Growing Up in Santa Cruz November 2021

NOV 2021

Women’s Wellness GUIDE THE KIDS ARE

GRATEFUL CRAZIEST TOYS

CAN YOU DO IT ALL? Visit us at GrowingUpSC.com

REGISTER NOW! For Weekly Classes Outdoors and Online!

At Gateway, I can EXPLORE MY INTERESTS.

VISIT Come for a tour and see our classrooms in action!

November 2 & 3 from 9am-3pm December 7 & 8 from 9am-3pm Register at gatewayschoolsc.org

2

NOVEMBER 2021 | Growing Up in Santa Cruz

GATEWAY SCHOOL

Call to Try a FREE Class

Your music school for families with children from Birth to 8 years old

Where Experience and Innovation Meet Kindergarten–8th grade | Founded 1970 | 255 Swift Street, Santa Cruz

(831) 332-9002 | MusicalMe.com

Features

Jim Booth Swim School

07

Evenings • Saturday Classes • Birthday Parties

The BEST in Baby Swimming!

Start at 4 months in our 94 ° indoor pool!

Holiday Green Gift Wrapping

21

GIFT

CERTIFICATES

AVAILABLE Lying or Pretending

25

Preparing for the Holidays

Local News: Santa Cruz Gives.............5 Locals News: Opening a Restaurant During Covid......................................6 Green Living.......................................7 Holiday Toy Guide..............................8 Birth Matters......................................10 Healthy Eating....................................11 What the Kids are Saying: Gratitude..13 Local Artist: Tom Jacobs......................14 Cover Story: Rebel Spirit.....................15 Parenting............................................16 Moms Who Make a Difference............17 Ask Nicole...........................................19 Coloring Contest Winners..................20 Coloring Page.....................................22 Bakers Dozen......................................23 Women's Wellness Guide....................24 November Calendar...........................26 Adventures in Momming...................31

Are you getting the latest news to your inbox?

Don’t miss out on local stories, activities, and events!

Sign up now by visiting our website: GrowingUpSC.com

Now at Harvey West in Santa Cruz and Watsonville indoor and outdoor pools.

722-3500

JimBoothSwimSchool.com • Like us on Facebook

Catch the New Squid in Town K-Squid Radio 90.7 FM Community Radio for Santa Cruz County and beyond

EDITOR | PUBLISHER

Brad Kava, Jennifer Ford, Steve Dinnen ART DIRECTOR | MANAGING EDITOR

Zelzi Belle | Christy Shults DISTRIBUTION & SUBSCRIPTIONS

Susan Bernstein CONTRIBUTORS

Patty Benson, Leslie Funk, Jeanne Howard, Tom Jacobs, Brad Kava, Laura Maxson, Jan Pierce, Jeanette Prather, Christy Shults, Mikayla Shults, Susan Tatsui-D’Arcy, Suki Wessling, Nicole M. Young AD REPRESENTATIVES

Ann Fitts  BobbiJo Palmer  Linda Kay  Sophie Veniel Advertising@GrowingUpSC.com

Streaming live at KSQD.ORG

CONTACT US

408.656.1519 editor@growingupsc.com P.O. Box 3505, Santa Cruz, CA 95063

NOVEMBER 2021 | VOL. 26 NO. 11

Printed lovingly by Fricke-Parks Press.

Growing Up in Santa Cruz copyright 2021. Printed in the U.S.A. All views expressed represent those of the individual authors. The contents of this publication are meant as information only and should not take the place of a medical doctor’s recommendations.

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part, in any form, electronic or otherwise is prohibited without permission by the publisher. This publication does not knowingly accept deceptive or misleading advertising. Growing Up is printed on recycled paper with soy-based inks.

We’re asking for help from our readers to keep us printing.

VISIT OUR GoFundMe at gofundme.com/f/keep-growing-up-publishing

GrowingUpSC.com | NOVEMBER 2021

3

Editors’ Note Even small changes can make a BIG difference.

Triple P is a scientifically-proven, world-renowned positive parenting program available to families in Santa Cruz County.

Triple P strategies address a wide range of parenting challenges by providing a toolbox of easy-to-use tips.

Find a full schedule of Triple P tips and classes at triplep.first5scc.org.

This program is made possible through a partnership between First 5 Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency (MHSA – Prop 63 funds) & Santa Cruz County Human Services Department.

I n f o r m at I o n : first 5 Santa Cruz County 831.465.2217 triplep@first5scc.org • triplep.first5scc.org

I’m really afraid the Flat Earthers are winning.

You look around social media and at certain websites and you see people who have no clue about science. Some of them throw out 200 years of vaccine study as fake news. Others don’t believe we went to the moon, because of fake YouTube videos. Still more deny climate change, ignoring the fact that we only have 62 miles of atmosphere and claiming that humans can’t affect that limited space.

And yes, some are unabashedly saying they think the Earth is flat.

Not to mention those-- a much larger number than a rational person could possibly expect--think the last presidential election was fraudulent and the violent attack on the Capitol was just a bunch of tourists.

You have to wonder, what’s going on in our once respected political system that is letting these people not only survive, but thrive? Back in saner days, they would have been laughed off for the joke they are.

We watch them cheer what they say is a work slowdown by pilots, when in fact the pilots’ union says no such thing happened.

We watch them fight not to take preventive measures to sustain our environment.

One can’t help but ask oneself, what’s going on that allows people to believe the craziest conspiracy theories and to come to the wrong conclusions based on no evidence or false conspiracy claims?

We’ve talked to a number of people of all ages who say they think it’s a failure of the education system. People are graduating from schools with little to no understanding of American or world

governments, no comprehension of the Constitution and no understanding of the history of evidence-based experimental science.

Why are we allowing ourselves to fall back on an age of un-enlightenment that brings to mind the dark-age thinkers who locked up Galileo for stating that the Earth revolved around the Sun instead of the other way around?

We beg our schools to please focus on serious science (which we think most of them do), critical thinking and on how government works (which we are afraid they don’t do). Are schools too afraid to be controversial or offensive to parents and kids of different views? Government, ethics and politics need to be taught from middle school on, we think, not stalled until senior year.

We’ve got two suggestions this month in our calendar to help get your kids educated. One is the youthversion of TED X sponsored by Merit Academy on Nov. 7 which focuses on climate change and youth innovation.

Teens and adults will discuss climate change, medical solutions, and health care education. It’s 1-3 p.m. at the Rio Theatre in Santa Cruz. You can get more information and $20 tickets at www.tedxmeritacademy.com Our second recommendation is for schools to put as much energy into Nov. 8th’s STEM and STEAM Day, which is a national day to focus on serious study of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and add the arts for STEAM. If schools take this as seriously as they do sports, maybe we can shine some more light on the impinging darkness around us.

About the Cover This photo was taken during an art gallery installation wrap party at lille æske arthouse in Boulder Creek on June 19. The artist, Mezzanine Beecomb, had performers from her circus group, Circus Modern, out on the street celebrating the event. Jeanette Bent performs with Circus Modern frequently.

4

NOVEMBER 2021 | Growing Up in Santa Cruz

About the Photogragher

Steve Kuehl, better known locally as SLV Steve, has a long history of local and international photography spanning a variety of activities from first responders to local events. “Photography is what makes me happy, and helping people is what I have discovered guides me along a stronger path of living.” - SLV Steve

LOCAL NEWS Coming Soon to a Website Near You: Santa Cruz Gives

BY JEANNE HOWARD

Mixed Bag: The Volunteer Center team shows how it’s done.

At a recent meeting of 80 local nonprofit organizations, Karen Delaney, longtime Executive Director of the Volunteer Center, shared the results of a 2021 study on charitable giving trends.

“National research conducted with more than 5,000 adults shows numbers we have not ever seen before,” she said.

By “ever,” Delaney means not in the more than 30 years since she has been a local nonprofit leader.

“People understand that where we are in our communities, where we are as a nation, requires them to do more. There is a great yearning to engage.”

When study participants were asked how they will engage, they responded that they want to increase in these areas: Volunteering 73%; Donating to Nonprofits 75% (currently 54% of Americans donate to nonprofits); Voting 78% (currently half of Americans vote).

“They want to come out of isolation from the pandemic intentional in their actions,” said Delaney. “And it is strongly age related. The younger the adults are, the more they intend to donate and volunteer.”

When asked about desired outcomes for their giving, at the top of the list was helping people, followed by creating positive change, making a difference, solving problems, and giving back.

Delaney was explaining this data at an orientation for this year’s nonprofit participants in Santa Cruz Gives, the online holiday giving campaign that put itself on the local map last year by raising $709,617 for organizations countywide.

Total donations leaped forward in both of the last two years with an increase of 73% in 2020 over 2019, and growth of 75% in 2019 over 2018.

This year the number of participating nonprofits the campaign has accepted will double to 80, from 40 in 2020.

Delaney, who for decades has keenly adapted to shifting sands in voluntarism and charitable giving — and helped other nonprofits do the same — announced last August that the Volunteer Center will retire a key event the VC produced for more than 40 years: the Human Race Walk and Fun Run. After raising nearly $6 million for 250

groups since 1982, the time and expense required to host such a large event has made the newer fundraising model of Santa Cruz Gives a sensible alternative.

It was at Delaney’s request that Santa Cruz Gives support more organizations, because many relied on the Human Race — in its own right, an early form of crowdsourcing for nonprofits across the county, and across a variety of community needs.

Last year’s Santa Cruz Gives campaign is still available for viewing, and the new campaign goes live on November 17 at SantaCruzGives.org where every organization will have a profile page summarizing their work and a project they are requesting the public to fund: their Big Idea for 2022. Donations add up in real time on a leaderboard where donors can track their favorite groups.

Santa Cruz Gives is a volunteer -based effort. No salaries, rent or other overhead expenses are paid from donations or sponsor funds. Three giant heart emojis in a row to 2021 matching funds sponsors:

Community Foundation Santa Cruz County, The Applewood Fund, The Joe Collins Fund, The Bud & Rebecca Colligan Fund, Driscoll’s, Santa Cruz County Bank, Thomas Wynn Capital Management, Oswald Restaurant, The Pajaronian, and the Press Banner.

Good Times is the founding presenter, in partnership with the Volunteer Center. These two provide most of the heavy lifting in donated staff time, administration, promotional might, editorial coverage, fundraising expertise, and graphic design.  Jeanne Howard founded Santa Cruz Gives on behalf of Good Times in 2015.

Donate at SantaCruzGives.org | November 17, 2021 – December 31, 2021

GrowingUpSC.com | NOVEMBER 2021

5

LOCAL NEWS How Crazy is it to Open Restaurants During Covid?

BY SUKI WESSLING

Photos by Cassidy Phillips

Community Music School’s

Teen Band is looking for new participants!

• Play Celtic, Americana, Swedish music and more • Meet twice monthly during the school year • For musicians age 12-19 with 2+ years experience • Led by fiddle teacher John Weed (Molly’s Revenge) • Come check out a session – no obligation!

For players of fiddle, violin, cello, flute, pennywhistle, recorder, guitar, banjo, mandolin, bouzouki, harp, dulcimer, accordion, keyboards, and more.

1st & 3rd Wednesdays, 3:30-5:00PM London Nelson Center, Santa Cruz Cost: $0-$10 per session, sliding scale Information and registration at CommunityMusicSchool.org or call 831/471-5184 6

NOVEMBER 2021 | Growing Up in Santa Cruz

What do you do if you just bought a cafe and Covid hits? If you’re a member of the Santa Cruz multi-generational Whiting family, you roll with the punches.

