Articles
Women musicians mix kids, (steady) jobs and bands
By Jessica Novak
No one ever said being a musician was easy. But when female band members become mothers, it becomes much harder to keep a place for music in their lives.
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Service and therapy animals help disabled children master skills, communicate and navigate
By Aaron Gifford
No matter where Gracie goes, Frankie is always there.
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Young male dancers are taking chances and leaping into the future
By Tammy DiDomenico
Tevin Johnson wasn’t one of those guys who started dancing soon after walking and never stopped. It wasn’t until a spontaneous opportunity at a sixth-grade school dance that Johnson realized he had some natural talent.
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Winter use of helmets can save kids’ skulls
By Tammy DiDomenico
Helmets are becoming commonplace in many sports; bikers, skateboarders and even soccer goalies now wear them far more often than just a generation ago. Winter sports have their own dangers, and wearing a properly fitted helmet can reduce the risk of catastrophic brain injury.
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Families struggle to get enough sleep
By Aaron Gifford
On a good night, Elizabeth Fern gets five or six hours of uninterrupted sleep. This only happens if she’s not behind on work or household tasks, and if none of her children have a hard time sleeping through the night.
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Syracuse Children’s Chorus leader expands group’s horizons
By Tammy DiDomenico
When Stephanie Mowery came to Syracuse from Pasadena, Calif., to become artistic director of the Syracuse Children’s Chorus—after a long, celebrated tenure by founder Barbara Tagg—she had a couple of goals. She wanted to continue the organization’s commitment to artistic quality, but she also wanted to expand the membership and audience of the chorus, and she wanted the group to better reflect the greater Syracuse community.
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The Redhouse and Hillside together put on a show
By Tammy DiDomenico
Hillary Taylor, a junior at Henninger High School in Syracuse, has been surrounded by music all her life. But she didn’t think of music as a career until last year. That’s when she got involved with the Theater Experience Program, a partnership between the Redhouse Arts Center—a multifaceted performing arts and cultural education center in downtown Syracuse’s Armory Square—and the Work-Scholarship connection at Hillside Family of Agencies in Syracuse.
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Plan your attack by Halloween or suffer the consequences
By Linda Lowen
If Halloween were simply about dressing up and having fun, dentists, dermatologists and diet centers would see a lot less business. The truth is Halloween is a gateway holiday and Oct. 31 the opening day of candy season—the start of the annual six-month siege known in my household as the Candy Wars.
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Families balance after-school activities
By Aaron Gifford
Whether through sports, music or a variety of special-interest clubs, students have ample opportunity for fun and enrichment after the academic day is through. These days, kids should have no excuse for being bored by 4 p.m. But while parents may stress the importance of taking advantage of extracurricular activities, they also caution against taking on too much.
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Doulas ease the way for a more comfortable labor and delivery
By Eileen Gilligan
Pregnancy carries many joys, aches, dreams, fears and concerns. One way to help reduce the uncertainty is to hire a doula to assist in the birth preparation and to provide added support—in person—during labor and childbirth. Doula translates from Greek as “a woman who serves.”
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For incoming college students, learning begins with packing
By Tammy DiDomenico
Many college freshmen will be living away from home for the very first time this fall, away from the rules and routines set by their parents or guardians. This milestone poses a question: “What do I really need to bring?”
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CNY readers chose winners in 30 categories
By Reid Sullivan
Central New Yorkers visited our website to cast their votes for their favorite area products, services and destinations in our second annual Besties competition. We’re pleased to report that the votes more than doubled compared with last year’s count, partly the result of some intense lobbying in several of the 30 categories. And we make no bones about it: This is a popularity contest.
We hope that you got a chance to visit www.familytimes.biz to vote before the deadline. Our aim is to support the people and businesses that help make the Syracuse area a great place for families. Did your favorites make the list? If not, there’s always next year. And now, the winners!
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Local libraries combat the summer slide with fun and incentives
By Tammy DiDomenico
As classroom instruction winds down for the summer, local libraries are gearing up for an uptick in activity. Combining fun activities and literary awareness, libraries often become busy, multifaceted community centers during the summer months.
