In the treadmill that we call life, we parents tend to forget that our kids are essentially little sponges, ready to soak up whatever we choose to expose them to. Case in point, my 5-year-old son, who clearly is watching too many infomercials, told me, “Mommy, we need to buy Oxi-Clean in case I get a grape juice stain on my shirt.”
And my 9-year-old has professed her aspirations to be a contestant on ABC’s “The Bachelor.”
These admissions are forcing me to re-evaluate the images I clearly am not making enough of an effort to expose them to to help offset images of “The Jersey Shore’s” Snookie.
Ultimately, what we do or don’t do as parents will determine whether our kids are content to take their cultural cues from MTV shows or to explore the meaning behind a classic Monet painting. That being said, living in New York City — a place where culture, history and pursuits other than watching the tube are everywhere — all we need to do is make it a priority to avail our families to these events.
Keep reading for culture-laden venues that I know you and your kids will adore. And the best part is, they’re all free!
One way to celebrate National Museum Month- and get your kids EXCITED about culutre- as well as your wallet- is with Bank of America’s Museums on Us ®. The program offers cardholders free admission to some of the most unique cultural venues in the nation on May 7 and 8. Now in its 14th season, more than 150 leading U.S. cultural institutions in 85 cities across the country, including museums, historical sites, science centers and zoos, open their doors to bank cardholders on the first full weekend of each month.
Celebrate national museum month with Bank of America’s Museums on Us ® Bank of America cardholders in New York/New Jersey and nationwide get free admission to more than 150 museums on Saturday, May 7 and Sunday, May 8.
Other upcoming weekends include: June 4-5, 2011 and July 2-3, 2011. So
EVENT: Bank of America’s Museums on Us ® offers free access to New York/New Jersey cardholders
DATES: Saturday, May 7, 2011 and Sunday, May 8, 2011; the first full weekend of each month through December 2011
LOCATIONS: New York City
Bronx Zoo
El Museo del Barrio
International Center of Photography
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum***The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Museum of the City of New York
New York Aquarium
New York Hall of Science
Staten Island Children’s Museum
Long IslandOld Westbury Gardens***
Long Island Children’s MuseumLong Island Museum of American Art, History & Carriages***
Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum
North Jersey
Aljira, a Center for Contemporary Art*Liberty Science Center
Montclair Art Museum
Morris Museum
Newark Museum***
South/Central Jersey
Garden State Discovery Museum ***The Noyes Museum of Art of Richard Stockton College
WheatonArts and Cultural Center
When asked why it’s good to visit cultural exhibitions, my daughter said, “It’s a good way to put your kids to sleep.” Hopefully, these experiences will help change her attitude.
So go get your culture on!
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