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Choose to Refuse in New York

Posted on March 5, 2014 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

High Stakes testing is nothing new to the world of education, but the pressure on children has shifted greatly in recent years. Tears, anxiety, and lack of passion for learning is the new norm thanks to hours spent getting ready for these tests. As an educator, I never thought I would go against the powers that be, but I did last year. That’s right, last year I was one of the many parents across New York that decided to refuse the NYS Language Arts, Math, and Science test for my then fourth grade son.

It was a personal decision for us at the time to go against the grain and be one of very few in our area to do this. While the Opt-Out Movement was huge in Long Island and Buffalo region, the Capital District has been slow to grab hold. The reality is that high stakes testing is just part of the horror that is happening in our schools thanks to the shift to Common Core. TechyDad and I knew that the tests were not going to be a good experience for our son. He would likely do very well, but the stress from practice testing was causing uncalled for levels of anxiety. I was questioned by administration. I was told it would hurt the school (funding), his teacher (APPR), and beyond. Thank goodness I knew what to expect. I was ready to combat the propaganda that was tossed at districts from the New York State Department of Education.

On Friday, I sent my letter in to refuse the NYS Math and ELA exam and all field testing for my son. This was just about a month before the exams are to be given to children in grades 3-8. Once again, I am confident in our decision. The tests do not help teachers or parents to know academic growth or problem areas of children. Why? The answer is simple, we are not allowed to see the tests or analyze them to see spots that apparently caused the kids problems. Basically, they are secretive and made by a company that makes an obscene amount of money off of the world of education.

This year, many more families are expected to refuse the tests not only in New York, but throughout the United States. Thanks to the NYS Allies for Public Education the word is getting out that parents have the right to “Choose to Refuse” in New York. This video made by NYSAPE is a fantastic resource and must watch so you know the rights for your children.

For too many years, we have been taught to blindly trust those in charge of the world of education. Right now, families across the nation and New York are standing up and saying that enough is enough. We are not going to sit back and let this testing madness continue. Our children deserve a proper public school education like past generations. If we don’t stand up and fight, the victims will be our kids who have already suffered enough in recent years.

Categories:
Educational PSA school

Autism and Sensory Overload

Posted on February 28, 2014 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

There is something hard for me to admit as a parent. For years I did not understand my own son and his sensitivities to different items. One minute he would hide and cry from a vacuum cleaner, but the next he was dancing to loud music. Another day, he might be smiling and happy, but moments later he would shut down and crumble before my eyes. I knew something more was going on that I could not and probably will never understand. Of course, without a point of reference and a diagnosis it is hard to convince other adults that your kid is not simply being an out of control brat with no manners.

This is the life a parent of a child with autism lives with every day. We never know when we wake up if it will be a calm day, or a day filled with anxiety and sensory overload. What is sensory overload? It is a reality for most people living on the autism spectrum. Kids who are learning the social cues of life in a world filled with neurotypical rules are stuck trying to learn to cope with items that you and I may take for granted. That clock ticking away in the classroom could be like nails on a chalkboard to me. Those fluorescent lights that buzz and flicker which we learn to ignore or never notice, could hurt a child’s head and eyes and make them more sensitive in an environment.

To this day, I still have to remind myself that when NHL thinks I am yelling at him it really may be his perception. With everything else in the room, car, or store going on, my regular talking voice may be too much for him to handle. Even several years into our autism diagnosis, I still have to stop and remind myself that just because it is not bothering me, it may be highly alarming to NHL. What’s harder for me to grasp, he does not know anything different. These heightened senses that can lend themselves to moments of sensory overload are his norm.

Curious what it may be like? The other day someone shared a link to a post on TheAutismSite.com. They included a video that everyone working or living with people who are on the autism spectrum should watch. It really is an eye opener and like no other I have seen before.

The short video breaks my heart and the words at the end are beyond powerful. There truly are no words, just moments where I know that sharing this will help more people to be aware. As always, knowledge is power and so is educating others about those individuals living on the autism spectrum.

Some of my other posts about autism:

Categories:
parenting PSA Special Needs

Market Bistro by Price Chopper

Posted on February 27, 2014 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Living in the Capital District, I have shopped at Price Chopper for most of my life. During my blogging tenure, I have written about shopping at Price Chopper for Passover and gone to several of their social media events. On Tuesday afternoon, I was invited to a meet up to tour their nearly completed Market Bistro in the Latham, NY store. I was not required to blog, but I really am excited to share about this unique venue in the Capital Region.

