Ideas for Parents : 52 Weekly Newsletters in Easy-To-Use, Customizable PDF Format

2 .0

FA M I LY & R E L AT I O N S H I P S / PA R E N T I N G

2 .0 Thousands of organizations have used the Ideas for Parents newsletters to deliver fun and functional information to parents. Now this popular product for family-serving professionals is available on CD-ROM as a set of easy-to-use, customizable PDF documents: Ideas for Parents 2.0.

Filled with activities, discussion prompts, and practical tips for raising kids, the Ideas for Parents newsletters not only introduce parents to Search Institute’s Developmental Assets™ framework, but inspire them to draw on its commonsense wisdom in their own families.

52 Weekly Newsletters in Easy-To-Use, Customizable PDF Format

Ideas for Parents includes 52 black-and-white newsletters, one for each week of the calendar year. Each newsletter has two customizable spaces, perfect for inserting an organization’s name, upcoming events, or other initiative-specific information. The newsletter set also includes a User’s Guide, with tips for distribution and printing. An additional instruction sheet on manipulating PDF documents will have users up and running in no time.

2.0

If you’re an educator, health care professional, congregation leader, or simply interested in spreading the word about positive youth development, Ideas for Parents 2.0 provides the convenience and reliable information you need to communicate with parents.

M A C A N D P C C O M PAT I B L E

A SEARCH INSTITUTE PUBLICATION

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e-Newsletters

Read This First This CD contains a printable and customizable PDF of all 52 newsletters, and a copy of Adobe® Acrobat® Reader. To use these files, you will need to have Acrobat Reader, Acrobat Standard, or Acrobat Pro installed on your computer.

How to customize the PDF files

Upon opening the pdf, the custom areas will be invisible as shown in example 1 below. The rules around the form field areas as shown below in example 2 do not print - this rule is invisible.

Each newsletter contains a 4 1/4” x 3/8” area above the logo on the first page and an 8 1/2” x 3 1/2” section for you to customize at the bottom of the second page.

Depending on whether you are using Adobe® Acrobat Reader® or Adobe® Acrobat Pro®, and depending on which tool you have selected, this custom area may or may not be invisible when you open the pdf file. There are some navigational links within the files that appear as red type (Return to Contents) - there will not show when you print your newsletter. Below are instructions on how to use these customizable pdf files.

Each of the pdf files on this CD contain a customizable area that you can type a custom message into. This defined custom area is invisible, and when the pdf file is printed, only the type that you put in that area will print.

If you are using Adobe Acrobat Reader: 1. Open the pdf of the newsletter you wish to customize from the contents page (see link above).

2. Click on the Hand tool in the tool bar (see example 3).

3. Roll your cursor over the customizable area just above the title “Ideas for Parents” (see examples 1 and 2 for location of customizable areas).

When you are within the customizable area, your cursor changes from a hand icon to an insert text icon. When you see your cursor change to the insert text icon, click, and then you can type your custom message. The font size, color, and alignment in the custom areas are not editable.

4. After you’ve finished typing your custom messages, print the pdf.

5. Close the pdf file.

NOTE: Acrobat Reader cannot save changes to a pdf file, so any custom messages you have typed in will not be saved when you close the file. If you wish to save changes to pdf files, you need to use Adobe® Acrobat® Standard or Pro. Click here for information about Adobe® Acrobat® Products.

If you are using Adobe Acrobat Standard or Pro: 1. Open the pdf of the newsletter you wish to customize from the contents page (see link above).

2. Click on the Hand tool in the tool bar (see example 3).

3. Roll your cursor over the customizable area just above the title “Ideas for Parents” (see examples 1 and 2 for location of customizable areas).

When you are within the customizable area, your cursor changes from a hand icon to an insert text icon. When you see your cursor change to the insert text icon, click, and then you can type your custom message. The font size, color, and alignment in the custom areas are not editable.

