Newsletter – Parent

With winter weather steadily approaching, many of us are moving our gatherings and events indoors. This means the onset of cold and flu season. While the months ahead do pose a risk in terms of annoying illness, there are several preventative tips that families can take in order to protect their loved ones from cold […]

During the holidays, most families tend to have their own traditions. Some are large, like all the extended family gathering at one house for Thanksgiving, or small, like taking a drive around the neighborhood to look at Christmas lights. One tradition that I didn’t have as a child, but have started as a parent, was […]

Music has been a life-long calling for Chatham native Corey Cochran, director of Sangamon Conservatory and Academy of the Recording Arts, located at 960 Clocktower Drive, Ste. E. Corey and his wife, Kali, who teaches the preschool-age kids, are both fulfilling this calling by bringing the gift of free music education to the Springfield area. […]

Illinois State Fair Aug. 11-21. Deep-fried-everything on a stick, top-notch entertainment, white-knuckle carnival rides, high-energy street performers, agricultural shows and more. All the sights, sounds, smells and bells that you’ve come to expect from our state fair. Admission. Visit the Facebook page for event updates. Illinois State Fairgrounds, 801 E. Sangamon Ave., 217-782-6661. Perseid Meteor […]

As a new school year begins yet again, parents have a lot on their minds. Typical concerns about how a child might adjust to a new teacher or classroom have been overshadowed by more pressing worries, namely, the staggering number of mass shootings that have occurred in the United States this year, over 300 at […]

With another school year on its way, a great way to get kids back into the swing of things is through books. There are a lot of tried-and-true classics, like The Kissing Hand and Pete the Cat and his shoes, but there are also some newer releases that can get your kids ready for school. […]

It’s never too early, or too late, to take on the issue of racism, both within yourself and – yes – with your kids. Indeed, raising children who seek to break down the status quo and fight alongside those who are seeking justice is perhaps one of our most important roles as parents.   Why is it so important? Kids are indispensable parties […]

Has your child ever asked you where money comes from? Or have you ever thought about where the money in your wallet has been or where it might be going? Well, Dr. Eli Goodman, a Springfield resident and author, has a story for you. The Adventures of Abe, the $5 Bill, illustrated by Eva Vikman, […]

It’s no shocker that we live in an era of organized sports, scheduled playdates and endless summer camps. In today’s busy world, parents often dedicate their summers to shuttling children (sometimes as young as 3 years old) back and forth to all sorts of planned events. While there’s a lot to be said for that, I […]

Container gardening is a great way to introduce kids to the pleasure of growing their own food and enhance their connection with the natural world. You don’t need a large plot of land or fancy planters to grow your own vegetables. Many types of containers can be used to grow a bounty of veggies, herbs […]

In the 1940s, it was believed that women could not be on the autism spectrum. In the 1980s, the ratio of men to women on the spectrum was 15:1. By 2015, that ratio was revised to 3:1, indicating behavioral science has progressively increased its ability to understand and detect how autism is expressed by women. […]