Articles Directory
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408 articles
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Witnessing a child being emotionally abused by a caregiver is not only hard to watch, but very hard to not step in to protect the child. Let’s be honest here: children are often the casualty of an adult's displaced anger or a need to be validated. Children having a voice (and being heard) is still relatively new for a lot of cultures. This article is dedicated to all the little humans that cannot find the words to express the depth of their emotions about a complex world that is shaping them. Th
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Keisha is a mom of two, therapist, coach, activist, parent, and the founder of radicallyBLended Services, PLLC. A few months ago, Keisha spoke with us on about raising a queer child in Chicago. We’re sharing some of our conversation here. This conversation has been edited for clarity and length. Listen to the full conversation on NPN’s podcast, Chicago Style Parenting. How can parents create a safe environment for our children to talk to us about anything? First, I'll say that
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I blame 90’s sitcoms. You know the scene. Everyone walks into the kitchen fully dressed. The whole family is eating breakfast together. Kids grab their backpacks and coats and willingly head out the door. Mornings at my house don’t look like that. And chances are yours don’t either. Even though mornings with my three young kids don’t resemble the Tanner’s, I found a way to consistently start each day without yelling, threats, bribes, or punishments. Because the thing is, crappy
- Raising Good Kids
- Recommendations
- School-age child
- Teenager
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- 1,581 views
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Noreen Walton-Valle is a mom of four and the Director of Marketing and Admissions at Saint Clement School, which is located in Lincoln Park. It is a Catholic school, educating students from PreK 3 through 8th grade, with two classes per grade level, and roughly 480 students total. In an NPN discussion panel, Noreen spoke with us about the private school application process. We’re sharing some of her valuable insight here. When should parents start researching schools and how should t
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Here's a look at NPN’s year-in-review as well as our plans for 2025! Childcare Support: Members posted nearly 300 childcare listings in our Childcare Classifieds. Our Summer Camp Directory grew to 28 camps for parents to consider, many offering discounts to NPN members. We partnered on The Ultimate Baby Shower, offering new and expecting parents resources and education on childcare and more. School Research: Local educational experts partne
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This is a commentary article from Crain's Chicago Business written by NPN's Executive Director, Amy Johnson. --------------- The recent resignation of every member of Chicago’s Board of Education, three weeks after CPS unveiled its new five-year strategic plan, underscores the challenges that many Chicago parents face when navigating their child’s public school education. A strategic plan should provide an agreed-upon path to reach goals that the majority of stakeholders believe in. S
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In today’s digital age, screens are an integral part of daily life, but managing screen time for children can be a challenge for many parents. Excessive screen time has been linked to various issues, including poor sleep, decreased physical activity, and even negative effects on mental health. Fortunately, there are a variety of resources available to help parents guide their kids towards healthier screen habits. 1. Educational Websites and Apps Several websites and apps are des
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As summer bids farewell and fall begins to paint the world in hues of amber and gold, families often face the challenge of transitioning from the relaxed, free-spirited days of summer to a more structured fall routine. This shift can be both exciting and daunting, but with a little planning and creativity, you can make the transition smooth and enjoyable for everyone. Here’s a guide to help you establish a fall routine that fosters balance, productivity, and family togetherness. 1. R
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NPN is known for helping families find childcare, research schools, navigate developmental differences, and get parent-to-parent advice. Helping families navigate developmental differences is one part of our mission that is especially meaningful to me and the rest of the staff team. NPN’s Developmental Differences Resource Fair (DDRF) began about thirteen years ago. After listening to parents discuss the need for easy access to resources and information, NPN felt compelled to help. W
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Amazon Prime Day 2024 has arrived! The annual two-day sale is full of discounts, promos, and exclusive deals for Amazon Prime subscribers. Amazon Prime Day is a pretty big deal because it is one of the best opportunities to score discounts on a variety of items outside of Black Friday and Cyber Monday while stocking up on items you'll need throughout the year like gifts, cleaning supplies, and tech. If you've shopped Amazon Prime Day in the past, we're sure you may have felt overwhelme
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Fairytales Can Come True – The Princess and the Frog We all know our family would have a great time on vacation at The Most Magical Place on Earth, but does a STAYcation have the same spellbinding appeal? With a few simple tricks, you too can enchant the kids and keep everyone’s spirits high. A Little Thought for Others Makes all the Difference – Winnie the Pooh The first rule of thumb for any time off is to plan ahead. Enlisting suggestions from everyone in the family helps creat
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As soon as we arrived at Family Camp in Michigan last summer I started to lose track of time. We had decided to take a family vacation at a kids sleep away summer camp for a few days. Ostensibly it was to introduce our two kids to camp. But I was also curious to experience the classic American summer camp that I had seen in movies like “The Parent Trap” for myself—the kind with cabins and scenic ponds and bonfires around which we’d roast marshmallows and sing camp songs. We arrived
