Ideas for Summer in NYC

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Parent Category: Activities Advice Articles

Category: Summer Fun

It's summer in New York!

Here are how some ideas of what to do in NYC, and how to brave the hot temps with the kiddos

 image via here

1) Find something free to do! You can find ideas in the PSP guide to Hot in the City! Cheap (or free!) Activities To Do With Kids of All Ages in NYC during the summer.

2) Go for a hike! Read some PSP member recommended family-friendly day hikes.

3) Make a trip to Coney Island This is what the kids say about this fun place!

4) Go for a swim! Check out one of the city's public swimming pool, here is information about NYC public swimming pools.

5) Enjoy the AC in a museum! Here are PSP kid approved art, museum & music events

6) Play tourist in your own city! These are PSP members' suggestions of tourist activities for tweens & teenagers

7) Eat a refreshing snack and beat a hot weather food strike.

Crossing Guard Appreciation Day 2016!

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Parent Category: Safety

Category: Safety in the Slope

The 78^th Precinct, Brad Lander, Park Slope Parents, Park Slope Neighbors, and the Park Slope Street Safety Partnership appreciated the local crossing guards on May 10, 2016 in honor of Crossing Guard Appreciation Day! All the guards were extremely thankful that their hard work was appreciated. It was a cold winter and they are out there braving all kinds of weather (like today) to help our kids/families stay safe.

Here's a slideshow of all the attendees!

Aaaand the event was covered by New 12 as well!!

If you filled out a Shout Out regarding your crossing guard outside the 78th, fear not-Brad Lander's office will be sending those appreciative messages out to the appropriate folks later this week.

Here are some of the great things folks said about their favorite crossing guards:

"She is so attentive to all of our families and makes us feel loved and cared for, rain, snow or shine. She knows so many of the kids' names and greets them with a warm hello and smile. She is also very effective and managing traffic-- there are many parents who drive their kids to school is a tired, groggy state and therefore are not the best at following traffic rules."

"Despite the stresses of maintaining the safety of a school with an outdoor lunch, early arrivers and busy dismissals, she handles her job with a bright smile and kind words. I've never heard a cross comment or a negative sneer, even though she has to constantly place herself at risk to protect potentially unruly children. Moreover, she recently suffered a significant family hardship - one that would impact even the most positive personalities - yet she continues to keep it positive. I've encountered many crossing guards, and nearly all perform their jobs effectively, but Ms Ripo-Ramos takes it a step further and has become a pillar of our school community in terms of safety, familiarity and personality. Our school grounds are safer and happier as a result of her presence."

"She makes a point of asking our daughter every day about whatever stuffed animal she's carrying. she keeps an eye out for her even when she's with her after school group."

"Rain or shine Anita is always out on her posts greeting children and helping them smile during the transition from home to school and vice Versa. She has been at PS 107 for many years and is an active member of the school community. She deserves to be recognized for all her years of her commitment to the safety of our park slope children."

"Ida is no nonsense, takes great pride in her work and cares very much about the kids she protects. She is always joking with them and knows many by name. We see Ida around the neighborhood off duty, too, and she is always friendly!"

"She is ALWAYS supremely capable, calm, professional, reliable, in short everything you want in a crossing guard!"

"She greets everyone by their names. She always has a smile."

"We live nearby, and Ida cheerfully says good morning to me each time I see her. She even knows my three kids' names, and asks how they are once they've moved on to high school. In the afternoons, she lets me know whether my youngest, who has always been pretty small, has headed home yet or not. It's like having an extra set of eyes -- looking out for my precious children when I'm off at work. Or rather, a bit like having Mrs Weaseley's (from Harry Potter) kitchen clock on the corner, letting me know whether I need to worry or not!"

"They are lovely to our children and help keep them safe!"

"Ask your school's admin if they can help the whole school appreciate your crossing guards!"

A big thank you! to the crossing guards of the 78th Precinct (and beyond) for your work on the front lines keeping neighborhood kids safe!

