Parents & Kids

‘Smart’ Recovery from Marijuana Addiction: Online Presentation, 7 to 8 PM, Wednesday

Three-Session Workshop Starting Jan 19 for Parents to Create a Better, More Peaceful Relationship with Kids

Superintendent: Board of Ed to Discuss Changing School Start Times; Parent Workshops Coming

Where You Can Find Out About Connecticut’s Railroad Heritage — and Have a Fun Trip with the Kids

Atlantic Sturgeon: Amazingly Ancient, Sometimes Very Large, Long-Lived and Now You Can Touch Some

Darien Library Monday Night Movie: ‘Broker’ — Drama About Infant Brokers Selling to Affluent Couples

Darien Library’s 1894 Day Celebration Has Goal of Raising $129,000 for Library Materials and Programs

Arts Bash on Thursday Night, May 18 at Norwalk Art Space to Benefit Area Students

Author of Book on Raising Teenagers to Speak at Darien High School on May 10

Pro Baseball Player Howard Johnson Runs Darien Little League Clinic in Darien on Sunday

NPR Host Mary Louise Kelly Visits Darien to Talk About Her New Book

‘Rio: The 4D Experience’ — a 12-Minute Film Playing at the Maritime Aquarium

Check Out These Extra Benefits for Adults and Kids With Membership in The Maritime Aquarium

The Bruce is Bigger: Larger Museum Building Reopens Sunday With Expanded Collections, Café, Auditorium, Classrooms

5K Run/Walk on Sunday, April 2, Benefits Charity Fighting Childhood Hunger

Events Calendar

Healthy Living

By DARIENITE.COM | January 17, 2024

Darien Community Association

By DARIENITE.COM | January 14, 2024

Education

By DARIENITE.COM | October 15, 2023

Talking Transportation 2023

By JIM CAMERON | July 23, 2023

Maritime Aquarium

By DARIENITE.COM | July 23, 2023

Film

By DARIENITE.COM | May 6, 2023

Darien Library

By DARIENITE.COM | May 5, 2023

Arts & Entertainment

By DARIENITE.COM | April 29, 2023

Ask Lisa

By DARIENITE.COM | April 25, 2023

Americares 2023

By DARIENITE.COM | April 25, 2023

Books & Authors

By DARIENITE.COM | April 3, 2023

Film

By Darienite.com Staff | April 1, 2023

Maritime Aquarium

By DARIENITE.COM | March 31, 2023

Bruce Museum 2023

By DARIENITE.COM | March 29, 2023

Charity Events and Opportunities

By DARIENITE.COM | March 27, 2023

News and features related to parents, parenting or kids and families

Smart Approaches to Marijuana zoom presentation

Jordan Davidson, a man in long-term recovery and manager at Smart Approaches to Marijuana, will discuss addiction recovery from today’s marijuana in an online presentation from 7 to 8 p.m. tonight, Wednesday, Jan. 17. — an announcement from the New Canaan Parent Support Group

To get the Zoom.com link, register here. About the Presenter
— from the Smart Approaches to Marijuana website

Jordan Davidson serves as government affairs manager at Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM). When he was 17 years old, Jordan entered long-term addiction recovery after struggling with cannabis use disorder.

Want to create a more peaceful home life and better relationship with your child? Meet Jacqueline Telgheder, author and certified parent coach, who is leading a three-session workshop for practical tips and a safe place to learn. The workshop is for parents of children under 10. — an announcement from The Darien Community Association
Any parent can relate to feeling angry towards their child. We’ve all felt it and most of us feel guilty when we act on it.

The Board of Education will discuss later school start times at its meeting on Tuesday, and workshops for parents will take place this month, one on early literacy for elementary school students, and others on improving communication with children. Superintendent Alan Addley briefly described each of the developments in his newsletter, sent Friday afternoon, Oct. 13, to parents and staff. Here’s the full text:
Dear Families & Staff
Just a short Friday email on a few upcoming events:

In the educational field, even prior to the pandemic, there was a growing interest and body of research regarding school start times. At Tuesday’s Board of Education Meeting, the Board communicated its intention to add this topic as an agenda item for preliminary discussion at one of the Board of Education Meetings in the spring.

