The Dangers of Vaping

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By Sara Wilson, MSW, LSW – July 24, 2024 –

According to Indiana Public Radio in October 2023, nine percent of all Indiana youth said they used e-cigarettes in the past month. And in 11th and 12th grade, nearly 20 percent of students said they had been vaping within the month.

Vaping or using e-cigarettes is an epidemic that has led to children as young as elementary age experimenting with them. Often, misinformation makes vaping sound less dangerous than traditional cigarettes. However, facts show this is not true. 

The key to preventing vaping in children and adults is education. When we know better, we do better. Important facts to communicate include the following, found at the Tobacco Education Resource Library:

  • Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine. Children and teens often believe e-cigarettes do not contain any type of nicotine, rather just the flavor juice. This myth is used to make e-cigarettes appear more “healthy” than regular cigarettes. The fact is, most e-cigarettes not only contain nicotine, but the website notes that vapes, especially one Juul pod, can contain as much nicotine as an entire pack of cigarettes.
  • By heating the ingredients, e-cigarettes create an aerosol that is inhaled. Some of the ingredients include not only nicotine, but nickel, lead, tin, aluminum, and even formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is one of the chemicals used when embalming a deceased person in order to preserve the body. 
  • Introducing such chemicals at a young age increases the risk of addiction to not only e-cigarettes, but also to other drugs. The child and teen brain is still developing and forming numerous connections. The introduction of such chemicals makes the brain feel dependent on these chemicals. 

In addition to educating your child about the real risks of e-cigarettes, there are other steps you can take to help curtail vaping. Be aware of behaviors that may indicate your child is using e-cigarettes. According to the Massachusetts Center for Adolescent Wellness, such behaviors might include increased thirst; nose bleeds; smelling like mint, candy, or fruit; increased agitation, anxiety, or impatience; secrecy or increased need for privacy.

When discussing vaping with your child, the American Lung Association recommends the following considerations:

  • Put yourself in your child’s shoes. Consider the pressure and social environment they encounter in their daily lives, and remember what that felt like when you were their age.
  • Remind your child that you are on their side without judgment or frustration. If a child feels judged, they may react defensively or tune you out completely. An open discussion is the best approach to lead to a positive outcome.
  • Find the right time and place. Choose a calm moment where vaping is already at the top of their mind, like when you’re driving past a vape shop or your child is attending an event with friends. This will help you guide the conversation and discuss vaping without defensiveness.
  • Practice having this conversation with a partner or trusted friend, and go through the points you feel are most important to communicate. Try to anticipate how the conversation will go, and prepare yourself to respond to your child calmly and respectfully. This will also encourage them to come to you with problems in the future.

If you discover that your child is vaping, contacting your pediatrician or family doctor to evaluate the level of use and possible addiction may be necessary. Often, vaping is not discovered until some time has passed. If an addiction has formed, stopping without medical guidance may be difficult or even medically unsafe. 

Keeping communication open and available without lecturing is important. Parents need children and teens to understand the dangers of e-cigarettes. Children and teens need parents to understand the pressures of engaging in using e-cigarettes. When both parties are willing to listen and understand the other, chances of prevention increase. 

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Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation Awards $10,000 to Youth First

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Grant to Provide Mental Health Support and Substance Misuse Prevention for Daviess and Martin County Youth

The Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation continues to invest in the health and well-being of Daviess and Martin County youth and families. A grant award of $10,000 was recently presented to Youth First, Inc. to provide mental health support and substance misuse prevention through their school-based student assistance program.   

The Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, the charitable giving partner of Perdue Farms, awards grants to 501(c)(3) organizations that benefit communities where large numbers of their associates live and work and focuses on strengthening communities in the following areas: agriculture and the environment, education, fighting hunger and poverty, health and social services, and public safety.

The grant is part of Perdue Farms’ Delivering Hope To Our Neighbors® outreach focused on improving quality of life and building strong communities.

“At Perdue, we are committed to enhancing the communities where our associates live and work,” said Sara Norfolk, complex human resource manager for Perdue Farms in Washington. “We are proud to continue to invest in Youth First’s program to make sure no child falls through the cracks when it comes to mental health care.”

