Family and Consumer Sciences

Live Smart Ohio

Ohio State University Extension

Social Media Mania or Madness?

With summer here and most schools out of session, many youth are left to fend for themselves during the day while their parents or caregivers are at work. My husband calls it “the summer of sloth” at our house, because our kids sit around and play on their phones and computers or watch television for […]

WRITTEN BY: Misty Harmon, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Perry County, harmon.416@osu.edu

REVIEWED BY: Joseph Maiorano, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Harrison County, maiorano.2@osu.edu

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • https://pixabay.com/photos/snapchat-social-media-smartphone-2480959/
  • https://pixabay.com/photos/texting-mobile-phones-hands-two-1490691/

SOURCES:

  • American Academy of Pediatrics, (2018). Children and Media Tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Found at: https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/news-features-and-safety-tips/Pages/Children-and-Media-Tips.aspx
  • Anderson, M. (2018). A Majority of Teens Have Experienced Some Form of Cyberbullying. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from: https://www.pewinternet.org/2018/09/27/a-majority-of-teens-have-experienced-some-form-of-cyberbullying/
  • Digital Responsibility, (2019). Health and Technology. Found at: http://www.digitalresponsibility.org/health-and-technology
  • Hurley, K. (2019). Digital Self-Harm: Why Are Teens Cyber Bullying Themselves? Remedy Health Media, LLC. Found at: https://www.psycom.net/digital-self-harm
  • Jiang, J. (2018). How Teens and Parents Navigate Screen Time and Device Distractions. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from: https://www.pewinternet.org/2018/08/22/how-teens-and-parents-navigate-screen-time-and-device-distractions/
  • Lobb, J. (2016). Time for a Technology Break? Live Healthy Live Well Blog. Retrieved from: https://livehealthyosu.com/tag/digital-detoxing/
  • Mir, E. and Novas, C. (2019). Social Media and Adolescents’ and Young Adults’ Mental Health. National Center for Health Research. Found at: http://www.center4research.org/social-media-affects-mental-health/
  • Shafer, L., (2017). Social Media and Teen Anxiety. Harvard Graduate School of Education. Retrieved from: https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/17/12/social-media-and-teen-anxiety
  • U.S. National Library of Medicine. (2018) Health Risks of an Inactive Lifestyle. MedlinePlus. Found at: https://medlineplus.gov/healthrisksofaninactivelifestyle.html

From Work-Family Balance to Work-Family Justice

Hi, my name is Jenny and I’m a working mother. This is a new title for me. I have been an Extension Educator since 2016, but I did not become a mother until earlier this year. While on maternity leave, I read the newly published book Making Motherhood Work: How Women Manage Careers and Caregiving […]

WRITTEN BY: Jenny Lobb, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Franklin County

REVIEWED BY: Whitney Gherman, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Marion County

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • Baby Bella photography

SOURCES:

  • Collins, C. (2019). Making Motherhood Work: How Women Manage Careers and Caregiving. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
  • Ennis, L.R. (2014). Intensive Mothering: The Cultural Contradictions of Modern Motherhood. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1rrd8rb.

Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, It’s Off to School They Go

It seems like just yesterday that I was sending my kids off to their first day of preschool. Fast forward to now, I have a college senior, a college freshman, and a high school freshman. Where did all those years go? How are my little kids young adults or teens now? How can I be […]

WRITTEN BY: Misty Harmon, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Perry County, harmon.417@osu.edu

REVIEWED BY: Lorrissa Dunfee, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Belmont County, dunfee.54@osu.edu

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • https://pixabay.com/en/classroom-school-education-learning-2093744/
  • https://pixabay.com/en/school-education-learning-converse-909381/

SOURCES:

  • National Center for Education Statistics (2018). Fast Facts: Back to School Statistics. Retrieved at: https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=372
  • Harmon, M. (2018). Mindful Parenting: Enjoy Every Moment. Live Smart Ohio. Available at http://livesmartohio.osu.edu/mind-and-body/harmon-416osu-edu/mindful-parenting-enjoy-every-moment/
  • Great Schools Staff (2018). 11 tips for adjusting to a new school. Retrieved at: https://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/adjusting-to-new-school/
  • Coburn, K. (2018). Letting go: tips for parents of new college students. Found at: https://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/letting-go-new-college-students/
  • Garey, J. (2018). Preparing for College Emotionally, Not Just Academically. Available at: https://childmind.org/article/preparing-for-college-emotionally-not-just-academically/

For the Sex Talk, “Er…Uhm…Well,” Might Not be the Best Reply

Studies suggest that children whose parents provide them with education about sex are less likely to participate in risky and irresponsible sexual behavior. In addition talking with children about sex may help protect children from sexual abuse, early sexual activity, and teen pregnancy.(Parent Toolkit; McCoy, 2017). So, if you have been avoiding that important topic, […]

WRITTEN BY: Joseph Maiorano, PHD, Family and Consumer Sciences, Harrison County Ohio, maiorano.2@osu.edu

REVIEWED BY: Misty Harmon, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Perry County, harmon.416@osu.edu

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • https://pixabay.com/en/silhouette-father-and-son-sundown-1082129/

REFERENCES:

  • Parent Toolkit: Talk about Sex: A guide to help parents communicate with their children on sexuality issues. Ministry of Education-Singapore. Downloaded on November 30, 2017 from https://www.moe.gov.sg/docs/default-source/document/education/programmes/social-emotional-learning/sexuality-education/files/parent-booklet.pdf
  • McCoy, J. 2017. Sex: The dreaded talk. Parenting Again. University of Illinois Extension. Downloaded on December 1, 2017 from http://extension.illinois.edu/grandparents/article.cfm?ID=5141&IssueID=5215

Embrace Conflict

I hope your parents told you that one of the toughest challenges you might face is maintaining a long-term relationship. With that information you might better realize that the pathway of a relationship may have well-paved sections, but it may be littered with potholes and obstacles, as well. I borrow and adapt a portion of […]

WRITTEN BY: Joseph Maiorano, PHD, Family and Consumer Sciences, Harrison County Ohio, maiorano.2@osu.edu

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

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • https://pixabay.com/en/landscape-scenic-mountains-outdoors-2082827/

SOURCES:

  • The American Heritage Dictionary. Found at: https://ahdictionary.com/
  • Conflict Definition: Found at: https://ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=conflict
  • BFF definition. Found at: https://ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=BFF
  • The Gottman Institute. Https://www.gottman.com/

REFERENCES:

  • Dickens, C. (1867). A Tale of two cities, and Great expectations. Ticknor and Fields
  • Lisitsa, E. (2012). Manage conflict: The six skills. Found at: https://www.gottman.com/blog/manage-conflict-the-six-skills/#

Daily Routines for Children

Routines offer a sense of security to children. Having predictability at certain points in each day gives them comfort and makes them feel safe. These feelings of safety and security can promote better behavior, increase social and emotional health, and reduce the risk of engaging in harmful activities. Check out the infographic below to read […]

WRITTEN BY: Joanna Fifner, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, fifner.2@osu.edu

REVIEWED BY: Jami Dellifield, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, dellifield.2@osu.edu

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