The Queens neighborhood of Holliston just became a little less buggy after winning the national “Neighborhood Trap Out” Program sponsored by Kaz Inc., manufacturer of the new Mosquito Vacuum by Stinger, and Parents & Kids Magazine. Chosen out of dozens of entries from around the country, Holliston resident Linda Carrabba and 14 of her neighbors will be able to enjoy their backyards without those pesky and annoying mosquitoes.   Each home will receive a free Mosquito Vacuum and a season’s worth of 2-in-1 bait.

By Karin Conrad
Between picking up stray Cheerios, wiping runny noses, reading one more story and taking time to breathe, what busy parent has time to surf the internet tracking down cool Web sites? That’s why we've done the work for you. Here is our best picks for parents!

 

This is an outstanding opportunity for the right individual who is looking for fun, excitement and success!

P&K Magazine, the fastest growing parenting publication in the area, seeks part and full time experienced advertising sales representatives to develop new and existing accounts in the local parenting community.

Among her collection of American Girl dolls, there's one that sometimes gives 9-year-old Madeline O'Neil the creeps if she looks at it too long.

That would be Mia, the one modeled after her.

 

 

 Did you know? According to the CDS, our state boasts one of the highest rates for twins births. Experts say that Massachusetts has this claim because of a higher maternal age and our affordable fertility treatment programs. It may coincidence or not but this year Boston will host the National Organization of Mothers of Twins Clubs, Inc.’s (NOMOTC) annual convention from July 20-27, 2008 at the Boston Park Plaza. The convention includes speakers, workshops, socialization and networking, in addition to the general business of the organization. Special guest include stars of the TLC program “Jon & Kate plus 8.” For the convention schedule, registration information and complete details visit the National Organization of Mothers of Twins Clubs, Inc website at www.nomotc.org. 

 

 

 Called word of mouth, this information sharing is as old as parenting itself. It’s the way newcomers to a town and newcomers to parenting learn the ins and outs of finding a pediatrician or babysitter, how to locate school bus stops and whether to pack a lunch or pay in the cafeteria.

 

At the rate kids grow, it’s hard to financially swallow investing in entire wardrobes every four-to-six months.


That's why more and more parents are shopping at consignment stores when the time comes to refresh their childrens' closet and move up to the next size.


Ann Marie Donovan of Franklin learned just how far a dollar would go early in life and passed her bargain-hunting skills onto her six children.

 

Parents are known to be fierce protectors of their children, but once in awhile the tables are turned. Even the youngest children can surprise us with their presence of mind and capability in an emergency. Meet some local kids under the age of 10 - heroes in our midst.

 

Enjoying the outdoors is more than just playing catch in the back yard or riding a bicycle down the street. The fresh air is great, but actually exploring bugs and birds and animals in their habitats can help children develop a real love and respect for nature that will follow them into adulthood.

 

By Melissa RussellIn Tom Perotta's book "Little Children," a single father piques the interest and the gossip amongst the playground set. The clique of mothers whisper and speculate, but none of them invites him or his little boy into their tightly knit circle.
That's pretty typical, according to area single dads.

In the past 40 years, the number of single fathers raising their children has swelled from 400,000 to more than 2.5 million, according to the U.S. census bureau. But, according to several single dads in the area, they are still few and far enough between to raise eyebrows when they appear at playgrounds with their kids and no wife in sight.

 

By Karin Conrad
“Me too! Me too!“ clamors 4-year old Ella as she rushes to her father with arms outstretched. Her father, Iain Miller, is swinging Ella’s 6-year old sister, Dina, through the air as she giggles delightedly. With the ease of a veteran dad, he lands one daughter gently on the floor and scoops up the other as she beams up at him. 

Newly adopted Dina and Ella are two of the nearly 20,000 orphans adopted from foreign countries nationwide last year. In Massachusetts alone, there were over 2300 children welcomed into adoptive families in 2004, 1,352 of them from overseas. That means thousands of new adoptive dads like Iain will be celebrating their first Father’s Day this month.

 

Jessica YoungGateHouse News ServiceWhen Christine McGrath learned she was pregnant, she had an “Oh-no!” moment. The trendy mother-to-be envisioned a tearful good-bye with her beloved wardrobe and an equally devastating introduction to shapeless muumuus.
 “I was scared that I’d be stuck in these unflattering garments, left without my metallic glam or chic jackets for nine months. And you really don’t want to shell out a lot for maternity clothes when your No. 1 priority is comfort and you’re dealing with an automatic expiration date,” McGrath says.
 Fashion for expectant mothers has come a long way. With designers increasingly responding to demands for altered outfits, pregnant women can sleep more soundly knowing they can still look beautiful between bouts of morning sickness and bathroom stops.

 

Diana RossettiGateHouse News ServiceThose pesky childhood diseases -- measles, mumps, whooping cough, chicken pox -- thank goodness they’re history.Or are they?
 The Centers for Disease Control warn not to be so sure. And more importantly, don’t feel secure in your immunity just because you suffered through them as a youngster.

 

By Ursula Furi-Perry, Esq.
Parenthood is always a challenge, but for some dads, fatherhood comes with the added challenge of dealing with custody and child support issues. Read on for some valuable family law resources—just for dads.

 

Patti Minglin
GateHouse News Service
Tracy Paulson has just e-mailed her consultants, put the final touches on a new marketing campaign and contacted a nonprofit about an upcoming fundraiser. And it’s just 8 a.m.

Now she’s ready to get her two boys, 7 and 9 years old, off to school.  

 

Jessica Scarpati
GateHouse News Service
You could say Nuala Boyle is doing the work of three people.

Even after her doctor ordered her to slow down and stay off her feet, Boyle, 33, just couldn’t. For the past three weeks, she’s worked from home.

Boyle isn’t a workaholic. She’s pregnant with twins.

 

Kiki Benson and Mindy Banicki
GateHouse News Service
Impress your mother (or mother-in-law) with an invitation to join you for this festive and elegant brunch.

The following menu is best for a group of six to eight guests. If you’ve gathered a larger group, you’ll want to opt for an alternate entrée or head out to eat (you’ll need too many individual ramekins).

Dana Barbuto
GateHouse News Service
In “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” Julia-Louis Dreyfus plays a divorced mother who dates and runs her own business.

The moms on Wisteria Lane – Lynette (Felicity Huffman), Bree (Marcia Cross), and Susan (Teri Hatcher) – are neurotic, unfaithful, conniving and probably on antidepressants.

And TV’s longest-running mom, Marge Simpson, is a talented cook, a recovering gambling addict and a budding artist and novelist all rolled into one animated character.

Though they’re fictional, TV’s moms reflect changing roles of motherhood.

 

Tamara Race

GateHouse News Service

San Francisco was the first community in the country to ban plastic bags. A couple of towns in Alaska followed its lead. Now, some Plymouth residents want their town to be next.

James Sweeney and his Sustainable Plymouth environmental group will ask town meeting in June to ban plastic bags in grocery stores 35,000 square feet and larger.

 

By Ursula Furi-Perry, Esq.
This session, the Massachusetts Legislature is considering several bills that would affect families and parents in the state. Here is an overview of some of the more prominent pieces of legislation. From breastfeeding in public to updates on the anti-spanking law.