I don't know where I would be without Linda and the Chicago New Moms Group. It was such a necessary…read moresupport system during the most vulnerable time of my life. I learned how to be a mom in public with a newborn without judgement. I have a wonderful network of moms that I ask every question to, all of which are going through the exact same stages with their baby. It's the community that you need during a highly destabilizing time, and the group continues to make me feel right at home. Thank you Linda, and I would highly recommend this experience to any new mom!

Really thankful for this group as a first time mom! The first months of motherhood can feel lonely…read moreand overwhelming at times, and this was the perfect group to meet new people, talk through experiences, ask questions, learn about local resources, and relate to other new moms in a judgement-free environment. It was also great practice gaining confidence bringing my baby out in public on my own. I feel much more confident as a mom after participating in the group. Highly recommend!

Leah Lemelin helped me trust my body more, feel calmer, and more present with what I was…read moreexperiencing. I felt more in command and confident throughout. I thought I wanted a doula just for the day of delivery but what I found was that the work we did together before delivery is what altered the whole experience. It was deeply supportive and prepared me in a way I didn't even know I needed or was possible. So, even if you are an experienced mom, you are having a traditional medical birth, having Leah as your doula will deepen your experience and give it back to you as truly yours in a profound way. I can't thank her enough for walking with me through it and guiding me into myself so I could remember my own agency and power and strength in it all.

Mary has been our lactation consultant for 1 year. She had been part of my support network since we…read moresaw her during an at-home visit when my daughter was 1 month old. I'd count her as one of the women that I've most leaned on as a first-time mother. She is a walking book of knowledge on everything child related. She is kind and passionate and always available. I'm not sure where we'd be without her. We are so grateful to have her in our lives.

This place is not safe for Jewish families and if they won't protect Jewish families, how can any…read morefamily be safe? When we encountered a clear, documented situation of bias and antisemitism with a teacher the leadership team refused to even acknowledge that they stand against antisemitism much less take any steps to address it. Despite my attempts to have a dialogue about it, I merely got the old "sorry you felt that way" and my money back.

They have a wonderful program here and help families better understand their children's needs.read more

This review is not for Big Blue but for a specific teacher. Gloria is a real life magical mermaid…read more She is an incredible teacher, advocate, and role model. I'm truly in awe of her ability to maintain enthusiasm, warmth, insight, and intention through lesson after lesson. She is working on another level. She packs so much into a 30 minute lesson - challenging her students to build skill, creating a sense of community, encouraging them to support each other. We've had a few teachers at Big Blue, all clearly well trained, and our child demonstrates more growth in one session with Gloria than a month with his other teachers. I've worked in schools and observed educators in various settings for many years. Gloria has the passion and charisma that I recognize from the best teachers I've known. Even when my child was not in her class, Gloria advocated for his learning experience, working with the staff to make sure he was in the right level for both his age and skill. Whatever you are paying her, quadruple it. We are lucky to have Gloria in our community. Generally our experiences with big blue staff have been positive. Staff are always friendly and helpful. Gloria, again, stands head and shoulders above the rest.

The management of this facility and its customer service here have really gone down hill. With as…read moremany options exist in our neighborhood, I would avoid this place. Our sons attended lessons here 2-3 years ago and we had a fine experience. Great instructor who really knew them and knew how to motivate and celebrated their successes. This summer, we enrolled our one year old daughter. The classes had a different instructor every week. Classes were often cancelled due to facility closures with little to no notice. Refunds are not given for those cancellations- they will offer to give you a credit to come at another time (even if you literally cannot make any of the available times). After months of "membership" and only attending 1 class I finally cancelled, which I had to do via text message to reach their customer service. 2 months later they are still charging me. Avoid this place.

As a parent, I was disappointed with Reach. We had one therapist who was qualified and knew what…read moreshe was doing but most of the others seemed to have no training whatsoever with special needs kids or even with childcare in general. The management was always defensive. We were doing 20+ hours a week of therapy and saw minimal gains. When we switched companies, our child got potty trained in just a couple of months with the new therapists. Reach's owners may be mothers of special needs kids themselves but they don't have the expertise to serve other special needs kids or to run a business.

Reach ABA is the best of the best. We had 4 ABA companies so far. Reach is very organise , smart,…read moreprofessional and they do work with children. They other ABA's kind of babysit . I wish I knew them earlier. I strongly recommend them.

What a wonderful organization and creative community! I…read morediscovered this organization at the Printer's Row Lit Fest, and a friend recommended it too, and I am thrilled to know about this place! I attended an information session today and everyone was so kind and welcoming. They also provided an incredible food spread. The space is very warm and inviting. Really positive atmosphere. It was a lovely two hour event, which included socializing, an ice breaker, a writing exercise, and a Q&A. They offer a wide variety of classes, workshops, fellowships, and free events too. Lots of ways to become involved and find your writing community. I look forward to participating more in the future.

