Balancing Act: How to Prioritize Family Matters Post-Covid

Date: Wednesday, September 27, 2023
Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Location: The Zoom link will be shared with you via email prior to the session start time.

During the pandemic, we had a break. A break from the get togethers. The birthday parties. The coffee dates. For a moment, our time was our own.

And it was nice.

Then, we slowly opened up again, and the feeling of obligation slowly creeped up. The overwhelming feeling of having too much to do in too little time. And that our time wasn’t our own – children’s activities, parental obligations, and even work commitments – everyone else was suddenly more important again.

Fear not! Balance is possible. During this workshop, we will explore how to determine what matters, how to prioritize well, and how to make decisions with confidence (and without guilt). You will walk away with a renewed sense of what matters and tools you can implement right away.

Facilitator: Tara Rhodes is a certified life and leadership coach, a speaker and an award-winning facilitator and trainer. She is dedicated to helping people gain the clarity and confidence to advocate for the life they want to live, and subsequently supporting the development of healthy habits to make that a reality. She firmly believes that life is too short to live a life that makes you unhappy, and is on a mission to help her clients take control of their lives so they can share their unique gifts with the world. A wife and mom to two lively boys, she actively practices what she preaches to maintain a healthy balance and presence in her every day.

Registration required. University of Toronto students, staff, postdoctoral fellows and faculty are welcome. Partners and family members (including chosen family members) who are co-caregivers with U of T students, staff, postdoctoral fellows and faculty are also welcome to attend. If you have any access needs to ensure your full participation in this event, please contact the Family Care Office and we will try our best to work with you and make appropriate arrangements.

Family Bike Tune-up Clinic

Date: Friday, June 2nd, 2023
Time: 1 – 3 pm
Location: Outdoors on the St. George Campus – location TBA

The Family Care Office is collaborating with U of T’s Bikechain to host a family bike tune-up clinic on campus from 1pm – 3pm on June 2nd (a TDSB and TCDSB PA Day). Family members of all ages are invited to bring their bikes to campus for a tune-up and some helpful hints about how to upkeep your bike this summer. Register at family.care@utoronto.ca – registration is first come, first served. When registering, please please indicate your name, U of T Status, campus, as well as the age of each child participant and the size of their bike. Registrants will be emailed a 15-minute time slot.

Becoming a Parent in Grad School

Date: Monday, May 1, 2023
Time: 12:00 – 1:30 p.m.
Location: Online (MS Teams)

Many students debate whether to have a baby during graduate school or wait until their lives and careers are more established. This session will help you make an informed decision about what it means to start a family during grad school, including:

  • A panel discussion featuring current and former graduate students who are raising children; you will hear firsthand about their experiences for integrating studies and careers while raising children
  • Hear about programs and resources available for students who are starting a family: University and Government leave policies; funding options for pregnancy/parental leave; and resources for new parents

Presented by the Family Care Office and the School of Graduate Studies.

Registration required. University of Toronto students and their partners are welcome.

If you have any access needs to ensure your full participation in this event, please contact the Family Care Office and we will make appropriate arrangements.

Breastfeeding 101

Date: Monday, April 24, 2023
Time: 12:00 – 1:30 pm
Location: The Webinar link will be shared with you via email prior to the session start time.

Get off to a good start in your breastfeeding journey! This workshop taught by a board-certified lactation consultant will provide practical information about breastfeeding for pregnant people to help them avoid common challenges during the early days postpartum. You will learn about:

  • What to expect from your milk supply
  • How to position and latch baby comfortably to feed at the breast
  • How to tell breastfeeding is going well

Facilitator:
Camila Valente is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Breastfeeding Counsellor, and Registered Nurse, with 15 years combined experience in integrative lactation care & infant feeding rehabilitation (in-patient and outpatient), research, teaching, perinatal care, pediatrics and neonatal intensive care

Registration required. University of Toronto students, staff, postdoctoral fellows and faculty are welcome. Partners and family members (including chosen family members) who are co-caregivers with U of T students, staff, postdoctoral fellows and faculty are also welcome to attend. If you have any access needs to ensure your full participation in this event, please contact the Family Care Office and we will try our best to work with you and make appropriate arrangements.

Breastfeeding 101

Date: Monday, October 24, 2022
Time: 12:00 – 1:30 pm
Location: The Zoom link will be shared with you via email prior to the session start time.

Get off to a good start in your breastfeeding journey! This workshop taught by a board-certified lactation consultant will provide practical information about breastfeeding for pregnant people to help them avoid common challenges during the early days postpartum. You will learn about:

    • What to expect from your milk supply
    • How to position and latch baby comfortably to feed at the breast
    • How to tell breastfeeding is going well

Facilitator: Camila Valente is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Breastfeeding Counsellor, and Registered Nurse, with 15 years combined experience in integrative lactation care & infant feeding rehabilitation (in-patient and outpatient), research, teaching, perinatal care, pediatrics and neonatal intensive care.

