Tracy Leonard
Tracy is a Lead Instructor for Darkness to Light, a child sexual abuse prevention organization and serves as a College and Career Advisor for Students Rising Above. She grew up in northeast Ohio, and has lived in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Arizona, and Northern Virginia and has worked in the arts, in education, in non-profits and in ed tech. Her husband's job brought them to the Bay Area and there's no looking back! Tracy is mom to a 17-year-old daughter and 14-year-old son. Self-care includes pedicures, reading, cooking, crafting, and just being with her family. She also serves on the Citizen's Bond Oversight Committee for the Dublin School District and on the Advisory Council for the Transformative Leadership in Disruptive Times Certificate Program at Cal State East Bay.
What to Do if You Witness a Public Display of Aggression Toward a Child
It has all happened to us—we are in a store, at the park, or any number of places where parents take their kids (so EVERYWHERE) and our attention is drawn to a parent yelling...
April Is National Child Abuse Prevention Month
Editor's Note: April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. We will be sharing a series of articles on the topic this month written by our contributing writer Tracy, an expert in this area.
Child abuse...
Kitchen Wars: Instant Pot vs. Crock-Pot vs. Air Fryer
I LOVE to cook, bake, can, mix, and create in the kitchen, so I am all for trying new products to keep food interesting. So, when I saw other friends posting about their Instant...
Understanding Sexual Behavior in Children (Part 1: Healthy Behavior)
Before tackling the topic of unhealthy sexual behaviors in children (e.g. Is my child masturbating too much? Is that appropriate play or talk for their age?), it’s important to know what normal sexual development...
Understanding Sexual Behavior in Children (Part 2: Unhealthy Behavior)
In my first article on this topic, I listed the healthy sexual behaviors you might expect to see in children. In Part 2, I present to you some potentially unhealthy sexual behaviors. This is...
Celebrating All Things Irish on St. Patrick’s Day
Both my husband and I have Irish ancestry, so our family celebrates some fun Irish traditions on March 17 such as eating corned beef and cabbage for dinner, drinking Irish whiskey or a pint...
Just Call Me Dionysus – Finding a Healthy Balance in Mom Wine Culture
My 6th grader is learning about Greek gods at school right now. He told my husband and me that while they were learning about Dionysus, the god of wine, winemaking, grape cultivation. . ....
Tips for Visiting Dublin, Ireland with Kids
Both my husband and I have Irish ancestry so when my husband traveled to Dublin, Ireland for work, we decided it was a great time to take a family vacation.
What to Do
Ireland is a...
Why Talking to Your Little Kids About Sex Helps Prevent Child Sexual Abuse
For many parents, having “the talk” is a frightening and embarrassing thought. But what if I told you it shouldn’t be? Better yet, what if I told you how to do it so that...
