Family and Consumer Sciences

Live Smart Ohio

Ohio State University Extension

Green is Our Theme

Before leaving for work on week-day mornings, my spouse quietly practices a daily family routine. He kisses our sleeping son on the forehead and says “I love you. Make today a green day.”  In our child’s elementary classroom, colors are used for a daily behavior chart. Green means “ready to learn” and it is the […]

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

REVIEWED BY: Whitney Gherman, MSW, Educator, Marion County

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • Pixabay

REFERENCES:

  • Veritas. (2018). 3 Benefits of Family Routines and Rituals. American College of Pediatricians. https://www.acpeds.org/3-benefits-of-family-routines-and-rituals
  • Lobb, J. (2020) Flattening the Curve. Live Healthy Live Well. Ohio State University Extension, Family and Consumer Sciences. https://livehealthyosu.com/2020/03/16/flattening-the-curve/
  • The Importance of Family Routines. (2007). Caring for Your School-Age Child: Ages 5 to 12. American Academy of Pediatrics. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/family-dynamics/Pages/The-Importance-of-Family-Routines.aspx
  • Managing Stress for a Healthy Family. (2019). American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/managing-stress
  • Holmes, P. (2016). Helping Young Children Through Stressful Times. Ohio State University. https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/flm-fs-8-99-r07
  • How to Grow Peas – Part 1. (2016). Smart Gardening. Michigan State University Extension. https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/how_to_grow_peas

Ditch the Debt in 2020

The holiday decorations have been stowed away, we have sung Auld Lang Syne as we rang in a new year, and now it is time make our 2020 resolution. Rather than picking the same one as in years past, how about trying Debt Dumping? Setting a goal isn’t always easy, it takes commitment and dedication […]

WRITTEN BY: Dr. Roseanne Ellison Scammahorn, Extension Educator, Family & Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Darke County, scammahorn.5@osu.edu

REVIEWED BY: Kellie Lemly, Extension Educator, Family & Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Champaign County, lemly.2@osu.edu

SOURCES:

  • Setting Goals for the New Year (Ohio State University) - https://u.osu.edu/ohwomeninag/tag/smart-goals/
  • Manage You Money (Ohio State University) - https://fcs.osu.edu/programs/major-program-areas/healthy-finances/money-management/manage-your-money
  • Setting Goals for the Agricultural Business (Ohio State University)- https://cpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/u.osu.edu/dist/1/14976/files/2015/11/Goal-Setting-1akh1p7.pdf
  • Healthy, Wealthy, & Wise (Mississippi State University) - http://extension.msstate.edu/sites/default/files/publications/miscellaneous/m1473_0.pdf
  • Budget Apps (Mississippi State University)- https://www.bulldogbudgets.msstate.edu/budget/#budget-app

Seeking the Optimal Zone

Have you assessed your personal “comfort zone” lately? Comfort zones, and our attachment to them, have gotten a bad rap in the press lately. Media headlines scold us to “get out of our comfort zone,” but comfort zones are not necessarily good or bad. This blog post (and additional related ones) will look at how […]

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

REVIEWED BY: Donna Green, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Erie County, green.308@osu.edu

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • bike photo from pixabay

REFERENCES:

  • Seery, M. D., Holman, E. A., & Cohen Silver, R. (2010). Whatever does not kill us; cumulative lifetime adversity, vulnerability, and resilience. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 99,6. 1025-1041.
  • Treber, M. (2015). Are there connections between stress and your heart health? The Ohio State University, Live Smart Ohio Blog. Retrieved from https://livesmartohio.osu.edu/mind-and-body/treber-1osu-edu/are-there-connections-between-stress-and-your-heart-health/
  • Tugend, A. (2011). Tiptoeing out of one’s comfort zone (and of course, back in). New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/12/your-money/12shortcuts.html
  • White, A. (2009). From comfort zone to performance management. Understanding development and performance. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228957278_From_Comfort_Zone_to_Performance_Management

How are you “spending” your tax refund?

