Special to the Reporter

Mercer Island Youth and Family Services (MIYFS) has partnered with the Center for Health and Safety Culture at Montana State University to create a parenting online resource called ParentingMercerIsland.org.

The parenting tool is intentional in promoting the healthy mental, emotional and behavioral development of Mercer Island’s children and youth by actively growing their social and emotional skills. The project provides tools and information for parents and those in a parenting role to bolster their parenting skills in growing the social and emotional skills of children. The tools are appropriate for birth through the teen years.

Users can access tools to address everyday parenting challenges by age and issue. Tools are based on an easy-to-use five-step process, including actions to take and the words to say to engage children. Topics include: Bullying, confidence, conflict, child trauma, discipline, empathy, establishing rules about alcohol and cannabis and more.

The online resource also includes in-depth information on various topics in the “I Want to Know More” resources that focus on communication, development, discipline, parenting process, relationships and risky behavior.

According to MIYFS, research shows that growing social and emotional skills: reduces risky behaviors (such as underage drinking and the misuse of other drugs); prevents mental, emotional and behavioral disorders, including depression, anxiety and substance use disorders; and reduces negative outcomes such as dropping out of school, poor education attainment, unemployment, suicide and others.

Strong social and emotional skills also lead to better workplace outcomes later in life, MIYFS notes. Parents and those in a parenting role can develop the social and emotional skills of their children at any age while addressing common parenting challenges like establishing routines and making sure homework is completed.

As parents and those in a parenting role use the tools with their children, both the children and the parents develop their social and emotional skills — thus bolstering the parents’ abilities while strengthening protection for the child, MIYFS adds.

The site will also provide information about healthy risk taking and improving communication and relationships with children.

This online tool is funded by a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association (SAMHSA). Visit www.ParentingMercerIsland.org.