Family and Consumer Sciences

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Ohio State University Extension

Patrice Powers-Barker

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Making Every Day Sweet

While there might be an expectation of cards, gifts, or candy to be shared by romantic couples on Sweetest Day (third Saturday in October), this tiny bit of history reminds us to make it a celebration of kindness, time, and love. In the early 1920s, Herbert Birch Kingston worked at a candy company in Cleveland, […]

WRITTEN BY: Patrice Powers-Barker, OSU Extension, Lucas County, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator

REVIEWED BY: Caitlin Mathews-Smith, OSU Extension, Guernsey County, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • Pixabay

SOURCES:

  • Davoodvandi, M. Navabi Nejad, S. Farzad, V. (2018). Examining the Effectiveness of Gottman Couple Therapy on Improving Marital Adjustment and Couples' Intimacy. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry. 2018 Apr;13(2):135-141. PMID: 29997659; PMCID: PMC6037577.
  • Dollard, C., (2024). Invest in Your Relationship: The Emotional Bank Account, The Gottman Institute. https://www.gottman.com/blog/invest-relationship-emotional-bank-account/
  • How Sweet It Is: The History of Sweetest Day, Ohio Memory, A Collaborative Program of the Ohio History Connection and the State Library of Ohio https://ohiomemory.ohiohistory.org/archives/5519
  • PAX Tools - Emotional Deposits, PAXIS Institute, https://youtu.be/I80VhmAT2fU
  • PAX Tools - Kudos Notes, PAXIS Institute, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE2iCC_xyVQ
  • PAX Tools, PAXIS Institute, https://www.paxis.org/community-based-programming/
  • Poulsen, S. (n.d.), Purdue Extension, A Fine Balance: The Magic Ratio to a Healthy Relationship. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/cfs/cfs-744-w.pdf
  • Stanley, S., Kline Rhoades, G., Markman, H. (2006). Sliding Versus Deciding: Inertia and the Premarital Cohabitation Effect. Family Relations. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3729.2006.00418.x
  • Sweetest Day, Hallmark, https://corporate.hallmark.com/holidays-occasions/sweetest-day/

Here Comes the Sun, Sun Meals, and Sun Bucks!

School’s out and it’s time for Sun Meals, formerly known as the Summer Food Service Program. “Summer should be an exciting time for children to enjoy time with friends, engage in sports, or spend time at a pool. But for children who receive free and reduced-price meals at school, summer can mean hunger. Just like […]

WRITTEN BY: Patrice Powers-Barker, OSU Extension, Lucas County, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator

REVIEWED BY: Suzanne Saggese, Program Specialist, Community Nutrition, OSU Extension, Lucas County

SOURCES:

  • Ohio, Department of Education and Workforce, https://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Student-Supports/Food-and-Nutrition/Summer-Food-Service-Program
  • Ohio, Department of Jobs and Family Services, https://jfs.ohio.gov/about/local-agencies-directory
  • USDA, Food and Nutrition Service, https://www.fns.usda.gov/summer/sunmeals

Top Ten Tips for Practicing Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a wellness tool. Mindfulness supports a healthy life just like brushing and flossing teeth, getting a good night’s sleep, staying hydrated, and adding physical movement to the day. Mindfulness practice is considered safe for healthy individuals but is not recommended to use in place of health care. As mindfulness practice can offer complementary […]

WRITTEN BY: Patrice Powers-Barker, OSU Extension, Lucas County, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator

REVIEWED BY: Misty Harmon, OSU Extension, Perry County, Family and Consumer Sciences

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • pixabay

SOURCES:

  • Cahn, B., & Polich, J. (2006). Meditation states and traits: EEG, ERP and neuro-imaging studies. Psychological Bulletin. 132:180-211.
  • Cavanagh, K., Strauss, C., Forder, L., and Jones, F. (2014). Can mindfulness and acceptance be learnt by self-help? A systemic review and meta-analysis of mindfulness and acceptance-based self-help interventions. Clinical Psychology Review, 34, 118-129.
  • Mindful Breathing: Robert P. Benzo. (1998-2024). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayo.edu/research/labs/mindful-breathing/audio-files
  • Mindfulness Exercises, (2024). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/mindfulness-exercises/art-20046356
  • OSU handout - https://bpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/u.osu.edu/dist/b/7275/files/2020/08/Mindfulness-Ideas-and-Activities.pdf
  • Powers-Barker, P., Carter, S., and Worthington, T. (2019). Mindful Wellness. OSU Extension Publications. https://extensionpubs.osu.edu/mindful-wellness/
  • Powers-Barker, (2015). Introduction to Mindfulness, HYG-5243 Factsheet, Ohioline, Ohio State University Extension, https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-5243
  • Powers-Barker, (2015). Spilt Milk – To Cry or not to Cry. Ohio State University Extension. Family and Consumer Sciences Live Smart Ohio. https://livesmartohio.osu.edu/mind-and-body/powers-barker-1osu-edu/spilt-milk-to-cry-or-not-to-cry/
  • Sparks, D. (2019). Mayo Mindfulness: Meditation is Good Medicine. Mayo Clinic. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-mindfulness-meditation-is-good-medicine/

Winter Sowing

Have you ever wanted to garden during the winter? Winter Sowing is an easy and resourceful way to grow seedlings! You only need a few supplies and a small space outdoors. Supplies: Clear container(s) – reused plastic containers such as milk or water jugs (without lids), to-go containers from restaurants, or even deep aluminum pans […]

