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FREE back to school event!
Back to school event at apple seeds Chelsea next Saturday, September 7th! Join us for special promotions at the half dozen kids' store while the kids enjoy FREE special activities!
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book drive to support Room to Grow!
apple seed is hosting a book drive to support Room to Grow now through September 20th! The mission of Room to Grow is to enrich the lives of babies born into poverty throughout their critical first three years of development.
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Fun with playdough!
This month, Teach Preschool posted a really fun article about different way to have fun with playdough. Take a look!
Fun props for playdough
by Deborah J. Stewart, M.Ed. on August 3, 2013
Play dough is a wonderful resource that fosters play, communication, imagination, creativity, fine motor skills, color recognition, color mixing, and the list goes on. It can be homemade or store bought and the kinds of things you can add to play dough is really endless. Adding props to play dough is just one of many ways to invite new interest in the play dough experience. Here are a just a few of our props that we add to our play dough throughout the school year…
Seeds
Feathers
Rulers
Flower Pots
Seashells
Keys
Fun props for playdough
by Deborah J. Stewart, M.Ed. on August 3, 2013
Play dough is a wonderful resource that fosters play, communication, imagination, creativity, fine motor skills, color recognition, color mixing, and the list goes on. It can be homemade or store bought and the kinds of things you can add to play dough is really endless. Adding props to play dough is just one of many ways to invite new interest in the play dough experience. Here are a just a few of our props that we add to our play dough throughout the school year…
Seeds
Feathers
Rulers
Flower Pots
Seashells
Keys
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ONE DAY MEMBERSHIP SALE TODAY ONLY!
Call us at 212.792.7590 (Chelsea) or 212.792.7591 (UWS) until 6pm!
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Paddleboarding: the hottest sport of the season for all ages!
Co-founder Alison Qualter Berna and her family recently went paddleboarding on a family vacation! Check out the article on New York Family's website and find out where you can learn this increasingly popular summer activity!
Where To Hop On The Paddleboarding Train In NYC
Paddleboarding has been the hottest water sport all summer. One of our great friends, local mom and co-owner of apple seeds Alison Berna, recently took her family paddling and gave us the scoop on why this is such a great pastime for all ages.
“Paddleboarding is really something you can do as a family, sort of like a family hike or bike ride or going on a kayak trip,” she says. “It’s outdoors, you don’t have to go fast, and young children can stay safe and wear a life preserver. It’s awesome.”
Need some proof? Just take a look at these photos, showing off the young Berna kids’ balance skills as well as of Alison’s own yogic prowess.
Berna continues to explain the four different types of paddleboarding: 1) racing, 2) wave riding, which is sort of like surfing, 3) regular stand-up paddling, just like standing in a kayak with an oar, and 4) the most increasingly popular paddleboard yoga — though, this may be a little harder for the little ones!
One of the aspects Berna says she loves best for her family, which loves to surf, is that paddleboarding is transferable.
“You can do it in any body of water any time of the year–because you don’t want to be surfing in the Atlantic in January,” she says. “With paddleboarding, you don’t have to wait all year for summer.”
A laidback way to explore the local waters? Yes, please! Because believe it or not, there are plenty of opportunities–and plenty of time before the kids go back to school–to try out paddleboarding right here in the city. Note: Equipment’s not included, but we tell you where to rent or buy, too.
Where to learn:
Manhattan Kayak Company, Pier 66
For paddleboarding newbies, this is a perfect spot to learn the basics within the calm waters next to the pier. If you’re already a seasoned pro, opt for a more advanced experience or a tour on the Hudson. $40 for a one-hour intro class, tour prices vary; www.manhattankayak.com
New York Kayak Company, Pier 40
Have your own board and ready to go? Great — the club will offer an annual membership to get you on your way. The membership, which at the basic level is $899, will get you access and storage on the premise, and the ability to use the equipment you may not already own. There are also discounts for gear purchased in the store. Not so ready quite yet? There are intro sessions available twice a week. The company usually does group instructions for students 14 years and older, though if your kid is younger, private sessions may be available. $100 for two-hour class; www.nykayak.com
Where to shop:
West Marine, 12 West 37th Street
Eastern Mountain Sports, 530 Broadway (SOHO) & 2152 Broadway (UWS)
REI, 303 Lafayette Street
[Photos by Andrew Seidensticker]
Where To Hop On The Paddleboarding Train In NYC
Paddleboarding has been the hottest water sport all summer. One of our great friends, local mom and co-owner of apple seeds Alison Berna, recently took her family paddling and gave us the scoop on why this is such a great pastime for all ages.
