ParentGuide Booklet FEB 2015

TAMPA BAY’S ORIGINAL AND MOST COMPLETE GUIDE FOR FAMILIES

FEBRUARY 2015

TAMPA BAY

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FLORIDA FARMERS CARE ThisFarmCARES.org

ANGER AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH A teachable moment TAMPA BAY'S READING CHECK-UP Are our kids reading better?

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FOR PARENTS WHO EXPECT MORE

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Farmers CARE for the Land

By Jared Lanier, Florida Farm Bureau

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ust as parents care for their children with hopes that they will grow up and give back to society, farmers care for the land so in return it will give back to feed their family and yours.

Farmers are the stewards of the land, conserving resources to protect the future of production agriculture in Florida.

Former President Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself.” He had the vision to see the importance of being a good steward of the land.

Florida farmers are recognized by a distinctive program established in 2001 to award and promote environmental stewardship. This program, known as the County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship (CARES), was founded by Florida Farm Bureau as a way to thank farmers who go above and beyond taking care of the land they farm. Its mission is to promote environmentally sound farming practices while educating the public on agriculture’s role in protecting Florida’s natural resources.

Throughout the last 14 years, the CARES program has recognized more than 600 farmers in 30 counties across Florida. To be nominated for a CARES award, a farmer must voluntarily implement what is known as Best Management Practices (BMPs).

BMPs are developed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) and then approved by agricultural producers, industry groups, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the water management districts. BMPs are guidelines that advise producers on how to manage the water, nutrients and crop protection materials they are using to reduce agriculture’s impact on the state’s natural resources.

Once farmers have demonstrated BMPs have been implemented, they are awarded the CARES distinction by Florida Farm Bureau for their leading environmental efforts.

The CARES program recognizes an average of 60 recipients each year and has been steadily

growing. Farms recognized produce blueberries,

cattle, citrus, corn, cotton, hay, horses, milk, squash, strawberries, sugar, timber, watermelons and many other abundant commodities that are sold in your local grocery store and to foreign markets.

Agriculture surrounds the Tampa Bay area. With more than 25 percent of Hillsborough County being farm land, preserving this farm land and working with farmers on the implementation of BMPs, not only benefits the farmers but the local community. Some of the top commodities grown in Hillsborough County include strawberries, vegetables, beef cattle and citrus.

The CARES program does more than recognize farmers with a certificate and a sign to display on their farms. It is an appreciation for the neverending work that is involved with farming and caring for the land.

So the next time you see a farmer say thank you for conserving our natural resources.

Visit thisfarmcares.org to learn more about the program.

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Anger and the Opportunity to Teach

IT WAS ALMOST IN SLOW MOTION THAT JEANETTE WATCHED HER FAVORITE bowl fall—at least until the crash and shattering into thousands of pieces. Eight-year old Emily stopped twirling and stood frozen, partly in fear of being hurt by broken glass, but mostly because she realized that her elbow had just knocked over her mother’s beloved heirloom.

Jeanette could not replace her beloved bowl. So, what is the best way for her to communicate her feelings to Emily? Should Emily face a consequence? Should all be forgotten? Are you just not sure? If you’re confused, you’re not alone.

It is normal to feel angry when your child accidentally or carelessly breaks or ruins a precious object. However, an impulsive expression of anger will likely cause your child to feel guilty with no way to correct the situation. Just as importantly, anger is a missed opportunity to teach your child about love—the love you feel for the lost or ruined item, but more importantly, the love you have for your child, no matter what

FWh[dj_d] 7 J[WY^WXb[ Cec[dj he or she may do wrong.

A response without anger offers an opportunity to teach and role model some of the key components of any loving relationship—empathy, apology and forgiveness. By teaching him to express these genuinely and freely, your child will become better able to give love and be more open to receiving it as well.

