Tag: Family Youth and Community Sciences Department

Melons: Safe Handling Practices for Consumers

melon in the fieldSince most of us buy melons at the store or farmers market, it is easy to forget that most melons are grown on the ground. Watermelons, cantaloupe, and honeydew melon are the most popular varieties of melons in the United States. Because they are exposed to pests and microorganisms from dirt, it is very important to apply the best food safety practices before enjoying them.This 3-page fact sheet was written by Amy Simonne, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, June 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy488

Improving Savings, Health, and Happiness by Re-examining Your Practices and Surroundings series

kids townThis series of EDIS publications introduces readers to the concept of overall community performance and suggests minor modifications to neighborhoods, public schools, and public services that could help citizens improve their communities. This publication is for a general audience and provides a list of changes to public schools that, if enacted, may help improve a community’s performance.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_series_improving_savings_health_and_happiness

Love and Acceptance Are Crucial to Development Worldwide

Valentine tree of heart shape, loveIf you’ve ever traveled to another country, perhaps one far across the world, you may have been struck by the universal nature of the tender and sometimes tricky relationship between parent and child. Now a new analysis of 36 studies from 18 countries, published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Review, confirms some important truths about how parents can affect their children for a lifetime. This 2-page Family Album Radio transcript was written by Carol Church, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, August 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fm1135

Healthy Eating: Calcium / Alimentación Saludable: Calcio

Broccoli is rich in calciumCalcium is the major mineral found in your bones and teeth. Many older adults don’t get enough calcium from the foods they eat. This can lead to bone loss and the bone disease osteoporosis. Osteoporosis puts people at high risk for bone fractures. These 1-page, large print fact sheets were written by Linda B. Bobroff, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, June 2013.

English: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy057

Spanish: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy058

Benefits of Family Meals (FCS2324/FY1362)

Figure 1. Busy schedules may keep many families from eating regular meals together, but they will benefit from coming together and sharing meals regularly.Over the past 30 years obesity among children has increased. One way to help youth make healthy food choices is by creating healthy eating choices and habits at home, starting with family meals. When parents value family dinners, children are likely to view family dinners as important. Family meals can provide important examples to show children what foods are good to eat and how much of the good foods they should eat. This 5-page fact sheet was written by Varnessa McCray, Victor W. Harris, and Martie Gillen, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, April 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1362

Promoting Healthy Relationship Development in Teens, Part II: Three Key Qualities to Foster Better Relationships (FCS2326/FY1364)

Figure 1. Relationships and marriages where both partners are kind, nurturing, affectionate, sympathetic, and caring tend to be more satisfying.Getting married and staying married require a complicated calculus of factors that must come together to produce healthy and satisfying relationships. While couple interactional processes tend to be the most predictive of whether or not they will stay together and find happiness, background and contextual factors and individual traits also factor heavily into the equation. Finding two socks that match (and don’t wear out) is much more likely to occur when the relationship is based upon a deep and enduring friendship. Asking the question, “Will this choice enhance or diminish my marital friendship?” and then choosing to make the choices that will enhance the marital friendship more often than not are healthy strategies for success. This 5-page fact sheet was written by Victor W. Harris, Gilon Marts, and Muthusami Kumaran, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, March 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1364

Developmental Coordination Disorder (FAR1816/FM1076)

children runningIn any classroom, you’ll find a wide range of physical skills. Some children are amazing artists but just average at kickball. Others excel at sports but struggle with handwriting. But a few children seem to have a hard time with most physical tasks. They may be affected by developmental coordination disorder, or DCD, a neurodevelopmental condition that causes difficulties with physical coordination. This 2-page Family Album Radio transcript was written by Carol Church, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, April 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fm1076

Family Records (FCS7103/HE988)

Tabs on foldersThis publication should be kept in a safe place known to adult members of your family and/or trusted friend(s). An additional copy should be kept in a safe deposit box. Revise it annually or after any life-changing circumstance to keep vital information current. This can make looking for vital records much faster and easier. It can also be used as a starting place for estate planning. These checklists provide suggestions on where to keep your important papers and what information to keep. This 14-page fact sheet was written by Brenda C. Williams, Brittany Seamon, and Martie Gillen, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, April 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/he988

Kinship Caregivers: Understanding Children and the Military Deployment Cycle (FCS2330/FY1368)

Military Man Hugs DaughterDeployment occurs in almost every branch of the military, and the experience differs for each family and each family member. To reflect the diversity of experiences, military professionals have proposed various models of the deployment cycle to assist families in the transition. There are at least five phases that are common across models: pre-deployment, deployment, sustainment, preparation (also known as redeployment), and reunification (or home-coming). Recognizing that each family is unique, this deployment cycle is intended not as a rule-book but as a helpful guide to families as they experience deployment of a parent. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Elizabeth Thomas and Larry F. Forthun, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, March 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1368

Choose MyPlate: Reduce Your Sodium (FCS80027/FY1360)

salt shakerReducing sodium intake is one of the MyPlate recommendations for healthy eating. Most Americans eat more sodium than they need, which can have negative health effects. This publication provides facts about sodium and why reducing sodium intake is important. It also provides easy tips to reduce your sodium intake. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Ashley Hamm, Karla P. Shelnutt, and Gail P. A. Kauwell, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, April 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1360

