The Best Cabin Fever Yet - Hoboken Family Alliance

The Best Cabin Fever Yet
March 2011
by Dalia Tole
The 9th Annual Cabin Fever, held on February 13, was one of the
most successful and well-attended events HFA’s history. We would
like to extend a warm welcome to the 55 new families that joined
Hoboken Family Alliance at Cabin Fever.
The Hoboken H.S. gym was converted into an indoor playground,
where vendors showcased their local children’s offerings. As Polka
Dot (Ron Albanese) emceed, the center stage became several music
concerts (Music Together, Kindermusik, Garden Street Music, A
Music Space), a theater workshop (Mile Square Theatre), a dance
floor (Hudson Dance and Movement), and a yoga studio (Mimi Kids
Yoga). On the floor, adventurous children ran to play with the drum
set (The Drum Den), shiny guitars (The Guitar Bar), soccer balls
(Super Soccer Stars), novel toys and puzzles (Big Fun Toys), get
their faces painted (Rachel Evans Face Painting) or get balloon animals from Boo the Clown.
Other children sat down at one of the various arts and craft tables,
while their parents gathered information about day camps that offer
busing to Hoboken (Deerkill Day Camp, Deer Mountain Camp,
Spring Lake Day Camp, LakeView Day Camp, Camp Riverbend and
The Oval Girl Scouts Day Camp), infant CPR (HUMC), and photographers (Kenneth Chen Portraits, Hartshorn Portraiture) . Other presenters included KINDERGerman, Beyond Basic Learning, CNTP
Orthodontics, Cooktivity, Kindermusik, Greetings from Hoboken, and
Vicki Jewelers. Lunchtime did not come in the way of fun, as Anthony
David’s Catering had set up its table right outside. In addition, A&P
Supermarkets of Hoboken donated delicious juice and cookies, and
Happy Family Brands handed out samples of their products. Families
left Cabin Fever with handcrafted Valentine’s day cards and polaroid
style photos to remember the event.
Then there was the raffle. Local businesses donated close to 150
wonderful prizes, including black bag items with values between
$250-1000. Prizes included children’s class passes and birthday parties, spa and beauty gift certificates, restaurant and store gift certificates, professional photo-sessions, designer baby gear, cookbooks/
DVDs and a MLB package. As per the HFA tradition, the proceeds
from this raffle will go towards our philanthropic grants for 2012.
A special note of thanks to the local supporters—Dr. Brescia,
Migliaccio, Tully, Chin, Moon & Safi (platinum sponsors), John Wiley
& Sons, Inc, Greetings from Hoboken, Creative Groove Studio,
Norma De Ruggiero/ Robert De Ruggiero Inc, Realtors and Irene
Perello - Hudson Place Realty—who made donations for the event.
Additional support came from our Annual Gold level sponsors: Avanti
Cleaning Service, Beyond Basic Learning, Bright Horizons at
Maxwell Place, Camp Riverbend, Deer Mountain Day Camp, Garden
Street Productions, Hartshorn Portraiture, HBK Travel, Hoboken
University Medical Center, Hudson Dance and Movement, IRMS
Reproductive Medicine, Kids Communicate, Liberty Science Center,
Muller Insurance, Priority Chiropractic, Progressive Pediatrics,
Romparoo, Spring Lake Daycamp, Stevens Cooperative School and
Super Soccer Stars. Without your assistance we could not host such
a large event. We cannot say enough thanks to our volunteers from
the Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity at Stevens University. Thanks
also to Nazish Ahmed, Julie Hartigan and Lisa Jonap for raffle and
sponsor help. Cabin Fever 2011 was a collective effort, led by our
new Special Events Director, Lexi Coen, who worked tirelessly to
bring it all together. Great job, Lexi!
For a slideshow of photos from the 2011 Cabin Fever, courtesy of
Kenneth Chen, please visit hobokenfamily.com or click here.
HFA Community Neighbor Awards
by Michele Hulsman
HFA was pleased to award over $10,000 in grants at this year’s Cabin Fever festival.
For HFA’s Seventh Annual Community Neighbor Award Grants, we bestowed seven
grants, one to each of the following independent, highly-respected, not for profit organizations: Hudson Milestones, Hudson CASA, Hoboken University Medical Center,
Hudson Cradle, Women Rising, York Street Project, and Hudson Perinatal Consortium
Doula Program. All of the recipients serve children or families in Hoboken and the surrounding areas within Hudson county, and the HFA’s grant money will be used to
directly provide a service for families or children. You can read more about these wonderful organizations by visiting the hobokenfamily.com website or clicking here. These
recipient groups will be contributing articles over the coming months to update us on
their progress.
