hands. Adults should already know this, of course, but how do parents impart this important information to their young children without worrying the little ones too much? One way, some experts say, is to keep the process simple, and to make sure that hand-washing becomes a regular household routine each and every day. To learn how to make this fun for the family, there’s plenty of help out there, including at the Westchester County Department of Health website, which offers pages of useful hints to “stop disease in its tracks” through its Healthy Hands Club initiative. WCDOH suggests we all wash our hands, using soap and running water, after touching animals, after playing outside, after coughing and sneezing, before and after eating, and after using the bathroom. Katherine Evans Hough, M.D., FAAP, is a pediatrician in general practice at CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE
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MARCH 23, 2012 CONTINUED FROM THE PREVIOUS PAGE
Pediatrics on Hudson in Hastings-onHudson. Her recommendation to parents is to make hand-washing “part of your everyday normal routine, after you fall on the ground, after you go to the bathroom, after you blow your nose. Then it becomes automatic.” Parents are the most important models for their children, so this regular routine goes for adults as well, she emphasized. Progress is being made and people are becoming accustomed to doing this, thanks to increased awareness of the benefits of hand-washing. For many local young children in day care or preschool, hand-washing is “a given,” Dr. Hough said. “In a lot of nursery schools it’s a requirement that students wash their hands upon arrival, a practice that started back when H1N1, or swine flu, was circulating. People became a little more conscious.” There’s less chance that children will get overly worried about germs if parents and schools make hand-washing part of the everyday routine, Hough continued. “As children get older and ask why we’re doing this, we can talk about how germs can be transmitted, how we wash our hands to keep ourselves healthy,” she said. “Before that, just help younger children wash their hands without explaining too much why it’s being done.” While the county health department says hand-washing is the “single greatest public health service a person can do,” it calls alcohol-based hand sanitizers the “second best line of defense against germs.”
Kids!
Pay attention to the percentage of alcohol in the solution, though. It should be at least 60 percent, according to the health department, whose representatives caution that sanitizers do not eliminate all types of germs and “are not effective when hands are visibly dirty.” Whether using soap and water or sanitizer gel, technique counts, and, perhaps, so does singing ability. When washing hands, it’s important to scrub long enough, about the time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice. Wet hands thoroughly, using warm water; apply soap liberally, scrubbing every part of both hands for at least 20 seconds, or as long as it takes to sing the ditty two times. Rinse and dry hands, and, for good measure, particularly in public settings, turn off the water taps and open the door with a paper towel. “We’re getting the message out so that kids and adults know that washing their hands is one of the most effective ways to avoid getting sick,” Hough said. “Of course there are other excellent disease preventatives, like vaccination, but in actuality hand washing is a really simple solution. We do it here in the office before and after we see every patient.” Hough referred to the Centers for Disease Prevention’s website which, like Westchester County’s health department site, offers information about handwashing kits, which are increasingly being used at schools to instruct students about the proper techniques. A drop of ultraviolet hand washing lotion is put in CONTINUED ON PAGE 23A
THE RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE |PAGE 19A
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Kids!
MARCH 23, 2012
From nursery to big kids’ room
Time to redecorate!
I
BY EVE MARX
n her 25-plus years as an interior designer, Nancy Almeida of Nancy Almeida Interior Design & Decoration said that some of the most challenging work has been rooms for children. “I say this because unlike other rooms in a home, parents want their child’s room to look a certain way, to have a good sense of style and function, and also have the ability to grow with the child — from baby to at least 10 years of age,” Almeida said. “The child, on the other hand, wants a ‘fun’ room — and fun can be defined in many different ways!” The key, she said, is to start with a good foundation that is versatile in form. “Your child can grow with it, while keeping in mind that the child wants a fun look, too.” She said she accomplishes this foundation often with color, while avoiding cookie cutter versions of baby pink or blue: “Instead, I use colors such as sherbet shades of greens, yellows, purples or oranges, and infuse other colors so that the room has a style, but also has a young appeal as well.” Painting or wallpapering an accent wall
is also a good way to punch color into a room, as well as applying wall art. “Another interesting color that I propose to parents that don’t want to do the greens, yellows, purples or oranges is gray,” Almeida said. “Gray is quickly becoming the new neutral and is often replacing past neutrals such as white and cream.” Almeida advises that a soft hue of gray creates a warm palette that can be built upon with other colors. “It is also a color that you will not tire of easily and will grow with the child,” she noted. Besides the unifying element of color, Almeida said that functionality is an integral element in designing children’s rooms. “You want to choose furniture that will grow with the child,” she said. At Country Willow Kids in Bedford Hills, the store offers beautiful, wellmade, sturdy furniture that will grow with any child. Many customers of the shop are indeed shopping for the future, said a Country Willow sales associate. Beautiful hardwood bedroom components that a child can grow with include the store’s signature “Smart Space” systems such as The Capital,” which includes two beds, stairs, a desk and nine drawers, or the CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE
ASPIRE
Nancy Almeida’s vision for this bedroom was a hit for one little girl.
CHRISTIAN PRE-SCHOOL Dobbs Ferry Lutheran Church 43 Ashford Avenue
693-0026
After Camp Childcare June 25 - August 3 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Swimming • Snacks Trips• Poolside Activities For Further Information Call Neil Stepman at 478-5521
• • • • •
Programs for 2.6, 3 & 4 yr olds Large, spacious classrooms inside Full playground in back of building Coffee Chats” for parents/younger siblings Additions of dance, music & movement, and Spanish • “Faith-based curriculum with age appropriate development of skills, interactions and experiences
“Nurturing Faith & Families for 36 Years” CPS welcomes students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin
MARCH 23, 2012 CONTINUED FROM THE PREVIOUS PAGE
“University” plan, which includes two beds, a study area, a lot of storage and stairs. These mixable and moveable components easily can take a child from toddler years straight through high school if need be. Other “grow with you” ideas at Country Willow include furnishing the room with captain’s beds, platform beds and bunk beds that can be taken apart and used as twins. Even infant furniture can grow with the child, Almeida said. “Some furniture designers have created cribs that can be converted into a settee or daybed,” she said. She also recommended buying furniture that can be painted as the child grows to change the look of the room. At CiCi Crib in Armonk, owner Christina Doherty’s aesthetic is inspired by a wide range of influences from vintage toys to modern architecture. The shop is filled with carefully selected items from around the world, bearing in mind that the focus is children (although some great flower chairs she recently blogged about on her website at Roche Bubois would be great in a girl’s room, or even the living room). To shake things up, Doherty likes incorporating bedding not manufactured specifically for children. For example, for one client who was looking to decorate a young boy’s room, she came up with a selection of patterns designed by Trina Turk for Schumacher. “How exciting to do kids bedding in something so unexpected,” she said.
Kids!
THE RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE |PAGE 21A
For another client who wanted to update her daughter’s room without having to buy new furniture the designer and the client conceived of a plan to change the window treatments and to cover the headboard in fabric. The result was something fresh and hip, to reflect the daughter’s changing age status. For parents concerned that their child needs a darker environment to get a good night’s sleep, shades lined with blackout will keep out sunlight and allow the child to sleep better. Children can be quite vocal about how they would like to decorate their rooms. Doherty had a client whose son insisted on a purple color scheme. “That was a puzzle,” she said. Parenting experts advise that children have a say in how they want their room to be. “It’s very important for your child to love his or her room,” Almeida said. “After all, it is their special space in the house and where they will be entertaining their friends. They want to feel proud of their room.” And it is true that as your child morphs into a teenager, their rooms become ever more important to them. How the child’s room will look can become a battlefield of contention. “As your child grows into a teenager you will find that their rooms become even more important to them and there is often a struggle between what the parent wants and what the budding teenager wants,” Almeida said. This is where the advice of an interior designer is priceless as he or she can navCONTINUED ON PAGE 22A
GOOD SHEPHERD EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER A Non-Denominational Program Licensed by Office of Children and Family Services Registered by the University of the State of New York
Established in 1957 an e eric Am anguag nL Sig in 4’s
Offering Programs for 2’s, 3’s and 4’s
Mu Spe sic c 3’s & ialist 4’s
Plus Optional Extended Day Mov for 3’s and 4’s em t
Art is cial Spe 4’s in
ent Spe c 3’s & ialist 4’s
Registration Now in Progress for Spaces Remaining For School Year 2012-2013
Sasha Wilson, Educational Director Marianne Oley, Administrative Director Please call for information:
591-4104
www.goodshepherdirvington.com
25 North Broadway, Irvington Tuition Assistance Available
Accredited by the National Association for the Education of young children
PAGE 22A | RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE
Kids!
Redecorating CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21A
igate these rocky roads and act as a gobetween. “I just finished designing two girls’ bedrooms and I know it was done more easily with my involvement as the parents wanted one thing and the girls wanted something else,” Almeida said. “With my help, we were able to accomplish beautiful rooms that both parents and daughters are happy with.” But what about newborns who, luckily for the parents, don’t have any say? The biggest change in infant furniture trends is toward the stripped down, modern crib, Doherty said. While many parents prefer the timeless sweetness of a tradi-
WESTCHESTER
MARCH 23, 2012
tional crib, she is getting more requests for the sleek, paired down infant furniture made by the company known as ducduc. These spare, elegant pieces look just as at home in a Manhattan loft as they do in modern suburban dwellings. Doherty also commented on the trend — for both safety and style — toward less crib bedding. “The style now is not to have bumpers in the crib, or even blankets,” she said. “Many babies now are sleeping in sleep sacks.” Decorating for young children can be a challenge, but when in doubt, reflect on the words of Erma Bombeck, the famous author of many books about family life and raising kids: “When my kids become wild and unruly, I use a nice, safe playpen. When they’re finished, I climb out.”
Providing excellent early childhood education since 1957
us for Camp Applause! n i o J
Preschool Classes for Two, Three and Four Year Olds Transitional Kindergarten, Kindergarten and First Grade ...Continuing the Elmwood Way Loving, supportive environment…unique playgrounds such as Elmville and Climb, basketball courts, ball fields,…well designed, spacious classrooms…music with Anne…rich opportunities for play and learning…full day and half day classes…enrichment classes…
3-5 yrs. K–5th gr.
Music • Theater • Games
WEEK-LONG CAMPS Spring Break & All Summer! Check Out Our 3-Week Middle School Theater Intensives! 114 West Boston Post Rd. Mamaroneck, NY 10543
(914) 835-2200 applauseny.com
• New York State standards with a focus on balanced curriculum • Master teachers who encourage decision making and problem solving • Small class sizes • A community of enthusiastic learners • Real materials for exploration, investigation, play and learning Elmwood Day School 900 Dobbs Ferry Road, White Plains (914) 592-8577 • www.elmwooddayschool.com
MARCH 23, 2012
Hand-washing CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19A
a child’s hands. The child is instructed to rub in the lotion and stick his or her hands under a black light, where “fake germs” will glow under the light. The child is then asked to rewash his or her hands and repeat the process, inevitably showing fewer germs on the second try. Dr. Katherine Frederick, a pediatrician with Scarsdale’s River Valley Pediatrics, a small, board-certified group of pediatric and adolescent physicians, said that some parents have become more anxious in recent years about germs, especially since the swine flu outbreak. Rather than pass that concern to their children, “One of the best things parents can do is simply model good behavior for the children by washing their own hands before dinner and after they use the bathroom,” Dr. Frederick said. “The important thing is to not make hand-washing into a big deal, so the children don’t get scared by it. Hand-washing can be a part of their routine, like saying grace is for some families before they eat a meal.” Frederick also emphasized the importance of washing one’s hands each and every time the bathroom is visited, particularly for boys, especially older boys, who might not think they need to wash their hands after “just” urinating in a toilet or urinal. “You need to wash any time you touch a toilet handle,” she said. “There are plenty of germs there, too.”
Kids!
Gel hand sanitizers such as Purel are helpful in many circumstances where soap and water are not available, Frederick said, noting that parents of newborns and older infants should keep a bottle in or attached to their diaper bags for use after each diaper change, or “any time they touch the baby.” Frederick noted the common misperception that illness can be caused by changes in the weather. Hot air, cold winds and the multiple meteorological options in between are not to blame. It’s touching germs and then touching your face that lead to transmission of illness. Washing your hands and using sanitizer even more often than you think necessary is better than erring on the side of underuse, said Frederick, who mentioned being on a cruise recently and appreciating the effort made by the cruise line staff in being outside each dining venue “going crazy spritzing on the hand sanitizer.” For parents with children who are preschool age or younger, it comes down to adult intervention, Frederick said: “You can’t trust kids to be responsible with this, so with really little children it’s got to be the teachers or parents who make sure the kids’ hands are clean or that they’re using just the right amount of hand sanitizer.” To learn more about the Westchester County Department of Health’s Healthy Hands Club and to download activities such as a hand-washing word find, word scramble and connect-the-dots page, go to westchestergov.com.
