Seasonal Party Planning & Pizazz
It’s the perfect time of year to enjoy laid back gatherings with your family and friends! No need to worry about messy charcoal, painful sunburns, or rainy summer afternoons. Autumn allows for comfortable backyard BBQs, rowdy sports bashes, spirited Halloween happenings, and more. Sure, the stresses of winter’s elaborate holiday dinners and parties may be just around the corner;... Read More
Arts As A Community Endeavor Thanks To Central Florida Community Arts
When Lisa Harley, an Orlando mom, heard about Central Florida Community Arts, she knew it was the perfect outlet for her seven-year-old daughter, Ava Capri. The non-profit musical arts organization believes that every artist, regardless of age, should have a cultural platform to connect, serve, and perform. “My daughter loves to sing and has since she was two. I signed her... Read More
How to Make Digital Grounding Work
Teaching kids to do the right thing isn’t always easy. Basically, parents have three options: Encourage good behavior, ignore poor behavior (especially when caused by temporary factors such as fatigue, hunger, etc.), or discourage bad behavior by associating it with disagreeable consequences. For wired kids, the worst consequence is often loss of digital privileges. Although... Read More
Applause-Worthy Theatre Etiquette
Whether one enjoys the romantic storyline of a Broadway production or the comedic action of a blockbuster film, theater-goers ─ both live performance and movie cinema ─ should obey courteous theatre etiquette. While there are, of course, differences in the social protocols between stage and picture auditoriums, each has a list of applause-worthy manners. Curtain Call &... Read More
Modern Inconveniences: The Perils of Public Restrooms with Preschoolers
Life after diapers should create a newfound ease. It should be freeing. But sometimes it’s hilariously exhausting, especially when it comes to excursions outside the home with those fresh-out-of-diapers children or preschoolers. You know the scenario…it starts with an innocent declaration: “Mommy, I gotta go potty.” But did you ever notice how those five words, when... Read More
Cartoons, Circuses, and Creativity
Offbeat Art Programs For Young People Producing a film, drawing a cartoon, or mastering the flying trapeze are just a few of the extraordinary, artistic programs available for youngsters in the Orlando area. Traditional painting and drawing classes still, of course, have their place; but parents can now think “outside the box” when it comes to exploring or nurturing their child’s... Read More
Teaching preschoolers with a Purpose
By Anne-Marie Boveri Schlemmer The Learning Centers of South Park & Dr. Phillips The first couple of weeks of a new school year are an opportunity for preschool teachers to set the stage for the rest of the school year, emphasizing the rules, routines and rituals much needed by our young children. It is also the time to find out about their interests and what is most exciting... Read More
Dancing Into The Hearts of Children With Disabilities
A gaggle of prepubescent girls stand along a makeshift line in a mirrored studio at the Orlando Ballet School. Some of the girls don’t know their left foot from their right; others get easily distracted and begin acting silly, thus drawing the attention of peers rather than working on plies or jazz steps. The tutu-clad youngsters are part of the ballet company’s pilot class... Read More
MY Child Is The Bully? It Can’t Be MY Kid!
