The upcoming fall season brings not only the relief of cooler temperatures and the anticipation of the holidays, but also the challenge of juggling new routines and schedules as families settle into the school year.
Luckily, there’s an exciting new tool for parents looking to bring a little organization—and a lot of support—into their lives. Built with and for South Carolina parents, SC Parents is a new hub for caregivers seeking community, finding parenting tips, and discovering resources to make this season of life not just manageable but truly enjoyable.
Produced by Children’s Trust of South Carolina, scParents.org offers families the information, support and resources they need to be empowered and help their children thrive.
What Exactly Can I Find on SC Parents?
The website offers information about common parenting topics, an online resource directory, parent-to-parent advice, and local events and class listings. Its goal is to help parents at any step of their parenting journey, from pregnancy to the teenage years and beyond, and reduce the stigma commonly associated with seeking help.
SC Parents features content on ten parenting topics, including child care and education, child development, community, finances and employment, food and nutrition, health and mental health, housing and goods, legal, parenting and safety. Each category has blog posts on related topics and links to other trusted resources.
Parents can access a nationwide database of free and reduced-cost services that are searchable by topic and ZIP code. A network of professional provider organizations in South Carolina powers the resource database.
The site also connects users to information about Children’s Trust’s parenting programs, including Triple P (Positive Parenting Program), the Strengthening Families Program, and three home visiting models: Parents as Teachers, Nurse-Family Partnership and Healthy Families America. On SC Parents, users can easily select their South Carolina county to locate parenting programs near them.
Parents can also discover upcoming community events and classes and filter them by county. Attending local events can help families plug into their communities and connect to other parents and kids around them.
Join The Conversation
SC Parents also features a parent-to-parent forum, a safe space for parents to connect, learn and lean on each other for support. Home to a growing community of parents throughout the state, SC Parents helps caregivers build relationships and discuss the struggles, stories, laughter and questions that come from parenthood, and there are several ways to engage:
- Ask a Question: Parents across South Carolina can drop their parenting questions, no matter how niche, on the SC Parents’ website forum or social media pages, and the SC Parents’ team will help find an answer. If you’re asking it, chances are, another parent is out there wondering, too!
- Drop Some Advice: Any parents with a great hack, lesson learned or knowledge that can help other parents can share it on SC Parents to spread their wisdom. Any advice you wish you had known before learning it for yourself can help other parents.
- Share Your Story: If you have a parenting story, good, bad, funny, or sad – and all the stuff in between – submit it to SC Parents. Hearing other parents’ stories helps others know they are not alone and helps them find the joy of being a parent.
- Become a Contributor: Caregivers willing to answer parenting questions, share what they have learned, and how they have grown on their parenting journey can apply to be an SC Parents volunteer contributor.
Caregivers can get involved with the community online and on the social media platforms Facebook and Instagram.
Other Ways to Get Involved
Outside of the SC Parents online community, caregivers can get involved with other local organizations and families in their area. Parents can lean into their interests, their child’s activities or their family’s values to find different ways to plug into their community. Consider looking for opportunities within your immediate circle, including at your child’s school, local non-profit organizations, community programs or classes, parent support groups or play groups, or a faith-based church or organization.
No matter how you connect with your community, online or in person, getting involved can positively impact your life and your family’s. You’ve got this, and SC Parents is here to help! Check out SC Parents at scParents.org.
Special Contributor: Children’s Trust of South Carolina