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Learn more about ways you can promote a secure relationship with your children, help organize their feelings, support their exploration of the world, read and respond to their cues and much more!

Let’s discuss challenges and successes in navigating the emotional development of children. You will learn more about your child’s emotions as they move through the early years and gain insights into how to talk to children, how to teach children about emotions, and how to support children through their emotions.

This parenting program provides participants with a toolbox of parenting ideas, so they can choose which ones are the best for their family. Triple P can support families to: - raise happy, confident children - manage challenging behaviours - set rules and routines - encourage positive behaviours - increase parenting capacity and confidence. This eight session group provides an in-depth look at parenting strategies and opportunities to practice. Activities Include: - group lessons and discussions - opportunities to practice strategies - one-on-one coaching 4 classroom sessions: May 4 - May 25 3 telephone sessions: flexible dates/times 1 wrap up telephone session: June 22

(Part 2- read part one here) In our previous blog post we talked about what self-care is, why it is important for you and your family's wellbeing, and gave some tips on where to start with creating a plan and doing self-care. Here we will answer more questions. I don’t have the time or money for self-care what can I do? I have some great news for you, self-care does not need to take up hours of your day or cost you a pretty penny. Start small. Self-care only needs to take 5-10 minutes a day consistently for an individual to notice the effects. Like mentioned previously you won’t notice the effects of self-care overnight majority of the time so the sooner you start and longer you are able to consistently practice self-care the more you should notice the effects if the activities you’re engaging in are the right ones for you! Check out our “10 Minute Self-Care Activities” handout for more ideas! As for the cost of self-care there are tons of things, we can do to meet our needs in these 5 areas that don’t cost anything. Check out our “Parenting & Self-Care” handout for more information and talk to any member of the Norwood team next time you join us for a group or event if you have more questions! Boring Self-Care Boring self-care is exactly what it sounds like, its nothing new or exciting but rather small things we can do every day to take care of ourselves. Here are some great examples: Doing the dishes Cleaning something in the home Doing a load of laundry Going for a walk Journalling Taking medication as prescribed Setting boundaries Breathing exercises Brushing your hair Learning to identify self-sabotaging behaviours/patterns Staying in after a busy week Grocery shopping Spending time with animals Being kind to yourself Engaging in a hobby you enjoy Listening to music Watching the sunset Cooking a nutritious meal Meal prepping for the next day or week if you can and want to Completing a task on your to do list Couples Care The next thing that’s important to discuss when practicing self-care is couples care. Parents, more often than not, will put their own needs and the needs of their relationships on hold and spend that time with their children. Dedicating time to your relationship is extremely important when it comes to raising children. You are your partners main support and vis versa so it’s important to make sure you work together to keep your relationship strong. When couples don’t dedicate time towards their relationship the relationship starts to deteriorate which usually results in more disagreements, fighting and potentially the end of the relationship. Dedicating time to have uncomfortable conversations about what you need, how you're feeling and how you would like to address situations that arise can work to prevent issues before they arise and help you feel connected to your partner. That being said, you also want to spend time enjoying things with your partner, wither that’s going on a walk together, having dinner alone, or dancing in the kitchen after the children go to bed, it all works to build your connection with one another. Engaging in couple care will help prepare you navigate difficult situations together, work on your communication, and ensure that you are spending at least some time having fun together and connecting on a deeper level. Worksheets in this post: 10 Minute Self-Care Activities. Parenting & Self-Care Worksheet At Norwood Centre our team of qualified At Norwood Centre our team of qualified Family Support Workers work to provide tools that caregivers can use to support themselves and their families, as their children develop. We hear you! If you have a question or concern, please ask us. Call 780-471-3737.

