The area to understand and cope with feelings and emotions through a positive attitude and strong sense of self. This may include having a sense of fun and laughter, expressing yourself and feelings appropriately and constructively, having a sense of control in your life and being able to adapt to change.

Environmental Wellness means taking care of both the global environment as well as your immediate personal environment through sustainable practices and organization skills. This may include recycling plastic, glass and paper products when possible, maintaining a clean and organized home and/or room, and spending time outdoors.

Intellectual Wellness is being open to new experiences and ideas by creatively, curiously and critically thinking and seeking out new challenges. This may include having goals to learn a new skill or study a particular topic, being a lifelong learner, committing time and energy to professional and self-development.

 Maintaining a healthy body through smart diet and activity choices. This may include eating a balanced nutritional diet, exercising regularly, at least 60 minutes per day for youth or 2.5 hours per week for adults, and being generally free from common illness.

Spiritual wellness is where we establish peace and harmony in our lives by demonstrating an individual purpose and reflecting your values and beliefs in your actions. This may include having a sense of meaning and purpose in life, trusting yourself and others and being able to forgive and let go, having principles, ethics, and morals that provide guides for your life.

Physical restlessness, fidgeting, arguments with parents over rules, neatness, time management.

Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol does not mean "never eat cheese" because it contains fat or "never eat egg yolks" because they contain cholesterol. The total amount of fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol in your diet is what matters.

As a parent, you want the best education for your child. There are many ways you can help. One way is through parent- teacher conferences.

September is a crisp, exciting time for many of us. It’s a time of new beginnings and is often more the start of the "new year" than January 1

Children need help to deal with their emotions. This means teaching them how to respond when feelings arise.

Our family teaches us how to function in the world. It should provide love and warmth to all of its members. A strong family gives its members the support they need to make it through life’s toughest spots.

Do-it-yourself “legal” documents and estate planning software can be found in office supply superstores and scores of web sites. Some publications and advertisements lead a person to believe that they can handle all their estate planning needs either by themselves or with just one phone call, plus a hefty fee to a slick attorney operating from the internet.

Cold Roasted Tomato Soup- Serves: 8 Ingredients: 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 3 pounds large ripe tomatoes, cut in half crosswise, remove stem area, 6 medium bell peppers, cut in half crosswise, ribs and seeds removed...

Fruits, acidified tomatoes, pickled products, and fruit spreads may be processed safely in a boiling-water bath.

In the interest of food safety, vegetables must be processed in a pressure canner. Pressure for processing ranges between 5 pounds pressure to 15 pounds pressure, depending on the type of canner and food being processed. Processing time varies according to specific vegetable and size container.

Living paycheck to paycheck? Worried about debt collectors? Can't seem to develop a workable budget, let alone save money for retirement? If this sounds familiar, you may want to consider the services of a credit counselor.

You work hard to earn your money. You should work just as hard to make your money work for you. But if you spend time investigating all the investment options available to you, you will have little time for anything else! Financial advisers can save you time.

Summer camp can be a fun, growing time for many school-aged children. If you are thinking about summer camp, here are some things to consider...

Money is a common problem for a family, regardless of income, age and education of family members. Sometimes a lack of income to meet basic needs causes the money hassle. But, more often, inadequate communication about money is the root of financial problems.

Communication is the basic building block of our relationships.
It is through communication that we convey our thoughts, feelings, and connection to one another.

A good credit rating is very important. Businesses inspect your credit history when they evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, and even leases.

Ever wonder how a creditor decides whether to grant you credit? For years, creditors have been using credit scoring systems to determine if you'd be a good risk for credit cards and auto loans.

Mary and Bill recently divorced. Their divorce decree stated that Bill would pay the balances on their three joint credit card accounts. Months later, after Bill neglected to pay off these accounts, all three creditors contacted Mary for payment...

A good credit rating is very important. Businesses inspect your credit history when they evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, and even leases.

Dietary fiber is the part of plants that humans cannot digest. Although fiber was once thought to be a very simple constituent of food, it is now divided into two types – soluble and insoluble.

Adults sometimes think that children do not experience feelings of grief, but even babies feel loss and show signs of grief. Children experience many losses—such as losing a favorite toy, being separated from a parent, losing a family member to death, moving to a new home or school.

In today’s busy world it can be hard to find time to play. Play is as important for adults as it is for children. Play increases our creativity and can make us better problem solvers. 

A debt collector is defined as any person who regularly collects or attempts to collect, directly or indirectly, consumer debts asserted to be owed to another person.

It is much more than the words you say. It is what you say, how you say it, why you say it, when you say it, and what you don’t say. It is your facial expression, your gestures, your posture, and your tone of voice.

 Spending time together as a family takes planning, but it’s a good investment. When children feel close to their parents, they try harder to please their parents and make them proud. This makes the whole family unit stronger.