If you’re looking for family fun this summer, consider visiting one of Connecticut’s many living museums celebrating our state’s rail heritage. The Shore Line Trolley Museum in East Haven was founded in 1945 and now boasts more than one hundred trolley cars in its collection. It’s on the National Registry of Historic Places and is the oldest continuously operating trolley line in the U.S., still running excursion trolleys for a three-mile run on tracks once used by The Connecticut Company for its “F Line” from New Haven to Branford. You can also walk through the car barns and watch volunteers painstakingly restoring the old cars. There’s also a small museum exhibit and gift shop.

Ever wonder what Earth was like 200 million years ago? Visit The Maritime Aquarium’s new Sturgeon Touch Tank for an up-close encounter with Atlantic sturgeon, whose ancestors swam through the water long before dinosaurs roamed. — an announcement from The Maritime Aquarium

“We are particularly excited about this new exhibit because it is especially rare — only a few aquariums in the nation have sturgeon touch tanks,” said President and CEO Jason Patlis. “We hope visitors come and enjoy this very unique experience and learn about a very unique species.”

Once abundant, Atlantic sturgeon were harmed by over-fishing, pollution, and dams blocking river routes. Today, these fish are classified as an endangered species and there are conservation efforts being made on both the federal and state levels to protect them.

Darien Library’s Monday Night Movie series continues with “Broker,” an award winning South Korean drama. — an announcement from Darien Library

“The film follows two brokers who sell orphaned infants, circumventing the bureaucracy of legal adoption, to affluent couples who can’t have children of their own. After an infant’s mother surprises the duo by returning to ensure her child finds a good home, the three embark on a journey to find the right couple, building an unlikely family of their own.” — Neon

Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda

Year: 2022

Who’s in it: Song Kang-ho as Ha Sang-hyeon, Gang Dong-won as Dong-soo, Lee Ji-eun as Moon So-young

This movie is two hours and 9 minutes and is rated R (strong language and brief violence). Learn more about the movie on: Rotten Tomatoes | IMDb | Metacritic | Wikipedia

Darien Library will celebrate its 129th anniversary on Wednesday, May 24, with 1894 Day, a fun and festive annual day of giving. From midnight to 11:59 p.m., the Library aims to raise $129,000 in honor of 129 years of service to the community. — an announcement from Darien Library

Festivities will take place in the Library courtyard throughout the day, including crafts for children, balloon art from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., face painting from 3 to 5 p.m., and an ice cream truck from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. There will also be special giveaways at suggested contribution levels, including exclusive Darien Library car magnets, tote bags, and Turkish towels. All funds raised on 1894 Day are dedicated directly to Library resources. Darien Library is a true public-private partnership between the Town of Darien, which pays for salaries and operating expenses related to the building, and the Friends of the Library, whose generosity funds all of the books, audiobooks, e-Books, computers, technology, research databases, and the Library’s impressive range of cultural and entertainment programs.

The Library is asking the entire community for their support on May 24.

Live music, food and cocktails will all be a part of this year’s Arts Bash, a fundraiser at The Norwalk Art Space on Thursday night, May 18. — an announcement from The Norwalk Art Space

Attendees will enjoy live music by Rick Reyes and food and cocktails from Marcia Selden Catering, chef Bill Taibe and The Art Space Cafe. Students from the Petty-Drayton Music Program at the Art Space will also perform. All proceeds from the event, co-chaired by Stephanie Thomas and Dr. Susan G. Weinberger, will be used to keep classes and events free to all. “I find myself highly motivated by the kids we are serving and the lives we are impacting,” said Executive Director Duvian Montoya.

An interactive discussion with Lisa Damour, Ph.D, author of a book on the emotional lives of teenagers and the challenge of raising teens, will be held at 7 p.m., Wednesday, May 10 at Darien High School Auditorium. Registration is required to attend the event. — an announcement on the Middlesex Parent Association website

Damour, a New York Times bestselling author, recently released a book, The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents. A clinical psychologist, Damour is also a CBS News contributor. She will be joined by Reena Ninan, Ask Lisa podcast co-host with Damour, television journalist and a Darien resident, will moderate the discussion.