(Part 1) What is self-care? Self-care is intentionally spending time and energy focusing on your needs with the goal of improving your overall well-being. A common misconception about self-care is that it is or must be something we find fun, but this is not always the case. Self-care can look like limiting how much time you spend with people who have not respected your boundaries, cleaning the house, or seeking out various mental and physical health supports, among other things. "Self-care is meant to increase our well-being and sometimes that means doing things we don’t always want to do." Self-care looks different for everyone, what works for you will most likely not work for the next person. There will be a little bit of trial and error before you find the things that work for you and it is important to be patient and give things time to work before you try something else. The trial-and-error period will look different for everyone, if you’re struggling to implement your self-care activities or just don’t know what to do, we would love to support you in making a self-care plan that works best for you. We also have some resources linked at the bottom of this blog to help get you started, so be sure to check those out! Why is self-care important? Self-care increases our ability to handle the events of everyday life. When people engage in self-care regularly it: reduces stress increases our energy and ability to focus affects our ability to respond to challenges that arise rather than react to them Self-care has lots of benefits for your children too. When your children see you practicing self-care they are learning how to set and maintain boundaries with others, how to cope stress in a healthy way, and how to ask for help if, and when, they need it. Self-care also helps you continue to build healthy and secure attachments with your child! In addition to all of these wonderful things, practicing self-care regularly ensures that we are able to be there for others when they need some extra support in their lives. We cannot support others if we are not okay ourselves. This goes for our children too, it is significantly harder to respond calmly and logically to our children during the 2nd, 3rd, or even 10th temper tantrum of the day when we are feeling extra run down from outside stressors in our lives. Okay but how do I actually do self-care? Our “Parenting & Self-Care” handout has some information on these areas including some activities you can do that will support you within each of them. When creating a self-care plan, you want to identify activities you can do that will help fulfill your needs in each of these areas; one activity can fulfil needs in multiple areas. Please note, not all of your activities have to be done every day, some will take more time and planning. Once you know what activities support your well-being, you can engage with them as needed and work to create a self-care routine. A self-care routine will help you manage stress and fatigue on a regular basis so when more stressful situations do arise, you’re better equipped to manage and, depending on how far into your self-care journey you are, ideally you won’t feel the effects of those stressors as intensely. When reflecting on our lives and stressors, it's important to note little things. For example, when things aren’t going well you may realize that: you’re not sleeping very well/having difficulties falling asleep feeling rushed more than usual are quicker to anger and yell change in appetite you’re going out of the house less/more not spending as much time talking to friends and family The same can be said when things are going well, you may notice yourself having better feeling more rested after sleep, having more energy, spending more time with friends and family, spending less time worrying, engaging in more activities that bring you joy and help you feel rejuvenated. When it comes to making a self-care plan the easiest place to start is with the basics, also known as your physical self-care; are you maintaining good hygiene practices, getting enough sleep, eating enough nutritious food, drinking enough water and getting in enough physical activity day-to-day. Once you’ve addressed the basics you can start to dive more into your other needs. This starts by asking yourself what area you want or need to improve for your overall well-being. This will not happen overnight, and you don’t want to overwhelm yourself either, it is best to start with one area and work your way through them from there. If you don’t have a clear reason to choose any one area over another, choose one that you think you can manage taking on and that you believe will have the greatest impact on your life right now. Worksheets in this blog: Parenting & Self-Care Information Sheet At Norwood Centre our team of qualified Family Support Workers work to provide tools that caregivers can use to support themselves and their families, as their children develop. We hear you! If you have a question or concern, please ask us. Call 780-471-3737.

