Advice from Our Professionals

Informative articles by Youth First’s Service Team

Smoothing Transitions for Your Child

By Kelly McClarnon, LCSW - December 29, 2021 - Christmas break is underway! As a Youth First Social Worker, I have met with several students who have difficulty transitioning back to the classroom after weekends and school breaks. My observation…

Children, Grief and the Holidays

By Sarah Audu, LSW - December 22, 2021 - Grief is often viewed as a sensitive subject, for obvious reasons. It is something we tend to maneuver around with caution. This is likely because each person experiences some form of grief in their…

Holiday Gratitude and Giving are Good for Your Mental Health

Counties, Youth First Blog

By Julie Hoon, Vice President of Philanthropy - December 16, 2021 - The busy holiday season brings many priorities, and our mental health does not always earn a spot at the top of the list. However, gratitude and giving can have a direct…

Celebrating the 2021 Holiday Season

Counties, Youth First Blog

By Kelsey Hagemeier, LSW - December 8, 2021 - The focus of the last year has been about the many ways that COVID-19 is continuously affecting our daily lives. At some points this year, it started to feel like we were getting closer to the…

Keep It Simple for the Holidays

Counties, Youth First Blog

By Christine Weinzapfel-Hayden, LCSW - December 1, 2021- With the holidays quickly approaching, it is easy to get caught up in the excitement and drain yourself financially. Often, we center our ideas about holidays around gifts, especially…

Family Traditions are Still Important this Year

Counties, Youth First Blog

By Jana Pritchett - November 23, 2021- We’re entering the peak season for family traditions. Some that I recall from my childhood include enjoying the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade while cooking the turkey and trimmings, sharing reasons…