When I arrived at the store, I walked into the Market Bistro area. I had to stop and look around for a minute because it truly was like nothing else in the area. It was not like a food court at the mall. The atmosphere was calm, the lighting perfect, and it called people to come and explore.

Of course, it was not time to check everything out. We were brought back into the cooking school that will eventually be opened and host classes. The room was inviting and beautiful. I can see locals groups getting together there to explore cooking, baking, decorating, and other culinary options. While we waited for everyone to arrive, we were handed the Shopping Directory for Market Bistro. As you will see, there is a large variety of dining choices for all different tastes.

Once everyone had arrived we heard from Mona Golub, Neil Golub, Jerry Golub, and Lew Shaye. They explained the history of how Market Bistro came to Latham, NY. Price Chopper knew that they wanted to add their own twist to the restaurant experience. They wanted to continue with the success of the Ben & Bill’s New York Deli in their Slingerlands store. This time, their focus was twists on American favorites. They looked at all of the different foods that we enjoy and added their own twists in the venues that will be a part of Market Bistro. We are all looking at ways to simplify life and now we can dine at Market Bistro and then shop for groceries in the store that we need.

Market Bistro will make all items fresh for customers when ordered. Breads within the Bistro Blvd are made special by Price Chopper. The smoke house is something new to Price Chopper. My favorite fun fact that really hit home was how Market Bistro will aim for a theme park atmosphere.

I do believe they have hit this out of the park. While walking around Bistro Blvd., I felt like I had been transported to Seasons in The Land at Epcot where you have an amazing variety of different foods at your fingertips. Why yes, it’s like Orlando, Florida has come to Latham, NY!

Then it was time to go on a tasting tour of Bistro Blvd. We learned that there will be limited time only items on menus to keep things fresh. This will be wonderful for those that are close enough to pop in for meals on a more regular basis. While walking around, we were treated to a beverage from Starbucks, sub samples from Subtown, salad taste from Veggies & Greens and Lots of Things, and some tastes of globally inspired burritos and quesadillas from Out of this World Burritos.

We continued along to The Plump Hen to try their wood smoked ribs, brisket, and pulled pork. Then there were burgers, specialty hot dogs, onion rings, and french fries from Custom Burgers. Back Bay Fish Fry allowed us to try out their signature lobster roll (delish). After this, a colorful display of sushi was waiting for those who were adventurous to taste.

Looking for cheese? Look no further than the Artisian & Gourmet Cheese Shop where they have 300 varieties that are unique to this Price Chopper store. Oh and right next to this, check out the The Growler Station where you can fill up favorite brews that are on tap.

The Italian Market has a a wide variety of sausages, fresh made pasta, premade specialties, and more.

We continued along to see options that are available to take home from Chef Meals. Items available here will rotate and be limited time only and for $6 you select one entrée and two sides. Next up we tried NYC deli sandwiches, pickles, and potato pancakes from Ben & Bill’s New York Deli. Like the one in Slingerlands, this one has a wide variety of items like you would be able to get in NYC. One of our last stops was at Stone Fired Pizza where we also had some slices.

Next, we learned about the Chef’s Grill that will be opening shortly. Then it was time to end with a sweet treat. We went over to Scoops & Smiles where we were treated to a hot fudge sundae and smoothie sample. Price Chopper makes their own hot fudge and whipped cream. I personally would have loved a big bowl of just the whipped cream as a treat, but that may just be me. The smoothie is definitely something I can see getting again on a warm summer day. Of course, I know my boys will love walking into Market Bistro and seeing the ice cream shop.

So what are my thoughts? I can not wait to bring my entire family back to Market Bistro. I think it will be a fun family dining destination where we will all find options that fit our individual tastes. I know that we will be back soon to work our way back around Bistro Blvd. trying new specials and familiar favorites.

Disclosure: I was invited to the Price Chopper Market Bistro tasting tour to learn more about their latest addition to the Latham, NY store. I was not compensated or expected to write any reviews. All opinions are my own. I did receive a bag of goodies, to thank me for coming at the end of the tour.

Categories:
food glorious food Local Business local event

Tuesday Tales – I Survived The Nazi Invasion, 1944

Posted on February 25, 2014 11:35 am by TheAngelForever

As a fan of the I Survived book series by Lauren Tarshis, I was intrigued to see her latest title available via an advance copy on NetGalley. I Survived the Nazi Invasion, 1944 takes on children living during World War II in Europe. I received a digital review copy of the book which is now available in stores and online.