Summer holidays are right around the corner. Registration for many summer camps as well as applications for funding to attend for those in need, are opening now! Here are some ideas to keep children busy when they aren't in school this July and August: Pedalheads® Bike Camps Pedalheads Bike Camp gives children (ages 2-12) the opportunity to learn and develop biking skills. With small class sizes your child will not only learn how to ride their bikes but about bike safety. https://www.pedalheads.com/ YMCA Summer Camps YMCA offers a range of summer camp experiences and activities for 4-to-15-year-olds. https://ymcanab.ca/programs/camps My Gym Summer Camps My Gym offers a fast pace engaging fitness, gymnastic and music fill camp experiences for 3- to 10-year-olds. https://www.mygym.com/edmonton/camp Sumer Camps through the Centre of Autism Services Alberta A camp experience for Autistic children (3 to 17 years old) to make new friends and create some fun summer memories. https://centreforautismab.ca/summer-camp/ Hearts in Action Summer Camps Hearts in Action is a summer camp for children (3 to 14 years old) of diverse abilities ran by AdaptAbilities. https://adaptabilities.ca/our-services/summer-camps/  \ City of Edmonton Day camps The City of Edmonton have a variety of camps for a variety of interests and ages at a variety of location around the city. https://movelearnplay.edmonton.ca/COE/public/category/browse/PROGDAYCAMPS#gsc.tab=0 Other places to check out for summer camps: Community groups Edmonton Attractions such as the Telus World of Science or Muttart Some sport organizations also have specific camps. U of A also has summer camps each summer. Want to know more about how to choose a camp check out these articles: https://campscanada.com/how-to-choose/ https://www.camps.ca/choosing_a_camp.php Great resources for learn about other Summer Camps in Edmonton and area is https://www.familyfuncanada.com/edmonton/summer-camps/ https://www.albertamamas.com/edmonton-area-summer-camps/ Funding Jumpstart Jumpstart Supports families who need financial assistance to get their kids into a sport or physical activity. They are committed to help all families access a range of activities, from boxing to bowling and skating to skiing, and more. For Summer Camp funding, the program must last at least five consecutive days, a sport or physical activity for children 4 to 18 years old. https://jumpstart.canadiantire.ca/pages/individual-child-grants Kidsport A grant program for school sports, Club sport, community sport, group sport, or individual sport and sport camps. The camp needs to 4 days minimum (consecutive or not) for child 18 years or under. https://kidsportcanada.ca/alberta/edmonton/apply-for-a-grant/ City of Edmonton For City of Edmonton, if you have a Lesisure Access Pass you can get a 75% discount for each child for registered programs including days camps. (4 per year) * https://www.edmonton.ca/programs_services/leisure-access-program For other funding options, asked the camps if they have any subsidized camp spots or check out the camp’s website for funding options. For example, YMCA’s will sometimes provide financial assistance for families wanting to send their child to their day camps. At Norwood Centre our team of qualified Early Childhood Development Subject Matter Experts work to provide tools that caregivers can use to support early childhood development. We hear you! If you have a question or concern, please ask us. We have a variety of Child Development Activities available on our website, find them at norwoodcentre.com/child-development-activities. For short-term one-on-one coaching, please call us at 780-471-3737.

Family Support Program Our Family Support Program is a longer-term, goal-oriented support for when tougher challenges like financial distress, single parenthood, illness or disability, social isolation, housing issues, etc., interfere with your ability to focus on parenting. Your Norwood Family Support Worker (FSW) will visit you in your home and help you create a plan based on goals you choose and prioritize for yourself, your family, and your household. Your FSW is a source of connections, information, encouragement, advocacy AND support for your child's ongoing development in their critical early years. ​ Call 780-471-3737 for more information. Program Highlights: ​ weekly or bi-weekly in-home support goal setting child development information and activities parent education family support referrals to other services How does the process work? Family Support Services are 100% voluntary and driven by your goals. ​ You are the expert in your family’s well-being, so you drive the agenda. Your family support worker will help you talk through what you want for your family and home. One of the tools used may be the “Steps to Success” cards to help you choose and prioritize goals. For example: is learning about your child’s development your priority right away, or do you need to find better housing first? What you choose to focus on is up to you—your FSW is there to help and guide you. Common goals: connecting with community getting child(ren) to listen keeping your home clean and safe preparing a healthy dinner every night establishing healthy routines learning about child development and age appropriate expectations having healthy relationships navigating Children's Services involvement What parents say: "My worker was very supportive and went to great lengths to ensure my family had the support from the program to build a healthy and sustainable situation for us." "My support worker is so kind, She always ready to help me and my son. I could share everything with her. I also appreciate the programs arranged by Norwood. I have completed over two years with this organization any my support worker. I am highly satisfied with the services." "It's been a very wonderful experience being with Norwood as I have gone through extensive trauma/stressful situations. I have come along way with the home visit helping me for situations as well as getting support with reassessing my son with his autism. We are so grateful forever."

