January 2026 - Growing Up in Santa Cruz https://growingupsc.com Tue, 06 Jan 2026 16:06:07 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.6 https://growingupsc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/cropped-Favicon-01-32x32.png January 2026 - Growing Up in Santa Cruz https://growingupsc.com 32 32 Celebrating You During Positive Parenting Awareness Month https://growingupsc.com/celebrating-you-during-positive-parenting-awareness-month-2-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=celebrating-you-during-positive-parenting-awareness-month-2-2&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=celebrating-you-during-positive-parenting-awareness-month-2-2 https://growingupsc.com/celebrating-you-during-positive-parenting-awareness-month-2-2/#comments Tue, 06 Jan 2026 16:06:06 +0000 https://growingupsc.com/?p=79651 Celebrate Positive Parenting Awareness Month this January. Learn about the five principles of positive parenting and resources available in Santa Cruz County.

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]]> https://growingupsc.com/celebrating-you-during-positive-parenting-awareness-month-2-2/feed/ 3 Big Emotions We All Share https://growingupsc.com/big-emotions-we-all-share-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=big-emotions-we-all-share-2&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=big-emotions-we-all-share-2 https://growingupsc.com/big-emotions-we-all-share-2/#respond Tue, 06 Jan 2026 16:02:01 +0000 https://growingupsc.com/?p=79653 Learn how parents can model healthy emotional regulation for their children by processing their own big feelings openly using Positive Discipline techniques.

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]]> https://growingupsc.com/big-emotions-we-all-share-2/feed/ 0 Autism and the Future of Education https://growingupsc.com/autism-and-the-future-of-education-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=autism-and-the-future-of-education-2&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=autism-and-the-future-of-education-2 https://growingupsc.com/autism-and-the-future-of-education-2/#respond Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:51:43 +0000 https://growingupsc.com/?p=79657 Exploring the need for a nervous-system-informed approach to education for children on the autism spectrum, prioritizing safety, regulation, and connection.

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]]> https://growingupsc.com/autism-and-the-future-of-education-2/feed/ 0 Pets of the Month: Smokey and Jack https://growingupsc.com/pets-of-the-month-smokey-and-jack/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pets-of-the-month-smokey-and-jack&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pets-of-the-month-smokey-and-jack https://growingupsc.com/pets-of-the-month-smokey-and-jack/#comments Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:44:15 +0000 https://growingupsc.com/?p=79678 Meet Smokey and Jack, a bonded pair of six-year-old boys looking for a calm, loving home. Jack is the outgoing social butterfly, greeting people with ease and confidence. Smokey is more cautious, but happily follows in Jack’s pawprints once he feels safe. They would do best as the only pets or with mellow, cat-friendly companions. Smokey and Jack prefer a quiet home without children or dogs. Previously indoor-only, they are eager to continue that lifestyle. Jack enjoys napping, batting mouse toys, and birdwatching from the window. Smokey shares those hobbies and especially loves watching television. Their adoption fees are fully sponsored by the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter Foundation’s Leave No One Behind Fund, helping long-term residents find their perfect families at last together forever.

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]]> https://growingupsc.com/pets-of-the-month-smokey-and-jack/feed/ 1 Ways to Engage Children with Art and Animals https://growingupsc.com/ways-to-engage-children-with-art-and-animals-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ways-to-engage-children-with-art-and-animals-2&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ways-to-engage-children-with-art-and-animals-2 https://growingupsc.com/ways-to-engage-children-with-art-and-animals-2/#comments Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:41:19 +0000 https://growingupsc.com/?p=79659 Discover creative ways to engage children with animals through art projects, research, and local classes while supporting animal welfare.

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]]> https://growingupsc.com/ways-to-engage-children-with-art-and-animals-2/feed/ 1 12 Micro Habits for 2026 https://growingupsc.com/12-micro-habits-for-2026-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=12-micro-habits-for-2026-2&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=12-micro-habits-for-2026-2 https://growingupsc.com/12-micro-habits-for-2026-2/#comments Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:39:37 +0000 https://growingupsc.com/?p=79661 Start 2026 with 12 simple micro habits designed by certified personal trainer Monica Menard to help you achieve long-term health and wellness success.

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]]> https://growingupsc.com/12-micro-habits-for-2026-2/feed/ 1 New Year, New Looks https://growingupsc.com/new-year-new-looks-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-year-new-looks-2&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-year-new-looks-2 https://growingupsc.com/new-year-new-looks-2/#respond Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:31:27 +0000 https://growingupsc.com/?p=79665 Explore the personal style and inner growth of three individuals in Santa Cruz as they showcase unique, thrifted, and handmade fashion looks for the new year.

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]]> https://growingupsc.com/new-year-new-looks-2/feed/ 0 Ringing in the New Year With a $500 Water Bill https://growingupsc.com/ringing-in-the-new-year-with-a-500-water-bill-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ringing-in-the-new-year-with-a-500-water-bill-2&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ringing-in-the-new-year-with-a-500-water-bill-2 https://growingupsc.com/ringing-in-the-new-year-with-a-500-water-bill-2/#respond Mon, 05 Jan 2026 18:03:42 +0000 https://growingupsc.com/?p=79583 Brad Kava reflects on a frustrating $500 water bill due to a leak and shares updates on local transportation projects and community goals in Santa Cruz.

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]]> https://growingupsc.com/ringing-in-the-new-year-with-a-500-water-bill-2/feed/ 0 Santa Cruz Band Director Invited to March in Rose Parade https://growingupsc.com/santa-cruz-band-director-invited-to-march-in-rose-parade-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=santa-cruz-band-director-invited-to-march-in-rose-parade-2&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=santa-cruz-band-director-invited-to-march-in-rose-parade-2 https://growingupsc.com/santa-cruz-band-director-invited-to-march-in-rose-parade-2/#comments Mon, 05 Jan 2026 18:02:50 +0000 https://growingupsc.com/?p=79585 Santa Cruz High School Band Director Christy Latham joins over 300 directors in the 2026 Pasadena Rose Parade, fulfilling a lifelong dream of musical excellence.

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]]> https://growingupsc.com/santa-cruz-band-director-invited-to-march-in-rose-parade-2/feed/ 3 Volunteering in Northern Laos https://growingupsc.com/volunteering-in-northern-laos/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=volunteering-in-northern-laos&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=volunteering-in-northern-laos https://growingupsc.com/volunteering-in-northern-laos/#respond Mon, 05 Jan 2026 18:01:49 +0000 https://growingupsc.com/?p=79589 Coco Kettmann shares her experience volunteering for child care in Luang Prabang, Laos, during a three-month family trip to Asia.

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