ORTSMOUTH, R.I. - For more than two years, Laura Backman has cared for a little one with a neurological disorder — feeding her, changing her diapers, helping to teach her to move with a walker.
Now that baby is getting around with her own webbed feet.
Lemon, a Pekin duck, has been physically disabled since she hatched in the kindergarten class Backman used to teach in Portsmouth.
Backman, 39, has now turned Lemon’s life story into Continue reading »
Special-needs kids take extra patience and love, workers say
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Compassion isn't constrained by income bracket, skin color, marital status or hometown.
And whether it's mentoring, fostering or adopting, reaching out to Michigan's legal orphans can be rewarding beyond expectations, say those who work with these kids.
"Why do people have children in the first place? The bottom line is about wanting to be part of something Continue reading »
Parents, you can keep those flash cards and alphabet books.
But there's another device in your home that can help develop language and visual skills. It's called -- hold on to your remotes -- the television set.
Instead of being simply society's whipping boy and the root of all cultural evil, the idiot box might actually boost test scores, especially in disadvantaged homes, a recently published study out of the University of Chicago says.
Even Continue reading »
Eight-year-old Christopher Case doubles over the microphone and belts out his solo like a seasoned child performer.
Eleven weeks ago, he was afraid to even get on stage.
"He was very nervous," said his mother, Lisa Case. "Having autism, he's more shy. This has brought him out of his shell."
Christopher is part of Glendale's first musical-theater program aimed at kids with disabilities, ranging from autism to cerebral palsy. About 20 young actors, Continue reading »
Texas' Tango Blast gang draws kids with tattoos, loose affiliation rules
12:00 AM CST on Sunday, November 30, 2008
They tattoo themselves with Dallas Cowboys stars and the area code 214. They proudly proclaim "D-Town" and brag about their hometown affiliations on MySpace and YouTube.
The Tango Blast, a violent, drug-dealing gang born in the Texas prison system, is growing in popularity and could change the Dallas landscape because it rejects Continue reading »
Instead, use this time to teach the basics, especially how to save. If one thing is clear in this confusing economic crisis, it's that those who have a savings cushion are in a much better position to weather the storm than those who are overextended and have nothing to fall back on.
There is a lot of talk these days of requiring schools to teach personal finance. It sounds good, but the evidence so far suggests that classes tend not to work.
Continue reading »
Sunday, November 30, 2008
"The best interest of the child" is the philosophy that should drive child welfare decisions, but the rules that come with federal funding haven't always cooperated.
"The majority of federal money is only available to maintain kids in foster care placement -- room and board, basically," said Marci McCoy-Roth, co-director of the Pew Charitable Trust's Kids Are Waiting campaign.
Until recently, only 11% of federal dollars Continue reading »
They bring ladders and string lanterns in a tree, prepare "food" (ice and snowballs) and dance (leglessly) to snow musicians. "Hooray for winter! Hooray for snow!" they shout, raising their glasses in a toast. And when it's over and they pack up and go, the landscape returns to a pristine white blanket of snow. It's a fun look at a secret ceremony among frozen friends.
, illustrated by Karen Hillard Good and presented in this 10th anniversary edition Continue reading »
Experts suggest these tips in helping kids cope with cutbacks during the holidays—and after.
•Tailor explanations to the child's age. Any child old enough to ask for Christmas gifts is old enough to learn about money.
•Be honest about your financial situation, but be careful not to scare them. For example, don't say you're "in the poorhouse." Rather, say: "We have less money and have to be more careful about how we spend it."
Continue reading »
As a board member for the Arizona Affiliate of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, I'm focused on raising awareness about the importance of drug prevention, urging parents and caregivers to talk with their children about drugs and, if necessary, get them help if they are using.
Although I don't have children myself, I believe that caregivers of all kinds play a significant role in a child's life. A grandparent, an aunt, an uncle, a sibling, Continue reading »