Planning ahead Planning ahead

52 Pages·2010·11.11 MB·English

QUEENS August 2010
E FREE
Family D F
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www.webfamilyny.com
BBeeyyoonndd tthhee
BBeeaacchh
One family’s cruise
PPllaannnniinngg
aahheeaadd
27 ways to manage
the school year
SSuucccceessss!!
Our columnist meets
her weight-loss goal
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nosotros ponemos su salud primero
Queens
Family
August 2010
Letter from Features
6 Back-to-school checklist
the publisher How to get your A in organization this fall
By Carol Brzozowski
10 College road trip
It’s August already.
Hit the road before your senior applies
Isn’t it amazing how
By risa C. Doherty
the summer weeks
whizz by? July was a hot 20 Happy, minus 15 pounds
month and seemed more
After six months, Kathy achieves her diet goal
like August, which makes
By kathy sena
me wonder what August
will be like. The days are 24 Cruise control
getting shorter, although Disney boats are fun for the whole family
there’s still plenty of light at the end of the day
By allison Plitt
to eat outdoors, have dinner on the beach, or
barbeque on the grill. 26 ‘Home’ in Queens
My family has been to the beach quite fre- Raising my children in my family’s old neighborhood
quently this summer and I don’t mind telling By sharon noBle
columns
you that my beach of choice — and the one
30 Keeping families in a ‘Safe Space’
that’s most accessible and inviting — has been,
and still is, the clean and lovely beach/board- Program helps those in need of counseling 2 Newbie Dad
walk at Long Beach. By roB MaCkay By Brian kantz
Did I mention that we don’t live in Long
34 The girl who wouldn’t bathe 4 Lions and Tigers and Teens
Beach and that every summer we buy a family
One mom’s quest for her toddler’s cleanliness By Myrna Beth haskell
beach pass? I’m certain there are local people
who think we are a hibernating family that By anna seiP 8 Good Sense Eating
lives out there but only appears in the warmer
By Christine M. PaluMBo, rD
months. calendar oF events
“So nice to see you. How was your winter?” 22 Family Health
39 Going Places
They ask us every year. By ivan hanD, MD, Faa
I say nothing and just enjoy all the friendli-
ness that I can find in life. I mean, we’re talking special section 28 Parents Helping Parents
30 years of beaching at Long Beach. By sharon C. Peters
12 Education Directory
We took our family vacation in June but I’m
32 Cinematters
pretty certain that a lot of families are still
looking forward to time off together. Maybe By laura Gray
the kids have been at camp and you’re waiting
46 It Figures
till the end of summer to do a family drive or a
School Snippets
stay-cation? Maybe you have a new college stu-
dent who is home with you for the last weeks 48 New & Noteworthy
before beginning campus life?
The hottest new products
Whatever you do or wherever you go, enjoy
the end of summer and the good foods that are
coming into season now, like fresh Long Island
corn and tomatoes. Visit your local farmer’s staFF contact inFormation
market or stand and see those wonderful
PublisheR: Clifford Luster aDVeRTisinG sales aDDRess
green beans, cucumbers, peaches, blueber- 718 260-2587 Family Publications New York/CNG
PublisheR/manaGinG eDiToR:
ries and blackberries that are grown here, and [email protected] or 1 MetroTech Center North
Susan Weiss
help support your family’s good health and our [email protected] 10th Floor
local farmers at the same time. What a great eDiToR: Vince DiMiceli CiRCulaTion Brooklyn, NY 11201
partnership that is! CReaTiVe DiReCToR: Leah Mitch 718 260-8336 www.webfamilyny.com
[email protected]
Happy August! Thanks for reading! aRT DiReCToR: On Man Tse
eDiToRial
aDVeRTisinG sales: 718 260-4551
Sharon Noble, Nancy Swiezy, [email protected]
Richard Kramer
Brooklyn Family, Queens Family, Bronx/Riverdale Family, Long Island Family
sPeCial assisTanT: and Staten Island Family are published monthly. Copyright©2010. No part of
Susan Weiss-Voskidis, Publisher Tina Felicetti our contents may be reproduced without permission from the publisher.