To begin, don’t be afraid to tell your child (without anger) that you’re sad and disappointed the object is broken. It is normal and healthy for your child to feel upset and even a little guilty, since he was the one who caused the accident. Explain that your feelings are the same as when something that he loves breaks by accident—if possible, remind him of a specific incident (e.g., when a sibling broke his favorite toy). This will help him learn empathy.

Next, tell your child that you will feel much better if he gives you a hug and says, “Sorry.” Explain that when someone

apologizes for what he did—even if it was an accident—it helps the other person feel better, and takes away angry and sad feelings. Teach him that the words “I am sorry” are very powerful—but only when you mean them!

An older child may even offer to pay for or replace the broken item. Your first inclination might be to decline.

However, allowing your child to give you a symbolic amount of money or to replace the object (even imperfectly) offers him the chance to practice the skills of empathy and apology in a meaningful way and lets him feel he has done something to earn your forgiveness.

To this end, it is important to forgive your child immediately when he apologizes to you. Holding a grudge is not emotionally healthy for either of you—it makes you angry, and it causes your child guilt. What’s more, forgiveness is one of the most important life lessons you can teach your child. Love can’t exist without forgiveness.

:h$ IkiWd 8Whj[bb Dr. Susan Bartell is a nationally recognized child, teen and parenting psychologist and award-winning author. Her latest book is Dr. Susan’s Kids-Only Weight Loss Guide: The Parent’s Action Plan for Success. You can learn more about Dr. Bartell at www.drsusanbartell.com.

Read Between the Lines..

By Dalia Colón

First the good news: Our children are reading better.

President George W. Bush’s 2001 No Child Left Behind Act holds schools accountable for making sure students’ reading, math and science skills are up to par. As Bush prepares to leave office, Florida’s children are due for a checkup.

Students are considered to read at grade level if they score a 3, 4 or 5 on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), which is administered to kids in grades 3 through 11.

“People are hot and cold toward the FCAT, but the reading part of it does give some common ground for kids across the state to work toward reading skills,” says Stines, director of the TampaHillsborough County Public Library System and a former children’s librarian.“I really don’t have any negative feelings about that, because I think you have to have some ways to measure whether you’re having some success or not with that.”

By and large, kids in Tampa Bay are scoring better now than in 2012 when data first became available. Here’s a summary by county:

28 PARENTGUIDE JANUARY FEBRUARY 2009

Percentage of students scoring a 3 or greater out of 5 on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) reading exam: Hillsborough Year Grade 3 2002 58 2008 71

Grade 7 51 62

Grade 10 40 41

Pinellas Year 2002 2008

Grade 3 58 72

Grade 7 55 67

Grade 10 42 40

Pasco Year 2002 2008

Grade 3 58 72

Grade 7 51 67

Grade 10 34 38

Source: fcat.fldoe.org

M^o j^[ _cfhelc[dj5 While local experts say standardized tests are only one measure of student achievement, they agree it’s a valuable gauge over time.

“You’ll always find individual cases that it doesn’t, but when we look at the trends across the board, the big picture, there’s a lot of correlation between what we see in the standardized tests and our gut knowledge—what we see working with the kid,” says Connie Kolosey, supervisor of secondary reading for Pinellas County Schools. Kolosey attributes the improved reading scores largely to the presence of reading coaches. Grants provided by the state’s 2001 Just Read, Florida! initiative allow schools to employ full-time reading specialists.

“I see teachers that feel more confident in how to help kids,” Kolosey says.

Technology also deserves credit. While the Internet often competes with books for children’s attention, their desire to master computer games and Web sites can actually motivate them to read, Stines says.

“When used properly, the computer as a tool can encourage young people to develop their reading skills because they really can’t benefit from the computer unless they have at least mastered the basics in reading,” Stines says. His staff recommends lookybook.com, starfall.com and readingrockets.org.

But, of course, there’s no substitute for early exposure to books.

“We recommend that you read to your child at least 15 minutes a day,” says Cathy Pierce, early literacy coordinator for the Tampa-Hillsborough County Library.

