If you’ve tricked out your house in spider webs, ghosts and goblins and your little ones can’t seem to get enough of the gore, it might be time to take them on a scare adventure. From big-league haunted houses to animated farm sheds and farms that offer a bonus corn maze or pumpkin patch, we’ve searched Chicago for the best spots for pint-sized frights with just the right amount of spook for little ones. Read on . . . and get a bit of scream on.
Recommended age: The Haunted Barn is PG13, no one under the age of 12 is permitted without an adult; the giggles in the Fun Farm are open to all ages
Experience the frights of Halloween as you navigate the scary and completely animated Haunted Barn. If you chicken out on walking the Haunted Barn or if you're with little ones who prefer a lot less scare factor, get your giggles on in the animated Fun Barn.
Museum of Science and Industry's Boo Fest is two weeks of family friendly science experiments that will get you in the Halloween spirit! Explore specially decorated exhibits, examine the science of Halloween with pumpkin drops and slime, try your hand at cow eyeball dissection and more.
5700 S. Lake Shore Dr., Hyde Park; Online: msichicago.org
Goebbert's Pumpkin Farm Haunted House - Pingree Grove
Recommended age: Appropriate for school-age kiddos
Take a walk on the spooky side with twists and turns through this haunted adventure. Bring a cozy sweater, because there are thrills and chills that will leave your spine-tingling.
Goebbert's Pumpkin Farm Haunted House - South Barrington
Recommended age: Appropriate for school-age kiddos
Make no mistake, friends, this 10-room house is designed for kids, but it's not for those who don't like to be big-time spooked. So, be ready to walk it with kiddos jumping on your back like scaredy-dog Scooby Doo.
Recommended age: Ghosts and goblins 12 & under; Haunted barn recommended for ages 11 & up.
While Sonny Acres has a haunted hayride and barn appropriate for those who don't mind the daylights being scared out of them, they also have a Spook Shed and daytime hayrides perfect for little ones who'd just like to dip their toes into Halloween fun. The shed is completely automated with no actors.
Recommended age: This fear fest is for kids 8-years-old and up. It is not recommended for younger children. Or their scaredy-cat parents.
The creepy-crawlies come out on two of the darkest nights of the year, Oct. 15 & 16, and you don’t want to miss the terrifying fun at Naper Settlement. Naper Settlement will transform into an eerie and bizarre wonderland, featuring spine-chilling attractions and interactive experiences. View performances by magician Steve Chezaday, take a stroll through a zombie maze, browse the mysterious dark art gallery, play a game of laser tag and rock out to monster jams.
Guests can stroll around Meadow Lake to view scarecrows created by local scout troops and school groups all throughout the month of October. After your walk, vote for your favorite scarecrow in the visitors center.
Great Wolf Lodge is embracing the spooky season with the return of their annual month-long Howl-O-Ween celebration, running Oct. 1-31. This year's activities include Trick-Or-Treat Trail, The Thrill of Howl-O-Ween Yoga Tails, Monster Bash Dance Party and Critter Cartoons, just to name a few.
Recommended age: The Forge has a Fear Factor Scale on their website for each activity so you can best figure out which work best for your family
The Forge: Lemont Quarries is inviting all to the largest outdoor adventure course in North America. This fall, in addition to their regular activities, they will host Fear Month to celebrate the change of seasons. The month includes family movie nights, zombie tag, fireside ghost stories and more.
Museum of Illusions is decking out its space with themed decor for Halloween, making it a go-to destination for the holiday. Playing into the illusions throughout the exhibits, such as their well-known Head on a Platter, Vortex Tunnel, Infinity and Anti-Gravity Room and more, the decorations will serve as a great backdrop.
EDITOR'S NOTE: CLOSED DUE TO COVID FOR THE 2021 SEASON
Recommended age: Regular haunts recommended for ages 10 & up; parents discretion for "Lights On" experience
Scream Scene has been famously terrifying visitors since 1997 with its insane clown maze, crazed butchers and chainsaw maniacs. However, they tone it down for two days only so little ones can experience the fun with a "Lights On" performance they won't soon forget.
Today’s theme is: a time you were at your lowest and nobody knew.
