Parenting Newsletter Project Your name here University of Wisconsin-Extension

Three Parenting Newsletter Series Parenting the First Year (PFY) Parenting the First Year (PFY) Parenting the 2 nd and 3 rd Years (PSTY) Parenting the 2 nd and 3 rd Years (PSTY) Preparing to Parent (P2P) Preparing to Parent (P2P)

Newsletter Features 8-page issues 8-page issues Age-paced Age-paced Reach socially isolated families Reach socially isolated families Can be shared with others Can be shared with others Free for parents Free for parents Easy to read and understand Easy to read and understand Available in Spanish edition Available in Spanish edition

How did the newsletter project get started? Two extension agents from N. Wisconsin produced the first version of PFY in Two extension agents from N. Wisconsin produced the first version of PFY in In 1988 an entirely new edition was written by Dave Riley & Dori Schatell. In 1988 an entirely new edition was written by Dave Riley & Dori Schatell. Kiwanis seeking a project for major service effort – helped jumpstart distribution Kiwanis seeking a project for major service effort – helped jumpstart distribution

Local partnerships have included: 70 county extension offices 70 county extension offices 165 Kiwanis Clubs 165 Kiwanis Clubs 77 maternity hospitals 77 maternity hospitals 22 city or county health departments 22 city or county health departments 49 other partners 49 other partners

How Many Households Do the Newsletters Reach? Parenting the First Year newsletters reach 35,000 Wisconsin families each year. Parenting the First Year newsletters reach 35,000 Wisconsin families each year. About half of the families giving birth in Wisconsin each year (70,000). About half of the families giving birth in Wisconsin each year (70,000). Another 22,000 Wisconsin families receive Parenting the 2 nd and 3 rd Years each year. Another 22,000 Wisconsin families receive Parenting the 2 nd and 3 rd Years each year.

Goals of the Parenting Newsletter Project To encourage competent parenting To encourage competent parenting To enhance early childhood development To enhance early childhood development To address threats to early brain development: To address threats to early brain development: -chemical exposure -chemical exposure -undiagnosed vision / hearing problems -undiagnosed vision / hearing problems -inadequate nutrition -inadequate nutrition To prevent abusive parenting To prevent abusive parenting

Do the newsletters accomplish these goals? Parents report positive changes in their parenting: Talk more with their babies and toddlers Talk more with their babies and toddlers Provide more things to enhance development Provide more things to enhance development Start toddlers doing simple chores Start toddlers doing simple chores Set rules and limits with their children Set rules and limits with their children Provide safer home environments Provide safer home environments

Do the newsletters accomplish these goals? In a field experiment, 550 parents who received the Parenting the First Year: had attitudes significantly less like those of child abusing parents had attitudes significantly less like those of child abusing parents reported slapping or spanking their babies fewer times in the previous week reported slapping or spanking their babies fewer times in the previous week

What have parents said? “I probably wouldn’t have talked to my child when he was an infant if I hadn’t read these newsletters.” Richland County parent “The newsletters have been a big help in controlling my frustration when the baby cries for hours on end! Thank you.” Grant County parent “The newsletter helped me to be more responsive to my baby, because I found out that the games we play and the things we do are not just fun, but also helpful in my baby’s development.” La Crosse County parent La Crosse County parent

What have parents said? “ We have all the books [on parenting]. Nothing has been as helpful as this newsletter.” Wood County parent “The newsletters have been very useful to me because I have no friends with children and very little input. It helps me know what to expect and what is normal behavior.” Dane County parent “We love the newsletter! We’ve copied them all and passed them on to sisters and brothers having babies whose cities don’t do anything like this for them.” Fond du Lac County parent

Evolution of the Parenting Newsletter Project Spanish version of PFY Spanish version of PFY English and Spanish versions of PSTY English and Spanish versions of PSTY Info Source Info Source Website, about 60 read on line each day Website, about 60 read on line each day 15 other states, 2 other countries 15 other states, 2 other countries Parenting Future Readers & Parenting Your Unique Child Parenting Future Readers & Parenting Your Unique Child NEW! Preparing to Parent newsletter series NEW! Preparing to Parent newsletter series

What is Preparing to Parent? 4 Issue Set of 16-page Prenatal Newsletters 4 Issue Set of 16-page Prenatal Newsletters Prequel Series to Parenting the First Year Prequel Series to Parenting the First Year One Issue for Each Trimester, and the Time Around Birth One Issue for Each Trimester, and the Time Around Birth Written by UW-professors, with advisory panel that included health care professionals Written by UW-professors, with advisory panel that included health care professionals

Why a Prenatal Newsletter Series? Need for earlier intervention Need for earlier intervention Reinforces Advice of Health Care Providers Reinforces Advice of Health Care Providers Helps Parents Remember Advice Helps Parents Remember Advice Answers Questions Not Discussed at Clinic Visits Answers Questions Not Discussed at Clinic Visits Can Be Shared With Social Network Can Be Shared With Social Network

Examples of Topics That Require Early Intervention Alcohol and Tobacco Use Alcohol and Tobacco Use Prenatal Nutrition and Vitamins Prenatal Nutrition and Vitamins Avoidance of Environmental Toxins Avoidance of Environmental Toxins Use of Regular Prenatal Care Use of Regular Prenatal Care Decision to Breastfeed Decision to Breastfeed

Developed by University of Wisconsin-Extension for 3 Goals To Help Expectant Parents Have a Healthy Pregnancy and Baby To Help Expectant Parents Have a Healthy Pregnancy and Baby To Promote Competent Parenting To Promote Competent Parenting To Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect To Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect

Distributing P2P Distribute by hand to expectant parents at prenatal visits Distribute by hand to expectant parents at prenatal visits Partner with local Extension office Partner with local Extension office Advantages for partners (lower cost, help with evaluation) Advantages for partners (lower cost, help with evaluation)

Options for Obtaining P2P Newsletters Purchase standard newsletters from Extension Publications Purchase standard newsletters from Extension Publications Purchase license & print localized versions (with your logo, contact info.): Purchase license & print localized versions (with your logo, contact info.): 1. Have a printer make copies 2. Print from a CD on your office computer 3. Print from a secure website

Evaluation Data collected by self-report questionnaires given to new parents at first postnatal visit Data collected by self-report questionnaires given to new parents at first postnatal visit Data entry completed at Extension office Data entry completed at Extension office Each clinic will receive an Evaluation Report Each clinic will receive an Evaluation Report Power point presentation on results, press release series available Power point presentation on results, press release series available