Tips for Effective Parenting
Find Strategies & Support for Effective Parenting
When it comes to improving outcomes for families, research has shown that the following five strengths play a major role in engaging parents and delivering the best results for kids.
Select one of the five categories below to learn more and explore resources available in your community.
Parental Resilience
It can be difficult to manage stress and function well when faced with challenges, adversity, and/or trauma. Building resilience, your ability to bounce back during hard times, is important.
Explore resources, linked below, to learn more about community services and programs that can help.
Mental Health Services
Programs that provide preventive, diagnostic, and treatment services to help people achieve, maintain, and enhance their emotional well-being as well as develop skills to cope with everyday demands.
Substance Misuse and Abuse Resources
Mental health resources, specific to those who are using or misusing drugs and/or alcohol.
Personal Enrichment
Programs that provide support for people who want to achieve their full potential. Programs include free education opportunities, youth programs, support groups, parenting skills classes, legal referrals, and more.
Spiritual Enrichment
Programs that provide opportunities for people to grow spiritually through participation in groups or the practice of organized religion.
Learn More
The CSSP | Parental Resilience
Video: The Strengthening Families Initiative of the Center for the Study of Social Policy put together this video to describe Parental Resilience, one of the 5 Protective Factors.
Children's Trust Fund Alliance | Parental Resilience
Factsheet: Definitions and concrete examples of parental resilience at-work. En Español.
National Fatherhood Initiative | Strengthening Families and The 5 Protective Factors Series: Parental Resilience
Article & Links: Learn about the protective factor of Parental Resilience and how fathers can practice it in their parenting.
myStrength | Teladoc Health
App and Website: myStrength is an online tool to help you live your best life. You'll find help for stress, anxiety, chronic pain, and more. It's safe, secure and personalized – just for you. Track your health, enjoy activities, and become inspired. Start today!
Dr. Dave | Personal Well-Being
Videos, Podcasts, & Articles: Dr. Dave is a family life educator, professor, and extension specialist at Utah State University. Find videos, factsheets, and more on ways to manage stress and improve your personal well-being.
NIMH | Caring for Your Mental Health
Videos & Articles: Learn from the National Institute of Mental Health ways in which you can practice self-care.
TED | The cure for burnout (hint: it isn't self-care)
Video: Emily and Amelia Nagoski share in this interview ways to feel safe in your own body when you're burning out.
Active Minds | About Mental Health
Website: Active Minds is a non-profit dedicated to helping young adults find mental health support. Learn more about the data behind mental health and how to care for yourself on their website.
PsychCentral | What Self-Care Is — and What It Isn’t
Article: Learn from PsychCentral all about Self-Care and how to incorporate it into your life.
Mindful | Healthy Mind, Healthy Life
Website & Magazine: Mindful publishes a variety of articles on ways to improve your mental health, get better sleep, and practice meditation.
The Free Mindfulness Project | Meditation Exercises
Videos & Podcasts: The Free Mindfulness Project provides guided meditation videos and audio to help you learn to meditate or to make time for mindful moments during your day.
ReachOut.com | 10 tips for coping with the hard stuff
Article: Practice these 10 tips when you have to cope with something hard in your life.
The CSSP | Building Resilience in Troubled Times: A Guide for Parents
Article: Learn from a network of parents on ways you can build resilience when dealing with hard things.
Exchange Family Center | Protective Factors: Meet Parenting Stress with Parental Resilience
Article: Learn how parents’ ability to cope with the stresses of everyday life can create a positive and supportive environment for their children.
TEDx | Resiliency Field Trip: a therapy tool to help you cope with stress
Video: Emily Capito tackles the serious topic of resiliency and shows us how we can prevent emotional burnout simply by going on a field trip.
Maternal Mental Health | Resource Network
Resources: The Utah Maternal Mental Health Referral Network is a directory of professionals and support groups with training in perinatal mental health (perinatal means during pregnancy and postpartum).
Utah Department of Health | Pregnancy & Opioid Resources
Website: Opioid use during pregnancy can negatively affect women and their babies. Seeking prenatal care early can help mom and baby have a healthy pregnancy.
Social Connections
Parents who have more support are more responsive to their kids, have better overall moods, and experience less depression, anxiety, and anger.
Explore resources, linked below, to learn more about community services and programs that can help.
Holiday Programs
Programs that offer assistance, services, support, or events during the holidays.
Mutual Support
Programs that foster relationships where people can share their experiences, feelings, ideas, and other personal perspectives.
