CILT’s Parenting with a Disability Bulletin Volume 11, Issue 3 Spring/Summer 2009 PDN UPDATE The PDN is very excited to bring you our fourth parenting publication, “SCHOOL YEAR CHRONICLES: A Personal Collection of Your Child’s School Year Memories”, an exciting and innovative way of capturing your child’s special childhood school moments and achievements; while providing tips for you, as parents with disabilities, on parenting issues including how to educate your child about your disability, how to breastfeed when you are a mother with a disability and facing post partum blues. It can be purchased through the Centre for Independent Living in Toronto, for only $20.00 a copy (in a binder), or $15.00 (without binder). So please, tell your friends, family, peers and colleagues about the “SCHOOL YEAR CHRONICLES: A Personal Collection of Your Child’s School Year Memories”, and give them the opportunity to enjoy their children’s school year memories as well. CILT intends to inform as many service providers and parents across the community as possible about SCHOOL YEAR CHRONICLES. We are hoping that it will be a great success. If you would like to find out more, please contact us at CILT. We are very excited about this new publication, and we hope that you will be as well. Attention! Important Bulletin Update The Parenting with a Disability Bulletin needs your help! The new distribution dates will be: * March * June * September * December SUBMISSIONS WANTED! If you have an article, story, poem, tips/strategies, photos or anything related to parenting with a disability that you’d like to share, the PDN wants to hear from you! Send your submissions to Nancy at peervolunteer@cilt.ca; fax: 416-599-3555; or call 416-599-2458 ext. 227; TTY: 416-599-5077. We believe that everyone has something to say. Let your voices be heard! PARENTS’ CORNER Bullying By Kathy Noll www.canadianparents.com/article/bullying Did you know that 6.5 million boys and 3.5 million girls are involved in fights every year on school grounds in North America? Plus, 4.5 million students are threatened with bodily harm every year, with almost 2 million students being robbed. Bullying has become a very serious “Hot” topic today. It’s been in the news, and the theme of several talk shows in the past year. The problem has been around for as long as people have been around, but it’s only been recently that we’ve become aware enough to do something about it. Mental and physical signs for parents to look for to find out if their child is being bullied include cuts, bruises, torn clothing, headaches and/or stomach pains before it’s time to go to school, or a reluctance to go to school, poor appetites, poor grades, decline/withdrawal from usual activities, anxiety, not many friends, always loses money, depression, fear, anger, and relates better to adults and teachers than children. It also helps to understand the different types of abuse the bully can inflict. This can vary from physical (juvenile violence) to verbal, and include mental control tactics (crushing their self esteem). The bully’s pattern of physical abuse might include pushing, tripping, slapping, hitting, wrestling, choking, kicking, biting stealing, and breaking things (80% of the time bullying becomes physical). The bully’s pattern of verbal abuse might include twisting your words around, judging you unfairly, missing the point, passing blame, bossing, making you self- conscious, embarrassing you, making you cry, confusing you, and making you feel small so he/she can feel big. Children between the ages of 5-11 begin using verbal abuse, and are capable of some physical abuse such as fighting, kicking and choking. However, once a child reaches the age of 12, psychological changes take place and the bullying becomes more violent. This might include the use of weapons and sexual abuse. Usually bullies come from middle-income families that do not monitor their activities. The parents of bullies are either extremely tolerant and permissive, and allow them to get away with everything, or physically aggressive and abusive. Bullies like to be in control of situations, and enjoy inflicting injury on others. They have less commitment to school and teachers. Usually taller and stronger than other children their own age, bullies see the world with a paranoid’s eye. They see threats where none exist and believe that their anger and aggressiveness is justified. The bully might lash out at people because he’s angry about something. Maybe someone in his life is bullying him. He could be hurting from abuse he received in the past, or maybe he grew up observing those around him using violence as a means of settling differences. Sometimes jealousy is the culprit. He needs to feel better about himself in order to change, and to stop bullying. Or, in a worse case scenario, he might actually be a sociopath, in which case he/she would need to get professional help. Know your child’s friends and make sure that other adults in his/her life understand your view of teasing and violence. Teach your child to be strong and kind! If your child is a victim, he needs to know that he’s okay, and not the one with the problem. Have him tell his school guidance counsellor the name of the bully who is victimizing him. Or you might try talking to the principal or his teachers directly. And if you know the parents of the bully, you might try confronting them as well. However, there’s a good chance they’ll either be in denial, or be as unconcerned as their