THE RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE |PAGE 23A
FIVE CORNERS NURSERY PROGRAM and
Summer Program June & July
2, 3, 4 and 5 year olds A balanced creative arts & music based enrichment program for 2, 3, 4 and 5 year old children Limited Space Available
Pre-K Class • Three’s Class • Two’s Class Our “Home-Away-From-Home”nurturing environment will enrich and secure your child’s journey through their early childhood years
Registration now being accepted for September 2012 and the Summer Program. Director: Mary Cahill Administrator: Judith Rotiroti
18 Farragut Avenue, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY
Questions? Call us at 478-2334 www.hastingspreschool.com
Located on the Spacious Masters School Campus
The Master’s School
SUMMER CaMp SESSionS SESSion i
June 25, 2012 – July 20, 2012 SESSion ii
16 North Broadway, Irvington, New York 10533
(914) 591-6614
A 21st Century Pre-Kindergarten School New York State Licensed Member of National Association for Education of Young Children Member of Westchester Child Care Council
July 23, 2012 – August 10, 2012
Our Pre-Kindergarten is located in a multi-classroom “Home Environment” Setting.
Offering Stimulating Courses Like...
Interactive White Boards - Smart Boards • Laptop Computers Success Maker - Computer Assisted Instruction Integrated Phonetic Approach to Reading & Writing Exist goal - ready readers
Computers • Swimming • Robotics • Project Runway • Digital Photography Rocketry • Jewelry Design • International Cooking • Polymer Clay • Tennis Baseball • Soccer • Grand Prix Racers ...and much more!
Squire Advantage • Baseball Academy Tennis Training Center • All Sport Academy (co-ed ages 5–15) Transportation Available • Extended Day • Hot Lunch Included
www.squirecamps.com 914.328.3798 Dobbs Ferry, NY • email: squireday@aol.com
Arts and Crafts - Dramatic Play Montessori Based Materials and Activities Physical Education in gymnasium Music & Movement • Indoor & Outdoor Activities Early drop off - Extended Day 2 years 9 months - 5 years of age Rolling Admissions • All Faiths Welcome
Call for a tour!
PAGE 24A | RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE
Henry Teodoro Jaeger
James Patrick Hakett
Kids!
Luke Mitchell
Olivia Isabella Jaramillo
MARCH 23, 2012
Saydi Autumn Landon
kids! Peyton Newman
Sophie Meyer
Reese Kovacs
Justin Kovacs
Kayla Newman
Griffin James Kamke
Christian Pinero
Open 7 days a week !
Twin Lakes Farm “Where Westchester Learns to Ride” • Private & Group Lessons • Summer & Winter Camp • Indoor & Outdoor Rings • Boarding & Training • Horse Shows • Renovated Modern Facility • Miles of Trails • Stadium Lights (for night riding) • Birthday Parties
960 B California Road, Bronxville
914-961-2192 Visit our website for more information
www.TwinLakesFarm.com A Facility of The County of Westchester Parks, Recreation & Conservation
MARCH 23, 2012
Kids!
THE RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE |PAGE 25A
Kids Bedrooms
Baby, Kids & Teen Furniture
Bedding • Lighting •Rugs • Accessories • Mattresses
Over 50 Collections to Choose From Finely Crafted • Lasting Style • Best Quality • Northern Westchesters’ Largest Kids Furniture Showroom • Country, Vintage, Cottage, Traditional, Modern & Eclectic Styles • 20+ Colors & Stains, Many Hardware Choices, Free Computer Planning • Dovetail Drawers, Drawer Glides, Solid Wood, Safety Features.
Open 7 days • www.countrywillowkids.com • 914-241-7000
230 Route 117 By Pass Road, Bedford Hills
PAGE 26A | RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE
Kids!
MARCH 23, 2012
PARENT’S GUIDE I Arts, Camps, Enrichment Dance
six-day program for adults combines daily technique classes with improvisation and composition activities, the learning of repertory and the creation of new work. It will end in an in-studio performance on Saturday afternoon. From June 25-27, children 8 and up can join the Verlezzas and Lushington in a morning dance camp, combining technique and creative dance activities in a safe, supportive environment. Single classes can be arranged. Contact info@steffinossen.org or 3281900.
SummerDance at Steffi Nossen School Summer brings a variety of programs at the Steffi Nossen School of Dance studios located in the Music Conservatory of Westchester building at 216 Central Ave. in White Plains. The summer kicks off with the DiMauro Dance Company in Residence from June 25-28. This is a unique opportunity for college, professional and advanced level pre-professionals to enter the world of a professional dance company. Participants will dance alongside company members in a daily technique class and be part of the creation of new work and excerpts from the company repertory. The weeks of July 9-13 and July 23-27 bring SummerDance Intensives, weeklong programs of daily modern, ballet jazz, composition, pilates and yoga classes for students in grade 5 and up. Each week culminates in an informal showing of works for family and friends. Next, a Weeklong Hip-Hop Intensive will take place July 16-20. Students in grade 5 and up join Leilah Joy Bowser and a special summer guest artist for an exciting week of hip-hop and breakdance
Studio B: new location, new classes Leilah Joy Bowser leads a hip-hop class at Steffi Nossen School of Dance. classes, including freestyling and repertory. New are boys’-only classes. Friends and family are invited to an informal showing at week’s end. Also new this year is a SummerDance Master Series — 10 Artists in 10 Days! for dancers in grade 7 and up. Each day a performing guest artist will conduct a master class followed by discussion and repertory in a variety of modern and jazz techniques. Artists include Annmaria
Sandlot Dreams Baseball Camp
Mazzini, Kristina Berger, Tami Mele, Annie Doss, Laura Smith, Jonathan Riedel, Christopher Liddell, Jessie DiMauro, Lisa Peluso and Barbara Angeline. Dancers with special needs will be able to attend programs adapted to allow all to participate to their own ability. A Moving Wheels & Heels Dance Intensive, conducted by master teachers Barbara and Sabatino Verlezza and Nancy Lushington will take place June 18-25. This
Studio B Dance Center has moved down the road to 281 White Plains Road in Eastchester. The brand new state-ofthe-art facility has three studios with 9-foot high mirrors, professional floating dance floors and a comfortable, siblingfriendly waiting room. The waiting room features one-way windows into the classrooms so parents can enjoy watching their children dance. Studio B Dance Center will be offering new dance classes that will excite young students, help maintain an acCONTINUED ON PAGE 28A
2012 CAMP INFORMATION
Sensory Integration, Motor Planning, Organization, Language, Handwriting
Session I:
OCCUPATIONAL • PHYSICAL • SPEECH THERAPY
Little Dreamers (ages 6-9) June 25–June 28, Mon–Thurs: 1–4pm
Session II:
Little Dreamers (ages 6–9) July 2, 3 and 5, 6: 1–4pm
Session III:
Big Dreamers (ages 10–12) July 9–12, Mon-Thurs: 1–4pm
NG OMI MS Monday Evening C P U Parent Lectures GRA PRO April 30, May 14, June 4 Art & Music Classes & Summer Intensives Robbie Levy, MA, OTR/L, Director 914-428-5151 White Plains www.dynamickidsny.com
Session IV:
Girls Softball (ages 9–12) August 20–23, Mon-Thur: 1–4pm
YOUR WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY ART SCHOOL
Camp will be held at Uniontown Field Hastings-on-Hudson, NY
CENTRALLY LOCATED IN WHITE PLAINS
Cost: $180 per camper, $200 after June 1st Checks only payable to “Sandlot Dreams, Inc.” Register at the James Harmon Community Center in Hastings
Sandlot Dreams Baseball Camp Instructors
Gene Calamari, Pitching Coach, Fordham Prep H.S. Bob McLaughlin, Hitting Instructor and Athletic Director, Fordham Prep HS
(914) 478-0028 sandlotdreamscamp@gmail.com
• Portfolio Development • Art Institute for Teens • Lego Camp
Registration begins: April 4 Summer Art Classes for Adults and Children Call for information
914-606-7500
www.sunywcc.edu/arts email: Arts@sunywcc.edu
WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY C O L L E G E
ART | DESIGN | CRAFT MEDIA | FILM | PHOTOGRAPHY | LIBERAL ARTS
Kids!
MARCH 23, 2012
Riley Rosenberg
Emily Grace Martin
Ryan Rosenberg
THE RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE |PAGE 27A
Shea Merrill
Michael Salvatorelli
kids! Aaron Laird
Ruby Quinn
Finnley Wiley
Frank Salvatorelli
Brendan Ryan
Westchester’s BEST Summer Camp!
CONCORDIA
Day Camp SUMMER | 2012
PROGRAMS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD & GRADES 1–9 • Enrichment Camp • Sports Camp • Grand Slam Prospects Baseball Camp • Slam Dunk Basketball Camp
Enroll Online
• Concordia Conservatory of Music & Art • NEW! Teen Scene • Extended Day • Day Trip Adventures
www.concordiadaycamp.org
Call
914/395-4848
Joseph Perillo
Hollie Jade Roland
PAGE 28A | RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE
Kids!
MARCH 23, 2012
PARENT’S GUIDE I Arts, Camps, Enrichment CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26A
tive lifestyle and make dance fun all in one class. Studio B’s new Hip-Pop Starz gives students ages 5-7 the opportunity to dance and sing to their favorite music from TV, movies and radio. Whether children are fans of “Glee,” “High School Musical” or the Disney Channel, their inner star will shine. The brand new Kidz Company Class is a new program for ages 5-8. It features an hourlong class in ballet, a half-hour class of jazz, modern or hip-hop, and a half-hour of arts and crafts. Dancers will love the opportunity to go home after class and show off what they learned in class, as well as a fun, creative art project. Parents will love the two-hour company class that combines education with activity. Studio B Dance Center is offering free trial classes for boys and girls 2 and up. Free classes will be available May 1-21. Space is limited. For a free trial class (or two!) call 793-2799 to reserve your space.
CPD has offerings for all ages Central Park Dance on Central Park Avenue in Scarsdale has children and
adult classes in dance, theater and fitness. Each discipline has an extensive curriculum in a range of levels. CPD believes that personal attention is essential for student growth. Talent is carefully nurtured and developed, allowing every dancer to feel a sense of accomplishment and to reap the rewards of discipline and dedication. Superior teaching is the key to the high quality programs at Central Park Dance. Maria Bai, artistic director, has over 30 years of teaching experience to her credit. It is her goal to challenge, motivate and inspire, raising each individual dancer to new heights. In addition, CPD promises to maintain a supportive atmosphere while upholding its reputation for fairness and constructive education. Kids as young as 2 years of age delight in “Tot & I,” an introduction to dance for preschoolers. The latest addition is the popular Fairytale Ballet and Hip Hop Princes for ages 3-5. With over 150 weekly classes to choose from such as ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, break, hip-hop jazz and pointe, as well as well fitness classes like mat pilates, aerobics, cardio hip-hop, Latin Fit and the popular zumba, there are classes for everyone. Beyond just traditional dance programs, Central Park Dance also offers
summer camps and creative birthday parties. They customize each party and add elements that work best for your child and his/her guests. Miss Talia’s Boutique is located within Central Park Dance and is open late seven days a week and offers a wide selection of footwear, body wear, gymnastics attire and accessories at affordable prices. Visit http://centralparkdance.com/.
