The Foorce

Even though this isn’t specifically geared toward special needs families, I am looking forward to the New Parents Expo taking place October 15 and 16 at Pier 92. This event for expectant and new parents in the New York/Tri-State area is expected to attract 5,000 families over the course of the weekend.

Between its array of products, services and expert help, plus speakers like Dr. Harvey Karp, Dr. Sears and Liz Lange, the New Parents Expo will cover everything from pregnancy to preschool. When I emailed to inquire about the event, I was told that “none of the vendors/exhibitors that will be present deal exclusively with special needs, but many of them surely make products that would be useful to parents who have children with disabilities. Over 80 exhibitors will be in attendance, and one of the main reasons we are hosting this event is so parents can talk with reps from these companies to get advice and share their thoughts–you could raise this exact question and find out which brands really care about special needs products.”

There are too many exhibitors for me to list here, but if you visit www.newparentsexpo.com there are full lists of sponsors, vendors, and speakers (some big names in the lineup, check it out!)

As a special bonus for Foorce readers, to redeem a 20% discount on admission please use code FONPE when checking out online.

Since I have babies, toddlers and special needs children this is definitely worth a look for me. Of course, there is always the issue of childcare – sometimes bringing the kids to these things is a huge hassle. But when I emailed to ask about bringing kids, I was told that “parents can choose for themselves to bring their kids or find a sitter, but we’re designing the show to be as kid-friendly as possible. The Big Apple Circus will be there with face paint, balloons, and other fun stuff, and one of our exhibitors, Tegu, will have a whole play area set up with toys for little ones. Strollers are more than welcome, and there will even be a “pit stop” area where a team will fix broken parts and steam clean them! There will also be a relaxation area for parents to sip a cool drink and rest their feet.”

Sounds good to me! But, alas, not for James. Key words being “circus” and “balloons.” So I will be there, babies in tow, while James has a nice day out with grandma. Hope to see you there, but if you can’t make it you know I will be back with the scoop (eventually, some night at 3am).