MaineStay holds a weekly Parent Support Group every Thursday night from 5:30-7:00 PM in conjunction with Parents Care and Share of Illinois, a division of Children's Home + Aid Society. A free pizza dinner is served from 5:30-6:00 PM and the parents meet from 6:00-7:00 PM. Free childcare is provided by trained childcare facilitors during this timeframe. A trained facilitator leads the group and encourages substantial parent interaction. Group discussion is structured around principles from Parenting With Love and Logic. The group helps parents to learn new skills, connect with one another, strengthen family relationships, and pass their knowledge and experience on to other parents. Topics discussed include positive parenting strategies, child development, tantrums, eating and bedtime difficulties, discipline, parent-child interaction, self-esteem, communication, partner issues, drug and alcohol concerns, and peer relationships.

The group is open to parents or guardians who live in Maine Township or who have a child attending a Maine Township school. Pre-registration is not required. Please contact the group coordinator, Michelle Lyon, at or 847-297-2510 x271 with any questions.