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Words Matter

March 10, 2020 by Creating Together

Last week we emphasized the how important it is to build children up with the power of words. This week, we’d like to build on why words matter, and some tips for bringing positivity to the children in your life through words.

If you attended the March 9th and 13th Information Sessions at Creating Together, you would have received some great tip sheets: One-liners that build and destroy from FRP Canada; and 98 Ways to Say “Very Good” from the Canadian Child Care Federation.

Words that Build and Destroy

Born with a brain ready to learn, we all start out in this world with brain cells reaching out and making neural connections (synapses) with each new experience. When these synapses are stimulated over and over, these connections become ‘hardwired’. As such, there are very important and critical ways to paving a foundation of confidence, self-esteem, acceptance and friendship – especially through words.

If a child lives with encouragement, he learns confidence.
If a child lives with praise, he learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself.
If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, he learns to find love in the world

Taken from “Children Learn What They Live”, author unknown

We can we change a child’s life by frequently using words that build, while avoiding words that destroy. Here are a few examples:

  • “I’m proud of you.” instead of “What is the matter with you?”
  • “Way to go!” instead of “You did it wrong.”
  • “I’m glad you’re my kid.” instead of “Why can’t you be like your brother?”
  • “You make me smile.” instead of “Don’t act like a wild animal.”
  • “I love you.” instead of “You drive me crazy!”

See the difference?

98 Ways to Say “Very Good”

Sometimes it can be hard to find a complement or an encouraging response – we may be frustrated, or find ourselves focusing on the negative. That’s why the Canadian Child Day Care Federation created a resource sheet for parents, listing nearly 100 ways to say “very good”. No matter the situation, you’ll be sure to find something helpful and affirming from the list, while also being very true and authentic to the situation at hand. For example:

  • You’re on the right track now!
  • You’re getting better every day.
  • Way to go.
  • You figured that out fast.
  • I’m proud of the way you worked today.
  • You’re learning fast!
  • Good remembering!

For the full list, check out the Resource Sheet here: https://www.cccf-fcsge.ca/wp-content/uploads/RS_5-e.pdf

And remember – the staff at Creating Together are here to help. If there’s a particular behaviour or pattern that you’re struggling with, let us know. We can help you on-site, or point you in the right direction in terms of information and resources!

You’re not alone.

Filed Under: Tips and Tools

How to Build Children Up with Words

March 3, 2020 by Creating Together

Words have power.

Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble.”

Yehuda Berg

As caregivers and parents, we pay close attention to how our children speak to us, but we don’t always pay attention to what we say to them, and how we say it. we think a lot about how our children speak to us and how they behave.

Did you know that if your words and tone are more conscious and positive, your child is:

  1. more likely to listen
  2. learn to communicate with others (friends, teachers, family members) with respect
  3. develop the skills needed to regulate their behaviour
  4. create a healthier, stronger bond with you

Words have the power to build us up, or tear us down. If you’re ready to learn more about how to become more conscious of your words and get some tips and tools for speaking more positively to your children, then you won’t want to miss this month’s information sessions on the Power of Words, March 9th at 1:30pm or March 13th at 10am.

See you there!

Filed Under: Tips and Tools

Minding Screen Time: Tips and Strategies

February 11, 2020 by Creating Together

This generation, the digital generation, has never known life without a computer or the Internet. Screen time use has doubled in children over the last 20 years, and studies have linked high levels of screen time with delayed development in children. Dr. Aric Sigman, an associate fellow of the British Psychological Society and a Fellow of Britain’s Royal Society of Medicine, says:

Too much screen time too soon is the very thing impeding the development of the abilities that parents are so eager to foster through the tablets. The ability to focus, to concentrate, to lend attention, to sense other people’s attitudes and communicate with them, to build a large vocabulary—all those abilities are harmed.

But it isn’t easy to just unplug – parenting in the digital age also requires that we recognize our own habits. Not only do children mimic our own digital attachments, we also know from previous studies that limiting this face-to-face contact via extensive phone use could cause problems with development and reduce the level of bond between a parent and a child. A more recent study shows us that parents who spend more time with their phones have a greater tendency to shout at their children, while children also feel an increase in frustration, moodiness, and attention-seeking. 

Information Session at Creating Together

In the face of this, Creating Together is offering 2 information sessions on Screentime for Children – one on February 10th at 1:30, and the other on the 28th at 10am.

Tips

Apart from the Information Sessions this month, here are a few tips:

  1. Set Limits to Screen Time – Limits help build healthy habits for the future. Create rules to limit screen time and share them with the other adults in your child’s life as well to ensure consistency. There are plenty of apps that provide parental controls to block sites, and enforce time limits (no screen time for children under 2, and less than 1hr / d for children ages 2-5).
  2. Be a Good Example – Children are more likely to act-out in order to get your attention when you’re distracted. Model healthy screen habits by engaging your child with play and books that build their brain and social development.
  3. Create Healthy Habits – Keep devices in a common area so you can monitor age-appropriate use, while watching and talking to them. It’s also a healthy habit to turn off all screens an hour before bed to ensure a better sleep hygiene, and turn it off during mealtimes.
  4. Get Outside – be it the snow, the rain, or the sun, there are plenty of games to enjoy outside to help you replace screen time with green time.

