There are few places more magical to spend the weeks leading up to the holidays than right here in NYC. In the weeks in between the spectacular Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and  the world-watched Ball Drop in Times Square, you can find festive family fun and awesome holiday activities around every New York City corner. From tickets to The Nutcracker to Ice-Skating at Rockefeller Center, the possibilities for fun holiday events for kids in NYC can seem never-ending (and frankly exhausting!).
​      But, fear not, we've assembled our own short-list of some lesser-known but equally merry-inducing holiday events for you and your family to check out!

3. Winterfest at the Brooklyn Museum — Friday November 23–Monday December 31

Live music, kosher food, and a giant, hand-carved ice menorah. What's not to love? Join in the biggest Chanukah party in the city! Skate in the beautiful and magical setting of the  Wollman Rink, in the heart of New York City’s Central Park.This annual celebration is a prime example of a holiday season event you need to sign up for ASAP, as it always sells out.
https://chanukahonicenyc.com

​5. Winter Family Fair at The Morgan Library & Museum -- Sun Dec 9, 2018

Have any must-do ideas of your own for 2018 Holiday Events for Kids in NYC?
​Let us know in the comments section below! 

 With March here at last, it's time to say goodbye to the winter blues and welcome the warmer weather by getting out to some of the many family-friendly activities in NYC this month. Daylight Savings Time this month means you might lose a little sleep, but on the bright side there are longer, sunnier days ahead and lots of ways to enjoy them with your kids in tow. Of course, St. Patricks Day is the big event on everyone's March radar, but if you're looking to avoid the crowds, here are a few more family-friendly March activities in NYC we can recommend! 

1. Children’s film festival - Weekends in March 
During weekends in March, the Children’s Film Festival welcomes over 25,000 young people, parents, and movie-lovers to explore the world without leaving NYC. Presenting the best new animation, live action, documentary, and experimental film from across the globe, the NYICFF shows new, inspiring, and thought-provoking films about youth from all around the world, suitable for children and families. Check out what’s playing near you, you’re sure to find something the kids will love! 
New York International Children’s Film Festival


2. Jiggy Tots Irish Movement Class - March 8th 
Looking for a kid-friendly alternative to the St. Patrick's Day Parade, that still celebrates the Irish heritage of this March holiday? Introduce your toddler to Irish dancing with this class, developed with ages 2-5 in mind. Kids will work on their motor skills, coordination, and creativity with activities that include not only dance but also educational games that teach counting and colors. Combining traditional Irish ditties with toddler favorites, this is sure to get your toddler up and moving. Free on 4pm at the New York Public Library. 
https://www.nypl.org/events/programs/2018/03/08/jiggy-tots


3. Luna Park Opening Day - March 24th
Did you miss those special trips to Luna Park over the long winter season? Don't miss opening day at Luna Park this season. While the beach won't open until Memorial Day, ring in Spring with a family outing to NYC's largest amusement park. All the park's established rides and attractions, both thrilling and tame, will be open—even the water rides. BONUS: Following tradition, the first 100 visitors score a FREE ride on the Cyclone.
http://lunaparknyc.com/events/opening-day/


4. Women's Empowerment Festival - March 24th and 25th
The Children's Museum of Manhattan celebrates equality, empowerment, and talent during this year’s Women’s History Month with kid-friendly film and animation workshops, art installations, and interactive storytelling. Look for workshops on the amazing women directing the biggest movies today like Patty Jenkins, director of Wonder Woman, and Ava DuVernay, who is directing A Wrinkle in Time, as well as readings from Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls.
http://cmom.org/event/womens-empowerment-festival/

Have any family-friendly March activities in NYC that we missed? Let us know in the comments below! 

​- KITH & KIN

1.  Toss out the old adage, "Do As I Say, Not As I Do".
        Be aware that your child sees everything you do (scary!), the good and the not-so-good. You may tell them to be patient, kind, and understanding, but if they don't see this, they won't practice it. For example... 

• How do you react when someone messes up your order?
• What subtle shifts in your behavior happen when walking behind a person who is distractedly text-messaging?
• How do you speak about other people in front of them, and what does your tone, judgments, and assumptions about the other person indirectly tell your child is an acceptable way to approach a situation?
• Do your children regularly see you taking care of yourself, exercising, eating with decent nutrition, reading a book, or working hard in your job?

