by Carol Castanon Secure Beginnings Parent Consultant There are many cultures which celebrate or remember those who are no longer with us. There is a history of ancient ceremonies symbolizing and warding off bad ghosts, while other rituals honored those that were holy. The word Halloween comes from hallowed, or those that are holy. Dia de...
by Carol Castanon Secure Beginnings Parent Consultant I’ve been hearing concerns some parents have about mask-wearing, and how children might be affected by seeing people from the “eyes up.” Parents and grandparents have expressed worry that children will not see the full expression of others. Others worry that children will become fearful of other people. As parents...
We stand for a vision where violence against communities of color ends, and we envision a world of healthy, resilient communities where Black lives matter. Dear Families and Supporters of Family, We are writing today in solidarity with the daughters, sons, brothers, sisters, grandparents, uncles and aunties who have lost loved ones because of institutional racism, oppression...
By Andrea Haffner, Licensed Marriage Family Therapist Secure Beginnings Senior Clinical Advisor The period before and after the birth of a baby is one of immense change and adjustment and can evoke a great range of feelings, from profound joy and connection to great worry, insecurity, and sadness. The experience of motherhood is complicated, and for...
by Carol Castanon Secure Beginnings Parent Consultant June 2022 Update Dear Families, The article below was written at the beginning of the pandemic. There have been many variations of it, dating back to the initial piece written in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, 2005. Here we are today with the absolute tragic shooting of little children and teachers at Robb Elementary School. During...
By Andrea Haffner Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Secure Beginnings Senior Clinical Advisor In this extended time of social distancing, you and your family may be experiencing a huge range of feelings, and those feelings may change from day to day and minute to minute. There may be times in which you feel greater quiet, appreciation,...
By Carol Castanon Secure Beginnings Parent Consultant Sheltering in place has been a dramatic reminder of the power of meaningful connections. We might be plenty worried about others, or not, but the shifts in our daily lives revolve around the change in the proximity of relationships. Relationships at the market, the playground, work, school, childcare, or...
By Carol Castanon Secure Beginnings Parent Consultant I’m wondering how you are holding up? Like yours, my family has elders, working parents, childcare, young children, and pregnancy. Some of my family have health challenges and some of my family and dear friends are in senior communities. I’m thinking about our threads of human connection and how we uphold our family’s...
by Ellen Nightingale “What does a ParentCare volunteer do?” is a frequent question both a soon to be parent and a potential ParentCare volunteer might ask. It was the first question I asked when I landed at the Nan Tolbert Nurturing Center in 2013; 31 weeks pregnant with my second child and the ParentCare program was...
by Carol Castanon and Andi Metlzer For many people, there is nothing better than falling into bed after a long day. For adults, the idea of a cozy bed can make them giddy with joy as they think about laying their head on a fluffy pillow and snuggling down into their comforter. But, before a restful...