Parents Resources

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people, ages 14-24, in Massachusetts. Samariteens is a special service dedicated to assisting teens in despair. This help line (800-252-TEEN) is free, confidential, and staffed by teenage volunteers who are trained to be compassionate and supportive listeners. Samariteens provides peer support and understanding to those facing the particular challenges of adolescence.

All volunteer training is free. Teens can volunteer in either Boston or Framingham.

The Somerville Goodwill sells used clothes, some electrical appliances, and small pieces of furniture. Donations can be brought to the drop-off center inside the store during regular business hours.

The Big Brother Big Sister Foundation was formed in 1996 to raise funds to support the mentoring programs of the Big Brothers of Massachusetts Bay and the Big Sister Association of Greater Boston. The Associations currently serve more than 2,500 children, their parents, and extended families each year.

The Foundation collects clothing and small household items from donors from Amesbury to Worcester to the Cape (but not on the Cape). The donated items are then sold in bulk to raise money to support the mentoring programs of Big Brother and Big Sister.

Advantage Riding Academy specializes in family programming and in meeting the specific needs of individual riders, from typically developing students to individualized instruction of students with emotional, physical, and mental challenges.

The staff, special horses, and unique philosophy allow ALL riders to progress to their full potential - as equestrians and as individuals.

Springstep provides an inclusive environment where everyone can enjoy and benefit from world traditions and art forms. Its multicultural programming is open to people at all levels of experience and age. Classes, workshops, social dances and other programs allow opportunities for beginners as well as experienced dancers, musicians, and artists to participate in and create a myriad of artistic expressions.

Please check the online course catalog and calendar for a full listing of youth-oriented programming.

The MetroWest YMCA, Framingham Branch offers a variety of services to the community. The center offers aquatics, fitness & wellness, enrichment, dance, sports, gymnastics, and camp options. Childcare options include an Early Childhood & Education Center and Out-Of-School programs for children ages 15 months to 6th grade..

For a complete listing of all classes, please see the current program guide available online.

Newton-Wellesley Hospital features a quality medical and nursing staff, advanced technology, and a hospital-wide approach to care that focuses on the individual needs of each patient.

The hospital is a community teaching hospital, offering medical, surgical and specialty care, 24 hour emergency services, and a pediatric emergency department.

Newton-Wellesley Hospital features a quality medical and nursing staff, advanced technology, and a hospital-wide approach to care that focuses on the individual needs of each patient.

The hospital is a community teaching hospital, offering medical, surgical and specialty care, 24 hour emergency services, and a pediatric emergency department.

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is a major teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. This facility serves over one-half million patients annually.

The hospital has 591 beds.

With Chef Dane's, you can bring healthy, fresh, gourmet dinners home and enjoy the extra time that comes with having your meals ready to go - with all the preparation done beforehand.

The concept is simple: you attend a session at your local Chef Dane's facility and assemble six or more fabulous gourmet meals in under two hours! All of the grocery shopping, preparation and clean-up is taken care of.

You assemble each meal at a workstation (similar in appearance to a salad bar) and package each meal for the trip home to the freezer, refrigerator or directly to the oven, broiler, or barbeque.

They provide the packaging and labels containing simple cooking, freezing, and thawing instructions. They also provide a handy reminder sheet to hang on your refrigerator, as well as a sheet containing the nutritional content of each recipe.

Meals are priced at an average of about $7 per serving.

Mommy and Me and Daddy and Me: Cooking sessions that introduce children to new flavors and foods, good nutrition, and the love of cooking in a wonderful environment with no clean up! Additionally, children receive a free Mac & Cheese with the purchase of one regularly priced meal (All meals serve 4-6). Sessions are on Saturday mornings from 10am-12n and on Wednesday afternoons from 4pm-5pm.

Bare Cove Gourmet makes great sandwiches and prepared meals to either eat in or take home and reheat. The food and atmosphere is kid-friendly!

American Nanny Company has been placing first-rate professional nannies since 1984. They specialize in the placement of thoroughly screened and selectively chosen American nanny applicants with dual career families in need of high caliber in-home child care.

Personalized stationery and items for the home are the specialty of GroovyPaper.com, and we're wild about the boutique's selection of notecards, invitations, address labels, and plates/placemats. Looking for a unique design? Shop the favorites section - you won't be disappointed.

Stefanie Lynn offers fine art photography, specializing in maternity, newborn, baby, child and family portraiture. Studio & on-location sessions.

The award-winning children and family photographer offers lifestyle photography and specializes in newborn, baby, children, family, high school seniors, and engagements. Paula travels to you or you can come to her studio loft.

During school vacations, children's programs are offered at this branch.

Preschool story hours are offered weekly, and film programs bi-weekly for children.

Homework Assistance Program runs Mondays through Thursdays, from 3:30pm-5:30pm.

This branch offers weekly Preschool and Toddler story and craft hours, plus a Homework Assistance Program (HAP) for students in grades 3-8.

The library also offers special after school programs for school age children. Offerings vary throughout the month. Check our calendar for events and dates.

