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Republished through Penn State Extension at https://extension.psu.edu/finding-credible-information

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Parents make multiple daily decisions that impact themselves and their family members. As a parent, you will likely want to use sound judgment and consider relevant and up-to-date information as you make positive and meaningful decisions for your family. However, the amount of information that is available through websites and digital media platforms - on any topic - can be overwhelming. Furthermore, identifying credible information using technology and on the internet can be challenging. Remember, the information available on the internet may not be accurate or used in the way that it may have been intended. There are two different types of incorrect information that will be presented and discussed in this blog post: misinformation and disinformation.

Misinformation is the unintentional sharing of false, inaccurate, or incomplete information (Heiss, 2020). This may include not fully listing all important facts, unintentionally excluding voices or different perspectives that may change the endpoint view, and/or not using information that is current. Memes and satire can fall under this category.
Example: Sharing a picture with a quote that does not belong to the person being quoted. A popular example of this is a picture of President Abraham Lincoln, who died in 1865, being quoted as saying that not everything on the internet is true.
Disinformation is the intentional spread of false in formation. This information is usually shared in ways that align with political or commercial motives (Heiss, 2020). The source may want to sell something or bolster a connection that is beneficial to them by purposely excluding facts and other voices and viewpoints and/or using outdated information (even if it has been proved as false in the past).
Example: Disinformation may come in the form of videos that use high-end technology to make it look and sound like a prominent figure is doing or saying something they did not say. Disinformation could include made up stories that intend to change public perception, or it may perpetuate conspiracy theories and/or rumors to sway the public to believe or buy something.
So, how do you find credible information that is accurate and current, so you can make sound decisions as you keep your family safe? Consider following the suggestions listed below.

Use Fact Checking Websites

One of the methods you can try to use is a fact-checking website. Examples of some fact-checking websites are listed below. Fact-checking websites compile information on popular topics that are being circulated, discussed, and/or reported and populate that information into articles. The articles state what is being said about a given topic - even when it needs to cover multiple perspectives - and fact check the information using relevant sources to produce a determination about the validity of the information (based on facts). Each article contains links to all of the identified sources, and users are encouraged to perform their own research. Website users are also invited to ask questions, electronically, about information they may have seen or heard.

Some credible fact checking websites to use are as follows:
www.factcheck.org - This website is a project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. They are working with Facebook.com to combat fake news and the spread of misinformation and disinformation in social media.

www.snopes.com - This is a website that is designed to fact check popular articles to show the validity of the information contained within the article. At the bottom of each article, a list of all of the resources that were used to fact check is presented. In addition, readers are encouraged to use additional resources to fact check (instead of just taking their word for it).

www.fullfact.org - This website is hosted by a charity organization based in London, England, and is comprised of people from different political backgrounds who fact check the information and supply their findings to site users.
A few websites that should be avoided due to misinformation or disinformation are as follows:
Wikipedia - This website can be edited by anyone. No fact checking is done, and no resources are usually listed.

Satire Websites (e.g., Buzzfeed, The Onion) - These websites often post inflammatory and intentionally false articles to entertain readers; however, the information in the articles could be mistaken as factual by some readers.

Research the Topic Further

Another method for fact checking is to further research your topic of interest using a search engine like Google (McManus, 2020). In the search bar, type in the basic idea of the article, and see what other information or articles come up. Are major news articles reporting on it? If not, the information may not be valid. If major new articles are reporting on the issue, you may be able to examine additional information on the topic or find missing facts that can increase your knowledge and guide your decisions.

Watch for common red flags that may indicate the article is not factual or may be trying to gain a specific reaction (McManus, 2020):

SMELL Test

An alternative fact-checking method is to use different tests, or questionnaires, to determine the accuracy of information. McManus (2020) offers the SMELL test, which was designed to help users critically look at information and sources. This test is outlined below, and the information is derived from the original chapter content in Detecting Bull: How to Identify Bias and Junk Journalism in Print, Broadcast and on the Wild Web (McManus, 2020).
Source

Who or where is providing the information?
A traditional news outlet, a special interest group, a neighborhood blogger

Are they credible?

Education sites

Government information

Research institutes

Does the source have an agenda that would be furthered by sharing the information?

Who is funding the source?

Is the source receiving money for sharing this?

Motive

Why is this source sharing this information?

Does this information inform, entertain, or persuade you in a certain direction?

Entertainers are not bound by facts.

Persuasive wording can present information in a way that highlights topics that may direct your attention in a specific direction regardless of the facts.

Evidence

Are there resources available?

Did the website add links to sites and cite other sources?

Do the sites offer information that supports their message?

Logic

Is the evidence logical?

Does this information agree with or support what you already know?
Information and research change; however, if the information is drastically different from what you know, you may want to do more investigating!

Left Out

Is there missing information?

Are there relevant facts or voices absent or marginalized?

Did you know!? Different URLs, or the ending of the website address, means the information was derived from different types of web sources (George, 2022).

.edu websites are considered educational resources and are largely considered trustworthy. These tend to be universities or educational institutions.

.gov websites are government-affiliated websites and are often considered credible and tend to have citations listed with information.

.org websites are used by advocacy or non-profit organizations. You may need to determine if the information from these sources is unbiased and cited.

.com websites contain some commercial aspect. They can be credible but be sure to check citations and for any potential bias.

CRAAP Test

Another test that could be used to determine the accuracy of information is the CRAAP test. California State University librarians developed this test to help determine if sources are credible since credibility is an important part of the information-literacy skill (George, 2022). The CRAAP Test, although created with academics in mind, can be used by anyone when they evaluate sources. By using the questions below, taken directly from the CRAAP test (California State University, 2010), you can evaluate resources and information to determine the validity of the information being shared.

Currency: the timeliness of the information.

When was the information published or posted?

Has the information been revised or updated?

Does your topic require current information, or will older sources work as well?

Are the links functional?

Relevance: the importance of the information for your needs.

Authority: the source of the information.

Accuracy: the reliability, truthfulness and correctness of the content.

Where does the information come from?

Is the information supported by evidence?

Has the information been reviewed or refereed?

Can you verify any of the information in another source or from personal knowledge?

Does the language or tone seem unbiased and free of emotion?

Are there spelling, grammar or typographical errors?

Purpose: the reason the information exists.

Misinformation and disinformation can spread quickly through technology. Knowing how to evaluate and find accurate information, understanding the kinds of information you should be looking for, and realizing how you can validate that information are important skills that you can acquire and use to protect you and your family. Consider using one of the techniques, listed above, the next time you read an article about a topic that can affect your family. If you would like to learn more about finding information, misinformation, and/or fact checking, review the additional resources below.

