Fun/Cool Facts about Language Acquisition

• When babies first start to vocalize, they babble sounds from all of the languages of the world. Slowly, they begin to lose the sounds that they do not hear everyday.
• Under age 6, kids are naturally primed to learn up to 3 languages with perfect ease. After age 6, natural acquisition becomes much more difficult.
• Learning a second language has a positive impact on a child’s overall listening skills.
• When asked, “What can you do with a stick?” kids who learning a second language generally come up with more ideas than their monolingual peers.
• Studying a language can actually help you do better on tests! Kids who have studies a foreign language are likely to score up to 140 points higher than average on SAT Math and Critical Reading.
• Being bilingual can delay the onset of dementia by up to 4 years.
• 55 million Americans speak a language other than English at home.
• A child who can speak both English and Spanish can communicate with over 80% of the world’s population!

Tips for families who want to learn a new language

• Start by introducing your kids to the idea of foreign languages: map placemats work wonders for starting mealtime discussions about other parts of the world and how other people speak.
• Read stories either in the language or that come from the language you want your family to learn. Think folk tales and fairy tales, to start.
• Listen to music! Music is a great way to keep your family immersed in a language. Singing out the words will give kids a chance to practice new sounds, and often makes it easier to remember new words.
• Keep flashcards with you when you go to the doctor’s office or a restaurant or other places where you might have to wait for a while. Playing games and making up stories with the words on the cards can really help pass the time!
• Pick a specific time of day or activity that you will always do in the language your child is learning. For example, you could have breakfast in French, or watch an episode of Little Pim everyday before naptime. Once you pick your routine, though, make sure you stick to it!

About Little Pim

Little Pim is an award-winning foreign language learning program for babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers. With Little Pim, families can get their first introduction to a foreign language in a way that is easy, fun and effective. Little Pim’s unique Entertainment Immersion Method® was designed to engage young kids during the window in which the human brain is most receptive to language learning. Building on a child’s natural love of play, the videos blend real kids and animation to provide a captivating full-immersion experience for even the youngest learners. The program is the brainchild of Julia Pimsleur Levine, the daughter of Dr. Paul Pimsleur, creator of the Pimsleur Method, the popular language-learning program for adults.  She was inspired to create Little Pim based on her own bilingual childhood. Little Pim is available 11 languages including Spanish, French, Chinese and Italian via videos, music, books, flash cards, gift sets and more. To find out more visit Littlepim.com.

If I hit the sales right, I can find a good majority of their clothing for the following year for next to nothing. Today my bargains included Carter’s pajamas for $2.99 and pant outfits at $6.00. Then you add the coupon savings and it’s amazing. I have not found any other store to have better sales than Macy’s. Online shopping is the best as long as you spend the free shipping amount you cannot lose.

Happy Shopping,
Mama Bell

The Hamptons are world renowned for the beautiful beaches, celebrities, and gala fundraising events.  But what can you do when vacationing in the Hamptons with your kids?  As a local mom, and co-founder of Hamptons Family Concierge, I am willing to share a few secret spots that I’m sure your whole family will love.

1) Elizabeth Morton Wildlife Preserve – Sag Harbor
All year round, Morton’s is a wonderful outing for all ages.  The most important thing to remember – bring birdseed!  During most of our visits (time of year and time of day vary), the chickadees and other birds will come and eat out of your hand.(even my 4 year old!)  There are also turkeys, chipmunks, and other local wildlife, that you may observe as you walk through a scenic, shaded wood.  One trail leads you to a lovely bay beach where you can take a break and have a picnic!  Cost: Free (but donations appreciated)

2) Free concerts in the Park – Sag Harbor, Southampton, Easthampton, Montauk
During the summer months, each of the above towns has a weekly outdoor concert in their park.  It is perfect to bring a picnic or pizza, and let the kids play and dance while enjoying various types of music.  Cost: Free (but donations appreciated)

3) Seven Ponds Farm – Southampton
This Farm is not as well known as some of the other Hamptons farms, but it is my favorite.  In the summer, my kids pick raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries, while in the fall you can pick your own apples and pumpkins.  There are also other vegetables you can pick yourself, as well as gorgeous flowers.  There is a playground for the kids, hay rides, and a small corn maze in the fall.  The farm stand is fantastic.  After we gather all that fruit, if we have the energy, we go home and make a pie!

4) Whale’s Tale Miniature Golf & Ice Cream Parlor – Shelter Island
It is a nice day trip to hop on the Shelter Island Ferry and spend the afternoon.  There are several wonderful family friendly restaurants, and then after lunch, you can go play mini golf.  It is an old fashioned place, but the kids love it, and they love the ice cream afterwards even more.  This is only open seasonally.

