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Parenting

Got kids? We’ve got Brooklyn’s best listing of upcoming family-friendly events! Browse our full calendar or use our search bar below to find some fun.

Monday, Dec. 29, 2008

Smartmom in 2008 — anxious as ever

Smartmom: Smartmom looks back on a wild and neurotic year! Comments (2).

Thursday, Dec. 18, 2008

Our exclusive family calendar!

Parenting: All the fun you could be having with your kids. Comment.

Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2008

Special ed preschool saved

Parenting: A renowned special education pre-school in Cobble Hill threatened that was facing imminent closure has been saved — albeit temporarily. Comments (1).

Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2008

Smartmom ‘nails’ it: She’s jealous!

Smartmom: If it’s Tuesday, it must be Smartmom day at BrooklynPaper.com. This week, Smartmom is jealous of her best friend’s daughter’s academic success. Look, Teen Spirit has his own path! She knows that! Comments (4).

Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2008

Where in the world is Teen Spirit?

Smartmom: If it’s Tuesday, it must be Smartmom day at BrooklynPaper.com. This week, Smartmom tries to help a friend with a troubled teen. Comment.

Randy Kaplan rocks Southpaw

Dooley Noted: The world’s foremost authority on puppetry and mime reviews Randy Kaplan’s show at Southpaw on Sunday afternoon. Comment.

Thursday, Dec. 4, 2008

Hey, Hollywood! Turn that noise down!

Dooley Noted: The world’s foremost authority on puppetry and mime takes his great-granddaughter to the movies — and all heck breaks loose. Comment.

Family calendar

Parenting: This week’s fun things to do with your kids. Comment.

Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2008

Giving thanks for Thanksgiving

Smartmom: If it’s Tuesday, it must be Smartmom day at BrooklynPaper.com. This week, Smartmom’s family makes Hepcat feel welcome at the Thanksgiving table — as always. Comments (1).

Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2008

Family calendar

Parenting: This week’s fun things to do with your kids. Comment.

Monday, Nov. 24, 2008

Thinking things through on Thanksgiving

Smartmom: Usually, Tuesday is Smartmom Day at BrooklynPaper.com, but it’s a short week, what with Thanksgiving and all, so we wanted you to start enjoying this week’s column a day early. Happy Thanksgiving! Comments (1).

Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008

Family calendar

Parenting: This week’s fun things to do with your kids. Comment.

Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2008

Turquoise turmoil for OSFO

Smartmom: If it’s Tuesday, it must be Smartmom day at BrooklynPaper.com. This week, the tear-filled final chapter in the saga of the Oh So Feisty One’s turquoise hair. Comments (3).

Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008

Hey, kids: Read!

Parenting: Having trouble getting that whippersnapper to turn off the video games or turn down the iPod? Head to the Brooklyn Museum on Saturday for a good ol’ fashioned form of entertainment: reading! Comment.

Our exclusive family calendar!

Parenting: All the fun you could be having with your kids. Comment.

Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2008

Smartmom isn’t blue about OSFO’s hair

Smartmom: If it’s Tuesday, it must be Smartmom day at BrooklynPaper.com. This week, the Oh So Feisty One colors her hair turquoise — and Smartmom is pleased. Comments (1).

Thursday, Nov. 6, 2008

Our exclusive family calendar!

Parenting: All the fun you could be having with your kids. Comment.

Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008

Teen Spirit falls into the ‘gap’

Smartmom: If it’s Tuesday, it must be Smartmom day at BrooklynPaper.com. This week, Teen Spirit considers taking a year off before college (what? He was planning on GOING to college?). Comment.

Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008

Nobody asked me …

Dooley Noted: The world’s foremost authority on puppetry and mime gives his annual “Nobody asked me, but … ” column. Comments (1).

Our exclusive family calendar!

Parenting: All the fun you could be having with your kids. Comment.

Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2008

Dad is gone, but Smartmom has his car

Smartmom: If it’s Tuesday, it’s Smartmom day on BrooklynPaper.com. This week, Smartmom remembers her dad through his Suburu. Comment.

Thursday, Oct. 23, 2008

Our exclusive family calendar!

Parenting: All the fun you could be having with your kids. Comment.

Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2008

Trey loves a parade!

Dooley Noted: Our columnist previews the annual Halloween Parade in Park Slope. Comment.

Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2008

Smartmom and Hepcat need to get a life

Smartmom: If it’s Tuesday, it’s Smartmom day on BrooklynPaper.com. This week, we learn why Smartmom is not going to be a very good empty nester! Comments (1).

Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008

Our exclusive family calendar

Parenting: Here it is: All the fun you could be having with you and your kids. Comment.

Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2008

Smartmom has no kids to drop off

Smartmom: If it’s Tuesday, it’s Smartmom day on BrooklynPaper.com. This week, Smartmom gets a bit sad to walk past PS 321 and know that she no longer has a kid at that school. Comment.

Friday, Oct. 10, 2008

Our exclusive family calendar

Parenting: Here it is: All the fun you could be having with you and your kids. Comments (2).

Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008

Smartmom does some babysitting

Smartmom: If it’s Tuesday, it’s Smartmom day on BrooklynPaper.com. This week, everyone’s favorite Park Slope mom finds herself traumatized about the prospect of babysitting for her 4-year-old niece. Comments (1).

Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008

New horses? Of courses!

Dooley Noted: Our columnist really loves the new miniature horses at the zoo. Comment.

‘Charter’ effort

Parenting: Parents from Park Slope to Red Hook will get a chance to send their kids to an artsy charter school — just in time to assuage local fears about existing middle schools. Comment.

Family calendar

Parenting: All the fun you could be having with your kids. Comment.

Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008

A Great Depression or a little depression?

Smartmom: If it’s Wednesday, it’s Smartmom day at BrooklynPaper.com. This week, our columnist considers what to tell the children about the economic crisis (hint: tell them that their piggy bank is safe!). Comments (1).

Thursday, Sep. 25, 2008

Mets stink — but teach kids lesson

Dooley Noted: Our columnist explains why the Mets’ futility is good for kids. Comment.

Family calendar

Parenting: All the fun you could be having with your kids. Comment.

Tuesday, Sep. 23, 2008

Smartmom in the morning

Smartmom: If it’s Tuesday, it’s Smartmom day at BrooklynPaper.com. This week, our columnist tries to get her family going in the morning. It’s not easy being mean. Comments (1).

Thursday, Sep. 18, 2008

Tots’ landing: Children’s Museum prepares for grand reopening

Parenting: One of the borough’s oldest and best-loved cultural institutions will be showing off a brand new look this weekend, as the Brooklyn Children’s Museum reopens on Saturday after a yearlong, $48.5-million renovation. Comment.

What’s changed? Almost everything

Parenting: Here’s an overview of the new Brooklyn Children’s Museum. Comment.

Miller’s crossing

Dooley Noted: Our columnist finds himself intoxicated by the bearded lady, Jennifer Miller. Comment.

Family calendar

Parenting: All the fun you could be having with your kids. Comment.

Wednesday, Sep. 17, 2008

Sarah Palin and Brooklyn: Imperfect together

Smartmom: This week, our columnist examines Sarah Palin — and finds her wanting. Comments (5).

Thursday, Sep. 11, 2008

Smartmom loses her dad

Smartmom: Smartmom’s dad, Monte Ghertler, dies. Comment.

Family calendar

Parenting: All the fun you could be having with your kids. Comment.

Thursday, Sep. 4, 2008

Family calendar

Parenting: All the fun you could be having with your kids. Comment.

Wednesday, Sep. 3, 2008

50 reasons why Smartmom’s on the emotional roller coster

Smartmom: She’s turning 50. Oy vey! Comments (1).

Tuesday, Sep. 2, 2008

Hansel and regretal!

Dooley Noted: Our puppetry reviewer weighs in on the new show at Puppetworks, “Hansel & Gretel.” Comment.

Thursday, Aug. 28, 2008

Slope kids have a place to rock

Parenting: Musician Jason Domnarski is starting a real-life “School of Rock” in — of all places — Park Slope. Wonder how that’s going to work out. Comment.

Family calendar

Parenting: All the fun you could be having with your kids. Comment.

Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008

Family calendar

Parenting: All the fun you could be having with your kids. Comment.

Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2008

Teen Spirit catches Dylan fever

Smartmom: If it’s Tuesday, it’s Smartmom Day at BrooklynPaper.com. This week, our columnist sends her teenage son to the Dylan concert. Comments (3).