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Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (militaryfamilies.psu.edu)

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Parents make multiple daily decisions that impact themselves and their family members. As a parent, you will likely want to use sound judgment and consider relevant and up-to-date information as you make positive and meaningful decisions for your family. However, the amount of information that is available through websites and digital media platforms - on...

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Thrive - Helping your Teen Navigate Social Media

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Thrive - Helping your Teen Navigate Social Media

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Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (militaryfamilies.psu.edu)

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Social media can enhance connections and impact relationships and experiences for the individuals who use it. Though many age groups use social media, the Pew Research Center (2024) has found that …

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Thrive - Children: Technology and Socialization

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Thrive - Children: Technology and Socialization

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Also found at https://5210.psu.edu/children-technology-and-socialization/

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Although the restrictions that emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic limited people's abilities to connect face-to-face, many families and children were able to adapt and use technology to help them stay connected. For example, your family may have kept in contact with loved ones through social media and video calls. Even though social distancing is less common now, there are ways that your child's social-skill development may benefit from interacting with technology.

How Can Technology Benefit Children Socially?

Internet-based communication and connections are often commonplace with adolescents and teens in our society. So, as a parent, you may want to broach these topics with your younger child (and even your teen) to help keep them safe in the social media world while also letting them experience the world the internet has opened up. With technology, your child's world can expand beyond the physical region in which you live. When parents and caregivers allow children to safely experience the world through their internet-based community and connections, these children can realize some important benefits (Digital Responsibility, 2023):

Meet and make friends with peers who live all around the world.

Be exposed to and learn about different cultures, races, socioeconomic backgrounds, and religions.

Learn about and experience empathy, tolerance, and understanding toward other people.

Discover how human's interact with others on a larger scale.

Connect with peers in a comfortable setting. This may be helpful for individuals who struggle with or may be nervous about face-to-face interactions.

Stay connected with peers and family members they may not often see in person.

How Can You Help Your Child Use Technology?

Although there are benefits to using technology as a way for anyone to develop social skills and increase socialization, as a parent, you may want to help your child learn how to balance their technology use (raisingchildren.net.au, 2022). Try some of the suggestions, below, to help your child balance their time using technology, and, as a bonus, stay involved in their lives in the process!

Encourage face-to-face socialization

Encourage your child to interact with and spend time with peers in a face-to-face situation in addition to their communications through technology.
Communicating and socializing face-to-face with others can help your child learn social cues, such as body language and facial expressions, in order to enhance their interactions and social skills.

Set boundaries and expectations

Discuss with your child what realistic and healthy expectations for their technology use could look like.
Work with your child to create and set these expectations. Because you are involving your child in this process, they are learning how to set boundaries for future situations and are more likely to follow the agreed-upon rules.

Play video games together

Learn about their games, and ask about the friends they are playing with.
Doing this can help you learn about their interests, can offer you opportunities to discuss social situations within the game, and help you be more in tune with their connections (e.g., for safety reasons).

Watch media together

Sit with your child and watch their favorite television show or movie, and talk to them about the social situations that are happening on the screen.
This can be an opportunity for you to connect with your child and discuss real-life situations in a non-threatening or pressured way.

When you and your child work together to use technology safely and responsibly, you and your child can identify ways to positively benefit from social interactions inside and outside of the household!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (militaryfamilies.psu.edu)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Although the restrictions that emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic limited people's abilities to connect face-to-face, many families and children were able to adapt and use technology to help them stay connected. For example, your family may have kept in contact with loved ones through social media and video calls.

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Also found at https://5210.psu.edu/screen-time-and-autism/

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Screen time - understanding the positives and negatives and regulating your family's usage of it can be overwhelming. You may feel as though your daily life, and your children's daily lives, revolve around screens and digital media. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has created screen time recommendations for parents and caregivers of children. The type of screen time that the AAP recommends families limit is considered recreational. Recreational screen time includes digital media like television shows, video games, and various forms of social media.

The AAP (2016) suggests families follow the digital-media guidelines listed below for children:

Birth to 18 months. Avoid digital-media use.

18 to 24 months. Use only high-quality programming, and view the programming with your child. Try to avoid letting your child use digital media on their own.

2 to 5 years. Limit screen time to 1 hour per day. Continue using only high-quality programming. Use media as an opportunity to discuss with your child what they are seeing and doing on screen; make connections, if possible, to the real world; and remind them the screen world is not reality.

5 to 18 years. During these years, you should pay close attention to not just how much screen time your child gets but to when they are using screens. Ensure your child is getting a full night's sleep (i.e., 9 - 12 hours a night for ages 6 - 12 and 8 - 10 hours a night for ages 13-18), and they are engaging in at least 1 hour of physical activity a day. In addition, you may wish to instill a "no screen time" directive during family mealtimes or other family times, like game night. Finally, help your child develop a period of "downtime" that does not involve screens, like taking a walk in the park, reading a book, or writing thoughts in a journal.

The AAP (2016) also suggests that families avoid fast-paced programs, programming that has violent subject matter, and applications that contain a lot of distracting content like flashing advertisements and excessive noise. Families should turn off devices if they are not in use and avoid using media as a way to calm their child. Furthermore, screens should not be in children's bedrooms, and screen time before bedtime should be monitored and limited. Using screens immediately before bedtime can lead to sleep issues.

To help regulate screen time usage, families can create and download a Family Media Plan here.

Types of Screen Time

Not all screen time is bad. There are digital activities your child may engage in that are necessary and appropriate uses of technology. For example, with the increased use of digital devices within the classroom, your child may need to use a computer during school hours or use a tablet to complete their homework or read their assigned classwork materials. Additionally, an activity, like video chatting with an absent parent, a distant relative, or friends who have moved away, is a positive way to use technology. This type of use allows for social interaction even when there is a physical distance between a loved one and your child.

Using digital media can have additional positive uses. For example, for children who struggle when interacting in social settings and communicating with others, like children with Autism, using digital media can help them manage their interactions and have downtime to handle daily, new, or even challenging situations.

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can have "significant social, communication, and behavioral challenges" (Indiana Resource Center for Autism, 2022). As a result, part of a child's evidence-based communication and social intervention practices may include the following screen-related options (Lofland, 2014):

Video Modeling - records and displays a visual model of a targeted behavior or skill.

Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) - teaches a child to communicate by exchanging a picture for the object they need or desire.

Voice Output Communication Aids (VOCA) - a portable electronic device that can generate a digital speech output.

Reminder: These types of screen time would not be included in the recommendations for limiting recreational screen time as they are used for daily functioning and communication

Using Media Constructively

Children with ASD are at a higher risk for using technology in a way to "sensory-seek," which means they use technology to view highly arousing or violent content in order to get enough sensory stimulation(Lane & Radesky, 2019). However, with the correct monitoring and use, parents can use recreational media in a constructive way for children affected by Autism. Please see below.