Hoboken
Spring Gala
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weddings and honeymoons. HFA members receive $50 off
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Call today to start planning
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1155 Maxwell Lane
Hoboken, NJ 07030
201-420-6039
www.brighthorizons.com/hfa
2
HFA March ‘11
HFA Spring 2011 Swap Meet
Professional Swim, Sport & Art Instruction
by Michele Hulsman
Date: Sunday, April 3, 2011
Time: 9-11 am (accepting Drop off items); 12:30-2:30 pm Swap Meet Sales
Location: Hoboken High School, 800 Clinton Street, Hoboken (Cafeteria)
Cost: Free for HFA members; $5 suggested donation for non-members
26 Acres & 5 Acre Lake Heated Pool Complex
Professional Swim, Sports & Arts Instruction
“SEEING IS BELIEVING” Video Brochure is Available
• Hot Catered Lunch
• Air Conditioned Transportation
• Uniform Camp Shirts Included
North Jersey’s Premier Day Camp!
973-831-9000
CELEBRATING 23 YEARS!
FALL FEST OPEN HOUSE
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17
11AM - 1PM
Introductory 5% Discount
First 20 Families
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now try the best!
PROUDLY SERVING HOBOKEN
springlakedaycamp.com
234 Conklintown Road, Ringwood NJ,
35 Miles Northwest of Hoboken
Garden
Street Music
Music School & Studio
How Does it Work?
Please drop off your items during the “drop-off” period (between 9-11 am).
This will help us run the swap more efficiently. You will be issued credits that you can
use during the sale from 12:30-2:30 pm. You receive one credit for one item of clothing
or multiple credits for larger items such as bouncy seats. You can exchange these
credits for clothing, shoes, coats, and toys. Larger baby gear items are for cash purchase only.
If you don’t have any items for exchange or would like to take home more items than
you brought, you may purchase items for cash (example: $1 per children’s clothing, $2
maternity clothes, $2 shoes, $1-$10 toys, $10-$25 larger baby gear).
Kindly do not drop any items off during the sale. Any items you bring, in excess
of your purchases, will be considered donations and will go to In Jesus’ Name, Hudson
Cradle and other local organizations in need. All drop-offs after 12:30 pm will be
considered straight donations and will not receive any credits. Thank you in
advance for your consideration.
First Lesson
FREE
Learn A New Instrument!
201.683.7078
www.gardenstreetmusic.com
1018 Washington St.
(Lower Level)
Hoboken, NJ
What to Bring?
• Baby, toddler, and children’s clothes, costumes, shoes, and coats (items in condition
from gently used condition to new, unstained, with all pieces included) in sizes 0-16.
• Baby gear (strollers, bouncy seats, diaper bags, etc. Please be sure to bring all
pieces for these items).
• Toys and children’s books (only complete items with all small parts in a plastic bag
taped to toy if applicable, and books with all pages in readable condition only, please).
• Maternity clothes and nursing tops.
• Formula, diapers, medicines, food and baby toileteries will be donated.
What is gently used? Gently used means that all clothing is like new and/or has been
washed a few times. All clothing is clean, free of stains/tears, and maintains its original
color and shape. All clothing where applicable, have all fasteners in good working
condition, working zippers, no frayed edges, no pills, and have seams and hems that
are intact.
Please use your best judgment—if you do not find it acceptable for your child to wear
that clothing, neither will anyone else!
What NOT to Bring?
•
•
•
•
•
Furniture
Stuffed animals
Carseats, diaper disposal systems, potty seats, underwear, bathing suits
No adult clothing (aside from maternity clothing)
Items without all their parts
Donate
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For more information please contact our Enrollment Administrator at:
We can provide a tax receipt for donations only. If you want to donate but can’t
make the swap, or have any questions, please contact hfaphilanthropy@yahoo.com.
3
HFA March‘11
info@beyondbasiclearning.com
1330 Sinatra Drive, Hoboken, NJ • 201-798-0071
www.beyondbasiclearning.com
Established in 2002
Reclaim Your Boundaries
by Karin Stewart
Years ago, I tried to help a loved one through a depression. Instead of getting him
out of his, I almost fell into depression myself. That day, I learned a very important
lesson: taking care of yourself first is not a luxury, it is a necessity. I had given him all
my energy, and then some - too much. By not pulling back and taking care of myself
first, I almost got both of us in trouble (he pulled through, by the way).
