Tag: kids

Fun Summer Activities for you and your Child

Published on by transitionalcarejgh
  1. Read books with your child. You and your child can take turns reading out loud to one another. This can help practice reading skills and build confidence for the upcoming school year.
  2. Teach your child how to swim or sign them up for swimming lessons. Check out the offerings at your community recreation centre; oftentimes, they offer free or lower cost swimming lessons.
  3. Be a tourist in your own city. Explore Old Montreal, enjoy free tastings at Jean-Talon or Atwater markets and check out artwork at museums across the city. (Most museums offer free open hours once week. The Museum of Contemporary Art, for instance, is free on Wednesday evenings between 6 and 9pm, with a free tour being offered at 6:30pm.)
  4. Treat your child to ice cream. A Montreal favourite is Ca Lem on Sherbrooke Street. They offer fun, creative ice cream flavours such as Smores, watermelon swirl, Nutella, strawberry-lychee and black sesame. They also launch a new limited edition flavor every week!

    calem
    Image source: https://dailyhive.com/montreal/jet-black-ice-cream-montreal
  5. Go to street sales, local fairs and farmers markets.
  6. Visit the beach. There are many beaches situated near the city, such as Parc Jean Drapeau and Cap. St Jacques Nature Park.
  7. Go to the zoo.
  8. Go to La Ronde.
  9. Attend the Montreal Cirque Festival in July. Head to St. Denis Street for free events, open to all families.
  10. Attend the Mini Rogers Cup at the Olympic Park. (July 21st, 23rd and 24th; open to all.) On the first day, children will have  the opportunity to play tennis and interact with a player from the Women’s Tennis Association. The finals take place over the weekend, with kids under 12 competing for the title.
  11. Attend the Just for Laughs Festival.
  12. Make popsicles or smoothies.
  13. Organize a lemonade stand with your child. This can provide practice with math skills and people skills.
  14. Exercise with your child. Activity ideas include taking walks, hiking, biking, jump-rope, playing Frisbee or playing in the sprinklers (a summer favorite.)
  15. Go to Parc Jean Drapeau. They offer a wide range of activities from the Aquazilla water park, to boat rentals, to public art and swimming just to name a few.
  16. Have a barbecue with your family and friends.  
  17. Have a picnic at Beaver Lake. The mountain is teeming with activity during the hot summer months. Take a spin on the paddle boats, go on a walk and enjoy the abundant park and picnic areas.
  18. Attend free outdoor concerts, such as les Francopholies de Montreal from June 14th to June 22nd. 
  19. Explore the Montreal Mural Festival from June 6th to June 16th. 
  20. Organize a crafting activity. Tie-dye old t-shirts, make bracelets, press summer flowers, paint rocks…
  21. Make sidewalk chalk murals.

    ChalkPromptsCards-8-of-7
    Image source: https://thelittlesandme.com/sidewalk-chalk-drawing-ideas-for-kids/
  22. Watch the fireworks at the Old Port. This is a summer classic – grab a poutine or quick dinner and enjoy the fireworks show with your family.

For more ideas, be sure to check out the following resources!

Resources:

  1. https://www.familyhconline.com/10-fun-ways-keep-kids-physically-mentally-active-summer
  2. https://blog.gachildrens.org/2017/05/18/keep-kids-minds-and-bodies-active-this-summer/
  3. https://www.todaysparent.com/family/things-to-do-in-montreal-with-kids-this-summer/
  4. https://www.montrealtherapy.com/things-montreal-kids-summer/

Header image source: https://www.sandyspringmuseum.org/event/free-ice-cream-social/children-eating-ice-cream/

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Kids and Social Media – A Brief Guide for Parents

Published on by transitionalcarejgh

In today’s modern world, it is not uncommon for young children to have Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat accounts. Therefore, having a conversation with your child about proper online behaviour is more important than ever. Below are a few key pointers your child should understand when engaging with social media.

  • Privacy settings can be changed to protect your child’s personal information.
  • Your child could filter the ‘friends’ they accept on social media (For instance, choosing to only add close friends/family.)
  • Ensure that your child does not reveal any personal information (such as their address or phone number) online.
  • Emphasize the importance of thinking twice before posting. Nothing is ever really deleted on social media – a copy of your child’s photo or post will always exist somewhere, with their name attached to it. Therefore, ensure that your child knows what is appropriate to post on social media.
  • For younger kids especially, it might be advisable to check on their online activity by asking for their login information. You could also download certain apps designed to monitor their activity for you. (A list of recommended apps can be found in this article).
  • If your child’s social media usage is hindering their academic performance, sleep, social life, mental or physical wellbeing, limiting screen time might be a viable option. For instance, parents could try implementing a no cell-phone/computer policy at the dinner table or before bedtime. Parents could also use an app to set a phone curfew and restrict cell phone usage until after homework is done, for example.

Most importantly, speak with your child. Establish boundaries. Voice your concerns. Talk to them about appropriate online behaviour. The goal is to make sure they are staying safe online, while having fun.

