This two-part pamphlet assists parents and teachers in setting appropriate limits on children's behavior. Part 1 begins by illustrating the differences between punishment and discipline. It points to four basic reasons for misbehavior: (1) attention; (2) power; (3) revenge; or (4) inadequacy. Each of these reasons are fully defined, and advice for…

An examination of various surveys of family child care providers found that new providers need an initial understanding of the business aspects of operating a family child care home, whereas more experienced providers need updates on such topics as taxes, parent communication, solutions for problems, and networking information. (MDM)

The overall purpose of this study was to identify continuing education needs of family day care providers in Virginia. Specific objectives were to: (1) identify the most suitable method of provider training; (2) learn how providers usually obtain information about young children, what information they have found to be most valuable, and what they…

Licensed and unlicensed providers of child care in Virginia were asked about their training needs. Responses revealed that providers have little time for themselves and their families, and therefore, innovative training methods must be planned to deliver programs that will fit into their lifestyles. It was also found that new providers needed an…

A 3-month training program for 36 family child care providers was completed by 22, 9 of whom were members of professional associations. Quality of care was higher for affiliated caregivers, and quality of care of nonaffiliated caregivers improved after training. (SK)

A survey of 30 Department of Agriculture-funded school-age day care sites indicated that interlocking subsystems of community, school, and family help programs place the child at the center. At-risk families need safe and positive options from which to choose, adding an extra element of support. (SK)

Designing a professional development system for parent educators requires weaving together multiple pieces from within the network of organizations providing parenting education. North Carolina examined how to build a system using the influence of evidence-based programs as well as professional credentialing for parenting educators. A system built…

Focus groups with 59 North Carolina parenting educators addressed professional needs. They identified concerns about the scope of the field and collective vision, keeping professional knowledge current, partnerships, networking, and community collaboration. A model of the interrelated components of professional development systems was developed.…

Two North Carolina projects used methods from the National Network for Family Resiliency's Parenting Evaluation Decision Framework. Parenting for Success for Hispanic Parents used focus group interviews and summative evaluation. Individualized education for Head Start parents used pre/posttests of parental self-esteem and child development…

North Carolina's Work First (WF) program, like other welfare reform programs, incorporates personal responsibility contracts; paid work, volunteer work, or school requirements; and time limitations. Using telephone interviews, this study examined perceptions of 31 former welfare recipients who were enrolled in the North Carolina Work First (WF)…

Introduces the Preschool Outdoor Environment Assessment Scale, an instrument to measure the quality of outdoor preschool child care environments that is being field-tested at 50 sites. Describes characteristics of five domains: (1) physical environment; (2) interactions; (3) activity areas; (4) program; and (5) teacher/caregiver role. (KB)