Tips and Tools Archives | Creating Together Parkdale

Setting Intentions for 2022

January 1, 2022 by Melanie

With the solar new year just completed and the lunar new year fast approaching (February 1st this year), its a great time to set some intentions and goals for the new year.

Just like adults, children benefit from goal and intention-setting. Creating a clear idea of what you’d like to achieve or experience, making a plan to go after it, and experiencing that sense of accomplishment when you’ve reached your goal – what an important life skill.

Whether it’s learning something new or spending more time with that special someone, talking about their goals and intentions for the year has several benefits:

Create clarity. Getting clear about what we want in life is a life skill that is key to actually attaining what we want in life.

Improve ability to communicate as a family – When we ask and truly listen to each other, it helps us all experience what healthy, supportive communication looks like.

Learn to celebrate resilience. Creating milestones so loved ones can come together to celebrate challenges and successes along the way. When parents and caregivers share their challenges in achieving their goals and children witness you learn from those challenges, celebrate those lessons, and get back to trying again, they learn resilience as well.

Increase trust. Sharing our goals and values and having them truly heard, supported and celebrated helps bring loved ones closer. It takes practice, but when it’s done well the trust that can be created is beautiful.

Teach important lessons. Sharing and working towards individual or shared intentions helps us learn important qualities of collaboration, cooperation, and working towards a common vision.

Have fun! Making it a game helps to take the pressure off, and teaches that goal setting can be fun. Imagine a better year together (sky’s the limit!), try out a worksheet, build a family collage. Enjoy the process!

Ready to give it a try? Here are some examples of worksheets you can create at home, to help guide some conversations with members of your family, about your own goals and one another’s!

Helpful Tip – we are here for you as a hub and a resource. If your child has a goal that you would like some resources on or would like to talk about (eg., reading, behaviour, healthy eating, exercise), let us know! We can also help you with goals related to parenting, healthy eating, and literacy.

Understanding Remembrance

November 8, 2021 by Melanie

Thursday November 11th is Remembrance Day – and it can bring up so many great questions in a young family. What are the poppies about? How do we explain the significance of such an intense and important time of year? What is an age appropriate way to talk about Remembrance Day?

To get started on this deep and important topic, let’s first get on the same page with what November 11th is all about, and why we honour this day across Canada.

In 1931, after insistent representation from the Canadian Legion, parliament enacted the Armistice Day Act. The Act ensured that November 11th would be set aside as a day distinct and apart from any other observance upon which the nation could pay special tribute to those “who gave their lives that freedom might prevail”.

In 1970, an act, known as “The Holidays Act”, was passed by Parliament which included, among other holidays, Remembrance Day. An extract of that act reads as follows:

“Throughout Canada in each and every year, the 11th day of November, being the day in the year 1918 on which the Great War was triumphantly concluded by an armistice, is a holiday and shall be kept and observed as such under the name of Remembrance Day.”
The Holiday Act, 1970

Yet how do we explain this important time to our children? Here are some great suggestions:

1. Focus on Honouring People

You can do this a number of ways, be it discussing the contributions of women and minorities, the vast numbers of people who fought for our freedom, and the gratitude we all give.

“You can best honor them by using this day as a way to teach kids about both the honor and courage these people displayed in the course of performing their duties, as well as the valuable lessons they have taught us (namely, that the fighting of any war comes at too high a cost). In the end, Remembrance Day can provide an excellent way to instill your children with an understanding of the ramifications of war and give them a reason to work towards a more peaceful world.”
Sarah Danielson: parentscanada.com

To have some conversations with your children about the contributions of women and minorities, the Veterans Affairs Canada website offers great information on some of the often overlooked contributions of Aboriginal-Canadians, Women, Asian Canadians, and Black Canadians

2. Talk About Your Family History

Further to your conversation at home about the history of war in your own family, you may find it helpful to attend a local Remembrance Day ceremony. Giving the kids a first-hand chance to see veterans and be part of the celebration will encourage them to ask questions and learn more.

Here’s a list of local ceremonies being held in Toronto:

honour-canadas veterans-at-these-remembrance-day-services-in-toronto/

3. Understanding Why We Wear Poppies

Poppies are worn to pay tribute to those who gave their lives in war because poppies grew on the battlefields, especially on the Western Front, before and after World War One.

Wearing a poppy is important, but also explaining to your child the reasons why you are wearing it will help kids gain a deeper understanding and respect for the day.

The Poppy has been widely recognized as a symbol of Remembrance, since it was first adopted in 1921. By wearing the poppy, we demonstrate our gratitude to those who gave their lives for the freedom we enjoy.
Legion Ontario Command: on.legion.ca/remembrance/the-tradition

Each year, for two weeks before Remembrance Day, Legions throughout Ontario carry out our Poppy Campaign. The campaign raises awareness of the Poppy as a symbol of Remembrance. The poppy continues to be sold worldwide to raise money and to remember those who lost their lives in the First World War and in subsequent conflicts.

This can be a great conversation / lesson to children around the power of giving from a place of gratitude, and who in this case, is able to benefit from these gifts.