Darien Little League event with Howard Johnson of the Mets

More than 125 kids took part in Darien Little League baseball clinics on Sunday run by New York Mets World Series Champion Howard “HoJo” Johnson. The clinics raised donations and awareness for Americares, the Stamford-based relief and development organization focused on health. — an announcement from Darien Little League
More than 200 items were donated at the event to benefit the children of Americares Free Clinics patients. The kids enjoyed fielding and batting stations with HoJo and his son, Glen Johnson. “I was so impressed with the kids and families of Darien who came out to play ball and donate to Americares,” said HoJo.

Barrett Bookstore and the Darien Community Association (DCA) in partnership with WSHU public radio invite you to an in-person talk at the DCA with Mary Louise Kelly, famed NPR reporter and co-host of newsmagazine All Things Considered, on Wednesday, April 12. —an announcement from the Darien Community Association and Barrett Bookstore

Kelly will discuss her new book, “It. Goes. So. Fast.

Poster for Rio: The 4D Experience short movie

A new 4D experience is bringing the sights and sounds of Rio de Janeiro to Connecticut. Audiences can join Blu and Jewel, the last blue macaws on Earth, on an animated journey in “Rio: The 4D Experience” now playing at The Maritime Aquarium. — an announcement from The Maritime Aquarium
In this 12-minute adaptation of the film, the unexpected duo is captured by bird smugglers and must work together despite Blu’s inability to fly. As they try to escape the claws of an evil cockatoo they must dodge beach balls, umbrellas, carnival floats, and beach-goers – finding courage, friendship and love along the way. “Rio: The 4D Experience” will play in the Aquarium’s 4D Theater along with BBC Earth’s “OCTOPUS: Blue Planet II 4D Experience,” which explores dynamic oceanic landscapes and one of the most captivating creatures that dwells there.

Looking for something to do with the kids during spring break? Become a member of The Maritime Aquarium and unlock additional hours of fun! Monday, April 10, through Friday, April 14, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., members will have an extra hour to explore all the Aquarium has to offer before opening to the general public. — an announcement from The Maritime Aquarium
On Sunday, April 30, members will also have access to an exclusive breakfast with the Aquarium’s harbor seals. Pancakes with Pinnipeds will feature a before-hours seal training demonstration and a complimentary viewing of the Aquarium’s newest movie “RIO: The 4D Experience.”
“A membership to The Maritime Aquarium is something the entire family can enjoy together,” said Jodi Trice, the aquarium’s director of guest operations.

If you’re never been to the Bruce Museum in downtown Greenwich, or if you used to go before pandemic and the museum’s massive renovation, you now have the opportunity to visit the bigger building and its expanded offerings. And you can do it admission-free on Sunday, April 2, when the art and science museum will welcome the public to a day of grand opening festivities. — This article was previously published by GreenwichFreePress.com

The redesigned museum features vast new exhibit spaces, a gift shop and a café open to the public. A new auditorium, intended to serve as a community space for rent, has a capacity of 150 to 200 (depending on the event). On Tuesday the museum held a news conference to share plans, goals and opportunities at the expanded and re-imagined museum.

Run Photo courtesy Filling in the Blanks

Filling in the Blanks will host its fifth annual “Unite to Fight” 5K run/walk, including a kids’ fun run, on Sunday, April 2, at Waveny Park in New Canaan. — an announcement from Filling in the Blanks

The race will help raise critical funding to fulfill the mission of Filling in the Blanks — to fight childhood hunger by providing children in need with weekend meals. FITB already provides for over 4,900 children at 140 sites throughout Fairfield and Westchester Counties. As the organization enters its 10th year, the need for the weekend meal bag program continues to grow, and Filling in the Blanks anticipates 2,000 children being added to the programming by the end of April. FITB purchases 99% of the food for the program, events such as The Unite to Fight 5K are crucial for increased needs in local communities.

« October 2025 »

Sun 02