Beth Whitehouse

Parental Guidance

Funky Monkey among Long Island's unique toy stores

December 3, 2008

Open the doors of Funky Monkey in Greenvale, and it's like you've walked into a mini-FAO Schwarz without the schlep to Manhattan. There's a colorful tower shelf that's crammed with plush animals. A cutout of a blue monkey dangles from the ceiling.

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  • How to break son of a nervous habit

    December 3, 2008

    My 6-year-old son is constantly sucking on his shirt collar or the end of his long-sleeved shirts, to the point where they are wet and stretching out of shape. Why does he do this? How can I get him to stop it?

  • Long Island's unique toy stores

    December 3, 2008

    Open the doors of Funky Monkey in Greenvale, and it's like you've walked into a mini-FAO Schwarz without the schlep to Manhattan. There's a colorful tower shelf that's crammed with plush animals. A cutout of a blue monkey dangles from the ceiling.

  • Toys like Bakugan Battle Brawlers for $25 or less

    December 3, 2008

    It takes toy experts a nanosecond to shout out the hottest toys for elementary school boys and girls this holiday season: Bakugan! And Clickables! But what if you want to go beyond the obvious? If you're like many parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents, you want bang for your holiday buck. Here are some of the most coveted toys for $25 or less.

  • Does your child know of escape route in a fire?

    November 30, 2008

    Does your child know what escape route he would use if your house were on fire? Check out scholastic.com/firesafety (seen at right), and click on "Build an Escape Plan." Your child can create a floor plan of your house complete with furniture and plan an escape route he can then practice.

  • Making sure child's bipolar diagnosis is right

    November 30, 2008

    I have a family member who has a 7-year-old boy with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and bipolar disorder. He has been seen by four different doctors and is on medication. The older he gets, the harder his anger is to handle. We are looking for the top doctors on Long Island and perhaps anywhere in New York who address such problems.

  • Take the LIRR to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

    November 24, 2008

    One more reason Long Islanders are lucky to live in the orbit of Manhattan: The chance to hop the LIRR to the city for the 82nd annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

  • Parents who don't dress babies warmly enough

    November 23, 2008

    I feel that many parents don't dress their babies warmly enough. In my opinion, a baby younger than 1 should be wearing a hat and some kind of snowsuit when the weather is 40 degrees or below. He should also have a blanket over the carrier as he is being transported from the car to the house or a store. The blanket will keep the wind and cold air out of the baby's face so he doesn't inhale it. What do the experts think?

  • Mom gives "girlfriend" advice to African-American women

    November 23, 2008

    Necessity bred this mother's invention.

  • Parenting School Years edition

    November 23, 2008

    Parenting magazine will launch a new monthly edition for school-aged children called Parenting School Years, with the inaugural February issue set to hit the shelves in January.

  • TIP: Resources for moms

    November 23, 2008

    Guides geared toward specific cultures - whether ethnic, geographic or religious - can play an important role in educating pregnant couples and new parents, says Claire Lerner, director of parenting resources for Zero to Three, a national nonprofit devoted to promoting healthy early development of children. "I think there is a need for families to feel like they can learn from people who share their beliefs and values," Lerner says.

  • Fans say "Twilight" vampire convincing, but love match? Nah!

    November 22, 2008

    Jenna Satnick is aware how ridiculous this sounds.

  • Fans: "Twilight" doesn't satisfy but doesn't disappoint

    November 22, 2008

    Jenna Satnick is aware how ridiculous this sounds.

  • Flexible spending account may not be so flexible

    November 16, 2008

    I'm a working mother, it's open enrollment time and I'm confused. I have a child who will turn 13 in 2009. I will still use vacation care and summer day camps to supervise him when his father and I are at work and he's off from school. But I've heard there's an age limit on contributing to a child-care flexible spending account. Am I still allowed to use that benefit for him? What are the current tax rules?

