"Almost all parents fall woefully short of their lofty child-rearing goals in some way or another. It's not ideal-but sometimes, it's okay." This is the lead-in to a father's intriguing commentary, I'm Not Proud, but I'm Not Alone: A Lazy Parent's Meditations. Noah Berlatsky offers an entertaining give-and-take on the idea that "In theory, of course, parents are not supposed to be lazy. We are supposed to sacrifice for the children and wake up at ungodly hours and camp in the rain if that will optimize our child's happiness quotient."that makes good reading for parents and those who work with them.

Thank you to NYSPEP Steering Committee member Liz Hood for bringing the article to our attention. It is available online at:
http://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2013/02/im-not-proud-but-im-not-alone-a-lazy-parents-meditations/273015/
Copyright © 2013 by The Atlantic Monthly Group. All Rights Reserved.

It's Okay for Toddlers to Take Swimming Lessons

(From the Associated Press):  The nation's largest pediatricians group is relaxing its stance against swimming lessons for children younger than 4. In the past, the American Academy of Pediatrics has said swim classes might give toddlers and parents a false sense of security. Now the group says it's fine to enroll children as young as 1. A few small studies suggest toddlers may be less likely to drown if they've had swim lessons. The doctors aren't recommending lessons for every young child. Some parents may feel their little ones aren't ready and that's OK.

Read more online at: http://www.herald-review.com/news/national/article_87e559d6-674c-11df-ba83-001cc4c03286.html

Lack of Sleep May Lead to Depression in Adolescents

Sleep is an essential part of everyone's life. It helps us function and go about our daily lives and keeps our emotional well-being in check. As expected, the younger we are the more sleep we need. Parents make the decision on when kids get to go to bed and basically control their sleep schedule. If it was up to kids, they would stay up all night watching cartoons and eating ice cream because they don't realize what lack of sleep does to them. Therefore, it is up to parents to make sure that kids get the right about of sleep to help them live healthier lifestyles and mental well being.

A study in the January issue of SLEEP journal showed that kids who went to bed later at a young age had a higher chance of depression and suicide. An adolescent with a parental set bedtime of 12 midnight and later had 24% higher chance of being depressed and considering suicide. The number of hours of sleep a night that an adolescent gets also has an effect on their depression and suicide rates. Adolescents who got five or less hours of sleep a night were 71% more likely to show signs of depression and 48% more likely to think of suicide than those who got 5 or more hours a night. James E. Gangwisch, PhD, assistant professor at Columbia University Medical center uses these results as more proof that short sleep duration plays an important role in the etiology of depression.

Detailed results of these sleep studies on adolescents can be found on the American Academy of Sleep Medicine website.

Childhood Exposure to Tobacco Smoke

Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health recently released a statement regarding tobacco smoke in the home and it's effect on children. Children who were exposed to tobacco smoke early in their life are more likely to get emphysema and their lungs at that age can't fully recover from the smoke inhalation. The study showed that the more cigarette smokers in the household, the more emphysema-like lung pixels appeared in the scan. An average of 20% scan pixels were emphysema like for those who lived with two or more smokers as a child, compared to 18% for those who lived with one regular smoker, and 17% for those who said that they did not live with a regular inside smoker as a child. Researchers are able to tell the difference between the lungs on the CT scans from being exposed to smoke as a child and those who were not exposed to smoke as a child. Air flow obstruction and anatomic damage to lungs from smoke inhalation as a child can not be reversed. Once they are exposed to it, their lungs become weaker and their chances of emphysema are higher. Although some effects of tobacco smoke are short term, through these studies we are also able to tell that they are long term as well. According to Gina Lovasi, assistant professor of epidemiology at Columbia's Mailman School of Public Health, combined emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are projected to be the third leading cause of death by 2020.

Child Care and Obesity

Obesity is a problem in America that most likely everyone is familiar with. The reason for this epidemic is mainly two things; lack of physical activity and bad food choices. With the growing number of video games and reality TV, kids are going to choose to play those instead of going outside and being active. And with the rise of McDonald's and Burger King on almost every corner of every street, it's no wonder that kids are forgoing vegetables for chicken nuggets. What parents don't realize is that kids aren't going to change themselves. They grew up like this and fast food and video games at an excess amount is the norm to them. Playing a sport or going outside and being active is optional and not a necessary part of their lives, according to children. They don't know the dangers that can arise from lack of physical activity and bad food choices. Therefore it is up to the parents to guide kids in the right direction. Teaching your kids the healthy lifestyle can save their lives in the long run. There are many useful tips for parents online about how to get your child to live a more physical lifestyle. Schools are cracking down and eliminating vending machines from their cafeterias. Some schools are going organic and will only sell healthy items on the menu. Gym class is also mandatory for every student. However, the extent of physical exercise in gym class is low, so kids are encouraged to include more physical activity in their day.

