Krakow, Poland is an amazing city for kids as it is culturally rich, easily accessible, and vibrant.  From the sites to the Vistula (Wisla) River to the cuisine, Krakow offers something for everyone no matter what age.  A few family friendly tips when visiting Krakow:

-Stay at the Sheraton Grand Krakow and take advantage of their amazing buffet breakfast each morning and indoor pool each afternoon. The hotel is a 10 minute walk to the old town or market square and a hop, skip and a jump to the Wawel Castle.

-Visit the Wawel Castle and hit the Dragon’s Den too. Read the legend of the dragon to your kids before you go. Climb to see the Zygmunt Bell too

-Go shopping in Old Town at Krakow’s Main Market or Rynek Glowny Central Square and buy some beautiful foil Christmas Nativity scenes; see The Church of St. Mary too

-Walk the Royal Route of Ulica Florianska and hit a few stores along the way

-Do a half day trip via taxi to the Wieliczka salt mine and experience beautiful chapels and creations but make sure to bring a fleece and wear long pants as it is COLD and watch some lick the walls

-Learn about World War II at the Oskar Shindler factory museum

-Walk around the Jewish district of Kazimierz

-Explore Jagiellonian University which is Krakow’s oldest and boasts Nicholas Coperincus as an alum

-Have a delicious traditional Polish meal at Chlopskie Jadlo

-Search for paczki (Polish donuts) or Lody (ice cream) afterwards

Barcelona, Spain is one of UltimateMama’s favorite cities!  So much to see and do and family friendly too.  A few tips for enjoying Barcelona with the kids:

-Stay at the Hotel Arts – excellent pool, great staff, and walkable to the beach

-Visit Casa Mila or La Pedrera – UltimateMama feels the whatever day/whatever time online ticket option is well worth it to see Gaudi’s creations

-Stop at Casa Batllo – more Gaudi for the family and a great gift shop too (buy tickets online in advance)

-Tour the Segrada Familia – breathtaking Gaudi basilica that is hands down UltimateMama’s favorite place in Barcelona (buy tickets online in advance)

-Hit Park Guell – nothing better than an outside Gaudi masterpiece (buy tickets online in advance)

-Explore the Picasso Museum – such a pristine environment for the artist’s works and the gift shop earrings are so beautiful (buy tickets online in advance)

-See the animals at the Barcelona Zoo – a nice way for the kids to let off some steam too

-Take a train to Figueres to see the Dali Museum – one of the highlights of our trip buy tickets online in advance)

-Get a delicious fruit drink at the La Boqueria off of La Rambla – maybe purchase some chocolate strawberries, meats, and cheeses too

-See the Mercat Santa Caterina too – another beautiful display of edible delights

In terms of restaurants, UltimateMama suggests the following:

Cal Pep – if you don’t have a reservation you can wait a bit to eat tapas at the bar while talking to the chefs.

Gocce di latte for gelato — go after Cal Pep (in Gothic Quarter)

El Cangrejo Loco was walkable from Hotel Arts and offers some of the best seafood paella in the city (make a reservation)

Internet Safety/Supervision and Your Caregiver’s Role

By Kristen J. Duca

Sept17-InternetSafetyArticle-SI Parent-KDuca

As a parent you should make sure your childcare provider supervises your children at all times, no matter their age. Additionally, if you allow technology around your children it is critical that you stress the importance of your childcare provider being nearby to monitor the usage.

Children of all ages need adult supervision, and that is what you are paying a childcare provider for each day. Tell the childcare provider that it is unacceptable for her to leave your child unsupervised. One quick lapse of judgment may result in harmful consequences. Children can be very quick. The caregiver needs to exercise good judgment and make sure she watches your child at all times.

It is also important to note that you will want to communicate to the caregiver the importance of supervising all online or Internet communications. If the older child has to finish a homework assignment, the caregiver should carefully monitor the child’s progress and make sure he or she does not veer to an unsafe or inappropriate website.  Internet safety tips for both your caregiver and your children may include the following:

• Never share personal information (the child should not share his or her name, age, address, phone number, e-mail, pictures, gender, activities, clubs, or school online).
• Do not share log-in details or passwords.
• Do not click on pop-ups (especially inappropriate messages, pictures, and advertisements).
• Understand that once something is posted online it will not go away (including comments, pictures, and so on). So it is important to resist the temptation of posting online as things may come back to haunt the child (innocent or not).
• Know that not everything one reads online is true.
• Realize that when in doubt or danger in an online capacity, the child should always ask an adult for assistance.
• Be respectful online, and be mindful of cyberbullying, unpleasant tone, and gossip.
• Never arrange to meet online “friends” in person, as the child could be put in a highly dangerous situation.