“Paddleboarding is really something you can do as a family, sort of like a family hike or bike ride or going on a kayak trip,” she says. “It’s outdoors, you don’t have to go fast, and young children can stay safe and wear a life preserver. It’s awesome.”
Need some proof? Just take a look at these photos, showing off the young Berna kids’ balance skills as well as of Alison’s own yogic prowess.
Berna continues to explain the four different types of paddleboarding: 1) racing, 2) wave riding, which is sort of like surfing, 3) regular stand-up paddling, just like standing in a kayak with an oar, and 4) the most increasingly popular paddleboard yoga — though, this may be a little harder for the little ones!
One of the aspects Berna says she loves best for her family, which loves to surf, is that paddleboarding is transferable.
“You can do it in any body of water any time of the year–because you don’t want to be surfing in the Atlantic in January,” she says. “With paddleboarding, you don’t have to wait all year for summer.”
A laidback way to explore the local waters? Yes, please! Because believe it or not, there are plenty of opportunities–and plenty of time before the kids go back to school–to try out paddleboarding right here in the city. Note: Equipment’s not included, but we tell you where to rent or buy, too.
Where to learn:
Manhattan Kayak Company, Pier 66
For paddleboarding newbies, this is a perfect spot to learn the basics within the calm waters next to the pier. If you’re already a seasoned pro, opt for a more advanced experience or a tour on the Hudson. $40 for a one-hour intro class, tour prices vary; www.manhattankayak.com
New York Kayak Company, Pier 40
Have your own board and ready to go? Great — the club will offer an annual membership to get you on your way. The membership, which at the basic level is $899, will get you access and storage on the premise, and the ability to use the equipment you may not already own. There are also discounts for gear purchased in the store. Not so ready quite yet? There are intro sessions available twice a week. The company usually does group instructions for students 14 years and older, though if your kid is younger, private sessions may be available. $100 for two-hour class; www.nykayak.com
Where to shop:
West Marine, 12 West 37th Street
Eastern Mountain Sports, 530 Broadway (SOHO) & 2152 Broadway (UWS)
REI, 303 Lafayette Street
[Photos by Andrew Seidensticker]
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LAST CHANCE to VOTE!
apple seeds is the proud winner of the 2012 TOTALLY AWESOME AWARDS for Coolest Indoor Playspace and Most Magical Music Class. We have been nominated in the Red Tricycle's 2013 TOTALLY AWESOME AWARDS!
VOTE for us to take first place again this year:
• Best Kids Music Class (songs for seeds): http://awards.redtri.com/2013/music-classes/?location=ny-metro
• Best Indoor Playspace: http://awards.redtri.com/2013/indoor-playspaces/?location=ny-metro
Voting ends TODAY, August 15th and we need your help to WIN!
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TOMORROW is the LAST DAY to VOTE!
apple seeds is the proud winner of the 2012 TOTALLY AWESOME AWARDS for Coolest Indoor Playspace and Most Magical Music Class. We have been nominated in the Red Tricycle's 2013 TOTALLY AWESOME AWARDS!
VOTE for us to take first place again this year:
• Best Kids Music Class (songs for seeds): http://awards.redtri.com/2013/music-classes/?location=ny-metro
• Best Indoor Playspace: http://awards.redtri.com/2013/indoor-playspaces/?location=ny-metro
Voting ends TOMORROW, August 15th and we need your help to WIN!
0
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Refreshing summer recipe!
If you're looking for a refreshing and fun snack for the kids try these cute and cool avocado boats with black bean salad!
Ingredients:
- 6 avocados
- 1 15 oz. can black beans
- 1 1/2 cups tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 cucumber, seeded and finely chopped
- 1/2 bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup corn kernels, fresh, frozen or canned (in that order of preference)
- 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
- 3 ounces balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Halve avocados, remove pits and slice off rounded bottom for added stability.
- Have your child squeeze fresh lemon on avocados to reduce browning.
- Put black beans in a medium bowl.
- Have your child help dice tomatoes and cucumbers, add to bowl with black beans.
- Add finely chopped red onions.
- Add fresh or canned corn kernels.
- Have your child tear up the cilantro and add to bowl saving some for garnish
- Add a splash of balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and any remaining lemon juice and toss all ingredients.
- Fill avocados with bean salad, sprinkle on remaining cilantro.
- Serve and enjoy!
