Toni “Brooke” Fitzgerald started as a role model to her five children but ended up an inspiration on a national level. Parents Anonymous singled out the Baltimore resident as the 2006 winner of the Jolly K. Award, given annually to a parent who exemplifies courage, tenacity and strong leadership. Fitzgerald became involved with Parents Anonymous’ [...]

G&M RESTAURANT Killer crabcakes in a comfortable place At last, a month without an ‘R.’ If you grew up in Maryland, you know that only means one thing – crabs! But I’m going to let you in on my secret for enjoying crabs year round, because the best crab cakes I’ve ever eaten are just [...]

Good morning. Guten morgen. Buenos dias. How does your family greet each other first thing in the morning? According to U.S. Census 2000 data, many families speak a language other than English at home. Here’s how children over age 5 stack up: Speak only English — 215,423,557 Spanish — 28,101,052 Chinese — 2,022,143 French — [...]

It’s always a beautiful day in the neighborhood when you’re dealing with Mister Rogers, the beloved host of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood on Public Television from 1968 until 2001. This summer families will have the opportunity to actually visit his legendary neighborhood when Port Discovery hosts “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood – A Hands-On Exhibit,” which opens May [...]

1. Does your child sit all the way back against the auto seat? 2. Do the child’s knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat? 3. Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm? 4. Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs? 5. Can the child [...]

As soon as your little tyke turns 6 and hits 40 pounds, is it safe to toss out the booster seat? Not according to information at www.autobytel.com. Click the “Take the Pledge to Slowdown” link at Autobytel and you will get in-depth booster seat instruction and advice from Alisa Baer, a.k.a “The Car Seat Lady.” [...]

Whether you are young or old, summertime always means at least one trip to an amusement park. This year several parks have new tricks up their sleeves, from a fast-paced, movie-based ride at Kings Dominion to a new adventure land at Sesame Place. Elmo’s World, a new 21,000-square-foot Elmo- themed area, will open at Sesame [...]