To submit comments, or to suggest items for this newsletter or First5LA.org, contact Katie Kurutz, public affairs officer, at kkurutz@first5la.org or (213) 482-5902.
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"F" as in Fat: Obesity in America
Trust of America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation recently released "F" as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America, a study that compares adult and childhood obesity rates among the states. The picture is bleak. More »
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First 5 California Launches Parent Site
Last month First 5 California launched a
a statewide campaign to introduce a micro-Web site geared specifically for parents of young children. More » |
First 5's Help Communities Draw Down Federal Dollars
First 5's in Southern California are helping local community-based organizations and agencies seeking federal stimulus funds, leveraging the opportunity to strengthen safety net programs. More »
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The Toxin-Free Infants and Toddlers Act
While most consumers believe that everyday products are free of toxic chemicals, the reality is many children's products contain them. Learn about a recent piece of legislation that might ban one of these. More »
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When to Intervene
Last month actress Liv Tyler was caught on camera scolding a woman who was reportedly screaming and hitting a toddler. Following the story, the media called into question "when is it okay to intervene?" I was interested to hear how the media and the public would respond because, as a professional in the early childhood field, I sometimes struggle with how to relate to parents when they interact with their children in ways I have learned are not optimal.
A New York Times article about the Tyler incident brought to light that there are no set social rules on whether or not to intervene. Locally, ABC7 received comments from mothers who felt, "deciding when it's appropriate to step in and offer parenting advice to another mother or father is a 'touchy' subject," but many mothers acknowledged that it is sometimes hard to resist.
Clearly, in a case of child abuse, the best intervention is to call the police or other authorities. But many situations involving negative interactions between parent and child are less clear cut. The NYT article offered some advice about what bystanders and other witnesses should do in these sticky situations, like when a clearly frustrated parent attempts to discipline a child having a melt down in a market. Borrowed from the Minnesota Ramsey County Wakanheza Project, (Wakanheza is the Native American Dakota word for child) on how to approach a parent that may be struggling in public with their child. I found the following tips helpful:
Step 1: Assess Yourself
Quickly assess your mood, and also ask yourself whether you are able to put aside your judgments and fears about perceived differences between yourself and the people you have encountered. Look for a simple, helpful thing you can do to improve and deescalate the situation.
Step 2: Assess the Situation
Recognize that the agitation and behavior you are seeing may well be a result of the parent or youth feeling isolated and powerless in that moment. Think about if there might be a simple, empathetic thing you could do or say in that moment to make the environment and situation more comfortable and positive for everyone - actions as simple as:
- a smile
- a nod
- offering to hold a door, or
- helping parents with small children bag groceries.
Step 3: Act in the Moment
Once you have assessed yourself and the situation, remember that your goal is to do something in that moment that can help diffuse and improve the situation at hand. You are not there to figure out what led to what you are seeing, nor to worry about what will happen later. What you can do, in that moment, is offer help.
The project also created a 30-minute video featuring a group of parents discussing their challenges with these situations. Click here to see the video. I hope this is helpful to anyone uncomfortable with parents acting in ways in which you don't agree. |
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