We want to see your creations - share your child’s dish with us on our Facebook page!
For more yummy recipes like this, check out our COOKing monsters classes.
Ingredients:
- 6 avocados
- 1 15 oz. can black beans
- 1 1/2 cups tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 cucumber, seeded and finely chopped
- 1/2 bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup corn kernels, fresh, frozen or canned (in that order of preference)
- 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
- 3 ounces balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Halve avocados, remove pits and slice off rounded bottom for added stability.
- Have your child squeeze fresh lemon on avocados to reduce browning.
- Put black beans in a medium bowl.
- Have your child help dice tomatoes and cucumbers, add to bowl with black beans.
- Add finely chopped red onions.
- Add fresh or canned corn kernels.
- Have your child tear up the cilantro and add to bowl saving some for garnish
- Add a splash of balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and any remaining lemon juice and toss all ingredients.
- Fill avocados with bean salad, sprinkle on remaining cilantro.
- Serve and enjoy!
We want to see your creations - share your child’s dish with us on our Facebook page!
For more yummy recipes like this, check out our COOKing monsters classes.
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Thoughts on Our "Right to a Child-Free Life"
What you think of Babble's reaction to Time Magazine's recent cover story "Right to a Child-Free Life"?
Here is the post from Babble:
Here's The Thing...
With Alison Faulkner
Redefining Womanhood: My Thoughts On Our Right to a “Child-Free Life”
Look at this family fun!
(In my response, I address only a few points that the article has brought up; I do not address the economics or the fertility rate, because that’s not what spoke to me and I’m not all that qualified.)
Today I’m going on about 4 hours of sleep, not wearing a bra (which is offensive and probably dangerous in my “I’ve-been-nursing-a-baby-all-night” state) and I’m still in my pajamas—it’s noon, and my office is so messy I had to do some creative gymnastic-like moves just to get to my desk.
So I think it’s rather fitting that I write a mother’s response to Time Magazine’s cover article, “The Childfree Life” because not only am I a mother, I’m a mother who is technically working from home right now. I’m the mother who is “doing it all!”
And man, I’ve never made motherhood seem less appealing. Did I mention I’m starving because I’m trying to lose my baby weight?
In short, Time’s article speaks to the struggle of women who have made the decision to stay childfree. The gist is that they feel oppressed, judged, and annoyed with the barrage of mom-centered advertising.
News flash, I feel the exact same way.
As for the article’s subhead “When having it all means not having children” I’ll hardly address it because I think we all know it was used because it sounded catchy. We’re all past thinking we can “have it all” right?
I think the main idea of the piece, or at least what I took from it, can be summed up in this quote from the article by Kathleen Gerson, a professor of sociology at New York University:
“Women are living in a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” social context in a country that she believes emphasizes self-sufficiency equally alongside a deep commitment to motherhood. The mix breeds impossible conflict. Without independence, we’re failures. With it, we’re selfish.”
I hesitated to even respond to this article at first because I feel like it’s trying to pit moms vs. sane rational women who have chosen to avoid stretch marks.
But in my opinion, I just don’t think that’s the problem. I think the problem is that we are still struggling as a society to define what it means to be a woman. And it comes down to this, “we are damned if we do and damned if we don’t.”
We’re damned if we have children, because we don’t just get to be “moms” anymore, we have to have a slew of other activities or a job to tell people about.
“Well I’m a mom, but I also work from home, I have a website, I’m a copywriter, I sell leather baby mobiles,” I say when asked, “What do I do?”
And we’re damned if we don’t have children. As one woman in the article said, “To declare that motherhood is not for you, can feel like committing treason.”
I get that childfree women spark defensiveness in mothers. I can’t speak for other women, but I know for a split-second I’ve wondered, “Do you think less of me for wanting children? Why is what I want not good enough for you?!” When a woman has told me she doesn’t want children. But notice how I’m mostly just thinking about myself in that scenario, and it has probably come off as judgmental when in reality it’s my own insecurities.
I think, yet again, it comes down to our society’s flawed definition of womanhood, and our compulsion as women to compare ourselves to other women.
It’s always confusing when we all do something, but all do it differently, to agree on a definition, right?
My 3-month-old and my 3-year-old aren’t the only reasons I’m going on so little sleep today. I was up tossing and turning, yet again, over not knowing what to do with my life.
I probably work almost 40 hours a week, yet I still hesitate to call myself a “working mother” because I don’t go into an office 40+ hours a week, so I don’t want to outrage those moms and act like I know their pain.
