A. Summer supervision
B. Checking the children
C. Day care dilemma
D. The mentor relationship
E. Quality time

A. Safe summer cybersurfing
B. Global communication

A. National reading campaign
B. The reluctant reader
C. Creating avid readers

A. Are we there yet?
B. Dodging the orange barrels

A. Keeping the green in summer
B. Sports camps

Keith King, UC assistant professor of health promotion, points to supporting findings from surveys of youngsters in northwest Ohio. King and his team were investigating troubling adolescent health issues such as drug abuse, teen pregnancy, anger, violence and gang activity. "When we asked them why they believed adolescents joined gangs or got into fights, they said there was nothing else to do," says King.

Past research shows that youngsters will get involved in more positive activities as those outlets become more available to them. King recommends that parents check on summer recreation programs in their communities and adds the YMCA and YWCA have activities specifically geared toward children. "If there are no rec centers in your community, parents can always work with community leaders to get programs started," continues King, "but remember that just because parents like the idea, that doesn't mean kids are going to like it. You need to ask kids what they want, and work to accommodate them." contact: 513-556-3859

B. CHECKING THE CHILDREN
UC sociologist Steve Carlton-Ford offers some comfort to parents who work and leave children at home during the summer. He says that a number of studies have found that children whose parents monitor their kid's activities are less likely to be involved in problem behaviors such as drugs, crime, violence.

Monitoring, he suggests, doesn't mean spying on your children and following them around. He means checking on your kids by asking them to call you regularly and let you know what they're doing and where they are at. "You might need to do some checking or extra phone calling to their friends houses, to make sure what they told you is accurate," he said. It also means checking in with the parents of your children's friends to confirm what the plans are, rather than relying solely on what your kids say. "It's not going to be 100 percent effective. Some parents who monitor don't always succeed. There are some kids who are going to be difficult to monitor and it gets harder to monitor kids in their upper teens, when they get their driver's license," says Carlton-Ford, himself a parent of teenagers. Children are also less likely to get into trouble if parents are helping to manage their children's activities, by helping them to find programs to become involved in, helping them to sign up, and arranging car pools to and from activities. contact: 513-556-4716

C. DAY CARE DILEMMA FOR TWEENS AND TEENS
They're too old for day care, but are they mature enough to remain alone while parents are working? It's a common concern as summer vacation arrives for school-age children. Executive director of UC Child Care Sally Wehby says youngsters in their early teens may actually need more supervision at that age. Wehby suggests that while parents are at work, they make sure their child's day is structured. Enroll the kids in swimming lessons or assign chores around the house.

Part-time jobs or volunteer opportunities also are available for some teens. Wehby adds that children also need a neighborhood contact when parents aren't home, in case there's an emergency. contact: 513-961-2825

D. THE MENTOR RELATIONSHIP
Mentors for community service programs are always in demand--someone who can serve as both a friend and an example to an impressionable youngster. UC business operations management major Rich Rone is youth enrichment coordinator of an academic mentoring program at the Corryville Family resource Center, a service agency in the Cincinnati community of Corryville. Rone's job is to screen people who would serve as good mentors, then make a match by matching personalities.

These programs do not place a great deal of demand on the time of people who want to be mentors. "This program focuses on academics, and generally I want the mentors to meet with the kids at least two to four times a month," says Rone. "We hold monthly meetings with the mentors and we also keep the lines of communication open with the mentors, the children and their parents."

Mentors also are encouraged to plan a special activity when the child performs well academically. "We keep in contact with the parents and track report cards. The kids get a treat when they've done well. They've been very receptive. It makes them feel special." contact: 513-281-2306

E. QUALITY TIME
The long days of summer are a good time to set aside quality time for the children. Associate Professor of Education Penny Freppon says parents can turn short trips into an educational adventure. Freppon suggests taking a trip to the public library to check out the free children's books and videos. Take advantage of the warmer weather with an outing to a museum, a farm or a fishing hole, then help your child write about the special time you spent together. Freppon adds parents can also help improve their children's reading skills by putting them to work in the kitchen, reading recipes and writing grocery lists. contact: 513-556-3574