4. After you’ve finished typing your custom messages, print the pdf.

5. Save changes to your customized pdf file by choosing FILE, then SAVE AS. Save the file to your hard drive. Close the pdf file.

Example 1: Customizable areas in the pdf file as they appear when pdf file is opened.

Example 2: Defined customizable areas in the pdf file. These boundary lines do not show or print.

Example 3: Select the Hand tool and click in the general area of a customizable area. The hand icon will turn into a text insert icon.

Example 4: Type your message and print the pdf. If you are using Acrobat Standard or Pro, you may save the pdf with your message in it.

Newsletters Click on the newsletter that you would like to customize.

Table of Contents

Users Guide—Introduction and Ideas Newsletter 1—Assets: 40 Keys to Effective Parenting Newsletter 2—Asset Category: Support Newsletter 3—Asset #1: Family Support Newsletter 4—Asset #2: Positive Family Communication Newsletter 5—Asset #3: Other Adult Relationships Newsletter 6—Asset #4: Caring Neighborhood Newsletter 7—Asset #5: Caring School Climate Newsletter 8—Asset #6: Parent Involvement in Schooling Newsletter 9—Asset Category: Empowerment Newsletter 10—Asset #7: Community Values Youth Newsletter 11—Asset #8: Youth as Resources Newsletter 12—Asset #9: Service to Others Newsletter 13—Asset #10: Safety Newsletter 14—Asset Category: Boundaries and Expectations Newsletter 15—Asset #11: Family Boundaries Newsletter 16—Asset #12: School Boundaries Newsletter 17—Asset #13: Neighborhood Boundaries Newsletter 18—Asset #14: Adult Role Models Newsletter 19—Asset #15: Positive Peer Influence Newsletter 20—Asset #16: High Expectations Newsletter 21—Asset Category: Constructive Use of Time Newsletter 22—Asset #17: Creative Activities Newsletter 23—Asset #18: Youth Programs Newsletter 24—Asset #19: Religious Community

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Newsletter 25—Asset #20: Time at Home Newsletter 26—Asset Category: Commitment to Learning Newsletter 27—Asset #21: Achievement Motivation Newsletter 28—Asset #22: School Engagement Newsletter 29—Asset #23: Homework Newsletter 30—Asset #24: Bonding to School Newsletter 31—Asset #25: Reading for Pleasure Newsletter 32—Asset Category: Positive Values Newsletter 33—Asset #26: Caring Newsletter 34—Asset #27: Equality and Social Justice Newsletter 35—Asset #28: Integrity Newsletter 36—Asset #29: Honesty Newsletter 37—Asset #30: Responsibility Newsletter 38—Asset #31: Restraint Newsletter 39—Asset Category: Social Competencies Newsletter 40—Asset #32: Planning and Decision Making Newsletter 41—Asset #33: Interpersonal Competence Newsletter 42—Asset #34: Cultural Competence Newsletter 43—Asset #35: Resistance Skills Newsletter 44—Asset #36: Peaceful Conflict Resolution Newsletter 45—Asset Category: Positive Identity Newsletter 46—Asset #37: Personal Power Newsletter 47—Asset #38: Self-Esteem Newsletter 48—Asset #39: Sense of Purpose Newsletter 49—Asset #40: Positive View of Personal Future Newsletter 50—External Assets Newsletter 51—Internal Assets Newsletter 52—Assets: The Power of Parenting

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Newsletters

Users Guide Introduction Why do some kids grow up with ease while others struggle? Search Institute researchers have identified specific, practical things that can have a tremendous and lasting positive impact on youth. Rather than focusing on problems, this research concentrates on Developmental Assets™—the positive things (such as parent support and commitment to learning) that help young people thrive. The assets are 40 values, experiences, and positive qualities that young people need to help them make wise decisions and choose positive lifestyles. The more of these assets they experience, the better.

Ideas for Parents consists of 52 newsletters that give parents practical suggestions for building Developmental Assets for and with their children. Each two-page newsletter is easy to read, easy to understand, and easy to use.

