Words of Wisdom from Mothers & Grandmothers
Mother knows best? When it comes to parenthood, heartfelt words of wisdom are often the root of a blossoming family tree. Orlando Family Magazine asked local mothers to share their wisdom. Jana On-Air Personality, XL106.7 + Mom of One Lessons from your mother? “You can do a lot more than you ever thought possible once you become a parent. But, if you try to do EVERYTHING you will... Read More
HEART 2 HEART BIRTH CENTER
If you are eagerly anticipating the arrival of your baby but feel apprehensive about the often impersonal, intimidating hospital experience, you are not alone. Let’s face it, for many of us, hospitals are scary places, associated with disease, pain, and even death. The hurried atmosphere, bright lights and shiny metal instruments do nothing to put a new mom’s mind at ease. But... Read More
Medical Missions Soar With Angel Flight
She isn’t a celebrity child with an extravagant lifestyle, yet frequent flights on a private plane have become the norm for Janina Muniz-Ortiz, a three-year-old with congenital bilateral cataracts, a cloudiness of the eye that can cause blindness. After enduring surgery at just one month old, Janina developed glaucoma in her right eye and her mother, Nydia Ortiz, was told her... Read More
Twitter moMENts: Mother’s Day Edition
Serious newsie is a twitter with hilarious family moMENts As host of Orlando’s Morning News on 96.5 FM, Joe Kelley knows how to report serious headlines. But, when it comes to his wife and children, Joe prefers to chronicle the hilarity of family life with an “instant diary” ─ aka Twitter! Here are some of his recent tweets: GOOD GRAVY! — I just flipped the calendar... Read More
Emoji, Acronyms, and Emoticons: What Does it all Mean?
If you feel like reading text messages has become an exercise in code breaking, you’re right. Some people still send plain text, but many ─ especially kids ─ stuff their messages with abbreviations or acronyms, smileys, slang, winking hearts, and piles of poo. All these are an attempt to restore some of the richness and fun of face-to-face (FTF) communication. In the... Read More
How Does Healthcare Expansion Affect Central Florida Families?
The Legislature assembled in early March and, as Senator Andy Gardiner (an Orlando father of three) has shared, many discussion items pertain to Florida families, including disability education, healthcare expansion, mental health reform, a proposed downtown campus for UCF, and more. Perhaps you’ve noticed that debate over healthcare expansion has become heated ─ even between... Read More
Soak Up the Pad Fad
When water facilities known as splash pads, splash zones, and spray-grounds started popping up around town, Orlando Family Magazine ran an article on where families could find these hot spots to cool off. Years later, readers still access this information on our website. First and foremost, thanks for trusting our publication as your family fun resource! And secondly, it’s finally... Read More
What’s Your Kitchen Style?
With so many styles of kitchens and cabinets to choose from, it can sometimes be hard to decide on (and implement) a favorite. You may think that each style is beautiful in its own way. But which is the best match for your home? Aside from the individual look, many other aspects should be considered, such as compatibility with the rest of the home, and whether it will endure the... Read More
Simple Swaps For Switching Off
Wouldn’t you love to have a screen-free night? Or week? Next month, take the plunge by plugging into Screen-Free Week (screenfree.org), May 4-10. It can be a much-needed, challenging exercise that provides a sense of accomplishment. For many families, however, it’s also a relief to return to a screen-oriented lifestyle afterwards. In fact, it can be hard to imagine going... Read More
Aquatic Center is Lucky to have Champion
Doc Lucky Meisenheimer makes a splash at YMCA Aquatic Center! Formerly known as the Justus Aquatic Center, Central Florida’s largest indoor swimming facility opened on International Drive in 1985 as a business venture combining a hotel with a sporting venue. However, financial instability quickly drowned the for-profit concept and, despite being a state-of-the-art site, the center... Read More
Tips for Shopping at Your Farmers’ Market
