YC Magazine, PACT - February 2024

ALSO

Caffeine: Friend or Foe?

February 2024 | pactforfamilies.org

FEATURE:

CULTIVATE HOPE, GROW RESILIENCE » Legal Does Not Mean Okay » Self-Care Activities for Kids of All Ages » Strategic Instruction Opens Doors to Learning for Your Child BROUGHT TO YOU BY

INSIDE FEBRUARY 2024

FEATURES

6 Cultivate Hope, Grow Resilience 14 Legal Does Not Mean Okay 16 Self-Care Activities for Kids

of All Ages

20 Strategic Instruction Opens

Doors to Learning for Your Child

23 Caffeine: Friend or Foe?

IN EVERY ISSUE

2 From the Director 5 Confessions from the

Kitchen Table 10 Faces in the Crowd 11 40 Developmental Assets 12 Assets in Action 18 Q&A / By the Numbers BROUGHT TO YOU BY

PRODUCED IN CONJUNCTION WITH

TO ADVERTISE OR CONTRIBUTE Sarah.Vonderharr@pactforfamilies.org (320) 231-7030 or (800)-960-7228 COVER PHOTO BY Floating Leaf Studios pactforfamilies.org | YC MAGAZINE | February 2024

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ABOUT PACT FOR FAMILIES COLLABORATIVE Organized initially in 1993 as a four county collaborative, PACT expanded to a five county collaborative in 2011 through a Joint Powers Agreement signed by the member county boards. The collaborative is governed by a Chief Elected Officials board which meets twice a year and an Executive Board which meets monthly. The collaborative, which addresses the full spectrum of family needs, is located in central Minnesota, serving the five counties of Kandiyohi, McLeod, Meeker, Renville, and Yellow Medicine.

PACT for Families covers 3,653 square miles, with a population of 127,548.

BELIEFS PACT for Families Collaborative (Putting All Communities Together) is a five county, multi-agency partnership which operates as a Children’s Mental Health Collaborative, and a Family Services Collaborative. Both Family Services and Children’s Mental Health Collaboratives were defined by legislation to design and implement an “integrated local service delivery system” as the Family Services Collaborative legislation called it, or an “integrated service system”, as the Children’s Mental Health Collaborative legislation stipulated.

PACT for Families is a unique organization developed by its partners to fill gaps in services and to reduce duplication. The purpose of the Collaborative is to demonstrate that a large, rural agricultural area undergoing rapid demographic and economic upheaval can accomplish wide spread systems change to improve the lives of families. The collaborative continues to evolve and respond to the changing needs of our rural community by creatively addressing gaps supporting sustainable solutions. Membership includes health care, social services, substance abuse treatment, mental health, child welfare, juvenile justice, education, and other child serving entities. PACT for Families and its partners are dedicated to changing systems to be more prevention focused, strength driven, and family friendly.

VISION The PACT for Families Collaborative has a vision of healthy, safe and resilient communities where individuals, families, and children care about and support each other.

FOLLOW US Website: pactforfamilies.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/pactforfamilies

2 February 2024 | YC MAGAZINE | pactforfamilies.org

Director I FROM THE

am thrilled to introduce you to our debut publication of the Youth Connections Magazine.

This magazine is central to our mission of supporting families and youth in achieving their fullest potential, especially in mental health and overall well-being.

At PACT, our mission is clear: partners working together to strengthen families and support children in reaching their highest potential. We acknowledge that the journey to mental health and well-being can be challenging, but it’s one that everyone should embark on with confidence, support, and hope.

The Youth Connections Magazine is a collaborative project funded by community partners across the PACT service region of Kandiyohi, Meeker, McLeod, Renville, and Yellow Medicine Counties. Our goal is to provide resources and information, promoting our communities as healthy, supportive places for kids and families, raising awareness about mental health and well-being, and increasing positive opportunities for children and families to achieve their highest potential.

This magazine is a testament to our commitment to uniting our communities in support of our youth and families. It offers knowledge, tools, and insights to enhance mental health and overall well-being, covering topics like resilience, hope, self-care, child development, and substance awareness. The magazine features local content and programming along with articles featuring these important topics to help families engage in essential conversations that will help to break down stigmas, foster understanding, and inspire change, celebrating the power of hope, resilience, and community.

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the families, youth, and professionals who contributed to this magazine.

Your willingness to share local stories and programs will undoubtedly make a profound impact on others’ lives. To our readers, thank you for joining us on this journey toward improved mental health and well-being.

Together, as community partners, we can empower one another, shatter the silence surrounding mental health, and create a brighter future for our families and youth. Welcome to the Youth Connections Magazine, where we stand united in our mission to strengthen families, support children, and enhance mental wellness for all.

Warm regards, Sarah Vonderharr Executive Director PACT for Families Collaborative

NICOTINE

IS

HIGHLY

ADDICTIVE AND CAN INCREASE ANXIETY & STRESS, AND MAKE DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS WORSE

TEXT “START MY QUIT” TO

36072

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EARLY LEARNING SCHOLARSHIPS Help Pay for Your Child’s Early Learning Program

Ensuring all children enter kindergarten ready to succeed by increasing access to high-quality early childhood programs.

Scholarships of up to $15,000 per child may be available for families with high-needs that meet income eligibility requirements.

