If your family has a long history of camping and is totally outdoor savvy, then you need read no further. But if your children haven’t been camping before and you’d […]
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Family Life & Support
Camping Tips for First Timers
Avoid SNAFUs and smooth the way with these “campwise” tips from The Campout Card Deck by Marnie Hanel & Jen Sevenson. Pack Planning Prepare for the worst weather by choosing […]
6 of the Best Local Northern California State Parks for kids
In March 2026, one of Moon’s newest travel guidebooks Best of California State Parks was released, which I co-authored with Jenna Blough. A native of Redding, I grew up camping, […]
How to Make Father’s Day Meaningful (Without Making it About More Stuff)
By the time Father’s Day arrives, many families are tired. The school year has just wrapped up. Summer schedules are shifting. Camps are starting. But work has not slowed down […]
Ferris Wheel Kids: Redding’s Downtown Toy Store Built for Families & Community
photos provided by Ferris Wheel Kids Downtown Redding just got a little more colorful. Ferris Wheel Kids, the brainchild of two longtime friends and neighbors, is part toy store, part […]
First Foods for Baby
Hi, families with young babies. This one’s for you! Giving someone their first real taste of food can be daunting. Let’s break it down and make it a process you […]
Grief isn’t Just About Death: The losses we don’t talk about
When we think of grief, we usually picture the death of a loved one. We imagine funerals, sympathy cards, casseroles dropped off at the door and the Five Stages of […]
THRIVING THROUGH a career CHANGE: Finding Stability for Ourselves and Our Families
The job market is shifting fast. Between mass layoffs, AI, automation and outsourcing, we’re not just seeing jobs cut – we’re seeing entire roles disappear. Unlike generations before us, parents […]
LETTING GO without LOSING SLEEP: Finding the Right Balance of Teen Independence
Parenting teens today feels quite different from a generation ago. On one hand, we’re encouraged to raise confident, self-reliant young adults. On the other, we’re bombarded by headlines, social media […]
Dear Reader
Dear Readers, This month is North State Parent Magazine’s Anniversary month! When I started the magazine, there were very few other publications around and none that circulated widely and were […]
