web extra

Cases of severe postpartum depression are just one of the reasons for Infant Safe Haven laws. Alaska’s Safe Haven law was passed in 2008, one of the last enacted in the country. Under the law, parents can leave infants up to 21 days old at a safe location like a fire station or hospital without fear of being prosecuted. When they leave the infant, they may be asked if they are giving up their child willingly, and terminating parental rights. And they may be asked for identifying information but they’re not required to provide it.

According to the state Department of Health and Social Services, no infants in Alaska have been dropped off under the Safe Haven law. That doesn’t surprise former state representative Gabrielle LeDoux (Kodiak) who sponsored the legislation...

Listen to the full story below...

Originally featured on the Competition & Youth Sports show.

Kids who compete in sports require a lot of support as any soccer mom or basketball dad knows - rides to and from practice, nutritious meals and the financial considerations of uniforms and travel. Coaches, too, provide a lot of support in the form of training and encouragement to their athletes.

Hear more about the importance of parents and coaches in the below, web extra clips (both after the jump):

1. Coaches.mp3 - So, how DO coaches get hired by schools and what makes a good coach? Gary Matthews of the ASAA explains... (2:36)

2. SportParents.mp3 - Matthews and Michael Josephson discuss the important support that parents provide to their athlete-kids... (6:46)

Attorney, Steve Pradell, our guest on Tuesday's Family Law 101 show, had a lot of practical and helpful advice didn't you think?

Well, we have even more to share! In the FOUR audio clips (all can be found after the jump) learn about:

1. Alaska law and child support, and how it affects PFDs. (1:43)

2. More than half of the cases that come through Alaska's court systems are family law cases - learn more about the judges and the uniquely Alaskan cases seen in our court system. (5:52)

3. What can be done, legally, when one parent is absent from the life of a child? And adopting the child of your significant other. (5:08)

4. What are some of the emerging issues in Alaska family law? - Grandparents as parents, parental consent, etc... (1:47)

Every year the Anchorage School District puts on an alternative fair. During this event all the (you guessed it!) alternative programs are featured - from optional schools to charter schools to language immersion. Linda Carlson, Director of Elementary Education for the ASD explains what parents can expect to learn.

Here are two additional clips from this week's show on School Choice. Missy DeRivera, a teacher with the Chugach Homeschool Program, explains how their curriculum's "Standards Based System" works, and how technology is being incorporated into homeschooling.

Both clips are after the jump (to listen click "Read more...")

We knew that Tuesday's guest, Dr. Susan Newman, would be able to aptly answer all sorts of questions about love and family relationships because she has - literally - written the book. (Actually, 15 of them...)

In the below clip she talks about some of the topics her titles have covered, and why she wrote the books in the first place.

Listener Caryn wrote in with a question for our guest, Dr. Susan Newman on the Love and Family Relationships show:

I am interested in whether your guest on the Love and Relationships show might be able to speak to the topic of long distance Grandparenting. How can you stay close and really have a relationship with your grandchildren, if there are thousands of miles that separate you? I think there are many people in Alaska with this situation.

Thanks, Caryn! Dr. Newman's response is below...

Originally featured on the Love & Family Relationships show.

Forming strong bonds with parents early in infancy is important for a child's healthy emotional development. But when there isn't enough love or a strong relationship early in a child's life it can lead to attachment disorders, complicating the ability to have healthy relationships later in life. Listen to Jessica Cochran's report below.

• Alaska Attachment and Bonding Associates is an organization that offers education and resources for parents living with kids who have attachment issues.
• Attach.org - an international organization of parents and providers trying to raise awareness of the importance of attachment. Some members may use or have used in the past methods that some find inappropriate. (See next link)
• ChildrenInTherapy.org is an advocacy group for children that DOES NOT support attachment therapy.
• Fascinating story about an adoptive family who used some controversial methods with their son.
• Understanding the Behavioral and Emotional Consequences of Child Abuse
• A major study of the consequences of adverse childhood experiences.

Web Extras - Tom Lytle is a masters-level therapist working in Wasilla. He works with children, families and adults on behavioral and mental health issues and he’s seen what happens when young children don’t bond with their caregiver. After the jump, listen to two additional clips from his interview with Jessica Cochran for this story:

Guest, Travis Erickson, Anchorage regional manager for the Office of Children's Services answers a question from a listener about feeding foster infants. He also explains how fostering teens is completely different than caring for younger children in foster care, echoing Metivier's comment from the previous post regarding the great need for foster homes for teens.

Amanda Metivier of Facing Foster Care in Alaska says that there is an ongoing need for foster home placements for teenagers. She explains why this need exists and how unplaced teens will end up in emergency placement situations like juvenile detention centers or group homes instead of with supportive families.