Children's Play Groups
Programs that provide regularly scheduled opportunities for children to play with one another in a supervised setting.
Parent/Child Activity Groups
Programs that provide regularly scheduled opportunities for parents to participate in a wide variety of recreational, arts, and cultural activities with their children.
Social Clubs/ Events
Programs that provide organized opportunities for individuals of all ages to meet and socialize.
Community Centers/Facilities
Facilities that provide organized social, cultural, recreational, and civic activity opportunities for community residents.
Learn More
The CSSP | Social Connections
Video: The Strengthening Families Initiative of the Center for the Study of Social Policy put together this video to describe Social Connections, one of the 5 Protective Factors.
Children's Trust Fund Alliance | Everyday Actions that Build Social Connections
Factsheet: Learn how to incorporate social connections into your life. En Esapñol
Dr. Dave | Couple Relationships
Videos, Podcasts, & Articles: Dr. Dave is a family life educator, professor, and extension specialist at Utah State University. Find videos, factsheets, and more on ways to increase joy in your relationship.
University of Minnesota | Building Social Support and Connections
Article: Learn from the University of Minnesota Extension on ways in which you can build your social network and support group.
Children's Trust Fund Alliance | Birth Parent National Network
Articles & Videos: The BPNN is a national network of hundreds of birth parents and organizations working together to strengthen families, communities and systems by engaging the voices of parents.
Momivate! | Education
Podcast & Support Groups: Through conversations, Momivate! helps moms learn about parenting.
Canadian Mental Health Association | The importance of human connection
Article: Learn about the importance of building social connections and find some ways to do so.
Stanford Medicine | Connectedness & Health: The Science of Social Connection
Article: Learn how social connection improves physical health and mental and emotional well-being.
BetterUp | How to stay socially connected to society: Your life depends on it
Article: Learn about the importance of social connection and read 15 tips on how to improve your own social connections.
BetterHelp | “I’m So Lonely”: How To Build Meaningful Social Connections
Article: Read about loneliness and its impact on people's mental health. Plus, learn tips for how to grow your network and make social connections.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation | Making Connections
Articles & Reports: Read scholarly articles on the importance of neighborhoods, studies on reentry after incarceration, and more under the overall theme of making connections.
Momivate! | Education
Podcast & Support Groups: Through conversations, Momivate! helps moms learn about parenting.
Be Strong Families | Café Trainings
Online Courses: Participants will participate in highly structured, small-group conversations that promote peer-to-peer learning and deep self-reflection.
National Fatherhood Alliance | Program Locator
Courses: Find nearby organizations that have National Fatherhood Alliance resources or programs.
Meetup.com | Events & Groups
Website: Get connected with people who have similar hobbies in your area. Search for upcoming events or find a hobby-based group near you.
mom.com | 5 Awesome Apps to Meet Mom Friends
Apps: Checkout this list of apps built to help moms meet other moms.
Dadapp | Meet Dad Friends
Phone App: Dadapp helps you find, connect and meet with like-minded dads nearby! Download for iPhone | Download for Android
Peanut | A Space for Women to Connect
Phone App: Connect with women who are at a similar stage in life–from fertility, pregnancy and motherhood through to menopause. Download for iPhone | Download for Android
Goosechase | Family Adventures
Phone App: Join Discovery Hunts to complete FUN family experiences, battle for a top spot on the leaderboard or just enjoy funny submissions in the activity feed, from anywhere in the world.
Knowledge of Parenting & Child Development
No parent knows it all. Learn more about child development and parenting strategies that support physical, cognitive, language, social, and emotional development in children.
Explore resources, linked below, to learn more about community services and programs that can help.
Home Management Instruction
Programs that help you learn how to care for children, including how to prepare meals, maintain a clean and safe living environment, and other in-home responsibilities.
Children’s Respite Care
Programs that provide a brief period of rest or relief for guardians who are regular caregivers for dependent children by offering out-of-home programs.
Home-Based Parenting Education
Programs that support parents and caretakers through home visit programs that provide parenting education in a family setting.
Family Support Centers
Family Support Centers provide clients with a 24-hour crisis & respite nursery, a 24-hour information and referral service, and a parenting and youth education program.
Learn More
Help Me Grow Utah
Help Me Grow Utah is an information and referral helpline available at no cost that provides parents, physicians, and providers with the knowledge and resources they need to make a difference in the lives of children.
