First 5 Santa Cruz County, which manages the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program, announced that January 2017 has been proclaimed Positive Parenting Awareness Month by Supervisor Bruce McPherson on behalf of the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors.

The designation marks the fifth annual Positive Parenting Awareness Month in Santa Cruz County. As part of this year’s awareness month, Triple P will host a free day at Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery, offer parenting classes in partnership with Dominican Hospital’s Personal Enrichment Program (PEP), launch a monthly series of classes to be held at Babies “R” Us/Toys “R” Us, and host an open house at La Manzana Community Resources.

The proclamation notes that:

  • raising children and youth to become healthy, confident, capable individuals is the most important job parents and caregivers have;
  • the quality of parenting or caregiving – starting in the prenatal period – is one of the most powerful predictors of children’s future social, emotional, physical and cognitive health;
  • positive parenting can prevent or mitigate the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) such as child abuse, neglect or other traumatic events that can create dangerous levels of stress and impair lifelong health and well-being;
  • families come in many forms and children are raised by parents, grandparents, foster parents, family members and other caregivers; and
  • Triple P parenting strategies such as spending quality time together, giving positive attention, and giving descriptive praise are simple, practical and changing families’ lives for the better.

Triple P, launched Santa Cruz County in 2010, serves approximately 2,000 local children and parents each year. The positive outcomes for parents who participate are significant:

  • The majority of parents receiving in-depth support report improvements in their children’s behaviors (80%), their parenting styles (77%) and their levels of stress (63%);
  • Improvements are even greater among parents who report more significant parenting challenges at the start of the Triple P program. By the end of the program, 92% of parents report improvements in their children’s behaviors, 82% report improvements in their parenting styles and 90% report a decrease in their stress; and
  • 95 percent of participants have reported they continue using Triple P parenting strategies after completing the program.

Partners in the Triple P Santa Cruz County collaborative will offer numerous parenting classes and events in January, including: 

EVENTS

Triple P Open House @ Babies “R” Us/Toys “R” Us
Saturday, Jan. 14, 12:30-3 p.m.
Toys “R” Us
1660 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz
Stop by for a chance to win prizes! Meet Triple P practitioners, learn more about the Triple P program, pick up a Parenting Pocket Guide and sign up for a Triple P class or one-on-one services.

Triple P South County Open House
Tuesday, Jan. 24, 3-5 p.m.
La Manzana Community Resources Courtyard
521 Main St, Watsonville
Stop by for food, games and a chance to win prizes! Meet La Manzana’s Triple P practitioners, sign up for a Triple P class or one-on-one services, and learn about other organizations that support children and families. Hosted by La Manzana Community Resources.

Triple P Community Day at the Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery
Saturday, Jan. 28, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery
1855 41st Ave, Capitola
Enjoy free admission to the Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery (SCCMOD). Visit Triple P practitioners and First 5 staff at the SCCMOD for a chance to win raffle prizes, attend “make and take” parenting workshops and have fun learning and exploring with your children! Sponsored by Triple P Santa Cruz County, a program of First 5 Santa Cruz County.

CLASSES IN ENGLISH

Triple P Lifestyle Group: Improving Children’s Nutrition & Physical Activity
Fridays, Jan. 6 to March 31, 12-2 p.m.
Dominican Rehab, Fiesta Room (1st Floor)
610 Frederick St., Santa Cruz
Attend this free weekly workshop to learn guidelines for healthy eating, making healthier food choices and being active. This class meets once a week on Fridays for 13 weeks.

Triple P Seminar: The Power of Positive Parenting
Thursday, Jan. 12, 5:30-7 p.m.
La Manzana Community Resources
521 Main Street, Suite E, Watsonville
Learn how to create safe, interesting environments for children; provide positive learning environments for children; use assertive discipline; and more.

Triple P Seminar: Raising Resilient Children
Thursday, Jan. 12, 6-8 p.m.
Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery
1855 41st Ave, Capitola
This free parenting seminar offers strategies to teach children healthy ways to deal with their emotions. The class will be taught in English and Spanish.