Then again my husband has a freelance work schedule, and I don’t have to wrestle my two children alone every day from 7am to 8pm.
I use that explanation defend to my work schedule to the “real moms” the moms who are alone all day with little support.
So where does that leave me? I have been ridden with anxiety lately. I don’t know what I’m supposed to be. I’m a mom, I’m a writer, I’m a wife, I feel pressure to keep the house clean and to plan structured activities for my children. Then again I also just want to watch Pretty Little Liars during naptime.
But reading this article has reminded me that first and foremost I am a woman.
Childfree or dripping with children, I think to be happy and to progress as a society women need to find their individual definitions of womanhood, of good and virtuous womanhood, and then do their best to live up to their own definition without judging other people for theirs.
So because I have the floor, I’ll declare my personal definition of womanhood, but I also reserve the right to modify it as I grow and progress.
I believe that being a good and virtuous women means nurturing those around me. I believe that being a good woman means offering more praise than criticism, and not comparing myself to others. Because when I tear myself down I am more prone to tearing others down. I believe a good woman is honest, informed, and educated to the best of her ability. I believe being a good woman is being full of love.
But then again, I’ve always been a bit of a hippie at heart.
Thoughts?
Love and Diet Dr. Pepper,
Alison
Here is the post from Babble:
Here's The Thing...
With Alison Faulkner
Redefining Womanhood: My Thoughts On Our Right to a “Child-Free Life”
(In my response, I address only a few points that the article has brought up; I do not address the economics or the fertility rate, because that’s not what spoke to me and I’m not all that qualified.)
Today I’m going on about 4 hours of sleep, not wearing a bra (which is offensive and probably dangerous in my “I’ve-been-nursing-a-baby-all-night” state) and I’m still in my pajamas—it’s noon, and my office is so messy I had to do some creative gymnastic-like moves just to get to my desk.
So I think it’s rather fitting that I write a mother’s response to Time Magazine’s cover article, “The Childfree Life” because not only am I a mother, I’m a mother who is technically working from home right now. I’m the mother who is “doing it all!”
And man, I’ve never made motherhood seem less appealing. Did I mention I’m starving because I’m trying to lose my baby weight?
In short, Time’s article speaks to the struggle of women who have made the decision to stay childfree. The gist is that they feel oppressed, judged, and annoyed with the barrage of mom-centered advertising.
News flash, I feel the exact same way.
As for the article’s subhead “When having it all means not having children” I’ll hardly address it because I think we all know it was used because it sounded catchy. We’re all past thinking we can “have it all” right?
I think the main idea of the piece, or at least what I took from it, can be summed up in this quote from the article by Kathleen Gerson, a professor of sociology at New York University:
“Women are living in a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” social context in a country that she believes emphasizes self-sufficiency equally alongside a deep commitment to motherhood. The mix breeds impossible conflict. Without independence, we’re failures. With it, we’re selfish.”
I hesitated to even respond to this article at first because I feel like it’s trying to pit moms vs. sane rational women who have chosen to avoid stretch marks.
But in my opinion, I just don’t think that’s the problem. I think the problem is that we are still struggling as a society to define what it means to be a woman. And it comes down to this, “we are damned if we do and damned if we don’t.”
We’re damned if we have children, because we don’t just get to be “moms” anymore, we have to have a slew of other activities or a job to tell people about.
“Well I’m a mom, but I also work from home, I have a website, I’m a copywriter, I sell leather baby mobiles,” I say when asked, “What do I do?”
And we’re damned if we don’t have children. As one woman in the article said, “To declare that motherhood is not for you, can feel like committing treason.”
I get that childfree women spark defensiveness in mothers. I can’t speak for other women, but I know for a split-second I’ve wondered, “Do you think less of me for wanting children? Why is what I want not good enough for you?!” When a woman has told me she doesn’t want children. But notice how I’m mostly just thinking about myself in that scenario, and it has probably come off as judgmental when in reality it’s my own insecurities.
I think, yet again, it comes down to our society’s flawed definition of womanhood, and our compulsion as women to compare ourselves to other women.
It’s always confusing when we all do something, but all do it differently, to agree on a definition, right?
My 3-month-old and my 3-year-old aren’t the only reasons I’m going on so little sleep today. I was up tossing and turning, yet again, over not knowing what to do with my life.
I probably work almost 40 hours a week, yet I still hesitate to call myself a “working mother” because I don’t go into an office 40+ hours a week, so I don’t want to outrage those moms and act like I know their pain.
