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You are your child’s first and most important teacher and one of their favorite people! As their first and most important teacher, your children are always watching you and absorbing all that you do. Which is why we are going to explore role-modelling and practicing, and how it helps your child learn new skills. Role modelling is exactly what it sounds like: demonstrating or showing your child what you need them to do, as you tell them. This might look like showing them what you mean by doing it alongside them, instead of telling them “clean up”. Help them put the toys in the basket so they understand the connection between the words “clean up” and putting toys in a basket. Learning a new skill takes a lot of practice no matter the age of the individual learning the skill! Giving your child lots of time and opportunity to practice a new skill is going to help those connections in the brain get stronger. This might look like letting your child try to put on their shoes on their own. Try breaking tasks of a new skill down into small and achievable steps for your child (In this example, have your child put the shoe down, then undo the Velcro in the shoe, then put their foot in, then pull the tongue of the shoe out, then do the Velcro back up). Practice when learning a new skill is going to take a lot of patience and time. But remember, helping your child develop these skills now lays a strong foundation on which to build their brain. You (and your child!) have got this! 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.

1.Join a Community Garden   Community Gardens are a great way to introduce your budding gardeners to nature, they teach your child about growing your own produce, and they are a way to get involved with your community as a family. For affordable gardening supplies Dollarama has gardening tools and gloves for little hands.  Follow the link to find the community garden closest to you:  https://www.edmonton.ca/residential_neighbourhoods/gardens_lawns_trees/community-gardens     2.Check out a Festival   Did you know that Edmonton is known as Festival City; hosting about “50 unique festivals a year” . Check out websites like Explore Edmonton , todoCanda.ca ,  Familyfuncanada.ca or Edmonton.ca  to explore upcoming festivals.  3.Picnic, Parks, Spray parks and pools   Pack a Summer Go Bag  Some parks have a Green Shack Program   Check out the times that pool and spray parks are open  Look up the weather but also be prepared, it’s Edmonton the saying goes "Wait 15 minutes and the weather might change" If there is anything at the park that is broken or not supposed to be there call 311, you have the right to take your child to a clean and safe park  Park Hop  https://edmontonplaygrounds.net/  (great website for finding new parks to explore)  https://www.edmonton.ca/activities_parks_recreation/parks-river-valley       4.Going for walks around your neighborhood    Scavenger hunts can keep children involved during walks an, a simple scavenger hunt is a Colour Hunt looking for varying items of different colours I spy or variations of I Spy such as I smell, or I hear  Mixing walking with running   Looking for Nature treasures such as neat rocks or pinecones, etc.  Play games like Red Light Green Light    5.Check out your local Community Association    Did you know with community league membership you can perks, deals and discounts to local businesses, such as reduce rates for the City of Edmonton Recreation Centres through the Community League Wellness Program Each Community League runs a variety of different activities and programs.  Can connect your children to various sports leagues    Check out this link to learn about your local community association   https://efcl.org/for-the-public/      6.Edmonton Public Library   Tips for the library: Sign up for a Library Card.   When you sign up a child 36 months and younger along with their library card, they receive a book and an illustrated songs and rhymes booklet. (The library also has a electronic versions in 5 different languages)  Check out the schedule or calendar for your local Libraries and Recreation Centre  No library in your area? Check out the EPL website for their online Sing Laugh and Learn groups and the schedule for the epl2go Pop-Up .  epl2go Pop-up Library will not just have books but will have fun free activities   -here are also fun to be had at the different library locations check out https://www.epl.ca/   to learn more EPL Summer Preschooler List for 2024    7.Edmonton Recreation Centres   There are registered and drop-in programs for all ages  Check out the schedule before going  Some locations have indoor playgrounds for those rainy day  Apply for the Low-Income Leisure access pass for free access or check out your workplace benefits for discounted rates for passes   Pack a summer Go bag and adapted it for the activities (such as socks for the indoor play park)    https://www.edmonton.ca/activities_parks_recreation/recreation-leisure-centres-pools      8.Check out you closest Family Resource Centre  Check out their schedules or drop-in to a location to find out more  https://www.alberta.ca/lookup/frn-search-map.aspx    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.

