City tennis fans looking for a summer job they can boast to friends about might want to show up in Queens next week.

Auditions will be June 20 for this year’s ball persons for the U.S. Open.

Only 80 positions are available, and those lucky few will get to work nearby tennis greats like Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams.

Tryouts will be at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

Anyone ages 14 and older can try out. Participants can pre-register online here or the day of tryouts starting at 3 p.m.

Evaluations will begin around 4 p.m. after a veteran ballperson demonstrates the craft.

Last year, more than 500 people tried out, organizers said.

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Chocolate, peaches and cream and bubblegum are popular candy flavors — but they are also popular flavors of tobacco intended to appeal to teens.

Candy-flavored cigarettes are dangerously targeted to kids, the American Cancer Society said in a new report.

“Parents need to be aware that these products, even though they are banana- or strawberry-flavored, are just as dangerous, just as deadly and just as wrong as allowing your child to smoke tobacco,” warned Mike Davoli, the American Cancer Society’s legislative campaign director.

Following New York City’s lead in restricting the sale of candy-flavored tobacco products, the American Cancer Society wants New York State to do the same.

“These flavors are the latest efforts of tobacco companies to hook our kids,” Davoli said. “That is not something that we can just sit back and allow.”

According to the ACS, tobacco companies have been targeting kids by luring them in with attractive new flavorful tobaccos as “starter” products to get them hooked, allowing them to then “graduate” on to adult tobacco brands.

These “starter” products include flavored cigarettes, cigars and smokeless tobacco that often are produced with eye-catching, colorful packaging.

“Let’s be honest, it’s not my 85-year-old grandpa that is looking to smoke a flavored cigar,” Davoli said. “These products are designed to attract kids.”

As the tobacco industry is increasingly updating its appeal to youth, the ACS is pushing for Gov. Andrew Cuomo to enact a ban similar to New York City’s.

“Every year in New York State, 400,000 smokers will die from tobacco-related illness,” Davoli said. “If the tobacco industry wants to survive, they need to replace those smokers, which they do by using flavors to entice children to begin using this deadly product, which will eventually end in addiction and half of them dead.”

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The number of New York parents who had their child skip at least one required vaccine due to religious reasons increased over the past decade, according to a new study.

What’s more, researchers found counties with high religious exemption rates also had more whooping cough cases — even among children that had been fully vaccinated.

States set their own requirements on which vaccines a child must have received to enter school. All allow exemptions for medical reasons, and most, including New York, also permit parents with a religious objection to forgo vaccination.

Less than half of states permit exemptions due to personal or philosophical beliefs. But those also can get counted under religious views in places with less strict exemption policies.

“Particularly in New York State, I do believe that parents are using religious exemptions for their personal beliefs,” said Dr. Jana Shaw, who worked on the study at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse.

“There’s a lot of vaccine hesitancy.”

Studies have shown cases of whooping cough, also known as pertussis, have been on the rise across the U.S.

Researchers suspect that’s due to the use of a new type of pertussis vaccine — which is safer, but less effective over the long run — and to more children missing or delaying vaccination.

For their study, Shaw and her colleagues tracked data from the New York State Department of Health on both religious exemptions and new whooping cough cases. Children were reported as having a religious exemption if they had been allowed to skip at least one required vaccine for non-medical reasons.

Between 2000 and 2011, the proportion of religiously exempt kids increased from 23 in 10,000 to 45 in 10,000, the study team reported Monday in Pediatrics.

The number of counties where at least 1 percent of children had a religious exemption also increased, from four to 13. Most of those counties were in western or northern New York.

Higher religious exemption rates were tied to more reported cases of whooping cough. In counties with at least 1 percent exemption, 33 out of every 100,000 children developed pertussis each year, compared to 20 per 100,000 in counties with fewer religious exemptions.

‘Overwhelming evidence’ on safety

Children who had been fully vaccinated were also more likely to get sick in places with high exemption rates.

No vaccine is 100 percent perfect, so infectious disease prevention relies on “herd immunity” – when enough kids are vaccinated that the infection can’t spread.

“If you have enough exempted children in your schools and neighborhood, they will put even vaccinated children at risk,” Shaw told Reuters Health.

Saad Omer, a researcher at Emory Vaccine Center in Atlanta, said the pattern of increasing non-medical exemptions has been seen in other states as well, including Michigan and California.

Because of the general success of vaccination, “there is less disease to go around and there’s less individual and collective experience. You don’t hear about the disease that often,” he told Reuters Health.

“When that happens, successive cohorts of parents start evaluating the real or perceived risk of vaccines more than the risk of disease.”

But those perceived risks – such as a link between vaccines and autism – have not panned out.

“If you look at the risk-benefit ratio between side effects of vaccines and the benefits they render, it’s not even a close call. It’s hugely, heavily in favor of vaccines,” said Omer, who wasn’t involved in the new research.

Shaw agreed.

“Vaccines are extremely safe, in spite of what the Internet and other sources have argued,” she said. “We have overwhelming evidence that vaccines are safe.”