Summer camps Camp Applause serving Westchester kids Applause Westchester is bringing weeklong theater camps for children Presidents Week (keep in mind for next year), spring break week and all summer long (June 11-Aug. 31). Each day children will arrive to a staff of professional performers from New York City and cycle through classes such as acting, singing, set design, audition technique, hip-hop, costume design and much more. Located right across from the Harbor Island Park in Mamaroneck, children will also get lots of fresh air and sunshine as camp heads outdoors. Presidents Week/spring break week: Stars Camp for 3-5-year-olds from 9:30
$25 off
all Hardball programs Expires 6/30/12
a.m. to noon and Superstars Camp for kids in grades K-5 from 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Campers can join for one or all five days. Highlights include: • A different Broadway show featured each day. • Review musical numbers and scenes in movie or filmed stage version so students can see how professional actors perform. • Shows include old favorites and exposure to new shows. • Activities all day surrounding each show: acting games with individual games geared toward each age group; craft/art activities; camp-style game related to the show; learning part of a song with choreography so they can perform part of the show themselves. • Fun, relaxed holiday atmosphere combining real acting challenges, fun games and free time to socialize with other kids.
Applause summer camp At summer camp, Applause offers different weekly themes, a visit from a Broadway star and a performance every Friday each session. Campers can come for one week or all 12. There is a multiweek discount. Hours and age groups are the same as the holiday break camps. CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE
MARCH 23, 2012 CONTINUED FROM THE PREVIOUS PAGE
Stars Camp: Every morning teachers will introduce music and theater to children and put the spotlight on them. The day will include acting games, dance classes, singing, and arts and crafts, all themed around the two Broadway Shows introduced to them each week. On Friday, there will be a special performance for parents and friends to showcase what was learned each day. Parents must send snack each day. Superstars Camp: For five and a half hours a day, Monday through Friday, children will arrive and attend theater classes. Each day children will cycle through classes such as acting, singing, audition technique, hip-hop, costume design and more. At the end of the week, there will be a special performance for parents and friends. Students will be divided by age group. Parents must send snack and lunch each day. Middle School Theater Intensive: For students going into grades 4-9, from Monday-Friday, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. There are two three-week sessions from July 9-27 and Aug. 6-24. For three weeks, students will audition and rehearse a complete book show that culminates with two performances. Students will be learning acting, singing and dance technique while understanding what it takes to put on a full-length musical. Rehearsals are held in Applause’s state-of-theart Harbor View Studio. Parents must send snack and lunch each day. Visit http://applauseny.com/.
Kids!
THE RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE |PAGE 29A
Elmwood offers theater camp Elmwood Day Camp in White Plains is proud to announce the opening of the 2012 EWD Players. This new concept combines the core values of the summer camp experience with the power of children’s theater. In this new theater camp, boys and girls entering grades 5 and 6 will participate in a wide range of performing arts workshops, as well as recreational activities, all designed specifically for their age group. As young people enter middle school, they are called on to be more independent. They must manage increased academic expectations, while negotiating their complex social sphere. With heightened self-awareness, young people can navigate these new waters with more confidence. Improvisation provides the perfect foundation for fostering young people’s personal growth. Being a part of creating original theatrical material in a supportive, joyful group can be extremely powerful. Improvisation helps young people learn the power of being positive, creativity and teamwork, all while enhancing performance skills. Campers will tap into their own life experiences and bring this out in a collaborative artistic process. Rooted in the Elmwood mission that each child discover, celebrate and be who she or he is supposed to be, the 2012 CONTINUED ON PAGE 30A
GO GREEN
➞ REUSE ➞ SAVE MONEY RECYCLE YOUR KIDS STUFF!
affordables a quality children’s consignment store
new and gently used children’s clothing (sizes 0-14) Spring and Summer clothes arriving daily toys, bikes, trikes, cleats, books, car seats, high chairs, and strollers too! 10 main street, dobbs ferry • 693-3610 regular hours: mon-sat 10-5, thurs 10-6 pm closed mondays July & August Your Favorite Brands: Gap, Gymboree, Limited Too, Abercrombie, Carters’, OshKosh, Quick Silver and Lilly Pultizer
PAGE 30A | RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE
Kids!
ALL SPORTS DAY CAMP E.F. Campus
(Formerly Marymount College, Tarrytown) 40 Years Dedicated to the Athletic Growth of Boys and Girls Ages 7-14
ThE PrograM:
Instruction which accommodates the skill level of each camper and covers a wide range of sports activities: Softball • Golf • Basketball • Swimming • Soccer • Football • Hockey • LaCrosse
STrESSES:
1. Individual and group lessons 2. Total Participation 3. Social Interaction 4. Promotion of good Sportsmanship
THe FaCiLiTy:
College Size Gymnasium • Outdoor Fields • indoor Pool
ThE STaFF:
N.y.S. Certified educators & Coaches, Certified Red Cross Water Safety instructors Dates: Monday, June 25th thru Friday, august 3rd (8:45am - 3:30pm) No camp July 4th. Door to Door Transportation Provided
Director: Michael Chiariello
(914) 262-9309
Co-Director: Carlos rodriguez
(914) 843-2011
www.allsportsdaycamp.net
MARCH 23, 2012
PARENT’S GUIDE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29A
EWD Players will promote and celebrate each child’s individuality and creativity. The camp, which will be held at the Solomon Schechter School in Hartsdale, runs from Aug. 6-10 and 13-17 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. There are extended hours on Wednesdays for special events and a cast party will be held Friday, Aug. 17, at Elmwood Day Camp. Contact Leora Cohen at Leora@elmwooddaycamp.com or 592-6121.
MVP prepares for summer sessions Now in its 18th season, MVP Basketball Summer Day Camp has grown to five full weeks of basketball instruction for boys and girls ages 6-16. Each week is a complete session, so families can choose the week or weeks that fit into their busy summer schedules. Multiple week and multiple child discounts are available. Online registration is available. MVP’s experienced coaches come back year after year and are the heart and soul of the program. Each day features teaching stations, fun contests and league games leading up to a playoff in every division. The week culminates in a Friday awards ceremony that recognizes every camper. MVP will open the summer at the Fox Lane Middle School and High School Complex. This Bedford camp will run from June 25-29. As in the past there will be three divisions for boys ages 9-16, and by adding the high school gyms this year MVP will have enough court space to also feature a division for girls ages 9-13. By moving the Bedford week to the end of June, MVP has taken an already popular camp and turned it into a week that may fill up very early. Enrollment is on a firstcome, first-served basis. The camp day is 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and lunch is included in the price. Early drop-off and extended day are available. The four White Plains weeks will begin this year on July 9 and are open to boys and girls ages 6-16. As always, the location will be the White Plains Middle School Highlands Campus. In addition
to the four divisions for older boys and girls, these weeks feature a popular “Junior MVP” co-ed program for 6-8-yearolds. The instruction for this age group is age-appropriate and delivered in a safe, fun atmosphere. Two of the White Plains sessions also feature Varsity Week programs for strong female players ages 1316. Top coaches in the section work on higher level skills in an atmosphere that resembles a varsity practice, without losing sight of the fact that summer camp should be a fun experience for all. Stan Greene founded MVP Basketball Camp in 1994 with the dream that no child would ever be turned away due to an inability to pay. Greene passed away in December 2009 after a long illness. His legacy is a basketball camp that has awarded over 4,000 scholarships to economically disadvantaged children, plus scholarship awards to numerous children with a family member serving in the armed forces through MVP’s Hoops for Troops program. On the evening of Friday, April 27, MVP will host an evening of games, food and drink at the Westchester Table Tennis Center in Pleasantville to raise money for 2012 scholarships. More event information can be found on the community pages of MVP’s website. MVP is dedicated to youth development, and its guest speakers use the game of basketball as a metaphor for the challenges adolescents face as they approach adulthood. MVP also offers internships to former campers who are looking to develop job skills in a fun atmosphere that celebrates diversity. But first and foremost, MVP is a place where boys and girls have fun playing the game they love. As one young camper says in MVP’s camp video, “It’s like we’re in the real NBA.” Visit www.mvpbasketballcamp.org.
Right camp consultant, right camp After years of experience as a summer camp and teen program consultant, Ellen Wylie of Edgemont has opened SpectacuCONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE
We Bring the Music to You! Serving Westchester County, New York
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MARCH 23, 2012 CONTINUED FROM THE PREVIOUS PAGE
lar Summers LLC (www.spectacularsummers.com), an individualized, professional and unique camp and teen program advisory service. A former camper, counselor and practicing attorney, as well as mother of three, all of whom have gone away for many summers, Wylie simplifies what may look like a daunting task to parents. Wylie has extensively researched camps and summer programs by visiting and revisiting them over many summers. During the rest of the year, Wylie speaks and meets with directors and obtains feedback from families she previously placed. Wylie shares her broad knowledge with clients and makes the right recommendations for each child. The service she provides is free of charge to parents. Wylie loves what she does and it shows. Parents thank Wylie for her patience, warmth and the time and attention she gives in getting to know and understand the needs of each child and family she works with. Directors commend Wylie for her thoroughness, professionalism and the care she gives to her referrals. As one camp director recently said, “Ellen is the best of the best. She takes the time to truly know each family and each child that she is referring and works diligently to find programs that are the right match.” To find that spectacular summer program for 2012 or 2013, call Wylie at 722-2644 or (888) 774-CAMP, or email ellen@spectacularsummers.com.
Mohawk school, camp for over 80 years The name “Mohawk” is well known to thousands of families in New York and Connecticut, both as a respected independent school serving children age 3 through first grade and as a popular summer day camp for children ages 3-13 in operation in Westchester County for over 80 years in White Plains. Mohawk Country Day School offers families a unique alternative to traditional schools. Situated on a 40-acre site, Mohawk must be seen to be believed. The campus comes complete with an operating farm that is home to an assortment of
Kids!
animals, lush lawns, a new outdoor childsized play village, three separate age-appropriate playgrounds, a huge interactive play/climbing space called “Net-works,” a bicycle center, basketball courts, ball fields and a mini-golf course. Additionally, children experience nature firsthand while picking apples in the orchards and grapes in the arbor. They enjoy making and eating homemade applesauce, cider and grape jelly, as well as tapping maple trees that grow throughout the property, using the syrup to coat their pancakes. Students at Mohawk Country Day School take part in a strong readiness/ academic curriculum that focuses on language development, number concepts, hands-on science and math lessons, cultural awareness and creative arts. Classes are taught by experienced, dynamic teachers who help children grow socially, intellectually, creatively and physically. In addition, all students take part in enrichment classes. Daily music lessons are taught by local legends, Nina and Mr. B. Throughout the year, children learn about classical composers, play instruments, sing and put on holiday shows. The physical education program takes place in a spacious indoor gym or on one of numerous outdoor fields. Technology includes an introduction to computers that occurs not only in classrooms, but also in the computer lab. Classes are small at Mohawk so that students receive lots of individual attention. However, the classrooms are large, filled with natural light and child-friendly learning centers. When students leave, most attend top-rated private schools of their choice or well-known public schools within their own district. Sometimes parents seeking future private school placement enroll their children in the 4’s program, mini-kindergarten or young kindergarten classes, which provide ample readiness skills to prepare children for school placement and ongoing academic success. Mohawk Country Day School has a permanent charter from the New York State Department of Education and offers partial day programs for 3-year-olds; partial and full-day programs for 4’s; and full-day programs for kindergarten, prefirst and first grade. For those students who attend full-day programs, hot lunch
THE RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE |PAGE 31A
The Children’s Garden Center Preschool at Temple Beth Abraham (a program of the JCC)
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Kids!
MARCH 23, 2012
PARENT’S GUIDE I Arts, Camps, Enrichment CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31A
is an option. Mohawk is also now offering a new toddlers/2’s class. Mommy, Me and Mohawk-To-Be gives children an opportunity to explore the wonders and excitement of Mohawk while participating (along with a parent, grandparent or caregiver) in activities that are developmentally appropriate, engaging and fun. Visit Mohawk Country Day School, tour the campus and meet with director Barbara Schainman and/or principal Carole Bouchier. Call 949-2635 or visit www.info@campmohawk.com. Weekend tours are available for both the school and day camp.
Enrichment Hoff-Barthelson offers music preschool Featuring a daily program for 3- and 4-year olds in a safe, nurturing environment, the Hoff-Barthelson Music School Preschool, at 25 School Lane in Scarsdale, puts a special emphasis on music and art as part of a curriculum that also features pre-math and language arts, science and nature, cooking and dramatic and outdoor play.