Each newsletter gives useful, effective tips for parents to build one of the 40 Developmental Assets in their children. Schools, communities, businesses, youth-serving organizations, family support programs, congregations, health-care providers, and others can use these newsletters to promote asset building, help parents build skills and ideas, and demonstrate their concern for families and children. The newsletters are intended for use by parents of children from birth to age 18.

Ideas for Distribution It’s important for the newsletters to get into the hands of parents and for parents to know how to get future copies. Try these ideas for distribution: • Mail the newsletter to parents along with other community education information.

• Have the newsletter available beside other free information in high-traffic public areas.

• Send the newsletter home with students to give to their parents on a regular basis during the school year.

• Distribute newsletters to your community library to give to parents when they visit or check out books with their children.

• Give newsletters to parents who attend parent education workshops, classes, or family events.

• Have volunteers hand deliver the newsletters to neighbors with children.

Ideas for Funding Distributing a newsletter can be expensive. Here are ideas to help defray the costs: • Get a local printer to donate some or all of the printing.

• Ask a local corporation or business to sponsor the newsletter.

• Include the newsletter with other mailings to eliminate or reduce postage costs.

Ideas for Customizing

PRINTING TIPS • Make copies more appealing by using different color paper or even a differentco lor ink.Often a quick-print shop will have daily specials on certain colors of ink.Forexample ,you might be able to print in blue ink at the sam e price as black ink on a certain day.

• Consider printing each newslet ter on a different color of paper for variety.Or,you maywantto choose one color to use for all 52 newsletters to help people recognize the news letters right away.

Each newsletter contains a 4 1/4” x 3/8” area above the logo on the first page and an 8 1/2” x 3 1/2” section for you to customize at the bottom of the second page.

Use these areas to: • Highlight the sponsor of the newsletter. Include the name, address, and phone number so that parents know where to get more information and services.

• Inform parents about parent education events in the organization and/or community. One school system sponsored a parent education series that paralleled each asset type and its associated newsletter.

• List important phone numbers. Communities can include telephone numbers for emergencies (police, fire, medical, poison), city, schools, community education, child care, and other community resources.

• Promote upcoming community events. If your community is hosting an ice cream social or family activity program, give the details in this space. Include what, when, where, and who to contact for more information.

• Include discount coupons. You may want to ask a business to include a discount coupon. Or, have a coupon parents can clip to save money on a parent education class.

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Ideas for Parents Newsletters

By Jolene L. Roehlkepartain Copyright © 1997, 2003, 2005 by Search Institute All rights reserved. Electronic version created 2005. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever, mechanical or electronic, without prior permission from the publisher except in brief quotations or summaries in articles or reviews. The purchasing organization has permission to reprint the newsletters for educational use only. (See the section on licensing and copyright below.) For additional permission, write to Permissions at Search Institute.

Licensing and Copyright Reproduction rights are limited to the purchasing individual or organization only. Artwork in the newsletters may not be reprinted for use in any context other than the newsletters. The newsletters may not be electronically posted to any Web site without prior permission.

Violation of any of these conditions shall be considered a violation of the copyright laws of the United States. If you have questions or require additional copyright information, contact Search Institute Permissions Department at 800-888-7828. Permission is granted to excerpt up to 100 words from each newsletter for promotional or educational purposes, using the following attribution: Reprinted with permission from Ideas for Parents, Newsletter # (specify the number of the newsletter you’re quoting), ©1997, 2003, 2005 by Search Institute, Minneapolis, MN, 800-888-7828. All rights reserved. Contact Search Institute for relicensing information and fees.

Search

Practical research benefiting children and youth

I N S T I T U T E

615 First Avenue Northeast, Suite 125 Minneapolis, MN 55413 www.search-institute.org Telephone: 612-376-8955 Toll free: 800-888-7828 E-mail: search@search-institute.org ISBN: 1-57482-873-8 Some parent quotes reprinted with permission by Family & Children’s Service from the Minnesota Family Strength Project.

