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.

Long Island Speech

<p>At Long Island Speech, we recognize the value of every person and are guided by our commitment to excellence. We believe that everyone has the right to better communication in order to improve their quality of life. Our mission is to provide exemplary speech/language and feeding services for each of our patients by our highly qualified clinicians, making a positive difference in the lives of our patients so that they may achieve their highest potential. Through the commitment of our staff, we can maintain a quality of presence and tradition of caring; which are hallmarks for Long Island Speech. Our vision is to be the absolute best speech therapy service provider throughout both Nassau and Suffolk counties. We aspire to be the provider of choice in our industry.&nbsp;We have 9 affiliated offices across Long Island, all participating with most major health insurance companies. We also offer evening and weekend hours. Call 844-5-SPEECH to schedule your first appointment.</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>

Rock on Music School

<p><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">Since 2016, I have been providing interactive music sessions tailored to the individual (Ages 6 - Adult). Learn to play instruments, sing and express yourself in a fun, non-judgemental environment. In-Home lessions (Currently suspended due to Covid) and LIVE VIRTUAL MUSIC sessions are available and are approved by Self-Direction Providers. See and hear more on my website RockonMusicSchool.com.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">"Using music to build confidence and self-esteem is my greatest achievement.</span></span></p>