It is important to tour the space, with your children, before making a decision. Remember that you are your child's first and more important teacher and you know them best! Questions to ask: If my child is hungry before snack time, or tired before nap time will they be able to eat or sleep? What is your child guidance policy, and can I see it? Do all of your staff have their Childcare First Aid? How is your staff retention? My child doesn’t like to play with blocks, will they have other options? What does your program planning look like? How much physical activity time do the children get every day? (45 minutes or more is recommended) How flexible is the planning and the room schedule? Is messy play part of the programming? How do the educators interact with the children during meals? Do children have the opportunity to serve themselves and make choices about what they eat? Will I have the chance to provide input on day-to-day activities? What is your policy on family involvement? Do you have an open-door policy? How do you modify your programming and play experiences for different ages, abilities and preferences? How often do you practice emergency drills? What to look for: Educators get down to children’s level when communicating. Staff give their full attention to children and families. Potential distractions are kept away such as staff’s personal phones. Expectations are positively communicated stating the expected behavior “Please keep your feet on the floor” versus “Don’t stand on the shelf”. Expectations are realistically appropriate for children’s age (Toddlers are not expected to understand the concept of sharing yet). Educators communicate with explanations to children, for example, “Please take that crayon out of your mouth, I am worried you might choke on it.,” rather than direct reactions, such as, “No. Don’t do that.” Staff engage in play with children and are not just supervising them. Artwork and samples of work are displayed at the child’s level. Children are not obligated to be all doing the same activity at the same time. Educators sit with children during mealtimes and encourage conversation between children. Bottles are not given to infants in cribs. Staff take time to learn appropriate pronunciation of children’s and parent’s names. There is easy access to outdoor or physical play space. The environment and materials are representative of the families involved in the program. The work of children shows creative expression and individuality (not all artwork is the same). Staff certification is posted in a visible space for families to see, and licensing reports are posted in an are accessible to families. Program planning reflects open ended experiences – children can make choices and decisions about the experiences they want to engage in, the materials they use and how they use them. Roll calling and head counts of children are completed regularly to ensure the safety of and account for all children in care. Materials are developmentally appropriate for the age group (i.e., materials are not a safety hazard or too small for infants or not challenging enough for preschoolers). Educators are spaced out around the environment to ensure proper supervision. Food is not used as a form of reward. Materials and toys reflect diversity (food in kitchen centre, characters in books, toys, dolls, pictures in displays, artifacts). 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.

