How to make a home in Canada

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This article was published 24/10/2017 (2963 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Newcomer families are being invited into the classroom for a lesson on cross-cultural parenting.

Cynthia Sottie, an associate professor of social work at Booth University College, will be hosting a dialogue on how immigrant parents can blend Canadian values with the customs and culture they were raised in back home.

The free event, titled Parenting in a New Land: Finding Balance Between Canadian and Immigrant Cultural Values will be held on Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. in the Booth University College Commons (447 Webb Pl.).

“The culture is the background of the people; it’s something that you’re brought up with and come to appreciate,” Sottie, a South Pointe resident, said.

“The event is to provide a space for us to talk about the challenges newcomers face in raising their children in Canada and how to support them in making that transition.”

Sottie and her family moved to Canada in 2009 from Ghana and said adapting to Canadian parenting and cultural norms is an ongoing journey. Sometimes the customs immigrant parents employ in bringing up their children can come into conflict with those of their peers, she explained.

For example, receiving an allowance for chores or attending sleepovers are commonplace activities for children but are novel concepts for some immigrant families, Sottie said.

“We as parents also have to learn how to allow our children to experience Canada while keeping them safe,” she said.

During the presentation, Sottie hopes to provide some advice for parents on how to navigate Canadian parenting styles as well as maintaining cultural values.

“We’re going to brainstorm how we can make it easier for both parents and kids,” she said. “How do we make sure the kids are having fun and that as immigrants we don’t control them too much and don’t prevent them from experiencing the Canadian culture.”

Anyone interested in attending the coffee and conversation dialogue is asked to RSVP at development@boothuc.ca