Positive Parenting

Positive Parenting is a regular feature on WMUR-TV which airs during the 12:00 noon news every third Thursday. Extension professionals are interviewed during a three-minute segment for new ideas and fresh perspectives on the joys and challenges of raising children.  Timely topics and tips offer parents and others research-based information that can assist them in their parenting role. Below you will find additional information on topics discussed during the Positive Parenting WMUR-TV interview segments.

"Celebrating Family Connections During National Family Week"

Celebrate National Family Week

Everyone is invited to celebrate strong families during National Family Week, Nov. 22 – 28,

organized by the Alliance for Children and Families. For resources and other information, click here.

 

 

The Importance of Play

Playtime is important to the healthy growth and development of children in many ways. Play contributes to the mental, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children; it allows them to learn new skills, explore the world around them, use their imagination, and understand relationships with the people in their lives. Italso provides children and parents an opportunity to spend and enjoy time together. Parents and caregivers are their child’s first playmate, and encouraging positive play is a vital part of caring for children.

Parents and caregivers often feel pressure to plan structured activities for children through daycare, school or community resources. We schedule activities that will build skills through sports, clubs, music and cultural programs, or academic enrichment. These activities help children grow and learn in many important ways. However, they sometimes leave children and families feeling rushed and with little time for free play, play that kids create for themselves.

Free or unstructured play allows kids to learn and develop in important ways, as well. Parents should make sure that children balance the activities planned for them, with play that kids are encouraged to create for themselves.

What are the benefits of play to children?

Play is children’s "work." It’s how they learn and make sense of the world around them. Unstructured play allows children to develop their imaginations and creativity, practice decision making, discover their own interests, and learn to get along with others. It allows them to grow mentally, physically, socially and emotionally.

As infants, children start by playing next to each other. Babies may notice other babies and play with similar toys, but they don’t cooperate. As they grow, children start to relate to other children, for example, by building a fort together or playing together with dress up clothes. This social play helps them learn to negotiate, share with others, resolve conflict, and work in groups - all important skills for adult life.

Active play, as distinguished from passive play like computer games and videos, helps build active healthy bodies. Climbing, running, jumping, for example, helps build small and large muscles and gain physical ability.

How does play help parents and kids?

Obviously play needs to be supervised; adults need to monitor play to make sure kids are safe and using good social skills. However, adults should also be careful not to control play too much; when play is run by adults, children lose some of the benefits in developing creativity, and learning problem-solving and group skills.

Parents are children's first playmates. Any activity can be play to a young child. Play can start with simply making silly faces at a baby and singing songs during feeding.

Play also provides a positive link between parents/caregivers and kids throughout childhood and adolescence, as an important opportunity to enjoy time together. It offers time for hugging, laughing, and expressing love and affection. Play can be quiet: reading, coloring, doing puzzles, playing board games, or telling jokes and riddles. It can also be active: playing ball, jumping rope, sledding, racing.

In short, unstructured child-designed play serves an important role for healthy kids. Encouraging and promoting positive play is a vital part of caring for children.

Source:

Ginsburg, K. R., & the Committee on Communications & the Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health. (2007). The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds. Pediatrics. 119(1).  Retrieved from http://www.aap.org/pressroom/playFINAL.pdf

Other information:

Colorado State University Extension: Learning Through Play - a Child's Job

For more information or questions, please contact: Sharon Cowen, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Resources, sharon.cowen@unh.edu, 641-6060..

What You Need to Tell Your Kids About Money NOW!

Today our children often grow into adulthood without any formal or informal training in money management. At the same time the WANTS of children and teens today are exhaustive, negatively impacting the budgets of most families. This inability to delay gratification and the unwillingness to learn to earn money for the things they want, is not the best training for the future. Increasing rates of significant debt on the part of young adults today is the result. What can parents do?

The following is an excerpt from a fact sheet series about kids and money, with a link to the full series below.

Money Management Sense

Children are like sponges. From the time they are babies, they absorb what they see and hear around them. They get their ideas about money from you as parents/caregivers. So, it is logical that home is the best place for teaching children about money.

Young children can't understand everything about family finances, but they can understand some things. Help them grow into good money management skills and values by letting them share in family discussions.

