New York Nanny Center » summer

5 Best Kept Secret Activities for Families in the Hamptons

Lindsay Bell — Thu, 26 Jun 2014 04:31:04 +0000

Jennie Magaro of Hamptons Family Concierge

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

Summer Water Safety

Lindsay Bell — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 06:02:21 +0000

Summer is a time filled with beaches, tropical vacations, swimming pools, slip & slides, kiddie pools, open fire hydrants, outdoor showers, lakes, and every other type of water imaginable to help beat the heat. Kids love the water, but they also need constant supervision.

We’ve compiled the most important safety tips of the summer to keep your lil’ ones safe and happy.

1) Always assign one parent or guardian to watch children actively and rotate if possible. This may seem like a no-brainer, but did you know that children can drown in under 2 inches of water? Drowning can happy anywhere with water; this means being absolutely vigilant when lil’ ones are anywhere near water and keeping your full attention on the children.

2) Ask children to go near water with a buddy. If something goes wrong, their buddy will be able to help or call for help to a nearby adult. This ensures that even if your gaze slips to your phone or the mosquito on your leg, your child will have someone else looking out for them.

3) Make sure your child feels comfortable around the water. Lil’ ones who know how to swim either from swim lessons are generally safer around the water. If your child is too young to learn to swim, make sure they are outfitted with the proper water safety equipment, such as floaties or a life vest, anytime they get near water (playing in a backyard with a pool, sitting on the sand at the beach, etc.).

4) Ensure the water (and child) is ready for swimming or playing before they get near water. Water that is too cold or rough can cause children to freeze up and have difficulty swimming. If you have a personal pool, consider getting a child-safe cover or fence to make sure they are not near the water when it is not ready or an adult is present. Children should have plenty of fluids to ensure they are not dehydrated and should let food digest; doing both of these helps prevent cramps mid-swim.

5) Have an emergency plan. Make sure children know where lifesaving devices are just in case and all adults should know the plan in the event of an emergency. CPR classes are always a good idea, but if you just need a quick refresher feel free to refer to Parents.com’s Guide.

Fun info fom the Red Cross book, Whale Tales

Water fun is always great during the summer; now you and your lil’ ones can enjoy it while knowing you are fully prepared to have a safe time! Splish Splash!

Lauren is a BFC (formerly LLD) babysitter and lover of the water. She grew up swimming and went on to become Lifeguard and Water Safety Instructor certified! She currently works in-house as the Marketing & Social Media Consultant.

You’ll Go Bananas for This Recipe

Alison Gore — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 20:54:15 +0000

For years my family had gone to a dear friend’s Labor Day Cookout. They have a huge family so it’s more like a wedding guest list than a typical picnic. Every family is asked to bring their favorite dish to share so it turns out to be a smorgasbord for every and any palate. It’s held in the nicest barn I’ve ever seen. One you could live in which is used for parties rather than to house animals or farm equipment. Here’s someone’s favorite recipe that I’ve borrowed. Hope you try it. My kids always loved it.

Banana Split Dessert

1/2 pkg.graham crackers crushed
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
2-3 bananas sliced
fudge topping
neapolitan ice cream

Mix graham cracker, melted butter, and sugar in 9X13 pan and push down. Layer sliced bananas, ice cream cut in 11/2 in slices, fudge topping and coolwhip. Freeze until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

-Mama Bell

A Day on the Farm!

Alison Gore — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 17:52:53 +0000

Avery was born in New Jersey and has lived in 3 States and 4 Cities in her short lifetime. All of our stops along the way have been large cities….the Big Apple, ATL, and the Windy City. But there is nothing she loves more than a book, song, or story about the farm! I have never been quite sure what is so exciting about cows, tractors, and a farmer, but I was about to find out!

My mom grew up in a farm town, so I decided to see if my Grandpa would host a “day on the farm” for Ave. He was, of course, thrilled and started making calls to his local farm buddies. We arrived at the farm early in the morning and started with a tractor ride on the “huge red tractor” as Avery called it. Her favorite part was beeping the horn.