Twice weekly Dalcroze Eurhythmics Music and Movement classes are a particular delight for HBMS’s young students. Contemporary educators agree that early music studies enhance all learning, and parents of young children in the HBMS music and movement classes note the impact on later academic studies. Children enjoy music-making, dance and games while they intuitively learn to focus, memorize, concentrate and develop their motor skills. Dalcroze activities awaken the senses, and children who have participated in these classes develop keen skills in listening and looking and, if they continue with music, in music reading and notation. Each year the preschool immerses itself with a specific piece of music to which young children can relate musically and intellectually, and the creative teachers assist their students in the creation of a tabletop sculptural representation of that music rendered in recycled materials. Past sculptures have included projects based on “The Story of Babar the Elephant,” “Carnival of the Animals,” “The Four Seasons,” and “Peter and the Wolf.” The HBMS Preschool is staffed by experienced teachers who meet each child’s personal needs and build toward readiness for kindergarten. The happy environment of the preschool is
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made obvious by the joyous child voices which waft up the stairs to mingle with the music of private lessons and ensembles as the rest of the school’s musical life swirls around the preschoolers. The Hoff-Barthelson Music School, one of Westchester County’s most cherished and active cultural resources, has achieved national recognition as a premier community music school for its unsurpassed leadership in education, performance and outreach for more than half a century. Visit their website at www.hbms.org and call 723-1169.
Language academies at Greenwich Middlebury Interactive Languages (MIL), an academic leader in world language instruction for K-12 students, will host one of its new Summer Day Academies at Greenwich Academy in Greenwich, Conn. The two-week programs, offered in French and Spanish, are open to all of the area’s middle school students with varying language proficiency levels. “We are very excited to partner with Greenwich Academy to deliver Middlebury’s renowned language instruction to all students in Southwest Connecti-
cut and Westchester County,” said MIL CEO Jane Swift. “Gaining a world language is a critical 21st century skill, and our new day academies help students learn in a fun and interactive environment.” The Middlebury Interactive Languages Summer Day Academy at Greenwich Academy offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity for students to acquire authentic world language skills and knowledge through Middlebury’s gold standard immersion methodology and expert curriculum. The academies are designed specifically for middle school students who are seeking to expand their understanding of world cultures and explore the richness of language learning within an immersion environment. The academies, held at Greenwich Academy and three other locations nationally, are designed to work closely with the language department of the participating partner schools. The two-week sessions run full days from June 11-22 or June 25-July 6. The sequential curriculum allows students to enroll in a second session if continued learning is desired. To enroll in the academies or to learn more, visit http:// mmla.middlebury.edu/summerday/. CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE
MARCH 23, 2012 CONTINUED FROM THE PREVIOUS PAGE
Drawing out your child’s creativity BY DR. RAYMOND J. HUNTINGTON
When children are very young, they are naturally curious, inventing games, songs and stories, seeking answers to endless questions and much more. Yet as children become older, some lose some of their creativity. Instead, they look to teachers and parents for direction and approval, concerning themselves with right answers instead of appreciating the process by which they come to conclusions. However, creative thinking is incredibly valuable and teaches children to enjoy learning for learning’s sake, which will generally result in a more successful student. How can you encourage your child to think creatively? Here are several ideas: Expose your child to a variety of creative people: Take your child to open mic night at the coffee shop or to a local art gallery to watch an artist sculpt or paint. If you’re a woodworker, gardener or knitter, show your child what you do and invite him or her to participate. Showing your child the many different types of things he or she can do, and introducing him or her to people who enjoy and excel at those things will encourage him or her to attempt new undertakings. Let your child experiment: Whatever the activity, let your child be his or her own guide. Let your budding cook make up recipes in the kitchen. Offer tools and
Kids!
supplies, and let your child create whatever he or she can imagine. The more you encourage your child to choose activities and support him or her in developing new interests and skills, the better. Offer quiet time: From a young age, set aside free time each day for your child to play independently — doing whatever he or she chooses. Better yet, designate quiet time as a family activity. While your child gets out his or her Legos, why not work on your scrapbook? Giving your child opportunities to explore will also fuel his or her inquisitiveness and help him or her become self-reliant. Try games or activities that teach problem-solving: Games like chess, Battleship and Risk teach creativity and strategy, showing children how to consider multiple scenarios, weigh pros and cons, and debate different ideas. Try open-ended games that offer children opportunities to think creatively and use their imaginations. Ask questions: When your child asks you to double-check his or her work, have him or her explain how he or she arrived at the answer, step by step. When your child shares an idea or opinion, ask why. Fostering creativity in your child leads to many important benefits. Your curious learner is more likely to challenge him or herself, learn from his or her mistakes, question assumptions and think critically. Such skills will help your child grow into an independent student and a lifelong learner.
THE RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE |PAGE 33A
Summer at Exceptional ballet training in a creative atmosphere Outstanding professional faculty After-school Intensive June 18-29 July Intensive for ages 8-12 Daily classes in Ballet, Pointe, Solo Variations, Contemporary, Choreography, and Character Afternoon Mini-Camp for ages 3-5 and 5-7
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PAGE 34A | RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE
Kids!
MARCH 23, 2012
Advice for parents of hyperactive children
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There are many treatments to help children who are easily distracted. to complete games, but may occasionally act impulsively when excited. Problematic behavior usually includes frequently butting in to other children’s games, interrupting others, and fidgeting quite a bit even while watching television. • Adolescence (ages 13-18): Normal teens usually engage in some risky social behavior, while hyperactive teens have
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lmost all children have times when their attention or behavior veers out of control. From rambunctious play to being distracted during homework time, parents often have to find creative solutions to keep their children on task. However, for some children, hyperactivity and inattentiveness are more than an occasional problem. “Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, have behavior problems that are so frequent and severe they interfere with their ability to function adequately on a daily basis,â€? says Mark Wolraich, MD, FAAP, of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The AAP has released new guidelines for physicians for diagnosing and treating ADHD in children between 4-18 years of age. The previous guidelines covered children between 6-12 years. Parents who are concerned about their child’s inattentiveness or hyperactivity should keep the following symptom guidelines in mind: • Early childhood (ages 3-7): It’s normal for children to sometimes run in circles or ask constant questions at this age. But if your child does them frequently, gets injured often and won’t sit down to eat or be read to, he or she may be displaying problematic hyperactive behavior. • Middle childhood (ages 7-12): During this age range, children should be able
trouble paying attention, are often restless and fidgety while doing quiet activities, interrupt and “bug� other people, and frequently have difficulties completing their school work. “ADHD is a chronic condition of the brain that can impact children’s learning, ability to regulate their behavior, social skills and self-esteem,� says Dr.
Wolraich. “But once a diagnosis is confirmed, ADHD treatments are available to help them control their behaviors.â€? To help parents understand the new guidance on ADHD, the AAP has published a detailed and updated consumer resource book entitled “ADHD: What Every Parent Needs to Know.â€? In it, parents can find the newest treatment options and management strategies that balance behavior therapy, medications and parenting techniques. For example, in preschool children with ADHD, pediatricians are now being instructed to first try behavioral interventions, such as group or individual parent training in behavior management techniques. For preschoolers with moderate to severe symptoms who don’t exhibit significant improvement after behavior therapy, medication may be considered. For elementary school children and adolescents, the AAP recommends both medications and behavior therapy. More information on the symptoms and treatment of ADHD can be found on the AAP’s website for parents, www. healthychildren.org/adhd. ADHD is a chronic condition that requires a team approach, according to experts, including input from patients, their parents, pediatricians, therapists and teachers. ď Ł — STATEPOINT
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Kids!
THE RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE |PAGE 35A
Sleep tips for children and infants Sleep is vital for children’s overall health and development. That’s why it’s important that children develop good sleep habits, right from the start. “Parents of infants need to know how to help their baby safely fall asleep,” says Robert W. Block, MD, FAAP, of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). “And older children will benefit from an environment that helps them get enough sleep.” Here are some tips for safe and adequate sleep from the experts at the AAP: Safer sleep; Babies up to 1 year of age should always be placed on their backs on a firm surface to sleep. This will reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, which is the leading cause of death in the United States for babies between 1 month and 1 year old. “While we don’t know what causes SIDS, we have learned how parents can dramatically lower the risks,” says Dr. Block. Make sure the crib, bassinet or play yard meets current safety standards and hasn’t been recalled. And make sure to keep all objects — including soft toys, blankets and crib bumpers — out of the crib, as they can increase the risk of suffocation or strangulation. Consider using a sleeper instead blankets, and make sure the baby’s head remains uncovered. The crib can be in the same room as you sleep, but do not place the baby in the same bed as you. Also, keep the baby away from smoke and smokers. Warm, not hot: Keep the room where
your baby sleeps at a comfortable temperature. In general, dress your baby in no more than one extra layer than you would wear. Your baby may be too hot if she is sweating or if her chest feels hot. You may offer a pacifier, which can help reduce the risk of SIDS. However, other products like wedges, positioners, special mattresses and specialized sleep surfaces have not been shown to reduce the risk of SIDS. If you are breastfeeding, wait until breastfeeding is going well before offering a pacifier, usually around threefour weeks. Children should be taken out of a crib by the time they are 35 inches tall. Establish Routines; If your child or teen seems to be having trouble sleeping, try altering the environment or establishing a routine. For example, see if your child sleeps better in a dark room or with a night light. Do not allow a TV in your child’s bedroom, and make sure he or she doesn’t watch or read anything upsetting or scary within two hours of bedtime. Instead, a bath, warm drink or story time will help a child unwind. For more tips to help your young one get a good night’s sleep, visit the AAP’s website for parents, www.healthychildren.org. If sleeping problems persist, consult your pediatrician. Even sleepers with the toughest problems can learn good habits. — STATEPOINT
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Kids!
MARCH 23, 2012
Help kids achieve good oral health habits
M
ore than two-thirds of children will have at least one cavity before their 19th birthday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. While tooth decay remains one of the most common health problems in children, it is also the most preventable, experts say. “With proper education and regular dentist appointments, children can go their whole life without dental health problems,” says LaVerne Johnson, dental assistant instructor at Everest CollegeFort Worth South. Johnson, along with the other dental assistant instructors at the Everest campuses across Texas, understands the importance of maintaining good dental health. Johnson has a few tips on what children and parents can do to protect and strengthen their smiles for years to come: • Brush and floss daily — the right way. It’s not new advice, but brushing and flossing remain the two most important ingredients for a healthy mouth. However, to truly be effective, they must be done correctly. Parents should model and teach their children the correct techniques to keep their teeth healthy and clean. Brushing should require only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and incorporate circular brush strokes to reach all surfaces. Often, because of their limited dexterity, Hilltop Summer Ad.qxd:Layout 1 3/13/12 1:18 PM Page 1 children will brush too hard, which can An apple a day keeps the dentist away.
ARA PHOTO
lead to increased tooth sensitivity and receding gum lines. • Proper flossing requires wrapping the floss around the fingers and then gliding the thread between teeth in a C-shaped motion. This prevents plaque buildup between teeth and under the gum line. Make sure your child uses a new section of floss each time he or she goes between two new teeth to avoid spreading bacteria throughout the mouth. • Limit sugary snacks and drinks. The bacteria that form plaque feed on sugar and use it as a glue to stick to teeth. Be aware of the snacks you provide your children. Foods like raisins, peanut butter, taffies, toffees, soft candies and pastries stick to teeth and provide a long-term feast for bacteria. When your children do eat sweets, have them eat them after a meal. When eaten alone, sweets are more likely to stick to teeth and bond until the next brushing. Crunchy foods like apples, carrots and other raw vegetables, as well as foods high in vitamin C, like citrus fruits and broccoli are not only healthier, but also naturally clean teeth while kids eat them. Limiting consumption of sugary foods and drinks will not only help promote healthier children, but will also reduce cavities. This advice is not just for older children. Many parents don’t realize infants are also CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE
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Kids!
