Search Results

Parenting is tough! And one of the really hard parts of parenting is setting limits for our children. One thing that can make life a little easier for you (and your child!) is using something called “I-messages”. Using I-messages sounds like this: Instead of “Get down!!” try, “I am afraid you might fall when you climb up on the couch." Instead of “Stop running in the store!!” try, ”I worry when I cannot see you in the store. Please stay next to me.” Instead of “Do not throw things!” try, “I worry that you might hit your friend when you throw your toys. What/where could we throw that is safe?” Instead of "Don't leave your toys all over the floor," try, "Wow, there are a lot of toys on the floor. I am nervous that someone might trip. Let's put some of them away!" Why do I-messages help? I-messages take the blame off of your child and put the focus on the behavior. This will help your child be more receptive to what you are saying, making those tough parenting moments just a little easier for you - and for your child! I-messages are not just for redirection! I-messages are also a great way to inspire critical thinking and problem-solving skills in your child: “I wonder what we could do with these?” “I wish somebody was singing a fun song right now." "I think that you can do it! You are strong and capable!"

Tuesday, February 28 5:30 pm Norwood Child and Family Resource Centre 9516 114 Avenue Edmonton, AB T5G 0K7 RSVP by February 15 to norwooda@norwoodcentre.com or call 780-471-3737.

National Literacy Day takes place every January 27th to raise awareness about the importance of reading and engaging in other literacy-related activities as a family. Taking time every day to read with children is crucial to their development and can help parents improve their skills as well! Join us and celebrate with food, stories, singing, and other creative activities all designed to encourage children's language development. January 27 11:30 am to 2:00 pm Norwood Child and Family Resource Centre 9516 - 114 Avenue, Edmonton 780-471-3737

A huge, huge, HUGE thank you to Edmonton Remand Centre staff, who will be collecting toys, books, and donations in support of our vulnerable families with young children on December 3 and 4 by the Walmart at 16940 127 Street in North Edmonton. This event means so much to our families, many of whom are truly struggling with the high cost of basic necessities this year, let alone gifts or special holiday meals. The donations deliver joy to children and remind parents they are part of a community that cares about them and their families. If you are in a position to give this year, please drop by and donate!

We were so pleased to have our program director, Kathy Burgett, speak at the launch of United Way of the Alberta Capital Region's winter fundraising campaign. She shared some stories of how Norwood's programs and services - and through them, Edmonton families - benefit from United Way funding. Norwood Child and Family Resource Centre and United Way Alberta Capital Region have been partners in supporting vulnerable Edmonton families for nearly 60 years! United Way helps fund Norwood's Parent Respite Program, our unique program for parents who are alone, have little or no support in caring for their children, and often can't afford safe care. Parents walk through our doors for many different reasons - in some cases, that few hours of respite care gives a parent the chance to make a job interview or attend a counselling session or sometimes just take a shower and have a nap! Our staff are educated in early child development and understand the magnitude of creating a safe, nurturing environment for the children who come into our care. United Way funding has helped us provide good wages to hire the best staff in our childcare communities. We are also able to provide nutritious meals for the children we care for ... when sometimes their parents have to alternate between buying meat and fresh produce each week because they can't afford to buy both. Our Parent Respite Program is intended for those needing immediate support, but the impact is life-changing for these children and their families!

Video produced by the United Way Capital Region Each year, the United Way illustrates the impact its funding has on real people in our communities with a series of video stories. A heartfelt thank you to Alicia and Ace for sharing their experience and to the United Way Alberta Capital Region for being a consistent partner in support of Norwood's vision for healthy children - healthy families - healthy communities. Several years ago, Alicia left a troubled relationship and was starting her life over when she discovered she was pregnant. In a new city with few natural supports to rely on, she felt scared and alone when her baby arrived. Luckily, she found Norwood Child and Family Resource Centre's Parent Respite Program and the support she needed to move forward. You can see this and other impact stories on the United Way website >