5) Blockspot – SYS, Southampton
This creative, fun filled center is brand new, and has a variety of classes, and activities for age 2-10 years.  Blocks and building materials of all shapes and sizes abound.  View the schedule to see when you would like to drop in.  Great for birthday parties as well.

There are so many factors involved when planning your weekend or vacation activities: the season, the weather, your children’s ages and interests, your location, and so on.  Hamptons Family Concierge was developed to assist families in creating the perfect Hamptons experience.  We can customize itineraries, plan amazing events, schedule quality services and activities (even at your home), so you can relax and enjoy your trip.

Hamptons Family Concierge

www.hamptonsfamilyconcierge.com

(631)259-3764

• Try to avoid being outdoors on hot days; stay inside near an AC unit or fan.
• Stay hydrated! Sports drinks and juices can help keep your sugar levels and electrolytes up; of course, water is always a good option too!
• Always make sure to wear sunscreen when you are outside; a great compromise is buying foundation or lotion with SPF 15 or 20 in it.
• If you feel yourself overheating, take a cold shower if you can. If not, put ice packs or cold drinks underneath your knees, armpits, and behind your neck to cool down quick.
• Wear breathable, light colored fabrics to keep yourself cooler and prevent heat rash.
• Carry a spray-mister (the ones with the little fans are great) with you wherever you go so you can have a quick cool down anywhere.

• If you want to workout or do outdoor activities, wait until morning or evening so temperatures are cooler and the sun is not out. Consider swimming as your workout of the summer in order to stay fit while cooling down and keeping pressure off your spine and legs.
• Avoid too much salt, coffee, or other food and drink that can dehydrate you.
• Just ask! Ask family and friends for help running errands or cooking meals if you are too tired or uncomfortable.

Luckily, some smart teachers came up with a great solution: pizza boxes. Pizza boxes are a great vehicle to store your lil’ one’s (and your) favorite items from that year of school without taking up too much space everywhere. They also are fairly flat and can stack easily under beds, in closets, above cabinets, or behind couches when they’re not being used. If a pizza box is too big for the projects you saved or the storage space in your home, you can always do shoeboxes as well.

Decorate your pizza or shoe box on the outside to personalize it

First, have your lil’ ones decorate the box on the outside and inside with their favorite memories from the year, their handprints, signatures from friends and classmates, or any other creative way to help them remember that year in school.

Next, it’s time to fill your pizza box with projects and memories. Pick out your favorite art projects, papers, worksheets, and letters from the year and fill the box. Take the rest and throw it all out (your cluttered house will thank you later). If you choose items carefully, you won’t regret getting rid of the rest of the clutter.

Lastly, close it up with a piece of tape on the front so it can’t fly open when being carried around. Voila! Now you have a creative, cute, and efficient way of saving your lil’ ones memories and projects without taking over your home.

-Lauren grew up babysitting her neighbors and the kids down the street and now works in-house at BFC at the Creative & Social Media Coordinator. She loves creative, crafty projects… and pizza too

Now I belong to a different kind of gym…the kind with brightly colored soft steps and ramps and scarves and shakers.  That’s right, the only regularly scheduled class I attend is my daughter’s and the running I do is after her!

That doesn’t mean I don’t work out, but when I do, it looks a WHOLE lot different these days…

Most of the time I used to spend working out, is now spent rocking out to toddler tunes, attending story times and play dates, making messes and cleaning up.  I no longer have the luxury of multiple workouts in one day, so I have to be more strategic.

Now Parker and I workout together, we go to mommy & me exercise classes or take advantage of the rolling hills where we live and the invention of jogging strollers!  If the weather’s bad (seemed like every day this winter) we use the stairs in our home for cardio and I use her (plus some free weights) for strength training.  Lifting 20 pounds of baby weight is a nice challenge…add the wriggly instability of that weight and I’ve got a fantastic workout.  I hold her for squats, I chest press her little body and give her kisses with each rep, and bicep curls with a baby are a real challenge!  Why do I do all this?  Because it’s important to me to set an example of active living and it’s always been important to me to move.  I get cranky when I don’t get to exercise!  YES, I’ve had to adjust what exercise looks like for me these days, but I have a toddler.  I’ve had to adjust what a lot of things look like for me these days.  That’s part of motherhood.  The important thing to me is that I don’t abandon exercise entirely because that’s abandoning a part of who I am and what kind of example does that set for my daughter?