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A writer’s life and work intertwine
By Tammy DiDomenico
Ten years ago, writing had taken a back seat in my life. My big-eyed toddler was pretty much the center of my universe, save for a few steady freelance writing assignments and sporadic work on a college degree. When I was asked by Tina Schwab Grenis, an editor of the Syracuse New Times, if I was interested in contributing to a new parenting magazine she was launching, I thought, “What could be better than combining my love of writing with my current interest with all things ‘Mommy’? I’m in!”
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An editor reflects on what it took to start a parenting magazine
By Tina Schwab Grenis
The story of Family Times’ birth sounds, at least in my telling, much like that of my children’s arrival in this world. Yes, I had a lot to do with it—I was definitely there—but a handful of other people loomed large, too, and they remained a lot calmer and looked a lot better throughout the process. None of us got much sleep.
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By Reid Sullivan and Briana Viel
What’s the most important thing we at Family Times decide each month? Without question, it’s what the magazine’s cover looks like.
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Some parents find homeschooling best for a special needs child
By Aaron Gifford
Sheila del Toro’s daughter, Brittaney, attended public schools for four years before the daily grind became too much to bear.
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The reasons kids don the gloves
By Tammy DiDomenico
On a recent Tuesday afternoon, seven boys congregated on a set of mats behind the boxing ring at the West Area Education and Athletic Center on Geddes Street in Syracuse. Some of them took a city bus to get there, some of them walked from nearby Fowler High School. Few of them are friends, or even know one another outside of their time together in the building.
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With a Preschooler
By Reid Sullivan
My first criterion for a good preschooler activity is that it must tire the kid out. Because if you’ve got a 2-, 3- or 4-year-old at home with you, an active morning often leads to a decent afternoon nap—and a quiet break for you.
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Parents help one another fit in fitness
By Aaron Gifford
In the Corona household, almost every minute of the day is accounted for. That’s how it has to be if Mike and Jen are going to cross the finish line in 17 hours or less.
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40 More awesome gifts for kids!
The Year’s Best Books, Music, Apps, Software, Video Games and More
In Part 2 of our 2011 National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) Gold Winners’ coverage, we bring you more of the year’s top children’s products. Our expert judges and child testers have selected the most engaging books, magazines, apps, software, video games, websites and more—all to help you find the right gifts for kids and adolescents this holiday season and throughout the year.
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35 Gifts you and your kids will love
The year's best toys,
games, DVDs and
story CDs for all ages
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Jell-O facts and other fun sights on Routes 5 and 20
By Lewes Kunda
Editor’s note: We received a delightful letter and essay from Lewes Kundas in July, describing a day trip his family made inspired by an August 2010 Family Times article.
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Central New York organizations step up to meet families' educational needs
By Tammy DiDomenico
Homeschooling has evolved to embrace as many forms and techniques as there are families. Forget the image of a quiet, makeshift home classroom; many homeschooling families supplement their curriculums by using resources and agencies outside the home.
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Parents of multiples have their hands full
By Eileen Gilligan
One mother of three says going from one child to two children doubles the amount of work; adding a third child increases the work exponentially. But having twins or triplets? Surprisingly, the advice experienced moms give for new parents of multiples can easily be applied to parents of “singletons,” as they call them.
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Pack your snacks, toys and upbeat mindset
By Amy Suardi
I have been flying with my four children since before they sprouted teeth. Because my parents live in Ohio and my husband’s in Italy, long trips are a part of life. We usually fly as a family, but when my husband has had to work, I’ve flown solo with the munchkins—and I’m not sure if I say this laughing or crying—while super-pregnant, during whirling Northeasters, and when I was so sick I was green.
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Kids can sample the festive foods of summer
By Aaron Gifford
Central New Yorkers love to party outdoors. The region boasts an impressive lineup of celebration weekends, firemen field days and ethnic food festivals leading up to the summer’s grand finale, the New York State Fair. Just about every weekend from May until October, there’s an opportunity to try new kinds of foods and enjoy live entertainment for less money than what it would cost to take the family out to dinner.
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Paying for special needs expenses demands time and know-how
By Tammy DiDomenico
Parents of a child with a disability have many concerns to juggle, and one of the most worrisome is tracking down money to pay for specialists, equipment, home renovations and other expenses.
