Family Traditions & Cutural Groups for Your Children

It is important in raising your children that they learn of the family traditions, not to mention language, of your family's culture. However, it is not easy to do all this on your own. There are several groups in the area that help families teach the traditions and language of their culture. Below is a list of these groups. If you know of any others that are not listed, please let me know.

Little Vikings - yahoo groups that provides a community of e-mail updates for Swedish-speaking families as well as standing playdate on Fridays at various parks on the Penninsula.
http://www.littlevikings.org/

SWEA - Swedish Women's Organization which was established sometime in the 1960's. They host a traditional Christmas bazaar and party every year and have Swedish schools for children to learn the language.
http://www.swea.org/

Polish-American Educational Committee of San Francisco - this organization's mission is to: help our children, who grow in an American society, to learn the language and culture of Poland.
http://www.polishschool.org/home-eng.htm

Asian Youth Association - Dedicated to bringing together Asian Youth in the East Bay, to share culture, problems, and solutions.
http://www.asianyouth.org/

Family-related Articles & News

These family-related article links will provide you with interesting and relevant information for families. The information can include best places to live as a family, infertility issues, colic updates, unique art projects, how to balance your life as a "supermom", most family friendly companies etc.

I hope to have a nice running list of articles in the next few months but would also like it to be an opportunity for others to share what is important for them to read. Any topics you would like to read about, just let me know via a comment.

"Families Share Autistic Traits" - Nov 24, 2005 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4464434.stm

"Car Seats: Essential Information, Part I" - May 17, 2004
http://www.informedparent.com/articles/template.php?article=carseats1

"Car Seats: Essential Information, Part II" - June 21, 2004
http://www.informedparent.com/articles/template.php?article=carseats2

Working Mother Magazine's 100 Best Companies for the working mom
http://vebranch.rgisolutions.com/web?service=vpage/77

"Raising an Adventurous Eater" on parenting.com
http://www.parenting.com/parenting/child/article/0,19840,1181768,00.html?topic=12062&topic=l1365&cid=tout-tagcloud-cookingforkids

Top Ten Parenting Pitfalls from WebMD.com - December 31, 2006
http://www.webmd.com/content/Article/122/114592.htm

Where to Start with Childcare

Where do you start looking when you need to put your child into daycare? Well, you ask friends and family for recommendations but then what? There are many daycare facilities out there but it is difficult to navigate through the information to decide which ones are the best for your child. Even though cost is an issue, let's face it, we are talking about our children. The care is the most important. A good resource is the Child Care Coordinating Council for the 4c's. There is one in each county. Although they don't recommend daycare facilities, they are non-profit offices that provides free child care referrals and information about choosing child care. You can receive a report of all daycare facilities in your area and go from there...Good luck! But, don't discount the value of personal recommendations. That is way I ended up with my daycare provider.

4 C's of Alameda County: http://www.4c-alameda.org/
4 C's of Santa Clara County: http://www.4c.org/

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

It is important to stay on top of the latest recalls. However, it is not always easy to find all the product recalls. Here is a link to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. If you sign up for their e-mail alerts, you get the information immediately. http://www.cpsc.gov/

Zoos and Animal Parks

Interested in checking out the animals in the Bay Area? This is a great family activity and lots of fun for all ages. Here is a list of zoos and animal parks. There may be others, so please let me know if I need to make additions to the list!

San Francisco Zoo -
http://www.sfzoo.org/ or call 415/ 753-7080

Oakland Zoo - http://www.oaklandzoo.org/ or call 510/632- 9525
Animals are seen in a natural habitat. There is a wide variety of animals from lions, elephants, camels, giraffes, birds, zebras and other exotic animals.

