Capital City Parent

It’s back-to-school time, and that means, in addition to buying new shoes and school supplies, families are making appointments with their doctors for kids’ physicals and immunizations. Yet a growing number of people are growing wary of vaccinations, and some are refusing to have their children vaccinated altogether.  Mistrust of vaccinations exploded in 1998 when […]

Ann Gemberling of Springfield always wanted children. “I wanted to get pregnant,” she said. “I talked about it all the time.” She and her husband, Jay, knew they would be great parents and would be able to provide a good life for a child. Both in their late 20s, the couple knew it was going […]

Children constantly learn from us parents – lessons we want to teach and those we don’t, whether we know they’re watching or not. Here’s how two Springfield mothers make lessons in compassion intentional, ongoing and heartfelt.     A complete life For Mary Killough, compassion begins at home, with her sons, Jacob, Justin and Jeffrey, and […]

 Agri-education is a word not found in the traditional dictionary, but Indian Creek Farmstead in Petersburg offers a vivid interactive definition. With the goal of teaching schoolchildren about life on the farm, Indian Creek offers presentations, exhibits and other focused activities. John Lyons, co-owner of the farmstead, defines agri-education as the education and knowledge sharing […]

  Consider going to the doctor and hearing this: “Your son is autistic. He will never speak, he will never be able to swing on a swing, and he will never get married because he is incapable of compassion for another person.” Then, “Here is a brochure. Good luck!” Fifteen years ago, these things and […]

  When she became pregnant, Rachel Rambach knew she wanted a doula [DUE-luh] by her side during delivery. As a first-time mother, she was daunted by the process of labor, yet determined to have an epidural-free birth. She turned to Janet Tolley of Gentle Touch Doulas in Springfield. “Janet was a calming force from the […]

When my son unexpectedly brought home a school friend for video games, homework and supper one afternoon years ago, I baked an easy cake recipe, topped it with fresh, sweet whipped cream and served it for dessert. “Where’s the box?” the friend asked. “And the can?” We just smiled at each other.  From his early […]

Here is just a sampling of some of the fun and educational programs available to your kids this summer. Make sure to check out all the other opportunities available from these organizations – most have other classes and activities not included here. Other places that offer summer classes and camps are Springfield Art Association, Girl […]

 Abraham Lincoln is on bookstore new release racks again, this time in Brad Meltzer’s fresh new look at history and heroism “Ordinary People Change the World,” illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos. First in the children’s picture book series, I Am Abraham Lincoln, is both quirky, for the cartoon illustrations and anachronistic references, and earnest, as young […]

  The United States is the only country in the world that performs routine circumcision on its infants. In a state like Illinois, where nearly three-quarters of infants are circumcised, it may come as a surprise to learn that, globally, only approximately 30 percent of men are.  In the United States circumcisions have become culturally […]

Girls on the Run gives girls in grades 3-8 the tools to break out of the girl box. Adolescents enter the girl box when they begin to morph into what they think they should be instead of who they really are. The 10-week program is open to all girls and is designed to educate and […]

I am a working mom. Though that means lots of different things, it mostly means that I constantly feel pressed for time. Putting in a full day at the office leaves me with few precious hours at night to connect with my family and tend to the list of household tasks. The routine that my […]