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Children's Mental Health

The Most Important Conversations: BayCare Kids introduces a game-changing resource to battle mental health disorders

Here’s a sobering statistic: During the past three years since the pandemic, the number of kids visiting the Emergency Room at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital for children’s mental health disorders has increased by 300 percent. That’s a three-fold increase. Here’s another number: When it comes to available mental health resources, Florida (one of the most…

The Study of Play at Corbett Prep

The Power of Play: How Corbett Prep is incorporating PLAY in the classroom

There’s serious play happening in Corbett Prep’s PreK4 class on “Not a Box” day. Piles of craft supplies—stickers, glue, ribbons, markers, colored paper—are scattered around the classroom suite as students transform cardboard boxes into cars, rockets, houses, tunnels and even a unicorn. The Study of Play: Not a Box Inspired by the book “Not a…

Best hotels at Disney world for the holidays
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The Best Hotels at Walt Disney World for the Holidays

Celebrate Your Best Christmas Ever in Orlando! There’s no place like home for the holidays, except perhaps Walt Disney World. If you’re ready to give your family the merriest memories this holiday season at Walt Disney World then it’s time to consider booking a hotel room. Disney area hotels are booking fast for the holidays….

Full Circle Moments with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders
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Full Circle Moments with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders and Junior Cheerleaders

There’s something extraordinary about a life-comes-full-circle moment. Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleader Shay Garcia had such a moment when her daughter, Johanna, stepped onto the Raymond James turf as a Bucs Junior Cheerleader. Shay and Johanna share their TBBC experiences. Kaylee Strobel, a former Junior Cheerleader and current Buccaneers’ Cheerleading and Mascot Coordinator, also knows full-circle moments with the Bucs. Before firing the canons, read their firsthand accounts about TBBC’s lasting impacts.

Metropolitan Ministries Holiday Tent
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Thanksgiving donations desperately needed in Tampa Bay

The Metropolitan Ministries Holiday Tent in Tampa will officially open and begin accepting donations for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays on October 29. Once again, they need more help than ever, especially in the wake of hurricanes Helene and Milton. This year, the non-profit which serves our six county region, expects to assist more than…

RSV

The 411 on RSV | What you need to know about this common virus

 We’re catching up again with Dr. John Prpich, BayCare Kids Pediatric Pulmonologist and Medical Director of Pediatric Respiratory Care at St Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, to learn more about RSV and a groundbreaking new medicine just approved for use in all infants to prevent RSV infection.

Preparing for the 2023 Flu Season

Ask the Doctor: How to Prepare for the 2023 Flu Season

The 2023 flu season is expected to arrive earlier than usual with an uptick in cases already occurring in September. We may also see a tricky RSV season and an upward trend in COVID as a new variant is circulating. The Flu, COVID, or RSV: What is causing my symptoms? It may be challenging to…

Hillsborough County Anti-Bullying Award

Tampa Bay’s Bully Busters: Hillsborough County Anti-Bullying Award Recipients

Each October, in honor of Bullying Awareness Month, Hillsborough County’s Anti-Bullying Awareness Committee recognizes a student or students who have gone above and beyond to make a difference in our community. This year, it wasn’t just one person who stood out, but a local elementary school student and a group of students who are taking…

A Little Change – A Lot of Heart. Maui fire relief fundraiser

A Little Change – A Lot of Heart at Roland Park K-8

One of the beautiful things about the International Baccalaureate Program, especially in the younger grades, are the pillars of compassion and empathy. So, when the students at Roland Park K-8 heard about the wildfires in Maui, their first thoughts were, ‘How can we help?’ From there, an idea was born. “At Roland Park, we are…

Kids to Know, Jake Klopfenstein of Angling for Relief
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Kids to Know: Meet Jake Klopfenstein with Angling For Relief

With a remarkable mission to brighten the lives of pediatric cancer patients through the therapeutic art of fishing, Angling For Relief has served families in Tampa Bay for five years. While his heart-warming initiative has made a lasting difference in so many lives around him, it is Jake who has been changed by the kids he gets to take fishing.

"Raising Them Ready" authors Erica and Jonathan Catherman

Raising Them Ready: Preparing kids to handle life on their own

When bestselling authors and co-parents Erica and Jonathan Catherman decided to write their next parenting book, they asked themselves a question: “How well had we done to prepare our “adulting” kids to leave home?” Knowing other parents were likely asking themselves the same question, they came up with “Raising Them Ready,” a guide for parents…

Bullying Prevention teenage girls on cellphone

It’s Bullying Prevention Month: Tips to Support Your Kids 

Bullying is when a person or group repeatedly tries to harm someone who is weaker or who they think is weaker, and there is some type of power differential in place. This can take a psychological toll on the child being bullied, sometimes lasting a lifetime. October is Bullying Prevention Month Below are answers to…

Safety Awareness Tips for Parents: a girl fastens another girl's bike helmet.

