Mom’s Talk Q&A: Mom Needs a (Winter) Break

Q. Brrr! It’s cold outside. Now that I can finally drive somewhere without fearing I’ll get stuck in the snow and towed away with my precious cargo inside, I’d love to find a few local places or a sports-oriented class where my stir-crazy pre-school kids can get their wiggles out. By the way, I live in Fort Lee, and I hate highway driving. Any suggestions?

A. No need to worry, mom, there are plenty of hot spots for your tots that don’t require you to zip onto Route 4 or Route 17. Try bookstores, like Border’s in Fort Lee (201-302-0815); they are super tolerant of rambunctious toddlers, and often have special weekend events such as the upcoming Elmo’s Bday celebration; or the Barnes & Noble in Edgewater (201-943-6130) where kids love playing with the train set. For $20 you can purchase an open play pass for your child at the play space Cutie Patooties in Englewood, or for $30 you can play and drop in to one of their many art, music and cooking classes. www.cutiepatootiesplayspace.com

 
Another option is to get a group together and book tennis courts for the little ones to run around in at the Binghamton Racquet Club in Edgewater (201-945-9500). It will run you $41 per hour, so the more the merrier. Bring tennis rackets (they supply the balls), or ride-on toys and parachutes. Playmaker All Stars www.playmakerallstars.com offers innovative sports classes in a variety of locations, including Fort Lee; Edgewater and Cresskill or sample the toddler gymnastics at Little Gym of Englewood South www.thelittlegym.com/englewoodsouth

If you’re willing to venture outdoors, try the educational setting of the Flat Rock Brook Nature Center in Englewood www.flatrockbrook.org. The session is based on a theme (ice was a recent one). The leader reads a theme-based book, and follows it with a craft (such as painting with food-colored ice cubes). Normally, activities are followed by a theme-based hike (searching for natural ice sculptures), but you are always welcome to opt out, if the thought leaves you, uh, cold.

Not Quite OctoMom but On My Way…

Q: I have two kids (ages 2 and 4) and I’m expecting a third one shortly. Between traveling to doctor’s appointments, grocery shopping, arranging play dates, I’m panicked at the financial and emotional impact of adding to my burgeoning brood. How can I cope, while saving money on activities, child care and other necessities?

A: Let me reassure you that your fear of not being “enough” is a natural one for any mom, let alone one of three. Remember your thoughts can create your reality; therefore, “I can do it” should be your mantra from now on. Let’s hear you say it. Great. Now, take a deep breath and let’s begin.

1)    Go for the Freebies To better balance your budget, sign up with www.freecycle.org. Just type in your area (Bergen County, NJ) and you’ll see a list of items available—for free.

2)    Go to School to Find a Mother’s Helper Check with your local high school to find responsible students willing to help out after school hours or in the early evening.

3)    Join Up with Meetup You can find a slew of local mommy groups on www.meetup.com  (The Parent Connection, North Jersey Moms Meetup Group, Northern NJ Moms), which offer fun, free activities with which to fill your calendar, so the older ones can play, while you tend to the baby.

4)    Get Served  Sign up for delivery services such as Fresh Direct (www.freshdirect.com, www.peapod.comand www.diapers.com to stock up on essentials and save yourself a hassling trip to the grocery store.

5)    The Library is Your Friend Sign up for story times at the Fort Lee library (201-592-3615); free to residents, or the Leonia (201-592-5777) and Englewood (201-568-2215) libraries.

Editor’s note: If you have questions related to parenting, raising kids or just generally being a mom, feel free to submit them to the author at estellewriter@aol.com or the editor at erik.wander@patch.com. Your question might just be featured in a future column.