Surprise the little ones in your life with one of these delightful gifts this holiday season. 1. Doorway Puppet Theater: Kids (and adults!) are inundated with screens these days. Cultivate creativity by giving children a puppet theater for some imaginative, unplugged play. $50, Becky & Me Toys, 620 Grove St., Evanston, 847-492-1030 2. Monkey Canvas Messenger Bag: Boys and […]
When it comes to kids and alcohol, the news is mixed. The bad news is that 66 percent of kids have consumed more than just a few sips of alcohol by the end of high school, and over a quarter have done so by eighth grade, according to a clinical report by the American Academy […]
In the bustle of the holiday season, it’s easy to put off decisions about preschool next fall, but mark your calendar for a special date: On Monday, Dec. 7, online registration begins for the new Chicago Botanic Garden Nature Preschool. Spots are expected to fill up quickly, especially after the first open house on Jan. […]
If parenting is a pendulum slowly swinging through decades of prevailing trends, it might have just reached the pause — before it sways back away from the current standard of over-parenting. At least that’s what Julie Lythcott-Haims hopes, as the author highlighted at a recent Family Action Network event. As Stanford’s former dean of freshmen […]
Vivacious, friendly and optimistic. Ambitious, hard-working and whip smart. These are the two sides of Highland Park mom Sarah Stopek Hirsch, one of Chicago’s top family travel bloggers. Recently, over a decadent lunch at Sixteen, we chatted about how she went from award-winning marketing promotions entrepreneur to starting WellTraveledKids.com less than a year ago. And […]
Love. Marriage. No baby carriage. Meghan Daum, the author of “Selfish, Shallow, and Self-Absorbed: Sixteen Writers on the Decision Not to Have Kids,” wants to reframe the discussion around the decision some make to not have children. “It was a project I wanted to do for a very long time,” Daum says. “So much of […]
Ah, the eight-hour workday. You wake before the sun and run to your train, festering in filmy sweat-stank slacks, only to arrive at work and endure pointless meetings, invasive cubicles and crowded deli counters until 5 o’clock rolls around. And, all that while, the sweat-stank slacks crystallize to such a degree that your pleated trousers […]
Sports often seem to dominate the conversation when it comes to extracurricular activities for kids. But, what about the kids who want to exercise their creative and cognitive muscles? Turns out, there are some really cool after-school opportunities for school-aged children to build, dream, express – and do. Here are a few of our favorites […]
Dana Suskind, M.D., Professor of Surgery and Director of the Pediatric Cochlear Implant Program at the University of Chicago, recently presented her findings in the area of child learning and development at a Family Action Network (FAN) program at Skokie School. Her insights and advice are important for all parents and caregivers of young children. Curiosity […]
Nearly nine out of 10 adult smokers started before age 18. Their lifelong health will be impacted by a poor decision made as a child. How can parents help kids steer clear of smoking? Don’t preach or give a speech. Have honest, ongoing conversations about the dangers of tobacco and e-cigarettes. An estimated 4.6 million middle […]