Every family is different. You have to decide for yourself whether to tell your children exactly how much money you make in dollars and cents. You may only want to talk about how much money you earn in a general way. But if children know how the family stands financially, they can do a better job of handling their own money.

The more children understand about family income, expenses and goals, the more willing they may be to cooperate with the family spending plan. For example, if they know that family income is irregular or that the family has had a financial setback, they can understand why they can't have the expensive jeans or shoes they want.

Teaching children the value of money without emphasizing it too much is a challenge to parents/caregivers. Answer the questions that follow to find out how well you are teaching your children to manage money.

HOW ARE YOU DOING? RATE YOURSELF

• Do my children have some money to manage without my interfering?
• Have I helped each of my children set up a spending plan?
• Have I explained why and how people save money for future goals?
• Do I avoid using money as a reward or punishment?
• Do my children have regular household chores to do?
• Do I help my children find ways to earn extra money, suitable to their age and ability?
• Do I set a good example by being truthful about money matters?
• Do I give my children more financial responsibilities as they get older in order to help them gain experience in handling money?
• Do my children participate in family money management?
• Am I a good money manager, giving my children a good example to follow?
• Have I shared my own mistakes with money so that my children can learn from them?

Yes answers show that you are probably helping your children gain money management skills.

No answers suggest that you may need to help them more. Either way, this home study series will offer ideas for new ways to make both you and your children better money managers.

SOURCE: Money Sense for Your Children, Lesson 1, Money Management Sense, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension

Links to Resources Online

Download this excellent fact sheet series Money Sense for Your Children:

UNH Cooperative Extension - Youth and Money

University of Minnesota Cooperative Extension- Youth and Money

For more information or questions, please contact: Karyn M. Blass, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Resources, karyn.blass@unh.edu, 679-5616.

Healthy Afterschool Snacks

When your children come home from school, they usually head straight for the kitchen and look for something to eat.  They often grab snack foods that are low in nutrients and not very nutritious. As a result, snacks can add extra calories to your child’s diet but not the vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein and other essential nutrients that they need each day.  

With a little planning, afterschool snacks can be a quick, easy, nutritious part of your child’s total eating plan.  Think of snacks as a mini meal rather than extra food or calories.  Snacks can supplement regular meals and provide servings of food groups from MyPyramid. 

To start a snack plan, make a list of foods that your child likes to eat from all the food groups in My Pyramid.  Include new foods that your child may not be familiar with to increase variety.  It may take several taste tries, up to 10, before your child likes a new food.  Examples your list could include:

Fruits- fresh, canned, frozen, dried

• 100% fruit juice
• apple wedges
• banana chunks
• grapes
• raisins
• apricots
• orange slices

Vegetables – raw, canned

• broccoli pieces
• carrot, celery or cucumber sticks
• green or red pepper rings
• cherry tomatoes

Whole grains

• cereals
• crackers
• graham crackers
• tortillas
• muffins

Low fat milk

• homemade milkshakes
• cheese cubes
• yogurt

Meat, nuts, beans, eggs

• peanut butter
• nuts
• hummus
• chili-bean dip
• hard boiled egg
• tuna
• sliced meats

Then go to the grocery store and stock up.  It’s much easier to make a healthy snack or mini meal when you have nutritious foods on hand.  When you create you mini meal, select a serving of food from at least two to three food groups. Try to be creative with your preparation and let your children enjoy!

Examples of Mini Meals:

1. Small bowl of whole grain cereal – grain group,sliced bananas – fruit group,low fat milk – milk group
2. graham crackers – grain group,spread with peanut butter – meat group,dot with raisins – fruit group,orange slices – fruit group
3. veggie sticks, carrots, celery, broccoli, cucumber – vegetable group,hummus dip – meat group,small glass of orange juice – fruit group
4. yogurt parfait, layer in a glass:yogurt – milk group, fresh fruit slices – fruit group, whole grain cereal – grain group
5. leftover pizza – grain, milk, vegetable groups
6. ½ sandwich – grain, meat groups,cheese sticks – milk group,whole grain crackers – grain group, nuts – meat group

If you'd like more information, call the UNH Cooperative Extension Education Center's toll-free number: 1-877-EXT-GROW (1-877-398-4769) or email your quesions to us at answers@unh.edu

Resources: Meal Planning and Snacks and Outsmarting the Cookie Monster

 

Alice Mullen is an Extension Educator in Family and Consumer Resources with UNH Cooperative Extension in Hillsborough County.

