Monday, May 13, 2013
Often we don't appreciate the phase we are in, when we are in it. A lesson learned from a stranger, hits home.
When the boys were babies, old men and women would "ooh" and "ahh" over the handlebar of the stroller at my angelic sleeping child and say “they grow up so fast” a million times. I’d kindly nod my head and smile, exhausted from lack of sleep and counting down the days to the monthly Moms Night Out when I could drink way too much and pretend I was 25 again—of course paying for that decision for hours the next day. At the doctor’s office, I was having small talk with a nurse and inevitably the conversation comes to children—"Do you have any? How many? What are their ages?" I shared my sons’ ages and she immediately gets a nostalgia look in her eye, “Oh that’s such a wonderful age. Legos, Star Wars…Oh, I just love that age.” I nodded my head…
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Kids on the Autism Spectrum each have unique gifts—I think I found one of my son's.
When you have a child of the Autism Spectrum it’s hard to avoid becoming consumed by comparing your child with typically developing children. IEP (Individualized Education Plan) meetings don’t help, you sit around a table with professionals working with your child on a daily basis at school and discuss the ways in which your child is developing and meeting goals for his age, almost all of his goals are goals that come naturally for other children. For example one of the goals on my son’s IEP is to have a back and forth conversation with a peer without prompting. That doesn’t seem like much, I know, but recently when my son, L, had a friend over and I heard them playing in his room I stood out of eyesight to count how many times they had a …
Monday, December 31, 2012
A list of the best children's books of 2012, from James Patterson's ReadKiddoRead Foundation.
Courtesy of the ReadKiddoRead Foundation Maurice Sendak once said that one of the best things about being a maker of children’s books was that his audience kept being born. It’s true, of course: The great books from years past are brand new to today’s children and teens. But let’s take a moment at year’s end to recognize the books being published now for our young people. Here’s a quick roundup of a dozen highlights of 2012. (For more, visit ReadKiddoRead.com and check out our reviews.) Great Illustrated Books (Ages 2-5) Llama Llama Time to Share By Anna Dewdney For ages 2-5 When the doorbell rings, Mama Llama welcomes the neighbors – the Gnus. While Mama and Nelly have tea, their two toddlers are left with a boxful of toys to play with …
Friday, December 21, 2012
What toys are kids asking Santa for this year in Prince George's County and Maryland?
Topping off the toys' list the week before Christmas, this year's best sellers at Toys"R"Us include the Time For Your Checkup Doll and the 1980s comeback, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, according to Adrienne O'Hara, Toys"R"Us spokeswoman. The items that are selling best in Prince George's County and Maryland are also the ones selling best nationwide at the toys store, according to O'Hara, who described them below: HOLIDAY TOY BEST SELLERS #1 - Disney Doc McStuffins Time For Your Check Up Doll Doc McStuffins is a Disney Junior show that features a girl with stuffed animals and dolls that she nurses back to health. Time For Your Checkup Doll is one of the most popular in the series. She comes dressed in a lab coat and sings songs and repeats…
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Montgomery and Prince George’s county schools serve more fruits and vegetables, but students may not be eating them.
- SCHOOLS
- Erin Egan
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Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Every day at lunch, children across Prince George’s and Montgomery counties may be facing what conventional wisdom says is one of their worst nightmares. No, it’s not monsters hiding under their beds or behind their closet doors. It’s not zombies chasing after them, either. It’s fruits and vegetables. After Congress passed a nationwide law limiting the amount of calories schools are allowed to serve at lunch, schools in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties are adhering to the rules and serving up more healthy options for students. “Before this year, each student had to select three out of five items,” said Marla Caplon, Director of the Division of Food and Nutrition Services at Montgomery County public schools. “This year, the student …
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
The Walters Art Museum is a great place for families.
For parents with kids on the Autism Spectrum, there are many experiences that we have to miss out on due to large, loud crowds. Children on the Autism Spectrum can be over stimulated easily and being put in an environment with a lot of people can lead the child to having a meltdown. My oldest son is on the spectrum and though the meltdowns have become fewer as he’s gotten older, instead over stimulating environments effect his attitude. He becomes “snippy”, short tempered, quick to argue with his brother in other words not pleasant to be around for the rest of the day. We don’t take advantage of the museums in DC as much as we should mainly because of the crowds. Recently we discovered a hidden gem in Baltimore, The Walters Art Museum. …
Thursday, November 22, 2012
This Thanksgiving Day I'm most thankful for the freebies that came along with my winning lotto ticket.
The biggest lottery on earth is the one I already won the day I was born; and I'm living off the interest with every turn of the globe. On this Thanksgiving Day, I find myself most thankful for the things that came along with that win with no price tag attached. Five Free Deals that Beat out Black Friday What Black Friday special is more valuable than the eyes with which I see the faces of those I love, or that let me watch the blue sky billowing forth, splashing out its constant portrait of motion? When I look up at the infinity of stars dancing across the heavens, my eyes let me know that however great my imagination, it will never reach an end of things to explore and discover. And though no price could be too high that I wouldn't …
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Don’t underestimate the smallest seed for it is filled with great courage.
On a beautiful fall day, I notice a group of children discover a dead squirrel lying in a parking space on the side of the road. I've seen these children playing together on the corner playground after school each day, their age’s range from kindergarten to third grade. At first they stand around the squirrel talking about it, staring intently. By the looks on almost all of their faces, it seems this is the first time that any of them had seen something dead, in real life. I am mesmerized by the children and stand back from the group wanting to see for myself how this is going to play out. It seems somewhat like observing a social experiment. The children stand on the curb by the side of the road, knowing if they step foot off the curb …
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Although Kevin Clash, of Dundalk, took a leave of absence after accusations of sexual impropriety, the accuser recanted his statement, according to The New York Times.
Update, Nov. 13: The man who accused the Elmo puppeteer of allegedly having sex with him as a teen has now recanted his statement. According to The New York Times' Brian Stelter, the 23-year-old accuser stated that he had sexual relations with Kevin Clash, a Baltimore native, when he was only 16. Although Clash denied the claims, he took a leave of absence from his job with Sesame Street earlier this week. Yet, the man recanted his statement today through his Harrisburg, PA attorney's office, Stelter reports, saying it was a "adult consensual relationship." Clash said in his own statement, he is “relieved that this painful allegation has been put to rest.” At this time, it is not known when Clash will return to work. Original Post, Nov. 12…
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Keep your children, pets and house safe this October 31st.
- HALLOWEEN
- Ben Gross
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Saturday, October 27, 2012
Oct. 31 is the one day a year on which kids (and many adults) let loose and have fun – dressing up as their favorite sports and music personality, movie star or the more traditional zombies, vampires, ghouls and ghosts. The Montgomery County and Prince George’s Police Forces and Fire Departments as well as the ASPCA have issued a number of tips for keeping children, adults and even pets safe this Halloween. For trick-or-treaters: For Halloween party-goers: For pets:
Gretchen Schock
8:31 am on Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Brunchbird- No I'm not passing judgement at all! For kids who enjoy sports and want to do it I think it's great that they have that outlet. My children are not interested at all and I don't enjoy the pressure from other parents to push my sons to try it. Making it seem as if my sons will not be as well rounded without team sports. This is also an issue of gender. I doubt if my children were girls… more ›