(Toronto, Ontario, July 6, 2006) – First-time parents expecting their baby anytime from December 2006 to early May 2007 can now enroll in a free, prenatal and parenting program - The Parenting Partnership. This is a two and a half year pilot program designed to help first-time parents gain the skills needed to give their child the best start in life and to meet the day-to-day challenges they face as a couple and as a family. The first locations—in the GTA, Hamilton/Niagara and Ottawa-Carleton regions—are now registering eligible parents.
The Parenting Partnership has been created by Invest in Kids, a national charity, and is the first program of its kind in Canada.
"New parents tell us that while they were filled with happiness and excitement about the arrival of their first baby, they also felt concerned and insecure about their own parenting knowledge and skills," says Dr. Carol Crill Russell, Vice President of Research at Invest in Kids. "The Parenting Partnership will provide first-time moms and dads with information that will make them feel confident and prepared for the birth of their baby and will help them to develop the skills needed to support their baby's healthy development."
Topics will cover the gamut from labour, delivery and recovery to shifted priorities in the couple relationship, finances and self-care; caring for your child including health & safety and nutrition; parenting including routines, guiding behaviour and supporting children's healthy social, emotional and intellectual development through positive parenting.
The program will accommodate the busy lives of new parents and will be delivered with a combination of weekly online sessions and face-to-face sessions held every 3 to 4 weeks at partnering centres in the community.
For additional information about the Parenting Partnership and to enroll in this program, please call Invest in Kids at (416) 977-1222 or 1-877-583-5437 (KIDS).
The Parenting Partnership is a free, two and a half year pre-natal and parenting program for first-time expectant parents. It was created by Invest in Kids, a national charity, to help parents to optimize their child's development and well-being, and to build strong, healthy families. To learn more about The Parenting Partnership, visit www.theparentingpartnership.ca.
Invest in Kids is a national charity dedicated to helping parents become the parents they want and need to be. By translating the science of parenting and child development into engaging, easy-to-understand, relevant resources for parents and professionals, Invest in Kids aims to strengthen the parenting knowledge, skills and confidence of all those who touch the lives of our youngest children to ensure the healthy social, emotional and intellectual development of children from birth to age five.
To learn more about Invest in Kids and supporting healthy child development, visit www.investinkids.ca.
The Family Education Centre is offering a program in Brampton in partnership with Invest in Kids.
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