Your caregiver should also realize that the Internet is a powerful tool, and never post pictures, messages, or comments about your family online. Communicate that you want your family’s privacy respected and not to mix your family’s personal business with social media interests.

Obviously, there are many advantages of the Internet, but it is important to teach your child and remind your caregiver to avoid the pitfalls.

If your family is comfortable with the caregiver and child using the Internet together, perhaps suggest they work on a long-term project that the whole family can enjoy. One idea is to have them take digital pictures of the child’s old art projects and create a photo album of the artwork that can be printed and ordered as a keepsake. Another idea is to gather all of the child’s favorite recipes and create a family cookbook.

Using technology can be educational, valuable, and fun…..as long as it is done in a safe manner!

By Kristen Duca, author of “Ultimate Nanny:  How to Find, Interview, and Manage the Most Important Person You Will Ever Hire – Your Child’s Nanny” available on amazon.com.  Kristen and her husband are the parents of two girls in New York City. She blogs at ultimatemama.com.

Sept17-InternetSafetyArticle-SI Parent-KDuca

http://www.siparent.com/digital-magazine-september-2017/

Child Care for older children

By Kristen J. Duca

08-2017 Manhattan Family article KD Child Care for Older Children

I am sure you can remember a time in adolescence when you challenged parental authority, thus showing your desire for independence. The age when parents feel comfortable leaving a child alone is quite personal and varies on a family-to-family basis. It not only depends on the maturity level of the child but also on the environment the child is growing up in. However, some parents with older children feel they need the security of a childcare provider to help them during after-school hours. Those parents who work may need a full-time childcare provider to help the child get off to school in a timely manner and to be there for any school closings, holidays, vacations, or schedule changes.

As you analyze your childcare needs for older children, please ask yourself the following questions:

• Can my child get to school with us or by himself/herself?
• Would a chaperone be a great asset to our household?
• What is our family plan for school closures (scheduled holidays and vacations as well as unscheduled snow days, illnesses, or other surprise issues)?
• Does my child go directly to after-school activities that he or she can walk to, or is a helper needed to get him or her safely from one place to another?
• Does my child need help or encouragement with completing homework assignments, or is my child self-sufficient?
• Could my older child benefit from having a buddy or a mentor?

Some parents hire a nanny or sitter for older children just to give their children companionship and themselves piece of mind. Because a caregiver to an older child does not have to be burdened with diaper changes, feedings, or tummy time, parents may want to consider hiring someone the child respects yet can view as a friendly authority figure. Ask any potential childcare candidates if they have experience taking care of older children. Additionally, make sure they are comfortable with taking older children to school and various activities in addition to supervising them in the home.

Parents should clearly define the caregiver’s roles and perhaps even discuss caregiver responsibilities with the older child so that everyone is on the same page. Together, the parent and child could come up with a road map detailing how the caregiver’s hours are spent. This way, the older child feels a sense of independence for acting as a critical member of the caregiver selection process and may not be as resistant to an extra household helper.

Some caregiver’s responsibilities you may want to consider and evaluate when interviewing a caregiver for your older child are listed below:

Homework Help

• Is the caregiver willing and able to monitor the child’s completion of his/her homework each day/night?
• Will the caregiver teach the child good homework habits? Here are examples of habits to teach:

1. Completing assignments in a quiet place without distractions like phones or electronic devices

2. Focusing on the task at hand with short study breaks (complete with healthy snacks) when needed

3. Managing stress when solutions do not come easily

• Can the caregiver review the child’s work for errors or suggestions?
• Can the caregiver quiz the child for upcoming tests?

After-School Transporting

• Will the caregiver be able to get the child to and from school and extracurricular activities in a safe and timely manner?
• Does the caregiver drive?
• Is the caregiver comfortable using various means of public transportation with your child (buses, trains, subways, ferries, and so on)?
• Is the caregiver willing to walk with your child to and from school or activities?
• Does the caregiver know the geographic area you live in well?
• Can the caregiver follow street directions accurately?
• Will the caregiver ensure your child gets to his or her destinations safely and on time?

