skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Hurricane Milton makes landfall near Siesta Key; expected to remain a hurricane as it moves across central FL; Groups file an emergency lawsuit to reopen FL voter registration amid hurricanes; ND wildfires: Heavy damage to cropland; importance of early warnings; Report: 67 PA counties boom for low unemployment, job growth, wage increase.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

President Biden denounces disinformation about federal disaster response. Experts address concerns about how hurricanes impact voting, and activists left and right question VP Harris' stance on meat.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Hurricane Helene has some rural North Carolina towns worried larger communities might get more attention, mixed feelings about ranked choice voting on the Oregon ballot next month, and New York farmers earn money feeding school kids.

Back to school blues: ND parents get the lowdown on talking to their child

play audio
Play

Monday, August 26, 2024   

Many North Dakota districts this week kick off a new school year, and a state initiative has advice for parents if their child is expressing a lot nerves about transitioning back to the classroom.

Through its Parents Lead program, the state Health and Human Services Department offers resources it says can help parents and caregivers support the behavioral health and well-being of students year-round.

Department Behavioral Health Division Administrator Sara Kapp said it's especially beneficial right now, as families get into back-to-school mode.

If there are signs of anxiety or anxiousness, she said being present for those moments is vital.

"It's just really trying to understand your child's behaviors," said Kapp, "and the messages they're sending to you. "

Program leaders say in sparking these conversations, parents and caregivers should demonstrate that the child's feelings are valid and reassure them it's okay to feel extra nervous.

As the school year takes shape, they also recommend asking your child about their day.

Encouraging face-to-face time with friends and establishing routines, such as relaxation time after school, are other tips.

In the social media age, many parents like to post first-day-of-school pictures taken outside the family home.

Kapp said if your child has strongly expressed their desire not to do that tradition, it might be better to respect their boundaries.

"You know, even as an adult, sometimes we don't want our pictures taken," said Kapp. "And so just being mindful of those things too, that those can also increase your child's anxiety."

She said that approach can also take pressure off a parent who's feeling overwhelmed and not wanting to meet all the social media standards.

While each family might have different stressors at home, Kapp acknowledged that creating added awareness might result in a more comfortable classroom environment for all students and teachers.

The Parents Lead website also has information about what to do if behavioral issues grow larger during the school year.




get more stories like this via email

more stories
Hurricane Milton grew to become a major hurricane on the morning of Oct. 7, 2024. (AWS S3 Explorer/Wikimedia Commons)

Social Issues

play sound

As powerhouse Hurricane Milton nears the Florida coastline, communities in the Tampa Bay area are extending relief efforts initially launched for …


Environment

play sound

By Matt Vasilogambros and Kevin Hardy for Stateline.Broadcast version by Kathleen Shannon for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Jour…

Environment

play sound

By Erik Hoffner for Mongabay.Broadcast version by Kathryn Carley for Maine News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News Ser…


According to the Prison Policy Institute, Illinois's incarceration rate of 433 per 100,000 people ranks the state as having nearly the highest lockup rate of any democratic country. (Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Two specific types of cancer are showing up in high numbers among people in jail and prison and Illinois is no exception. A new study found a lack …

Social Issues

play sound

New data show many Connecticut residents can't afford daily life. This year's ALICE update shows the number of asset-limited, income-constrained …

Lt. Gov. Penny Flanagan, DFL-Minn., could become the first Native American woman to serve as governor if the Harris-Walz ticket wins the White House. (Office of the Governor)

Social Issues

play sound

It is the first day of early voting in Arizona and both presidential hopefuls will be making their cases to voters. Gov. Tim Walz, DFL-Minn.…

Social Issues

play sound

Immigration boosts the economy - in Colorado and across the U.S. But new policies are needed to maximize gains and make it harder for employers to …

Health and Wellness

play sound

In Ohio, the effects of domestic violence continue to devastate families. The Ohio Domestic Violence Network released its ninth annual fatality …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021