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Link to The Family Forum page with Topics and Presenter Bios

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Watch this video to discover habits to support digital well-being for families.

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"Educational content designed to be interactive and that which promotes critical thinking and problem-solving can support cognitive development. In contrast, passive consumption of content, such as prolonged video watching or engagement with overly stimulating apps, does not contribute similarly and may even detract from cognitive capacity and executive function development. Thus, while digital devices are integral to modern learning and development, their impact on cognitive processes is complex and necessitates careful management to optimize cognitive development outcomes. Balancing the content, context, and duration of device usage is essential to harnessing the benefits of technology while mitigating the risks associated with cognitive overload and the potential impairment of essential cognitive functions."

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Digital Device Usage and Childhood Cognitive Development: Exploring Effects on Cognitive Abilities

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The increasing ubiquity of digital devices in childhood had outpaced the understanding of their effects on cognitive development, creating a significant research gap regarding their long-term impact. Objective: The present narrative overview…

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School's back in session and that means it's back to work for everyone, kids and adults included. Nose to the grindstone and all that, right? But wait! Before life gets too serious and scheduled and structured, let's take a moment to talk about play.

Many of us consider play something we (or our kids) get to do when, and only when, all of the "important" things in life are completed. But consider this: All humans-in fact, all mammals-have a fundamental, inborn need for fun, lighthearted enjoyment and playful activities.

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School's back in session and that means it's back to work for everyone, kids and adults included. Nose to the grindstone and all that, right? But wait! Before life gets

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This week, NPR Ed is focusing on questions about why people play and how play relates to learning.
When it comes to brain development, time in the classroom may be less important than time on the playground.

"The experience of play changes the connections of the neurons at the front end of your brain," says Sergio Pellis, a researcher at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada. "And without play experience, those neurons aren't changed," he says.

It is those changes in the prefrontal cortex during childhood that help wire up the brain's executive control center, which has a critical role in regulating emotions, making plans and solving problems, Pellis says. So play, he adds, is what prepares a young brain for life, love and even schoolwork.

But to produce this sort of brain development, children need to engage in plenty of so-called free play, Pellis says. No coaches, no umpires, no rule books.

"Whether it's rough-and-tumble play or two kids deciding to build a sand castle together, the kids themselves have to negotiate, well, what are we going to do in this game? What are the rules we are going to follow?" Pellis says. The brain builds new circuits in the prefrontal cortex to help it navigate these complex social interactions, he says.
Learning From Animals
Much of what scientists know about this process comes from research on animal species that engage in social play. This includes cats, dogs and most other mammals. But Pellis says he has also seen play in some birds, including young magpies that "grab one another and start wrestling on the ground like they were puppies or dogs."

For a long time, researchers thought this sort of rough-and-tumble play might be a way for young animals to develop skills like hunting or fighting. But studies in the past decade or so suggest that's not the case. Adult cats, for example, have no trouble killing a mouse even if they are deprived of play as kittens.

So researchers like Jaak Panksepp at Washington State University have come to believe play has a very different purpose: "The function of play is to build pro-social brains, social brains that know how to interact with others in positive ways," Panksepp says.

Panksepp has studied this process in rats, which love to play and even produce a distinctive sound he has labeled "rat laughter." When the rats are young, play appears to initiate lasting changes in areas of the brain used for thinking and processing social interactions, Panskepp says.

The changes involve switching certain genes on and off. "We found that play activates the whole neocortex," he says. "And we found that of the 1,200 genes that we measured, about one-third of them were significantly changed simply by having a half-hour of play."

Of course, this doesn't prove that play affects human brains the same way. But there are good reasons to believe it does, Pellis says.

For one thing, he says, play behavior is remarkably similar across species. Rats, monkeys and children all abide by similar rules that require participants to take turns, play fair and not inflict pain. Play also helps both people and animals become more adept socially, Pellis says.

And in people, he says, an added bonus is that the skills associated with play ultimately lead to better grades. In one study, researchers found that the best predictor of academic performance in eighth grade was a child's social skills in third grade.

Another hint that play matters, Pellis says, is that "countries where they actually have more recess tend to have higher academic performance than countries where recess is less."

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Scientists Say Child's Play Helps Build A Better Brain

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Children learn their most important lessons on the playground, not in the classroom, researchers say.

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Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

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View Handouts

From infancy on, play is an important part of a child's life. For babies and toddlers, simple, playful interactions with adults help develop sturdy brain architecture, the foundations of lifelong health, and the building blocks of resilience. Through games and playful activities, children can practice and strengthen important executive function skills that will help them throughout their lives, including learning to focus their attention, strengthening their working memory, and developing basic self-control. The following handout series, developed with support from the LEGO Foundation, provides suggestions for games and play-based activities based on a child's age. The activities for younger children are designed for adults to engage in with children. Activities for later ages allow the adults to step back, enabling children's independence to blossom as they transition to playing more often with peers.

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Brain-Building Through Play: Activities for Infants, Toddlers and Children - Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

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View Handouts From infancy on, play is an important part of a child's life. For babies and toddlers, simple, playful interactions with adults help develop sturdy brain architecture, the foundations of lifelong health, and the building blocks of resilience. Through games and playful activities, children can practice and strengthen important executive function skills that [...]

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Skip to main content

We can all help prevent suicide. The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.

988

¡Los servicios de texto y chat de 988 Lifeline ya están disponibles en español!
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Stock photo by iStock.

