Friday Musings 5-31-13

Circus Dogs.... Listen Carefully

I was at our high school last night and saw the tents going up. Schooner Days is this weekend in Eden Prairie. Carnival rides, carnival food, and bingo right outside the high school - imagine the ending scene of "Grease" and you pretty much know what it looks like. While I do not know if there are animal acts in the carnival it brought to mind an incident I had at a truck stop not too many years ago.  A man had a small dog with him inside the the truck stop - which seemed odd to me - and I asked him about his dog and he said it was a "circus dog." Well, I had heard of programs for retired greyhounds that were done with their racing years.... but never a program for circus dogs. So I was quite intrigued and just plowed ahead with rapid-fire questions like... "Really, what circus company was he with?,"  "What act did he perform in the circus?," "How did you hear about such a unique program?" "Are many dogs placed each year?" Finally in exasperation he shouted... "I said, he was a SERVICE DOG!" Oh..... because his dog did not meet my image of a service dog I didn't hear him correctly - and proceeded down a road that was quite inappropriate. What made it worse is I had a colleague with me who heard him correctly at my initial question and pretty much thought I had lost it in my mind drilling him about circus dogs. A constant thing for me to consciously attend to is ... to listen better.

Also - you will notice I am trying something new today - my Musing are in blog format. Many have shared they want to comment on one or more of the topics or expand the discussion - this medium should allow dialogue versus one way communication. It will only work if you participate - I welcome your thoughts!!

Trish Olson, Extension Center for Family Development (constantly humbled) Program Leader

Breadwinner Moms

Mothers Are the Sole or Primary Provider in Four-in-Ten Households with Children; Public Conflicted about the Growing Trend

"These “breadwinner moms” are made up of two very different groups: 5.1 million (37%) are married mothers who have a higher income than their husbands, and 8.6 million (63%) are single mothers.
The income gap between the two groups is quite large. The median total family income of married mothers who earn more than their husbands was nearly $80,000 in 2011, well above the national median of $57,100 for all families with children, and nearly four times the $23,000 median for families led by a single mother."  As we work with single mothers in our programs how do we take these statistics into account - consider everything from location, time, and childcare?

Understanding the State We are Serving

I want to make an introduction to you. Ying Iverson, (photo to the right) is our new Director, Professional Development for University of Minnesota Extension. She started with us in January and is digging into this new role in our organization. She is leading the new employee on-boarding process, annual conference and other professional development needs and opportunities for our unit. I wanted to invite you to a professional development opportunity that is for both new and experienced educators. Ying shares......  As a part of the Extension new employee on-boarding process, we have begun offering new employees a series of live webinars monthly.  These are intended to compliment the existing orientation activities organized by centers and regional or county offices.  More information about these sessions is posted on the Human Resources section of the Extension intranet. 

The next Topic Webinar Understanding the State We are Serving by Ryan Allen, Assistant Professor, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, is on June 6th, 10-11 a.m. via UMConnect. The interactive session will provide an overview about Minnesota regional population projections created by the Minnesota State Demographic Center through 2035. It discusses the data on the state's demographic shifts, including race, ethnicity, aging, and other factors. It also explores the implication of the change on our Extension work. Join us for the important topic!

This session is open to all employees.   Please note that you need to register for the webinar via ULearn, the University's learning management system.  The instructions can be found at Human Resources/Topic Webinar section.

You will receive a confirmation email and have the choice of adding the webinar on your Google calendar. If we have less than 10 people registered, the webinar will be rescheduled. If you have additional question, please contact me at iversony@umn.edu. Thank you and look forward to seeing you at the webinar!

MNsure Seeking Applicants for Consumer Assistance Grants

MNsure makes $4 million available for consumer assistance partner grant program. I encourage you to "keep in the know" on this important policy change in Minnesota. Continue to consider... what is our role?

Is $300 or $400 a lot of money to you? Consider the Wellness Points Bank (if you have U of M state health benefits)

On a more personal note about health care costs.....  When you earn enough points by August 31, 2013, you can achieve a $300 or $400 reduction in your premium rates for 2014. Discover wellness points-earning possibilities on the Wellness website.  Today is the deadline to sign up for telephone health coaching to count toward this year's Wellness Points!!!

