It’s the best part of the holidays—picking the perfect present for the kids on your list. Even better is watching them open it. Kids’ presents are fun—bright colors, sparkly lights, soft and squishy stuffed animals—the stuff that even the adults want to play with after all the wrapping paper is undone. If you’re looking […]
Cold weather, midterms, home sickness, mounting homework—this is the time of year when stress can overwhelm even the most organized and prepared of students. As a student, I have advice about what works and what doesn’t, along with expert tips from Bethany Price, PhD, a clinical psychologist at NorthShore University HealthSystem and Mirka Ivanovic, […]
Babies might not be delivered by a stork, their toys can be! I give you: Stork Stack, the perfect gift for a new mother. A new service in the Chicago area, Stork Stack users sign up for a subscription which delivers a “stack”, or gift basket, to your door each month. The baskets contain 5 […]
There are many challenging talks to be had with your children, but perhaps one of the least talked about is the one you’ll have about religion. This is new territory for today’s parents of younger children, and something previous generations didn’t necessarily face. According to the U.S. Religious Landscape Survey in 2010, 16 percent […]
This list is adapted from “The World Needs Your Kid,” by Craig Kielburger, Marc Kielburger and Shelley Page. The authors wrote this for kids to follow. Your job is to encourage and cheerlead, but don’t take over and direct. 1. Choose an issue – What is really bugging you? What do you wish you could […]
When it comes to your children’s messy rooms, you can do more than just shut the door. As with anything in life, you need to give your kids the proper tools to succeed. In this case, fun and colorful storage solutions designed to inspire even the messiest of munchkins. And if you’re wondering how to […]
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 […]
Is your house home base for the family over the holidays? We’ve got the goods on where to go—for everyone in your family: Arts & Music For kids of all ages: Try Dr. Suess & The Art of Invention at the Museum of Science and Industry. 40-somethings will enjoy the trip back in time […]
Looking for a way to get your kid away from the computer or video game and outside? The Nature Conservancy is just out with two “Nature Treasure Hunts” —with age-appropriate activities to guide parents in leading kids in outdoor activities. They’re fun, easy, and kids get to use their imaginations. This is perfect for the […]
Peter Whitney, 18, of Lake Forest, doesn’t think that what he’s doing to save the earth is very special. “It’s what any concerned citizen should be doing,” he says. But Whitney does a lot more for the environment than the average person. At home, he makes sure his family recycles everything they can, and whatever […]