The grant to Youth First will allow for continued mental health support for approximately 4,350 students in 11 Daviess and Martin County schools. Youth First partners with 125 schools across 14 Indiana counties to embed prevention programs and over 90 skilled mental health professionals (primarily master’s level social workers), bilingual support personnel, and parent engagement coordinators in school buildings, where they provide extra mental health support for students and prevention coaching for parents and teachers.

Youth First Founder Dr. Bill Wooten was present at the check presentation and shared why he started the organization: “It was important to me that all children receive this type of support so they remain healthy, hopeful and focused on school.”

Youth First Mental Health Professionals build caring relationships, foster readiness for positive change, and boost resiliency along with other valuable life skills. Research shows these protective factors are the keys to effective prevention of negative outcomes for young people. The organization’s positive work and strategies are driving growth, with more schools seeking Youth First’s help to address the growing need for mental health supports for students.

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About Youth First, Inc.

Youth First, Inc. is a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening youth and families. Youth First provides prevention programs and over 100 highly trained mental health professionals (primarily master’s level social workers), parent engagement coordinators, and bilingual support personnel who assess needs, develop and implement prevention plans, and connect students and their families to vital resources, to 126 schools across 14 Indiana counties. Over 52,000 youth and families per year are served by Youth First’s school-based student assistance and community programs that promote mental health, prevent substance misuse, and maximize student success. To learn more about Youth First, visit youthfirstinc.org or call 812-421-8336.

About the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation
The Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, the charitable giving arm of Perdue Farms, was established in 1957 by company founder Arthur W. Perdue and is funded through the estates of Arthur W. Perdue and Frank Perdue. As part of our belief in supporting the communities where and with whom we do business, the Foundation provides grants on behalf of Perdue Farms in communities where large numbers of our associates live and work. At Perdue Farms, we believe in responsible food and agriculture®.

About Perdue Farms
We’re a fourth-generation, family-owned, U.S. food and agriculture company. Through our belief in responsible food and agriculture, we are empowering consumers, customers, and farmers through trusted choices in products and services.

The premium protein portfolio within our Perdue Foods business, including our flagship PERDUE® brand, Niman Ranch®, Coleman Natural®, and Yummy®, as well as our pet brands, Spot Farms® and Full Moon®, is available through various channels including retail, foodservice, club stores and our direct-to-consumer website, PerdueFarms.com. 

Perdue AgriBusiness is an international agricultural products and services company.  

Now in our company’s second century, our path forward is about getting better, not just bigger. We never use drugs for growth promotion in raising poultry and livestock, and we are actively advancing our animal welfare programs. Our brands are leaders in no-antibiotics-ever chicken, turkey, pork, beef, and lamb, and in USDA-certified organic chicken and beef. Learn more at Corporate.PerdueFarms.com.

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Kids Need to Fail to be Successful

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By Nolan Miller, MSW, LCSW – July 17, 2024 –

Picture this. You are in school and kids are choosing teams for a basketball game. Five students are very good at the sport and five may need to work on their skills a bit more. No matter how the teams are chosen, one team will have an advantage over the other. As a result, what should we do? Quit or play the game?

For some, this question is not so easy to answer. As a school social worker, I often see children who love to play games, sports, or anything that is competitive in nature, but they do not like to lose.

It’s safe to say none of us, even adults, really want to lose. It can make us feel like we are not good enough and therefore shouldn’t even try. However, this is far from the truth. We learn more from losing than from winning.

A better question is: How do we help our children understand that it isn’t always about winning and it’s okay to lose sometimes?

For example, when playing a board game (and I know as an adult I can win this game nine times out of ten), do I let the child win sometimes or beat them every time? Perhaps try to find a balance between victories and losses. It’s all about the discussion after the game and how the child reacts. When they win, are they enjoying the win or are they gloating that they are more skilled? This may give insight on how they feel when they are losing. When they lose, are they brushing off the loss or running away from the game saying they never want to play again? 