The 988 Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States. We're committed to improving crisis services and advancing suicide prevention by empowering individuals, advancing professional best practices, and building awareness.

About The Lifeline

Anyone could be struggling with suicide. Find more specific resources below.

I'm Struggling With Individuals with Neurodivergence

We understand that every struggle is different. Experience the stories of people like you, and how they overcame crisis to find hope and recovery.
read stories of hope & recovery

First, you'll hear an automated message featuring additional options while your call is routed to your local 988 Lifeline network crisis center.

We'll play you a little music while we connect you to a skilled, trained crisis worker.

A trained crisis worker at your local center will answer the phone.

This person will listen to you, understand how your problem is affecting you, provide support, and get you the help you need.

988 Lifeline Center calls are free and confidential, and we're available 24/7.

Show What Happens When You Call The Lifeline

Everyone Plays A Role In Suicide Prevention

Get in touch

Call the Lifeline

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Skip to main content We can all help prevent suicide. The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States. 988 ¡Los servicios de texto y chat de 988 Lifeline ya están disponibles en español!

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When you or a loved one needs information, local services, emergency or disaster recovery assistance, 211 Connecting Point is your trusted source for information and connections in Nevada County, Placer County or the Tahoe/Truckee region. About 211

Popular Searches

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Serving Nevada County, California, 211 is a resource and information hub that connects people with programs & services | searchable site | 24/7 call center

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Above are three "exquisite corpse" drawings my boys and I made this afternoon. (Top: Jules, 5; middle: Owen, 7; bottom: me, 37.) Exquisite Corpse was a game invented by the Surrealists:

Participants play by taking turns drawing sections of a body on a sheet of paper, folded to hide each individual contribution. The first player adds a head-then, without knowing what that head looks like, the next artist adds a torso, and so on. In this way, a strange, comical, often grotesque creature is born.

Today went more smoothly and resulted in more inspiring results than last week's session, which, if I remember correctly, ended in tears. One problem is that we swapped which body parts each drawer was responsible for each time, which I think was confusing:

I'm trying really hard to get the boys to be more improvisational with their play together, particularly the 7-year-old, who tends to art direct everyone and to fly off the handle when things progress in a way that doesn't align with his vision. (I'm not a particularly good collaborator myself, come to think of it.)

We got a good tip from this video: draw the neck and the legs slightly over the fold so the next person knows where to begin...

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Above are three "exquisite corpse" drawings my boys and I made this afternoon. (Top: Jules, 5; middle: Owen, 7; bottom: me, 37.) Exquisite Corpse was a game invented by the Surrealists: Participants play by taking turns drawing sections of a body on a sheet of paper, folded to hide each individual contribution.

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Grief Support | Foothills Compassionate Care

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At Foothills Compassionate Care, we understand that grief is a deeply personal journey unique to each individual for 13 months after the loss of a loved one. Our Grief Support Programs are designed to provide a safe, nurturing space where you and your loved ones can find understanding, comfort, and hope. Whether you are facing […]

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Jinnae Anderson: Self-care for parents in the New Year

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Let’s be real: When the little bundles of joy come along, self-care is often the first thing to go. Our lives get so full that we forget to, or simply

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What is Al-Anon? The Al-Anon Family Groups are a fellowship of relatives and friends of alcoholics who share their experience, strength, and hope, in order to solve their common problems. We believe alcoholism is a family illness, and that changed attitudes can aid recovery. Al-Anon is not

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Grief Group – FREED Center for Independent Living

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The Grief Recovery Method offers Grief Counseling, bereavement support for coping with death and loss as well as certified grief counselor training courses

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Ah! Oh! Look up! Listen – what’s that? That’s the sound of life returning to the suffering Earth: the magical songs of Sandhill Cranes migrating north, overhea

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It's OK to not be OK.

If your life has exploded into a million little bits, you don't need platitudes. You don't need cheerleading. You don't need to be told this all happened for a reason.

Some things cannot be fixed. They can only be carried.

I'm grieving Someone I know is grieving

How do you help a grieving friend?
Watch this short animation to find out.

I'm Megan.

Welcome. I'm glad you're here. I'm sorry you have need of this place. I'd rather know you for an entirely different, completely wonderful reason. And here we are anyway.

Most of what passes for grief support is less than useful. I created Refuge in Grief to tell the truth about grief, with no sugar coating. I created it to give you support that actually sounds like you - something that speaks to your life, your mind, your heart.

I made this for you: grief support that doesn't suck.

It's OK That You're Not OK is a book for grieving people, those who love them, and all those seeking to love themselves-and each other-better.

"It's OK That You're Not OK is a permission slip to feel what you feel, do what you do, and say what you say when life finds you in a place of profound loss and the world seems hell-bent on telling you the right way to get back to being the person you'll never again be."

Jonathan Fields, author of How to Live a Good Life, founder of Good Life Project

Buy Now

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Refuge in Grief: Grief Support That Doesn't Suck - Megan Devine

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Some things cannot be fixed. They can only be carried. Explore grief support resources from psychotherapist and author Megan Devine.

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A portal of grief, song & spells curated by artist Alexandra “Ahlay” Blakely.

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NAMI Nevada County provides support and referral services to people in need.

Affiliate Contact Information:

Address: PO Box 1313 Grass Valley, CA 95945

Resources

Family to Family

Family Support Group

Peer Support Group

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If you or someone you know has a behavioral health crisis or emergency call (530) 265- 5811 or (888) 801-1437, 24-hours a day.