5b45 Kids
A collaborative effort to help Utah families Love, Talk, Read, Count, and Play more with their kids before they turn 5 years old.
Vroom
Vroom Tips™ help you do more with your shared moments. Add learning to mealtime, bathtime, bedtime, or anytime with 1,000+ fun, free activities.
The CSSP | Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development
Video: The Strengthening Families Initiative of the Center for the Study of Social Policy put together this video to describe Knowledge of Parenting & Child Development, one of the 5 Protective Factors.
Children's Trust Fund Alliance | Everyday Actions that Build Knowledge of Parenting & Child Development
Factsheet: Learn how to continue learning about parenting and child development. En Español.
Zero to Three | Responsive Care
Video: Zero to Three, a non-profit with parenting tips for young children, made this video on how you can nurture a strong attachment with your child through everyday moments.
Dr. Dave | Parenting
Videos & Factsheets: Dr. Dave is a family life educator, professor, and extension specialist at Utah State University. Find videos, factsheets, and more with parenting tips and information.
Uplift Families | Articles
Articles: Learn from experts ways you can help your child, form family traditions, and more.
CDC | Positive Parenting Tips
Articles: Learn more about your child’s development, positive parenting, safety, and health at each stage of your child’s life.
Smarter Parenting | Parenting Skills
Videos: From using praise to correcting behaviors, learn ways you can effectively be a parent.
Center for Parenting Education | Library of Parenting Articles
Articles: Explore articles based on a variety of parenting topics. Plus, check out their recommended book list!
Child Development Institute | Expert Parenting Articles
Articles: Fact-filled expert articles offering parenting tips, life-changing insight, and easy ways to become a better parent, no matter the age of your child.
The National Parenting Center | Support & Advice
Articles: Search by keyword or category and explore the extensive list of parenting resources and advice from The National Parenting Center.
FamilySPEAK! | Family Support, Parent Education, & Knowledge
Website: a tool for strengthening families by providing family support, parent education and knowledge in one accessible location. Providing resources and supports positively impacts our community as families thrive and children develop their potential.
National Parent Helpline | 1-855-4APARENT
Helpline & Resources: Explore resources by age range, family dynamic, health need, and more.
Barnardos | Your Young Child's Behaviour
Booklet: This booklet is for parents of young children up to the age of six. It aims to give you a better understanding of your child’s behaviour.
Empowering Parents | How to Use Behavior Charts
Downloadable: Learn about behavior charts and how to use them affectively.
PsychCentral | The 5 C's of Effective Discipline: Setting Rules for Children
Article: Effective discipline comes from the following five C’s. Get these right, and you’ll have far less problems with your kids as they age.
Empowering Parents | Parental Roles: How to Set Healthy Boundaries with Your Child
Article: Learn how to define your boundaries and establish roles in the relationship with your children.
Parents | An Age-by-Age Guide to Bonding With Your Child & Teenager
Article: Building a strong bond with your children and maintaining it as they grow up takes intentional effort. Use this guide to learn ways to build a bond with your child at every age.
Empowering Parents | It’s Never Too Late: 7 Ways to Start Parenting More Effectively
Article: Read these 7 tips on how you can change the way you respond—and to improve your child’s behavior.
Nemours | Nine Steps to More Effective Parenting
Article: Here are nine child-rearing tips that can help you feel more fulfilled as a parent.
Lena | Engaging resilience: How responsive caregiving lays the foundation for children to thrive.
Article: Learn how to be a responsive parent, starting Day 1, and the lasting impacts it has on your child.
The Family Place Utah | Resources for Strengthening Families
Articles: Find resources divided by age group on a wide array of parenting topics.
TEDxUSU | Dear Bianca: Use your heart to build your baby's brain
Video: Vonda Jump Norman is a researcher in the Research and Evaluation Division of the Center for Persons with Disabilities in the College of Education. She discusses how babies’ brains develop through their interactions with their primary caregivers, and the types of interactions they have impact their brains differentially.
The Good Men Project | Dads & Families
Articles: The Good Men project publishes articles and advice specific to dads and/or father figures.
Fatherhood.gov | DadTalk Blog
Articles: The DadTalk blog features insights from dads and Responsible Fatherhood practitioners from around the country.
Utah State University | Stepfamilies
Articles: Read articles of tips and tricks on how to parent post-divorce or while starting a new second family.
National Stepfamily Resource Center | Educational Resources
Articles & Courses: Learn how to make your stepfamily thrive with these articles and courses.