Both Omer and Shaw said they don’t think states and schools should pass judgment on parents’ religious beliefs, but that it shouldn’t be easy to get a vaccine exemption for convenience or personal preference.

And, Omer added, “Those who don’t get [their kids] vaccinated should remember that it’s not a benign choice. There are real disease risks.”

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Most U.S. tweens, 10- to 12-year-olds, have at least one social media account and many go online without any supervision from their parents, according to a survey released on Tuesday.

Facebook is the most popular platform among tweens. Although the site says users must be at least 13 years old to log on, 85 percent of tweens said they have an account and a similar number admit they use it every day.

“Younger and younger kids are going out there really unsupervised,” said Michelle Dennedy of the online security company McAfee, which commissioned the poll of 1,173 young people aged 10 to 23 years old and 1,301 parents.

The threats to children of unsupervised use of the Internet are well known and range from identity theft, cyberbullying and sharing photos and videos to pornography and sexual predators.

But despite the dangers, 82 percent of preteens say they think social media sites are very safe, or somewhat safe, and 79 percent of parents agree.

Nearly half of youngsters also report sharing personal information online such as their email address, and 28 percent have revealed the school they attend.

Many parents are also unaware of the time their children spend online. The poll showed 52 percent of youngsters spending five or more hours a day online but most parents think they spend only one to two hours.

Dennedy said many parents are overwhelmed by the onslaught of technology available to their children and feel like they can’t keep up with their tech-savvy children.

More than 80 percent of the parents of preteens say they don’t have the time or energy to keep up with everything their children do online. Only 9 percent say they know how to find out what their children are doing online.

Children are also skilled in hiding their online activity from their parents. More than half of tweens, 58 percent, say they know how to keep their online use a secret and a quarter admitted they had cleared or hidden what they have done online.

“There’s a lot of positive stuff out there, and what we have to do as adults is really separate the good from the bad,” Dennedy said.

She suggested parents have regular conversations with their children about using the Internet and that they educate themselves about online safety.

Although 71 percent of parents questioned in the poll said they had talked to their children about online behavior, only 44 percent of children agreed that they had.

“It’s still the Wild West out there and because they are digital natives, our youth are engaging in all kinds of unsafe behavior without the benefit of how their actions will affect their lives,” said Dennedy.

Other popular sites for teens, tweens and college-age youths include Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Tumblr, the survey found.

It was conducted from April 3 to 15 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.

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Kids who are short for their age but otherwise healthy probably don’t need extensive blood tests to determine if a disease is stunting their growth, researchers said in a new study.

Of 235 short kids without symptoms who were referred for specialty testing, just three had a possible diagnosis picked up on those labs, and only one diagnosis — for celiac disease — was confirmed, researchers found.

“Most of the screening tests are for diseases you really wouldn’t want to miss, but it’s rare that any of those diseases [would only] present with short stature,” said by Dr. Stephanie Sisley, who led the study.

Guidelines on short stature from endocrinology groups recommend lab screening for very short children, including those who don’t have any problems picked up on a physical exam. That screening includes blood tests for thyroid and growth hormones as well as calcium and other nutrients.

But one of the authors of those guidelines agreed that based on the new findings, kids who are short but have no other symptoms probably don’t need extensive screening.

Sisley and her colleagues reviewed the medical charts of 1,373 short children who were referred to the endocrinology clinic at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center between 2008 and 2011. Of them, 235 were below the third percentile for height and had a normal check-up and no record of having stopped growing.

A 10-year-old girl who is 4 feet, 1 inch tall would fall just below the third percentile, for example, as would a 6-year-old boy who is 3 feet, 5 inches.

Few of those children underwent all tests recommended by the guidelines; the average kid had about two-thirds of them. One was diagnosed with celiac disease — when the body can’t process certain grains — and two others had signs of underlying conditions but didn’t finish follow-up tests.

There were 10 false positive lab results that didn’t pan out on further testing.

Altogether, the tests cost $315,321 — or $105,107 per possible diagnosis, the study team reported in The Journal of Pediatrics.

Sisley and her colleagues said their findings show many children are inappropriately referred to specialists for short stature. Rather than looking at a child’s height at one point, it’s more important to track it over time to see if a kid has stopped growing, they wrote.

“Any patient who really isn’t growing should be checked out,” Sisley, now at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, told Reuters Health.

Dr. Alan Rogol, a professor emeritus at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, agreed the new findings only apply to those kids who are short but have no record of growth delay.

The kids in this study “had nothing that pointed to difficulty in any system, and many of them were short kids of shorter parents,” Rogol, who reviewed the study for the journal, told Reuters Health.

He and Sisley both said those kids should be followed by their pediatrician for at least six months, then referred to a specialist if they really aren’t growing, or any time new symptoms show up.

“In this idealized set of kids, the things that pediatricians do best … are probably more worthwhile than sending them over to see an endocrinologist or somebody else,” Rogol said.

“I think parents are most worried that they’re missing something in the kid. It’s actually OK to follow the growth of a patient for six months or 12 months to see if something’s going on before you do specialized testing,” Sisley said.

“Much of the time, if their child is otherwise healthy … the bottom line is they’re probably going to be fine in the long run.”