Thursday, Aug. 14, 2008

‘Grand’ party

Shopping: Business owners on Grand Avenue in Clinton HIll are banding together to throw a truly grand block party on Saturday. Comment.

Family calendar

Parenting: All the fun you could be having with your kids. Comment.

Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2008

It’s Teen Spirit’s wild years

Smartmom: If it’s Tuesday, it must be Smartmom Day on BrooklynPaper.com. In this week’s installment, Smartmom reveals what it’s like to have a strong-willed, moody 17-year-old in the house. Comments (4).

Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2008

It’s time for the birds and bees

Smartmom: If it’s Tuesday, it must be Smartmom day on BrooklynPaper.com. This week, Park Slope’s uber-parent delves into that most sensitive of topics: the birds and the bees (and, no, this ain’t a nature column!). Comments (2).

Thursday, July 31, 2008

An Rx for the Slope

Parenting: They say a spoonful of sugar will help the medicine go down, but when that won’t work, Park Slope parents can turn to KidsRx. Comment.

The empty nesters of Park Slope

Smartmom: Sleepaway camp has really changed since the days Smartmom was a camper at various northeastern summer getaways. Comment.

Family calendar

Parenting: Our local kid-friendly event listings. Comment.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Song and askance man

Dooley Noted: Our columnist reviews Randy Kaplan’s concert in Carroll Park on Wednesday. Comment.

Family calendar

Parenting: All the fun you could be having with your kids. Comments (1).

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

OSFO in camp, Smartmom on retreat — and Hepcat is blue

Smartmom: This summer, the Oh So Feisty One is at camp and Smartmom is on her retreat to Block Island. What will Hepcat do? Comments (1).

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Family calendar

Parenting: 11 am: “Daydream,” a short version of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Prospect Park’s Imagination Playground (enter park on Ocean Avenue between Lincoln Road and Parkside Avenue). Free. Call (718) 393-7733 for info. Comment.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Ay and Eye — now they’re lost souls

Smartmom: Smartmom loses two more friends to parts unknown. How could anyone leave Park Slope? Comment.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

OSFO moves on — and Smartmom follows

Smartmom: Hepcat and The Oh So Feisty One spent the night before her graduation from PS 321 coloring her hair blue. Hepcat is quite the artiste when it comes to applying Manic Panic hair color with a paintbrush (it must be all those painting classes he took with renowned abstract artist Elizabeth Murray at Bard College back in the 1970s). Comment.

Family calendar

Parenting: All the fun things you could be doing with your kids! Comment.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

What’s wrong with this picture?

Parenting: A mother is busted for taking pictures of her daughter in a city park. Out of control? Actually, yes. Comments (7).

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Family Calendar

Parenting: All the action for you and your kids! Comment.

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Family Calendar

Parenting: All the action for you and your kids! Comment.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Family Calendar

Parenting: All the action for you and your kids! Comment.

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Family Calendar

Parenting: All the action for you and your kids! Comment.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Family Calendar

Parenting: All the action for you and your kids! Comment.

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Family Calendar

Parenting: All the action for you and your kids! Comment.

Saturday, Feb. 23, 2008

Family Calendar

Parenting: All the action for you and your kids! Comment.

Parents win: Education Department agrees not to add charter school to Red Hook’s PS 15

Parenting: Falling to an aggressive political assault by parents, teachers and even the widow of a beloved former principal, the Department of Education caved this week, agreeing not to sandwich a charter school into Red Hook’s PS 15. Comments (8).

Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008

Family Calendar

Parenting: All the action for you and your kids! Comment.

Saturday, Feb. 2, 2008

Family Calendar

Parenting: All the action for you and your kids! Comment.

Saturday, Jan. 26, 2008

Family Calendar

Parenting: All the action for you and your kids! Comment.

Saturday, Jan. 19, 2008

Family Calendar

Parenting: All the action for you and your kids! Comment.

Park Slope kids authors kick butt at convention

Parenting: Park Slope kids writers swept — well, almost — the award ceremony at the American Library Association convention on Monday night. Comments (1).

Saturday, Jan. 12, 2008

Family Calendar

Parenting: All the action for you and your kids! Comment.

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Family calendar

Parenting: All the fun and games for you and your family. Comment.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Family calendar

Parenting: All the fun and games for you and your family. Comment.