Family Fun at Farms, Farmers’ Markets and Farm Stands

It's that time of year when the blueberries, raspberries, peaches, corn, cucumbers and other fruits and vegetables are ripe for picking, and many harvest-your-own farms in New Hampshire are welcoming individuals and families to enjoy this pleasant experience. In addition to pick-your-own farms, there are also local farmers' markets and farm stands that enable folks to sample the local produce.  There are numerous benefits to families, parents and children in seeking out these experiences of locally-grown foods.

*Children and youth, along with their parents or caregivers, enjoy the shared experience of being outdoors and feeling the accomplishment of picking baskets or buckets of fresh fruits and vegetables. It’s a great way to get physical exercise too.

*Parents can teach their children about local farm production and the importance of this to the local economy. They can also talk about how this is reducing the carbon footprint, because transportation costs are reduced with locally-grown foods.

* The flavors and nutritional quality, and even food safety, of locally grown fruits and vegetables is somewhat better than those found in supermarkets where they have come from other states with extra storage and travel time.

*The price per pound or quart is usually cheaper at pick-you-own farms. People can get larger quantities for canning or freezing at reasonable costs.

*If organic production is important to families, they can often find fruits and vegetables that have been grown organically.

There are about 82 Farmers’ Markets in many cities and towns in New Hampshire.  They usually take place once a week on a designated day, time and location. The NH Department of Agriculture has compiled a list of the 2009 NH Farmers’ Markets. They have also compiled a 2009 NH Harvest-Your-Own-Guide and a 2009 NH Farm Stand Directory.

Getting the children involved with helping parents to preserve the local fruits and vegetables can be a fun family activity.  Parents may want to learn for the first time how to can foods safely or brush-up on prior canning experience.  The UNH Cooperative Extension is offering many canning workshops and demonstrations at various locations in the state.  For information on Yes You Can! workshops, go to the UNH Cooperative Extension web sitel and http://extension.unh.edu/Counties/Rockingham/RCFCR.htm.

If you'd like more information, call the UNH Cooperative Extension Education Center's toll-free number: 1-877-EXT-GROW (1-877-398-4769).

Claudia Boozer-Blasco is an Extension Educator in Family and Consumer Resources with UNH Cooperative Extension in Rockingham County.

 

On the Road-Reduce Family Stress in the Car

Q: I’d like to take my family on a vacation and travel by car, but even short road trips to Grandma’s House can be stressful. Is it reasonable to take a family vacation by car, and how can I minimize the stress and maximize the fun?

A: Yes!! It is not only a reasonable idea; it is a great option for families! Traveling by car gives you flexibility and is usually cost effective.  The traveling becomes part of the vacation. Here are some strategies that can help your family have fun regardless of the age of your children and length of the journey. Go ahead and try them out on your way to Grandma’s!!

Include the children in the planning.

• Get or create a map of your route and talk about where you are going.
• To minimize the questions, “Are we there yet?”, or “How much longer?”, have your older children put pennies, peanuts, something  small that represents the distance you will be traveling, into a jar. Bring along an empty jar and have your children transfer these objects into the empty jar as you reach each pre-determined destination marker. 
• Have each child pack her own little bag of favorite things.
• Talk about where you will be going and what you might see along the way!
• Decide who is going to sit where in the car. Sometimes it is best to have one parent sit in the back.
• Decide ahead of time what is going to happen if fighting ensues. Make a contract as a family and bring it with you.
• Use sleeping times to your advantage! Traveling during nighttime hours and nap hours can help!

Bring along a grab bag of new items.

Select a wrapping paper or design for each child and wrap a couple of new items to be chosen along the way. It doesn’t need to be anything expensive: plastic animals, toy cars, stickers, activity books, cards, etc… The gifts can even be coordinated with a particular place that you know you will be visiting or passing through.

Pack food and Snack regularly.

