Date: Tuesday, December 15, 2020
Time: 3:30 – 4:30 pm
Location: The webinar link will be shared with you via email prior to the session start time.

Mindfulness practice is known to foster resilience, emotion regulation and attention as well as reduce anxiety and stress. But how can we engage children in mindfulness when it is so often associated with sitting still? In this workshop, Sara will playfully introduce mindfulness to children through story, movement and fun activities that go beyond ‘sitting still.’ In this way, children can get a taste of mindfulness and even teach their parents afterwards. Sara will also include an activity at the start for both parents & caregivers.

Facilitator: Sara Marlowe, MSW, RSW provides psychotherapy to individuals, couples, families and groups in both private practice and the Mindfulness Clinic. She has trained as a facilitator in Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and is a certified teacher in Mindful Self-compassion (MSC). She facilitates mindfulness & compassion workshops and groups for all ages. She is the author of several mindfulness related children’s books including My New Best Friend, which introduces self-compassion to children and No Ordinary Apple: A Story about Eating Mindfully. She has been a regular instructor at Ryerson University in the School of Early Childhood Studies for over 13 years. She is the parent of two children and can be found online at www.mindfulfamilies.ca

Registration required. The children of U of T students, staff, faculty, and their partner/spouse are welcome to attend with a parent.

*Recommended for children ages 6-10 years old.

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.

Date: Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Location: The webinar link will be shared with you via email prior to the session start time.

Parenting is difficult in the best of times, let alone during a pandemic. In this webinar we will discuss some of the pressures parents are experiencing as families try to work, study, live and play in close quarters and constant company. We will validate struggles, reflect on shifting expectations during a pandemic and consider strategies for navigating this difficult time without adding additional pressures or lists to participants. Good enough is good enough, especially right now.

Facilitator: Rebecca Higgins has worked in community and social services for over 17 years, specializing in mental health education since 2010. Rebecca has been facilitating workshops on behalf of CMHA Toronto since 2015, and has produced and delivered curricula and resources for the CMHA Ottawa Branch and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).

U of T students, staff, faculty, and their partner/spouse are welcome to attend.

Date: Thursday, February 21, 2019
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Location: Koffler Student Services Centre, 214 College Street, Room 313

Learn the basics of Family Law and what is involved in:

• Custody and access
• Child and spousal support
• Separation agreements
• Restraining orders
• General overview of the family court process

Presenter: Downtown Legal Services

U of T students, staff, faculty, and their partner/spouse are welcome to attend.

Date: Thursday, November 15, 2018
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Location: OISE, 252 Bloor St W, Room OI 2286

Attend this workshop to get the facts on fertility from Dr. Marjorie Dixon, the CEO & Medical Director of Anova Fertility & Reproductive Health.

During the one-hour session, Dr. Dixon will cover:

• An overview of fertility
• Issues, symptoms and causes
• Fertility myths
• Treatments and costs
• Supports and services in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)

Facilitator Bio:

Dr. Marjorie Dixon is the founder of Anova Fertility – Canada’s first full service fertility centre with a next generation embryology laboratory. Dr. Dixon is a graduate of the McGill University’s School of Medicine. Her initial postgraduate training was at the University of Toronto, in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Her passion for reproductive medicine continued during her postgraduate training with a 3-year subspecialty, American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology accredited fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the University of Vermont. Dr. Dixon is an active member of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center and holds the position of Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto, where she actively participates in medical student and resident education. She continues to be an invited speaker at both national and international conferences in her field of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility.

Registration required. University of Toronto students, staff, faculty, and their partners are welcome. Please let us know if you have any mobility challenges so we can accommodate your needs.

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:

• 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 has been working for FoodShare for many years as a facilitator for the Cooking Your Own Babyfood workshops.

Increase your awareness of how your kids are using the Internet and the issues they may encounter along the way with Dave Richards, a 30-year veteran with the Toronto Police force. Having worked in a variety of law enforcement areas, including Crime Analyst and the Youth Bureau Officer, he offers an expertise in the dos and don’ts of surfing the net.

An informal self-support group for all International faculty, staff and student spouses/partners. The group meets every other Friday to share information, to participate in fun activities, to practice English with each other and get professional advice on topics such as: health care, child care, immigration, career information, community services and volunteering. A group that will make your adjustment to life in Canada easier.

This panel discussion is an opportunity for individuals to reflect on the positive aspects and the challenges of interfaith and cross-cultural relationships. How do you negotiate differences? How could this impact on parenting? What about other family relationships?

Panellists will speak from a professional knowledge of conflict resolution, relationship counselling and also from personal experience. There will be an opportunity for questions and conversation amongst the panellists and the audience.

Panellists:

• Garth Yarde, Coordinator of Conflict Resolution, St. Stephen’s Community House
• Nancy Ross, MA, Member CAPT, Clinical Member OSP
• Lisa Schlaich and Fisseha Belay, OISE graduate students

This workshop is sponsored by the Campus Chaplain Association, Family Care Office, and The Multi-Faith Centre.

FCO’s Open House will feature an interactive performance of stories and music by Mr. James (James Patterson), who is a dynamic and imaginative storyteller and musician who tells tales and sings songs from all around the world. Mr. James is part of a Children’s Trio called Three Funny Hats which has been enchanting audiences with stories and songs for three years. He is the founder of WorldPlay Theatre which gives performances and teaches classes in Canada and Israel.

The Family Care Office has invited a representative from Service Canada to provide an overview on the regulations and application procedures for applying for Employment Insurance Maternity and Parental Benefits, Employment Insurance Compassionate Care Benefits and Employment Insurance benefits for Parents of Critically Ill Children.

Facilitator: Sarita Censoni, Citizen Services Specialist, Service Canada