Now Available! Norwood Centre's 60th Anniversary Children's Book and Blanket Set Introducing Norwood Centre's exclusive 60th Anniversary children's book and blanket. Celebrate with us by purchasing this limited edition set. This is the perfect opportunity to learn more about child development while reading with children. Order Now! Registration for Spring Parent Education Groups Is Now Open! Your child's first and most important teacher is YOU! The more you know about early childhood development, the more confident and capable you will feel as a parent. Parent Education Groups Details > Which Parent Education Group is right for me? > Register today! Spring 2024 Program Guide Schedule for April, May, and June 2024 Download Parent and Child Groups Jumping Gym Time! Baby and Toddler Time Preschool Discovery Time more ... Drop-in schedule > Parent Groups Empower U Empowered Parenting Handle with Care Triple P Positive Parenting more ... Class schedule > Head Start A free community school readiness program for children aged three to five. Give your child a head start! Learn more > Support Resources A self-serve directory of local helping agencies and a virtual community bulletin board for currently offered programs and services. View resources > What parents say about Norwood Centre ... "My [family support] worker was very supportive and went to great lengths to ensure my family had the support from the program to build a healthy and sustainable situation for us." From our blog: You can't pour from an empty cup: More self-care strategies (Part 2- read part one here) In our previous blog post we talked about what self-care is, why it is important for you and your family's... You can't pour from an empty cup: What is self-care and why is it important? (Part 1) What is self-care? Self-care is intentionally spending time and energy focusing on your needs with the goal of improving your... Plan ahead for summer holidays by registering for summer camps now! Summer holidays are right around the corner. Registration for many summer camps as well as applications for funding to attend for those... Agency Calendar

Services Go to: Our approach to providing services to children, families and communities is grounded in philosophies that are preventative in nature recognizes the parent as the expert for their family's well-being draws from families' strengths to create the conditions necessary for self-sufficiency and optimal child development. ​ Start with a conversation with one of our helpful, professional Intake Facilitators: Call 780-471-3737. Mental Health Therapist Community Health Nurse Health For Two ASQ Mental Health Therapist Families who are participating Norwood programs and services can access the on-site Mental Health Therapist (in partnership with the Family Centre). Ongoing sessions: These sessions are for Norwood participants only . Drop-in/Single sessions: 1-hour sessions. These sessions are for all community members through the FRN model. Contact intake to schedule and book appointments. Thursdays, between 10 a.m. – 6 p.m . These appointments can be made in advance and are scheduled for one hour Norwood participants can book respite to attend on-site mental health appointments (MHT), if there is availability. ​ Community Health Nurse Norwood Centre has an on-site registered nurse that provides health related support, education and consultation to the Family Support team and the families they work with. The nurse is available to support referrals to Alberta Health Services programs, clinics and services, provide letters of advocacy, and facilitate education opportunities for staff and participants. ​ ​ Health for Two ​ Health for Two provides support throughout pregnancy and up to 2 months postpartum to people who require extra support to have a healthy pregnancy. Services are in-person and include: education on pregnancy, birth, baby care and parenting (including pregnancy and parenting options) support and referrals to community supports (such as maternity care, mental health, addictions, housing, food security) resources may include grocery coupons and prenatal vitamins bus tickets for doctor appointments Community Health Nurse Health For Two Mental Health Therapist Ages ad Stages Questionnaire Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) Curious about your child's development? Do an ASQ! ​ The Ages and Stages Questionnaire is a parent completed tool that gives information about a child's development. Parents fill out the questionnaire that asks questions around the key developmental areas , based on their child's age. The results help parents and professionals identify areas of strength as well as areas that need more focus and, most importantly, celebrate the milestones the child achieves as they grow and learn. This tool relies on you as the expert about your child. Based on the answers that you have provided Norwood Centre's program staff can recommend fun, play-based activities that will target development areas that may need further support, or make referrals as needed. ​ There are two kinds of questionnaires: ​ Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3) This provides you information about your child across five developmental areas: communication gross motor fine motor problem-solving personal-social Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social Emotional (ASQ: SE-2) This provides you information about your child’s social and emotional development. ​ The questionnaires are most effective if they are done regularly. It is recommended that parents complete the questionnaire every 4 months in their child's first two years of life, and every 6 months until they reach the age of 5. ​ Talk to a Norwood Centre program staff member today if you are interested in completing an Ages and Stages Questionnaire for your child!