Television Shows can be used by parents to help model positive behaviors and social interaction for their children (Connick, 2021). Children with ASD can have issues with communication, social interaction, and behavior. By watching shows with your child and discussing what the characters are doing, like sharing or playing with other children, you can help to open discussions with your child (even if it is you doing the majority of the talking) about how interactions work in a way that is interesting and less stressful for your child.

A few television shows that may be beneficial for your child can be found here.

Video Games (that are age appropriate) can be used to connect children to others because the individuals engaged in the game share common interests, and they can interact with each other or others in a comfortable setting around a common activity. By removing any face-to-face interaction, which can often be intimidating for children with ASD, less stress is placed on the child as moves can be redone or repeated, and mistakes can be corrected more easily (Smith, 2016).

Games that may interest your child will depend on their interests and ability to learn how to play the game(s) in question. Popular games such as Minecraft, Pokémon, Legend of Zelda, and Mario Bros. offer opportunities to engage and learn in a fun environment that can be shared and discussed with other peers (Kulman, 2020).

Even if you can't or do not have an interest in playing the game with your child, you can, and should, involve yourself in their interest by watching them play and asking questions. This can help to foster a connection with you child and positively contribute to the social aspect of the game because your child learns how to answer your questions and practices interacting with you.

Social Media, when monitored and discussed, can also help to broaden social interactions and relationships between your child and your child's peers. A study conducted by researchers at the Yale Department of Psychiatry and Yale Child Study Center has shown that children with ASD are able to create friendships with high quality by using social media (Van Schalkwyk et al., 2017). Although more research needs to be completed, it is believed that "social media may be a way for adolescents with ASD without significant anxiety to improve the quality of their friendships" (Van Schalkwyk et al., 2017).

Ultimately, screen time for your child is going to depend on what works best for you, your family, and your child. However, there are useful tools for children who struggle with a disability, like ASD that limits their ability to interact in social situations. Using digital resources that are available to your child can be beneficial. Remember, monitor your child's screen time usage, role model appropriate screen time behaviors, and use safe digital media practices. You can learn more about general internet safety here.

References

American Academy of Pediatrics. (2016, November 1). Where we stand: Screen time. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/Media/Pages/Where-We-Stand-TV-Viewing-Time.aspx

Connick, R. (2021, April 28). Three great shows for children with Autism and their parents. Autism Parenting Magazine. https://www.autismparentingmagazine.com/autism-three-great-shows/

Council on Communications and Media, Hill, D., Ameenuddin, N., Chassiakos, Y. R., Cross, C., Hutchinson, J., Levine, A., Boyd, R., Mendelson, R., Moreno, M., & Swanson, W. S. (2016). Media and young minds. Pediatrics, 138(5), e20162591. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-2591

Council on Communications and Media, Hill, D., Ameenuddin, N., Chassiakos, Y. R., Cross, C., Hutchinson, J., Levine, A., Boyd, R., Mendelson, R., Moreno, M., & Swanson, W. S. (2016). Media use in school-aged children and adolescents. Pediatrics, 138(5), e20162592. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-2592

Indiana Resource Center for Autism. (2022). Learn about autism. https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca/learn-about-autism/index.html

Kulman, R. (2022, August 12). Making popular video games good for kids affected by autism. Autism Parenting Magazine. https://www.autismparentingmagazine.com/video-games-for-autism-kids/

Lane, R., & Radesky, J. (2019). Digital media and autism spectrum disorders: Review of evidence, theoretical concerns, and opportunities for intervention. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 40(5), 364-368. https://doi.org/10.1097/DBP.0000000000000664

Lofland, K. (2014). Evidence-based practices for effective communication and social intervention. Indiana Resource Center for Autism. https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca/articles/evidence-based-practices-for-effective-communication-and-social-intervention.html

Smith, H. (2016, October 14). How video games benefit students with special needs. Asperger / Autism Network. https://www.aane.org/video-games-benefit-students-special-needs/

Van Schalkwyk, G. I., Marin, C. E., Ortiz, M., Rolison, M., Qayyum, Z., McPartland, J. C., Lebowitz, E. R., Volkmar, F. R., & Silverman, W. K. (2017). Social media use, friendship quality, and the moderating role of anxiety in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 47(9), 2805-2813. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-017-3201-6

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Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (militaryfamilies.psu.edu)

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Screen time - understanding the positives and negatives and regulating your family's usage of it can be overwhelming. You may feel as though your daily life, and your children's daily lives, revolve around screens and digital media. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has created screen time recommendations for parents and caregivers of children.

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2024 Thrive Educational Series - Session II

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2024 Thrive Educational Series - Session II

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Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (militaryfamilies.psu.edu)

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2024 Thrive Educational Series – Session II

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We are pleased to announce the presenters for Session II of the 2024 Thrive Initiative’s Educational Series for Professionals. Join us in May and July for presentations on the topics of Working wit…

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Thrive - Adolescent Mental Health: Parenting to Wellness Available Now!

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Thrive - Adolescent Mental Health: Parenting to Wellness Available Now!

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Adolescent Mental Health: Parenting to Wellness is now available! This online supplemental parent-education program offers support to parents and caregivers of adolescents who experience mental health challenges.

Parents and caregivers want to see their children grow up to be happy and productive adults. Good mental health is a critical component of reaching this goal, and having good mental health is as important as having good physical health. Assessment and treatment of mental health conditions can provide children and their families with information and strategies they can use to manage symptoms, learn coping skills, and strive for their most meaningful life.

Adolescent Mental Health: Parenting to Wellness defines and explains common disorders that parents and caregivers may be navigating with their adolescents and introduces skills and strategies they can use to help support their children. This supplemental module covers when to seek help, how to seek help, what to expect when you do seek help, how to offer support to your child, and how to find support for yourself.

This supplemental module builds on information and strategies discussed in the Thrive Branch Out parenting program, which provides parent education for parents and caregivers of adolescents who are 10 to 18 years old. Therefore, it is recommended that you participate in the Branch Out program prior to using the supplemental module.

You can gain immediate access to the Branch Out and Adolescent Mental Health: Parenting to Wellness parent-education programming by clicking on the appropriate link listed below!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (militaryfamilies.psu.edu)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Adolescent Mental Health: Parenting to Wellness Available Now!

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Adolescent Mental Health: Parenting to Wellness is now available! This online supplemental parent-education program offers support to parents and caregivers of adolescents who experience mental health challenges. Parents and caregivers want to see their children grow up to be happy and productive adults. Good mental health is a critical component of reaching this goal, and...