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Still hoping to find a spot for your child to spend their summer days? It’s not too late – many New York City camps are still accepting summer registration. Whether your child might like to try out their voice in a musical theater program, learn to cook healthy meals or sleep in a rustic cabin, here are some summer schedule options:

Performing arts

Four Corners Creative, a company that offers dance, music and acting lessons, hosts multiple one-week Adventures On Stage musical theater camps, where kids learn dance from hip-hop to Broadway, ultimately putting on a production at the end of the week to show off their new skills. They will also get to meet Broadway performers and former Rockettes. The company emphasizes self-esteem and character building alongside the theater theme.

PreK through fifth grade
$475 per session
www.fourcornerscreative.com

Fitness

For a camp-like experience without the separation of a full week or day, kids’ yoga studio Yogi Beans on the Upper East Side is also still taking reservations, whether families are in town for the whole summer or just this month. Their Mini-Bean Yoga Retreat offers a two-hour yoga adventure for kids, ages three to nine, including soothing poses, a healthy snack, and arts and crafts.

Three to five years, six to nine years
$40 to drop in or 10 classes for $300
www.yogibeans.com

Foodies

For children with an appetite or eye toward the kitchen, Freshmade NYC is expanding their cooking classes this year to a three-day summer camp, for an hour each day. The camps include cooking alongside arts, crafts, yoga and farm visits. The camp starts off at the Battery Urban Farm downtown, where kids can plant and grow their own herbs and vegetables. Later, at the Soho-based Freshmade NYC, campers learn to prepare healthy meals.

Two years to six years
$272 per session
www.freshmadenyc.com

Enrichment

With locations all around the five boroughs, the YMCA offers a slew of day camps and sleepaway camps for young New Yorkers. Day camps include an array of activities like swimming and museum visits to swim camps, or campers can choose specialized arts camps and sports camps. Sleepaway camps promise a bully-free atmosphere and team-building exercises to make children feel welcome in rustic cabins, where they live with a trained counselor. Financial assistance is available to some families. Each branch has a different schedule of activities, so check with your local YMCA.

Costs vary
Sleepaway camp for ages six to 15
www.ymcanyc.org

Follow Alison Bowen on Twitter @reporteralison

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With deadlines approaching for summer – and even fall – sports teams, now is the time to find the right environment for your children.

But identifying the right one out of a slew of options can be stressful, and experts suggest taking the time to find the right fit.

Luis Fernando Llosa, co-author of “Beyond Winning: Smart Parenting in a Toxic Sports Environment,” recommends waiting until kids are 11 or 12 to sign them up – something he acknowledges is unusual.

But this allows children time for developmental stages, he said, “rather than having a coach barking at them all the time and telling them what to do.”

Those barking coaches are another thing to avoid, he advises.

“Find out whether the coach is ego-driven or not,” Llosa said. “They’re doing this more for themselves than for the kids they coach, and they have very little training in child development.”

Aaron Finkel had so much trouble deciding among the “dizzying” number of sports options and deadlines that he launched a website last month, New York Sports Connection, to track teams.

“There are so many different options for parents,” he said, which can become overwhelming.

Many moms and dads also miss deadlines – something he did once and hopes to do never again.

“I missed the deadline for my son once to flag football,” he said. “I never want to see that look on his face again.”

Llosa gives the following tips to foster a positive sports experience:

• Play one sport per season.
• Play different sports during different seasons.
• Choose one activity per year that includes development and balance.
• Study the history of a sport.
• Arrange for your athlete to help coach a younger team.

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A beautiful spring morning in Ditmars Park in Astoria turned ugly last Tuesday when 54-year-old Zbigniew Pawlowski reportedly armed his two children with two illegally owned BB guns and set them loose in a busy playground.

He first fired a couple of shots at a nearby tree, then handed the weapons to his 5-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son, according to an account from the Queens district attorney’s office.

The city’s Administrative Code requires permits for air rifles or pistols like BB guns. There were no injuries as a result of this incident, but Pawlowski was arraigned on several charges, including resisting arrest and endangering the welfare of a child, the New York Times reported.

The story was first written about on the Queens Mamas blog, and Queens Councilman Peter Vallone linked to the story on his Facebook page, asking constituents to speak up if they recognized the man in a blurry cell phone photo.

“It’s unfortunate this incident escalated,” Vallone said of Pawlowski’s arrest and the ensuing court case. “The gun was extremely realistic which makes it illegal, but instead of turning himself in and getting a wrist slap, he resisted arrest.”

The Queens Mamas story, which has since been removed, complained of a delay in response by the police, and an absence of police near the park generally.

“Everyone wants more cops in the neighborhood, it’s my top priority,” Vallone said, and advised voters “to look at candidates’ positions on more cops in the upcoming elections.

Follow Danielle Tcholakian on Twitter @danielleiat

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Find this springtime setup at the Ritz Carlton Battery Park.

Getting your little ones into their bonnets was half the battle. At least these kid-friendly restaurants are rolling out the stops to make sure your kids have a happy holiday.

