Three children outdoors pose together during summer play.

Photo: Jane Woolery

While parenting can be very rewarding, it also has its challenges. Navigating the overwhelming number of resources and advice available to parents can be particularly hard, leaving parents wondering how to determine the right approach or find reliable answers. The good news is that there are techniques to help identify research-based resources and strategies, based on the latest scholarly findings, whether you’re scrolling through social media, searching online, or reading your favorite magazine.

The biggest marker to consider is where information originates.

When checking out an online article, resource, or other material related to parenting or child development, look for reliable information from university (.edu), government (.gov), hospital, or other organization (.org) sites. These resources typically provide information on current, applicable research-based methods, usually at little to no cost.

When you are researching an online education program, use reports from the types of organizations listed above to help determine whether a program is evidence-based, meaning its impacts have been tested. There may seem like a lot of programs to sift through; however, adding keywords such as extension, .edu, or .org to a search can help narrow and identify programs with accurate information.

Apply this method as you scroll through social media by checking who posted the information and whether they represent the viewpoints of a credible university or organization. If personal gain appears to be the primary motivation, it may be time to evaluate whether it is an unbiased source of information.

There is a lot of tested, reliable information available on parenting and child development, based on more than just personal experience and anecdotes. Here is a list of low-cost to no-cost trusted parenting resources to help you get started:

PARENTING MONTANA WEBSITE

ParentingMontana.org is sponsored by the Montana Department of Health and Human Services, and offers resources, podcasts, and much more for parents of children ages 0-19. They cover topics of bullying, confidence, discipline, listening, and more.

JUST IN TIME PARENTING NEWSLETTER

This free newsletter is delivered via email and shares information related to your child’s needs at their current age. It provides information on child development, tools to help solve problems, coping strategies, and more. All information provided is research-based and written by university-based Extension experts from multiple partnering states. Access the resources on their website, jitp.info.

Extension systems across the U.S. offer parenting
resources and courses for everyone. Explore options
with an online search. For example, Iowa State
Extension offers free Aging and Staging resources
and the Science of Parenting Podcast.

PARENTING WITH A GOOD HEART ONLINE COURSE

This is a free two-part online course from the University of Minnesota Extension. It covers overindulgence and how giving kids too much of anything can delay development. This course is for parents, teachers, and professionals who work with parents and families on a regular basis. Find the course online at extension.umn.edu/courses-and-events/parenting-good-heart-online-course.

MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION

MSU Extension offers a wide variety of resources on parenting education, all of which are research-based, reliable, and written with Montana families in mind. Below is an example list of MontGuides, self-learning articles by Montana experts, which are available through the MSU Extension online store for free download, or get them at your local MSU Extension office:

  • Discipline: A Parent’s Guide for Infants and Toddlers
  • Discipline: A Parent’s Guide for Preschoolers
  • Discipline: A Parent’s Guide for School-Age Children
  • Helping Teens Navigate Parental Divorce or Separation

MSU Extension’s Kinship Navigator Program also offers a wealth of educational resources and more for Montana kinship families (where family members serve a parental role): montana.edu/extension/mtknp/GRGresources.html.

These are just some of many useful resources available online for parents. Also, check with the local library, MSU Extension office, or other non-profits to see what parenting resources or in-person educational opportunities are available locally.

Remember, when looking for dependable information, it is important to check the source and make sure it is credible, and will help you on your way to learning information that supports your parenting journey.

Young child using a toy construction vehicle during outdoor play.
A team of MSU Extension Family and Youth Development Specialists is creating a Montana-specific, low-cost, online parenting education course. The course will focus on discipline, developmental stages, creating a safe place for exploration, navigating behaviors and tricky situations, responsibility and independence, family changes and stress, and self-care. The online course will be available through MSU’s CANVAS learning portal. Visit the MSU Extension website or ask a local MSU Extension agent how to access the new parenting resources course to learn new tools and information to assist in your parenting adventure.

Photo: Danielle Harper


Carrie Guderjahn is the MSU Extension Family and Consumer Sciences and 4-H Youth Development agent in Carbon County.