17 Apr Parenting: You were never meant to do this alone

Posted at 15:27h in Child Abuse Prevention, Child Abuse Prevention Month, Parent Perspective, Parenting

Even before becoming a parent, I remember hearing other new parents joke as they left the hospital, “They trust me to take this baby home!” It may sound funny to some, but as I left the hospital with this little baby who had just been released from the NICU after...

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14 Apr A Strengths-Based Approach to Autism

Posted at 12:02h in Child Abuse Prevention, Child Abuse Prevention Month, Parent Perspective

April is National Autism Awareness Month. I agree that it is important to be aware of Autistic individuals in our communities, but I believe that Autism acceptance is much more important.  When you watch the media speak about Autism, they specifically look at all of the negative traits and outcomes...

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09 Mar IEP Defense to Offense: Learning to advocate for my Son

Posted at 11:26h in Parent Perspective, Parenting

by Melanie Windom, Kentucky parentSometimes, a single conversation can change everything. For me, it happened during a busy shift at work. I noticed a little boy playing with a fidget cube and mentioned how much my son—who has an IEP—would benefit from one, even though the school would never allow him...

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21 Aug My Oxygen Mask Comes First: Why Self-Care Makes Me a Better Parent 

Posted at 15:40h in Child Abuse Prevention, Parent Perspective, Parenting, Positive Parenting, Strengthening Families

by Taryn BellAs parents, we're constantly juggling endless responsibilities, often pushing our own needs to the bottom of the list. However, prioritizing self-care isn't selfish; it's essential for being the best parent you can be.  Think of the airplane oxygen mask theory: you secure your own mask before helping others. If...

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19 Aug Finding Belonging in High School

Posted at 15:42h in Parent Perspective, Parenting

By Tina Agonva, Kentucky Youth Advocates High school is a time of awkward growth spurts, raging hormones, and the constant pressure to fit in. For many adolescents, this period is marked by an intense desire to belong to find their place in the social hierarchy of the school.  The need to belong...

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15 Oct Transitioning to Safe Sleep

Posted at 11:18h in Parent Perspective, Parenting

By Shontelle Davis"In four short weeks I’ll have a one-year-old! I can’t believe how fast time has flown by. The coo’s turned into giggles and now come out as full-blown laughter; his small curly coils now make up a big curly afro; that gummy grin now has 4 and a...

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26 Sep Managing Big Emotions: How practicing self regulation encourages co-regulation

Posted at 15:20h in Child Abuse Prevention, Parent Perspective, Parenting, Positive Parenting, Strengthening Families

By: Krystal Abreu Like many of us, self regulation was not a skill that was modeled or practiced in my home growing up. Self regulation was something I learned about when my oldest son was in his second year of life, at a time when things felt chaotic and completely out...

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06 Sep WHO do I want to be as a grandma?

Posted at 12:28h in Parent Perspective, Parenting, Positive Parenting, Strengthening Families

Some of my fondest childhood memories are of sitting on the couch next to my Poppy watching CHiPs and Little House on the Prairie. My grandfather was a man of little words, he had a brain injury from a car accident and needed a cane to help him get around....

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09 Jul Being an Emotionally Safe Parent 

Posted at 14:56h in In The Community, Parent Perspective, Parenting, Strengthening Families

Parent Perspective By Valerie Frost Whoever needed the thick skin to come up with sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me as a coping strategy is either featured on an episode of Dr.Phil or has run up quite the tab on a mental health professional’s...

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12 Jun His SAFE Person

Posted at 16:08h in Parent Perspective, Parenting, Positive Parenting, Strengthening Families

by Rickey GreenI will never forget the day I reviewed my youngest child, Kendall's, 5th-grade school project. One particular answer struck me so deeply that I had to sit down, overwhelmed by emotion.  Today, I'm happily married to Alycia, the most amazing woman I've ever known. She is the epitome of...

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