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Thrive - Coming Soon! Parental Absence: Parenting through Family Separation

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Thrive - Coming Soon! Parental Absence: Parenting through Family Separation

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Parental Absence: Parenting through Family Separation is a supplemental parent-education module that was created as part of the Thrive Initiative. This module, like all of the Thrive supplemental modules, has been designed to be an additional and complementary learning opportunity for parents and caregivers who have completed one of the Thrive universal parent-education programs - Take Root, Sprout, Grow, or Branch Out.

When a parent or caregiver needs to parent from afar, regardless of the reason, the entire family unit will probably go through changes and adjustments. Parental Absence: Parenting through Family Separation supports and guides parents and caregivers who are at home with children and parents and caregivers who are away from the home. This supplemental module is designed to help coparents identify their strengths and gives them opportunities to consider strategies they could use to coparent during family separations.

Parental Absence: Parenting through Family Separation offers support to families by discussing topics such as the following:

Identify your Circle of Support.

Plan and prepare for a parental absence.

Learn how to respond to children's and youth's reactions to the family separation.

React to challenges and feelings that the parent who is away and the at-home parent may face.

Consider how to reintegrate into a family unit when the parent who has been away returns.

Parental absence is stressful for parents, caregivers, and children. Learning coping strategies and working together to coparent in a new-to-you way can help you and your coparent build personal and family resilience as everyone navigates this journey together!

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Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (militaryfamilies.psu.edu)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Coming Soon! Parental Absence: Parenting through Family Separation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Parental Absence: Parenting through Family Separation is a supplemental parent-education module that was created as part of the Thrive Initiative. This module, like all of the Thrive supplemental modules, has been designed to be an additional and complementary learning opportunity for parents and caregivers who have completed one of the Thrive universal parent-education programs -...

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Thrive - Positive Parenting in Everyday Moments

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Thrive - Positive Parenting in Everyday Moments

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Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (militaryfamilies.psu.edu)

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Engaging in positive parenting can help you form strong bonds with your child. By creating a secure and loving connection with your child, you show them that they can also form safe and caring atta…

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As a child grows, they will increasingly encounter rules and expectations in multiple settings, such as their home and school. In order to assist their child in meeting these expectations, parents can use methods, like effective discipline, to help their child learn how to self-regulate and manage their behaviors. Your child can discover what behaviors are accepted and desired while they learn to understand the purpose and benefits of the rules they are expected to follow. When your child understands what actions are permissible, they are better able to choose behaviors that are accepted and rewarded!

To learn more, watch the Effective Discipline mini-booster module video, below, that was developed by Thrive!

The universal Thrive parent-education programs (i.e., Take Root, Sprout, Grow, and Branch Out), supplemental modules, and mini-booster modules are available for all parents for free at https://thrive.psu.edu.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (militaryfamilies.psu.edu)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As a child grows, they will increasingly encounter rules and expectations in multiple settings, such as their home and school. In order to assist their child in meeting these expectations, parents can use methods, like effective discipline, to help their child learn how to self-regulate and manage their behaviors.

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Thrive - Setting Boundaries and Expectations

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Thrive - Setting Boundaries and Expectations

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (militaryfamilies.psu.edu)

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As your child becomes an adolescent and then a teenager, your relationship with them will likely fluctuate. To help maintain consistency in your connections with your child, you can create age-appr…

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Also found at https://5210.psu.edu/listening-to-your-baby/

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From the moment your baby is born, they are present and ready to communicate with you! Babies use the reflexes and cues they are born with to let you know what they need. This may look like turning their face towards a bottle when they are hungry or sound like crying when they are tired or overstimulated by loud surroundings. Taking the time to learn how your baby communicates can help you support them as they learn about and adjust to their new world!

To learn more, watch the Listening to Your Baby mini-booster module video, below, that was developed by Thrive!

The universal Thrive parent-education programs (i.e., Take Root, Sprout, Grow, and Branch Out), supplemental modules, and mini-booster modules are available for all parents for free at https://thrive.psu.edu.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (militaryfamilies.psu.edu)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
From the moment your baby is born, they are present and ready to communicate with you! Babies use the reflexes and cues they are born with to let you know what they need. This may look like turning their face towards a bottle when they are hungry or sound like crying when they are tired...

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As a parent, you may find that there are times when it is challenging to communicate with your child. However, your child's everyday experiences offer them opportunities to develop their communication style. As your child grows, you can use strategies to support your child to help them feel connected and respected. By using positive communication strategies like active listening, you can help develop a safe environment where your child feels heard.

To learn more, watch the Actively Listening mini-booster module video, below, that was developed by Thrive!

The universal Thrive parent-education programs (i.e., Take Root, Sprout, Grow, and Branch Out), supplemental modules, and mini-booster modules are available for all parents for free at https://thrive.psu.edu.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (militaryfamilies.psu.edu)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As a parent, you may find that there are times when it is challenging to communicate with your child. However, your child's everyday experiences offer them opportunities to develop their communication style. As your child grows, you can use strategies to support your child to help them feel connected and respected.

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Also found at https://5210.psu.edu/taking-care-of-you/

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Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (militaryfamilies.psu.edu)

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Welcoming a new baby into the home can be an exciting time that is probably filled with novel experiences, but it can also be a time that is filled with challenges, like adjusting to a new schedule…

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Thrive - Establishing Routines with your Preschool-Age Child

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Thrive - Establishing Routines with your Preschool-Age Child

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (militaryfamilies.psu.edu)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Establishing Routines with your Preschool-Age Child

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By establishing daily routines, you can help your preschool-age child develop and maintain a sense of safety and security. The following video illustrates and explains the importance of routines, l…

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Thrive - Having Developmentally Appropriate Expectations for your Preschooler

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Thrive - Having Developmentally Appropriate Expectations for your Preschooler

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (militaryfamilies.psu.edu)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Having Developmentally Appropriate Expectations for your Preschooler

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Even though preschool-age children can do many tasks independently, they still need a lot of support from their caregivers. By giving your child developmentally appropriate tasks to handle, you are…

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Thrive - Communicating with Adolescents and Teens

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Thrive - Communicating with Adolescents and Teens

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (militaryfamilies.psu.edu)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Communicating with Adolescents and Teens

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By creating an environment that encourages open communication, parents can build a relationship with their adolescent or teen that is based on trust, respect, and understanding. The following video…

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Thrive - Promoting Healthy Behaviors in Families

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Thrive - Promoting Healthy Behaviors in Families

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Also found at https://5210.psu.edu/promoting-healthy-behaviors-in-families/

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Children learn how to incorporate healthy behaviors and habits by watching their parents and caregivers. Watch the video below to see how you could model behaviors that are healthy. These behaviors can include reducing screen time, establishing a sleep routine, choosing nutritious foods for your family, and being physically active. All of these behaviors, and many more, play an important role in the overall health and well-being for everyone!

