[-]Looking for recommendations for a great photographer that you have used in the past. Looking to take some photos of 3 & 6 year old dc. TIA
12 replies [ Reply | Watch | Options ]www.shuttersistersimages.com and jordan elyse - both were great.
[ Reply | Options ]www.polinanezvankina.com - was able to get many good shots of all 4 kids together - my kids (9,8,5 &1) liked her and had fun even.
[ Reply | Options ]Jodie Love--she was photo editor at Time Out Kids. We used her once. jodielove@gmail.com.
[ Reply | Options ]Melanie Wesslock www.melaniewesslock.net Took shots in Central Park and made a video montage of the photos too--loved it all.
[ Reply | Options ]http://www.obrienpictures.com/ he is quirky and has a distinctive look, but we always get great shots of the kids
[ Reply | Options ]we use http://bluelilyphotography.com/index2.php whenever they come to town (they are based out of california). i think they will be back in the spring. such a fun shoot and such great shots. they have a good eye and do something with their photos that really make the colors pop. we love them.
[ Reply | Options ]Danny Goldfield - he takes the best pictures of kids that I've ever seen: http://www.nychildren.org/
[ Reply | Options ]- [ Removed by moderator ] [ Options ]
- [ Removed by moderator ] [ Options ]
[-]I need a recommendation for a good place for a company holiday party in NYC.
1 reply [ Reply | Watch | Options ]
[-]DS bombed coding but the rest of ERB was great (and overall 95). Will the coding prob prevent us from TT?
35 replies [ Reply | Watch | Options ]My DD bombed coding too and overall got a 98 and PSD said to write off TT girl's schools. We ended up not applying anywhere anyway, but would have taken her advice.
[ Reply | Options ]wow, i guess there's no hope for my dd although i find it hard to believe that so much rides on coding. what score do you consider bombing?
[ Reply | Options ]I think she got like a 99/something crazy like 70 or 80 something/98, which I thought was statistically impossible, but because they weigh the verbal and she apparently got all of her verbal answers in the correct range, she managed to pull off a 98 overall. Her write up was great too. It could be that the PSD was trying to save us from real disappointment, since this was pre-application. It wasn't enough of a gap to make us think about evaluation, but a few points more and we would have...
[ Reply | Options ]
really? our PSD said to write off coding and schools don't care, at least for boys, as long as all of the other categories of performance are good.
[ Reply | Options ]That's what she told us. The performance scores shocked us. The verbal scores seemed to reflect who she was pretty well and the narrative was spot on. I was pretty amazed that the tester got her so well. It may be that the PSD didn't want to have to work on our exmissions since we seemed so ambivalent about the whole thing. This made it easier for her too...
[ Reply | Options ]np; well, at girls schools, most girls who score 99 and 98 also do well in coding, and they expect girls to have advanced fine motor skills to be able to pull off coding part. They ask girls to hop on one foot and walk up the stairs, etc. So they do care. But what were the other perfomance section scores? I can't believe you'd get 70/80 from one bombed coding.
[ Reply | Options ]Honestly can't remember - some were high and one was a 63. I wish I could remember which one - clearly not one that was weighed particularly heavily.
[ Reply | Options ]Then coding was not the only subtest she got below 90. I think TTs were out also because of the spread. 20 pt spread would trigger a red flag for possible LD.
[ Reply | Options ]Right -- some are weighted more heavily. DS got mid-60s in the coding but still got low 90s on performance b/c high 90s in every other subtest.
[ Reply | Options ]
your psd gave you this advice, not because your dd bombed one subtest but because she had a low overall performance score. my dc completely bombed a performance subtest but the overall performance score was still pretty high. didn't make any difference to the schools and no one asked about it.
[ Reply | Options ]
Anyone kind enough to explain what happens during the "coding" part of the test? What are they asked to code?
[ Reply | Options ]I think you should do a search on "coding." Last year everyone thought coding was the least important subset and lots of boys get low scores because of their fine motor skills.
[ Reply | Options ]wow... this is the first time I've heard that a low score on coding could be an issue?? DD scored well on almost everything (99x3 overall) except coding (got 75). Would TT really ding her for having one low subset? jeezus - who *DOES* get into TTs??
[ Reply | Options ]
[-]Please recommend a dermatologist on the UWS who takes United.
3 replies [ Reply | Watch | Options ]
[-]Am I the only one here who went to HM as a kid and loved it? I was really hurt they did not take my DC for nursery. I thought HM was a terrific school. I met plenty of snotty kids, but also some very nice ones.