Our Crisis Services

The Crisis Team provides 24- hour services to any individual adult or child in the community in a behavioral health or emotional crisis.

24/7 mobile crisis services

Phone counseling for individuals in a mental health crisis or urgent situation

In person assessment for individuals during a behavioral health crisis at the local emergency room

Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital in Western Nevada County

Tahoe Forest Hospital in Truckee

Admittance to Psychiatric Inpatient Services under Welfare and Institutions Code 5150

After hours referrals for behavioral health services and other county services

Crisis services are contracted with the Sierra Mental Wellness Group.

Mobile Crisis Services

Mobile Crisis services are available 24/7 to all individuals within Nevada County who are experiencing a behavioral health crisis. The Mobile Crisis Team is staffed by two behavioral health professionals who are specially trained to respond to calls related to mental wellness and crisis related to substance use. The goal of the team is to de-escalate critical incidents through safety planning, provide warm handoff referrals and follow up care. Crisis services are free of charge and available to all individuals within Nevada County who are experiencing a behavioral health crisis.

Calls are routed through the Crisis Triage Line at (530) 265-5811.

Inpatient Hospitalization

The Crisis Team may also assist adults or children to access inpatient psychiatric services under Welfare and Institution Code 5150. These individuals are an immediate danger to themselves or others, or gravely disabled (e.g. unable to access or utilize food, clothing, or shelter due to a mental illness). The County contracts with a number of hospitals which are outside of Nevada County to provide this service. The Nevada County Crisis Team authorizes the services, arranges transportation, and coordinates the admission.

Nevada County Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU)

The Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) is a 23-hour program that provides emergency psychiatric care in a warm, welcoming environment for individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis. The four bed Crisis Stabilization Unit provides more in-depth treatment to individuals while behavioral health crisis workers determine if they need to be transferred to a psychiatric hospital or can respond to outpatient services.

The Crisis Stabilization Unit is located to the left of the Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Emergency entrance and is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. After hours, all evaluations occur in the Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Emergency Department. The Crisis Stabilization Unit is a collaborative project with Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital, Sierra Mental Wellness Group, and Nevada County Behavioral Health. The project was made possible by funding from Senate Bill 82- The investment in Mental Health Wellness Act and the California Health Facilities Financing Authority (CHFFA).

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If you or someone you know may have a mental health crisis or mental health emergency, find information on services, centers, and contact.

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SPIRIT Center is a healthy community, open at no charge to people facing challenges to their mental health. Trained peer supporters offer a holistic approach, acceptance, support, education and advocacy. We support people as they identify their path to recovery, and empower themselves to achieve their personal goals. Building Resiliency through Peer Support.

Compassion, Acceptance, Advocacy, Peer Support and Mutual Respect

SPIRIT Center is a community coming together to mend itself. SPIRIT Center is a free self-help center that welcomes drop-ins and offers an unparalleled opportunity to be part of the solution. Our center is centrally located in Brunswick Basin on five serene acres in a large home complete with meeting rooms, kitchen facilities, handicap access, parking and bus service nearby.

"I did not know where to fit in or function in society until SPIRIT offered me the chance. SPIRIT's philosophy is one I can fit into and be part of comfortably. Now I have true hope for the future for me and my family." - SPIRIT participant

COVID-19

The SPIRIT Center has been critical to the stability and wellbeing of the Nevada County community during the COVID-19 crisis, remaining open as an essential service during the lockdown. To maintain safety, we ask that visitors and participants wash hands frequently, and keep distance as best they can while at the Center.

All services are FREE and CONFIDENTIAL!

SPIRIT offers free Peer Supporters and Support Groups - see calendar for support groups and descriptions.

SPIRIT's Peer Supporters are graduates of the SPIRIT Peer Support 10-week training and receive ongoing supervision. People with similar issues meet with one another to help each other overcome life's difficulties.

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SPIRIT Center is a healthy community, open at no charge to people facing challenges to their mental health. Trained peer supporters offer a holistic approach, acceptance, support, education and advocacy. We support people as they identify their path to recovery, and empower themselves to achieve their personal goals.

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Community Beyond Violence | Supportive services for domestic violence and sexual assault victims

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Research shows that active, creative play benefits just about every aspect of child development. Play, it turns out, is essential to growing up healthy.

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Combination man (exquisite corpse) drawing game instructions

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Draw Together: A Nature Journal Activity

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How We're Helping

How We're Helping

How We're Helping

We are a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization focused on helping make the world around us a safer, happier place for the children and families in our community and surrounding areas by providing safe, nurturing care for the small children of families experiencing a stressful situation.

It is the vision of the KARE Crisis Nursery that all c

We are a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization focused on helping make the world around us a safer, happier place for the children and families in our community and surrounding areas by providing safe, nurturing care for the small children of families experiencing a stressful situation.

It is the vision of the KARE Crisis Nursery that all children in our community will be able to grow and thrive free from the threat or possibility of child abuse and/or neglect. Our mission, therefore, is to provide shelter and respite for the children and assistance to their families who are facing a crisis, and to safely and effectively supervise Court Ordered visitations for families seeking reunification.

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The Kare Crisis Nursery provides care and support to children and families through emergency child care and supervised visitations.

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SJR Community Library - Serving the San Juan Ridge

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The mission of the San Juan Ridge Community Library is to provide an inspirational and educational hub while giving the residents, including students, of the San Juan Ridge excellent library services including book exchange, DVD rentals, and internet access in a central location.

