As a parent or caregiver, this scene may seem all too familiar. You’re traveling to visit family during the holiday season, or getting the house ready for guests to arrive, when your toddler has a temper tantrum. Tantrums occur when children are trying to get something they want or need. 

It is estimated that about 1 in 4 Americans have a mental health condition but despite its prevalence, misunderstanding and stigma surround mental illness. 

No matter how much parents or teachers try to keep the “bad things” away, children’s lives are touched by trauma. Parents and other adults may struggle with how to talk to kids about tragic events. Taking a proactive stance, discussing difficult events in an age-appropriate language while respecting their emotional intelligence and maturity level, helps children grapple with “grown-up” issues. Addressing tough topics not only makes kids feels safer, but also teaches them about the world and helps them become critical thinkers. By investing young children with knowledge, compassion and strong character, we can give them the tools they need to make things better.

It was a great summer for kids in kindergarten through 8th grade who attended the JCFS Chicago Hinaynee camp, which provided therapeutic support while school was out.

No one realizes before they have kids, how many “what do I do now?” moments are involved in being a parent.  There are so many parenting books that it’s impossible to know what to read (if you have the time and energy to read) and too many people are eager to tell you what your family should be doing. 

A generous grant, honoring the memory of Lawrence “Larry” Sherman, has been made to our Disruptive Behavior Clinic to subsidize children’s assessments funded through Medicaid. Larry was long active with the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago and has been a strong supporter of JCFS.

For many people the holiday season is a mad rush of spending too much time, too much energy, and too much money. Having a plan for the holidays means understanding and being clear about your expectations and coming up with a balanced approach to spending your time, energy and money.

The word “Hinaynee” is our fun, summer twist on the Hebrew “hineni.” Hineni’s meaning is closely tied to the English phrase, ‘Here I Am’.

For a family, going through the complex stages of divorce they often experience similar losses to those associated with the death of a loved one. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross introduced us to her five stages of grief decades ago to help make sense of the grief process.

Parents today are faced with raising their children in a society where school and neighborhood violence is not uncommon. You may be asking yourself, how do I help myself and my children make sense of these tragic events?