Comments from participants in parenting class:  "I learned that I really know a lot of things I didn't realize and it is really applying ideas together and planning a stragety for certain situations that is important."

"I liked that it felt comfortable enough to be able to open up and talk with other people."

"I liked examples in the class. Other people who experience more than me makes me understand more."

4/3-5/15 parenting class - NH State Prison for Women

When asked what they enjoyed most about the class:

"In-class discussions and hearing the experiences of other moms and instructors."

"Seeing what I can do to have a better communication skill with my daughters."

When asked what idea they will try to use:

"learning to cool down before acting."

"To know how I might react. To wait, if I am angry."

"Setting age-appropriate boundaries and sticking to it."

"tips on commuicating with teens."

Parenting Under Difficult Circumstances

May-June 2007

When asked What I enjoyed most during the class

"I was able to see the things I am doing wrong with my son and finding positive ways of correcting my mistakes."

"Learning different techniques I can use with the kids and being able to discuss situations."

"Knowing that I'm going to be a better dad."

One idea I will try to use

"Using the kid hat to understand her feelings."

"Family meeting times; positive teaching; use discipline instead of punishment; change my attitude on situations"

"Listening more"

Parenting class in the NH State Prison for Women

One idea I'll try to use is...

"communicate better"

"writing more letters to my children. Let them know I love them and that they are the world to me."

2007 Annual Impact Report

Claudia Boozer-Blasco

Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Resources

            Between October 2006 and September 2007, I completed the first year of the five-year 2007 – 2011 Plan of Work.  This year my program emphasis was in the areas of Food Safety, Nutrition, Healthy Lifestyles, Parenting, Child Care training, and Strengthening NH Communities. The overall condition outcomes that my efforts were addressing were the following:

• Reduce the incidence of foodborne illness in New Hampshire.
• Reduce the incidence of risk factors for chronic disease and other lifestyle-related health problems.
• UNHCE staff members will adopt healthy behaviors and lifestyles that reduce obesity, stress and risky behaviors.
• Parents will demonstrate healthy interpersonal relationships and provide appropriate nurturance and guidance to their children.
• Child care providers will provide high quality child care.
• New Hampshire communities will be sustained socially, emotionally, and environmentally.

            Co-County Office Administrator:  The aspects of the county administrator duties that I assumed included responsibilities for overall communication and personnel management among county staff. I facilitated monthly staff meetings and quarterly support staff meetings, attended and reported on Extension Management Team meetings, and coordinated the County Web-site Committee. The Rockingham County section of the UNH Cooperative Extension web site has been significantly improved as a result of the committee’s efforts.  I also attended the Supervision at UNH training and facilitated the performance evaluation process for county support staff. 

            Interdisciplinary efforts: In addition to working within my discipline, my interdisciplinary efforts continued to include the Family, Home and Garden Education Center, Seacoast Youth Leadership Project, Epping Community Profile, the Healthy Lifestyles Interdisciplinary Team, and Family Life Education Work Team. Other interagency efforts included networking with the Timberlane Coalition, Community Resource Network, NH Circle of Home and Family, Seacoast Infant and Toddler Mental Health Team, and the Southern NH Human Services Council.

            Marketing efforts: I coordinated or participated in numerous marketing efforts to promote projects offered in the area of Family and Consumer Resources in the county or statewide.  I continued to provide coordination for our statewide Positive Parenting segments on WMUR-TV and contributed a feature article on “News Headlines can hit Close to Home for Kids” for the Parenting NH magazine. I provided a guest interview for WTPL FM radio and an exhibit on Food Safety at the Senior Health Fair in Derry, NH.  I coordinated the updating of the Rockingham County portion of the Extension web-site.

FOOD SAFETY

Condition Outcome: Reduce the incidence of foodborne illness in New Hampshire.

Planned Outputs: 105 participants will attend six food safety workshops.

Outcome indicators:

• 80% of program participants will score 75% or greater on knowledge tests of high risk practices.
• 50% of participants report keeping food at safe temperatures.
• 50% of participants practice personal hygiene such as hand washing.