Happy Hollow Park and Zoo in San Jose - http://www.hhpz.org/ or call (408) 277-3000 1300 Senter Rd, San Jose, CA 95112
Plenty of attractions for little ones, including several merry-go-rounds. The zoo has a variety of birds, lemurs, goats and monkeys. Feeding the animals at the petting zoo is a hit, especially with a hand-washing basin right outside for bacteria-paranoid moms and dads. Reasonable food prices at cafe. Entrance of $6 is absolutely worth it. Even more so, if you buy the annual pass and make the trip several times a year.
Map it Get directions

Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont - This farm/park that has cows, chickens, sheep and pigs. Not all animals are available to visit all the time so check the web site or call the park to see what animals they have available and when feeding times are. Ardenwood also has special events throughout the year, including Halloween and Christmas.
www.ardenwoodaffairs.com or call (510) 796-0663
34600 Ardenwood BlvdFremont, CA 94555
Map it Get directions

Art, History and Discovery Museums in the Bay Area

Below is a list of many, if not all, of the main museums in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you know of any others, feel free to let me know via comment. I have visited several of these museums but not all of them. I hope to have commentary for all of them either from me or others, so please pass on your comments for your fellow moms if you have an experience with any of them. It is a great way to get your child interested in the world around him and familiar with other cultures, countries and various art. Some museums have partnerships for discounted rates with memberships for frequent visitors such as the national parks. This is a great family activity and educational too! Enjoy!

African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO)http://www.oaklandlibrary.org/AAMLO/
Alcatraz Island
http://www.nps.gov/alcatraz/
Arts Benicia
http://www.artsbenicia.org/
Asian Art Museum of San Francisco
http://www.asianart.org/
Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center
http://www.apiculturalcenter.org/
Badè Museum of Biblical Archaeology
http://bade.psr.edu/bade
Bay Area Discovery Museum
http://www.badm.org/
Bayanihan Community Center
http://www.bayanihancc.org/
Berkeley Art Center
http://www.berkeleyartcenter.org/
Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA)
http://www.bampfa.berkeley.edu/
Berkeley Historical Society
http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/histsoc/
Cable Car Barn
http://www.sfcablecar.com/
Cable Car Museum
http://cablecarmuseum.com/
California Academy of Sciences
http://www.calacademy.org/
California Historical Society
http://www.calhist.org/
California History Center
http://calhistory.org/
California Indian Museum
http://www.cimcc.org/
California Palace of Legion of Honor
http://www.famsf.org/legion/
Campbell Historical Museum
http://www.ci.campbell.ca.us/communityandarts/museum.htm
Camron-Stanford House
http://cshouse.org/
Cantor Center for Visual Arts
http://www.stanford.edu/dept/ccva
Capp Street Project
http://www.wattis.org/cappstreet/
Cartoon Art Museum
http://www.cartoonart.org/
Center for the Arts at Yerba Buena Gardens
http://www.yerbabuenaarts.org/
Chabot Space and Science Center
http://www.chabotspace.org/
Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose
http://www.cdm.org/
Chinese Culture Center
http://www.c-c-c.org/
Chinese Historical Society of America
http://www.sfsu.edu/~museumst/www.chsa.org
Coit Tower
http://coittower.org/
Computer History Museum
http://www.computerhistory.org/
COPIA
http://www.copia.org/
Coyote Point Museum
http://www.coyoteptmuseum.org/
Creative Growth Art Center
http://www.creativegrowth.org/
de Saisset Museum
http://www.scu.edu/desaisset/
Death Valley National Park - Scotty's Castle
http://www.nps.gov/deva/
Exploratorium and Palace of Fine Arts
http://www.exploratorium.edu/
Filoli Center
http://www.filoli.org/
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
http://www.thinker.org/
Fort Point National Historic Site
http://www.nps.gov/fopo/
Galeria de la Raza
http://www.galeriadelaraza.org/
GGNRA
http://www.nps.gov/goga/
GGNRA-Point Reyes National Seashore
http://www.nps.gov/pore/home.htm
GLBT Historical Society
http://www.glbthistory.org/
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy
http://www.parkconservancy.org/
Haas-Lilienthal House
http://www.sfheritage.org/house.html
Habitot Children's Museum
http://www.habitot.org/
Hall of Health
http://www.hallofhealth.org/
Healdsburg Museum and Historical Society
