-
FEBR
UA
RY 2
015
FOR PARENTS WHO EXPECT MORE
TAMPA BAYS ORIGINAL AND MOST COMPLETE GUIDE FOR FAMILIES
FLORIDAFARMERSCAREThisFarmCARES.org
is going greenTAMPA BAY
ANGER AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH A teachable moment
TAMPA BAY'S READING CHECK-UPAre our kids reading better?
-
Farmers CARE for the LandBy Jared Lanier, Florida Farm
BureauJust as parents care for their children withhopes 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, conserv-ing 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 agricultures role in protecting Floridas 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
agricultures impact on the states 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 never-ending 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.
-
IT WAS ALMOST IN SLOW MOTION THAT JEANETTE WATCHED HER FAVORITE
bowl fallat 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 mothers
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 youre confused, youre 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 lovethe 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] 7J[WY^WXb[Cec[dj8o:h$IkiWd8Whj[bb
7d][h_iWc_ii[Zeffehjkd_jojej[WY^oekhY^_bZWXekjbel[$
Anger and the Opportunity
to TeachEC;=7H:;D:;I?=D7D::;9EH7J?D=
-
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
relationshipempathy, 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, dont be afraid to tell your child (without anger) that
youre 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
accidentif 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 dideven if it was an accidentit helps the
other person feel better, and takes away angry and sad feelings.
Teach him that the words I am sorry are very powerfulbut 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 youit makes you angry, and it causes your
child guilt. Whats more, forgiveness is one of the most important
life lessons you can teach your child. Love cant exist without
forgiveness.
FWh[dj_d] 7J[WY^WXb[Cec[dj
:h$IkiWd8Whj[bb Dr. Susan Bartell is a nationally recognized
child, teen and parenting psychologist and award-winning author.
Her
latest book is Dr. Susans Kids-Only Weight Loss Guide: The
Parents Action Plan for Success. You can learn more about
Dr. Bartell at www.drsusanbartell.com.
-
28 PARENTGUIDE JANUARY FEBRUARY 2009
First the good news: Our children are reading better. President
George W. Bushs 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, Floridas
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
Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System and a former
childrens librarian.I really dont have any negative feelings about
that, because I think you have to have some ways to measure whether
youre 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. Heres a summary by county:
Read Between the Lines...By Dalia Coln
-
PARENTGUIDE.COM 29
Percentage of students scoring a 3 or greater out of 5 on the
Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) reading exam:
Hillsborough
Year Grade 3 Grade 7 Grade 10
2002 58 51 402008 71 62 41
Pinellas
Year Grade 3 Grade 7 Grade 10
2002 58 55 422008 72 67 40
Pasco
Year Grade 3 Grade 7 Grade 10
2002 58 51 342008 72 67 38
Source: fcat.fldoe.org
M^oj^[_cfhelc[dj5 While local experts say standardized tests are
only one measure of student achievement, they agree its a valuable
gauge over time. Youll always find individual cases that it doesnt,
but when we look at the trends across the board, the big picture,
theres a lot of correlation between what we see in the standardized
tests and our gut knowledgewhat 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 states 2001
Just Read, Florida! initiative allow schools to employ full-time
reading specialists. I see teachers that feel more confidentin how
to help kids, Kolosey says.
Technology also deserves credit. While the Internet often
competes with books for childrens 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 cant 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, theres 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 its 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.
-
many educators see value in standardized testing, they also
acknowledge that high-pressure exams can turn reading into a chore.
How do you weigh whats 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 dont see
the adults reading (a book, newspaper or magazine), youre not going
to want to pick it up. Its 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^WjoekYWdZe When it comes to literacy, your childs 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 youve 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. Its fine to spread this time throughout the day as
your busy schedule or your young childs attention span dictates.
Change your voice and use animated gestures to make it fun. Discuss
what youve read. Inquire about what he or she has read in school.
Find out when your childs 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 familys 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 theyve learned to read on their own.
Know what hooks them. First and second graders love Marjorie
Weinman Sharmats Nate the Great series. After theyve 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. Rowlings
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_W9ebdDalia Coln is freelance writer in Brandon. Born in
Cleveland, Ohio, she moved to Florida in 2005.
-
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, youve 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.
Its hip to be green and marketers are taking advantage of Americas
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. Its 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
-
and asking questions like, how do we remain productive but
reduce pollution? and how do we create economic development but
ensure affordable housing?
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. Its 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 doesnt
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. It just makes good sense, he told the press at an
event last spring that honored cities in Pinellas County working
toward a Green Cities designation.
IkijW_dWX_b_jojekY^[iWbbWif[Yjie\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
familys 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, its not just about being green, its about
making responsible and balanced choices that also impact tomorrow.
A parent in the future is depending on you.
FWcI[jjb[Pam Settle is a freelance writer with a marketing
background and a mom living in Pinellas County with her
husband and son.
>ec[WdZec[Below are some suggestions to reduce waste, save
money and create a healthier lifestyle.t
$IBOHFUPFOFSHZFGGJDJFOUMJHIUCVMCT
t 6QHSBEFUPFOFSHZFGGJDJFOUBQQMJBODFT
t %PBOFOFSHZDIFDLGPSZPVSIPNF
t 1MBONFOVTBOEFBUMFGUPWFSTUPSFEVDFGPPEXBTUF
t 3FEVDFUIFVTFPGDIFNJDBMDMFBOFST
t #VZSFDZDMFEQSPEVDUT
t 4IPQDPNQBOJFTUIBUJNQMFNFOUHSFFOQSBDUJDFT
t 5BLFTIPSUFSTIPXFSTBOEVTFXBUFSTBWFSGBVDFUT
t $SFBUFBYFSJTDBQFEZBSE
t 4UBSUBOPSHBOJDHBSEFOBOEDPNQPTU
t 4IPQMPDBMGBSNFSTNBSLFUT
t *OTUBMMBSBJOCBSSFMUPDPMMFDUXBUFS
t 3FDZDMFFWFSZUIJOHZPVDBO
t 1SPEVDFMFTTXBTUF
t #VZPSTFMMJUFNTVTFEJUFNT
t $BSQPPMPSUFMFDPNNVUFTPNFPGUIFUJNF
t 3JEFBCJLF
t ,FFQZPVSDBSUVOFEVQ