This was Alex’s grade seven graduation day. We were beyond ecstatic. Alex did not enjoy elementary school for the most part. Grade seven was the exception. It was a perfect mix of a fantastic teacher, wonderful aide and a group of lovely kids who all made him feel comfortable and accepted.
The majority of the rest of his time there was hard on all of us. There were so many times when he resisted going. To the point of us having to pry his fingers off the doorframe to not be late.
We got a lot of calls, emails and daily reports about how he wasn’t able to do this or that. He wasn’t even able to just ‘be’ at school. It was disheartening and often traumatic, to say the least. This was a period of years when he had a lot of meltdowns. We were almost always on eggshells waiting for the next one to happen.
This graduation day started off great. We were so happy to be moving on while simultaneously anxious about what high school would bring. I pressed his clothes and helped him dress. I took a moment to admire my handsome boy in his new shirt and blazer that I had bought special for the occasion. He fidgeted a little but managed.
I proceeded to get myself ready and it all started to hit me. The auditorium would soon be filled with all the school staff, students and lots and lots of families. What if it’s all too much for him? What if he has an epic meltdown and we need to physically escort him out of there screaming and crying with all those eyes on us? My face got hot at the thought. All the memories from the past eight years came back. The thought of what if high school is no better?
My mind went down the rabbit hole, and before I knew it, I was breathing really shallow. I felt like I was suffocating. I started to sweat and tremble. I raced to the window and threw it open and stuck my head out for some fresh air, but it was already warm out so that didn’t help. I was having a full on panic attack. I realized it too which made me panic even more. Thankfully, I turned the cold water on and splashed my face and neck and it kind of snapped me out.
I then proceeded to bawl my eyes out and silently ask why everything has to be so hard and why can’t we just enjoy this day like everyone else? I took a few minutes to collect myself and reapply my now smeared makeup.
I didn’t tell anyone. We went to the graduation ceremony and ended up having one of the best days ever with Alex. He was happy and smiling and we got some amazing pictures. No meltdowns. Probably helped that we kept reminding him after that day that he would never have to go back and then we were getting a treat after, lol.
I remember sitting in that school auditorium, looking around at all the parents and thinking, “If you only knew what it took to get us here.”
Hi! My name is Laura and I'm a mom of two beautiful kids in Vancouver, Canada. I write a blog on Facebook called The Autism Ride, all about the ups and downs in life with our teenaged son on the spectrum.
Over the past few months, theatre camps all over the country have had thousands of kids come through their doors to rehearse and perform a summer musical. They arrive day one with no knowledge of the script or characters, and, two or three weeks later, they are in costume under stage lights singing and dancing their hearts out.
Years ago, when I used to direct these shows, I would look at the kids on their first day, their eager eyes looking up at me, and tell them, “You are about to embark on an adventure that most adults would NEVER EVER be able to do. In fact, if I were to tell a group of adults that, in 11 days, they would be presenting an entire musical fully memorized and fully choreographed, they would run out of the room screaming. But you guys, you can do it! You have the power to see that it is possible…possible with the power of teamwork.”
And then they do it. They rehearse the show, memorize their lines, create their characters and, as a group, tell a story.
I can’t help but think about the skills that we are looking for in our modern workforce. Let’s look at a couple of the big employers in my home of the SF Bay Area:
Google: ”If you’re looking for a place that values your curiosity, passion, and desire to learn, if you’re seeking colleagues who are big thinkers eager to take on fresh challenges as a team, then you’re a future Googler.”
Apple: “This is where some of the world’s most passionate people create the world’s most innovative products and experiences.”
Want to know what the “job description” looks like for the kids in theatre camp?
“Wanted: An employee with a positive, can-do spirit of optimism. Strong teamwork skills required. Looking for passionate commitment to projects. Job requires creative thinking and attention to detail. Self-starters encouraged to apply. Public speaking and quick learning is a regular part of this position. Excellent communication skills a plus and the ability to think outside the box encouraged.”
Nina Meehan is CEO and Founder Bay Area Children's Theatre and the host of the Creative Parenting Podcast. An internationally recognized expert in youth development through the arts, Nina nurtures innovation by fostering creative thinking. She is mom to Toby (13), Robby (10) and Meadow (5).
How is it possible to feel anger towards someone you (probably) love more than anything in the world?