Because stay-at-home moms need support, too. This club, a nonsectarian nonprofit with chapters across the United States and the world, offers support and activities to moms at home and a chance for their kids to socialize with others kids.

Goings-on include playgroups, moms' nights out, park days, and other activities, as determined by a chapter's membership. Kids are always welcome at eveything, and all activities (except for the monthly moms' night out) happen during the day.

The club has several chapters in Massachusetts, including one based in Brookline.

Your kids will beg for a visit to Henry Bear's Park, which takes its its name from David McPhail's classic title of the same name.

Large storefront windows beckon children to sneak a peek at the fun inside, where you'll find a large selection of Playmobil, Lego and Brio toys. Fortunately for kids, there are lots of "test drive" opportunities; kids can play with a Brio train set, maneuver some remote control Rokenbok vehicles, or pound a hammer to create some basic Brio cars and trucks.

For those who walk on the more glamorous side, Henry Bear's has a wide selection of dress-up clothes. Girl choices figure prominently, but the store makes a good attempt at offering boys more than a police hat and badge.

Infants are not overlooked. There is a good selection of first toys for the littlest in the group.

You'll also find children's books, games, puzzles, and other goodies to keep the kids happy. If you don't want to break the bank but promised to buy them something, you'll find reasonably priced gizmos in the bins around the cash register.

The store provides free gift wrapping, and any purchases made between 5pm-7pm on Thursdays are 10% off. A Frequent Buyer Program is available as well.

Isis Maternity is a center for expecting and new moms. The center features classrooms and a retail store where they offer the classes, products, groups, workshops, and private consultations expecting and new parents need. They are the largest provider of childbirth education and prenatal services in the Boston area.

The area's best professionals -- experienced nurses, educators, lactation consultants, psychologists, physical therapists and nutritionists -- have gathered to bring you essential information and personal service in a warm and friendly environment.

Isis Maternity also offers a wide array of classes and workshops, such as: fitness classes for new moms, including Mom and Baby yoga and Strollerobics; music classes, like Kindermusik Village, Kindermusik Tots and Sign & Sing; infant sign class; developmental play groups (including a free drop-in play group); breastfeeding support; and new moms groups.

Birthday parties are offered at Isis Maternity for children ages 1 to 4. Parents can choose to rent a room equipped with toys and props for a 90-minute party that they organize themselves, or they can arrange for a complete party package. The packages include participation from an instructor, who leads 40 minutes of age-appropriate activities, games, and songs. The hosting family receives a $25 gift card from Isis Maternity. Check the website for details.

Be sure to check the special events page for upcoming activities.

Beth Israel Malden is an orthodox congregation dedicated to the vitality, growth, and development of the contemporary Jewish Malden. The community offers affordable homes inside an eruv; daily minyanim and Torah classes in a warm, family environment; loan assistance for those looking to purchase a home; van transportation to yeshiva day schools, a mikveh under construction, and more. Beth Israel also offers a Jewish Day School tuition subsidy for its local, active members with children attending Jewish Day Schools.

The Mapparium is a thirty-foot stained-glass globe room located in The Mary Baker Eddy Library. Standing inside the globe on the thirty-foot glass bridge that spans the center, visitors have a true insider's view of the world. Since opening in 1935, more than 10 million people have stepped across the bridge to this piece of art and architecture that was then, and still is today, the only one of its kind in the world.

From pole to pole, you can see the correct proportion and relationship of the earth's land and water areas. The colors of each of the 608 stained-glass panels mark political divisions of 1935, including land, and water. Its translucent blues, orange, red, yellow, and green, framed in bronze panels, were kiln-fired one at a time. These colors are permanent, with the unusually brilliant effect of 14th-century European stained glass. Illumination consists of more than 200 specially designed computerized LED lights.

Each panel covers ten degrees of latitude and longitude. Clocks arranged on the equatorial meridian indicate time changes throughout the world. Because the glass surface does not absorb sound, sound waves travel along the walls and bounce back into the center of the room, giving the room unusual echoing sound effects.

Founded in 1729, the Arlington Street Church has weekly services on Sunday, midweek services, and religious education for children and adults.

Go Boston Card is a multi-attraction pass with unlimited admission to 64 of Boston's top tourist attractions and tours for one low price. Locations include the MFA, the Museum of Science, the JFK Library and Museum, the Paul Revere House, the Concord Museum, the Harvard Museum of Natural History, and the New England Aquarium, to name a few. Each Go Boston Card include a free color pocket travel guide book.

Cards can be purchased for anywhere between one and five days. Cards range from one-day cards (Adult, $45; Children ages three to 12, $25) to five-day cards (Adult, $115; Children ages three to 12, $55). The Go Boston Card can be ordered online; check the website for specials.

About.com's Boston guide has some helpful information for visitors and residents.

The Chamber of Commerce operates the Concord Visitor Center, located at 58 Main Street, where you'll find information about places to stay, places to eat, where to shop, and what to see in Concord. The Chamber also offers guided walking tours (available seasonally on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays). Weekday and group tours are available by appointment.