Extension
It Starts With Us
Family and Individual Well-Being Across the Lifespan
Promoting Healthy and Nurturing Families
Tarry, Schalk
Child Development Programs
Aging-General
Family Development General
Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
Children need a disciplined, caring home that will foster their overall physical, social, and emotional development. Family morals and values need to show the positive aspects of making healthy choices, showing respect, and cooperating. Communication, positive recognition, non-violent punishment, and empowerment build positive self-worth in children. Empathy is the key to being a nurturing parent. Parents who take the time to nurture themselves are more capable of nurturing their children.
Children who live in poverty are more likely to have learning disabilities and developmental delays. 29% of Barren County children are living in poverty compared to 25% statewide (County Health Rankings and Roadmap, 2017). Furthermore, children who start kindergarten with delayed development, and fewer assets are by far more likely to repeat grades, get tracked into lower-tier classes, and drop out of high school than more advantaged children. More than half of Kentucky’s 56 judicial circuits have some form of mandated co-parenting education; more such education is needed.
Healthy dynamics in couples and parenting relationships result in family stability and benefit the well-being of adults and children. Co-habiting, same-sex, divorced, widowed and single households are the new majority. Children who live absent from their biological fathers are two to three times more likely to be poor, to experience educational, health, emotional and behavioral problems than their peers who live with their married, biological (or adoptive) parents. The 2016 Early Childhood Profile indicates that 428 Barren County youth 0-17 yrs. are being raised by grandparents.
The recent statewide needs assessment identified substance use prevention and recovery as the most urgent priority for Cooperative Extension. Moreover, substance use was the focal point of the CES Advisory Council Meeting in early 2019. Taken together, youth KIP survey data and data from the CES needs assessment, demonstrate the need to address substance use prevention, recovery, stigma, and impact on families and communities
Barren County families will:
- care for the physical and mental health and well-being of each individual over the long term
- build personal strengths and self-control, empathy, interpersonal communication, life skills including wise decision-making
- improve the quality of their life resulting in a stronger family
- foster the optimal development of children and youth
- practice parental leadership skills
- report stronger family relationships with future generations while preserving traditional life and heritage skills
- embrace people from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds
- Increase the number of children who are “kindergarten ready” in the state of Kentucky
- Improve academic success for children in Kentucky
- Increase caregiving knowledge and quality relationships
- improve the quality of life for Christian County’s aging families
- Access community resources when needed
Barren County families will:
- set and use family rules, routines, and limited screen time
- practice skills to strengthen and sustain relationships
- report engagement in community outreach activities
- report increased service of healthy snacks and meals at home
- practice building empathy and stronger relationships with family members/children/grandchildren by teaching/working together, life and heritage skills
- access community resources when needed
- become volunteers to make their community a better place to live for everyone
- increase opportunities and access to more preschool learning activities outside of the home
- increase the number of children who are “kindergarten ready” in Barren County
- Increase child and parent social-emotional skills such as heightened self-awareness, responsible decision making, and self-management
- change in behavior related to healthy aging, independent aging and quality aging
- change behavior to decrease the risk of falling.
- increase communication and enhance relationships and social support
- enhance brain activity
- improve mental health
- increase skills to interact/work with older adults
Barren County families will:
- commit to set family rules regarding eating together, limiting screen time, active play and exercise, and setting routines
- identify and list developmentally appropriate playthings
- Kentuckians understand the importance of developmentally appropriate play to their child’s academic success
- increase their children's ability to express appropriate emotion
- improve their children’s gross motor skills
- improve their children’s early literacy skills including phonological awareness, print awareness, and vocabulary
- increase awareness of indicators of high-risk adolescent behaviors
- identify key points of adolescent development Establish realistic expectations for teen behavior, and explore changing relationships within families
- identify and intend to contact community agencies for assistance
- identify the importance of spending time together as a family to teaching life skills/heritage skills
- define empathy and model nurturing behaviors to self and others.
- Change in awareness, knowledge, and aspirations related to healthy aging, independent aging, and quality aging.:
• Risk of falling
• Healthy lifespan behaviors
• Life story and legacy
• Ageism
• Empathy
• Death, dying, loss, and bereavement.
• Financial Planning
• Age-related family issues (e.g. dementia, power of attorney, living wills, failing health, end-of-life)Additional initial outcomes including the; Number of community partners that have gained awareness of the problem and impacts of substance use in the community as a result of Extension efforts; Number of program participants that improved their understanding of substance use by attending “Addiction 101”; and Number of program participants who intend to change behavior to use destigmatized language.
