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Join ALR Connections (HR and Staffing Company) at Werewolf Coffee Bar for coffee and networking. A representative from ALR Connections will be present as well as other NPN Members who are interested in connecting about professional opportunities. ALR Connections has been bringing authenticity and passion to the niche of helping women find jobs where their skills can shine. The locally focused team helps people pivot, reinvent and re-establish themselves in the current workplace by building personal relationships, highlighting transferable skills, and developing a community of professional support. At the same time, ALR helps small businesses without HR departments grow and thrive by vetting and placing perfect-match talent on their behalf. For more information visit alrconnections.com Werewolf Coffee Bar is located at: 1765 N ELSTON AVE, CHICAGO PARKING IS AVAILABLE IN THE 1765 N ELSTON PARKING LOT. ADDITIONAL PARKING IS ON ELSTON AVE.

The NPN team is pleased to introduce Dr. Cindy Rubin, owner of In Touch Pediatrics and Lactation as a resident expert at NPN. This is your chance to ask her everything you wanted to know about the fourth trimester, infant pediatrics, breastfeeding, and more. Post your questions for Dr. Rubin on the NPN Discussion Forum on Tuesday, February 27th from 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM. Dr. Rubin will answer your questions that evening. Once all questions are answered, we will close the thread, but it will live on in the forum for your reference. Go ahead and ask her anything! A bit about Dr. Rubin: Dr. Rubin is a general pediatrician and board-certified breastfeeding medicine specialist practicing in the Western Suburbs of Chicago. She worked as an outpatient general pediatrician at a large academic center for 13 years before opening her Direct Care practice, In Touch Pediatrics and Lactation. Dr. Rubin loves providing care in patients’ homes, when and where they need it most! Her personal journeys with postpartum and breastfeeding led her to focus on improving care in this field for everyone! She offers physician-level lactation consults and in-home postpartum newborn and mom support packages (pediatric and lactation) in the Chicagoland area. She continues to be involved in teaching medical students as the adviser for her Breastfeeding and Lactation 4th Year Elective, and she serves as the Co-Chair for the Committee on Breastfeeding for the Illinois chapter of the AAP. She is also a founding board member of the North American Board of Breastfeeding and Lactation Medicine. Important Information about this Event: NPN's Discussion Forum is available to NPN members only. Not a member of NPN? Join now and use promo code join30off to save $30. Don't miss everything that NPN has to offer new and expecting parents: Childcare Daycare & School Search Developmental Differences Discussion Forum Things to do NPN Member Discounts

We are sorry, but this event has been canceled. Parents, this one is for you! We'll see you for food, drinks and necessary connection time with other Chicago parents from Bubbles and NPN! This event will take place in the beautiful Bar & Study area at Aster Hall in 900 Shops. Appetizers and your first cocktail or mocktail is included + event photos by TK Photography ❤️ Date & Time: Tuesday, February 13th from 4:00 - 6:00 PM Location: Aster Hall Bar & Study Lounge at 900 Shops, 900 N Michigan Ave, Level 6, Chicago, IL 60611 Parking: Validated parking at the 900 Shops Garage for $11 for 3 hours of parking.

NPN's Member Networking is your monthly opportunity to meet and network with other parents in Chicago. This month NPN member Jaime Wail of Country Financial is hosting us and providing coffee and light bites. Thank you, Jaime! So come and grab a cup of coffee and chat with NPN's business members and parent members. Meet parents who work in your industry and learn about other industries. Not currently working, but still want to make connections, learn about local businesses, and meet other parents? Please come! If you've been looking to build your professional and social network, we hope you'll join us. RSVP today! You will receive an email confirmation immediately upon registration. This event is designed for adults. Children in strollers, baby carriers, or your arms are welcome. Member Networking Country Financial, 4525 N. Western Ave., Chicago, 60625 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM Contact: amy@npnparents.org This event is for NPN members only. Not a member? For a limited time, you can join NPN using promo code Mingle20 and save $20 on your membership.

Join us for Sunday play at City Garden Waldorf School! Play and mingle with other NPN families in this beautiful space! Families will enjoy bread-making, puppet play, and open play. Plus you can talk with City Garden teachers about their program and Waldorf early childhood education. This playdate is designed especially for children who are two through five years old and their parents, but children of all ages and expecting parents are welcome. Learn more about City Garden Waldorf School and their parent-child classes that start Saturday, January 20th here. Read more about City Garden Waldorf School in this article in Block Club Chicago and this feature on WGN. City Garden Waldorf School is located at 920 W 19th St, Chicago, IL 60608. There is ample street parking on 19th Street. Enter the school through the garden located between 920 and 912 W. 19th Street.