Here are forty-five ideas to cut costs during a period when you are trying to cut costs, live on less, or increase your savings. Food: Eliminate convenience food meals and prepare snacks from your shopping list by making them yourself "from scratch."

For the best in frozen fruits: Choose fruits of top quality to freeze. Wash fruit in cold running water. If submerged in cold water, lift carefully from water. Drain thoroughly in wire basket. Do not let fruit stand in water.

How to freeze veggies: Choose vegetables of top quality to freeze. Frozen vegetables are no better than the initial product. Wash vegetables in cold running water. If submerged in cold water, lift carefully from water. Drain thoroughly in wire basket.

Choosing herbs and spices to go with foods. Bay leaf, cayenne, chili, curry, dill, ginger, mustard, paprika, marjoram, oregano, parsley, rosemary, thyme.

Although children learn about AIDS in school and from their friends, parents have a very important job in helping their children really understand AIDS and how not to get it.

1. Get a plan and stick to it.

Set a specific “quiet time” every day for homework or general reading. Involve your child in setting the rules for this. Ask your child to come up with three rules 

Use the double hand wash method to reduce disease-causing (pathogenic) organisms on hands. The steps include: Wet hands under hot, flowing water (100° F to 120° F, 2 gallons per minute). Apply sufficient soap to develop a good lather. (Refrain from using antibacterial soaps.)

When you bring up the subject of teenagers in a room full of parents, there’s usually a group groan. People roll their eyes and laugh nervously. Almost everyone thinks about this stage with fear and trepidation.

Well, yes and no. For some children, the school reading program doesn’t succeed as well as we’d like. And for every child, parents can make a big difference in helping children learn to read better.

Researchers know that strong families feel “in control” of their finances. Some very rich families feel “out of control,” and some very poor families have this vital feeling of being “in control.” Help your children learn how to be “in control” of their spending.

Money is necessary to meet needs and wants in our society and everyone needs money management skills. These skills are cultivated out of the ideas, attitudes, habits and values we acquire about money as we grow up.

Your credit report contains important information about you. It generally includes facts about where you work and live and your bill-paying habits. It also may state whether you've been sued or arrested or have filed for bankruptcy. 

An image of a credit report with 680 and a pencil pointing to a specific point on the report.

When storing foods in your refrigerator, use foil, plastic bags and wraps, or airtight containers. Clean refrigerators regularly to reduce food odors. Remove spoiled foods immediately so decay cannot pass to other foods.

Foodborne illness can be the result of biological, chemical, or physical hazards.  Chemical hazards (for example, pesticides, food additives, or environmental contaminants, such as lead or mercury) often receive considerable public attention. 

Foodborne Illness: Are You at Risk? When you experience diarrhea, vomiting, an upset stomach, fever or stomach cramps, you may think you have the flu.  But the real culprit may be harmful microorganisms called pathogens in the food you ate a few hours, a week, or even a month ago.

Having trouble paying your bills? Getting dunning notices from creditors? Are your accounts being turned over to debt collectors? Are you worried about losing your home or your car?

All poultry, including turkey, is highly perishable.  To ensure a safe product, proper handling and storage are important.  Buy poultry only from freezer, refrigerator or chill cases.  What are recommended ways of handling turkey?  Let’s consider some questions frequently asked about preparing, cooking and keeping turkeys.

Children can learn to make healthy decisions with support from their parents. Parents can help children learn to make decisions by working together with them rather than always being in total control.

Children who are given the basics — love, healthy food, enough sleep, clothing, a safe and healthy home — have a natural head start at school.

The use of consumer credit has become a major component in the management of money. Consumer credit should be used responsibly and effectively.

Despite its bad reputation, some fat is needed in our diet.  Fats serve many functions in the body.  In addition to providing more than twice the energy supplied by carbohydrates and proteins and supplying essential fatty acids, fats serve as carriers for fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) and as parts of cell membranes.

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in cells of humans and animals.  It can come from the foods we eat, but the body also makes cholesterol.  Although we often hear about ways to reduce blood cholesterol levels, cholesterol is one of many chemicals created and used by the body. 

Since the late 1980’s we have been teaching that open kettle canning is no longer safe. Open kettle canning involves heating the food to boiling, pouring it into the jars, applying lids, and allowing the heat of the jar to cause the lid to seal. Many years ago, it was commonly used for pickles, jams and jellies, and sometimes used for tomatoes and applesauce.

Professionally, you should have fulfillment in your job. There is also a balance between work and leisure. This may include beliefs and values surrounding money/education are harmonious with behavior, having a balance between work/school and other areas of life, having financial/educational plans for the future.

The ads are on the radio, television, the Internet, even in the mail. They refer to payday loans - which come at a very high price.

What are the characteristics of youth who are most and least at-risk of becoming involved with drugs and other risky activities? What can parents do to help their kids stay on a good path?

Financial companies share information for many reasons: to offer you more services, to introduce new products, and to profit from the information they have about you.

