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 calling attention to the fact that raising children and youth to be confident, capable, caring, and independent is the most demanding, exhausting, important, rewarding (and underpaid) job many of us will ever have. It means that as a community, we recognize that being a parent or caregiver can be difficult, confusing, stressful, and isolating.

Even in the best of times, stress shows up in our lives. Sometimes, it comes from day-to-day events like a big test at school or a high-stakes situation at work or balancing work, caregiving, and household responsibility. Other times, it comes from major life events like a family split apart by divorce or the death of a loved one. These stressors lead to increased anxiety, depression, and burnout.

Positive Parenting Awareness Month offers a reminder that taking the time to care for us and creating nurturing environments for our children benefits everyone. By embracing the principles of positive parenting, we can strengthen not only our families but our entire community. This month offers a chance to focus our dedication to these guiding principles and recognize that, while parenting comes with its challenges, it is also one of the most rewarding and meaningful journeys we can embark on. As we begin the year, we dedicate this time to recommitting ourselves to the five principles of positive parenting:

1) Create a safe, interesting environment for children and youth of all ages. This involves supervising children and youth and providing safe, engaging activities and environments.

2) Create a positive learning environment that promotes growth and development. This means an environment that is supportive and nurturing – where children’s efforts are acknowledged, and they receive plenty of positive attention and encouragement.

3) Use assertive discipline that teaches (instead of punishes) and helps children and youth develop skills for communication, cooperation, problem solving, and managing emotions. This means establishing family rules, setting a good example and being fair and consistent, and having the confidence to stay calm and follow through.

4) Have realistic expectations of yourself and your children. This means remembering there’s no such thing as a perfect parent or child, and we all learn by mistakes.

5) Take care of yourself so you have the emotional, physical, and mental energy it takes to be a positive parent/caregiver. This is so important for all parents, from all walks of life. Our ability to be positive, fair, patient, calm and consistent is increased when we take care of our own needs for joy, rest, privacy, support and having a break from parenting.

Positive Parenting Awareness Month is a reminder that community members, businesses, early care and education providers, schools, and faith-based, non-profit, and government organizations all play a crucial role in supporting parents and caregivers to apply these positive parenting principles – even (or especially) during challenging times. Thankfully, many organizations in Santa Cruz County offer support and concrete resources such as food, housing, health care, financial assistance, childcare, home visiting, and other essential services for families (Dial or text 2-1-1 or visit 211santacruzcounty.org/ to get help with accessing resources)

Another resource for families is the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program, an evidence-based program that offers practical, proven tips and tools to build strong family relationships and make parenting easier. Triple P providers have helped thousands of Santa Cruz County families in English and Spanish since 2010. Check First 5 Santa Cruz County’s website (http://triplep.first5scc.org) and follow Triple P on Facebook (@triplepscc) and Instagram (@triplepsantacruz) to find Triple P classes, positive parenting tips and fun family activities planned for this January.

Final Thoughts: Throughout January – and every day – let’s recognize the vital role of positive parenting in the well-being of children, families, and our community. This year, Positive Parenting Awareness Month emphasizes kindness, the small, meaningful acts that strengthen families and communities. We focus on kindness to remind every family they are seen, valued, and supported. Parents and caregivers: we see you, we celebrate you, and we are here to support you!