child. If physical abuse is the problem, and you’re afraid of angering the bully, tell the teacher, or whomever, not to pass on your or your child’s name while settling the situation. If verbal abuse is the problem, your child could try confronting the bully himself. Get him alone. Bullies like to show off by embarrassing you in front of a group of people. They might not be so tough without a crowd. Tell your child to be firm, stick up for himself, and tell the bully, “I don’t like what you’re doing to me, and I want you to stop.” If the child is old enough to reason, have him tell the bully how it feels to be bullied. Don’t stress what the bully did, or the accusations might make him defensive. Then he’d be less likely to listen. If he’s willing to listen at all, he might be willing to change. However, if he’s unwilling to listen and starts getting nasty, your child is better off staying away from him, or ignoring him. But if his verbal abuse turns intro threats, notify someone in authority. Sometimes having his things stolen victimizes a child. Putting your child’s name on everything is an important thing to do. This means each and every crayon! It also helps not to allow him/her to take things of any major importance or value to school. Again, if nothing else works, have the bully reported. For the past 10 years child on child violence has been increasing in North America. Physical abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment and robbery have driven many victims to substance abuse or suicide. Talk to your children about bullying, tell them how wrong it is, and the devastating effects that it can have on another child’s well-being. If you think that your child is being bullied by others, talk to them about it and support them as much as you can. Bullying is a terrible experience for any child to endure. What, Me Worry? Recognizing and Helping the Anxious Child By Glen Herbert; Reprinted with sole permission from ParentsCanada.com ANDREW PENNY, 11, IS A WORRIER and has been for most of his life. He worries about going to school, coming home from school and about criminals and bullies while he’s at school. He worries about the house catching fire, where the family is going for the weekend and if he will ever need glasses. Some days, he’ll worry about all of this, and more, even before he steps out of the house in the morning. While many of the things that worry Andrew may be understandable – don’t we all feel a little reticence at the thought of a visit to the dentist? It’s the frequency and the level of his worry that sets Andrew, and others like him, apart. He is among the more than six percent of Canadian children between the ages of four and 17 who have an anxiety problem, making it the most common mental health issue for Canadian children, pretty much bar none, including attention and behaviour disorders. The World Health Organization describes anxiety as, ‘the most prevalent mental health problem across the globe’. “HE WILL SAY ‘MOM I HAVE A STOMACH ACHE’ AND THEN HE’LL SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE LOCKDOWN.” If we are complacent – and many would say that we are – it is perhaps because worry, by and large, is so familiar to us. From reports on the news of school shootings to the lead levels in toys, it’s easy to get pretty keyed up these days. A certain level of anxiety can seem like a normal response to the world around us. For many children, however, it isn’t. WHY WORRY? Of course, a discussion of anxiety among children can often raise more than a few eyebrows in the process. One man responded to an article in the Globe and Mail, saying, “In London, in the early 1940s, my classmates and I spent our nights in air raid shelters. We could leave for school in the morning and come back at midday to find home and family wiped out. We had no counsellors, then or later. Children had to be tough.” To many, it raises a fair question: Why are our children such worrywarts? Why don’t they just buck up and get on with it? My grandmother, for example, left Ireland on a boat when she was 10, potentially never to see her family again, and she never complained about separation anxiety. Certainly, many of the stresses of the past weren’t remote as on TV, but right outside the door. Still, people generally did OK, didn’t they? Well, many of them probably did, though we know now that many also struggled with ongoing anxiety issues throughout much of their lives. Studies have suggested that instances of divorce, drug and alcohol abuse and depression may stem, initially, from unrecognized – and therefore untreated – anxiety disorders. WHEN WORRY BECOMES A DISORDER Just because supports weren’t available in the past doesn’t mean that people wouldn’t have benefited from them. They undoubtedly would have. Today, we know a lot more about anxiety than ever before, including the roles, both good and bad, that it can play in our children’s lives. “A little bit of anxiety is healthy,” says Burlington, Ontario, paediatrician Dr. Laura Gerber. “It keeps us moving, it keeps us motivated, it keeps us achieving.” However, “for some children anxiety becomes impairing. They avoid social situations or avoid school, or do poorly in school as a result of their anxiety.” When anxiety begins to affect a child’s interaction with others and alters their sense of emotional well being, it’s time to take a closer look. “My daughter at age four has already been to friends’ houses with other parents,” says Janet Freeman, a