Growing Up in Santa Cruz

Growing Up in Santa Cruz

Why Failure May Be the Best Summer Lesson

Success is often the culmination of lessons learned from failure. Back in my early 20s, I opened an environmental fundraising company that quickly lost $100,000 in six months. Devastated and unsure what to do next...

The 20-Minute Stroller Workout

The 20-Minute Stroller Workout  By Monica Menard B.A.  Certified Personal Trainer and Prenatal Postpartum Specialist These moves prepare you for the demands of motherhood and are postpartum safe. Both should be primary goals for all...

Wood You Believe It? The Wild Ride of the Woody

Explore the history of the classic 'woody' station wagon, from its practical beginnings to its iconic status in California's surf culture and the Woodies on the Wharf event...

Rooted in Connection This Summer

Summer offers a unique opportunity for families to slow down and reconnect through nervous system regulation and emotionally safe parenting strategies...

Positive Discipline for Caregivers of Older Adults

Learn how Positive Discipline and person-centered care provide essential support and dignity for caregivers of older adults in an aging society...

What a Lemonade Stand Teaches Kids About Money

A lemonade stand may look like a folding table, a paper sign, and a pitcher of something slightly too sweet. But to a kid, it can feel like opening their very first business. First Comes...

Local Dads Say Time Together Matters Most

Local dads share their favorite fatherhood memories, plus how a simple lemonade stand can teach children valuable lessons about planning, work, and money management...

A Fish, A Moon, and the ‘Others’

John Louis Koenig reviews three exceptional children's books that entertain and educate: 'This Is Not My Hat,' 'Moon,' and 'Others.'...

Drawn2Art Celebrates 40 Years

Drawn2Art celebrates 40 years of teaching realistic drawing and painting to students of all ages, with local studios in Los Gatos and Aptos offering year-round classes and summer camps...

The Dog Days of Summer

Sheila Borgman shares the joy of family volunteering at the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter and how you can support local animals through fostering and fundraising...

Outfits That Kill June Gloom

Discover how local Santa Cruz fashionistas like Dillan, Chris, Bailey, and Suki are using thrifty finds and unique accessories to beat the June gloom...

Raise the Roof! at the Corralitos Cultural Center

Why does the Corralitos Cultural Center (CCC) feel like a creative vortex? Could be it is what happens when musicians, artists, builders and scientists keep running into one another – Corralitos is literally a wide...

Shows and Shoes

Publisher Brad Kava discusses the Santa Cruz Symphony's family Pops concert and the vital importance of quality children's footwear for active kids...

Summer Reading Program Kicks Off

Santa Cruz Public Libraries is excited to kick-off summer with the 2026 Summer Reading Program. This year’s theme is Plant a Seed, Read! This theme is rooted in the concept of farm-to-table. A farm grows...

Don’t Turn Your Back on the Ocean

Never turn your back on the ocean. Author Richard Stockton shares safety tips for the Pacific coast after a harrowing personal encounter with a rogue wave...

Celebrating Mothers in Santa Cruz County

Publisher Brad Kava celebrates the unique spirit of Santa Cruz County mothers and highlights local Mother's Day events, from the redwoods to live music...

What Your Toddler Is Really Learning During a Meltdown

Learn how to turn toddler meltdowns into valuable teaching moments that foster emotional intelligence and communication skills rather than power struggles...

Values Over Rules

Shira Coleman Hagar shares how shifting from rigid household rules to a set of core values can empower children to make healthy and respectful choices...

Before Learning Comes Safety in the Body

Understanding how the nervous system impacts behavior and why internal safety is the critical foundation for learning, connection, and emotional growth in children...

New Exhibit at Aptos Library Showcases Animal Portraits

Aptos artist Diane Levin showcases her figurative/abstract animal portrait paintings at the Aptos Public Library through June 30...

What Moms Really Need This Mother’s Day

Jaime McFadden explores what mothers truly need for Mother’s Day: real support, intentional time, and self-care instead of just commercial gifts...

What Local Moms Want for Mother’s Day

Local mothers Jane, Heidi, Theresia, and Yvonne share their stories of motherhood and what truly makes Mother's Day special, from quality time to handmade gifts...