“We took a wild guess that [outdoor eating] was going to be the near future with all the Covid stuff,” explains Dave Whiting, 61, of Santa Cruz. He’s the coowner of The Farm Bakery and Cafe and owner of the Pixie Deli, both in Aptos.

Starting when takeout was the only option restaurants had, the Farm--situated near Cabrillo College-- was transformed from a bustling indoor cafe and bakery with a few tables outdoors to an inviting open-air environment—all in the hopes that they would eventually be able to serve customers.

The customers are coming back, just as they have for generations of Whiting establishments.

GRANDFATHERED IN ON THE BOARDWALK

Dave is one of eight children whose grandfather owned the venerable Whiting’s Foods on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Starting in 1953 with ice cream stands, Dave’s grandfather built Whiting’s foods from the ground up—and expected everyone in the family to chip in. Dave’s dad brought the same ethos to his own family, with the large family’s children working in the business anytime they were needed—and they were often needed.

“Working at a family business, there is a different level of expectation of you,” Dave says. “When you’re sick or you’ve got other things to do but you’re scheduled to be at work, you’re at work. It really gives you a real sense of what work ethic means. You don’t work to five o’clock—you work till you get the job done.”

GOING HIS OWN WAY

Unlike two of his siblings, Dave didn’t continue in the family business.

He went off and worked in food service distribution while raising a family in Santa Cruz. His children grown and pursuing their own careers, he started looking for a new challenge.

The Pixie Deli, a 50-year-old storefront on Rio del Mar Beach, came up for sale in need of some TLC. Before the pandemic was even imagined by most of us, Dave spruced up the space which had become less deli and more beachside convenience store. He upgraded the interior, patio seating, and menu.

Soon after, he saw that the Farm

Bakery and Cafe had come up for sale.

Comfortable with family enterprises, he approached his daughter Megan, 35, who was working as an EMT, and her husband Rolo with the idea of joining as co-owners.

FAMILY MEANS KNOWING WHEN TO STEP IN...

AND STEP OUT

“Working at a family business has so many upsides, the sense of community and purpose in what you’re doing,” Dave explains. “Also you live with each other, work with each other, so you can rub on each other. You can learn to work through that stuff.”

Well aware of how not to set up tension with his daughter, Dave says that his vision from the start was to offer them the freedom to put their own stamp on the venture.

“It’s mentoring, it’s teaching, it’s letting them do their own thing and hit home runs or make mistakes,” Dave explains.

“You’re just keeping an eye on everything to make sure things don’t blow up. I’m the day-to-day operator of the Pixie, but at the Farm there’s a lot of their character and their touch and their culture.”

THRIVING ON THE BEACH

Dave points out that running a newly purchased business during a pandemic—and a new career for his daughter—though she, too, worked at Whiting’s as a teen—is hit and miss.

“I wish I could tell you it was very thought up, but it was like, let’s cover this up and put some heaters in. It was a matter of survival!”

The two businesses, though, are thriving in this difficult environment.

Patrons love the airy, enclosed outdoor seating at the Farm and often choose it over the interior now that they have a choice. Dave can usually be found at the Pixie, running food out to customers on the patio, working hard to keep that Beach Boys vibe alive.

Learn more about the Pixie Deli at PixieGoodEats.com, the Farm at TheFarmBakery. com, and Whiting’s Foods at WhitingsFoods.com.

Send your nominations for businesses that have turned the corner after Covid, or managed to thrive through it, to editor@growingupsc.com

 Suki Wessling is a local writer, teacher, KSQD radio host, and musician. Read more and connect at www.SukiWessling.com.

GREEN LIVING Smart Holiday Wrapping and Gift Tags

BY SUSAN TATSUI-D’ARCY

SMART WRAPPING PAPER:

Did you know that wrapping paper is a $2.6 billion dollar industry? With Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa around the corner, millions of pounds of paper will be used to wrap gifts just once and then be piled up in trash cans that line every street around the world. Wasteful!

I didn’t realize how much this bothered me until I had a dream about it. When I woke up, I knew exactly what I needed to do. This was kind of like my Eco-Xmas tree dream. So here’s what I did: I drove over to Fabrics R Us (a fabric shop) in San Jose to buy 20 yards of red and green satin (about $4/yard). Then I went to the Dollar Tree to buy 100 hair ties and scrunchies. I added a few curtain rods to my Wrapping Room to hang all of the satin squares that I had cut in various sizes. And voilà! I was all set for a paperless Christmas.

Wrapping gifts was a breeze! I just grabbed a satin square and placed the gift item right in the center of it. Then, I pulled all of the fabric up around the gift and tied it off – just like a girl’s pony tail. With the extra fabric, I would pull it through another loop of the hair tie creating a beautiful “bow.” It took just 5 seconds to wrap! No cutting wrapping paper, folding edges, taping ends, or adding ribbons.

The best part, after gifts were opened, we collected all of the satin sheets and then tossed them over the curtain rod so we can reuse them for the next holiday season. We also put all of the hair ties in a Xmas box to be reused again.

SMART GIFT TAGS:

Rather than buy gift tags for all of your holidays gifts, make them with your holiday cards from the previous year. Yup! I love all of the beautiful, funny, and clever cards that we receive every year. Instead of throwing them out and contributing to the 25 million tons of additional garbage that end up at our landfills every December, I reuse them as gift tags the following year.

I save the front of the card and recycle the back part that has writing on it.

During the next holiday season, I punch a hole in the card, pull a hair tie through the hole, and attach it to the satincovered gift. Then I write the receiver’s name on the tag.

Each gift tag is unique and exquisite! The best part -- we don’t cut down any trees, reduce waste at the landfills, and we don’t spend a penny on gift tags! It’s a win for us AND the planet!

 Susan Tatsui-D’Arcy is the founder of Merit Academy (one-on-one classes) and Merit Educational Consultants (college and educational advisory).

She has written books on projects, free child care, education, and parenting.

Susan hosts TEDxMeritAcademy for students to present their innovative projects and solutions. In 2019, she was the California Mother of the Year. meritworld.com

DISCOVER THE JOY OF LEARNING AT KIRBY SCHOOL.

Help for the Neediest Acts of Hope Children’s Ministry is a small orphanage in Kampala Uganda.

The children face many challenges such as not having enough food, clothing, school supplies, clean water and health issues such as HIV, Typhoid and Malaria.

Currently they are experiencing flooding and the children are in need of rain boots and rain jackets but they also need everyday jackets, clothing and shoes. There are 55 children raning in age from 1 to 14. If you can donate gently used or new items, including toys and educational supplies please leave them in marked cans at 3849 Mission Drive in Santa Cruz, 95065. (Drive to the top of

the hill and turn right. The address is clearly marked and easy to find.)

I will act quickly to get donations shipped to the children. If you would like to see photos of the children with the donated items please contact me and I can text or email them to you.

If you have any questions or would like to know more about Acts of Hope Ministry and how you can help, please contact me.

Thank you in advance.

Polly Hormel Polly.anne@comcast.net (831) 239-8844

Kirby School is an independent college preparatory day school in Santa Cruz for grades 6-12.

Our challenging program is available both in person, for on-campus learners, and online, for at-home learners.

Join us at an upcoming Admissions event.

Social and emotional well-being is a top priority and vital to student success. Our caring team is committed to ensuring your child thrives.

We offer a test-free application and Tuition Assistance.

425 ENCINAL ST. | SANTA CRUZ 95060 | KIRBY.ORG

GrowingUpSC.com | NOVEMBER 2021

7

BY BRAD KAVA Three things you need to know this holiday season right way.



First, if you put off toy shopping you will be in trouble. Those container ships you keep hearing about are backed up all the way to China and Santa can’t get at ‘em. Sadly, Santa Cruz’s homegrown toy maker, Modarri, says they don’t want publicity for their hot make-your-own-cars because they won’t be available for the holidays. So be the early bird and not the worm.

BLINDED BY SCIENCE

A KID’S HOME IS LOCAL HARD THEIR CASTLE TO FIND HIT

The box says it all: a gross body lab, recommended for ages 8 and up. Slimy brains and bulging eyeballs? Maybe you can turn that kid into a surgeon yet. We found it at Wonderland Toys.

How about a room made of giant LEGOs? They don’t really make them, but Jennifer Ford found these EverBlocks, which businesses use as temporary room dividers and made the most awesome kids’castle from them.

They can shape into furniture too. You could probably build your own castle and rent it out in your Santa Cruz backyard for $3K a month. You get them at everblocksystems.com



Second, Hanukkah starts Nov. 28 and lasts for eight days, with a gift on each. You can be sure a lot of shopping will be done by then.



Third, you can find some of the wackiest gifts this year locally, things that would have been unheard of back in the days when TV characters weren’t allowed to be shown sleeping in the same beds. Poop, farts and slime are hot items for the 7-year-old boy set and his dad.

PRANKSTER’S DELIGHT

THE POSTMAN MAY NOT RING TWICE

The Santa-Cruz designed Modarri car is a mix of Hot Wheels and Legos and has been a nationwide hit. We found one at Imagitorium, but no telling how long it will last. They are sold out all over and are on a slow boat from China that will likely not make it here by the holidays.

We are planning a cover story on the local toy maker soon.

Voted #1 Toy Store in Good Times Best of Santa Cruz County 2021

This may have been our favorite purchase this year. OK, it was Dad’s.

These were the toys advertised in the pages of comics when he was a kid. Fake poop, vomit, the hand buzzer, the cut off thumb, the squirt ring. Yeah, our 5-yearold enjoyed pranking house guests, but not as much as Dad enjoyed watching him. We got it at Wonderland Toys in Aptos, but they are out of the big box right now. They do, however, have some smaller vintage sets with equally disturbing pranks.

We love, love, love this locally-made mailbox done by our favorite Cruzin’ artist, Jimbo Phillips. You can find it at Artrageous in Capitola.

19B Rancho Del Mar Aptos | (next to Safeway off State Park Dr.)

8

NOVEMBER 2021 | Growing Up in Santa Cruz

IMAGINE THAT

Butts are almost as big with kids as they are with rappers. You can find a library about them at Imagitorium, (the old Outside-In Kids store in Aptos).

They have smart toys and funny ones, like a book collection on butts and the almost unimaginable, Poop Bingo.

Who gets more fun out of these, kids or parents? Even Santa is laughing.

TRICK AND GOOFY TREATS

Coming in

DECEMBER Winter Sports Holiday Gift Guide You wouldn’t think of downtown’s biggest candy shop as a place for weird gifts…or would you? It’s Sugar stretches the limits of the elves imaginations.

There’s a literal gag gift, Pickle flavored cotton candy, the thought of which has us gagging. And then there’s edible urine.

Don’t ask. Maybe it could replace coal in a stocking. No, we didn’t try it.

But on the sweeter side is a kid’s dream come true, just the marshmallows from Lucky Charms. Know any kids who separated them out before pouring on milk? We do. There’s a candle for when dad farts, which could double as a Father’s Day surprise. And finally, our favorite shelf, boxes of candies from various decades, blasts from the past.

Email us at Advertising@GrowingUpSC.com to advertise!

GrowingUpSC.com | NOVEMBER 2021

9

BIRTH MATTERS The Circle Family Center Helping New Families Find Help

Need help with breastfeeding?

Call Nursing Mothers Counsel to speak with a trained lactation counselor

BY LAURA MAXSON, LM Many expectant parents look longingly at a prenatal yoga listing, an independent childbirth class, or parent/child art class and sigh with the realization that it is not within their budget. The Circle Family Center is trying to turn that sigh of resignation into a positive affirmation – “yes, you can!”

Newly opened, the Circle is an idea that has been incubating for some time in the minds of Nora Yerena, Elisa HavensStokes, and Kim Guiley.