What is it in us that makes us breach our boundaries like this to care for others? And
not just in extreme cases like mine, but most often in small ways, by saying yes when
we really want to say no, by keeping in our lives people who drive us crazy because
we would feel like the ‘bad guy’ if we took them out of our lives, by always putting others ahead of us.
We’re doing the equivalent of putting the oxygen mask on others before putting it on
ourselves, and while the result of this is not as damaging, breaching our boundaries
and giving people more energy than we have is not without consequences. Yet we still
do it, because we often don’t realize the consequences until late in the game, when
they get severe: burn out, depression, illness…
Do you find yourself breaching your boundaries, and giving more energy (mental,
physical or emotional) than
you really have available?
First, remember that taking
care of yourself is a necessity,
not a luxury. You can’t give
what you don’t have, or at
least not without consequences. Taking care of yourself
allows you to replenish your
energy so you have more to
give to your children, your
family, your friends, your
work, everyone.
Image: Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Then, take action to reclaim your boundaries and your energy:
• If you pay attention to it, you’ll find that some people leave you energized, while others leave you drained. Eliminate or at least reduce your contact with the latter, and
you’ll feel your overall energy go up immediately. If you can’t stop seeing them altogether, put boundaries. For instance, one such person for me was a family member,
so I made sure to see him only at family events, rather than one-on-one, since the
latter left me completely drained. This allowed me to use my energy for myself and
people who genuinely needed it. Simply doing this will give you more energy, and will
give you a lot more time too.
• Start setting time for yourself, and keep this time as sacred, not to be disturbed no
matter what. You wouldn’t even think of canceling an appointment with a friend to see
another one (unless there is an emergency). Why do you do it when the appointment
is with yourself? Start treating yourself the way you treat your best friend.
Karin Stewart, PhD, founder of Daily Mastery, gives busy mothers and pregnant women the
tools and skills they need to make all the pieces of their life puzzle fit effectively and comfortably.
Find out more and contact her at www.DailyMastery.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.
com/KarinStewartPhD.
4
HFA March ‘11
Making the Best of the Space You Got
by Anna Novosyolok
Hoboken’s population has grown by 30% in the last decade. Many of our new residents are families who in the past might have moved to the suburbs. Some of us have
always lived in cities; many moved for college or a job. Some of us have always
wanted to raise families here; others sort of fell into it. And for most of us, Hoboken
living = limited space.
As a professional organizer working in and near Hoboken, I constantly hear cries
for help finding “more space”. This same cry comes from people raising a family in 900
square feet and those with three-story townhouses. No matter how much space we
have, stuff tends to fill it.
These 7 tips can help you live a less cluttered urban life:
#1. Assign every item a home. For example, store all your scissors in one place.
When you need one, you’ll know exactly where they are. Putting like items together
also helps you see how many you have and pare down extras.
#2. The item’s home should be where you use it most often.
#3. If you find yourself constantly looking for something in a different place from
where you find it, relocate its home there.
#4. Go vertical. Ikea came up with extensions for their bookcases for a reason…
Store your kids’ toys and books on the bottom shelves. Put your books, albums, pictures, etc. on the upper shelves.
#5. Look for furniture solutions with embedded storage. Making smart choices
about your furniture is critical to optimizing your space. Buy a coffee table with storage
inside: store magazines and coasters. Choose a crib with a trundle drawer: store
sheets and outfits.
#6. Go digital. Subscribe to paperless statements from your bank and credit card
companies. Scan your photos and store your albums. Create digital photobooks, which
hold many more images and take less shelf space.
#7. Follow the “One In, One Out” rule. Buy a shirt? Give away a shirt. Dedicate a
bin to your kids’ art supplies and when it gets full, encourage them to go through it and
get rid of used up markers, broken crayons, etc. before restocking.
Our lives might be short on space, but living so close to one of the greatest cities
in the world allows us to live lives rich in experiences. With smart use of your space
and good organizing, you can find that you have just about all the space you truly
need.
Mommy & Me
Classes are
Italian for children
held at:
Pre-Register
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& Save!
Lua
AZ
puppet shows
story telling
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Italian songs
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Anna Novosyolok is a professional organizer and a Hoboken mom of two. Visit her website and
blog on www.HudsonOrganizing.com or follow her on facebook at www.facebook.com/
HudsonOrganizing
ENROLL NOW!
