Roberta Brown

Roberta to launched Mommy Poppins' Los Angeles in 2011. Previously she served as LA Editor for GoCityKids, National Editor for ParentsConnect, and Editor for NickMom—all of which worked out well for her son, who grew up serving as Chief Guinea Pig for all things fun in LA and beyond.

Latest posts by Roberta

Surviving Mother's Day as a Single Mom—8 Ways To Have the Day We Deserve

Submitted by Roberta B on Mon, 05/02/2016 - 4:00pm

Mother's Day seems like such a great idea, but for single moms it rarely delivers. Who's going to bring us breakfast in bed—a toddler?

There are many paths to single motherhood, and I think among my friends we cover them all. Whether we were surprised by motherhood, by divorce, or just by everything that came after the sperm bank, one thing we all share is that Mother’s Day is not all it's cracked up to be. That’s not because we don’t love being mothers—being Mom is the part we love best. And the concept of celebrating motherhood is a fine thing. But being responsible for teaching someone else—someone small and self-centered—to make a fuss over us? That feels like more trouble than it's worth. Or, to put it as concisely as one of my friends does, “Kids ruin Mother’s Day.”

Of course we're joking. Kind of. How could kids ruin a day all about our joy in having them? Maybe it's because Hallmark builds this thing up as big as Valentine's Day and makes us think that someone is supposed to shower us with champagne breakfasts and roses. In a two-parent home, the responsibility for living up to that fantasy at least falls on an adult. Of course, friends readily tell me how often the adult can fall short (I don't think the Mother's Day deep fat fryer episode ended my one friend's marriage, but it clearly didn't help). Enough dads do seem to get it right, though, to leave a single mom feeling like she's alone in a world of mimosa drinkers come Sunday morn.

The Acro-Cats: Traveling Kitty Talent Show and Unlikely Cat Adoption Event

Submitted by Roberta B on Sun, 04/24/2016 - 5:46pm

We laughed; we cried; it was better than Cats. Well, actually it was cats, and we didn't really cry, but I'll stand by better than Cats—because instead of going home with Memory stuck in my head, I went home with my son intent on training our cat (infinitely preferable). What I'm talking about is The Acro-Cats, an unusual touring show I stumbled upon this weekend that offers a solid hour of feline performances. The show is currently playing at North Hollywood's El Portal Theatre, and in May it moves on to a short run at the Art Theatre of Long Beach. If watching kooky cat ladies convince rescue kitties (and a few other random critters) to perform unlikely tricks sounds like it could give you a chuckle, then read on. It certainly tickled our funny bone.

5 Things Parents Need To Know To Keep Kids Safe from Sports Injuries

Submitted by Roberta B on Wed, 04/20/2016 - 11:46am

There has been plenty written in the news lately about how kids are specializing in sports earlier these days, training harder than ever—in team sports in particular—to compete at higher and higher levels. This puts extra stress on growing bodies and often leaves parents on uncertain ground. As a parent of an athlete, I often wonder when my kid says, "It hurts here," how seriously I need to take it. Is this a bath and a good night's sleep after a tough work out, or is it a trip to the doctor? Like many parents I know, I sometimes find myself asking the coach for input, when really I should be asking a specialist.

Knowing a good resource for kids' sports injuries is a big help—which is why I'm excited to be writing about LA's Orthopaedic Institute for Children. It has given me a chance to get some of my own questions answered on the topic of parenting an athlete, and to share the info with other sports parents. I posed a few questions to the associate director of the Orthopaedic Institute for Children’s Center of Sports Medicine in Los Angeles, Dr. Jennifer Beck, who gave me some great information about supporting a young athlete, and about why the demanding nature of sports while a young body’s musculoskeletal system is rapidly changing can sometimes cause injuries.

Hogwarts in Hollywood: Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios

Submitted by Roberta B on Thu, 04/07/2016 - 9:12pm

Hollywood is the original home of Universal Studios, so it never really sat right that Orlando got not just one but two Harry Potter attractions before we did. The injustice is finally set right this week, as Southern California gets its very own Wizarding World of Harry Potter just off the Hollywood Freeway, where Hogwarts ought to be. The magical treat is included in normal theme park admission, though in the coming weeks calling admission to Universal Studios "normal" is a little optimistic. Most of opening weekend is completely sold out to potty Potter fans. Something else that isn't normal? I got to experience the entire attraction a day early with only a handful of press, a few cast members from the film, and not a single line to wait in. Not to gloat, of course: I only bring it up so I can tell you what wonderful wizardry you can expect to find at Hollywood's new Harry Potter World. And to share some cool stories of meeting the actors. And to help you to not vomit. But more of that anon.

Great Wolf Lodge SoCal: the Indoor Water Park Hotel in Orange County

Submitted by Roberta B on Wed, 03/09/2016 - 12:27pm

If you've never been to a place where dinner attire is a mixture of pajamas, swim suits, and furry wolf ears, then it sounds like you've never been to a Great Wolf Lodge. Until this past weekend, I was one of those uninitiated, having only heard second hand of the popular indoor water park hotels. But this past weekend, Great Wolf opened its newest location here in Southern California, and I was invited (along with oodles of other press with progeny) to attend the opening and take the plunge. (Yes, that was a pun, and there may be more.)

25 Things To Do in Beverly Hills with Kids

Submitted by Roberta B on Sat, 02/27/2016 - 2:31pm

Swimming pools, movie stars. If there are two things we all know about Beverly Hills, it's the swimming pools and the movie stars. And, oh yes, we know the zip code, too. (When I used to live in 90211, out-of-towners seemed to think my zip code was hilarious.) Guests come to visit, and they always want to see Beverly Hills; but for young kids, walking up and down Rodeo Drive is not much of a crowd-pleaser. Avoid the stress of controlling tots in Tiffany's by knowing a few low cost, high entertainment, kid-friendly activities in this suburb to end all suburbs, the gateway to the Westside, the home to the stars' homes, the small town where people dress up to go window shopping. Check out our favorite 25 things to do in Beverly Hills; even if you're a BH High graduate, there are bound to be a few items you haven't done yet.

Museum for LA Children? And the GRAMMY Goes To...

Submitted by Roberta B on Sun, 02/07/2016 - 9:16pm

When the GRAMMY Museum arrived on the LA scene back in 2008, my son was five years old - too young, I felt, to enjoy a museum full of musicians he'd never heard of. And since the Mom Years are not a time to indulge in museums for my own personal enjoyment, John Lennon's glasses would have to wait. Or so I thought. Happily one of the museum's periodic family concerts lured us there ahead of schedule, and I discovered that the GRAMMY Museum is not just a Mecca for aging rockers. In fact, for a parent ready to think outside the playspace, this is a fabulous play spot on a rainy day!

Star Wars: The Force Awakens at El Capitan: Spoiler-free Parent Review

Submitted by Roberta B on Tue, 01/19/2016 - 10:19pm

If you are a family of die-hard Star Wars fans, then you've obviously already seen The Force Awakens (probably multiple times) and have no need of an outside opinion. But what about the rest of us? What about parents who like Star Wars movies (or at least 20th century Star Wars movies) but didn't feel driven to join the throngs in seeing the new one opening weekend? What about those of us who take a PG-13 rating to heart, and wonder whether this is a movie to see with kids? And, if you do want to see it as a family, is it really so special seeing it at El Capitan? I'll take a vow of no spoilers and answer all of these questions.

Roberta Brown

Latest posts by Roberta

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