Family
Most unmarried, low-income couples show positive co-parenting
Study shows how parenting teamwork helps child development
Newswise — COLUMBUS, Ohio – Despite the many challenges they face, slightly more than half of unmarried low-income couples with children have positive co-parenting relationships, a new study found.
And those supportive relationships were linked to their children showing more empathy, less emotional insecurity and fewer behavior problems.
Parents who are good co-parents work together as a team, provide support to each other and back up each other’s parenting decisions, said Susan Yoon, lead author of the study and associate professor of social work at The Ohio State University.
Those types of relationships may be particularly hard for the parents in this study, who may be more likely than others to be stressed by finances, racism, and lack of support.
“Our study specifically focused on racially and ethnically diverse unmarried couples with low incomes who are more likely to face a lot of parenting challenges,” Yoon said.
“But we found that 56% of these families had good co-parenting relationships which was linked to positive outcomes for their children. Our findings really highlight the strengths these families exhibit.”
The study was published online recently in the Journal of Marriage and Family.
Participants in the study were 4,266 unmarried couples and their preschool-aged children from eight cities across the country who participated in the Building Strong Families study.
Parents in the study completed measures of how much they worked with their partner as a team to raise their child, and their perception of the other parent as a supportive co-parent.
Children’s socioemotional development was measured by asking mothers a variety of questions about their child’s empathy toward other children, their emotional insecurity and their internalizing problems (such as how fearful they were) and externalizing problems (such as being overly active).
The results of the study showed couples fell into four categories based on the quality of co-parenting and how each member of the couple thought the other did as a co-parent.
The largest category, Profile 4 – 56% of the sample – included couples with high-quality co-parenting in which both the mothers and fathers thought the other parent was supportive.
“This is the category where the children had the best outcomes, and it is encouraging that this was the largest group in our study,” Yoon said.
Parents in the other categories showed that it wasn’t just the quality of co-parenting that was related to how well the children fared – it also mattered quite a bit how much parents agreed that their partner was supportive, according to Yoon.
Children fared the worst in Profile 2 – (25% of the sample) – in which co-parenting was of moderate-high quality, but fathers had more negative views of how the mother co-parented.
“These findings suggest that fathers’ dissatisfaction might be an important warning sign for children’s poor functioning, even though co-parenting seemed relatively good,” Yoon said.
Children didn’t do much better in Profile 3 (12%), where co-parenting was rated moderate, but mothers were much less happy than fathers were with the co-parenting relationship.
Parents in Profile 1 (7%) had low-quality co-parenting and mothers had more negative perceptions of the co-parenting relationship. Here children also did not fare well.
“Overall, we found that it isn’t just the quality of co-parenting that matters for children, it is also important to look at whether both the mother and father are satisfied with how things are going,” Yoon said.
“It is not good if there is a discrepancy between how mothers and fathers feel about the co-parenting relationship.”
These results show how important it is to include fathers in studies like this, given how their agreement or disagreement with mothers on co-parenting played a key role in child development.
Results also showed that when both parents had higher income and education, they were more likely to demonstrate high levels of supportive co-parenting.
“In order to strengthen families, we need to ensure that these low-income, unmarried parents have access to financial and material resources,” Yoon said. “That can help support the development of mutually satisfying, high-quality co-parenting relationships.”
Other co-authors, all from Ohio State, were Joyce Y. Lee, Junyeong Yang, Jingyi Wang, Yiran Zhang, Minjung Kim and Sarah Schoppe-Sullivan.
The study was funded by the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
(Family Features) To show your mom just how much she means to you, choose a Mother’s Day gift that reflects her interests and passions. As you’re looking for the perfect gift, consider these thoughtful ideas that will touch her heart.
Personalized Gifts
Show your mom how much she means to you by giving a gift uniquely tailored to her. Consider a personalized photo album filled with special memories or a custom-made piece of jewelry with her initials or birthstone. If your mom enjoys cooking, a personalized apron or cutting board with her name or a special message can be a winning gift. For the mom who loves to relax, a monogrammed robe or customized spa gift set allows her to pamper herself. You can also include a handwritten note or heartfelt letter expressing your love and appreciation.
DIY Gifts
Handmade gifts often hold special sentimental value and show you put thought and effort into creating something unique just for your mom. You could try making a homemade candle or bath bombs, a hand-painted picture frame or a personalized scrapbook filled with cherished memories. Alternatively, you could bake her favorite treats, prepare a special breakfast in bed or create a customized coupon book with vouchers for things like a homemade dinner or day of pampering. Get creative and have fun with your DIY gift – your mom is sure to appreciate the sentiment behind it.
Experience Gifts
Sometimes the best gifts are experiences rather than physical items. Plan a day trip to her favorite destination, book a spa day for her to relax and unwind or arrange a cooking class where she can learn new recipes. You could also surprise her with tickets to a concert, theater show or sporting event.
Practical Gifts
For busy moms who are always on the go, practical gifts can be lifesavers. Consider getting your mom a stylish yet functional tote bag or a backpack to carry all her essentials. You could also give her a smartwatch or fitness tracker to help her stay organized and track her health and fitness goals. A subscription to a meal delivery service or gifting kitchen gadgets or appliances that make meal preparation easier and more efficient are also useful ideas.
Find more gift ideas to make mom smile at eLivingtoday.com.
Photo courtesy of Unsplash
SOURCE:
eLivingtoday.com
(Family Features) It’s the time of year when Star Wars fans from across the galaxy gather to celebrate May the 4th, also known as Star Wars Day. Inspired by the iconic catchphrase uttered in the first film of the Skywalker Saga, Star Wars: A New Hope, May the 4th has grown in size and enthusiasm over the years. Fans who don’t want to limit the Star Wars celebrations can keep the festivities going all month long.