29 replies [ Reply | Watch | Options ]I loved the education and my friends, but not the general social scene. We have a toddler -- interesting to hear about a legacy getting dinged. Ouch. I guess it's because over the past few years they've had no room for anyone but sibs and legacies, so they changed the policy.
[ Reply | Options ]the few adults I know well that went there all have no interest in sending their dcs there. When I was considering applying for dc they let me know they would think twice about it
[ Reply | Options ]Thanks so much for your post! Am a bit surprised that they wouldn't take a multiple legacy. Did your child have a bad playdate? Did they give you any feedback? We're currently applying and it's our FC. Our DC did not have a terrific playdate but I think was within the confines of normal behavior for a 2 year old. Just have no idea what they are looking for at these playdates. Where did your child ultimately end up? Once again, many thanks for your input.
[ Reply | Options ]I think he was ok at the playdate but not stellar. He didn't follow some directions and he tried a little too hard to get attention (put his face in the director's face and made a silly face). Our interview we felt like she was probing to find out if we had a trust fund or something - it was weird. He ended up at Heschel, which is a nice school.
[ Reply | Options ]np: I think for HM to try to maintain its "toughest most competetive academic environment in nyc" reputation, they can't afford to simply accept sibs and legacies that they believe aren't going to cut it. i think though that they should handle it better, maybe encourage you to reconsider an application at K when they might have a slightly better feel for your dc.
[ Reply | Options ]
HEy, you know what? I think you (and more importantly, your son) are far better off! I wasn't overly impressed with HM....
[ Reply | Options ]I went to HM as a kid (started in 7th though) and I wouldn't say that I loved it although my best friends in the world are still from there. A ton of my friends came through from nursery and they did love it. I find that when you start a school from nursery - 12 that you become much more indoctrinated by the school then when you come later. But it was a GREAT education and unbelievable network to this day. All my friends who went there send their kids there. My one friend who's kids didn't get in were also a 4x legacy. Shocked us all.
[ Reply | Options ]We are in same boat: my DH and sibs went to HM, plus we were/are well-connected (with family members spending time on the financial board many years ago). Didn't get in last year. However, to be fair, we haven't really be active alums. We just lost track. If we really really want it, we would have to become more involved.
[ Reply | Options ]
[-]What is the name of the party store on 14th Street, between 5th & 6th I think? TIA
1 reply [ Reply | Watch | Options ]
[-]Honesty, can someone please explain why it is that if you have a boy it is OK to "bomb" coding, but with a girl somehow this is not true? I just do not understand why it is that there are these qualifications for boys.
2 replies [ Reply | Watch | Options ]In either case, it is acceptabe not to ace coding. Coding btw was not devloped as a measure of fine motor skills (although it helps to have them), but as a measure of memory and processing speed, among another things. Being able to work speedily does nto necessarily imply intelligence.
[ Reply | Options ]
[-]At what age do you think my two dc should start having separate baths? ds is 2 yrs older than dd.
3 replies [ Reply | Watch | Options ]
[-]We went to a "headmaster coffee" -- do I have to send a letter after that? Do I sent it to Headmaster or DOA? Does it matter if I'm late in sending? These letters are exhausting -- I can't keep up.
2 replies [ Reply | Watch | Options ]
[-]HELP...after coming in late for the second time in a week my nanny just said "I'm so sorry, my medication has been making me oversleep -- I told you I have bipolar disorder right?" Honestly what would you do? I have visions of Britney Spears in my head
48 replies [ Reply | Watch | Options ]-
OP - I have to say I don't know a lot about bipolar but it comepletely freaked me out when she said that as though it was in passing conversation. All I care about is my kids safety
[ Reply | Options ]-
If you think she's been great, maybe discuss your concerns with her (it's obviously been affecting her work) and request a note from her doctor commenting on whether he/she feels she is safe to work with children?
[ Reply | Options ]OP - She is actually moving home in a month so I am looking for someone but I'm worried about the next month - trying to decide if I just get rid of her and try to wing it and figure something out for now fortunately I'm already looking
[ Reply | Options ]ita. There are degrees of this disorder in terms of the functionality of the person. The fact that she is responsibly taking her medications is a good sign. They can produce lethargy, and that's not her fault, though she may need to compensate for that by taking them at a different time of day (or night, depending). I would talk to her honestly and then ask her for a note from her doctor addressing your concerns.
[ Reply | Options ]
The bipolar wouldn't bother me as much as her being late twice in one week just four months after she started.
