The way information is framed in the media, the stories journalists, editors and producers choose to tell and the selection of images that get paired with those stories play an extraordinary role in shaping the environments in which we all live and raise our children. That is why Illuminate Colorado created the Illuminating Media Award, to recognize and shine a light on media outlets and journalists preventing child maltreatment through the stories they share with the community. This year, Illuminate Colorado has selected Colorado Parent and 5280 Publishing to receive the 2021 Illuminating Media Award for helping to build brighter childhoods in Colorado.
The pandemic created unprecedented levels of stress in parents’ lives. Over the course of almost a year and half now, in addition to all the normal trials and tribulations of parenthood, people raising children have had to navigate so much more than our parents before us as we tried our best to maintain our own mental health and literally do it all.
Parents tried to work virtually from home while running an online classroom in the background. Frontline parents placed themselves at risk, distanced themselves from their families to care for others, and tried to stay emotionally connected to their children. Unemployed parents tried to navigate resources in the community to keep a roof over their heads and their children fed. We all tried and for that we all deserve to be congratulated because there is no perfect parent. Throughout it all Colorado’s go-to parenting guide became so much more to us during this pandemic and they too shifted so much of what they normally do.
Colorado Parent Magazine expanded from the traditional print magazine we all picked up at the local supermarket or pediatrician’s office to a digital edition we could all rely on from the safety of our inboxes. It became a space that told stories and shared resources online to help Colorado parents and children get through this tough time and, hopefully, come out the otherside relatively unscathed.
In addition to donating advertising and promotion as the Media Sponsor for the 2021 Pinwheels for Prevention Campaign helping Illuminate distribute more than 40,000 pinwheels throughout Colorado to raise awareness for the prevention of child maltreatment, Colorado Parent has provided a platform for local child development experts to share helpful tips and parents and caregivers to share stories that bring the Protective Factors to life all year-long. It is for this ongoing commitment to strengthen Colorado families and build knowledge of parenting and child development that we honor Colorado Parent and 5280 Publishing for illuminating media.
Colorado Parent Bringing the Protective Factors to Life
Here a just a few of our favorites Colorado Parent stories over the last several months that have brought the Protective Factors to life:
- Colorado Parents Encourage – Colorado Parent asked local parents to share their best tips and advice for other families during social distancing, including a video of great self-care tips from local parents and teachers.
- Father To Father: When Your Son Has Special Needs – The story of two fathers connecting, one far along the journey through parenthood with a multi-disabled son who was turning 31 and the other just beginning to grapple with his six year-old son’s Autism diagnosis.
- Powerful Puberty Class Teaches Moms and Daughters – Normalizing the continued conversations we should be having with our kids throughout their development, this is a great article highlighting one midwife and educator teaching moms and their tween and teen daughters about puberty, body image, and why we should celebrate—not squirm about—their changing bodies.
- Understand and Support Your Child’s Learning Style – During a time when parents often became teachers, this was a great article outlining learning styles that also served as a great resource to improve communications between parents and children.
- Conversations with kids can be tricky and it’s great to get expert advice from reliable sources. Here are some of our favorite resources that Colorado Parent brought to us over this last year:
We look forward to the day when we can recognize the wonderful staff of Colorado Parent and 5280 Publishing in person with this award. In the meantime, we encourage everyone to check out Colorado Parent’s Free email newsletters and follow us on Twitter as we share more #IlluminatingMedia.
