We are about to make your parenting life a lot easier! We spoke experts in child care, home safety, baby proofing, applying to college, installing car seats, planning for camp, birthday parties, and more to develop 10 checklists for Rockland Parents to simplify your lives—and give you more time for the thing you love most: having fun with your kids!
Let’s face it: Between schlepping the kids to and from after-school activities, planning for summer camp, making sure the kids are safe in the home, and finding a reliable and trustworthy babysitter, many of us can barely sit still for 5 minutes to de-stress. But you can take advantage of our downloadable checklists that take common parenting tasks and boil them down into easy-to-digest lists so you can keep track of your progress and free up more than a few minutes to have fun and relax.
Just click the links below to download a printable version of the checklists you need!
Baby Proofing Basics
Courtney Ilarraza, co-founder of Baby Bodyguards, a full-service baby and child safety company based in NYC, shares what you need to do before bringing home your bundle of joy. Remember: You don’t have to go crazy and baby proof the whole house; just focus on the rooms where your child will be.
Car Seat Checkup
Car seat regulations are hard to keep up with and manage, especially because they constantly change and differ from state to state. Keep this checklist, compiled with the help of Shane Bland, certified car seat safety technician through Safe Kids Worldwide Westchester, and Greg Durocher, child passenger safety technician instructor at Safe Ride 4 Kids, wherever you will remember to reference it for properly installing and using a car seat.
Babysitter 411
In the excitement of getting out the door to enjoy a child-free meal with your partner, it can be easy to forget to give your babysitter all of the information she may need. Mommybites.com and Gina Lamb-Amato, M.D., Manhattan-based pediatrician, share important information your sitter needs to know. So fill out this cheat-sheet and leave it for your sitter to ensure that no questions go unanswered.
Planning a Perfect Party
Throwing a birthday party can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be—the key is to start early and create a timeline. Here are some tips to make sure your child’s next birthday party runs smoothly and seamlessly.
Countdown to Camp
Kids go to camp in the summer, but selecting a camp and getting your child excited for it are tasks that should be on your radar during the entire year. Take these simple steps recommended by Renee Flax, director of camper placement for the American Camp Association, NYNJ to make sure your child has their best summer yet.
Life Skills to Teach Your Child
Katie Davis, Psy.D., a Manhattan-based licensed clinical psychologist, and Donna Volpitta, Ph.D., founder of the Center for Resilient Leadership, weigh in on what ages kids should start learning life skills.
The New Back-to-School Rules
Will your child’s first week of classes be calm or hectic? It depends on how you prepare in the month beforehand. Sheryl Ziegler, Psy.D., author of Mommy Burnout, and Fulvia Milite, M.D., director of the White Plains Hospital Sleep Center, share their top tips that will make going back to school a breeze.
College Prep Pointers
Starting the college planning process early can help your child be better organized, less stressed, make more informed decisions, and even get into a better school. Use this checklist from Tony Di Giacomo, Ph.D., founder of Novella Prep to help get you started.
Emergency Supplies Everyone Should Have
Compile the items in this Federal Emergency Management Agency-approved list and keep them in a secure, dry place; they’ll help keep your family safe and comfortable in the case of an adverse event.
Do You Know Where These Important Papers Are?
Neal Stern, a Long Island-based CPA and member of the American Institute of CPAs National CPA Financial Literacy Commission, recommends keeping close track of these documents so you’ll know right were they are when you need them.