These short but safe time limits will help keep refrigerated food held at 40°F or below from spoiling or becoming dangerous. Purchase the product before “sell-by” or expiration dates...

If we want our children to be non-violent, we can not use violence to discipline them. Discipline means “to teach.” When we discipline our children we are turning their misbehavior into an opportunity to teach them how we want them to behave.

Use good sanitation and good personal hygiene when preparing food. Use special care with high protein, moist, and low-acid foods.

When expectations are realistic, it is easy for a child to experience success and feel personally valuable. On the other hand, when expectations are too high or too rigid, parents often express disappointment in their child’s actions. 

Social wellness is how we relate and connect to others by engaging in the community and building and being a part of supportive social networks. This may include: being aware of others feelings and responding in an appropriate manner, having people with whom you have a trusting relationship, and being able to set and respect your own and others’ boundaries.

Foodborne illness is never pleasant, but it can be especially devastating for anyone with a weakened immune system. Special precautions should be taken to protect anyone who is susceptible to foodborne illness.

Saving is essential to financial well-being. Some people save easily, while for others, it is a serious challenge. Either way, it is a key step to financial security in the short-term and the long term. Investing and planning for future goals like retirement or health care later in life are essential for financial security. Don't wait; start NOW!

Youth who stay away from risky behaviors tend to have parents who set clear limits for behavior. These parents usually have rules about homework, television use, curfew, drugs and alcohol.

Smart consumers comparison shop for credit, whether they're looking for a mortgage, an auto loan, or a credit card. Comparison-shopping is important because it could save you money.

At one time or another most parents ask themselves: "What can I do to help my child feel better about himself...to feel more confident...to view life positively?"

Is stress getting to you? Here are some clues research gives us about stress and the characteristics of good stress managers.

A family crisis occurs when a family has to change. It is a turning point: things will either get better, or they will get worse. Sometimes, day-to-day hassles can pile up and cause a stress overload.

Preteen children continue to define their values, beliefs and knowledge about sexuality. Giving accurate facts and openly discussing their questions and concerns can help teens and preteens develop healthy and responsible sexual attitudes.

Most adults recognize that teens have better thinking skills than younger children. These advances in thinking can be divided into several areas: Developing advanced reasoning skills...

There are five major social and emotional issues that teens deal with during their adolescent years. These include: Establishing an identity. This has been called one of the most important tasks of adolescents.

To help children learn about rules the following steps may be helpful: Identify what is expected.

The goals of parenting center around: Teaching our children how to behave well, teaching them how to be responsible for themselves.

Adolescence is a time of many transitions for teens and their families. To ensure that teens and adults navigate these transitions successfully, it is important for everyone to understand: What is happening to the teen physically, cognitively, and socially?

Ideas For Family Meetings: Family Time together can be a good time for all! A family meeting can be a time to have fun together. 

Although spices and herbs have been used since ancient times, they are playing a new and important role in modern food preparation.  They not only add unique flavors to our food, but contribute color and variety as well.  Certain spices and herbs used alone, or in blends, can replace or reduce salt and sugar in foods.

It’s not easy being a parent! As children grow into their teens, every family goes through stress and conflict. It’s a normal part of growing up. Understanding the changes your child is going through makes it easier to be a positive parent.

Deciding to divorce or separate is a difficult decision for parents. Although you may hear that people divorce  too easily, most parents do not come to the decision to separate or divorce easily. When people choose to marry they are committing to a life together and most never think they will separate or divorce.

Bacteria that cause foodborne illness multiply rapidly on food kept at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Do not rely on the appearance or odor to determine if the food is safe. This guide tells you how long food stays cold when the power goes off to help you decide what to salvage and what to discard.

Eating a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables is healthy and adds color, texture and flavor to our diet.  Recent illnesses have been traced to eating raw fruits and vegetables containing harmful disease-causing microorganisms. 

Many people would like to save or invest more money but don't. They believe they have too many expenses or debts. Saving or investing $2,000 sounds great, but where is the money going to come from? For many people, it's going to come from reducing household expenses. Below are a dozen or so ideas. Refinance your mortgage.

Millions of people nationwide are getting richer by increasing their savings and reducing debt. As savings are accumulated consider this "baker's dozen" of saving and investing ideas for ideas about where to put savings. Bank or Credit Union savings account.

Good communication helps children develop confidence, feelings of self-worth, and good relationships with others. It makes life with them more pleasant and helps them grow into adults who have good feelings about themselves and others.

Building strong financial and consumer skills in youth can start early. Kids as early as 4-6 years old can begin to understand basic concepts. Providing youth with consumer, banking and money management related experiences help them build skills and confidence in the market place. 

Teaching financial and consumer literacy to youth is a priority for Cooperative Extension. We support the following programs: High School Financial Planning Program - Cooperative Extension offers teacher in-service and support for this high school and young adult level hands-on curriculum.