Avery loved the giant tires on the tractor!

Next we visited a farm that raised all sorts of animals. Cows, goats, horses, chickens, and I think I may have seen a turkey. This was in additional to their dogs, cats, and pond full of extremely large and funny looking catfish. The look on her face when we pulled up was priceless. It is like she was thinking “Mommy, farms really do exist!” She had the opportunity to feed the 2 day old goats from a bottle, pet Sceeter the cow, and feed the catfish. She also chased the chickens around the farm (or were they chasing her?) for what seemed like hours while I hid behind my Grandpa, scared that one may head my way.

The baby goat was one of Avery’s fave parts of the day!

One of the best parts about the day was how much the farmers enjoyed having us there. They are so passionate about what they do and to share that with others made their day. We will definitely be making this trip a regular part of our summer!

-Mindy is a former LLD sitter and lives in Chicago with her daughter and husband.

Summer is Here!

Alison Gore — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 17:09:35 +0000

After many long and cold winter months, summer seems to have arrived! I truly believe parenting gets easier in the summer time. Kids can play for hours outside without ever getting bored and then pass out at bed time because they are so worn out. Only real negative to parenting in the summer is the dreaded process of applying sunscreen multiple times a day. No one enjoys that…parent or kid!

Never forget the sunscreen!

The many sounds, sights, and smells of summer that I have always loved and anxiously await all winter long are here. This time along with the sound of birds chirping and the ice cream truck, I hear Avery’s amazing laugh as she goes down the slide and says “One more time Mommy…please?”

One more time!

This time along with the sight of the beautiful flowers blooming and the sun shining all day long, I see Avery’s beautiful smile as she picks flowers for me in the backyard. This time along with the smell of dinner on the grill and fresh cut grass, I smell Avery after a long day outside playing and in desperate need of a bath. But I have grown to love that scent because I know it is a sign of a fun day in the great outdoors!

-Mindy is a former LLD sitter and lives in Chicago with her daughter and husband.

Create, Explore, and Learn with Waverly

Alison Gore — Fri, 10 May 2013 15:50:25 +0000

Summer is fast approaching! Do you know how your daughters are going to be spending the summer yet? Well, we think you should check out Waverly, an amazing group of girls in CT and NYC exploring and growing through engaging and fun experiences! Here’s more about Waverly from its founder, Molly:

Waverly is a chapter of girls exploring creative activities that inspire us to develop our own talents through writing, adventure, and community service. We aim to be girls that lead by example in friendship and in passion! Held on a Saturday afternoon, together we discover culture and reinforce our findings with a craft. Imagine a day in Paris: visiting a French restaurant, taking a cooking class with a chef, starting a cook book, and stopping off at the MET for a private tour of an exhibit highlighting the unique beauty of Paris. The girls connect with a place, dream in their own ways, and have tangible examples of how to be inventive at home! Waverly was launched in Greenwich, CT last October and will be opening a chapter in NYC this fall!

Every single girl needs role models, inspiring her to be her best self and provide experiences that encourage connectedness and growth. A Waverly afternoon is run by a twenty-six year old gal along with a Greenwich Academy High School volunteer, both focused and committed to being exceptional examples for the next generation! Waverly role models (Waverly Writers) contribute once a month to The Waverly Journal in which they share their unique experiences and interests. The Waverly Journal is available for girls of all ages!

Waverly will be visiting Greenwich, CT and Baltimore, MD in June, Nantucket in July, and Southampton in August! We would love for you to join us during one of these weeks this summer! Please email waverlynyc@gmail.com for registration information and for more information about the monthly letter, The Waverly Journal.

-Molly Wills started Waverly as way to encourage future generations of girls from a creative standpoint. She is a current LLD sitter and lives in CT.

Keep your skin safe this summer!

Lindsay Bell — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 17:26:00 +0000

With summer in full swing, we really need to make sure we’re keeping our skin, and more importantly, the kids’, safe from the harsh rays of the sun while we’re out and about at the beach, park, or playing outside on the jungle gym. While reading through the Big City Moms Parenting Center, we stumbled across a really interesting article by a skin care expert. Take a couple minutes to read through the facts and advice that we think is so so important this time of year!