To learn more, view the Promoting Healthy Behaviors in Families mini-booster module by Thrive below!

The universal Thrive parent-education programs (i.e., Take Root, Sprout, Grow, and Branch Out), supplemental modules, and mini-booster modules are available for all parents, at no cost, at thrive.psu.edu.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (militaryfamilies.psu.edu)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Children learn how to incorporate healthy behaviors and habits by watching their parents and caregivers. Watch the video below to see how you could model behaviors that are healthy. These behaviors can include reducing screen time, establishing a sleep routine, choosing nutritious foods for your family, and being physically active.

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Thrive - The Division of Responsibility in Feeding

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Thrive - The Division of Responsibility in Feeding

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Also found at https://5210.psu.edu/the-division-of-responsibility-in-feeding/

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What is the Division of Responsibility in Feeding?
The Division of Responsibility model, created by Ellyn Satter, is a feeding method that is used to encourage children to trust and use their natural hunger cues and instincts when eating (Ellyn Satter Institute, 2015). This approach gives responsibilities to the parent and the child: parents decide what food is served, when it's served, and where their child will eat the food; children decide how much they want to eat and whether they will eat the food (Ellyn Satter Institute, 2015).
What are the benefits of using this method?
Mealtimes can be different for every family, but this approach can be incorporated into any family mealtime - breakfast, snack, dinner. When using this method, parents allow their child to make decisions, which can be a positive experience regardless of the child's age. In addition, family meals can influence a child's food-related behaviors. For example, when families share a higher frequency of family meals, research indicates that family members' fruit and vegetable consumption increases and fried foods and soft drinks consumption decreases (Neumark-Sztainer et al., 2003). When parents provide healthy food options for their families, children begin to learn life-long, healthy eating behaviors.

Family meals also provide a time for bonding that allows children to connect with individual family members and for the family to connect. Regularly scheduled meals can manage children's expectations around food and can help children feel safe, loved, and secure.
How can I start to implement this method?
Children are still exploring their senses, including their sense of taste, and feeding times provide an opportunity to instill healthy feeding habits that could last a lifetime. When beginning to implement this method, offer new foods along with foods that you know your child will like and eat. In other words, the child is given choices but within limits.

As a parent, you should offer a variety of healthy foods at regularly scheduled times and at a table (or location) where there are no distractions, like televisions or screens. Let children decide which of the offered foods they would like to eat. Start with small portions, and permit children to eat more if they say they're still hungry or to stop eating if they say they are full. This removes the pressure you may feel to control your child's eating, and it benefits children because they learn to pay attention to their internal signals of hunger and fullness.

As your child gets older, they may become more vocal about what they want to eat during meals and snacks. Try to provide opportunities for them to help make decisions regarding what your family is eating or what they may have as a snack. For example, allow your child to help you plan a weekly menu, or, depending on their age, have them be the chef for the night. Remember, it is important for your child to start making decisions, but it is equally important for you to trust your child to make decisions for themselves and for you to be okay with the decisions they make.
Tips for eating and mealtime (Ellyn Satter Institute, 2015):

Talk to your child when they say they are full. Allow them to recognize when they are no longer hungry to help them learn to listen to internal cues of fullness.

Serve as a role model and set good examples for healthy eating behaviors by offering and eating a variety of healthy foods.

Eat meals regularly with your child.

Offer your child healthy choices, for example "Do you want a banana or yogurt?," to give your child the opportunity to decide between two healthy options.

Remember, it can take up to 10 or more times for a child to be introduced to a food before they will try it.

Keep in mind, you and your child have responsibilities when it comes to feeding and eating. This can help the entire family create a positive relationship with food. As your child grows and learns how to trust their own body cues, they will be able to understand what they need and make healthy choices on their own.

References

Ellyn Satter Institute. (2022). Raise a healthy child who is a joy to feed: Follow the Satter Division of Responsibility in Feeding. https://www.ellynsatterinstitute.org/how-to-feed/the-division-of-responsibility-in-feeding/

Ellyn Satter Institute. (2015). Ellyn Satter's Division of Responsibility in Feeding. https://www.ellynsatterinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/ELLYN-SATTER%E2%80%99S-DIVISION-OF-RESPONSIBILITY-IN-FEEDING.pdf

Neumark-Sztainer, D., Hannan, P. J., Story, M., Croll, J., & Perry, C. (2003). Family meal patterns: Associations with sociodemographic characteristics and improved dietary intake among adolescents. Journal of American Dietetic Association, 103 (317). https://doi.org/10.1053/jada.2003.50048

Thrive. (2017). Grow parenting program. https://thrive.psu.edu/universal-parenting-programs/grow/

Thrive. (2018). Sprout parenting program. https://thrive.psu.edu/universal-parenting- programs/sprout/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (militaryfamilies.psu.edu)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Division of Responsibility in Feeding

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What is the Division of Responsibility in Feeding? The Division of Responsibility model, created by Ellyn Satter, is a feeding method that is used to encourage children to trust and use their natural hunger cues and instincts when eating (Ellyn Satter Institute, 2015). This approach gives responsibilities to the parent and the child: parents decide...

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Thrive - Working on Socialization with your Child

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Thrive - Working on Socialization with your Child

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Online learning, social distancing, and drastic changes in how families socialize outside of the home have decreased the number of opportunities children have to learn social skills. When children socialize with peers, they learn important skills they will use throughout their lives, like understanding expectations, sharing, or showing compassion to others around them.

Below are a few ideas about how to work on socialization with your child. Using these suggestions could help you encourage your child to learn important social skills that will be transferable in their interactions with others.

Toddlers 1-3 years old:

Children 3-5 years old:

Children 5-10 years old:

Adolescents 10-18 years old:

Although social interactions and the way we socialize, in general, have changed over the last few years, children still need to learn healthy behaviors and positive communication skills. If you are concerned about your child's social skills or have questions about their developmental milestones, please take time to review the resources below and have a conversation with your child's pediatrician or your family physician. For further information about positive parenting and specifics about your child's developmental expectations, please go to https://thrive.psu.edu to register for the online parent-education modules available at no cost to all families.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (militaryfamilies.psu.edu)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Working on Socialization with your Child

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Online learning, social distancing, and drastic changes in how families socialize outside of the home have decreased the number of opportunities children have to learn social skills. When children socialize with peers, they learn important skills they will use throughout their lives, like understanding expectations, sharing, or showing compassion to others around them.

