University of Toronto Family Care Office

Past Workshops Listings

Workshops

Maternity/Parental/Adoption/Primary Caregiver Leave Planning Seminar

– Faculty Only Dates –
Mondays, June 4, August 13, October 1, December 3
Time: 12:00 to 2:00 pm

– Staff Only Dates –
Tuesdays, May 15, June 5, August 14, October 2, November 6, December 4
Time: 12:00 to 2:00 pm

Please register early. Registration closes 1 week prior to each workshop.

Becoming a parent is one of the most monumental experiences in a person's life. Unfortunately, children do not come with foolproof instructions!

Combining a career and family life presents special challenges. This workshop adopts a highly practical approach to preparing faculty, staff and librarians for maternity / parental / and adoption leave, and for a successful return to work. While you may attend the seminar at any point during your pregnancy or adoption process, the ideal time is two months prior to the arrival of your child. Topics will include:

Forms and more forms - a guide to government maternity / parental benefits & U of T policies
Planning your return to work
Resources on campus and in the community that will make your life easier
Do we really need all that equipment? - a guide to baby paraphernalia
Helping older children and pets to adjust
Enjoying it all!

Planning for Pregnancy and Beyond

Date: Tuesday, May 15
Time: 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Location: 214 College St., Room 313

Join us to find out how to make healthy choices that lead to a healthy lifestyle and promote wellness during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and postpartum. The session will address participants' specific concerns on a range of topics including: questions around conceiving, health concerns and risks during pregnancy, health care provider options, antenatal care and screening tests, and post-partum issues. Participants will be able to access resources that support the information provided in the workshops.

Facilitators: Drs. Daniela Caprara and Dana Soroka, U of T Obstetrics and Gynaecology Please register early, space is limited! All University of Toronto students, staff, faculty and postdoctoral fellows are welcome.

To register, please call the Family Care Office at 416-978-0951 or email family.care@utoronto.ca.

Ready for Reading

Date: Thursday, May 17
Time: 12:00 to 1:30 p.m.
Location: 214 College St., Room 313

As parents and caregivers, you play a crucial role in helping the preschool children in your care develop important, pre-literacy skills .

Learn about Ready for Reading, Toronto Public Library's comprehensive set of free, research-based programs, services and collections. Ready for Reading is an important resource for families and caregivers helping children acquire the six key skills needed to ensure reading success.

Have fun learning some new rhymes and practical tips to get your children ready for reading.

Please register early, space is limited! All University of Toronto students, staff, faculty and postdoctoral fellows are welcome. To register, please call the Family Care Office at 416-978-0951 or email family.care@utoronto.ca.

Finding Your Balance: A Conference for Students with Family Responsibilities

Date: Friday, May 25
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Location: OISE – 252 Bloor St. W, Room 5170 (5th Floor)

Join us on Friday, May 25th for a conference created to help students navigate the challenges of balancing family responsibilities with education.

Welcoming Remarks: Dr. Lee Maracle (To Be Confirmed)

Lee Maracle is a Sto:Loh nation, grandmother of four, mother of four who was born in North Vancouver, BC. Her works include: the novels, Ravensong, Bobbi Lee, Sundogs, short story collection, Sojourner's Truth, poetry collection, Bentbox, and non-fiction work I Am Woman. She is Co-editor of My Home As I Remember and Telling It: Women and Language Across Cultures, editor of a number of poetry works, Gatherings journals and has published in dozens of anthologies in Canada and America. Ms. Maracle is a both an award winning author and teacher. She currently is Mentor for Aboriginal Students at University of Toronto where she also is a teacher and also the Traditional Cultural Director for the Indigenous Theatre School, where she is a part-time cultural instructor.

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Bonnie Fox

Bonnie Fox taught at Dalhousie, Trent, York and King's College (UWO) before coming to U of T. She has written and done research on feminist theory, gender segregation and competition in the labour force, workplace restructuring, the development of gender divisions in the transition to parenthood, and the social relations of childbirth. Her books, When Couples Become Parents: The Creation of Gender in the Transition to Parenthood (University of Toronto Press) & the third edition of her anthology, Family Patterns, Gender Relations (Oxford UP) were published in 2009.

1. Time and Stress Management for Students with Family Responsibilities

Is time and time management making you stressed? And stress messing with your time management? In this workshop, designed for students with family responsibilities, we will examine the relationship between time and stress, identify strategies to improve time and stress management and practice some basic skills.

