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It's back to school and for some of you, separation from your children has been quite natural, maybe your child is enrolled in a daycare, or maybe they frequently spent time away from you with extended family or friends. For other families, you may be experiencing prolonged separation for the first time, and it can bring up many different emotions! The bond we have with our children and loved ones is called “attachment.” These close relationships allow us to have the courage and confidence it takes to go out into the world and learn new things. When it comes to spending time apart, here are some ways to build secure, healthy attachments with your child: Make a plan. Children want to know what is coming next in their lives. Let your child know what will happen in their day and make a plan for what you will do when you come back together. For example: “Today is Head Start day! You will go to school on the bus, and then when you come home, we will have lunch together.” Something Special. Children may miss their families throughout the day, especially when separating for the first few times. Consider sending your child with a picture of a family member, a special bracelet or string tied around their wrist to remind them of you, or even a heart drawn on their hand. Always say Goodbye. It can be tempting to “sneak out” when dropping off your child in a new place. Often families do this to avoid tears or clinging behaviours, but these strategies can make things more difficult. Waiting for your child to be distracted or telling them you’re “going to the bathroom” when you plan to leave reinforces your child that separation is confusing and scary and that they can’t let go of their caregivers in new places. Children can experience strong feelings when it comes to separating from family members, this is a sign of healthy attachment. It is important to acknowledge these feelings but not let them change the plan. Your child can trust that their family will make safe healthy, supportive choices for them, and you can trust that your child is strong enough to be brave and miss you for a short time.

To be able to nurture your child's executive functioning skills, you must first understand what it is and what it does within your brain! What is executive function? Executive function refers to your brain's management system. This system is responsible for your working memory, inhibitory control or self-control, and cognitive flexibility. Within these three categories, many aspects of your day-to-day life are controlled such as: Your ability to pay attention Organizing yourself, your environment and your thoughts Planning and prioritizing your day, week and future Understanding perspectives other than your own Regulating your emotions Initiating steps to carry out a task or goal Controlling your behaviour in different emotional states Your ability to problem-solve As you can see, your executive function controls many of the things you do every day. For example, when you are pulling up to a four-way stop, your executive function kicks in and helps you asses who got to the intersection first, and who goes second, all while checking for pedestrians and controlling your vehicle. On Sunday when you are planning out your week and deciding what tasks you need to accomplish first and what can wait until the end of the week, that is your executive function helping you make those decisions. Or when you're working on writing a school paper, you are bouncing between your book for information, and your computer screen to type information, that is your executive functioning skills helping you do that. What does executive function look like in children? Executive function skills build over time. These skills develop in stages, so we have to acknowledge what is developmentally appropriate when we look at this specific set of skills. However, there are many ways we can see these skills through the child's everyday routines and play. For example, if there is a bowl of candy out and you tell your child they can have just one, and they take their one candy and run along to play, this is their self-control which is a skill controlled by your executive function. If you were to see your child, get upset, take a handful and run away, or possibly take one and come back for more after, this could be a sign that this skill has not yet developed - but this does not mean that it won't! What can I do to help develop my child's executive function? There are many ways you can nurture your child's executive functioning skills: Label your emotions, and your child's. When you label your emotions and share them with your child in a positive way, they will learn from you that it is okay to have big feelings and it is okay to talk about them. In doing this, your child will learn to recognize what they are feeling, and therefore be able to regulate themselves, with or without support from you. Learning how to do this will help their executive function skills such as controlling their behaviour during high emotions, understanding perspectives other than their own, and regulating their emotions. Support, but do not over support. Yes, there can be such a thing as over supporting! You can never give your child too many hugs or kisses, or tell them you love them too much, but when your child is trying a new activity like a puzzle for example, if you put all the pieces together for them, they are not learning how to problem-solve on their own. Instead, allow them to build the puzzle and put the pieces together, while you encourage them, teach them the tricks like putting all the flat-edged border pieces together first, and reassure them if they begin to get frustrated. Problem-solving is a major life skill, and the more you do to nurture this skill, the more successful your child will be as they get older and face bigger puzzles or problems. Set your child up for success. Since executive function skills develop at different rates and times, it is important to keep this in mind. When you are working with your one-year-old, giving them a five-step plan may not be the most effective. However, giving them a very simple one or two-step plan will likely be more successful. For example, "Take your shoes off and put them on the shelf," would be more appropriate than "go inside, take off your shoes, put them on the shelf, go brush your teeth, and then go to bed." By setting children up for success with easy-to-follow instructions, they can start to build self-confidence while developing their executive function skills! Remember, children aren't born with executive function skills, these skills build over time with the support of parents, caregivers, and other adults in their life. Just make sure to be patient and give your child space to explore and learn new things!