  • Taking a stand against hate

    November 16, 2008

    A teenager doesn't wake up one day and say, "I think I'll beat up a Hispanic guy," says Gary Bruschi, a psychologist in Great Neck.

  • Long Island parents use the arts to teach and entertain kids

    November 9, 2008

    Some parents relax by collapsing on the couch. Others unwind by doing something a bit more creative.

  • Fighting lice: It's in the bag

    November 9, 2008

    It's always unsettling to get a note home from school saying someone in the class has head lice. But Mariana Verkerk of Manhattan offers a way to prevent the spread of the insect from coat to coat in school closets - the Bug Bag.

  • Obama daughters will face public curiosity

    November 7, 2008

    When Malia and Sasha Obama move into the White House in January, they'll also move into the proverbial fish bowl.

  • Obama daughters will face public curiosity

    November 6, 2008

    When Malia and Sasha Obama move into the White House in January, they'll also move into the proverbial fish bowl.

  • Telling parents how to guide sons through 'Guyland'

    November 2, 2008

    Your poor son.

  • PARENTAL GUIDANCE: Unwise to leave kids alone at the movies

    November 2, 2008

    Parental Guidance recently ran a column regarding whether 11-year-olds should be allowed to visit the mall with friends unsupervised (Aug. 10). I have a question about adult supervision at movie theaters. I have a friend who took his 12-year-old girl and 8-year-old boy to a movie theater, sat them in seats and then left the theater alone to run errands and picked them up once the movie was over. My friend seems to think that because he lives on Long Island, it's safe and OK. I was upset and disturbed by this, especially in this day and age. Is this acceptable? Could my friend get into trouble for doing this?

  • Voting - without the kids

    November 2, 2008

    Are you a mom (or dad) who wants to vote but dreads the idea of dragging your little ones to the polls?

  • costume parades: Strut your spooks on Halloween

    October 29, 2008

    Pirates. Animals. Royalty. Athletes. Dancers. Evildoers.

  • Halloween costume parades

    October 28, 2008

    Pirates. Animals. Royalty. Athletes. Dancers. Evildoers.

  • Salsa’s new bark (and meow)

    October 26, 2008

    Got a little Latin in your blood? Or just in your soul? Share it with your baby by listening to "Baby Loves Salsa: Salsa para Gatitos y Perritos (Salsa for Kittens and Puppies)."

  • PARENTAL GUIDANCE: Nothing in the crib with babies under 1

    October 26, 2008

    My baby just started sleeping in his crib. I know I'm not supposed to use bumpers or a blanket, but can I put any toys in his bed? What about putting a pacifier in his crib? What are the current guidelines?

  • Learn how to photograph your kids like a professional

    October 19, 2008

    Since professional photographer Christine Sullivan's daughter, Mona, was born a year ago, Sullivan and her husband have snapped her in all sorts of poses.

  • Abercrombie goes high-tech to boost fragrance sales

    October 19, 2008

    Anybody who's been in an Abercrombie Kids store knows that it's like walking into a dance club - the dim lighting, the pulsating music, the cologne smell.

  • Beth Whitehouse: Breast-feeding at the office

    October 19, 2008

    I'm about to return to work full time, and I've been breast-feeding my baby. I want to pump at work. How can I best go about asking my company to provide a room or other private space for me to pump during the day?

  • The young and the restless

    October 12, 2008

    "The economy will collapse."

  • Treats for kids with allergies

    October 12, 2008

    Is your child allergic to peanuts? Eggs? Dairy products? Are you constantly scouring the ingredient lists of cookies and snacks looking for allergy warnings?

  • Halloween tips to protect kids teeth and eyes

    October 12, 2008

    This will be my daughter's first Halloween with braces. Is there any easy way to remember what goodies she can and can't eat?