Children who are 3 or 4 years old by September 1 of the school year the scholarship is awarded may be eligible. Some children birth to age 2 may also qualify. Beginning January 1, 2024, all children under age 5 may be eligible.

https://education.mn.gov

Families interested in applying should contact their administrator listed on the back or call 1-888-291-9811.

CONFESSIONS FROM THE KITCHEN TABLE

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UNPLUGGING: OUR FAMILY’S STORY

was concerned about how much time my kids were spending on technology. We had tried to set limits, but it got to be more and more of an uphill battle. I knew I needed to address it ASAP as my 12-year-old son was living on one form of technology or another. I found the book Unplug: Raising Kids in a Technology Addicted World

by Drs. Lisa Strohman and Melissa Westendorf. It was a lifesaver, full of information on technology addiction, signs of overuse, and tips to deal with it. We were lucky enough to not need professional help. Yes, some kids need professional help to deal with a technology addiction.

I learned that addiction has two components. The first is the behavior that causes a problem. For us it was playing video games. The second part is the persistence of the behavior. When someone continues the behavior or thinks about it despite negative consequences, AKA getting grounded, it can be considered an addictive disorder. That was definitely where we were with my son.

Yikes, how did we get to this point?

It was helpful to learn how all this technology was affecting his brain development, albeit frightening. A study found that teens who excessively play video or internet games have brains structurally different than those who don’t play, which may cause developmental delays, difficulty processing information, and problems maintaining relationships. I was definitely concerned about his schoolwork. In addition, the brain chemicals that control moods and feelings are chemically different. I was beginning to have some “ah-ha” moments.

Maybe his moods weren’t just teenage angst but were from his excessive use of technology.

Equally disturbing was finding out that these structural changes in his brain can also lead to difficulty dealing with social conflict, being more susceptible to addiction, higher rates of depression and suicide, and riskier behaviors. The authors said technology use can change how kids’ brains develop and can impact judgement. I had noticed that he didn’t seem to know when to stop a potentially risky behavior, like when he was doing tricks on his bike. I just thought it was him being a tween, although his friends didn’t seem to exhibit the same disinhibitions.

I was excited to find some actual pointers on what to do to try and gain control again. Removing ‘intermittent reinforcement’ was one of those tips. Messages from social media in the form of ‘likes’ or ‘mentions’ reward kids randomly and, because they see no tangible negative consequences, they become hooked (similar to a gambler in Las Vegas). Every time I gave in to allow more TV or computer

time, I was inadvertently using the most effective reward system.

UGH. I won’t be doing that anymore. By removing intermittent reinforcement, providing consistent (notice it’s not constant) oversight, and continuing to be an active and present role model, I was starting to gain control. Whew!

I found signs very helpful in identifying if my kids needed help: • Increased need of technology – the more they played, the more they needed to • Loss of interest in previous activities • Amount of time spent on technology • Lower grades • School attendance • Increased conflict at home • Refusing to turn the device off I learned that technology overuse isn’t my son’s desire to use, or even frequency, but how he responds to restrictions and his ability to impose his own limits. This was a huge red flag. My daughter liked playing games but didn’t have a crisis when limits were set. Her brother’s behavior was the polar opposite.

The physical symptoms we learned to look for were: • Mood swings • Depression/anxiety • Excessive anger • Alienation from friends One extremely helpful tool from the book was access to the Technology Use Continuum. It helped us assess whether we might be headed for trouble. It’s available at https://technologywellnesscenter. com/screening-tuc-survey/. If answers show there may be a problem, a more in-depth assessment is available to address physical, emotional, behavioral, and interpersonal areas. This and other resources on the site were extremely helpful.

To increase our awareness of our kids’ wellbeing, we started being more purposeful in our daily contact. Every day we have a 10 minute debrief about our days. We’ve even started Sunday Family Nights with tacos and games. Yes, they balked at first, but we were persistent, and now they actually enjoy it.

Reducing the use of technology for the entire family wasn’t the easiest, but it has been worth it! ■

SUBMIT YOUR STORY BY EMAILING: Sarah.Vonderharr@pactforfamilies.org For many of us the kitchen table represents the typical family experience. We have laughed while having family game night. We have cried over our children’s choices. We have blown out the candles on many cakes. We have argued our way out of doing the dishes. We have struggled through those “three more bites.” We have learned hard lessons and celebrated many deserved successes. One thing is for sure though—if our kitchen tables could talk, there would be plenty of stories! So often it is in relating to others’ stories that we realize there isn’t always one answer, or even a right answer. Parenting is hard work! If you have a story of lessons learned, we invite you to share it with our readers. Sometimes, knowing we aren’t the only ones struggling to find the answer is all the help we need.

pactforfamilies.org | YC MAGAZINE | February 2024

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cultivate ho

GROW RESIL

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Y

ope,

LIENCE

By NATURAL HIGH STAFF

oung kids are notorious for having big dreams and ambitions. Whether it’s for a new hamster, a trip to Disneyland, or a kickflip on a skateboard, kids spend a lot of time imagining and planning for their future.

Of course, sometimes their dreams are outlandish — think about the little kid who wants a farm filled with unicorns. Sometimes their dreams are unrealistic — the kid who wants to become a YouTube star, never hold a job, and live at the beach with all their friends when they grow up.

Dreaming, it turns out, is more than just a sweet thing kids do when they’re young — it becomes a critical part of overall wellbeing.

