Mom Matters!

Participants at The School for Young Moms will be engaged in various workshops and activities prior to and during Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week in May. Prior to the week, students will learn more about maternal mental health through group workshops and will then work collaboratively to design a slideshow to increase awareness of maternal mental health and in turn make efforts to break the stigma. The slide-show will be student-led and will be broadcast on the school-wide televisions. The students will create messages to be shared on the school Twitter and Facebook accounts, and they will create a Maternal Mental Health bulletin board in the classroom and in the school lobby. Knowing the value of exercise, healthy eating, and social supports to maternal mental health, some of the activities the students will engage in during Maternal Mental Health Awareness week are: a mindfulness workshop, an expressive art workshop (i.e. photography or painting), a community resource walk, and a healthy cooking session which will ultimately lead into a celebration of the Young Moms.

Update (May 30, 2018)

In May we celebrated Maternal Mental Health week. We created a bulletin board in our classroom to acknowledge the reality of pre- and post-natal mood disorder. This was shared with our school community. We had great discussions about the importance of talking about it and remembering that we're not alone through this process.

Also in May, we participated in a program called Come Cook with Me. The focus of this program was about learning to cook affordable healthy meals.

This week we will be visiting our local Early Years Centre to explore available programs outside of the school setting. Our hope is that the students will continue to utilize valuable resources in our community to support them in their parenting adventure.

In early June, our moms will be taking some time for themselves to explore the art form of photography. A local photographer will be guiding them through a session about taking pictures outdoors. Also in June, we will have a motivational presentation by two local business women about the importance of self-care and balance in life. In preparation for this session, we will work together to prepare some healthy snacks.

Update (June 27, 2018)

Since our last update, we've kept busy! The Young Moms visited Full Tilt Cycle, a local cycling boutique where we participated in a private cycling class. The Full Tilt staff volunteered their time by leading us in an inspirational ride that focused on resilience and believing in one self.

We also hired a local photographer (Jennifer Moher) to do a photography lesson about finding the right light to take great pictures on our phones, and then teaching us editing tricks. She also outlined her path to photography and shared stories about her experiences as a younger mom and the importance of finding your passion in life and in believing in yourself.

Next, we engaged the students in mindful exercises with the intention of remembering that MOM MATTERS! The students were each given a wooden letter with their child's first initial to paint. It was an amazing practice of art therapy and a time for intentional focus and reflection about the importance of maternal mental health.

Finally, we walked to the Peterborough Child and Family Centre, a safe space with free expert resources and opportunities for joyful play. Our students and babies learned about the programs and resources available to them outside of the school setting. Many of them truly appreciate the support of community resources and have intentions to return throughout the summer months.