We spent this important day doing our best to honour Indigenous culture and learn about residential schools in both our children's communities and parenting groups. As a special treat, A's father, brother, and cousin came into Head Start this morning to share stories, drumming and singing. This page may take a few moments to load as it contains several photos and videos. Click on any photo to expand it and keep scrolling for videos! l - r, from top: Norwood staff ready to support our families today; A's dad, brother, and cousin visit Head Start to share stories and music (2 photos); our children's programming today centred around the book, "With Our Orange Hearts," by Phyllis Webstad and Emily Kewageshig; "With Our Orange Hearts" in Discovery Community; Luna, Norwood's unofficial mascot, participates in Orange Shirt Day; Orange Shirt Day crafts; Orange Shirt informational display; children are free to explore "With Our Orange Hearts"; more Orange Shirt Day crafts; Smudging Ceremony (2 photos); parents making dream catchers in Brain Builders class (3 photos). Videos:

In 2021, the Government of Canada passed legislation to make September 30th a federal statutory holiday: The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Norwood Child and Family Resource Centre will remain open on this day to support our families. While Norwood absolutely recognizes the need for and value of a day to commemorate and reflect upon the harm caused by residential schools, we also believe this may be one of the days many of our families need us most. Our Parent Respite Program, in particular, provides a safe, welcoming, and fun place for children whose parents need a temporary break on this day to attend special events or to take care of themselves. Anyone requiring support can call 780-471-3737 to speak with an Intake Facilitator who can connect them to appropriate resources, either within Norwood Centre or elsewhere in our community. About Residential Schools and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: Residential Schools in Canada: A Timeline Government of Canada: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Information from the federal government on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation >. Orange Shirt Day September 30 is also Orange Shirt Day and Norwood Centre staff will be wearing orange shirts to honour residential school survivors. We encourage all our program participants to do the same. About Norwood Child and Family Resource Centre Norwood Child and Family Resource Centre (Norwood) has been a community hub for children and families since 1963. Norwood responds to a wide variety of family circumstances and provides free, culturally diverse programming throughout Edmonton. Norwood is a safe gathering place that brings individuals together with a focus on prevention and early intervention to support healthy, well-functioning families. For more information on Norwood’s response to the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, contact: Kathy Burgett Program Director 780-471-3737 kathyb@norwoodcentre.com For support, contact: Norwood Reception 780-471-3737 Norwooda@norwoodcentre.com

What: FREE On-Site Flu Vaccination Shots, courtesy of MedX Drugs Where: Norwood Child & Family Resource Centre 9516 114 Avenue, Edmonton, AB When: Thursday, October 6, 2022 from10:00am -12:00 noon Who: Anyone over the age of 9 years old How: Book a slot by calling Norwood reception at 780-471-3737 with the following information for each person: first and last name of each person receiving a vaccination whether the slot is for an adult or a child (under 18) Alberta Health number - each person, whether an adult or child, must have their own number phone number and email address When you arrive: Have your Alberta Health card (and Alberta Health cards for any children you bring). Sign in at reception and wait for your name to be called. If you have to cancel your appointment, please call 780-471-3737 and let us know. #vaccination #flu_shot #vaccine #vaccinations