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Family calendar

Parenting: All the fun and games for you and your family. Comment.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Family calendar

Parenting: All the fun and games for you and your family. Comment.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Family calendar

Parenting: All the fun and games for you and your family. Comments (1).

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Family calendar

Parenting: All the fun and games for you and your family. Comment.

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Family calendar

Parenting: All the fun and games for you and your family. Comment.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

What are Smartmom’s dealbreakers?

Smartmom: Eliot Spitzer’s alleged prostitution habit has Smartmom wondering what it would take before she left Hepcat. Comments (1).

Saturday, Jan. 19, 2008

Park Slope kids authors kick butt at convention

Parenting: Park Slope kids writers swept — well, almost — the award ceremony at the American Library Association convention on Monday night. Comments (1).

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Family Calendar

Parenting: All the action for you and your kids! Comment.

More kid’s stuff

Parenting: The Brooklyn Children’s Museum is still in the midst of its $46-million Rafael Vinoly–designed expansion — but the Crown Heights exploratorium is about to take the wraps off of an exhibit that will make grown-ups wish they were kids again. Comments (1).

Saturday, May 17, 2008

A day for all of her mothers

Smartmom: Smartmom’s Mother’s Day is jam-packed with mom on mom action. Comment.

Saturday, April 19, 2008

More kid’s stuff

Parenting: The Brooklyn Children’s Museum is still in the midst of its $46-million Rafael Vinoly–designed expansion — but the Crown Heights exploratorium is about to take the wraps off of an exhibit that will make grown-ups wish they were kids again. Comments (1).

Saturday, Jan. 26, 2008

An Old Mom Friend stirs mom nerves

Smartmom: Smartmom runs into an old mom friend — and the anxieties come back to her. Comment.

Saturday, April 5, 2008

No one has dibs on ugly red chair

Smartmom: Smartmom has to get rid of the big red chair — but, o, the memories! Comment.

Saturday, June 28, 2008

The end of the PS 321 line

Smartmom: Smartmom’s days are numbered at PS 321. After 11 years as a very involved parent at this illustrious school, she’s is about to say adieu. Comment.

Rain on ‘Parade’

Dooley Noted: Our columnist gives a new kids’ book a lukewarm review. Comment.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Family Calendar

Parenting: All the action for you and your kids! Comment.

Saturday, Jan. 5, 2008

Smartmom gives from the wallet this holiday season

Smartmom: Smartmom learns to stop worrying and love panhandlers. Comment.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Smartmom’s tears to flow

Smartmom: Smartmom still isn’t crying over the Oh So Feisty One’s imminent fifth-grade graduation. Oh wait, yes she is! Comment.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

No lie: This ‘Pinocchio’ rocks

Parenting: Our critic gives Puppetworks’ “Pinocchio” a rave review — and his nose remains fixed in place. Comment.

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Family Calendar

Parenting: All the action for you and your kids! Comment.

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Smartmom’s hankering to cook

Smartmom: Smartmom sees a recipe book — and it reminds her of her ever-tenuous feminism. Comment.

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Family calendar

Parenting: All the fun and games for you and your family. Comment.

Public School Pre-K-tastrophy

Parenting: The pre-kindergarten rejection letters are out — and some parents are fuming that their youngsters didn’t get the highly coveted slots, despite city policy to keep siblings in the same school. Comment.

Third St is just a small town

Smartmom: A Memorial Day barbecue on Third Street brings it all home for Smartmom Comment.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Mo Willems has done it again

Dooley Noted: To the list of legendary couples in history — Antony and Cleopatra, Napoleon and Josephine, Felix and Oscar — beloved Park Slope kids scribe Mo Willems has added another: Elephant and Piggie. Comment.

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Deedle Deedle Dees sing to Bridge

Dooley Noted: Our puppetry, juggling and mime critic reviews the Deedle Deedle Dees’ show on Sunday. Despite all the Ds, he gave it an A. Comment.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Smartmom outsmarts Skenazy

Smartmom: It’s a parenting columnist smackdown: Our Smartmom vs. Lenore Skenazy of the New York Sun. Comments (1).

Saturday, Jan. 19, 2008

Oh So Feisty One reaches ‘middle’ age

Smartmom: Smartmom’s kid is shopping for a middle school. This ain’t easy, folks. Comments (1).