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Used clothes and goods can lessen the cost of kids
By Eileen Gilligan
Pregnancy brings joy, nausea sometimes, and plenty of reasons to go shopping. For many parents and parents-to-be, the secondhand or consignment shop becomes a regular source for their shopping list.
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Area camps offer opportunities to focus
By Aaron Gifford
At Jim Boeheim’s Big Orange Basketball Camp, participants meet Syracuse University stars and compete in the Carrier Dome. The kids get an inside look at one of the top Division I programs in the country.
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The highs and lows of elementary infatuation
By Tammy DiDomenico
With two teenage boys in the house, it’s natural for talk of “girlfriends” to creep into Polhamus family discussions. But it’s usually not the teens at the center of the discussions—because 8-year-old Carter is the household Romeo.
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The meaning of developmental milestones
By Tammy DiDomenico
Michele Stadder and her husband Ian thought they had beaten the rap. For the majority of Michele’s pregnancy—her first—they had resisted the urge to obsess over every little thing that could go wrong. The Syracuse couple listened to the obstetrician and followed his advice, but they decided to stay away from parenting blogs, forums, and the array of guides that seem to do little more than foster anxiety in new mothers and fathers.
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The Year’s Best Books, Music, Software, Video Games and More
In Part 2 of our 2010 National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) Gold award winners’ coverage, we proudly bring you more top children’s products for fun and learning. Our expert judges, parents and child testers have again selected the most innovative and engaging products to help you find just the right gifts for this holiday season and throughout the year.
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The Year’s Best Toys, Games, DVDs and Story CDs for All Ages
As the season of giving approaches, the 2010 National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) shares its best gift ideas for children. From 20 years of experience setting the Gold standard for children’s products, NAPPA’s team of expert judges, parents and child testers proudly present their top picks of products for children’s learning and entertainment.
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A family heads to the orchards in fall
By Tammy DiDomenico
When I was growing up, we had a pear tree in the back yard. It was nice and tall, and produced a lot of fruit. But I never cared much for it—because it wasn’t an apple tree.
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Individuals and teams vie for honors
By Tammy DiDomenico
Student athletes can find many ways to pursue the thrill of competition. But those looking for a challenge of the more cerebral nature are also finding ways to compete, and let their academic achievements shine.
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Sights abound along Routes 5 and 20
By Lorraine Smorol
Families looking for a day’s getaway have a lot of choices not far from Central New York. The New York State Thruway is the most obvious route for speed. Large sections of the toll roadway were opened throughout 1954 and made traveling from New York City to Buffalo and places in between much quicker.
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Jets training camp is fun for fans and non-fans, too
By Aaron Gifford
Upward of 50,000 people are expected to descend on the SUNY Cortland campus soon for the New York Jets’ preseason training camp, and many of them won’t be serious football fans.
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Upstate water parks are just a short drive away
By Eileen Gilligan
Nothing beats a day at the beach—except maybe a day at a water park, especially if you’re a kid.
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Get ready for a family picnic!
By Sami Arseculeratne MartinezSummertime is the best time for a picnic, but the essentials of this casual, usually outdoors, meal can bring magic to any old day. Start with easy-to-eat treats you’ve prepared ahead and throw down a blanket or quilt. Spend time sitting cross-legged and nibbling healthy foods with your kids and let the fun begin!
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Children with special needs find ways to connect
By Tammy DiDomenicoWhen Beth Wagner learned that her son Jaden would be born with spina bifida, a developmental problem of the spine, she and her husband wrestled with many questions about challenges he could face—including how Jaden would make friends.
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Teens invest serious time and money in a prom dress
By Eileen GilliganHours spent planning, shopping, dressing and prepping result in a glamorous evening, which lasts just a few hours. Is it a wedding? No, it’s the high school prom.
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Dojos mix values with physical training
By Sami Arseculeratne MartinezWhen parents seek an organized sport for their child, they may overlook one of the oldest forms of physical and mental conditioning: the martial arts. Developed to increase fighting skills, the martial arts also promote self-discipline and self-confidence. Other benefits include improved concentration and respect for elders, which carry through to all aspects of life.
