Wellington Catholic District School Board’s Student Mental Health Services will be hosting a Surviving Parenting in a Pandemic webinar on March 4 at 4:30 p.m. that will discuss how we can strengthen the bond we have with our children during these periods of ongoing stress and uncertainty.
Parenting during this pandemic has been very overwhelming and stressful. Endless demands have been placed on caregivers of young children and the level of stress that is carried at times has tricked down to the relationships they have with their children.
“It’s important to recognize how hard parents are working every single day, without breaks and with very little support. We want to normalize for our families that it is okay to prioritize a couple of things, and then let the rest go, without carrying the guilt that we are failing our children. We want to be able to give our families some tools they might be able to use to strengthen the relationship with their children during periods of ongoing uncertainty and stress,” shared Sony Brar, Mental Health lead and Manager of Student Mental Health Services for Wellington Catholic.
Several parents have expressed that they are struggling with juggling the many demands and responsibilities that have been placed on them, while at the same time parenting their children.
“Given the restrictions of COVID-19, many of our families have little to no support at all. We recognize that many parents feel alone, and they carry guilt that they are not doing enough for their children. As a result, we put together a webinar to normalize this experience that many of our parents are collectively experiencing, and at the same time, recognize that our parents are not alone in these feelings,” shared Brar. “Additionally, parents have recognized that the relationship with their children has been somewhat impacted by the ongoing stress of COVID-19. For this reason, we want to provide families with information in ways that parents can strengthen the bond they have with their children, as we continue to juggle the stress of this pandemic.”
The webinar is designed for parents with young children in kindergarten to grade 3, but all are welcome. The material and concepts discussed are applicable to all children at any stage or development. Additionally, staff, educators, administrators, EAs, ECEs and CYWs are all welcome and encouraged to join.
While the run time of the webinar is only 40 minutes, to be considerate of caregiver’s time in the evening, Brar hopes there will be additional webinars to follow.
“The webinar will feature voices of the mental health lead, program coordinators, social workers, parents of young children and mental health clinicians,” she said. “We will talk about attachment and brain development; we will talk about realistic expectations of parenting during this time and how this can still positively impact our relationship with our children. We will also hear from the Program Coordinator for Early Years about the importance of acknowledging when breaks are needed, and taking that break without feeling guilty that our children will fall behind in their education.”
The Surviving Parenting in a Pandemic webinar will take place on March 4 at 4:30 p.m. Please register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScyoYFO-TmtqHzDXITOOnK0S5t-kvbCl5n4Sbb_a56Eprs6ng/viewform