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Thrive - Learning Through Failure: How You Can Help Your Child

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Thrive - Learning Through Failure: How You Can Help Your Child

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Republished through Penn State Extension at https://extension.psu.edu/learning-through-failure-how-you-can-help-your-child

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When children are very young, parents and caregivers are responsible for their every need. During those early years, you likely developed a routine in which you could anticipate what your child wanted and when they wanted it, and you were usually able to meet their needs. However, as children grow and begin to explore the different environments around them, such as their home, school, or the outside area where they play, they learn from these surroundings and from the experiences they have in these settings. As this learning occurs, your child is gaining autonomy or independence and is learning how to make their own decisions. Although this can be an exciting time, parents may find this shift difficult, even scary, as they begin to let go, or step back, to allow their children to have these new experiences.

Parents want their children to be happy or content, and they hope their children will accomplish or meet many goals as they grow and become adults. In order to help your child be successful like this you must also encourage and allow them to build skills and resiliency through their own lived exploration and experiences! Having resiliency, or the ability to summon coping skills and find ways to address difficult or adverse situations, is essential in life as all people will face setbacks. So, how can you continue to help your child try, and maybe fail, in a way that will help them build that resiliency and help them learn to navigate their world?

Highlighted below are strategies and examples that may help you provide the space and opportunities your child needs to try, to maybe fail, and to succeed. These strategies can look different depending on the age of your child, so let's look at a few scenarios.

Infants and Toddlers

As a child starts to walk, they begin to explore their world in a new and exciting way. Walking is a new skill for them, and you will likely watch them stand, wobble, fall, and, ultimately, try again over and over until they are successful. During this experience, your child will try, and will fail, but they are learning resiliency as they keep trying! So, remember, you may want to reach out and help them, but they need to learn to walk on their own.

How You Can Help: Practical Strategies

So, how can you help your child learn as they fail?

Use encouraging words with your child.

Offer them a smile, and show approval when they try and when they succeed.

Give a reassuring hug, or wipe their tears when they become frustrated.

With your help, they will learn that, even when they fall, it's okay to get back on their feet and keep going, and they have someone to turn to in difficult times.

You can find more tips and strategies on how to encourage and support your 0- to 3-year-old child in Thrive's Take Root program. To learn more or register for Take Root, visit the Thrive website here.

Preschool-Aged Children

At this age, your child may be learning how to communicate and play with other children their age. This could be a sibling, a new friend at the park, and even other children at the preschool they are attending. These new friendships will likely lead to conflict because every interaction they have may not be positive. However, they are learning important skills from these experiences, such as social and communication skills and empathy. They can refine these skills as they grow into competent and caring adults.

How You Can Help: Practical Strategies

Although your first instinct may be to interject and fix a situation for your child, try giving them time to figure it out for themself (if there is no threat to physical harm). You can let your child know that you are there and ready to support them, but giving them the chance to work out a disagreement with the other child can be helpful. If your child cannot navigate the situation themself, or they ask for help, try using these strategies.

Acknowledge their feelings.

Ask questions to gather information.

Restate the problem.

Navigate solutions together.

Using these steps could help your child feel heard while they are learning how to problem solve!

You can find more tips and strategies on how to problem solve with your 3- to 5-year-old child in Thrive's Sprout program. To learn more or register for Sprout, visit the Thrive website here.

School-Aged Children

School-aged children will start learning new concepts at school such as math, reading, and spelling. Your child may be struggling with learn how to spell their weekly word list, and they may want to just give up. Seeing your child struggle may be hard to watch, and, even though you may have established strategies with them to help practice their spelling, they may refuse to do the work. As their parent, you understand the consequences of them quitting. In the end, they may fail the test and bring home a poor grade. Now, your child must learn about consequences - or how their actions affect outcomes.

How You Can Help: Practical Strategies

In this situation, the consequence will be that your child will learn that by not trying or working through a problem, they will receive a bad grade, which may have other negative repercussions. Consider using these strategies as you help them through this situation.

Listen to their explanation attentively.

Focus on and talk about how they are feeling.

Validate that you support their feelings.

Encourage them to set attainable goals that will help them reach their objectives.

They may even have suggestions for a solution that you didn't think of!

You may feel tempted to reach out to their teacher, so your child may have a second chance. However, in this type of situation, this may not be a helpful tactic as you may teach your child that you can and will fix their problems for them. If you decide that reaching out to the teacher is warranted, include your child in the meeting and/or conversation, and use the situation as a problem-solving experience for them. Involving your child shows them that you and their teacher care about them and are interested in helping them learn and succeed. In addition, it could offer an opportunity for your child to contribute to how they can adjust their behavior and performance in the future!

You can find more tips and strategies for listening and reflecting with your 5- to 10-year-old child in Thrive's Grow program. To learn more or register for Grow, visit the Thrive website here.

Adolescents and Teens

As your adolescent or teen explores their personal identity, they may be trying new activities such as sports or clubs in their school. This could include trying out for a part in the school play or a spot on the football team or running for class president. Let's consider this last example. You may have watched your child work hard on learning what being class president means and what holding this position entails with regard to time and responsibilities. They may have spent hours preparing their speech; however, suppose they are not elected. This likely will be hard for them to deal with, and it may be hard for you to watch this setback. As the parent, though, you have a good opportunity here to discuss their feelings as they face disappointment.

How You Can Help: Practical Strategies

Here are some strategies you might try as you help your child cope with this situation.

Validate their feelings by listening to them talk about their disappointment.

Acknowledge their feelings, and allow them time to have those hard feelings.

Ask your child questions about the situation.

Restate what you hear to ensure you both fully understand the situation and to be sure your child knows they are being heard.

Tell them about a time when you faced disappointment. They may not be ready to hear about this yet but you can help them see that even adults face and overcome disappointment. Explain to them how you handled the situation.

Discuss with your child how they want to move forward with regards to the situation. This collaboration and communication can allow your child to see you, the parent, as someone who has faced these big feelings and setbacks and has moved on. Communicating can also encourage your child to try again since they know someone close to them who has experienced something similar!

You can find more tips and strategies for communicating with your adolescent or teen in Thrive's Branch Out program. To learn more or register for Branch Out, visit the Thrive website here.

As uncomfortable as it may be, experiencing failure is a part of life. Everyone can learn from mistakes and missteps, and children are no different. Remember, times of failure can be opportunities for your child to learn not only how to fail but how to learn from those failures.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (militaryfamilies.psu.edu)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Learning Through Failure: How You Can Help Your Child

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
When children are very young, parents and caregivers are responsible for their every need. During those early years, you likely developed a routine in which you could anticipate what your child wanted and when they wanted it, and you were usually able to meet their needs.

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Republished through Penn State Extension at https://extension.psu.edu/positive-parenting (note: not correctly cited at this time)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (militaryfamilies.psu.edu)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Having consistent and supportive experiences with your child as they grow can help you create memories together and allow you to form a strong bond. This solid connection between you and your child…

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Republished through Penn State Extension at https://extension.psu.edu/advocating-for-your-child

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As a parent, there may be times when you may need to advocate on behalf of your child. Advocating for your child means that you work with other adults in your child's life to ensure that they are getting the support they need. Cultivating strong and healthy attachments with your child helps you learn about and understand your child's personality, strengths, and needs. Therefore, you are probably the best person to advocate for them when needed.