Hope, as defined by the researchers at Alliance for Hope, is “the belief that your future can be brighter than your past and you play a role in making it happen”.

In other words, when you’re feeling hopeful, you are confident that tomorrow will be better than today. Feeling hopeful makes whatever you’re going through today more tolerable, and the anticipation you feel for the future enables you to endure whatever challenge gets in your way.

Hope is a simple concept to understand, especially when you consider the opposite: hopelessness.

You know about hopelessness, right? It’s the feeling you get on Sunday afternoon when you know you’re going to spend most of your week in pointless meetings that you can’t get out of.

It’s the feeling you get about your health when you don’t stick to your plans to exercise more and eat healthier foods.

Hopelessness translates into a desire for escape. It’s too uncomfortable to feel hopeless, and the emotions of regret, shame, disappointment, sadness, and anger can drive people to activities that will numb their pain.

The encouraging news is that hope is something that we can cultivate and encourage. It acts as a protective factor against harmful substance use and is a key indicator for wellbeing and academic success.

Kids who are hopeful about their future will do better in school, have stronger relationships, make the transition to adulthood more efficiently, and make healthier choices along the way.

HOW TO CULTIVATE HOPE Feeling hopeless is a miserable experience.

Whether you’re feeling hopeless about your relationship status, friendships, career path, or your health, most people would say it’s one of the worst experiences of being human.

The good news is that hope is like a muscle — it can be exercised and strengthened. You’re not born with a fixed amount of hope. It’s not given out in limited quantities, and it doesn’t evaporate over time. continued on page 9

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continued from page 7

Although some people are born with a more optimistic outlook than others, anyone can become a hopeful person.

Charles Snyder was one of the key figures in developing pop psychology in the 1970s and 1980s. He developed what’s known today as Snyder’s Hope Theory which includes a framework for understanding and cultivating hope, as well as measuring how much hope someone carries within themselves.

He distinguishes different parts of hope and explains the thinking that underlies each one: Hope Pathways Hope pathways are about seeing multiple pathways to achieve your desired future. In other words, believing deep down that your goal is possible and achievable.

Hope Agency Hope agency is about seeing yourself as a critical piece and driver towards your desired future. In other words, believing that you have the power and ability to make the steps and changes necessary. It’s saying to yourself, “I can do it — I have what it takes.”

CULTIVATING HOPE When it comes to cultivating hope, Snyder’s theory creates the foundation for proper goal setting. It’s one thing to ask people to come up with things they want in life, but too often their desires are left as wishful thinking that lacks any real benefit.

To help someone cultivate hope, guide them to describe the type of future they want, and help them design the path to get there by creating specific activities they can engage in to make progress.

Here’s an activity to help kids with goal-setting called Designing Your Future: https://www.naturalhigh.org/wp-content/ uploads/2021/11/Designing-Your-Future.pdf.

Use the example of improving your health: it’s one thing to set a goal to become healthier, but it’s more powerful to help someone think through the different paths they can take in order to make healthier choices overall.

There are many factors that lead to improved health including exercising more regularly, eating a healthier diet, getting more sleep, processing feelings in productive ways, and spending more time outdoors, etc.

That’s a different process, and it leads to more resilience which is a key measurement to understanding someone’s level of hope.

When someone can only see one way to achieve their goal or feels like they have no part to play in moving forward, then their experience of life becomes more like a victim than a participant.

Victims feel small, insignificant, forgotten, and helpless. Those internal states often

By opening your life and sharing what you’re going through, you’ll make it normal for kids to see engaged, healthy adults who are moving forward on dreams and ambitions rather than accepting whatever life hands them. Your life will be an encouragement to do the same; to pursue worthy goals, make progress each day, confront setbacks with tenacity, and celebrate the milestones to get there. lead people to make unhealthy and unwise choices.

People with high hope, though, respond differently to setbacks and challenges. They understand roadblocks as a part of the process, not the end of the story.

So, when it comes to working with kids, we can lead them to think through what they want, what they will do to get what they want, and alternative routes to getting what they want.

They will be clearer about their future, and they will see themselves as key actors in the story that’s unfolding, strengthening their motivation and resolve along the way.

HOW TO MODEL A HOPE-FILLED LIFE FOR KIDS When it comes to making a positive impact in a kid’s life, there’s nothing more effective than what you model and demonstrate.

Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done!

You’ve heard the phrase a thousand times before, “It’s not what’s taught — it’s what’s caught that counts.” Kids watch and learn from adults, for better and for worse. In fact, if you’re going to err on one side, the evidence points towards emphasizing the example you give rather than the words and concepts you teach.

HERE ARE THREE SPECIFIC WAYS YOU CAN MODEL A HOPE-FILLED LIFE FOR THE KIDS IN YOUR WORLD: 1. Share Your Hope Make sure you’re sharing about what you’re striving towards. Most of the time, kids aren’t going to care to ask you about your personal ambitions and goals. No surprise there —kids are more used to receiving than engaging. They also probably don’t care about you because they’re more focused on their own lives.

That’s why it’s important for you to take the initiative to share with them the goals you’re working towards. Don’t assume they know. Trust that it matters. If you’re working on an academic goal, maybe a graduate degree or a professional certificate — tell them about it and the work you’re doing to achieve it.

