Capital City Parent

Yes, cold season is upon us. But fear not. While you may want to keep your child in a bubble to avoid germs altogether, it wouldn’t do much for anyone’s sanity. There are plenty of more effective measures you can take instead to strengthen your child’s immune system and keep bugs at bay. Colds are […]

Into the Woods Jr.Feb 10-12, 17-19, 7pm Fri-Sat, 2pm Sun. Springfield Theatre Centre presents the Tony Award-winning musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine. Admission. hcfta.org. Hoogland Center for the Arts, 420 S. Sixth St., 523-2787.    Art Together: Paint MinecraftFeb 11, 10am-12pm. An artsy bonding event. $25 for adult and child, $15 per extra […]

Woodhaven Hospice Festival of TreesNov 18-20, 5-8pm Fri, 9am-1pm Sat, 12-2:30pm Sun. Decorated trees, designer wreaths and swags, centerpieces, food and baked goods, music, entertainment, kids craft corner, more. $4 adults, $2 students, $1 ages 6 and under. jacksonvilleil.org. Masonic Temple, 345 West College, Jacksonville, 243-5678. Annual Cookie Walk and Craft SaleNov 19, 8am-3pm. Homemade […]

Now that Halloween has come and gone, and with it the busy season of apple-picking, visits to pumpkin patches and trick-or-treat events, what is there for a Springfield family to do for fun on the weekends? Lots, as it turns out. From museums to zoos to holiday happenings, there are plenty of places to discover […]

Reilly Renken, 14, donned a black and red cheerleader uniform and cheered for the Glenwood Middle School 2016 football team this fall, and her parents couldn’t be prouder. “To others, it’s a middle school cheerleading squad – no big deal,” Reilly’s mother, Leigh Renken, says. “For us, it sums up everything we hoped for her.” […]

Brionna, a student at the Hope Institute for Children and Families, starts her school day with dedicated staff members helping her to identify the date and weather.  Students at Hope have high student/teacher ratios to teach children skills to increase safety and knowledge to ensure a more independent future.  Brionna’s mother, Diane, is happy to […]

At the start of a new school year, kids tend to be more excited about getting new pens, pencils and backpacks than anything else, but more often than not they are ready to put their thinking caps on.   One of the most important things children can do to ensure that they are focused, engaged […]

Don’t let exercise be the first thing you eliminate when you are feeling the crunch because it might be what you need to maintain your balance and sanity. – Carson Tate When we parents travel on planes, we are reminded to put our oxygen masks on first. As a health and fitness coach, I trot […]

Photo from metrocreativeconnection.com The start of a new school year signals the start of a footrace for busy families with work, school, sports, music lessons and more. To make sure homework, healthful meals, adequate rest and family time get their due, get organized before the first day of school. Jane Blickhan, retired teacher, and Susan […]

Photo from metrocreativeconnection.com Jennifer Tirey has a goal each time she fixes dinner for her family – make a colorful plate. “I’m lucky, my daughter, age 10, loves snap peas and sweet peppers, and my son, age 11, loves any kind of fruit,” says Tirey, executive director of the Illinois Pork Producers Association. “Adding color […]

A painful arch can cause a child to avoid sports. Photo from metrocreativeconnection.com We treat a lot of children in our practice. Parents want their children to be as fit as possible, and this includes optimizing their foot and ankle health. Many parents are concerned that their kids have flat feet and they don’t want […]

Photo from metrocreativeconnection.com Wednesday, July 6, was a down day for me. I have those in the summer when I’m not connected to social media and the news of the world. In fact, I have spent much of the summer healing from a damaging school year that helped me see people better than I wanted […]