Team Nutrition Educational Materials for Summer Meals

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Attachment C - Moderator’s Guide for Parent/Caregiver Focus Groups (English)

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Section I. Getting to know each other (15 minutes)

Hello, my name is _____________ and I’m a researcher from the Michael Cohen Group. I would like to start out the session by having each of you share your first name and something about yourself.

We are working with Food and Nutrition Service of the United States Department of Agriculture to help them develop some materials for parents and children. As part of this project, we are talking to parents and caregivers about your thoughts on health, nutrition, and programs for children. We will also be showing you some early drafts of some information for parents and caregivers.

Before we begin, I want to say a couple of things:

• There are no right or wrong answers here -- we just want to know what you think. Whatever your opinion may be, it will be very helpful for us to hear it.

• I did not make any of the things I’ll be showing you today, so it’s ok for you to be totally honest. Your responses won’t hurt my feelings.

• Your names won’t be attached to anything you say here. Only an ID number will be used to identify all data. Your name will not be listed in any reports or shared with others unless otherwise required by law.

• If it’s ok with everybody here, we’d like to record these conversations. They will only be used to confirm our notes and allow us to revisit this conversation. Any transcriptions of this conversation will not include any names. Is that ok with everybody?

• Last, you’re not required to answer every question that’s asked. However, I may ask specific questions to particular individuals to better understand your ideas.

Does anybody have any questions before we begin? I’m going to start with a few general questions.

• How many children does each of you have or take care of, and what grade are they in school, currently?

For the rest of the conversation, please think only about the school-aged child or children (aged 5 -17) whom you care for.

• As the school year comes to a close, what sort of plans do you have for the summer?

  • How will your child spend his/her days?

• How is the summertime different for your family compared to the school year?

• How do you feel about what your child eats during the summer compared to the school year?

  • Do you feel that your child eats healthier foods, about the same, or less healthy? Why?

  • Do you feel like your children snack more or less during the summer?

  • How do these snacks compare to the ones they eat during the school year?

• You mentioned some of the activities your child might do in the summer. Do you feel that your child generally gets more physical activity during the summer or during the school year? Why?

I have a question about “screen time.” Screen time includes watching TV, playing video games, and using the computer, tablet, or smartphone.

• Do you feel that your child has more or less “screen” time in the summer than during the school year? Why do you think that is?

• How do you feel about the amount of time your child spends watching TV/playing video games?

• Do you have any limits in your house on screen time? Why/why not?

Section II. Infographic (30 Minutes) [ROTATE ORDER OF SECTION II & SECTION III]

Now we’re going to look at a few different materials that are designed for parents. Please take a moment to review this page [distribute Infographic page]

• What are your first impressions of this page?

  • What jumps out to you?

  • What is the big idea?

  • What does it communicate?

• How do you feel about how this material looks? (Probe: Is it inviting? Would you stop and read it if someone sent it to you in an email or gave it to you on a flyer? Why or why not?)

  • What words would you use to describe this material?

  • Is there anything on this page that you like?

  • Is there anything on this page that you don’t like? Tell me more.

• Is there anything about this picture that other parents might find confusing?

  • Where else have you seen pictures like these before?

  • How does this picture compare to other things you’ve seen in the past?

• Do you find any of this information new or surprising? Tell me more?

• Do you agree with this information? Why or why not?

  • What other information do you think parents need to know about nutrition and physical activity for their children over the summer?

  • How do you feel about the information on screen time?

  • How do you feel about the information on physical activity?

  • How do you feel about the information on fruits and vegetables?

  • What do you think of the suggestion to have kids choose water instead of regular soda?

  • Would you offer any other suggestions to parents instead?

Let’s take a closer look at the information in the green box on the bottom of the page.

• Have you heard about Summer Meal programs before? What are they?

• Has your child ever eaten a meal at a summer meal site, such as at school or at a park?

  • What did you think about it?

  • [If not] Would you ever have your child eat a meal at a summer meal site? Why? Why not?

• Does this material make you interested in learning more about summer meal programs? Why? Why not?

• Is there additional information you would want to know about summer meals?