As parents and birth workers, the cofounders of the Circle know firsthand about the support new families need and the difficulty in finding it. Their own experiences include: feeling the effects of leaving an established, supportive community when moving to a new city, an awareness of the lack of classes and services for Spanish speaking families, and the isolation of a person of color becoming a parent in a predominantly white community.

The abrupt standstill that came with the recent pandemic offered an opportunity for the cofounders to rethink and expand on their original plans. Their work with families, combined with their own experiences, led them to envision a family center with no barriers. Structured as a nonprofit endeavor now, the Circle looks toward both memberships and donations to help support families who would not normally be able to participate.

Their midcounty location, just down the street from Sea Cliff Beach, means the Circle is within easy reach of families from both Watsonville and Santa Cruz. The Center boasts a large sunny room for yoga and similar classes and a smaller “family room” for lactation visits and smaller groups, complete with kids play area and cozy couches. The large parking lot, deck and side yard offer more options for meeting safely together outside. The entrance area includes some shopping opportunities with baby carriers, organic baby care products, baby booties, teething toys, apparel & more.

Parents may borrow from the lending library on site, as well as contribute their own birth and parenting books when finished with them.

The needs of many families have intensified as parents are beginning to emerge from the abrupt and unique isolation of the COVID pandemic. From a total shutdown to the evolution of remote contact for classes, workshops, and individual visits, families and care providers are providing new and different options for support. This new inclusivity will likely linger beyond the pandemic allowing new parents not quite ready or able to leave home, to find connection. At the Circle, some

10

classes are offered inperson, others virtually, and some as a combination.

Activities at the Circle Family Center strive to incorporate COVID vaccinated instructors who are LBGTQ, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), native Spanish speakers, and those who support diversity. If you don’t see what you need, check back, as the schedule is evolving.

Currently The Circle Family Center offers: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Prenatal education Pre & postnatal yoga, family yoga & kids yoga Pre & postnatal fitness Pre & postnatal support groups Child + caregiver circle time, story time & music time Dads groups Lgbtq+ parents group Individual & group lactation support Bereavement support Baby sign language Pelvic floor workshops Positive Discipline parenting workshops Car seat education & installation by certified CPSTs Santa Cruz Babywearing meetings Wombsong

All services, including home visits free of charge 831-688-3954 www.nursingmothers.org

PLUS Spanish offerings for:

Childbirth education New parents support group Parenting workshops Lactation support Dads group The Circle Family Center is building relationships with a variety of community programs to connect people in need with the support they can use.

As the Circle gets rolling, supporters are welcome to stop by or head to their webpage to make a taxdeductible donation.

There is something about a circle that is inherently inclusive. The curved sides gently reach out like a big hug to encompass everyone. A circle feels cozy while also suggesting expansiveness and strength. The Circle Family Center is all those things and more.

• • • • •

Circle Family Center – www. thecirclefamilycenter.org 245 Sea Ridge Rd., Suite C, Aptos Find the Circle Family Center on Facebook and Instagram More childbirth/parenting resources

NOVEMBER 2021 | Growing Up in Santa Cruz

Free Event!

Virtual Meet the Doulas

Wednesday, November 10, 7-8pm Learn about how doulas support families through the birth and postpartum experience during our current COVID19 situation.

Preregister to join our FREE LIVE ZOOM EVENT: BirthNetSantaCruz.EventBrite.com

One-stop-shopping for pregnancy, birth & parenting services

www.BirthNet.org

HEALTHY EATING Parent Health and Nutrition Check

BY LESLIE FUNK

“

Why are so many Americans metabolically unhealthy? It is the food we eat.

Being labeled as “overweight” or “obese” by the medical system is irrelevant.

evaluate your health look at the health of your metabolism. Right now 88% of adults in the United States are metabolically unhealthy. How can you find out where you stand? Ask your primary care physician to run the following:

TESTS: •

All parents want their kids to be healthy. Children learn by observation; watching what you do and how you do it.

This is very important when it comes to food choices, food preparation and eating habits. Now is a great time to take an honest look at your own health and the choices you make regarding food. This is not about dieting, it is about learning to choose foods that improve your health, not harm it. Preventive medicine through the consumption of fresh, real foods is the goal.

How is your metabolism?

Healthy adults come in many shapes and sizes. In this country 31% of adults are overweight and 43% are obese. In clinical studies evaluating the metabolic health of people designated “obese,” findings show that 80% have poor metabolic health while 20% have good metabolic health. This illustrates

that health cannot be confirmed by falling into the “normal” body weight category. In studies of the “normal weight” population, 40% have Metabolic Syndrome; a clustering of conditions that lead to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke. This group is now designated as “TOFI,” which stands for “Thin on the outside, fat on the inside.”

Why are so many Americans metabolically unhealthy? It is the food we eat. The offerings at your local grocery store or supermarket are about 30% real and minimally processed food and 70% highly processed non-foods disguised as healthy. If it contains “added sugar, partially hydrogenated oils of any kind, added flavorings, added colors or added fiber” it is a nonfood and damages your metabolism.

Being labeled as “overweight” or “obese” by the medical system is irrelevant. To

• • • •

Fasting blood glucose and Hemoglobin A1c Fasting Triglycerides Fasting Lipids: specifically your good cholesterol: HDL level Liver Function: ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase enzyme) Blood Pressure

GOALS:

Fasting blood glucose < 100mg/dl Hemoglobin A1c < 5.7% Fasting Triglycerides < 150 mg/dL HDL levels: > 40 mg/dl for men, 50 mg/dl for women • Liver ALT < 25 Units/L excellent for men and women • acceptable ranges:10-40 Units/L for men 7-35 Units/L for women • Blood Pressure < 120 systolic/80 diastolic mmHg To be categorized as “metabolically healthy” you hit the goals above and you are not taking medication to improve • • • •

any of the goals. If you are on medication for glucose control, lipid levels, blood pressure or other lifestyle disease your doctor is trying to “buy you some time” to change your food choices. Are you ready? Now is the ideal time to make changes and the best team to do it with lives at your house. Lifestyle changes are made at home, not at the doctor’s office and not in the gym. Enlist your family, make a plan together and jump right in!

Small changes that become habits will lead the way, you are on the slow, steady path to excellent health.

This article is Part 1 in a monthly series; to help you revamp your family’s relationship with food and the practices you use to eat healthy at home.

    

NOVEMBER 2021 How is Your Metabolism?

DECEMBER 2021 Hunting for the REAL Food JANUARY 2022 Learning to Make Great Meals FEBRUARY 2022 Stock the Kitchen MARCH 2022 Grow Something Edible

ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR TEENS NORTH COUNTY

831.238.0504 | 831.426.4100 Cal Dre# 02092111 VMishkin@BaileyProperties.com ValerieMishkin.MyHomeHQ.biz

6121 Gushee Street Felton, CA 95018

EVERY SECOND SUNDAY OF THE MONTH 2PM-4PM

Valerie Mishkin Realtor®

FELTON BRANCH LIBRARY

ACT! What is it?

Advisory Council of Teens (ACT) is the SCPL young adult advisory group. ACT is open to all San Lorenzo Valley young adults, ages 12-18. The main focus of the ACT is young adult services, including programs, events, spaces, and policies. This is a good opportunity for students to fulfill community service credits, obtain job skills, develop leadership abilities, and acquire college extracurricular experience.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT IVAN ATLLAMASI@SANTACRUZPL.ORG (831) 427 7700 EXT 7752 GrowingUpSC.com | NOVEMBER 2021

11

YOUR Afterschool Destination

santacruzpl.org

Your partner for success in school and beyond.

• Reading Comprehension • Homework Help • Practice Tests • • 24/7 Access to Research Tools • Afterschool Project Based Learning • • Teen Advisory Committee in North and South County •

Live Oak Acupuncture & Healing Arts

Marcia D. Connelly Licensed Acupuncturist & Herbalist

­

wellnesscoaches@sbcglobal.net mygutreboot.com/charlottecarreria

12

NOVEMBER 2021 | Growing Up in Santa Cruz

BY MIKAYLA SHULTS

It’s November! This is a time that we start thinking about what we are thankful for, and it might be the first time in a while for some people.

I certainly don’t think about gratitude on a daily basis, but I hope to change that. Something that I’ve been working on is telling people I appreciate them.

You’ll see how many of the people I spoke to do the

same. If that’s out of your comfort zone, I suggest expressing your gratitude for nature. Start paying attention to how the seasons change, the feelings you get at sunrise or sunset, and notice what the earth can do for you. Just starting to acknowledge my relationship with nature has helped me become more grounded.

 My two favorite things are vintage clothes and being an activist; in that order. You can find me reading on the beach or just staring at the same page for an hour. While I’m not doing that, I’m a junior at Oasis.

I asked people a few different questions to get in the mood for the season of gratitude. I learned what gratitude means to some people, how they practice, and what they are thankful for. I hope you get some new perspectives on gratitude from this. If you want to share your answers to these questions, message @GrowingUpSc on Instagram, and we will post it!

Hannah Mathiesen

Nimali Goonetilleke

Daniel Schafer-Dews

Aptos High School

OASIS

San Lorenzo Valley High School

To me gratitude is being appreciative of the things in your life. I am very thankful for everything good that has happened, but I also appreciate the things that didn’t as well.

Although in the moment I may not be happy with my failure or how something is going, I feel those are the times that I have learned the most and can grow from. I am truly grateful for those times because without them I feel I wouldn’t have a true understanding of what the world is today; filled with joy and happiness but also with defeat and hardship. To practice gratitude I think of the moments in life that have improved me as a person, the good and the bad.

I am grateful for my parents and for my amazing sister. They support me, feed me, and love me. Even when my sister went to college she would text me everyday; she would listen to my problems, give me advice and make me laugh.

I practice being grateful by trying my best to look out for my family and do whatever I can to reciprocate the things that they do and help me with. One of the most important ways that I show them that I am grateful for them is by always saying goodbye to them . Whenever I leave for a trip or go anywhere I always say goodbye to my family or call them. This is my way of making them feel like I always acknowledge them and my way of letting them know that I never take their presence for granted.

she/her

I practice gratitude by never taking a single thing for granted! Something as little as receiving a hug or even getting a text is always followed by a “thank you” or “I appreciate you/that/ it” etc. The universe works in mysterious ways, and you never know what someone may be going through or when you get the opportunity to see them again, so don’t let a single moment be forgotten or unappreciated.

she/her

he/him

Jacklyn Herring she/her

Homeschool Since I was younger, I have kept a gratitude journal where I would list a few things I am grateful for daily. Remembering to focus on the things I am grateful for has definitely helped me to keep a positive mindset through tough experiences. I am so grateful for my close community of friends!

Hailey McKinney she/her

Coumba Faye

I practice gratitude by telling/showing my friends or family that I am very thankful for how they support me every single day through tough or good times. I also try to pick one good thing a day I am grateful for.

Santa Cruz High School

Scotts Valley High School

she/her

I’m very grateful for family and friends that I have in my life.

And I am very grateful for everything that I have in Santa Cruz.

GrowingUpSC.com | NOVEMBER 2021

13

LOCAL ARTIST Tom Jacobs After nearly two decades of a professional landscape photography career, Tom Jacobs discovered a passion for impressionistic fine art photography. His work expresses the hues, textures and rhythms in the world around us rather than the literal portrayal typically captured by a camera. Once Tom embarked on the path of multiple exposures, camera movement, and blending modes mostly done in camera, he found the creativity of this style to be liberating. The images he creates suggest, rather than tell. They blend what the eye sees into a new vision outside the boundaries of reality. He is inspired as much by painters such as Monet, Picasso, and Degas as he is by other great photographers. After all, painters have been creating art for centuries and have much to teach us.