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NEO is a safe, supportive environment for youth in 6th-12th grade to spend their time after school, build friendships, learn new skills and discover their passion.

Youth can choose from a variety of activities such as art, music, video games, sports, ping-pong and so much more.

With lots of places to simply hang out, you can be yourself, let loose and have fun. Our staff is caring and compassionate and can't wait to meet you! To learn more about New Events & Opportunities (NEO) and the many services we provide, keep scrolling.

Location: 200 Litton Drive, Grass Valley
(first floor, back of building)
NEO Cell: 530-205-7369

Grand Opening Video

Fill out registration form to attend Register Here

Parent/guardian important Information (coming soon) Download PDF

View the weekly schedule below and click here for our calendar of activities.
p.s. the Discord Server is mainly for youth to interact with each other and with staff, not for parents. We will not be posting major news or updates in there that won't also be on our Facebook and Instagram.
About NEO

Started in 2008 by two 19-year-old women, NEO provides New Events & Opportunities to empower youth to make healthy lifestyle choices. NEO hosted more than 350 youth events in the community before opening doors to its first youth center in 2015. After five years serving more than 1,000 youth, NEO merged with The Friendship Club in 2020 to become a program under Bright Futures for Youth. The combined organization more effectively meets the needs of youth in the area while also leveraging and sharing resources.

The 3,700-square-foot NEO Youth Center is in the Litton Building located along with the many other Bright Futures for Youth programs.

Events Calendar

Click on the activity below to read more.

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NEO Youth Center - A Fun, Safe Place for Young People - Bright Futures for Youth

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NEO is a safe, supportive environment for youth in 6th-12th grade to spend their time after school, build friendships, learn new skills and discover their passion. Youth can choose from a variety of activities such as art, music, video games, sports, ping-pong and so much more.

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Madelyn Helling Library | Nevada County, CA

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The Madelyn Helling Library is the main branch of the Nevada County Library system, located near the Eric Rood Government Center in Nevada City.

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You are the most important factor in your child’s growth and development, especially when you’re at your best. Here are free, bilingual resources to help you recharge.

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Parenting can be stressful under the best of circumstances, but moms and dads of children with developmental and mental health challenges often have to deal with strain of a different magnitude. Caring for a child with special needs can become a full-time job - and an overwhelming one at that, if you don't have adequate support. Without enough help, parents may be headed toward caregiver burnout, which negatively affects everyone.

The consequences of chronic stress related to raising kids who have intense needs are real. Studies show that parents of children with developmental, psychiatric or learning disorders are far more likely than others to experience:

According to one British study, chronic stress puts these parents at risk for medical issues as well. This study found that parents of children with either autism or ADHD had significantly higher levels of both cortisol, the stress hormone, and CRP, a biomarker linked to everything from colorectal cancer to diabetes to heart disease.

The risks, both emotional and physical, to caregivers of challenging children are important to address, for the children's sake as well as the parents'. Below, we look at common contributors to caregiver stress and offer some suggestions to help parents stay healthy, balanced and committed to their kids.

Accepting limits to what you can do

Experts agree that part of avoiding or lessening burnout is to challenge the idea that you are the only one who can help and there is no limit to what you need to do.

Dr. Wendy Blumenthal, an Atlanta-based psychologist, says she sees mothers who reach a breaking point because they are driven to shoulder all the responsibility for their high-needs child. "These supermoms - they're not sleeping, they're constantly anxious, calling every doctor they can think of."

"These parents feel like they should be able to do it all and the first thing to go is basic self-care," says Elaine Taylor Klaus, the cofounder of Impact ADHD, which offers training for parents of kids with ADHD and other disorders. "There are long-term risks of caring for these kids," she says. "And one of them is that parents burn out." Taylor Klaus urges parents to take seriously their own basic self-care including:

Getting enough sleep every night

Staying hydrated

Getting regular exercise

Spending time away from children

Isolation and exhaustion

When you have a child whose behavior is difficult or whose needs are challenging, feeling cut off from support and empathy can contribute to the stress. Colleagues, neighbors, friends, family - even your spouse can seem to be on another planet. "People cannot understand what you're going through," says Patricia Kandel, who has raised two children with serious mental illness. "There's so much alienation."

By the time her family decided their youngest daughter needed to go into a group home, Kandel says, "I was barely functioning." She, her husband and her 20-year-old daughter were all diagnosed with PTSD "from all the years of living the way we did," and her marriage had become unrecognizable. "It's not a typical marriage. It's survival."

Outside assistance was nowhere to be found. "You can't get a babysitter," Kandel continues. "Our own family wouldn't even help us. We never had any money. I had to be here 24 hours a day."

High-stress and time-intensive situations like this one are also where respite care could play a role, says Jill Kagan, director of Access to Respite Care and Help (ARCH). "Respite care is temporary relief for the parent or the primary caregiver of the child so they can take a break from the responsibilities of their continuous caregiving," she explains.

Many parents aren't aware of the existence of respite care, she says. "They're so focused on getting services for their child that they may not even stop to think that there are services out there for them as well. It seems out of the realm of possibility." But it isn't. ARCH's website includes an introduction to respite care and ways for parents to locate respite care by state as well as a list of funding sources. (ABCs of Respite: A Consumer's Guide for Family Caregivers)

It takes a village, but you need to ask

Another obstacle to getting help is that you may be afraid to ask. But in truth, people who genuinely want to help may not know how.