-Jolynn Baca Jaekel has been a fitness professional for more than a decade. Her first child, Parker,  just turned a year old this January. Jolynn, her husband Rob, and Parker recently relocated from NYC to Washington D.C.

This is a three-part craft: painting the terracota pots, planting the flowers, and watching them grow!

Part 1: Painting the Terracotta Pot

1. Preparation: First put down plastic over you table or something to protect your table. Next, clean and sand the terracotta pot. First wipe off any dirt or dust. Then, take a sander and smooth out any imperfections. Wipe the sanding dust off the pot with a wet rag. Now you’re ready to start! 
2. Paint: Use foam shapes or paint brushes to decorate the pot as your lil’ ones desire!
3. Seal: If you want, spray acrylic paint to coat the outside and keep from chipping.

Part 2:  Planting Your Flowers

1.  Stones: Put a layer of rocks or stones on the bottom to help drain through the holes.
2. Dirt: Fill the pot about 2/3 of the way with potting soil. Make a little indent in the middle with your hands or a spoon.
3. Plant: take your bulb out of the wrapping and place in the soil.
4. Pack: Pack more dirt around the top and sides of the plant

Part 3: Watch them grow!

Make sure to water your flowers and give them plenty of sunlight! Enjoy them grow as the spring goes on!

We left dad at home, we left Orin at college, and we moved from here…

so Kailee could pursue this dream…

Allow me to introduce myself and why I will be presenting an occasional blog for you to enjoy. I have a BA in Business from NC State University. For the past 24 years, I have been a stay-at-home, home school mom. My son, Orin, is a senior at NC State University double majoring in Marketing and Human Resources and double minoring in English and Film Studies. Kailee, an honor student, is in the eleventh grade.

Before moving, I was owner of The Etiquette Academy where I offered classes to students interested in developing proper manners in all areas of social deportment. I felt common courtesy was becoming a lost art and that our children would bear the cost of life without social graces, therefore, I’ll be passing on some of this information in upcoming posts.

What is etiquette?

• Etiquette is more than knowing which fork to use at dinner. Just like all rules, etiquette rules have valid and meaningful reasons behind them. Good manners are necessary skills your children will use the rest of their lives and will greatly benefit their personal and business relationships. If you put rules of etiquette in your children’s heads, proper etiquette will guide their hearts. Basic etiquette rules expect us to treat others as we would like to be treated.

Where does the word come from?

• The word “etiquette” comes from the French word for ticket. Legend says that a great French king became upset because his beautiful gardens were being trampled by guests at his royal gatherings. To keep party goers off his grass, he placed warning signs, or tickets, along the garden paths posting the rules of court. The term, etiquette, became known as good manners in all social interactions.

Why do we have rules of etiquette?

• To make you and the people around you feel comfortable
• To keep you from embarrassing yourself and others
• To show others that you value their company, their efforts, and their feelings
• To fit in socially
• To show that you have personal integrity and high moral standards

Kailee said the other day after a long subway commute that she just wanted someone to smile back at her when she smiled at them. Everyone has manners; either good manners or bad manners and both are learned. Good etiquette is contagious. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to see a full blown plague of proper etiquette skills spread across our city and throughout the country?

Best regards,

Karen

Day 1) Mini food tour adventure: NYC is full of great spots. Take one morning morning to go sample hot chocolate all over the village, or decide who has the best waffles in Manhattan. If kids are picky, have them make a list of their favorite places and splurge by adventuring to a few of them in one day. (*Note* the best part of this adventure is some full, happy, and worn out kiddies by time you get home. Naptime, anyone?).

Day 2) Craft Day: St. Patrick’s Day is coming up and that means green everything! Make sure to cover your work space with newspaper in case of spills or accidents. We love:

• Construction paper rainbows. Directions: attach rainbow paper to a “cloud” made of cotton  or cut out of white paper.
•  Pots of gold. Directions: terra cotta flower pots can be painted on and filled with chocolate that looks like gold coins.
• Try-on leprechaun mask mirrors. Directions found here.
• Green garlands to decorate. Directions: cut strips of green paper, roll and stapling into a circle, repeat to make a chain.
• Shamrock decorations. Directions: cut out of construction paper or just colored onto regular paper.
• Dye Easter Eggs. Directions: Hard boil a dozen eggs, purchase a dye kit, dip eggs into colors as desired. 
• Make an Easter Bunny. Directions: cut out two almond shaped white pieces and have lil’ ones color the inside pink leaving an inch or so border. Staple or glue these on to a paper plate. Attach two googley eyes. Use a foam shape or color in a nose. For whiskers, take pipe cleaners cut in half and glue them coming out from the nose. 

