parenting
A night at the museum: Dozin' with the Dinos
WENDY CITY MOM the parenting column Some childhood experiences are so rich, so extraordinary and so inimitable that they are etched into our long-term memory well into adulthood. Spending the night at The Field Museum for the Dozin' with the Dinos program provides children with an …
The ultimate mini-vaca: Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells
WENDY CITY MOM the parenting column With snow stuck to the ground and chilly temperatures reddening midwestern noses, Old Man Winter seems to be winning. Double down on a retreat at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells: a smart bet to beat the winter blues. Families …
Spotlight on author and mother, Joelle Charbonneau
WENDY CITY MOM · the parenting column · Joelle Charbonneau has it all. She is a stay-at-home-mom and a successful writer, producing quality books with a frequency that makes most other authors jealous. Many parents have to choose one or the other: career or full time parent, but Charbonneau has figured out how to have her cake and eat it. Below is an interview, conducted with Charbonneau on her rise to becoming an author- fulfilling her dreams and ambitions, without sacrificing her desires to have a family and be a stellar mother.
The great debate: Kids with cell phones?
Is your daughter or son begging you for a cell phone? Although getting your twelve year old a cell phone may seem ridiculous to some, there are actually huge benefits to surprising your middle schooler with a phone of their own.
Eight ways to tell if your child is being bullied
Around 77 percent of students will experience mental or physical bullying during their school years. Here is what parents and caregivers need to know about recognizing bullying and knowing how to help you child if he or she is being bullied.
Jack Frost has nothing on you: 3 tips for surviving the cold
WENDY CITY MOM · the parenting column · Winter is here. Fact. Part of what makes this season so difficult for parents is venturing outside in the frosty conditions. Kids need to be kept warm-hats, mittens, scarves, boots and coats all need to be worn. Backpacks and diaper bags need to be supplied with winter necessities. Multiply the number of kids in the household, and parents end up spending the better part of the morning tasked with Sherpa duties. Make your life easier by following these three tips.
Love affair with hair: Two friends get a make-over
Our hair is the pièce de résistance of our appearance. Let's face it, pretty hair is half the battle when it comes to feeling good. It's so easy to get stuck in a rut. Either we cling to what once worked or have unrealistic expectations …
Say Om: yoga at any age
WENDY CITY MOM · the parenting column · Bloom Yoga Studio, located on Rockwell Street in Chicago, offers yoga classes to women during every stage of their lives.
Members only: Gifts that occupy zero space, provide hours of fun and get kids out of the house
Most parents can attest to the incredible amount of living space that is lost to toys and kid-centered items. As the holiday season rolls around the corner, the idea of receiving or purchasing more multi-hued presents for your child seems a bit overwhelming. A membership …
What will it take to get fitness results?
On a Saturday morning back in September, we took the "plunge" and partook in Little Company of Mary Hospital and Health Care Centers "Wake Up Call Screening," a comprehensive cardiac analysis offered to gauge our risk for heart disease and stroke. Diagnostics entailed a blood …
Six Flags Great America's Fright Fest is a bone-chilling adventure
WENDY CITY MOM · the parenting column · Scaring your children silly has never been easier with the help of Six Flags Great America and the indelible Fright Fest. From Sept. 29 through Oct. 28, this adventure-seekers' seventh heaven is transformed into a bone-chilling Halloween themed shriek-fest.
Tales of obesity and bone loss: Facts, friendship kick-start fitness goals
Sometimes we need a drastic event to shake us free from the grips of our daily routine. Being a working wife and mom can take its toll. Days rife with tasks and details caring for others can leave women casualties of neglect in their own …
First dental exam scares the parent more than the child
WENDY CITY MOM · the parenting column · You're not alone if going to the dentist conjures up feelings of apprehension and dread alongside recollections of Steve Martin's portrayal of a sadistic dentist in Little Shop of Horrors. At a check-up, dental instruments that manipulate, inspect, repair and remove teeth lie in wait on a tray next to you while a bright interrogating light shines down from overhead. How could a toddler or preschooler possibly sit through a first visit without being traumatized?
Balloons and the real secret to calming anxiety
Collectively we are a neurotic, anxiety-ridden mess. But each of us handles it differently and fortunately, we typically don't go off the deep end at the same time. One of us is always advising the other to slow down and take a deep breath. When …
Morton Arboretum leaves your children entertained, tricks them into learning
WENDY CITY MOM · the parenting column · Established in 1922 and open every day of the year, the Morton Arboretum collects and studies trees, shrubs and other plants (190,000 specimens) from around the globe. Children will undoubtedly learn and develop a passion for nature.
Moms with special children show us how it's done
All too often we get tied up in little worries about our children. How do moms with disabled children cope? Jennifer and Suzanne talked with two moms whose dreams for their daughters sound familiar, despite their difficult journeys. Two upcoming fundraisers will let you help.
Lincoln Park Zoo educates, inspires children through hands-on learning experiences
WENDY CITY MOM · the parenting column · Lincoln Park Zoo has established some new flagship initiatives that are sure to get young ones involved and engaged throughout their trek through the zoo. Thematic, inquiry-based and learner-focused Mobile Learning Stations give kids a hands-on, active learning encounter while expert educators or volunteers teach them new facts about the animals.
Two moms start their own (Olympic) torch dreams
We were both little girls when gymnast Nadia Comăneci won three gold medals for Romania during the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. We didn't understand the nuances of the sport, nor were we privy to the Cold War politics associated with the former Eastern Bloc. …
5 kid-friendly beaches in Chicago
WENDY CITY MOM · the parenting column · Chicago has several fantastically free beaches that are open from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, and they each offer something a little different. Experience either the thrilling chaos or the cathartic shores of Lake Michigan.
How to capture your family on film
WENDY CITY MOM · the parenting column · Mary Rafferty Gerstein, of Mary Rafferty Photography, knows a thing or two about photographing kids and families. Having grown up in a large family with seven kids and then having two kids of her own, she understands how unique and different each child and family can be.
What makes 'mom friendships' click? Sharing laughs and tears
If you are lucky enough to have a female friend, you know what Suzanne and Jennifer are talking about in their blog, "Chirpy Girls." The stresses and joys of motherhood, careers and marriage are much easier to bear when you have a good friend with whom to talk and celebrate.
All aboard at a trail-blazing, model-train restaurant
WENDY CITY MOM · the parenting column · Among Des Plaines' oldest restaurants, with its inception in 1951, and arguably the most authentic, The Choo Choo restaurant is stocked full of charm and character with its vintage mechanical train ride, stainless steel equipment, wood paneling and naugahyde stools.
An insider perspective on Montreal, Canada
WENDY CITY MOM · the parenting column · One of my girlfriends, a dual citizen of the United States and Canada as well as a flight attendant for Air Canada, believes Montreal to be one of the most kid friendly Canadian cities.
Middle-income family spends $235,000 to raise baby
For $235,000, you could indulge in a shiny new Ferrari — or raise a child for 17 years. A government report released Thursday found that a middle-income family with a child born last year will spend about that much in child-related expenses from birth through …