Long Island Parent Talk

"Draw a baby panda bear," I ordered Harrison.

Within minutes, he rendered one in pencil as he lay on our living room floor.

"Draw mushrooms," I asked next.

The 8-year-old boy got to work, and after a few minutes, didn't fail to impress.

He had "Draw 50" (Watson Gulhill, $9.99 each) to thank, a classic series of instructional books by our late...

Children's books are a staple in our home as my 15-month-old sometimes chooses them over her toys. Recently, two books featuring popular dog breeds caught my daughter's attention — and mine.

"Pugs in a Bug," by Carolyn Crimi and illustrated by Stephanie Buscema (Dial; $16.99) is a fun rhyming adventure that follows six adorable pugs on their way to the Pooch Parade. The VW Bug, packed...

When Meghan Latini was born with Down syndrome, mom Marianne hoped Meghan's peers would include her in their world — but she never imagined they would one day vote Meghan Huntington High School prom queen.

Meghan and her boyfriend, fellow senior Brendan Higgins, who also has Down syndrome, won queen and king by a landslide: The members of the senior class of 2012 crowned the couple royalty...

Looking for things to do with the kids this weekend? From classic performances to nature walks and water play, there's so much to do on Long Island. Here are my top five picks for fun, family-friendly activities this weekend:

1. Goldilocks and the Three Bears at the Long Island Children's Museum (11 Davis Ave., Garden City). This classic children's story comes to life as Goldilocks takes a...

The Atlantic has become the latest magazine to print a cover story that’s generating a frenzy of how-to-parent opinions (remember the Time magazine breastfeeding cover in May?). “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All” by Anne-Marie Slaughter in the July/August issue of The Atlantic describes Slaughter’s experience of reluctantly stepping down from a high-level State Department position to teach at Princeton...

It was one of those truly perfect days after a spate of rain showers. The sun glowed bright, but a breeze off Huntington Harbor made everyone giddy.

The event, my son's school's annual Beach Day, allows only a small group of executive PTA members there to serve lunch. Before I got appointed to the board, I would sit at work each year sad that I couldn't be there to smile as I served my son...

In my ongoing quest to find tasty kid-friendly meals for you that are healthy and appropriate for the whole family, this week I tried a different take on traditional macaroni and cheese in my test kitchen. I found the recipe in "Green Eggs and Ham Cookbook: Recipes inspired by Dr. Seuss!," by Georgeanne Brennan (Random House; $16.95).

THE DISH: Cat's Mac and Cheese (Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients...

It's no secret that having a baby is expensive, but did you know the cost of raising a child from birth to age 17 is about $287,000, according to a recent USDA report? This represents a 25 percent increase over the past 10 years, thanks to the rising cost of groceries and medical care. And this cost doesn't factor in expenses associated with pregnancy and delivery.

The good news is there are...

Hoth Chocolate, Jedi Juice Pops and Clone Scones are just a few of the recipes in the newly published "Star Wars Cookbook: Wookiee Pies, Clone Scones, and Other Galactic Goodies" (Chronicle, $22.99). The cookbook comes with cookie cutters shaped like Darth Vader, Yoda and R2-D2.

We tried the incredibly simple Yoda Soda, which called for three limes, three tablespoons of sugar, a...

While parents these days want to find enticing and enriching programs for their children to participate in over the summer, they should be careful not to overbook the kids -- leave ample time for plain old play, says Madeline Levine, who has written a new book called “Teach Your Children Well: Parenting for Authentic Success” (Harper Collins, $25.99).

Kids need time to climb trees, chase fireflies,...