Long Island Parent Talk

The debate over how mothers feed their newborns is back in the news, with World Breastfeeding Week starting Wednesday.

The designation commemorates the Innocenti Declaration made by the World Health Organization and UNICEF policy makers in August 1990 to protect, promote and support breast-feeding. According to UNICEF's State of the World's Children Report 2011, 136.7 million babies are born...

The summer Olympics in London this week and next offer a great opportunity to emphasize math with your kids, says Laura Overdeck, a New Jersey mother of three and founder of "Bedtime Math."

Overdeck offers these ways to seize the opportunity:

1. Have your own Olympic-style race outside. Use a stopwatch to time each family member and then compare times to see who finished fastest.

2....

Whether you're hitting the beach, taking a vacation or spending time in your backyard this summer, it's important to encourage your kids to keep reading. It not only prepares them for the start of the school year, but it's also an activity you can share together.

Renee McGrath, manager of youth services for the Nassau Library System based in Uniondale, provided these tips to motivate your...

Wake Forest University has put out an article for parents called “Make the Most of a College Campus Visit This Summer.” What cracked me up more than the university’s Top 10 list of what to do when visiting a campus was the Top 10 list of what not to do.

As the stepparent of a high school senior and parent of a junior, I’ve been embarking full-throttle on the college-campus-visit-whirlwind...

Who is stealing cookies from local bakeries? Cookie Monster, of course! In the new iPhone and iPad app, The Great Cookie Thief, children and adults alike will enjoy the tale based on the 1977 "Sesame Street" book by Emily Perl Kingsley and illustrated by Michael Smollin.

The interactive version is set in an Old West town and encourages kids to piece together the clues and use evidence...

Has your child or teen lost a loved one? Perhaps he or she would benefit from Camp Erin, a free weekend experience for children ages 6 to 17 that combines traditional camp activities with grief education and emotional support, facilitated by grief professionals.

Campers are comforted knowing other children have experienced similar situations and understand what they are going through, says...

On a recent trip to BJ’s, the elder of the two cookie monsters in our home was eyeing some chocolate chip cookies in the bakery department. But because the cookies were made in a facility that uses peanuts, we had to pass because our son is severely allergic to them.

So I was cautiously optimistic when I received an email from the folks at Skeeter Snacks, a company that makes nut-free cookies....

"How to Train Your Dragon Live Spectacular" from DreamWorks Animation is coming to Nassau Coliseum on Aug. 2-5. If you haven't bought tickets yet, no worries. Here's a great deal I stumbled upon:

You can get tickets for half price ($14 instead of $28) at Travelzoo.com. Simply click on the link here and be sure to choose the Travelzoo offer when purchasing. You'll find tickets for...

If you're looking for something to do with the kids this summer, you won't want to miss the Long Island Children's Museum's class, Music and Movement, which features musical instruments and kids' favorite songs.

Now through August, there will be special guests at some of the classes, which are held at 11:30 a.m. every Wednesday and Friday.

On Friday, July 27 and Friday, August 3, Darlene...

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

1. Hear It! See It! Draw It! at the Nassau County Museum of Art (1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor). At 10 a.m. on Friday, children ages 3-5 and their families...