Amy S.

Amy Shearn - NYC Writer

Amy writes about babies, books and Brooklyn on her blog Household Words. She's also the author of the novel How Far is the Ocean From Here, and is currently working on a second book. More of her writing can be found at amyshearn.com.

More About Amy

What's your favorite spot to hang out with kids in NYC?
I love to go to Brooklyn’s Central Library and stock up on new books. My daughter loves sitting on the little chairs in the children’s section. Then we walk home through Prospect Park and stop at a playground. Perfect day.

What do you do when you are kid-free?
I don’t understand the question.

Where do you live?
Park Slope.

Where do you wish you lived?
In Park Slope, but in a beautiful brownstone with a yard. And a maid. Just kidding about the maid. Sort of.

What's the best job you ever had?
My first job out of grad school was ghost-writing a humor book. I worked out of the author's brownstone in the West Village, where we sat around eating take-out and trying to think of funny things all day. It was excellent.

What's your best or worst parenting moment?
When Harper held her baby brother's hand and told him, "Baby Alton, we are going to be best friends."

What's your least favorite thing about raising kids in NYC?
Freaking out about public schools.

Latest posts by Amy S.

Eight Cool Ways to Cool Off Indoors With NYC Kids this Summer

Submitted by Amy S. on Wed, 06/22/2011 - 9:00am

Yes, you can hit a local beach or water playground to stay comfortable this season. But sometimes NYC gets so sticky in the summer, all you want to do is bask in the glory of-air conditioning.

Even if you're lucky enough to have central air, the kids won't tolerate being cooped up all day. Luckily, New York City offers lots of indoor spots where families can cool off while having a cool time.

Many of these frosty havens served as toasty destinations during the winter. My what a difference a few months make.

Five Must-Have Sun-Care Products for New York City Babies

Submitted by Amy S. on Sat, 06/18/2011 - 10:14pm

Everyone knows that if you plan to spend anytime outdoors under the burning sun, you better slather on the sunblock. (Your skin will thank you for it for years to come.) However, infants have extra-special needs when it comes to sun protection, particularly New York City babies, who are invariably out and about all day in strollers or slings on shadeless streets.

So where's an SPF-obsessed parent to start? As a mommy who's currently shuttling around a newborn babe, here are the five sun-care products I won't leave home without.

Five Fantastic Frozen Treats That Aren't Ice Cream

Submitted by Amy S. on Sun, 06/12/2011 - 2:07pm

I'm not going to knock the Mister Softee truck. It's certainly kept my kids (and at times, me) cool and happy on many sticky days.

But soft-serve isn't the only sweet summer treat in town. New York City is full of delicious ways to cool down. Take your kids on an international tour of our melting pot's tastiest icy treats—that aren’t ice cream.

10 Great New York City Picture Books

Submitted by Amy S. on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 8:00pm

Schlepping strollers onto subways, cramming a kid’s worth of stuff into a small apartment, wait-listing your fetus for preschool—there are times when raising a family in New York seems utterly impossible.

Then you take a spring stroll through Park Slope or catch sight of the Empire State Building or have a snowball fight in Central Park and you realize, you just couldn't live anywhere else. These ten picture books, some old classics, others quite new, reinforce your family's love for this wild and wonderful town. Add them to your library so you can pack a couple of them to read on the subway the next time you're off to a free storytime or other activity.

Great Prenatal Yoga Studios in New York City

Submitted by Amy S. on Sun, 02/27/2011 - 9:35pm

Pregnancy is a strange and beautiful time. You get to grow an entire new human PLUS experience such joys as nausea, back pain, varicose veins, and more. Luckily, prenatal yoga can help with the various discomforts of pregnancy. It’s also a lovely way to commune with your growing child (and belly), prepare yourself for labor, and meet other expecting mamas. Here are six great prenatal yoga studios around the city.

Five Artsy Indoor Places for Tots in New York City

Submitted by Amy S. on Tue, 02/22/2011 - 10:21pm

Say what you will about winter, it’s the ideal time for indoor art projects and encouraging creativity. But many art classes and drop-in studios are directed toward older kids, and may offer projects that are too complicated to hold your little one's interest. Here's a round-up of some of the best options for the under five set. So when your stir-crazy toddler has had it with your nubby crayons and crusty water colors, feel thankful that you live in a city where so many fun places offer outlets for the artsy tot. Here are five great options for those antsy days.

Night Journeys at the Brooklyn Children's Museum, Inspiring Sleep for NYC Kids

Submitted by Amy S. on Wed, 02/16/2011 - 9:59pm

At this point in the winter, everyone's list of indoor things-to-do can use a little refreshing. Just in time, there's something new at the Brooklyn Children's Museum. Night Journeys, a bilingual exhibit that itself has journeyed around the country, explores the favorite topic of any parent: sleep. Read on to find out why you and your little one will both enjoy this exploration of sleep, a guaranteed non-snooze fest.