[ Reply | Options ]I would let her go. I have dealt with people like this and they can be very unpredictable.
[ Reply | Options ]"people like this" c'mon, lady. this illness can be severe; it can be relatively mild; and it can be controlled with proper medication. You should not stigmatize and generalize in this manner unless you know the details. And no, I do not suffer from this condition but I do work in the mental health field and know what I am talking about. Please don't perpetuate these stereotypes.
[ Reply | Options ]I know more than you think. I have been on medication for some psychological problems and at one time they thought I did have it. I think your post refers more to you then to me b/c I actually know what I am talking about. I also know a couple of people who have this so I am not saying it just to say it. Also unless you have ever had a problem like this and have been on medication (which it doesn't sound like you have) maybe you shouldn't judge people you don't know either. It worries me when you respond so nasty and then say you work in mental health, want to lie some more?
[ Reply | Options ]np: i think you sound pretty nasty. The OR tried to defend "people like this"- and I know what I am talking about. I do work in the mental health field AND have my own mental problems. The Or is right you should not stigmatize and generalize, it does a disservice to "people like this" - that is me and you...
[ Reply | Options ]
I know that mental illness is a protected class. Not sure what that means for this type of situation, but I would be sure to document other reasons for letting her go
[ Reply | Options ]BFF is biploar, and depresion runs in my family. I am surprised at the ignorance and prejudice expressed by (almost) all on this thread. And the "fact" that you are "protecting" your kids doesn't excuse it (any more than saying you are all for racial equality so long as a slave descendant doesn't touch your kid). You'd also race to fire alcoholics? gays? and you'd never hire a male nanny? You should be ashamed of yourselves.
[ Reply | Options ]-
I cannot believe that you are comparing bipolar disorder with dismissing someone for their gender, race, or sexuality - or really even depression. Are you kidding me??? No of those things affects someone's ability to care for a child. Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that is extremely unpredictable (even when the person is taking their meds) and is an entirely different story. My mother was bipolar and totally unfit! There were days when she couldn't get around to feeding us when we were too little to feed ourselves, she was also extremely moody, verbally abusive, and neglectful. I could go on, but instead just want to urge OP to protect her children. This is a very serious, very unpredictable disease.
[ Reply | Options ]Your examples on gender, race, or sexual orientation make sense. And yes, I would fire an alcoholic.
[ Reply | Options ]
-
ex-husband is bi-polar. I can't stand when dd is with him. She tells me of his road rage incidents, how he gives people the finger and screams/swears at them. He flies off the handle with me all the time for no reason(divorced more than 10 yrs, so why so much anger anymore??). It is incredibly sad. He doesnt like being on the meds because they "dull" him down. Needless to say, from my personal experience, I would not want someone with that disease (yes it is a disease)in charge of my child, especially toddler/baby. I also know of others with the disorder who have alcohol/drug problems because they are not able to control the disorder. It is incredibly sad...
[ Reply | Options ]OP - I am really trying to take it in and not be prejudice but I think what bothers me most is that this is how I'm finding out about it. I've trusted this person to take care of my child who is without a doubt the most important person in the world to me and I think I've also been nothing but kind to our nanny so while I'm attempting to be openminded although I know little about her condition it doesn't seem right to me that it was never worth mentioning to me. I can understand if you have an office job that there is no need to share information like this with your co-workers, but when you come into someone's home and life and are involved with their children its a bit unsettling.
[ Reply | Options ]what if she were diabetic? its possible that if she didn't control her blood sugar levels adequately, she would get woozy or at worst pass out. This can happen even when the diabetic person is very careful. would that be cause to fire her? would you expect her to tell you in an interview that she was diabetic?
[ Reply | Options ]I think when you are working with someone's children or in someone's home, it is responsible to be up front about these things in the hiring process. I have 2 family members who are bipolar and DH is a psychiatrist and while there is a wide range of functionality, I would have trouble with someone as the primary care giver to a young child, especially if it involved taking them places, etc. If it were a teacher in a school where a principal knew about it and kept tabs on it, etc., I would be fine with it. Most bipolar people I know have someone int he work place who monitors them and is able to tell them when their medication seems to stop working (ad you enter different cycles, meds stop working and need to be adjusted by psychiatrist)....
[ Reply | Options ]
I would not allow a person with a diagnosed mental illness to have unsupervised care of my children. Other jobs, sure. This is not discrimination, IMO, just good risk management.