When my kids make me angry, that feeling weighs on me more than any of the acts they did to actually get me to that point. So, how do you navigate this feeling when you are already so aware of your own emotions?
Understanding My Anger
I wish there was a moment in my life that would be the “cause” for me ever getting angry at my kids. But the truth is… there isn’t.
I get angry with my kids because I have a heart that beats and a brain that (luckily) functions. I have a body that gets exhausted from sleepless nights and endless chores. I get bored from the lack of adult interaction. There is a point when I just can’t bear changing another doll’s outfit. Or a baby diaper. Or making 7 meals a day.
And so, getting angry with my kids encompasses a daily ritual that sometimes is just Too. Freaking. Boring.
And let’s not confuse boring with “doing nothing.” You can do one thousand things per minute in your day and still feel drained. It doesn’t mean that it’s always boring. Not even that you’d like to be living differently. It simply means that right there, at the moment, you lack something.
What are you lacking in your own life that makes you angry at your kids from time to time?
For me, what I’m usually lacking is a combination of free time plus feeling guilty. Mom-guilt is my number #1 “issue” in my motherhood journey.
I have always been a “free-spirited” person. I would go out to eat at 11 p.m. at night if I wanted to, sometimes I would wake up early on a Saturday morning, pack a bag and start driving until I end up somewhere cool.
My husband and I had dates weekly, I was always surrounded by friends, life was loud and agitated.
The main thing I missed (and miss) is freedom. The freedom to just get up and leave. To grocery shop in peace. Heck, to use the bathroom in peace!
Once you become a mom, those things are gone for a while. And I’m still in the “while”.
And so, I’ve been slowly finding out what works for me.
1. I feel my anger. Give me a good 5 minutes to just be angry (away from the kids) and not try to simply “snap out of it”.
2. I validate my emotions. Taking a few seconds to really think “I am angry because this sucks” or “I am angry because I have just mopped and they threw crackers all over the floor again” and “I am angry because they didn’t sleep all night and now still refuse to nap” or “I am angry because I miss going out alone.” Those are very real reasons that a human being would get angry about.
3. I try not to trap myself into the “guilt” spiral. Things like, “There are moms with kids in the hospital and here I am angry at them for coloring on the walls” are not valid. True, it’s always good to acknowledge your blessings of having healthy, happy kids and a family to care for. But saying things like that invalidate your feelings and, therefore, you don’t work through them. You have a right to feel your emotions.
4. Do not act in anger. I don’t mean to sound cheesy, but this needs to be said. And that’s for everything, especially when it’s about your kids. I am sure you know this, but kids aren’t born malicious or manipulative. They are learning how to navigate through their own little feelings and it’s as hard for them as it is for you, if not more. It’s true, they do not understand WHY they can’t ask the same questions 300 times within a minute even after you’ve told them the answer.
So, for me, I take a beat. If I feel angry, I will step away and let myself feel angry. Cry if I have to. Scream if I need to. I will then come to them and explain, looking in their eyes, why I am angry. And crazy enough, they understand!
Just a few days ago, my almost 3-years-old girl and I had a bad day together. A combination of a bad night, no nap, and pouring rain lead to a difficult day to manage for us.
When my husband got home from work, he saw that we were just not in sync, so, he took her into her room, sat with her, and told her she could cry, scream, whatever she wanted. She was in there with him for a good 15 minutes just crying. And then…silence.
They both came out and she ran to me, and said: “I’m really sorry mommy, I’m ready to sleep now”.
While they were in the room and she was having a meltdown, I was out in the living room having a meltdown of my own. I cried and cried and just felt that anger. So by the time she was hugging me, I was squeezing her back saying “I’m sorry too, mommy is just super tired”.
You see…the both of us didn’t have a good day. It’s easy for me to forget that the tiny human yelling at me isn’t doing that to just make me angry and, while I’m having such a hard time myself, my almost 3-year-old little girl was getting pretty irritated with me too.
But in order for me to comprehend that, I had to first acknowledge, validate and allow my feelings to pour…so that I could let them go.
I'm a stay-at-home mom to two toddlers, ages 3 and 1. Also a wife, a homemaker, business owner, and the heart behind the motherhood blog "Love, mamãe". My goal? To help mothers survive the toddler years with joy, grace, and sanity!
