Abacus Mom

Preschool Learning Disabilities Diagnoses

There have never been more therapists, psychologists, developmental pediatricians, and neurologists who have been more eager to label your preschool-aged child.  Receiving a diagnosis of a learning disability --nonverbal learning disability, asperger's, auditory processing disorder, "on the spectrum", the list goes on.  Parents can easily seek reports from professional after professional, spending thousands of dollars in the process and subjecting their children to numerous doctor's appointments, observations, and tests.

In my experience, early diagnoses are often incorrect, and they unnecessarily upset parents.  Focusing on children's needs and putting together programs to help with challenges is infinitely more helpful than any useless label.  Anyway, as children age, their needs often change.  A label is static, children are not.

Toby Glick of ParentConfidante helps parents navigate these murky waters.  You can learn more at www.parentconfidante.com or email toby(at)parentconfidante.com.

Spring ERB Scores Are In

My spring ERB clients' children have been receiving their ERB results.  I am delighted to report that everyone is thrilled: more than half the kids got double 99's on performance and verbal and everyone got in the 90's.  While certainly no one can guarantee any child's results, I am proud of my program, Preschoolers' Prep, because it has worked so well for so many kids.

Best Kids' Books about the US Presidents

Is your child obsessed with American Presidents?  Mine is.  As long as it's not Bratz dolls.

I've met a lot of kids who like the US Presidents.  These kids love memorizing presidential trivia, just as other kids do with the dinosaurs and planets.

Here are a few of the best kids books about the US Presidents.  Each is part of an excellent US history series.  I think you will enjoy looking.

Don't Know Much About The Presidents

Smart About the Presidents

and try

Smart About the First Ladies

Does My Child Need an ERB Tutor to Get Into Private School Kindergarten?

No.

When he is older, your child may need a tutor for physics, BC Calculus, Mandarin Chinese, marine biology, or any other subject with which you the parent lack expertise.

But luckily, it's different for the kindergarten ERB.  You and your skilled babysitter can handle preschool / kindergarten skills.  You don't need to outsource this job to a fancy tutor, which is why I don't offer tutoring services.  Tutoring four year olds is not a business I want to be in.

Preparing for the ERB should be like stimulating play, not cram school.  It also, especially today, should not be a waste of money. 

Unless your child has a developmental lag, in which case you will probably want to hire a therapist, your child will do best working with you or a skilled caretaker.  That way preparation is play, not "prep".  We're talking about four-year-olds.  We want to keep their lives reasonable despite the unfortunate expectations private schools place upon them.

With my program, Preschoolers' Prep, I teach you what skills and capabilities admissions directors seek from applicants, and recommend a personalized ERB Kit with educational toys and workbooks.  I am very proud of the scores my clients' children have achieved with my program, and the fact that kids have had fun while learning.   To learn more or please call 212-712-2228 9am-9pm EST.

Hackley School in Westchester

Parents often ask me about Hackley.  How does Hackley compare to the Hill schools in Riverdale?  How does Hackley compare to Westchester public schools?  What does Hackley require for admission? 

All in all, my clients who have applied to and attended Hackley have been impressed by the school.  A number were surprised and delighted by the school's diversity, its wide course offerings, its music program, and the beautiful facilities, including the lovely Hackley lower school.

For help with admission to Hackley and other private schools, click here

American and British Private School Applications Still Up Despite the Recession?

Many thanks to NYC Private Schools Blog , the new, awesome blog about, as you might have guessed, NYC private schools, for drawing our attention to a fascinating article in this week's Economist about trends in private school admission in bad economic times.

The article's author claims that demand so outstrips supply for top private schools that competition will continue unmitigated despite economic turmoil.  My only concern is that the article uses Fieldston admissions data from last year (+14% applicants) which doesn't convince me, given that the recession only hit in October, after many people had applied.  I will be more interested in next year's statistics.

The author's discussion of schools' reputation and the strong tie with longevity and Ivy admissions rates is right on the mark.  I was very interested in the explanation of the barriers to entry for new private schools and the comparison between what's happening in the US and the UK.  I think you will be too.

Abacus to Teach Kids Math

According to Wikipedia:

An abacus, also called a counting frame, is a calculating tool used primarily in parts of Asia for performing math processes. Today, abacuses are often constructed as a bamboo frame with beads sliding on wires, but originally they were beans or stones moved in grooves in sand or on tablets of wood, stone, or metal. The abacus was in use centuries before the adoption of the written modern numeral system and is still widely used by merchants, traders and clerks in Asia, Africa and elsewhere.

Here in the US, many parents love to teach their young children math using the abacus, a visual calculator that helps children visualize addition, subtraction, counting by 10's, patterning, and other skills.  You can also find abacuses in many preschools, elementary schools, and dentists' offices.

If you'd like to get your child an abacus, this is a good one:

Children's Abacus by Melissa and Doug

and a book about the abacus:

The Times Weighs In on NYC Prep

Did you catch this latest article in the Times about the Bravo "reality" program "NYC Prep"?  Apparently, a lot of people's feathers are getting ruffled, and this article doesn't smooth them.

Moving from New York City? Best Books and Resources

Thanks to the recession as well as normal migration, many New Yorkers with young children will move to nearby suburbs this summer.  Not all New Yorkers are thrilled about this--some approach a move with trepidation.  Relax--the suburbs have much to offer.  Some books with more info about the tristate area suburban life:

If You're Thinking of Living in ...All About 115 Great Neighborhoods in and Around New York

This book offers accurate, lengthy descriptions about suburban neighborhoods and helps you make a good choice about which one will best suit your family.

Zagat Westchester

Zagat New Jersey

Zagat Long Island

Zagat Connecticut

The food is better than you imagined these days.

Westchester Magazine

New Jersey Monthly

Connecticut Magazine

You need to get a subscription to the local magazine.  Once a year, suburban magazines offer school special issues, as well as regular schools reporting.  You'll also find best doctors, food, lawn care, pool boys, etc.

Moving to New York City? Best Books and Resources

As an educational consultant who helps relocating families find Manhattan and Brooklyn schools, neighborhoods, and enrichment activities, people often come to me for book recommendations.  Here are some of my favorites for NYC transferees and residents:

NYC PUBLIC SCHOOLS:

The best (and only) elementary schools guidebook
New York City's Best Public Elementary Schools: A Parent's Guide

The best (and only) middle schools guidebook
New York City's Best Public Middle Schools: A Parents' Guide

The best (and only) high schools guidebook
New York City's Best Public High Schools: A Parents' Guide

NYC PRIVATE SCHOOLS (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Riverdale):

Manhattan nursery/preschools
The Manhattan Directory of Private Nursery Schools

Manhattan, Brooklyn, Riverdale private schools
The Manhattan Family Guide to Private Schools and Selective Public Schools

A less well-known guide, from The Princeton Review
Best New York City Private and Selective Public High Schools

The battle to get into private school
The Kindergarten Wars

The only stand-alone guide for special education
A Parent's Guide to Special Education in New York City

NYC ENRICHMENT / ACTIVITIES/THINGS TO DO:

Time Out offers a great introduction to NYC with kids, and has the best listings of enrichment, party venues, etc.
Time Out New York Kids Magazine subscription

Good guides to raising a baby to preschooler in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
City Baby NYC
City Baby Brooklyn

Coming soon, the sequel:
City Kid New York: The Ultimate Guide for NYC Parents