Issue link: http://hvparent.uberflip.com/i/351083
6 Hudson Valley Parent n August 2014 Publisher TERRIE GOLDSTEIN tgoldstein@excitingread.com Editor KATY WEBER kweber@excitingread.com Media Advisors KIMBERLY MAYER kmayer@excitingread.com KIMBERLIE CLARK kclark@excitingread.com Executive Assistant to the Publisher MERLYN AKHTAR makhtar@excitingread.com Calendar Editors PAMELA PERRY CHRISTINE SCHIEFFELIN calendar@excitingread.com Social Media Coordinators ERIN JOHNSON GLORIA DARMANIN Web Ad Designer LESLIE CORTES Layout & Design ENGLE PRINTING also publishers of MY TripPlanner.com family MY TripPlanner.com family baby The HUDSON VALLEY G U I D E Hudson Valley Parent is published monthly by: The Professional Image Marketing & Public Relations Inc. 174 South Street • Newburgh, NY 12550 Phone: 845-562-3606 • Fax: 845-562-3681 hvparent.com This publication is copyrighted by the publisher. Reproduction without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Hudson Valley Parent welcomes submissions, although we cannot accept responsibility for work submitted nor guarantee publication. A MEMBER OF W hen I was a girl, I loved to dance. I adored all styles, from ballet to jazz to tap. Ultimately I stuck with Scottish country dancing, and continued with it for years. When I became a mother, I relished in the idea of my own daughter following in my footsteps. I enrolled her in ballet at the tender age of 3. She looked absolutely adorable in her pink tutu and tights and tiny slippers. One problem: she hated it. After many tries with other activ- ities — soccer, more dance, yoga, dance again, gymnastics — we finally found something she loves: karate! I even tried it with her for a while, but quickly realized it wasn't for me. However, she loves it, and is still go- ing strong after a year and half and several belts. Trial and error and an open mind were the best tools for finding my daughter's activity "type." And if she changes her mind tomorrow, that's OK, too. Meanwhile, I can always hold out hope that my son will love to dance! Still trying to figure out your child's talent type? We've got some great tips from experts on finding activities that are the best fit for your child's personality. Pack a lunch My husband and I discovered the art of the picnic around the same time we discovered what a pain it can be eating in a restaurant with kids. Packing a basket lunch is con- venient and cheap, and the scenery can't be beat. We've put together a list of our favorite picnic spots in the Hudson Val- ley. Have a favorite spot to share? Email me your top local picnic spots at editor@excitingread.com. Raising readers As a parent, I forget a lot of things during the day. Sometimes I forget to wash behind their ears, or I "forget" to make the beds. But one thing I never forget is to read to my kids at night. This has been a cherished ritual from Day One. Some nights have been harder than others. For a long time, my son throw them across the floor. Sometimes I'd end up reading aloud to myself while the two kids played nearby. Regardless, reading every single day is something I don't take lightly. We've got a great article this month with helpful ways to foster your child's love of books and keep them motivated to read once they're older. My tiny dancer? Not a chance! KATY WEBER Editor's Journal My daughter and I signed up for karate. I dis- covered it wasn't for me, but she loves it and a year-and-a-half later is still going strong!