Families in Mahaska County looking for a little help have some new options. The local Iowa State University Extension and Outreach office is introducing some new programs - one encourages families to read together, another helps with some communication issues.  CRI's Chris Redfern has more.

The local ISU Extension office provides learning opportunities for the community.  The extension office's program coordinator, Natalie Ferguson Spray, explains some of the benefits of one of those programs, called Strengthening Families.

"It is an extension based program and people seek Iowa State University, the extension, for this program.  Like when they look at all of the prevention programs, this one is rated number one out of all the prevention programs in the nation," says Spray.

The program works with families with children ages ten to fourteen years old to help them learn how work together.  Lessons range from helping prevent drug and alcohol abuse to working out problems peacefully.

"More along the lines of prevention with good family dynamics, having good communication skills, appropriate ways to deal with anger, appropriate ways to handle conflict, is I guess maybe the best word that most families probably face."

The families are put into separate groups for the first hour, with the parents in one group and the children in another, working on learning activities.  during the second hour, the families work together on an activity.  The program consists of seven, two hour meetings.

Or if your kids are a little younger, Family Storyteller - for three to five years old can help promote literacy.

"It's a two hour session and each focuses on teaching parents ways to make reading fun, interactive.  Teach predicting, just helping families get children excited about reading, and teaching them some skills to feel more confident in reading."

Spray has requested a grant for this program from the Mahaska-Wapello Early Childhood Iowa which provides grants to promote early literacy, and hopes to be able to start the Family Storyteller program in March.  For CRI Weekly News, I'm Chris Redfern.

For more information on the Strengthening Families program or the Family Storyteller, contact Natalie Spray at 641-673-5841 or email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .