What does it take to be a successful parent on Manhattan’s Upper East Side? The New Yorker can give you a clue: An iPhone, the perfect family dog, and a membership to the Parents League of New York. For the paltry price of $195, a Parents League membership (good through the 2010-2011 academic year, of course) opens the door to things most parents don’t even know they need, like bi-weekly workshops on preschool admissions. (Obviously, the key to an Ivy League diploma is the right preschool.) You can also attend the college admission events where you’ll find the parents of mostly middle schoolers, and a few late bloomers whose children are in ninth grade. About that family dog…don’t worry, you can sign up for “Parenting Workshop: Choosing the Right Dog for Your Family.”
“Ready for Launch,” by Mark Singer, The New Yorker, May 17, 2010