On Behalf of Zoo New England -- Fun with kids in Boston

Sing-a-Longs with Su Eaton!

Every Saturday in January and March, 11:00 a.m. – Noon, Franklin Park Zoo

Escape the winter chill and bring your little ones down to the always-balmy Tropical Forest for family entertainment provided by our professional children’s entertainer during our Saturday Sing-a-Longs! Wildly popular children’s entertainer, Su Eaton, will perform every Saturday in January and March. These events will be held in the Hippo Theater at Franklin Park Zoo and are free with general Zoo admission. Saturday Sing-a-Longs will be held January 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 and March 7, 14, 21 and 28.

Go Ape during School Vacation Week! February 16 – 20, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., Franklin Park Zoo

Set off on a tropical excursion during February school vacation week and bring your family to Franklin Park Zoo for an ape-themed getaway! Learn about these incredible animals by visiting our gorilla troop at the Tropical Forest. Children of all ages will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of creative and educational ape-related activities.

http://www.zoonewengland.com/

Dropping Mental Retardation

I loved this article. It’s about Missouri governor, Matt Blunt, who issued an executive order to drop Mental Retardation from MO’s (department of developmental disabilities) agency's name. Its new name is Department's Division of Developmental Disabilities. I have mentioned the indecency before in a previous post, and to many people who represent my state’s DMR (Department of Mental Retardation), that we should change that name. It is also noted that of the 5 states that had formerly used MR in their state agency's name, that only 6 states still remain. The article also cites:

Five states and the city of Washington, D.C., have dropped the words "mental retardation" from agency names in the past 18 months. And in 2003, President Bush renamed the President's Committee on Mental Retardation as the President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities.

Only six states still use "mental retardation" in agency names, according to the governor's office.

And "thankfully" my state, Massachusetts, will not longer be one of them.

As reported in the Worcester Telegram, the state Department of Mental Retardation will have a new name. The department will change its name to the Department of Developmental Services on July 1.

Both my kids will have an association with this agency, and Meghan already does for funding to help pay for her residential school, and that Nick will also (most likely) have an association with this department (for programs) and that I would have been horrified to be asked: “Mom, what does DMR stand for?”

Other agencies to note in Massachusetts that help families of children with special needs: The Arc of Massachusetts of which we are a member: The Arc of Greater Plymouth.