Laura Baginski_NPN_Contributor

Looking for a special gift or just a treat for yourself? Check out this list of Black-owned businesses in the city (many of which offer delivery or curbside pickup), where you can get everything from cocktail-themed artisan soaps to kids' toys. *Updated 1/28/2024 Food & Drink Batter & Berries: Breakfast/brunch/lunch spot in Lincoln Park Brown Sugar Bakery: Cakes and cupcakes in Chatham Can't Believe It's Not Meat: A vegan and vegetarian restaurant specializing in plant-based comfort food in Hyde Park Chemisty: Black-owned steakhouse and celebration/party venue in Hyde Park Chicago French Press: Coffee roaster that offers bean subscriptions and beans by the pound Coffee, Hip Hop & Mental Health: A cafe and mental health resource in Lakeview The Common Cup: Coffee shop in Rogers Park Demera: Ethiopian cuisine in Uptown Ethiopian Diamond: Ethiopian cuisine in Edgewater Friistyle: Belgian frites in Bronzeville Frontier: Meat-focused restaurant in Bucktown Fruve Express Juicery: Cold-pressed juice in Loop and South Loop Gimme Some Sugah: Pies, cakes, cookies and more in South Shore Good to Go Jamaican: Jamaican cuisine on Rogers Park/Evanston border The Grail Cafe: Breakfast and lunch in South Loop Ina Mae’s Tavern: New Orleans cuisine in Wicker Park Justice of the Pies: Pies available in markets and some restaurants Kilwin’s: Ice cream and sweets in Hyde Park Kyoto Black: Coffee shop in Edgewater currently offering coffee bean delivery Lem’s Bar-B-Q: Barbecue spot in Chatham Life’s Sweet: Cafe in Rogers Park Lizzy J: Catering, cafe and housemade iced tea in Ravenswood The Long Room: Bar/restaurant in Ravenswood currently offering to-go cocktails, beer and wine Love Corkscrew: Wine delivery; also available in various retail locations Luella’s Southern Kitchen: Soul food in Lincoln Square Pearl’s Place: Southern cuisine in Bronzeville Rooh Chicago: Indian cuisine in West Loop Shawn Michelle's: Ice cream shop in Bronzeville Sip & Savor: Coffee shop in Bronzeville Soule: Southern cuisine in West Town Strugglebeard Bakery: Baked cookies and sweets made with love by a Veteran in Hyde Park. Taste 2 Go: American cuisine in West Loop Taylor’s Tacos: Tacos for catering or pickup (Tuesdays only) in East Garfield Park Virtue: Southern cuisine in Hyde Park Clothes & Accessories A’nies Accents: Boutique in South Loop Buttonsbyferrai: Etsy shop featuring custom and social activist buttons Kido: Kids' toys and clothes in South Loop; online ordering available Kiwi’s Boutique: Boutique in Tri-Taylor; online ordering available Mimi’s Tot Closet: Shop for girls’ clothes in Auburn-Gresham; online ordering available Love Peridot: Accessories shop in South Loop; online ordering available Recycled Modern: Vintage, upcycled and handcrafted furniture and home decor shop in Lakeview Reformed School: Etsy shop featuring humorous and social activism T-shirts and accessories The Silver Room: Jewelry, accessories, clothes, gifts and more in Hyde Park; online ordering available Sir & Madame: Fashion brand with a store in Hyde Park Standout Style Boutique: Online-only clothes and accessories Beauty/Personal Care/Health 80th and May: Online-only shop featuring artisan soaps and bath salts Blade and Bloom: Etsy shop featuring skin-care products Bodi Shak: Group fitness gym in Uptown Chatto: Natural hair- and skin-care products in West Loop; online ordering available Depart with Art: Online-only shop featuring organic body products Eb & Flow: Yoga studio in Bucktown; currently offering live online classes Goldkissed Essentials: Online-only shop featuring handmade soaps Mad Moisture Beauty: Online-only skincare products Mind Body Defense: Kickboxing gym with private classes in Uptown Next Man Up Spa: A spa catering to men in Bronzeville Pear Nova: Online-only vegan nail polish Soap Distillery: Cocktail-inspired artisan soaps Sweet Beginnings: Beekeeping social enterprise featuring honey and honey-based body care products; online ordering available Black Owned Market: Online-only bath and body products Urbane Blades: Men’s barbershop in Near North Side Wholistic Skincare: Skincare salon in Clybourn Corridor; online ordering available Books, Gifts & More Black Ensemble Theater: A theater and arts production studio that also provides theatrical and technical theater training opportunities for youth in Uptown Boxville: A shipping container marketplace featuring diverse-owned businesses that operate year-round in Bronzeville Helendora Samuels Picture Framing: Custom frame shop in Wicker Park Rose Blossom Chicago: Online-only florist Semicolon Chi: The only Black woman–owned bookstore in Chicago. Store in River West; online ordering available. Thepairabirds: Etsy shop featuring illustrated artwork Third Coast Comics: Comic and graphic novel shop in Rogers Park This is not an exhaustive list, so we'd love to get your recommendations for awesome Black-owned businesses in Chicago. Share them with us at sitaara@npnparents.org.