To kickstart your Star Wars Day, check out these family-friendly ideas, activities and out of this galaxy adventures that are perfect for every fan.
Movie Marathon Month
You never need an excuse to watch these movies, but what better time than in May? Once a week, friends and families can unwind and have a movie night. Whether it’s in chronological order or picking out your favorite Star Wars movie, spending time together watching the Skywalker Saga is a great highlight to everyone’s week.
Costume Contest
Before you start your movie, host a themed costume contest. Encourage family and friends to break off into teams and dress up as their favorite characters. Each alliance can battle one another in hopes of winning the ultimate title of “Best Dressed in the Galaxy.”
Drink Blue Milk Straight from the Star Wars Galaxy
Bring the big screen to your home with Star Wars TruMoo Blue Milk. The blue beverage was previously available exclusively at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disney parks, but now fans can enjoy a new take with this vanilla flavored, low-fat milk that harnesses the power of protein-packed, real-dairy milk with 8 grams of protein per 8 fluid ounces to fuel adventures of all kinds, and goes perfectly with any showtime snack.
Try Out Themed Recipes
You can’t watch a movie without something to munch on – especially if you’re going the marathon route. Get creative in the kitchen and bring to life recipes reminiscent of your favorite Star Wars stories. Better yet, grab your blue milk and mix up a blue milkshake or ice cream pie.
Get Crafty
Grab your scissors, glue, boxes, and any other art supplies you have laying around and challenge everyone to make their own starship, drawing or craft from their favorite Star Wars film, series, game, book or more. Display your creations and continue to add more to your collection all month long.
To find interactive trivia, crafts, recipes and Star Wars TruMoo Blue Milk products near you as well as details about Star Wars white milk, both available for a limited time through July 2024 at select retailers in most major markets, visit StarWarsMilk.com.
*The Star Wars milk from TruMoo qualifies for the Star Wars check. To learn more, visit starwarscheck.com.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (family watching television)
SOURCE:
TruMoo Milk
child education
Spilling the Secrets to Early Literacy
Reading is critical for young children’s educational journeys, impacting their cognitive abilities, language proficiency, and later academic achievement.
(Family Features) For young children, learning to read is a critical step in their educational journeys, as literacy helps build cognitive abilities and language proficiency and has a direct impact on later academic achievement.
While there are no shortcuts to early literacy, there are steps parents can take to promote the development of children’s reading abilities. Dr. Lauren Loquasto, senior vice president and chief academic officer at The Goddard School, and Steve Metzger, award-winning author of more than 70 children’s books, share this guidance for parents.
Get Started Early
It’s never too early to start reading with children. In fact, they respond to being read to prenatally. One of the best ways to encourage early literacy is modeling the act of reading. Young children love to imitate, and if they see their parents reading, they are more likely to want to read themselves. Instead of scrolling on your phone or watching television while your children play, pick up a book or magazine.
Use Conversation to Build Literacy
To help build their vocabularies, consistently engage children in conversation. Literacy is more than reading and writing; it’s also listening and speaking. Children understand words before they can articulate them, so don’t be discouraged if it feels like a one-way conversation.
Expose Children to More Than Books
Make your home environment print-rich, as the more exposure children have to letters and words, the better. For example, keep magnetic letters and words on the fridge, put labels on your toy containers and position books and magazines in different rooms. Also remember reading isn’t limited to books. Words are everywhere, from street signs to restaurant menus. Take advantage of every opportunity to connect with your children through words throughout your day.
Let Them Take the Lead
Children engage with books in different, developmentally appropriate ways. Some children quickly flip through pages or only look at pictures while others might make up stories or their own words or songs. Some only want to read the same book over and over and some want to read a new book every time. Embrace and encourage their interest in books, no matter how they choose to use them.
Establish a Routine
Parents of young children often have busy and hectic lives, so it isn’t always easy to find time to read. Consistency is key, so be intentional about setting aside time for reading every day – perhaps it’s after dinner or before bedtime – and stick to it.
Select the Right Books
Helping young children choose books is an important part of their learning-to-read process. Developmental appropriateness is critical. For infants and toddlers, start with nursery rhymes, which are mini-stories that grasp children’s attention through repetition, rhythm and rhyming. Visuals are also important because they aren’t yet pulling words off the page. For emerging readers, choose books that align with their interests. Focus on books that are printed with text that goes from left to right and top to bottom.
Expose children to both fiction and non-fiction books. Non-fiction provides real-world knowledge children crave and helps them make sense of what they read in fictional stories. For example, the learnings about the life cycle of a bat they read in “Bat Loves the Night,” a non-fiction book, can help them better understand what’s happening in “Stellaluna,” a fiction book about a young bat.
If you’re in doubt about book choices, consult with a teacher or librarian, who can make recommendations based on your children’s interests and reading levels.
Foster a Love of Reading
Children’s early exposure to books can set the stage for a lifetime of reading. Make reading a time for discovery. Take children to a library or bookstore and encourage them to explore and find books on their own. Display genuine interest in their selections and use books as a tool for engaging and connecting with them. Don’t pressure children to learn how to read. Accept, validate and encourage them as they progress on their unique literacy journeys.
To watch a webinar recording featuring Loquasto and Metzger providing additional literacy guidance and recommendations, and access a wealth of actionable parenting insights and resources, visit the Parent Resource Center at GoddardSchool.com.
Photos courtesy of Shutterstock
SOURCE:
The Goddard School
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