• What would encourage you to bring your child to a summer meal site?

• Would you be more likely to take your child if there were other activities happening at the summer meal site?

  • What sort of activities would you like to know are available at summer meal sites?

• What age kids are summer meal sites appropriate for? Why do you feel this way?

• Would you do anything differently after reading this information? Tell me more.

• Would you be more likely to look at this information if it came from a particular source, like a particular community organization or your child’s school? Who?

• How would you want them to share this information with you? Paper? Email? Web site?

• Is this something that you’d share with your family, friends, or is it just for you? Why?

Section III. Parent Handout (35 minutes)

Now I’d like to show you another type of handout. Take a few minutes to read through the pages and then we will talk about specific pages. Feel free to write on your copy of the information if you want to mark anything that is good or bad.

• What is your overall impression of the handout?

• Does anything about the handout really grab your attention?

  • What is it that makes it stand out for you?

• Is there anything in particular that you do not like or that is confusing?

  • If so, can you explain why it makes you feel this way?

• What do you think is the main purpose or message of this handout?

• Who do you think it is for? Is it for parents like you? Why/why not?

  • How would you feel if your child’s school provided this handout to you?

  • What if someone else shared this handout with you? Would you be more likely to read it? Who and why?

  • Would you share this handout with other parents? Why or why not?

Now we’re going to talk about each of the sections of the handout. Let’s start with the front.

• What do you think about this page? What stands out?

  • Does the information on the front page make you want to learn more about what’s inside? Why/why not?

  • Does this look like something that would interest you? Why/why not?

  • Does it look like something you’ve seen before?

Now let’s take a look at the back.

• What do you think about this page? What stands out?

• What do you think about the recipe [Point to recipe]?

  • Is this something you would make for your family? Why or why not?

  • How do you think your family would like this recipe?

  • (Probe: is the recipe easy to follow? Does it sound tasty? Are these ingredients easy to get? Why/why not)

• Have you ever seen this MyPlate icon before? Where? What does it mean?

Let’s take a look at the inside.

• What do you think this part of the handout is all about?

• What do you think about the instructions for this activity?

  • Did they make sense?

  • What are you supposed to do?

• Would you do this activity with your family? Why or Why not?

• What sort of reward do you think your family might write in the center circle?

• Let’s take a look at the Healthy Moves information. How do you feel about the information listed here?

  • Which tips do you like the most? The least? Why?

• How useful are these tips for you and your family? Why?

• If your family was completing this activity together, which of these 4 behaviors would be the hardest: limiting screen time, getting more physical activity, drinking fewer sugar sweetened beverages, or eating more fruits and veggies. Why?

• Which of these 4 behaviors would be the easiest for your family: limiting screen time, getting more physical activity, drinking fewer sugar sweetened beverages, or eating more fruits and veggies. Why?

• Tell me about the illustrations on this page, what do you think of them? Do they make sense? Are there any that you don’t like?

• Take a look at the information about drinking water. What are your thoughts about this information?

  • How important do you think this information is?

  • The materials you saw today talk about sugary drinks. What sort of beverages do you think they are talking about?

  • Do you think fruit drinks are sugary drinks? How about sports drinks or energy drinks?

  • Do you think kids drink too many of these types of drinks? Why/Why not?

• How do you feel about the idea of making half your plate fruits and vegetables?

  • Is this information clear? Is it practical? Why? Why not?

  • Is this something you would do?

  • How about your child? Why? Why not?

• Overall, how do you feel about the amount of information presented in this handout?

  • Too much, not enough, just enough?

• Do you think other parents like you would enjoy getting this handout?

  • Why or why not?

• What would you change about this handout?

• Is there anything else about this handout that you would like to share before we close our session with a brief 5-minute survey?

Section IV. Final Thoughts (5 minutes)

Now that we’ve talk talked through the handout, I’d like everybody to take a look at this worksheet [present Parent Survey]. Please provide a brief answer to each question and grade each of the sections we discussed, as well as the handout overall.

You have been great and have helped me a lot.

Thanks so much for talking with me today!