I grew up playing sports and games with my family. I didn’t enjoy losing. However, understanding that I was more than just a competitor in a game was a lesson I could use in different aspects of my life. Bad days happen, and we have the opportunity to learn and grow from them. Some factors are not in our control, and we can either run from our struggles or learn to control our reactions.

No one expects a child to take every loss in stride, but you can begin laying the foundation to accept losses with grace and courage. Whether they are competing on the field, the court, the stage, or just playing on the playground with friends, keeping the lines of positive communication open can lead to a more positive experience with others. 

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Siblings Can Teach Each Other Empathy

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By Haley Ballard, MSW, LSW – July 11, 2024 –

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. It is an important skill for children to develop, because it helps them understand and connect with others from all walks of life. Ensuring that your children learn about empathy will allow them to deepen their relationships with friends and other loved ones.

One of my closest relationships is with my little sister. I have spent more quality time with my sister than I have with anyone else, because we grew up so close and we still spend time with each other any chance we get. She knows how to make me laugh so hard, but she also knows how to push my buttons. Any emotion you can think of – excitement, pride, loss – I have felt with my sister. We have learned a lot about empathy by going through our major life experiences together.

When my sister was graduating from high school and had been accepted into college I felt so proud of her. I saw the struggle and the effort she put into her homework every night as I tried my best to help her understand math and writing prompts. I saw the pride in her face as she walked across the stage in her cap and gown at her high school graduation to receive her diploma. We also shared excitement as she opened up her college acceptance letter and received academic scholarships. In those moments, I could really empathize with her because it reminded me of how I felt when I graduated and was accepted into college.

When our family dog of twelve years died, my sister was there for me and I was there for her. I felt no one else understood what I was feeling better than she did, because we felt the hurt and loss together. We sat, cried, and talked about all the wonderful and silly memories we had of our dog running around in the snow, stealing our blankets, and the time she ate a whole pie while we were gone. Grieving the loss of our dog helped us connect and mutually feel love and loss.

My sister and I have helped each other go through the “ups and downs” of life. Because she has been there with me through it all, I have learned to connect more with her through the emotions we share. She has helped me learn to connect with others by being able to fully understand and share the feelings others go through.

Take the time to talk about and give names to feelings with your children to help them learn about empathy. Use real-life situations happening with siblings as a way to talk about and process their feelings. Be sure to point out when they are (or are not) showing empathy towards their siblings and help them practice it through their interactions with each other. This will help them develop their relationships as siblings and with other people in their lives.

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Establishing Communication with Your Child from an Early Age

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By Kacie Shipman, MSW, LSW – July 3, 2024 –

It’s important to teach your child to communicate well from an early age. Getting your children to share their thoughts or feelings with you can sometimes feel like an impossible task. Often, as children age and their peers become an increasingly important part of their lives, they spend more time communicating with friends than their parents/caregivers.

As a school social worker, when working with teens and encouraging them to share with their parents, we discuss the barriers to being more open. First, students tend to share that their parents or caregivers are too busy to listen. The definition of busy can vary. I encourage children to think of times where they might interact with their parents, such as on a car ride home from school or practice.

Set aside a time where the distractions are limited and give kids an open opportunity by verbally reminding them you always have time for conversation. This is a good way to open a discussion. Sharing during car rides or dinner prep might be situations where they don’t feel pressured to make eye contact. 

Most children are concerned about the reaction they will receive when they share their feelings. Establish a plan where the child lets you know they have something on their hearts that needs specific, uninterrupted time for conversation. One way could be to leave a note or send a text that they would like to talk. This is a time where siblings or other household members understand that interruptions should be limited. Your child will feel valued by the specific time set aside.

During this time, provide them with the opportunity to share fully before expressing your thoughts or feelings. It’s a good idea to take an hour or wait until the next evening to give yourself time to reflect and regulate before responding.

Letting your child know that you won’t react in a big way can help decrease initial hesitation to talk about a difficult feeling or situation. If your child is concerned that what they share will bring about conflict or punishment, their hesitancy may override their desire to have you help them problem-solve or provide a supportive listening ear.