As a new author eager to grow within Chicago's literary community, I volunteered with StoryStudio…read morein December to give back to a space I truly admired and to earn class credit through their Work/Study program. I believed I was joining a reputable, nurturing organization for writers. Unfortunately, what began as an act of goodwill became one of the most disappointing experiences I've had with any arts organization. Despite showing up, completing my shift, and following up multiple times in good faith, my volunteer credit was never honored until I had to chase it down months later. Worse, after being told I'd be contacted for future opportunities, I was met with total silence--no returned calls, no responses to emails. Then, seeing new volunteer positions advertised publicly while I was still waiting for even a basic reply was frankly demoralizing. To make matters worse, when I finally did receive a response, it included vague recollections and misplaced blame about my punctuality--something that had already been cleared and verified by their own staff as a harmless scheduling miscommunication caused by conflicting information from the studio itself. Instead of accountability or an apology, I received an impersonal brush-off and a polite "we're all staffed up." As a writer and volunteer who genuinely believed in StoryStudio's mission, I expected better--basic professionalism, follow-through, and respect for the people who donate their time to keep the organization running. What I encountered instead was disorganization, poor communication, and a disappointing disregard for volunteers who aren't part of the inner circle. For new writers looking for a supportive creative home, I'd urge caution. Writers deserve better than to be ghosted by the very spaces that claim to nurture them.

My daughter needed to gain confidence swimming without a life jacket and we tried this facility out…read moreof convience. The swimming pool area and floatees are clean and don't reek of chlorine. Shower divider is made of glass overlooking the indoor pool. Restrooms, locker room area, and changing area separates from the swimming pool area. Depending on the age and swimming level of your child under 12 years old, monthly cost is either $90 or $120+. The professional staff, esp the lifegaurd, focus on both fun and safety. Always can make up a class missed within that week without a penalty. We especially love the daily family swim, which is included in the membership. Family swim another activity for my daughter and I to bond and away from hot temperatures. My daughter's swimming coach encouarges each lesson to build on present skills that makes her come every week. Based on one of the employees, that their program os so effective that each level of advancement is on an average of 3 months.

We had a really good experience at Goldfish Swim School in Roscoe Village and would give it a solid…read more4/5 overall. The facility was clean and appeared well maintained, which is especially important to me when it comes to a place with a pool and lots of children. The staff was also very friendly and welcoming. Everyone we interacted with was pleasant and helpful, and the overall environment felt very kid-friendly. Parking was another big plus. We didn't have any issues finding a spot, which makes getting kids in and out for swim lessons so much easier. My biggest complaint was the temperature inside. I completely understand keeping the pool area warm for the kids while they're swimming, but the heat seemed to carry over into the eating/viewing area as well. It was extremely warm and uncomfortable while sitting there almost like being outside on a hot pool day. A little more air circulation or a cooler temperature in the areas where parents and families are waiting would make a huge difference. Aside from the heat, we had a positive experience. The facility was clean, the staff was friendly, parking was convenient, and it seemed like a nice environment for children to learn and become more comfortable in the water. Overall, a solid 4/5. I would definitely recommend Goldfish Swim School in Roscoe Village, but hopefully they can make the waiting/eating areas a little more comfortable for parents and families! ‍

The program is terrific, however, the office isn't super responsive. I tried to pause my son's…read morelessons for the he summer and never got a call back. Now they want to charge me for an additional 30 days. Disappointed.

Best for music instruction. Great staff and philosophy. They have a strong culture and community.read more

I graduated from Players Workshop in Summer 2001…read more As a stage and film actor, I find the training provided at PW extremely useful and inspiring. Thank you, instructors Steve Roath and Jeff!

If making choices in life are a challenge in any aspect of life or career, this program is for you!…read morePlayers Workshop will help to fine tune your ability to access your internal creative core. Once you have started unlocking and breaking down your fears and barriers, your ability to give presentations, engage in conversation and perform in life are at a renewed and heightened level. This program is great for developing teamwork skills and being able to trust your inner self.

Chicago's Finest Tactics & CCL is an extremely professionally-operated organization that still…read moremanages to maintain a hospitable and friendly environment. Their responsiveness to my inquiries was unmatched by any other CCL sources to which I had reached out. Classes are conducted by CPD Range Instructors - masters in their craft. Not just excellent instructors, but an excellent GROUP of instructors. Their camaraderie and history of shared experiences pull the class together into a comfortable and relaxed setting. Veteran law enforcement officers, competent and knowledgeable in laws and regulations governing firearms, instruct with expertise and thoroughness, adding just the right touch of humor to make every student feel at ease regardless of their own personal level of firearms experience. All instructors were encouraging and hang in there with you from beginning to end! Their attentiveness to each individual's needs and experience level was absolutely awesome! The class was conducted with a "NO STUDENT LEFT BEHIND" objective. Can't say enough great things about this group, from Bonnie at the front desk to all of the instructors: Jack, Ephrain, Chris, Mario, Phil, et al - THANK YOU!

From the owner: Conceal Carry Classes,Awareness Classes,Violence Prevention in the Workplace Trainingread more