MARCH 23, 2012 CONTINUED FROM THE PREVIOUS PAGE
susceptible to cavities and often get “baby bottle cavities.” Allowing a child to sip through the night on a baby bottle filled with fruit juice or milk can cause cavities. • Protect their teeth. Using fluoride toothpaste helps your child’s teeth to be less soluble to the acids created by bacteria. However, using too much creates a condition known as mottled enamel, which appears as brown spots on teeth. The key to avoiding mottled enamel is using the right amount of fluoride. For infants, a small smear of fluoride toothpaste is sufficient, and for children younger than 7, use no more than a pea-sized amount. It is also important to know if your child is consuming fluoridated water. Check with your local water utility to find out if your water has fluoride in it as well as the amount it contains. Along with fluoride, dental sealants are an excellent way to prevent tooth decay in children. The dental sealant procedure takes only minutes, is painless, is less than half the cost of a filling and is virtually 100 percent effective at stopping decay. • Proper procedures can save teeth. Children involved in sports need proper mouth protection to prevent mouth injuries, knocked-out teeth and possible concussions. Ask your dentist about customized mouth guards. If your child knocks out a permanent tooth while playing sports, gently rinse the tooth off and place it in a cup of warm milk. If warm milk is not available, salt water or plain water will
also work. Call your dentist and bring your child and the soaking tooth in immediately for re-implantation and stabilization. • Make dentist visits fun. If children have a good attitude about their dental hygiene, they will be more likely to take proper care of their teeth. Appointments should be made right at the appearance of the first tooth, according to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD). Early visits make for a more pleasant experience for the child and help prevent future health problems. In fact, studies done by the AAPD show improper oral hygiene may increase a child’s risk of eventually developing heart disease or suffering a stroke as an adult. Be positive about the dentist and explain to your children that the dentist is a friendly doctor who is helping to take care of their smiles. “The most important thing for parents to remember is that taking care of a child’s teeth is very important for his or her future health,” says Johnson. “Although your children will lose their baby teeth, that doesn’t mean they are not important. Healthy baby teeth influence jaw placement and future alignment of permanent teeth, which is one of the reasons parents can end up spending hundreds of dollars on future dental work and orthodontics.” With nine campuses located throughout Texas, Everest is a leader in training dental assistants throughout the state. For more information on Everest’s dental assistant program, visit www.everest. edu.
THE RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE |PAGE 37A
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PRIN for S
Bronxville • Dobbs Ferry • New Rochelle • North Castle/Armonk Pleasantville • Rye • Scarsdale • White Plains
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Scarsdale Synagogue/Temples Tremont + Emanu-El Scarsdale Synagogue/Temples Tremont + Emanu-El
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Extended day available for 3’s and 4’s
For more information about our programs, please call: For more information about our programs, please call: Jody Glassman, Director Jocelyn Gross, Assistant Director Jody Glassman, Director
Jocelyn Gross, Assistant Director
To Join Our Synagogue, call Gary Katz, Executive Director
To Join Our Synagogue, call Gary Katz, Executive Director 2 Ogden Road, Scarsdale y 914-723-3001 y mazeltots@aol.com 2 Ogden Road Scarsdale y 914-723-3001 y mazeltots@aol com
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·W indoWTT reaTmenTs ·W indoW reaTmenTs · C usTom W ood & & · C usTom Wood pholsTered F FurniTure urniTure uu pholsTered N e w Yo r k • C o n n e c t i c u t • F l o r i d a • L o n g I s l a n d
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We have the largest card gaming, board gaming, and video gaming space in Westchester for a variety of activities. Call now to find out about afterschool memberships or to find out when we are having events such as Yugioh or chess tournaments (Membership is only for afterschool program. For anything else membership is not required).
PAGE 38A | RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE
Jack Dominic Novotny
Kids!
cute kids!
MARCH 23, 2012
Brooke Ryan
Thanks to all our wonderfully adorable Kids Cover Contest entrants. Maeve Schnitzler
Siena Corrales Russell
Kevin Santana
Casey Schnitzler
Ashley Salerno
Mae Bird Weinstein
Lila Salvatorelli
Juliet Lee Stanton
Mia Rose Stanton
Dario de Luca
Spectacular Summers Premier Camp & Teen Program Advisors (located in Westchester)
Your child is unique. With our experience & skill we can help you find the perfect summer program for your child at no cost to you.
Ellen
Wylie
914-722-7644 888-774-CAMP ellen@spectacularsummers.com www.spectacularsummers.com
MARCH 23, 2012
Kids!
THE RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE |PAGE 39A
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Kids!
MARCH 23, 2012
Medication safety for children: important advice for caregivers Each year, an estimated 71,000 children are treated in emergency rooms for accidental medication poisonings, many of which are caused by dosing mistakes. Thankfully, while health care professionals or poison control resources resolve most issues, extreme cases that go untreated can result in complications, particularly in very young children. “Many well-intentioned caregivers can get mixed up when it comes to administering medication,” says Dr. Michael App, a
pediatrician in Grand Rapids, Mich. “With so many factors playing a role in proper dosage, such as weight and age of the child, it is essential that caregivers closely follow the directions on the label to avoid potentially life-threatening mistakes.” Several manufacturers of children’s medications are also making efforts to improve safety and reduce the likelihood of errors. Perrigo Company, the world’s largest manufacturer of over-the-counter pharmaceutical products for retailers’
store brands, has been investing in equipment to insert “flow restrictors” in the bottles of all of their pediatric acetaminophen products. Flow restrictors reduce the size of the bottle opening and limit access to the medicine inside the bottle. Perrigo has added flow restrictors to all of its infant products and began converting the packaging of all of its children’s products with flow restrictors in January 2012. Perrigo is also participating in the Centers for Disease Control and Consumer Healthcare
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Products Association PROTECT initiative, which is bringing together experts to create strategies to reduce unsupervised medication ingestion in children. Experts remind caregivers to be diligent and avoid these common medicine mistakes: • Not paying attention to potential drug interactions: Caregivers should always check medication labels and take care to avoid administering multiple drugs at the same time, unless recommended or prescribed by a pediatrician. Also, before administering medicine, caregivers should always review the enclosed packaging materials and directions. • Overmedicating due to measuring errors: When administering medicine, caregivers should always use the dosing device provided by the pharmacist or manufacturer, and never attempt to “eyeball” the proper amount. That household teaspoon your mom used? According to a study in the International Journal of Clinical Practice, household spoons or similar objects can hold two to three times more liquid than standardized materials. Most pediatricians recommend using a syringe over any other dispensing device for the most accuracy. • Basing the dose on age instead of weight: “Children grow at different rates, which makes it hard for parents and doctors to base dosage recommendations on age,” says App. “Since children metabolize medicine differently depending on how much they weigh, this is how most manufacturers label their dosage recommendations — not based on age. This is especially important for children who are over or underweight.” • Forgetting vitamins: As with adults, doctors need to know every medication or vitamin that a child is taking, as certain vitamins can decrease the effectiveness of medicines or cause complications. Caregivers should always have a list of medicines on hand that lists the types and dosage amounts of every medication, vitamin and supplement that a child takes, as well as a list of allergies. • Not taking medicine as directed: Most prescriptions, especially antibiotics, are meant to be used in full. Even though a child may feel better, it is important to complete the dosage, or else the illness could recur. Furthermore, this practice can ultimately contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In the same vein, caregivers should avoid giving leftover pills from a previous prescription for something they “self-diagnose” to be the same as a previous illness. It is also important to avoid giving medicine for any purpose other than that specified by the instructions. • Failing to adhere to expiration dates: Manufacturers list expiration dates on packaging for a reason, as these dates are generally based on internal testing that demonstrates the longest period a medicine is known to be effective. Using medicine left in the cabinet after it has expired can result in reduced effectiveness. “Parents should always ask their pharmacist or pediatrician if there are any special precautions or directions with any drug — over-the-counter or prescription — their child is taking,” says App. — ARAContent
Kids!
MARCH 23, 2012
THE RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE |PAGE 41A
t The Rivertowns Enterprise 2012 t
PRESCHOOL GUIDE ALCOTT MONTESSORI SCHOOL
AROUND THE WORLD CHILDREN’S CENTER
27 Crane Road Scarsdale, NY 10583 (914) 472-4404
522 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 (914) 479-0762
Maria Francella, Site Director
Hilary Tucker, Director
535 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 (914) 693-4443
Philosophy: We are a prekindergarten and after-school program with a special interest in cultural diversity and world traditions. We’re committed to providing high-quality, homebased care in a warm and nurturing environment that engages the imagination. We offer flexible scheduling, school pickup, homemade lunches and snacks, and an array of age-appropriate activities and experiences, explored in a pressure-free environment within a variety of cultural traditions. Enrollment: Maximum 14 Student-teacher ratio: 5:1 Calendar: Open most holidays and snow days; closed Dec. 25-Jan. 1, Feb. 18-22, July 4-Sept. 3 Hours: 11:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Fees: $10/hour, $5/hour for second sibling who attends at the same time Special programs: In celebrating diversity, Mandarin Chinese and French languages are introduced through song and play and incorporated into our daily life. Other activities include yoga, cooking and tasting, gardening and lots of outdoor play and nature exploration. Other: New York State licensed
Dimitra Dreyer, Site Director 46 Fox Meadow Road Scarsdale, NY 10583 (914) 595-7551 Maria Francella, Site Director www.alcottschool.org Beth Farkas, Director Philosophy: Alcott School encourages each child to reach his or her full potential while acquiring respect for self and others. The children are provided with opportunities to develop independence, self-confidence and pride in their individual abilities. The developmentally appropriate program offers a unique multicultural learning environment complete with a full range of Montessori materials. Enrollment: Crane Road: 150 children; Dobbs Ferry: 180 children; Fox Meadow: 60 children Student-teacher ratio: Toddlers, 4:1; 3’s to 5’s, 7:1; 4’s to 6’s, 7:1 Calendar: September through June. Six- or seven-week summer program for toddlers and 3- to 5-year-olds Hours: Scarsdale: Toddlers, 9-11:30 a.m. or 12:30-3 p.m.; 3’s to 5’s, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., or 8:4511:30 a.m. or 12:30-3:15 p.m. or 8:45 a.m.-3:15 p.m.; Dobbs Ferry: 4’s to 6’s, 9 a.m.-3:15 p.m.; 3’s to 5’s, 8:45-11:30 a.m. or 9 a.m.-3:15 p.m. or 12:30-3:15 p.m.; Toddlers, 9:15-11:45 a.m. or 1-3:30 p.m.; Fox Meadow: 3’s to 5’s, 8:45-11:30 a.m. Fees: Half day, 3’s to 5’s, $7,100; full day, 3’s to 5’s, $14,300; 2’s five-day program, $10,000; other fees vary according to program Special programs: Early drop-off available from 8 a.m.; bus transportation; enrichment including music, movement and nature/science; after-school art, science, cooking, soccer and more; parent activities and workshops day and evenings; family picnics. Summer programs are available for 2-5-year-olds. Times and dates are flexible. Call for information or visit www. alcottschool.org. Other: Registered with the NYS Department of Education. Crane Road site: licensed by the NYS Office of Children and Family Services. Affiliated with the American Montessori Society
This Pre-School Guide is Compliments of...
