by Suzanne Provencher, Publisher
Hello again, dear readers! I am very excited to share some big news with all of you: We have a new and improved website! (www.northshorefamilies.com)
Our new site features many of the things you enjoyed on our “old” site –but with new features designed to further help you and your North Shore family thrive and develop into all that you can be – as individuals of all ages, interests and needs – and as evolving family units.
Our site now features Ask Dr. Mike, an interactive feature where you can ask our Editor, Michael F. Mascolo, PhD, a parenting, education, family or development question you may have. Do you need to know why your child behaves as he/she does? Do you need a way to bring your family unit back together in more meaningful ways? Are you struggling as a parent with your own development questions? Well, Ask Dr. Mike! It’s free and family friendly – and designed for you, our dear readers.
We’ve also improved our online Calendar – so you can keep informed about local, North Shore area events that are free, family-friendly and open to all. You’ll find listings for story hours at local independent schools and libraries, seminars for parents, ideas for family outings and more. And if you have a listing to share with us for an upcoming free and family-friendly event, please submit your listings directly via our website by the 15th of each month prior to the issue or month you hope to appear in. Our print Calendar is limited in space, and priority is given to those events that are free, family-friendly, open to all – and those that benefit local children and families, like fundraisers. Our new online Calendar will also offer paid listings for those events and programs that charge a fee. The final deadline to submit your Calendar listings for May events is noon, Tues.,April 23. Please submit all listings via our website.
For the next few months and during our new website build phase, we will be doing lots of SEO (search engine optimization), which will bring many more visitors to our pages. We also have a “Search” feature, where you can look for information on a specific parenting, education, development or family topic that we have covered in past issues. And if you don’t get a print copy of our monthly publication in time – you can always see our current issue online.
We invite you to “Like” our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter and You Tube! Future plans include sharing videos on our new site – with everything from a webinar on a parenting, education, development or family topic – to tours of our independent schools and other advertisers. And the best part? All of this vital information is FREE for you and your family! If you would like to explore online advertising and print advertising options, please contact Suzanne@northshorefamilies.com.
The deadline to advertise in our May print publication, which features Part 3 of 4 in our 6th Annual Summer Camps & Programs Showcase Series, is noon, Wed., April 17, if you require our ad production assistance (no charge for our advertisers!). Your ad materials are also due by this deadline. If you will be supplying a completed ad, based on our sizes and production specifications, simply secure your ad space by noon, Fri., April 19 – then submit your completed ad by noon,Tues., April 23.
Do you need ideas for your kids or grandkids this summer? Check out Part 2 of 4 in our 6th Annual Summer Camps & Programs Showcase Series in this issue! We have the largest camp showcases in print on the North Shore – with lots of great ideas for kids this summer. You can also visit our Camp page online and link directly to the websites for the camps and summer programs you may wish to explore further. Many camps offer early- booking discounts – so the time to explore your options is now! And if you have summer camps or programs and you need to reach local, North Shore MOMS – with children of all ages and interests and needs – as well as families and households with needs – I hope you’ll consider joining us in our May print publication and 3rd Showcase for this season! Our moms and dads are looking now – as they seek options for summer for their children. To advertise, please see the deadlines for our May print issue to the left and in our Calendar.
We welcome you to visit our new site – to engage with us on Facebook and Twitter – to share your stories about parenting or families or development with us for editorial consideration – and to suggest a story or idea about something you’d like to see in our pages and on our website. All that we do – we do for you, our North Shore family of readers! So tell us what you’d like to see and what you’d like to learn more about. Engage with us and all of our readers and online visitors. Participate in or share a blog. We invite you and your family to grow with us! And if you like us, we hope you’ll share us with other parents and families and help us spread our good words.
While North Shore Children & Families is a free publication, as a regular reader – you know that we are not like other freebies in any way, shape or form. We share “need to know information” that helps local families thrive and develop into all that they can be. We don’t just share “nice to know” information or fluff that is rehashed from another source. Our core editorial is custom and unique and written by a local, North Shore PhD, development specialist, college psychology professor and parent. Our pages will never be filled with articles on the best toys for kids – or what kids will be wearing for Halloween. We share tools and important information that help local families, adults and kids of all ages develop into their fullest potential.
So as soon as you finish reading this issue, please visit us online. Please “Like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. We have so much more to share with you and your family! And we want your input, too – so that we can thrive and develop into all that we can be. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of North Shore children and families.
As always, thanks so much for spending some time with us again this month! We welcome you to visit us online so you can further engage with us and our sponsors, who make this free publication possible for you and your family.
Until Next Time ~ Suzanne
P.S. Don’t miss our April contest on page 3! Enter for a chance to win a pass (good for 2 tickets) to see any musical at North Shore Music Theatre this season, courtesy of North Shore Children & Families and in partnership with select sponsors! See our back cover for this season’s line-up of shows, presented by Bill Hanney’s North Shore Music Theatre; tickets and subscriptions are available now.