Imagination Library, a program sponsored by Hillsborough County, the United Way and a handful of other organizations, mails a free hardcover book to Hillsborough County children every month from birth to age 5. The initiative went countywide only in February 2008, so it’s too early for data on how these children perform in school. But studies show that infants and children who are regularly read to are better prepared for kindergarten. Hillsborough County residents can register their children for Imagination Library at any county library branch or at unitedwaytampabay.com/imaginationlibrary.

<kjkh[ Y^Wbb[d][i So the good news is that children in Tampa Bay are reading better. The bad or, if you prefer, challenging news is that raising strong, lifelong readers continues to be an uphill battle. While

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many educators see value in standardized testing, they also acknowledge that high-pressure exams can turn reading into a chore.

“How do you weigh what’s really critical for children to have good feelings about being lifelong readers and developing lifelong readers versus being prepared to take that type of assessment or that type of test?” says Cathy Torres, elementary reading supervisor for Pinellas County Schools.

Parents and teachers of older kids face an added obstacle: the cool factor.

“Teaching secondary reading is a very challenging job because some of the students that struggle with their reading have learned ways of avoiding the task,” says Kolosey, the secondary reading supervisor. Rather than risk embarrassment in front of their peers, poor readers often goof off to divert attention from the task. The problem gets compounded when these weak readers cannot grasp the text of history, science and other courses.

But perhaps the biggest barrier to raising great readers is the lack of role models at home. Young parents in particular must connect with books if they expect their children to do the same.

According to a 2006 report by the U.S. Department of Labor, only about half of Americans ages 18 to 24 read books for pleasure, compared with nearly 60 percent in 1992.

“If you don’t see the adults reading (a book, newspaper or magazine), you’re not going to want to pick it up. It’s just not a natural thing to pick it up,” says Stines, the library director. But, he adds, if the parents can muster up some enthusiasm about reading, then kids will find books just as attractive as computer games and television.

M^Wj oek YWd Ze When it comes to literacy, your child’s school is only part of the equation. Try these tips to encourage reading at home.

• Walk the walk. If you want your child to be a reader, then model reading yourself. Read the newspaper daily to demonstrate that literacy is important to you. Discuss articles and books with your spouse to model thinking about what you’ve read. When you walk into a department store, fawn over the books the way you would a cool gadget or clothing item.

• Start early. Reading nursery rhymes to your infant will help him or her speak and read more easily one day.

• Interact with books. Read to and with your child for at least 15 minutes a day. It’s fine to spread this time throughout the day as your busy schedule or your young child’s attention span dictates. Change your voice and use animated gestures to make it fun. Discuss what you’ve read. Inquire about what he or she has read in school. Find out when your child’s elementary class visits the school library, and take an interest in the books he or she brings home. By retelling the story to you, your child is practicing new vocabulary.

• Head for the library. Build literacy into your family’s routine by visiting the public library weekly.

• Help them stretch. Children can comprehend at a higher level than they can actually read, so continue reading to your kids even after they’ve learned to read on their own.

• Know what hooks them. First and second graders love Marjorie Weinman Sharmat’s Nate the Great series. After they’ve finished one title, encourage them to read the entire collection. Elementary students also enjoy age-appropriate autobiographies. Fantasy stories are popular fourth and fifth graders, so try J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books or a spinoff.

Many students also are eager to read books that have a corresponding movie, so try Holes by Louis Sachar or Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo. To keep teenagers interested in reading, find books that relate to their individual interests.

• Give books as gifts. This way, they seem more important.

If you value books, then your children will, too.

:Wb_W 9eb d Dalia Colón is freelance writer in Brandon. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, she moved to Florida in 2005.

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Bringing Sustainability Home GREEN IS EVERYWHERE. IT SEEMS TO HAVE REPLACED RED, white and blue as the official color of America these days. If you pay attention to advertising and the news, you’ve seen it.

