Parents' Online Resources

General:

• RI Kids Count - Tracking and advocating for children's well-being in the state of RI.
• State of RI Resources for Children and Families

Child Safety

• Prevent Child Abuse America - A network of organizations and individuals fighting child abuse.
• Children's Safety Network - A resource center for child and adolescent injury and violence prevention.
• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children - Information on the AMBER Alert system, Megan's Law, and other topics relevant to missing and exploited children.
• U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission - The latest recall information!

Development (cognitive, emotional, physical)

• The Hanen Center - The Hanen Centre coaches parents of young children in how to build the best possible lifelong social, language and literacy skills through their daily interactions.
• Zero to Three - Extensive site with information on child development from birth to three years of age.

Disability Needs

• RIPIN: Supporting disabled RI residents and their families.
• Youth Villages: Services for children with emotional, mental and behavioral problems. 

Education

• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) - Information on Early Childhood Education and a searchable database of NAEYC accredited childcare programs.
• RI Department of Education (RIDE)
• Homeschooling info from RIDE
• Enrich RI: Support for RI Homeschooling families

Exceptional Children

• Council for Exceptional Children - Information on special education.
• Exceptional Parent - Information, support and ideas for parents and families of children with disabilities.
• LD Online - Leading web site on learning disabilities, learning disorders and learning differences for parents.

Gender and LGBTQ Families

• PFLAG Providence: Helplines, support group meetings and resources for RI LGBTQ families.  
• Queer RI
• Youth Pride, RI - Support for LGBTQ and gender diverse youth and their families.

Health & Nutrition

• KidsHealth.org - Covers all aspects of children's health
• National School Lunch Program

Internet 

• Surfing the Net with Kids - Fun and educational links for families recommended by School Library Journal.

Internet Safety

• Chat Danger - Suggestions for being safe in Chat Rooms.
• SafeKids.com - Detailed tips for Internet Safety, including a family contract for online safety.

Media

• Movie Mom's Reviews - Movie reviews with suggested appropriate viewing age, MPAA rating, breakdown of content by profanity, nudity/sex, alcohol/drugs, violence/scariness, and diversity issues.
• ScreenIt! - Detailed movie, DVD, and video reviews.  Gives MPAA rating, brief plot summary, breaks down content by alcohol/drugs, blood/gore, disrespectful/bad attitude, frightening/tense scenes, guns/weapons, imitative behavior, jump scenes, music (scary/tense), music (inappropriate), profanity, sex/nudity, smoking, tense family scenes, topics to talk about, and violence.

Pregnancy

• Baby Center - Bulletin boards, a due date calculator, birth club where you meet moms with same month due date, pregnancy calendar to track your baby's development, and lots of general pregnancy information!
• Childbirth.org - Links to information on a huge array of topics related to pregnancy, including VBAC, fertility, birth plans, birth stories, a pregnancy calendar, and more!

Reading

• Early Literacy Tips - This website offers a top ten list to get children “on the road to reading” as well as a selection of preschool literacy tips for families to make reading and writing meaningful.
• Every Child Ready to Read (ECRR) - The American Library Association's initiative to educate parents and caregivers on early literacy practices.
• National Children’s Literacy Website - The National Children's Literacy Website is a unique children's literacy initiative and is part of the Soho Center's National Children's Literacy Information Project. It is a not-for-profit initiative dedicated to advancing the literacy skills of young children, promoting literacy as an integral factor in the growth of society, and enhancing literacy in a variety of home and child care settings.
• Jim Trelease Home Page - Read-aloud guru, Jim Trelease, offers links to some excellent homework and reading pages, as well as promoting his own books and lecture circuit.
• Read to Me - Read to Me focuses on six important early literacy skill areas. It provides information on how to choose books for your family, book lists, video clips on the importance of reading to your children and more.
• Reading Rockets - From Babbling to Books is a video presentation discussing research based strategies for developing language and pre-reading skills in young children.

Racial Justice

• Children's Defense Fund - Organization supporting the well-being and racial justice of children and youth.
• Progreso Latino: Programs for Rhode Island’s Latino and immigrant communities.
• RI Black Storytellers
• RI Latino Arts: Organization to promote, encourage and preserve the art, histories, heritage and cultures of Latinos in Rhode Island 
• Stages of Freedom: Promoting the well-being of RI's black youth and families.