August 2010 • Queens Family 1
Parenting
Super-sized summer
Kids today have the coolest toys for hot days!
Maybe the heat is getting blanket at the beach, on your new cles? Is it really necessary for 4-year-
to me. Or, maybe I’ve white t-shirt, everywhere. Other than old Johnny to be hogging the side-
watched one too many “60 taking a swig from the garden hose, walk in his mini-Hummer? Well, at
Minutes” commentaries by that fa- Kool-Aid was your only option. least his vehicle doesn’t guzzle gas,
Newbie DaD mous curmudgeon, Andy Rooney. And what flavor was Kool-Aid? It but he should still need a license to
Or, maybe it’s the fact that some kid was red. There was only one flavor of drive that thing. I’ve seen more than
at the playground just called me an Kool-Aid that I knew of: red Kool-Aid. a few innocent flowers buried under
Brian KanTz
“old dude.” (37 is not old, kid! You Maybe Kool-Aid did offer its drink the wheels of Johnny’s wildly navi-
may not believe that now, but you’ll mix in other flavors back then, but gated bad-boy machine.
see! You’ll see!) Whatever it is, I have we were never aware of it. Back when we were kids, we tooled
a rock in my shoe this summer. Do you know how many flavors of up and down the streets all summer
So, what’s wrong? What’s my juice and juice-like beverages are on long on our Big Wheels and banana-
beef? Well, I’m just wondering, who the market today? About 150,000. So, seat bicycles with sissy bars. Pedal
went and super-sized summer for when someone at a picnic asks me power, baby. If you wanted to visit a
today’s kids? Just about if I would like a strawberry orange friend who lived down the block, you
pomegranate or a Pacific mango sun- either pedaled or hoofed it on your
splash, I usually ask, “Do you have own two feet. You wouldn’t have
any red?” even imagined taking your battery-
Let’s move on to the Slip ‘n Slide. powered Lightning McQueen out for
It was a true backyard necessity a spin.
on a hot summer day, especially OK, I’m almost done. Here’s one
once the three-foot-round plastic more favorite summer activity: going
pool just wouldn’t comfort- to the neighborhood playground.
ably accommodate This is my two sons’ favorite thing
my three gangly to do. They call it going to “swings
brothers and I and slides.” Back in my childhood,
anymore. The that’s exactly what it was. We went
original Slip ‘n Slide to a playground that had swings and
featured some pretty one slide. All of the equipment was
basic engineering: a fashioned out of industrial-grade
long plastic steel. You sat on a flat steel seat on
sheet with an the swing and you climbed up steel
opening for steps to get to the top of the tall steel
the garden hose. slide. That steel was a molten 220-de-
Turn the spigot grees in the hot sun.
on and away you Today’s playgrounds? Oh… my…
go, slipping the gosh. They are unbelievable! Instead
hot summer day of simple swings and slides, these are
away under the monstrous “play structures.” Spiral
soft drizzle of cold slides, rock-climbing walls, ziplines,
water. You just had to make sure fireman’s poles and on and on! All
that no large sticks, giant in cool-to-the-touch molded plastic.
every great thing I re- rocks or neighborhood dogs It’s madness, I tell you! And, I must
member from the summers of my were underneath the plastic, admit, it’s all so much darn fun!
childhood still exists, but it has all lest you impale yourself, break a shin So, go ahead, kids, enjoy your
been super-sized, mega-hyped and or get bitten. super-sized summer! Have a grand
full-throttled. It’s like summer on Today’s Slip ‘n Slides? Whoa-ho- old time. Just know that in another
steroids. I notice this all the time as I ho. Fancy. You’ve got gushing water- 30 years, your stuff will seem pretty
play with my kids. Do you? falls, cushy inflatable parts, hydro- old school, too, and you’ll be left
Let me give you a quick example. planers, boogie boarders, triple rac- to write a nostalgic (and, yes, com-
The taste of summer from your child- ers, wave riders, whitewater blasters, pletely jealous) column for the ben-
hood — quick, what was it? If you the whole nine yards. It’s apparently efit of your peers.