Large corporations are going green. Television networks are going green. Schools, government agencies, charities, stores, restaurants, car companies and even cemeteries are claiming to have green options. It’s hip to be green and marketers are taking advantage of America’s raised consciousness when it comes to global warming and environmental responsibility.

But what does all this green really mean, and how can families help?

First, the movement to be environmentally responsible is part of a larger body of thinking referred to as “sustainability.” It’s a complex term that can be applied to every facet of life and

can be subject to politics and individual interpretation. So imagine a triangle. One side is our ecosystem – land, water and air that together support life. The next side is social, those functions related to housing, health and quality of life. The third side is economy and all business related to policy, money, development, industry and more. All sides of the triangle are influenced by one another and while balance is sought. It is not possible for all sides to be equal at the same time.

For example, business interests here in Florida that superseded environmental concerns have led to the depletion of natural resources, an increase in pollution levels and unplanned growth. Those business interests have also led to health problems and housing shortages. Groups concerned with this unbalanced thinking have brought sustainability to the forefront, working toward a more equal triangle

>ec[ WdZ <Wc_bo =e_d] =h[[d and asking questions like, â&#x20AC;&#x153;how do we remain productive but reduce pollution?â&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;how do we create economic development but ensure affordable housing?â&#x20AC;?

Jkhd_d] j^[ j_Z[ The questions are many and the answers are not simple, but organizations like the Century Commission for a Sustainable Florida, Council for a Sustainable Florida, the Florida Green Building Coalition and the University of Florida Extension (IFAS) are making these questions a priority for businesses and governments.

To advocates, the trend to be green is the beginning of a long road toward true cultural change that puts greed, wasteful living, irresponsible business practices and a disregard for the future behind us.

On the contrary, sustainability is a more balanced way of life. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a philosophy about day-to-day living that considers the importance of all we do today and values the impacts on future generations. It requires a different mindset on how we live our personal lives, conduct ourselves in business and make choices regarding public policy.

According to St. Petersburg mayor, Rick Baker, one doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t

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need to agree or disagree with global warming to embrace sustainable practices, since many of those same practices save money. For instance, new solar-powered stop lights in St. Petersburg will quickly pay for themselves by saving on electricity. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It just makes good sense,â&#x20AC;? he told the press at an event last spring that honored cities in Pinellas County working toward a Green Cities designation.

IkijW_dWX_b_jo jekY^[i Wbb Wif[Yji e\ b_\[ While governments and businesses are dealing with the complexities that come with balancing environmental, economical and social issues on a national, state or local scale, families can begin living a more sustainable life today with a little research and planning.

First, as a family, make a commitment to start living a cleaner, healthier, less wasteful and more balanced life. Consider your familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s triangle of environmental, economical and social issues.

What is in your environment? How is your financial situation? Is everyone healthy and enjoying a positive quality of life?

Second, evaluate all aspects of your individual lives and your common life as a family. Make a list of what you can change and chart how it will improve the different sides of your triangle. For example, as a family decide to install a Florida friendly landscape in your yard to reduce water usage. This activity helps the environment and saves money on the water bill which can be put into savings for a rainy day fund. Another example is a mom whose child has allergies. Eliminate toxins in your immediate environment by not using chemical cleaners, pesticides, fertilizers, air fresheners or candles and by installing air filters and water purifiers. Reducing toxins help children feel better which reduces the costs of doctor visits and medicines and increases the quality of life.

Every action that you and your family can take will influence your triangle today. Remember, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just about being green, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about making responsible and balanced choices that also impact tomorrow. A parent in the future is depending on you.

Edb_d[ H[iekhY[i www.centurycommission.org www.sustainableflorida.org www.solutionsforyourlife.ifas.ufl.edu www.watermatters.org www.floridagreenbuilding.org Note: also contact your utilities providers to learn ways to save energy, use less water and recycle.

FWc I[jjb[ Pam Settle is a freelance writer with a marketing background and a mom living in Pinellas County with her husband and son.