Parents need to be fairly direct. "Could you watch the kids on Wednesday so that I can get a haircut?" "If I give you a list, could you pick up the groceries?" These specific requests make it easier for family and friends to pitch in while not feeling out of their depth.

"People are often willing to help you in small ways," says Dr. Blumenthal. "Like watching your non-challenged child so you can take your special-needs child to therapy." Proposing babysitting exchanges with another parent (or even network of parents) of another special needs child is another way to get some time away, and some needed perspective.

Getting out and about

Many parents of kids with psychiatric and developmental challenges find that they lose touch with friends and activities outside the home. "Fifty percent of my sessions are just parent sessions" to help navigate that reality, says Dr. Matthew Rouse, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute.

Taking care of your emotional and social health is just as important as practicing more routine self-care. Several experts, including Dr. Rouse, emphasized the importance of reclaiming an adult-only social life. Dr. Rouse asks questions like:

What are you doing for yourselves?

What are you as a couple doing to support each other?

When's the last time you had a date night?

When did you last spend time with friends?

To mitigate feelings of isolation, Dr. Rouse recommends:

Finding a support network outside the immediate family. There are online and in-person support groups for just about every diagnosis out there.

Spending time with friends who have no connection to your child. "Support groups are great," Rouse says "but that's still doing something for your child."

Planning social activities that put you among people who care about you.

Time for activities that are purely pleasurable - reading, running, painting.

"The way I've framed it with parents who are resistant to this," Dr. Rouse says, "is to tell them, 'It's like you're depositing money into a bank and building up cash reserves. To have more to give your child, you have to build up those reserves.'"

Related: How Parent Support Groups Can Help

Nurturing the marriage

Throughout, parents need to pay close attention to perhaps the most vulnerable relationship of all - the one between spouses. Experts suggest that parents make it a point of maintaining their relationship with small steps they can continue, and that they make it a point of letting the marriage exist outside of roles as caregivers.

"I encourage parents to take little breaks such as when their child is in a therapy session or in school," says Dr. Cindy Ariel, a Philadelphia-based psychologist who specializes in working with families of special-needs children. Other small steps you can take might include an in-home break or "date." Even if you don't have help, there are still ways of finding time to devote to your relationship so that you and your partner don't end up feeling like you're merely tag teaming as caregivers.

Maintaining a healthy marriage and effective caregiving team is made much harder when parents disagree about treatment strategies and approaches. Andrea Weissman's son Ethan, now 12, has learning, attention and social challenges. She and her husband often disagree on what is considered "normal" behavior.

"He thinks a lot of stuff is more normative than I do and tells me I'm 'catastrophizing,' " she says. "We certainly don't parent in a consistent manner - which is not good for Ethan." Or for her-she feels she drinks too much as a result.

This is a common situation, according to Dr. Blumenthal. "There are information seekers and information deniers," she says, "people who want to dismiss the diagnosis or write off their child's symptoms as normal." When one parent is a "seeker" and the other a "denier"- which she says is often, especially when a child is first being diagnosed - the conflict can put an enormous strain on the relationship.

"If you have differences around the child's treatment, try to see things from the other person's perspective," Dr. Rouse suggests. "That will help you to reconnect." And that's easier if you've laid the groundwork with even something as simple as a "nightly check-in" that can help you and your partner stay close.

"Just making time before bed to tell each other about the highlight and lowlight of the day" is beneficial, he says. "So it's focused more on the person's emotional experience during these events, and less like a planning or logistics meeting. It can build intimacy and empathy just through sharing and listening."

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Parenting can be stressful under the best of circumstances, but moms and dads of children with developmental and mental health challenges often have to deal with strain of a different magnitude. Caring for a child with special needs can become a full-time job - and an overwhelming one at that, if you don't have adequate support.

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Welcome to Parent Self-Care!

All things self- care for busy parents. Go beyond the buzzword, and get self- care inspiration, tips, and support so you can thrive in parenthood. The more you nourish yourself, the healthier you and your family will be. Don't wait to start modeling self-love and self-care for your kids!

Grab my top self-care rituals below, or head to the blog.

Enjoy, and thank you for being here!

Top 20 Self-Care Rituals for Parents

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All things self-care for busy parents. Go beyond the buzz word, and get self-care inspiration, tips, and support so you can thrive in parenthood. Content created by a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.

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THREE ACUPRESSURE POINTS FOR BETTER HEALTH | TCM

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47 Practices to Heal a Dysregulated Nervous System

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Are you someone with a dysregulated nervous system who suffers from anxiety, burnout, or trauma? If so, you’re not alone.

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The most common sex education mistakes made by parents

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So are you making some of the most common mistakes made by parents, in regards to sex education? Find out what they are and how NOT to make them!

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Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex and Sexual Health

20th Anniversary Edition-Completely Updated For Today's Kids and Teens

Candlewick Press, September 2014

Illustrated by Michael Emberley

This newest edition of IT'S PERFECTLY NORMAL now includes the most up-to-date information-including information on how to stay safe and healthy on the Internet-that today's kids and teens need to have to make responsible decisions about sexual health. Click here for more information about the changes in this newest edition: Download the Anniversary information sheet

IT'S PERFECTLY NORMAL began one day when I was sitting in an editor's office. He asked me if I would like to write a book on HIV and AIDS for elementary school age children. I had never intended to write a book on this topic, but I had an immediate response. I told the editor that if I were to write a book on the topic, I would write a comprehensive book on sexual health that, of course, would include HIV and AIDS. I told him that kids and teens did need to know about the virus, but that they also needed to know a lot of other things about their changing bodies, growing up, sex, and sexual health in order to stay healthy. That night at supper, I told my family about my idea for this book and asked my husband and children what should be in a book on sexual health for kids 10 and up. My children were in high school at the time. And that started my research, which continued over the five years it took to complete this book.