My 4 year old is starting preschool in the fall. This is not necessarily a remarkable event — kids start preschool the world over every year, of course — but given our circumstances and the horridness of local and world events since his birth, I feel this milestone is really something worth celebrating. [Related: Preschool, or therapeutic preschool?] Let’s start with my son himself. Julian is…how do I say this…a challenging child. He is hilarious, whip-smart, cute as hell and, when he wants to be, very sweet and cuddly. I’m wild about him. But hoo boy, is he intense. Intense opinions. Intense emotions. Intense moods. Even in utero, he made his presence known with morning sickness so intense I had to take anti-nausea meds right up until his birth. Then there was the colic, followed by torticollis that required physical therapy, then a flat head that required a helmet, followed by refusing to eat most foods that required food therapy. Then the pandemic hit. I took a leave from my job at NPN to parent Julian and help my older son with online school while my husband worked from home. Feeding therapy went away and, with it, all the Fs I had to give about what he ate, which admittedly felt pretty freeing. Then, three months into the pandemic, he started a wonderful nanny share and, for nearly two years, the other little boy often was his only playmate. Classes, play dates, birthday parties, swim lessons…all the things his older brother got to experience at Julian’s age? Until very recently, he didn’t get to do any of them. [Related: How I did my Chicago preschool search] So it’s with a lot of happiness and trepidation that my husband and I anticipate him starting preK at our neighborhood CPS school, where his brother already attends. Will Julian follow the rules? Adapt to the new routine? Play nicely with the other kids? Eat a lunch beyond Goldfish and a stick of cheese? These are questions all parents probably have before their child attends school for the first time, but his lack of experience with any kind of classroom and his relative social isolation have me worried. Odds are he’ll be just fine, and preK will do him immeasurable good. But until the jury is in, I will be on pins and needles. [Related: Preschool vs. pre-k: What's the difference?] And then, of course, are the other worries. Since Julian’s birth four years ago, the world has become an even scarier place. Rampant racism, mass shootings, mass shootings in schools, Covid, Covid restrictions, quarantines, horrific wars around the world, an ever-deepening political and social divide, a rolling back of our constitutional rights…just, wow. It’s a lot. Parents of the world, give yourself a pat on the back for just surviving the past few years. Yet I am hopeful. Hopeful for Julian starting this new (easier?) chapter, hopeful that there are good, decent people who are working hard with me to make this world better for him. He deserves it. We all do.