said Kool-Aid, you would be correct, less about slippin’ and slidin’ and Brian Kantz nearly broke his collar-
my friend. A pitcher of Kool-Aid was more about looking good. bone diving on a Slip ‘n Slide the other
everywhere, it seemed. In the fridge And speaking of fancy, what is day. Totally worth it. Visit Brian online
at home, in the fridge at your friends’ with all of the kids tooling up and at www.briankantz.com or drop him a
houses, on the picnic table, on the down the streets in motorized vehi- note at [email protected].
2 Queens Family • August 2010
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August 2010 • Queens Family 3
Parenting
Say whaat?
authority in the household. A teen
who talks rudely once or twice and
gets away with it will continue the
behavior. When a teen’s language
or attitude is inappropriate, there
How to keep your cool even
should be consequences. Try to re-
main calm even if your teen is raising
when teenagers talk back her voice. Screaming back or return-
ing her flippant comments reinforces
the bad behavior. If the tone is disre-
Everyone has a pet spectful, ignore her argumentative
Lions and peeve. Mine is: “What- comments and walk away. If she
everrrrr!” follows you, reinforce that you will
tigers and That word can send nee- not tolerate rude and obnoxious lan-
dles up my spine. I realize guage. Tell her that you will listen if
teens there are much worse things a her tone is appropriate. Stick to this
teen can say, but for some rea- position and don’t give in — show
Myrna Beth haskell son, “Whateverrrrr” says it all her that she can get her way more
for me. It means, “I don’t care easily with respectful pleas.
what you think — you just “It’s important for parents to con-
don’t get it — get out of my sider that this behavior is somewhat
face” all in one fell swoop. developmentally appropriate,” ad-
Of course, this attitude is vises Miller. “Parents can acknowl-
nothing new, and reminds me edge that their teens need to go
that parents of yesteryear ac- through this phase and not take it
tually had the right idea when too personally. At the same time,
they washed mouths out however, it is important for parents
with soap — something you to set appropriate limits with their
could probably be arrested teens.”
for today. If it’s an argument, he says par-
So what do parents do ents should validate their teen’s feel-
about these smart mouths? ings, and also explain why they’ve
Some let it go, saying they taken their stance.
have more serious things to Teens will disagree and do it often
worry about, such as drink- — this is a natural part of their devel-
ing, drugs, and premarital sex. opment. It’s the tone and delivery that
Others don’t put up with it. parents should be concerned with.
For me, back talk is a sign of
disrespect and should be han- tips and tales
dled as such. Teens should be “Don’t stoop to their level!”
taught how to speak up for Dr. Robin Goodman, New York, NY
themselves, but in an appro- “We end up taking away electron-
priate way. more autonomous,” explains Dr. Alec ics, which seems to work great.”
L. Miller, Chief of Child and Adoles- Gloria Jean Gibson-Lyons,
Keep back talk in cent Psychology at Montefiore Medi- Salt Point, NY
perspective cal Center/Albert Einstein College “First I take a deep breath. Then, I
Does back talk start in the teens? of Medicine in the Bronx. “To do so give her a good ‘talking to’ in return.”
