So much has happened this year already – how is it already March, and yet, how is it only just March? The news these days can be overwhelming and, at times, heart-wrenching. In these uncertain times, it is no wonder that we’re all experiencing such a wide range of emotions, from overwhelm, sadness, worry to anger, anxiety and fear. It’s easy to feel emotionally drained, like we are carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders. As parents, we are juggling our own mental well-being and supporting our children through their confusion and worries. Many of us are finding it difficult to talk to our children about what is…
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Celebrating Love with Simple Acts
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and I love that we have a holiday dedicated to showing the people we care about how much we love and cherish them! As my daughter grows and begins to understand the holidays more, we want to create family traditions with her that make her feel loved. For us, we like to show love with random acts of kindness—like my husband brewing coffee in the morning, handling the grocery runs (which I don’t enjoy), or sending a thoughtful message. It’s making dinner, eating together, sharing our day, offering cuddles, building pillow forts, and dancing together. There are so many ways to show love and celebrate…
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Celebrating YOU During Positive Parenting Awareness Month
Dear parents, foster parents, grandparents, relative caregivers, and other adults raising children and teens: we’re celebrating YOU in January 2025! For the 13th year in a row the County Board of Supervisors has partnered with First 5 Santa Cruz County to declare January as Positive Parenting Awareness Month, joining other California counties and the California legislature, which will pass a resolution declaring January 2025 as Positive Parenting Awareness Month across the state. What does this mean? It means that local and state elected officials recognize that positive parenting is vital to the current and future well-being of children, families, and the entire community. It means that across the state, we’re…
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Building Healthy Sleep Habits
Isn’t sleep just the best? I definitely love it! As a parent, though, you quickly learn that the blissful slumber you once took for granted becomes a distant memory. Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m far more enjoyable after a good night’s rest. Over the years, we’ve created a bedtime routine that’s been helpful. My daughter is only two, so I’m bracing myself for more nighttime wakeups. But even though we’re not quite back to uninterrupted sleep, I enjoy the nights we do get some quality rest and find comfort in knowing I’ve got a few strategies to help us through bedtime. Here’s to embracing the sleep deprivation…