Output and Outcome Results: A total of 397 food service workers, volunteers, and consumers attended 20 food safety, food preservation, and food security programs. 

            ServSafe^® Trainings:  Along with the Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Resources from Hillsborough County, and in some cases with co-sponsorship with the NH Lodging and Restaurant Association, I conducted portions of six ServSafe^® trainings at the Exeter High School, Nashua Holiday Inn, BJ’s in Hooksett, Three Chimneys in Durham, Nashua School System, and Concord Health Department. In addition, the Health Inspector with the respective towns also presented a small portion of the training.  A total of 109 food managers and handlers participated in these trainings that provide an in-depth food safety and sanitation certification program sponsored by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. As a result, 79% (86 participants) passed the ServSafe^® examination with a score of 75% or greater and are now ServSafe^® Certified.

SAFE (Safety Awareness in the Food Environment): Six SAFE programs were provided for 169 food managers and food handlers at Stratham Memorial School, Lollipop Tree in Portsmouth, Riverwoods in Exeter, Common Man in Windham, Friendly Toast in Portsmouth, and Vintage Grace in Derry. One hundred and sixty-nine (169) evaluations were completed following the comprehensive two-hour workshop, which provides an overview of the causes of foodborne illness and increases understanding of safe personal hygiene and food preparation practices. 76% (128) indicated they keep perishable food out of the temperature danger zone and 64% (108) indicated they use safe recommended methods for cooling a large amount of hot food.  Also, 93% (157) said they wash hands before and after preparing food.

Food Safety Trainings for Family, Home and Garden Education Center: Using the training-team approach, four days of Food Safety training was provided for 50 volunteers at the Family, Home and Garden Education Center. I conducted units covering an overview of food safety and food preservation concepts. These volunteers are responsible for responding to consumer questions on food safety and food preservation, and contact the Family and Consumer Resources staff for consultation if necessary.

On the Home Front: Emerging Food Safety Issues: Two programs were provided for the eight (8) volunteers with the Stratham Fire Department Auxiliary and three (3) consumers attending a health fair sponsored by a Derry church.  Of the eight evaluations completed, 100% indicated they gained food safety knowledge.

Feeling Secure in a Changing World: Along with Deb Maes, I developed this packaged program for members of the Circle of Home and Family.  I presented the program two times to 17 participants, and of the 16 completed evaluations, 94% (15) indicated they gained knowledge which included information on emergency food preparedness.

NUTRITION

Condition Outcome: Reduce incidence of risk factors for chronic disease and other lifestyle-related health problems.

Planned Outputs: Implement NutriNews for Seniors. Provide two-three nutrition programs for 30 adults.

Outcome indicators:

• 85% of participants eat nearer to MyPyramid amounts.
• Individuals will gain awareness and apply skills demonstrating increased knowledge of how to choose food according to the Pyramid and Dietary Guidelines.

Output and Outcome results: Thirty-six (36) seniors subscribed to and received at least Lessons 1 and 2 of the NutriNews Home Study Course for Seniors.  These lessons were “The Facts about Preventing Osteoporosis” and “Eating your Best for Less”. Eleven (11) seniors returned all worksheets and received Lessons 3 and 4, “Make the Food Label work for You” and “Fat, Fiber and Cholesterol”. As a result they received a NutriNews Home Study Course Certificate of Completion. 

HEALTHY LIFESTYLES

Condition outcome: UNHCE staff members adopt healthy behaviors and lifestyles that reduce obesity, stress and risky behaviors.

Planned outputs: Present Healthy Lifestyles in-service and serve as County Contact for Workplace Wellness Study.  Help promote Lighten Up NH and distribute “Simple Ways to Improve your Diet”.

Outcome indicators:

• 50% of Extension staff improve or maintain healthy lifestyles.
• 50% of Extension activities and programs offer healthy food choices and physical activity breaks.
• 25% who receive Simple Ways to Improve your Diet indicate using the information to improved their physical activity and nutrition.

Output and Outcome results:

            Workplace Wellness Study: I served as County Contact for eight video conference presentations and/or lab work for the Workplace Wellness Study. Six professional and support staff participated in the study and evaluation results have not yet been gathered.      