Share with your child that it is okay to reflect on your feelings and not make quick statements from an initial reaction. This will help in all of their relationships. Relationships suffer when things are said in haste or when we are dysregulated by the intensity of the discussion that may have caught us off guard.

Using statements to reflect how you are feeling by using “I” can help tremendously in making difficult conversations productive. An example of using an “I statement” with your child could be, “I felt a lot of fear and concern when your curfew passed last night and I wasn’t sure where you were.” Walls of defense go up when we hear “you” to start a conversation. When walls are up, the conversation tends to be defensive rather than on finding to a solution.

Being vulnerable and showing concern and fear rather than anger can also help keep your child’s walls of defense down. Overall, teaching and modeling positive healthy communication styles for your child teaches them lifelong skills. Positive communication skills will help your child in many aspects of both their private and professional lives.

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Hobson Auto Group Supports Youth First with 3-Year Gift

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Donation to Provide Mental Health Support and Substance Misuse Prevention for Lawrence and Morgan County Youth

“Let our family take care of your family” are words that ring very true for Hobson Auto Group Owner & President Jeff Hobson when it comes to caring about his community. That’s why he wanted to ensure years of support for Youth First, Inc. with a multi-year donation that supports the organization’s programs and services in local schools.

Hobson Auto Group has invested in the health and well-being of Lawrence and Morgan County youth and families by putting in place a $2,000 donation for the next three years. The total amount of $6,000 was celebrated at a check presentation held on June 12 at one of Hobson’s Bedford dealerships. The funds being donated to Youth First, Inc. provide mental health support and substance misuse prevention through their school-based student assistance program.  

Hobson says, “Youth First is a great fit for our community. The services and programs that they provide in our schools are essential for the continued and future success of our students and their families. Hobson Auto Group is pleased to support Youth First.”

Youth First partners with school districts across Indiana to embed mental health professionals in school buildings, where they become specialized mentors for students and prevention coaches for parents and teachers. Youth First Mental Health Professionals build caring relationships, foster readiness for positive change, and boost resiliency along with equipping students with valuable life skills. Their presence also contributes to a healthier and safer school environment.

Among the Hobson Auto Group stores are Hobson Chevrolet Buick GMC in Martinsville, Hobson Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Bedford, and Hobson Ford in Bedford. Hobson is committed to its foundation of strong family values and unparalleled customer service.

This gift demonstrates a thriving community partnership and highlights the vital need to equip young people with mental health supports and positive influences. 

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The Art of Being Still

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By Chasidy Lambert, MSW, LSW – June 26, 2024 –

Life is busy! We’re managing so much in our daily lives to stay on top of things: jobs, kids, school, sports, other extracurricular activities, community projects, relationships with family and friends, staying healthy, managing finances…the list goes on and on. Getting all of these boxes checked can feel like a second job in itself. 

Our lives are buzzing as we attempt to make everything happen at once. It’s no wonder we are seeing the rise of young families moving away from the “city life dream” their parents once had to a minimalistic world view – a quieter life with activities like growing their own garden, decluttering, canning food, and other ways to escape the “chaos” and be more self-sufficient. 

Though escapism is not always healthy, we can appreciate the lost art of living a less stressful life by resting in our current reality. One way we can experience this stillness is through practicing mindfulness. Mindfulness is a skill often used in meditation.

To practice mindfulness, you focus on the present without fear of the future or dwelling in the past. There are different ways to be mindful, but the gist of it is being completely in the moment without any distracting thoughts. Mindfulness is a great skill for all ages to learn.

Studies have shown that mindfulness helps children develop skills such as self-control and stress management. It helps adults reduce stress and learn to enjoy even the small moments. When families combine their individual practices of mindfulness, they are able to make more meaningful connections together. Though being still in the hustle and buzz is often hard, utilizing mindfulness can be a simple yet effective way to reset our minds and bodies.

One activity I would suggest is gratitude mapping. You begin by taking a breath, being mindful of all the things in your life you are thankful for, and then writing a list of those things. This activity shifts the focus to a more positive mindset, which results in fostering kindness in our interactions.