At the time of these newsletters’ publication, all facts and figures cited are the most current available; all telephone numbers, addresses, and Web site URLs are accurate and active; all publications, organizations, Web sites, and other resources exist as described in these newsletters; and all efforts have been made to verify them. The author and Search Institute make no warranty or guarantee concerning the information and materials given out by organizations or content found at Web sites, and we are not responsible for any changes that occur after these newsletters are published. If you find an error or believe that a resource listed here is not as described, please contact Client Services at Search Institute. We strongly urge you to monitor young people’s use of the Internet.

Credits Major support for Search Institute’s Healthy Communities • Healthy Youth (HC • HY) initiative is provided by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Lutheran Brotherhood, now Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, is the founding national sponsor for HC • HY. Editors: Jennifer Griffin-Wiesner, Rebecca Aldridge Design: Wendy J. Johnson, Points Of View Package design: Percolator Design Illustrations: Nancy Johansen-Wester A special thanks to Lee Skavanger, whose vision led to the development of this newsletter set, and to the Osseo (Minnesota) School District for piloting the newsletters.

CD-ROM manufactured in the United States of America

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ideas for par nt

Newsletter #1

Easy Ways to Build Assets for and with Your Child Return to Table of Contents

FAST FACTS

ASSETS: 40 Keys to Effective Parenting Assets are 40 key building blocks of development that help youth grow up healthy. The more assets youth have, the more likely they are to succeed.

5f6yo% uth

o d by surveye h Searc ve ha Institute or 0 j u s t 2 ese f th fewer o their in assets .* e v li s

What Are Assets?

Assets are 40 values, experiences, and qualities that help kids succeed. * Based on Search Institute surveys of 217,277 6th- to 12th-grade youth throughout the United States during the 1999–2000 school year..

e s

Powerful Parenting: The Asset-Building Way

I

t’s easy to get scared as a parent.

Watching the news, we see crime, drinking and driving, teen pregnancy, gang warfare, suicide. We wonder what’s going to happen to our children.

In our fear, we may end up scaring our kids so that they live in fear as well. Or, we may look the other way, thinking that these things would never affect our families.

Whatever the approach, most parents feel uncertain at times. We would like to know the secrets of healthy parenting in a world that often seems very unhealthy.

The idea of “developmental assets,” introduced by Search Institute in Minneapolis, gives a new sense of hope and practical direction for parents. Researchers at Search

How to Start Search Institute has identified eight types of assets that are crucial for helping young people grow up healthy: • Supporting and loving your child.

• Empowering your child.

• Setting clear and realistic boundaries and expectations.

• Helping your child use her or his time in meaningful, constructive ways.

• Encouraging your child to develop a lifetime commitment to learning.

• Instilling in your child positive values.

• Developing social competencies in your child.

• Encouraging your child to form a positive identity.

Each area involves several specific assets.

See the “asset quiz” for a list of all 40.

Institute have identified 40 assets that have a powerful, positive impact on young people.

Children and teenagers who have a lot of assets get involved in very few risky behaviors—the kinds of problems we worry about. And when young people have a lot of assets, they are much more likely to do the positive things we value.

Assets do make a difference. By incorporating them into your parenting, you can help your child grow up happy, healthy, and responsible.

Future issues of this newsletter will explain further and give practical information on each asset.

Quick Tip: Focus on the positive and your children will, too.

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Assets: How Does Your Child Rate?

T

ake this quiz to see how many assets you think your child has. Check each statement you feel is true.

