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My 8-year-old wants to make things with lights and switches. Some fall classes use impressive-looking kits, but I can't tell whether kids get to change anything or just copy the picture. What would yo…
My 6-year-old wants violin lessons this fall. I started looking at rentals and somehow ended up with a list of cases, rests, books and accessories I don't understand. What would you leave until meetin…
My 8-year-old likes swimming but is fed up with being put in the same group again. I can see improvement, though I don't really know what I'm looking at. Before booking fall lessons, how do I ask whet…
We're looking at a few private high schools and I haven't finished checking what each one wants. My 13-year-old is willing to do some prep, but I don't want to buy two courses because I'm disorganized…
My 5-year-old will tell me everything that's wrong, in detail, but goes silent with an adult she doesn't know. I'm picturing a lost lunchbox or not knowing where to put her coat. We have a few weeks b…
My preschooler asks to paint all the time, but won't put a finger in anything messy. The fall art classes I'm seeing seem very hands-on, literally. I don't want to pay for an hour of somebody trying t…
My 12-year-old showed me messages making fun of another child before school has even started. They weren't writing the comments, but they were in the chat. I want an adult to know without turning my k…
We tried a dance taster and my 3-year-old spent most of it running over to make sure I was still there. She liked the music, just not being across the room from me. Would you choose a class we do toge…
My 7-year-old can tell a whole story, but writing a few lines is slow and frustrating. I'm not asking anyone here to diagnose it. I'm trying to understand who to talk to before buying a term of writin…
My 3yo sings through breakfast and makes a drum out of everything. I keep seeing music-and-movement groups, instrument sampler classes and actual lessons. We just want a nice fall activity, not a tiny…
We're looking at a Reggio-inspired pre-K and they said projects can run for weeks. I like the idea, but I'm used to seeing something come home in a bag. If there aren't many finished pictures, how do …
My 11-year-old wants to try Spanish or French this fall. The beginner classes I'm finding seem aimed at little kids, while the older groups already know loads. How do you judge whether a mixed-level c…
We're considering a Montessori classroom for fall. My 4-year-old likes being around older children, but often gives up a toy or idea as soon as somebody bigger wants it. Is there something specific we…
My 13-year-old has been working through a hand-me-down SHSAT book. Now I'm hearing about another change to the test and wondering whether we're practicing the wrong way. I don't want to bin useful mat…
A forest preschool option sounds lovely for my 3yo, who would happily spend all morning looking at sticks. I'm less clear on wet socks, changing clothes and getting to a toilet. What practical details…
I thought booking August camp meant the summer was handled. Now I'm noticing different finishing dates and some weeks that seem shorter than others. We're looking in Queens and I need actual daytime c…
My 17-year-old has started an essay draft. There are bits I don't understand and bits I'd definitely phrase differently, but he gets annoyed when I even look at the document. How are other parents hel…
I'm comparing fall activities around Astoria for my 12-year-old. A couple start shortly after dismissal, but they're not in the school building. The class sounds good; the gap between school and class…
We're getting ready for preschool and the bathroom part is worrying me more than learning names or finding the cubby. My 3-year-old usually knows when to go, but wet clothes are a whole production. Ho…
My 4yo starts pre-K in September and barely naps anymore. If she sleeps in the afternoon, bedtime goes on forever. I'm not expecting the teachers to build a whole different day around her, but what ca…