            Healthy Lifestyles Team In-service: About 40 Extension staff attended the in-service training where they were encouraged to offer healthy food choices and take physical activity breaks during their programs.

            Materials distribution: “Simple Ways to Improve your Diet” was not available for distribution and the Lighten Up NH web site was still in the development stage.

PARENTING

Condition Outcome: Parents demonstrate healthy interpersonal relationships and provide appropriate nurturance and guidance to their children.

Planned Outputs: Provide 20 parenting series or one-time programs for 200 parents.  Distribute child development newsletters to 800 families.

Outcome indicators:

• 50% of people who attend the parent education program and complete a pre- and post-survey report they intend to apply their understanding of general developmental milestones and progressions in ways that support their child’s progress – socially, emotionally, physically and intellectually.
• 50% of people who attend the parent education program and complete the pre- and post-survey report they intend to apply their understanding of the positive discipline techniques in ways that support their child’s growth and development.

Output and Outcome results:

            Parenting Programs:  I provided 23 presentations for 121 parents and/or adults.  The following four or five-part series were presented in co-sponsorship with The Sad Café, The Upper Room, and the Seacoast Charter Schools:  Parenting Teens, Supportive Connections for Single Parents and their Children, and Parenting the School-aged Child.  Nine one-time programs on Positive Discipline, Single Parent issues, Family Night, and Child Development Newsletters were provided in cooperation with four Head Start centers, Families First, Seacoast Youth Services, and the Infant and Toddler Mental Health Team. Of the 42 evaluations that were completed following some of these programs, 39 (93%) intend to apply their understanding of general developmental milestones and progressions in ways that support their child’s progress – socially, emotionally, physically, and intellectually and 41 (98%) reported they intend to apply their understanding of positive discipline techniques that support their child’s growth and development.

            Family Lifeskills Program: Eighteen (18) individuals from the Rockingham County Academy Program attended the five-part series and 15 evaluations were completed.  They indicated they increased their knowledge in the following areas: characteristics of strong families (10 or 66%), listening and communication skills (12 or 80%), decision-making steps (9 or 60%), and stress management (9 or 60%).

            Child Development Newsletters: 1,142 families received the child development newsletters, Cradle Crier and Toddler Tales. Out of 262 Cradle Crier evaluations, the following numbers of parents indicated they gained knowledge of child development in the following areas: physical growth - 206 or 79%; emotional growth - 207 or 79%;
intellectual growth - 208 or 79%.  Of the 100 Toddler Tales evaluations, parents indicated they gained knowledge of child development in the following areas:  physical growth - 75 or 75%; language development - 82 or 82%; personality development - 80 or 80%; discipline techniques - 71 or 71%. With assistance of a student intern from the UNH Department of Family Studies, we increased the distribution sites to 17 organizations offering applications to receive the child development newsletters.

            NH Relatives as Parents Project: I assisted in this statewide project by surveying family support agencies in Rockingham County, helped develop the web site Home Page, and promoted and participated in the Community Dialogue and in-service training on Parenting the Second Time Around.

            Media efforts: I coordinated the Positive Parenting segments on WMUR-TV and appeared as a guest on two of them, reaching about 24,000 viewers on the topics of Let’s Get Moving and Parent Involvement in Community Issues.  I was a guest on the WTPL FM radio station on the topic of Cooperative Parenting after Divorce.  I also wrote a feature article for Parenting NH magazine on “News Headlines can hit close to Home for Kids”.

CHILD CARE TRAINING

Condition outcome: Child care providers provide high quality child care.

Outputs planned: Provide three-four Better Kid Care video workshops for 50 child care providers.

Output indicators:

• 50% or program participants report utilizing effective practices that lead to quality child care experiences.

Output and Outcome results: Sixty-four (64) child care providers attended five Better Kid Care video workshops on the following topics: Avoid Problem Behaviors – Teach Self-control, Obese Kids - They are what they Eat, Your #1 Priority – Keeping Children Healthy and Safe, and How to Turn Good Play into Great Play.  The programs were held in cooperation with RCA Child Care Resource and Referral and the Child’s Place, Hampton, NH. Of the 64 evaluations completed, 84% (54) reported utilizing effective practices that lead to quality child care experiences.