_____ 19. My child spends one or more hours per week in activities in a religious institution. _____ 20. My child is out with friends “with nothing special to do” two or fewer nights per week. _____ 1. My child receives a lot of love and support from family _____ 21. My child wants to do well in school. members. _____ 22. My child likes to learn new things. _____ 2. My child and I communicate positively, and my child is _____ 23. My child does at least one hour of homework every willing to seek me out for advice and support. school day. _____ 3. My child receives support from three or more non_____ 24. My child cares about her or his school. parent adults. _____ 25. My child reads for pleasure three or more hours per _____ 4. My child has neighbors that encourage and support her week. or him. _____ 26. My child places high value on helping other people. _____ 5. My child’s school provides a caring, encouraging _____ 27. My child wants to promote equality and reduce hunger environment. and poverty. _____ 6. I am actively involved in helping my child succeed in _____ 28. My child acts on convictions and stands up for her or his school. beliefs. _____ 7. My child feels that adults in the community value youth _____ 29. My child tells the truth even when it is not easy. and children. _____ 30. My child accepts and takes personal responsibility. _____ 8. My child is given useful roles in the community. _____ 31. My child believes it is important not to be sexually active _____ 9. My child serves in the community one hour or more per nor to use alcohol or other drugs. week. _____ 32. My child knows how to plan ahead and make choices. _____ 10. My child feels safe at home, at school, and in the _____ 33. My child is good at making and keeping friends. neighborhood. _____ 34. My child has knowledge of and comfort with people of _____ 11. Our family has clear rules and consequences, and different cultural, racial, and ethnic backgrounds. monitors our child’s whereabouts. _____ 35. My child can resist negative peer pressure and _____ 12. My child’s school provides clear rules and consequences. dangerous situations. _____ 13. Our neighbors take responsibility for monitoring my _____ 36. My child seeks to resolve conflict nonviolently. child’s behavior. _____ 37. My child feels he or she has control over things that _____ 14. I and other adults model positive, responsible behavior. happen to her or him. _____ 15. My child’s best friends model responsible behavior. _____ 38. My child feels good about her- or himself. _____ 16. I and my child’s teachers encourage my child to do well. _____ 39. My child believes that her or his life has a purpose. _____ 17. My child spends three or more hours per week in _____ 40. My child feels positive about her or his personal future. lessons or practice in music, theater, or other arts. _____ 18. My child spends three or more hours per week in sports, Scoring: Give yourself one point for each “true.” Total up the clubs, or organizations at school and/or in the number of points. This is the number of assets you think your community. child has. Now ask your child how he or she would answer.

✔

FiNaL WoRD

This checklist is an educational, awareness-raising tool. It is not intended nor appropriate as a scientific measurement of developmental assets of individuals.

“Like a dream catcher, assets are the supporting threads in a young person’s life that can keep away harm and invite goodness.”—Helping Kids Succeed—Alaskan Style This newsletter and other asset resources are produced by Search Institute, www.search-institute.org; 800-888-7828.

Copyright © 1997, 2003, 2005 by Search Institute. Major support for Search Institute’s Healthy Communities • Healthy Youth initiative is provided by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

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ideas for par nt

Newsletter #2

e s

Easy Ways to Build Assets for and with Your Child Return to Table of Contents

FAST FACTS

ASSET CATEGORY Support The more love, support, caring, and adult contacts a child has, the more likely he or she is to grow up healthy.

Building Support African American Parents Say:* •“Praying together, eating, going out.”

•“Eating meals [with teens], it’s a way to get out from teens what they might not tell you.”

*The Minnesota Family Strength Project Research Report 1997 and 1999.

Everyone Provides the Strength of Support

W

ho are the people that really support you in your life?

These people are important champions. They cheer us on when things go well. They stick with us when life throws us a curve ball. They listen. They ask questions. They smile. They hug. They’re people we like to be around.

What kind of a champion are you for your child? Are you a fair-weather supporter? A rain-or-shine supporter? What’s your unique way of supporting and loving your child?

Your love and support for your child are critical. But you can’t go it alone. You need others. Your child needs others. How supported and cared for does your child feel by teachers, neighbors, coaches, grandparents, aunts, uncles, parents of their friends, youth workers, and mentors? These other key adults

are important players in helping your child jump over the hurdles in life. In fact, the more supportive adults your child has, the better.

And by nurturing and loving all the children in our communities, we help them grow to be loving, caring people themselves.

