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Home for the Holidays: Family Fun in Frederick

Whether you want to show visiting family the charm of Frederick or rediscover it for yourself, the arts are alive and well this holiday season. Stay out of the cold and keep the season merry and bright with these holiday hangouts! Nov. 29-Dec. 30 The Holiday Art Competition Inspire your little artist and see original artwork created by local Frederick …

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Parent You Should Know: Zorina Thomas

By Heather M. Ross The bond between a mother and her son is one of the strongest there is, but this Frederick mother is closer to her son than most—they’re sharing one set of kidneys. When Zorina Thomas’ son, Lavon, was 11-months-old, she donated her kidney to him. Lavon was born with Prune Belly Syndrome, which meant that his kidneys …

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ADHD and Social Capital: How Your Child Can Build Strong Relationships

By Cheryl Maguire A group of medical school friends nominated Sasha Hamdani to create a memory book for their pregnant classmate. Hamdani worked hard on the task for several weeks. She printed pictures, gathered mementos and listened to stories about their friend. The book — meant to be a group gift for their classmate’s baby shower — was more than …

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Trick-or-Treat Must-Haves

Comfort Stroller or wagon for when little feet get tired (bonus: keep extra treat bags in here!) Walking shoes Ginger chews for upset stomachs Clean Hand sanitizer Moist wipes for sticky hands I see you! Reflective clothing or tape Matching glowstick bracelets or necklaces to keep families together Flashlight Prep for the weather Warm clothing Hand warmers Umbrella Safety Water …

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General Disability Resources

Advocacy Community Living, Inc. Community Living, Inc. is a nonprofit in Frederick that supports people who have Down syndrome, autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities. communitylivinginc.org. B 21703, 620 Research Ct., Frederick, MD 21703 301-663-8811 The Freedom Center Inc The Freedom Center is a community-based nonprofit which works to provide services to assist people with disabilities in living independently …

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Talking to Kids About Disabilities

By Sarah Lyons “Why do you talk like that?” I heard the question come from behind me as I helped another child in the Sunday school class. “It’s just the way I am,” I heard my sister-in-law wisely answer the curious boy. My sister-in-law, Kara, was born with cerebral palsy. She was helping me in the classroom that day when …

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Is Your Child Being Bullied — Or Bullying Another Child? Here’s What To Do.

For many students, bullying is an unfortunate reality of their school experience. Children can be cruel no matter how old they are, though a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Injury Center states that bullying is most commonly reported in middle school. Common anti-bullying sentiment, such as “be an upstander, not a bystander,” an adage that many …

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5 Reasons to Visit a U-Pick Farm This Season

This time of year is the perfect opportunity to head to a local farm to pick your own produce for the season, whether it be apples, pears, pumpkins, squash or others available where you live. By taking your children on a u-pick adventure, they will learn a tremendous amount about food and the environment and you will build family memories …

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Adopting Black Cats — And Keeping Them Safe On Halloween

‘Tis the season for spider webs, ghosts, sweets and, of course, black cats. That’s right, it’s time to talk about Halloween’s mascot, the house panther. But it’s tough to be an icon. There are lots of rumors and superstitions surrounding black cats, so we’ve set out to clear up a few misconceptions. Do black cats really have a lower adoption …

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