Attachment refers to a person’s relationship with their primary caregiver during their childhood and how that impacts their ability to build and maintain relationships later in life. As your child’s first and most important teacher, building a secure attachment with them sets your child up for success in their relationships throughout their lives. There are 4 main attachment styles: 1. Secure Attachment Trust others easily Have good communication skills Little difficulty regulating their emotions Comfortable spending time alone Easily connect with others Knows how to manage conflict in a healthy way Make themselves emotionally available to people in their life Children with a secure attachment feel safe, valued, understood and comforted by their primary caregiver. As adults they will feel safe and confident in their relationships. 2. Avoidant Attachment Strong sense of independence Dismisses others easily Difficulty trusting others Uneasy when people try to get close to them Avoid intimacy Have commitment issues Children with an avoidant attachment don’t actively seek comfort from their primary caregiver and tend to avoid interactions with others in general. Children may also show no preference to their primary caregiver to a stranger. As adults they will often have a difficult time building relationships due to their fears of intimacy and will avoid or invest very little emotion into their relationships. They may have a strong sense of independence and may feel threatened when someone tries to get close to them. 3. Anxious Attachment Feel unworthy of love Sensitive to criticism Difficulties spending time alone Low self-esteem Difficulties trusting others Feelings of jealousy Fear of rejection and or abandonment Children with an anxious attachment become distraught when they are separated from their primary caregiver but don’t often find comfort when they return, and they are usually more distrustful of strangers compared to children with other attachment styles. As adults they will worry their partners and friends do not loving them, are more prone to codependency within their relationships, often have low self-esteem and need approval from others to feel validated. 4. Disorganized Attachment Difficulty trusting others Trouble regulating their emotions Fear rejection Have characteristics of both anxious and avoidant attachment styles Children with a disorganized attachment style may be confused and often fear something bad is going to happen. As adults they crave love and a sense of belonging but fear them at the same time. They frequently fall into a pattern of seeking love and then repeatedly rejecting it later on in the relationship. They will likely be inconsistent with their emotions, being emotional one day and distant the next.   How can I build a secure attachment with my child? There are a few different things you can do to build a secure attachment with your child! 1. Engage in serve and return interactions with your child - Serve and return is just a fancy way of saying a back-and-forth interaction with your child. We will be sharing more information on serve and return interactions next week so keep your eyes on our social media if you would like more information. You can also ask any member of the Norwood team when you see us in groups or in the hallways! 2. Focus on the quality of the time you’re spending with your child - Yes, we want to make sure we’re spending enough time bonding with our children but how we’re connecting with them during the time we get to spend with them is just as important. You can do this by taking an interest in their favorite activities, engaging in child-led play, and by creating your own experiences together. 3. Be responsive to your child’s needs - This includes responding to them when they are upset or need something, validating their feelings and emotions, accepting your child’s invitations to play with them and more. 4. Understand you and your child’s temperament - When you understand your child’s temperament you will be able to better predict how your child will react to new situations. You’ll also be better equipped to prepare your little one for new situations and be able to support them in the way that they need.  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.

Did you know that 90% of the brain is developed before the age of 5?! That is why every early experience, positive or negative, has an impact on a child’s developing brain.   Think of a brain as a house. The more positive experiences and connections that a child has creates a stronger foundation for the house to build on. So, as your child’s first and most important teacher, what can you do to support that development? Let’s explore! SERVE AND RETURN! SERVE AND RETURN!!! Serve and return (or back and forth) interactions are vital to your child’s development. When a child coos at you and you coo back, you are helping their brain make the connection that vocalizations, even at this very early stage, have meaning. This paves the way for language development later on in their life. Serve and return interactions also create a secure and trusting bond with your child. When you mimic or respond to what they say, when you make eye contact, or when you just talk back and forth with them, you are showing them that what they have to say has value, an important lesson that they will carry through all their years.   Early Experiences Matter! Every interaction, experience and connection that your child has creates an impact on their developing brain. Experiences, whether they be positive or negative, create connections (or synapses) in your child’s brain. This might look like when you point to and name an object, a teddy bear for example, and say “Teddy bear” or  “It is soft” , etc. your child’s brain is making the connection that the object you are pointing to is a teddy bear and that it is soft.   Types of Stress It may be hard to believe that a child could have stress, but they do! There are 3 types of stress a child may experience in their life. These are positive stress, tolerable stress and toxic stress. Positive stresses are short term stresses that a child has support through. For instance, a first day of school or starting a daycare. Tolerable stresses are stresses that could be toxic, however with the right amount of support, a child is able to navigate through the stress and develop resiliency. Think about a natural disaster for example. The confusion and unknown of that situation could be a toxic stress for the child, however, if a child has a secure and trusting caregiver to help them understand what is happening in a developmentally appropriate way, they will make it through. Toxic stresses are stresses that are long term and harmful to the brain. This is because it raises stress hormones in the brain, impacting the ability for the brain to create connections. This might be something like severe neglect or abuse.   The common theme between all of these ways to support development is YOU . Your child does not need fancy educational toys to build the skills that will support them to become a successful and thriving citizen as they grow. They only need their first and most important teacher - YOU . 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.