NPN's New Parents Group is your monthly opportunity to meet other new parents in a comfortable and relaxed setting. If you are a new parent with a child under two years old we hope you join us! Come on your own or bring your baby with you. Older siblings are welcome too. This group is exclusively for parents of Neighborhood Parents Network, Bubbles Academy, Chicago Moms Network, and Olive You Nanny. Not connected with any of these organizations? Join NPN now using promo code NewMom24 to save $30 on your NPN membership and we'll connect you to the other amazing organizations too! Plus, right now, NPN members get a discount at Bubbles Academy! (Click here for details.) Date: Tuesday, January 23, 2024 Time: 2:00 - 4:00 PM Location: Bubbles Academy Arts-Integrated Preschool in Bucktown, 2184 N. Elston Ave. Parking: Free parking in the lot next to the building Questions? Email amy@npnparents.org Don't miss everything that NPN has to offer new and expecting parents: Childcare School Search Developmental Differences Discussion Forum Things to do Discounts

NPN's New Parents Group is your monthly opportunity to meet other new parents in a comfortable and relaxed setting. If you are a new parent with a child under two years old we hope you join us! Come on your own or bring your baby with you. Older siblings are welcome too. This group is exclusively for parents of Neighborhood Parents Network, Bubbles Academy, Chicago Moms Network, and Olive You Nanny. Not connected with any of these organizations? Join NPN now using promo code NewMom24 to save $30 on your NPN membership and we'll connect you to the other amazing organizations too! Plus, right now, NPN members get a discount at Bubbles Academy! (Click here for details.) Date: Thursday, February 22, 2024 Time: 2:00 - 4:00 PM Location: Bubbles Academy's Gold Coast location, at 900 N. Michigan Ave. Parking: You can access the Bubbles Academy space via the 900 Self-Park Garage (August Level) or elevators from Michigan Avenue. Bubbles Academy is located on Level 6, across from Bloomingdales, down the corridor to the parking garage. Parking validation provided The current validation provides up to 3 hours of parking for a $10 fee. Please note the parking validation criteria can change at any time and is managed by the shopping center. Questions? Email amy@npnparents.org Don't miss everything that NPN has to offer new and expecting parents: Childcare School Search Developmental Differences Discussion Forum Things to do Discounts

NPN's Member Networking is your monthly opportunity to meet and network with other parents in Chicago. Children are welcome. Please bring your own toys to keep them entertained while you chat. Grab a cup of coffee and chat with NPN's business members and parent members. Meet parents who work in your industry and learn about other industries. Not currently working, but still want to make connections, learn about local businesses, and meet other parents? Please come! If you've been looking to build your professional and social network, we hope you'll join us. RSVP today! You will receive an email confirmation immediately upon registration. Member Networking Floriole Cafe & Bakery, 1220 W. Webster Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60614 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM Contact: amy@npnparents.org These chats are for NPN members only. Not a member? For a limited time, you can join NPN using promo code Mingle20 and save $20 on your membership.

The NPN team is pleased to introduce Sarah Davis, founder and CEO of Olive You Nanny as a resident expert at NPN. You've watched her in NPN's live sessions, read her articles on our website, and seen her recommended on the forum. Now is your chance to ask her everything you wanted to know about the process of hiring, working with, and building a positive relationship with your nanny. Post your questions for Sarah on the NPN Discussion Forum on Thursday, November 30th from 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM. Sarah will answer your questions throughout the day. Once all questions are answered, we will close the thread, but it will live on in the forum for your reference. Go ahead and ask her anything! A bit about Sarah: Sarah Davis is the Founder and CEO of Olive You Nanny and its sister brand, Olive Us. Sarah began her entrepreneurial career as a nanny in her early high school years. She moved from a small town in Wisconsin to San Francisco after school for a nanny role. She moved to Denver and then Chicago, learning about what it took to build a successful career as a nanny. Each time she moved, she was met with the same reality - there were no agencies who cared about the personal connections between families and nannies. They didn’t seem to understand that nannies are an integral part of each family they work for. So, in 2005, she began sourcing and matching nannies for families in Chicago. She would meet with the families in their homes and then meet with the potential nannies in person as well, asking more profound questions about their personalities, their parenting styles, and more. She officially launched Olive You Nanny in 2005. Since then, Olive You Nanny has expanded to 8 cities, including Austin, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Nashville, and Phoenix. In each city, they provide full-service support to families. Important Information about this Event: NPN's Discussion Forum is available to NPN members only. Not a member of NPN? Join now and use promo code join30off to save $30. Other NPN programming for New Parents 11/15 Developmental Differences Parent Support Group 11/29 Member Networking (NPN members only) 12/3 NPN Playdate at Mary Meyer School 12/12 New Parents Group (NPN members only)

