When people go through any type of change, the change may trigger a period of grief and feelings of loss. When people become unemployed, they may feel a loss of identity since Americans tend to describe themselves in terms of their job.

All change produces stress, even “good” changes such as marriage or vacations. Sometimes it is hard to perceive the stress of “good” changes but easy to understand the stress caused by negative changes such as job loss. Common stressors in a transition are fear and uncertainty.

Communicating positively with young children helps them develop confidence, feelings of self‑worth, and good relationships with others. It also helps make life with young children more pleasant for children and parents.

Child care providers who are good facilitators of the social development of young children also understand the relationship between child care curriculum, care giver demeanor, and discipline in promoting responsibility and a sense of community among young children.

There is a set of principles that characterizes the pattern and process of growth and development. These principles or characteristics describe typical development as a predictable and orderly process; that is, we can predict how most children will develop and that they will develop at the same rate and at about the same time as other children. Although there are individual differences in children’s personalities, activity levels, and timing of developmental milestones, such as ages and stages, the principles and characteristics of development are universal patterns.

As adults, we are usually busy as parents and workers and often feel stressed and experience burn-out at times, but would you ever think that children can experience stress too?

When caregivers are asked to talk about the stress in their lives, they frequently identify their emotions first rather than a specific problem or situation. While recognizing emotions is an important step to maintaining positive emotional health, identifying the situations or events that are problematic is the key to managing stress and preventing caregiver burnout.

Long-distance care may begin slowly with simple tasks such as listening to a problem over the telephone or helping with household chores during a visit. It can also start suddenly in response to a medical crisis. Regardless of how care begins, the role of the long-distance carer is likely to evolve over time as the needs of their loved one change.

When we need assistance, studies suggest there is a pattern to our help-seeking behaviors. For help during short periods of time, we generally turn first to our informal network (spouse and children, followed by friends and neighbors). When help is needed over long periods of time, we tend to turn to a formal network of agencies and organizations for assistance (Suitor and Pillemer, 1990).

This publication provides information about basic concepts and approaches used in making decisions on behalf of others or planning for ones own future needs. Read on to understand important concepts about decision making and strategies, including representative payees, powers of attorney, trusts, and guardianship.

Virginia’s food system directly impacts the survival and viability of farms and farmland; the economic development of rural and urban communities; the care, restoration, and resilience of ecological resources such as local waterways; and critical health issues. We use the language of community, local, and regional food systems to broadly define a complex and interconnected set of systems and pathways that comprise sustainable food production, processing, distribution, consumption, and waste management to bring about social, economic, and ecological change that benefits all residents.

This is part of the Balancing Life video series. This session highlights tips for making the time at home with children a positive experience that supports their development and acknowledges parental needs.

Part of the Balancing Life series. This session addresses needs for those home with young children as work demands continue and discusses the realities and strategies to navigate working from home with young children, even toddlers and preschoolers. Tips are shared with Q&A opportunities.

Balancing Life series. This session focuses on Marital Relations. Staying at home and practicing social distancing in order to slow the spread of COVID-19 can strain even the strongest of relationships. Couples are suddenly spending all of their time together, while also juggling their work and parenting responsibilities. Add in housework, money concerns and other stressors, and many couples are feeling the strain. Some may even worry that their marriages won't survive. In this session, Dr. Megan Dolbin-MacNab, Director of Virginia Tech's marriage and family therapy doctoral program, will discuss ways to take care of your relationship in the midst of COVID-19. Tune in to learn more!

The COVID-19 pandemic has been stressful and has caused anxiety for many people. These emotions can be particularly strong in young people as they adjust to new schedules, separate from their friends, and find a new normal all while viewing the threat of illness and death from the pandemic. On top of that, they are around their family members all day, every day, with limited access to activities and social events. In this session, Dr. Kim Allen, Director of the Youth, Family, and Community Sciences academic program at North Carolina State University along with her two daughters, 16 year old Sofia and 19 year old Fiona, will present coping strategies for dealing with stress and anxiety in youth.

Many older adults' patterns of giving and receiving care have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this session, we highlight situations older adults may be experiencing and how they can support well-being for themselves and others.

Part of the Balancing Life series, this session tackles questions, such as with schools closed parents may find themselves working from home with the additional job of teacher. This session addresses the question many parents are asking, how to help your kids learn and keep them occupied while you work — and actually complete work responsibilities.

This video is for family members who are looking to gain more ideas to enjoy time together, especially with varying age groups and interests.

In light of elevated conversations around race and racism, this session shares an avenue for adults to provide space for youth to voice their thoughts, concerns and ideas in a brave manner that seeks to bridge, and not divide.

With phased re-openings, masks policies, recommendations, and other factors related to COVID-19, many of us have gotten confused by all of the details. And as things re-open, families are making decisions about the activities that they will engage in, and even which they will put back on their schedules (e.g., youth sports, music lessons, etc.) The presenters will help us understand current recommendations, proper mask usage and sanitation for children and adults, and provide a framework for helping families make decisions regarding activities.With phased re-openings, masks policies, recommendations, and other factors related to COVID-19, many of us have gotten confused by all of the details. And as things re-open, families are making decisions about the activities that they will engage in, and even which they will put back on their schedules (e.g., youth sports, music lessons, etc.) The presenters will help us understand current recommendations, proper mask usage and sanitation for children and adults, and provide a framework for helping families make decisions regarding activities.

In this session members of the Virginia and North Carolina Coming Together for Racial Understanding teams begin laying the foundation for listening to understand as a key step towards acknowledging one another's lived experiences. This acknowledgement, without debate or rebuttal, is essential to feeling heard and moving productively forward towards racial understanding.

