This booklet contains ideas for parents to encourage their children to be physically active. Twenty-one activities--incorporating such skills as jumping, balancing, and stretching--are described and illustrated, and variations are provided to accommodate children's different abilities. A "Physical Activity Pyramid" shows how to fit activity into…

This manual provides information that can help parents resolve conflict and provides information required to conduct Family Problem Solving Training sessions. The guide, which introduces conflict mediation skills to parents, is divided into four 1.5 hour sessions. The sessions are (1) "Introduction to Conflict Mediation, How to Use…

In April 2002, a special task force of the National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse issued a report, A Call to Action; Changing the Culture of Drinking at U.S. Colleges. The report was the culmination of a 3-year, extensive analysis of research literature about alcohol use on college campuses, including: (1) the scope of the college drinking…

Scientists believe that the stimulation that infants and young children receive determines which synapses form in the brain. This book presents 125 games for infants from birth to 12 months and is designed to nurture brain development. The book is organized chronologically in 3-month increments. Each game description includes information from…

Whether people really have more or less free time than they did 20 years ago, it is undeniable that many families feel harried. There are many benefits to organized activities for children and adolescents, but parents must be careful not to overload a child's schedule. Every family is different, and it is up to the parents to decide what is…

It is easy for parents to feel that they have lost their influence over their children once children reach adolescence. Several organizations with different focuses but with the same goal of helping parents raise their teenagers banded together to develop this publication. Their message is that parents can do many things to foster their children's…

Noting that parents and caregivers are vital to the healthy development and growth of children, this pamphlet discusses ways parents and caregivers can help children learn more about themselves and their environment in order to prevent violence. The pamphlet reminds parents to make time to listen to their children and take time to talk with them.…

Parents of highly gifted children are encouraged to use resources found in the work of Leta Hollingworth (1886-1939) as they cope with child-rearing challenges in the areas of emotional needs, discipline, and problems associated with school such as avoiding negative attitudes toward authority. (DB)

Adult play develops curiosity and self-determination, builds knowledge of self and social relationships, builds self-esteem and a sense of personal power, develops powers of concentration, provides foundations for success and competence, and helps one value differences. (AC)

Checklist to help parents determine whether self-care is appropriate for their children asks whether the child feels secure alone, completes chores, obeys rules, communicates well, lives in a safe area, has a nearby emergency contact, and can telephone a parent. Recommends that parents and children discuss self-care and alternatives. (SM)

Parents can share love and values with their children through story telling. Because parents know their children intimately, they can create stories that impact their children's developing minds most effectively. The article describes how to create a classic tale in less than 10 minutes. (SM)

Parents can encourage their children to communicate openly about difficult subjects if they learn to make themselves approachable and help their children turn their toughest feelings into words. The article identifies types of issues often kept hidden, then explains how to build skills and create an open environment. (SM)

Suggestions to help parents keep their children safe from injury include learn first aid; child-proof the home; use carseats and safety belts; lock up medications, toxic materials, sharp instruments, and guns; block off stairways; install smoke alarms; insist on bike helmets; and put safety plugs in electric sockets. (SM)

The accumulation of small stresses influences a child's mental and physical health. This article provides guidelines that parents and other adults may use in teaching children how to cope effectively with stress. (IAH)

Parents are advised on ways to cope with the peer pressure associated with clothes. Techniques focus on countering and preventing peer pressure or, at least, putting it into healthier perspective. A list of retorts children can make to peer critics is included. (IAH)