Rock Center Café
5th Avenue between 49th and 50th streets, 212-332-7654
Before heading inside, work up an appetite with a twirl around the rink at Rockefeller Center (yes, it’s still open). The Easter Bunny will be joining skaters from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m., and also meeting with children at the café to dole out handcrafted dark, milk and white chocolate truffle eggs by Pastry Chef Michael Gabriel. Parents can opt for a three-course prix fixe brunch or dinner; children receive two courses.
Skate with Easter Bunny: $25 admission; $10 rental
Brunch (9 a.m.-4 p.m.)
$45 for adults, $25 for children
Dinner (4-9 p.m.)
$59 for adults, $25 for children

Asellina
420 Park Ave. South, 212-317-2908
While parents tuck into strawberry pancake towers and truffled poached truffled eggs at the restaurant’s prix-fixe brunch ($25), kids can hang next door at the supervised Gansevoort Hotel Petting Zoo, open from 12-2 p.m., which will be home to sheep, lamb, goats, bunnies, chicks and the Easter Bunny. Dinner starts at 5:30 p.m.; menu options include duck frittata and gnocchi gratinati.

Ritz Carlton New York, Battery Park
2 West. St., 917-790-2525
Leave it to the Ritz to provide the most lavish Easter egg hunt in the city: Beginning at noon on Sunday, children ages 3-12 are invited to hunt for the more than 500 treasure-filled eggs scattered throughout the hotel lobby and outdoor plaza. If your kid finds one of twelve golden eggs, he or she gets an additional prize. The Easter Bunny will also be on hand from noon to 1 for kids to meet and take pictures with. Once everyone gets hungry, brunch is being served at the hotel’s 2 West Restaurant, where pastry chef Laurent Richard, will debut a new chocolate creation.
Brunch: $82 for adults, $42.50 per child
Easter egg hunt: Free (call 917-790-2552 for more information)

InterContinental’s Barclay Bar & Grill
111 E. 48th St., 212-906-3144
Wee ones at this brunch get to enjoy mocktails, a special kids’ menu and a visit from the Easter Bunny, who’ll be handing out chocolate gifts. For grown-ups, the brunch buffet has it all, from waffles and eggs Benedict to house-made hummus and Amish free-range chicken breast.
Brunch: $80 for adults, $40 for kids

ATRIO
102 North End Ave., 646-769-4250
The lobby of this space in the Conrad New York will become home to an Easter Egg-stravaganza, complete with an egg hunt and a chance to meet the Easter Bunny. There will also be egg-dyeing workshops with Kool-Aid, so no need to worry about your kids ingesting anything they shouldn’t. At brunch, parents can choose from dishes like bruschetta scrambled eggs or rack of lamb with caramelized sun chokes, while kids can opt for breakfast bites like French toast or lunch nibbles like grilled cheese and pizza.
Brunch: $45 for adults, $25 for kids

One more option: Set sail
Hit the open waters on board World Yacht this Sunday — the boat line’s special Easter afternoon cruise will circle the Hudson River, past Governor’s Island and the Statue of Liberty. A buffet brunch, including items like fritattas and bagels with cream cheese, will be available, and the Easter bunny will be there to give out special gift baskets to kids 12 and under.
$50, call 212-630-8100 for reservations

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When Brooklyn mom Catherine Crawford began to feel as if her kids were running the household, she and her husband began an experiment in French parenting. The more hands-off French method focuses on rules and boundaries between children and adults. Her memoir, “French Twist: An American Mom’s Experiment in Parisian Parenting,” chronicles her family’s experience with “la vie francaise,” and how it transformed their lives. Crawford learned plenty about American culture, childrearing and family dynamics.

Your “a-ha” moment occurred during dinner with French family friends — as you were about to bolt out of the room to tend to your crying daughter, your friend said, “If there is no blood, don’t get up.” Why was this moment so significant for you?
Throughout the evening, I had been in awe all night of my friends’ children. They didn’t seem to need the same amount of attention, and they were extremely courteous. My daughter was freaking out about something and my instinct had always been to get up and run. My daughter calmed down.  She figured it out on her own, which we don’t let children do enough.
What changes did you make after that?
My husband and I defined rules. We said, “You’re children. Daddy and I are grown-ups and we’re not the same.”  I had to explain to them that they didn’t get a say in everything. I realized I was always trying to fit into my children’s world, whereas I never made them adapt to mine. We’re afraid to tell them to be quiet and say no.
And this brought the    family closer together?
It provided a little relief for everyone. One of the best changes was in the way they related to each other. All of a sudden, they were a team. If mommy or daddy laid down a rule they didn’t like, they had each other to commiserate with. They play together so much more now.
What are some of the things American parents are doing right?
American parents encourage individuality. I didn’t want to squash that in my kids. Our kids are boisterous, and I like that. There is a nice middle ground between the American and French examples.

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Internet safety and digital parenting expert Hilary DeCesare answers our questions about the changes to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act and what you need to do to make sure your little ones are safe while navigating the Internet.