Then again my husband has a freelance work schedule, and I don’t have to wrestle my two children alone every day from 7am to 8pm.
I use that explanation defend to my work schedule to the “real moms” the moms who are alone all day with little support.
So where does that leave me? I have been ridden with anxiety lately. I don’t know what I’m supposed to be. I’m a mom, I’m a writer, I’m a wife, I feel pressure to keep the house clean and to plan structured activities for my children. Then again I also just want to watch Pretty Little Liars during naptime.
But reading this article has reminded me that first and foremost I am a woman.
Childfree or dripping with children, I think to be happy and to progress as a society women need to find their individual definitions of womanhood, of good and virtuous womanhood, and then do their best to live up to their own definition without judging other people for theirs.
So because I have the floor, I’ll declare my personal definition of womanhood, but I also reserve the right to modify it as I grow and progress.
I believe that being a good and virtuous women means nurturing those around me. I believe that being a good woman means offering more praise than criticism, and not comparing myself to others. Because when I tear myself down I am more prone to tearing others down. I believe a good woman is honest, informed, and educated to the best of her ability. I believe being a good woman is being full of love.
But then again, I’ve always been a bit of a hippie at heart.
Thoughts?
Love and Diet Dr. Pepper,
Alison
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hey Upper West Side families...this is BIG
Having commitment issues? Need a little more flexibility in your apple seeds membership? Try our NEW 5-5-5 membership option just for Upper West Side families!
For ONLY $500 (+tax) you get:
• 50 playground visits
• 5% off classes
• $50 off birthday parties
• FREE special events
Call our front desk at 212.792.7591 for more information and to sign up. (For UWS families only. Valid 4 months after registration.)
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Wednesdays with Wendy: Pretty Is Not a Four-Letter Word
Welcome to this week's Wednesdays with Wendy!
Wednesdays with Wendy: Pretty Is Not a Four-Letter Word
by Wendy Bradford
I don't follow the rules.
I tell my daughters they are beautiful. I tell them their dresses are adorable on them, that their hair looks pretty. They watch me, sitting on my bed, as I blow dry my hair each day. I never complain in front of them that my hair or I don't look a certain way, but they see that I put work into getting ready for going out. They ask for the perfume I wear, and dab their inner arms so that we all smell like sweet pears.
I love telling my friends how beautiful they look when we see each other--and I say it in front of my daughters. Because we all want to hear these things. We buy clothes that we like, sit in salon chairs for hours, wear make up if we like, exercise, check ourselves in mirrors--and there is nothing abnormal or horrible about these. Many of us have degrees, have careers, take care of children, our households, and our friends; we read books, and do meaningful work according to our religion, politics, and philosophy. Femininity is balance.
My daughters and son have a mirror in their room. I do not worry it will give them issues that are not otherwise typical of children and teens. They will be insecure at times, obsessed with their appearance during high school, and ask for outrageous clothing that no adult would agree to buy. I am guessing. And they will read me their favorite books in grade school, do research reports, work on speeches, decide what subjects most fascinate them, and dream about the possibilities in their lives--in the same room with the full-length mirror.
I have written about this before, but I am coming back to it as my daughters and I have been attending events that often revolve around fashion, beauty products, princesses and dolls. My five and four year olds get manicures, hair styling, shop for the clothes they like. As a blogger, I am invited to these events (or invited to cover for other bloggers) and they frequently include my children. We all look forward to very fun "girls" outings.
Raising girls is complex. Being a girl can be heartbreaking and scary. We all wish to keep our daughters from sadness, self-loathing, and doubt. There is no end to the mixed messages they will get from the world about their worth, their attractiveness, their abilities. They will imagine at times, their value is less than it is. And they will look to unreliable sources for security.
Yet, as girls and women we have develop an understanding of the intersection of beauty and strength. I do not want my girls to feel anything but joy when their grandmother gives them a lipgloss that glitters on their perfect tiny mouths. I don't want them to think they must never compliment another girl on her pretty dress or her new patent leather shoes.
I am certain that most of us do not hear that we are beautiful nearly enough; I try not to miss an opportunity.
My daughters and son will know that truth: pretty is not stupid. And beautiful is not weak; nice is not submissive. Princess shoes and sparkly dresses that twirl are celebrations of childhood, of girlhood. Wanting to experiment with make up and nail color and wearing clothes they pick out because of the rhinestones doesn't make them less smart or less powerful--and that applies to my son as well as my two daughters.
