Capital City Parent

Coming out to a parent can be a challenge at any age, but with increasing social freedom, more parents are trusted with their children’s view of their true selves. Alice, a Springfield-area mom, was one of these parents. She asked to be identified by a pseudonym to protect her child’s privacy. “I don’t feel like […]

Three Springfield-area schools will be the launch sites for a new fitness and running program designed for third, fourth and fifth grade boys. Springfield YMCA STRIDE (which stands for Success + Teamwork + Respect + Inspiration + Determination = Excellence in Character) will launch in Feitshans Elementary School, Blessed Sacrament School and Farmingdale Elementary School […]

Break out of the school lunch doldrums with a thermos. It’s an ideal way to get out of the sandwich rut and increase the economy and nutritional value of packed lunches. And don’t let your kids have all the fun – make yourself a nice lunch, too. Packing your thermos Preheat the thermos with boiling […]

When I was growing up, both sets of my grandparents were gardeners. I enjoyed listening to my grandfathers compare their respective gardens during the summer and especially enjoyed grabbing a fresh tomato or two off the vine and eating it on the walk back to my granddaddy’s house. Both grandfathers really seemed to cherish their […]

“I’m proud of the work that midwives and midwifery advocates have done over the decades,” said Hannah Landis, certified professional midwife (CPM) and vice president of the Illinois Council of Certified Professional Midwives. “I’m proud we finally got something negotiated,” said Landis of the law signed in December by Gov. JB Pritzker that allows the […]

For foodie kids and their families, the holiday season can be a non-stop source of culinary fun. And thanks to the wild popularity of cooking competition shows and endless inspiration on social media, kids are getting into the kitchen at increasingly early ages. Many kids love to make homemade gifts, especially the yummy kind, and […]

Having spent most of her childhood growing up in an abusive household, Elizabeth Bailey knows a thing or two about self-doubt. “When someone spends all of their time telling you that you don’t matter, or that you’re not good enough, you start to believe them,” says Bailey.  Little did she know that a gift from […]

As the holidays come closer, you usually cannot go wrong with gifting a child a book, as long as you pick the right one, which just might involve the bodily functions of animals. What Do They Do With All That Poo?, written by Jane Kurtz and illustrated by Allison Black, is an informational picture book […]

Whether you’re hosting a party or entertaining your kids, outdoor games are fun for everyone. Traditional games like horseshoes and bocce ball can be played in a spacious backyard, as can croquet. These games are relaxing and require negligible athletic skill, though supervision is advised with children, given the nature of flying horseshoes, balls or […]

One of the challenges of being autistic is making and keeping friends. How can you as a parent help nurture these friendships? The neurodiversity movement recognizes and celebrates the diversity of how our brains are wired, instead of pathologizing some as normal and some as abnormal. The brains of autistic kids are wired differently. They […]

Honestly, as an adult, one of the reasons I enjoy reading nonfiction children’s books is not only because I can usually read them pretty quickly, but also because I learn something new almost every time, especially when I read books around historical events. When I read these types of books with or recommend them to […]

Kidzeum reopened July 3 after a 16-month closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and things have been buzzing. Children rushed to climb Active Alex, splashed in the water table and searched for queen cells in the observation beehive. “Real bees? That’s so cool!” one girl squealed in delight upon seeing the buzzing beehive. Children’s museums […]