Upcoming Events
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Developmental Differences Parent Support Group
It’s a night to be supported, to ask questions and share resources, and to be with other parents who get what it’s like to deal with special challenges for their kids. Parents of kids with all types of developmental differences welcome (sensory processing disorder, autism, ADD/ADHD, PDD-NOS, mixed receptive-expressive language disorder, Down syndrome, physical disabilities, medical issues, etc.). Parents/family only, please (no therapists, students or business owners).
This event is in person at Gigi's Play House, 3948 N. Lincoln Chicago, IL 60613.
Do you live south of the Loop and want help starting NPN's Developmental Differences Parent Support Group in your neighborhood? Email Amy at amy@npnparents.org to discuss!
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Queen of Apostles Parish Harvest Jam
Queen of Apostles Parish invites the community to its annual Harvest Jam on September 18 and 19. The two-day fest features live and DJ music, kids' games, food, adult beverages, and soft drinks. The lineup includes everything from Mexican folk music to pop rock to hits from the 80s and 90s. New this year is the addition of Kids' Jam on Saturday, September 19 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. This event, focused on kids ages zero to six, will feature nationally touring children's musician Little Miss Ann on the stage at 10:30 a.m. Details regarding tickets, band line up, and volunteer opportunities are available on the parish website.
The cost is $10 / adult and you can go here for more information.
Street parking, walking distance from Western Brown line
This is an external partner event. Please contact the organization directly with any questions or concerns: pweinmann@queenofangelschicago.org
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Film & Discussion: No Country for Mothers
Join us in East Lakeview for an evening of support, reflection, and connection for moms and those who love them.
We'll be screening the new documentary No Country for Mothers about what motherhood really looks like in America today, and how the system is set up to divide us rather than support us. Together, we'll focus on the solutions that help ALL new families thrive.
This isn’t just about watching a film; it's about being in a room where we can say things out loud that we’ve been carrying quietly, and realize we’re not alone. Hosted by two moms and certified coaches, and sponsored by local businesses that support the early motherhood years, we'll allow space for the hard parts and offer real solutions.
Thanks to our generous sponsors, we'll be providing bites and beverages for the grown-ups, and FREE childcare and pizza dinner at The Family Room play space three doors down (space is limited, so RSVP soon!). Infants and older children are welcome to stay with their parents to watch the film. See Hosts, Sponsors, and Partners at RSVP link.
This is a free event, but RSVP is required, please go here to register.
Street parking available.
This is an external partner event. Please contact the organization directly with any questions or concerns: mindfulhealingmama@gmail.com.
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Videos
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In this episode we discuss parenting transitions from childbirth to the empty-nest stage, and how we can approach these transitions with confidence and calm. The term “mindfulness” is thrown around a lot these days, but what is it, really? Is bringing “mindfulness” to childbirth helpful? Will it make childbirth less painful? What is "transformational pain?" Can mindfulness help with the rest of our ever-changing and sometimes painful parenting life? We will talk through all of this and more. If
- 147 views
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Amy and Laura Van Zandt discuss sleep through the lens of developmental differences. They discuss why so many children with developmental differences struggle with sleep, some of the biggest misconceptions about sleep in children with developmental differences. They talk about why bedtime can be the hardest part of the day for children, and signs that parents can watch for to help tell the difference between "typical" sleep challenges and signs that something more may be going on. Additionally,
- 167 views
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Martin Moran, Head of Program for Middle and Upper School at Bennett Day School, talks with Amy about the current feelings around AI in schools, what has changed in schools because of AI, and what primary concern adults, especially adults in schools, need to have as they engage with AI. They dive into what an 'AI-resilient' assignment looks like today and the skills that students need to have in this age of AI. (Hint: it's probably not what you are thinking.) This session was originally recorded
- 255 views
Articles
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If your family has struggled with sleep at any stage, the prospect of "fixing" the situation can feel impossible when you're in the thick of it. For children and families experiencing developmental differences, sleep can be an ongoing challenge. We asked Laura Van Zandt, Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant and Pediatric Occupational Therapist with advanced certifications in Sensory Integration and DIR/Floortime, to speak to some of the ways sleep struggles appear and how parents can support the
- 19 views
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Trending: It's OK to Simplify Your Kids' Birthday Parties Maybe it's because we're thinking about our daughter's upcoming birthday, but I was struck by two recent (and maybe hot) takes by moms rethinking the pressures around kids' birthday parties: Namely, pushing against the idea that everyone in the class should receive an invite and returning to a simpler kind of kids' birthday party. These two opinions seem aligned to me. While we've been on the receiving end of class-wide birthday invites a
- 20 views
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I became a parent in 2020, during the height of the pandemic, returning to work when my child was just 12 weeks old as we navigated complex medical treatments. From the start, it was nonstop. While raising any child is a full-time job, raising a child with developmental differences is at a whole other level. The job on paper that everyone sees comes with scheduled meetings, performance reviews, and deadlines. The second full-time role, largely unseen by others, entails care plans, specialist app
- 380 views
