One of the worst things that happened when raising my son was that no one told us that breast feeding in the middle of the night and not brushing his teeth right then could cause cavities. I wished someone in obstetrics had mentioned that. Instead, we had to take him to a pediatric dentist, where he was put under anesthesia and a great dentist did the work. His mother and I were in tears of fear watching this not quite a toddler on the chair. That’s one of the guiding principles for this magazine ever since. We want to get as much information out to parents as possible. This month…
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Pet Of The Month
Introducing Princess Cupcake, a 1-year-old ruby-eyed angel with a soft Himalayan coat as delicate as spun sugar. This gentle royal adores attention, especially from kind, slow hands. When granted space in her kingdom, Cupcake bursts into delightful zoomies and binkies, wiggling with joy as if casting little spells of happiness across the land. Once her magical energy is spent, she curls into a regal stretch, drifting into beauty sleep and dreaming of her furever castle. Cupcake is as charming as she is graceful, waiting patiently in her tower for the perfect adopter to share her love. Thanks to the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter Foundation’s Leave No One Behind Fund,…
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How Pets Help Kids Learn And Develop
My now sixteen year old niece would kill me if she knew I was telling this story, but one of my favorite family videos shows her at age seven, sitting cross- legged in her underwear on the living room floor divvying up toys for two patient Labrador retriever mixes. Ethan and Chase were more than content to listen to her work through the logic of a stuffed animal distribution system. Each plushie was presented to a dog for their feedback and then returned to a stool to await the final evaluation and dog assignment. The dogs were most likely thrilled that a human would sit on the floor with them…
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Train Like A Mother: Staying Strong Safely While Pregnant
A mother’s body endures progressive change over the course of the nine months. As her belly grows, alignment shifts naturally and ligaments loosen. This predisposes the body to aches and pains and exercise becomes more difficult when things already hurt. The need to keep the body functional and out of pain during this time becomes a priority, thus a specific approach to exercise will balance out this disproportion. One of the first places mothers turn to for guidance are health care providers who often tell them to “ease into a routine and maintain low intensities” or that “walking and yoga are best.” We should consider if these suggestions are the…
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Birth Beyond Fear
October brings with it the crisp air of autumn, pumpkins on doorsteps, and a season of playful scares. Halloween may be about jump-scares and haunted houses, but for many expecting parents, the unknowns of birth can feel far more intimidating than any ghost story. Birth is often portrayed as unpredictable and overwhelming, leaving many people feeling more afraid than excited. Yet it doesn’t have to be this way. By using somatic practices—body- based approaches that ground us in the present—we can prepare for birth with calm, trust, and even joy. Fear is a normal part of anticipating birth. The body and mind instinctively tense when faced with uncertainty. Questions about…
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Little Ears, Big Lessons
Kids are always listening. Even when they’re busy stacking blocks, staring out the car window, or sneaking a cookie before dinner, they’re tuned in to the world around them, especially to the words and tone of the adults they trust most. That includes how we find ourselves talking about money. Think about a simple grocery store trip. You might sigh and say, “We can’t afford that right now.” To you, it’s a practical comment. To your child, it might sound like money is scary or that there’s never enough. Over time, those small comments become the foundation of how kids see finances. The Hidden Messages Kids Hear Whether we mean…
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Sculpting A Sweet & Spooky Witch’s Head For Halloween
There’s something nostalgic— and delicious—about the aroma of homemade Rice Krispie Treats. The warm sweetness, the buttery crunch… It’s a childhood favorite that brings smiles to just about everyone. For over 40 years, I’ve turned this humble treat into a spooky and spectacular Halloween centerpiece: a life-sized witch’s head sculpted entirely from Rice Krispie Treats. Kids love the gory (but edible) details: red- hot candy eyes, licorice hair, and gooey warts. Around the witch’s head, I arrange 50 knobby fingers—each with a red fruit leather “nail.” At my annual Halloween party, the guest who earns the most points during the games gets to take home the Krispie Witch. Word is,…
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Saying Yes Even With Limited Choices
The most tempting word in parenting? Of course it’s “no”. Sometimes it’s “NO” and sometimes it’s “noooooooo” You might be thinking, “yep, that’s my job as a parent.” Children want to do absurd things. That’s their job. They are working to learn the world around them, become a person in their own right, and have fun. As parents then, we feel a need to keep our children safe, teach them the right ways of things, and help them avoid mistakes, pitfalls and injuries. So why is “no” troubling when trying to parent the positive discipline way? The short answer is that there is nothing wrong with the limit setting of…
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Power Of Setting Limits
Parents naturally want to make their kids happy—we love them so much, it’s natural to want to give them the world. But balancing that desire with the need to set clear, consistent boundaries isn’t always easy. I know for myself, I often wonder: are we being too soft? Too strict? Finding that “just right” middle ground can be a real challenge. This monthly column provides tips for anyone who is helping raise children, based on the world- renowned Triple P – Positive Parenting Program, available to families in Santa Cruz County. If you have a question or idea for a future column, email me at [email protected]. Dear Yesenia, I’m a…
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UCSC Art Show Reveals Human Impact Through A Whale’s Eyes