1300 Sinatra Dr.
HOBOKEN

Wednesday’s
10 & 11am
www.letsplayinitalian.com (732)-558-4781
Spring Swap Meet—Sunday, April 3, Hoboken High School
Spring Fling and Egg Hunt—Saturday, April 16, Church Square Park
Hoboken Spring Gala—Thursday, May 12, W Hotel Hoboken
5
HFA March‘11
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Upcoming HFA Events
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609 Washington Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030 • 201.963.7640
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Do You Need a Mouthguard?
By Catarina Ferreira, DDS and Cristina Teixeira, DMD, MS, PhD
Last April, during the semi-final of the UEFA Champions League Soccer, Inter
Milan’s Maicon received an accidental shoulder knock to the mouth by Barcelona’s
Lionel Messi. This made him lose one of his teeth and he had to undergo surgery.
Now, imagine what it would be like if your little champion unexpectedly lost a couple
of his or her front teeth. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry,
“increased competitiveness has resulted in a significant number of dental and facial
injuries, which represent a high percentage of the total injuries experienced in youth
sports”. Youth and adults receive thousands of sports related face injuries each year.
So what can you do to protect your smile while playing your favorite sport? According
to the American Dental Association, a properly fitted mouthguard, or mouth protector,
is an important piece of athletic gear that provides a protective surface to distribute and
dissipate transmitted forces on impact minimizing the risk of trauma to the lips and
intraoral tissues such as lacerations, crown or root fractures, avulsions etc.
Athletic mouthguards vary from inexpensive preformed plastic trays designed for
use without any modification, to custom made individually designed devices that perfectly fit your child’s teeth. Custom-made mouthguards usually have better retention
and comfort, less interference with speech and breathing, and more adaptability to
orthodontic appliances.
If you or your child practices one of the activities shown in the table below, consider
a mouthguard for his or her protection.
Acrobatics
Basketball
Bicycling
Boxing
Equestrian
Extreme sports
Field events
Field hockey
Football
Gymnastics
Handball
Ice hockey
Inline skating
Lacrosse
Martial arts
Racquetball
Rugby
Shotputting
Skateboarding
Skiing
Skydiving
Soccer
Softball
Squash
Surfing
Volleyball
Water polo
Weightlifting
Wrestling
Adapted from The Journal of the American Dental Association
Choosing a mouthguard can be a challenging task. However, when making your
decision, be sure you select a mouthguard that not only is resilient, tear-resistant and
comfortable, but is also durable, easy to clean and fits properly your child’s mouth.
Here are some tips to help to take care of your new mouthguard:
www.empiregroup.com
407 Washington Street
201.792.8300
• Before and after each use, rinse it with cold water or an antiseptic mouth rinse. You
can also clean it with toothpaste and a toothbrush.
• Use a firm, perforated container to store or transport your mouthguard.
• Avoid high temperatures, such as hot water, hot surfaces or direct sunlight will minimize distortion of the mouthguard.
• Have regular dental check-ups in order to make sure that your mouthguard is always
in good condition to provide effective protection without irritating your mouth.
• We would like to help you protect your or your child’s smile! Therefore, during the
month of March 2011 we invite you to visit our office, CTNP Orthodontics, to get a
FREE mouthguard.
Licensed Real Estate Broker
Questions about selling your home in
today’s market? Call us now to schedule an
appointment with one of our Real Estate
Specialists who will guide you through the
process. We can help you prepare your home to sell,
determine when to list it and for how much, coordinate the
purchase of your next property and create a customized,
comprehensive marketing plan for selling your home.
This article is contributed by CTNP Orthodontics located at 79 Hudson Street, Suite 400,
Hoboken, who specialize in adult and children’s orthodontics. For more information, please call
(201) 714-9800 or visit ctnporthodontics.com.
Disclaimer: CTNP Orthodontics is one of the generous sponsors of HFA. The above may be
considered an advertisement and not an endorsement or recommendation of HFA.
6
HFA March ‘11
Books for Bullies and the Bullied
By Lois Rubin Gross
Bullying is a “hot topic,” right now. We are hearing a lot about children who are
teased or worse at school, on the playground, on the school bus. It is time to acknowledge that we all let this happen, often without realizing it, because no one wants to
admit that their child might be the bully and often we miss the signs of a bullied child.
If your child is reluctant to go to school, camp, or the playground because other kids
“won’t play with him,” he may be a victim. If your child rejects other children because
they look, act or dress differently then, sadly, you may have a bully in the making.
