Connecting Dads and Kids

Susan Gamache, Registered Psychologist shares with us information and tips on what to expect as a family navigates separation, Divorce and remarriage.

Susan Gamache, Registered Psychologist shares with us information and tips on what to expect as a family navigates separation, Divorce and remarriage.

Canada is witnessing a significant change to the delivery of services for families and children says Janice MacAulay, Executive Director of FRP Canada. This shift towards more of an educational model of care for younger children seems to make a lot of sense to many individuals as it is thought that children will then have a good sound bases for later learning. But what are the long-term impacts of a system that asks parents to take a backseat in their roll as parents and leave parenting and learning to the professionals?

Does Canada work for all generations? Intergenerational tensions are emerging across Canada, and especially in BC. The generation raising young kids today is struggling with a serious decline in the standard of living since the 1970s, and within this generation some struggle more than others. Compared to the previous generation, young families have less time together, less household income after housing, and insufficient services to balance work and young kids.

Today's Parent columnist John Hoffman is never one to shy away from controversy. John contends that there is currently such a vast amount of information about parenting practices floating around that it is often difficult for parents to sift through it and determine what is relevant to them. And it's not just that there's too much information out there, according to Hoffman, it's that too often the latest scientific studies are being misrepresented -- their findings oversimplified, or taken out of context. John's conclusion? Listen in to find out!

Janene Swalwell, a Parent-Child Mother Goose leader from Australia shares with us the joys and challenges of working with families in the Parent-Child Mother Goose program. The program has been wonderful success in Australia and Janene tells us why. Listen in!

Program Coordinator Ruby Banga chats with Christine Colbert, Director of Projects and Research at Family Resource Programs of Canada about the FutureSave Program. FutureSave uses a train-the-trainer approach with the aim of preparing family serving practitioners to provide information to parents about RESP’s, grant and bond programs and to share tips and tools on savings and basic financial literacy.

Mimi Hudson, President of the BC Association for Family Resource Programs, reminds us that "parents are their children's first and most important teachers". That's why FRP-BC is proposing a strengthened system of family resource programs in our province, through linkage with Strong Start early learning centres.

"Anger shows up to give you energy to create change,"explains Laura Calderon de la Barca. An anger management therapist, Calderon's unique perspective on anger will suprise and inspire you, and change the way you work with parents and families who experience anger.

Just in time for Fathers Day, we talk to Brian Russell of the Ontario Father Involvement Initiative about the secrets to successful programs and services to dads, and about the recent launch of the website 24-Hour Cribside Assistance -- an online how-to manual for new dads.