Other Chores

• While the child is at school or busy with an activity, will the caregiver tackle household chores such as light cleaning, dusting, vacuuming, and laundry?
• If the child selected some quick, easy, and healthy recipes, would the caregiver be able to make them for lunch or dinner?
• If you provide the funding, will the caregiver run household errands such as picking up the family’s laundry at the dry cleaners, returning library books, dropping off packages at the post office, selecting birthday gifts, or picking up groceries while the child is not at home?

Creative Activities

• Does the caregiver have ideas of creative activities to engage the child in when there is a lull in the schedule, including exposing him or her to something new? (Examples include knitting/crocheting, cooking, playing music, making art projects, visiting museums, building models, and so on.)
• Parents may want to purchase inexpensive and easy craft projects or a craft idea book to keep in the home for the caregiver and child to do together.

Extracurricular Activities

•  Can the caregiver keep the child off of electronic devices by encouraging him or her to read, play a board or card game, or engage in a healthy physical activity?
• Will the caregiver engage in sports with the child?

New York-based working mother Kristen Duca and her husband are the parents of two girls. She has worked in the financial services industry for two decades in addition to serving as a contributing writer for New York area publications.  She is the author of “Ultimate Nanny:  How to Find, Interview, and Manage the Most Important Person You Will Ever Hire – Your Child’s Nanny” available on amazon.com now.

08-2017 Manhattan Family article KD Child Care for Older Children

http://www.nyparenting.com/assets/print/manhattan/2017_08_mf.pdf

UltimateMama needed a new summer centerpiece for her dining table this year and wanted something simple, elegant, and modern.  Additionally, she wanted to create it with materials around the house to keep the cost down and wanted her girls involved in the process.  After a 15 minute tour of her craft supply UltimateMama selected the following:

– A glass cube from a flower arrangement that was sent to her earlier in the year

– A bouquet of artificial silk white roses from a bridesmaid’s floral arrangement at UltimateMama’s wedding years ago

– Shells in various sizes and shapes that were bleached/cleaned from last summer

The result:  a fabulous, long lasting, beautiful centerpiece that already received many compliments.  So many in fact that UltimateMama made 2 of them for her long table!

UltimateMama loves entertaining by throwing small BBQs all summer long!  Food is important of course but so are myriad activities such as swimming in the pool, badminton, foosball, and ping pong.  However, UltimateMama knows that some kids like to “take a break” after all the excitement so she always sets up a fun outdoor craft station complete with materials to make friendship bracelets, shell napkin rings, and necklaces.  UltimateMama’s crowd pleasing craft station often includes the following:

– beads in all shapes and colors (some fun jingle bell beads too as well as alphabet beads)

– strings in various colors and lengths (elastic too)

– friendship bracelet kit (find many brands on www.amazon.com)

– small shells (UltimateMama finds them with little holes which make them ideal for beading projects)

– special charms to add a “wow” factor to the jewelry (teddy bears, emojis, hearts, puppies, kitty cats, sandals, balls, ballet slippers)

And, make sure you put pretty hydrangeas in a vase in the middle of the table to make it more inviting!

UltimateMama tries her best to use any dinner leftovers for lunch the next day. That way she can spend more quality time building sandcastles in the summertime with her kids! A nutritious and easy lunch with last night’s grilled chicken and vegetables (roasted red peppers, green peppers, and onions) was UltimateMama’s delicious open faced avocado toast!  To make:

– Toast 2 slices of thinly sliced wheat bread

– Place sliced avocado on the toast

– Top with roasted vegetables and grilled chicken

UltimateMama likes to serve it with blueberries, peppers, cucumbers, and a few chips on the side!

UltimateMama’s children created an incredibly easy and delicious dessert this weekend using 3 ingredients:  marshmallows, one chocolate bar (milk or dark), colored sprinkles!  To do:

Melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in 10 second intervals

Put sprinkles in a shallow dish

Take a marshmallow and dip it in the melted chocolate then quickly dip it in the sprinkles.

Set on a plate and enjoy!

UltimateMama has the perfect gift idea for your favorite camper at sleep away camp this summer – Confetti & Friends autographed pillow. The Camp Friends Forever pillow comes complete with a fabric pen. Memories will last forever!  Additionally, Roberta Roller Rabbit’s sleepover bags make great bunk comforters when they are unzipped.  What child doesn’t love Roberta Roller Rabbit’s cute little blue dogs on their bed?

Every Spring UltimateMama and her girls head to The Metropolitan Museum of Art on Manhattan’s Upper East Side to check out the annual costume exhibit.  This year’s exhibit featuring Rei Kawakubo did not disappoint!  People of all ages will appreciate the beautiful designs, colors, and styles.