mother of four in Southern Ontario, “but Jordan never went to a play date until a year ago. He was too scared to do it.” At 12 years of age, and with high school and the teen years around the corner, Janet became concerned at how much Jordan’s fears were getting in the way of his life. He has since been diagnosed with social phobia. “We have to push him for anything. He won’t do sports because he is afraid kids will laugh at him. He worries that he’s not as good as other children. He refuses to partake in organized sports or anything involving being with others.” RECOGNIZING AN ANXIOUS CHILD In retrospect, Janet can see that Jordan displayed symptoms of an anxiety disorder for years, but it isn’t surprising that he wasn’t diagnosed until recently. In her practice, Dr. Gerber finds that, more often than not, the signs can easily be misinterpreted or misunderstood. “Parents may not be aware of the child’s anxiety until later,” says Dr. Gerber. “Because children don’t have the words to express their emotions and they don’t recognize what it is that is making them feel upset or out of control.” Unlike adults, who are able to articulate and discuss whatever anxieties they may be feeling, children’s physical symptoms often tell a more complete tale. “Children will get stomach aches at night on school nights,” says Dr. Gerber, “they won’t occur during activities they enjoy over the summer holidays.” Headaches can also be an indication. Again, it is the timing and the onset that can be most telling. “A proper headache history can usually sort out which headaches are medically concerning and which are associated with an underlying anxiety. issue.” IF YOU WORRY, CHANCES ARE YOUR KIDS WILL TOO. THERE ARE LOTS OF REASONS WHY PEOPLE ARE ANXIOUS. “Most children don’t suddenly develop anxiety,” she says, “but at some point it may be worsened by a particular stressor.” Karyn says. For example, one of Andrew’s recurrent fears – that a criminal will enter his classroom – is the result of the experience of the school drills. “He will say ‘Mom I have a stomach ache and then he will say something about the lockdown,” says Karyn. “I have to tell him to do what they tell you and you are going to be fine. I do a lot of convincing.” WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT? For many parents of anxious children, just being able to put a name to a range of seemingly unrelated concerns and symptoms provides a great leap forward. Help is now available, including a peer support group. “He now knows that there are other children like him. He’s not alone in this.” There is a lot that parents can be doing such as formal therapy, programs within the school and learning how to provide support in the home, but the vast majority of parents don’t do anything at all. If our kids were to break out in purple spots, we’d be first in line at the emergency room. But when it comes to mental health, we are typically slow to act. In the vast majority of cases, it is the physical symptoms of anxiety – the stomach aches, the headaches – even though social issues, or school avoidance, may have been present for years. This was true in both Andrew’s and Jordan’s cases. Without the physical symptoms, their anxiety disorders would remain undiagnosed. Ultimately, children are tough, but it’s also a big world out there with a lot going on in it. For children who struggle with anxiety, often just being tough isn’t enough. Given that we know what anxiety is, and that we know how to help, why wouldn’t we? TAKE MENTAL HEALTH SERIOUSLY In 2007, a survey found that 38 percent of Canadian parents would be embarrassed to admit that their child has a mental illness such as anxiety or depression. As a result, of the two million Canadians—adults and children—who suffer with an anxiety disorder, liberal estimates suggest that those in active treatment number, at best, only in the thousands. Nutritious Kids’ Snacks By Christine Langlois http://www.canadianliving.com/health/nutrition/nutritious_kids_snacks.php Contrary to what your mother may have told you, there's nothing wrong with between-meal snacks. The Dietitians of Canada insists that "snacking between meals is great for your kids!" Nutritionists agree that children are more likely to meet their dietary needs if they have two or three scheduled snacks a day, in addition to three meals. Most children don't eat enough at meals to provide them with the nutrients they need. If you satisfy nutrition requirements across the day, it eases the pressure on kids and parents during family meals. Besides, kids love to snack. The key is to plan snacks as you plan meals. If you haven't prepared a wholesome snack, your child will grab a stack of chocolate cookies to fend off his hunger. There's no need to plan snacks for school recesses; once children hit grade one, they need recess for physical activity. But you will need to plan an after-school and a bedtime snack. When your kids are active on days off, a morning snack may also be needed. Remember to maintain control. You probably don't ask your child what he wants for dinner. So don't ask your child what he wants for a snack. Offer something from the food groups whose recommendations aren't being met through the three meals of the day. Older kids will want to help themselves. Keep nutritious snacks where your older child can see them. If the taco chips are at eye level and the carrots are in a bag in the back of the crisper, guess what she'll snack on? To quench thirst, serve the following: * Water * plain or flavoured milk * yogurt beverages * hot cocoa * juicy fruits (watermelon, plums, peaches, oranges, cantaloupe) * succulent vegetables like cucumber and cherry tomatoes * vegetable juices GET INVOLVED Survey for Parents Who Have MS If you are a parent with MS and have a child under the age of 18 please take 5 minutes to answer the following survey. This survey will gage your interest in a parenting with MS support program and help us determine how to proceed. The survey is anonymous. Just paste the link in your web browser.http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=b4kWcf93QOEZcD_2bHt89t 2Q_3d_3d. Focus Group for Women with Disabilities Envisioning New Meanings of Disability and Difference The Envisioning New Meanings of Disability and Difference Project aims to break down stereotypes, foster connection among people, and enhance public education regarding disability and difference. Over the past two years, women with disabilities and physical differences created digital stories about disability and difference. The women's stories shared empowering messages about disability and difference, and the ways they chose to represent themselves. We are developing a website so we can get our messages out into the community. We want to hear from you about your ideas and suggestions for a dynamic website that will reach women with disabilities AND the larger community, including service providers. Please join us: WHEN: Monday June 22, 2009 WHERE: The Anne Johnston Health Station, 2398 Yonge Street (Yonge and Montgomery Avenue) TIME: 5:30 pm (with light dinner) to 8:00 pm FACILITATORS: Lorna Renooy and Fran Odette For more information, please contact Fran at 416-968-3422. Helping you save for Tomorrow for Tomorrow Registered Disability Savings Plan Canada Disability Savings Grant and Bond Helping you save The Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) is a long-term savings vehicle to help you, your child, your family and others save for the long-term financial security of a person with a severe disability. Contributions to an RDSP could be supplemented by matching Canada Disability Savings Grants from the Government of Canada. The Canada Disability Savings Bond is also available for low-income families even if no contributions are made. RDSPs can be opened until the year the beneficiary turns 59 and Grant and Bond can be received until the year they turn 49. How the Grant and Bond Work Canada Disability Savings Grant Private contributions to an RDSP may be supplemented by the new Canada Disability Savings Grant. Depending on the amount contributed, the Government of Canada may supplement funds to the RDSP, up to an annual maximum of $3,500, with a lifetime limit of $70,000. A beneficiary’s lifetime private contribution limit is $200,000. Beneficiary family income of less than or equal to $77,664 For the first $500 contributed towards the RDSP, the government may supplement the contribution with $3 for every $1 contributed, up to $1,500 in a calendar year. On the next $1,000 contributed towards the RDSP, the government may supplement the contribution with $2 for every $1 contributed, up to $2,000 in a calendar year. Beneficiary family income greater than $77,664 For the next $1,000 contributed towards the RDSP, the government may supplement $1 for every $1 contributed, in a calendar year. Canada Disability Savings Bond The new Canada Disability Savings Bond is also available for individuals with disabilities who have a low family income. Even if no contributions are made to the RDSP, the Government of Canada may deposit a Bond of up to a maximum of $1,000 a year in a beneficiary’s RDSP. The lifetime Canada Disability Savings Bond limit for a beneficiary is $20,000. Beneficiary family income of less than or equal to $21,816: The Government of Canada may contribute $1,000 annually to an RDSP. Beneficiary family income between $21,816 and $38,832: The Government of Canada may contribute a portion of the $1,000 (based on a formula in the Canada Disability Savings Act) to an RDSP. This document is available in alternate formats (large print, audio cassette, Braille, and computer diskette) in French and English by calling 1-800-622-6232; by TTY at 1-800-926-9105, or you may view this document online at www.hrsdc.gc.ca/disability. KIDS CORNER TV Guy: Interactive Programs for Kids By Andrew Borkowski http://www.parentscanada.com/learning/articles.aspx?listingid=382 Interactive TV is television that gets kids off the couch and involved, whether it’s singing, dancing, moving, thinking or going online to actually help create the programs they watch. Kids are often stuck indoors during spring showers, so here are a few ‘televisual’ suggestions for keeping your youngster active and interactive on those rainy days. PRESCHOOL SUPER WHY! (CBC) This is one of the best programs devoted to helping preschoolers learn the reading basics. Whyatt Beanstalk (younger brother of ‘Jack’) passes through a secret door on a library shelf and enters magical Storybook Village. When problems arise between the villagers, Whyatt convenes a meeting of his book club that includes friends Red Riding Hood, Princess Pea and the Littlest Pig. They invite kids at home to transform with them into Super Readers who use the power of reading to solve the problem at hand, using a book from their collection as the key. Kids are prompted to recognize letters and words and use them in different combinations. At their