Tag: Victor William Harris

Positive Discipline: Behavioral Management Skills for Parents and Teachers, Part 3: Fostering the Parent-Child and Teacher-Student Relationship to Build Responsibility

Figure 1. Parents and teachers need to be clear about their expectations for children and students. Credit: Thinkstock.com/iStock/natasaadzic

Tell me and I forget,
Teach me and I may remember,
Involve me and I learn.

The general goal of healthy parenting and teaching is to produce children and students who can think critically, make good decisions, and become independent, accountable, responsible, and contributing members of society. Part 3 of this Positive Discipline: Behavioral Management Skills for Parents and Teachers series covers tips and strategies to help parents and teachers build critical thinking and positive behavioral skills in children. Several of these strategies that can help parents and teachers achieve these goals through “love and logic” are discussed in this 6-page fact sheet written by Victor Harris, Whitney Fung, Sarah Ellis, and Alison Schmeer, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, July 2015. (Photo Credit: Thinkstock.com/iStock/natasaadzic)
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1460

Positive Discipline: Behavioral Management Skills for Parents and Teachers, Part 2: General Approaches to Managing Behavior

Figure 3. If a behavior is consequential, the parent or teacher will need to intervene.

When a child is locked in the bathroom
With water running
And he says he is doing nothing
But the dog is barking,
Call 911.
–Erma Bombeck

Research indicates that there must be at least an 8-to-1 positive-to-negative interaction ratio for parents and teachers to have a positive relationship with their children and students. Put simply, both verbal and non-verbal communication needs to be generally positive. Learning how to steer a child or a student toward managing his or her own behavior in healthy ways requires both knowledge and skills that make it easy to have positive interactions and behavior change. This 6-page fact sheet will help you identify specific approaches to successfully managing appropriate and inappropriate behavior at home and in the classroom. It outlines four principles of behavior management, and describes several strategies before providing a practice activity. Written by Victor Harris, Whitney Fung, Sarah Ellis, and Alison Schmeer, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, July 2015. (Photo Credit: Thinkstock.com/Jupiterimages/Creatas Images)
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1459

Positive Discipline: Behavioral Management Skills for Parents and Teachers, Part 1: Types of Misbehaviors and Keys to Success

Figure 3. Successful parents and teachers are encouraging and engaged in children’s educational and extracurricular activities.

“Before I got married I had six theories about bringing up children; now I have six children, and no theories.” — John Wilmot

Parents and teachers often experience a lot of insecurities, especially with regard to helping children manage their own behaviors. Not surprisingly, there are many similarities in the skills that effective parents and teachers use to help children manage their own behavior successfully. Building a foundation for healthy and effective parenting and teaching begins with understanding some different types of misbehaviors. This 4-page fact sheet discusses four common types of misbehaviors, encourages the reader to identify healthy and unhealthy practices, and continues with key factors of effective parenting and teaching. Written by Victor Harris, Whitney Fung, Sarah Ellis, and Alison Schmeer, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, July 2015. (Photo credit: Thinkstock.com/iStock)
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1458

The Impact of Fathers on Children's Well-Being

father talking to young son.American families have changed dramatically over the last century. Currently, about half the children in the United States will live apart from their fathers some time during their childhood because their parents have separated and the proportion of births to unmarried women has risen from 5 percent in 1960 to 41 percent in 2011. But a father who is absent from the household may not necessarily be absent from his child’s life. This 5-page fact sheet provides a brief summary of the history of fatherhood in America and discusses the importance of involved fathers, and how mothers, other family members, and adult role models can make a positive impact in a child’s life. Written by Sarah M. Ellis, Yasmin S. Khan, Victor W. Harris, Ricki McWilliams, and Diana Converse, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, October 2014.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1451

Mindfulness: An Introduction

Prayer PositionLearning to be mindful is a powerful skill that can help you face the stresses of day-to-day life and improve both your psychological and physical health. Because you don’t need any equipment to practice mindfulness, you can practice it discreetly anywhere, at any time. This 6-page fact sheet was written by Parth Naik, Victor Harris, and Larry Forthun, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, September 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1381

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

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

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

Improving Health and Happiness in the Home by Being an Energy Giver Rather Than an Energy Taker (FCS3313/FY1339)

Father and son with laundry basket One way to improve health and happiness in the home is to work toward becoming an energy giver rather than an energy taker. The first step in doing this is to accept that you have some control regarding the attitude you choose to display during your waking hours. This 3-page fact sheet was written by Randall A. Cantrell and Victor W. Harris, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, October 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1339