WRITTEN BY: Danae Losey, AmeriCorps Member, Extension Public Health AmeriCorps, OSU Extension, Lucas County and Patrice Powers-Barker, Family and Consumer Sciences

REVIEWED BY: Amy Stone, OSU Extension Lucas County, Agriculture and Natural Resources

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • Danae Losey
  • Patrice Powers-Barker

SOURCES:

  • Hernandez, Lori. (2023). Winter Sowing. Three Acre Farm. https://www.threeacrefarm.net/blog/2019/1/21/winter-sowing
  • Maupin, Kelly. (2022). Jump Start Your 2023 Garden with Winter Sowing. Washington State University, Skagit County Extension Master Gardener Program. https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/2073/2023/02/Winter-Sowing-Jump-Start-1.pdf
  • Moore, Molly, and Smith, Marlene. All the Dirt on Winter Sowing. University of Maryland Extension, Charles County Master Gardener. https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/2021-12/All%20the%20Dirt%20on%20Winter%20Sowing%20Power%20Point.pdf
  • Native Seeds of Fortitude: Winter Seed Sowing. Cornell Cooperative Extension. Putnam County. https://cceputnamcounty.org/resources/native-seeds-of-fortitude-winter-seed-sowing
  • Ohio Victory Gardens https://u.osu.edu/ohiovictorygardens/sowing-the-seeds/
  • Voll-Wallace, Lori. (2021). Starting Seeds in Winter. Penn State Extension, Master Gardener. https://extension.psu.edu/starting-seeds-in-winter
  • Winter Seed Sowing. (2019). University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences. Illinois Extension. https://extension.illinois.edu/news-releases/winter-seed-sowing
  • Winter sowing method. NAL Agricultural Thesaurus. U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://agclass.nal.usda.gov/vocabularies/nalt/concept?uri=https://lod.nal.usda.gov/nalt/69779
  • Winter sowing, to fend off the winter blues! Ohio State University Extension. https://u.osu.edu/ohiovictorygardens/2024/01/09/winter-sowing-to-fend-off-the-winter-blues/

Unite, Serve, and Transform on MLK Day to Create the Beloved Community

The Martin Luther King, Jr., Day of Service encourages Americans to volunteer to honor Dr. King’s legacy. Through service and volunteerism, we all have the power to bring people together, help others stand together against hate, build bridges, heal divides, and create the Beloved Community of Dr. King’s dreams. August 2023 marked the 60th anniversary […]

WRITTEN BY: Danae Losey, AmeriCorps Member, Extension Public Health AmeriCorps, OSU Extension, Lucas County

REVIEWED BY: Patrice Powers-Barker, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, OSU Extension, Lucas County

SOURCES:

  • “I Have A Dream” Speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, August 28, 1963, https://www.marshall.edu/onemarshallu/i-have-a-dream/ Extension Public Health AmeriCorps, Ohio State University, https://fcs.osu.edu/programs/extension-public-health-americorps
  • Martin Luther King, Jr., National Day of Service, AmeriCorps, https://www.americorps.gov/serve/volunteer/mlk-day and https://socialpresskit.com/daysofservice
  • Nicol, B., Wilson, R., Rodrigues, A., Haighton, C., (2023). Exploring the Effects of Volunteering on the Social, Mental, and Physical Health and Well-being of Volunteers: An Umbrella Review. Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations. doi10.1007/s11266-023-00573-z
  • ServeOhio, Ohio Commission on Service and Volunteerism, https://serve.ohio.gov/ and Get Connected https://serveohio.galaxydigital.com/ and https://serve.ohio.gov/home/news-and-events/all-news/mlkday24
  • The King Center, https://thekingcenter.org/

Winter Slump to Winter Wake Up

Winter Wake Up steps As human beings, we all experience emotions such as sadness or grief. There are days when we feel down and other days when we feel on top of the world. It is important to note that there are differences between feeling the emotions of sadness or grief and experiencing the Winter […]

WRITTEN BY: Patrice Powers-Barker, OSU Extension, Lucas County, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator

REVIEWED BY: Misty Harmon, OSU Extension, Perry County, Family and Consumer Sciences

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • Pixabay

SOURCES:

  • Beat the Winter Blues: Shedding Light on Seasonal Sadness (2013). NIH News in Health. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2013/01/beat-winter-blues
  • Carter, S. (2014). Beating the Winter Blues. Ohio State University Extension, Live Healthy Live Well. https://livehealthyosu.com/2014/02/19/beating-the-winter-blues/
  • Harmon, M. (2021). It’s Fall Y’all and the Struggle is Real. Ohio State University Extension, Live Healthy Live Well. https://livehealthyosu.com/2021/09/28/its-fall-yall-and-the-struggle-is-real/
  • Melrose S. (2015). Seasonal Affective Disorder: An Overview of Assessment and Treatment Approaches. Depression research and treatment, 2015, 178564. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/178564
  • Seasonal Affective Disorder. (2017) Family Doctor. https://familydoctor.org/condition/seasonal-affective-disorder/
  • Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and Winter Blues. Penn State Behrend. (2023). https://behrend.psu.edu/student-life/student-services/personal-counseling/student-resources/seasonal-affective-disorder
  • Seasonal affective disorder: More than the winter blues. (2023). American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/depression/seasonal-affective-disorder
  • Seasonal Affective Disorder Treatment: Choosing a Light Therapy Box. Mayo Clinic. (2023). https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/in-depth/seasonal-affective-disorder-treatment/art-20048298

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