“Super Dads, Super Kids” is an engaging, activity-based program designed to foster meaningful connections between father figures and their children.
The Family Centre’s eight-session program provides a comprehensive framework that helps father figures enhance their parenting skills, enrich their children’s development and strengthen their family relationships.
Over the course of the fun and free interactive sessions, participants engage in enjoyable activities that encourage bonding and learning. The program starts this week in Lethbridge.
Research consistently shows involved, responsible and devoted fathers and father figures significantly enhance their children’s cognitive, emotional and social development.
Each session includes discussions on vital topics, including the unique role of a dad or father figure, child development, communication, emotions and mental health, discipline and setting limits, physical health – activity and nutrition and family/life/work balance and paternity leave.
Family Centre Executive Director Maral Kiani Tari notes the program highlights the role father figures have in their children’s lives and the resiliency it builds for the family.
Kiani Tari says there’s usually a good turnout for the sessions. “There’s not a lot of programming that happens for our fathers and father figures. We are unique in that we do offer a few. We have reinitiated our ‘Super Dads, Super Kids,’ which is amazing because it’s an opportunity to see how fathers are involved in the brain development in the early years of their children and how to build that resiliency. It is a need that was not really being met very much in Lethbridge.”
Historically, