Issue link: http://hvparent.uberflip.com/i/918066
6 Hudson Valley Parent n January 2018 Publisher TERRIE GOLDSTEIN tgoldstein@excitingread.com Editor CASSIDY BRIGHTON cbrighton@excitingread.com Dir. of Business Development KATHLEEN MERZ kmerz@excitingread.com Executive Assistant LESLIE CORTES lcortes@excitingread.com Media Advisors CHRISTY OLIVIER colivier@excitingread.com MATTHEW SILVERMAN msilverman@excitingread.com Layout & Design ENGLE PRINTING also publishers of MY TripPlanner.com family MY TripPlanner.com family 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. H appy New Year, Hudson Valley parents! The stockings that had been hung by the chimney with care have all been taken down and packed away and the happy holidays you had been looking forward to were gone faster than you could sing Jingle Bells. That doesn't mean that remnants of holiday cheer won't still be found around your hometown now that December is over. You have enough candy canes and Christmas cookies to last you until St. Patrick's Day, after all! You've set your resolutions and you are ready to face the year ahead. Here at Hudson Valley Parent, our New Year's resolution is to bring you even more awesome parenting support than ever before. We are kicking that off with a whole new section just for parents of tweens and teens. We present to you...Real Talk! With the help of a professional and a mom just like you, we answer the hard hitting questions moms of teens ask, starting with how to talk to your adolescents about treating members of the opposite sex with respect. Part of our resolution means helping you enter this year healthy and relaxed. Have you noticed more hair in the drain than usual? Have you been gaining weight or feeling sluggish? It's time to head to the doctor and get tested for hypothyroidism. This disease is the most common endocrine disorder facing women, yet it is wildly under diagnosed and mistreated. Don't ignore the symptoms! Keep yourself healthy so you can be around to celebrate many more new years to come. So much of a mom's stress comes from making sure their kids are happy and healthy. As a parent, wouldn't you do anything to make your kids calmer and more successful in school? This year, take up yoga as a family and watch your child change! We talked to schools in the area who have already implemented yoga and meditation into their everyday routine and parents who are willing to give it a try. Check out our suggested books from your favorite local library and try out your first pose tonight. 2017 was full of highs and lows for families all over the area. One very special family in Newburgh celebrated the grand accomplishment of opening a coffee shop, Blacc Vanilla, and adding warmth and a sense of community back into their neighborhood. We highlighted the owner of the shop and local mother, Melanie Collins, who explains to us how important family, diversity and a neighborhood coming together are when raising her children. How did your family welcome the New Year? Did you party into the wee hours of the morning with horns and party hats? Or was everyone fast asleep as the ball dropped? I literally "rang" in 2018 surrounded by people I love. My fianc's family has a tradition of ringing a huge (and mighty loud) bell on the front lawn at midnight. Here's to 365 fresh days ahead of us. Together, let's make 2018 the best year yet. Cheers to a new year! CASSIDY BRIGHTON Editor's Journal