Choose MyPlate: Drink Water Instead of Sugary Drinks (FCS80025/FY1358)

girl drinking water with a healthy mealThe regular consumption of sugary drinks has greatly increased over the past few decades. Most adults consume about 400 calories per day as beverages, and regular soda is the number one drink. The added sugars and calories in sugary drinks can really add up — so rethink what you drink! Use one or more of the tips provided to drink more water and get on the right track to living a healthier life. This 3-page fact sheet was written by Jeanine Beatty, Karla Shelnutt, and Gail Kauwell, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, April 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1358

Kinship Caregivers: Communicating with Children about a Parent’s Deployment (FCS2329/FY1367)

Boy (6-8) and grandfather fishing from side of lakeThe deployment of a military parent is undoubtedly a difficult time for children. This is especially true if the military child is being cared for by a relative, or kinship parent such as a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or older sibling. The child may have to experience a kind of personal deployment from their own home. To help children cope with these changes, it is important for the kinship parent to effectively communicate with the child about the deployment and the deployed parent. This will safeguard against emotional and behavioral problems and can lead to improvements in the child’s overall sense of well-being. This 3-page fact sheet was written by Elizabeth Thomas and Larry F. Forthun, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, March 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1367

My Child Has a Mental Illness: Developing Parental Advocacy Skills (FCS2327/FY1365)

girl looks through clouded glass wallIf your child is diagnosed with a mental illness, you will face major changes in your life. Being proactive about your child’s care and advocating for him or her will help you and your child handle the illness successfully. This 5-page fact sheet was written by Tracy DeCubellis, Victor W. Harris, and Martie Gillen, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, April 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1365

Family Reunification Following Foster Care (FCS2328/FY1366)

family sillouhetted against horizonFamilies reuniting after an intervention that requires foster care for the children face unique challenges. Parents in these situations may need to learn about their parental roles, the basic needs for the healthy development of their children, and resources that will help the family in their reunification. Researchers and practitioners in child welfare have provided helpful information to develop workable plans to aid families in reunifying and rebuilding. This 5-page fact sheet is a brief summary of the overarching themes provided by the literature. Written by Rosalyn Monroe and Victor W. Harris, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, April 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1366

Raising Healthy Children: Health Risks of Obesity (FCS80023/FY1356)

Figure 1. Babies need fat for normal growth, but as they develop into children too much fat can be unhealthy.Although babies need fat for warmth and normal growth, as children develop, too much fat can be unhealthy. Childhood obesity may result in health problems early in life and into adulthood. This 4-page fact sheet will help you understand the health risks of obesity and ways to help your child maintain a healthy weight. Written by Stephanie Meyer, Karla Shelnutt, and Gail Kauwell, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, April 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1356

Promoting Healthy Relationship Development in Teens, Part I: How Dating Smart in Youth Can Foster Better Relationships in Adulthood (FCS2325/FY1363)

Figure 1. Healthy dating relationships can lead to healthy marriages. Cultivating healthy dating relationships that can lead to healthy adult romantic and marriage relationships is a science that reflects a complicated calculus of the premarital influences that may shape future relationship stability, quality, and satisfaction. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Victor W. Harris, Gilon Marts, and Martie Gillen, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, March 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1363

What Is a Healthy Dating or Marriage Relationship? (FCS2323/FY1361)

ure 1. The majority of Americans will marry at some point in their lives, making it important to understand what a healthy dating and marriage relationship is.Defining what a healthy romantic relationship is can be challenging. Thankfully, modern research has given us a good idea of what healthy dating and marriage relationships look like. Use this fact sheet to determine what a healthy relationship looks like to you. Then take the survey to get an idea of the strengths already present in your relationship and those things you may want to work on. This 3-page fact sheet was written by Victor W. Harris, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, March 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1361

Unplanned Pregnancy's Effects on Mothers and Children (FAR5124/FM1050)

pregnancy test stick shows positive“Nearly half of all pregnancies in the US today are unplanned. Though this surprise can be a wonderful one, it can also be a difficult adjustment. Indeed, some studies connect unplanned pregnancies with higher levels of stress and depression in mothers in the early months. But could the aftereffects of an unintended pregnancy linger even longer? …”
This 2-page Family Album Radio transcript was written by Carol Church, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, February 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fm1050

Quality Childcare Now, More Involvement with School and Teachers Later (FAR0616/FM0148)

preschoolers counting on fingers“Most employed parents of young children would agree that it can sometimes be difficult to put their sons and daughters in the care of others during the workday. Feeling confident about the quality of these daycare arrangements can make all the difference to parents’ peace of mind…”This 2-page Family Album Radio transcript was written by Carol Church, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, February 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fm1048

Homeless Children Need Preschool (FAR0615/FM1047)

young girl walks away on sidewalk with backpack“During the recent recession, news reports included some sobering video footage from an area surrounding what’s sometimes called the happiest place on earth, Disney World. Unfortunately, climbing unemployment and home foreclosures in the region had left many middle- and working-class families suddenly homeless. Their new, temporary dwelling places were hotel rooms, the couches of friends and family members, homeless shelters, or the family car…” This 2-page Family Album Radio transcript was written by Suzanna Smith, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, February 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fm1047