Families Growing Together – Neighbourhood

by Margaret Evans, Director of Lifespan Learning This past summer, several people from our congregation were trained as Our Whole Lives (OWL) facilitators, a program that teaches children and youth about healthy bodies, relationships and sexuality. This program is a holistic approach to understanding our bodies and our relationships in a healthy environment. This is…

by Margaret Evans, Director of Lifespan Learning Church is no longer common. It is not what people do anymore. More often, people are confused by those who are still committed to their religious beliefs. What would it take for us to be bold this year? I’m asking myself this question as part of our Lifespan…

by Margaret Evans, Director of Lifespan Learning This year, I had a unique experience of letting go of some major life events. It was a long process that involved many turns and steps backward, but eventually I made it to where I am today. One of the most influential things I did to help myself…

by Margaret Evans, Director of Lifespan Learning Practice makes perfect, or so they say. But what happens if you practice the same thing every day and you don’t get any better? I am sure there are parents who feel as though their daily routines are a grind and nothing seems to be improving. It is…

by Margaret Evans, Director of Lifespan Learning Involvement with youth and children on a deep level, whether parenting, fostering, or mentoring, has both its joys and also its frustrations. If I have spent time planning a spiritual learning opportunity for the children and it is not being received the way I had hoped, I feel…

by Margaret Evans, Director of Lifespan Learning March means March Break. This can be a stressful time for families who have to find childcare and appropriate activities. Attending service with your children will engage them in deep spiritual encounters and offer you an hour for the same. Please join us over the March Break when…

by Margaret Evans, Director of Lifespan Learning Teaching young people to love is easy to achieve. It is easy for a child to love their mother or father, if they are given love. It is easy for a child to love a sibling, at least at first. How do you teach a child to love…

by Margaret Evans, Director of Lifespan Learning Resilience is a hard concept to teach to young people; truthfully, it is an illusive concept for many adults, too. I’ve read recently in Jonathan Haidt’s book The Happiness Hypothesis that some people are born more resilient than others. He calls this the “genetic lottery”; you win if…

by Margaret Evans, Director of Lifespan Learning Peace is a concept that is often misunderstood. We confuse peace with being free of conflict and calmness. December can be a time of sheer joy but it can also prime us for anger, frustration and hurt. For some, the holiday season is a reminder of how much…

by Margaret Evans, Director of Lifespan Learning Let’s Start A Conversation! “Parent shaming” usually occurs on social media where it is easier to criticize someone, behind the protective barrier of a computer or phone screen, than it is do in person. But it hurts no less. There is an old African proverb that “it takes…

by Margaret Evans, Director of Lifespan Learning Why is gratitude so hard to teach? As children, we are taught gratitude as a social habit. We are encouraged to continue in the hope that it becomes more than just something we should do. At some point, we hope that ourselves and our children recognize that gratitude…

by Margaret Evans, Director of Lifespan Learning A long time ago, I used to hope that there would be no hill that I had to march up to get to school every morning. I’d lay in bed and say “God, could you get rid of that hill, just today? Just this once?” Of course it…

by Margaret Evans, Director of Lifespan Learning Does your family need to come out? Are you struggling to keep up appearances? Coming out used to be an term to establish young women as acceptable and proper in society. Now, it has so much more meaning: authenticity, hope, realness. Envious thoughts can soon follow as we…

by Margaret Evans, Director of Lifespan Learning Discipline is a touchy subject in many parenting circles. It is common for there to be a plethora of ideas and practices around the adherence to discipline within the home. One of the struggles with discipline is that it requires some level of power to be relinquished. Parents…

by Margaret Evans, Director of Lifespan Learning Does your family have special rituals? Perhaps some are centred around bed time routines? When I was young, my grandmother had a cottage on the Lake of Bays. We would travel the 4+ hours to make it there for Friday nights. When my cousin was visiting from out…

by Margaret Evans, Director of Lifespan Learning Have you ever asked a child what they want to be when they grow up? Many adolescents answer with a career: a teacher, doctor or lawyer. Even from small children, we get answers that show an association between who they are and what they will do. Once in…

by Margaret Evans, Director of Lifespan Learning I have heard numerous stories over the years of parents saying or doing something and their little one repeating that action, much to their chagrin. Monkey can see or hear but monkey should not do. Being aware of what you say and how you act around your children…

by Margaret Evans, Director of Lifespan Learning The work of doing is just that: work. So, we often balk at the idea of added work in our lives. We complain about our busy schedules and tired feet and yet, ironically, we tend to lend ourselves to ‘busyness’ as a tool for distraction. It is easier…

by Margaret Evans, Director of Lifespan Learning My community of religious educators has an ongoing conversation about “Full Week Faith”: how can faith and spirituality be practiced everyday of the week in households? Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Eid al-Adha, Yule, Kwanzaa, or not much at all, there is a still moment somewhere within the…

by Margaret Evans, Director of Lifespan Learning Have you experienced that inner voice? Perhaps you hear your mother’s voice in the back of your head saying, “That is a TERRIBLE idea!” Others might hear a positive voice enthusing, “You Got This!” We’ve all heard those voices. We know their helpful spirit or their hindering negativity.…