Welcome, September! This month, we discuss the last piece of what we call “S.P.L.I.C.E” in child development. The "E" in "S.P.L.I.C.E" stands for emotional development and is just what it sounds like: a child's developing ability to recognize, express, and manage their emotions at different stages of life -- as well as the ability to empathize with others. Children with a strong foundation in emotional literacy tolerate frustration better, have fewer conflicts with others, and form friendships more easily. They are also less impulsive and more focused, leading to higher academic achievement in their school years. Emotions are a complex and vast topic that may seem daunting at first but teaching children healthy emotional habits at a young age will benefit them as they grow. Throughout September, we will explore various areas of emotional development on Facebook and Instagram, including: Attachment and Emotional Development: How does a parent or primary caregiver help a child develop their ability to understand emotions and create and sustain relationships? Creating a secure and trusting relationship from a young age helps your child be able to develop secure and trusting relationships as they grow older. And the best way to create a secure and trusting relationship is through serve and return interactions! Emotional Intelligence: Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize and talk about our own feelings and also the feelings of others. What can you do to help your child develop emotional intelligence? Labelling, Acknowledging, and Responding to Emotions: When your child is having difficult feelings or big emotions, what can you do to help them feel better? We will give you some “tools for your toolbox” to help in these situations. Self-Regulation: Self-regulation is the ability to recognize and respond internally to emotions. Self-regulation is not something that children are naturally born with but is learned over time through recognizing and naming your child’s emotions, role modelling, and coaching. We will be providing some strategies that can be used with your child in the moment to help them develop this important, lifelong skill. Empathy: Empathy is the ability to put yourself “in someone else’s shoes.” Empathy is another very complex skill that requires a lot of practice with your child to be able to do independently. However, there are strategies that you can practice with your child to help them develop this important skill. Stages of Emotional Development: All children develop at different rates; however, emotional development typically follows a direct path. Together, we will be exploring the different stages of that path. Are you curious about where your child is in their emotional development? Call 780-471-3737 and ask to speak with one of our Intake Facilitators about doing an Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-SE) to help you identify what stage your child is at in their social and emotional development. Remember, laying the foundation for your child to develop these healthy emotional skills will take time and patience but will help your child to become a healthy and thriving citizen as they grow older.

Breathing techniques are a relaxation skill children can learn to regulate their emotions at a young age. Deep breathing helps children work through their emotions (angry, sad, scared...), and helps build emotional competence. And, as a bonus, taking some deep breaths with your child encourages healthy attachment between you. Try some of these fun techniques to practice deep breathing with your child: Bubble breath Imagine you have a wand to blow bubbles. Take a deep breath in through your nose. Slowly breathe out through your mouth as if you are blowing a bubble through a wand. Repeat as many times as necessary. Remind your child not to blow too hard, or they will pop the bubble! Rainbow breathing Imagine a rainbow in the air in front of you. Move your finger from left to right to trace the rainbow as you inhale slowly through your nose. Move your finger from right to left to trace the rainbow as you exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat as many times as necessary. Soup breathing Imagine holding a bowl of hot soup in your hands. Slowly breathe in through your nose to smell the delicious soup. Slowly breathe out through your mouth to cool the hot soup. Repeat as many times as necessary. Dragon breaths Sit cross-legged or kneeling with your spine long. Breathe in through your nose. Breathe out through your mouth whispering a roar while opening your eyes and mouth wide. Repeat as many times as necessary. Balloon breathing You can sit or stand up. Place both hands on top of your head. Begin to breathe in and out slowly. As you inhale, raise your arms above your head, like you are blowing up a balloon. When your lungs are full of air, your arms should look like a big, round balloon on top of your head. As you exhale, slowly bring your hands back down toward your head. Repeat as many times as necessary.

Children love to play, pretend, fantasize, experiment, and explore new things. By providing a variety of craft and art media, parents can support their child’s development of creative thinking. The activity: Allow children to explore a range of art, craft, and natural materials however they want, to create anything they want. This process builds divergent thinking, as children can produce unique solutions and make new connections without being tied to a singular, “right” way of doing things. Strong divergent thinking skills help people of any age generate multiple solutions to a problem. How to set up the creative play: Provide a space for messy activity. Have your child wear a paint shirt and use a plastic tablecloth to protect your work surface. Encourage your child to create something unique, made from their pure imagination. You can assist them when they need help (for example, to cut holes in cardboard), but remember, letting them try to do things on their own is part of the process. Materials needed: Paint, cardboard box, markers, glue, recycled paper towel rolls, small rocks, pinecones, leaves, etc.