By Margot Poss While the guidelines for defining special needs adoption vary by state, there appears to be a common link. According to the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse, as many as 80 to 90 percent of all special needs adoptions are successful, with the great majority of special needs adoptions creating lasting families. Generally, the …
When Romance Rages? At 17, Amy Lucas* was a quiet girl who played flute in the marching band, participated in school government and starred in several drama club productions. She also had a boyfriend named Tommy* who often slapped her, pulled her hair and once forced her to have sex with him. “I never told …
There’s nothing that gets my attention faster than a great deal. E-commerce is a hot ticket right now. Busy people with little time to travel from store to store can hop online, and with a few clicks, have the merchandise delivered to their front door. Raising teenagers isn’t cheap, and with college looming just around …
Read moreHow to Save Money and Get Freebies Using the Internet?
You’re standing in a long line at the grocery store that is moving very slowly, if at all. You sigh and settle in for the wait. In front of you is a harried looking young mother with a baby and preschooler. The preschooler keeps trying to wander away while the baby is sleeping. He wriggles …
Will You Be My Friend? Making friends in school can be challenging enough for kids, but children with autism face even greater difficulties while learning how to interact with their peers. “[Children with autism] have to learn what we don’t have to learn … They don’t have some of the natural, built-in instincts we have …
A Memory for Some Peace My sister said that I stole her memory. I didn’t mean to, I just thought it was my memory. I still do. I vividly recall walking from the parking lot to the movie theater next to my grandmother. I remember looking up at her and holding her hand. I remember …
The majority of people today are more conscious about the food they eat. But nothing makes a woman question what she puts in her mouth more than hearing the words, “You’re pregnant.” While folic acid and calcium may be the first nutritional needs that come to mind, there is another that’s just as important and …
Racquel Miller Graham hasn’t forgotten “Johnny,” an emotionally troubled 10-year-old whose sneakers and self-esteem had been grounded – worn down by the harshness of life. “He was so earthbound,” she recalls. “Wouldn’t pick his feet off the floor. Couldn’t jump. He was like this little mouse of a kid who literally clung to the earth, …
Read moreComplementary Therapies Make a Difference for Many Children
You probably pictured the scene a thousand times: no matter the season, the sun is shining, and you gingerly step over the threshold with your sleeping newborn nestled in your arms. The house is immaculate, and the rooms are filled with fresh flowers, balloons, cards and packages. In the fantasy, you’re looking as fresh and …
A Bun in the Oven Ask any woman who has been pregnant during those hot summer months, and you’ll hear about how miserable it truly can be. However, it is very important that pregnant women stay cool in the summer months, as overheating – a medical condition called hyperthermia – is thought to lead to …