That evening I called several of my children's elementary school teachers (including their science teacher), librarians, several pediatricians I knew, people in the field of reproductive health, and parents who were friends. Over the next few weeks, I met with each of them and I asked them the same question I asked my family: "What should be in a book for kids and teens on sexual health?" Again, their thoughts and expertise were invaluable. While writing the book, I went back to these people over and over again, to make sure my facts were accurate and up-to-date and that the text was age-appropriate. Their expertise and answers to endless questions were invaluable. That's because unless I really understand something well - be it a chromosome or gene, or love or sadness - I cannot write about it well. Each time I meet with one of these experts, I learn new and fascinating things that somehow slip into my books.

When Michael Emberley created the art for this book, we also showed it to the same experts. This process went on throughout the creation of this book and it is one I use for all my books, nonfiction and fiction. Maybe this explains why it took five years to create IT'S PERFECTLY NORMAL! I worked on it for five years, and Michael Emberley worked on it for almost three years! While working on the revisions for the 20th anniversary edition of IT'S PERFECTLY NORMAL and the 15th anniversary edition of IT'S SO AMAZING!, yet again I met with experts to find out and figure out what needed to be updated in these new editions. I do this every time IT'S PERFECTLY NORMAL and the other two books in this series, IT'S SO AMAZING! and IT'S NOT THE STORK! are about to be reprinted as a way of providing kids and teens with the most up-to-date and accurate scientific and psychological information.

School Library Journal (starred review)

The Horn Book (starred review)

Print reviews and feature articles in: The New York Times Sunday Book Review, The Los Angeles Times, The Minneapolis Star Tribune, The Boston Globe, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The Century's Best Children's Books, San Francisco Chronicle, December 26 - January 1, 2000

A New York Times Sunday Book Review Notable Book of the Year, 1995

Publisher's Weekly Best Book of the Year

School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

Booklist Editors' Choice

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbon winner (recommended starred review)

