Fact Sheet, Brief
This fact sheet summarizes research showing that children from military families experience above-average levels of emotional and behavioral difficulties and that longer parental deployments are associated with greater difficulties. (Author abstract) Superceded: See http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9568.html This fact sheet explains the development of toddlers between the ages of 2 and 3, the need for parents to help toddlers navigate the tide of strong emotions, and tips for parenting toddlers. Tips include: talk about feelings and how to cope; offer your child ideas for how to manage strong emotions; empathize with your child; give your child a visual aid to make waiting easier; let your child make choices appropriate to her age; and look for ways to help your child practice self-control.
Parents talk to their kids about all kinds of difficult topics. There are commercials about our kids' brains on drugs, the importance of reading to our kids, and even about staying in school. But we rarely see or hear anything about one of the most important building blocks in our society: healthy marriage. Marriage is something many of us take for granted, but don't really understand. This tip sheet offers ways parents can give their children the tools to enjoy healthy and happy relationships. (Author abstract modified)
It is exciting to get married. Marriage offers the opportunity to create a new family and new traditions. However, getting married when there are children involved can bring with it a new set of challenges and anxieties about making your relationship work successfully for a lifetime. Stepfamilies are very common, but creating one can be challenging. In the United States, more than 1,300 stepfamilies are formed every day. It is a great responsibility to model healthy relationships for your children, and now is the perfect time to show them your best stuff! This tip sheet is designed to help…
Dating violence is a serious concern for today's teens and parents. According to the National Youth Violence Prevention Center, about 20% of teens have experienced abuse in a dating relationship. Parents often under estimate their influence on teens when it comes to dating and sex. But parents play a vital role in helping teens recognize the red flags of an unhealthy relationship and ending an abusive relationship. When you talk frequently and openly with your teens, they are more likely to turn to you in a time of crisis. The following tips and strategies can help you open the lines of…
Eighty-two percent of 18 to 30 year olds expect to be married for life. Researchers have found that the building blocks of healthy adult marriages are formed during the teenage years. Parents may be nervous about talking to their teens about relationships or marriage, but they are a critical influence in their teen's life. When asked "Who influences you most when it comes to your dating relationships?" teens named their parents first (35 percent). Parents' values seem to be related to teen values and, subsequently, teen behaviors. Show your teen you care, listen respectfully to his or her…
It's no surprise that most teens explore romantic relationships. Romance is the premise of many teen movies, and is apparent in their everyday life through tweeting, chat rooms, text messaging and school gossip. Relationships that occur during the teen years are an opportunity for young adults to experience romance, learn about themselves and establish expectations for future relationships. So, how can a program effectively turn a hot topic into a teachable moment? This Tip Sheet describes key characteristics of successful youth programs. (Author abstract)
Studies show that increasing numbers of teens from 1975 to 1995 felt that marriage and family life were "extremely important" to them. In 2005, most teens continued to feel favorably about marriage. In fact, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, 90 percent of Americans will marry someday. Relationships as depicted in popular books and movies are new and exciting to youth. Even so, many teens have experienced divorce in the family and are pessimistic about the possibility of having a stable, two-parent household or a lifelong marriage. Relationship education (RE) services are, therefore, a…
This fact sheet explores marital challenges adults may face when their adult children leave the home, including feelings of depression, sadness, and grief. Symptoms of Empty Nest Syndrome are described, as well as the challenges faced by the Sandwich Generation that is taking care of their own children while taking care of their aging parents, challenges related to boomerang kids, and the challenge of forced retirement. The impact of these challenges on marriage is noted and the need for couples to feel connected to overcome the challenges is emphasized. 9 references.
This fact sheet explores unique stepfamily characteristics and stepfamily dynamics. Data is shared on the number of stepfamilies, different types of stepfamilies, and nonresidential and cohabiting stepfamilies. It is estimated that between 10 and 20% of U.S. children reside in stepfamilies, and data is reported that indicates between 1997 and 2002, the percentage of stepfamilies did not increase significantly for any racial group except for Hispanics. Compared to children living with both biological parents, the fact sheet states children in stepfamilies tend to have more struggles with…
