Creating positive parental influence in 4-H competitions:

of the learning process. It provides an opportunity for youth to show what they've learned through the project experience and helps them gain valuable life skills. Studies have shown that youth with positive parental involvement in their informal educational experiences are more successful than youth without these experiences (Lerner et al., 2005; Eccles & Gootman, 2002). Conversely, parents who are "parent-focused " and not "child-focused " actually inhibit the success of the child in competitive programs like 4-H (Torretta & Bovitz