Capital City Parent

PHOTO metrocreativeconnection.com A new University of Illinois study has found that practice working on group projects might help children become better decision makers. In the study, published in the American Educational Research Journal, collaborative work was compared with direct instruction to measure how well students could make reasoned decisions and apply their skills in a […]

The Minnesota Ballet brings the story of Cinderella and her evil stepsisters to life on March. 12, 7:30 p.m., at the Kirkland Fine Arts Center in Decatur. Lap Sit StoriesFeb 18–May 11, 11am Mon. Every Mon. For babies 0-18 months and their parents. Free. lincolnlibrary.info. Lincoln Library, 326 S. Seventh St., 753-4900. Thursday Stories Feb 18–May […]

Carolyn and Monte McMannigell of Taylorville, a host family. PHOTO COURTESY MCMANNIGELL FAMILY Monte McMannigell always wanted to help kids but he had never before taken the initiative to act. But following a presentation by Ryan Mobley, central Illinois regional director for Safe Families for Children, at Grace Baptist Church in Taylorville, he and his […]

You have to do some digging to find bargains at a thrift store like Goodwill. The inventory changes quickly, so go often. PHOTO BY JOSEPH COPLEY I wasn’t always a thrifter. As a status-conscious teenager growing up in suburban Chicago, I eschewed secondhand clothes in favor of the latest offerings from my favorite stores at […]

Baby Meets World: Suck, Smile, Touch, Toddle – A Journey Through Infancy, by Nicholas Day. St. Martin’s Press, 2013. Baby Meets World by Nicholas Day is not your average baby manual. It’s a combination of scientific research and current and historical popular belief about infants. It’s a cross-cultural comparison of the many ways to raise […]

Blessed Sacrament students participating in genHkids’ Gotta Dance Move More program under the guidance of Tracey Sims Kopecky. PHOTO BY Virginia Ferguson Health experts recommend that children get 60 minutes of “moderate to vigorous” physical activity a day. That means any exercise that gets the heart beating fast and gets kids breathing hard. Recent studies […]

Alvin and The Chipmunks – The MusicalNov 19, 7pm Thu. Tickets: $25, $35, $45, $65. peoriaciviccenter.com. Peoria Civic Center, 201 SW Jefferson Ave., Peoria, 309-673-8900. Schoolhouse Rock Live! JRNov 20-22, 7pm Fri-Sat, 2pm Sun. Family-friendly revival of Emmy Award-winning 1970s Saturday morning educational cartoon. Featuring songs such as “Just A Bill,” “Interplanet Janet” and “Conjunction […]

Students routinely practice conflict resolution skills at Aunt Fluffy’s Preschool, which operates on the principles of Conscious Discipline. PHOTO BY DAVID HINE Aunt Fluffy’s Preschool in Springfield is not your ordinary early-learning environment. The students refer to each other as their “school family.” Instead of a timeout zone, there is a Safe Place where children […]

PHOTO FROM METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION When our son was a baby, my husband and I tried to instill in him a love of the written word. At first we would just read to him each day. But when he was able to talk and develop ideas of his own, we started telling and then writing […]

PHOTO BY jonathanjonl/Flickr There is no escape from the racial conflicts with which children must cope…avoiding the problem isn’t helpful. Too much parental protection from life’s realities may hamper a child’s later ability to cope with life as it is. –Alvin Poussaint, M.D For 22 years I have worked in the public school system with […]

PHOTO FROM METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION Cordelia Marlow, an eighth-grader at Franklin Middle School, describes her school lunches as poor. “The food quality went down after 2010,” she said, referring to changes in the federally funded National School Lunch program. “The taste and texture are bad. The meat is soggy and tastes kind of weird.” The […]

SIU pediatrician Dr. Greg Bennett conducts a physical at the SIU HealthCare clinic. PHOTOS COURTESY SIU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE School supply list: Pencils? Check. Folders? Check. Back to school physical? Vaccines? If your children are entering pre-K, kindergarten, sixth or ninth grade or are new to Illinois or Springfield Public Schools, they need a medical […]