• Plan on having meals on the road. You never know when the next family-friendly restaurant is going to appear, and children need to eat when they get hungry! Pack bread and peanut butter and jelly and cereal bars, and don’t forget the water!
• Having healthy snacks in the car is a fun way to pass the time and keep children satisfied. Children travel better on a full stomach! You can even make edible jewelry, such as a cereal necklace, to take with you. Bring wipes for easy cleaning!

Stop frequently.

• Be prepared, especially if you have small children, to stop at least every two hours. Children (and adults) need to stretch their legs and release pent up energy, and everyone can take advantage of restroom facilities. Pack the children’s bags on top for easy access to diapers and extra clothes.
• This is also a great time to make those peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and have a picnic lunch!
• In general, plan on the trip taking extra time with children!

Plan fun games and quiet times.

• There are many fun and educational games to play in the car. Check out: Disney's Family Fun website for License plate games, scavenger hunts, word games and number games!
• Sing songs with each other and bring along your favorite CDs to listen to.
• Read some of the children’s favorite books out loud.
• Build in quiet time. Everyone needs time to just Be.

Keep a positive attitude and remember to have fun! Children may be cranky and over-excited by the shift in routine, but keeping these tips in mind will minimize your stress and help you create fun travel memories with your family.            

By Ellen Rondina UNH Cooperative Extension- Strafford County

 

Vacations and Quality Family Time during Tough Economic Times

In good times and tough times, families need to relax and spend time together. A universal trait of strong families is spending quality time as a family. Making time together results in stronger, more-in tune households, which generally is associated with healthier and happier families.

Unfortunately, when parents are worried about layoffs, downsized jobs, and reductions of income, one of the hallowed traditions of family togetherness, the “family vacation,” often gets eliminated. The sluggish U.S. economy is forcing many Americans to cut back on or give up that family mainstay.

Yet in tough times, vacation time or the re-connecting time it is meant to provide, helps families manage the stress that often accompanies the tough times.

With kids getting out of school for the summer and many families trying to get by financially, it may not be a priority for families to think in terms of a family vacation or at least the traditional family vacation.

In fact, a recent USA Today/Gallup Poll found that 58 percent of people who normally take an annual vacation away from home will shrink their vacation spending this year, or just not go away, period.

Travel experts are saying there is a shift away from costly, exotic family escapes that is reflected in a renewed focus on family and friends.

It appears that Americans are redefining what is normal. The new normal is a lot more frugal, a lot less extravagant than it used to be. It is apparent that the recession is making people think twice about where they’re spending their recreational dollars. But, if the loss of the traditional family vacation is reframed to consider how families can spend more quality time together, there are many possibilities and opportunities to focus on.

In other words, it is possible to recreate together without spending a bundle. From inexpensive possibilities away from home to Staycations at home, there are many ways to achieve the same results on a shoestring budget. The family vacation is now more about family re-connecting and recreating than running off to an unusual getaway destination.

Many studies support the importance of family vacations and time together as a way to build family resiliency and strength. Vacations may be one of the few times when the entire family members are eating together, playing together, and making decisions together. The benefit of family vacations is that you are all face to face, talking, interacting, and re-connecting. Another good case for not giving up on the family vacation idea is that your kids won’t be kids forever. Faster than you think, your children will have lives of their own, and spending time with Mom and Dad won’t be high on their list of priorities. Make an effort to plan a family vacation while they still want your company.

Family vacations are also a way to demonstrate to your children that life is an adventure, and that there are different kinds of adventures that lie in every corner of our planet. With creative planning, you can find those adventures near and far whatever the budget. Finally, taking time off with your family is a time to just kick back and relax. One of the main reasons to take a vacation is to get some rest and recharge, sound advice for both adults and children.

There’s no question that tough economic times are stressful. Children pick up on the stress and the hardship messages, which can translate into uncertainty, insecurity and fear for them. If substituting a different kind of budget-friendly vacation provides a sense of stability and continuity, then that is all the more reason to make planning your family vacation time a priority. The secret to making your family vacation a time for re-connecting is all about the planning and thought you put into it.

Some back-to-basics suggestions include: state parks, fishing, substituting resort spots with rustic lakeside cabin in the woods, last-minute deals and discounted airfare and hotel packages. Check online travel forums, such as TripAdvisor.com. When you delve into specific area forums, you will gain a lot of information about a particular area by the local experts who answer the forum questions.