Can you tell us a little bit more about COPPA?
The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act was enacted to protect children under 13 online, and the parents of children under 13 committed to keeping their kids safe online.
Last year the FTC amended it. What are the new rules?
They needed to keep up with evolving technology and changes in the way children use and access the Internet. This includes the ever-increasing use of mobile devices and social networking sites. The amendments, which go into effect July 1, will require operators of websites or online services that are either directed to children under 13 or have actual knowledge that they are collecting personal information from children under 13 to notify parents and get their verifiable consent before they can collect, use or disclose a child’s personal information. They will also be required to keep the information they collect from children secure. This information includes geo-locations, photos, videos and audio files that contain a child’s image or voice.
Last month, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano spoke to the importance of teaching “good cyber hygiene” to today’s youth. What does good cyber hygiene mean?
It’s also called cyber etiquette, or digital etiquette, and it means acting appropriately online. At young ages, children have no idea what “forever” means and therefore don’t understand the implications of what they post online. Unfortunately, if they happen to post this content on non-COPPA sites, the content is out there forever. Some examples of this are posting inappropriate pictures or other media, and posting personal information including full names, addresses, phone numbers, schools, etc. Posting the latter can even result in cyber-stalking, or predators gaining information about the child. Learning good cyber hygiene helps kids understand what is and isn’t appropriate, and trains them to be responsible digital citizens.

 What is the appropriate age for children to begin going online?
Every child is different. While some are happy to wait to go online until they are 13, many children wish to get on the Web at an earlier age. In fact, among very young children (up to 5 years old) who use the Internet, about 80 percent do so at least once a week. If children decide to go online at a young age, it is important they respect platform age minimums; for example, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter ask that you be 13 or older to use their sites, as they are not COPPA-compliant. If children are online in an appropriate space, it is good for them to learn how to be a responsible digital citizen.

The post How to keep your kids safe online appeared first on Metro.us.

Gender-reveal parties are so last season.

Fear not, moms-to-be: Being pregnant doesn’t mean you have to give up on the trends. We caught up with Elena Mauer, deputy editor of Thebump.com, to learn what first-time moms should look out for in the coming year.

Going green … with baby names
Pantone named emerald as the color of the year for 2013, so expect to see baby names like Hunter, Jade, Kelly and Forest increasing in popularity in the coming months. Even celebrities have been swept up in the trend (Drew Barrymore named her new baby girl Olive). “It’s neat that green and these other natural shades are inspiring baby names,” says Mauer.

Ultrasound parties
Parents-to-be are going beyond the usual baby shower or gender reveal party, which is when “you would cut a cake and the icing in the middle was either pink or blue, and that told you the baby’s gender,” Mauer says. Now more extravagant measures are popping up, including ultrasound parties, where a medically trained technician is invited to perform the procedure in the living room for all of your loved ones to see. Beware: This kind of celebration isn’t for everyone, as ultrasound parties can get expensive, so plan accordingly.  Simpler (yet still dramatic) measures include sending boxes stuffed with pink or blue balloons to family members.

Mommy-moons
Move over, baby-moons. Soon-to-be moms are taking what Thebump.com calls “mommy-moons,” mini getaways that pregnant women can take with their girlfriends (and not their husbands) before the arrival of the baby. Beach vacations, spa trips and pampering parties with manicures and pedicures are the most popular choices for women who want one final trip with their friends before their lives change forever. “Pregnant women are looking for ways to pamper themselves [and] spend time with their friends before the baby arrives and they become very busy,” says Mauer.

Royal baby gear
The whole world has been anticipating the arrival of Kate Middleton and Prince William’s baby. Designers have already begun incorporating Middleton’s style into some of their maternity wear collections, so pregnant women can emulate royal fashion. “We think the royal baby is going to be a trendsetter and he or she isn’t even alive yet,” says Mauer. It’s only a matter of time before we see the royal baby’s style replicated in department stores.

Neon nurseries
Gone are the days of the traditional pink and blue color scheme for baby rooms. “In 2012, there was a lot of neon in fashion,” Mauer says. “You saw it on the runway, and now people are bringing it into their nurseries.” Big and bold is the new motto. But don’t expect to paint the walls electric blue or buy a bright yellow crib, notes Mauer. You are more likely to see neon pink bedding, or a neon green table cover that adds mild pops of color and a bit of trendiness to the nursery — without going overboard.

The post Pregnancy trends for 2013 appeared first on Metro.us.

29-year-old Fitz Edwards of the Bronx is facing a slew of charges including robbery, assault and arson.

Police said Edwards fired a shot at the mother of his children, a 26-year-old woman, near Barker and Adee Avenues around 5 a.m. Sunday, but the bullet missed her. According to cops, Edwards then snatched up the couple’s 2-year-old and 5-year-old, and set the woman’s apartment on fire.

From there, Edwards is accused of walking three blocks to Magenta Street and Bronx Boulevard before stealing a car at gunpoint. Cops later found the abandoned car at East 128th Street and Park Avenue.

Edwards was arrested and charged today. Police said the children were not harmed.

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Police responded to a call at the Boulevard Houses on Linden Boulevard in East New York Tuesday night around 11:30 p.m.

4-year-old Halii McCord was taken to  Brookdale Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, police said.