Advocating for your child can take place in different settings and with different people. It can be you letting your child's doctor know that you are concerned about your child not meeting a developmental milestone, communicating your concerns to a teacher or counselor in your child's school because your child is struggling with a specific subject, or speaking with your child's coach or extracurricular advisor to ensure your child is fitting in with their peers. So, how do you actually advocate for your child? There are a few steps you can take to ensure you are ready and able to be there for them, regardless of the situation. Each step, listed below, includes a scenario that illustrates a situation and how you might handle that situation.

Identify the Question or Concern

What questions or concerns do you have? Recognizing and understanding what the question is, or what the issue is, can help you identify the individual, or individuals, you need to talk to. As you think about what the situation is, write down your thoughts and questions.
Let's look at a scenario: Your baby is generally happy, but you notice that, after they eat, they seem to be grumpy and cry until they spit up. You aren't sure if this is developmentally normal for them, but it is a concern for you. The information you see online is conflicting, and, if you look on social media, you encounter horror stories about other babies. How to identify the question or concern: You start to write down when this happens and how often it happens. This information will be useful when you speak to your baby's pediatrician either at their next well visit or when you call the office.
Connect with Your Circle of Support

Your Circle of Support should consist of people with whom you are comfortable and to whom you can turn when you have questions or need support. Your Circle can include family, friends, other parents, coworkers, or health care providers. This circle will change and grow over time!

Once you identify who is in your Circle of Support, consider whom you could talk to about your questions and concerns. Bouncing your ideas off of someone you already trust can help you feel comfortable going forward and speaking up about an issue or concern you have with your child. You may even have people in your life who have gone through similar situations.
Let's look at a scenario: When your child has homework from English class, they cry and/or avoid doing their homework. On the other hand, when they have math homework, they are happy and enthusiastic to do it. However, lately, you have noticed that your child's math homework has expanded, and it includes more word problems. Your child is, now, starting to avoid doing that homework as well. How to connect with your Circle of Support: At this point, getting the homework done is becoming a struggle and has created a point of conflict for the entire family. You think about your Circle of Support and see that some of your friends have children around the same age, so you reach out to them and ask how their children are handling their homework. One of your friends had a similar issue with their eldest child, so you begin to chat and connect with them. Knowing that someone else is going through or has gone through the same challenge can provide you with reassurance and possible advice!
Identify and Connect with an Appropriate Contact

The next step is to figure out whom you need to contact, and, then, you need to reach out to this person or persons. You may need to use community resources, contact people in your Circle of Support, or connect with professionals at your child's school or childcare facility to help you find the person who can best help you and your child. Contacting this person for their help may be uncomfortable for you, especially if you don't know them. However, remember, it is okay for you to reach out, it is okay for you to ask questions, and it is okay for you to speak up for your child! In fact, it is vitally important that you do so!

Remember, your child is watching you as you speak up and advocate for them, so they are learning how to advocate for themself!

Try to approach the individual, who you feel can help you and your child, with an open and curious point of view. You should be ready to objectively listen to this person and their ideas. In using this approach, you will be able to better create the connection and foster mutual respect between you and the person you are connecting with. Establishing this relationship will help you and your child move forward. Professionals like doctors, teachers, and school support staff are there to help you and your child! By forming a positive connection and working together, everyone can help your child get the support they need.
Let's look at a scenario: After talking with some of the other adults in your child's life, you have decided that you believe your child should have a developmental screening. How to identify and connect with an appropriate contact: You aren't sure whom you should contact, so you speak with your child's preschool teacher who directs you to a community program that does this type of screening. Although you are nervous, you connect with them, and, once you convey your concerns, they assign you to a case manager who will help you navigate the screening and any services your child may need.
Take Care of Yourself

These situations may create a lot of stress. Remember, take a deep breath, keep calm, know your limits, and make sure you acknowledge how you feel. Continue to use your Circle of Support as you navigate this challenging time.
Let's look at a scenario: After meeting with the school counselor about your child, who is having challenges interacting socially with children in their classroom, you feel stressed. How to take care of yourself:
Before engaging with other adults regarding this challenge, you could take a few minutes to yourself and listen to your favorite music. Take some deep breaths to help you calm down and unwind. Hopefully, you begin to feel more relaxed and better able to process your thoughts and questions as you prepare to meet with the school counselor.
To learn more about mindful strategies to stay calm and take care of yourself, see Breathe to Thrive.

Know Your and Your Child's Rights

If, for some reason, you aren't getting the answers you need and still have questions about what rights your child or you may have, there are federal and state regulations and laws that cover you and your child. You can find your state's Department of Education website here.

If your family is military affiliated, you and your child may have a unique set of circumstances that might be influencing your situation. Information about your rights and available resources can be found here.

If you or your child has a disability, information regarding civil rights and discrimination can be found here. Knowing what rights, you and your child have can help you navigate challenges and concerns, and you can still ensure your child receives the support they need.

You are in a position to be your child's best and strongest advocate. Speaking up may feel uncomfortable at first; however, you are advocating for your child and showing your child that using your voice is necessary and important, and, consequently, your child will learn to use their voice for themself and those they care about!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (militaryfamilies.psu.edu)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As a parent, there may be times when you may need to advocate on behalf of your child. Advocating for your child means that you work with other adults in your child's life to ensure that they are getting the support they need. Cultivating strong and healthy attachments with your child helps you learn about...

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Thrive - Summertime Family Physical Activity

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Thrive - Summertime Family Physical Activity

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Also found at https://5210.psu.edu/summertime-family-physical-activity/

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For many families, summertime is period when children are at home more, and parents may be looking for additional ways to keep their children active. There are many activities you can do to get moving as a family, such as outdoor play and experiences, or find ways to be active safely inside.

Family Fun

Outdoor activities like going for a walk, playing at the park, swimming, and participating in sports are ways you be active with your children. The chart below contains a few activities that you can do outside as a family. These activities target aerobic exercise and muscle- and bone-strengthening exercises (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2018). As you participate in any outdoor activity, you should monitor the level of impact and adjust the intensity of the activity to match your child's developmental age and ability.

