Short days and long nights

I’m writing this on the shortest day of the year, Dec. 21, and I can only say how happy I am to know that every day from here on will grow longer. It’s draining to get up when it’s dark and to leave work when it’s dark also. I miss the light and don’t know anyone who doesn’t. Kids especially have a really difficult time in the winter, particularly now that most of them are engaged in after-school programs. By the time they too are finished, it’s dark and also cold, not the best recipe for outdoor fun.

Light is very important to our psyche and we have to take advantage of the weekends in the winter in particular to make sure we get enough outdoor light time. Getting yourself and the kids up early enough on weekend days to get outside and frolic is of the utmost importance. One of the glorious things about life in New York are all the wonderful parks that make our city so enjoyable in every season.

It won’t be long before we have a snowfall that leaves accumulation on the ground, and what kid doesn’t love finding a good hill in a park and sledding or snow tubing down? And what about those ice rinks? There are many wonderful rinks in all the boroughs and I urge you to make sure that your family begins this fun practice really early on in your child’s life.

The holidays were fun as they always are but now we’re on to a New Year and new experiences. New York is exciting all year long and winter is no exception. This issue offers a variety of ideas of how to stay healthy, eat well, and prioritize and make the cold months internally warmer.

Rolling out soon will be the “new look” of our website, NYParenting.com, and we hope you will visit it often. It works well with any device and offers a great calendar, helpful guides and of course all of our editorial, both recent and archived. Our Online Camp Guide 2017 will be launching soon. Be sure to look for it.

Wishing all of you and our staff and contributors a very Happy New Year! We hope you have started out the year right and that good health and prosperity will be a part of your every day life in 2017. Take nothing for granted. Enjoy! Thanks for reading.

Appletree ABA

<p>Appletree ABA is committed to providing effective high-quality and compassionate ABA therapy services to individuals with Autism and their families. We do this by utilizing evidence-based practices, collaboration with families and professionals, and an individualized approach tailored to promote meaningful change. Home-Based Services: Home programs are focused on increasing the skills necessary to participate in the home and community. School-Based Services: School-Based Services Appletree ABA offers school-district consultation and training. Center-Based Services: Coming soon!</p>

The Gillen Brewer School

<p dir="ltr"><strong>The Gillen Brewer School is a private special education school on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, NYC, serving children ages 2.8 to 11 years old</strong>. Our mission is to educate and support students to become confident, independent, and engaged learners.&nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr">Our individualized, academic-therapeutic approach to education incorporates speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, counseling, and social groups throughout each child&rsquo;s daily schedule. Students are immersed in learning which is developmentally appropriate and socially engaging.&nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr">Our teachers and therapists are cross-trained in each academic and therapeutic speciality in order to provide a holistic and integrated program. Students benefit from small class sizes, and enjoy specials such as art, music, physical education, science, and technology.&nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr">Central to our program is the home-school partnership, in which Gillen Brewer staff work closely with families to support the whole child in achieving their goals.&nbsp;</p> <p><br />Our Admissions Team is here to discuss how The Gillen Brewer School can partner with your family. Contact us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a> to schedule an in-person tour today!</p>

EBL Coaching

<div> <p>One-on-one HOME, CENTER, and ONLINE tutoring for grades preK-12 in reading, writing, math, study skills, executive functioning skills, and homework help. EBL offers specialized instruction for students with dyslexia, learning disabilities, and ADHD, including tutoring using the Orton Gillingham method and other research-based, multi-sensory techniques. Under the direction of their director, Dr. Emily Levy, each student is evaluated to determine his or her specific needs and is then matched with one of EBL's highly trained learning specialists.</p> <p><strong>Individualized Learning Plan</strong></p> <div> <div> <p>An individualized learning plan using research-based, multi-sensory techniques is created for each student. Sessions can be held either at EBL's learning center or at the child's home, or online.</p> </div> <p><strong>Students build skills in:</strong></p> </div> <div> <div> <p style="padding-left: 40px;">-Decoding &amp; Spelling<br /><br />-Sentence, Paragraph, &amp; Essay Writing<br /><br />-Multi-sensory Math<br /><br />-Reading Comprehension<br /><br />-Study &amp; Executive Functioning Skills<br /><br />-Test preparation<br /><br />-Time Management &amp; Organizational Skills<br /><br />-Early Childhood Learning Skills</p> </div> <p><strong>One-on-one instructional sessions</strong></p> </div> <div> <div> <p>Students receive one-on-one instructional sessions to teach them the fundamental skills that are essential for academic success. They are initially assessed to determine their strengths and weaknesses and academic levels, and are matched with one of EBL's highly trained learning specialists. Students develop core skills in reading, writing, reading comprehension, math, study skills, organization, test taking, note taking, and other executive functioning skills. As the academic demands of school rise, these skills become increasingly essential for academic success.</p> </div> </div> <div> <div> <h3>Dr. Emily Levy</h3> </div> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div>