Currently his Spain series is featured in The Wit Gallery in Lenox, MA and his work is in both corporate and individual collections, and has appeared in art and photography periodicals. Tom has sold hundreds of images at high-end juried art fairs and local venues in the San Francisco Bay area. He performs all of the work from capture to print to framing using archival methods.

Prints are sold as signed limited editions.

14

NOVEMBER 2021 | Growing Up in Santa Cruz

BY JEANETTE PRATHER

This article was originally going to be titled, “The aerialist/pole acrobat/teacher/mom/writer/museumworker hustle (and why anyone would want to do that),” until my stepdad weighed in with, “It sounds like you’re confused.” To which I replied, “Which part?” “All of it,” he responded.

That statement made me reflect a bit. Am I confused?

Perhaps at some point in my twenties I was confused about my eclectic lifestyle choices, but as I am forging onwards through my thirties, I’ve come to embrace this multi-faceted approach to life and even recognize a cohort of other wild individuals who share in this innate ability to maneuver laterally like a crab – a trait particularly helpful in the thralls of pandemic living.

How did this happen? While navigating through choices and decisions in life certainly paved the way to where I am now, I honestly believe that this lifestyle happened to me rather than my choosing it.

In the interest of saving precious text space, I’ll omit my resumes (available at JeanettePrather.rocks and JeanetteBent.rocks for both my writing and performance careers, respectively) and abridge my professional life by explaining that I’ve simultaneously grown a writing and live performance career

throughout my entire life. With that, I’ve never really held down the a-typical “nine-to-five.”

Lending itself to some stressful situations like bouncing between three shows spread throughout the Central Coast on the same day, to once-in-a-lifetime experiences like dancing in Super Bowl XXXVII at 18-years-old, maintaining a lifelong performing career is thrilling. And then you pair that with freelance writing, mom-ing and working part-time at the Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery, and we’ve gotten ourselves caught up to 2020.

One of the last long-term performance contracts that I had was for California’s Great America 2019 Halloween Haunt season. During this time, I’d perform all night in Santa Clara, often getting home close to 1 am, just to make sure I’m awake to help volunteer in my at-the-time 3rd grader’s classroom and then head into the MOD. Advice for crazy people like me who firmly believe that you can do it all; do it! Just make sure that you’re smart about your schedule and not over-extending, a quality that I am certainly guilty of. Taking proper care of yourself and truly striking a work/life balance by not working all the time while still taking care of business is both fruitful and a balancing act. [All-night ambient

aerial or pole performance gig hack: Bananas! I’ve eaten multiple bananas backstage and in many a greenroom during an evening of strenuous ambient work, and the sustainability is unmatchable.]

The ambitious mindset of “it’s possible to have it all” actually comes from an early pole mentor – in the pole community we refer to pole gurus like this as our “pole mamas” – Zoraya Judd, an amazing woman who has three children, a husband and a lucrative performance and teaching career. Clearly, an inspiration.

Ok, so now we’re here winding down 2021 and despite the love of the long-term gig contract, times are uncertain, motherhood commitments and working multiple jobs doesn’t necessarily lend themselves convenient for any non-local long contract. Of course, this isn’t the case for California’s Great America or even the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, the latter a long-term gig that my company, Stellaria Creative Company, landed in 2015 and 2016.

This wasn’t always an issue for me. One of my immediate post-collegiate large contracts was for six months as the assistant choreographer at Club Maeva in Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico. We were called “Maevamigas.” That led to me working for Club Med as their chief choreographer in Cancun where I learned aerial skills. Then, I was sent to Turks and Caicos in the Bahamas where I met my now-husband (he was the executive chef, and I was the choreographer; very Dirty Dancing!). I had done one last contract in Florida to round out my two-year resort stint, many new skills and experiences under my belt.

New York City, which book ended both my postgraduate and post-resort destinations, was where I leaned heavily into my performance career while starting my family. When my young family moved back to my old collegiate stomping grounds of Long Beach for a brief stint before our current destination of Santa Cruz, our story must have prompted the pole studio owner where I taught to call us a “gypsy family.” In a way, we are. And in another way, it’s because of my (and probably my husband’s) rebel spirit.

Now, I’m really starting to identify these people. Call it middle-aged, maturity, 2021… whatever. Pockets of formerly “confused” individuals who are multi-faceted and don’t conform to what was our norm pre-2020, are now emerging in full bloom ready to seize the day.

Not confined to performance artists, but anyone who identifies as a rebel spirit; people who are wickedly talented illustrators and photographers, those who’ve invented some new piece of tech but also tear it up in the air, mathematicians who are also chefs, you get the idea.

For these individuals – rebel spirits, warriors, freethinkers, if you will – not only do I identify with you, but I’m also hoping that my newest endeavor, the Stellaria Rebels Society app (to be launched this fall), will provide a free enterprise platform to unleash all your skills and wiles in one place.

So, if you carry a whole bunch of titles or labels, then this message is for you. Now’s your time to shine! If you weren’t shining your brightest before, or you were misunderstood as confused, or you just love multiple outlets and don’t want to give one up, you don’t have to. Take it from my pole mamma; “I’m a firm believer that you can have it all.” So go out and have it all while remembering to have some fun along the way.

GrowingUpSC.com | NOVEMBER 2021

15

PARENTING Lying or Pretending?

Teaching Kids to Tell the Truth

BY JAN PIERCE

Tell your children you know they can do the right thing.

Children need to hear your praise and encouragement. “I know you can do the right thing.” And “I know you can make the right choices.”

Talk about the importance of being honest.

“When people don’t tell the truth they feel bad. They may be worried or feel guilty. It’s so much better to tell the truth.”

Play games and do activities that promote honesty.

Play a game in which you draw a card with a sentence written on it. Read it aloud for everyone to hear. Is it real-life or fantasy? Or role-play with puppets that either tell the truth or lie.

Avoid tempting your child to lie.

Somewhere around the age of three, when children begin to understand parents may not know what they actually did or didn’t do, your precious little angel may begin to tell big whoppers. “Baby Jack made that mess,” or “I played with a dinosaur today and rode on his back.”

Before you panic, thinking your child is destined for a life of crime, let’s take a look at when children lie, why they lie, and how to teach them to tell the truth.

WHY

Children tell lies for a variety of reasons. They’re afraid of getting in trouble, they want attention, they’re testing boundaries, or quite often with the very young, they just enjoy a good story and haven’t yet learned the distinction between fantasy and real life.

If a child breaks a family rule, or makes a big mess, he may be afraid of the consequences. Parents need to first discern whether the infraction was intentional or a normal childhood accident such as spilling milk. When parents see the lie was meant to cover a normal child “accident,” it’s best to reassure that we all make mistakes and work together to clean it up. When the lie was meant to cover breaking a family rule, it’s best to set a consequence in line with the infraction---perhaps forgoing play with a favorite toy for a period of time. Setting reasonable consequences builds trust yet reinforces the family value of both the rule and truth-telling.

When consequences involve physical punishment, children are much more likely to lie in an effort to avoid the pain.

Some “lies” are merely pretending.

Wouldn’t it be fun to have an imaginary

16

friend, or be able to fly to the moon and back? This is absolutely normal behavior and part of a child’s growth and development. Young children are learning right and wrong and need experience to tell the difference between truthfulness and lying. Plus we adults read them stories filled with creativity, pretending and magical acts. So children need experience and practice in separating fun, creative fantasy from everyday real life.

WHEN

Children begin to experiment with telling fibs at about age three when their language is developed enough to express their thoughts clearly.

They are experimenting with the lines between fact and fantasy. They understand they may displease adults with some behaviors and want to avoid being in trouble.

From ages four to six children are able to tell more sophisticated lies.

However, when questioned about the circumstances most children will eventually relent and tell the truth.

As children grow older they learn they can tell a lie and not get caught.

They’ve learned more about how other people think, and know when their fabrication is believable. That’s why it’s so important as parents to take the time to teach honesty as a family value from babyhood on up.

Whenever your child tells an untruth, you have the opportunity to teach. If they share a creative idea as fact, “My doll says she is hungry now.” You have the opportunity to teach, “It would be fun if your doll could talk, wouldn’t it?”

NOVEMBER 2021 | Growing Up in Santa Cruz

If a mess is made and a fib told, “The dog spilled the juice.” You can say, “It’s okay if you accidently spilled. We all spill sometimes. Let’s clean up the mess.”

And when lies are blatantly told to cover up a broken rule, “I didn’t hit my brother.” Then a fair and reasonable consequence is imposed to set the boundary. “We don’t hit and our family tells the truth.”

HOW TO TEACH TRUTH-TELLING

Everyday family life offers countless opportunities to mold and shape our children’s moral code. We all want our children to be honest, upright citizens.

Here are some ways to teach our children to be truth-tellers:

Be a good role model.

You can talk all day about being honest, but if your children hear you tell a lie, they’ll know you don’t really mean it. Even small fibs told by parents are confusing to children trying to navigate the rules of the home.

Notice and encourage whenever truth is told.

Both in real-life situations and when watching television or videos, there are opportunities to notice who is telling the truth and who is not. “Oh, dear, that character is telling a lie. What will happen now?”

Or, when your child does tell the truth, make a point of complimenting him or patting her on the back. Applaud truthtelling whenever it happens.

Help children understand the difference between truth and fantasy.

Enjoy fantasy tales with your children, but talk about reality. “It would be fun if animals could really talk, but it’s just pretend.”

Explosive anger or asking “Who did that?” will tempt a child to lie to avoid trouble. Whenever possible, stay calm and get to the bottom of the problem.

Additionally we want children to trust us enough to tell the truth in the event of any kind of dangerous or abusive situations. Children have to know it’s safe to admit a problem.

Share childhood memories that help teach honesty.

Kids love to hear stories of their parents as young children. Tell how you learned to tell the truth and resist lying.

Share hard lessons learned.

Read books that lead to discussion about truth and lies.

We all know about the boy who cried wolf. Take the time to find stories that teach the importance of telling truth.

Some recent ones are: The Honest to Goodness Truth by Patricia McKissack and Giselle Potter What Should Danny Do? By Adir Levy Scout’s Honor: A Kid’s Book about Lying and Telling the Truth by Tiffany Obeng.

We want our children to thrive as responsible citizens. We want them to be people of character and moral goodness. Honesty is one of those character traits that take some work to instill. It needs to be held up and valued in our everyday lives.

The value of creativity and fantasy has its place in our lives, but children need to be taught the difference between fantasy and reality. So remember, an occasional fib is a normal part of a child’s life, and for most kids it doesn’t become a habit.

With patient teaching and understanding your child will master truthfulness.

Jan Pierce, M.Ed., is a retired teacher and author of Homegrown Readers and Homegrown Family Fun. Find Jan at www.janpierce.net.

“

BY SUKI WESSLING

 Suki Wessling is a local writer and teacher. Read more at www.

SukiWessling.com. The youngster Vanessa took care of is now 18 and thriving in college!

Welcome back to our monthly feature of moms who have faced the task of pandemic parenting while also continuing their work in our community. Research has shown that women have suffered greater economic and personal fallout from the pandemic, losing jobs or having to work while also caring for children.

Vanessa Garcia Seeks Silver Linings Avid readers of Growing Up might remember Vanessa from last month’s article, “Pandemic-era Birth Stories: Unknowns, Rainbows, and Hard Choices.”

About two minutes into the interview about her difficult Covid-era pregnancy, I knew I needed to feature her as our next Mom Who Makes a Difference.

