Parenting & Childcare

Raising children is the hardest job in the world. All parents need support in this regard. Effective parenting is tough if we don’t have appropriate strategies. Competent parenting skills need consistent practice until we become comfortable and confident putting them to use.

For more information about parenting, see the list of resources below that are available for families throughout the life span from UF IFAS Extension.

Babies & Young Children

• Baby Basics: Handling the Crying Child
• The Fantastic Four-Year-Old
• How I Grow series
• Let’s Talk about Temper Tantrums
• Talking With Your Child
• Toilet Training
• Winning Ways to Talk with Young Children
• The Wonderful Three-Year-Old
• Babies and Young Children – Nutrition
• Tots in Action series

School-Age Children

• Being Involved with Your School-Age Child
• Children in Self-Care
• Helping Your Child with Social Problems
• Helping Your School-Age Child Develop a Healthy Self-Concept
• The Importance of Friendship for School-Age Children
• Parenting During the Elementary School Years, Part 1: Preventing Misbehavior
• Parenting During the Elementary School Years, Part 2: Discipline
• Working with School-Age Children series

Teen Years

• 4-H Human Development
• “Who Am I?” Teen series
• Childhood Emotional and Behavioral Problems
• Children in Self-Care
• Teen Safety in Cyberspace

Single-Parent Families

• Success and the Single Parent: Positive Parenting- Understanding Children’s Behavior
• Success and the Single Parent: A Flash of Time
• Success and the Single Parent: Taking Care of Yourself
• Success and the Single Parent: Positive Parenting–The Communication Puzzle
• Success and the Single Parent: The Money Crunch

Stepping Stones for Stepfamilies

• Stepping Stones for Stepfamilies–Lesson 1:Taking Time to Think about My Stepfamily
• Stepping Stones for Stepfamilies–Lesson 2: Building a Strong Couple Relationship
• Stepping Stones for Stepfamilies–Lesson 3: Building Step Relationships
• Stepping Stones for Stepfamilies–Lesson 4: Understanding a Child’s Realities
• Stepping Stones for Stepfamilies–Lesson 5: Understanding Financial and Legal Matters
• Stepping Stones for Stepfamilies– Lesson 6: Working with Others
• Stepping Stones for Stepfamilies for Grandparents
• Stepping Stones for Stepfamilies for Parents
• Stepping Stones for Stepfamilies: Financial and Legal Issues
• Stepping Stones for Stepfamilies: Survey Evaluation

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

• Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: Understanding Your Grandchild’s Behavior Part 1
• Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: Navigating the System Part 1 – Community Resources
• Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: Navigating the System Part 2 – Legal Issues
• Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: Understanding Relationships Part 1
• Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: Building Relationships Part 2

Just For Fathers

• Being an Involved Father: What Does It Mean?
• Learning to Be a Father: How Do We Do It? Isn’t there a Manual Somewhere?
• Parenting When Apart: Tips for Non-resident Fathers
• The Common Roles of Fathers: The Five Ps
• The Hidden Benefits of Being an Involved Father

More Resources

• National Institute on Childhood Health & Development
• National Research and Development Centers links
• Child Development Institute
• North Carolina University FPG Child Development Institute
• International Center on Care & Education for Children links
• Research & Training Center for Early Childhood Development
  (for children at-risk for or with developmental delays)
• Developmental Delay Resources
• Children, Youth and Families Education & Research Network
• AARP research & tips for grandparents raising grandchildren