I scream, you scream, and living in sunny SoCal, we all scream, in perpetuity, for ice cream. All that volume is not for naught either, LA has responded to our cries, offering a wide variety of shops serving up some of the finest frozen treats fit for any family.
Does your kiddo crave breakfast cereal all hours of the day? Grape-Nuts, Fruity Pebbles and Cinnamon Toast Crunch are blended into creamy concoctions at two establishments on this list. Have you seen rolled ice cream that could pass for a bouquet of flowers? The chilled dessert from Thailand is available in our city. In search of the perfect scoop of vanilla ice cream? We found it and the secret might be cane sugar. Velvety smooth Italian gelato your thing? This DTLA spot will have you and the kids saying grazie.
Van Leeuwen
Vanilla is the cheese pizza of ice creams. It’s a blank canvas that with the proper additions can be turned into art. At least, that’s what our family thought until we tried the vanilla bean at Van Leeuwen. Cajoled by a scooper to try the typically beige flavor, we were impressed by their incredibly nuanced and flavorful take on vanilla. Using choice ingredients that include cane sugar, it is the best scoop of vanilla we’ve ever tasted, as are their chocolate and strawberry options. With flavor combinations becoming wilder than a three-year old’s imagination at many boutique creameries, sometimes a familiar ice cream crafted to perfection is everything you need.
Locations: Silver Lake, Platform Culver City, Franklin Village, The Arts District, The Point in El Segundo & via a food truck on Abbott Kinney most weekends Online: vanleeuwenicecream.com
Taking the kiddos to Scoops is a mini-adventure. With the exception of one consistent flavor, they change out their ice cream selection daily, creating a delightful sense of discovery with every visit. Tai Kim, the founder, chemist and Willy Wonka of all things frozen, pulls from a recipe library that is seemingly endless, churning out micro-batches of inventive flavors such as lychee-strawberry, horchata-burnt sugar, blueberry lavender tea, coconut peanut butter pretzel or chocolate-Guinness (made with the actual beer!). No two visits will ever see the same exact flavors, which includes vegan, dairy-free options made of oat milk.
Each “one scoop" at Scoops actually comes with two. Our rec is to go with their daily fixture, Brown Bread—vanilla swirled with caramel and Grape-Nuts cereal—for one scoop and exploring a new flavor for the other. Don’t be afraid to be bold, either. The creamy, not too heavy of a base, deftly mixed in with whatever wild flavors strikes Kim’s fancy that day never-ever disappoints, helping Scoops edge out the other incredible establishments on this list as our family’s top ice cream shop.
I once spent a week in Milan for work and ate gelato every single day. On really rough days, twice a day. When I returned to LA, I experienced withdrawals and went on a hunt to find gelato comparable to what I consumed in embarrassing amounts in Italy. After many false leads, I found Gelateria Uli. Their stracciatella scratched an itch I otherwise thought would require a 13-hour flight. Better yet, if you’re at their original Spring Street Arcade location in DTLA, if you squint a bit, the atrium court with its hanging lights could almost pass for Europe. Almost. But then again, who would want to go across the pond when you can have local-inspired flavors like horchata or vegan California pistachio.
This Little Tokyo outpost whips up intensely flavorful soft serve ice cream in a form factor optimized for photography -- strikingly colored frozen cream artfully swirled in a cup or cone makes for the perfect prop. If you’re going for a B&W monotone mood, the charcoal pineapple and vanilla swirl on a charcoal cone is the look. If pink and baby blue are your colors, or if breakfast cereals are a thing for your small ones, the Pegasus combines their Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Fruity Pebble for a combo that pops. If you feel like flexing for our newly stacked Lakers team -- welcome home, Russell Westbrook -- the Ube and Mango combo will have you repping purple and gold in a handheld, edible form.
Founded in Santa Barbara in 1949, McConnell’s has been serving honest ice cream for over 70 years. Fillers, artificial flavors, colorings and other industrial food processes have given way to fresh, simple ingredients sourced from Central Coast farmers. In 1975, McConnell’s purchased their own dairy farm in Santa Barbara that now produces milk exclusively for their ice cream. Control of their supply chain and passion for quality comes through in every scoop of ice cream they serve. Vibrant seasonings tempered with a creamy, sweet base results in choices such as chocolate covered strawberries, Eureka lemon and marionberries, or peppermint stick that the whole family will enjoy.
LA Locations: DTLA, Studio City & Pacific Palisades Online: mcconnells.com
For Angelinos, no visit to the park would be complete without the ringing bells of vendors selling paletas from their hand-pushed carts. The refreshing fruit popsicles are an affordable counteragent for kids heated from running around the playground. Mateo’s has elevated the humble paleta, tapping a wide range of tropical ingredients such as mango, hibiscus and guava with traditional flavors such as strawberry, lemon and watermelon in a spectrum of colors so vivid, it would make Crayola blush. For parents who are fans of Mexican candy or spice in general, try their mango or cucumber peppered with chile. The firey kick is a nice juxtaposition to the chilled pop.
Locations: Mid-City, Pico-Union, Sawtelle & Culver City Online: mateosicecreamla.com
Has your little one ever asked what a fish eating its own body weight in ice cream would look like? Somisomi takes a freshly baked “ah-boong,” Korean for a fish-shaped pastry (that tastes nothing like a fish), lines the inside with an insulative filling (sweet red beans, custard, taro, Nutella), and loads it with soft serve ice cream pouring out of its doughy mouth. The warm, slightly crisped cone and creamy frosted stuffing are a delicious contrast, and the cartoonish packaging is sure to please the kids (and this adult).
LA Locations: Little Tokyo, Koreatown, Santa Monica, Sawtelle, Glendale, Long Beach, Torrance, & Santa Clara
In hot and humid Thailand, for a few local baht, street vendors will pour a creamy liquid onto a chilled, thin metal pan and dice in fruits and ingredients of your choosing. As the mix starts to cool and congeal, the craftsmen spread the blend into a thin, spackle-like coating. The sheet rapidly freezes and is scraped and rolled like a rug, and neatly arranged in a cup resembling a bouquet of flowers. Holy Roly Ice Cream has brought that Thai tradition to our city, offering Western ingredients such as marshmallows, graham crackers, Oreos and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
LA Locations: Koreatown, Melrose & Arcadia Online: holyroly.com
I first heard about Jeni’s on another work trip to Columbus, Ohio, ten years or so ago. The locals raved about a neighborhood ice cream parlor that turned out fantastic scoops. They were right. The smooth creams with fun ingredients were fantastic. Fast forward a few years and the frozen dessert from the Buckeye State has won over the we-scream-for-ice-cream LA, garnering fans for its signature and limited edition flavors. Now with five locations in LA, it’s easy to see what’s so splendid about Jeni’s.
LA Locations: Los Feliz, Venice, Larchmont, Playa Vista & Calabasas Online: jenis.com
When Salt & Straw first landed in Los Angeles, the Portland export opened to much fanfare and for good reason. They craft scrumptious ice cream. It begins with dairy from grass-fed cows free of hormones and antibiotics. Their artisans add locally sourced ingredients, including seasonal fruits and herbs to produce flavors that rotate on a monthly basis. Wild-foraged berry slab pie and goat cheese marionberry habanero are a few mouth-watering examples that are a mouthful to say. If your young ones are daring, check them out during Halloween. Crickets, mealworms and pig’s blood have been some of the components used in past spooky seasons. If you fear forever ruining ice cream for your clan, there’s always chocolate gooey brownie or mint chocolate chip from their Classic Flavors list.
LA Locations: Larchmont, Abbot Kinney, Arts District & Studio City Online: saltandstraw.com
From a North Shore gem beloved by Al Capone to a South Side institution that serves a cone in every color of the rainbow, these classic ice cream parlors are perfect summertime stops
If your kids haven’t immediately squealed, “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!” as the melodic sounds of an ice cream truck blare in the distance, you may very well be overdue for a trip to an old-fashioned ice cream parlor. And, truly, the best way to cool off and celebrate the dog days of summer is by scooping up the littles and visiting local old-school ice cream shops that spoon out signature treats and a heap of nostalgia.
Partial to soft serve? Open to trying frozen custard? Willing to tolerate a display case filled with novelty candy while in line for your banana split? This list has all the most time-honored ice cream establishments, from a North Shore gem where Al Capone used to hang to a South Side institution that serves a cone in every color of the rainbow. Trust us, after you read through all of our picks, you’ll be screaming for ice cream, too.