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How three couples sustain their relationships
By Tammy DiDomenicoWe’ve all heard the advice: Parents need to make time for their relationship. But so often the rigor, stress and, yes, boredom of daily life conspire to extinguish marital romance.
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Meditation helps rest the mind, body and spirit
By Sami Arseculeratne MartinezStacey Smith offers a journey toward achieving inner calm with four simple words: stop, calm, rest and heal.
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Top Books, Music, Software, Video Games and More
Pull out your holiday shopping lists! In Part 2 of our 2009 National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) Gold Award-Winners’ coverage, we proudly present our judges’, parent testers’ and children’s top picks for books, music, Web sites and video games. Our experts have selected the best from more than 1,000 products to help you find the right gifts for holiday fun and throughout the year.
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Top Toys, Games, DVDs and Story CDs for All Ages
Jump-start your holiday shopping with these winners from the 2009 National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) competition. With 19 years of experience selecting the top children’s products, NAPPA’s team of expert judges—with help from parent and child testers—present you with their top picks, setting the gold standard in children’s learning and entertainment.
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Holiday’s reach expands as popularity grows
By Eileen GilliganHow could ringing doorbells and nabbing free candy get any better? But over the years, Halloween and trick-or-treating have grown into a multi-event annual institution with all kinds of associated traditions.
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Tailoring the classroom to how children learn best
By Tammy DiDomenicoAs September looms, 5- and 6-year-olds are picking out backpacks and looking forward to their first days in elementary school. Their parents, if this is their first child in kindergarten, may be wrestling with a variety of emotions and expectations.
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State Fair showcases ‘mini’ performers
By Kevin Corbett
On a warm, sunny August morning, the grassy yard in front of the Youth Building on the grounds of the New York State Fair had been transformed into a tent city. Young performers and their families arrived early to pitch the makeshift dressing rooms to allow the kids to don their costumes and apply makeup to their faces. Nearby dance students limbered up, singers tested their vocal cords and parents offered last-minute advice.
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Think about simple hiking essentials before hitting the trails
By Sami Arseculeratne MartinezHiking can be an adventure for kids of all ages. The earlier you expose your children to the great outdoors, the more likely they’ll grow up to enjoy it. Because it can be done in nearly any natural setting, and requires simple gear, hiking makes a wonderful family outing that can become more challenging as your children get older.
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Frozen treats lure families to Central New York shops
By Tammy DiDomenicoIce cream may not exactly be the fountain of youth, but don’t tell Vic Johnson, the affable co-owner of Skanellus Drive-In in Skaneateles. Johnson is often seen behind the grill during the spring and summer months, slinging burgers. But when the evening rush is over, he often treats himself to another one of the house staples: a classic hot fudge sundae.
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Parents of special needs children find help, hope and support
By Tammy DiDomenicoRoberta Abreu did everything by the book when it came to her pregnancy—which made the sonogram images of her son, Lucas, that much more difficult to bear.
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Young CNY musicians plunge into the classical world
By Tammy DiDomenicoThe halls at Eagle Hill Middle School in Manlius are mostly quiet on Sunday afternoons. But for a few hours each week, a walk toward the auditorium yields the sweetly unexpected: swelling strings, pulsing horns, snapping snare drums.
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Sports camps stress fun, skills and exercise in a safe environment
By Merrilee Witherell
What can parents expect when they choose a sports camp for their child? It depends on the camp.[More]
Find fun both indoors and out
By Eileen GilliganI’ll only do this ‘til spring!” my son shouts as he whizzes by on the scooter we gave him for Christmas. “Annie got to ride hers in the house last year, remember?” No, we had forgotten that bit of family history until the new scooter was unwrapped on Christmas morning.
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Sleepless nights plague parents, but experts suggest coping strategies
By Josh BlairLast July, Amy Tetta was living the dream of every parent of a newborn: Her 3-month-old daughter was finally sleeping, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. every night.
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67 More Award-Winners Kids Will Love
In Part 2 of the 2008 NAPPA Gold Award-winners’ coverage, we highlight outstanding books, music, and software and video games for kids. Our expert judges and kid testers have made it easy for you to find the right gifts for the children in your life this holiday season and all year-round.