Here are some books to share with your children to reinforce self-esteem and discourage teasing:
• Goggles, by Ezra Jack Keats—Young children find a way to outsmart older bullies.
• Swimmy, by Leo Lionni—Swimmy teaches fish cooperation to overcome a fearprovoking big fish.
• The Recess Queen, by Alexis O’Neill—Mean Jean is queen of the playground until
a new girl teaches that friendliness is a better strategy.
• Not All Princesses Dress in Pink, by Jane Yoleni—Girls can do anything is the
fundamental message (boys, too), and they don’t have to dress in a particular way.
Turning Lemons into Lemonade:
Easy Ways to Clean Green
By Jennifer Mortarulo
Remy was having a play date in her apartment in less than five minutes. Her bathroom was a dirty mess. In a panic and out of cleaning supplies, she reached for a
lemon. Not to make lemonade for her guests, but to clean her bathroom. She cut it in
half, sprayed a little juice on the soap scum, scrubbed it and voila! it was gone. Remy
was a green cleaning goddess and she didn’t even know it!
Cleaning green is as easy as cutting a lemon. Many people think that green cleaning requires special products and techniques, when in reality it’s the easiest cleaning
you can do. For starters, you probably already have many of the “green” cleaning
products that you need in your home (like a lemon). A lemon not only naturally cleans
soap scum but leaves behind a fresh, citrus scent.
Another eco-friendly cleaning staple is distilled vinegar. Vinegar kills 99% of all
bacteria. You can use it straight for your kitchen to disinfect cutting boards and counter-tops. Or you can put it in a spray bottle, add water, and use it to clean the rest of
your house. It is safe even for kids’ toys. Try adding an essential oil like peppermint or
lavender to give the vinegar-water solution a nice, fragrant smell.
If you are looking for a scouring powder, try baking soda. Just sprinkle some in your
sink or bathtub. Moisten a cleaning cloth with a little water and scrub away to remove
soap scum and dirt.
Cleaning with natural products is not only healthier for you and your family, it is also
cost-effective. Products like lemons, vinegar and baking soda are much cheaper than
anything you would find in the cleaning supply aisle in your supermarket. Besides, you
can have the satisfaction of knowing that you are not releasing harmful toxins in your
home.
Jennifer Mortarulo is the owner of Clean Green Co, an eco-friendly cleaning company now in
Hoboken. For more information, email info@cleangreenco.com, visit www.cleangreenco.com
or call 908-342-5437.
7
HFA March‘11
Hoboken Family Alliance Contacts
www.hobokenfamily.com
Newsletter Director and Editor
Dalia Tole, hfaeditor@gmail.com
HOBOKEN FAMILY ALLIANCE
P.O. Box 1194
Hoboken, NJ 07030
NON PROFIT
ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
PERMIT NO. 5195
NEWARK, NJ 07102
Address Service Requested
Community Affairs Director
Francoise Vielot, hfacommunity@gmail.com
Director for Special Needs Children
Theresa Howard, thoward315@gmail.com
Finance Director
Rachel Matthai, hfafinance@gmail.com
Marketing Director
Shana Lee, hfaadvertising@gmail.com
Membership Director
Cindy Altberger, hfamembership@gmail.com
Philanthropy Director
Michele Hulsman, hfaphilanthropy@yahoo.com
Special Events Director
Lexi Coen, lexicoen@yahoo.com
Web site Director
Steve Walkowiak, swalk@hereiam.com
The purpose of the Hoboken Family Alliance is to
improve the Hoboken Community and its way of life
through the efforts of individual and family volunteers.
The HFA focuses its efforts on education and parenting
issues, philanthropy, children’s resources and events.
Stevens
Cooperative
School
A Leader in Progressive
Education since1949
www.stevenscoop.org
Hoboken
Newport
2s - 8th grade
K - 6th grade
and growing
Tours available by appointment.
Financial aid is available to qualified families.
For more information, please call or e-mail:
Hoboken 201.792.3688
Newport 201.626.4020
school @ stevenscoop.org
Stevens Cooperative School is accredited by the
New Jersey Association of Independent Schools
HFA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
For membership, upcoming events, and parenting resources please visit
www.hobokenfamily.com.
If you have stories or story ideas for upcoming issues please email hfaeditor@gmail.com.
Submissions become the property of HFA and are subject to copyright rules.
Articles and photos cannot be republished without permission.