A trip to your local farmers’ market offers a great opportunity to indulge in fresh, healthy produce and to expand your horizons by trying new items or preparing them in different ways. Here are eight tips to make the most of your farmers’ market visit: Note the hours and dates of your local market on your calendar. Set reminders on your smartphone that will alert you when... Read More
Babysitting the Class Pet: A Cautionary Tale
“Jason, you’d better come here!” I yelled from upstairs. I had just walked into the bedroom of my 7-year-old son Nolan. At the time, we were babysitting the second grade class pet, a guinea pig named Pumpkin, over the holiday break. Side-stepping clothes and toys that littered the room, I approached the table where Pumpkin’s cage sat, just out of reach from... Read More
8 Imperatives to Prepare for a Pet Sitter
How To Prepare Your Pet & Home When Using A Professional Pet Caregiver Your vacation is scheduled, and you’d prefer to have your pet stay comfortably at home while you are away. In choosing the perfect sitter you should, of course, interview him/her, check references, and make sure the sitter is licensed, bonded, insured, and loves pets. But there are some additional steps... Read More
Ultimate Expo – Summer Camp & Family Fun
Brought to you by Orlando Family Magazine & Karing About Kids Saturday, April 25, 2015 | 10:00 am ─ 5:00 pm Orlando Fashion Square Mall 3201 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL 32803 (below food court) Orlando Family Magazine will host a FREE summer camp and family expo to help area residents prepare for summer break and maximize seasonal fun! Families are invited... Read More
A Splash of Spring Break Safety
Following a season of chilly temperatures, parents and kids alike are ready for Spring Break! Dreams of sunny vacations and trips to amusement parks finally become reality but, for many, knowledge of swimming safety has sunk thanks to a long off season. According to research by the United States Swim School Association, teens (age 13-18) accounted for 27% of the 511 media reported... Read More
Confessions of a (Green) Convert
My husband is known as the “green” one in our family. He rides his bike to work and petitions the city council for cleaner energy. He wants to compost our dog’s poop… but that’s another story. To be honest, he’s had to drag me into greener living. Despite the fact that I believe that global warming is a real threat, it took me a long time to stop sighing and rolling... Read More
CHUGGINGTON: FIRE PATROL RESCUE
Not rated | On DVD 3/31 | Ok for Kids 3+ Reel Review: 4 of 5 Reels Wilson sets out on fire patrol duty with his new friend Asher and learns to use a fire hose in a rescue. Chug Patrol and Speed Fleet have a friendly contest; Hodge finds himself in a high-rise jam; and all the Chuggers practice emergency drills at the roundhouse. Includes six exciting episodes plus New Chugger Spotlights,... Read More
Locking Up Your Family’s Online Assets
Automatic locks on the family car? Check. Safety deposit box for valuable papers? Check. Padlocks for bicycles? Check. Secure passwords for online assets? Uh-oh! Now that families conduct their social and financial businesses online, strong passwords are every bit as important as sturdy locks on the doors of your house. Unfortunately, parents who are very conscientious about other... Read More
8 Tips for Camping with Children – and Actually Enjoying it!
I am not a stellar camper – I’ve probably camped just five times in my life. But I have this urge to take my children camping this year. I have visions of a family-focused adventure; hot dogs and s’mores by the fire; fishing and swimming in a lake; and leisurely hikes through a beautiful, wooded park. I just know that my kids (ages 2, 4, 7) will love it ─ following a brief... Read More
Cheesy Feet
Kids will love these easy-to-bake savory biscuits cut into feet shapes and decorated with tiny red pepper or cherry tomato toenails! Equipment Nonstick parchment paper Scissors Large baking sheet Foot-shaped pastry cutter or foot template. To make a foot template, get your little one to stand on a piece of cardstock; then draw the outline of his/her foot and cut out. Knife Cooling... Read More
A State-of-the-Art, Child-Friendly Emergency Department
While we are honored by our consistently high national rankings for patient satisfaction, as well as the willingness of families and friends to recommend our hospital, we are perhaps even more proud to offer families a new concept in Emergency Department (ED) services ─ one that is scare-free and child-sized. Our Medical Director of Emergency Medicine, Dennis Hernandez, MD, oversees... Read More