Sources:

Photo credit: https://www.scarymommy.com/your-kids-social-media-request/

The Importance of Sleep for Kids

Published on by transitionalcarejgh

We all recognize the physical symptoms of lack of sleep: frequent yawning, trouble waking up in the morning and difficulty staying awake during the day. If your child is experiencing these symptoms, he/she might not be getting the quality and amount of sleep needed.

In the long-term, lack of sleep can lead to:

  • An increase in stress, which can contribute to anxiety and depression
  • Low energy levels
  • General moodiness
  • Reduced immune system function (ie: getting sick more frequently)

Getting the proper amount of sleep is therefore extremely important, allowing your mind and body to rest and recover from the day’s activities.

So, how much sleep is optimal for your child?

The Canadian Pediatric Society recommends that children between the ages of 5-10 should be getting 10-12 hours of sleep on average.

How to get the recommended hours of sleep:

To ensure your child is getting the amount of sleep he/she needs, set a bedtime and establish a bedtime routine. This consistency can help your child physically and mentally unwind and ultimately, fall asleep faster and into a better sleep. The routine can include taking a bath, reading a book or listening to calm music.

Things that should be avoided before bedtime:

  • Playing with electronics and watching TV can stimulate the brain, thus making it harder to fall asleep.
  • Stimulants (such as drinks containing caffeine) should be avoided.
  • Engaging in exercise right before bed can also make it harder to fall asleep.

Note that if your child is repeatedly having trouble falling or staying asleep, it might be time to consult a family doctor.

Sources:

Growing Your Kid’s Self-Esteem

Published on by transitionalcarejgh

English Infographic

Sources and for more information:

  1. Caring for Kids – How to foster your child’s self-esteem https://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/foster_self_esteem
  2. Kids Health – Developing your child’s self-esteem http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/self-esteem.html
  3. Healthy Children – Helping your child develop a healthy sense of self esteem https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/gradeschool/Pages/Helping-Your-Child-Develop-A-Healthy-Sense-of-Self-Esteem.aspx

Images: 1, 2, 3, 4

Get Out and Move! Helping your child stay active

Published on by transitionalcarejgh

The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology suggests children age 5-11 get 60 minutes of physical activity per day. During the school year, this can be difficult to achieve as your child may spend a large portion of the day commuting, sitting at school and completing homework at home. However, with a little effort and creativity, it can be easy to integrate activity into your child’s week.

Physical activity does not have to be playing a sport, there are other ways to get exercise. Even light activity can provide health benefits. Check out our ideas to get your family moving!

English_infographic_correctSources and for more information:

  1. Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines & Canadian Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines (Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology) – Note: you may need to copy and paste this link into your browser to view it properly. http://www.csep.ca/cmfiles/guidelines/csep_guidelines_handbook.pdf
  2. Children and physical activity (Government of Canada) https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/being-active/children-physical-activity.html

Childhood screen-time: What do professionals think?

Published on by transitionalcarejgh

Between social media, television, cell phones, and tablets, electronic media have become powerful forces in our children’s lives today. According to a national study conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation in 2009, 8-10 year olds spend on average just under 8 hours per day exposed to media – a number which increases to almost 12 hours daily in the 11-14 year old age group. Despite this staggering statistic, this same study found that up to two thirds of children and teenagers have no rules regarding their media use.

It is therefore unsurprising that one of the most common questions our team hears from parents is: “how much time should my child spend in front of a screen?” To answer this question, we have summarized the recommendations put forth by the American Academy of Pediatrics:

  1. Try to keep total screen time under 2 hours per day
  2. Avoid screen exposure for children under the age of 2 years
  3. Do not allow TV and internet-connected devices in your child’s room
  4. Keep an eye on what media your child is using (social media, websites, etc)
  5. Watch movies and shows with your child (this can be a good opportunity to talk about lessons and values we can learn from the media!)
  6. Establish and enforce a reasonable plan for media use including curfews for mealtimes and bedtimes

Although modern media has been criticized for its sexually explicit imagery, negative portrayal of body image, and the ubiquity of violence, it is important to remember that the media can have positive effects, too. The media is a powerful tool both educationally and socially, and has helped spread prosocial messages and increase access to information- keep this in mind when coming up with reasonable restrictions on screen time!

How do I choose a summer camp for my child?

Published on by transitionalcarejgh

Choosing a summer camp for a child can often be difficult, but it becomes especially demanding when your child has mental health challenges or special needs. Here are some recommendations from Jane Bourke, our program’s coordinator and family therapy specialist.

Continue reading “How do I choose a summer camp for my child?” →

Bullying

Published on by transitionalcarejgh

Bullying is a critical issue for children and anyone involved in their care. As bullying spreads from the classrooms to social media, we are becoming increasingly aware of the consequences this can have on children’s well-being. What can we do as parents, teachers, children or others to help fight this problem?

Continue reading “Bullying” →