Are You Marrying Someone from a Different Culture or Religion? (FCS2321/FY1337)

Figure 1. While marrying someone from a different culture or religion can present some unique challenges, it can also provide some beautiful and enriching opportunities for growth.It was the author Paul Sweeney who penned, “A wedding anniversary is the celebration of love, trust, partnership, tolerance, and tenacity. The order varies for any given year.” Couples must make many adjustments as they learn to live with each other from year to year. When those adjustments include negotiating culture or religion, it adds another dimension to the process of trying to strengthen the relationship. This 7-page fact sheet was written by Stephanie C. Toelle and Victor W. Harris, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, September 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1337

What Do You See? Healthy Dating That Leads to Healthy Marriage (FCS2322/FY1338)

Figure 1. Giving our dating and romantic relationships the attention they deserve by being willing to look at them through different lenses can be a crucial step to developing the ability to successfully navigate the pathways of a healthy marriage.Albert Einstein offered this perspective on dating and romantic relationships: “Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.” Dating relationships are the building blocks for healthy marriage relationships. To give them “the attention they deserve,” use different perspectives to help see why healthy dating can lead to healthy marriages or why unhealthy dating can lead to unhealthy marriages and divorce. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Victor W. Harris and Ginny Hinton, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, September 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1338

Are You Marrying the Right Person? Healthy Signs and Red Flags (FCS2320/FY1336)

Figure 1. A red flag at the beach generally indicates hazardous conditions for water sports, but that still doesn't stop some people from going into the water anyway.There are very few experiences in life that are as exciting as the “real thing” of getting married. However, there are very few as disappointing as finding ourselves attached to the wrong person. Learning about what healthy relationships look like is important if we are going to make good decisions about who to marry. This 4-page fact sheet was written by LuAnn Duncan and Victor W. Harris, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, August 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1336

10 Things You Need to Know Before You Get Married (FCS2319/FY1335)

Figure 1. The three major factors that predict future marital satisfaction—our individual traits, our traits as a couple, and our personal and relationship contexts—form what is known as the marriage triangle model. (See: Larson, 2003)Americans love romantic books and movies that involve wedding vows and “happily-ever-after” endings. But in response to the high rates of divorce, a growing trend has emerged that focuses on developing a healthy marriage, rather than just the act of marriage. This 5-page fact sheet presents ten ways to achieve a healthy marriage of your own. Written by Victor W. Harris and Ginny Hinton, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, August 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1335

Are You Ready to Tie the Knot? A Quick Checklist (FCS2318/FY1334)

Figure 1. hand in handThe inventor, statesman, and scholar Benjamin Franklin provided some wise advice to all those thinking about tying the knot. “Keep your eyes wide open before marriage,” he said, “[and] half shut afterwards.” Marriage is a partnership that has emotional, financial, and legal implications. Before entering into this union, it is important for you and your partner to have your “eyes wide open” as you examine your individual attitudes and behaviors about both social and financial issues. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Lisa M. Leslie and Victor W. Harris, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, August 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1334

9 Habilidades importantes de la comunicacion para cada relacion (FCS2315Span/FY1333)

Figura 1. Comunicación La comunicación efectiva es esencial para las relaciones exitosas. Investigadores y terapistas han encontrado que hay al menos nueve habilidades que pueden ayudar a las parejas a aprender a hablar efectivamente acerca de problemas importantes. Si aprende bien estas nueve habilidades puede ayudar a poner las relaciones en una trayectoria positiva al éxito. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Victor William Harris, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, July 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1333

10 Reglas del conflicto constructivo (FCS2314Span/FY1332)

Figura 1. ¿Cómo maneja los conflictos? Determinar cómo manejamos los conflictos – constructivamente o destructivamente- es un buen camino para saber que tan funcionales o disfuncionales actuamos en las relaciones. Tómese un minuto para contestar la prueba que se encuentra a continuación para ver si maneja los conflictos de una forma constructiva o destructiva. Esto le ayudará a darse cuenta que está haciendo bien y en cuáles habilidades podría trabajar un poco más. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Victor William Harris, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, July 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1332

Ocho necesidades de la pareja, el padre y el hijo (FCS2313Span/FY1331)

number eight with peopleCuando las personas, las parejas y los padres aprenden cómo satisfacer sus necesidades personales consistentemente, pueden ayudar a otros y a sus hijos a satisfacer sus propias necesidades. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Victor William Harris, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, July 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1331