Continue the Conversation!

Interested in learning more, and sharing some strategies with other parents and caregivers? Speak with your family and friends to gauge tips and trends – and bring them with you to our next information session on February 28th at 10am.

See you there!

Filed Under: Family Playtime, Tips and Tools Tagged With: information session, Screen Time

Read! Read! Read!

January 29, 2020 by Creating Together

Each year ABC Life Literacy Canada celebrates Family Literacy Day on January 27th, raising awareness of the importance of reading and engaging in other literacy-related activities as a family. An crucial indicator of child success, there are loads of free resources available to help parents and caregivers be the best possible support they can be.

Family Literacy in Canada

  • Children spend five times as much time outside the classroom as they do in school, so parents and caregivers need the tools to support their learning (The Read-Aloud Handbook, Jim Trelease, 2006).
  • Children whose parents are involved with them in family literacy activities score 10 points higher on standardized reading tests (The Effect of Family Literacy Interventions On Children’s Acquisition of Reading: From Kindergarten to Grade 3, Conducted by Monique Sénéchal for the National Center for Family Literacy, 2006)
  • One year of parental education has a bigger positive impact on whether a son or daughter will attend a postsecondary institution than an extra $50,000 in parental income (Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario, 2011)
  • A mother’s reading skill is the greatest factor to affect her children’s future academic success, outweighing other factors, like neighborhood and family income (National Institute of Health, 2010).

Did you know that early literacy begins before a child can read? 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.

We are here to help. In fact, given literacy has such a positive impact on children and families, each Monday at Creating Together is committed to literacy. We hope you will join us!

Designed for one-on-one or small group storytelling, Literacy Mondays feature developmentally appropriate books and CDs. This gives children the opportunity to read and sing along with parents/caregivers and a staff member. Through the week, you can enjoy our reading nook at Creating Together with your child, filled with a wide range of books and comfortable seating.

Out in the Toronto community, there are lots of other opportunities to create positive memories of literacy with children:

  • Check out the Parkdale Library’s “recommended reads” for family literacy.
  • Welcome to School is a program offering resources and programs for newcomer student success.
  • Children’s Book Bank provides free books and literacy support to children living in low-income neighborhoods across Toronto, such as dictionaries for newcomers, and these family literacy tips.
  • Toronto’s ReadUP‘s mission is to provide children with access to free reading support that complements and consolidates the literacy learning they receive in school.
  • Enjoy your favourite children’s stories any time with Dial-a-Story and OverDrive eBooks & eAudiobooks for Kids.
  • Handbook of Language and Literacy Development

Filed Under: Literacy, Tips and Tools, What's On in Parkdale

Understanding Creating Together

January 14, 2020 by Creating Together

January is an excellent time to freshen up our intentions and get things started on a shared vibration.

To kick this off, staff at Creating Together are committing this month’s information sessions to review our program guidelines, helpful tips, and an overview of lunchtime routine protocols.

Program Guidelines

Getting on the same page is important for everybody, and these guidelines are here to ensure children, parents and caregivers benefit the most from the services and resources at Creating Together. Guidelines ensure the values of respect, learning, safety, and happiness are woven into our daily routines.

For example, in the drop-in, we all:

  • talk, listen, and play together.
  • respect each other; children too.
  • tidy up.
  • help children try new things.

Helpful Tips

Since not everybody is able to attend the information sessions, we wanted to offer some helpful tips to keep in mind when at Creating Together – and do keep in mind, these tips are helpful at home as well!

  1. Recognize your child’s efforts and achievements
  2. Set clear limits and expectations of your child.
  3. Offer only choices and consequences that are realistic and that you are willing to carry out.
  4. Encourage your child to problem solve.
  5. Encourage your child to see the funny side of certain situations.
  6. Overlook small annoyances.
  7. Recognize your own frustrations and remove yourself from the situation until you are in control of your feelings.

Lunchtime / Snack Routine Protocols

Lunchtime hours – Monday to Saturday, 11:45am – 1:00pm

No Nuts – Please remember that while families have the option of bringing in their lunches, NO NUT PRODUCTS ARE PERMITTED.

Designated Eating Area – All food must be eaten in the kitchen only.

Thank You!

With your cooperation and participation, Creating Together will continue to be an enjoyable, safe, and pleasant experience for everybody. If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to ask us – we are more than happy to help.

Filed Under: Announcements, Special Activities, Tips and Tools

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Creating Together Parkdale Family Resource Centre

Our mission is to support the healthy social, cognitive, emotional and physical development of children 0 to 6 years and their families. We welcome children aged 0 to 6 years and their families/ caregivers to relax and connect with each other and with the greater communities through our many programs.
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MON 9:00am - 2:30pm
TUE 9:00am - 2:30pm
WED 9:00am - 2:30pm
THU 9:00am - 2:30pm
FRI 9:00am - 1:30pm
SAT 10am - 2:00pm (twice monthly)
SUN Closed

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Creating Together
1342 Queen Street West
Phone: (416) 537-1004
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12947 6248 RR0001
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