American Library Association's Notable Children's Book

American Booksellers for Children Booksellers' Choice

Parenting Reading Magic Award winner

New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing selection

Wil Solimene Award Winner for Excellence in Medical Communication

Boston Globe Horn Book Winner

"In this intelligent, amiable and carefully researched book, Harris (Before You Were Three) frankly explains the physical, psychological, emotional and social changes that occur during puberty-and the implications of these changes. Taking a conversational, relaxed tone, Harris also discusses such subjects as sexual orientation, sexual reproduction, pregnancy, birth control, sexually transmitted diseases and sexual abuse. The author intentionally and effectively repeats certain crucial information, especially on the subject of the possible consequences of sexual intercourse. Alternately playful and realistic, (and occasionally graphic), Emberley's (Ruby) watercolor-and-pencil art reinforces Harris's message that bodies come in all sizes, shapes, and colors-and that each variation is 'perfectly normal.' Cartoon panels illustrate various complicated processes (e.g., menstruation, the fertilization of an egg, childbirth). Appearing on each spread are two characters-an easy-going bird and an apprehensive bee-whose comments add levity to this solid volume."
-Publishers Weekly (starred review), September 1994
"This caring, conscientious, and well-crafted book will be a fine library resource as well as a marvelous adjunct to the middle-school sex-education curriculum. There's no doubt, however, that some libraries and schools will have problems with Emberley's plentiful pictures, which, besides being warm and unaffected, are eyepoppers-especially in a book for this age group. The bold color cartoon drawings are very candid: a double-page spread of nudes, which beautifully demonstrates the varied shapes and sizes humans come in; a picture of a couple making love; one of a boy masturbating as he sits on his bed; another of a girl examining her genitals in a mirror. Less controversial will be Emberley's helpful diagrams and the running cartoon commentary he supplies on the main text, which is delivered by an embarrassed bee and a curious bird (modern kids may miss the allusion, and the device eventually wears thin). Harris' text, as forthright as Emberley's art, encompasses all the supposedly "age appropriate" issues (the structure of the reproductive system and puberty, for example), as well as a good deal more-from the terms we use when we talk about sex to intercourse, birth, abortion, sexual health, abuse, and issues of responsibility and respect. Readers won't find answers to their burning questions quite as easily here as they will in the at-a-glance question-answer overview Asking about Sex and Growing Up (1988), by Joanna Cole. Harris' coverage, however, is much broader and a good deal more detailed. With illustrations scattered liberally across the pages, the format occasionally seems crowded, but the candor of the artwork will help kids view sex as a natural part of life. Such openness will also help them grasp the main message of the text: that sex comprises many things, not just one. Children will find this a comforting, informative precursor to Lynda Madaras' book on puberty; librarians will find it well worth fighting for if, by some chance, the need arises."
-Booklist (starred review), September 1994
"Most kids wonder about and have lots of questions about sex," the introduction says, and this frank and cheerful book attempts to answer those questions. There are seven sections: Lots of Questions, What Is Sex, Our Bodies, Puberty, Families and Babies, Decisions, and Staying Healthy; within these sections the author explores puberty, sexual feelings, reproduction, contraception, and other topics. The text is simple, friendly, and specific, relating valuable information in an unsensational manner. The user-friendliness of the book, however, comes mainly from Michael Emberley's candid and lighthearted illustrations. Diagrams ranging from male and female sex organs to the position of birth control devices are clear and understandable; an open-minded bird and an embarrassed bee flutter through the pages providing marginal dialogue and comic-strip skits; little Woody-Allen-ish exploits of a released egg and an onrushing sperm appear occasionally and are funny and memorable. The lightness of touch is welcome and serves a useful purpose: where some kids' books on sex leave themselves open for giggling silliness by trying to avoid it, this one accepts those giggles, acknowledging that readers may be both individually and collectively a blend of curiosity, disinterest, and apprehension, and so much to giggle at that eventually nervousness will die down and interest will proceed unimpeded. Many adults want their children to have information about all the things this book's subtitle promises, but it's easy to forget the range of facts children want to know as they fight their way through puberty wondering if they're doing it right and what the other sex is doing. It's Perfectly Normal does a good job of demystifying some of those details: particularly useful illustrations depict a circumcised penis and an uncircumcised penis, the placement of tampons and sanitary napkins, and other aspects of the subject that both sexes want to know but are probably too embarrassed to ask about. And naked human bodies appear throughout the book in a reassuring variety of sizes, shapes, colors, and sexes - there are adolescents peering into the mirror, homely and recognizable masturbation scenes, tactful but honest depictions of intercourse, and a terrific double-page spread of rows of different nude people, ranging from young to old, fat to thin, that should make stripping off in the locker room a lot easier for young readers. "Sooner or later, kids get used to, become comfortable with, and feel good about their more grown-up bodies," the book says, and it does what it can to make that happen sooner. Acceptance and respect, after all, go hand in hand, and readers will clearly get the message that respecting yourself and others is a part of sex and growing up. The book makes it clear that families are as diverse as individual bodies and that there are a lot of different ways - platonic, gay, and straight - of caring for people. It also makes clear that part of the caring should be for yourself - that you're stronger if you know how to keep yourself safe from disease, safe from sex if you don't choose to have it, and safe from people who may make these decisions difficult. It's good to be comfortable with your body; it's also good to be comfortable with your decisions about it. At first glance, there seemed to be several illustrations in this book that would make an eye-catching cover for the Bulletin. Thinking about it more, however, we decided that pulling pictures of naked people out to stand alone on our cover might mislead our readers and distort the book. One of Harris' and Emberley's most valuable achievements is the creation of a low-key atmosphere in which vulnerable readers can explore this touchy subject. They didn't create that milieu with only one page and we can't convey it with only one picture. It's not a perfect book - there are a few scale problems, and the puberty section really ought to discuss female orgasms as well as male - but this is one of the most unintimidating and informative sex books to come along for this age group. That inspired spread of all those unclothed men and women brings home a good message in a way that furtive peeks at magazines or classmates won't. The book's title, It's Perfectly Normal, is a politely impersonal version of the statement young readers really want to hear: you're perfectly normal."
-The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review), October 1994
"Illustrator Emberley (Welcome Back, Sun, 1993, etc.) has teamed up with Harris (Hot Henry, 1987, etc.) to present more ethnic and sexual diversity than New York City's Rainbow Curriculum ever bargained for as they battle all concepts non-PC: They take swings at ageism ("People have sexual intercourse well into old age") and at homophobia in the military (pointing out that, in ancient Sparta, it was thought "that if a warrior was in the same regiment as his lover, he would fight harder in order to impress him"). But there's more information than polemic here, s the reader is guided by a corny but never condescending pair - an uninhibited bird and a repressed bee - through puberty, anatomy, reproduction, and a sense of the emotional weight that accompanies sexuality. The books intelligently covers birth-control options, how to have safer sex, how to treat STDs, and, in an especially impressive chapter, how to combat sexual abuse - all without patronizing the pre- or post-pubescent. Emberley's illustrations are often as funny as they are informative. With affirmations of homosexuality and masturbation - "it's perfectly normal" - and a choice-leaning (yet cautious) discussion of abortion, this volume will be anathema to social conservatives. But for parents who fear that a school sex-ed class may not be informative enough, it will certainly aid that dreaded birds-and-bees discussion.

A terrific teaching tool that just may help slow the spread of sexual diseases and ignorance."
-Kirkus Reviews (recommended and pointer), September 15, 1994
"This is a great sex-education resource for pre-adolescents and parents.