Susan Fox

Founder, Park Slope Parents

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The Park Slope Street Safety Partnership

Safety Reminders for Your Home

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Parent Category: Help

Category: Important Member Communication

Earlier this month, a PSP member came home to an intruder in her home. It was after she had put her toddler down for a nap that she discovered him hiding in her bathroom. The intruder was able to force his way into her apartment because the lock had not been deadbolted. This is a reminder to the community that locking the knob or lever lock is not enough to protect against break-ins and should never be relied upon as the main security lock. 

We would like to take this opportunity to remind you about the proactive measures you can take to keep your home and family safe.

An alarming story, right? Okay — deep breath, exhale.

There are things you can do to protect yourself, your family, and your home. Here are some reminders about keeping your home safe in a big city.

OVERVIEW:

• Lock your home whether you are at home or away.
• Get good locks, deadbolts preferred. If you don’t have good locks, upgrade (you can talk to one of these PSP member recommended locksmiths: http://bit.ly/1SfsPpY
• If you are in a building, make sure that the locks to the building are secure. Get the landlord or building to upgrade to metal plates put on doors so they can’t be opened easily.
• Do not let anyone in the building you don’t know. Be wary of the vague “I forgot my keys” if you live in a big building. Send reminders to your building that folks NOT buzz in anyone they don’t know.
• Close all windows when you leave the house.
• If you have a glass backdoor consider replacing it or adding a storm door to make entry more difficult. Similarly, think about adding storm windows as well.

When break-ins happen perpetrators most often gain entry by:

• Front doors left open, unsecured.
• Unlocked rear windows
• Fire escape windows
• Forcing locked doors, mainly the front, due to inadequate locks.

REMEMBER:

• Call 911 immediately if you have a break-in. Often perpetrators are still in the vicinity. Waiting to call 911 can decrease the chances of catching perpetrators.
• There is more safety information on the Park Slope Parents website including stranger danger, safety in Prospect Park safety, street harassment, kids riding the subway alone, and more: http://bit.ly/PSPSlopeSafety

REMEMBER TO:

• Secure all windows and doors, even if it’s only for a moment. Air conditioners/window fans should be secured to the window opening to prevent being pulled out or pushed in.
• Install and lock a secondary locks.
• Do not leave your electronics (laptops, iPods, etc) near your windows in plain view.
• Install only FDNY approved safety gates on fire escapes or ground level windows.
• Avoid keeping large sums of money and jewelry in your home. If possible, utilize safes and lock boxes to help prevent theft of your personal items.
• Remember that some windows open up as well as down.

BE ALERT FOR SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY:

• Be alert for strange people in your building, around your home and around your neighbor's homes. DO NOT HESITATE TO CALL 911 to report any unusual behavior observed.  All calls will be kept confidential.
• If you observe unfamiliar people who are attempting to enter your location, notify police to investigate. Especially if they are attempting to enter the building immediately behind you.
• If you see a person and/or vehicle on your block for an extended amount of time loitering with no apparent purpose, CALL 911 to make a report. Please make note of important vehicle information, such as license plate, car model, and color.
• Please refrain from posting any non-official information/descriptions of wanted person(s)/vehicles on social networks such as Facebook, Twitter etc. as it could interfere with ongoing investigations. Instead, please supply any information to your local precinct.
• If you have any information regarding a burglary please contact your local precinct detective squad.

MORE HELP:

The NYPD has programs to register your electronics so that stolen items might be recovered (more here: http://bit.ly/PSPOperationID). You can also obtain stickers on your car so that that if it's being driven during 1am and 5am, the police have the right to stop the driver. There are other great safety initiatives too, stickers they can put on bikes, stickers on older people's vehicles, so that if someone 25 and younger is driving the car they can be stopped, etc.

If you are a victim of any crime, no matter how petty, please report it. Find out more here about what to do: http://bit.ly/1qZo8EE

FINALLY:

In the end remember that material things are always replaceable, but people aren't. Be safe and don't try to fight or chase an attacker.

SIDE NOTE:

This incident took place in the 72^nd precinct and from what this mom told me they’ve been very helpful. The folks at the 78^th Precinct have also been really helpful over the years.

Made it this far? Great! Thanks for reading, listening, and being a great member of this community. If we all work together we can help ourselves, neighbors and kids be safer!