If you’re working on a personal goal, perhaps around your desire to give back to the community or a character trait— let them know what you’re working on and what you’re doing.

2. Divulge Your Setbacks One of the most important examples you can offer is how you respond to setbacks and challenges. If you’re truly filled with hope, and you’ve anticipated multiple setbacks and routes to achieve your goals, then you should have no problem talking about them when they arise. When kids can see adults push through setbacks with creativity and resolve, then they’ll be more encouraged to face their own challenges in similar ways.

3. Celebrate Progress Having a hope-filled life isn’t just about crossing the finish line of your goals and ambitions, it’s about recognizing the importance of all the little steps along the way. If you have a goal to publish a book someday, then celebrate writing a paragraph.

Each paragraph is progress and a sign that you have what it takes to keep going.

Let the kids in your life know what you’re feeling proud of and grateful for. They will see behind the scenes what accomplishing a goal really looks like, and your enthusiasm to keep after it will be contagious.

By opening your life and sharing what you’re going through, you’ll make it normal for kids to see engaged, healthy adults who are moving forward on dreams and ambitions rather than accepting whatever life hands them.

Your life will be an encouragement to do the same: to pursue worthy goals, make progress each day, confront setbacks with tenacity, and celebrate the milestones to get there. ■

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Check out who’s standing out in our community.

IS THERE SOMEONE YOU’D LIKE TO NOMINATE? Please email Sarah.Vonderharr@pactforfamilies.org and tell us why this individual has stood out in your crowd.

Kandiyohi-Renville ACES Coalition

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) are events that occur in childhood such as abuse, neglect, family separation, chemical abuse, and parent being incarcerated. ACES education and prevention is a priority in the KandiyohiRenville Community Health Improvement Plan. The Coalition seeks to educate the community about the negative effects of ACES, support prevention efforts, and promote Positive Childhood Experiences. ACES are not a destiny; they are an opportunity to learn, grow, and change for your welfare and the welfare of our children. Contact either Public Health department in Kandiyohi or Renville Counties to learn more or find resources for help.

Local Tobacco, Drug & Alcohol Prevention Coalitions

Hats off to our area coalitions who work on tobacco, drug, and alcohol prevention. Success reducing the use of tobacco, particularly people under age 21, has been replaced with vaping. Alcohol and drug abuse continue to be problematic, especially with opioids. And now we face the challenges with the legalization of cannabis. County coalitions in Kandiyohi (DFC), Renville (RAPAD), Yellow Medicine (CHC), and Meeker (MAPP) seek intervention and prevention strategies to protect the health of people in their communities.

Contact Jessica or Jeremy at PACT for Families for more info and to support these coalitions.

SHIP Coordinators

The Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) supports community-driven solutions to expand opportunities for active living, healthy eating, and commercial tobacco-free living where we live, learn, work, and play. Local SHIP teams from Countryside Public Health, Kandiyohi Public Health, Meeker McLeod Sibley Community Health Services, and Renville Public Health come together to decrease access to tobacco and increase positivity in their southwest region, in partnership with local drug-free coalitions.

Journey to Independence

Journey to Independence is a partnership between PACT for Families Collaborative and their member organizations. They are dedicated to enhancing the resilience of youth and their support systems in Kandiyohi, Meeker, McLeod, Renville, and Yellow Medicine counties. Navigating the transition from adolescence to adulthood can be overwhelming with complex decisions about education, employment, finances, and personal relationships. For young adults struggling with serious mental health conditions, these challenges become even more daunting. The JTI support team offers personalized assistance through one-on-one sessions with Transition Facilitators, Peer Support, and Family Liaisons.

Student Led Prevention Groups TADA, SADD, SWAT and YAMS (pictured)

Several area schools support student-led groups for alcohol, drug, and tobacco prevention, along with anti-bullying efforts.

The results are students who are more likely to have positive self-concepts as well as positive relationships with peers and other caring adults. These student leaders make a positive impression upon other students.

10 February 2024 | YC MAGAZINE | pactforfamilies.org

40 DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS

40 Developmental Assets are essential qualities of life that help young people thrive, do well in school, and avoid risky behavior.

Youth Connections utilizes the 40 Developmental Assets Framework to guide the work we do in promoting positive youth development. The 40 Assets model was developed by the Minneapolis-based Search Institute based on extensive research. Just as we are coached to diversify our financial assets so that all our eggs are not in one basket, the strength that the 40 Assets model can build in our youth comes through diversity. In a nutshell, the more of the 40 Assets youth possess, the more likely they are to exhibit positive behaviors and attitudes (such as good health and school success) and the less likely they are to exhibit risky behaviors (such as drug use and promiscuity).

It’s that simple: if we want to empower and protect our children, building the 40 Assets in our youth is a great way to start.

Look over the list of Assets on the following page and think about what Assets may be lacking in our community and what Assets you can help build in our young people. Do what you can do with the knowledge that even through helping build one asset in one child, you are increasing the chances that child will grow up safe and successful. Through our combined efforts, we will continue to be a place where Great Kids Make Great Communities.

Turn the page to learn more!

The 40 Developmental Assets® may be reproduced for educational, noncommercial uses only. Copyright © 1997 Search Institute®, 615 First Avenue NE, Suite 125, Minneapolis, MN 55413; 800-888-7828; www.search-institute.org. All rights reserved.