But this article is different, because until now I’ve been making an effort to feature moms I don’t have a personal relationship with.

Fifteen years ago, Vanessa was a young adult who walked into our house to bring peace, good cheer, and a muchneeded break in a difficult child-rearing decade. She was deeply interested in Early Childhood Education (ECE) and approached the job of babysitting a child with undiagnosed developmental issues with an unusual level of commitment and seriousness.

In the years since I met her, Vanessa got an associate’s degree in ECE from Cabrillo, a bachelor’s degree in Child Development from Mills College, and moved from preschool teacher to preschool administrator to site coordinator. She was recently promoted to Child Development Coordinator for Pajaro Valley Unified School District.

“You’re lucky you’re cute because that pregnancy was horrific!”

That’s what Vanessa joked to her baby Benjamin as we spoke on the phone.

She was home again, waiting for Covid test results, because like all babies, Benji picks up everything he’s exposed to.

“At one point I had more than 50% of my students that were out sick on a 10-day quarantine or waiting for Covid results,” Vanessa says. “It’s incredibly inconvenient to have your kid signed up for childcare and every other week you have to keep them out because they have the common cold.”

At least Vanessa’s centers are open now. At the beginning of the pandemic when she was told that she was supposed to supply ECE via screens, she was skeptical.

“There were some awesome moments but it was also incredibly frustrating,” she remembers. “You’re taking a population of people who

still do not fully understand reciprocal communication and then you’re putting them on a platform where grownups were struggling!”

At the same time, Vanessa was going through a hellish pregnancy, first suffering from hyperemesis then later from gestational diabetes. She had her two older children (12 and 9) learning from home, and finally had the time to document what she had suspected: her 9-year-old son didn’t have a behavioral issue—he had undiagnosed learning disabilities.

Learning at home gave her the ability to observe him and document his behaviors, and they ended up getting a diagnosis from a neuropsychologist.

That was one of those little pandemic silver linings.

“At the beginning I felt like it was really hard and stressful, but I also felt like, ‘Wow, I’m making progress for our family’,” Vanessa remembers.

REBUILDING FROM THE GROUND UP

In between illness, childcare, Zoom classes, and birth, Vanessa was hard at work with the PVUSD team rebuilding their program. She’s excited that kids are back in the classroom receiving the hands-on education that small children need, but not surprised that their enrollment hasn’t rebounded.

HER COMMUNITY IS STILL HURTING.

“Every time I ask someone else ‘How are you?’ it’s the same response: ‘Do we really want to be honest in that answer or just say, we’re fine?’! Everybody’s having a really hard time. I don’t know anybody right now who’s just thriving.”

But Vanessa does see slow improvement—raising children forces everyone to find a way forward.

“People are very adaptable,” she says.

“Despite how everybody’s complaining, people have adapted. It’s pretty amazing to see people get creative and figure out how to make it work.”

If you know of a mom who has made a difference, please email us at editor@growingupsc.com GrowingUpSC.com | NOVEMBER 2021

17

Offering personal campus tours for families with students preschool through high school.

Contact us today to reserve a spot: 408-847-2717 / MountMadonnaSchool.org

Each themed box comes with: Hardback Picture Book + Kid-friendly Recipe Card Baking Tool + Project

Come see what we’re mixing up!

www.BookakeryBoxes.com Available as 1, 3, 6 and 12 month packages Coupon good for any length subscrip�on. Renews at standard rate. Expires 12/31/2021

18

NOVEMBER 2021 | Growing Up in Santa Cruz

ASK NICOLE Preparing for the Holidays

BY NICOLE M. YOUNG, MSW

I love this time of year. The cool air (and even some rain!) makes me want to stay in my pajamas all day, cook, bake, listen to music, and reflect on everything I’m thankful for. I try to make gratitude and thankfulness a daily habit, but when life gets busy and stressful (and disrupted by a pandemic), it’s easy to take things for granted or feel too overwhelmed to be grateful for “the little things.” As the holiday season begins, I want to remind myself to slow down, be present in the moment, and enjoy time with my family. Who’s with me?

This monthly article provides tips for families raising children, based on the world-renowned Triple P – Positive Parenting Program, available to families in Santa Cruz County. If you have a question for a future column, please email triplep@first5scc.org.

Dear Nicole, We’re visiting extended family during the holidays this year. We haven’t seen several family members since before the pandemic, which means our two young children (2, 5) won’t know or remember them. I’m worried it will be overwhelming for our kids to be around so many “strangers,” and that my wife and l will spend our entire visit handling tantrums. I also worry about everyone hugging and kissing our kids and am afraid we’ll get exposed to COVID. Do you have any suggestions?

- Miguel Dear Miguel, Good question! The holidays can be an exciting AND stressful time for many children and adults. That might be especially true this year. Many families are eager to celebrate together after spending the holidays apart last year due to the pandemic, and several children, teens, and adults are also finding it difficult to adjust to being around a lot of people again. Here are a few tips to try:

Maintain your children’s daily routines.

The predictability of daily routines helps children feel secure and can prevent meltdowns caused by being tired, hungry, over-stimulated, or overwhelmed. Ask family members about their plans for mealtimes, visits, exchanging gifts, or other holiday activities, and let them know your children’s schedules. This allows you to discuss ways to minimize disruption to your children’s routines or help family members understand why your family might follow a different schedule at times.

Talk about plans and expectations.

Talk with your children about your travel plans, which relatives they’ll see, and holiday traditions. If you can, show them photos of family members they don’t know or remember so that their names and faces will seem familiar when they meet in person. Talk about any family rules that will be the same (or different) as when they’re at home—e.g., sharing, cooperating, amount of screen time (TV, movies, tablet). This helps them know what to expect, which prepares them to cope with unfamiliar situations.

Also talk with family members about how to have a COVID-safe celebration.

Will you gather indoors or outdoors? If indoors, will family members be supported if they choose to wear masks and maintain physical distance? Let your family know in advance about any boundaries or limits about hugging and kissing your kids. If they protest, explain that it’s out of concern for everyone’s health and safety and ask them to respect your decision, even if they don’t agree with it.

Have simple, engaging activities for your children.

This helps prevent meltdowns caused by boredom or restlessness. Take healthy snacks, some books and a few

of their favorite toys on your trip. Play guessing games, make up stories, or sing songs together. And don’t be too hard on yourself if you relax the rules about screen time during your visit. This can give both children and parents a much-needed break from constant activities and socializing.

Encourage the behavior you want to see more of.

Give your children descriptive praise when they’re being kind, helping others, following family rules, or expressing their feelings. This shows them you appreciate their efforts and encourages them to keep it up.

Take time for yourself.

Living with fear, uncertainty, disruption, and loss during nearly two years of a global pandemic has taken a physical and emotional toll on many people. Whenever you can, find time to do something you enjoy, like catching up with a relative, exercising, taking a nap, or sitting in silence by yourself.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Holidays provide opportunities for quality family time, but they can also add stress and pressure. Try a few of these positive parenting strategies to help you and your family truly enjoy each other and the spirit of the holidays.  Nicole Young is the mother of two children, ages 18 and 21, who also manages Santa Cruz County’s Triple P - Positive Parenting Program, the world’s leading positive parenting program. Scientifically proven, Triple P is made available locally by First 5 Santa Cruz County, the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency (Mental Health Services Act) and the Santa Cruz County Human Services Department. To find a Triple P parenting class or practitioner, visit http://triplep. first5scc.org, www.facebook.com/triplepscc or contact First 5 Santa Cruz County at 465-2217 or triplep@first5scc.org.

GrowingUpSC.com | NOVEMBER 2021

19

Submit your coloring page for a chance to win tickets to Gilroy Gardens!

Get your submission in by November 18th to be featured in November's Winners page!

SPONSORED BY GILROY GARDENS

Ayden

Courtney | Age 4

Emma | Age 5

Gemma

Grant | Age 8

Harshita | Age 6

20 NOVEMBER 2021 | Growing Up in Santa Cruz

Hugh | Age 4.5

Isabella | Age 7

Jesse (and Turtle) | Age 7

Luna | Age 4

Magnus | Age 4

Nevaeh | Age 9

Pax | Age 4

Sophia

Ziggy | Age 6 GrowingUpSC.com | NOVEMBER 2021

21

COLORING PAGE

Submit your coloring entry to editor@growingupsc.com and we will select some for great prizes! You can also mail them to Box 3505, Santa Cruz, 95063 Get your submission in by November 18th to be featured in November's Winners page!

22 NOVEMBER 2021 | Growing Up in Santa Cruz

GrowingUpSC.com | NOVEMBER 2021

23

WOMEN'S WELLNESS GUIDE Birth Network of Santa Cruz County

Santa Cruz BirthNet.org We provide parents and professionals with information, education, and advocacy for safe, empowering, joyful birth. Visit birthnet.org for an extensive listing of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum-related service providers. Learn about the MotherFriendly Childbirth Initiative and become a more informed healthcare consumer. Find registration information on our Upcoming Events webpage for Meet the Doulas and other virtual events. Due to COVID19 recommendations, events such as Bellies, Birth & Babies will be delayed until inperson events are safe. Keep in touch with our local birth and parenting community with Birth Network Santa Cruz on Facebook and Instagram.

Charlotte Carreira, Wellness Coaching

832-688-1858 Radiant-Wellness.com CandidaCleansing.net MyGutReboot.com/charlottecarreira Health is actually simple. I help you discover the empowering actions to help improve your digestive or candida-related issues, energy, focus, diet, nutrition and whole body wellness with natural alternative perspectives, wholefood supplement and ancient healing modalities like energy balancing and ear candling.

Free consultation and Gut Healthy guidebook available.

Live Oak Acupuncture & Healing Arts

Marcia Connelly 6892B Soquel Avenue Santa Cruz , CA MarciaConnelly.com (831) 818-7051 mcherbgal@gmail.com Marcia is passionate about helping women and girls find and own their resilience through each stage of life. Relying on various styles and traditions of acupuncture, herbs/ supplements, meditation, and nutritional recommendations, she helps her patients awaken and reconnect with their own sense of healing and vibrant health.

Nursing Mothers Counsel

831.688.3954 (Santa Cruz) 650.327-6455 (Bay Area) NursingMothers.org Nursing Mothers Counsel, Inc. is a non-affiliated, non-profit organization whose goal is to help mothers and their babies enjoy a relaxed and happy feeding relationship. Our help is provided by telephone, text, Zoom, email, Facebook, FaceTime, and in-home visits. We provide

hospital-grade breast pump rentals and grants. NMC services are provided without fee or obligation. Counselors are available from 9:00am – 9:00pm.

If you would like to become a certified breastfeeding counselor please register for our trainings. You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram.

Yoso Wellness Spa

831-600-8053 740 Front St. Suite 110, Santa Cruz, Ca 95060 YosoWellness.com We aim to treat our clients with a clinical holistic approach to skin and body care.

Yoso, meaning ‘raw elements’ in Japanese, reflects both the organic, eco-friendly products used in our treatments, as well as the diverse spa services offered utilizing natural elements which fits into our whole body well-being philosophy.

Yoso is a space you are empowered with internal and external personal wellness so that you exude confidence, radiance and are educated to achieve your skin and body goals. Offering the ultimate client experience from the moment you call, to creating your own custom blueprint at your appointment, to let you know we are fully invested in you as a unique person.

