A Mom's Life Top Five
Make a list and cut it twice. Go ahead, make that two-mile-long to-do list featuring all your holiday hopes and dreams.

Mini-holiday homes
Cookies, fudge and snack mix may all be on your family’s list of holiday favorites.

Inspire the kids to banish clutter
If you need to transform your children’s bedroom into a guest-friendly suite, plan ahead so your kids don’t feel banished.

Let the countdown begin
A few days after Christmas last year, we sadly realized that neither of us had any fun plans for New Year’s Eve.

All about the children
As one who grew up in a political family and now is raising two daughters in the same type of environment,

Holiday hunting
Just in time for holiday giving, the 2008 National Parenting Publications Awards bring you the best gift ideas for kids.

Infants and toddlers
This year’s Gold Award-winning toys encourage children to understand their world, from basic skill-building

Preschoolers
This lively toy uses different animals as targets to be tagged. Kids listen to instructions from an electronic, hand-held,

Ages 5 and up
This child-size camcorder doesn’t require technical know-how. Kids can record video or take still photos with the push

Ages 7 and up
A fun twist on bocce, this game is played by throwing a multi-sided ball and having players throw their bean balls

Shopping List
DVDs, Books, Magazines, Storytelling & spoken-word, Music, Software, video games And Web sites, Family resources

Board games
Board games have an uncanny ability to spark the imagination, bring people together and teach new skills

Teacher gift tactics
It’s that time of the year when parents let out a collective groan—and not for the upcoming winter break

Parents share ideas
"Our most creative idea for a teacher gift is a student class quilt. It includes a picture of all the students in her class

Tis the season for giving
Hanukkah came early for Robbie Gurolnick and her twin brother David this year.

All the parenting without the screaming
Your kids are not the most important thing in your life.

Can-do kid
When first meeting Crete resident Alex Wifler, he looks like a normal 14-year-old boy with a goofy smile,

What's in your neighborhood
South suburban resource guide

Schools embrace diversity
People shouldn’t be afraid to talk about race, says Bea Young, founder of Kaleidoscope Group,

Seasoned parent
When Maureen Johnson of Tinley Park learned she was pregnant with her second child, her first thought,

Even a little makes a big difference
We have a few holiday traditions that I treasure in my family, including the annual Christmas Eve trek to the Museum

A wonderful gift
Mama sit." I froze in hopes I would hear it again. I looked at her looking at me. Again, "Mama sit."

It happened to me
The question hung in the air like Pandora’s Box: "Mommy and Daddy, how does a baby get in a woman’s tummy?"

Someone you should know
Tracy Mooney’s on a mission to help you keep your kids safe on the Internet.

Fab mama
You have plenty of frames filled with your family photos, but they just aren’t creative enough.

Vitamins: Needed or not?
Does my child need to take vitamins?"

Understanding financial baggage
Our "First State Quarters of the United States" Collector’s Map may never recover from my looting of the colonies,

Celebrate the holidays
We all have favorite remembrances of the holidays. Whether they are of baking cookies, telling stories,

Enjoy the music of the season
One of the things I love most about the holiday season is that year after year we get to revisit the music

Books that will keep you reading
Cecilia is not really just a peasant girl who lives in a small hut in a small village outside the palace

Season's greetings
The annual holiday card is on everyone’s to-do list this time of year.

The easy way to clear toy clutter
While making room for new holiday toys, consider donating your child’s gently used toys to needy children

Recipe for a great babysitter?
Mary Jenner scoured the lists of babysitters and nannies on Craigslist, but it wasn’t until she ran across the advertisement

Open up about alcohol
The next time you take your child to the pediatrician, you might find yourself answering questions

Growing dreams, one plant at a time
Adam Swanson, his coat zipped up tight from working outside in chilly weather, walks into the gift shop after consolidating

Bidding wars boost school fundraising efforts
Moe Gecsey is the first to admit she’s no computer expert. Yet the Elmhurst mom of two recently built a fundraising Web site

‘Psychiatric first aid’ to victims of trauma
Research confirms that children exposed to violence in their home or neighborhood can suffer long-term effects:

Donations bring families together
When JoAnn Kunkel’s four children were young, they would adopt a family through Catholic Charities

Financial lessons start at home
The dismal news is hard to miss, even for little ears. We’re in a recession and it’s time to face the facts

Microwave ovens can cause burns in toddlers
Parents usually teach young children about the dangers of ovens and stoves, but they may be overlooking

Dec. 4, 2008
Get out there and play. Lions and tigers and … Christmas lights? Oh my! Bundle up and head to the Brookfield Zoo for its 27th Annual Holiday Magic this Saturday and Sunday for ice-carving demonstrations, caroling to the zoo animals and a visit with Santa Claus.

Dec. 11, 2008

Get out there and play. Light up your holiday this Saturday at the St. Lucia Festival of Lights in Andersonville. Join the Lucia Girls in a procession down the sidewalks of Clark Street at 4:45 p.m., beginning at the Swedish American Museum.

Dec. 18, 2008
Get out there and play. With all of the snow Chicago has received this week, now is the perfect time to bundle up and head outdoors to play. Saturday and Sunday the Morton Arboretum will host Winter Wonderland in the Children’s Garden, which will include building a snowman and decorating it with materials found in nature. If there’s not enough snow on Saturday from 11 a.m-4 p.m., plenty of other activities are available.

Dec. 23, 2008
Get out there and play. Although many local attractions are closed, Christmas Day in Chicago won’t be completely quiet, as the Spertus Museum hosts Something Else! A Community Festival. The festival includes arts and crafts, games and activities.

Dec. 30, 2008
Get out there and play. You’ve narrowed down your potential resolutions and the ball drops tomorrow night to mark the New Year. We’ve found a few last-minute ideas to help your family ring in 2009. The best part, no reservations are required. Happy New Year!