Families hoping to keep more money in their pocket without relinquishing relaxation, quality family time and new experiences should consider a family Staycation. It’s an old idea with a modern twist. This type of vacation enables families to stay in their local area for the duration of the vacation, discovering the sights and experiences of their own town or state like tourists. But, beware, you could easily spend just as much money staying home as you could going away, so plan and budget carefully as you would any large expense.

Another thought for families considering Staycations:  Don’t fall into the trap of doing chores during your time off at home. Take the phone off the hook; shut down your email and turn off the computer. Plan your outings, while keeping in mind the cost for gasoline. Peruse the local newspaper for discounted tickets to local museums, aquariums, theme parks and sporting events. Many libraries have passes to museums that will save you money as well. Look for free or almost-free event opportunities within the region, including musical and cultural festivals, arts and crafts fairs, or other major events. Check out online sites for discount tickets, coupons and two-for-one promotions to attractions and restaurants.

Plan as much time as possible to be outdoors; find local hiking rails, swimming holes, fishing lakes and bicycling paths for hours of free family enjoyment. The Discover the Power of Parks program is an initiative of the N.H. Division of Parks and Recreation to connect people with nature and to build an appreciation for our natural heritage through guided hikes, interpretive tours and imaginative environmental workshops geared to both children and adults. For a schedule of events, visit the N.H. Division of Parks and Recreation Web site.

For those wanting to get away without a high price tag, family camping offers financial savings with the opportunity of plenty of activities and outdoor adventure. There are even Family Camps, where instead of high-end hotel accommodations and dining, families experience cabin lodging, group-style dining and class camp activities that roll into a more budget-friendly experience.

With some of these old ideas for family vacations and recreation coming back into vogue, the question is, will they become habits that are practiced in years to come, or will people slip slowly back into their old spending ways? 

In the same USA Today/Gallup Poll surveying summer recreation trends, 75 percent of the respondents said that they would not be changing their new frugal habits in the long term. This suggests a possible silver lining in the tough economic times we are facing: over the longer term we will continue to focus on our families as we explore frugal ways to reconnect, relax, and spend quality time together.

If you'd like more information, call the UNH Cooperative Extension Education Center's toll-free number: 1-877-EXT-GROW (1-877-398-4769).

Marilyn Sullivan is an Extension Educator in Family and Consumer Resources with UNH Cooperative Extension in Merrimack County. You may contact her directly for more information at marilyn.sullivan@unh.edu

Parenting the Emerging Adult Through College

For high school seniors, June is an exciting time: Graduation marks the end of high school and the beginning of the next stage of life.  However, graduation can also bring new challenges for parents, requiring a new set of skills as they learn to parent a young adult.

While some young people stay at home and go to school or pursue a job, many will start college in the fall, often moving away from home for the first time.  Having a child leave home for college can be a major transition for both child and parent. It is exciting, but can also bring feelings of loss and sadness. After years of being totally responsible for a child’s well-being, parents need to start letting go. The child is now an emerging adult, hopefully taking on more responsibility and independence for his or her own life.  But, young people still need parents, and the role of parent may be more confusing and uncertain than it was before.

 

The transition to being a college student can be challenging and difficult for many young people. What can parents do to help their son or daughter prepare?

During the summer and after your child leaves, keep the lines of communication with your young adult open. Talk about any concerns and fears he or she may have about the approaching change.

Families might also avoid misunderstandings if they discuss expectations around finances, academics, social life, and communication before their child leaves for school.  Don’t wait until the last minute. If your son or daughter will have financial responsibilities, help him or her understand how much money will be needed.

To help avoid conflict, parents need to think through their own expectations around money, grades, housing, and calls home, and share feelings before the young person leaves home.

Hopefully you’ve had discussions about your family’s values all through childhood, as well as discussions on the tough topics of alcohol, drugs and relationships. It’s useful to discuss these subjects again, before they leave. Your son or daughter will be confronted with tough social issues, as well as people who don’t share your family’s beliefs.

While young people have to make their own decisions about behavior and values, they do still care what parents think. Studies show that parents influence their children’s behavior around drugs, alcohol, and risky behaviors, even after they go to college. Provide your young person with the facts and empower them to make decisions.