Weather and the Whale is a new multimedia installation at UCSC’s Institute of Arts and Sciences Galleries that explores climate change and the relationship between humans and marine life from a whale’s perspective. The exhibition is the result of a two-year collaboration between UCSC faculty, marine scientists, and ten internationally-acclaimed artists. UCSC marine ecologist Ari Friedlaender and IAS Galleries curators Rachel Nelson and Alexandra Moore put together the project and assembled the group of featured artists and scientists. Visitors of the exhibition are led on an audio-visual journey that offers a detailed and unrivaled look at the interconnection between whales, humans and their shared world. The varied significance of whales…
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Stepping Up In Scouting America
The local Scouting America Unit 505 held their annual Bridging Ceremony Aug. 28 to recognize merits and those advancing up the ranks of cubs to Scouts in an organization that celebrated its 115th anniversary in February along with their official name change to Scouting America. Scout leaders handed out 30 merit badges, and five Webelos—both boys and girls—graduated to Scouts during the festive dinner that drew a wealth of families and community supporters. Webelos, an acronym for We’ll Be Loyal Scouts, was created to prepare younger Scouts for upper “ranks.” “This is a family-oriented Scout environment where we take a holistic approach on how we work together as a Scout…
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Growing Up An Aspiring Chef In Santa Cruz
Growing up in Capitola, I spent a lot of time outdoors – fishing off the wharf, biking with friends, and hanging out by the beach. I never imagined that I would be working in kitchens. But, at some point, cooking went from a hobby to something much bigger – my passion, my career, and my focus. Today, at 18 years old I am finishing my senior year at Soquel High School and working part-time at a one Michelin-starred restaurant, Chez Noir. Working in kitchens and balancing high school can make for a hectic schedule at times, but I love that kind of thing. It doesn’t feel like sacrifice, rather purpose.…
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Golfing For Children’s Cancer Support Services
Growing Up in Santa Cruz was a sponsor of the Jacob’s Heart Golf Tournament Sept. 12 at Seascape Golf Club. This year we participated for the first time with a golf team! All proceeds from the Golf Tournament will go towards Camp Hearts + Hands. This 3-day summer-camp-style weekend is full of fun and joy for kids diagnosed with cancer and their families. From dance parties to arts and crafts, pony rides, and relaxing massages for parents, Jacob’s Heart families have a blast sharing in activities while building supportive relationships with others who understand the challenges of a pediatric cancer diagnosis. It is also an opportunity for families to establish…
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A Healthy Smile Starts Before Baby Arrives
When preparing for a new baby, many expectant parents focus on prenatal checkups, baby showers, and preparing homes for the baby. But there’s one essential step that often gets overlooked: visiting the dentist. Dental care during pregnancy is not only safe, but also essential for both the pregnant parent and the baby’s long-term health. Good oral health supports more than just a bright smile. It plays a key role in nutrition, speech development, heart health, and self-confidence in both the parent and baby. Oral Health In Pregnancy: Why It’s Important During pregnancy, maintaining oral health becomes even more important due to hormonal changes and increased vulnerability to dental issues. Pregnancy…
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Most Popular Baby Names In California
Welcome to the world, baby Mia. And same to you, Liam. You are tops in California – in names, at least. The Social Security Administration keeps an eye on baby names, which come to it by way of registering newborns for Social Security accounts. Each year it publishes a list of the 100 most popular baby names, and for 2024 – they don’t yet have a running total for 2025 – Olivia was number one for girls and Liam came in tops for boys. For 2024, here are the top 10 names for both girls and boys: Mia, Liam Olivia, Noah Camila, Matteo Emma, Santiago Sophia, Sebastian Isabella, Julian Amelia,…
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Prepared, Empowered And United For Santa Cruz County
At its heart, United Way of Santa Cruz County is about connection: helping families find support, preparing neighbors to face challenges, and empowering youth to lead. This fall, as families settle into school routines and think about safety at home, we are reminded that resilience comes from the strength of our community. Preparedness In Action Santa Cruz County has faced its share of wildfires, storms, and earthquakes. Being prepared for the unexpected isn’t just about checklists; it’s about knowing where to turn and who you can count on. Through United4Community, United Way provides resources that make preparedness practical and approachable. One of our favorite tools is the Listos California Neighborhood…
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Fashion Across Generations
Outfits and energy come in all ages and sizes. Every generation reflects beauty, whether it comes from years of knowledge or momentary passions. I found multiple people of all ages rocking outfits that reflect a great spirit. Today, we are going to look at people of all different generations. Ari Ari is a current student at Santa Cruz High. His band T-shirt with cut-off sleeves is from our local Santa Cruz Record store. The grey camo shorts are from the goodwill bins in Monterey, and ankle high black boots are from a military store. His ring is from super silver, and Ari made his own bracelet made of bottle caps.…
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The Festival of Dreams Returns to Santa Cruz
“Dreams come in the service of health and wholeness.” This quote was one of the mainstays of the late, great Rev. Jeremy Taylor, and still serves as an inspiration for most of us modern dream workers. We all dream whether we remember our dreams or pay attention to them. Every animal studied has dream-like interludes in their sleep including all mammals down to duck billed platypuses, as do cuttlefish and octopuses, and even spiders! This ubiquity of dreaming supports my own pragmatic and Darwinian view that dreams, like all persistent features of successful species, come in the service of survival aka health and wholeness. Even though some people think that…
