Last week, we talked about finding childcare for young children and now we're switching gears and focusing on Teens & Tweens.  Personally, I can't imagine my kids being entering their teenage years, but the way time has been flying lately, learning how to drive, filling out college applications and taking the SATs are going to be here before we know it! 

For the past three years, Long Island families have been using our site to find information for their kids, but many have been surprised to learn that we have a lot of information applicable to parents of tweens and teens.  Our TEEN resources and tips listed on LIParentSource.com cover a wide range of topics: Academic Support, Babysitter Training, College Checklists, Driving Schools, Activities and more >>

• Be sure to check out our FAMILIES GIVING BACK for ideas for teen community service hours >>
• Check out the senior year COLLEGE CHECKLIST to make sure your kids are on track >>
• Teen babysitters can post their availability on our CLASSIFIEDS >>
  

We hope to see you this Sunday, October 4 at Clix Portrait Studios in Huntington for our 2nd Annual Costume Exchange. Bring your gently used costumes at 10am and you'll receive a voucher to get your new-to-you costumes. Once the exchange is over, if there are any costumes left, you may buy one for $10, even if you didn't have one to exchange. Big thanks go out to our entertainment sponsor, Gymboree Play & Music, and our snack sponsor, Panera Bread.  We hope to see you Sunday morning! more info >>

Check out our Contest below for the chance to win one of two $25 gift cards to Waldbaums, courtesy of Zavers.com! And just a reminder - all of the text that appear in dark pink are live links, so click on them for more information!

Have a great week!

Below is only a partial list of upcoming events and activities so be sure to click on our EVENT CALENDAR so you do not miss anything >>

Use the PARENT PLANNER to click on events and resources you are interested in and click PRINT MY PLANNER to print or email your list.

Alex's Run for a Reason

Saturday, October 18, 2009

Newbridge Road Park, Bellmore

This year, the Richardson Family of Merrick will sponsor their third annual Alex's Run for a Reason to raise funds and awareness for the Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) Program.  Alex's Run is held in memory of their daughter, Alexandra Richardson, who died unexpectedly in February 2006 at 22 months of age.  On October 18, join the Richardson family and other Long Islanders for a day of family fun to celebrate Alex's zest for life. 

The 2 mile family fun run/walk will begin at 10am, with registration starting at 830am.  You can also register online at www.alexsrun.com.  Children's activities will take place in the playground area of the park and will include games, music, face painting, children's entertainers and so much more.  A light breakfast will be provided to all registered participants and a wonderful variety of prizes donated by local merchants will be raffled off (raffle tickets can be purchased the day of the event between 830 and 11am).

In honor of Alex, proceeds will help fund SUDC research, increase SUDC awareness and strengthen family support programs across the country.  All proceeds raised will benefit the SUDC Program which is part of the CJ Foundation for SIDS, a national non-profit organization.

Now more than ever, consumers want to save. Until now, the best way to pinch pennies on a regular basis has been clipping coupons, but honestly, who has the time? It is hard enough to find time to read the paper, let alone bring out the scissors and cut coupons, file them and then remember to use them when you're at the supermarket!

Enter A&P and Zavers Red Tag Online Savings Program and Savings Online, designed to help you save money and time - at the same time!  Customers shopping at A&P, The Food Emporium, Super Fresh and Waldbaums stores can go online, save coupons to your account and have the savings deducted when you swipe your store loyalty card at the end of your shopping!  No more coupons to cut and carry or forget when you go to the supermarket - ideal for busy moms and dads, and one more step towards going green, all at the same time!

This week, visit our contest page to see how you can win a $25 gift card to an A&P, The Food Emporium, Super Fresh or Waldbaums store, where you can try out A&P and Zavers Red Tag Online Savings Program and Savings Online for yourself!  For coupons in your area, go to Zavers (http://www.zavers.com/home) and click on the Participating Retailers in the left side bar.  In the meantime, you can become a fan of Zavers on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

Write On! Books Publishing Company is calling for submissions!  If you know a young writer in elementary, middle or high school that has written a story, essay, short play or poem and wants to be a published author, keep on reading. 

Write On! For Literacy is dedicated to encouraging kids to discover joy, confidence, self-expression and connection with others through reading and writing endeavors.  And now, they want your kids to submit writings to be included in anthologies of work entirely by young writers.

Visit Write On! For Literacy for more information and to learn how to submit your work.  Those who have their submissions chosen will be nationally published authors and have the opportunity to do book signings within their community. Good luck to all!