Mindful & Well

Pregnancy Resource Center

Mind-Body-Spirit Wellness for Youth & Adults emily@mindfulandwell.org (831) 471-7314 MindfulandWell.org

831-475-9255 santacruzprc.org/

Planned Parenthood

Relational Resources

1119 Pacific Ave., Suite 200, Santa Cruz 831.426.5550 398 South Green Valley Rd, Watsonville 831.724.7525 24-hour Facts-of-life Hotline 1.800.711.9848 Parental Stress Hotline

831.724.2879 831.426.7322 Sexual Assault

Roots of Health

rootsofhealthsc.com/ relationalresources.org/ Salud Para La Gente

204 East Beach St., Watsonville 831.728.0222 Survivors Healing Center

831-423-7601 survivorshealingcenter.org Walnut Ave. Women & Children's Center

wafwc.org/

24-Hour Hotline

Angela Massage Therapist

Located in Downtown Felton Behind Tomboy Outpost (714) 348-3907 Beth Lilienthal

SantaCruzBabyDoula.com 831-588-7367 Dignity Health Dominican Hospital

1555 Soquel Drive, Santa Cruz, CA 95065 831-462-7700 dignityhealth.org FIT4MOM Santa Cruz

santacruz.fit4mom.com carolyneckman@fit4mom.com Nitless Noggins

4200 Scotts Valley Drive Suite D Scotts Valley Ca 95066 831-566-6978 marcy@nitlessnoggins.com NitlessNoggins.com 24-hour Domestic Violence Hotline

1 (866) 2MY ALLY | 1 (866) 269-2559 California Skin Institute

californiaskininstitute.com/locations/santacruz-ca/ Crandell Chiropractic

feltonchiro.com/ Head, Heart, Hands, Healing

headhearthandshealing.com/

24 NOVEMBER 2021 | Growing Up in Santa Cruz

Enjoy 10% off your visit to feel whole from skin to soul.

Experience true care so you can be your best self.



AFFIRMATIONS Do you put those sweet little notes in your kids’ lunch boxes telling them how amazing they are and that you love them? You go into their classroom, and the walls are covered in posters with positive messages. Well, you deserve those too. Take one minute every morning to write yourself a love note.

It could say, “You’re doing fantastic,” or “That dinner was delicious last night!”

Sometimes all you need is an “I love you.” Stick it in your phone notes, write it on a post-it, even write it on the back of that receipt floating around in your purse. Just get it out there in the universe that you believe in yourself!



TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME It can be hard to get a moment to ourselves. Why not take that backroad and blast your favorite song? Sing at the top of your lungs! Maybe it’s been a hard day. Let those tears flow, and it’s okay. It’s good to release it. Stick your hand out the window and let the wind wipidy doo your arm into a wave. Feel the fresh air and breathe.



ASK FOR HELP You don’t have to do it all, and it all doesn’t have to be done right now!

Ask your partner and your children to take on a task that eases your load. It could be something as simple as making sure the dishwasher is unloaded when you get home. Have them write out a list of meals they love so you can easily meal plan and satisfy all of the hungry bellies in your home. By asking for help, you are freeing yourself from constantly serving everyone and teaching them to help in the future without being asked.



TEA/COFFEE/WATER RITUAL Most mornings start with a cup of coffee or tea. Are you simply pushing a button and carrying on multi-tasking?

Make your morning drink with love!

Set your intentions as you carefully scoop your coffee/tea/lemon into your mug. Watch the water swirl around your morning potion, ready to nourish your waking body. Let the steam rise through your nose with a deep breath and savor that first hot sip, because who knows if you’ll get the chance to finish it before its cold.



AM/PM MAKE TIME FOR YOU Which is your favorite, a sunrise or a sunset? Different people favor the dark of the early morning or the black of night. Figure out which one suits you best and set time aside for yourself away from the hustle and bustle of the day. Find your sweet spot and dedicate moments to yourself before everyone wakes up or after they fall asleep.



BREATHING EXERCISES You’re holding your breath; why?

Your plate is full, and there are 20 things to do and not nearly enough time. The

BY CHRISTY SHULTS

 Christy was a single working mother for 14 years, and now, in addition, she is a stepmom and a wife. Her favorite way to fill her bucket is to spend a day crafting with her best craft chicks.

anxiety creeps in, and all of your breaths become shallow. We can go for hours like this, tense and frustrated as it worsens.

Stop. Take a deep breath through your nose, count to 4, breath out your mouth until there is no air, and then breath out some more. Now take that deep breath back in through your mouth. Repeat.

Repeat until you start to feel your arms and hands unclench. We need to remind ourselves to fill our lungs completely, or we have minuscule breaths to release.

go to bed so that your mind doesn’t keep you up all night. Prioritize, and make sure you are a priority! Now, set a realistic timeline and prioritize again.

When you cross off those bubbles or boxes, maybe cross off that item, thank yourself.



TAKE A STEP TOWARDS GOAL “I’m going to make time for myself this week, and I’m going to go for a 5-mile walk.” Then life happens.

“Shoot, this is a bummer. I feel like a failure.” You’re not, and you can reach your goals. Start with baby steps. Take a walk after dinner, even if it’s for 10 minutes. The dishes will still be there when you get back. You deserve this. You deserve to accomplish your goals, and it is okay to chip away a little bit at a time.



TASKLIST Really, who doesn’t love a good checklist? You’ve made it this far in the article, haven’t you? Make it before you

SLOW DOWN Hurry it up, Herbie is an idiom that may be as rare as you taking your time and escaping the rush of American life. Mistakes happen; you breathe too shallow, and life isn’t that fun when everything is set at hare speed. Embrace your inner tortoise, and notice the little things, even if it’s for a short period of the day.

DON’T COMMIT RIGHT AWAY How often do you say yes without much thought then feel guilty when you don’t want to do it. Unless it’s something that makes your bucket overflow with joy, take a moment to decide. You can even take a day or two or a week! Make sure that it is right for you.

BONUS COOKIE Be gentle to yourself.



SAY THANK YOU Thank yourself every day.

It doesn’t matter what it is for; show yourself gratitude. Say thank you to your family when they make you laugh or when they do their laundry. The more you acknowledge how much they are helping you, the more they will recognize how much you do for them.



STRETCH Our bodies seem to always be in some curled over sitting position for too much of the day. Set aside time to stretch it out. You only need 10 minutes to feel the effects. Lay on the ground reach your arms far above your head while stretching your toes, lengthening your body as much as possible. Look for an extended version of stretches in a future Baker’s Dozen article.

GrowingUpSC.com | NOVEMBER 2021

25

ALL MONTH Natural Bridges State Beach: Monarch Butterflies 11:00 AM-2:00 PM Stroll through the Monarch Butterfly Natural Preserve and be on the lookout for every splash of orange on the walk! The monarch migration is variable, please check the website or contact the park to find out the current population. To arrange a tour for groups of 10 or more, please visit www. thatsmypark.org. Events made possible

by Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks and California State Parks.

MONDAY 1 World Vegan Day

your child new skills & behaviors • Handle disruptive or challenging behaviors with greater confidence • Take care of yourself as a parent Presented in English on Zoom

by Liliana Zamora, Community Bridges – LMCR Tuesdays, November 2 – December 14, 2021 4:00 – 5:30 pm Register: https:// bit.ly/TripleP-Group-Nov2021 First Tuesday with FIT4MOM Santa Cruz 9:30 AM-11:30 AM Join us for a FREE Stroller Strides® workout + playgroup on the 1st Tuesday of every month at Seascape Park in Aptos! | Stroller Strides is a functional, total-body conditioning workout designed for moms with kids in tow. Each class incorporates strength training, cardio and core restoration, while engaging the little ones with songs, activities and fun! | Workout begins at 9:30 AM. Playgroup begins at 10:30 AM. | No registration required.

WEDNESDAY 3

TUESDAY 2

Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos, is a traditional Mexican holiday celebrated November 2. On this day, it is believed that the souls of the dead return to visit their living family members. Many people celebrate this day by visiting the graves of deceased loved ones and setting up altars with their favorite foods, drink, and photos.

Gateway School Tours by Appointment 9:00 AM-3:00 PM November 2 and 3, 2021 Gateway School, 255 Swift Street Come and learn how Gateway School inspires curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking through innovative education for a fast-changing world. You’ll have the opportunity to see the health and safety protocols of our facilities while also learning more about our curriculum. Visit GatewaySC.org to make an appointment for a personalized, individual tour of our campus.”

Triple P Parenting Virtual Group for families with children 2-12 years old 4:00 PM-5:30 PM Attend this 8-week virtual Triple P Group to meet other families and learn simple strategies to help you: • Strengthen relationships in your family • Encourage positive behaviors • Teach

the MAH for storytime! We’ll share stories, songs and rhymes in a safe environment!

This 30-40 minute program is intended for children aged 2-6. Do it yourself craft kits will be provided every week. Every other week we will feature STEM-related stories and concepts. $5 Tuesdays at Santa Cruz Cinema 11:00 AM-10:00 PM Every Tuesday is $5 Tuesday! Ticket prices reduced to $5 all day. 3D movies discounted to $7 all day! Bring your friends down and enjoy a movie. Showtimes and Tickets available at santacruzcinema.com.

Capitola Storytime 10:00 AM-11:00 AM Every Tuesday. Join us Outside on the deck to read stories, sing songs, and chant rhymes. There will be an art & craft project to pick up and complete at home.

This storytime is for children who can sit and listen to at least one story, and will last about 30 minutes. This event takes place OUTSIDE on Capitola’s porch, so please dress warmly. Children under 2 do not need to wear a mask, however everyone else, including adults, are required to wear a mask regardless of vaccination status.

Japanese Culture Day National Homemaker Day

Community Day at the UCSC Arboretum 9:00 AM-5:00 PM Community Day at the UCSC Arboretum, free admission on the first Tuesday of every month 9 am-5 pm. Come explore the biodiversity of our gardens, great birdwatching or simply come relax on a bench in the shade. https://arboretum. ucsc.edu/eventscalendar/events/recurringevents/community-day.html CASFS Farmstand 12:00 PM-6:00 PM Every Tuesday and Friday. Organic vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers are sold weekly at the CASFS Farmstand, starting June 15 and continuing through November 23, 2021. Proceeds support experiential education programs at the UC Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems.

La Selva Beach Preschool Storytime 11:00 AM Every Tuesday. Join us for a fun interactive storytime. We’ll read books, sing songs and use rhythm and movement. This event is suitable for children ages 3-6 years.

There will be an arts and crafts project to take home. This event will be held outside on the back patio. Please bring something to sit on and dress for the weather. Masks will be required.

Preschool Storytime in the Secret Garden 11:00 AM Every Tuesday. Join us in the Secret Garden in Abbott Square at

26 NOVEMBER 2021 | Growing Up in Santa Cruz

National Stress Awareness Day 24 hours of reinforcing the fact that you’re not doing yourself a favor by stressing about situations you can’t control. In fact, according to science, chronic stress leads to impaired cognitive and physiological functions. Would you want to age before your time? Absolutely not! On this day, let’s learn together to hone our ability to choose one thought over another and let the stress ebb away.

Gateway School Tours by Appointment 9:00 AM-3:00 PM See Nov 2 Rockin’ Pop-Up: The Motions of the Oceans and the Atmosphere 12:00 PM-12:30 PM What do rocks have to do with the ocean and the atmosphere? Well, quite a lot it turns out! Join the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History live on Facebook for our next Rockin’ Pop-Up where the Geology Gents will simplify the complexities of these important earth systems. Submit your questions ahead of time by emailing events@ santacruzmuseum.org and feel free to include pictures of rocks you’d like identified!

Note: you do not need to have a Facebook account to be able to watch the program live.

Felton Toddler Time 11:00 AM Every Wednesday. Join Librarian Julie on our beautiful Felton patio for Toddler Time.