Park Slope kids authors kick butt at convention

Parenting: Park Slope kids writers swept — well, almost — the award ceremony at the American Library Association convention on Monday night. Comments (1).

Saturday, Jan. 12, 2008

Fifty is nifty if you’re ‘Smart’

Smartmom: Now that she’s 50 (yes, 50), Smartmom can either complain or take action. She’s choosing, well, both. Comments (2).

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Signed, sealed, but not delivered

Smartmom: It’s the first week in June and Smartmom still doesn’t know where the Oh So Feisty One will be going to middle school in September. And Smartmom is pissed! Comment.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Jen and Paul: We hardly knew ye!

Smartmom: Smartmom weighs in on actors Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany’s move from Park Slope to, gasp, Manhattan. Comment.

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Miley and Teen Spirit shed things

Smartmom: Smartmom knows all about the Miley Cyrus debacle. After all, she has a 16-year-old with a self-induced crewcut. Comments (2).

Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008

Private schools, public chatting

Smartmom: Last week, Park Slopers were obsessed over which kids got into local private schools. Smartmom had this thought: Who cares? Comments (2).

Saturday, Feb. 9, 2008

Family Calendar

Parenting: Things to do this week with your kids! Comments (1).

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Family calendar

Parenting: All the fun and games for you and your family. Comment.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Smartmom knows an ‘edgy mom’

Smartmom: Smartmom organizes her second “Edgy Moms” reading — and learns the greatest lesson of all: be edgy. Comment.

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Grown-ups need their toys, too!

Smartmom: Can we please just end the Babeland controversy before it even begins? Comments (1).

Saturday, June 7, 2008

¡Y tu Dan Zanes tambien!

Dooley Noted: Our critic reviews Dan Zanes’s new, all-Spanish LP. Comment.

Saturday, Feb. 9, 2008

When the Hepcat’s away, Teen Spirit will play

Smartmom: Our favorite son would never try such shenanigans if Hepcat were home. But Teen Spirit know that Smartmom is a world-class pushover. Comment.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Graduation special!

Parenting: It’s that time of the year again, folks — graduation season has come and gone. But before we send the newly minted grads out into the real world (or, “The Real World” on MTV — filming next month on Willoughby Street!), let’s recap how our area’s major colleges and universities honored the class of 2008. Comments (1).

CIRCUS comes to town!

Dooley Noted: There is a small miracle taking place on the Red Hook waterfront — CIRCUSundays at the Barge Museum. Comments (1).

In fact, Teen Spirit needs his space

Smartmom: Smartmom was fretting over her teenager’s long absences until she learned that it’s all normal. Comments (3).

Saturday, March 22, 2008

It’s a crowded house with our rockers

Smartmom: Smartmom has a full house, thanks to all of Teen Spirit’s rocker pals sleeping over all the time. Comments (1).

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Father’s Day drive with daughter & dad

The Dad: Our columnist thinks about his dad — and then ponders what his kid will think about him someday. Comments (1).

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Is the OSFO ready for a cellphone?

Smartmom: With some parents letting their 9-year-olds on the subway — the subway?! — Smartmom considers getting the Oh So Feisty One a cellphone. Comment.

More kid’s stuff

Parenting: The Brooklyn Children’s Museum is still in the midst of its $46-million Rafael Vinoly–designed expansion — but the Crown Heights exploratorium is about to take the wraps off of an exhibit that will make grown-ups wish they were kids again. Comments (1).

Saturday, Feb. 23, 2008

Being a good mom means being more than just not bad

Smartmom: Britney Spears is guilty of one egregious act of bad mommydom after another, yet we can’t get enough of her. What makes a good mom, anyway? Comments (1).

Parents win: Education Department agrees not to add charter school to Red Hook’s PS 15

Parenting: Falling to an aggressive political assault by parents, teachers and even the widow of a beloved former principal, the Department of Education caved this week, agreeing not to sandwich a charter school into Red Hook’s PS 15. Comments (8).

Saturday, Feb. 2, 2008

State of the Union: Kids are back in the ‘Hall’

Smartmom: The owner of Union Hall, the Union Street bocce bar popular with hipsters, rockers and new moms, has changed his mind after a week of criticism for his hastily announced “No kids allowed” policy. Comments (12).