I don't avoid the contradictions, their disruptive sense of comparison. My four-year-old girl has been telling me that she wishes she had straight hair like her sister, instead of her amazing mass of curls. I tell her that everyone has different kinds of hair--her curls are special. She is perfect the way she is; my job is to remind her of that.
The five year old says she is a writer. She wants to be a teacher, a dancer, a mother, and a rock star. Her sister wants to be a mother, a doctor, and a cupcake girl. They may change the world by discovering a cure for disease, or saving endangered animals, or designing a hospital, or building schools in impoverished nations. And they may change one world with a compliment and a single beautiful smile.
Wednesdays with Wendy: Pretty Is Not a Four-Letter Word
by Wendy Bradford
I don't follow the rules.
I tell my daughters they are beautiful. I tell them their dresses are adorable on them, that their hair looks pretty. They watch me, sitting on my bed, as I blow dry my hair each day. I never complain in front of them that my hair or I don't look a certain way, but they see that I put work into getting ready for going out. They ask for the perfume I wear, and dab their inner arms so that we all smell like sweet pears.
I love telling my friends how beautiful they look when we see each other--and I say it in front of my daughters. Because we all want to hear these things. We buy clothes that we like, sit in salon chairs for hours, wear make up if we like, exercise, check ourselves in mirrors--and there is nothing abnormal or horrible about these. Many of us have degrees, have careers, take care of children, our households, and our friends; we read books, and do meaningful work according to our religion, politics, and philosophy. Femininity is balance.
My daughters and son have a mirror in their room. I do not worry it will give them issues that are not otherwise typical of children and teens. They will be insecure at times, obsessed with their appearance during high school, and ask for outrageous clothing that no adult would agree to buy. I am guessing. And they will read me their favorite books in grade school, do research reports, work on speeches, decide what subjects most fascinate them, and dream about the possibilities in their lives--in the same room with the full-length mirror.
I have written about this before, but I am coming back to it as my daughters and I have been attending events that often revolve around fashion, beauty products, princesses and dolls. My five and four year olds get manicures, hair styling, shop for the clothes they like. As a blogger, I am invited to these events (or invited to cover for other bloggers) and they frequently include my children. We all look forward to very fun "girls" outings.
Raising girls is complex. Being a girl can be heartbreaking and scary. We all wish to keep our daughters from sadness, self-loathing, and doubt. There is no end to the mixed messages they will get from the world about their worth, their attractiveness, their abilities. They will imagine at times, their value is less than it is. And they will look to unreliable sources for security.
Yet, as girls and women we have develop an understanding of the intersection of beauty and strength. I do not want my girls to feel anything but joy when their grandmother gives them a lipgloss that glitters on their perfect tiny mouths. I don't want them to think they must never compliment another girl on her pretty dress or her new patent leather shoes.
I am certain that most of us do not hear that we are beautiful nearly enough; I try not to miss an opportunity.
My daughters and son will know that truth: pretty is not stupid. And beautiful is not weak; nice is not submissive. Princess shoes and sparkly dresses that twirl are celebrations of childhood, of girlhood. Wanting to experiment with make up and nail color and wearing clothes they pick out because of the rhinestones doesn't make them less smart or less powerful--and that applies to my son as well as my two daughters.
I don't avoid the contradictions, their disruptive sense of comparison. My four-year-old girl has been telling me that she wishes she had straight hair like her sister, instead of her amazing mass of curls. I tell her that everyone has different kinds of hair--her curls are special. She is perfect the way she is; my job is to remind her of that.
The five year old says she is a writer. She wants to be a teacher, a dancer, a mother, and a rock star. Her sister wants to be a mother, a doctor, and a cupcake girl. They may change the world by discovering a cure for disease, or saving endangered animals, or designing a hospital, or building schools in impoverished nations. And they may change one world with a compliment and a single beautiful smile.
0
VOTE for us!
apple seeds is the proud winner of the 2012 TOTALLY AWESOME AWARDS for Coolest Indoor Playspace and Most Magical Music Class. We have been nominated in the Red Tricycle's 2013 TOTALLY AWESOME AWARDS!
VOTE for us to take first place again this year:
• Best Kids Music Class (songs for seeds): http://awards.redtri.com/2013/music-classes/?location=ny-metro
• Best Indoor Playspace: http://awards.redtri.com/2013/indoor-playspaces/?location=ny-metro
Voting ends August 15th and we need your help to WIN!