Toddler Time is a weekly early literacy program for families with children ages 0-3 years old. Music, movement, stories, fingerplays, rhymes, and songs are a fun way for your child to learn. Let’s play and learn together! Make sure to bring something to sit on. We ask that adults please wear a mask. Repeats weekly.

Cuéntame un Cuento 4:30 PM-5:30 AM Every Wednesday. Acompáñanos para una hora de cuentos, actividades y canciones en español. Este programa es para niños de 0-8 y sus familias. La hora será miércoles a las 4:30pm. Nos reuniremos en el porche exterior. Se requiere el uso de cubrebocas para todas las personas mayores de 2 años.

Cuéntame un Cuento se llevará a cabo en Capitola durante el período de construcción de Live Oak. En caso de mal clima, se cancelará la hora de cuentos.

Transgender & Non-Binary Peer Support Group 7:30 PM-9:00 PM Every Wednesday. The support and discussion group is for people (of any age) who identify on the spectrum of trans/nonbinary/ agender/genderfluid and more. The group also welcomes those who want to explore their identity, but who may not need or want to classify themselves. All individuals are encouraged to explore their individual selves, without concern or pressure that the next step need be ‘transitioning,’ and without concern about fitting into other people’s definitions. Visit diversitycenter.org/ community-calendar for more information.

THURSDAY 4 Seminario Virtual Triple P: Conectando a los Adolescentes 6:00 PM-7:30 PM Estos seminarios virtuales Triple P son GRATIS y están abiertos a todas las familias del condado de Santa Cruz con adolescentes 13-16 años. Asista a este seminario para aprender como usted puede ayudar a su adolescente a: • Establecer conexiones positivas con las demás • Tener confianza • Ser socialmente hábil • Planificar el futuro • Mantener compromisos • Mantenerse en contacto • Cuidar a los demás Presentado en español por Zoom por Gladys Gómez, Puentes de la Comunidad –LMCR Inscríbase: https://bit. ly/Adolescentes-Conectados-4Nov”

NOVEMBER CALENDAR Preschool Storytime on the Felton Patio 11:00 AM Every Thursday. Join Librarian Jackie on our beautiful Felton patio for Preschool Storytime. Preschool Storytime is a weekly early literacy program for children ages 3-5 years old and their caregivers. Music, movement, stories, fingerplays, rhymes, and songs are a fun way for your child to learn. Let’s play and learn together! Make sure to bring something to sit on. We ask that adults as well as children ages 3 and up please wear a mask Grey Bears Brown Bag Line 7:00 AM9:00 AM Every Thursday and Friday. If you are able-bodied and love to work FAST, this is for you! Grey Bears could use more help with their brown bag production line on Thursday and Friday mornings. As a token of our thanks, we make you breakfast (be there at 7am!) and give you a bag of food if wanted. Be at the warehouse with mask and gloves at 7am, and we will put you to work until at least 9am! Fun group, we all love working here! Call ahead if you would like to know more.

more and enter your favorite photos and videos, visit https://saveourshores.org/ wavesandwildlife/ Grey Bears Brown Bag Line 7:00 AM9:00 AM See Nov 4.

is the place for you. Join our dynamic team of youth from Santa Cruz County! Bring yourself or bring a friend to this awesome virtual group. Email youth@diversitycenter. org or DM @diversity.youth on Instagram for the invitation to the Discord group.

SATURDAY 6

SUNDAY 7 National Cancer Awareness Day Daylight Savings Ends 13th Annual Santa Cruz Sea Glass & Ocean Art Festival 10:00 AM-5:00 PM See Nov 6.

TEDxMeritAcademy Countdown and Youth Innovation 1:00 PM-3:00 PM This year’s TEDxMeritAcademy event focuses on Climate Change Countdown and Youth innovation. Students have conducted projects to solve some of our biggest problems, and they will speak about their ideas worth spreading. Come hear these teens and adults speak about climate change, medical solutions, and health care education.

FRIDAY 5

MONDAY 8

American Football Day Bonfire Night

National Redhead Day every redhead’s chance to shine with each gorgeous strand of their hair. Redheads are often treated like the odd man (or woman) out, as they possess the rarest of hair colors. Plus, redheads are described as “fiery” and “hottempered.” If you have red hair, today is your day to be however way you want!

Waves & Wildlife 2021 Virtual Awards Ceremony & Celebration 9:00 AM-12:00 PM Each year Save Our Shores hosts Waves & Wildlife, an amateur photo and video contest, to highlight the beauty and biodiversity of our region’s spectacular marine protected areas while raising awareness about the role they play in safeguarding and regenerating our ocean and climate. We hope you can join us for our November 5th Virtual Awards Ceremony & Celebration to celebrate this year’s winners while learning more about the importance of MPA’s and how our annual Waves & Wildlife Contest helps to raise awareness. RSVP for the celebration at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/waveswildlife-2021-virtual-awards-ceremonycelebration-tickets-168641171283 To learn

WEDNESDAY 10 Virtual Meet the Doulas 7:00 PM-8:00 PM Virtual Meet the Doulas Presented by Birth Network of Santa Cruz County Learn about how doulas support families through the birth and postpartum experience during our current COVID19 situation. Preregister to join the FREE LIVE ZOOM EVENT: BirthNetSantaCruz.EventBrite.com” SC Montessori Wavecrest Junior High Info Night 6:00 pm RSVP at www. scms.org 831-476-1646 Felton Toddler Time 11:00 AM See Nov 3.

Cuéntame un Cuento 4:30 PM-5:30 AM See Nov 3.

THURSDAY 11

13th Annual Santa Cruz Sea Glass & Ocean Art Festival 10:00 AM-5:00 PM The 13th Annual Festival celebrating authentic sea glass and coastal art of all kinds. $5 admission. Kids Free. Upstairs in the Sunroom & the Cocoanut Grove on the historic Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

Over 50 talented artists are bringing their boutique works to the Cocoanut Grove & Sunroom, on the historic Santa Cruz Beach boardwalk. You’ll find one-of-a-kind pieces, from ceramics, soaps, sea salts, photography, fabric arts and stunning sea glass jewelry.

Nature Club: Neary Lagoon and Migratory Madness 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Nature Club takes young explorers (6th-8th Grade) into local habitats to learn about the amazing living world around us.

Programs are led by Museum staff with kids dropped off at rotating locations. The Museum will provide binoculars for each participant in this month’s Nature Club at Neary Lagoon. Migratory birds seek food and shelter in large numbers and provide excellent opportunities to study them up close this month. The Museum does not provide transportation to offsite meeting spots, and participants should be dropped off and picked up by parents/guardians.

Historic Wilder Ranch Ground Tour 1:00 PM-2:00 PM Every Saturday and Sunday. Discover what life was like a century ago on this innovative dairy ranch. This hourlong tour includes the 1896 water-powered machine shop, barns and other historic buildings. The vehicle day-use fee is $10.

For more information, call (831) 426-0505.

Spaces are limited and early pre-registration is recommended. Attendees are required to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms when pre-registering. Masks and social distancing are also required at all programs.

Queer Youth Meet-up (ALL COUNTY) 1:00 PM-3:30 PM Every Saturday. LGBTQ+ youth between the ages of 11 - 18 who want to meet new people, join a welcoming community and learn the tools of activism and leadership, look no further! The Diversity Center’s LGBTQ+ Youth Meetup

Zoom meeting link https://bit.ly/Teens-SexDating-Nov9 Got questions? Contact Cori Burt at (831) 335-6660 x6605 or corib@ cbridges.org Preschool Storytime in the Secret Garden 11:00 AM See Nov 2. $5 Tuesdays at Santa Cruz Cinema 11:00 AM-10:00 PM See Nov 2.

Capitola Storytime 10:00 AM-11:00 AM See Nov 2.

STEM/STEAM Day There’s no way around it: children are significantly better off with strong science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics skills.

That’s why STEM and STEAM education programs are so important. It’s undebatable that these subjects push society forward, and these programs help to find fun and engaging ways to teach them to students, which is all worth commemorating.

TUESDAY 9 World Freedom Day Go to an Art Museum Day Workshop: Talking with teens about sex, dating and relationships 4:00 PM-5:30 PM Attend this FREE virtual parenting workshop to learn: • Tips for talking with “tweens” and teens about sex, sexuality, and relationships • How to encourage healthy attitudes about sex and make safe, informed choices • Tips to help your teen set boundaries and resist peer pressure. Presented in English on Zoom by Cori Burt, Community Bridges –Mountain Community Resources. Register to get the

Veterans Day a tribute to military veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Not to be confused with Memorial Day, which honors those who died while in service, Veterans Day honors all military veterans, including those still with us.

Triple P Workshop: Encouraging your child’s self-esteem 6:00 PM-7:30 PM Attend this FREE Triple P virtual parenting workshop to learn: • Why it’s important for children to develop healthy self-esteem • How to encourage healthy self-esteem in your child • Tools to help your child cope with feelings and solve problems Presented in English on Zoom by Sandra Rodelo, Community Bridges – LMCR Register to get the Zoom meeting link: https://bit.ly/ Self-Esteem-Nov11 Got questions? Contact Sandra Rodelo at (831) 724-2997 x211 or sandrar@cbridges.org (Cont'd on Page 32) GrowingUpSC.com | NOVEMBER 2021

27

NOVEMBER CALENDAR FRIDAY 12 Grey Bears Brown Bag Line 7:00 AM9:00 AM See Nov 4.

SATURDAY 13 World Kindness Day

through their behavior • Why behavior problems can occur when visitors come over • Steps you can take before visitors arrive to prevent behavior problems • How to use visits with friends and family to teach children valuable social skills Presented in English on Zoom by Liliana Zamora, Community Bridges – LMCR Register to get the Zoom meeting link: https:// bit.ly/Preparing-for-Visitors-Nov15 Got questions? Contact Liliana Zamora at (831) 724-2997 x212 or lilianaz@cbridges.org Taller Virtual Triple P: Promoviendo la autoestima de los niños 6:00 PM7:30 PM Asista a este taller virtual GRATIS de crianza para aprender: • Las razones del porque su hijo pueda tener una baja autoestima • Como fomentar en su hija una autoestima saludable • Herramientas para ayudar a su hijo a desarrollar habilidades para resolver problemas Presentado EN ESPAÑOL por Zoom por Sandra Rodelo, Puentes de la Comunidad – LMCR Inscríbase para conseguir el enlace de la reunión por Zoom https://bit. ly/Autoestima-15Nov ¿Tiene preguntas?

Comuníquese con Sandra Rodelo al (831) 724-2997 x211 o sandrar@cbridges.org

TUESDAY 16 Mountainfilm on Tour Santa Cruz 7:00 PM-9:30 PM Mountainfilm on Tour brings a selection of culturally rich, adventure-packed and incredibly inspiring documentary films curated from the Mountainfilm festival in Telluride, Colorado.

The tour will soon visits Santa Cruz with films that explore themes connected to Mountainfilm’s mission of using the power of film, art and ideas to inspire audiences to create a better world. The Rio Theatre has been organizing Mountainfilm on Tour for several years and has been working with local schools to host Mountainfilm in Education to area students at no extra cost.

Visit riotheatre.com for more info.

La Selva Beach Branch Library Opening Celebration and Holiday Craft Fair 10:00 AM-4:00 PM The La Selva Beach Branch Library will host activities for adults and kids indoors and on the patio. For more information contact: booksandbrewslsb@gmail.com or visit the website Queer Youth Meet-up (ALL COUNTY) 1:00 PM-3:30 PM See Nov 6.

SUNDAY 14 Children’s Day Transgender & Non-Binary Peer Support Group 7:30 PM-9:00 PM See Nov 3.