Beat the Heat

While the options for outdoor experiences above are great suggestions, what if you live in an area where the weather is particularly hot, and exercising outside could be difficult or even hazardous? Be inside! There are many ways to exercise and be active with your family inside too. Try some of the activities listed in the chart below to help your family get moving

Indoor Family Activities

Aerobic - moving large muscle groups that increase a person's heart rate

Skipping

Dancing

Aerobic/dancing videos

Indoor obstacle course

Gymnastics-type activities (e.g., if the space allows, try somersaults, cartwheels, or making a masking tape balance beam)

Jumping rope

Running in place

Climbing stairs

Benefits of Being Active

Being active is beneficial for everyone regardless of their age. Some of the many benefits of participating in physical activity for children and adults are listed below (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021, 2022)

Benefits of Being Physically Active

Children

Reduced risks of depression

Strengthens bones

Improves attention and memory

Reduced risk of chronic diseases like obesity and type 2 diabetes

Improved blood pressure and fitness

Adults

Improved sleep quality

Less anxiety

Reduced risk of depression

Reduced risk of developing dementia

Reduced risk of weight gain

Improved bone health

Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has released the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd ed., and these recommendations cover different types of activities for individuals who do not have disabilities and for those who do have physical challenges. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2018, p. 53). Click on the link below in the Additional Resources block to navigate to this resource, discover additional ways to be active, and learn about the benefits of physical activity.

Engaging in appropriate amounts of daily physical activity can be achievable for the entire family. Whether you're active outside or inside, there are many ways for everyone to be involved and reap the benefits of being active together. Click on the link for Thrive's parent resource Moving to THRIVE in the Additional Resources block below to find a list of activities that can be done indoors or outdoors, with multiple age groups, and in large or small spaces (e.g., apartments).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (militaryfamilies.psu.edu)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
For many families, summertime is period when children are at home more, and parents may be looking for additional ways to keep their children active. There are many activities you can do to get moving as a family, such as outdoor play and experiences, or find ways to be active safely inside.

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Also found at https://5210.psu.edu/creating-a-family-blog/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (militaryfamilies.psu.edu)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
One way for family members to connect is to write a blog together. Discussing and writing about important events and meaningful moments, in a blog, can help a family stay connected with each other,…

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Thrive - How to Help an Adolescent who is a Picky Eater

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Thrive - How to Help an Adolescent who is a Picky Eater

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Also found at https://5210.psu.edu/how-to-help-an-adolescent-who-is-a-picky-eater/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (militaryfamilies.psu.edu)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Help an Adolescent who is a Picky Eater

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Everyone has preferences on what foods they enjoy and what foods they don’t like. Children are no different! The American Academy of Pediatrics (2018) suggests that parents should offer a variety o…

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Cultural Humility in the LIS Profession (Independent Research Submission)

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Independent Research: Cultural Humility in the LIS Profession

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Independent Research: Cultural Humility in the LIS Profession

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Libraries and Literacy in Prison: An Evaluation on How Libraries can Help Those Incarcerated (Thesis)

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Literature Review: Research and Evaluation Methods

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Literature Review: Research and Evaluation Methods

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Using Graphic Novels to Teach Social Justice in the Library Profession (Independent Research Submission)

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Independent Research: Graphic Novels and Social Justice

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Independent Research: Graphic Novels and Social Justice

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Graphic Novels and Social Justice Lib Guide

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Graphic Novels and Social Justice Lib Guide

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Chancellor, DeLoach, Dunbar, Lee & Singh

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LibGuides: Using Graphic Novels to Teach Social Justice in LIS: Social Justice in LIS

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Integrating graphic novels and social justice into Library and Information Science

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Cultural humility in the LIS profession (link to publication)

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This paper defines cultural competence and cultural humility in the context of library and information professionals. Though cultural competence has b...

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Fake News & Misinformation Awareness Program

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Fake News & Misinformation Awareness Program

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Marketing Evaluation of Small Local Library (Presented to Library Board of Directors)

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Interlibrary Loan Establishment - Project Management Plan

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Authored by Coreen Getgen

Immigration has been one of the hottest topics in recent politics. As a nation, we have treated this topic as something that is new and radical. In all actuality, immigration and immigration reform have been major political topics for much longer than the past few years.

President John F. Kennedy made it a top priority in his presidency with a "pledge to the American people that he would earnestly work for immigration reform" (Kennedy 1965, 138) which eventually lead to new legislation being passed. He worked with the ACIM (American Committee on Italian Migration) to change the national quota system that had been put into place by the McCarran-Walter Act of 1952 (Center for Migration Studies, 1964.).

The quota system that was in place before the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 highly restricted immigration from nations that weren't in Western or Northern Europe (Kennedy 2018, 80). Although this wasn't outright enacted to keep out minority or oppressed immigrants, that was one of the major issues that it caused. Immigration became more about heritage and nationality, not what was in the best interest of the nation. President Kennedy wanted to push forward a bill that would allow immigration to be based more on the capability of the immigrant being able to help strengthen the nation, than it would be about ensuring a majority being from Northern and Western Europe.

He believed "immigration policy should be generous; it should be fair; it should be flexible" (Kennedy 2018, 65). The new legislation "eliminated origin, race, gender, and ancestry as a determinant of immigration to the United States" (Kalaitzidis 2009, 101). This was a huge step in the right direction towards leveling the playing field when it came to accessing admittance to the United States.

Allowing those who are oppressed to gain access to a safe living environment isn't a radical idea. It isn't something that is new nor is it an idea that should be considered out of the question. It is our job to reach out to those around us that are in need and "to encourage solutions that are adaptable, effective, and concrete" (St. John's University, n.d.) in an effort to create a world for everyone to live in. President Kennedy worked on creating a diverse and fair system to help open our nation up to the capable and willing throughout the world, regardless of their nationality or race. This motivation for humane reform is not a new idea, in fact, it should be an ideal that we always hold close to our hearts.

References

American Committee on Italian Migration. 1964. "Records 1952-1973."
The Center for Migration Studies of New York (CMS). https://cmsny.org/acrhives/cms001/.

Kalaizidis, Akis. 2009. "From the Quota System to the Preference System." Immigration: A Documentary and Reference Guide, 101-20
http://go.galegroup.com.jerome.stjohns.edu:81/ps/i.do?p=GVRL&u=nysl_me_stjn&id= GALE|CX2447800015&v=2.1&it=r&sid=GVRL&asid=6c68ddf2#.

Kennedy, Edward M. 1966. "The Immigration Act of 1965." The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 365 (September): 137-49
https://www.jstor.org/stable/1034851?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents.

Kennedy, John F. 2018. A Nation of Immigrants. New York: Harper Perennial, Modern Classics.

St. John's University. 2015. "Our Mission."
httpts://www.stjohns.edu/about/history-and-facts/out-mission.

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Immigration Reform: Not a 21st Century Idea

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Authored by Coreen Getgen Immigration has been one of the hottest topics in recent politics. As a nation, we have treated this topic as something that is new and radical. In all actuality, immigration and immigration reform have been major political topics for much longer than the past few years.