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Len Maniace

Len ManiaceLen Maniace covers Yonkers and also reports on health policy issues for The Journal News. Len was a science, medical and environmental reporter at the paper for nearly a dozen years. For three years during the early 1990s, he co-hosted a series of monthly environmental breakfast briefings in midtown Manhattan for reporters. He also worked as assistant city editor for more than three years.

E-mail Len Maniace at lmaniace@lohud.com

Entries written by Len Maniace

Is everyone else a perfect parent?

December
17

Be honest, just between us. How many of you have watched Super Nanny or Nanny 911 and recognized your family? Or perhaps were left thinking that some of those families weren’t really all that bad?

Don’t feign ignorance. For several years now, the British nannies of Super Nanny and Nanny911 have been parachuting into chaotic American [...]

Posted by Len Maniace on December 17th, 2007 | 1 Comment »

Parenthood Surprises: You’ve Joined a Really Big Club

December
10

I ran into my neighbor the other morning as she she pushed a stroller containing her 3-month-old as she also tried to hold onto her 3-year-old who was bending down to scoop up snow.

The scene reminded me of when my wife and I were new parents and we strolled down the street with one of our kids in a carriage. Often, total strangers would greet and talk [...]

Posted by Len Maniace on December 10th, 2007 | 1 Comment »

When teens act like teens, watch out

December
5

In the last two weeks, my two sons have gone from being healthy teens to walking wounded. First my youngest son, 13, fractured two toes. Then last week, my eldest son, 17, tore the rotator cuff in his right shoulder.
How did they do it? By acting like teens.
My youngest son got into a tussle with his oldest brother, [...]

Posted by Len Maniace on December 5th, 2007 | 1 Comment »

Hunting out Lead in the Home

November
21

Lead contamination seems to be a problem that just doesn’t go away. The 1970s saw lead removed from home paints, its elimination from gasoline, and its banning from paint used on children’s toys.

 But the series of recalled toys and other products in recent months shows that lead remains a issue for just about everyone with children, who are most susceptible to [...]

Posted by Len Maniace on November 21st, 2007 | 1 Comment »

How does your family deal with death?

November
18

An uncle died last week after suffering a stroke during the summer. We attended the wake Thursday night and the funeral Friday morning. When I said we I mean me, my wife and our 17-year-old son. My 13-year-old son chose not to attend - even though in the past he has.

At the wake there were some [...]

Posted by Len Maniace on November 18th, 2007 | 3 Comments »

Searching for College and a High School

November
5

For the last nine months I’ve been on the college hunt with my oldest son, who is in the 12th grade. All of a sudden I have to add another academic search – a high school for my youngest son who is in the eighth grade.

Both sons are in an unusual public school – for our area [...]

Posted by Len Maniace on November 5th, 2007 | Post a Comment »

A Job Offer for Mr. Torre

October
22

This is a little irregular, but I ask the indulgence of Parents’ Place readers. What follows is of urgent importance for a group of deserving children and for the newest member of Westchester’s unemployed.
Dear Mr. Torre,
 First, let me say that despite comments by one colleague at The Journal News/LoHud who shall remain nameless, you were treated shabbily by George Steinbrenner and/or [...]

Posted by Len Maniace on October 22nd, 2007 | Post a Comment »

Hundreds of kids chasing a rabbit in the park

October
3

I went to the park Sunday with my youngest son for his first cross-country meet of the year. It was another beautiful day, the sun still strong enough for a tan but a cool breeze stirring whenever a cloud moved in. 

These meets are great events for kids from six to 14. They are run by the CYO, the Catholic Youth Organization, though you don’t need [...]

Posted by Len Maniace on October 3rd, 2007 | Post a Comment »

Kids and irresistible pets

October
1

My kids’ health is fine, it’s our pet that’s got some issues.  I took our cat, Miko, home from the hospital last Tuesday and he’s doing OK now. But before I go into details, I first want to explain how our cat came to live with us. It might be instructive if you’re considering a pet for your kids.
Miko arrived as part of a deal for a house rental in Woodstock  seven years [...]

Posted by Len Maniace on October 1st, 2007 | 1 Comment »

My son, my running partner

September
24

I’m excited about this. My youngest son, who just turned 13 Saturday, has  run with me four times in a little more than two weeks. The plan is for him to run two or three times a week so he can get into shape for our parish’s CYO track team. But this routine is  good for me, too.

I’ve [...]

Posted by Len Maniace on September 24th, 2007 | Post a Comment »

School season starts; This could be the year

September
21

Though it ends summer, September is an optimistic time for parents.

September is to the school year, what spring training is to baseball. It’s that brief time when all is fresh and promising. There’s plenty of time for reality later; It’s called the second semester.  

Last night, I went to curriculum night at the school attended by my two sons -  eighth and 12th graders. Curriculum night is when [...]

Posted by Len Maniace on September 21st, 2007 | Post a Comment »

Which car safety seat should you buy?

September
18

Car safety seats certainly have improved since the days that kiddie seats were made of flimsy plastic and equipped with a steering wheel and horn. The whole thing was hung over the seatback using two large inverted hooks. I remembered my parents were thrilled when they found a small carriage that could be wedged between [...]

Posted by Len Maniace on September 18th, 2007 | Post a Comment »

A long trip in a small space

September
17

Family vacations could be a recipe for disaster. First of all there are the high hopes of a family adventure,  shared experiences and, in this instance, a college visit for my oldest son, who at the time of our trip, was just about to start his senior year in high school.

Then there is all that time cooped up in [...]

Posted by Len Maniace on September 17th, 2007 | 2 Comments »

What kids learn from you: environment

August
28

We’re on vacation now, but I’ve been thinking about the values that we pass on to our kids. Values covers a lot of ground and what I’ve been thinking about lately is environmental values. 

I hope my kids are learning from some of the things we do in our house. Starting at the end of last year we’ve replaced [...]

Posted by Len Maniace on August 28th, 2007 | Post a Comment »

An early start for a vacation

August
23

We hope to leave early this morning on our vacation trip; well,  early for our family.
In anticipating our departure, I’m reminded of a favorite movie, The Great Santini.  For those who don’t know the film,  it revolves around Bull Meecham, a Marine fighter pilot played by Robert Duvall, and his often-abusive relationship with his family.
Meecham is far from a fatherhood role model, but as our [...]

Posted by Len Maniace on August 23rd, 2007 | 3 Comments »

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About this blog
Parents’ Place is a hangout for openly discussing the A’s to Z’s of raising a child in the Lower Hudson Valley. From deciding when to stop using a binky to when to let your teenager take driving lessons, Parents’ Place is here to let us all vent, share, and most of all, learn from each other.
Leading the conversation are Julie Moran Alterio, a business reporter and mom of a toddler, Jorge Fitz-Gibbon, a reporter and single father with joint custody of a 9-year-old son, and Len Maniace, a reporter and father of two sons.


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About the authors
Julie Moran AlterioJulie Moran AlterioJulie Moran Alterio, her husband and baby girl — “Pumpkin” — share their Northern Westchester home with three iPods and more colorful plastic toys than seems necessary to entertain one tiny human. READ MORE
Jorge Fitz-GibbonJorge Fitz-GibbonJorge Fitz-Gibbon has been a journalist for more than 20 years and a father for nine. READ MORE
Jane LernerJane LernerJane Lerner covers health and hospitals for The Journal News in Rockland, where she lives with her husband and two children. READ MORE
Len Maniace.jpgLen ManiaceLen Maniace is a reporter and father of two sons. READ MORE



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