Studies were done to show how much physical activity kids get each day and also the eating habits of kids were observed as well. Results of these studies can be seen here.

Parent Involvement

Sometimes parents can struggle with parent involvement issues for a number of different reasons. A parents involvement in a child's life has a much greater effect that one would realize. Children's Bureau Express listed all of the effective programs parents can take in helping their child grow up to be a strong, independent, loving child.

Children's Bureau Express: Parent Involvement Programs That Work

Child Abuse Drops Drastically in the US

A massive new federal study has shown a decrease in the number of incidents of serious child abuse, especially sexual abuse. Research shows that 553,000 children suffer from child abuse in 2005, which is down 26 percent from the 743,200 in 1993. Experts explained these findings by stating that the crackdown and awareness of child abuse is becoming more open in society. People aren't as afraid to say something and talk about abuse or get help for their problem.

The study was able to take off on the fact that over 10,000 "sentinels", such as child social workers, teachers, police officers and day care workers reported less abuse than before. The number of sexually abused children decreased 38 percent, the number of physically abused children decreased 15 percent, and the number of emotionally abused children fell 27 percent.
Experts try to explain this substantial decrease with a growing concern and public intolerance for child abuse. More people are less afraid to come forward if it is their family or someone they know. There has also been an increase in the number of programs and support lines for abusive parents and potential abusers.

The trend called the "troop surge" also led to this decline in abuse. Violent acts by parents are more punishable by the law and jail time is likely for any potential abusers. A greatly expanded use of medication has also helped in the decline of abuse. More and more parents are able to control their anger that otherwise would have been taken out on the child. With these medications being given more leniently, a growing number of parents are able to handle their problems in a calmer way and therefore leading to less physical and emotional strain.

Paternal Involvement and the Effect on Children

New research about a father's role in a child's life has surfaced with interesting results regarding the differences between paternal and maternal nurturing. A father plays an important part in their child's life and there is a link between father involvement and child-father attachment. Sometimes a child can feel closer to their father than their mother. Research studies show that self-asserting fathering and compensatory fathering are leading factors in these situations.

A study involving 236 families with children in kindergarten was done to examine the effects of parenting relations and attachment. A child responds more when paternal nurturing is involved with distress rather than the act of just being a warm, loving parent. When a father helps his child in a time of need, it will have more of an effect on the child than the father's overall warmth and comforting, which is virtually unrelated to any attachment issues.

Although less responsive parenting in both mothers and fathers is related to insecure attachment, parenting mechanisms associated with insecure attachment differed. Low paternal responsiveness is linked to insecure-avoidant attachment, and low maternal responsiveness is linked to insecure-ambivalent attachment. To understand why these differences occur, further research and studies are needed to examine the effects of paternal responsiveness.

With these studies, we see how a father plays an important part in a child's life in a more specific way and both parents are equally important in raising a child.

Top 5 Myths about Early Childhood Attachment

Myth: If I hold my baby or respond to his cries too much, I will spoil him.

Fact: There is no such thing as emotionally spoiling an infant. Studies spanning the last several decades demonstrate substantial lifelong advantages in physical, mental, social, and emotional health for children who receive consistent, warm, positive, and developmentally appropriate attention and care.

Read more online at PBS's This Emotional Life: http://www.pbs.org/thisemotionallife/childhood-attachment

Teens and Sexting | Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project

As texting has become a centerpiece in teen social life, parents, educators and advocates have grown increasingly concerned about the role of cell phones in the sexual lives of teens and young adults. A new survey from the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project found that 4% of cell-owning teens ages 12-17 say they have sent sexually suggestive nude or nearly nude images or videos of themselves to someone else via text messaging, a practice also known as “sexting”; 15% say they have received such images of someone they know via text message.

Read more from Pew online at: http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2009/Teens-and-Sexting.aspx

State Laws on Family Engagement in Education | PTA

National PTA developed this publication as a tool for State PTAs and other family and child advocates to increase systemic, effective family engagement in all of our nation’s public schools. Family engagement in education is a critical strategy for ensuring students’ academic achievement, graduation from high school, and overall success in life. Low levels of family engagement in schools must be addressed at the federal, state, and local levels through the development of sound public policy and implementation, evaluation, and replication of best practices.

