Parenting OC Magazine

Knott’s Berry Farm’s annual summer celebration of food, music, games and shows is back with some new additions. The Knott’s Summer Nights Market offers a selection of Asian-themed food, including chicken potstickers, garlic minced beef with noodles, the Cali bowl, miso tofu ramen, mango bingsu, spiked Vietnamese coffee and more. As the evening progresses, a DJ adds some ambiance by spinning some trendy tunes.

Stefan Bean: I would describe this as a year of reflection, resilience and progress. As I shared during our State of Education address in March, Orange County schools are serving students with increasingly complex needs while also navigating challenges like declining enrollment, financial pressures and rapid changes in technology. But despite those challenges, I continue to be inspired by what I’m seeing across our schools and communities.

SVUSD students compete in the annual SVUSD Unified School Games. (Photo courtesy Saddleback Valley Unified School District.) Recent graduate Brady Sugg spent the past four years at Trabuco Hills High School participating in swimming, track and field, flag football, basketball, soccer, Best Buddies, leadership activities and more. It was all thanks to the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools programs.

Crystal Cove State Park hosts a monthly Coastal Ecology Hike. / Courtesy Crystal Cove While summer is a prime time to visit an amusement park, it’s also a great time for families to find amusements in parks. This August, families can have some memorable outdoor adventures at various OC parks and other local sites. For those with little ones, there are several ongoing programs happening multiple times in August.

(Photo Courtesy of Chemetskaya | Dreamstime.com) Today, I watched a family of four sitting down to that quintessential, warm-your-heart, wholesome, filling mainstay of the American family eating experience: breakfast. And before ordering, there arrived that goddess of breakfast heaven with the endless and steaming coffee pot in hand, and now all became perfect and good in the land of the free and the home of the caffeinated. Yet, what I saw next shook me to the core.

(Photo Courtesy of Orange County United Way) Imagine your child walking into their first day of work 15 years from now. What skills will they need? World Studies show that a majority of children entering primary school today will be working in jobs that don’t yet exist. They will need the skills and creativity to thrive in the careers of the future.

The Fun Finder ‘King Kong’ Arrives at Maverick Theater By Jessica Peralta Published July 22, 2026Admin Only: Photo by Jessica Peralta Catch a glimpse of some of the behind-the-scenes technical magic for the annual production of “King Kong” at the Maverick Theater in Fullerton. The show is recommended for ages 6 and up, and runs through Aug. 9.

Your email address will not be published.

As the back-to-school season approaches, I sometimes feel like I’m being thrown into an Olympic competition without any training. Beneath all of this is anxiety, and back-to-school season makes it hard to ignore. Not just children’s anxiety, but my own anxiety too. Back to school has quietly become an emotionally loaded transition and families feel it. We can joke about forgotten forms and chaotic mornings, but behind the humor is real exhaustion.

(Photo Courtesy of First 5 Orange County) In the early years, the brain is developing faster than at any other time in life. All children develop and grow differently, but there are certain milestones that help families know whether their child is on track or if they need early intervention and supports to help with their development. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends parents and caregivers bring their children in for 11 routine well-child visits between birth and 2 1⁄2 years old.