ARDSLEY COMMUNITY NURSERY SCHOOL 21 American Legion Drive Ardsley, NY 10502 (914) 693-4932 www.acns.us
ARDSLEY METHODIST CHURCH NURSERY SCHOOL 525 Ashford Ave. Ardsley, NY 10502 (914) 693-0204
Dr. Gloria Wolpert, Director Philosophy: We develop and expand each child’s unique interests through creative and fun activities. Language and social skills are worked on to build self-esteem and pride in accomplishment, as well as respect for diversity. Pre-academic skills are incorporated along with a strong art, music and science enrichment program. Our goal is to foster a love of learning. Enrollment: 2’s, maximum 9 children; 3’s, maximum 16; 4’s, maximum 16 Student-teacher ratio: 2’s, 3:1; 3’s, 6:1; 4’s, 8:1 Calendar: Follows regular school year, Sept. 15-June 6; June interim program for three weeks; summer camp for six weeks, late June to Aug. 6 Hours: 2’s, 9-11:30 a.m.; 3’s and 4’s, 9-11:45 a.m.; also 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. day care Fees: $30/day drop-off; three-day, $4,000/ year; five-day, $5,100/year; day care, $1,200/ month Special programs: Inclusive nursery school for children of diverse abilities and backgrounds. Afternoon day care also provided. Other: Accredited by New York State and the Office of Children and Family Services
Diana R. Virrill, Director Philosophy: We offer a warm and accepting atmosphere where each child’s individuality is encouraged within the group setting. Class time consists of free play with opportunities for exploring special subjects. Circle time is held daily for discussions and stories. We have a weekly music program with “Miss Mary Ellen and her guitar.” Emphasis is given to one-on-one time with teachers and groups that encourage social, emotional and intellectual growth. Our large outdoor facility provides space for climbing houses, swings and a substantial flat surface for “big wheels,” tricycles, scooters and cars. Enrollment: 25 children Student-teacher ratio: 6:1 Calendar: Mid-September through end of May Hours: 9-11:30 a.m. or 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Fees: Three days, $3,600; four days, $3,800; five days, $4,000 Special programs: Music, art, science Other: Creative storytelling, daily outside play
CHABAD PRESCHOOL 303 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 (914) 693-6100 www.chabadrt.org Rivka Ebert, Director Philosophy: Chabad Preschool promotes the value of respect and responsibility. Children who attend our preschool develop into wellrounded, proud and productive people who have a great awareness of their Jewish heritage. Through developmentally appropriate activities, children learn about and perfect newly acquired skills. Our teachers firmly believe that a child can learn best when he or she is experiencing things firsthand and using all of his or her senses. We therefore structure our program to encourage children to create, explore and discover — all in the safety of our nurturing environment. Our goal is to create an environment that integrates the traditions of Judaism along with a broad spectrum of secular topics. Our staff is experienced with high credentials CONTINUED ON PAGE 42A
Custom Invitations • Personalized Stationery & Announcements In-House Printing & Great Selection of Gifts For All Occasions 63 Main Street, Dobbs Ferry • www.saycheeseandthankyou.com • 591-6277 Hours: Monday — Saturday, 10am - 6pm • Or by Appointment
PAGE 42A | RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE
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MARCH 23, 2012
The Rivertowns Enterprise 2012 I PRESCHOOL GUIDE ELMWOOD DAY SCHOOL
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41A
and is known for their warmth, nurture and love toward children. They recognize each child as an individual and strive to meet their unique needs. Our teachers delight in the children and provide them with the greatest gift of all, a lifelong love of learning. Our teachers strive to be flexible and accommodating, meeting the unique needs of each family. Our curriculum is based upon the theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI) developed by Howard Gardner. By definition, every child has seven intelligences that they can potentially use to take in new information. At Chabad Preschool we revolve our program around the needs and interests of our students enabling them to grow, develop and learn in his or her own special way. In our preschool, every child is able to tap into and reach his or her true potential. Student-teacher ratio: 3:1 Calendar: September through June, five days a week Hours: 9:15 a.m.-noon; snack pack from noon-12:30 p.m. Fees: Vary by program Special programs: Music and movement, yoga
CHRISTIAN PRE-SCHOOL Dobbs Ferry Lutheran Church 43 Ashford Ave. Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 (914) 693-0026 www.dobbsferrylutheran.org Sharon Brennen, Director Philosophy: At Christian Pre-School, we believe your child should explore and discover God’s world in a safe, loving environment with kind, caring teachers as role models. We recognize the importance of each individual’s impact in the larger community, and so we encourage a child’s empathy for others and help them experience the importance of caring for the world God created. We offer your child a balance between the need for play as well as exciting opportunities for learning through hands-on activities. Our goals are for your child to have an assurance of God’s love, a belief in their individual abilities, a yearning for further learning and an independence that enables decision-making and verbalization of ideas. We welcome all families to our doors. Enrollment: 50-60 children Student-teacher ratio: Busy Beginners: 4:1; 3’s and 4’s, 6:1 Calendar: September through June; separate summer program during the month of July Hours: School year: 9:15-11:45 a.m.; summer: 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Fees: Available from our office or call for a brochure Special programs: Chapel, visitors (community helpers, music, special events, etc.),
This Pre-School Guide is Compliments of...
900 Dobbs Ferry Road White Plains, NY 10607 (914) 592-8577 www.elmwooddayschool.com Jane Arcaya, Director
Kreative Kids Club, Ms. Janetta Music and Movement, Fun with Spanish, Parent Coffee Chat and more Other: In-house celebrations and events related to our unit themes
four afternoons $5,400. Special programs: Nature, movement. Extended day for 3’s and 4’s through Creative Ways Inc., an exploratory art and lunch program. Optional bonus weeks in June. Summer camp.
COMMUNITY NURSERY SCHOOL
DAYS OF WONDER CHILD CARE PROGRAM
343 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 (914) 693-9072 cnsdobbsferry@aol.com www.cnsdobbsferry.com
Oak Street & Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 (914) 693-2980 www.daysofwonderchildcare.com
Linda Jo Platt, Director Philosophy: Young children learn by doing. For over 60 years, Community Nursery School has offered a developmentally appropriate curriculum in all areas of the young child’s development. Our school provides a caring, highly qualified staff; a separation policy allowing parent and child a chance to feel comfortable here; a place to be a part of a group learning, playing, participating and sharing; a magnificent outdoor play area where children are free to explore nature and expand their social and physical development and growth; an indoor play area for those young muscles that need to move in all kinds of weather; and The Creative Curriculum®, our blueprint for planning and implementing a program which helps children acquire social competence and the skills they need to succeed as learners. Enrollment: 96 children Student-teacher ratio: 2’s, 5:1; 3’s, 6:1; 4’s, 8:1 Calendar: September through first week of June Hours: 8:45-11:45 a.m., or 12:30-3:15 p.m. Fees: (2012-13) 2’s, two mornings $3,500, three mornings $4,700; 3’s, three mornings $3,410, four mornings $5,090, five mornings $5,840; 4’s, five mornings $6,050, five afternoons $6,050,
Jennifer Dawber, Director Philosophy: At Days of Wonder we know the importance of learning through experience. Our dedicated teachers create a stimulating yet relaxed environment, which enables children to explore and discover the world around them. Our days are filled with music, play, cooking, dance, and so much more. Your child will reconnect on our natural playground, which enhances imagination and creativity. Since we are located in the heart of Dobbs Ferry our children enjoy walks through town, exploring the riverfront and parks, and visiting the library. Our homeaway-from-home atmosphere along with our home-cooked meals create a feeling of warmth and nurturing for both the child and parent. Enrollment: 44 children Student-teacher ratio: Toddlers, 4:1; 3’s, 6:1; 4’s, 7:1 Calendar: 12 months a year, full-time five days a week Hours: 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Fees: Available upon request Special programs: Creative movement, nature, foreign languages, art enrichment Other: Licensed by the Office of Children and Family Services
Philosophy: We follow New York State standards with a focus on balanced curriculum. There are rich opportunities for both play and learning. We provide a warm, loving, supportive environment where children are free to learn, grow and realize their potential. Enrollment: 85 children ages 2-6. Student-teacher ratio: 2’s, 4:1; 3’s, 6:1; 4’s, 7:1; pre-K, 7:1; kindergarten/first grade, 7:1 Calendar: September through first week in June Hours: 9 a.m.-noon; 1-4 p.m.; mini-day until 2 p.m.; full day 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Fees: Vary according to number of days enrolled and age of child Special programs: Vacation week programs, enrichment programs, tutoring (K-12)
FIVE CORNERS NURSERY PROGRAM 18 Farragut Ave. Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706 (914) 478-2334 www.hastingspreschool.com Mary Cahill, Director Philosophy: Our “home-away-from-home” nurturing environment will enrich and secure your children’s journey through their early childhood years. Enrollment: 45 children Student-teacher ratio: 2’s, 5:1; 3’s, 4’s and 5’s: 7:1 Calendar: September through June Hours: 8:45 a.m.-noon Fees: Available upon request Special programs: Music, movement, cooking, as well as our popular mostly 5’s class Other: National Association for the Education of Young Children
THE GODDARD SCHOOL 1 Jackson Ave. Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706 (914) 478-1390 www.goddardschool.com Lauren Bien Berman, Director Philosophy: Goddard School is dedicated to providing an environment where teachers support the nurturing and learning children want and need, where children are offered the opportunity to develop their natural curiosity and CONTINUED ON PAGE 43A
Custom Invitations • Personalized Stationery & Announcements In-House Printing & Great Selection of Gifts For All Occasions 63 Main Street, Dobbs Ferry • www.saycheeseandthankyou.com • 591-6277 Hours: Monday — Saturday, 10am - 6pm • Or by Appointment
Kids!
MARCH 23, 2012
THE RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE |PAGE 43A
The Rivertowns Enterprise 2012 I PRESCHOOL GUIDE Hours: 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. (8:30 a.m.-noon also available)
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 42A
creativity and where they can develop a lifelong love of learning. Enrollment: For children 6 weeks to 6 years old Student-teacher ratio: 2’s, 5:1; 3’s 7:1, 4’s, 8:1 Calendar: Full year Hours: 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Fees: Vary with age
Fees: New family discounts available. Parent-child classes, $360/session; three half days, $7,500/year; five half days, $9,750/ year; five full days, $13,500/year. Special programs: Parent & Child/Infant Playgroups provide an opportunity for warm and supportive companionship with other families facilitated by an experienced early childhood educator. Read more at http:// www.gmws.org/programs/early_childhood/ Meadows_Gate.aspx.
GOOD SHEPHERD EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER
Other: We are Westchester’s only Waldorf School and have been open since July 2011. Our main campus in Rockland County serves nearly 350 students from nursery school through 12th grade, and opened in 1950.
25 North Broadway Irvington, NY 10533 (914) 591-4104 IPCGSECC@aol.com Sasha Wilson, Director Philosophy: We believe that knowledge for young children is best acquired through the experience of exploration and discovery. Concept development takes place through the child’s own actions as he/she interacts with materials, teachers and peers in the classroom. Our aim is to enhance learning in all areas: cognitive, social, emotional, physical and moral. Enrollment: 92 Student-teacher ratio: 2’s, 5:1; 3’s, 6:1; 4’s, 8:1 Calendar: Mid-September through mid-June Hours: 2’s Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Friday, 9:30-11:30 a.m.; 3’s three days, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 9-11:45 a.m.; 3’s five days and 4’s five days, 9-11:45 a.m.; extended day 4’s Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 11:45 a.m.2:30 p.m.; 3’s Thursday, 11:45 a.m.-1:30 p.m.; 4’s art Thursday 11:45 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Fees: 2’s, two days: $3,375/school year; 3’s, three days: $4,200/school year; 3’s five days and 4’s five days, $5,800/school year. Optional extended day extra Special programs: Extended days for 3- and 4-year-olds. Children bring lunch and have a special afternoon program. In the morning we have music specialists twice a month. Sign language for the 4-year-olds twice a month. Other: Licensed by NYS Office of Children and Family services. Registered with University of the State of New York. Accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
GREENBURGH HEBREW CENTER 515 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 (914) 693-5121 Jackie Binstock, Director Philosophy: The mission of the Greenburgh Hebrew Center Nursery School is to provide a nurturing, creative, child-centered Jewish environment where children can grow to their full potential. The program emphasizes the
This Pre-School Guide is Compliments of...
social, emotional, physical, intellectual, spiritual and cognitive development of each child. Our children acquire new skills and experiences as they grow and mature, which enable them to explore and interact with their environment. In the process, the children learn respect for others and decision-making. Learning is hands-on and play-oriented. Activities are ageappropriate and appeal to a variety of learning styles and modalities. Consequently, children of all abilities can succeed and flourish. The philosophy of the Greenburgh Hebrew Center is that Jewish education as a lifelong pursuit begins at preschool age. The nursery school demonstrates how Jewish values and traditions can be integrated into daily life. We are dedicated to educating our students in Jewish ritual, holidays and values, and providing Jewish cultural and religious experiences. We feel that this is the path to an enduring love and devotion to Judaism and the Jewish people.
Hours: 9-11:45 a.m. (2’s, 9-11:30 a.m.)
Enrollment: 50 children
Patricia Owens, Admissions Coordinator
Student-teacher ratio: 2’s, 4:1; 3’s and 4’s, 7:1
Philosophy: Designed to address children’s physical, emotional and intellectual needs at each unique stage of their development, Waldorf education strives to help create individuals who live up to their capacities. Rather than teaching to the test, the Waldorf curriculum understands that in order to foster critical thinking and creative problem-solving, develop intrinsic ethics and morals, and promote true joy in learning, education must connect to one’s essential nature and engage a child’s will, feeling and thinking. By encouraging direct experience with lesson material, introducing subject matter in age-appropriate fashion, and providing purposeful activities that renew the soul, Waldorf education promotes wholeness, empathy and flexibility of thought by bringing together body, mind and spirit.
