Parenting Now Blog

You’ll hear Parenting Educators focus again and again the importance of taking care of yourself as a parent—and it’s with good reason. You can’t be on top of your parenting game when your own needs aren’t being met. But even under the best conditions—let alone a pandemic—it can be hard to put your needs above ...

During challenging times or periods of uncertainty in our lives, children—even as young as infants—can pick up on our stress levels. They worry along with us as we hear unsettling reports on the news or overhear conversations about being able to pay rent this month or worry about a relative who is ill. It’s important ...

As many parents’ balance working from home, helping their children with distance learning, and trying to meet everyone’s basic needs, communication skills can sometimes suffer under the weight of managing it all. It’s important—especially during times of stress—to give special attention to how we communicate with our children. Here, there, everywhere! There are a lot ...

Whether you have a 1-month old, 1-year old, or 10-year old, chances are you are currently parenting very differently than you were mere weeks ago before schools were closed, events were cancelled, and you were asked to practice social distancing. Parenting under a pandemic is uncharted territory for pretty much all of us. It’s not ...

  Toddlers are in a word “busy.” They have busy minds and busy bodies. Keeping them engaged and entertained all day—especially when preschools, libraries, and your other go-to places are closed—can be exhausting for parents and caregivers.  By now, you probably feel like you’ve exhausted all the resources in your toolbox for keeping your little ...

  As a parent, you were likely not prepared for your kiddos to be out of school a week earlier than expected-not to mention the entire month of April. With playdates out of the question, libraries closed, rainy days, and other activities canceled, your family is likely spending A LOT of time at home together. ...

Many of us are parenting through uncharted territory right now. We have been told to keep our children out of school for 1 ½ months, to stay home, away from playgrounds, other children, extended family members, and the public spaces we love to frequent during the rainy season. And while we try to stay hopeful ...

If you have young children, this is likely the first time you've had to parent through a pandemic. COVID-19 has completely upturned our daily lives, our routines-everything. And we have concerns about our health, our children's health, how to talk to our kids about Coronavirus, and where to get financial support during a time of ...

It’s the middle of the school year—there are more hours of daylight; the weather is starting to warm up (ever so slightly); and the weekends and after-school hours are starting to fill up with spring sports on the horizon. Your child’s homework might be the last thing on your mind. If you and your child ...

Babies are born with a unique desire to play. It’s how they learn about the world, problem-solve, and work through their emotions, not to mention build muscles and resilience. To quote Fred Rogers: “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really ...

Count yourself among the rare and lucky if you are a parent of a toddler who willingly—maybe even eagerly—hops right into bed for a peaceful night’s sleep, because most families with toddlers experience bedtime challenges. In fact, it’s part of the delightful package called toddlerhood! It’s so common, that it’s estimated that one in three ...

Since 2002, Parenting Now has recognized the efforts of special individuals in Oregon who have made a significant difference in the lives of children. This year, the Minalee Saks Champion of Children Award is awarded to Dr. Lauren Herbert for her tireless efforts for social justice for her patients, the underserved in our community, as ...