Obesity and changing dietary patterns continue to be concerning issues among Hispanic immigrant families. Using consumer acculturation theory, the researchers conducted three focus groups with 19 mothers to examine changing behaviors (postimmigration) that affect healthy eating habits. Using a priori codes and data displays, the analysis revealed that mothers: (i) realize family food consumption needs to be healthier; (ii) recognize as barriers food availability, time constraints, and shopping practices; and (iii) link financial constraints and children's preferences to unhealthy eating. Findings suggest continued investigation of the complex factors impacting changing lifestyles, plus exploration of innovative, behavioral interventions to support immigrant families, is needed.

Reader should recognize that (1) there is not a 'right' phenotype and therefore not a right form of environmental input and (2) that context matters (at both the level of the cell and the individual organism).

Given that inclusion benefits all children, it is important to understand why there are discrepancies in its implementation. Understanding teachers' views on inclusion may help identify ways to improve its implementation and prevent disparities. Although teachers' beliefs about inclusion have been widely explored, the beliefs and experiences of early childhood general and special education teachers in urban settings remain relatively understudied. This study explored early childhood educators' perceptions of inclusion in urban schools, using a mixed-method approach. The results from the qualitative focus group interviews (n = 13) reveal that most teachers have positive beliefs about inclusion and that there are specific benefits, challenges, and needs concerning early inclusion in urban settings. The analysis of the survey data (n = 36) shows differences in beliefs about inclusion among teachers of different ages and/or years of experience. Implications for research, policy, and practice are discussed.

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Research in the United States (U.S.) documents that young Latino children whose families are characterized by demographic risk factors disproportionately lack the early literacy skills needed to successfully transition to kindergarten. Quantitative studies using comparative samples have found lower quality home learning environments and lower scores on a child outcome assessments among Latino children compared to their Black and White peers. A small body of qualitative, non-comparative studies that focus on Latino families in their own right provides descriptive accounts of the positive ways that Latina mothers and other family members promote child literacy development, despite being characterized by demographic risk factors. However, the social address variables utilized in quantitative studies limit our understanding of the family processes affecting child literacy development, and most qualitative studies focus on older, school-aged children with very few studies focusing on the early transitional period before kindergarten, especially for Latinos. Addressing current gaps in the literature on preschool-aged children, we conducted in-depth qualitative interviews and photo-elicitation interviews with 17 low-income Latina mothers of Head Start preschoolers in a northern Chicago suburb in the U.S. Privileging mothers’ voices and experiences, we explored their in-home emergent literacy practices and the role of other family members in promoting children’s literacy development. Informed by a family resilience framework, we accessed intimate family worlds that reveal highly engaged and resilient parents. Specifically, we identified numerous child literacy skills that families supported through an array of family instructional practices and tools. We further identified the role of various available family members, particularly fathers and siblings. These findings add to substantive discussions of emergent literacy, resilience and familismo. Insights from the qualitative interviews lead to recommendations for how early childhood educators can capitalize on families’ funds of knowledge, and view them as valued collaborators.

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