Want More Family Fun? Try These 10 Simple Shifts

Are you determined to make 2019 the best year yet for your family? Turns out you don’t have to spend a ton of money or an inordinate amount of time planning. We’ve got some expert advice on 10 simple shifts to help you up the family fun in 2019. 1. Focus on the little things […]

The Hottest Toys for the Holidays

It’s time to start making that list and checking it twice! We’ve rounded up the season’s hottest toys for everyone on your nice list. It’ll make holiday shopping child’s play. Peanuts Happy Dance Snoopy Good grief! The new Peanuts movie means a whole new generation has gone nuts about the Peanuts gang. This dancing Snoopy […]

How to Deal With Preschool Separation Anxiety

At the end of the summer and the start of a new school year, fears loom large for parents with children about to start preschool – how will they deal with their child’s separation anxiety at the classroom door? Parents imagine their children feeling all kinds of scared, not wanting to be left without mom […]

Preschool Guide: Ease the Transition for You and Your Child

Sending your “baby” off to school for the first time is tough – even if it is just for a few hours a week. To help make this emotional stage of childhood (and parenting!) easier, we’ve compiled a comprehensive guide loaded with practical advice and smart strategies. Whether you’re looking for guidance on choosing a preschool, […]

Tip of the Week: Last-Minute Gift Idea

If you got a late start on your holiday shopping, we’ve got a last-minute gift idea that will last a lifetime.   A College Illinois!® Prepaid Tuition Plan. Enrolling your future student in a prepaid tuition plan can help you financially prepare for college and can help them focus on the goal of getting into […]

6 Ways to Put Your Marriage First

No marriage is perfect, but here is some simple advice you can use to move your marriage back to first place. The previous article in this series “Put Your Marriage First,” gave us the why; here’s the how. And just to make us all feel better, I included some of my friends’ heart-felt admissions about […]

LEGO Crazy? Your Child Could Be a Minimaster Model Builder

Applicants age 6 to 12 are invited to create a 90-second video telling why they should be selected as the MINIMASTER Model Builder.   To enter the contest, children must have permission from their parent or guardian to upload their video entry at www.Facebook.com/LDCChicago. The winner will learn LEGO building secrets from a Master Model […]

Special Camps for Special Kids

Finding the right camp is always important, particularly when your child has special needs.   “It’s not just about summer recreation,” explains Katie Koske, manager of cooperative programs for the Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association (NSSRA). “When you have a child who is already challenged developmentally, it’s imperative to find a summer program that can […]

How "Getting Organized" Changed a Child's Life

Josh’s mom was beginning to worry. The 11-year-old boy was complaining of stomach aches.   His pediatrician could find nothing wrong, but they were more and more frequent, nearly every morning and often so severe that Josh missed school. They seemed to be affecting his schoolwork, too: The child whom teachers described as “extremely bright” […]