Postings for January 2012

Published on: June 06, 2013

Coffee studies for womenKeep chuggin’ that cuppa joe
Along with that caffeine buzz, you may be getting something else. A study recently published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention reports that women in the study who drank more than four cups of coffee each day had a 25 percent reduced risk of endometrial cancer. A caffeine habit of two to three cups a day resulted in a 7 percent risk reduction.

Some good news from SPS
Yes, there’s plenty more work to be done. But we’re always willing to hear some good news from Seattle Public Schools. For starters, reports interim superintendent Dr. Susan Enfield, high school graduation rates are up from 67 percent to 73 percent. In addition, 85 percent of 10th-grade students met the standard on the state writing exam; 65 percent of fourth-grade students did so on the state math exam; and 79 percent of third-grade students met the standard on the state reading exam. Yet, the fact remains that while students and schools are making steady progress, they are not doing so quickly enough to meet all of the district’s five-year goals, which were set in the 2008 Strategic Plan.

Super series
ParentMap’s Lecture Series gives Northwest families easy access to leading experts on a range of relevant parenting issues. The series will kick off on March 1 with Ashley Merryman, coauthor of NurtureShock. Additional lectures include Anthony E. Wolf, Ph.D. (“Aliens on Planet Teen,” March 6); Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson (“Health, Happiness and Family Balance,” March 21); Rosetta Lee (“Parenting Essentials to Prevent Bullying,” April 10); Julie Metzger and Rob Lehman (“Will Puberty Last My Whole Life?” May 1); John Gottman, Ph.D. (“Making Marriage Work,” May 10); and former vice president of Starbucks, Howard Behar (“A Conversation with Teens on Passions and Life Purpose,” May 15). Learn more at parentmap.com//lectures.

Preschool spotlights nature and nurture
A new nature-based preschool is opening this month at the Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center in Bellevue. The Pacific Science Center’s new Polliwog Preschool will focus on nature, exploration, hands-on learning, scientific inquiry and creative expression.  —Linda Morgan

Life Skills Parenting
Don’t miss this special program, coming to the University of Washington on March 17. Life Skills Parenting will focus on ways to improve family dynamics and enhance our effectiveness as parents. Dr. Marsha Linehan, UW psychology professor, created DBT, a system of therapy with skills which combines cognitive-behavioral techniques for emotion regulation. Dr. Liliana Lengua, director of the UW Center for Child and Family Well-Being, will discuss what leads to breakdowns in parenting and ways to interweave DBT skills with parenting dynamics. Dr. Laura Kastner, UW professor and expert on teen behavior, will discuss the building blocks of competent family functioning in her talk, “21st-century Best Parenting Practices.” Anthony P. Duboise, Psy.D., president of the Evidence Based Treatment Centers of Seattle, will demonstrate ways to teach skills to teens and their families. For information, go to parentmap.com/article/life-skills-parenting-event.

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