2. KIDS AND COMPUTERS
A. SAFE SUMMER CYBERSURFING
Summer break can lead to added unsupervised time around the home computer, but UC assistant professor of instructional technology Joyce Pittman says parents can take action to make sure kids don't come across materials that are inappropriate for them. Pittman recently published a study examining how to make the Web safe for children and how to prevent kids from entering personal information on the Internet. There are protective measures that block kids from visiting certain sites, and Pittman says they can be activated with the help of a computer-savvy friend or family member, or the vendor that sold the computer software. Those tools also are explained on the web site to promote online safety, http://www.GetNetWise.org

"Parents can set up specific activities on the Web for the child to complete, such as designing a scavenger hunt. You choose the locations as the child tracks the sites. Also, reward children for participating in creative learning activities on the Internet ...encourage them to do productive and engaging learning activities that are fun instead of random searching," continues Pittman. She suggests parents consult with their child's teacher for suggested sites that will help children prepare for returning to school.

Pittman recommends parents regularly check their web browser's history submenu, and tell the kids they're going to do so. Youngsters will be less inclined to wander if their parents know where they've been. contact: 513-556-4385

B. GLOBAL COMMUNICATION
Parents often are concerned about what kids can find on the Internet but here's an address they'll want to keep on file. The site, http://www.kidlink.org features educational activities that can challenge kids and their families. UC Education Professor Daniel Wheeler has been working with KIDLINK since its beginning in 1990. For several years, he was director of educational services and now serves as the North American member of the board. Children from 127 countries have used KIDLINK to communicate with other youngsters around the world. The site features a global chat room and email. contact: 513-556-3607

3. SUMMER READING
A. NATIONAL READING CAMPAIGN
Kids should not stop cracking the books just because it's summer. The national America Reads summer reading campaign points to research that suggests kids can fall back as much as a grade level when they do not read over the summer months. Chet Laine, associate professor of literacy, says parents need to lead by example. "It's awfully important for children to see their parents read. Most people who are readers had parents or guardians who were readers as well."

The America Reads summer campaign challenges children to read and write at least five days a week over a 30-minute period; learn how to use a library card; read with an adult at least one day a week (Laine recommends parents check the Read-Aloud Handbook, by Jim Trelease) and learn a new word each day. Laine says the following web sites can guide parents as they help children make their summer reading selections:

Newbery Medal Books: The Newbury Medal is named in memory of 18th century bookseller John Newbury. The American Library Association selects the winners of the award, which honors writers who have penned creative works for children. The web site for the Newbery home page is: http://www.ala.org/alsc/newbury.html

Caldecott Medal Books: Named in honor of 19th century English illustrator Randolph J. Caldecott, this award from the American Library Association honors children's books with the most creative illustrations. The web site is: http://www.ala.org/alsc/caldecott.html contact: 513-556-3588

B. THE RELUCTANT READER
Youngsters need to understand that reading does not have to be work; it can hold many benefits. UC education professor and literacy specialist Linda Amspaugh reminds parents that not everyone is interested in reading fiction, but there are other written works that can hold their interest. "For example, if a child is having trouble building a clubhouse out of scrap materials, find a book or magazine about how to do it."

Informational books can also help children identify an unusual bird, bug or butterfly they see in their backyard. The books can be found in the nonfiction section of the library. Amspaugh adds that some children may show an artistic flair, and enjoy dressing up, putting on plays or making things, and many ideas that expand their interests can be found in books. If a child's reading skills are behind the skills of his or her friends, parents can build the child's confidence by making reading a shared experience. "My grandson's friends are reading the Harry Potter series, but the books are too difficult to read by himself, so my daughter is reading them with him--not to him," says Amspaugh. "She reads some of the book and he reads some, so it's a shared experience."

"Even older kids seem to enjoy that. Too often, parents think if the kids read independently, they no longer like to have their parents read with them and I think that's a misconception. Kids still like the closeness that reading can provide." Amspaugh recalls a former student who had told her he hated school and was a poor student until he reached high school. "That's when he and his mother began to discuss books. They lived in the country and apparently his mother had no one else to talk with about the books she was reading." Amspaugh says that student became an English teacher who came back to UC to complete his master's degree. contact: 513-556-3589

C. CREATING AVID READERS
Mary Naylor, UC adjunct professor of children's literature, says she encourages parents to talk with their children about subjects that interest them and then select books about those topics. "Areas of interest could include nature, dinosaurs, sports, butterflies and the seashore. Get a lot of books on the subject and talk with children about what they're reading. The public is free and is a great resource."

