Jacqueline Stansbury

A native Angeleno, Jackie enjoys revisiting her childhood as a mom and writer for Mommy Poppins. She did a lot of cool stuff as a kid and has newfound respect for her own mom who made that happen without the internet! Today in Los Angeles, some things are gone, some have changed and some, like the grunion, remain exactly the same. In her former life, Jackie was a development executive on the Fox Studios lot where she rounded up writer/director lists and covered screenplays. Mommy Poppins is much more fun. Jackie's kids, Benjamin and Juliet, agree.

Latest posts by Jacqueline

This Week's Picks: Tam O' Shanters and Bagpipes October 6 - 10

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Sun, 10/05/2014 - 7:47pm

While the people of Scotland were recently thwarted in their bid for independence, they still have plenty of national pride -which is on display in Ventura this later this week at the Seaside Highland Games. Gather the clans and pin your wee lads and lassies into their plaid kilts. Be sure to prepare with a hearty snack if haggis isn’t your thing. The Games offer a great opportunity to appreciate the sport of large men throwing things. And remember, this is the first week of October so be on the lookout for free admissions at local museums. Another thing to be on the lookout for? A full lunar eclipse.

This Week's Picks: Hispanic Heritage and Halloween Lights: Sept 29 – Oct 3

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Mon, 09/29/2014 - 10:38am

We are in the midst of Hispanic Heritage month, an annual celebration that runs from September 15 to October 15. Several Latin American countries celebrate their anniversaries of independence during this period. It’s a great time to hail our city’s rich Hispanic Culture before we segue into October and Halloween. Start the week making a Mayan Mask at the Library and finish up at Descanso Gardens’ Rise of the Jack O’ Lanterns.

Happy New Year! Coffee, Pumpkins, and Culture: This Week's Picks September 22-26

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Mon, 09/22/2014 - 2:40am

A week that starts with free coffee and ends with the unburdening of a year’s worth of wrongs is all good. McDonald’s is giving away java with no purchase required. The Jewish New Year is on Thursday, which means many schools will be closed. Your kids probably won’t even have homework. Check the Mommy Poppins event calendar for things to do on Thursday, or consider an outing to the L.A. County Fair. Whether or not you are Jewish, it is a great day to head to the beach, but in Venice the holiday celebration Tashlich by the Sea is one way for a family to celebrate the culture of Judaism, if not the actual religion. Speaking of cultural, end the week on Friday at the San Gennaro Festival in Hollywood.

Babysitting Classes for Los Angeles Teens

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Sun, 09/21/2014 - 2:03am

Many of our teens are smart, capable young people who are self-sufficient, self-motivated, mature enough to be left on their own, and responsible enough to be in charge of someone younger. I will never forget the first time I realized that my son could stay home and finish up his homework while I ran to the market. It was liberating for both of us. A few years later, he was even old enough to babysit his younger sister. Of course, it isn’t fair or wise to assume that an older child knows everything he or she should about caring for someone younger; something unexpected can always occur. Whether your teen is an older sibling ready to be in charge of a younger one, or a would-be babysitter interested in earning money looking after neighborhood kids, the effort spent learning the basics of CPR, Stranger Danger, and when to seek help can help you and other parents to feel good about leaving your teen in charge.

Star Spangled California Dreamin' at the GRAMMY Museum

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Wed, 09/17/2014 - 11:32am

If you’ve already been to the GRAMMY Museum, you may think you’ve seen it. The great thing about this museum, though, (aside from a lot of awesome music) is the fact that most of the exhibits are constantly rotating, so it's a new experience each time you visit. Last year the museum celebrated all things Ringo, for example. This year, there are multiple new and temporary displays that are worth checking out, some offering up a little patriotism and others plenty of nostalgia.

It's All About Friday: This Week's Picks September 15-19

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Mon, 09/15/2014 - 4:00am

The point of the picks is to focus on one good thing. It’s calendar de-cluttering. For those who get overwhelmed by too much choice, it is helpful to be pointed toward just one. But sometimes even us professional pickers can’t choose one thing over others; and sometimes there is so much going on, it is worth doing your own sorting to find what you and your family would select. We can choose for you, but we might not choose what you would. This week it's a particularly good idea to check out Mommy Poppins' Event Calendar and take a closer look at Friday, which is jam packed with options. I spotted two things so cool I couldn’t decide (so I'm picking both), but there’s even more to consider. As summer winds down, there tends to be less to do, but not this week...

Gated Playgrounds: Valley Parks with Fences for LA Kids

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Wed, 09/10/2014 - 1:58pm

The idea of a gated playground is quite appealing. Sometimes we need the boundaries we set to be literal. Containment, especially when you’re dealing with toddlers, is the name of the game. That said, my daughter was a runner and no park fence would have been enough to keep her nearby if there was something on the horizon that caught her attention. Nevertheless, for some families a closed gate is all it takes to make a park visit work; and for the rest of us it is occasionally nice to have at least the illusion of security that an enclosed playground provides. Here are a few nice ones in the Valley (to add to our popular list of Westside gated playgrounds):

Pause to Remember: This Week's Picks September 8 – 12

Submitted by Jacqueline Stansbury on Mon, 09/08/2014 - 4:56am

The anniversary of 9/11 can be a tough one for parents. We all have different yardsticks when it comes to what kinds of information we are willing to share with our children. If you know you are not ready to talk about this topic with your kids, this is a good week to monitor their exposure to the internet and television. As the eleventh approaches, images and sound bites will be omnipresent in the media. If your kids are older, or super inquisitive, and you are prepared to begin a conversation with them about this dark day in our nation’s history, one powerful way to start is at the Flag Memorial at Pepperdine any day this week.