kids.now

February 11, 2010 - Toronto, ON - Monday, February 15 is "Family Day" in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario; "Louis Riel Day" in Manitoba; and "Islander Day" on Prince Edward Island. But not matter what the day is called, the objective is to enjoy time off and spend it with family. This holiday Monday, kids.now, Canada's national charity for youth development, is encouraging parents and caregivers to use the extra time together to connect with a kid in their lives. 

"Families are busy, and sometimes it's easy to forget to spend time together and appreciate each other. But the role of family is critically important to youth development," explains Janet King, president and founder of kids.now. "Research shows that spending time with family and strong family relationships are protective factors for youth that help them avoid making bad choices or engaging in risky behaviour."

By taking just a few minutes to engage in activities together, parents can help keep youth on the right track. And it doesn't have to cost a thing. kids.now offers these simple tips and activities to put family first this Family Day, and throughout the year:

Start the conversation.  Developing the habit of conversation early on with kids will help deepen your relationship and ensure that the lines of communication stay open at critical development periods in your child’s life.  For a list of 50 conversation starters for family discussions, visit kidsnowcanada.org/familydayresources.  

Have fun with your kids. Good times are fundamental to good mental health and family well being. Take time out today to build a snowman, go tobogganing, or play a game.

Go on a Happiness Scavenger Hunt. Being optimistic is key to developing a healthy sense of self.  Parenting expert Dr. Karen Reivich suggests that one simple way to build optimism in your kids is to help them learn how to see the good stuff. Go on a walk together and ask your children to point out anything they see that makes them smile.  This activity teaches the whole family to notice and share the everyday “good things” that surround them, and builds optimism and happiness.

Take them for a ride.  Strike up a conversation at a time when you and your kids have a “captive audience.”  Many parents say their most rewarding talks with their kids take place en route to activities where they don’t have to compete for their kids’ attention.  For strategies on how to make the most of family time in the car, visit kidsnowcanada.org/familydayresources.

Share some family history. Spend some time today talking about your cultural background and history.  According to Canadian youth resiliency expert, Dr. Michael Ungar, this gives youth a sense of belonging and pride in where they come from that is key to building resilient kids.

Volunteer in your community. By giving your child the opportunity to help others, they will learn that helping someone else can make you feel good in a way that is different from any other good feeling. In addition, volunteer activities can help a child see herself as competent, while being surrounded by others who see her as someone special.

Do lunch. Research shows the more kids sit down to eat with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink alcohol, or use drugs, in addition to a number of other benefits. Eating together gives you time to reconnect during a busy day.

Make “Can-Do” lists. Have everyone in the family write a list of all the things that they do well. It can be anything from math to telling a good story or cooking. Then have everyone create a second list of what they would like to be better at, and create a plan to help each person develop the skills required to make it happen. Not only is this a feel- good exercise, it helps teach kids goal-setting.

Be affectionate. Love is a powerful way to boost self-confidence. Offer spontaneous hugs and words of encouragement whenever you can.

Start a Good Stuff Journal.  Ask everyone in the family to share something good that happened on a given day. Write it down in your journal, then ask each person one question to help them savour the good thing – for example, how did you feel when that happened? Or, how did you contribute to that good thing? Try to keep the journal going by making entries a couple of nights per week.

For more tips, tools, resources and expert advice on boosting optimism, building resilience, and developing leadership and life skills in your kids, visit http://www.kidsnowcanada.org/healthythinking.

About kids.now

kids.now is Canada’s national charity for youth development. For over a decade, we’ve been coaching kids to make positive choices by building self-confidence, leadership abilities, and life-success skills through free, in-school, afterschool programs. Led by fully trained, volunteer coach-mentors, the educator-endorsed kids.now program focuses on goal setting, effective communications, and other valuable skills that last a lifetime. For more information, visit kidsnowcanada.org.

Media Contact:
Karen Benner
kids.now
416.465.7277
kbenner@kidsnowcanada.org