It’s all about that soft-serve swirl at The Freeze, a bustling homage to Midwestern ice cream counters of yore. The shop looks like a well-worn shack, complete with an indoor queue and an outdoor ice cream window for to-go orders. While the menu spans the spectrum of savory and sweet foods alike, you come here for the ice cream most importantly. The ice cream roster is overwhelmingly enormous, but if you’re looking for that comfort food experience, classic is best. And by that, we mean a soft-serve swirl of chocolate and vanilla, piled high in a sugary cone.
When it comes to vintage ice cream charm, the end-all-be-all in Chicago is Margie’s. With its original location nestled along a bustling stretch of Western Avenue on the city’s northwest side, Margie’s reigns as queen of chilly comfort. The cramped parlor feels preserved in time, each squishy booth bedecked with a mini jukebox, walls dotted with the kind of kitschy paraphernalia you’d expect to find in your grandma’s attic. Oh, and they’ve got some seriously incredible sundaes. These multi-scoop behemoths, piled up in enormous seashell-shaped bowls, come in any variety of classic flavor imaginable. The cherry on top of the sundae, so to speak, is the massive carafe of gooey hot fudge served alongside each sundae. Drizzle it on as you please, or even just spoon the stuff right into your mouth. There’s no judgment at Margie’s.
Something about Ohio, they know their ice cream. Jeni's is another Ohio transplant, having got its start in Ohio. The ambiance at Jeni’s is a treat in itself. Warm and welcoming inside, with a harvest of neutral colors. If you’re looking for typical kiddie flavors, like bubblegum and cookie dough, you won’t find them here. Founder Jeni Briton Bauer believes kids should be treated like independent thinkers with independent tastes and, as such, she makes eating ice cream an adventure. We're telling you, you can't go wrong with any flavor, but we're pretty partial to the brown butter almond brittle.
Various city locations, plus you can buy at many local grocery chains, including Mariano's, Whole Foods, and Target Online:jenis.com
For 100 years, Petersen’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream has been a staple of Oak Park. Founded by Danish immigrant Hans Petersen, the tried-and-true formula of decadent scoops and sundaes still feels as wholesome and comforting as it ever has. Recent new owners have spiffed the space up quite a bit, while still retaining that olden ice cream shoppe vibe with cute tables, tile floor and cheerful scoopers. Regarding the ice cream, this stuff is indulgent and rich, sure to satisfy the most ardent sweet tooth with its 18% butterfat content. Try the Mackinac Island fudge ice cream, the summery peach, or something even richer, like the nutty turtle.
Serving up rainbow-colored goodness since 1926, Original Rainbow Cone is a bastion of old-school ice cream lore on Chicago’s far south side, the site of their original location. Look for the giant rainbow ice cream cone sign gilding the top of the building, then make your way into the comfy, kitschy confines to get your rainbow on. The signature dessert is a multi-layered cone striated with chocolate ice cream, strawberry ice cream, Palmer House ice cream (vanilla with cherries and walnuts), pistachio ice cream, and orange sherbet. If such a tall cone gives you vertigo, they also offer bowls and ice cream cakes.
Various locations in Beverly, Lombard, Darien, and Navy Pier (as well as roaming ice cream trucks, which are often parked near Shedd Aquarium and the Lincoln Park Zoo.) Online: rainbowcone.com
Apparently, Al Capone had a sweet tooth. The legendary Chicago gangster allegedly made frequent stops at Homer’s Homemade Gourmet Ice Cream in Wilmette, where the ice cream parlor has been satisfying dessert cravings for locals, families, travelers (and troublemakers) for upwards of 70 years. With one of the largest ice cream menus in the northern suburbs and thick, decadent ice cream at that, it’s no wonder Homer’s has drawn crowds for generations. Flavors range from classics like butter pecan and mint chip to more unique varieties like green tea, prairie berry, and apple cinnamon. The dining room itself looks like a bygone cafeteria of sorts, filled with light colors, red chairs, and an open, airy space.