Hours later at 1:30 a.m., officers arrived at 86 West 179 Street in the Bronx after a 911 call about an emotionally disturbed person.

5-year-old Stewart Espinal was found unconscious. He was later pronounced dead at Saint Barnabus Hospital.

Police said a 47-year-old man was taken from the scene to Bronx Lebanon Hospital and later taken into custody.

The NYPD has not yet released a cause of death for either child.

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With her marriage to Ryan Reynolds last weekend on the books, Blake Lively apparently isn’t wasting any time getting their domestic life going. “I’ve always wanted a big family. Oh, I’d love 30 kids if I could,” Lively says in the latest issue of Allure. The “Gossip Girl” star also cops to living a pretty clean life free of drugs and alcohol — and nightclubs. “The music is so loud, you can’t have a conversation with somebody,” she says. “If I were an amazing dancer, yeah, I’d go, but I’m definitely not.

In news that may be surprising considering their recent public squabbling, estranged couple Heidi Klum and Seal are actually in an “OK place,” according to Klum. “I don’t know if we’re the greatest friends right now, especially because of the things that he said,” Klum tells Katie Couric during an interview for her new talk show. “We’re in an OK place.” Klum adds that the constant attention hasn’t made processing their breakup any easier: “It’s hard especially when you are in the public eye too. People are always looking at you closely and at everything you do. And they also don’t always see exactly how it really is,” she says. “I haven’t felt like correcting every rumor that is out there. I’m focusing on moving forward.”

“True Blood” stars Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer became parents twice over this week, according to Hollyscoop. “We can confirm that Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer recently welcomed their twins into the world,” their rep announces. “The babies were born a few weeks early, but are in good health and both Mom and Dad are overjoyed.” The twins mark the first children for Paquin, while Moyer has two children from a previous marriage.

It looks like Randy Jackson won’t be bounced from the judges’ table on “American Idol” after reports leaked that he is close to signing a deal to keep him in his old spot on the hit reality competition show, according to Deadline. Rumors had circulated that Jackson, the only remaining judge from the original version of the show, would be moved to a “mentor” position for the new season. But it looks like that’s not happening.

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A little after 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. of Astoria spotted two little girls being swept out to sea toward jagged rocks in the waters off Long Branch, NJ, according to DNAinfo.

“I threw my paper down and I sprinted as fast as I possibly could down to the water,” said Vallone, who was joined by his two younger brothers in the rescue.

The brothers were reportedly greeted with a standing ovation when they returned to the beach with the rescued girls.

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In what might be the funniest prank yet, Kimmel brought a 7-year-old boy into a fake interrogation room with a fake lie detector machine and a man dressed up as the “Truth Fairy.”

He tells the kid that the machine can always tell when he is lying and proceeds to ask him questions and just generally confuse him.

The kid, still too afraid to tell the whole truth, tries to say what he thinks he should say, but eventually spills secrets like how he hates puppies, pees in the pool, and sometimes says bad words.

When he reveals his favorite bad word, Kimmel loses it, cracking up, and is unable to go on with the prank.

Hopefully this kid never has to take a lie detector test when he grows up, but if he does, he’ll be a pro!

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Apparently, a growing number of children in NYC are finding themselves distraught over all the responsibilities they’re faced with including demanding homework assignments from posh private schools and vying for the lead role in community theater productions.

As DNAinfo reports, parents worried about their children’s inability to work towards goals, can recruit a life coach, including one from the 91st Street Academy. There, children can find support and guidance for problems like school troubles, balancing extracurriculars and concentration issues — you know, stuff parents don’t want to deal with.

The DNAinfo piece tells the story of a troubled third-grader who simply could not stop misplacing his books and jacket. Life coaching, according to his parents, was the answer.

So what’s the difference, anyway, between a life coach and your run-of-the-mill shrink? According to 91st Street Academy, “Counseling looks backwards at past issues and events while coaching looks forward towards setting steps and goals for the future.”

Well since kids don’t have a past that spans more than a decade and a half or so, life coaching is perfect for them. For about $300 a month, a life coach will work with a kid once a week for three hours.

Now maybe it’s because we didn’t grow up in the city, but if our biggest problems were skipping class or misplacing things, we didn’t get sent to a life coach to sort it all out.

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1. Julbo Bubble sunglasses
It’s a good idea to protect your toddler’s eyes from the sun’s harsh rays with shades — if you can get them to keep them on, that is. Don’t scrimp and buy cheap supermarket sunglasses. The kids’ glasses made by sports eyewear specialists offer 100 percent protection against UVA, B and C rays, and are designed specifically for a child’s face so they stay on. Plus, they look great. $40, www.julbousa.com

3. Coolibar toddler’s swim hat
This sunhat provides no less than three sunhat essentials: it offers
protection of UP50+, is saltwater and chlorine-resistant so they can
wear it in the water and, crucially, has a chin-strap so they can’t pull
it off the minute you put it on their head. The darker the fabric, the
more sun-proof it is. $20, www.coolibar.com

2. Pop-up UV pool
Don’t let your toddler overheat in the baby pool — let the water heat up
in this pop-up pool, then attach the cover to provide shade and
protection from UV rays. $42.50, www.thebabycatalogue.com

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Try this at home

Create a veggie bar of cherry tomatoes, broccoli florets, sliced mushrooms and pepper rings for topping pasta or mini pizzas. Or fill a party platter with different colorful veggies and circulate it before dinner as an appetizer, then park it on the table where everyone can reach and grab.

