The Women’s Contact Society hosted its first workshop on Wednesday, Dec. 6 on children’s challenging behaviours.
The evening workshop, one of four planned, was at the society’s new location on Barnard Street and included notebooks and dinner for attendees, as well as plenty of space and toys for children to play nearby. Those who couldn’t make the workshop in person tuned in through Zoom.
The workshop was a webinar with psychologist Dr. Vanessa Lapointe, who discussed the importance of parents and caregivers collaborating to create a healthy environment for children, allowing for their optimal development. Next to Lapointe on a second screen were two individuals signing the presentation for anyone with hearing impairment.
Lapointe reminded attendees the parental role is significant in children’s lives, and when caring for children, one should widen one’s lens to look not only at the child but also at their environment.
“Kids are master energy readers,” said Lapointe, noting that the educational and home environments should be similar, allowing children to feel trust between the different spaces. When trust is developed, “all is right in [their] world.”
Lapointe discussed looking at children holistically and compared their lives to nesting dolls, with the child as the centre doll, parents next, and other grownups and environments following after. All of these “nesting dolls” influence children’s lives, and if their foundation remains strong, their internal self-regulation is better maintained.
Lapointe encouraged care providers (whether teachers, daycare facilities or other child centres) to move away from a professionally-centred framework, where the care provider is the ultimate authority, to a family-centred framework, where the care provider is in service of the family. Moving from a hierarchical structure to one that focuses on the family allows for a greater connection between care provider and parent, thus creating a stronger and safer environment for the child.
After the presentation, people asked a few questions over Zoom. Lapointe reminded attendees that when it comes to raising children, it takes a village.
