When my oldest son started kindergarten four years ago, it was the first year that New York City implemented free universal lunch and breakfast for all students. That meant that for every meal served during the school day, all the kids at his Brooklyn school could get in the cafeteria line and help themselves. No…
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Parenting
Parenting
Another Covid summer, a whole new set of parenting questions
It’s a hopeful, confusing time to be a parent during a pandemic. On one hand, the vaccine rollout is picking up pace and public health experts have given…
Parenting
Is my birthday boy getting too used to being isolated?
My youngest son is turning 5 next month, and he’s never had a birthday party. For a long time, this was sort of a running joke about neglected second…
Parenting
A talk with my dad, screenwriter of ‘My Name Is Sara’
In this column, I usually write about my kids and my experiences as a parent, but this month I decided to interview my own father, David Himmelstein. He’s…
Parenting
My kids want to know: Are fairies real? Are Jedi? What about bats?
We’ve been watching a lot of family movies over our extended winter break, and my children have questions. Regarding “Home Alone”: Do the robbers really…
Parenting
As I exit J., here is what I’ve learned about everything
Our youngest, now in his senior year of high school, recently turned 18. He’s spending his year thinking about his next chapter, and, in many ways, I am,…
Parenting
Since when are the Berenstain Bears evangelical Christians?
At our local library, they have stowed away all the toys in the children’s section and ended in-person story time. But they still let you in for half an…
Parenting
My much-needed, spontaneous pandemic chill-out
I was never a fan of giving the kids timeouts when they were little. I didn’t think putting them in a room by themselves taught them anything about their…
Parenting
Parenting through this pandemic Thanksgiving
There will be four people at my Thanksgiving table: my husband, my two children and me. They’re the same people I sit down to dinner with every night. And…