Parents brings moms and dads smart, fresh advice to help you raise healthy, happy kids.
Check us out at Parents.com.

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Youngsters will love touring the hundreds of boats on display and getting an up-close look at the neon green Offshore World Champion race boat Miss GEICO.  They’ll also get to meet some of their favorite characters, like Spider-Man and Patrick Star of “SpongeBob SquarePants.” Wild animal-lovers will be able to chat with Robbie and Stephen Keszey from the hit Discovery Channel show “Swamp Brothers,” who will be on hand Friday and Saturday to discuss their family’s adventures with venomous snakes and toothy crocodiles.

The boat show is a great place for kids to learn new skills, too. From land-paddling demos for skateboarders to SUP fitness classes, there are lots of ways to burn off energy. Kids will love testing their skills at the Power Boat Docking Challenge, a remote-controlled boat-docking game using a full-size boat helm to steer a boat down a 20-foot “lake” to the marina and into a slip. Don’t worry, adults are allowed to play too!

Events for kids
   
Miss GEICO race boat
All day, every day
   
Spider-Man
Jan. 4, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
   
Patrick Star
Jan. 7-8, noon to 4 p.m.
   
Power Boat Docking Challenge
Jan. 4-6, noon to 2 p.m., 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., 6 p.m. to    8 p.m.; Jan. 7, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., 6 p.m. to  8 p.m.; Jan. 8, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
   
“Swamp Brothers”
Jan. 6, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., 4 p.m. to 6 p.m, 7 p.m. to     9 p.m.;   Jan. 7, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

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1. We love the “Vs. Mittens” collection from Hoopla, which pairs up unlikely critters. They’re now available in kids sizes, making for silly commutes and recess puppet shows. www.vsmittens.com

2. They can upgrade their doodles with this fun journal from Crayola that uses a special paper and pen to create super-colorful notes. Also on our art-box wishlist: Crayola’s new markers made with recycled plastic. $4-6, www.crayola.com

3. There’s no promising they’ll eat the carrot sticks, but this “Victorious”  lunch tote is just one of the items based on the hit Nick show.  $6-$9, available at Wal-Mart stores

4. Coming soon to tween desks everywhere: Justin Bieber’s line of notebooks, folders and binders for Mead. $1.40-$6, www.mead.com

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Andrew Ramirez, 2, was struck Saturday night in Elmhurst by a van after he reportedly ran out into the street in search of candy left behind following a Parks Department bust of illegal vendors.

Police said Ramirez was pronounced dead at the hospital, and the 39-year-old driver of the 2007 Chevy van was not injured. 

In a separate incident four hours later in Brownsville, Brooklyn, a teenage girl was killed in a freak accident by an out-of-control SUV — after she first saved the lives of six other children.

After seeing a Range Rover driving erratically down Pacific Street, where she lived, Kira Goddard, 13, shepherded six children to safety at 2025 Pacific Street, near Ralph Avenue.

But she did not have time to save herself and was hit as the Range Rover careened backwards. She was pronounced dead at the scene. No charges will be filed in either incident, police said.

Follow Alison Bowen on Twitter @AlisonatMetro

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Fortunately, plenty of restaurants offer special deals on kids’ meals. Chili’s, for instance, offered a coupon last month for free kids’ meals with the purchase of an adult entree. Yesterday, we came across a site that helps thrifty parents find all the best kids’ meal deals at their local restaurants.

KidsMealDeals.com has a simple premise: Type in your ZIP code, and the site tells you if any restaurants in your area are offering special deals on kids’ meals. Using the site, we found out that Brother Jimmy’s BBQ here in New York has a deal every day where you get a free kid’s meal for every $10 you spend on the regular menu.

The site offers free mobile applications for when you don’t have time to go home and look up a deal before taking the kids to basketball, football and soccer practices. And, the site also has a Twitter feed with updates on national and local deals, so be sure and check that out if you’re sick of paying so much to keep your children fed.

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Turn off your flash. No matter how well you know your flash, it is an enemy. It flattens everything and makes your images boring. Go outside, or in a room with great window light. And more is not always better. If the noonday sun is bright, head into the shade where there is no glare — and no squinting.

2. Forget posing, just play

It’s a general rule that kids hate a photo shoot. You do get the rare ham who loves to pose, but it almost always gets goofy. I prefer to let kids play in a familiar environment and catch them in moments of fun. If a kid is having fun and you get their attention, they will most likely grace you with a pause and a smile.

3. Don’t forget the background

Your child may look like the Gerber baby, but the eye will immediately be drawn to the chainlink fence and trash can behind her. Funky colored walls, pretty blankets and nature can all be wonderful accents.