Pop Quiz! True or false: A child cannot build their brain unless they are sitting at a desk inside. If you guessed false, you are correct! There are so many ways to build your child's brain and help them flourish into thriving and successful people as they grow. As we head into the last few months of summer, there are plenty of opportunities to be outdoors and stay active. Here are some ways to support their development and build your child's brain while outdoors! Resiliency Resiliency is having the capacity to "bounce back" from challenging situations. When you are outside, this might look like your child attempting to climb a tree and falling down. However, resiliency is your child knowing that they can try again! You can help your child develop resiliency while outdoors by encouraging them to explore and do things independently, such as climbing on a structure themselves or going down the slide alone. If they are not successful the first time, that's ok! They can try again. Encouraging your child to try again might sound like "I believe in you!" or "You can do hard things!" As we have learned earlier this year, YOU are your child's first and most important teacher and hearing that their favourite person believes in them will help your child believe in themselves. Serve and Return Serve and return is one of the easiest ways to create a strong foundation for your child to build their brain. Think of serve and return as a tennis match. Your child speaks to you (the serve) and you speak back or acknowledge what they say (the return). Serve and return interactions strengthen the pathways also known as synapses in your child's brain. Serve and return outdoors might look like you laughing with your child as they go down the slide, talking back and forth with them as you walk together or even just smiling at your infant as you push them on the swing. Attachment and Bonding Creating a strong trusting bond with your child from a young age will help them develop the ability to create and sustain relationships late in life and it's is easy! All you need to do is be there for them. Laugh with them. Play with them. Talk to them and take the time to listen to what they have to say. Creating a strong attachment and bond with your child while exploring the outdoors may look like keeping proximity to your child, noticing and naming what they are doing and playing and having fun with them. Your child does not need fancy toys, expensive things or to sit and do worksheets to build their brain. It is happening all day every day as you spend time together. All they need is you!

Registration for Fall 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. Check out our: Parent Educatio n Groups Details > Register today! Fall 2023 Program Guide Schedule for September, October and November 2023 Download Program Guide 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 ... During home visits, [my support worker] was warm and easy to talk to. I felt comforted and supported. I appreciate her sharing her own experiences about age-appropriate skills as an educator and a parent herself. From our blog: Ways To Build A Secure and Healthy Attachment With Your Child It's back to school and for some of you, separation from your children has been quite natural, maybe your child is enrolled in a daycare,... What Is Executive Function and How Can I Help My Child Develop It? To be able to nurture your child's executive functioning skills, you must first understand what it is and what it does within your brain!... Building Brains with Outdoor Play! Pop Quiz! True or false: A child cannot build their brain unless they are sitting at a desk inside. If you guessed false, you are... Agency Calendar

Careers The Norwood team is a dedicated group of professionals. We work together, support one another, learn from each other and celebrate our successes. It is the work we do, the environment we work in, the people we work with – that’s the difference at Norwood! The Norwood Team Charter was developed by staff who practice the following: ​ Support We utilize one another's strengths to take on challenges and opportunities using positive communication, collaboration, and compassion. ​ Passion We have the energy, attitude, and enthusiasm to be fully committed and engaged in our work with each other. ​ Integrity We are honest, trustworthy, transparent, and accountable to each other. ​ Respect We accept others without judgment and recognize that every individual is a person of value. ​ Inclusivity We celebrate diversity and welcome people of all abilities, backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives. ​ Team We are all one group working towards improved outcomes for children and families. ​ Current Opportunities We are currently looking for:​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Early Childhood Educator (Temporary, Full-Time) Family Educator and Group Facilitator (Permanent, Full-Time) ​ To apply for a current opportunity at Norwood, please submit your resume and cover letter to: careers@norwoodcentre.com * ​ In the cover letter, please indicate how you align with the Norwood Team Charter and how you heard about the position. Include the job title and job ID number in the subject line of your email. *Applications submitted through this website or hand delivered will not be considered. ​ Norwood Child and Family Resource Centre, values diversity and welcomes applications from First Nations, Inuit, Métis, new Canadian, racialized, differently abled and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. Experience the benefits of joining our team of professionals! CULTURE Annual Events Staff Fun Day Staff Appreciation Day Awards Night Planning Day Monthly Staff Meetings​ Leadership Communication Staff Presentations Co-worker 'High-5' Recognition Years of Service Awards Social Committee/Fund (optional) BENEFITS Five Weeks Vacation Two weeks regular vacation One week Spring Break Two Weeks Christmas Comprehensive Benefits Health/Dental/Vision Prescription Coverage Physiotherapist, psychologist, chiropractor, etc. Insurance: travel, life, accidental death/dismemberment, long-term disability Registered Pension Plan Discounts at City of Edmonton Leisure Centres SUPPORT Personal/Sick Leave ​Up to 12 days per year Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP) Free confidential counselling and support Professional Development Opportunities Regular Supervisions and Annual Performance Reviews

Download Guide (pdf) Agency Calendar Norwood offers registered programs and drop-in groups at no cost at the following locations: ​ Central Locations Norwood Child and Family Resource Centre 9516 - 114 Avenue Alberta Avenue Community League 9210 118 Avenue Al Rashid Mosque 13070 113 Street NW Parkdale Cromdale Community League 1335 85 Street NW Queen Mary Park 10844 117 Street NW Ridna Shkola Ukrainian Heritage Language School 11301 95A Street NW Riverdale Community League 9231 100 Avenue North East Locations ​ North East Community Hub 14015 Victoria Trail Clareview Recreation Centre 3804 139 Avenue NW Civida Londonderry 14540 72 Street NW McLeod Community Hall 14715 59 Street Montrose Spray Park 5290 119 Ave NW Rundle School/Beverly Daycare Society and Family Resource Centre 11005 34 Street