By: Donna Freydkin
Parenting is complicated.
Kids don't care if you're an Emmy winner.
They need to get to school and get there fast while navigating the crowded sidewalks and they need their father, in this case Seth Meyers, to make sure it happens.
And that's why there's a very good chance, if you live in New York City, that you'll catch a glimpse of Meyers, a humor specialist, cruising on two wheels behind his two frantically fast older boys: 3-year-old Axel , and Ashe, 5. In her case, on a scooter, perhaps (with the exception of an electric skateboard) the least cool way for parents of a certain age to get around town.
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The former 'Saturday Night Live' head writer and current late-night talk show host wrote his first children's book, "I'm Not Scared, You're Scared," about a wary bear who overcomes his fears with the help of a brave rabbit
It's a sweet read that has a poignant message, kind of like its author, who started writing it in the early part of the pandemic.
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'I'm Not Scared, You're Scared' by Seth Meyers
Buy it on Amazon for
MX$399 or
USD$14.49
"Every night I read other people's books to my kids and think to myself, 'I think I can do it,'" jokes Meyers.
Children can see through a book that someone does not value their intelligence.
The book grew out of Meyers' fascination with "how children process fear and how they are often afraid of things that as an adult you think are irrational. Then other times they are afraid of things that, as an adult, help you." Fear isn't always the worst thing in the world, sometimes it can be a really helpful guide."
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Meyers, who documented the untimely arrival of her second child on her Netflix stand-up special, "Lobby Baby," and who announced the birth of her daughter, Adelaide, a few months ago on her show, shares the key elements that make it help navigate parenthood.
Razor Jr. Lil' Kick Scooter
Buy it on Amazon for
MX$437 or
USD$59.99
"So both of my kids have little Razor scooters. I drop them off at school in the morning and then take them out," says Meyers.
Razor A5 DLX Kick Scooter
Buy it on Amazon for
MX$ 1,946 or
USD$ 100
Magna-Tiles 100-Piece Color Set
Buy it on Amazon for
MX$ 1,943 or
USD$ 119
Lego bricks have pride of place in the Meyers' home, but Magna-Tiles are king.
They encourage free play and are easy to clean.
"There is nothing to build except what is in the child's own imagination," says Meyers.
"Don't get us wrong, we're crazy about Legos too, but Magna-Tiles, that's the way to go."
Ravensburger Gravitrax Starter Set Marble Run
Buy it on Amazon for
MX$910 or
USD$59.99
In general, Meyers and his wife are advocates of toys that encourage children to do more with less, which means they use their imaginations instead of relying on things that light up and make noise.
"It's kind of a series of tubes and ramps that can be stacked," says Meyers.
'The Babar Story: The Little Elephant' by Jean de Brunhoff
Buy it on Amazon for
MX$ 539 or
USD$20.86
Every night, Meyers reads to her children.
And like most parents, she has her favorites.
"You realize as a great children's author you get to read a lot of stories. So when you read Richard Scarry's books and you think to yourself, 'Wow, my kids are just as in love with this as I am.' kids are obsessed with Babar. There's a very unconventional pacing to those books. My kids are fascinated though."
'Blue Hat, Green Hat' by Sandra Boynton
Buy it on Amazon for
MX$154 or
$5.99 USD
Whimsical, fun and timeless, this picture book is a hit with Meyers kids.
"This is a book I keep talking about even though it's a bit old now," says Meyers.
"But every now and then we open this Sandra Boynton book."
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