Triple P Workshop: It’s Time for Potty Training
Wednesday, Jan. 18, 7-8:30 p.m.
Toys “R” Us
1660 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz
Attend this free parenting workshop to learn how to decide your child is ready for potty training, how to prepare your child to begin potty training and how to make potty training a positive experience for you and your child.

Triple P Seminar: Raising Confident, Competent Children
Thursday, Jan. 19, 5:30-7 p.m.
La Manzana Community Resources
521 Main Street Suite E, Watsonville
This free parenting seminar covers social and emotional skills that children need in order to thrive at home, in school and throughout life.

Triple P Workshop: Encouraging Your Child’s Self-Esteem
Thursday, Jan. 19, 6-7:30 p.m.
Boulder Creek Elementary School Library
400 W. Lomond St, Boulder Creek
Attend this free parenting workshop to learn why it is important for children to develop healthy self-esteem, how to encourage healthy self-esteem in your child and tools to help your child cope with feelings and solve problems.

Triple P 8-Week Group for Families with Children 2-12 Years Old
Wednesdays, Jan. 24 to March 15, 6-8 p.m.
Community Bridges Community Room
236 Santa Cruz Ave, Aptos
This free support group provides in-depth parenting information and assistance for families with children 2-12 years old. Attendees will learn what Positive Parenting is and how to incorporate it into their families. This class meets once a week on Wednesdays for eight weeks.

Triple P Seminar: Raising Resilient Children
Thursday, Jan. 26, 5:30-7 p.m.
La Manzana Community Resources
521 Main Street Suite E, Watsonville
This free parenting seminar offers strategies to teach children healthy ways to deal with their emotions.

Triple P Workshop: Preventing & Managing Problems at Bedtime
Friday, Jan. 27, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Dominican Rehab
610 Frederick St., Santa Cruz
This Triple P Workshop is offered through the Dominican Hospital Personal Enrichment Program (PEP). To register, contact the PEP office at (831) 457-7099 or register online.

Triple P Workshop: Balancing Work and Family
Monday, Jan. 30, 6-7:30 p.m.
Live Oak Community Resources
1740 17th Ave, Santa Cruz
Participants can learn common problems that parents experience when trying to balance family responsibilities and childcare, as well as tools to help prevent stress from work does not affect family life. 

CLASSES IN SPANISH

Triple P Seminar: Raising Resilient Children
Thursday, Jan. 12, 6-8 p.m.
Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery
1855 41st Ave, Capitola
This free parenting seminar offers strategies to teach children healthy ways to deal with their emotions. This class will be taught in English and Spanish.

Triple P Workshop: Balancing Work and Family
Wednesday, Jan. 18, 6-7:30 p.m.
La Manzana Community Resources
521 Main Street Suite E, Watsonville

Participants can learn common problems that parents experience when trying to balance family responsibilities and childcare, as well as tools to help prevent stress from work does not affect family life. This class will be taught in Spanish.

All Triple P seminars and workshops are free and open to the public. Register in advance to receive free childcare. To register, call (831) 465-2217 or go online to www.first5scc.org/calendar/parent-trainings.

 

About Triple P

The Triple P – Positive Parenting Program is a world-renowned program available to families in Santa Cruz County who have children ages birth to 16, including children with special needs. Backed by more than 30 years of international, scientific research, Triple P offers families proven strategies for strengthening relationships with their children and for preventing or managing a full range of parenting challenges. The program is available to all families in Santa Cruz County through a partnership between First 5 Santa Cruz County, the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency and the Santa Cruz County Human Services Department. For more, visit www.triplep.first5scc.org or facebook.com/triplepscc.

 

About First 5 Santa Cruz County

First 5 Santa Cruz County invests in health, early learning and family support to promote the well-being of children. A growing body of scientific evidence points to the economic and societal impacts of investing in the early years. First 5 Santa Cruz County is dedicated to giving children the opportunities they need to reach their full potential. First 5 Santa Cruz County was established by the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors in December 1998 by urgency ordinance to ensure that family-friendly services and education are available, so that each child reaches the fifth year of life healthy, ready and able to learn, and emotionally well developed. We are committed to involving community members, as well as professionals working with young children and their families. For more information, visit www.first5scc.org.

 

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