I know not everyone is happy about the tax changes for 2018, but most people will benefit, at least a little, from the changes. With the changes to the tax code, some of you may be getting a slightly larger than usual refund for the 2018 year. Whether your refund increases or not, there are […]

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

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

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • https://pixabay.com/en/laptop-online-digital-taxes-flag-2151350/

SOURCES:

  • https://www.debt.org/blog/spend-tax-refund/
  • https://www.consumerreports.org/taxes/smart-ways-to-spend-your-tax-refund/
  • https://cfaes.osu.edu/sites/cfaes_main/files/site-library/site-documents/News/FF_taxrefund.pdf
  • http://www.getrichslowly.org/2012/02/02/how-to-spend-a-tax-refund/
  • http://livesmartohio.osu.edu/money/maiorano-2osu-edu/whats-out-of-your-wallet/

REFERENCES:

  • Pilnick, Katherine. (February 21, 2013). 10 Smart Ways to Spend Your Refund, debt.org
  • Fried, Carla. (April 24, 2017). Smart Ways to Spend Your Tax Refund, consumereports.org
  • Filipic, Martha. (February 2016). Use your tax refund to pay off debt and save, Family Fundamentals
  • Aberle, Lisa. (February 2, 2012). How to Spend a Tax Refund, getrichslowly.org
  • Maiorano, Joseph. (January 12, 2018). What’s Out of Your Wallet?, livesmartohio.osu.edu

No Time for Exercise?

For 22 years I worked as an exercise physiologist, so I heard this time and time again (pun intended). I was always perplexed. How could someone not have time for one of the most important aspects of overall well-being? This probably seems like an obvious conclusion from someone whose job title included the word exercise, […]

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

REVIEWED BY: Tammy Jones, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Pike County, jones.5640@osu.edu

SOURCES:

  • http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2212268
  • https://www.cancer.org/healthy/eat-healthy-get-active/get-active/fitting-infitness.html
  • http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(12)61031-9/fulltext
  • https://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/PhysicalActivity/GettingActive/5-Steps-to-Loving-Exercise-Or-At-Least-Not-Hating-It_UCM_445812_Article.jsp

REFERENCES:

  • American Heart Association, Why Should I Be Physically Active? 2015. (Fact Sheet)
  • American Cancer Society, Fitting in Fitness. 2014. (Website)
  • JAMA Internal Medicine, Effect of Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity on All-Cause Mortality in Middle-aged and Older Australians. 2015. (Journal Article)
  • American Journal of Epidemiology, Too Much Sitting, Too Little Exercise May Accelerate Biological Aging. 2017. (Journal Article)
  • JAMA Internal Medicine, Using Physical Activity to Gain the Most Public Health Bang for the Buck. June 2015. (Journal Article)
  • The Lancet, Effect of physical activity on major non=communicable diseases worldwide: an analysis of burden of disease and life expectancy. July 2012. (Journal Article)

New Year’s Resolutions for Teens

It is the season for New Year’s resolutions and this year you might want to consider getting your teen involved! Research shows that the development of positive future orientation through goal setting among teens is linked to improved school performance, motivation, self-confidence, self-esteem, and decreased risk of engagement in harmful behaviors (Forneries, Danish, & Scott, […]

WRITTEN BY: Jamari White, MSW, LSW, Healthy Relationships Program Specialist

REVIEWED BY: Carmen Irving, M.A., CLFE, CYC-P, Extension Educator

SOURCES:

  • https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/news-features-and-safety-tips/Pages/Healthy-New-Year-Resolutions-for-Kids.aspxs:
  • http://kidshealth.org/teen/homework/goals/goals_tips.html
  • http://livesmartohio.osu.edu/family-and-relationships/laplant-8osu-edu/creating-a-winning-family-team/

REFERENCES:

  • Forneries, T., Danish, S., & Scott, D. (2007). Setting goals, solving problems, and seeking social support: Developing adolescents’ abilities through a life skills program. Adolescence, 42, 103-14.

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