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assets in action

40 DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS

7 SUPPORT

Regional Restorative Justice Programs: Making Things Right

1. Family support: Family life provides high levels of love and support.

2. Positive family communication: Young person and her or his parent(s) communicate positively, and young person is willing to seek advice and counsel from parent(s).

3. Other adult relationships: Young person receives support from three or more nonparent adults.

4. Caring neighborhood: Young person experiences caring neighbors.

5. Caring school climate: School provides a caring, encouraging environment.

6. Parent involvement in school: Parent(s) are actively involved in helping young person succeed in school.

EMPOWERMENT

4

7. Community values youth: Young person perceives that adults in the community value youth.

8. Youth as resources: Young people are given useful roles in the community.

9. Service to others: Young person serves in the community one hour or more per week.

10. Safety: Young person feels safe at home, at school, and in the neighborhood.

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BOUNDARIES & EXPECTATIONS YME art students inspired by their teacher and community

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Kandiyohi County YMCA: Exercise, Child Care, Aquatics, Sports & Camp programs

11. Family boundaries: Family has clear rules and consequences and monitors the young person’s whereabouts.

12. School boundaries: School provides clear rules and consequences.

13. Neighborhood boundaries: Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring young people’s behavior.

14. Adult role models: Parent(s) and other adults model positive, responsible behavior.

15. Positive peer influence: Young person’s best friends model responsible behavior.

16. High expectations: Both parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person to do well.

CONSTRUCTIVE USE OF TIME

LAMP: Litchfield Area Mentor Program

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17. Creative activities: Young person spends three or more hours per week in lessons or practice in music, theater, or other arts.

18. Youth programs: Young person spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs, or organizations at school and/or in the community.

19. Religious community: Young person spends one or more hours per week in activities in a religious institution.

20. Time at home: Young person is out with friends “with nothing special to do” two or fewer nights per week.

If you or your child would like to submit a picture that represents one of the 40 Developmental Assets, please email Sarah.Vonderharr@pactforfamilies.org with a picture and the number of the asset the picture represents.

Not all pictures are guaranteed publication.

25 COMMITMENT TO LEARNING

21. Achievement motivation: Young person is motivated to do well in school.

22. School engagement: Young person is actively engaged in learning.

23. Homework: Young person reports doing at least one hour of homework every school day.

24. Bonding to school: Young person cares about her or his school.

25. Reading for pleasure: Young person reads for pleasure three or more hours per week.

POSITIVE VALUES

26. Caring: Young person places high value on helping other people.

27. Equality and social justice: Young person places high value on promoting equality and reducing hunger and poverty.

28. Integrity: Young person acts on convictions and stands up for her or his beliefs.

29. Honesty: Young person “tells the truth even when it is not easy.”

30. Responsibility: Young person accepts and takes personal responsibility.

31. Restraint: Young person believes it is important not to be sexually active or to use alcohol or other drugs.

SOCIAL COMPETENCIES

32. Planning and decision making: Young person knows how to plan ahead and make choices.

33. Interpersonal competence: Young person has empathy, sensitivity, and friendship skills.

34. Cultural competence: Young person has knowledge of and comfort with people of different cultural/racial/ethnic backgrounds.

35. Resistance skills: Young person can resist negative peer pressure and dangerous situations.

36. Peaceful conflict resolution: Young person seeks to resolve conflict nonviolently.

Pioneerland Library System

39

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Special Olympics: Kade and Lily love their team!

Youth Leadership Academy 2023

Having fun at an Ex Works camp

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POSITIVE IDENTITY

37. Personal power: Young person feels he or she has control over “things that happen to me.”

38. Self-esteem: Young person reports having a high self-esteem.

39. Sense of purpose: Young person reports that “my life has a purpose.”

40. Positive view of personal future: Young person is optimistic about her or his personal future.

Morgan Ironheart: Cultural Recovery Coaching Methods

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14 February 2024 | YC MAGAZINE | pactforfamilies.org

legal does not MEAN OKAY

By LINDA COLLINS, Prevention Specialist

T

here have been a lot of changes recently across the country regarding the legalization of marijuana. Alcohol is legal for adults over the age of 21. Prescription pills are legal if prescribed by a physician. No matter how we as adults feel about substance use, research has proven that the use of any substance is harmful for youth and the developing brain. Just because a substance has been legalized for adult- or medicinaluse by adults, does not make it okay for youth use. The following is information taken from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

MARIJUANA Of the more than 500 chemicals in marijuana, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, known as THC, is responsible for many of the drug’s mind-altering effects. Marijuana disrupts the brain’s normal functioning and can lead to problems studying, learning new things, and recalling recent events. These skills are obviously needed to be successful in school. In fact, youth who use marijuana tend to get lower grades and are more likely to drop out of high school.

THC affects the areas of the brain that control balance and coordination, as well as helps control movement. These influence performance in sports, driving, and even video gaming. It interferes with alertness, concentration, coordination, and reaction time.

(This comes in handy if a baseball is coming at our face at 60 mph). High school seniors who use marijuana are twice as likely to receive a traffic ticket and 65% more likely to get into a car crash than those who don’t use.

THC affects areas of the brain involved in decision making. Using marijuana can make youth more likely to engage in risky behavior, such as unprotected sex or getting in a car with someone who’s impaired.

