Strengthening Calaveras Families

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Connecting families with community supports to increase the health and well-being of children in Calaveras.

First 5 Calaveras serves as the lead agency for “Strengthening Calaveras Families” which consists of First 5 Calaveras, Prevent Child Abuse Calaveras, and programs funded under the Behavioral Health Services: Mental Health Services Act (Proposition 63).

Parent Education, Support, & Workshops

FREE Parent Education classes are offered on various topics to support Calaveras parents and guardians in raising children 0 to 17 years.

For more information on classes, please contact us at (209) 754-6914.

Parent Education Classes 2025-26

Building Strong Minds

10 April 2026

Building Strong Minds

Documents to download

Co-Parenting and Divorce

Co-Parenting and Divorce 10 April 2026

Co-Parenting and Divorce

Documents to download

Family Health and Wellness

Family Health and Wellness 10 April 2026

Family Health and Wellness

Documents to download

Growth Mindset and Understanding Your Child

Growth Mindset and Understanding Your Child 9 March 2026

Growth Mindset and Understanding Your Child

In this 2-part series, we will explore:

  • What a growth mindset looks like at home
  • How some behaviors may show missing skills, not defiance
  • Simple ways to help your child set goals and make good choices  

Tuesdays, April 7 & 14 from 6-7:30 on Zoom

Register here! 

Documents to download

Heart Smart Kids Active Parenting Classes

Heart Smart Kids Active Parenting Classes 16 October 2025

Heart Smart Kids Active Parenting Classes

Provided by Nexus Youth & Family Services

With funding provided by First 5 Calaveras, Nexus Youth & Family Services is pleased to offer Heart Smart Kids Active Parenting Classes every quarter in Calaveras County. These fast-paced workshops are geared for parents/caregivers of children ages 0 to 5. Family dinner and childcare is provided (must register in advance).

The next series of classes will be held on Tuesdays in February. You can choose to attend one or all sessions. 

February Active Parenting Flyer

February 3 – Session 1: You & Your Child

February 10 – Session 2: Preventing Problems

February 17 – Session 3: Positive Behavior

February 24 – Session 4: School Success

For more information or to register, please contact Nexus Youth & Family Services at (209)257-1980 ext. 335.

Documents to download

Heart Smart Kids Parent & Provider Cafe

Heart Smart Kids Parent & Provider Cafe 16 October 2025

Heart Smart Kids Parent & Provider Cafe

Provided by Nexus Youth & Family Services

With funding provided by First 5 Calaveras, Nexus Youth & Family Services is pleased to offer monthly Parent and Provider Cafe workshops in Calaveras County. These workshops are geared for parents and caregivers of children ages 0 to 5 and feature a different topic each month. 

Classes are held on the 3rd Thursday of the month and are available year-round. 

February 19 – One Year at a Time Series: Busy Bees (ages 1-2) - Flyer

March 19 – One Year at a Time Series: Little Explorers (ages 2-3) - Flyer

April 23 – One Year at a Time Series: Imaginators (ages 3-4) - Flyer

May 21 - One Year at a Time Series: Ready, Set, Grow! (ages 4-5)

June 18 - Motherhood in Action

July 23 - PRIDE Skills Crash Course

August 20 - Resilient Caregiving: A Self-Care Workshop

September 24 - Healthy Together: For Kids and Families

October 22 - The Attachment Connection

February 24 – Session 4: School Success

For more information or to register, please contact Nexus Youth & Family Services at (209)257-1980 ext. 133.

Documents to download

Parenting with Intention- May

Parenting with Intention- May 10 April 2026

Parenting with Intention- May

Documents to download

Parenting with Intention, a monthly series

Parenting with Intention, a monthly series 5/13/2026 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Parenting with Intention, a monthly series

Facilitated by Denise Marler, MFT

Join us for this engaging class on the second Wednesday of the month from 6 to 7:30 PM via Zoom.

The next class will be on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, from 6-7:30 PM.

    Register here!

Documents to download

Parenting With Resilience

Parenting With Resilience 3 April 2026

Parenting With Resilience

With Sally Arnold, RN, BSN, MA, Certified Mindfulness Educator

IN THIS 4-PART SERIES, YOU WILL DISCOVER:

✨ How stress and burnout impact your well-being—and your parenting
✨ Simple, supportive tools to ease stress and create more calm at home
✨ What resilience really is—and how to nurture it in yourself and your family
✨ Practical ways to parent with more presence, connection, and confidence

Thursdays: April 9, 16, 23 & 30
Time: 6:00 PM

Location: Live on Zoom

Register here! 

Raising a Reader- Even When it's not Your Strength

Raising a Reader- Even When it's not Your Strength 10 April 2026

Raising a Reader- Even When it's not Your Strength

Documents to download

Strengthening Families through the Five Protective Factors

Evidence supports that these Five Protective Factors are present in strong families:

  • Relationships
    Developing a bond of strong, warm feelings with my child and forming a healthy bond and attachment.
     
  • Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development
    Understanding how children grow and develop and applying effective, nonviolent discipline techniques appropriate to my child’s age and level of development.  
     
  • Parental Resilience
    Gaining an awareness of my own challenges in parenting and learning ways to handle everyday stressors and recover from an occasional crisis.
     
  • Social Connections
    Feeling encouraged and supported in facing the daily challenges of raising a family.
     
  • Concrete Supports
    Learning about community resources such as child care, health care, education, counseling, housing, or food helps me ensure the health and well-being of my child. Being a parent is one of the most difficult jobs there is, but raising healthy, well-functioning children is one of the greatest contributions a parent can make to society. Parenting is a learned process that results from a combination of having a positive role model for parenting, strong support in the learning process, and access to accurate, helpful information.

 

Enroll Calaveras Logo and Link

Connecting families to early learning programs in Calaveras County.

Children who take part in early childhood programs and activities have improved social skills, do better in school, and learn important life skills that stay with them forever… which in turn promotes healthy, successful children and youth. Universal PreKindergarten (UPK) is a local mixed delivery system called ENROLL CALAVERAS, that brings together ALL of the program options in one helpful place. Mixed delivery systems offer a variety of early learning and child care settings to allow parents and guardians an authentic choice, to meet the needs of their own families.

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