Dear Readers,

Who knew that sharing a spoon with your infant could lead to lifelong dental problems? Not me. I assumed that we share the same DNA and nature would have more to do with their infant teeth than nurture.

Not so, says our new pediatric dental columnist, Dr. Mojdeh Faraz. Infants are born without our bacteria in their mouths and sharing a spoonful of something can put harmful sugar bugs there. That turned into a big problem for our 2-year-old and was a lesson I wished I’d already learned.

That’s our goal with this monthly magazine. We want to tell you about things you may not have known but would want to know, to answer your questions and help guide you to services and fun things in the community you may not have known about.

What do teachers really think about your kids and what are their biggest challenges and rewards? Writer and teacher Tiffany Wayne will talk about that here monthly and more often on our website, growingupsc.com. We are looking for teachers of all grades to blog for us and let us know what goes on behind the teacher’s desk. send your ideas to [email protected]

Who knew there was a roller coaster factory hidden in La selva Beach? Coaster nut Erik Chalhoub did and writes about it here. He regularly keeps us posted on tourist attractions and amusement parks around the state.

Are you worried about putting your first teen behind the wheel of a 2-ton beast that can kill them and others on a snaking monster like highway 17? Writer Ann Carin Niland has been teaching local teens to drive for two years and has some tips you may not have considered— like get them on Highway 17. She even drew cartoons to help remind parents and kids about the problems of learning to drive.

We love local entrepreneurs and Patty Benson, of Aptos, came up with a business that should be a hit for parents and couples. She sells notepads that start a thought and let the parents complete it in a daily note in their children’s lunch boxes. she’s now got a line of them to keep romance in relationships.

Radio DJ and musician Chris Jackson wrote two months ago about how to raise your kids like rock stars. This month he tells us how to connect with kids and keep them honest with “Amnesty Hour.” Have you tried something like this?

Linda Kay doesn’t just walk the walk. she spent a year gathering gifts and donations and took them to needy kids in Uganda and wrote an eye-opening story about how they start their school year, how little they have and how much they appreciated the donations from Santa Cruzans.

Want to keep your kid writing when school is out? that’s Robin Estrin’s specialty. She teaches creative writing and gave us some tips to keep kids inspired.

There’s plenty more inside and plenty more coming in the months ahead, including profiles of after-school activities, a kids downtown walking tour and how to make just about everything under the sun.

We love your input, requests and letters. Send them to [email protected].