Research suggests that people who use marijuana regularly for a long time are less satisfied with their lives and have more problems with friends and family compared to people who do not use marijuana. Being a teenager is hard enough to maneuver without adding the burden of problems with friends and family.

Whether we want to believe it or not, marijuana can be addicting. Approximately 10 percent of users will develop marijuana use disorder. Youth who begin using before

Given all these statistics and the research, it’s important that we as parents relay the facts to youth so misinformation does not lead them to make poor decisions. Our conversation needs to include the dangers of drugs on the developing brain and why just because it’s legal for adults, it’s not okay for kids.

Here are some pointers from “Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change,” William R. Miller and Stephen Rollnicon, on how to have that conversation:

Alcohol is the mostly widely used substance of abuse by America’s youth. When teens drink alcohol it affects their brain in the short-term, but repeated use can impact long-term brain development.

It can affect both function and structure.

• Keep an open mind. When a child feels judged or condemned, she is less likely to be receptive to the message.

• We need to put ourselves in their shoes. Consider how we would like to be spoken to about a difficult subject. Try to think back what it was like when we were teens. Ask if it’s okay talking about this and if it’s okay if we give some advice.

• Be clear about our goals. Try writing them down and review them later to make sure we got our points across.

the age of 18 are 4–7 times more likely than adults to develop a marijuana use disorder.

ALCOHOL Alcohol is the mostly widely used substance of abuse by America’s youth. When teens drink alcohol, it affects their brain in the short-term, but repeated use can impact long-term brain development. It can affect both function and structure. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, youth who begin drinking before the age of 15 are four times more likely to meet the criteria of alcohol dependence at some point in their life.

Drinking can lead to poor decisions by youth about engaging in risky behavior, like drinking and driving, sexual activity (such as unprotected sex), and aggressive or violent behavior. In fact, underage youth who drink are more likely to carry out or be the victim of a physical or sexual assault after drinking than others their age who do not drink.

PRESCRIPTION AND OVER THE COUNTER MEDICATIONS When taken as prescribed, prescription and over the counter medications can be effective ways to treat pain or cold/flu. If taken without symptoms or in higher quantities, it can affect the brain in similar ways illegal drugs can and may lead to addiction.

• Be calm. If we start when we’re angry or anxious, it will be harder to achieve our goal.

• Be positive. Approaching the subject with anger, scare tactics or disappointment will be counter productive. Pay attention and be respectful and understanding. Telling them that we appreciate their honesty will go a long way.

• Don’t lecture. (It didn’t work when our parents did it!) Just saying, ‘you shouldn’t use because I’m the parent and I said so’ will not work. Offer empathy and compassion, showing them that we get what they’re saying.

• Ask open-ended questions. For example, say, “Tell me more about…” Then sum up and ask questions.

It’s important with all the messaging on marijuana and the messages we send youth about alcohol and even medications, they understand just because it’s legal, does not make it safe for them to use. Their brains are still developing, so for their health and safety, and to reach their full potential, they must stay substance-free. ■

pactforfamilies.org | YC MAGAZINE | February 2024

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self-care activities

FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES

By CATHERINE WORKMAN

L

ocal coalitions and partners work tirelessly to reduce substance abuse, bullying, and violence for youth. Part of this means teaching children how to care for their mental and physical health from an early age, which includes everything from finding a hobby to maintaining their physical appearance.

Today, we showcase a few self-care activities for kids that can help them maintain a clear mind so that they can avoid toxic habits in adulthood.

BE THE EXAMPLE Before your kids can engage in self-care, they have to see you do the same — after all, they are quick to mirror your behavior.

It’s not hard to role model healthy habits, especially knowing how badly parental stress affects children. Show your kids that it’s not selfish to practice self-care by easing up on your perfectionist tendencies, fueling your body with healthy foods, adding physical activity, and looking for ways to reduce stress when you come home from a hard day at work. Anything you can do to shake up your routine and give yourself a mental or physical break will go a long way toward teaching your little ones to do the same.

SELF-CARE FOR KIDS Reading There are few activities that are both relaxing and mentally stimulating at the same time. But reading is one of these, and as Reading Rockets explains, starting early gives your children a leg up in the classroom. Read to your children and encourage them to find a story they love to enjoy on their own. Thirty minutes each night with a good book can help them wind down while stimulating their imagination and getting their brain ready for all the learning they’ll do throughout their years in school. You can further encourage your child to read by taking them to the library and getting them a library card. Although you can easily read books on phones or tablets, you’ll truly introduce them to the joys of reading by allowing them to pick out physical copies of the books that interest

Blank Children’s Hospital shares several alarming statistics about childhood health, including the fact that only two percent of kids in the U.S. eat a healthy diet, and around a quarter of all kids don’t engage in physical activity.

Give your children a healthy head start by helping them exercise.

This could be anything from playing soccer in the backyard to hiking on the weekends. them. A library card is a wonderful gateway to the joys of reading.

Maintaining Personal Hygiene Personal hygiene is more than just taking a bath and brushing your hair. Helping your children learn to keep themselves clean and well-maintained can improve their self-esteem, confidence, and selfimage. Just as importantly, great hygiene reduces children’s chances of becoming sick. Personal hygiene also includes keeping their bodies healthy through getting enough sleep. Even when you have a kiddo that wakes before the sun comes up, the youngest members of your family need 10 or more hours of sleep every night.