College can be tough on parents, too. What can parents do to prepare themselves?

Attend parent orientation at your child’s college, if possible. Orientation is reassuring to parents, but also provides useful information that may help parents encourage independence and good decision-making in their student. Find out about resources available on campus – the infirmary, counseling center, career development office, academic support and others. If your student calls home with a question or concern, you can make suggestions about where to go for help.

In terms of personal needs, this life change can be challenging emotionally. You may feel left out and not needed. Address your needs. Find new interests. This can be a time for your own personal development and growth.

What is the role of parent during the college years?

Parents have an opportunity to guide and mentor during the college years. Young adults still need parents to provide support; they benefit from a strong relationship with parents. Be there when you are needed, but avoid being too involved. Accept your child as an adult and develop a relationship based on respect.

Young adults are working on establishing their own identity, an important development task. Your child needs to become more independent, taking more responsibility for decisions and goals. That’s a good thing – as parents all through their childhood and teen years, our goal has been to help them become independent, responsible, happy, productive adults.  The transition from teen to emerging adult is one more step on the path to adulthood.

Other resources:

Kastner, Laura, PhD and Jennifer Wyann, PhD. “The Launching Years: No Time to Stop Parenting.”

MIT Young Adult Development Project (includes excellent information, as well as a bibliography)

NYU Child Study Center. “Making the Transition to College: A Guide for Parents”                       

University of Michigan. “Parenting a College Student, Supporting Your College Student.”

Sharon Cowen  is an Extension Educator in Family and Consumer Resources with UNH Cooperative Extension in Hillsborough  County. You may contact her directly for more information at sharon.cowen@unh.edu

 

Helping Kids to Connect With the Natural World

When I was a kid growing up in the suburbs, we were ALWAYS outside. We loved climbing trees in the nearby woods that connected two local neighborhoods, biking to the playground three blocks away, or just hanging out on the big rock in my friend’s backyard. And in our early teen years, it was pretty special to stay out longer than our younger brothers and sisters to play an early evening game of “hide-and-seek.” Our parents always had a difficult time getting us all back into our homes for the evening. These memories are remarkably similar to memories described recently by friends and colleagues close to my age. But what about the kids of today? Are we seeing this same love of the outdoors?

While doing research in the late 1980’s for a book on the new realities of family life, Richard Louv interviewed over 3000 parents and kids across the country. Through these interviews he gradually became aware of a rapidly emerging trend, something he later called “nature-deficit disorder.” Children born after 1980 seldom heard the words “Go outside and play.”

In his recent book, The Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, Louv argues that American children have lost their connection to the natural world and now live a “denatured childhood.” He believes this deprivation is not trivial, but instead a cause for some of today’s disturbing health-related trends among children: the rise in obesity, attention disorders and depression.   He uses Edward O. Wilson’s concept of biophilia (the need to affiliate with other forms of life) to explain how essential a relationship with nature is to a child’s development.  “We need direct involvement with nature, we need to see natural shapes on the horizon. When we don’t get that, we don’t do so well.” He cites research, including a 2003 Cornell University study that found less stress in children whose rooms had a view of nature. Other consequences of this “deficit” cited in his book include lack of creativity and curiosity, loss of respect for nature and the living world and a diminishing sense of community.

What are some reasons for this disconnection?

Louv suggests several reasons for this decrease in children’s contact with the natural world. There is the disappearance of those “green” spaces in neighborhoods and communities such as the open meadow or field, or the woods serving as a buffer between housing developments. And unlike the days of my childhood, parents today tend to see the outdoors as a dangerous place. Kidnappings, predators, gangs, drug dealers, and virus-bearing mosquitos all contribute to a heightened sense of fear that is communicated directly and indirectly to children and youth.

But one of the most significant, according to Louv, has been the increasing fixation on television, video games, computers  and other electronic entertainment. He identifies the role of society as “telling kids, unconsciously, that nature’s in the past, it really doesn’t count anymore, that the future is in electronics. And besides, the boogeyman is in the woods.” He feels that unlike television, nature does not steal time; it amplifies it.

What are some solutions?

Louv’s book has generated a lot of interest. The concept of “nature-deficit disorder” has been cited in numerous newspaper and magazine articles, research journals, local newsletters, and other publications. Parents, educators, and communities are interested in exploring solutions to increase “environmental literacy.”