Facilitator: Andrea Graham is a Learning Skills Counsellor at the University of Toronto’s Academic Success Centre.

2A. Money Management for Student Families

Are you a student and struggling to cover the costs of your education and living expenses? Well, you are in good company! Even if your tuition fees are covered by department funding, scholarships or bursaries, living in or commuting to downtown Toronto can be expensive. In addition, you have family responsibilities at the same time that you are investing your time and earnings towards a higher education. No wonder so many are saddled with a heavy debt load upon graduation.

Most students struggle to afford their costs of living during their period of study. This 60 minute seminar will provide you with some important tools to help you manage your money and debt today -and upon graduation.

Topics will include: Budgeting; Optimizing banking relationships; Debt and Tax issues

Facilitator: Monique Madan is a leading fee-for-service financial planner dedicated to helping individuals and companies realize their financial goals.

2B. Taking Your Whole Self to School

All of us have many parts, but students with family responsibilities have perhaps even more. What parts of you never go to school (or are never seen at home)? What feeds your vitality? What if you could bring that energy with you? Using writing exercises and concrete objects, explore the possibility of bringing your whole self to school and home again.

Facilitator: Ronna Bloom is the University of Toronto's Poet in Community.

3A. Building Your Child’s Self Esteem

Encouragement is more than saying “You’re a great kid”. This workshop will give you the strategies you need to help your child feel self-confident and happy with her or himself ---just as she or he is. Research has shown that children with high self-esteem have an advantage in dealing with life's challenges. Perfectionism, praise, and handling mistakes positively are all examined in this enlightening workshop.

Facilitator: Karen Skinulis is a Certified Montessori Director and has worked extensively as a teacher and a parent educator. She is a co-author of two parenting books and one teacher's book on classroom management.

3B. Finding "Family Friendly" Work

Learn and plan how to find work that will fit into your life and your family responsibilities. This hands-on session will provide an exchange of career information, ideas and strategies that will help you with all aspects of the career development process such as resume writing and identifying family-friendly employers.

Facilitator: Suhan Hanifa is an Employment Coach at the University of Toronto.

PLUS Leadership Lunchtime Café and FREE Family Marketplace!

Who can attend? UofT undergraduate, graduate students and post-doctoral fellows with family responsibilities.

Breakfast and lunch provided! Free child care, disability related accommodations, or special dietary requirements can be arranged through the Family Care Office.

For more details and to register please visit: http://uoft.me/findingbalance

Sponsored by: Family Care Office, Student Life Programs and Services, Career Centre, Academic Success Centre, First Nations House and Student Family Housing.

Please contact the Family Care Office at 416-978-0951 or family.care@utoronto.ca with any questions or requests.

Living and Learning with Baby (For Parents and Babies up to 6 months)

Date: Wednesdays, May 30, June 6, June13, June 20, June 27 and July 4
Time: 1:00 to 3:30 p.m.
Location: TBA

Come with your baby, meet other parents and talk about topics that are of interest to you such as:

Adjusting to Parenthood
Infant Nutrition
Growth and Development
Caring for a Sick Child
Keeping Your Child Safe
Community Resources

**Parent and Baby Attend Together; Priority will be given to Expectant & New Mom's Group Participants

Facilitator: Debra Williams-Conliffe, Public Health Nurse

A program by the City of Toronto Public Health Dept. in collaboration with the U of T Family Care Office. Students, staff, faculty, postdoctoral fellows and the community in general are welcome. Registration online for the U of T community at www.familycare.utoronto.ca, and at 416-338-7600 for the community in general. Pre-registration required at 416-978-0951 or family.care@utoronto.ca

Please note that the sessions are subjected to change or cancellation in the event of a strike at the City of Toronto.

Choosing Childcare That Works For Your Family

Date: Wednesday, August 22; Friday, October 19; Wednesday, December 5
Time: 12:00 to 1:30 p.m.
Location: 214 College St., Room 313

A practical session to help you choose the child care option that will best meet the needs of your family. At this session you will:

Find out what are the childcare options available
Learn what factors to consider when looking at options, choices, and caregivers
Learn how to find a childcare centre and individual caregivers
Find out about the financial assistance available and waiting lists

Please register early, space is limited! All University of Toronto students, staff, faculty and postdoctoral fellows are welcome.