2.  Extend your values to them as well.
       A lot of parents and nannies would say that they want to teach a child to respect others, forgetting that the child is also someone who needs to be shown patience, kindness, understanding, and forgiveness and respect, too! The best way to instill values into children is simply by letting them experience what it feels like to receive these things.

• Demonstrate your respect for their individuality by giving them warnings before transition times, or letting them pick the order of activities they like, or tasks that must be done. Make sure they have space in the home where they may continually work on a project, like their figurines, Legos or block building, without having to clean it up every time. (Ex: "We need to get ready for swimming in 15 minutes, so I will give you one five minute warning when it's time to put down your book.")
• Show them understanding by listening and responding to their cries, even when you are firm about your demand. (Ex: "I hear that you don't want to put on your shoes. It is hard sometimes to get ready in the morning! But times is up now, and we need to get moving together.") This isn't to say don't exercise a boundary or enforce what you need them to do -- just to say that you understand they are upset. Sometimes being understood is all a child needs to feel your love and cope with discomfort.

3.  Admit your mistakes.
       Don't be afraid to own up to a misstep. No one is perfect, and to not admit when you've done wrong may lead to your child feeling that they have to hide their mistakes from you for fear that you may reject their error. 

• If you snapped at them and lost your patience as we all do, apologize for it, and say that even grown ups make mistakes. You can always restate that you still expect them to listen to what you say, but that next time there may be a consequence without you losing your temper.
• If they feel disrespected because you need to rush them out the door, explain why -- maybe you overslept or weren't feeling well, or maybe they just didn't listen to your "Time's up" warnings, and the consequence was that they had to stop at an inconvenient moment. 
• Model "openness" in an appropriate manner: it's so much easier for a child to be open with you about their struggles if you are also modeling that openness, too. 

Values look different to each family and caregiver.
      Of course we all want our children to be high achievers, and have fun in life. We of course want them to be forgiving and kind, and we want them to also be assertive and stand their ground when it's time. We all want them to be respectful, and we want them to also recognize their right to being respected.
The trick for us to successfully instill values into children is finding where the balance lies within in each family.
​You want to make sure your caregiver is aligned with these values, and give them wiggle room to do things a little differently than you would. This is where great communication comes in handy!

Are you unsure about what your family's values are, or think you may need a tune up?
Here are some great resources you may want to investigate.
- "The New Family Values"
- Priceless Parenting
- Roots of Action

      A member in a local online parenting group I'm a member of posed a question that caused a mild stir. This generous mom employs a nanny whom has no family nearby to spend Thanksgiving with, and she was curious to know other mom's opinions if she were to invite her children's nanny over for the holidays to their big extended family dinner.  Another mom chimed in and wondered the same thing about her family's big Hanukkah dinner.

     Many moms and nannies were touched by her thoughtfulness, saying how nice it was to think of her. There were some moms who thought it crossed a serious professional line, and many nannies said they would respectfully decline to keep their family life separate. This caused me to consider my own past over the many years I was a nanny, far away from relatives that were not close enough to road trip there.

     Do you ask about your employee's weekend, or know small details of his or her personal life like their family, or partner's name?  Do you laugh about things in life beyond your children and home?  Do you view this person with complete trust, just as family?  If so, it would not be a shock to invite them to dinner, and they would likely be honored that you thought of them. 

     If your relationship is a lot more casual and friendly as we discussed above, your invitation and their attendance will likely only bring you closer in the long run. If you view your nanny as a member of the family, this is a great thing! But if you maintain that the nanny reports to your home to do their job and leave her personal beliefs and life out of conversation, and they accept the invitation, would you feel uncomfortable and distracted, and unable to fully enjoy your family time?

     Be sure to state that this is in invitation to be a guest -- not an employee. Treat him or her as such: offer them a drink, clear their plate, allow them to sit and don't expect them to clean up after the children. If the expectation is that they continue their duties as they usually would, then this isn't an invitation, but a work day (which is totally fine if that is discussed, and they are paid as such). 

       This goes without stating: a invitation made in pity will be obvious, and won't be given serious thought. Speaking from my own personal experience, if you genuinely give your invitation, your nanny will really appreciate and be touched by the offer, even if he or she declines.

      The bottom line is that if your nanny feels like a member of the family, their presence will not feel out of place or inappropriate.

However, if you don't feel quite close with your nanny yet, having your nanny over for the holidays may be a distraction to your family-time.
​
Neither of these scenarios are bad!
There is no rushing connection and trust. ​