A nanny share seems like the best of both worlds: Your little one gets daily socialization with another child like they would in daycare, but you still get the benefits of having a dedicated caregiver while (importantly) splitting the cost with another family. All of that is pretty much true. But a nanny share also requires a delicate arrangement between two busy families and one nanny, and it can get complicated, especially in the age of COVID. Having just finished a successful nearly two-year nanny share, I feel qualified to offer this guide to starting a nanny share, along with some tips from fellow NPN members. What comes first, the family or the nanny? That’s a matter of personal preference and circumstance, but I think finding the family first makes sense. That way, both families can search for and interview the nanny and come to an agreement. Which leads me to… Finding a family The prevailing wisdom is to start looking for a nanny at least one month before you need one to start, so if you’re finding a family first, give yourself at least a month before that. That means that if you’re taking the standard three-month maternity leave, you basically need to start looking for a family while you’re preparing your birth plan. An exaggeration, but…not really? Connecting with families who are pregnant and similarly far along (NPN is a great source for this!), isn’t a bad idea. [Related: How to find a nanny] But assuming you have your baby already, use the time you are mindlessly scrolling on your phone while rocking that little rascal to sleep to search or post on sites about sharing a nanny. Options include NPN’s Childcare Classifieds, of course, as well as neighborhood parent Facebook groups, neighborhood association email lists, and sites like Nanny Lane. What should you look for in a family? That depends on what’s important to you as a parent, but here are some things to consider: How they feel about vaccines for themselves and their baby (a thorny but important subject these days) Age of kids (it’s really helpful if both kids are roughly the same age) Proximity (easiest if the family is close to you or your office) Hours needed Start date — and end date, if they know it More nuanced issues to talk about with a potential family: parenting philosophy and discipline preferences. If you don’t discuss this, as one NPN member says, “the nanny ends up having to navigate why Brynnleigh gets fruit gummies and timeouts but Xyaedan can only snack on dried kale and must be rocked to sleep.” Not necessarily deal-breakers but important to agree on before the nanny share starts: What to do when one of the kids is sick Where you want the childcare to happen (your house, their house, a split of both?) Aligning nap schedules (recommended!) Whether the host family provides food or if you need to pack food for each day Kid equipment you’ll need — such as a double stroller, crib or pack ‘n’ play, high chair, diapers, dishware and bottles — and how you will split the cost COVID complications Like most things in our lives these days, COVID makes navigating nanny shares more complicated. The importance of being in agreement with the other family and with your nanny on safety protocols, masks, and all things pandemic-related cannot be overstated. This NPN member summed up well all the factors to consider: “…Clear communication on illnesses and behavior, both COVID and non-COVID illness … as well as expected behavior/testing for known exposures and feelings on masks indoors in public. When we visit the museum, are both families on the same page as well as the nanny? Also, will you follow the 24-hour fever-free rule schools use or the 72-hour fever free that is actually recommended by pediatricians? Or do you split the difference and do 48 hours? … And what is the plan if nanny is sick? Does each household rotate responsibility for the whole share or is each person responsible for their own kid(s)?” Whew. It’s a lot. All the more reason to hash out these issues ahead of time to avoid conflict in the future. [Related: What to ask in a nanny interview] All about the Benjamins Now down to the nitty gritty. You need to agree on the salary you’ll offer the nanny, which is typically the market rate plus 33%. The nanny will be watching two kids at once, after all. A nanny contract is essential. In it, you’ll lay out how and when the nanny is paid; vacation, sick days and holidays; bonuses and raises; and when and how any of the parties can end the agreement. (Read a more in-depth guide to nanny contracts.) Each family should employ the nanny separately and each give her a W2. The pay rate and the contract will be finalized once you’ve found your nanny and they weigh in on what’s important to them. Finding a nanny Together, you’ll find the nanny of your dreams. There are many ways to go about it: NPN’s Childcare Classifieds, nanny agencies, word of mouth, and sites like Care.com are just a few. But first, discuss with the other family what you’re looking for in a nanny. Do you need the nanny to be able to drive and have a car? Would you prefer a nanny who speaks another language and would be willing to teach it to your kids? Do you expect the nanny to do household chores and food prep? Beyond these qualifications, talk about the personality that would fit best with both families. Do you want a nanny who has that calm, warm, grandparent-y vibe, or would a nanny who has boundless energy and tons of silly ideas for fun activities work best for both kids? There are countless things to consider when interviewing a nanny, checking references, extending an offer and maintaining a strong relationship. This article, How to find a nanny, succinctly covers it all. Just like you would at your 9-5, you might want to have a quarterly check-in with the other family and your nanny. This helps make sure you are all aligned and communicating any issues or concerns. The relationship you have with your nanny and nanny share family is one of the most important in your young child’s life. When a nanny share works well for all parties, it’s truly wonderful. I was very sad when our nanny share family moved to the suburbs, but I will always be grateful for the time our families and our nanny spent sharing the work of raising two small humans.