Utah State University | Love and Logic Courses
Courses: This FREE course uses the Parenting the Love and Logic Way® curriculum and teaches parents how to raise responsible kids and enjoy parenting.
ParentGuidence.org | Courses
Courses: Take online courses on a variety of parenting lessons, including learning how to respond to your child's mental health questions, how to help them with their anxiety, and more.
National Parenting Education Network | About Parenting Educators
Support: Learn about Parent Educators and how to find one to help your family.
Utah Valley Drug Prevention Coalition | FREE Parenting Classes in Utah Valley
Classes: See this list of in-person and online classes offered in Utah Valley.
My Discovery Destination | Free Family Fun Activities
Activities: Find lists and more of fun activities you can do with your kid at home and around town.
Sesame Street | Family Activities
Activities: Download coloring sheets, find arts and crafts to do, learn about gardening and more from Sesame Street.
Vroom | Brain Building Activities
Website and Text Service: Vroom Tips™ help you do more with your shared moments. Add learning to mealtime, bathtime, bedtime, or anytime with 1,000+ fun, free activities.
Bright By Text | Quick Tips for Busy Parents.
Texting Service: Text messages that contain helpful tips, info and activities on physical and mental health, social-emotional wellbeing, safety, brain development, connections, encouragement and more.
CDC | Milestone Tracker App
Phone App: Track your child’s milestones from age 2 months to 5 years with CDC’s easy-to-use illustrated checklists.
Healthline | The Best Parenting Apps
Article: Find parenting apps from this list of 11 phone apps, all which help you keep track of your child's development process.
MakeUseOf.com | Top 5 Apps for Tracking Your Baby’s Development
Article: Use these apps to keep track of, and maybe even enhance, your baby's development.
Concrete Support in Times of Need
Services that can assist with things like housing, child care, and medical care can help families manage stress.
Explore resources, linked below, to learn more about community services and programs that can help.
Find Resources
Get connected to Utah organizations offering concrete support.
Basic Needs
Resources including food, housing, material goods, transportation, and utilities.
Money Management
Programs that provide assistance for people who want to build personal wealth and become financially literate.
Legal Services
Programs that provide legal assistance including arbitration, legal representation, mediation, self-representation assistance and more.
Childcare Providers
Programs that provide substitute parental care in a group setting for children during some portion of a 24-hour day.
Children's Respite Care
Programs that provide a brief period of rest or relief for guardians who are regular caregivers for dependent children at out-of-home locations.
Learn More
The CSSP | Concrete Support in Times of Need
Video: The Strengthening Families Initiative of the Center for the Study of Social Policy put together this video to describe Concrete Support in Times of Need, one of the 5 Protective Factors.
Children's Trust Fund Alliance | Concrete Support in Times of Need
Factsheet: Ever family, at some point, needs help. Learn some everyday actions that help build concrete support in times of need.
Children's Trust Fund Alliance | Parent Examples of Concrete Support
Factsheet: Parents share examples of a time that was particularly stressful for their family and who helped them.
Benefits.gov | Your Path to Government Benefits
Toolkit: Find out which government benefits can help you and learn how to apply for them.
NeighborWorks | Financial Services
Courses: Programs and services that are designed to assist individuals and families move from crisis to control by creating a long-term action plan for financial security.
Mountain America | Financial Guidance Hub
Toolkit: Learn from a variety of podcasts, videos, and articles how to improve your financial wellbeing. Plus, schedule an appointment with a financial coach.
Mountain America | Free Financial Education
Article: Learn how to access Mountain America's extensive list of free financial education resources.
MyMoney.gov | Tools
Tools: Access calculators, budgeting worksheets, checklists, and articles from the federal government to help you make good financial decisions.
National Parent Helpline | 1-855- 4A PARENT
Helpline: Get assistance from a trained advocate with your parenting questions.
Jackson Hole Parent Talk | Parenting is tough; it's OK to ask for help
Article: Rachel Wigglesworth of Growing Great Families discusses how to ask for help and why we should.
Cake Library | How to Politely Ask for Help When You Really Need It: 7 Steps
Article: Use these 7 steps to unpack the process of asking for help.
Social & Emotional Competence
Children's social skills and emotional skills are just as important as academic skills.
Explore resources, linked below, to learn more about community services and programs that can help.
Education Support Services
Support, outside of traditional school, to help students succeed in school, find mentors, and more.