Friday Musings 5-25-13

Friday Musings 5-24-13

I Love a Good for Graduation Speech

It is graduation time. I love a good graduation speech. I find them very inspirational and thought-provoking. Here is one I really enjoy and I encourage you to listen to the entire speech via TED Talks.  I pulled out a couple excerpts to entice you to listen to all of it.  

Trish Olson, University of Minnesota Extension Center for Family Development Program Leader

JK Rowling 'The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination"  

… “The knowledge that you have emerged wiser and stronger from setbacks means that you are, ever after, secure in your ability to survive. You will never truly know yourself, or the strength of your relationships, until both have been tested by adversity. Such knowledge is a true gift, for all that it is painfully won, and it has been worth more than any qualification I ever earned.”

Did you know that JK Rowling worked for Amnesty International? …..“What is more, those who choose not to empathize enable real monsters. For without ever committing an act of outright evil ourselves, we collude with it, through our own apathy.” …..

“One of the many things I learned at the end of that Classics corridor down which I ventured at the age of 18, in search of something I could not then define, was this, written by the Greek author Plutarch: What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality.”

What do I think of When I think of My Own High School Graduation?

I only had 12 girls in my high school class. When I graduated 4 were pregnant and 2 became pregnant shortly after graduation.  While this was a dramatic change in trajectory for them at 18… Years later at our 30-year class reunion I saw how these women had “emerged wiser and stronger from setbacks.” One of these classmates had become a foster mother and helped countless young women since high school graduation. She had been honored by the county for her ability to give back. Another shared how she read medical journals while a long-haul trucker to understand and then advocate for her daughter who had a severe illness. In school, reading was very difficult for her. Others were such proud grandmothers and family caregivers. They had not only survived, they had thrived.  I thought back to high school when learned about this pregnancy prevention campaign…. 

“The Chicago Department of Public Health’s Office of Adolescent and School Health has launched its 2013 teen pregnancy prevention campaign that features a series of ads that challenge gender roles related to teen pregnancy and parenthood.

The campaign features attention-grabbing images of teenage boys depicted as pregnant to spark conversations among adolescents and adults on the issue of teen pregnancy and to make the case that teen parenthood is more than just a girl’s responsibility.  The ads are currently displayed on public transit buses, trains, platforms and bus shelters in Chicago.” At the website you will see additional attention-grabbing photos.

Teen Births Falling 

There is good news emerging regarding teen pregnancy.

Key findings

·         Teen birth rates fell at least 15% for all but two states during 2007–2011—the most recent period of sustained decline; rates fell 30% or more in seven states.

·         Declines in rates were steepest for Hispanic teenagers, averaging 34% for the United States, followed by declines of 24% for non-Hispanic black teenagers and 20% for non-Hispanic white teenagers.

·         The long-term difference between birth rates for non-Hispanic black and Hispanic teenagers has essentially disappeared, and by 2011 their rates were similar.

·         Rates for Hispanic teenagers fell 40% or more in 22 states and the District of Columbia (DC); rates dropped at least 30% in 37 states and DC.

Finally… A Lovely Note from Suzanne Sheridan – We wish her well

Namaste Family Development Friends~

You probably heard that I left Extension last week to simplify our family life a bit and be more available for our daughter during this critical year of adjustment.  So far, Shilpa is doing very well and I am thankful for all of the support and prayers you sent to us as we embarked on this great adventure.  We are also overwhelmed by the beautiful quilt and book that Cindy and Rosi delivered on your behalf.  It is so meaningful to receive this group effort and to read your stories and see photos of your families.  As I page through the book, I am reminded of the fun we had on our Mexican adventure a few years ago too!

Thank you for 15 great years of learning, engaging, working and teaching with me at Extension.  I am grateful to bring all of the wisdom that I have gained to future destinations where life will take me. 

Best of luck to all and keep up the good work.

Suzanne Sheridan
Suzanne.Sheridan@gmail.com