Download the resource at:  http://pta.org/3717.asp

White House Event Promotes Mentoring

On January 21, 2010, in a White House ceremony marking January as National Mentoring Month, mentors and mentees from across America joined President Barack Obama and the First Lady in an effort to increase public awareness of the benefits of mentoring.

National Mentoring Month is a collaborative initiative of the Harvard School of Public Health, MENTOR, and the Corporation for National and Community Service. This year's campaign features a public service announcement by General Collin Powell and leverages the work of local and corporate partners to encourage more Americans to serve as mentors.

As President Obama has observed, "Every day, mentors in communities across our nation provide crucial support and guidance to young people." During National Mentoring Month, we honor their commitment and invite you to join them.

To learn more about National Mentoring Month, visit:  http://www.nationalmentoringmonth.org

Child Welfare Information Gateway: Disaster Preparedness & Response Web Section

Navigate the complex process of developing and implementing emergency response plans for States, Tribes, and child welfare agencies. This streamlined web section includes more recent and relevant resources to help States and jurisdictions develop comprehensive disaster preparedness plans and respond to emergencies quickly and effectively to protect children and families. The resources are organized by preparedness before a disaster, response (the immediate aftermath), and recovery (the long-term reconstruction and healing phase).

Visit the website online at:  http://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/disaster_preparedness

January is National Mentoring Month!

Thanks to Generations United for this update.

"Whether a day is spent helping with homework, playing catch, or just listening, these moments can have an enormous, lasting effect on a child's life," states President Obama's proclamation recognizing January as National Mentoring Month. In its ninth year, National Mentoring Month calls attention to the importance of mentoring programs, many of which engage older adults as mentors to youth. To read the full Presidential Proclamation, click here.

HealthyChildren.org - Healthy Children

A new website for parents and providers, powered by the American Academy of Pediatrics.  Definitely a great new resource worth taking some time to peruse:


http://www.healthychildren.org

Tickets for the 3rd Annual Daddy Daugher Valentine's Dance are now available!

See a special video from last year's Daddy Daughter Valentine's Dance at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eb29mUont20


Be sure to get your tickets before they sell out! There are only a specific number of tickets that can be sold and last year they sold out weeks before the event. Don't miss this opportunity to spend quality time with your daughter. These are the moments that she will cherish forever, at a special dinner and dance with her very special escort, her Dad!

The Real Dads Daddy Daughter Valentine's Dance will take place on Saturday, February 13, 2010, 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM, at Landmark on the Park, 160 Central Park West in Manhattan.

Tickets are $110 for a dad and daughter and $155 for a dad and 2 daughters. Tickets may be purchased at the web site, www.RealDadsNetwork.com. Tickets will not be sold at the door! Order early before they are sold out. Make this a Valentine's weekend to remember!

Special surprise guests and giveaways for those attending. Father-figures are encouraged to attend with that special young woman in your life.

Suggested age range for daughters is 4 through 14.

For more information you may call 212-875-7725.

(Old) Newsflash: Kids Find Control-Freak Parents "Intrusive"

It's commonly known that the more parents try to control their kids, the less likely their kids will be to listen. And a new study conducted at Orebro University in Sweden reinforces this notion. Researchers found that adolescents viewed both behavioral control (which relates to self-regulation and rule setting) and psychological control (which is considered more manipulative) negatively when parents went overboard. However, adolescents viewed psychological control more negatively than behavioral control when parents kept their oversight at moderate levels.

Read more online at:  http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-11/sfri-ysa110609.php

Here's to An Alcohol-Free Pregnancy!

There is no known safe amount of alcohol to drink while pregnant. There is also no safe time during pregnancy to drink and no safe kind of alcohol. CDC urges pregnant women not to drink alcohol any time during pregnancy.

For more on this topic, visit:  http://www.cdc.gov/Features/AlcoholFree/

Emergency Preparedness for Families and Children

Disaster Preparedness

View more presentations from Michelle Gross.

Find more information online at: http://www.disability.gov/emergency_preparedness/personal_preparedness/home

Website: Early Intervention for Young Children with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, and Other Disabilies

This website provides guidelines for early intervention to maximize the language and communication development of young children with special needs including:

• Infants
• Toddlers
• Preschoolers

The website provides guidelines for early intervention specifically designed for children with complex communication needs, including children with:

• Autism spectrum disorders
• Cerebral palsy
• Down syndrome
• Multiple disabilities

The website provides:

• Step-by-step guidelines for early intervention to build language and communication skills
• Photographs and videotaped examples of intervention with young children with special needs

Find the website online at:  http://aackids.psu.edu/index.php/page/show/id/1