SCAN kicked off its first parenting class of the year on February 5th using The ABCs of Parenting from the evidence-based Nurturing Parenting Program®. This 8-week program is designed to empower parents by providing them with effective parenting skills and techniques. The length of the program provides the group enough time to delve into the […]
In October 2014, the Virginia Department of Social Services put out their Annual Report on Child Fatalities which reviews child and infant deaths in the previous year. Child fatality review teams set out to research and understand what is causing infant death in Virginia and if any of these deaths were preventable. This year, they […]
The recently released film ’50 Shades of Gray’ is dominating the box office, but discussion around the storyline — including sex, abuse and relationships — is also filling the radio airwaves, morning talk shows and social media. Your kids are certainly hearing about it, which means it’s time for parents to decide how to react. […]
“I cannot get my baby to stop crying.” “My baby gets cold at night, so I have to leave a blanket in her crib.” “Why can’t I figure out what he needs? I feel so frustrated!” Service providers working with parents hear these kinds of comments and questions all the time. It’s normal for new […]
At this time of year, we get a lot of questions about Supervision Guidelines and when it’s “okay” to leave children at home alone. As much as we’d love to give parents a simple answer, it’s not a one-size-fits-all question. The fact is, every child—and family—is different. Instead of an “answer,” we like to provide […]
When I first began working at SCAN over ten years ago, I did not have children but was passionate about the work we were doing in the community to prevent child abuse and neglect. As years went by – and my family grew to include three young children – not only did I begin to […]
As many of the families in our community get ready for the Thanksgiving holiday next week (not to mention the rush into gift-giving season), we’ve heard parents struggling with how to teach their children gratitude. “Will my son ever say ‘thank you’ without being reminded?” “Why is my daughter focusing on what she DOESN’T have rather than everything she DOES have?” “Is gratitude […]
It’s been a whirlwind of a week for millions of families on the East Coast who faced the impact of Hurricane Sandy. Here at SCAN, our offices were closed for two days as we dealt with power outages and school closings. In many places, the recovery will last much, much longer. So what can we […]
Being a stay-at-home dad (SAHD) can be hard, especially if you’re a new parent. SAHDs face a lot of criticism, most of which are based on stereotypical gender roles. Dedicating yourself to raising your children can be extremely rewarding, but it can also be a demanding, confusing and lonely job. While more and more dads are […]
As the school year comes to an end and summer approaches, children will begin to adjust to new schedules and different people in their daily lives. The structured classroom setting will give way to the new challenges and experiences that summer often offers. Older youth may get jobs, attend overnight camps or spend more time […]
Today’s the day! (Yes, it’s National Hot Fudge Sundae Day and National Merry-Go-Round Day, but that’s not what we’re talking about.) It’s the first day of registration for ABCs of Parenting Class! And in honor of that day, seven SCAN staff members took on the entire alphabet to bring you 26 tips and pieces of advice […]