STRENGTHENING NH COMMUNITIES

Condition Outcome: NH Communities are sustained socially, emotionally, and environmentally.

Planned output: Serve as County Contact to the Epping Steering Committee who coordinate and promote participation in the Epping Community Profile.

Outcome indicators:

• Six groups in Epping implement decision-making processes as a result of the Epping Community Profile.
• 150 – 200 Epping residents identify and implement projects and activities that reflect their community needs and wants.

Output and Outcome results:

            Epping Community Profile: Over 100 people attended the one-day Speak Up, Epping! and seven Action Groups were identified to work on the following projects:  define town open and green spaces, increase communication tools, create downtown sidewalks, establish downtown revitalization committee, create Epping volunteer system, and inventory town recreational resources. I served as County Contact to the Epping Steering Committee who implemented Speak Up, Epping! and assisted the town curator in the development of a well-received historical presentation.

            Circle of Home and Family: I provided advisory support to the Rockingham County Circle of Home and Family as they implemented their hosting responsibilities for the statewide two-day Annual Meeting that took place at the Ashworth Hotel and Conference Center in Hampton Beach, NH.  The county group also awarded a $500 Williamson-Babb Scholarship to a student in the UNH Department of Family Studies.

1/24-5/2  12 week parenting series "Parenting; Birth through the teen years" offered through Laconia Adult Education

3/8 - 4/11 5 week parenting series offered at Belknap County House of Corrections

3/15-5/10  6 week parenting series "Parenting during difficult circumstances" offered at Gilford Elementary School

In post workshop survey, 91% of participants completing survey indicated their intent to either "most of the time" or "almost always" use positive discipline strategies.

In post workshop survey, 88% of parents indicated an understanding of what to expect from their child at different ages.   

In response to the statement "After completing this program, I will now start...."  participants completing post workshop survey gave the following responses:

~"Practicing and teaching good behavior around my children"

~"Take the time to listen to the problem that both my sons have. I will also start using more meaningful discipline strategies.

~"Be more calm and listen more"

~"Pay more attention to my sons activities"

~Balancing limits, boundaries, and limitations.  I will continue parenting classes."

~"Think, understand, and enforce."

~"Communicating, listening and understanding my child."

~"Try and listen more.  Be more in tune with what my daughters are trying to tell me, even when they go about it in a random way."

~"Listening to my child's needs"

~"setting new limits/consequences"

~"having a better outlook on my children's behavior and influences."

~"I will take time to cool off before I act."

 
Other comments from participants included:

~"I will stop thinking that buying things for my kids all the time is going to make them behave."

~I will stop cutting my daughter off when she is talking to me.  Stop answering before she finishes."

~" I will stop giving up when she won't listen."

~" I will stop using corporal punishment."

~"I will stop giving in, acting without explanation."

~"I have learned a great deal of important information.  Taking this class has taught me different ways of approaching discipline and also how to handle conflict with other family members and their different parenting styles.  "

~"This program has helped me understand my kids on how they behave and understanding how to be a better parent.  This program is the best program I have attended."

~"I got a lot out of this class and realized some of the things I was doing that I shouldn't have been."

~"Thank You.  You have no idea how helpful this class was to me." 

~ 

6 out of 7 participants completing the class and submitting evaluations indicated increased ratings on two measures:

"This program helped me understand what I can expect of my child at different ages."

"I use positive discipline strategies."

"After completing this program I will now continue to talk to the children and try to understand the situations. I will now stop yelling so much."

b. Youth surveys showed gains in all protective factors targeted by the program, including handling stress, improvement in parent child interactions, appreciation of parents, listening to parent’s point of view and awareness of house rules/consequences.

"Parenting Under Difficult Circumstances"- a 5-week series in collaboration with the HUB Family Resource Center

There were 14 participants who completed the series and filled out evaluations.