MONDAY 15 National Philanthropy Day National Recycling Day Triple P Workshop: Preparing children to have visitors 4:00 PM5:30 PM Attend this FREE Triple P virtual parenting workshop to learn: • What your child might be trying to communicate

especiales! Aprenda cómo prevenir y tratar con las conductas desafiantes; estrategias para animar la cooperación; desarrollar un plan de crianza personalizado Inscríbase para el taller de padres: https://santacruz. k12oms.org/1284-202103 Presentado en inglés por proveedora de Triple P Paso a Paso Stella Lauerman Habrá interpretación simultánea al español Taller Triple P: Como hablar con sus adolescentes sobre el uso de drogas 5:30 PM-7:00 PM Asista a este taller virtual GRATIS de crianza para aprender: • Cómo reconocer las señas de alerta que su adolescente quizás esté usando drogas • Consejos para hablar con los adolescentes y enseñar a ellos a resistir la influencia de sus compañeros a usar drogas • Que pasos tomar si usted cree que su adolescente está usando drogas Presentado EN ESPAÑOL por Zoom por Gladys Gómez, Puentes de la Comunidad – LMCR Inscríbase para conseguir el enlace de la reunión por Zoom: https://bit.ly/Drogas-Adol-16Nov ¿Tiene preguntas? Comuníquese con Gladys Gómez al (831) 724-2997 x220 o gladysg@ cbridges.org La Selva Beach Preschool Storytime 11:00 AM See Nov 2.

Preschool Storytime in the Secret Garden 11:00 AM See Nov 2. $5 Tuesdays at Santa Cruz Cinema 11:00 AM-10:00 PM See Nov 2.

Capitola Storytime 10:00 AM-11:00 AM See Nov 2.

National Rural Health Day Triple P Workshop: How to talk to teens about drug use 5:30 PM-7:00 PM Attend this FREE Triple P virtual parenting workshop to learn: • How to recognize warning signs that your teen might be using drugs • Tips for talking to teens and teaching them to resist peer pressure to use drugs • Steps to take if you think your teen is using drugs Presented in English on Zoom by Gladys Gómez, Community Bridges – LMCR Register to get the Zoom meeting link: https://bit.ly/TeensDrugs-Nov18 Got questions? Contact Gladys Gómez at (831) 724-2997 x220 or gladysg@cbridges.org” Preschool Storytime on the Felton Patio 11:00 AM See Nov 4.

Grey Bears Brown Bag Line 7:00 AM9:00 AM See Nov 4.

FRIDAY 19

WEDNESDAY 17 National Homemade Bread Day

International Day For Tolerance a great opportunity for you to think back and recall the last time you had a different perspective than one of your friends?

When’s the last time you’ve had to learn something about someone else’s culture?

We’re betting it wasn’t that long ago. Look and learn the date that celebrates openmindedness and listening.

Triple P Stepping Stones Workshop: Changing challenging behaviors into positive behaviors 3:00 PM-4:30 PM FREE parenting workshops via Zoom for families raising children with special needs!

Attend this workshop to learn: • How to prevent and handle challenging behaviors • Encourage cooperation • Develop a personalized parenting plan Register for Triple P workshop: https://santacruz. k12oms.org/1284-202103 Offered in English by Stepping Stones Triple P Practitioner Stella Lauerman Simultaneous interpretation into Spanish will be available Taller Triple P Paso a Paso: Cambiando la conducta desafiante a la conducta positiva 3:00 PM-4:30 PM ¡Talleres de crianza GRATIS por Zoom para familias que crían a niños con necesidades

28 NOVEMBER 2021 | Growing Up in Santa Cruz

National Take a Hike Day Grab your boots, trail mix, and some water because on November 17, it’s National Take a Hike Day! This annual event gets you outside for scenery and exercise by tackling America’s 60,000 miles of trails. It’s also a great way to get that heart pumping while you breathe in pristine air.

Felton Toddler Time 11:00 AM See Nov 3.

Cuéntame un Cuento 4:30 PM-5:30 AM See Nov 3.

THURSDAY 18 Great American Smokeout

Free Maverick's Kids Surf Book Reading and Documentary Screening 4:00 PM-6:30 PM Join Maverick’s surf pioneer and scientist Sarah Gerhardt with author Bonnie Tsui & filmmaker Elizabeth Pepin Silva for a reading of the new kid’s book “”Sarah and the Big Wave”” & a screening of One Winter Story, a film about Sarah’s journey to surf Maverick’s. There will also be time for questions and book signings. This is a free family-friendly event open to everyone ages 4+. Event is outside so please dress warmly! Event date: Friday, November 19, 2021 - 4:00pm to 6:30pm. Event location: Vintage Faith Church (outdoor space), 350 Mission Street, Santa Cruz Grey Bears Brown Bag Line 7:00 AM9:00 AM See Nov 4.

SATURDAY 20 Transgender Day of Remembrance his holiday is meant to honor, commemorate, and memorialize those who face discrimination and stigma (often on a daily basis) across the nation. This holiday is also meant to focus on the persistent struggles transgender people face in their everyday lives, and how others can share their love, support, and hope.

National Adoption Day International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day

NOVEMBER CALENDAR MONDAY 22

FRIDAY 26

Love Your Freckles Day

Black Friday West Cliff Holiday Outdoor Market 2021 10:00 AM Come enjoy our holiday outdoor market with unique artisans and food trucks while taking in the spectacular view of the ocean. This one of a kind market will be held in two parking lots along West Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz. This is always a popular spot for locals and tourists, as it over looks the famous Steamers Lane surf spot. The market will feature hand crafted gifts and a chance to do some holiday shopping before the rush. There will also be LIVE MUSIC and admission is FREE! Grey Bears Brown Bag Line 7:00 AM9:00 AM See Nov 4.

TUESDAY 23

Future Teachers of America Day sponsored by The Future Teachers of America, an organization that helps future educators prepare for the classroom and become a part of a professional community.

Through mentorship and teaching opportunities, they help teachers hone their skills and become wonderful educators.

Out and About: Tule Crafts 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Celebrate Native American Heritage Month with the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History by connecting with the local Indigenous culture of Aulinta (present-day Santa Cruz) during this month’s Out and About family day. Museum staff will help families create boats, dolls, and other crafts or tools using locally harvested materials traditionally used by the ancestors of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. This event will take place outside the Museum in our Garden Learning Center. This series aims to provide opportunities for families to engage with nature in community with others. All ages welcome.

Saturdays in the Soil 10:00 AM-12:00 PM It’s time to get your hands dirty! Learn about local ecology, native plants, and sustainable gardening with the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History while coming together as a community to steward Tyrrell Park through the City’s Adopt-A-Park program. Email volunteer@santacruzmuseum.org to RSVP. Queer Youth Meet-up (ALL COUNTY) 1:00 PM-3:30 PM See Nov 6.

Workshop: Preventing & managing disobedience 4:00 PM-5:30 PM Attend this FREE virtual parenting workshop to learn: • Common reasons why children and teens refuse to cooperate or follow instructions • How to prevent disobedience and increase cooperation • How to respond calmly and consistently when your child or teen refuses to follow directions.

Presented in English on Zoom by Cori Burt, Community Bridges – Mountain Community Resources. Register to get the Zoom meeting link: https://bit.ly/ Disobedience-Nov23 Got questions?

Contact Cori Burt at (831) 335-6660 x6605 or corib@cbridges.org La Selva Beach Preschool Storytime 11:00 AM See Nov 2.

Preschool Storytime in the Secret Garden 11:00 AM See Nov 2. $5 Tuesdays at Santa Cruz Cinema 11:00 AM-10:00 PM See Nov 2.

Capitola Storytime 10:00 AM-11:00 AM See Nov 2.

SATURDAY 27 Small Business Saturday Boardwalk Open Air Market 11:00AM‑5:00PM Support local artisans and direct sales representatives while shopping at this unique ocean view market at the Boardwalk!

Queer Youth Meet-up (ALL COUNTY) 1:00 PM-3:30 PM See Nov 6.

West Cliff Holiday Outdoor Market 2021 11:00 AM See Nov 27.

WEDNESDAY 24 SUNDAY 28

TUESDAY 30 Giving Tuesday Every year, on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, people take the time to kick off the holiday season by giving back to their community. Whether it is donating money to a charitable cause or volunteering, Giving Tuesday is a day set to benefit the community.

La Selva Beach Preschool Storytime 11:00 AM See Nov 2.

Preschool Storytime in the Secret Garden 11:00 AM See Nov 2. $5 Tuesdays at Santa Cruz Cinema 11:00 AM-10:00 PM See Nov 2.

Capitola Storytime 10:00 AM-11:00 AM See Nov 2.

Felton Toddler Time 11:00 AM See Nov 3.

Cuéntame un Cuento 4:30 PM-5:30 AM See Nov 3.

CALENDAR

THURSDAY 25

Do you have an event you want placed in our calendar?

Visit our website to submit the details!

SUNDAY 21 Transgender & Non-Binary Peer Support Group 7:30 PM-9:00 PM See Nov 3.

Santa Cruz Gives Nonprofit Showcase Noon-4:00 PM Free event Join us at the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter for a fun afternoon outdoors of food, live music, a chance to meet many of the nonprofit groups that make our county a great place to live, and cuddling with dogs (adoptable). Santa Cruz Gives is a holiday fundraising campaign that runs Nov. 17-Dec. 31 online at SantaCruzGives. org. Every year, we (the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter Foundation) are overflowing with goodwill from your public support and this year we want to bring us all together to meet up, so we’re having a party! Let’s be thankful for each other and celebrate the holiday season together. Please join us and bring the whole family or all your friends!

1001 Rodriguez St. Santa Cruz

los niños a tener visitas 4:00 PM-5:30 PM Asista a este taller virtual GRATIS de crianza para aprender: • Por qué ocurren comportamientos problemáticos cuando hay visita en casa • Pasos que puede tomar para prevenir el comportamiento problemático antes de que la visita llegue • Cómo utilizar las visitas con amigos y familiares para enseñar a los niños importantes habilidades sociales Presentado EN ESPAÑOL por Zoom por Liliana Zamora, Puentes de la Comunidad – LMCR Inscríbase para conseguir el enlace de la reunión por Zoom https://bit.ly/ Preparando-para-Visitas-29Nov

Thanksgiving Perhaps no other nonsectarian holiday has more tradition.

Family, friends, food, and football have come to symbolize Thanksgiving — a rare celebratory holiday without an established gift-giving component. Instead, the day urges all of us to be grateful for things we do have.

International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women Grey Bears Brown Bag Line 7:00 AM9:00 AM See Nov 4.

Hanukkah The Jewish Festival of Rededication, also called the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day celebration that falls each year on the Hebrew calendar date of 25 Kislev, which generally falls in December in the Gregorian calendar. (In 2021, Hanukkah is November 28 through December 6.) Hanukkah, also referred to as Chanukah, celebrates the rededication of the second Jewish temple in Jerusalem.

MONDAY 29 Cyber Monday Established in 2005, Cyber Monday is the Internet’s answer to brickand-mortar holiday shopping. Unlike Black Friday, Cyber Monday gives you the chance to shop those amazing Black Friday deals from the comfort of your couch or office.

Taller Virtual Triple P : Preparando a

Photos for the calendar may be submitted by email. Digital images must be high resolution, 200-300dpi.

Christy@GrowingUpSc.com

DEADLINE The 15th of the month Prior to publication month.

GrowingUpSC.com | NOVEMBER 2021

29

30 NOVEMBER 2021 | Growing Up in Santa Cruz

GrowingUpSC.com | NOVEMBER 2021

31