If you think your child has trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, try a noise machine or talk to your pediatrician for advice. You can also create a relaxing bedtime routine that will help them get their minds and

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bodies ready for sleep. And last but not least, make sure your kids turn off their phones, tablets, and computers at least an hour before bedtime and remove them from the bedroom.

Exercising Blank Children’s Hospital shares several alarming statistics about childhood health, including the fact that only two percent of kids in the U.S. eat a healthy diet, and around a quarter of all kids don’t engage in physical activity. Give your children a healthy head start by helping them exercise.

This could be anything from playing soccer in the backyard to hiking on the weekends.

You can also encourage your kids to partake in other forms of physical activity, such as swimming, jogging, or signing up for martial arts classes. Letting them find what they enjoy will make them more likely to stick with it for the long term. At the end of the day, anything that gets them up and moving will encourage other healthy choices, such as sticking to a healthy diet.

Spending Time Away from Technology While there are many different reasons for children’s stagnant lifestyles, one is, without question, their access to technology. In a world where most children have their own smart devices—88 percent of teenagers own a smartphone—kids have more distractions and don’t get outside as much. Introduce moderation into their lives by getting them to step away from tech for a little bit. Encourage your kids to play basketball with their friends in real life instead of talking through their headset during their next Fortnite battle.

Make sure they have ample opportunities for socialization, including play dates and participation in afterschool activities.

Kids learn by watching, and if they are watching you let yourself go, they’ll do the same. Model healthy habits and make sure you give your kids plenty of opportunities to take better care of themselves. From personal hygiene to putting the phone away, healthy habits today can result in healthier, happier adults tomorrow. ■

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My daughter’s best friend has a practice, club, or class every night of the week. I want my child to be involved in extracurricular activities, but how much is too much?

The social pressure to sign your child up for ‘all the things’ is very real, and extracurricular activities are important. Numerous studies show that participating in extracurricular activities help improve academic achievement, build self-esteem, and encourage supportive friendships. However, over-commitment is a genuine concern and can be harmful to a child’s wellbeing, not to mention stressful for you. Here are factors families should consider when considering after-school activities: TIME: Children need sufficient time for schoolwork, playing, resting, and eating. If time for these things is already tight, limit yourselves to one extracurricular activity per kid.

AGE: In general, younger children need fewer organized activities and more unstructured play time. As kids get older, it sometimes makes sense to add in more sports, classes, or clubs. High schoolers looking into higher education should keep in mind that colleges and universities like to see applicants with a robust resume of extracurriculars.

NUMBERS 6

The average number of years a dollar bill lasts.

62

The number of fish a puffin is recorded to have carried in its mouth.

23,000

FAMILY SIZE: The number of caregivers in your home will affect how much you can realistically schedule. Furthermore, if you have five children it is going to be harder to coordinate schedules than if you have one or two. If need be, have the kids take turns participating in after-school experiences.

MONEY: Extracurriculars can be costly. Uniform fees, tuition, and travel can add up. Be realistic about what your family can afford.

FAMILY PRIORITIES: What do you value most as a family? Fitness?

Teamwork? Music? Family dinners? Whatever they are, make choices that reinforce those priorities.

CHILD INTEREST: Is your child excited about each activity you are considering? Are they a kiddo that needs down time or do they prefer having places to go and things to do? Let the answers to these questions guide your choices.

The length in feet of the world’s longest wedding veil.

400

The weight in pounds of the largest animal’s heart (blue whale).

200

PARENT INTEREST: How do you feel about drop-offs and pick-ups, events and games? What does your work/life balance realistically allow? If you, the caregiver, are less than enthusiastic about an over-committed extracurricular schedule, it will take its toll on everyone in the family.

Your child will benefit from extracurricular activities, but by keeping the above guidelines in mind, you will be able to keep the whole family happy and healthy.

HAVE A QUESTION?

Sarah.Vonderharr@pactforfamilies.org We cannot guarantee all questions will be published; however, we will do our best to respond to all questions submitted.

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The number of muscles used to take a step.

54

The height in feet of the largest sand castle.

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STRATEGIC INSTRUCTION

opens doors to learning for your child

By TRISH SCHREIBER, SIM Professional Developer and JOCELYN WASHBURN, Director of Professional Development, University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning

I

t’s hard to know how best to support your child or teenager at home with their nightly homework. You’ve probably wondered where the line is drawn between doing it for them and simply helping. Most homework assignments are meant for students to practice the skills they are learning in class. But many students, and perhaps this applies to your child, are not yet ready to practice on their own. This creates a problem. You want your child to be independent, and at the same time, you want their homework to be meaningful. And, you want them to practice the skill in a way that is strategic, efficient and worthwhile.

Education researchers at the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning (KUCRL) design teaching methods to help students become strategic learners. These methods are called Learning Strategies and are part of the Strategic Instruction Model (SIM). Each Learning Strategy uses eight stages of instruction that have proven time and again to help students of all levels succeed on academic tasks or assignments.

To teach your child to be strategic, you can use the same eight stages of instruction.

The stages are Pretest, Describe, Model, Verbal Practice, Controlled Practice and Feedback, Advanced Practice and Feedback, Posttest, and Generalization.