Calendar: September through June
Fees: Two-day 2’s, $3,310; three-day 2’s, $5,125; five-day 2’s, 3’s and 4’s, $6,990 Special programs: Club Lunch, extended days, yoga, music and movement specialist, monthly visits from a nature educator, Tot Shabbat
GREEN MEADOW WALDORF SCHOOL
EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER AT TAPPAN HILL SCHOOL 50 Ichabod Lane Tarrytown, NY 10591 (845) 356-9715 www.waldorfwestchester.org Karen Atkinson, Lead Teacher
Enrollment: 5 nursery/kindergarten children, plus 25 families in Parent and Child classes Student-teacher ratio: 5:1 Calendar: September-June
HAPPY HARBOR CHILD CARE CENTER INC. 95 Broadway Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706 (914) 478-4175 Cindy Veazey, Director Philosophy: Happy Harbor has been providing early care and education since 1988 and is a NYS licensed program providing stimulating age-appropriate activities to guide early learning. Indoors, children have a rich environment in which to explore, experiment and enjoy. The outdoor parklike playground is the perfect setting for learning about the world of earth and sky. Prereading skills and love of literature are part of the pre-K program. Self-esteem and social skills are goals for every child. Enrollment: 44 children Student-teacher ratio: Infants and toddlers, 4:1; 3’s and 4’s, 6:1 Calendar: Open all year-round except the last two weeks of August Hours: 7:15 a.m.-5:45 p.m. Fees: Available upon request Special programs: The beautiful and large outdoor play area is an extension of the indoor environment. Breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack are provided daily. Summer play includes gardening and sprinkler play.
HASTINGS NURSERY SCHOOL — THE CO-OP 7 Farragut Ave. Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y. 10706 (centrally located at the 5 corners) (914) 478-3777 www.hastingsnurseryschool.com Cindy Nibur and Irene Balint-Wemer, Directors CONTINUED ON PAGE 44A
Custom Invitations • Personalized Stationery & Announcements In-House Printing & Great Selection of Gifts For All Occasions 63 Main Street, Dobbs Ferry • www.saycheeseandthankyou.com • 591-6277 Hours: Monday — Saturday, 10am - 6pm • Or by Appointment
PAGE 44A | RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE
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The Rivertowns Enterprise 2012 I PRESCHOOL GUIDE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 43A
Philosophy: A place where children and their families are valued! Hastings Nursery School promotes social, emotional, physical and cognitive development of young children. Its highly trained staff and parent board believe that the real work of a preschooler is through play and exploration. Therefore, the school offers both hands-on and minds-on activities that guide each individual child to reach his or her fullest potential. Our age-appropriate curriculum, learning centers, enrichment programs, a large playground, input from the parents and a nurturing staff open avenues for learning on a daily basis. Social and emotional growth are at the core of our program. Feeling good about who you are opens doors for others to enter, as well as allowing an individual to grow. Teaching children to value themselves as well as others and the world they live in is vital. Enrollment: 50 children Calendar: September to June Hours: 5 days per week, 8:45-11:30 a.m.; extended day until 2:30 p.m.; 8:30 a.m. early drop-off available Fees: 2012-13: two day 2’s, $3,530; three day 2’s, $4,695; five day 2’s, $5,955; three day 3’s, $4,695; five day 3’s, $5,955; five day 4’s, $5,955. Extended day: one day, $1,300; two days, $2,500; three days, $3,600; four days, $4,600 Special programs: Nature, music, movement, yoga, field trips, summer camp
ternoon; school-age classes from 2:30-7 p.m. Fees: $300/week for 16-week preschool classes; 2011-12 tuition rates for school age range from $1,900-$3,500, depending on length of private lesson Special programs: Suzuki Method for Strings; Dalcroze Eurhythmics for children ages 3-6 Other: Special open house for new and interested parents Monday, May 7, at 5 p.m. RSVP to amyrosen.hrsm@gmail.com or 693-9481 to reserve a spot
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION PRE-KINDERGARTEN SCHOOL 16 North Broadway Irvington, NY 10533 (914) 591-6614 icprek@optimum.net www.iccirvington.catholicweb.com Victor J. Presto, Director Philosophy: Our prekindergarten classes are academically oriented incorporating Montessori materials into the curriculum, which is expanded to include both creative and interactive activities. The three major areas of learning are practical life, language and phonics, and mathematics. Every day there is free play, snack and circle time. Computer SMART Boards, music and physical education classes are incorporated into the schedule.
HUDSON RIVER SCHOOL OF MUSIC
Enrollment: 29 children
At Aldersgate Church 600 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 (914) 693-9481 www.hrsm.org amyrosen.hrsm@gmail.com
Hours: Five full days or five half days (morning session) or combo of three full days (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) and two half days (Monday, Friday). Early drop-off and
Amy Rosen, Director Philosophy: The Hudson River School believes in providing nurturing music education on the violin, viola and cello through the Suzuki method of talent development. The first Suzuki school in the Northeast, HRSM has been serving Westchester for over 40 years. It has also proudly sponsored the Westchester Suzuki Institute for over 25 years. The school’s seasoned and professionally trained instructors offer preschool music and eurhythmics instruction for ages 3-6, as well as after-school private, reading, group and chamber music instruction for children 4-18. Enrollment: 70 Student-teacher ratio: average group class 4:1 Calendar: September to late May, with summer lessons in July Hours: Preschool-age classes in the early af-
This Pre-School Guide is Compliments of...
Student-teacher ratio: n/a Calendar: September through June
extended day available Fees: Moderate Other: Children of all faiths welcome
JCC EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM
Student-teacher ratio: 5:1 Calendar: Year-round Hours: 7:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Fees: Upon request Special programs: Dance, pottery, multicultural art, music, gymnastics and various field trips. Most specialists are local artists.
371 South Broadway Tarrytown, NY 10591 (914) 366-7898
Other: Licensed by NYS Department of Social Services
5 Leroy Ave. Tarrytown, NY 10591 (914) 366-7898
TEMPLE BETH SHALOM NURSERY SCHOOL
www.jcconthehudson.org
740 North Broadway Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706 (914) 478-3833 www.tbshastings.org
Barbara Davis, Director Philosophy: The JCC Early Childhood Program provides a stimulating and nurturing environment in which each child develops socially, emotionally and cognitively. We maintain a developmental curriculum emphasizing Emergent Curriculum and concentrating on hands-on experience, experimentation and creative expression. Jewish values, culture and holidays are an integral part of our curriculum. Parent participation is a valued part of the program. JCC is a not-for-profit agency serving all families/persons regardless of religion or ethnic background. Enrollment: 105 children Student-teacher ratio: Low student-teacher ratio Calendar: September through June. Summer day camp available Hours: Young 2’s, 9:15-11:15 a.m.; 2’s, 9-11:30 a.m. with option for lunch bunch; 3’s, 9-11:45 a.m., 9 a.m.-1:15 p.m., 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; 4’s, 9 a.m.-noon, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; 8-9 a.m. for 2’s, 3’s and 4’s, 3-6 p.m. for 4’s Fees: On request Special programs: Specialists in music, creative movement, nature, sign language, soccer and karate. Afternoon enrichment for 3’s and 4’s includes children’s literature, art, cooking, science and building. Other: Licensed by Westchester Department of Children and Family Services
THE RIVERTOWN PRE-SCHOOL 78 Main St. Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706 (914) 478-6181 Pat Palfy, Director Philosophy: We are a creative arts-based program that nurtures the uniqueness of each child in an atmosphere of respect, trust and support. Enrollment: 18 children
Judith Michael, Executive Director of Education and Programming Philosophy: The Temple Beth Shalom Nursery School offers a remarkable opportunity for preschoolers to have playful, hands-on creative learning experiences that encourage the growth of their own uniqueness. In our warm and nurturing setting, our developmentally appropriate practices are designed to meet the social, emotional, cognitive and physical development of our young students while responding to the needs of their families. Enrollment: Approximately 50 children in our program that has a 2-year-old, a 3-year-old and a 4-year-old class. We are currently enrolling for the 2012-13 school year. Student-teacher ratio: Call for details. Hours: 2’s, Wednesday through Friday, 9:15-11:15 a.m.; 3’s, Monday through Friday, 9-11:30 a.m.; 4’s, Monday through Friday, 9-11:45 a.m. Fees: Please contact the school. Special programs: Cultural enrichment through music, art, sign language, yoga and creative movement. Nature education in our parklike setting. Science workshops. Rewarding parent involvement through social activities and education workshops. Celebrations of Jewish holidays and traditions with the temple’s rabbi and cantor. During the school year, the temple also sponsors an after-school activities early childhood program, providing enrichment in music, science, creative arts, special holiday celebrations and workshops, as well as additional June programming. Weekly “U2” infant/toddler class. Many family programs to help meet before- and after-school needs. Other: Our teachers are members of the Board of Jewish Education and the National Association of Education for Young Children.
Custom Invitations • Personalized Stationery & Announcements In-House Printing & Great Selection of Gifts For All Occasions 63 Main Street, Dobbs Ferry • www.saycheeseandthankyou.com • 591-6277 Hours: Monday — Saturday, 10am - 6pm • Or by Appointment
MARCH 23, 2012
Working moms CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7A
forward instead of looking back. “It’s not about focusing on what you’ve lost and what you don’t have any more,” she explained. “It’s focusing on what you’re gaining and what you want to create.” Her goal with clients is to help them find the structure they need for their day, so that they can say, “I feel great, I’m accomplishing something.” Michaels said she works on helping them incorporate activities that are important to them, whether it’s exercise, creative outlets or, for those who want to re-enter the work force, putting together a strategy for what their next position might look like. As a working mom herself, Michaels says it’s important to live a balanced life. “How I balance it, is that I live in the moment,” she said. “I give my best at work, but at three o’clock when the kids come home, I’m really present. So, it’s putting up boundaries. It’s important to be really present and not be distracted by work. It takes discipline to close the door of work and not let it follow through into your home life.” For some mothers, working and mothering isn’t an either/or proposition. Even if returning to work full time isn’t something all mothers want or need to do, many women reinvent themselves after motherhood, starting with a home-based business. Darci DeMatteo of Irvington, whose children are 13, 11 and 8, said she has “the best of both worlds.” DeMatteo founded her business, Say Cheese and Thank You, in 2004. “After my first was born, I was in transition,” DeMatteo said. “I had worked in theater with an Off-Broadway producer, and right as I was about to give birth, she was opening an Off-Broadway theater. I took about nine months off, then became general manager of the Daryl Roth Theater. I ran her theater for a few years, got pregnant and had another baby, and I quit right before 9/11. I was home for about a year pursuing my love of photography and taking classes. Then, right after my daughter was born, I started this business out of my home. I tried the full-time, stay-at-home thing from about 2001 until September of
Kids!
’03. I loved it, but I really wanted to get back to work.” Her friends all admired the pictures she took of her kids and encouraged her to do more with her camera. At first, her business centered just around photography. “I had the idea to hang out my shingle as a professional photographer, and offer holiday cards with pictures,” DeMatteo said. “Once you go to the stationery show, it’s hard to stop with holiday cards, so I said, ‘Why not start a stationery business?’ A year later, I moved to a storefront on Main Street in Irvington.” DeMatteo said, “A couple of things helped me be a successful working person. I have a fabulous manager, Jo Turpin, who’s been with me for six years. I live close by and my kids are in school, and I’m lucky to have my business here and local. As a woman and a mother who wants, needs and enjoys working and being stimulated in other areas, that guilt thing is huge. I think if I were a man, I wouldn’t be as concerned about my kids. I have lots of ideas, but my children are my priority, and getting the kids to where they need to be.” Today, Say Cheese and Thank You occupies a spacious store on Main Street in Dobbs Ferry. The business is a preferred stationery vendor for local venues that hold special events such as bar and bat mitzvahs and weddings. The business also has clients in Manhattan, and has gone beyond private parties into the area of corporate gifts and events. From just offering photography and stationery a few years ago, the business now offers every aspect of party planning, from décor and party favors, to flower arrangements and centerpieces. Both Michaels and DeMatteo are working at careers that are completely different from the ones they had before motherhood. Michaels went back to work after years as a full-time mom, while DeMatteo has worked throughout most of her kids’ childhoods. But Michaels believes there’s no right or wrong way, and she urges women to decide what they really want. “When you live your life according to your own values, it doesn’t matter what other people are doing,” she said. “When you live according to what you believe in, you feel good. And it’s not important to look right or left if you’re doing what is important to you.”