Not entirely — what about when you requires them to assert their own Maryellen Livingston Moore,
asked your 2-year-old to pick up his needs and wishes, even when those Glenford, NY
toys and he said, “No!” and sneered wishes are not in the context of good
at you? Although back talk is not judgment and even when they are Share your ideas
strictly a teen phenomenon, it does in direct conflict with the parents’ Upcoming topic:
seem to happen more often and with wishes,” What to tell … or not tell … your
more disdain at this age. Parents Teens like to argue, abd parents teen about your past.
have different opinions about where should learn to embrace this as long Please send your full name, address,
to draw the line; however, most feel as it is respectful. However, when a and brief comments to: myrnahaskell@
that outright rudeness should not be sharp tongue rears its ugly head, it’s gmail.com or visit: http://home.roadrun-
tolerated. time to put the clamps on. ner.com/~haskellfamily/myrna/
Just like toddlers, teenagers are Myrna Beth Haskell is a freelance
struggling to become independent Don’t get bent out writer specializing in parenting issues
from their parents. That indepen- of shape and children’s development. She is the
dence is necessary as they approach How do parents get their teens to mother of two teenagers. Her advice
adulthood. back off the snide back talk? Parents column for parents of teens debuted in
“Teens are striving to become should remember that they are the June 2009.
4 Queens Family • August 2010
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August 2010 • Queens Family 5
Education
Back-to-school checklist
How to get By Carol Brzozowski week you want to do this on their
train your chil- own). Pack their
When I sent my firstborn off dren to start lunchbox with
your A in
to school 10 years ago, I waking up non-perishables
was ill-prepared for the early again and add the items
organization  realities of his new life. I thought I’d and getting that require an ice
just send him off with a tearful good- back into rou- pack in the morn-
bye, and that would be that. tines. It’s harder ing. Make sure the
this fall Boy, was I wrong. for the kids to go kids put the ice pack
I completely underestimated how back to school if back  into  the  freezer 
managing my son’s (and later, his they are on a trip when they get home
brother’s) school life would consume right before school from school and
such a chunk of my time. starts. empty the wrappers
Each day, I had to review a list • Avoid the mistake of buying  and food bits out of
of questions. Is today the day they unnecessary school supplies by the lunchbox to clean it
take in money for lunch from the checking with your child’s school for the next day.
cafeteria or pack a lunch? What’s to determine what is needed. Con- • Buy extra ice packs for lunch 
the deadline for filling out the pa- sider saving money by buying boxes. In a pinch, you can pack a
perwork and getting the money supplies in bulk and splitting plastic storage bag with ice cubes.
for the field trip? What time do I the cost with a friend whose Ask your child to brainstorm about
have to pick up my son from child needs the same sup- what healthy food they’d like for
the after-school activ- plies. There are usually lunches.
ity? Buy what for the a few items you’ll al- • Keep a day’s worth of extra lunch 
science fair?! ways need on hand money stashed in the backpack for
But, through the throughout the those times when your child forgets
years — and now with year — lined paper money.
both sons in high school — and pencils — so • Make sure your child’s vaccina-
I’ve learned a lot through stock up when they tions are up to date. This is often
my own experience and are on sale. required not only for school, but for
that of other seasoned • Cell  phones  have  participation in sports and scouting.
parents who taught me become a common school If you are applying for exemptions,
the key to surviving the supply, though many get your paperwork organized.
school years: “Work smarter, schools are limiting • If your child commutes by car 
not harder.” their use during the or bus, carry snacks and cold water
Here are some tips school day. They are use- in the car or pack extra in the back-
I’ve gathered that ful in keeping in touch on important pack for bus trips, if permitted. You
should help you glide matters — my sons call or text dur- may want to freeze bottles of water; 
through the next four se- ing lunch to let me know they need they’ll thaw out and provide cold re-
mesters: something for the following day or freshment by the end of the day.
• Organized  parents  that a club meeting has • If you’re the type of parent who 
are always seen with been canceled. If you’re likes to give teachers and bus driv-
their  organizers.  Whether  not keen on buying ers gifts for holidays or at the end
you use electronics or paper, them their own cell of the year, consider buying items
maintain  an  organizer  in  phone, consider a as you see them and can afford
which you keep all of your ap- pre-paid phone. them, packing them away
pointments and phone num- Make sure you in the closet until needed,
bers with you at all times. know the phone rather than making a mad
Record dates as soon as carrier’s costs — my rush for gifts at the last
you’re made aware of them. sons once racked up a minute.