Family-Based Services
Programs that provide a wide variety of social services designed to support healthy family development.
Children's Play Groups
Programs that provide regularly scheduled opportunities for children to engage in supervised play with each other.
Parent/Child Activity Groups
Programs that provide regularly scheduled opportunities for parents to participate in a wide variety of recreational, arts, and cultural activities with their children.
Child/Youth Development
Programs that provide opportunities for children and youths to participate in a wide range of recreational, cultural, social, and civic activities.
Learn More
The CSSP | Social and Emotional Competence of Children
Video: The Strengthening Families Initiative of the Center for the Study of Social Policy put together this video to describe Concrete Support in Times of Need, one of the 5 Protective Factors.
Children's Trust Fund Alliance | Social and Emotional Competence of Children
Factsheet: Learn about the value of social and emotional competence as well as everyday actions that help build social and emotional competence in children.
Social Workers Toolbox | Videos for Kids on Conflict, Self-esteem, Social Skills, etc.
Videos: Entertaining and educational videos, games and songs to help young children become better listeners, learn important life lessons and feel good about themselves.
Panorama Education | A Guide to the Core SEL Competencies
Guide: Learn about the five core SEL competencies—complete with definitions and examples of what these competencies may look like and sound like in practice.
Humor that Works | 20 Problem Solving Activities to Improve Creativity
Article: These 20 exercises are techniques on how to improve problem solving skills and the art of problem solving.
Resilient Utah | Resilience Building Toolkit
Toolkit: Resilient Utah builds resiliency in children by increasing inner-strength and developing social-emotional skills through original music materials & concerts, services, and events that incorporate the POWER OF 3.
Hope 4 Hurting Kids | My Feelings Workbook
Downloadable: This booklet helps children recognize and name their emotions. In reading about and thinking about emotions, children will begin to recognize what is going on inside and be able to express that to other people.
Educate 2 Empower | Feelings Cards
Downloadable: Print and cut out these cards to help teach your children about the feelings they may be having.
Live On Utah | Mental Health Resources
Website: Live On is a statewide effort to prevent suicide by promoting education, providing resources, and changing our culture around suicide and mental health.
YMCA | Strengthening Families: Social and Emotional Competence in Children
Article: Use these strategies, and hang up the Emotion Wheel, to help teach your child social and emotional competence.
Scholastic | Teaching Patience
Article: Try these tricks to help your preschooler play the waiting game.
Nemours Kids Health | Your Child's Self-Esteem
Article: Learn about the importance of children's self-esteem and how you can build good self-esteem in your kids.
PBS Kids | Three Strategies for Teaching Children Self-Control
Article: Angela Duckworth from the University of Pennsylvania shares three main strategies that kids can use to make self-control easier to manage.
Understood | 10 Ways to Improve Your Grade-Schooler’s Communication Skills
Article: Use these 10 ways to improve your grade-schooler's communication skills as they learn to communicate with others.
Hotlines for Parents
Utah 211
Dial 211
Help Me Grow Utah
801-691-5322
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
800-273-8255
National Domestic Violence Hotline
800-799-7233
Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Hotline
1-855-323-3237
SafeUT
833-372-3388
If you would like to list additional resources or join the 211 Database, please contact us here.
News & Current Events
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Discovery Family Coalition Announces App for Family Strengthening Month
March 22, 2022
Join Discovery Hunts to complete FUN family experiences, battle for a top spot on the leaderboard or just enjoy funny submissions in the activity feed, from anywhere in the world. Home-based, Community-supported FREE Family Fun!
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Utah 211 launches new web page for parent resources
March 31, 2022
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – Utah 211 is launching a new parents resources page. The goal is to get families the help they need in creating a healthy and safe home environment.
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Parents resource page launched by DCFS, Utah 211
March 30, 2022
SALT LAKE CITY — The Division of Child and Family Services collaborated with Utah 211, United Way, and Help Me Grow Utah to create a new resource webpage for parents. The page offers a guide to parents who feel overwhelmed with the responsibility of raising a child, according to the DCFS.
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Utah 211 launches new parent resources website
March 30, 2022
SALT LAKE CITY — In an effort to highlight services available to help families thrive across Utah, the Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) has collaborated with United Way programs, Utah 211 and Help Me Grow Utah, to create the new 211 Strengthening Families web page. The online resource is coupled with the state’s Strengthening Families Toolkit as an easy guide for parents who may feel overwhelmed with the responsibility of caring for children.