http://www.healdsburgmuseum.org/
Hiller Aviation Museum
http://www.hiller.org/
History San Jose
http://www.historysanjose.org/
Holocaust Center of Northern California
http://www.holocaust-sf.org/
Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMSJ)
http://www.jamsj.org/
Judah L. Magnes Museum
http://www.magnes.org/
Lawrence Hall of Science
http://www.lhs.berkeley.edu/
Los Altos Historical Museum
http://www.losaltoshistory.org/
Luther Burbank Home and Garden
http://www.parks.sonoma.net/burbank.html
M.H. de Young Museum
http://www.thinker.org/deyoung/index.asp
Manilatown Center
http://www.manilatown.org/
Marin Historical Society
http://www.marinhistory.org/
Marin Museum of the American Indian
http://www.marinindian.com/
Mendocino County Museum
http://www.co.mendocino.ca.us/museum/
Mexican Museum
http://www.mexicanmuseum.org/
Mills College Art Museum
http://www.mills.edu/museum/
Mission Cultural Center of Latino Arts
http://www.missionculturalcenter.org/
Miwok Archaeological Preserve of Marin (MAPOM)
http://www.mapom.org/
Monterey Bay Aquarium
http://www.mbayaq.org/
Monterey History and Art Association
http://www.montereyhistory.org/
Monterey Museum of Art
http://www.montereyart.org/
Morrison Planetarium
http://www.calacademy.org/planetarium/
Museo Italo Americano
http://www.museoitaloamericano.org/
Museum of American Heritage
http://www.moah.org/
Museum of Craft and Folk Art (MOCFA)
http://www.mocfa.org/
Museum of the African Diaspora
http://www.museumoftheafricandiaspora.org/
Napa Valley Museum
http://www.napavalleymuseum.org/
National Japanese American Historical Society
http://www.nikkeiheritage.org/
Native American Cultural Center
http://www.nativecc.com/
Oakland Asian Cultural Center
http://www.oacc.cc/
Palo Alto Art Center
http://www.paacf.org/
Pardee Home Museum
http://www.pardeehome.org/
Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology
http://www.hearstmuseum.berkeley.edu/
Precita Eyes Mural Arts & Visitors Center
http://www.precitaeyes.org/
Richmond Art Center
http://www.therichmondartcenter.org/
Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum
http://www.egyptianmuseum.org/
San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum
http://www.sfbotanicalgarden.org/
San Francisco Museum of Craft+Design
http://www.sfmcd.org/
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SF MOMA)
http://www.sfmoma.org/
San Francisco National Maritime Park Association
http://www.maritime.org/index.htm
San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art (SJ ICA)
http://www.sjica.org/
San Jose Museum of Art (SJMA)
http://www.sjmusart.org/
San Mateo County Historical Museum
http://www.sanmateocountyhistory.com/
Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History
http://www.santacruzmah.org/
Seymour Marine Discovery Center
http://www2.ucsc.edu/seymourcenter/
SF Performing Arts Library & Museum (SF PALM)
http://www.sfpalm.org/
Society of California Pioneers
http://www.californiapioneers.org/
Sonoma County Museum
http://www.sonomacountymuseum.com/
The Contemporary Jewish Museum
http://www.thecjm.org/
The Oakland Museum of California
http://www.museumca.org/
The Tech Museum of Innovation
http://www.thetech.org/
Triton Museum of Art
http://www.tritonmuseum.org/
USS Hornet Museum
http://www.uss-hornet.org/
USS Potomac
http://www.usspotomac.org/
Works/San Jose
http://www.workssanjose.org/

Super Mom Stop is Launched!

I am a Bay Area Mom who is trying to be a "super mom". After all, aren't we all? To help me in my goal as super mom, I have been looking for one resource to provide me with many, if not all, of the information, lists and tips that would be helpful for all of us "super moms" in an organized and easy-to-find format! Needless to say, I have not found this one resource. So, I have decided it is time to BECOME THE ULTIMATE RESOURCE FOR SUPER MOMS! The following is a short list of some of the things I expect to include on my site:

Local parks and zoos
Local museums and play centers
Local activities for families
Children specific services such as haircutting, classes
Local toy and clothing stores
Links to federal recall site, county daycare facilitator, state school API site
Links to articles on family-related issues

I also hope to add family-friendly restaurants and vacations for families based on a panel of moms and possibly even a babysitting exchange to the site. All of this is based on your feedback though. What do you think is important in your effort to become/remain the super mom that you are?! Please tell me!

Keep coming back to my site for more information, Super Mom! Help is on the way!