And make sure to have im- few $100 through unnec- • Most  school  dis-
portant phone numbers, like your essary text messaging tricts now have Inter-
child’s school, the bus company’s and Internet access. net sites that allow you to
and those of child’s friends’ parents, • Organize  everything  see your child’s academic
available in a pinch. your child needs to take progress in real time. I can
• Avoid vacations that run up into  to school the night be- set up my district’s site to
the week before school. That’s the fore (older children can send me e-mails every time
6 Queens Family • August 2010
Back-to-school checklist
my sons’ grades dip below a certain school year is having nutritious, deli- around test times — be
level. It’s been an invaluable tool in cious meals ready by the end of the aware of how you have felt
keeping abreast of their academic day. If you don’t already have one, when you were under pres-
performances. invest in a slow cooker. It’s a parent’s sure at work.
• Join the  PTA  or other  school  best friend in the kitchen. Consider • Feed  your  child  well 
groups and prepare to get involved. making oatmeal the night before so and give him or her plenty of
Nothing will keep you more con- your family wakes up to a hot-cooked support and opportunities for
nected to your child and the school breakfast in the morning (this is es- rest.
more than volunteer- pecially helpful if your family is on • Get  to  know  your  child’s 
ing. Get to know different work-school shifts and friends and their families. Open 
your child’s teach- everyone needs to help them- your home to supervised parties
ers.  Take  advan- selves).  The  slow  cooker  and sleep-overs.
tages of opportuni- also can be used to pre- • Review  your  child’s  home-
ties, such as open pare dinner and cuts work with him or her. Ensure that
houses, to know down on the end-of- homework comes before play, TV, 
what materials your the-day frustration of computers or video games, but
child is using for what to do for dinner allow for some down time.
learning. on those rush days. • Set up a quiet place to study 
• If  your  child  is  You can also ensure and provide reference materials.
starting at a new school, healthy meals by making • Augment your child’s educa-
visit the school with him or her large portions of food and tion with family field trips and
once before the year begins so freezing it for later use.  home projects. Schools are cutting 
he or she will feel more com- • Make sure school personnel  back on the extras, so you may
fortable on the first day. are aware of any special needs your have to take up the slack with art,
• If your child is going to  child may have. music and physical education.
school for the first time, plan to have • Make sure you read at least a half  • Celebrate your child’s accom-
your child spend a lot of down time hour each day with your younger plishments.
there after classes — perhaps at child. It’s also fun to read the same
the playground — to help deal with books your middle or high school
some of the transition stress he or child may be reading.
she may feel. • Talk to your child about drugs, 
• Line up emergency contacts on  alcohol, bullies, peer pressure, guns,
your child’s behalf just in case the strangers and not picking up needles
school has trouble getting in touch or allowing another child’s blood to
with you. get near his or her cuts. Review sex
• Organize  car  pools  whenever  education with older children.
possible, especially given the esca- • Try  to  be  sensitive 
lating fuel costs that have hit every to your child’s feelings
family budget.
• One of the most 
challenging as-
pects of the
August 2010 • Queens Family 7
HealtHy eating
Shake off the salt
Many of us have had a long Sodium shockers
love affair with salt, but
that may be about to food servIng sIze sodIum (mg)
change. Earlier this year, the In-
French bread 1 slice 416
stitute of Medicine urged the U.S.
government to gradually reduce the Rice pilaf, mix, prepared 1 cup 780
Good sense maximum amount of sodium that
Lite soy sauce 1 tbsp 550
food companies and restaurants can
eatinG add to foods. Panera turkey artichoke Hot Panini 1 2,340
Houlihan’s thai Chile style Chicken Wing appetizer 1 4,979
Salt versus sodium
Christine M. PaluMbo, rD
Although both terms are often Hebrew national quarter-pound franks 1 frank 1,070
used interchangeably, there is a dif- Cottage cheese 1 cup 820
ference between salt and sodium.
