Best Of The Web: November 16-22

Here’s a weekly roundup of parenting articles that piqued
our interest. Enjoy! —

Lisa Belkin unpacks how Nancy
Pelosi went from stay-at-home mom
to Speaker of the House, and why most
mothers of today, unfortunately, probably can’t expect to do the same. (HuffPo)

Posting videos of your kids on YouTube makes parenting
public, and as one mom found out, the price can be hard
to handle
. (Babble)

There are so many wonderful children’s picture books out
there, it can be hard to pick favorites. The Times has highlighted three
new reads about our great city
that will have you reminiscing about your
childhood favs. (NY Times)

With the Penn State
scandal still all across the headlines, do you think Jerry Sandusky should be allowed
to see his own grandkids
? (CafeMom)

What’s in your Thanksgiving dinner? If cranberry sauce,
green bean casserole and pumpkin pie are on the menu, you may be serving
up a little BPA
as well. (The
Breast Cancer Fund
)

Bored Mommy decks
the halls
in a contest to see which blogger can decorate for the holidays the best. (Bored Mommy)

When a friend won’t shut up about her kids, do you confront
the problem or let it slide? See what Slate’s Friend or Foe advice columnist has
to say on the matter
. (Slate)

The FDA has recently approved Hemacord—the first product made
out of umbilical cord blood
—for conditions like certain blood cancers and
immune system disorders. (Baby Center)

Board games and toys that entertain can only take you so far
during the holidays. Sometimes it’s best to leave it to kids to make
their own fun
… (Mom-101)

Could cyberschool
become the new classroom
? For some states struggling with their education
budgets, the solution is to create online schools for kids. (NY Times)

Relevant Directory Listings

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Brooklyn Robot Foundry - Virtual Classes

<p><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">Brooklyn Robot Foundry offers super fun online robot-building classes for children 2-13 years old!</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">  </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">Each week, students are introduced to new engineering concepts and components while building that day’s robot in their own “workshop”.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">  </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">All classes maintain a very low student-to-teacher ratio, allowing for plenty of individualized instruction and socializing. The supplies are shipped in advance and classes are led by amazing instructors, taking all the pressure off parents.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">  </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;">The Foundry’s main focus however, is that kids have fun, get creative, and enjoy being part of this STEAM-loving community!</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;"> </span></p>

Polaris Productions Theater Camp

<p>Kids will learn, rehearse, and perform the wonderful Maurice Sendak and Carole King musical, Really Rosie. For 10 weekdays, campers will take part in physical and vocal warm-ups and learn choreography, staging, and vocal parts. They’ll develop skills in acting, singing, character development, and more. This camp will ignite your child’s imagination and passion for performing, build their self-esteem, and help them form lasting friendships. They’ll have fun! At camp’s end, the kids will perform Really Rosie for family members and friends. Kids of all levels of experience, ages 8 through 13, are welcome to join.</p>

Adventuring Portal

<p><a name="m_-1473885667065203258__Hlk72147528"></a>Adventuring Portal runs Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) games for kids.   We have created a safe online space for tweens and teens to learn and play D&D.</p> <p>Our D&D Summer Camp session are a one-week experience.  Monday – Friday.  Each day will be 3 hours of gaming (with 2 breaks build in).  15 total gaming hours for $180.  If you have played with us before, you are entitled to 10% off.   </p> <p>Need your kids, nieces or nephews, grand kids or neighbor’s kids to be occupied for a bit so you can get work done & take care of your to-do list? Maybe your tween or teen is still a bit isolated and craves connection with their peers? Whether your teen/tween has played D&D before or is brand-new to the experience, this safe space brings players together to have fun and solve problems as a team in ways few other online opportunities do.</p> <p>All our games focus on experiential learning.   Our players leave knowing all the basic game play as well as experiencing: teamwork, bravery, compassion, generosity, negotiation, improvisation, gamer etiquette, strategy, critical thinking, problem solving, cartography and probability - all through online D&D adventuring!</p> <p>We are an inclusive organization and welcome gamers who are LGBTQIA+ and those on any spectrum. </p> <p>All girls’ groups available. </p> <p>I am a parent, a certified elementary school and middle school math teacher and last summer in the midst of the mess started Adventuring Portal, an online Dungeons & Dragons business for kids. There are so many benefits to playing D&D and I hope you will consider us as a great way for your child to safely socialize, grow as people and have a great time.</p>