Strengthening Child Rearing in
Wood County: Evaluation of
Parenting the First Year
Instructional
Newsletter Series
By
Elizabeth Zentner
UW-Extension
What is Parenting the First Year?

12 Issue Set of Parenting Newsletters

Available Monthly to Parents During
Their Infant’s First Year of Life

Matched to Infant’s Age
Why a Parenting the First Year
Newsletter Series?
Early Experience Has Big Impact on
Child Development
 Parents Establish Patterns of Child
Rearing Early On
 Lack of Knowledge About Children Can
Lead to Incompetent Parenting

Advantages of Newsletters:
Age-Paced to Reach Parents at a
“Teachable Moment”
 Reaches Socially Isolated Families
 Can Be Shared With Others
 Low Cost
 Available in Spanish
 Easy to Read and Understand (Written at
5th Grade Reading Level)

Developed by University of
Wisconsin-Extension for Two Goals:

To Promote Competent Parenting

To Prevent Abusive Parenting
Are the Newsletters Effective?
The Evaluation Study:
Sample Size: 104 Families
 Response Rate to Questionnaire Survey:
69%
 Most Respondents Were Mothers (97%)
 Only 5% Were Single Parents
 Just Over Half (52%) Were First Time
Parents

4% of Respondents Were
Teenagers
Age of Respondents
30-34
35 or greater
32%
17%
4%
32%
19 or less
15%
20-24
25-29
Less Than Half Had a College
Degree
Parents' Formal Education
30%
4 Yr. College Degree
15%
2 Yr. College Degree
28%
Some College
26%
High School Grad.
Some High School
0%
1%
10%
20%
30%
Percentage of Respondents
About 14% Had Family Incomes in
the Poverty Range
Family Incomes, 2001
40%
$50,000 or more
36%
$30,000 to 49,999
$20,000 to 29,999
$10,000 to 19,999
Less than $10,000
0%
10%
6%
8%
20%
40%
Percentage of Respondents
Did Parents Read the Newsletters? They Say “Yes!”

77% Said They Read All Articles in All
Issues

51% Save the Newsletters as a Reference
Readership More than Doubled By
Sharing
"Does anyone else read your copy
of the newsletters?"
29%
No
65%
Yes, Spouse or Partner
23%
Yes, Baby's Grandparent
15%
Yes, Other Relative or Friend
0%
20%
40%
60%
Percentage of Respondents
80%
Examples of What Parents Said:


“I truly enjoy your newsletter. My husband and
I read it together every time it comes in the
mail. This is our 1st child and everything with
info helps. Thank you !”
“I think your newsletter is very interesting. I
look forward to reading them each month and
pass on the information I learned to friends &
relatives.”
Parents Rate the Newsletters “Very
Useful” for Advice More Often Than Any
Other Source.
Usefulness of Each Source of Parenting
Information for Parents
73%
Parenting the First Year
52%
Physician or Nurse
41%
Other Parents & Friends
36%
Your Relatives & Inlaws
34%
Books, Magazines & Newspapers
18%
Child Care Provider
15%
Public Health Nurse
0%
NOTE: Other possible
responses were "Somewhat
Useful" and "Not Useful".
20%
40%
60%
80%
Percentage of Parents
Who Answered "Very Useful"
100%
Parents Commented
Usefulness:


On
Their
“I really enjoy the newsletter that I receive.
It’s opened my mind up to what my baby is
thinking. I understand more about the
growing process.”
“Thank you very much for the newsletters. I
always looked forward to receiving them.
They answered many questions.”
Over Half of New Parents Rated the
Newsletters “Much More Useful” than
Information Received from the Hospital
"Compared to other information I received from my hospital
following the birth of my child, these newsletters are..."
56%
Much More Useful
27%
Somewhat More Useful
15%
About the Same
1%
Much Less Useful
0%
20%
40%
Percentage of Respondents
60%
Parents Like the Age-Pacing of
the Newsletters


“I enjoy getting & reading the newsletter
because it comes age related. When my
child is 9-10 mos, I get a newsletter with
info regarding that age. It has been very
helpful. THANK YOU!”
“I like the newsletter because it is specific
to the age of my child (month-by-month). I
am happy to receive it. Thank you!”
Parents Believe That Reading the
Newsletters Has Improved Their
Parenting.
Example:
 “The newsletter always talked about or
reminded you about things you forgot to ask
your doctor or felt that you couldn’t ask (too
rushed). Great safety reminders, ways to
stimulate or interact with your baby,
reinforcement, etc. My 2nd was colicky and
your newsletter heightened my patience.”
Parents Report Changing ChildRearing Behaviors in 5 Key Areas
Self-Reported Behavior Change
"Reading the newsletters caused me to...
Be less angry when my baby is difficult."
75%
Provide more things for my baby to feel,
see, listen to, smell."
73%
68%
Talk to my baby more."
Respond more quickly when my baby cried."
54%
Smile, kiss & hug my baby more."
52%
0%
25%
50%
75%
Percentage of Respondents
Which Parents Need Child
Rearing Information Most?

Parents Who Experience One or More
Socio-economic Stressors
Low income
 Low education
 Teenage parents
 Single parents
 Socially isolated

Risk Group Parents Reported Greater
Change in Parenting Than Non Risk
Parents.
In particular, risk-group parents (defined as those
with socio-economic stressors) were 7% more
likely to say that reading the newsletter caused
them to smile, kiss and hug their babies more
often.
“Reading the newsletters caused me to...
Be less angry when
my baby is difficult."
77%
79%
Provide more to feel, see,
listen, and smell."
74%
79%
69%
71%
Talk to my baby more."
Respond more quickly when
my baby cried."
54%
58%
Smile, kiss, and hug
my baby more."
51%
58%
0%
20%
40%
60%
Non Risk
Risk-Group
80%
Percentage of Respondents
First-Time Parents Also Liked
the Newsletter:
“I find the newsletter very informational
& look forward to it coming. This is my
1st child. There is a lot of things that I
never thought of, so it is hard to ask about
them.”
 “We are first time parents and find the
newsletter very informative.”

Other UW-Extension Research
Showed:
Parents Who Received Parenting the First Year
(compared to those who did not receive it)

were significantly less likely to think it necessary
to slap or spank children to get them to mind.

reported actually hitting their children less often.
Summary of Evaluation Results:





Parents Really Read the Newsletters.
Parents Share the Newsletters With Others.
Parents Rate the Newsletters Highly Useful.
Parents Report Positive Changes in Five Key
Parenting Behaviors.
Risk Group Parents Reported Learning the
Most.
Recommendation: Continue
Distribution of The Newsletter Series.

Based on Survey Results

Based on Parents’ Comments
Summary Comments From Wood
County Parents:



“I really enjoy Parenting the First Year. Hope
you have a 2nd year too. Parents of toddlers
need encouragement & support too. Keep
publishing.”
“I hope you can continue these newsletters for
parents for years to come. Wonderful & useful
info for parents! Wonderful set-up & easy to
understand.”
“Is there a newsletter for parenting the second
year? I’d love to continue receiving these!!”
Acknowledgment of Project
Partners:






Wisconsin Rapids Kiwanis
Marshfield Kiwanis
Wood County Health Department
Riverview Hospital
St. Joseph’s Hospital
UW-Extension Support Staff (Valerie
Patterson & Darlene Back)
Co-Authors of Evaluation Study:
Dr. Dave Riley,
UW-Madison/Extension
 Carol Ostergren,
UW-Madison

And of course,
We thank the families who
thoughtfully answered our survey.
Copies of the written report
are available from the Wood
County Extension Office.