If your kids like a little more variety with their ice cream, take them to Lickity Split Frozen Custard & Sweets in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood. While not ice cream necessarily, this frozen custard will give your kids something new to scream for this season. Made at a higher temperature than ice cream, with the addition of egg yolks for density and richness, frozen custard is famously softer, more buttery, and ultimately, more scream-worthy. Lickity Split, a charming cafe with a quaint general store motif, peddles frozen custard cones, sundaes, splits, and concretes, the signature dessert made by blending frozen custard with different toppings, like crushed cookies, fudge brownie bits, and sour cherries. There are also rows of cases filled with pastries, candies, and other snacks for the discerning sweet tooth in your family.
One of the newest entrants to the local ice cream market comes by way of Ohio. The quintessence of Midwestern ice cream shoppe charm, the Graeter’s brand has been churning out quality ice cream for more than a century, so you know they’ve got the formula down. The family-run company opened its first scoop shop in 1984, and though they’ve grown nationally, they still use small-batch methods to ensure each and every ice cream is of the utmost in taste and texture. Its first Chicagoland locations feature all the flavors Midwesterners have come to know and love, made with locally sourced, wholesome ingredients. And lots of chocolate chips. Think black cherry chocolate chip, Buckeye blitz (peanut butter cookie dough and dark chocolate chips), toffee chocolate chip, mint chocolate chip, and lots more.
The oldest custard shop in Chicago, Scooter’s is a Roscoe Village icon with major neighborhood cred. It was opened in 2003 by Mardi and Denny Moore as a place to enjoy ice cream's premium cousin (the custard's texture is denser and creamier) prepared daily using a method that eliminates most of the ice crystals found in your average scoop. Try a famous Concrete, a blend of custard and toppings so thick you can serve it upside down. Fan favorites include the Elvis (vanilla custard, Reese’s Peanut Butter cup and bananas) and the Strawberry concrete, a hand-churned mix of vanilla custard and whole strawberries.
As we ease out of summer and into fall, retailers everywhere are getting amped for warm weather duds. When it comes to Halloween, Old Navy is ready for the spooky season!
The retailer just launched the first round of Halloween pajamas, T-shirts and socks that will get your excited to scream boo! While clearly there is more to come, we couldn’t help but get excited at the products available so far. Keep scrolling to see our faves!
Gender-Neutral Snug-Fit Skeleton Graphic Pajama One-Piece for Kids
When I was little, I always knew I was in trouble by the size of my mother’s eyes. If I did something wrong, her eyes widened to reveal every inch of white and her disappointment. My Mom was never a yeller—she always spoke in an even tone, and communicated very well about what we needed to correct regarding our behavior or attitude. I believe the way she reacted taught me and my siblings many lessons about respect.
Remember respect? I feel like this is a lost virtue in the world today, especially between children and adults. Somehow we have communicated to children that they are equal with adults, and I don’t know about you, but that’s not the world I grew up in! We were taught to respect our elders; to learn from our elders.
Now, let me clarify: respecting our elders does NOT mean we teach our children to not respect themselves, or suppress their voices or discourage them from even finding their voices. Respect is something we have to teach by example, and once that is accomplished, respect should be a mutual dance that is done easily and instinctively. But, it starts in the sandbox. And it starts with you.
First, it’s gut-check time: how are you showing your children what respect means and what respect is? I am a visual learner, and I believe most kids are. You want to show them how to treat people, not just tell them. As a parent or caretaker, let’s take inventory of how you treat your friends, family, strangers, etc? More importantly, how do you treat others when you don’t agree with them?
I see parents yelling at the TV because they’re watching the news and they disagree with commentators. To think your kids aren’t watching you, hearing you, or taking in your energy is shortsighted. That moment, as small as you may think it is, speaks volumes. What you are teaching your child, as they watch your emotions get the best of you, is that if you disagree with someone or something, you can yell/scream/cuss—whatever you want because you “feel like it.”
I understand that we can’t edit our reactions, nor should we try and suppress emotions, but I do believe we need to teach our children that there is a right and wrong way to react and to communicate our feelings. Perhaps they are just getting in tussles on the playground right now, but they will have bigger problems later in life that you need to prepare them for now. They will be faced with challenging moments that stress them out; hurt them; incite them, etc. It’s our job to give them the tools to react to whatever arena they’re dropped in with the self-respect, and respect of others, that they and we all deserve.