13 of 14 participants reported that they 'maybe' or 'definitely' have changed their behavior because of this program. Some behavior changes noted:

"Paying more attention to communication and developmental phases of my kids", "Learn how to be around my kid without getting upset", "Rewarding, not Bribing", "More listening, less impulse", "Keeping myself more relaxed and taking time to breathe", "Some ways being more clear to my child", "I am doing things differently with what I set for goals and praising him more" 

13 participants reported learning new information and intending to use that new knowledge in the future with their children.

Additional comments on behavior changes as a result of this series:

"Modeling good behavior", "Helping my children change their behavior", "More positive interaction", "To have more game time with the kids", "I plan in giving him things he can achieve", "I plan on praising him more for the things he does", "I will keep expectations in reason"

 These responses indicate a significant amount of specific knowledge learned that will impact the children of these parents in a positive way. The majority of these parents indicate that they will change behaviors that will directly support all areas of their childrens' development.

The two parenting programs that have been evaluted this quarter were both series. One was a 3-week series held at the Barrington Elementary school where 5 parents attended and filled out a pre/post evaluation. The other series was a 4-week series held at Valley View School, an elementary school in Farmington. 13 parents completed the program and filled out a pre/post evaluation.

61% of participants gained knowledge of what to expect of children at different ages. 72% reported having increased their understanding of why children misbehave. 94% of participants reported that the program helped to improve their parenting skills.

The qualitative data collected helps to solidify the fact that a significant percentage of parents participating in these parenting series are gaining knowledge in the areas of positive discipline and development, and that this knowledge is helping them improve their parenting skills.

After completing the program, i will now start...

"Using natural and logical consequences", "Working on a contract with my 12-year-old", "Think before I speak", "Appreciating my children more", "Using natural and logical consequences more", "Listening", "Use natural and logical consequences", "Thinking and processing how I ask my child things, and make them give me the snwer instead of me giving the rule all the time", "To have limits and rules", "Giving more attention to my parenting techniques for my childrens' benefit", "Using natural and logical consequences", "Using new skills", "Thinking problems with my family over more thoroughly", "To analyze my life and times with my children better to understand the causes and effects of situations", "Enjoy the time I have with my kids and set more clear limits for their ages", "Being very consistent with discipline and routines"

I held a once-a-month Parenting Book Group for 6 months. The group met at the Durham Public Library. The library helped advertise by putting the group in its newsletter and sending it to its 800+ people on their mailing list.

Each group stood on its own, so that people could attend as a series, but also as a drop-in, if they chose. Most people came for the majority of groups. The model was that we all read "How to Talk so Kids Will Listen and Listen so Kids Will Talk". Each month we read one chapter, discussed it, and then spent the next month trying new skills and reading the next chapter. The model worked very well, and the response was excellent.

There was an average of ten people who attended each month. There were 9 people at the final group who filled out evaluations. The evaluations are a reflection of people who came to only one or two groups and people who came to all six. 

8 out of 9 participants, 89%, who completed the evaluation indicated that they strongly agree that this program helped to improve their parenting skills. The 9th person only attended the last group and did not answer that question. (Interesting argument for the benefit of multi-session programming!!)

9 out of 9 participants indicated learning new information. 100% of participants learned new information.

Ideas/practices that participants indicated they were planning to try as a result of these workshops:

"identifying with my children's feelings, freeing them from roles/labels", "listening to my child's feelings more", "I am working on my ability to acknowledge others' emotions, use reflection in listening, and encourage a problem solving approach",  "all; listen, acknowledge, describe what you see, give information"

Parents were asked on the pre and post-evaluations to give themselves a grade for the week. On the pre-eval, parents gave themselves grades between A and C and one N/A. There were 3 Cs. In the post-eval, all parents gave themselves an A or a B.

91% of participants indicated a changed behavior because of the program.

Responses to: "If you have changed your behavior. what are you doing differently?"

"realizing my kids know more than I thought and are sensitive to me and my behavior" 

"more positive, less fear"

"paying attention to my behaviors and reactions as well as my children's willingness to try new things"

"listening, loving, and less stress"

"being more aware of what is going on"

"I have more patience, and I use words and behaviors differently"

"to be patient"

"talk more with my baby"