[More]
50 Award-Winners Kids Will Love
Just in time for holiday giving, the National Parenting Publications Awards bring you the best gift ideas for children. For the past 18 years, NAPPA has set the gold standard in evaluating children’s products, with its team of expert judges and family testers highlighting the cream of the crop in children’s entertainment and learning.[More]
Farms and festivals celebrate harvest with an abundance of attractions
By Sami Arseculeratne MartinezThe time of harvest is celebrated in nearly every culture as the culmination of the growing season, a time of sharing bounty and reveling in the spirit of fun and relaxation that follows. These days, of course, fewer families make their living off the land, but Central New York’s rural roots still run deep.
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Male elementary-level teachers face challenges and satisfactions of minority status
By Tammy DiDomenicoA funny thing happened at Enders Road Elementary in Manlius in June 2007. Classes were wrapping up for the year, and Vincent Pillari Jr. was saying goodbye to his fourth-grade students—his first class as an elementary school teacher. By the time the afternoon was over, he was in tears. “Actually, the whole class got crying,” Pillari recalls. “It was surreal.”
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What’s essential for a new baby depends on the infant, and the family
By Tammy DiDomenicoRebecca Walch is standing in the middle of her garage, and she is not happy. Sure, she has a comfortable house and more than enough yard for her growing family to run and play on for many summers to come. But the garage … the garage has become impossible to navigate. It’s not the family van or her husband’s truck that’s taking up all the room—it’s the mountains of baby stuff. You name it, she’s got it: toys, strollers, an old bassinet, a couple of high chairs, boxes of clothes, and more toys. All of it is for one person: her daughter Emily, age 1 year.
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State Fair’s Youth Building showcases big projects—and little animals
By Kevin CorbettAt the New York State Fair you’re sure to sniff the finest roses, sip the classiest wines and gaze upon the most handsome livestock, but make sure to also tour the Youth Building, where you’re certain to be impressed by young people at their poised and polished best.
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Teaching children the ways of the kitchen yields edible benefits.
By Eileen GilliganQ: How long does it take to make cookies with your kids?
A: About 20 minutes longer than it does to make them yourself.
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Stay-at-home fathers show one way to get more involved with children
By Josh BlairFor the four Glowaki kids, their daily routine is much like that of other children: wake up, eat breakfast, get ready, go to school, come home, do homework, play, eat dinner and go to bed. But one aspect of their routine differs from that of their peers: Every day, the four kids—Errol, 12, Tyler, 9, Grace, 7, and Essex, 5—come home to Dad. Their father, Rick, a 42-year-old Syracuse resident, handles all of the cooking, cleaning, laundry, homework help and other chores associated with staying home all day.
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CNY Little League Upholds high standards for sportsmanship
By Josh BlairForget the stories you might have seen on the nightly news about parents involved in bleacher brawls—Little League in Central New York is a class act sport.
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Adding a dog to your family changes your life, so be prepared
By Merilee WitherellI love dogs. My husband loves dogs. Yet we have had trouble convincing our many canine-less friends to add a dog to their families. Paramount among their concerns are time, money and integrating a dog into their children’s lives.
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Is your child ready for a residential summer camp?
By Sami Arseculeratne MartinezSummer camp may be one of the few experiences children have that take them back to nature and a simpler way of life, away from cell phones, Game Boys and Webkinz.
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An Insider's Guide to the Strong Museum of Play
By Jackie WiegandIf you live in Central New York and have children, a trip to the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester should land at the top of your must-do list, especially during these long, bleak winter months.
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Three CNY schools strive to serve healthful fare
By Jackie Wiegand
If your image of a typical school lunch includes pizza drowning in high-fat cheese or a leathery slice of mystery meat, think again. More and more school districts in Central New York are pushing fruits, vegetables and other healthy choices in hopes of stemming the rise in childhood obesity and improving lifelong eating habits.
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CNY artisans make gifts from the heart
By Eileen GilliganJoy. That’s what the artists interviewed for this article on holiday gifts express in their words, and even more importantly, in their creations.
