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Back to school anxiety
Starting out in a new school for the first time can feel like a journey into the unknown, whether the student is an awkward tween or a shy preschooler leaving a parent’s side for the first time. Along with excitement over a new school year comes a slew of logistical and socialemotional obstacles for kids and.

Financial independence for teens and young adults
It’s a fine line between knowing what is enough and what is too much financial help when it comes to teens and adult children. The hope is to raise strong, independent adults and the key may be instilling knowledge about finances, along with financial confidence.

The facts about active shooter drills
For decades, students have participated in fire and tornado drills. Many of us remember the sudden wailing of a fire alarm, then lining up and traipsing out of the building, waiting for the all clear from the fire department. Or we remember crouching in a hall, hands over our heads as practice for a tornado.

Fantasy books for kids
Do you have a child who is into the fantasy genre, but maybe isn’t quite ready to sit down with a Harry Potter novel? Maybe a child who is inquisitive about what the future on Earth may look like? Or a child that likes a fast-paced mystery? Then I have a title for you – Dragon Charmer,.

Could your child be on the autism spectrum?
Sometimes the signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are subtle – developmental delays or not smiling or cooing as much as other babies. Sometimes the red flags are hard to ignore, such as losing speech, a lack of eye contact or lining up toys or pieces of food.

Taking the lead in sportsmanship
We’ve all seen it – the parent who stands on the sidelines criticizing the decisions made by coaches and officials; the one who yells at his own child when she makes a mistake; the fan that hurls rude remarks to the opposing team; and the parent who always places blame.

Fun phone apps for kids to stimulate thinking and creativity
With a massive sea of kids’ phone apps on the market, which ones best maximize kids’ media time? The following is a selection of kid-tested and parentapproved apps to help boost kids’ critical thinking skills and creativity..

Family event calendar
Looking for Lincoln at the State Fair.

Sensory friendly
By means of donations, volunteers and community partners, the ASCI is able to offer the following activities free of charge to families affected by autism. Call ASCI at 217-585-1421 for more sensory-friendly events..