NPN's Member Networking is your monthly opportunity to meet and network with other parents in Chicago. Grab a cup of coffee and chat with NPN's business members and parent members. Meet parents who work in your industry and learn about other industries. Not currently working, but still want to make connections, learn about local businesses, and meet other parents? Please come! If you've been looking to build your professional and social network, we hope you'll join us. Attendees will purchase their own coffee. Although this gathering is geared toward adults, we understand that childcare is tricky. Children are welcome. RSVP today! You will receive an email confirmation immediately upon registration. Member Networking Floriole Cafe & Bakery, 1220 W. Webster Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60614 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM Contact: amy@npnparents.org These chats are for NPN members only. Not a member? For a limited time, you can join NPN using promo code Mingle20 and save $20 on your membership.

As a Placement Provider for Olive.You.Nanny, I am constantly puzzle piecing to find compatible matches for families and nannies. I have found there to be some key questions that need to be asked during the interview process to ensure a happy and compatible match is made for both the nanny and family involved. If you can find someone who naturally aligns with your parenting style, family values, and worldview while clicking personality wise, then you are on a good path to nanny-family partnership bliss! If you are a hiring family you want to first and foremost get a sense for what is most important to your family. In a few words, what is your family focus/motto or what is most important to you as a family unit? Some parents mention education, kindness, openness to new experiences/diversity, or family time as their main focus. Whatever the case may be, it is first important to acknowledge what is most important to you and what you want your children to learn about the world as they are growing up. By asking yourself these questions, you will be able to better clarify what is most important to your family, which will be essential in finding a nanny who naturally aligns with you! Nannies come with their own unique personalities, nanny-style, experiences, and values and it is important to better understand their world-view. You don’t want them to mold themselves to you when their ideals and nanny-style could be in contrast. You, the nanny, and your kids will be happier when you are on the same page. Your nanny will act as a role model and teacher when she is with your kids and you will want to make sure what they are learning is something you also desire! I always ask nannies several key questions: 1. What are some values that are most important to you in your life? 2. What do you think is most important for children to learn as they are growing up? 3. How would you best describe your nanny-style? 4. What do you envision when you think of your ideal position? 5. What makes you feel most appreciated and happiest on the job? 6. What is one of your favorite memories as a nanny and why? After interviewing a series of nannies, I have discovered a few commonalities that seem to make Rock Star nannies happy! Most are in search of a family that is open to outings and activities and exploration in the city so they can incorporate play-based learning and get some fresh air with the kiddos. They also want to have open communication and consistency when it comes to nap times, discipline, and boundaries. There are simple ways to make a nanny feel appreciated and chances are you will keep your nanny longer and he or she will go above and beyond in the role if they feel valued. Nannies want to feel like a valued extension of your family opposed to a “worker.” Employers who show their nannies trust by not micro-managing are better able to establish rapport. Thoughtful gestures go a long way in job satisfaction! Letting your nanny off a bit earlier (while being paid) on an occasional afternoon is very much appreciated as nannies tend to work long hours. Remembering industry standards like vacation and sick time and maintaining the nanny’s wage if you do not need him or her the days you choose to be away (same applies to letting him or her go home early if they aren’t needed) are key ways to express respect to your nanny’s profession. Cards of appreciation, small thoughtful gifts, remembering their birthday, having an annual review, and taking time to get to know them, are all ways to show your nanny that you care about them as an individual and value them as an employee. And you are off to a successful relationship!

NPN Parent Chats are your monthly virtual opportunity to join in on a casual conversation centered around topics that matter to you. Unlike our monthly webinars that are more structured and have a presenter and topic - you get to lead the discussion, vent about current happenings, or just observe and chime in as you see fit; think of it as our forum in video format! Sitaara and Amy from the NPN staff team will join you. If you've been craving connection, we hope you join us. RSVP today! You will receive an email confirmation, including the Zoom link, immediately upon registration. We will also send you the Zoom link the morning of the event. These chats are for NPN members only. Not a member? For a limited time, join NPN for $20 using promo code school23. This also gets you into the school fair for free!