Spring Into SummerDance July 9-13 and July 23-27 Weeklong SummerDance Intensives
New! Weeklong Hip Hop Intensive New! SummerDance Master Series – 10 Artists/10 Days
June 18-23 Moving Wheels & Heels Adaptive Dance Intensive
Bill Bramswig Photography
June 25-27 Dance Camp for Children with Special Needs
216 Central Avenue, White Plains, NY 10606
SU M M E R 2012
! y a d o T l l o r En
H EAT E R MU S ICA L T WOR KSH OP FOR M A NC E VOCA L PE R ACAD E M Y JA ZZ & RO C HA M B E R FEST IVA L
CK
MU S IC
T IVA L
SUZU K I FES
TS MU S IC & A R PRO G RA M
Music Conservatory of Westchester
216 Central Avenue, White Plains, NY 10606 914-761-3900 • www.MusicConservatory.org
mvpbasketballcamp.org 914-946-1231
Two convenient locations: White Plains and Bedford
July 30-Aug. 3 and Aug. 6 - 10
For more information: 914.328.1900 email: info@steffinossen.org www.steffinossen.org
THE RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE |PAGE 45A
Summer 2012 Boys & Girls 6-16 18th Season in Westchester
June 25-28 DiMauro Dance Company In Residence July 16 – 20
PAGE 46A | RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE
Kids!
MARCH 23, 2012
Endpaper: Oh, the places we go! BY TODD SLISS
T
he cool thing about when your kids like things you like is when they come to like them on their own. Anyone who knows me knows how much of a baseball fan I am. My kids have kind of grown up around baseball, perhaps been overexposed to it. They love looking at — and touching — all of my collectibles, and they’ve literally been going to games since they were born. Now 5-year-old Henry made his Shea Stadium debut at 6 weeks old on Opening Day in 2007; 17-month-old Jeffrey at Citi Field at 5 months old on Opening Day in 2011. Henry loves going to games — aka he loves playing games, eating Nathan’s hot dogs and fries, and snacking on popcorn and/or ice cream. And when I say “and/ or,” that is meant to include that sometimes he puts the popcorn ON the ice cream before chowing down. But something happened during spring training a few weeks ago. Henry, who previously showed his dislike for watching baseball on television, decided that he was eager to watch the games on the tube since we can’t yet go to games since Spring Training is in Florida. He sits and watches and loosely pays attention. He asks questions. And he notices things on his own. He’s learned to read the “bug” on top of the screen that gives all of the information: teams, score, inning, outs, balls/strikes, runners on base. And he gets mad when “the team we don’t like” has more “points” than the Mets. He even caught on when SNY’s Keith Hernandez recently referred to the Cardinals as “the Redbirds,” which confused Henry at first, but now he calls the Cardinals the Redbirds. He’s so well trained that he made us laugh recently when the Mets weren’t on and I offered to put on the Yankees — it was an adamant NO! But he did ask if the Giants were on. I explained to him it’s not football season, but that I could put on a DVD of the Giants beating the Patriots to end their perfect season. He was excited about that and we watched the fourth quarter of that classic. Lately his new thing is watching the games in the living room during dinner and having ballpark food for dinner — dogs, fries and popcorn. I think it’s mostly
to avoid sitting at the dining room table, but it’s a nice treat once in a while. Before having kids my wife and I hadn’t done too much travel to expressly see baseball — the farthest we’d gone was Boston solely for baseball, though we’d seen big league games in Chicago and major and minor league games in Florida — there was plenty of baseball right here for us. We’ve got the Mets and Yankees (if desperate), and the Phillies aren’t too far away if I want to see some extra Mets action, and if you wanted to you really could go to Camden Yards in a day. What’s even better than that are the truly cozy confines of minor league baseball, and there’s plenty of it within a couple of hours of here or less. To name a few we have the Brooklyn Cyclones, Staten Island Yankees, Hudson Valley Renegades, Rockland Boulders, Bridgeport Bluefish, Long Island Ducks, New Jersey Jackals, Newark Bears. That’s where you take your kids! Big ballparks are, well, BIG! We seem to get lost in the enormity of the stadiums. Over the summer we’ll head to Coney Island for the day: we park at the Cyclones lot for cheap all day, head down a few blocks to the New York Aquarium (we’re Bronx Zoo members, see below for more on that) for a couple of hours, come out and eat lunch at the original Nathan’s, head to the boardwalk, hit the beach and then go see a Cyclones game. When you’re inside the stadium (typically on some type of giveaway night — did I tell you how much Henry is into
bobbleheads like his daddy?) you’re close to the action, there are a few games to play and all the way in the back of the stadium is a playground. All told maybe you spend a few innings in your seats, but that’s OK. And on weekends you top it off with a fireworks show. Last summer was the first season for the Rockland Boulders independent team not too far over the Tappan Zee Bridge. While I wasn’t too impressed with the stadium there, they had a great playground. Henry spent pretty much the entire game there while I wheeled Jeffrey around in the stroller while he slept. But just about everywhere I went I could still see the game. And the other, often important thing about minor league ball — you can’t beat the prices and often the free parking. And when you’re with kids who aren’t really into the game, spending tons of money on tickets isn’t really a priority. The other place we frequent often is the Bronx Zoo. The first time we went there was when Henry was just over 1 and in the stroller, and it seemed like we paid a small fortune to get in there. Then we discovered the beauty and value of becoming Wildlife Conservation Society members. For $164 with the family premium membership we get unlimited zoo access (plus the aforementioned aquarium and three other properties run by the WCS), FREE PARKING at the zoo and aquarium (we don’t park there when we go to Coney Island since we’re there longer than the parking lot is open), a discount on food
and gifts and special member benefits. If you go twice a year, it more than pays for itself. We go a lot more than that, but that’s because Henry loves animals. Obsessed with them. He spends half his life watching shows about animals and pausing the shows so he can draw them in one of his many notebooks. When Henry gets to the zoo his energy is endless. We’ll get there when it opens at 10 a.m. and leave between 4-5 p.m. when it’s closing time. The amount of energy he burns running around that place — be prepared for lots of walking if you want to see everything — is incredible. Of course the one thing that isn’t covered by the zoo membership is one of Henry’s favorite things to do, ride the camels! But things that are covered that would normally cost extra are the bug carousel, the Wild Asia Monorail, the gorilla forest, JungleWorld, the 4-D theater, the butterfly garden, the children’s zoo and the shuttle throughout the zoo. This kid is so into animals that when we spent 12 days in Orlando last fall most of the stuff we scheduled had to do with animals: Yes, we did Disney World one day, but the other days were spent at Busch Gardens in Tampa, which features a great safari area; Disney’s Animal Kingdom, which was like heaven on earth for this kid; Seaworld, which we visited twice; and Gatorland, which is self-explanatory and had lots of other great animals besides gators. It’s a wonderful thing to be able to feed your child’s soul when it comes to what they love. And when you happen to love it too, well, that’s just a powerful connection. Henry certainly has other passions, such as drawing and doing arts and crafts, and he loves to sing and dance and rock out. I know he loves sharing — or trying to share — some of these things with Jeffrey, and as the years go by he’ll love teaching his little bro a thing or two. I think the most wonderful thing is that I don’t know what Henry will enjoy when he’s older, and Jeff is still a mystery waiting to be unraveled. The boys may be into dance, numbers, purses, shoes or puzzles like their mom. They may want to write like me (hopefully better). Or there could be something we’ve never thought of or highly unique that they’ll turn to on their own. We can’t even imagine the places they’ll go.
Call today to set up a visit with one of our pediatric dentists
White Plains Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics
Aimee Saposnick, DDS and David Zirlin, DMD
914-761-4872 15 Fisher Lane, White Plains WhitePlainsPediatricDentistry.com
MARCH 23, 2012
Kids!
On Hudson Fitness & Dance Studio and
NYGKA Black Belt Academy SUMMER FUN STARTS JUNE 18
AGES 4 & UP
914.478.0508 www.onhudsondance.com www.nygka.com
2 Week Dance Intensive July 16-27 ~ Ages 10 and Up Ballet • Modern • Jazz • Lyrical
Pre-School Dance Ages 4 - 5
Fitness with the Finest Instructors in Westchester Goju Karate Mini Camps & Summer School Age & Rank Specific Classes • Tiny Tigers All Women • Teen/Adult Parent/Child • Birthday Parties
558 Warburton Avenue Hastings-on-Hudson
THE RIVERTOWNS ENTERPRISE |PAGE 47A
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MARCH 23, 2012
Numbers to KNow Compliments of Better Homes and Gardens/Rand Realty... Please Refrigerate Immediately!
Schools-Nursery Ardsley
Alcott Montessori School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-4443 or 472-4404 Ardsley Community Nursery School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-4932 Ardsley United Methodist Church Nursery School . . . . . . . . .693-0204
dobbs Ferry Chabad Pre-school . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-6100 Christian Pre-school, Dobbs Ferry Lutheran Church . . . . . . . .693-0026 Community Nursery School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-9072 Greenburgh Hebrew Center Nursery School . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-5121 Hudson River School of Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-9481
HAstings-on-Hudson Five Corners Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .478-2334 Hastings Co-op Nursery School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .478-3777 Rivertowns Pre-School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .478-6181 Temple Beth Shalom Nursery School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .478-3833
irvington Good Shepherd Early Childhood Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .591-4104 Immaculate Conception Pre-Kindergarten . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .591-9330
Schools-Parochial
Our Lady of Victory Academy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-1633
Schools-Public Ardsley union Free scHool district Superintendent of Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-6300 Board of Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-6300 Concord Road Elementary School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-7510 Middle School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-7564 High School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 693-6300
dobbs Ferry union Free scHool district Superintendents Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-1506 Business Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-1500 Springhurst Elementary School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-1503 Middle School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-7640 High School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-7645
HAstings-on-Hudson Public scHools Superintendent’s Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .478-6200 Board of Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .478-2900 Hillside Elementary School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .478-6270 Farragut Middle School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .478-6230 Hastings High School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .478-6250
irvington Superintendent’s Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .591-8591 Dows Lane Elementary School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .591-6012 Middle School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .591-9494 High School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .591-8500
Schools-Private
911
Emergencies (all villages) Poison Control Center
800-222-1222
Ambulance, Fire, Police (non-emergency numbers)
Ardsley Ambulance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-3673 Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 693-1700 Police . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-1700 dobbs Ferry Ambulance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-5500 Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-3000 Police . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-5500 HAstings-on-Hudson Ambulance . . . . . . . . . . . . . .478-2344 Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .478-2344 Police . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .478-2344 irvington Ambulance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .591-5151 Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .591-9867 Police . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .591-8080
Ardsley Children’s Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-6686 Ardsley Pals -5th & 6th Grades, Middle School . . . . . . . . . . . .674-1222 Around The World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .479-0762 Aspire - Hastings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .478-5521 Beginners Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .478-2334 Days of Wonder Child Care Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-2980 Dobbs Ferry After-School Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 693-2406 The Happy Harbor Child Care Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .478-4175 Homework Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .478-0756 Irvington Children’s Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .591-8182
Bus Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . 682-2020 Metro North Railroad From New York City. . . . . . . . 212-532-4900 From all other areas. . . 1-800-METRO-INFO
Libraries Ardsley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-6636 Dobbs Ferry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-6614 Greenburgh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .993-1600 Greenburgh (children’s) . . . . . . . .993-1605 Hastings-on-Hudson . . . . . . . . . .478-3307 Irvington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .591-7840
Hospitals
Emergency Rooms Dobbs Ferry Pavilion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-0700 Phelps Memorial Hospital Center . . . . . . . . .366-3590 St. John’s Riverside Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . .964-4349 White Plains Hospital Center . . . . . . . . . . . . .681-1155
Recreation
Ardsley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-8012 Dobbs Ferry Recreation & Parks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-5505 Greenburgh Nature Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .723-3470 Hastings-on-Hudson Community Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .478-2380 Irvington Recreation Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .591-7736
Hackley School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .631-0128 Masters School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-1400
Childcare
Transportation
The Arts The Hudson River Museum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 963-4550 Irvington Town Hall Theater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 591-6602 Newington Cropsey Gallery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478-7990 Rivertowns Art Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 476-2321
Chambers of Commerce Ardsley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .P.O. Box 119 Dobbs Ferry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .P.O. Box 444 Hastings-on-Hudson . . . . . . . . . .P.O. Box 405 Irvington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .P.O. Box 161
Post Offices Ardsley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 693-0476 Ardsley-on-Hudson . . . . . . . . . . 591-7299 Dobbs Ferry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 693-2761 Hastings-on-Hudson . . . . . . . . . 478-4716 Irvington. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 591-7171