jumdel, jumble, judmel
Twenty years ago when Eric Cooper was a boy growing up on Chicago’s North Shore, his elementary school teachers

'We'll see you in heaven'
On the evening of April 5, Justin Allen Wier rushed into this world earlier than expected,

Teaching your kids to be good sports and graceful losers
It can be tough to see that defeated look on your child's face as you drive home from a losing game.

Executive decision
As parents head to the polls Nov. 4, many will cast ballots based on who they think will provide the best possible

Get kids involved in the election
The onslaught of political advertisements and news spots will make for some curious kids,

Pre-election activities for kids
"Vote4Me! Inside a Presidential Election." Get a behind-the-scenes perspective of the campaign season

No lame ducks
For families hoping to look beyond the two-party system, one more politician is up for consideration this election season

Tall trick-or-treaters
Then you open the door this Halloween, some of the trick-or-treaters might be as tall as you are.

Spook-tacular fun for all ages
Whether you love to throw theme parties or you are wary of trick-or-treating,

The bully’s mom and you
What’s the best way to ask a bully’s mom to stop her child from picking on yours?

Love, individually
When I was expecting my second baby, I would look down at my toddler and wonder how I could love another child

Potty training and lessons beyond
So you have an internalizer? Or would you describe your child as strong-willed, impulsive or goal-directed?

Reduce your stress simply
Practice deep breathing. When we’re stressed, our breathing is often shallow and short.

Lessons moms can learn from football
Autumn affords us many splendid things. Colored leaves crunching underfoot, the feel of your favorite sweater

Fall fun is just outside your door
Don’t let the chill in the air keep the kids inside. If you ask Kathy Johnson,

Fun with those leftover apples
With only three main ingredients in the recipe—apples, water and sugar—it is an easy project for families

Hometown hero
As a paramedic for the Chicago Fire Department, a call could mean she needs to be ready for anything

Can-do kid
Max Lawson can’t remember a time he hasn’t put the needs of others before his own wants.

Where to go and what to do in the South Suburbs
South suburban resource guide

Lessons learned from reality TV
Jackie Evans lost 100 pounds from her experience on NBC’s hit TV reality show, "The Biggest Loser,"

Tips on curing the ‘I’m firsts’
Rhiannon Hurst of Plainfield says that when her boys were younger they always fought over who was going to be first.

Great lessons easy to find this season
As a kid growing up in a tiny town in Maine, I learned early about government by the people, for the people.

Letters

Effects of kindercramming
Save our planet
My Life hits home

Judgment day: Ten years later
Comments (1)
I sat in the hard, straight chair awaiting my judgment. I sported the pink twin set and khaki pants

Howling good times
There’s nothing like the excitement surrounding the choices of what to be on Halloween.

Someone you should know
The day before Fatima sped into this world, something spotted on the ultrasound put everyone on edge

My dream as a parent
Regardless of the general election’s outcome in November, there’s no denying the historical importance of this presidential

Fab Mama
Just because you’re a mom doesn’t mean you have to give in to frumpy clothes,

What to do when toddlers bite
My girlfriend’s son was a biter. He’s in college now, but back when he was 3 he developed the nasty habit of biting

Lowering cholesterol naturally
We’ve long known that cardiovascular problems begin at a young age.

Beware of bullies in cyberspace
My kids think I’m a ninny. If you ask Noah and Holly, I’ve missed the boat and the last big wave and definitely

Fun reads for fall
Five children set out to trick-or-treat. As they progress on their route,

Message in the songs
In this crowded field of children’s music I would venture to guess that most parents have never heard of Jack Grunsky.

Adventure fuels this month’s top picks
In this sequel to The Alchemist (The Secrets of The Immortal Nicholas Flamel), 15-year-old twins Sophie and Josh

Inside the best movies for kids
Kids spend about 1,400 hours a year with TV, movies and other media, but many parents don’t spend enough time

Fall-weathered friends
You can carve them. You can paint them. You could always stencil them.

Trick-or-treat for a good cause
Who doesn’t remember taking the UNICEF orange collection boxes door-to-door to collect money for needy kids

Dads connect with local program
While mom and child play groups abound, it can be challenging to find the same kind of support and friendship

Connecting children worldwide
Whether you live in the suburbs of Chicago or in the heart of China, we’re all looking at the same sky.

Horses open the doors to trust
Seventeen-year-old Kelly admits to being a hard person when she first arrived at Timberline Knolls

Costumes for kids with special needs
A new line of dress-up costumes for kids with special needs is hitting the streets this month, just in time for Halloween.

Dolls designed for kids with asthma and allergies
Kids with severe allergies now have their own baby doll to snuggle.

The price of working
Single mom Katie Diffay has spent the past four years working and going to school to provide for her two young children,

Building friendships with LEGOs
Local children with autism spectrum disorders are invited to take part in a new LEGO club in Deerfield.

Museum celebrates African American history
Teaching kids about their African American heritage can be as easy as taking a trip to the newly reopened Bronzeville

Are we raising bad spellers?
When Ami Kulik graded the first set of language arts papers from her eighth grade students

Make the most of parent-teacher conferences
As a parent and a teacher, I’ve been on both sides of the parent-teacher conference table.

Flu season brings new recommendations
Thirty million more children will be added to the list of those who should be vaccinated for the flu this year

Local program combats childhood obesity
Growing Lean, a new youth weight loss program launched in June, is combining home delivery of nutritious meals

Gene mutation responsible for ADHD?
Scientists hunting for genetic links to attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder say a mutation on an immune system

October 2, 2008
Get out there and play. Celebrate the pomaceous fruit and member of the rose family—the apple—this weekend at the 16th Annual Long Grove Apple Festival. Your family can eat their way through the festival sampling all things apple as they enjoy live music and a kids’ fair.

October 9, 2008
Get out there and play. As the leaves are beginning to change, help your family find that festive fall spirit at the Scarecrow Harvest Festival at Midway Village and Museum Center. The festival, going on Saturday and Sunday, has plenty of fall fun, including wagon rides, fall treats, harvest crafts and of course, scarecrow building.

October 16, 2008
Get out there and play. This weekend, meet your favorite spooky, creepy and crawly creatures at Boo at the Zoo, hosted by the Brookfield Zoo. As part of the celebration, Zoo Chats take a decidedly spooky theme featuring animals such as black widow spiders, snakes and Mexican grey wolves, with zoo staff members telling kids all about these animals and more.

October 23, 2008
Get out there and play. Things are getting quite spooky this weekend during All Hallows Eve: A 19th Century Halloween at Naper Settlement. The 13-acre settlement has become a village of fear and terror, filled with the 19th century’s most sinister characters including the Headless Horseman, Jack the Ripper and Dr. Frankenstein.

October 30, 2008
Get out there and play. Tomorrow is Halloween, but it isn’t the only holiday to celebrate this weekend. Nov. 1 and 2 mark the celebration of the Day of the Dead—or Dia de los Muertos in Spanish. Families celebrate their lost friends and relatives during the holiday, dedicated to prayer and remembrance, by placing pictures, favorite foods and sugar skulls—called offeranda—on altars.