4. Get an SLR

There are wonderful point-and-shoot cameras out there, but to get truly great results, nothing beats a digital SLR. And the market these days is full of affordable consumer cameras. Throw it on the portrait automatic setting to start, or get brave and play with it in manual. You will truly see a difference.

5. Call in a pro

Obviously, only Brangelina have paparazzi covering every family outing. Using these tips, you can capture your kids’ childhoods for them to treasure, and to share with friends and family. But nothing beats the images you will get with a professional child photographer. So, every once and a while, for new births, birthdays, etc., give one a call. The shoot will be quick, fun, and you’ll be glad you did it.

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Jacqueline says: I wouldn’t jump to conclusions as children many times copy their older siblings. Understand, however that you will have to allow your child to be who he is.

Kerry says: There’s no point in getting yourself all riled up about it since there’s nothing you can do. Instead prepare yourself to embrace the fact that, if he is gay, you’ll accept and love him no matter what.

Dear Twins,
I have a niece that is very “mature” looking. She is beautiful. She lives only a few floors above me. She is 12. And I have dirty thoughts about her. I want her bad and I’m afraid one day I will act on it. How do I stop thinking about her? Signed Pervert

Jacqueline says: If you are afraid you will act on it then you need psychological help. Stay away from her. Move. Do what you got to, to stay away. Because if you act on it, you will not only ruin an innocent little girl’s life, you will spend many years in the slammer.

Kerry says: Not only is she underage but it’s incestual. I urge you to see a therapist immediately and express your exact sentiments. Then do as Jacqueline says, and remove yourself out of your niece’s presence for a very, very long time. Getting help is imminent.

Dear Twins,
My daughter is 7. She is a great kid except sometimes she throws these incredible temper tantrums. They embarrass me because people always stare at me no matter how I handle it, which is me yelling at her and her getting more upset and me eventually giving in. Please help! Signed, Exhausted Mom

Jacqueline says: You’re killing me. There is no negotiating with a 7-year-old. You are the boss. You needn’t say a word. Walk away. Don’t indulge in her nonsense. Show her that you could care less. She will exhaust in 5 minutes and she will eventually realize that temper tantrums don’t work.

Kerry says: I’m not sure I agree with Jackie. I think kids need “time out” when they act up. I would deal with her in terms of punishments and rewards. Thus, if she misbehaves she should be punished. Conversely, if she is good she should be rewarded. The idea is to associate bad behavior with punishment and good behavior with rewards. Don’t renege on your punishments. The key here is consistency.

My friend and I each have a child about the same age. “Mary’s” son is a spoiled brat and I would love to give him a good whack. I love the idea of us all doing things together (as we are both single) but her son is really getting on my nerves. How should I handle this? Signed, Had It

Jacqueline says:  His mother is the one who should address his behavior but you do not have to put up with other children’s bratty behavior if it is geared at you. If he says something to you that offends you, then correct him. His mother should get the hint.

Kerry says: There’s only so much you can do so I agree with Jackie; if he does something that’s directly offensive or annoying to you then correct him. Otherwise, it’s not your place to discipline him.

I’m a dad with my partner (who is also a male). My son, who we love dearly, is about to enter the fifth grade and I’m terrified he is going to be ridiculed because he has “two daddys.­” He is so sweet, I doubt he would tell us and hurt our feelings. What can I do to prevent this?
Signed, Worried

Jacqueline says: Good communication with your son is key. The tremendous love for your son will give him strength so give him the benefit of the doubt that he can handle himself.

Kerry says:  Explain to your son that he might face some ridicule but to learn to shrug it off and not let it bother him. The best thing you can do in the meantime is to help build his confidence and self-esteem by teaching him self-love; it is how he carries himself that will mostly dictate how the other children will respond to him. Eventually the kids will accept him for who he is and will be over the fact that he has two fathers.

– Kerry and Jacqueline Donelli are twin sisters and the filmmakers of the comedy, “Titillating Steven.” They are pursuing a master’s degree and then a doctorate in mental health counseling in NYC.

Metro does not endorse the opinions of the author, or any opinions expressed on its pages.

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Advice

Pack a family carry-on

One bag of essentials saves heartache if a bag is temporarily lost.
Include one outfit for everyone, as well as prescriptions and other
must-haves. A communal bag also simplifies car travel, giving quick
access to overnight necessities for midway stops instead of unpacking
the whole car.

– Go to www.fodors.com for more expert travel tips. Fodor’s. For choice
travel experiences.

The post How to pack for kids appeared first on Metro.us.

At least 11 different models — both single and double strollers — are included in the recall.
The strollers being recalled have a yellow/orange drawstring in the back used to gather the fabric when the canopy is pulled back. A serial number can be found on the stroller’s rear right leg.

They were sold since April 2002 by REI, buybuy BABY, Babiesrus.com, Target.com and Amazon.com.

If you have one of the recalled strollers, the CPSC urges that you stop using it and remove the drawstring. If you bought the “Weather Shield” or “Sun Shield” accessory with the recalled stroller, you’ll need to contact BOB for a free canopy retrofit kit.

Consumers who want more information or to order a canopy retrofit kit can call BOB at 855-242-2245 weekdays between 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. EST or visit the company’s recall site.

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