Take a Break! That is the name and the message of a new parent engagement program that we are testing at the NWT Literacy Council.
A similar program at the Grande Prairie Society for Support to Pregnant and Parenting Teens was the inspiration. We want to attract parents to a fun activity with an opportunity to meet and socialize with other parents. During the evening program, a facilitator leads discussions relevant to the theme of the night, while the parents do a creative activity. We hope that this program helps parents get used to going to events at their local community centre, library or school, and that in the long run, it will encourage them to attend family literacy events in their community.
We developed five units for the program. Each evening ties to a family literacy theme. For example, there is a unit on bedtime routines. Parents make a fleece blanket to cuddle with their child at bedtime. There are fun icebreakers such as bedtime bingo, and some brainstorm activities about bedtime and its’ challenges. Each parent will take home a cozy fleece blanket for their family, some ideas from their peers on how to manage bedtime challenges, and a new book for their family library.
Other units include the Benefits of Reading to Children, Nutrition and Healthy Eating, Self-care for Parents and Caregivers, and Cultural Parenting Practices.
We are testing the program, and will make changes based on the feedback that we receive from family literacy facilitators across the NWT. We tested the self-care unit last week during family literacy training in Norman Wells.
We know that parents need to take care of themselves. They need to feel fulfilled so that they have energy to engage with their children. We hope this program helps them do that.
Do you have ideas for a unit in our Take a Break program? Drop us a line and tell us what you think would be fun to do as part of this program.
-- Kathryn Barry Paddock