Safety Awareness Tips for Parents with Kids of All Ages

As parents, we naturally worry about our children. Whether we’re trying to protect them from mishaps as toddlers or shelter them from high-risk behaviors as teens, safety is always at the top of our minds. So how do you keep up when potential risks and dangers look so very different at every age and stage?…

Pelvic Floor Therapy, The HOPE Docs
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Pregnancy and Your Pelvic Floor: Why exercise and pelvic floor therapy matter

Your pelvic floor probably doesn’t come up in routine conversations with friends and family. However, if you’re pregnant or have had a baby, you’ve probably either thought about it or felt the impacts post-partum, even years after childbirth.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium Parenting Class
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CMA and Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital Team Up to Offer Free Parenting Classes

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is teaming up with Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital to offer free parenting classes at CMA with classes that focus on different developmental milestones including speech, feeding, and reading for children from birth to 5-years-old.

Hispanic Heritage in Tampa Bay
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Celebrating Hispanic Heritage: Two local moms share their deep roots in Tampa Bay

National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. Tampa is rich with Hispanic Heritage. Two Tampa moms, originally from Puerto Rico, share details about their roots and raising their own children with Hispanic heritage in Tampa Bay.

Student Resources at Your Local Library

Engage Your Child with Resources from Your Local Library

We want to welcome you and your children back to school for the 2023-2024 school year! The Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library is always available online as a resource for students throughout the year. Here are some of our favorite resources to share for the new school year: Student Resources at Your Local Library eBooks eBooks…

Keeping cool in school

Keeping Cool in School

Hot, humid and muggy! Those are just a few of the words to describe the intense heat the Tampa Bay area has been experiencing this summer. It’s probably tough for the air conditioning in your house to keep up! Now imagine how hard it is on the air conditioning in our schools. Hillsborough County Public…

Tampa Bay Fashion Experience

A Fashionable Way to Give Back: The Tampa Bay Fashion Experience debuts this month

The Tampa Bay Fashion Experience is a three-day event that showcases Tampa’s most unique and luxurious styles, highlighting the work of local designers, with appearances by Tampa Bay Buccaneer players and celebrities, all while supporting local organizations.

Tampa YMCA Membership
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Fall into Healthy Habits with a Tampa YMCA Membership

The Tampa YMCA is so much more than the gym and swim you know us for; it’s where you find a deeper sense of belonging. Each of our locations across Tampa Bay offers activities and programs based on local community needs, like art classes, initiatives for seniors and one of the most popular sports, pickleball!…

MOSI: A Fresh Experience for Tampa Bay Parents

MOSI: A Fresh Experience for Tampa Bay Parents

The Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) has always been a family favorite for its interactive exhibits and kid-friendly atmosphere. But now, MOSI is stepping up its game to cater to an equally important audience—parents and adults. With a focus on offering more diverse experiences, MOSI has introduced exciting activities and dining options for its…

Pediatric Cancer

Friends Forever: Pediatric Cancer Diagnoses Lead to a Special Childhood Friendship

This is the story of two friends who found each other. Four-year-old Bjorn and 5-year-old Ryan had never met. But in August of 2021, both were taken to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital with troubling symptoms. Pediatric Cancer Diagnosis Within the same week, both received the same devastating diagnosis: acute myeloid leukemia. “The moment I was told…

Corbett Prep Christoff family on school boardwalk

A Place to Call Home: Corbett Prep Helps Tampa Transplants Find their Village

Over the past few years, we have welcomed numerous new families to the Tampa Bay area who were seeking the warmth of not just the sun, but of our community too. Diving into a new city can be a tad overwhelming when your quest is not only to find a house, but a home; not…

Childhood Injury Prevention

Safe September: BayCare Kids safety expert shares tips to prevent injury

September is all about back-to-school, but it’s also the month set aside for a more sobering “b” word—boo boos. National Childhood Injury Prevention Month is underway No one sees more injuries than the people who work at hospitals. BayCare Kids Wellness and Safety Specialist Michelle Sterling shares the four top injuries health care workers see…

Baby Registry Top Picks
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Baby Registry Top Picks: Strollers, Bottles and High Chairs, oh my! 

There are endless things to consider when you are expecting, and putting together a baby registry may take the cake as one of the most overwhelming. With all the products on the market, and new ones coming out every day, it is no wonder we look to experts and friends when trying to make the best decisions for our little one. Let us take off a little of the pressure and give some of our top picks to get you started!

Mason Hawk:
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Kids to Know: Mason Hawk

Mason Hawk may be a great student, a strong athlete and a gifted pianist, but his passion and advocacy for children battling life-threatening illnesses is what truly makes him stand out. Inspired by his brother’s liver transplant journey, Mason found purpose through volunteering with Children’s Dream Fund at the age of 13. This past spring,…

Eileen Esposito The Sunflower Patch
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Moms to Know: Eileen Esposito, The Sunflower Patch

At The Sunflower Patch, Eileen Esposito combines her talents as a music therapist, recording artist and songwriter to create enchanting experiences for children. With a deep-rooted passion for music ingrained in her DNA (her great-great-uncle composed “Silent Night”), Esposito’s own musical journey began at a young age. Today, with a bachelor’s degree in music therapy…