  • PARENTAL GUIDANCE: Getting caught up on flu shot changes

    October 5, 2008

    I'm a 30-year-old mom with a 9- month-old baby. I'm confused about all the changes this year in flu shot recommendations. Should I get a flu shot for my 9-month-old? What about me? The baby doesn't go to day care and so is less exposed to other children. Does that make a difference? What are the current guidelines?

  • Gap looks for model children

    October 5, 2008

    Could your baby - or child - be a model?

  • Guidance of parents essential when helping 13-year-olds come of age

    October 5, 2008

    Everything's the best, the worst, the most, the least. Life is a disaster. Every problem exaggerated. Melodrama reigns.

  • For more information on Life and Hope Haiti

    September 28, 2008

    One of 10 college admissions officers checks applicants' social networking site pages when deciding whether to admit, according to a survey of 320 admissions officers done by Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions.

  • New moms step up to workout routines

    September 28, 2008

    Frequently, people stare.

  • Colleges check applicants' social networking profiles

    September 28, 2008

    My 2-year-old daughter won't go to sleep until she drinks a cup of milk. She drinks it, gives me the empty cup and then rolls over and goes to sleep. But then she wakes up in the middle of the night screaming for another cup. She just freaks out until she gets it. Do I just say no and let her scream for an hour?

  • LI KIDS: Rules of the party, for parents

    September 21, 2008

    At the start of a child's birthday party at Huntington Gymnastics Center, owner Sharon Zink sometimes gives a little speech about good behavior - to the parents.

  • Let mom decide where her son sleeps

    September 21, 2008

    My grandson is 4. When he sleeps at our house, there is no problem with him going to sleep and he doesn't get up until morning. He also goes to sleep well if it's my son who is putting him to bed. But when my daughter-in-law puts him to sleep, she has to lie with him in his bed until he falls asleep. Then my grandson gets up several times during the night, climbing into his parents' bed. Sometimes my daughter-in-law then lets him sleep with my son and goes into his bed. She wakes up to find my grandson back in his bed with her. What gives? How can she stop this? She has tried stickers and other treats. Nothing works. Please help.

  • Twice the advice on twins

    September 21, 2008

    Got young twins, triplets, quadruplets even?

  • Some boomers rewrite the book on 'Grandma'/'Grandpa'

    September 14, 2008

    Kerry Patten's son, Connor, is only 5 months old. So Patten still has time to solve her family's dilemma: What should Connor call his maternal grandmother?

  • Giving lockers an inside flair

    September 14, 2008

    Once kids enter middle school, a locker becomes a part of their world. Many want to personalize it, turning it into their "room" at school.

  • Son returns to school sports with heel pain

    September 14, 2008

    My eighth-grade son has just started playing fall sports, and he has come home complaining of pain in his heel. He has been playing soccer for years, and he never had this problem before. What could be the cause?

  • Suggested things to do on Grandparents Day

    September 7, 2008

    Today is Grandparents Day, so if you haven't already called your grandparents - or invited them over for a barbecue! - get on the horn.

  • Growth spurts differ in boys and girls

    September 7, 2008

    My son just had his 12-year-old annual physical, and his pediatrician told me he will probably go through a "growth spurt" period this year. He said he'll likely grow 4 to 5 inches instead of the usual 2 to 3. What is this growth spurt? What else should I expect to see happen? Do girls have a similar growth spurt?

  • Safety a concern for younger wargames players

    August 24, 2008

    The sun is strong, and it's a beautiful August day. A perfect day for a 12-year-old to be outside playing.

  • In Westbury, a Treehouse for kids and parents

    July 20, 2008

    Four-year-old Andrew Margaritis, dressed in a white martial arts uniform snugly cinched with a green belt, gleefully flipped his mother onto her back at Orly's Treehouse in Westbury one recent Thursday morning.

  • Starting young: Kids on the campaign trail

    June 8, 2008

    Raymond Rose took off a week in late May and flew to Puerto Rico to help Sen. Hillary Clinton with her quest to win the Democratic primary there.

Beth Whitehouse

Beth Whitehouse