oscar Mayer Lunchable (ham, cheese crackers) 1 1,060
Salt is made up of sodium
chloride: 60 percent California Pizza Kitchen Kid’s Cheeseburger Pizza 1 1,680
is sodium, the rest,
chloride. According not necessarily develop hyperten- “Hypertension” found that the more
to the Centers for sion — but their long-term mortality salty food children ate, the more
Disease Control rate is just as high as those who do. sugary sodas they drank to wash it
and Prevention, down.
the average Ameri- Driven by It’s not easy for food companies
can ingests about convenience to simply drop the salt due to the
3,400 milligrams a Busy family lives often necessi- many roles it plays. For example,
day. The latest health tate taking dietary shortcuts that bread dough depends on sodium
organization recommen- are high in sodium — frozen meats, chloride and sodium bicarbonate in
dations range from 1,500 entrees and pizzas; rice and soup order to rise.
milligrams to 2,400 milli- mixes; canned fish and soup; sea- Here are some tips to reduce the
grams. Most nutrition ex- soning mixes and prepared spa- sodium in your family’s diet:
perts estimate that about ghetti sauce. Hurrying in and out of 1. Prepare as much from scratch
75 percent come from pro- drive-thrus, and especially dining as possible. Eat fresh vegetables,
cessed food. out at restaurants, provide another plain meats and grains (such as rice)
huge dose. Some restaurant entrees that you season yourself.
Salt sensitivity have 2,000 milligrams or more in 2. Cook without salt, but add just
Not all medical doctors one order. a little at the table. Surprisingly, this
agree that everyone needs to Do you need to be concerned can allow you to get by with less be-
limit salt. But, there is grow- about how much sodium your child cause your tongue gets a direct “hit”
ing evidence that a significant ingests? Yes. A taste for salt is ac- from the salt crystals.
number of people have a con- quired, and salt-loving children grow 3. Add plenty of herbs and spices.
dition called salt sensitivity, an up to be adults who eat a salty diet. Also, freshly squeezed lemon or lime
abnormal increase in blood pres- A 2001 report said that by ages 7-9, juice and red wine or balsamic vine-
sure in response to increases in di- 68 percent of children ate too much gar add a lot of flavor with negligible
etary sodium. According to research sodium. And, salty foods are often sodium.
performed by Myron H. Weinberger, high in fat and calories. Two years 4. Choose restaurant entrees that
MD, certain salt-sensitive people do ago, a study published in the journal come without sauces and gravies.
And by eating a half portion, not only
will you save calories, you’ll save
Herbed Pork Chops AlternAte prep method: Grill sodium, too.
chops, over direct heat, turning once, 5. When reading food labels, pay
to medium doneness or until the
attention to portion size. A can of
Makes 4 servings. 4 bone-in pork chops, 1/2-inch thick internal temperature reaches 155
soup may be two (or two-and-a-half)
Prep time: 5 minutes (about 1 1/2 pounds), trimmed degrees Fahrenheit, about 3 to 4
servings, so multiply milligrams of
Cook time: 8 minutes 2 tablespoons oil minutes per side.
sodium by that factor.
IngredIents InstructIons: sprinkle seasoning nutrItIon fActs: 253 calories, 17 Christine M. Palumbo, RD, is a Chi-
1 tablespoon McCormick® Perfect evenly over both sides of pork chops. grams fat, 24 grams protein, 1 gram cago area nutritionist who doesn’t mind
Pinch® salt-Free savory all Purpose Heat oil in large skillet on medium carbohydrate, 78 milligrams cholesterol, cutting back on salt, but leave her pop-
seasoning heat. add pork chops; cook 4 minutes 252 milligrams sodium, 0 gram fiber corn alone. Send your questions and col-
½ teaspoon salt per side or until desired doneness. Recipe courtesy of McCormick.com. umn ideas to her at Chris@ChristinePal-
umbo.com or [phone].
8 Queens Family • August 2010