Of these eight stages, modeling is the heart of the strategy instruction and is easy to do at home. Modeling is a demonstration of a skill by thinking aloud while doing it and then gradually involving your child until they take over the task. Of course, finding out what your child knows and doesn’t know is essential. No matter how much modeling you do, if your child is missing important knowledge that is needed before moving on, you must clarify that first. Once you know where to begin, model the desired skill you would like your child to use.

First, preview your child’s assignment and determine what steps are needed to complete it successfully. A solid model always starts with a statement of purpose

Modeling is the heart of the strategy instruction and is easy to do at home. Modeling is a demonstration of a skill by thinking aloud while doing it and then gradually involving your child until they take over the task.

known as an Advance Organizer. Then, it moves onto the Presentation Phase when you complete the task in full while saying your thoughts aloud while your child watches you. The third stage of modeling is when you Enlist Engagement from your child. This is a time when you are both working together until you successfully complete the work. At this point, you are acting as a support net to make sure the task is completed as planned and all the steps are verbalized. Repeat these first three steps as many times as needed to finish the homework, giving your child more and more of the responsibility to verbalize and complete the steps while you affirm their progress and correct when necessary.

Eventually you turn the assignment over to your child when they model successful completion of the task for you. Lastly, once your child has finished the whole assignment, provide a Post Organizer, a review of all that you did. At this point, you’ll highlight the critical steps you both did, personalize the steps, predict when to do this again, and state expectations for next time they have this type of assignment or one that is similar.

A model might sound and look like this:

“The directions say to use context clues to write a definition for each bold word in the passage. This means we will do a close reading of the passage to determine the meaning of the vocabulary words by using clues in the context of the passage (Advanced Organizer). So, I’m going to start by just reading the passage once in full to become familiar with it, knowing that we’re going to have to go back and read it a few times to focus on the sentences with the target words to complete the assignment. I also see that there are six words in bold print, so we’ll be going back to the reading at least six times, probably more, because even if we think we know the meaning of the word, we also know that word meanings can change significantly, depending on how the author uses it. So, we must consider the words around each word to complete the close reading accurately.”

Continue verbalizing all the steps as you complete them: read the passage, then go back to each word in bold, re-read that sentence, use the context cues to decide on a definition and write down the definition (Presentation Phase). After doing it once in full as a model, begin giving some of the steps to your child. Allow your child to take on more and more of the verbalizing and directing of the task until they are doing it fully on their own for you (Enlist Engagement). Then, before you end, review the critical steps and talk about when else they can use this skill (Post Organizer).

Completing work in this way allows your child or teenager to gain confidence in knowing how to approach, manage and complete tasks. The use of self-talk helps many students both remember and make sense of what they are doing as well as identify and isolate questions if they are confused. Modeling allows students to see and hear the physical behaviors and thought processes that those who are proficient with an assignment use. Last but not least, the four phases of modeling increase the likelihood that your child will be able to complete future assignments independently. ■ pactforfamilies.org | YC MAGAZINE | February 2024

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22 February 2024 | YC MAGAZINE | pactforfamilies.org

CAFFEINE: friend or foe?

By STAFF

I

t’s a common occurrence to see youth walking around with a can of Rockstar or Monster. But have we thought about what they’re actually consuming in the form of caffeine? And it’s not just the energy drinks, but those coffee drinks as well.

One can of Rockstar has 160mg of caffeine. A caffè mocha has 174 mg. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that adolescents get no more than 100 mg per day. In one can or cup, they’re consuming more than one and a half times the recommended amount.

If they’re drinking three per day, that adds up to around five times the recommended amount. Some youth report that friends drink four of five energy drinks a day.

In addition to caffeine, these drinks have a lot of sugar. One can of Rockstar contains 60 grams of sugar, which is the equivalent to about 1/3 cup. Now times that by three, and they’re consuming almost a cup of sugar per day.

In addition to weight gain from the sugar, there are negative side effects of caffeine. Consuming too much caffeine can cause nervousness, irritability, insomnia, rapid heartbeat, and increased

blood pressure—none of which are good for kids. Side effects also include nausea and diarrhea. Kids with medical conditions may be at even greater risk. Caffeine in high doses becomes toxic. There have been increased calls to poison control and even reported deaths of teens from overdose.

Withdrawal symptoms include headache, fatigue, decreased alertness (which then makes them want to consume more caffeine), difficulty concentrating, flu-like symptoms, irritability, depressed mood, muscle pain or stiffness, and nausea and/or vomiting. None of these make it optimal for learning and may lower their academic performance.

Teens have started drinking energy drinks at a record pace. Sometimes it is to stay up to study, but a lot of times it just for the “high” they get from the caffeine. It’s time we share the dangers of too much caffeine and energy drinks with our kids. Caffeine is a stimulant like cocaine, nicotine, meth and amphetamines. It is a drug and it is addictive.

Most of us would probably not give our children illegal stimulants, so we should rethink their use of legal stimulants. ■ pactforfamilies.org | YC MAGAZINE | February 2024

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T S O M MINNESOTA

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

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We invite you to join us in our unwavering commitment to transform lives, empower families, and enhance the well-being of youth and families across our region. Your support and involvement with PACT for Families Collaborative today will make a lasting difference in the lives of those we serve.

For More information about partnership opportunities, or to support our cause, please scan the QR code or contact us at (320)231.7030