‘Let Grow’ campaign encourages kids to be independent, offers parents information on how to do so 

In the last several months, parents have been challenged to take on even more roles simultaneously than ever before. They have been tutors, cooks, nurses, caregivers, and so much more. Within that, many have been able to empower their children to take on some new tasks of their own - and that's a good thing. Let Grow is creating a new path for parents, schools, and America itself -- a path back to letting kids have some adventures, develop more independence, and grow resilience. Borough President James Oddo, Staten Island Parent and Let Grow are working together to help parents understand how to forge a path to independence for their children that is reasonable and safe. 

"Watching your kids grow into independent young adults has to be one of the greatest joys a parent can experience," noted Borough President James Oddo.  "Since the start of the pandemic, we have seen kids rise to a myriad of challenges as their parents navigate working from home, teaching and running the household. Let Grow celebrates these wins and paves the way for more of the same. I'm excited to share this concept with Staten Island parents."

The key take-aways of Let Grow are:

• Kids aren't fragile, they are "anti-fragile" -- built not just to withstand some challenges, but to grow stronger once they do.
• Doing a little less for our kids is not negligent or lazy. It is a vote of confidence in them.
• The world is not more dangerous today than in decades past.​

"People sometimes ask how I can make parents or kids less anxious, more confident. My answer? I can't. The only thing that can change parents -- thrill them, uplift them -- is their own kid,” said Lenore Skenazy, President of Let Grow and founder of the Free-Range Kids movement. “Seeing your kid succeed at something new -- running an errand, climbing a tree, making a meal -- is such a fantastic feeling, it replaces the old worries with sheer joy: Look at my kid! Look how they're blossoming! The Let Grow Project just gives parents and kids that little push to make that happy moment happen."
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"SI Parent is happy to partner with Let Grow. This is an outstanding initiative to help parents reinforce and celebrate kids' milestones and foster independence," said David Miller, CEO of Davler Media Group and publisher of Davler Media-Parents, which includes Staten Island Parent. 

Parents can join the challenge until March 17 by tagging us in a photo of your child with @SIParent, @StatenislandUSA, and #LetGrowSI.  

SI Parent will host an informative webcast on the principles of Let Grow and how you, as a parent, can implement them in your home and empower your children and maybe make your life a little easier. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SIParent. 

​Join us March 3 at 12:30 on Facebook Live at Facebook.com/SIParent for an informational chat with Lenore Skenazy of Let Grow, who will be talking about celebrating your child's milestones and empowering them toward independence.

The program is sponsored by Borough President James Oddo, Let Grow, Staten Island Parent and Applebee's. Families who participate in the Let Grow Project will also be entered to win a $100 Applebee's gift card!

If parents are unable to make the live event, the session will be available on our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/SIUSABP. 

BP, local artists to present "Musical March," music for the dark evenings of winter

Beginning February 25, Borough President James Oddo will present a virtual concert series on Thursday nights, through March 25. These concerts, performed by Staten Island artists, will give residents a musical respite during the winter, and offer an entertainment option for people who continue to look for things to do while staying home. 

"The long, dark days of winter are always a drag, but this year, more so with the challenges of COVID-19," noted Borough President Oddo. "As a music lover, I thought it would be uplifting for local musicians to have an opportunity to entertain and lighten our spirits - even if it does need to happen virtually."

Each Thursday - beginning Feb. 25 - tune into the Staten Island USA Facebook page for a virtual concert. Music will be performed mostly by solo acts from their homes or other safe spaces. Folk, rock, country and other genres will be covered during the series. All shows, which will be approximately 45 minutes, will begin at 7:00 PM. 

Here’s the schedule: 
2/25 Hughie Lynch
3/04 Mighty String Demons
3/11 Vinnie Medugno 
3/18 Karlus Trapp  
3/25 Joan Caddell & the Midnight Choir

​Borough Hall partners with Serial Box to present free content to adult readers

A lifelong learner and avid reader, Borough President James Oddo is an advocate for reading for all ages - from the annual Readers Are Leaders reading competition for children to his ongoing book recommendations for adults, the BP is always looking for opportunities to share his love of reading - for learning and for pleasure.

Enter Serial Box. Run by Staten Islander Molly Barton, Serial Box is a library of award-winning sci-fi, fantasy, thriller and other titles that can be read or listened to on your personal devices.

Borough Hall and Serial Box have partnered to present a borough wide read/listen with the title, "The Triangle." The serial - ideal for adults - is available to Staten Islanders for free who want to escape our reality and enjoy a good mystery.

"Anyone who knows me knows I am committed to reading and see the value in it for personal growth, learning and for pleasure," said BP Oddo. "This story is an escape from our everyday and I am eager to see Staten Island readers engage with each other over this read."

“Books, shows, and podcasts are more fun when you can share the experience and talk with other people who are following the story," noted Ms. Barton. "In this long winter, I wanted to make a great mystery/thriller available to neighbors and friends to enjoy together. Happy listening!”
Launching on today, the title is available to those Staten Islanders who download the Serial Box app to their device and enter code SIREADSTRIANGLE to access the title. The title, which includes 10 chapters, will be available for free for 10 weeks.
In addition to the option of listening or reading - or going back and forth seamlessly between the two - Serial Box will also host a virtual "party room," where Staten Islanders can discuss the read with each other.

"The Triangle" is about a team of experts, shipwrecked on an island that shouldn’t exist, who must unravel the secrets of the Bermuda Triangle before it kills them all.

For more and to sign up to access 'The Triangle,' go to  http://bit.ly/SIReadsTriangle
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Description of 'The Triangle':
Since two massive hurricanes hit the Bermuda Triangle region, ships and planes have been disappearing, leaving behind a trail of haunting radio transmissions. After his old ship, the USS Wasp, disappeared without a trace, Admiral David Segarra has put together a crack team to investigate the mystery before more ships are destroyed.
But they’ve barely set out into what should be an empty patch of ocean when disaster strikes. They’re caught in a third hurricane and shipwrecked on an uncharted island, where they soon discover that they are not alone. A little girl who hasn’t aged in the years since her father’s plane crashed, a submarine full of Russians who think the Cold War is still on, and a rich couple drinking their way through the years on their shipwrecked yacht––and that’s just for a start.
Can the team survive long enough to escape the Triangle and tell the world what’s really going on?