Local educational opportunities

Have you ever wondered how you or your kids got to be that way? We all grow and change physically, emotionally, socially and in the way we think. Kids aren’t little adults, and if we understand that growing up process — human development — we can parent more effectively. Understanding how our kids grow and mature is a critical piece of Caring for Our Kids. As they continue to grow older we start having concerns about how our Tweens and Teens will make good choices regarding drugs and alcohol. We want them to be safe from bullying. There are many actions we can take in Building Strong Families.

Not only are our children growing older but so are we and our parents. Aging can bring up concerns about Managing Chronic Illnesses or Successful Aging. Perhaps we concerned about our Matter of Balance (preventing falls) for our parents or ourselves. However, that balance may be more concerned with the Challenges and Choices we have and make in our everyday life dealing with time constraints, care-giving, stress and health.

Sometimes our challenges in life can come unexpectedly. That job we loved has perhaps become more stressful and we are working on Stress Reduction and Avoiding Burnout. Perhaps our community or home has been impacted by a disaster or had a near miss. We can learn how to be Prepared for Disaster as a community, organization, business, family or individual. Additionally there are often many Critical Issues for Unexpected Helpers when our families, neighbors and friends face challenges such as tough economic times or family farm crises.

Finally a challenge may come in the form of Behavioral Health issue(s) for ourselves, a child, another family member, a co-worker or a friend. Gaining understanding about autism, substance abuse, bi-polar, depression, ADHD, developmental disabilities and other behavioral health issues can be a beginning to leading a more balanced life.

Classes and workshops on the subjects introduced above are offered regularly throughout the area. Contact the Marion County Extension Center for the most current information.

Sherry Nelson, Human Development Specialist

Infant through older adult development, including physical, emotional, social and cognitive development. Have you ever wondered how you and your kids got that way? We all grow and change physically, emotionally, socially and in the way we think. Kids aren't like adults, and if we understand how our kids grow and mature is a critical piece of Caring for Our Kids. As they continue to grow older we start having concerns how our Teens and Tweens will make good choices regarding drugs and sex. We want them to be safe from bullying.

Tweens and Teens – Underage drinking and other drug abuse; bullying.

Live Like Your Life Depends on It – or Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (6 sessions)

Arthritis or Fibromyalgia Self-Help (6 sessions)

Matter of Balance (Fall Prevention Program – 8 sessions)

Parenting: Caring For Our Kids – (4 sessions) 1) Unintentional injuries and abuse/neglect, 2) Guidance and discipline, 3) Communication and conflict, 4) Managing stress

Focus on Kids – (Divorce education)

Building Strong Families – Classes includes workshops on 13 different topics. Modules can be taught separately:

  • Family Strengths
  • Managing Stress
  • Working
  • Money Matters
  • Consumer Beware
  • Communicating
  • Child Self-Care
  • Go For It!
  • Healthy Home
  • Food and Fitness
  • Positive Discipline
  • Balancing Responsibilities
  • Kids and Self-Esteem

Disaster Preparedness —Disaster Preparation for Early Childhood Educators, Disaster Preparedness for Faith-based Communities, Disaster Preparedness for Businesses, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training and Disaster First Aid, and General Disaster Preparedness.

Behavioral Health — General education on behavioral health including bi-polar, substance abuse, eating disorders, ADHD, ADD, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia and related disorders, sleep disorders, personality disorders, autism, developmental disorders, i.e. special needs and/or disabilities. Critical Issues for the Unexpected Helper, a program for people who work with the public in stressful situations, as well as stress reduction and avoiding burnout.

Emergency Preparedness (PDF)

Recent events like the earthquake in Haiti and the tornadoes last spring in the Kirksville area bring to the forefront the need to prepare. (Yes, severe storm season in Missouri is fast approaching.) Yet even if we believe it’s a good idea — many of us delay, may start and stop, or may believe there is no point. Research has shown that preparedness usually results in better outcomes including a more rapid recovery.

Mulitple Intelligences: Seven Ways to Be Smart (PDF)

Did you ever think about what intelligence is? Did you know that there are seven different ways we can consider ourselves and our children to be smart?

Happy Holidays (PDF)

Many of us are hustling and bustling around at this time of year. We may be shopping or going to parties and other seasonal events/programs. Maybe we’re sending cards, making gifts, or baking. Perhaps we’re planning and/or seeing family and friends during this busy time. Yet for some of us a significant change in our life this past year may be preventing us from having that "magically, wonderful, perfect" Christmas. A Christmas the media entices us to believe we must attain. However, some of us may not feel that way.

Talking with Children When the Talking Gets Tough (PDF)

Wars, shootings in schools, natural disasters, deaths at sporting events — as adults we hope that these and other tragic outcomes will never happen anywhere and definitely will not impact the children and youth we care about. We would like to protect those young minds from the pain and horror of difficult situations. So what is a parent, teacher or other caring adult to do when disasters fill the airwaves and the consciousness of society?

Test your smoke alarms

Installing your smoke alarms correctly - and making sure they are in working order - is an important step to making your home and family safer from fire.