This may sound like a daunting task what I am asking, but if you step back, I am not asking anything from you that isn’t basic: it comes down to manners. Saying “please,” “thank you,” “pardon me,” “I appreciate you,” etc. We need to give our kids this language and we need to remember to practice it, too. Holding doors for people, being a helper when we see someone in need, approaching people from a place of empathy and compassion, etc—these are all lessons we need to teach our children, and the only way to successfully do that is by showing them how we treat others and how we treat them. Yes, you read that right—treating our children with respect is how they learn to respect themselves and respect others.
We also have to be mindful of our village: the people influencing our children. Maybe this is extended family, grandparents, friends, teachers, or even our children’s friends. You are the company you keep, as they say. This is yet another lesson our kids need to learn from the jump. If they hang around troublemakers, chances are they are going to get into more mischief. You can’t always control who your children choose as friends, but you certainly need to be paying attention to it. Sometimes your child’s behavior, especially if erratic or if you’re seeing changes over time, is being influenced by something or, more likely, someone.
If you ever witness your children’s friends being disrespectful, I give you permission to step in. I am not telling you to spank or punish, but you certainly have the authority to let that child know that there are rules in your house and specific behavior won’t be tolerated. Of course, there is a fine line we don’t want to cross when it comes to correcting or disciplining other people’s children, but try to remember that you’re measuring it based on the values of your home. It’s simple: either they align with your values or they don’t. And, if they don’t, then maybe that friendship isn’t meant to be.
Regardless of your definition of respect, there is one thing we can all agree on: we want the best for our kids, and we want to raise them to be kind and spread it. The way to do that? Respect.
Florence Ann Romano, The Windy City Nanny™ (WindyCityNanny.com), is an author,
philanthropist and web series star/host who has always had a special place in her heart for
children.
You can scream for ice cream, or you can smize for it. Tyra Banks is jumping into the ice cream game with the release of the aptly named SMiZE Cream and it will ship nationwide. It’s custard-style, comes in seven signature flavors and comes with a twist.
Once you make it to the bottom of the individually packed serving, you’ll find a cookie dough truffle covered in sprinkles! You can buy each of the seven flavors online: vanilla, birthday cake, brownies, purple cookie monster, salted caramel, cookie caramel and an intriguing “chocolate barbeque” flavor. Orders are slated to ship in mid-July for the perfect summer pick me up.
“You might be saying ‘Tyra, what’s different about your ice cream?” Banks said. “I’ve got news for you… This is not just ice cream. It’s technically a delectable frozen custard. And we’ve got a yummy SMiZE Surprize hidden inside – a huge chunkalicious cookie dough truffle!
If you’re in the LA area, you can also visit the official SMiZE shop starting today. It’s located blocks from the beach at Santa Monica Place in Santa Monica, California. Banks has also created a mentorship program around the launch and the new company will partner with Eldera, the global intergenerational mentoring platform. Get your smize on and enjoy!
You muted your microphone on a Zoom call but forgot to turn your camera off to yell at a child to get back on their kindergarten Google Meet. Your entire team is now terrified of making you mad.
You made an unexpected appearance in said kindergarten Google Meet that you thought was muted but wasn’t. Now your child’s entire kindergarten class is also terrified of you.
You pull on a sweater over your dirty t-shirt ten seconds before a meeting and pop in with a big smile and a bigger cup of coffee.
People constantly tell you that you look tired. Mostly because you are tired. So tired. But you just smile and nod because responding would make more people scared of you.
You have attended a meeting, paid attention, changed a diaper, unloaded the dishwasher, and fed the dog in the last three minutes.
You have been hit in the head with a Nerf dart or some sort of ball during a video meeting.
You don’t wear real pants anymore. Ever.
You are stretched so thin that you think you might not be able to do this any longer.
When you get the rare chance to go to the office, you cherish it. You can be alone and sit in silence and drink coffee and think without hearing crying or barking or the tv or a microwave or screaming YouTubers.
You have had a meeting or important call while crouching in a closet or in the bathroom because it’s the only place your kids can’t find you.
I am a full time working mom with two little boys, Henry and Simon. I write about real life and real life gets messy. Contributor for Motherly, HuffPost Parents, Scary Mommy, Today Parents, Love What Matters and Her View From Home.