As invitations to holiday parties arrive, is your first thought, “Bah humbug!”? Do ghosts of gatherings past make you want to curl up and hibernate until January 2? No need to take a pass on the festivities, says therapist Marc Pfeffer, Director of Chicago’s Panic/Anxiety Recovery Center. “During the holidays we’re meant to engage with […]
Aye, 19, from Peoria, sits in a conference room with windows looking out on a green, idyllic lake scene and says, “Allendale brought hope back into me.” Surrounded by nature, with time to be quiet and relax, Aye says changing her surroundings “gives me time to know me more and what I want in life.” […]
Your child says his teacher is bullying him. What should you do? Ask him to walk you through what happened and make sure he is not misinterpreting the situation, says Dr. Elizabeth Englander, author of “Understanding Violence.” Many parents think asking their child questions, rather than instantly agreeing with them, is a rejection. But it’s […]
School burnout is much more common then you think. Joan Almon, Executive director of the U.S. Alliance for Childhood, calls it, “the dirty little secret of education.” Most kids enter Kindergarten inherently curious and ready to learn, but by the time they hit 10, 11 or 12 years of age, they’ve lost their love […]
By this point in the winter, your children have probably lost multiple hats, scarves and gloves. Maria Callahan of Chicago, mother of twins, knows the feeling—that’s why she invented Snowman Scarves, which include a hat that connects to the scarf with a loop and a snap, and mittens made to fit into pockets built into […]
We’ve updated our list of the 25 must-have apps. These are the ones we use again and again to save us money and time (or waste a little time and brain cells, if we’re being totally honest). We’ve also noted which apps also work on iPads. Let the downloads begin! Communication Just using your […]
Barb Flanagin of Northbrook became known in her community for organizing Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in New Orleans. Now she’s on to a new relief effort: Relieving the stress of the college admissions process, with the help of George Rumpf, who, like her, is a Northbrook parent and successful businessperson. Having been through the process […]
With the commercial real estate market in a slump, Steve Sullivan teamed up with Champaign County folk artist Lynn Tague to start Haywire Creations. Sullivan’s brother, Dan, collected Tague’s whimsical folk art for years, so he got the idea to feature her art in a calendar and greeting cards, with Midwestern themes of shared holidays […]
Your kid loves horses, but you’re afraid of the costs involved with riding. Short Stirrups, a new shop on the grounds of the Glen Grove Equestrian Center, offers equestrian supplies and riding wear at entry-level price points—so families can discover riding without breaking the bank. Owner Colleen Nathan of Wilmette says, “Horses are magical, healing […]
For the choosy parent of young kids, Deerfield’s Wonder! will be a destination. The new store, with its grand opening on October 29, will be the largest children’s retailer in the country, offering baby gear, furniture, bedding, apparel, unique toys and other items. And they’re not joking with the exclamation point: The store will offer […]