Another activity you can try as a family is mindful listening. There are so many ways to do this, but the easiest one is going outside and closing your eyes. What do you hear? Pay attention to the birds, wind, and other outside noises. You can take it a step further and notice the grass under your feet or the wind or sun on your face. You can also use calming music for this activity.

Breathing, movement, and growth are basic human functions needed to live a purposeful life. To achieve the art of being still, we can utilize our mindfulness skills to reset our bodies and remind ourselves that our “to-do” lists and events are not what define us. Rather, it is the interactions we have with those around us.

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The Benefits of Outdoor Play

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By Lizzie Raben, MSW, LSW – June 20, 2024 –

Are children disconnecting from nature? According to The National Recreation and Parks Association, today’s children spend less time outdoors than any other generation.

On average, children spend less than 10 minutes per day outside in unstructured play, compared to seven hours spent indoors in front of an electronic device. That’s around 1,200 hours a year in front of a screen. Multiple studies show that too much screen time leads to several detrimental effects on a child’s physical and mental well-being. Lack of development of fine and gross motor skills, increased risk for obesity, anxiety, depression, and decreased social interaction are just a few of these negative effects.

According to the website health.harvard.edu, while electronics play a pertinent role in decreased outdoor play, there are other contributing factors, such as concerns about sun exposure, emphasis on scheduled activities and achievements, and lack of safe outdoor play areas.

So why is outdoor play important? The following are reasons children need to play outside:

Physical Health: Immunity and Exercise

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, studies show many children have Vitamin D deficiencies. We need sun exposure to make Vitamin D, an essential vitamin used in many body processes such as bone development and building our immune system. Sun exposure stimulates a part of the brain called the pineal gland, crucial to keeping our immune system strong and improving our mood.

According to Harvard Health Blog, children should be active at least one hour a day. Allowing children to play outside encourages active play, considered the best exercise for children. When children play outside, they have more space for big movements: running, jumping, kicking, and throwing. These physical movements foster physical development.

Mental Health

When children spend time outdoors, they experience reduced levels of stress. Sunlight boosts serotonin levels, which helps regulate our mood and can decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression. Allowing children to play outside provides them with a natural and therapeutic environment.

Executive Function and Social Skills

Unstructured outdoor play allows children to build executive function skills. These mental skills allow us to negotiate, plan, multitask, troubleshoot, and more – all essential for daily life tasks. Spending time in nature allows children to explore, fostering their creativity and imagination. Children need time alone and with other children to use their imagination to problem-solve, entertain themselves, create their own games, etc.

It’s important that children learn social skills such as how to share, take turns, work together, make friends, and treat other people well. Only interacting in structured settings (like school) does not always allow the child to build these skills. Allowing them to play outside gives them space to practice these life skills.

Need some simple outdoor play ideas for your kiddo? Check out the following articles:

https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/play-learning/outdoor-play/outdoor-play

25 Ideas To Make Outdoor Play Fun
50 Outdoor Activities for Kids
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Responsible Use of Electronics with Young Children

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By Kelly Leavitt – June 11, 2024 –

As a Youth First Social Worker, I interact with children in an elementary school setting daily. Most students I serve have the world readily available with electronics such as cell phones, tablets, video games, the internet and social media.

Unfortunately, there is the risk of exposure to material parents are not aware of and wouldn’t approve of. Being able to recognize and understand how electronics can play a factor in your child’s development is key to their growth.

Limiting exposure to electronics has proven beneficial to children in a number of ways. Some of these benefits include increased creativity, socializing, and better sleep. Limiting exposure can also benefit one’s overall physical health, such as decreasing the risk of obesity and other health conditions related to obesity (diabetes, cardiovascular issues, etc.).

There are several ways to limit the use of electronics. Setting aside a specific time (with a time limit) to use electronics, monitoring your child’s activity, using parental controls and encouraging other activities are just a few. Some alternative activities may include playing a board game, reading a book, playing outside or arts and crafts.

