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A10 - The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, November 28, 2006 NOW OPEN Cook IT A KItchen Shoppe GREAT SELECTION 0F COOKWARE-BAKEWARE-KNIFES GADGETS-SERVEWARE-STEMWARE CASTIRON AND MORE.... QUALITY BRANDS SUCH AS HENCKLES-PEUGEOT*CUISIOX-LE CREUSET EMILE HENRY.WILTON BAKEWARE ... COME IN AND SEE US FOR ALL YOUR COOKING NEEDS GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR EVERYONE IN THE FAMILY 207 Main St. East, Milton (905) 203-9979 DEFEAT DANGER! OLearo how ta dial 9-1-1 @Know how ta give directions ta your home, in case of an emergency. O)Never talk ta strangers or accept rides or gifts tram strangers. 0ODont answer the door when yaur parents aren't home, and neyer let anyone ino yaur home without asking for permis- sion from your parents. @Don't tell anynne over thte phone that your parents areo't home. Say they're busy and they can't came ta the phone. *K(eep doors and windows locked when you're at home. OCheck on witti pour parents or a neigh- bar wheo pou came home tram school. ~~~R~eceive a ii 25 O FREE :: w. 1 Healthy Climate 16, Air Filter O F 1 *(and up to $500 Instant Discount a one year service i *with purchase of a qualifyingagemn iLennox home comfort system I age et I Imp at Air Cniinn Trel:. 905-878-0087 '.",ýiý ty ý, D , ù ý, u ý1ý and dues nul include any additiornal labo, conts associated witb the instaltation ofth5e free prnduct. Refait value up tu $500. e2006 Lennox Industries In. See pour Lennux denier for details. Lennox dealers include independently owrnecl and uperufed buninesses. VISA Innavation levftiA*sagood Group provides support for parents with adopted children Many share similar expetiences By Sabrina Byrnes SPECIAL TO THE CHAMPION Parents and cbitdren wbo bave been toucbed by adoption can embrace a sense of belong- ing as tbey share their scories and experiences witb other [arn- Suies in simitar situations. 'Betonging' is tie namne of a support group for parents-witb adopted cbitdren tbat was starc- ed by Janice McDonatd of Burtington. McDonatd, wbo bas cwo adopted chitdren, Mark, 19, and Karen 17, started tbe group because she fett tbere was a need for a support system. She envi- sioned a group of people coin ing cogecber 10 give encourage- ment and support to otbers wbo bave sbared the saine expent- ences. "lî's being cogecber witli otb- ers chai have an underscanding, and we're att sort of going chrougli tbe samne ching," said McDonatd, commencing on tbe importance of the group. "Untess you bave an adopted chitd, you donct understand." McDonatd said cliere are unique probtems faced byadopî- ed cbitdren because tbey deat wntli rejeccion issues, wbîch can tead 10 attacbmenî disorder and otber difficutties. Somne don't bond un the saine way that animats know their mns whcn îbey arc born tbrough ilicir sceni, McDonald said babies know clicir motbers, as wetu. From the fîrsi moment thcy re bandcd 10 tbeir adoptive mom, tbey know chat's not wbo cbey betong to, said McDonatd. "From chat moment wben tbey know chat chats not who tbey betong to, cliey make a sub- conscious decision that tbey are eiclier going to bond or cbey're not," said McDonatd, adding chat wbile lier son bonded, bier daugbter didn't. She said she coutd neyer sec- tde Karen as a baby, but she woutd calm rigbt down wben banded tc bier liusband Scott. "t used 10 think 1 jusc wore bier out, chat she was tired by the cime lie got lier " said McDonatd, lter reatizing chat ic was rejection issues. Counsefing beneficiat McDonatds children are bocli in counseting, wbicb she fées is beneficialto1 att cbitdren wbo bave been adopced. Karen bas difficutties geccing close 10 anyone. "t feet tike t need 10 reject other people before tbey have a chance co reject me. t pusb peo- ple away, and t refuse 10, let peo- pte get reatty ctose 10 me, and t don't open up very easity," said Karen. McDonatd didn't bave the betp of a support group wbeni she was raising bier adopced chitdren, but she did bave the hetp of onc couple, wbo became bier mentors. Aichougli things are a luttle casier now, bier jotirey wasn'c atways smootb. McDonald thougbt others coutd benefit trom bier expeniences. 1 jusi ibougbc that our road was a titîte bit bumpy but does- n't that make somebodys road a titîte more even?" she said. chosen to have a lifetime, energy saving, steel shingle "Cool Roof" by METALWORKS installed on their home ait a reasonable cost, in exchange for showcasing the look of L'i our "Quarry Siate or Cedar Shingle roof" to others. eâQualified homeowners wiIl receive access to unsecured bank financing with a rate as low as 6%, no down payment or payments tili Spring O.A.c. An average monthly payment of $200.00 could put an end to, your roofing concerns! Unlike other roofing materials, a MetalWorks roof can be INQUIRE TODAY TO SEE IF YOUR HOME QUALIFIES' McDonatd origmnatty wanted the group to be for parents with adopted chitdren but reahized others could benefit as welt. The group sessions have been joined by parents tooking to adopt, birth momns and peopte who had been adopted themselves. "Its for anyone that has been touched by adoption," she said. McDonatd and her hushand told their cbitdren when they were three that tbey were adopt- ed, but they don't think the kids really understood untit they were about six or seven. Karen spoke at the tasc meet- ing of 'Betonging about lier experiences with being adopted, and spoke about the positives and negatives of the situation. "My mom was reatty young wben she had me, she was like 17, 18, the age 1 am now, soi she woutdn't have been abte to give me a reat good tife," said Karen. She added that lier bircli mother would have probabty had toi drop out of scbool and woutdn't have been ale co get a good job. "Tbe [act chat she cared enougi teo do what was best for me, thats positive," said Karen. "The negacives s chat n bave issues witb trusting peopte, and momn and t have bad probtems in the pasc. t'mn preccy open about ic, but its difficut co tatk about the hurt. t donct trust peo- pie because its difficunt to expuain ic. No one really under- stands." As a cbitd, Karen was teased and called names because she was adopted. She atso bas diffi- cutties with the unanswered questions in lier tife. 'Itfs just difficutt not 10 know see 'BELONGING' on page A14 DA.JLY DIETARY GplDEUNES vGrain Group, 6 -Il snngs VVegefable Group, 3 5 nenigs VFnuit GroUp. 2 -4 sening, V Milk Grnnp, 2 -3 servings VMent Group, 2 -n ervings Bv making Wise food Mune stlides townrd kiuer henhth.nle the first step toay by enruiug more abut propr nutrition and nig acomtuent to tetyouRslf fight!