By Levina Chin, Registered Occupational Therapist What is the difference between self-regulation and co-regulation? Self-regulation is an individual’s ability to manage their own thoughts, feelings and behaviours in everyday situations. As put by Andrea Bell, "It is the control (of oneself) by oneself." Co-regulation is the supportive, interactive process between a caring adult and children, youth or young adults that support self-regulation development. In other words, co-regulation needs to happen so that self-regulation skills can develop. It develops throughout the lifespan. What is typically seen? In childhood, the child has some strategies for self-regulation, but it is not enough to keep them regulated throughout the day. They need and rely on lots of hands-on adult regulation support (e.g. hugs, deep breathing, rocking, choices, if/then language, consistency). By adolescence, the child has built a good repertoire of self- regulation strategies. They may have the ability to identify the problem, come up with and weigh the solutions, execute the solution and reassess if it worked or not. They start to take risks too. But they still need some adult co-regulation support to guide their thinking and decisions to support their regulation from time to time. In young adulthood, the individual now has a bulk of the self- regulation strategies to carry them through difficult situations. But again, some check-ins with their parent, or other adult might still be helpful. Key Components to Co-Regulation 1.It starts with you (the adult) Understand your own sensory triggers What tools do you have that help you calm down or wake your body up? What areas of regulation do you struggle with that you might need more strategies for? 2. Connection is key. Create warm, supportive, and responsive relationships Get down to their level Provide eye contact and an open body stance Watch and understand their body cues Validate what their body cues tell you about how they feel through verbal referencing Give opportunity to try and make mistakes Give clear choices (no more than 2) 3. Create nurturing and supportive spaces Routines are key! Make sure they are predictable and consistent Set clear expectations. Give your children 'jobs' to do Use meaningful motivators Provide a safe environment to support their regulation We all learn differently. Figure out how your child learns (visuals, hearing, physically helping them) 4. Find teaching moments Respond to every emotion with kindness and understanding. There is no good or bad emotion. All emotions are important. Model to teach regulation strategies. Model what works for you (e.g. deep breaths, asking for a break) Create visuals to support your child's learning Levina Chin is a Registered Occupational Therapist, with a Masters in Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, and a Bachelor of Science. She works with Norwood participants and is based out of From Play To Words Inc./Learning From Play. If you have questions, concerns or would like to learn more about co-regulation contact her at fromplaytowords.com

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      Summer 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.

(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.

National Child Day is celebrated on November 20 every year in Canada. It marks two important dates in Canada’s history, the 1959 signing of the UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child and the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is a requirement for a child to have the best start and become a successful and thriving citizen of the world. The Conven tion can be broken down into 3 sub-categories: Provision Protection Participation National Child Day and the Convention on the Rights of the Child acknowledge that children have rights too and that children deserve to be recognized as citizens of our community, and world. At Norwood Centre, recognizing the rights and citizenship of children is embedded in all that we do. The child-sized furniture and materials to explore throughout the agency, the utilization of participant photos in our Program and Services Guide, and the naming of our Parent Respite Program rooms (Discovery Community and Exploration Community) demonstrate that everyone, including children, are valuable members of our community and space. While Norwood Centre upholds the rights of children daily and in each program space we occupy, that is not the case in our community and our world. That is why, on November 20, it is important to reflect on how we can best teach children about their rights and how we can best acknowledge and honor these rights to give children the very best start in their journey. To read the Convention, visit the UN website at: The Convention on the Rights of the Child: The child-friendly version | UNICEF State of Palestine Celebrate National Child Day by supporting Norwood Child and Family Resource Centre! For more information about making a donation go to the donation page on our website or phone us at 780-471-3737.

