It's August, which means it's back-to-school time across Elkhart County. Whether you are a parent or an educator, the start of school is one of the most important periods of transition each year, and even more so for parents with children starting school for the first time or changing schools.

Read on to learn more about how Positive Parenting Program is empowering parents for back to school!

We have another monthly Triple P seminar coming up at Elkhart Health & Aquatics in downtown Elkhart. While parents are attending the monthly sessions and learning about Positive Parenting strategies, we have all kinds of fun enrichment activities for kids in the children's room like the parachute play pictured above!

Join us at Elkhart Health & Aquatics at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, August 15, for Raising Resilient Children in English and Spanish. Thank you to the parents who joined us for the first sessions in June and July, and thank you as always to our friends at Beacon Health System and Beacon Community Impact for supporting Triple P as hosts and funding partners.

Watch TriplePElkhartCounty.org for the latest events!

• Advocacy Links for parents of children with disabilities (and parents with disabilities): Advocacy Links is an Elkhart-based organization "dedicated to finding resources and filling the gaps in or between services for individuals with varying levels of ability, regardless of age or funding stream." Visit and bookmark the Advocacy Links website for resources, upcoming events, and more.

• Beacon Health & Fitness community calendar: You don't need a membership to take advantage of open gym, pickleball, swimming, and other activities for community members at The Commons at the health and aquatics center in downtown Elkhart. Check their online calendar for an always-updated list of upcoming fitness and wellness options. And don't forget to check our calendar for details about the next monthly Triple P workshop in English and Spanish at the center.

• Body safety for children: CAPS offers resources for teaching children body safety. Click here to visit their resource page.

• Brighter Futures Indiana: Check out this resource to find social, economic, educational, career training, and health resources in your area and across the State of Indiana (available in English and Spanish). Click here to visit.

• Elkhart County Blue Sheet: Download this PDF with useful community resources for families, available in English and Spanish. Click here to view or download it.

• Public gym hours at Grace Community Church: Looking for a place to work out for free? Grace Community Church offers free use of their exercise facility at their Goshen campus, 20076 C.R. 36, to the public. Options include gym (evening basketball: 6-6:30 p.m. parent/child shootaround; 6:30-8:30 p.m. pick-up games), ladies fitness room, cardio equipment, walking track, weight room, and locker rooms for your convenience. Open gym hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday each week, 6-8:30 a.m., 11 a.m.-1 p.m., and 6-8:30 p.m. Children 13 and younger must be accompanied by an adult to open gym.

• InSource Special Education Parent Support: This PDF sheet contains links to numerous resources and contacts for parents of school-age children with disabilities, including videos, newsletters, translation and interpretation services, help with school case conference meetings and more.

• Monique Burr Foundation: This organization offers free anti-bullying resources for parents, caregivers, educators and others. Click here to visit their resource page.

• Resources for parents of children with disabilities: Elkhart Community Schools has resources for parents and caregivers of school-age children with developmental disabilities. Click here to view or download an informational flyer in English. Click here for the same information in Spanish.

• Resources for LGBTQ parents and parents of LGBTQ children: The LGBTQ Center offers parent support groups, PFLAG, and other resources to help LGBTQ families connect, learn from one another, and grow. The center's purpose is to see a community where every individual is valued, respected, and empowered.

• Self-Healing Communities of Greater Michiana: S-HC is built to help individuals, families, organizations, and communities understand how mental health and brain development creates the foundation for resilience when times are tough throughout people's lives. Learn more at the organization's new website.

We have an online library of Triple P tip videos in English and Spanish! Subscribe to our YouTube channel and our Facebook to see the latest.

We recently created a playlist of brief videos and audio recordings on topics related to back-to-school for parents of children of all ages, and you can check that out here! Here's one of those videos on how to help your children stay on top of their homework without the struggle:

¡Hemos comenzado nuestra serie de videos de consejos de Triple P en línea en español! Suscríbete a nuestro canal de YouTube y a nuestro Facebook para ver las últimas novedades.

Contact Triple P: [email protected] or call at (574) 226-0160.