"Older children can improve their reading skills by reading to younger children in the family or the neighborhood children Naylor continues. "Families should turn off the TV and spend time together reading, either indoors or outside with the warm weather." Naylor adds writing is just as important as reading and says kids can have fun keeping a journal of their summer vacation.

"Children can write about what they did each day and collect postcards of places they visited. When they return home, they can make an album that includes the postcards and the entries in their journal. When my children were younger, we had visited Springfield, Illinois and a cat had kittens in the motel where we were staying. The boys were more excited about that than what we had seen that day!" contact: 513-891-1475

4. FAMILY VACATIONb>
A. ARE WE THERE YET?"
That question is asked over and over again during the long drive to a vacation destination, but there are ways to keep the kids occupied and even informed as families take to the highways this summer. Here are some ideas from UC associate education professor Darwin Henderson: First, parents should have each child pack his or her own travel kit. "They may want to bring along some paperback books they can pack in a canvas tote bag decorated by Mom, Grandma or even themselves. Older children can pack notepads and pencils, and the younger children can carry their crayons and coloring books. They may even want to make their own audio recording of a favorite book and take the cassette tape on the trip."

Henderson adds cassette and CD players with individual headphones are another way to keep the peace, as children make their own music selections, and Mom and Dad get the car stereo to themselves. Squabbles over seating arrangements can be settled by having children rotate seats and if they're old enough to sit in front, having them sit in the front seat, opening parent/child conversations with the driver.

Maps are easily found on the Internet, and they can be a great educational resource on the family trip. During car stops, children can use the map and the odometer to figure out the miles traveled and how much farther they have to go, answering the "How much longer till we get there?" question for themselves. If the family wants to drive through snack time, children should pack their own -- a sandwich, fruit and drink of their choice. Henderson says that gives children a feeling of ownership and helps them feel that they're involved in the planning of the trip. contact: 513-556-0198

B. DODGING THE ORANGE BARRELS UC transportation researcher and Ohio Eminent Scholar in Urban Design David Gosling says motorists can always expect more roadway construction in the summer. "Neither blacktop nor concrete work can be done in winter. Though blacktop will melt at very high temperatures, it's entirely unworkable in winter. Blacktop and concrete crack at low temperatures." contact: 513-751-7376

5. OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
A. KEEPING THE GREEN IN SUMMER
Mid-June is the best time to mulch the landscape, says Tom Smith, adjunct instructor and area coordinator for UC horticulture program, because mulching in early spring can hold too much moisture from the early spring rain. "People also tend to over mulch. We recommend a thickness of just one inch -- you can even fluff last year's mulch and that will do fine." Gardeners may also be going too heavy on the fertilizer during the summer months. Smith recommends waiting until fall to fertilize the lawn, shrubs and trees, although annual beds and planters will benefit from a soluble fertilizer in the summer.

"We also want to make sure our plant material doesn't dry out, because replacement of the lawn and plants is tremendously costly, as we've learned from recent droughts. Make sure they get a half to three-quarters of an inch of water on a weekly basis, or that they're getting an inch of moisture every two weeks." Smith also reminds gardeners not to spray for every insect. To see whether the pest problem could threaten the life of the plant, gardeners can take a diseased leave to an extension office or university horticulture program and have it examined. contact: 513-853-6821

B. SPORTS CAMPS
Those summer sports camps can be expensive, but are they worth the investment for kids? Professor Bradley Wilson of the UC's College of Education health promotion program specializes in exercise physiology. Wilson has these tips as parents look for a good camp: Make sure there's an athletic trainer on site, that children are grouped by ability, and that the camp offers fun drills and competitions for kids to develop their skills. According to Wilson, camps help children develop an appreciation for their sport and they allow children to develop the skills to make them a better competitor. contact: 513-556-3862





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