Day 3) Museum Hopping: Luckily, NYC has plenty of fun museums to take lil’ ones to. Check out this great guide of museums for kids based on how old they are. Most museums let lil’ ones in for free or deeply discounted rates, making this fun and affordable!

Day 4) Spring Cleaning: This may not be the most fun activity on the list, but it’s sure to keep lil’ ones occupied. Take a day out of the week and have lil’ ones clean out their room or pick one chore to help with around the house. Getting lil’ ones in the habit of helping clean will help you and them in the long run! This is also an opportunity to share stories, memories, and crafts that turn up (and scrapbook them if you’re into that). If lil’ ones are looking for change rearrange the furniture in their room or add a new decoration as a reward for a job well done.

Day 5) Playdates: One of the best resources moms have is other moms! Get together with a few friends and have a playdate party. Keep lil’ ones entertained with Wii games, puzzles, a dance party/contest, homemade pizza making, or movies while having the chance to chat with other adults.

Day 6) Scavenger Hunt: This one can take as much or little planning as needed. Kids (supervised by an adult) can find things throughout the city, or can stay inside the home and find things. Scavenger hunts can also include mundane things such as “eating lunch” or “checking the mail” as well as wacky and ridiculous like “do a headstand and take a picture” or “find someone wearing a pink hat.”

Day 7) Relax: With school the next day, take this day to unwind. Pop some easy homemade cinnamon buns in the oven with lil’ ones, put your feet up, and enjoy a movie. Finish up any homework, pick out outfits for the next day, catch up on some reading and enjoy family dinner.

Our enthusiastic sitters are always happy to help out and take kids on adventures all over the city or help entertain them in the home! Enjoy break!

-Lauren has been babysitting for years and works in-house at LLD. Her favorite part of spring break is curling up with a book, hot chocolate, and fuzzy slippers!

It takes a village….

It’s true!  Now, that village does not have to be family, but if you’ve got it close by, lucky you!  We moved to be closer to ours and it is wonderful, but I’ve also discovered the power of moms’ groups.  As soon as we got here, I joined the neighborhood MOMs club and searched Meet Up for every mom’s group in the area with similarly aged children.  A new parent thinks their child’s sleep, eat and poop habits are fascinating, but your friends without children will not.  I’m not saying dump your friends, just expand your circle.  Believe me, you NEED someone to talk with about these things because it’s helpful to see what’s working or not for others.  It’s also good for your sanity!  Finding parents of similarly aged children is key because when it comes time to get together, a 15 month old naps very differently than a four month old (do four month olds even nap?!) and if your kids can enjoy similar activities, it makes a nicer get together for parents too!

Let something go….

To make space for something new, we must let something go.  It’s a rule I’ve never been able to follow with shoes, but I have whole heartedly adopted with parenthood!

So that I may be the type of parent I want to be, there are simply not enough hours in the day to do all of the things I did before Parker was born.  This is not just because I was in perpetual motion before she came with a to-do list that was always a mile long. This is simply reality.  It’s also true that I would RATHER play with her, teach her, nourish her, love her than do certain other things I filled my day with before she was born.  Parenthood forces you to prioritize and that’s a good thing.

Write it down NOW….

I always heard to write down your birth experience as soon as possible even if you’re tired, because you will forget it quickly and you’re not going to get more rest anytime soon.  So true!  What I hadn’t read about was quickly recording Parker’s experiences.

One of the best gifts my mom gave us was a calendar to keep in Parker’s room so that as she did things liked smile for the first time, roll over, eat solids, sit up, etc. we would have an easy place to quickly record it.  Every day she does something I want to remember and if I waited to put it neatly in her baby book, it would never happen! She is learning things so quickly and changing so fast, that I don’t want to miss a moment.

Be flexible….

I love a good list and a well constructed plan, but babies could care less about those things!  Can I just tell you about my thorough birth plan?!  However, my daughter had her own idea about how and when things would go down, and that is pretty much the story of my life now.  I plan activities all the time for us, but I don’t get too attached to them because I know that a nap or lack thereof or a mood or an explosive diaper could change everything.  Guess what?  I’m ok with that because I chose this life!

Relax and enjoy…

BEST. ADVICE. EVER!!

-Jolynn Baca Jaekel has been a fitness professional for more than a decade. Her first child, Parker,  just turned a year old this January. Jolynn, her husband Rob, and Parker recently relocated from NYC to Washington D.C.