Dear parents, foster parents, grandparents, relative caregivers, and other adults raising children and teens: we’re celebrating YOU in January 2025! For the 13th year the California legislature will pass a resolution declaring January 2025 as Positive Parenting Awareness Month across the state.
What does this mean? It means that local and state elected officials recognize that positive parenting is vital to the current and future well-being of children, families, and the entire community. It means that across the state, we’re calling attention to the fact that raising children and youth to be confident, capable, caring, and independent is the most demanding, exhausting, important, rewarding (and underpaid) job many of us will ever have. It means that as a community, we recognize that being a parent or caregiver can be difficult, confusing, stressful, and isolating.
Even in the best of times, stress shows up in our lives. Sometimes, it comes from day-to-day events like a big test at school or a high-stakes situation at work or balancing work, caregiving, and household responsibility. Other times, it comes from major life events like a family split apart by divorce or the death of a loved one. These stressors lead to increased anxiety, depression, and burnout.
Positive Parenting Awareness Month offers a reminder that taking the time to care for us and creating nurturing environments for our children benefits everyone. By embracing the principles of positive parenting, we can strengthen not only our families but our entire community. This month offers a chance to focus our dedication to these guiding principles and recognize that, while parenting comes with its challenges, it is also one of the most rewarding and meaningful journeys we can embark on. As we begin the year, we dedicate this time to recommitting ourselves to the five principles of positive parenting:
1) Create a safe, interesting environment for children and youth of all ages. This involves supervising children and youth and providing safe, engaging activities and environments.
2) Create a positive learning environment that promotes growth and development. This means an environment that is supportive and nurturing – where children’s efforts are acknowledged, and they receive plenty of positive attention and encouragement.
3) Use assertive discipline that teaches (instead of punishes) and helps children and youth develop skills for communication, cooperation, problem solving, and managing emotions. This means establishing family rules, setting a good example and being fair and consistent, and having the confidence to stay calm and follow through.
4) Have realistic expectations of yourself and your children. This means remembering there’s no such thing as a perfect parent or child, and we all learn by mistakes.
5) Take care of yourself so you have the emotional, physical, and mental energy it takes to be a positive parent/caregiver. This is so important for all parents, from all walks of life. Our ability to be positive, fair, patient, calm and consistent is increased when we take care of our own needs for joy, rest, privacy, support and having a break from parenting.
Positive Parenting Awareness Month is a reminder that community members, businesses, early care and education providers, schools, and faith-based, non-profit, and government organizations all play a crucial role in supporting parents and caregivers to apply these positive parenting principles – even (or especially) during challenging times. Thankfully, many organizations in Sonoma County offer support and concrete resources such as food, housing, health care, financial assistance, childcare, home visiting, and other essential services for families (Visit our Resource Assistance page to get help with accessing resources)
Final Thoughts: During January – and every day throughout the year – let’s recognize positive parenting as vital to the well-being of children, youth, families, and the entire community. Positive Parenting Awareness Month sets a hopeful tone for the year by elevating the importance of positive parenting and everyone who’s doing their best to raise healthy, happy, resilient children. Parents and caregivers: we see you; we celebrate you, and we’re here for you!
