Let’s face it: the realities of parenting and family life can be tough. It’s normal to feel challenged sometimes. Much of the time, we feel able to deal with the stresses on our own, or with the help of extended family or friends. Sometimes, though, it is very helpful to get an outside perspective, to find new ways of addressing a situation, or to help you through an area of your family life where you feel “stuck”.

Since kids and families don’t come with a manual, our Family Life Education programs can help. Our Family Life Education Program brings people together to learn practical strategies that help them get along better in family relationships. We offer a range of services and styles, so that there is something that meets everyone’s needs.

Services for Individuals

Parenting Edge workshops are part of a full range of Family Life Education programs offered by Family Services à la famille Ottawa.

At Parenting Edge workshops and courses, you can share in the joys and challenges of raising kids with others who are experiencing the same:

Discipline – how can you make it work in a positive way?
Creative problem solving – how do you help your child succeed?
Communication – do your styles collide; are you/they being heard?
Dealing with feelings – theirs and yours!

Courses offered include:

Discipline that doesn’t hurt … anyone
Parenting school age children
Parenting teens
Parenting through separation and divorce
Anger management for parents
For dads only – parenting when you’re not in a couple
Coping with your aging parent or relative

Our most popular workshops are listed below:

Beyond time outs
Anger management for parents
Anger answers for children
Building your child’s self esteem
Parenting … it’s a tough job
Creative problem solving for parent

A complete description of groups and workshops currently offered by the Family Life Education Program is available on our Schedule of Current Events.

Services for Organizations

Our team is available to come to your group or organization to deliver one of our existing courses. You can bring us in to deliver one of the Parenting Edge workshops, or we can work with you to develop a package of topics that of specific concern to your organization, designed especially for you.

We also offer groups for parents and kin who are involved with the Children’s Aid Society. The Parenting With Confidence (for parents) and Parenting Solutions (for kin) series have both been designed to address the specific needs and challenges of people who are involved with the CAS.

General Program Information

Our dynamic team of family life educators, led by respected parent educator, Margo Sargent, bring an average of 15 years experience in helping parents become more confident and successful and helping families become stronger and thrive.

Our Team

Margo Sargent has made a career of helping families, building up over 20 years of expertise in parenting education, behaviour management, multicultural issues and helping families in crisis. She has recently launched her own business – The Parenting Coach – providing in-home parenting support to parents and their children. A mother of two teenaged children, Margo knows first-hand the challenges and joys of parenting.

Christine Colbert brings over 20 years of experience working with individuals with psychiatric, developmental, and physical disabilities, at-risk families and youth, and new immigrant parents and caregivers. She offers a compassionate, straightforward, and practical approach to parenting. Christine is the mother of a teenager herself, and when not parenting, she loves to spend time in the outdoors and traveling to experience new cultures, foods and environments.

Tim Paquette brings years of experience in parenting, especially with respect to father involvement. He coordinated a national project called “My Daddy Matters Because…”, a framework that promotes and acknowledges the role of fathers. He is currently chair of the Father Involvement Initiative-Ontario (FII-ON). Tim has facilitated workshops on father involvement locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally.

Jane Trakalo has worked in the field of Social Services for over 17 years. She has worked with high risk youth in residential care, with children and families involved with the Children’s Aid Society as a front line child protection worker and a supervisor, and as a professor of child & youth work at Algonquin College. Jane is a certified trainer of Therapeutic Crisis Intervention, holds a Bachelor and Master Degree in Social Work from McGill University, and holds a Graduate Certificate in Conflict Resolution from the Faculty of Law at Carleton University.

Janice MacAulay is currently Director of Policy and Research at the Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs (FRP) Canada. She holds the designation CCFE - Certified Canadian Family Educator - from Family Service Canada. She is also the parent of four grown children.

Stephanie Piovesan has over 20 years’ experience in the geriatric community, long term care, retirement residences, and community-based programming. She coordinates seniors programming at Family Services à la famille Ottawa and is a lead consultant for the Elder Care Support Team through the Employee Assistance Program.

Languages

All of the family life education programs are offered in English.

Locations

Most workshops and groups are offered at Family Services à la famille Ottawa at 312 Parkdale Avenue (click here for map), or at the offices of our community partners. We can also deliver a workshop or group on location at your workplace or organization.

Hours of Services

Workshops, courses, and groups are offered in both the daytime and the evening. See the Schedule of Current Events for details.

Costs/Fees

We charge $125 per person or $225 per couple for a 5-week workshop series. Subsidies are available if you are unable to pay the full workshop fee.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big are the classes?

Depending on the topic, you can expect a group size ranging from six to fifteen people.

When do I pay the fee?

To guarantee a space, mail your registration fee to the centre before your course or workshop starts. Alternatively, you can pay the fee to our receptionist when you come to the centre.

What if I can’t pay the workshop fee?

We charge fees for our groups, and for all groups, a certain proportion of participants must be fee-paying. If you cannot afford to pay, we will negotiate a reduce fee with you. We keep a certain number of fully-subsidized spaces available for each group.

No one is refused service on the basis of ability to pay. You may be placed on a waiting list for your group, if the number of subsidized spaces have already been filled.

What kinds of information will you collect about me?

For each group, we maintain attendance lists with basic contact information (name, address, phone number, emergency contact). We do not keep records about the specific things you say in our groups, or about your progress.

Upon request, we will provide you with a letter confirming your attendance at a workshop or group series.

Is there parking available?

Yes, visitor parking is available in the lot beside our building at 312 Parkdale. There is also on-street parking around the building.

What can I expect when I come to a workshop?

You can expect professional-quality facilitation, knowledgeable workshop leaders, dynamic discussions, and individualized attention. Our facilitators will adjust the group content to the particular needs and interests of the participants, so if you have come with a particular interest, make sure you let us know.

What topics will be covered?

The topics covered depend on the actual course or workshops. See our course descriptions in the Current Events for details.

Register Now

When it comes to raising kids, we can all use some help. Don't delay! Register today and be encouraged by the positive turn your parenting will take. Contact us at fle@familyservicesottawa.org, or telephone 613-725-3601, extension 207.