Frogs, Newts and Toads, Oh My!
So, I guess there’s no need to review the fact that I raised two boys out in the woods of Connecticut. There were lots and lots of creatures. In fact, at some point, I gave in and bought some plastic habitats at Petco to hold whatever creature had been caught that day. That includes, but is probably not limited to frogs, newts, toads, snakes, butterflies and too many sunfish to count.
Disclaimer
No wildlife was harmed in the raising of my children. My dogs, have, on occasion, in an attempt to play with the wildlife…caused harm. Our apologies to the moles and the one slow backyard bunny.
The boys often caught little animals and we would set up a small habitat for them while we were outside and then we would let them go when it was time to go in. The boys loved it!
We think these little newts are called red efts and they are all over our backyard and on the hiking trails nearby. They are lizardy enough to fascinate the boys and tiny enough not to terrify me. Win-win.
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About the Author
Erica Mauro is a mom to two teenage boys, Will who is neurotypical and Michael with Autism and cognitive delays. She holds a BA in Psychology from Colgate University and a Masters of Psychology in Education from Columbia Teacher’s College. Before staying home with her children, she worked as an elementary school teacher. For five years, she served on the Board of Directors of the Molly Ann Tango Memorial Foundation, a charity dedicated to enriching the lives of children with special needs. In partnership with her husband Dave, she aspires to parent by using daily life as an opportunity for therapeutic intervention, seizing on real experiences as opportunities to build skills and strategies for Michael in a joyful, loving home environment. On the tougher early days, she just tried to get everyone safely to bedtime and start fresh in the morning. *wink* 
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