Did you know the skin of a newborn baby can be five times thinner than an adult’s? We had no idea! Because the skin is still developing at this stage in a baby’s life, it is not able to produce enough melanin (or our natural form of sun protection), and therefore is much more susceptible to sun damage. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents try to keep children younger than 6 months out of the sun completely. If you don’t have some article of clothing to cover as much of the skin as possible, parents can apply small amounts of sun screen to the face and other areas of the body. These days, companies have even created clothing that has built in UV protection! My Swim Baby has a ton of cute UV Protection Clothing on their website. We love this iPlay Tie Rash Guard & Swim Diaper! Visit My Baby Swim at www.myswimbaby.com!

Now when it comes time to pick a sunscreen, there are several things to keep in mind. First, you should decide if you want to go with the more typical, chemical sunscreens, or something more natural. With natural sunscreens, you’re keeping the chemicals to a minimum and still keeping your kids’ skin safe. Mineral-based sunscreens are a little different than chemical ones because the sunscreen creates a reflective layer on the surface of the skin, whereas with chemical sunscreens the ingredients work within the cells to prevent sun damage. After picking which type of sunscreen is for you and the kids make sure you select a product that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. The U.S. FDA does not require sunscreens to guard against UVA rays! Crazy, we know. Most experts suggest picking a sunscreen with an SPF higher than 35, which protects for 97% – 98% of harmful UV rays, but you can always go higher!

If you have a second, visit the Big City Moms website at bigcitymoms.com. You can learn about so many great events for families going on in the New York Area. Also, if you want more sun-safe information, the American Academy of Pediatrics at www.aap.org has tons of information!

Don’t forget to “Like” our new Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LuckyLilDarlings

and

Now, go have some fun in the sun!

Swimsuit Season…

Lindsay Bell — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 20:29:00 +0000

We all know that swimsuit season can be one of the most dreaded times of the year… scratch that it IS the most dreaded time of the year. BUT we’ve found some great advice from Bradyley Bayou, fashion designer and author of “The Science of Sexy”. Bayou has dressed a-list celebs like Oprah Winfrey, Eva Longoria, Salma Hayek, Felicity Huffman, Kiera Knightly, and many others! He has great tips for moms of every shape and size on finding the perfect swimsuit for your body type. Check out some of Bayou’s comments on how these sexy celebs have found a swimsuit that works perfectly with their shape.

We think these tips are great! Make sure you “Like” Bradley’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bradley-Bayou/140435025223 and follow him on Twitter @BradleyBayou.

SHORT LEGS OR TORSO: such as Julianne Hough
Choose a suit with a high-cut leg. There are really interesting one-pieces out there now with cut outs—pick one where the leg is exposed as much as possible. Boy-cut shorts are not for you.

STOMACH AREA: KE$HA
Do pick either a high-waisted bikini or a one-piece that will pull you in. Don’t pick
a low-rise bikini!

SMALL BUST: just like AnnaLynne McCord
You can go as skimpy as you like up top, but choose suits that have their prints or embellishments on the top rather than the bottom, like ruffles or beading.

BIG BUST: Sophia Vergara
Choose a suit with support—either a bra-shaped or halter top with underwire will work best for you. Choose a darker color on top with a brighter color or print on the bottom. You can choose a bikini or full-piece depending on your midsection, and with either type of suit make sure any embellishments are on the lower half to balance your bustline.

NO WASTE: Sarah Hyland
Choose a one-piece with a V-neck, as plunging as you feel comfortable with a belted waist, preferably in a contrasting or bright color.

LONG BODY example: Miranda Kerr
Tankinis or a one-piece will work well on you—any top with an empire waistline. If you want to do a two-piece just make sure you minimize the distance between your top and bottom. For example, a shorter tankini is okay if paired with a high-waisted bottom.

While your logged on, make sure you “Like” Lucky L’il Darlings new Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lucky-Lil-Darlings/231817833497521 and our Twitter @LuckyLilDarling.