The book is loaded with cartoon illustrations, including a cartoon "centerfold" on pp. 21-21 of people of various developmental stages and body builds. Zany Bird and Bee characters make comments from "gross!" to "I want to change now!" - all those things kids often say when exposed to sex education material. Chapters include an introductory discussion of gender, reproduction, sexual desire, intercourse and sexual orientation. The handling of gay and lesbian relationships is value-neutral. The second chapter on the human body and sex organs is followed by one on pubertal changes. The chapter on families and babies includes a description of types of families, various forms of touch and assertive rights about not touching and not having sex, as well as common teen misconceptions that can lead to pregnancy. Intrauterine development and the birth process are covered in the chapter on families. A chapter on "Decisions" includes words of encouragement to young people to consider postponing sex and/or using contraceptives which are shown and described in detail. Laws about abortion, issues of sexual abuse and STD follow. On the whole, I find this the best book resource on sex education for the pre-teen I have seen in recent years, adaptable for use with normal and sexually traumatized pre-teens. T. Berry Brazelton and Penelope Leach like it, too!"
-Psychologists' Announcer, January 2000
"A comprehensive and reassuring celebration of reproductive health, human sexuality and diversity that kids, parents, educators and health professionals around the world will applaud."
-Michael McGee
Vice president for education, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc.
"A perfectly wonderful treatment of the always touchy subject of sex education for young people. The book treats the subject seriously and its intended readers respectfully. I heartily recommend it to adolescents, parents, and any other adults wishing a refresher course on the facts of life.""
-Hugh B. Price
President, National Urban League, Inc.
"It's Perfectly Normal gives growing children a chance to read an honest and explanatory view of their developing bodies. The text and pictures will give them a chance to understand and value themselves. I recommend [It's Perfectly Normal] to parents and children who are coming into adolescence. They will love it."
-T. Berry Brazelton, M.D.
Author of Touchpoints
"At last! A book that tells pre-teens and teenagers what they need to know about sex without turning off the less sophisticated, turning on the more sophisticated, or offending the moral values or sensibilities of parents and teachers. It's Perfectly Normal is informative and interesting; reassuring and responsible; warm and charming. I wish every child (and parent) could have a copy."
-Penelope Leach, Ph.D.
Author of Your Baby and Child and Children First
"This book is a must-read for preteens and teens! It presents honest, clear and scientifically accurate information about puberty and sexual health in a language that kids can and will utilize-critical information that will help them make the wise and informed choices they need to make as they enter and go through puberty."
-Angela Diaz, M.D., M.P.H.
Professor of pediatrics and community medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Director, Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, New York

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It's Perfectly Normal " Robie H. Harris, Children's Book Author

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Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex and Sexual Health 20th Anniversary Edition-Completely Updated For Today's Kids and Teens Candlewick Press, September 2014 Illustrated by Michael Emberley This newest edition of IT'S PERFECTLY NORMAL now includes the most up-to-date information-including information on how to stay safe and healthy on the Internet-that today's kids and teens need to have to make responsible decisions about sexual health.

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Scarleteen | Sex Education For The Real World

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Inclusive, comprehensive, supportive sexuality and relationships info for teens and emerging adults.

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Nevada County Pride celebrates, supports, and advocates for the LGBTQ+ community in Western Nevada County by promoting Community, Diversity, and Respect through Events, Education, and Resources.

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Community Beyond Violence | Supportive services for domestic violence and sexual assault victims

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Handout from Guest Presenter Debbie Dugan

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Hand out from Guest Presenter Debbie Dugan

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Guidlines for Parents for Talking with Children or Teens about Sexuality

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Handout from Guest Presenter Debbie Dugan

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hints for talking with your kids about sex

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Lois Tonkin is an author and Sociologist who work is in supporting people through grief

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What is grief & examples of loss

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FF March 25 G&G2 grief explained and types of loss

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Grief & Grace

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Grief & Grace

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Grief & Grace

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Grief & Grace

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Grief & Grace

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Grief & Grace

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Grief & Grace

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Getting Comfortable Talking with Our Kids About Our Bodies & Sexuality

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Getting Comfortable Talking with Our Kids About Our Bodies & Sexuality

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Getting Comfortable Talking with Our Kids About Our Bodies & Sexuality

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For anyone who missed tonight's presentation, here it is!

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Common Sense Media: Age-Based Media Reviews for Families

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Common Sense Media is the leading source of entertainment and technology recommendations for families. Parents trust our expert reviews and objective advice.

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Back to School: How Screen Time Affects Children’s Brains

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As children return to school, Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s expert shares recommendations and tips on managing screen time and protecting brain development

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NetSmartz resources and videos for parents

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NetSmartz resources and videos for parents

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National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

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Since 1998, NCMEC has operated the CyberTipline, a place where the public and electronic service providers can report suspected online and offline child sexual exploitation. The millions of reports made each year uniquely situate NCMEC to identify trends and create prevention resources to address the evolving needs of kids and teens online.

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A Realistic Relationship with Technology slide deck from Sarah M.

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A Realistic Relationship with Technology slide deck from Sarah M.

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Family Forum presentation from Jan 20 and 27, 2026

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A realistic relationship with technology - January 2026 

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ready-set-internet-contract for the whole family

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When in doubt call 911

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For Children:

My Magical Words - Teach Kids to Use Words to Boost their Confidence and Self-Esteem! (The Magic of Me)

Affirmations Coloring Book For Kids: Positive Words for Self Worth and Self Confidence

Snelly The Snail Finds His Speed: A Book About Determination and Self-Worth

For Adults:

Worthy: How to Believe You Are Enough and Transform Your Life

by Jamie Kern Lima

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Family Well-Being for the Greater Good: A science-based workbook for people supporting parents

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Our workbook is now available in English and Spanish, with more to come!Click here for the Spanish workbook.Haz clic aquí para acceder al manual en español.

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Draw Together: A Nature Journal Activity

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Photos Capture Hidden Interiors of Musical Instruments That Look Like Secret Rooms of Old World Architecture

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“I hope these photos help people connect with that hidden history—to see not just the craftsmanship, but the life each instrument has lived.”

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Wild Foods of California | The Living Wild Project

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The Living Wild Project offers educational resources and wild foods of California to deepen our relationship with the native landscape we inhabit.