site, cbc.ca/kidscbc/play/superwhy, prospective Super Readers can take the Super Readers challenge and earn stars towards their certificate. LITTLE EINSTEINS (PLAYHOUSE DISNEY) A cartoon-animated series unique in its use of classical music and famous works of art helps a team of young rocketeers on global problem-solving missions. On air, viewers are invited to hum, sing, clap and move along with the music. Kids get even more involved online at playhousedisney.ca/littleeinsteins, where they can have a go at painting masterpieces, create and record their own music and conduct a choir of barnyard animals. BO ON THE GO (CBC) Bo is a perky adventurer who encourages the ‘Bo Bunnies’ in the audience at home to help her on her adventures in the company of a dragon named Dezadore. She achieves ‘maximum Bo Power’ by getting kids off the couch and moving along with her. Games and activites at boonthegoshow.com. BOOKS IN PRINT Parenting with Pets: The Magic of Raising Children with Animals By Christine Hamer & Margaret Hevel There is growing evidence that a child’s involvement with a pet will have a multi- facetted impact on his or her growth and development. Pets also present parents with teachable moments and they can be a conduit for unexpressed emotions of children and parents as well. A family pet can provide stability for adolescents at a time when the world seems topsy-turvy. A pet accepts a child just as they are. Pets offer insight to the mysteries of life: * Reproduction and birth * Illness, death, and grieving * Acceptance, love, and commitment Parenting with Pets gives guidelines on how to tap into the valuable opportunities that pets present for a family and provides new information on how pets enrich the relationship between parent and child. This is an important book for anyone getting ready to own a pet or anyone who already has a pet in his or her life. It’s also a book about how to accept the pet or pets in your home and to integrate the needs of pets into the needs of the household. Coauthors Christine Hamer and Margaret offer an exceptional learning resource in Parenting with Pets. Their refreshingly unique and informed approach to parenting includes understanding the nonjudgmental companionship pets provide and how that can restore balance and wholeness to a family. The rewards a family will gain from investing time with pets, are priceless and life changing. Christine Hamer and Margaret Hevel are available for interviews and lectures. Books may be purchased through Amazon or your local independent bookstore. WHAT’S NEW AT CILT? Nutrition and Healthy Living Workshops Two workshops were hosted by Nancy Barry, John Mossa and Carling Barry. The dates were Wednesday February 25th and Wednesday March 25th from 1:30-4:00pm at CILT. We sent out 300+ flyers for the event and 7 people, in total, participated in the workshops. Nutrition and Healthy Living Workshop packages were handed out to all workshop participants. Some of the information included in the package was: * A copy of Canada’s Food Guide * An enlarged Nutrition Label to teach participants how to read labels on food items * Information about Sodium * Iron for women and children * A quiz about being label smart and seeing how much we know * Nutrition and Wellness tips * Recipes * Shopping on a fixed income * Physical activity for people with disabilities Included as part of the workshop was an activity, “Guess What is The Worst for You” in regards to calories, fat, sugar, sodium for food from Tim Horton’s including a bran muffin, a Boston crème donut, and a yogurt parfait. People really enjoyed the activity and were extremely shocked with the results. We also talked about how to read a product’s nutrition label. Gateways to Cancer Screening: Project Update As many of you are aware, the Gateways Project has been on hold for a while as we have been waiting to hear about whether or not we were going to receive further funding. It is with great pleasure that we are able to report that we have indeed received funding from the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation so that we can continue with the next phase of the project. We are about to embark upon Phase II of the Project. We would like to develop a creative resource (Tool Kit – DVD and Training Manual) that would allow health care settings across the Province to learn from and implement the recommendations made by the women that participated in the five focus groups that were held earlier on in the project. These recommendations will serve as important improvements to access, screening and early detection. Due to the fact that the funding came from the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, we will be focusing Phase II mainly on breast cancer screening. Stay tuned for further information updates. CILT Participates in Webinar for Citizens with Disabilities of Ontario CILT was asked to present a webinar on the “Gateways to Cancer Screening Project” for Citizens with Disabilities of Ontario. It was well received and it was exciting for the Gateways Team to have an opportunity to share our research with others across the province. Nancy Barry and Linda Muraca co-presented a Power Point presentation demonstrating the barriers that women with mobility disabilities face when trying to access cancer screening services, and also the recommendations that we hope to implement during the second phase of the project. The Gateways Project Team would like to sincerely thank Citizens with Disabilities of Ontario for giving