Richard Louv devotes the second half of his book to exploring community models such as bringing back “green space” to the urban environment, providing more access to existing “green space” in the urban environment, developing a vast network of bike paths, and encouraging schools to use the surrounding ecological community as a classroom.

The role of parents in reversing this “nature deficit-disorder” is most significant.

Following are some suggestions for parents.

• Be a role model for your children. Show your enthusiasm for getting outside and doing some fun things as a family such as hiking, fishing, visiting a wildlife refuge, bird-watching, and biking. A new study at Cornell University has shown that children who fish, camp and spend time in the wild before age 11 are much more likely to grow up to be environmentally-minded and committed as adults (Wells, Nancy; 2006).
• Learn about the natural environment along with your child through local, state and national programs and places. State Parks and National Parks are excellent examples.
• Send your child to a “traditional” summer camp, one that includes lots of time in the woods, hikes along nature trails, swimming, identification of plants, trees, and wildlife, and other outdoor activities designed to instill appreciation of the natural world.
• Put your kids on a media diet, and start at an early age to establish the habit of making good media choices. If there are family rules about screen time, children will be more likely to make choices involving outdoor activities.

Karyn M. Blass is an Extension Educator in Family and Consumer Resources with UNH Cooperative Extension in Rockingham County. You may contact her directly for more information at karyn.blass@unh.edu.

article (pdf)

Prom and Graduation Safety

Spring is here and for many high school students, the focus has shifted to planning for Prom and Graduation celebrations.  While for teens, this time of year brings lots of excitement and high expectations, for parents, it also brings a great deal of concern.  While our kids are planning dresses, tuxes, limos and flowers, parents are worrying about some of the high risk behaviors often associated with prom and graduation celebrations.  These may include alcohol and drug use, risky sexual activity, or driving under the influence.  The following are some tips for helping your teen plan a fun and safe celebration.   

Ask Questions:

The more information that you have the more options you will have when helping your teen to plan.  Ask about plans for before, during, and after prom or graduation.  Find out who will be providing transportation and how many people will be traveling together.  For all events, ask where they will be held and who will be supervising.  Ask around to see if your school or other community groups are planning special pre and post prom or graduation events that your teen can be involved in.  Talk directly to other parents that are planning events your teen will attend to ensure that their expectations match yours.  Arrange with your child to have a way of communicating throughout planned celebrations in the event that plans change. 

Talk openly and respectfully:

Be direct about your concerns, but also remind your teen that you want them to have a wonderful and memorable celebration.  Let them know that your questions and concerns are focused on helping them be safe while having fun.  Be clear about your expectations and ask your teen about what they expect these events to be like.  Remember that the focus is on safety and you decide what is negotiable and non-negotiable.   If you are not comfortable about your teen’s plans, be specific about what concerns you and work together to find alternatives that you are comfortable with. 

Have a back up plan:

Talk with your teen about how they might handle an unexpected situation.  This is a great opportunity to talk about some potential risky situations and help your child plan a response.  Some examples may include:  What could you do if you find out the person who is driving has been drinking?  What could you do if you are at someone’s home and feel uncomfortable or unsafe?  Help your child develop a plan to contact you or another trusted adult for help, advice, or to be picked up at any time. 

For more information on parenting teens check out these fact sheets at 

http://extension.unh.edu/resources/category/Families_and_Parenting#23

 

PRIOR Positive Parenting Features

• Helping Children Adjust to Step-Family Life
• The Importance of Work and Family Balance
• Family Fun with Low-cost Winter Activities
• Helping families enjoy a healthy, happy holiday season
• Getting Kids Involved:  Volunteering as a Family
• Back to School:  Lunch
• Engaging Youth Today
• Finding Family Fun on the Farm
• Graduation Safety
• Supporting the Healthy Development of Girls
• Parenting As a Team – The United Front
• BULLYING DO’S AND DON’TS
• Managing the Stress of Parenting
• Lighten Up NH –Healthy Eating and Active Living Website
• Developing our Future Voters
• THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY GIVING       
• Project C.A.S.H. (Creating a Savings Habit)
• Cooking with Kids