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Expectant parents take classes to get ready for labor, delivery and beyond
By Tammy DiDomenico
Today's expectant parents are undoubtedly the most informed of any generation. Doctors provide packets of facts and figures; books offer details about labor and delivery; magazines for pregnant women abound; baby-themed television shows depict the big event; and now there are numerous online sources for parents-to-be.
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Students must tackle harder challenges as they leave elementary school
By Tammy DiDomenicoThousands of parents across Onondaga County will watch their kids head to a different school this fall: middle school.
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Well-baby visit sets a standard for health
By Gina Roberts-GreyThe cornerstone in the foundation of your baby's health is the well-child visit. This regular checkup gives you a chance to discuss your child's physical, emotional, social and developmental health with her physician.
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Letterboxing gets families out and about
By Gina Roberts-GreyImagine an alternative to a summer filled with video games and cries of “I’m bored.” Picture a hobby that uses secret messages to spark exploration of some of Central New York’s most scenic locations. Now imagine this activity gets your family to stretch their legs and their minds at the same time.
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Teen jazz musicians are revitalizing the Central New York scene
By Nathan TurkThe plane wouldn’t arrive for hours. Jim Spadafore had plenty of time to reflect as he waited in the Los Angeles airport for the connecting flight home. Four of his junior and senior Liverpool High School students had just taken second place at the March 28 Monterey Jazz Festival. It was an awesome accomplishment for kids 2,000 miles away from their home turf, competing against big-name programs. (They lost to the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, but narrowly.) Soon they’d come home to some local press and walk through the school hallways with heads held a little higher.
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Area clubs encourage children to discover the joy of running
By Jackie WiegandTwo years ago, an 8-year-old boy from Manlius maneuvered through the crowds at the Philadelphia Marathon and proudly watched his father complete the 26.2-mile race.
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Teens can jump-start their careers with summer camp counselor jobs
By Gina Roberts-GreyMany teens would like to find a summer job, but they don’t know what’s out there for them.
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Celebrate Black History Month by making stops on the Underground Railroad
By Eileen GilliganChildren and parents can explore many of the nearly 30 sites identified as part of the Underground Railroad in Central New York during Black History Month and throughout the year. Visitors who retrace the steps of runaway slaves and tour the homes where ordinary citizens kept the slaves hidden learn how important Central New York was to the Underground Railroad.
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Girls who get a new vaccine could be protected against cervical cancer
By Tammy DiDomenicoWhen Michelle took her 8-year-old daughter for the girl’s annual physical in November, she expected all the usual procedures: a review of vaccinations, measurements of height and weight, and, of course, instructions to come back for a flu shot. She wasn’t prepared to talk to the doctor about a vaccine for a sexually transmitted virus.
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Local entrepreneurs make and sell distinctive items for those on your list
By Eileen GilliganCreative, handmade gifts for the holidays can be found among some of our Central New York neighbors—not at their yard sales, but at their shops, studios and craft fairs. Check out creations and wares from the following locally owned businesses—just in time to avoid the crowds of shoppers at the malls while supporting some out-of-the-ordinary CNY enterprises.
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Enjoy outdoor adventures in your own back yard
By Sami Martinez ArseculeratneImagine you’re out under the stars, crickets chirping softly while you roast hot dogs over an open fire. A cozy tent is already made up with warm sleeping bags, and your gear is stowed away from the dewy night air. After dinner, the kids gather ’round to toast marshmallows and enjoy a cup of cocoa. Suddenly, you hear a noise and point your flashlight in that direction.
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New trend in prenatal care is support-group setting
By Gina Roberts-Grey
Moms-to-be in Syracuse now have the opportunity to take part in a new prenatal care trend. Headed by nurse educator and facilitator Genie Rotundo, Syracuse’s Dr. Cathy J. Berry and Associates offers expectant mothers the opportunity to receive traditional individualized prenatal care as well the chance to participate in a “centering” pregnancy group.
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Children work body and mind with local classes
By Cara O’Brien
They sprawl across the floor; one child rests his head on the next child’s stomach, the next child’s head on the next stomach. They agreeably build a chain of little sweatpants-clad bodies.
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