FIRST WORD
Celebrate the Best for Families
W Michael Vyskocil
Editor mvyskocil@midatlanticmedia.com
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info@thefamilymagazine.com elcome to our special July issue of
Washington FAMILY. Whether you’re
picking up our magazine for the first
time or you’ve been reading our publication for years,
you’ve likely come to recognize Washington FAMILY as
your parenting resource for raising your family in the
DMV. After reading the stories in this issue, I think
you’ll understand what I mean.

For many years, Washington FAMILY has worked
to deliver information and support for parents of
neurodiverse children. Beginning on page 20, you’ll
find articles offering tips for calming kids’ anxieties,
invisible disabilities and helping children mentally
process a physical impairment.

Your votes have been counted, and it’s time to reveal
this year’s Best for Families winners. Turn to page 12
to find out which businesses and organizations you
voted as the best in the DMV. We’re grateful for all the
readers who took time to cast their ballots, and we’re
grateful to the businesses, schools and organizations
in our region that bring you great products and
services for families like yours.

Keep this special issue handy year-round and keep
reading Washington FAMILY each month. Don’t forget
to visit washingtonfamily.com for more articles, tips,
resources, information on local businesses dedicated
to your needs and a calendar of family events.

It’s been a pleasure working with our talented
contributors and staff to produce Washington FAMILY
for you. This issue is my last as editor of this
publication, and I want to thank you, our readers,
story subjects and everyone I’ve interacted with in
this role, for your support.

Enjoy these summer days with your family.

Happy reading! P
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6 Washington FAMILY JULY 2022
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DIY
Fourth of July Kids’
Craft Fireworks
BY HEATHER M. ROSS
I f you’re looking for a way to get you and
your family into the Independence Day
spirit, we’ve got you covered. This glitter
fireworks craft is a budget-friendly, fun way
to create an awesome decoration. Happy
Fourth of July!
Materials Black construction paper
Glow-in-the-dark liquid
craft glue
(if you can’t find this glue, you
can use regular liquid craft glue)
PHOTOS BY HEATHER M. ROSS; BACKGROUND: HONYOJIMA/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
Glitter Directions
1. Place a single sheet of black
construction paper on a work
surface in front of you.

2. Help your child write his or her
name in the center of the page
using the glue.

3. With guidance, help your child
make fireworks designs with glue
on the page. It’s OK if the glue
gets a little messy. The final design
will look great once it’s covered
in glitter.

4. Shake your desired colors of
glitter over the parts of the paper
containing the glue. Tip: Use red,
white and blue glitter to add extra
patriotic flair to the design.

5. While carefully holding the paper
over a trash container, gently
jostle the paper until all the glitter
on it is stuck to the glue or has
slid off of the page. Tip: Using
a mostly empty trash container
is best for this step since you
can place the entire paper inside
the container before shaking to
remove the glitter.

6. Place the paper down on a flat
surface and allow the glue to dry
completely. The time it takes to
dry will depend on the amount of
glue used.

7. Hang your personal fireworks
design on a refrigerator, wall or in
a window. T
Crafty Cleanup
Wondering how to clean up all the glitter that didn’t quite make it onto
the paper? Try using Play-Doh or Silly Putty. Once you cover one side
of the material, simply knead it until you have more open surface. If you
don’t have this modeling compound on hand, a wet paper towel or a lint
roller can also do the trick. T
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