The presenters and panelists discuss ways to reach, serve and support youth from all racial and ethnic backgrounds in programming efforts.

In this session, warning signs, communication tips, and professional resources are shared for those with suicidal thoughts. The presenter shares ways we can all be "Gatekeepers" to helping someone connect with resources before it's too late.

This is a conversation with current Virginia Teacher of the Year, Andrea Carson Johnson and her colleague, a previous Teacher of the Year, Ariane Williams. They will discuss what schooling will look like this year, whether in the building or virtually, what the expectations are for parents, talk about students in special or exceptional education, and take questions from participants.

Join as 2020 Virginia Teacher of the Year talks "Back to School. "With the varied situations and options related to the return to schools, many families are feeling challenged with decisions, planning, preparation, and communicating with their children what to expect. This is especially tough when there is so much unknown. This session will highlight some of those concerns and share ideas or resources to support families in this regard.

Is it safe to eat inside a restaurant? Do I need to do something with my groceries? Should I accept produce from my friend's garden? How can I preserve my garden extras? Are the seeds I found in my mailbox safe to plant? Expert presenters Dr. Renee Boyer and Dr. Melissa Chase guide us on the best ways to keep our families safe from Coronavirus and food-borne illnesses during COVID-19.

Working parents are grappling with how to keep their children safe at home, especially given that most schools are starting the year either fully virtual or in a hybrid mode. In this session, tips are shared for helping you prepare older children to be home alone.

Preparing to load the yellow bus or power up the laptop? Between schedules, work spaces, routines and adjustments, getting into a rhythm that works for your family can be a huge relief. In this session, our presenter shares ideas that may spark thoughts that you can use in your household.

This video is for adults managing their finances and interested in learning more about COVID-19 related issues regarding financial matters, including mortgages, student loans, and more.

Anyone finding themselves dreading certain conversations? Ever walked away from a discussion wishing you would have said, or not said something? Certainly we all have those opportunities, perhaps at an even greater frequency in our current climate. Join as we discuss ways to have tough conversations, even if we don’t agree on things, in a way that shows both self-respect and respect for others. More COVID-19 resources can be found at COVID-19.

As we move into cooler weather and many continue working and schooling remotely, our physical activity can easily be neglected. We know that movement is important to our overall health and resiliency. Join as we discuss ways to keep moving as part of our overall well-being, even when we spend time at desks and indoors.

Helping Youth PROSPER in Virginia reflects an overview of a Sustainable Communities project by the USDA-National Institute for Food and Agriculture's CYFAR program, The various strategies and activities to bolster the positive development of pre/teen aged youth, such as weekend-long family camp, the youth-adult Strengthening Families Program, campus visits, youth mental health conference, team building and other activities to explore interest and build skills are highlighted.

Learn how to identify, understand, and shrink your stress through use of the five mini-video clips that discuss five area of stress.

Intergenerational programs are most effective when staff members of the adult and child programs collaborate to plan activities. Practically speaking, collaborating takes a concerted effort. Merely setting aside time to discuss plans is a hurdle. Children and adults of different ages have different interests, strengths, and needs. Staff members can review the developmental strengths and needs of children and adults in the program to inform activities for the two age groups. Staff members benefit from their partner’s expertise, which makes planning easier. Participants will benefit from plans that best match their interests and abilities.

Intergenerational programs are most effective when participation is voluntary. It is important that potential participants of an intergenerational activity are given a choice of participating in the activity or not. In communicating, staff should be encouraging and enthusiastic, but not coercive. Once informed, participants can make a decision concerning their ability and willingness to join. Some participants may need time to ease into the routine of intergenerational contact, and staff can support that. By providing a choice, staff members set the tone of the activity in a positive light, while increasing the comfort of all involved.

Intergenerational programs are most effective when participants are prepared ahead of time and reflect on activities afterward.

A social history is basically the accounting of an individual’s life — their interests, career, relationships, the ways they have coped, and how they have defined themselves.

Although all children are different, there is a predictable sequence in their development. Age- and role-appropriate educational opportunities are critical to a quality early childhood education program.

The partners in intergenerational programs are the adults and the children. Individually, children may not have developed particular skills in their thinking or motor functioning.

Successful programs carefully design the physical space, the program, and related policies to be flexible.

Intergenerational programs are most effective when facilitators consider the social environment, including the role of staff members.

There is a chance that clients in an intergenerational program will need adaptive equipment. The primary reason to consider adaptive equipment is to remove barriers to participation.

Documentation starts with careful observation, then evolves into a display of learning processes. Documentation has grown in popularity as a way to review children’s work at various stages of completion. Photographs, work samples, transcripts of conversations, and comments accompany the display. This documentation is then shared with parents as well as discussed among teachers.

Infants are naturally curious.

Stress comes in many forms. There are normal and predictable stressors, such as a new job, getting married, or moving.

Life expectancy has increased dramatically in the past 100 years: 1 in every 8 Americans is age 65 or older. For most, this means an increase in the number of healthy years. Chronological age differs from biological age. How will you age? What do you know about care options? Will you be responsible for others as they age?

In 2012, Delegate Delores McQuinn introduced House Joint Resolution 88 and then in 2013 reintroduced House Joint Resolution 646 to request that the Virginia General Assembly review the issue of food deserts in Virginia. The Honorable William Howell, Speaker of the House of Delegates of the Virginia General Assembly, commissioned Alan Grant, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech, and Jewel Hairston, dean of the College of Agriculture at Virginia State University, to conduct a study of food deserts in the Commonwealth of Virginia.