Edmonton’s latest Vital Signs report shows that almost 22% of children lived in food insecure houses in Edmonton in 2021, up from almost 18% in 2011. "This comes as no surprise,” said Laurie Fagan, executive director of Norwood Child and Family Resource Centre. “Many of our families struggled with the prices of food in the past, however with inflation over the past two years we are seeing even more people in need of healthy, low-cost food resources.” According to the Statistics Canada guidelines for low income, 98% of the families Norwood Centre serves are low income. “We are aware that the majority of our families, if not all, struggle with food insecurity,” Fagan said. At Norwood Centre we provide our participants with snacks and meals at our daily programs, at drop-in and parent education programs, as well as at our special events. Frozen meals are available in case of emergencies, and we have a list of food resources that we refer families to. So far in 2023, we have served more than 28,000 meals and snacks. “Studies show that every $1 invested in early years yields $13 to our economy. Healthy food is an integral part of that,” Fagan said. Norwood Child and Family Resource Centre has been a community hub for children and families since 1963. Norwood Centre responds to a wide variety of family circumstances and provides free, culturally diverse programming throughout Edmonton. We nurture trusting relationships, empower families to access resources and services, and support optimal child development. Norwood Centre is a safe gathering place that brings individuals together with a focus on prevention and early intervention to support healthy, well-functioning families. Apps to help save money: FlashFood-discounted groceries close to their “best before” date Flipp- search grocery items to see which store has the best prices, flip through flyers and can save point cards all in one place TooGoodToGo- An app that fights food waste from restaurants and connects you to discount food items Checkout51-digital coupon clipping RedFlagDeals- a Canadian made app to find the best deals Other food resources: WeCan Food Basket Society- WecCan food basket buys groceries in bulk providing the opportunity for families and individuals purchase nutritious food at an affordable price once a month Edmonton Food Bank bread runs- free bread on various days at different locations around the city: edmontonsfoodbank.com/documents/202/2023_April_Bread_Runs_VvRM8Jx.pdf Discount Grocery Stores: Giant Tiger H&W Check out the Edmonton Foodbank’s website for further resources: edmontonsfoodbank.com/need-help/workshops-collectives/

On April 8, 2024 at 11:54 am, the moon will start passing in front of the sun, causing a solar eclipse. In Edmonton, we will only be able to see a partial eclipse, at mid-eclipse approximately 23% of the area of the sun will be covered by the moon, according to the Telus World of Science’s website.  Though you and your children may want to watch the partial eclipse, it is never safe to look at the sun without proper eye protection.   The Canada Space Agency says that looking directly at the sun can lead to serious problems such as partial or complete loss of eyesight.  To prevent children looking at the eclipse without protection, it is safest to stay indoors on Monday, April 8 from 11:45 am to 2:00 pm.  Sunglasses DO NOT provide enough protection.  How to safely watch a solar eclipse:   Wear special glasses with eclipse filters (ISO 12312-2 international standard), also known as “safe solar viewers”  Create and use a pinhole projector (see instructions below)  Attend an event offering safe eclipse viewing (see more information below)  Edmonton eclipse viewing events:   Telus World of Science Edmonton   Free  April 8, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm  The Galaxy Gift Shop at the Telus World of Science will also be selling safe solar viewers, ask a cashier to assist you!  How to create a pinhole projector:   These instructions are from the Canada Space Agency’s website. Find them here .  Supplies:   An empty cardboard box (the longer it is, the larger the image of the Sun)   White paper   Scissors   Aluminum foil   A pin   Tape  How to build your projector:  Open the box and, using tape, cover one of the inner sides with white paper.  On the opposite side of the white paper, cut two holes side by side and at least 10 cm apart (one for the Sun, the other to look in).  Cover the Sun hole with aluminum foil and tape it in place.  Grab your pin and poke a tiny hole in the aluminum foil.  Seal the box tightly.  Decorate the outside of your new projector to make it your own! (optional)  How to use your projector:   Turn your back to the Sun.  Look through the eye hole and try to position yourself so that you see a projection of the Sun on the white paper.  When the Moon starts going over the Sun, you will see its shadow slowly covering the Sun.  For more information on solar eclipses visit the Canada Space Agency’s website .