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This is an excerpt from the Chicago Tribune's latest column, Kids like to swear. Do I blame Olivia Rodrigo? Or do I blame myself?, written by Christopher Borrelli. This column features a quote from NPN's Executive Director, Amy Johnson. I turned to the parent next to me and asked what she was going to do about all the, you know … I didn’t want to say it. The what, the parent asked. All of the swearing, the F-bombs and such, I said. This was several weeks ago, at the United Center, where Oli
- Behavior
- Current Events
- Discipline
- Raising Good Kids
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- 998 views
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If you’re like most parents, returning home from a vacation with children can leave you feeling like you need a vacation from the vacation. With a little planning though, you can re-enter your routine with ease and even work in some much needed “vacay recovery.” Here are some top notch tips for helping you (and your kiddos) get back into the swing of things. Plan a buffer day for the family: It can be tempting to try to squeeze in as much away-time as possible, but returning home on a Sa
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Embarking on family adventures, such as road trips, airport travels, or exploring foreign lands, often poses the challenge of picky eating. A change in routine, exposure to new environments, and the availability of unfamiliar cuisines can all contribute to a child's resistance to trying new foods. As a registered dietitian, I emphasize the importance of healthy eating, consistent meal frequency, adequate protein and energy intake, and hydration while minimizing highly processed foods. In this ar
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Traveling with children can be fun, exciting and challenging and traveling with a child with a special needs child adds a whole new dynamic. I’m a mom of three: I have one 3 year old son and 5 year old boy/girl twins and my oldest son, Owen, has autism. To get ready for a trip, whether that be an outing in the city, a car trip or a flight, I prepare well in advance, know my resources, plan for the day and embrace a positive attitude. Prepare in advance: Clear expectations, visuals an
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It used to be a painful exercise when I had to write a note to our son’s teachers to let them know we would be taking our son out of school for a family vacation. The guilt would sink in and I would start to think we were bad parents for not putting enough focus on his education. I would write and re-write these emails and would get a knot in my stomach after hitting send as I wondered what his teachers must be thinking of us for prioritizing a trip over the classroom. But as we’ve travele
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Since my dad died about a year and a half ago, I haven’t visited his grave, I skip past old family photos when my phone reminds me of what happened this day X years ago, and I haven’t spoken about him much with your 7-year-old son. Avoidance has been my way to grieve. But now that my mom has finished grieving the loss of her husband of 50 years and has moved on to find a partner she trusts and is truly happy with, my avoidant behavior is no longer an effective strategy. My mom tells me to just b
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Does this sound familiar? You have a breastfeeding problem and go to your doctor, who looks back at you with a blank stare. Or recommends you switch to formula. Or sends you to another doctor who doesn’t know what to do. Unfortunately, this scenario is all too common. It happened to me when I had my first baby! I saw a lactation consultant as well as my OB/gyn for recurrent plugged ducts and eventually saw a breast surgeon who couldn’t figure out what was going on. Thankfully, we
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Here's a look at NPN’s year-in-review as well as our plans for 2024! Successes in 2023 We stayed true to our mission to connect a diverse community of families by providing support and resources to solve the challenges of parenting in Chicago. As you know, NPN helps Chicago families research schools and navigate developmental differences through parent education sessions, our annual Preschool & Elementary School Fair, and the Developmental Differences Resource Fair. In Octobe
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There aren’t many topics that seem to ruffle feathers like the “Gentle Parenting” debate. And honestly, it makes so much sense. At some point the term Gentle Parenting came to be associated with permissive parenting, lack of boundaries, and parents who seemingly never get upset or raise their voice above 50 decibels. And while I didn’t coin the phrase, and I’m not too interested in defending the beast that gentle parenting has become, I will fiercely defend the parenting approach that I think i
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Many of us have experienced that warm and fuzzy feeling that comes with giving. During this fundraising season, the NPN staff team asked ourselves how can we as an organization be generous while doing the critical work of raising money? Enter the NPN Dreams Come True Family Vacation Sweepstakes. In the spirit of generosity, we’ve put a twist on our end-of-year fundraising campaign. This year, for every $40 you donate, you will have a chance to win the NPN Dreams Come True Family Vacati
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As winter settles in, many people cope with the change in weather by planning their next family vacation. But if your last family vacation has you wanting to never venture out as a family again - you're in luck! We've gathered the top travel hacks from NPN members on how to master your next family vacation and a ✨magical opportunity to make the financial planning part of your next family vacation a piece of cake! Hack 1: Pick A Location That Works For Everyone The opportunity
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As parents, it's our job to do everything we can to make our children feel safe and secure. So it's only natural to default to avoiding topics that may frighten, concern, or cause panic in our children. But what should you do when the topic impacts you directly because of your religion or beliefs or when the topic feels unavoidable due to news and social media coverage? Ever since October 7th, many families (including my own) have been torn on how to answer this question. So, I compiled exp
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