[ Reply | Options ]I can pretty much guarantee you that some day you will be leaving your children with a friend, relative, teacher, or whatever who is taking anti-depressants or anti-anxiety meds or whatever. there are DEGREES of all mental illness. B/c this woman has been diagnosed as bipolar does not, on the face of it, make her any more or less responsible for child care than someone who is just "depressed" according to their Upper East Side shrink. OP seems reasonable and cares for the caregiver. She should have an open discussion, express her concerns, and ask for a doctor's assessment if that is warranted.
[ Reply | Options ]
-
[-]We are having a babysitter come for 20 hours (sleepover from 8 p.m. one night until 4 p.m. the next day) on a weekend. How much should we pay her? TIA.
13 replies [ Reply | Watch | Options ]
[-]If private NYC ongoing PS was not going to renew my child's contract to continue into K when would they have the conversation with me? What would it sound like? Starting to get concerned.TIA
1 reply [ Reply | Watch | Options ]
[-]Do private schools want to see your SB score? ERB was high 90s and the SB is exactly the same in terms of percentile. Does this add anything if it is the same and both are fine?
4 replies [ Reply | Watch | Options ]-
[-]I am dreading spending Thanksgiving with my SIL - or actually with her DD. The child is completely unpleasant and, although she is almost 5, acts like a 2 yr old - with constant temper tantrums, whining, etc. My SIL and MIL think that everything she does is adorable and their lives revolve around constantly photographing her, laughing at her misbehavior and satisfying her demands, which must be done immediately or she will pitch a fit. At family functions, we're all expected to dote on her and admire her constantly. She has no bedtime so we are never free of the little tyrant. I am really dreading getting together but not sure what to do. Any advice?
10 replies [ Reply | Watch | Options ]-
-
-
OP - I have a baby. I also have a number of good friends with young children with whom I have spent tons of time (including weeklong vacations). All of these children are better behaved than my SIL's child. I expect kids to be rambunctious, to test limits, to misbehave, to be loud, etc. But she is very rude and treats her mother and grandparents like garbage - and no one says anything.
[ Reply | Options ]
-
-
well no matter what, you will have to spend time with tyrant baby sooner or later so i would just go. just make a stern face when dd is annoying, so they can tell you're dissatisfied, but don't be super obvious. cuz it sounds like grandma and SIL will complain to DH about any non-lavishing of attention to the kid.
[ Reply | Options ]-
[-]Help!! Deciding between ps 87 and ps 6. Does 87 have two teachers in a class through 5th grade. I think Ps 6 does.
6 replies [ Reply | Watch | Options ]-
[-]I am in a cooking rut! Have 2 young dc (5&3) and want to expand my repertoire. From where do you get your dinner ideas? Websites, magazines, your wonderfully creative mind??? Would love it if leftovers could serve as lunch at school as well.
6 replies [ Reply | Watch | Options ]-
You know, I just tried her citrus chicken recipe the other day and it was totally blah. She kept talking about how "clean" and refreshing the taste was, etc...but it so clean it tasted like regular roasted chicken. For me, I think about my favorite restaurants and jump on line to find a recipe similar to the restaurant dish. Ina's recipes are not going to be great for little kids--she still cooks like she's got an audience at the White House.
[ Reply | Options ]Giada is bland. Personally, I love asian dishes. Really flavorful and variety in terms of texture and ingredients. If you stock your home with ginger, garlic, scallions, soy sauce, chinese cooking wine + sesame oil you can pretty much whip up any chinese dish. A great book to try: chen kinichi (he was one of the iron chefs). I love chinese noodle dishes. I save leftover for lunch the next day.
[ Reply | Options ]
-
[-]IT FINALLY HAPPENED. I brought cupcakes to my daughter's 6th birthday at school, and a little boy asked, is that your mom or your grandma. It wouldn't even have been quite as bad (though still awful) if my dd had not been there. She said defensively, that's my mommy! He said, oh because she looks kindof like a grandma. I am 45 but stress had made me look older for sure. And I have a 4 year old! Being a granny mom is HORRIBLE. How do I put it behind me, since this will only continue and no turning back now?
27 replies [ Reply | Watch | Options ]Have you let yourself go? Maybe a haircut and some Olay Regenerist or something would help.
[ Reply | Options ]No, I have not let myself go, I get my hair cut and colored every 4 weeks, dress "youthful", etc. But I have had a pretty hard life in many ways and have various enormous stressors, it shows, I have aged about 20 years in looks in the last 8 years. I
[ Reply | Options ]I'm really not sure what I can do about it, those injections are so expensive and require upkeep, I look REALLY old, no wrinkles but much worse than that, skin that sags so you'd never guess my age (which isn't young anyway). I just don't want my kids always being asked why their mom is so old, I could deal with it better if it were just my thing, but don't want them to be humiliated.