As a Jewish family, I know the importance of teaching my children about the Holocaust and all of atrocities that happened in Europe during World War II. Of course, this is not something that you can dive right into with kids. They need to slowly hear about them and understand the impact that it had on all those families at the time, and perhaps even your own. Growing up, I remember reading The Diary of Anne Frank in school when I was NHL’s age. I quickly became fascinated with learning everything and anything about this time period. This included items that were nonfiction and historical fiction as well. I was also blessed to be able to listen to and hear first hand accounts from people like my Hebrew School teacher who had survived a concentration camp.

I Survived the Nazi Invation, 1944 – Written by Lauren Tarshis – Scholastic Books – February 25, 2014

ISBN 9780545459389 – Paperback 112 pages – Ages 7+ – $4.99

Last year, my son, a fourth grader at the time, had the opportunity to go to an assembly at Hebrew School to listen to a Holocaust survivor. I have to be honest that I was not sure how my son would handle the conversation. He did well and it gave us more opportunities to chat and talk about the history. This experience did not create a natural curiosity about the time period. I think it may have been a bit too much for my very sensitive son, so I have been looking for ways to do this with NHL. I did hear him state that he had read Number the Stars during school and he really enjoyed it. With that said, I want NHL to read this new book by Lauren Tarshis with me. I do believe that that way she handled the sensitive subject matter is a perfect book for families to begin to talk about the Holocaust and topics within this period of time.

This book introduces us to Max Rosen and his sister Zena. They are living in a Polish ghetto alone because their father was taken away by the Nazis. They are barely surviving hunger when they are forced to make a daring escape from Nazi soldiers. As they are running, they are found by Jewish resistance fighters who are with them as bombs begin to fall around them.

Once again, Lauren Tarshis does a wonderful job weaving history with fictional characters. Readers will want to know more about Max and Zena and likely be curious about others who lived during this time. She hints at concentration camps, but does not specifically mention them by name. The developmentally appropriate story is a great way to determine if a child is ready to dive deeper into the subject matter.

Have you read any of the I Survived Books? How have you talked to your children about history like the Holocaust?As always, please share what you have read recently. Be sure to link up to your book posts in the comments below. Include something you read on your own, with a child, or someone else. Tuesday Tales are all about spreading the love for books.

Previous posts about I Survived books:

Disclosure: I received a NetGalley preview of this book courtesy of Scholastic Books in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was given. The opinions expressed in the review are my own.

Categories:
books Tuesday Tales

Capture A Day and Instagram Photography Fun

Posted on February 24, 2014 1:40 pm by TheAngelForever

It is hard to believe that at one time I did not have a smartphone. Now, as a member of the Verizon Lifestyle Bloggers, I have been able to try several different phones over the last year and share how they work in my life. In October, I was sent the Droid Mini to use and wrote about the lack of screen glare, how it helped with parent advocacy on the go, saving with the Isis Mobile Wallet, and more. I have to admit, I was planning on going back to another phone for a larger screen, but the smaller size in the winter months has been nice. The bone chilling cold means not being able use my phone while outside of school waiting for the boys, or in other locations. Still, if I want to take it out of my pocket I can snap a quick picture to use later.

Minnie, yes I named her, has been a wonderful asset when keeping up with social media channels like Instagram. I love to see what other people in my Instagram feed are doing. It really is a great community where you can get to know people and see how friends and family are doing. One items that I adore participating in is the #CaptureADay Instagram Photo Challenge from A Frugal Friend and Simple Sojourns. Just before the start of the month, Debra, Cathi, and David post the photo prompts. This was the one for February.

Some days are more difficult, but it is fun to think outside of the box. The boys have also joined in and often ask me what the word is and try to help me to coordinate the photo. Here are a few example of my February #CapureADay photos.

Having fun with mini figures and ‘outfit’ options. Feb 11 #CaptureADay #PhotoChallenge
Not in ‘love’ with this mess. Feb 14 #CaptureADay #PhotoChallenge
Trying to ‘pack’ some fun into the last day of winter break. Feb 23 #CaptureADay #PhotoChallenge
It really is a lot of fun and thanks to Minnie, I can use my smartphone camera, apps to make collages, apps to watermark, and Instagram to share within that community, Twitter, and Facebook. So do you particpate in any online photo challenges? I would love to hear about them and please consider joining in the fun from my blogging friends.

Disclosure: As a member of the Verizon Lifestyle Bloggers, I received the Motorola Droid Mini to test out and share ways that I use it in my life. There was no other compensation. I am a long time Verizon customer, and all opinions are my own.