Three-bedroom new-ish house with a yard on a quiet street in a diverse area, within walking distance of a good CPS neighborhood school, close to an El stop, with parks and restaurants nearby. These were our requirements when my husband and I were looking to move out of our cramped two-bedroom condo in Edgewater with our then 2-year-old son back in 2015. A tall order, for sure. But Old Irving Park, a small neighborhood straddling 90/94 on the Northwest Side, delivered on all points — and then some. "It's a little bit of suburbia in the city," I often say to people unfamiliar with Old Irving. Houses with decent-size backyards can often be found for less than $1 million; the community is tight knit (I'm a member of the Old Irving Park Association and the Irving Park Garden Club); my son's school, Belding Elementary, is a 2-block walk from our house and nearly all the kids on our block go there; and we know our neighbors — especially the many parents of kids my sons' ages. Here are a few of our favorite family spots in and around OIP: [Related: Family neighborhood guide to Sauganash] Parks Our go-tos are Mayfair Park (cute water feature in the summer), Independence Park (giant slides, climbing structures, and a zip line), playgrounds at Belding Elementary and Disney II , LaBagh Woods (wide open grassy areas, the southern start of the North Branch Trail, toddler-friendly hiking trails along the Chicago River), Portage Park (great pool with kids' spray park, big playground), and Gompers Park (fun playground and a perfect hill for sledding). Yeah…we go to a lot of parks! Schools We're partial to Belding, of course, but there are plenty of other top-notch schools nearby, including St. Edward Catholic School, Disney II Magnet School, St. Viator Catholic School, and lots of great daycares. Diversity Our kids interact with other children from different countries, ethnicities, socio-economic backgrounds every single day. Belding is majority minority, more than 25 languages are spoken there, and my son is learning both Arabic and Spanish. Restaurants One drawback to living in Old Irving is its lack of retail density. Coming from Edgewater, where you could quickly walk to countless restaurants and bars, a Whole Foods, and independent shops, it was a bit of an adjustment to have to drive to pick up groceries or shop for clothes and gifts. That said, a number of great spots have opened in the past few years that are family-friendly and have great food (a rare combo!). [Related: Family neighborhood guide to Buena Park] We love Backlot Coffee for donuts, Eris Brewery and Cider House for its big outdoor patio, Community Tavern for its generous and delicious kids' meals (kids eat free Tuesday–Thursday and Sunday — score!), Old Irving Brewing for its cornhole area where kids can burn off energy (or just hoard beanbags like my kids do), and Easy Street Pizza for its delicious pizza and enclosed patio. Other fun stuff The beautiful, light-filled Independence Library is a great way to spend a couple hours — we can't wait for the wood toys in the kids' corner and child programming to come back. The Irving Park YMCA ties the community together with social events, affordable summer camp, swim and sports lessons, and a kids' club where little ones can play while parents work out. Chicago Costume is just a few blocks from our house — the place is bananas and a fun stop even when it's not Halloween. Old Irving Park does more than check all our boxes — it's the first neighborhood we've lived in that really felt like home. When so many families seem to be moving to the suburbs, we continue to be thankful for our city/suburb hybrid 'hood.

It may not be easy to talk to your kids about the realities of racism, but it's a critical part of making positive change in our city and our country, and helping your child develop into a thoughtful, aware and kind adult. Here are some resources to help parents facilitate these conversations. We'll keep adding more as we find them. If you have resources to add to this list, email sitaara@npnparents.org. And add your voice to discussions on our forum about racism and current events. Great list of children's books to support conversations on race, racism and resistance from the org Embrace Race Round-up of podcasts, books, articles and toys compiled by infographic designers Pretty Good. This chart Pretty Good created about when to talk to your kids about race is...pretty good. An essay in The Atlantic by a Black woman who now understands why her parents were so strict Tips on having conversations about race, broken down by age, from CNN How not to raise a racist white kid. Enough said. Talking to your kids about riots and protests from Red Tricycle Children's book round-up featuring books about racism and white privilege, and books that simply have a non-white protagonist, divided by age, from the New York Times Huge list of articles, advice and other resources from the Center for Racial Justice in Education A blog devoted to raising race-conscious children Facebook group called Books for Littles: Raising Luminaries Kidlit that discusses kids books that "instill values of compassion, equality, and smashing the kyriarchy in the next generation of leaders" 10 diverse children's books from Mommy Nearest