[ Reply | Options ]np: every kid is embarrassed of their parents for some reason. i really, really would not worry so much about your kids being humiliated--this would happen even if you were twenty years younger. moms will always be too old, too young, too fat, too thin, obnoxious, too shy... you can't win. how old you look is the least important part of being a good mom!
[ Reply | Options ]thanks. My dh's parents were 21 and 23 when he was born. He said his mom was always talking about how much younger they were than other parents, and he never thought of them that way--they were just his parents. The reality is this is my issue--I really really wanted to have kids younger but it did not happen. IT is definitely something I am extremely sensitive and quite unhappy about, though I try not to let it suck all the joy out of my fabulous dcs. For someone who feels differently, the comment might bite less.
[ Reply | Options ]i'm like your dh's parents--i'm really self-conscious about how young i am! i had my son at 23, and i always feel like people see me as a teenage mom. i also try to tell myself that it's just my issue. for a while i tried to "look" older, but then i decided that i was being silly, and i am who i am. we really can't win :)
[ Reply | Options ]
Definitely know how you feel! I agree with previous about gray hair -- definitely makes a huge difference. Also, try not to be so upset by a six year old. Though my son asked me on Tuesday why my butt is so big, and I signed up for Weight Watchers,
[ Reply | Options ]-
I'm really sorry that happened to you. FWIW, when my MIL comes to visit and takes my 5 YO son out, everyone thinks she is his mom! She is fifty-five. There are tons of granny moms in this city, and you should not feel alone. Just think about all the great things that come with age and that you can give to your dd. There are tons of advantages to being a little older, wiser, and more settled!
[ Reply | Options ]Granny mom here. No one has been so horrible to comment on it yet (sorry about that!). Keep up with your hair color, keep your weight in line and wear at least a bit of makeup. I don't think the mid-30s moms have a clue that I am 43.
[ Reply | Options ]thanks. I am literally considering plastic surgery because of the sagging, but can't afford it, and am afraid of looking totally different and just weird, not younger.
[ Reply | Options ]OR - Oops. I actually totally I forgot. I did have my eyelids done a few years ago. That helps a lot. I had one of the top surgeons on the West Coast and I just look the same only 10 years younger. You have to be very very careful about who does the work. I think it was only about $3000. I wouldn't be able to do it in this economy so I'm glad I did it when we were feeling flush. Still, I really do recommend it.
[ Reply | Options ]
-
I've been getting the sitter thing since my first was born. But grandma is a whole other category. It means looking at least 10 years older. Older moms often talk about getting mistaken for the grandma, but I wonder if that is really true. I know quite a few MUCH older fathers who get mistaken, but they are way way older (like 60s) and it is different anyway, I think--not as socially "egregious".
[ Reply | Options ]
Most Watched Posts
- Has anyone with a still 3 YO scored above 142 on the SB?
- What's the funniest, best, worst thing your DC has done on a school interview/playdat...
- My dd (who is almost 2 1/2) weighs 24 pounds, which isn't bad but puts her in the 10%...
- I can't get over the email that NEST's general fund participation rate is less than 1...
Most Popular Topics
- A modest proposal: Since the MS44 building seems to have a bit of room, Anderson shou...
- Any tt alums sending their kids to Manhattan public schools? Please tell me your imp...
- I think i simply care less about education than most people do - I think there is a l...
- do any of you ever worry about having your dc is a constant culture of achievement as...
- I am going to get flamed but here we go, schools process is stressful for everyone no...
- What NYC restaurant would you go to for Thanksgiving dinner with a 3 year old boy?
- Ideas; Advice. My 5 year old brother (yeah, I'm 27 years old, big gap, etc..) was rec...
- Cooking moms: I'd like to make homemade mac 'n cheese tonight. What are your favorite...
UrbanBaby Asks...
Are you or your partner ever naked in front of your children?
Already voted? View Results
Flashback
The Kid's Menu
Video: Cooking With Grandma Gigi
Granddaughter Olivia helps make plantation casserole...
Also:Lunchbox Recipes
School Lunch Obsessive (video)
Make your Own Baby Food
Baby Food Taste-Off
Is it wrong to ask minors to mix martinis?
Can you tell a pregnant boozer to stop?