Bullying continues to haunt children throughout our schools and community. In recent years, awareness campaigns and films, including 2011’s documentary Bully, have generated efforts aimed to prevent bullying or empower victims to overcome effects. But what do you do if you find out that your child is the bully? First, “try not to be defensive,” says Kursten Euwer, a school... Read More
The Modern Day Brady Bunch
Blended Families Cast A Second Act With Love! In 1969, television viewers fell in love with The Brady Brunch, a comic sitcom featuring a blended family. The premise: Mike Brady, a widowed architect with three sons ─ Greg, Peter, and Bobby ─ marries Carol Ann Martin, who has three daughters ─ Marcia, Jan, and Cindy. Reportedly, the TV network objected to producers positioning... Read More
Virtual School: Where Homeschooling Meets Traditional School
Parents now have many educational choices for their children’s schooling: private, public, charter, Montessori, homeschool, virtual school, and more. Sectioning which option is best for your child can be overwhelming. Homeschooling continues to grow in popularity, but many parents simply don’t know how to teach their child at home. Some parents say they enjoy all the benefits... Read More
Terrorized By The Threat Of School Terror
Ohio school district to allow teachers to carry guns. Should Orange County follow? As students gear up for the new school year, many will experience back-to-school jitters stemming from common academic and social transitions. But thanks to the shocking influx of national and local school violence, parents are likely to experience genuine fear in regards to their child’s safety. The... Read More
ENTER TO WIN: Family & Friends CPR Anytime Kit
Families can learn lifesaving skills in the comfort of their own home with this self-directed, personal CPR kit that makes learning the core skills of CPR easy, affordable, and convenient for the whole family. This kit does not provide certification in CPR but offers the latest research via a 22-minute DVD instructional video, training booklet, and inflatable mannequin. Oops! We... Read More
Q & A with Today Show’s Natalie Morales, Al Roker & Willie Geist
Orlando Family Magazine joined NBC journalists Natalie Morales, Al Roker, and Willie Geist at Universal Studios on Thursday, May 23rd. The NYC-based Today Show filmed the morning program live at City Walk and inside the theme park as part of their Great American Adventure series. Fans got a glimpse at the behind-the-scenes television production while engaging with characters, including... Read More
Orlando City Soccer Players Give As Much Off As On The Field
It’s been two years since Rob Valentino earned his position as defender for the Orlando City Soccer Club, the premier professional soccer team scoring big in Central Florida. He’s seen a lot of wins since becoming a ‘Lion,’ including a roaring victory during the 2011 championship game. Thanks in part to the Orlando City Soccer Foundation, Rob and his teammates also contribute... Read More
Sparkling 4th of July Fun
July 3rd Red Hot & Boom! Cranes Roost Lake, Altamonte Springs Beautiful Cranes Roost Park lights up with an immensely popular festival and fireworks display that includes live music from nationally and international known entertainers, as well as an awesome fireworks display, and food/beverage booths! Sponsored by the City of Altamonte Springs and XL 106.7 FM, Red Hot &... Read More
Designing Bathrooms For Children
Are you daunted by the task of making your extra bathroom child-friendly, but don’t know where to start? Perhaps your child is on the brink of potty training so you’re striving to make the potty room more appealing to your little one (in anticipation of the hours that you’ll both be spending there). Wash away the dated, adult design and shower your family with the following... Read More
Colorful Design Trends by HGTV’s David Bromstad
Original winner of HGTV Design Star and host to HGTV Color Splash, David Bromstad mastered his creative craft in Florida! After graduating from the Ringling School of Art & Design in Sarasota, he launched his career right here in Orlando at Walt Disney World. David shares his advice with Orlando Family Magazine on the hottest design trends: How can a homeowner jazz up a neutral... Read More
Functional Garage Updates & Organization
As a licensed contractor, Brian Corsetti, former Orlando resident and UCF alumnus, helped families across the country put garage organization into overdrive on DIY’s Garage Mahal. He explains, “Combining two lives (after marriage) means the meshing of personal belongs. Add in years of collecting children’s toys, bikes, and so on…and a family’s garage has been transformed... Read More
Staging Strategies To Sell Your Home
Real estate trends illustrate that Orlando is currently a “buyers’ market.” When a potential buyer is invited by his/her agent to an open house, the home better be…well, inviting! One’s first impression of a property usually sticks. Therefore, sellers need to strategically prepare their home prior to listing it; especially since showing opportunities are best during... Read More
Should boys and girls share a bedroom?
Even before Marna Louis’ second child was born, she and her husband knew that their baby boy would need to share a bedroom with his older sister. Also faced with similar space limitations in their home, Kari and Matt Lee utilized a spare bedroom as a music room to maintain their business and, as a result, their son bunked with his two sisters. Fifty years ago, sharing a room was... Read More