Many blessings to all of you, on this day of Remembrance.

Back to the Books for International Literacy Day!

September 6, 2021 by Melanie

As many of our little ones head back to school, it’s also the annual celebration International Literacy Day on Sept 8 – a celebration

Since 1967, International Literacy Day (ILD) celebrations have taken place annually around the world to remind the public of the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights, and to advance the literacy agenda towards a more literate and sustainable society. Despite progress made, literacy challenges persist with at least 773 million young people and adults lacking basic literacy skills today.
UNESCO

What is Literacy?

We often think of literacy as the ability to read and write, however what this means across cultures varies greatly.

For example, “reading” includes understanding complex visual and digital media as well as printed material. An elderly person who can read the newspaper might have a difficult time navigating their email or reading a map online. When we look at literacy, how do we engage with the written word in everyday life? How do we keep up with current events and communicate effectively?

Literacy Begins Before a Child Can Read

Until the last 30 years, children were seen as non-readers until they entered school. Now, children’s attempts to read and write before they reach school age are seen as important steps in developing reading and writing abilities. And, according to research by the Canadian Language and Literacy Research Network, children who are successful readers have usually engaged in many early language and literacy activities before starting school. In fact, hearing and engaging with books read aloud to them is one of the most important activities for infants, toddlers, and pre-school children.

Encourage Reading and Discuss Texts

Encourage young learners to immerse themselves in reading as often as possible, and using a broad variety of genres (newspapers, novels, comics, magazines, films, reference material, and websites). Follow up the reading or viewing of a text with a discussion of what it made learners think and feel.

Gamify It!

Make reading and writing fun, be it with scavenger hunts, rhyming contests, comic creation…get creative and have fun! Here are some fun game ideas for early learners: https://www.3plearning.com/blog/6-activities-that-put-the-fun-into-phonics-for-early-learners/

We are here to help.

Even in a time of crisis, Creating Together has found ways to help families maintain a literacy routine with our online programming. Take advantage of our online storytimes and build literacy into your family routine with some family favourites:

1pm Story Time Mon/Wed/Fri and 7pm Bedtime Story Mon-Fri on our Facebook Page
Did you know that a child’s knowledge of songs and rhymes at age 3 is predictor of his/her ability to read by age 6? Why not come and take advantage of the opportunities and support available to you at Creating Together?Join us for Circle Time (daily at 10am on Zoom or Facebook – see below)
Tip: give children a choice in which book they’d like to read, choose books that are age appropriate, and read in ways that are also age appropriate. Take a look at this great tip sheet: Milestones of Early Literacy Development.

Happy Reading!

Talking Climate with Children

August 24, 2021 by Melanie

August 19th is World Humanitarian Day, and this year’s theme is Climate Action – highlighting the immediate human cost of the climate crisis by pressuring world leaders to take meaningful climate action for the world’s most vulnerable people.

But how do we have these conversations with our children? How do we raise their awareness about the issue of climate change and help them be apart of the solution?

Take look at this fun and interactive learning tool put together by NASA: https://climatekids.nasa.gov. It covers some of the big questions, like:

What is climate change?
What is the greenhouse effect?
Why is carbon important?
How do we know the climate is changing?
How does climate change affect the ocean?

The website goes on to share games, activities, videos, and features people committed in their work / careers to being a part of the solution. Check it out!

International Self-Care Day

July 20, 2021 by Melanie

Self-care is the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider (World Health Organization). Paula Gill Lopez, PhD, an associate professor and chair of the department of psychological and educational consultation at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut, says the need for self-care is obvious. “We have an epidemic of anxiety and depression,” she says. “Everybody feels it.”

Self-care is a lifelong habit and culture. It is the practice of individuals looking after their own health based on the knowledge and information available to them. It is a decision-making process that empowers individuals to look after their own health efficiently and conveniently, in collaboration with health and social care professionals as needed.
Global Self-Care Federation

The pandemic over the last year and a half has showed us all that self-care behaviours are the true first line of defence in public health emergencies. A 2020 study found that 95% of Canadians agreed that they need more tools to care for themselves and a strong, resilient, publicly funded healthcare system for when they can’t. So, in January 2021 Food, Health & Consumer Products of Canada published the Blueprint for a National Self-Care Strategy calling for efforts to improve health literacy and provide greater access to self-care opportunities for all Canadians.

In the mean time, there’s a lot we can do for ourselves and our families. The Community Access Network came up with these great tips to teach your children about self-care, and Selfcare.ca describes 7 pillars to self-care. Check out the links below for stats, resources, and supporting links for each of these critical areas:

And of course, if there’s anything we can do to support you here at Creating Together, remember you are not alone – we work with a number of organizations across the city and can certainly connect you with the resources you are looking for.

Setting Intentions for 2022

Understanding Remembrance

1. Focus on Honouring People

2. Talk About Your Family History

3. Understanding Why We Wear Poppies

Back to the Books for International Literacy Day!

Talking Climate with Children

International Self-Care Day

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