Outcome: Barren county families, parents, and caregivers will commit to understanding the importance of parent leadership skills including setting rules, understanding child development, and realistic child expectations.
Indicator: Commits to understanding child development, realistic expectations, and setting family rules regarding eating together, limiting screen time, active play, and exercise. Establishes family routines and Improved quality of Personal Relationships/Communication.
Method: Pre-post survey results from related programming; also group discussion, evaluations, and self-report.
Timeline: After the implementation of programs throughout the year.
Outcome: Barren County families, parents, and, caregivers will gain increased knowledge of effective parenting skills.
Indicator: Increased knowledge of effective parenting skills via parenting classes and other education opportunities.
Method: Pre-post survey results of parent/caregiver participants.
Timeline: After the implementation of programs throughout the year.
Initial Outcome: Barren County public and communities will develop an awareness of the aging process and strategies for independent and quality aging.
Indicator: Increased knowledge of strategies for healthy aging.
Method: Follow up surveys, observation, self-report, and group discussions.
Timeline: After the implementation of programs throughout the year.
Outcome: Barren County families will gain an understanding of substance abuse and increased knowledge and awareness of the problem and impact of substance use on the community.
Indicator: Increased knowledge and awareness of the risks and consequences related to drugs and substance abuse in community members, families, and teens.
Method: Pre-post survey results of parent/caregiver participants, self-report, observation.
Timeline: After the implementation of programs throughout the year.
Outcome: Barren County families, parents, and caregivers will report setting family rules and routines; they will also report practicing skills to strengthen and sustain healthy relationships.
Indicator: An increase in the number of people who report setting family rules, routines, and limit screen time. Also an increase in parents' ability to identify realistic expectations for their children.
Method: Follow up surveys, observation, self-report, and group discussions.
Timeline: After the implementation of programs throughout the year.
Outcome: An increased number of Barren County preschoolers will demonstrate kindergarten readiness; preschoolers will demonstrate cognitive, language, motor, self-help, and social-emotional/behavior readiness.
Indicator: An increase in the number of preschoolers who are kindergarten-ready.
Method: Data review, Follow up surveys, observation, self-report, and group discussions.
Timeline: After the implementation of programs and completion of data profiles.
Outcome: Barren County community members, including parents and caregivers, are engaged in building capacity to nurture families.
Indicator: An increase in the number of parents and/or caregivers who practice one or more parental leadership skills such as parental empathy, proper ways of establishing family rules, and concrete support for their child to develop a sense of positive self-worth.
Method: Follow up surveys, observation, data collection.
Timeline: At the conclusion of analysis using a longitudinal method comparing indicators from those participating in programs and control groups not participating.
Audience: Parents/Guardians and Kinship Caregivers
Project or Activity: Adult/Families Projects/Curricula
Content or Curriculum: Nurturing Families, Alzheimer's Awareness, Parenting a Second Time Around, Life Story/Memory Banking, Traditions, AARP Prepare to Care
Inputs: FCS Agent, UK Specialists, Parents and Guardians, Caretakers, Families, Family Resource Service Coordinators, Dependency Case Managers
Date: Ongoing
Audience: Youth, Families, Educators
Project or Activity: Youth Projects/Curricula
Content or Curriculum: Stories, Songs, and Stretches
Inputs: FCS Agent, Parents/Guardians, Educators/Teachers, Families, Family Resource Service Coordinators
Date: Ongoing
Audience: Barren County Youth
Project or Activity: Truth and Consequences
Content or Curriculum: T&C: The Choice is Yours
Inputs: FCS Agent, 4-H Assistant, CES Staff, Local School Systems, Area Youth, Community Partners
Date: During the school year
Audience: Individuals and Families Impacted by Addiction
Project or Activity: Addiction Training and Education
Content or Curriculum: Addiction 101
Inputs: UK Specialists, FCS Agent, Impacted Barren Countians, Interested Local Professionals
Date: Ongoing
Audience: Recovery Centers/Jails
Project or Activity: Life skills including Financial Education
Content or Curriculum: Recovering Your Finances; Positive Employability
Inputs: FCS Agent, Coordination with community stakeholders, Participants, Families
Date: Throughout the year
