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LGBT Parenting Network
March 2005, E-News
This month:
- Queer-Positive Pre-natal Classes
- Queer Parenting Exchange: March Break Movie Night 3
- Dykes Planning Tykes: Starts March 29
- COPE: Community Parent Education Program 5. Maverick Presents: Respectful Responsible Parenting
- Maverick Presents: Respectful Responsible Parenting
News from the Parenting Network:
QUEER POSITIVE PRE-NATAL CLASSES
The 519 Church Street Community Centre offers their pre-natal classes for late pregnancy.
Our classes are the only explicitly queer-positive ones in the GTA! If you, your partner or co-parent are pregnant, this is the class for you. This six-session class is facilitated by Doulas, Pre-Natal Educators and Midwives. Find out about the stages of labour, creating a birth plan, life after giving birth, understanding newborns and much more.
When: April 7th to May 12th.
Thursday evenings; 6-8 p.m.
Where: The 519 Church Street Community Centre
Cost: Suggested Donation: $50 per person or $100 with support people
To register and for more information, contact Rebecca Gower @ 416-392-6878 x109 or e-mail rgower@the519.org
QUEER PARENTING EXCHANGE: MARCH BREAK MOVIE NIGHT
Come join other queer parents and prospective parents for a relaxing movie and social night, on Wednesday, March 23, 8 - 10 pm at the 519 Community Centre.
We’ll be showing “Apples and Oranges” a video by Lynn Fernie that addresses name-calling, homophobia and stereotyping. Designed for Grades 4 - 8, this video is an ideal discussion starter to teach children about the negative effects of certain words and bullying behaviours. “It’s Not Cool to be Cruel” is the rockin’pop song that becomes the theme of the video. Kids who have seen it respond very positively, particularly to the two animated sequences.
See you there!
E-mail Ilana at ilanalewis@yahoo.com and let's see if this is something we want to do on an ongoing basis!
News from the Community:
DYKES PLANNING TYKES (starting soon)
Are you considering becoming a parent?
The 519 Church Street
Community Centre presents Dykes Planning Tykes, an eight-week course
for queer women considering parenthood.
This course explores some of the practical, emotional, social and legal issues related to queer motherhood. Our next course is starting March 29, 2005. Suggested donation is $60/person. Subsidies are available. There is also a manual available to purchase for $20. Tuesdays, 6:00 - 8:00 pm, March 29 to May 17th.
For more info or to register please contact Rebecca Gower: rgower@the519.org or call (416) 392-6878, ext. 109.
TWO PARENTING PROGRAMS:
COPE: COMMUNITY PARENT EDUCATION PROGRAM
Attention Parents: Learn new ways to live with your children
- Do you have children between the ages of 4 and 11?
- Do you want to meet with other parents to discuss parenting?
- Are you seeking new ideas for effective parenting?
- Do you wish you could get your children to listen?
- Is English your first or second language?
- Do you want to learn what works for other parents?
THEN THIS 6-SESSION WEEKLY GROUP MAY BE FOR YOU!
Where: Family
Service Association of Toronto,
355 Church St. (at Gerrard)
When: Starting Monday, April 4th, 2004 - 6:00 p.m. to 7:30
p.m.
Cost: $10 per session per individual (or couple)
(some subsidies available)
HOW DO I SIGN UP?
CALL FSA intake department at 416-595-9618 to find out about this group or other parenting groups at FSA.
Note: This group does not offer child care.
MAVERICK PRESENTS: RESPECTFUL RESPONSIBLE PARENTING PARENTING GROUP
When: Thursday evenings - 6:30-8:30, March 31 - May 5, 2005
Group facilitators: Jeffrey Karp and Micheline Savard
$79 - Includes Children: the challenge book
This is a parenting group based on the Individual Psychology of Alfred Adler. The purpose of this parenting group is:
- To understand children's behavior in relation to a democratic approach based on mutual respect and equality.
- To learn effective techniques to encourage positive behaviour, to prevent misbehaviour, and to deal with inappropriate behaviour.
The group provides parents an opportunity to share with other parents and to learn new ideas and examine their beliefs in an accepting and supportive environment. The sessions will cover the following topics:
1. Family relationships - To understand the different styles of relationships:
autocratic - permissive - democratic.
2. Family constellation - To understand family constellation, and the effect
it may have on how we see ourselves, and on how our children
see themselves and find ways of belonging.
3. Encouragement - To understand the meaning of encouragement,
its importance and how to use this skill in relationships
within families.
4. Goals of behaviour - To understand the
goals of our children's behavior.
Identifying and understanding the goal helps parents to respond
in ways that encourage children to behave positively. This
child is not confronted with his or her goal. It is a clue
to help the parent respond effectively.
5. Communication - To
understand the importance of communication in inter-personal
relationships and to learn the skills of communicating respectfully
and effectively.
6. Natural and logical consequences - To understand the role that natural
and logical consequences play in developing responsible behavior
in children.
7. Family meetings and problem solving - To understand the concept
of a family meeting and the important role family meetings can play in family
relations. To learn a process of problem solving.
FACILITATORS:
Mr. Karp has been employed in counselling and rehabilitation since completing his M. A. Ed. in Counselling Psychology at Simon Fraser University in 1990 and he is currently employed as a psycho-educational specialist for Ford and Associates. He is in his third year of a doctorate program in clinical psychology at the Adler School of Professional Psychology in Chicago and he is completing a counselling practicum at York University's Counselling and Development Centre.
Ms. Savard is a graduate of the Gestalt Institute of Toronto and in her third year of doctorate program in Clinical Psychology at the Adler School of Professional Psychology in Chicago. She is a counsellor in a national agency that works with parents and children
Location: This workshops will take place on site at: Maverick Consultants Suite 201 - 489 College Street, Toronto, ON M6G 1A5
Please phone Lesley at 647-998-5376 for more information. You may also log on to our website www.maverickconsultants.com to read about this and other projects that Maverick currently has underway as well as the many other services that we offer.
This workshop takes place in an accessible space with ramps, elevators and seating to accommodate all.
Past LGBT Parenting E-News issues:
Disclaimer: News from the Parenting Network, as with our Pride & Joy newsletter may include reprints, excerpts or summaries from other sources. We cannot take responsibility for any inaccuracies or omissions. We are also happy to publish information about research projects and other community initiatives. We do so in the spirit of sharing information, but do not have sufficient knowledge to actively endorse or advocate participation in particular projects.