 

Registration required. University of Toronto students, staff, postdoctoral fellows, faculty, and their partners are welcome. If you have any access needs to ensure your full participation in this event, please contact the Family Care Office and we will try our best to work with you and make appropriate arrangements.

Baby and Toddler Talks: Cooking Your Own Baby Food

Date: Wednesday, June 8, 2022
Time: 1:00 – 2:00 pm
Location: The webinar link will be shared with you via email prior to the session start time.

Cooking your own baby food is easy and affordable and, best of all, you know exactly what’s in it! At the end of this workshop the participants will be able to:

  • Use simple equipment to make baby food
  • Know how and when to introduce solid foods
  • Compare homemade and store-bought baby food
  • Adapt the food their family is eating to their baby’s needs
  • Handle and store food safely

Facilitator: Marcela Jaramillo has been working for FoodShare for many years as a facilitator for the Cooking Your Own Babyfood workshops.

Registration required. Students, staff, post-doctoral fellows, faculty and their partner are welcome to attend. If you have any access needs to ensure your full participation in this event, please contact the Family Care Office and we will try our best to work with you and make appropriate arrangements.

Life Management Series for Students: Be Good to Yourself, Whoever You Are: A Poet in Community Workshop with Ronna Bloom

Date: Friday, April 8, 2022
Time: 12:00 – 1:30 pm
Location: The webinar link will be shared with you via email prior to the session start time.

Often in life and in school, energy moves towards projects and people, but there’s little left for your own restoration. In this workshop, through the use of poems and prompts, you will be nudged into writing and reflecting on what sustains you, what you love and what you need. Take this time for yourself as a flicker of possibility of how you might take time for yourself in general.

No experience necessary. Please have a pen and paper, a notebook or whatever you like to write with on hand.

Ronna Bloom is a teacher and author of six books of poetry. Her poems have been recorded by the CNIB, and translated into Spanish, Bangla, and Chinese. Ronna created the Poet in Residence program at Sinai Health and is currently Poet in Community to the University of Toronto. www.ronnabloom.com

Poet in Community is on Facebook

Life Management Series is Co-Curricular Record (CCR) approved. Students who complete four workshops over two academic years, will receive Life Management Certificate and Co-Curricular Record recognition. CCR connects skills to involvement opportunities.

This is a workshop series to empower students to balance academic priorities and self-care, with caring for others.

Registration required. University of Toronto students are welcome.

If you have any access needs to ensure your full participation in this event, please contact the Family Care Office and we will try our best to work with you and make appropriate arrangements.

Breastfeeding 101

Date: Monday, February 14, 2022
Time: 1:00 – 2:00 pm
Location: The webinar link will be shared with you via email prior to the session start time.

Improve your chances of a better start in your breastfeeding journey! This workshop will
provide practical tools and valuable information on breastfeeding in the early days. You will learn:

  • How human bodies prepare to lactate
  • How our babies prepare to nurse
  • What to expect in the early days
  • What to look for in an efficient latch
  • What comfortable breastfeeding positioning looks like
  • How to tell breastfeeding is going well in the early days
  • When to ask for skilled help

Facilitator: Camila Valente is a Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Breastfeeding Counsellor, Internationally Educated Nurse and mother of two children.

University of Toronto students, staff, faculty and their partners are welcome to attend.

If you have any access needs to ensure your full participation in this event, please contact the Family Care Office and we will try our best to work with you and make appropriate arrangements.

Building Male Allyship Within Families

Date: Tuesday, May 11, 2021
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Location: The webinar link will be shared with you via email prior to the session start time.

During this session, participants will be unpacking traditional expectations of masculinity and their impact on the everyday lives of male identified individuals. Tips to build allyship within the family dynamic and develop healthy relationships will be shared and discussed with participants.

Facilitator: David Garzon is the Team Lead, Community Engagement at White Ribbon. He is responsible for the management and delivery of several key initiatives across White Ribbon.

Registration required. Current University of Toronto students, staff, faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and their partners are welcome. If you have any access needs to ensure your full participation in this event, please contact the Family Care Office and we will try our best to work with you and make appropriate arrangements.

Baby & Toddler Talks: Baby Food — Introducing Solids

Date: Wednesday, April 28, 2021
Time: 10:00 – 11:30 am
Location: The webinar link will be shared with you via email prior to the session start time.

Cooking your own baby food is easy and affordable, and best of all you know exactly what’s in it!

Learn to:

  • Know how and when to introduce solid foods
  • Use simple equipment to make baby food
  • Compare homemade and store-bought baby food
  • Adapt the food their family is eating to their baby’s needs
  • Handle and store food safely

Facilitator: Marcela Jaramillo, FoodShare Facilitator

Registration required. University of Toronto students, staff, faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and their families are welcome. If you have any access needs to ensure your full participation in this event, please contact the Family Care Office and we will try our best to work with you and make appropriate arrangements.