them the opportunity to share their research findings. Gateways Gets More Publicity in PULSE Magazine PULSE Magazine is a publication produced by University of Toronto that focuses on healthcare issues and is circulated widely among healthcare professionals across the country. They found out about the Gateways Project and asked Linda Muraca, from Mount Sinai, if they could do an article on the project. So, once again, Gateways was in the spotlight. The article appeared, with photos, in the Spring 2009 issue of PULSE. Gateways Gets Published in “Disability and Society” Quite some time ago, when Gateways was in its first phase, the team submitted our Literature Review, written by Julie Devaney and Lisa Seto, to a journal entitled, “Disability and Society”. We recently were notified that the article has been accepted for publication and will appear in Volume 24, Number 6, in October 2009. Introducing Melanie Moore as CILT’s Community Development Worker Hello my name is Melanie Moore. At Nancy's request I have put together a brief bio so that, as consumers of CILT, you get a look at who I am as I try to do what I can with you. I am privileged to say that my new position at CILT is Community Development Worker. My role is to provide support to all core programs of CILT and to be an active representative for CILT in the Community. I look forward to meeting all consumers of CILT and assisting where ever I am needed. As a social worker in previous positions I have facilitated many workshops in Ottawa, covering such topics as anger management, preparing for the work day, time management, having fun while you shop economically, happiness is, dress for success, communicating with difficult people and how to make the most out of what we have. In 2005, a group of blind people established an Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadian's chapter in Ottawa. I am happy to say that the chapter I formed is still up and running with great success. One more way for us to have a voice for change is through being a member of Canadian Council for the Blind where I took their Peer Support Training. In the past I have also provided peer support to people that have just retired their guide dog. Recently I moved to Toronto where I have interviewed people with disabilities that chose to share their human rights stories. Currently I am the president of Guide Dog Users of Canada. I enjoy music, reading, and spending time with my husband and sons. I am a proud mother of 3 boys ages 2, 21 and 26. I know what it's like to live on a fixed income, I understand and work very hard at staying positive even though it's tough to face the world with it's struggles, barriers to employment, facing negative attitudes, and perceived judgments like ‘how can you assist someone else if your disabled?’ My hope is that if we all do the best we can with what we have it will make life just a little better. Thank you and I look forward to working with everyone. I can be reached at melanie.moore@cilt.ca or by telephone at (416) 599-2458 ext 222. PDN Annual Picnic Last year, CILT tried something new. Our Executive Director, Sandra Carpenter, suggested that we pull our resources together and have one huge, spectacular picnic—with CILT Members (including PDN Members), CILT staff, our Board Members and members of ERDCO. For those of you who did attend last year, you’ll remember that it was a rather rainy and soggy day. Despite the crummy weather, however, we had quite a large turn out. We are planning to hold a similar event again this year, hopefully with better weather. The event is expected to take place some time in mid August. Watch your mail for further details. We hope to see many of you there! WEBSITES MS Living www.msliving.org People with MS helping each other. An accessible website by people with MS for people with MS, their families and friends. Parent Central www.parentcentral.ca An on-line resource for parents in the Greater Toronto Area with a range of information including local school and daycare listings, pharmacy and walk-in clinics, community activities, articles on family health and education, a discussion forum, links and more. Owl Kids www.owlkids.com See how kids live in other parts of the world. Created by the publishers of Owl and Chickadee magazines, this site includes information, fun quizzes and challenges for kids to conduct at home or at school. Themes include Water for Life (how water shortages affect the lives of people in Africa), People Power (how Canadian engineers are helping improve the lives of African girls and women), and Art with a Heart (how producing art makes a difference in the lives of children in developing countries). PARENTING WITH A DISABILITY BULLETIN is a publication of the Centre for Independent Living in Toronto (CILT) Inc. To become a member of the Parenting with a Disability Network (PDN) or to submit an article to the PARENTING BULLETIN, contact CILT at: 365 Bloor Street East, Suite 902, Toronto, Ontario M4W 3L4 Tel: 416-599-2458 Fax: 416-599-3555 TTY: 416-599-5077 E-mail:pdn@cilt.ca Website: www.cilt.ca The PARENTING BULLETIN is also available in large print, on audiotape or by e-mail. Articles on products, agencies or services are for information only and are not meant as endorsements. The opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the contributors and may not reflect the views of CILT. Funded by The United Way of Greater Toronto ISSN 1481-918X © Centre for Independent Living in Toronto (CILT), Inc.