Look to future newsletters for details on all six support assets!

6 Key Areas of Support

S

earch Institute researchers have identified six specific assets in the support category that are crucial for helping young people grow up healthy. Check the

areas of strength in your child’s life: ❑ Family support—Family life provides high levels of love and support. ❑ Positive family communication—You and your child communicate positively, and your child is willing to seek you out for advice and counsel. ❑ Other adult relationships—Your child receives support from three or more nonparent adults.

❑ Caring neighborhood—Your child experiences caring neighbors. ❑ Caring school climate—School provides a caring, encouraging environment for your child. ❑ Parent involvement in schooling—You are actively involved in helping your child succeed in school.

Name Three

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Have each family member name three ways the family supports her or him.

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Support through the Years Age 0-1 2-3 4-5 6-10

Ways to Love and Support Your Child • • • • • • • • • •

• • 11-15 • • • 16-18 • • •

: k Tipy to c i u Q d wa o d is A go our chil le. y ib love e access to b

Hold your baby and look at her or him during feedings.

Respond to your baby’s needs.

Rock your baby often.

Cheer your child on as he or she masters new skills.

Touch your child often. Hug. Cuddle.

Stay positive when setting limits for your child.

When you interact with your child, get down to her or his eye level.

Share you child’s excitement about her or his interests.

Find other caring adults to participate regularly in your child’s life.

Answer your child’s questions. If you don’t know an answer, say so and work together to find it.

When you and your child disagree, point out you still love her or him.

Be silly with your child.

Accept the identity your child is forming.

Affirm independence and interdependence.

At least sometimes, be available to listen.

Continue to show affection for your teenager.

Let your teen overhear you complimenting her or him to someone else.

Seek your teen’s opinion or advice on a big decision.

More He lp for Pa rents W hat Kids

Need to Succ eed: Proven, Good Kids. T Practical Wa his book gives ys to Raise practical tips and with you for building a ng people. (Ava ssets for ilable from Se www.search-i arch Institute nstitute.org; 8 , 00-888-7828.)

Support for Parents Parents need support, too.

Research shows that parents need the help of immediate and extended family, friends, and communities.

So asking for help or advice is not a sign of weakness. Instead, it provides good ideas, encouragement, and reinforcement— all of which are needed to face the challenges of parenting that will come along the way.

FiNaL WoRD

“It isn’t walls and furniture that make a home. It’s the family.”

—Natalie Savage Carlson

This newsletter and other asset resources are produced by Search Institute, www.search-institute.org; 800-888-7828.

Copyright © 1997, 2003, 2005 by Search Institute. Major support for Search Institute’s Healthy Communities • Healthy Youth initiative is provided by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

Previous page

2 .0

FA M I LY & R E L AT I O N S H I P S / PA R E N T I N G

2 .0 Thousands of organizations have used the Ideas for Parents newsletters to deliver fun and functional information to parents. Now this popular product for family-serving professionals is available on CD-ROM as a set of easy-to-use, customizable PDF documents: Ideas for Parents 2.0.

Filled with activities, discussion prompts, and practical tips for raising kids, the Ideas for Parents newsletters not only introduce parents to Search Institute’s Developmental Assets™ framework, but inspire them to draw on its commonsense wisdom in their own families.

52 Weekly Newsletters in Easy-To-Use, Customizable PDF Format

Ideas for Parents includes 52 black-and-white newsletters, one for each week of the calendar year. Each newsletter has two customizable spaces, perfect for inserting an organization’s name, upcoming events, or other initiative-specific information. The newsletter set also includes a User’s Guide, with tips for distribution and printing. An additional instruction sheet on manipulating PDF documents will have users up and running in no time.

2.0

If you’re an educator, health care professional, congregation leader, or simply interested in spreading the word about positive youth development, Ideas for Parents 2.0 provides the convenience and reliable information you need to communicate with parents.

M A C A N D P C C O M PAT I B L E

A SEARCH INSTITUTE PUBLICATION