Many of us are guilty of spending too much time with electronics and the internet. Unfortunately, many parents today are so busy, and electronics are a quick form of entertainment for the child. Between working, running the household, and all the daily tasks, parents are spread thin and sometimes need that “20-minute break.”

The negative effects associated with long-term electronic use are prevalent in school-aged children. Some of these effects include sleep deprivation, internet addiction, sensory overload and cyberbullying. As a social worker in an elementary school setting, I often observe these issues.

Parenting in our current electronic-based world is no easy task, but it is imperative to set guidelines for electronic use at an early age. Explain to your child the reason behind the guidelines and find a replacement activity instead. Zone in on your child’s interests and hobbies, giving them choices of how they would like to spend their free time.

According to www.pewresearch.org, parents reported the most common device their young children engage with is a television, with 88 percent of parents saying their young child only uses or interacts with a television.

The following statistics relate to the children and families I serve at the elementary school level:

  • 54 percent of children ages 5-8 use a desktop or laptop, while 73 percent of children ages 9-11 use a desktop or laptop
  • 80 percent of children ages 5-11 use or interact with a tablet
  • 59 percent of children ages 5-8 engage with a smartphone, whereas 67 percent of children ages 9-11 engage with a smartphone

It is no secret that technology is greatly influencing our world, and it is our responsibility to prepare our children. Having the tools, feeling informed and being prepared to help your child navigate our ever-changing technological world can make all the difference in their success.

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Summer Provides Opportunity to Combat Burnout

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By Rebecca Williams, MSW – June 6, 2024 –

Burnout is defined as chronic stress related to helping others. As a school social worker, I can certainly relate to this, and I believe teachers and other school personnel can as well. According to Michelle Ratcliff in the article, “Social Workers, Burnout, and Self Care” in the Delaware Journal of Public Health, social workers and mental health professionals are very susceptible to burnout.

Ratcliff also notes that a form of burnout we may feel the most is emotional burnout. This type of burnout comes from being emotionally drained and can result in feeling a low sense of personal accomplishment, depersonalization, and pessimism. According to social worker burnout statistics on the website crowncounseling.com, emotional exhaustion is observed at a rate of 70.3 percent of social workers. Current burnout rates among social workers are at 39 percent with a lifetime rate of 75 percent.

Maybe you have experienced burnout before or maybe you haven’t. Either way, we should try to prevent it or reverse it. As school-based service providers, I believe we are given a unique opportunity to combat the onset of burnout. This opportunity comes with holiday breaks and our longest break, summer.

Although some of us may take on an extra job or have young kids home in the summer, we should try our best to plan time for ourselves. We have many options during the summer to implement self-care for our families and ourselves. When I think of summer, I think of a time to take a vacation, go for walks, go on picnics, learn a new skill, go to the beach, or read a book entirely for pleasure instead of something educational. These new skills and forms of self-care we build on in the summer will better prepare us for a new school year in the fall and have us feeling refreshed to provide the best service.

It is also very important for our students to be refreshed. Summer is a perfect time for parents to engage with their children during a much-needed break. Teachers and school personnel should encourage families to implement their own forms of self-care.

According to the article, “Schools Out! Tips For Taking Advantage of Summer Break to De-Stress from the Hustle and Bustle” on the website psychiatry.org, many summer options can fit into any family and lifestyle. The first idea is to spend and enjoy time outside. This can be as simple as going for walks, going to a park, or going to the pool.

A second idea is to reduce the use of technology and electronics during summer break. Technology can have a negative effect on a young person’s mood and self-esteem, so it is important to encourage families to unplug their devices and find creative ways to interact with each other. Additionally, we should encourage our students to spend time with friends and keep their healthy/positive relationships strong.

Lastly, consider practicing mindfulness, which can be defined as paying attention in the present moment. Mindfulness can include practices such as meditation, walking while observing nature, mindful eating, or taking stock of how each body part is feeling while sitting or lying down. This is a way for the family to relax and build closer connections. Mindfulness is something I encourage with my students, and extending that to their family would be an added benefit. This way the family can reinforce progress the student has made and build good habits together.

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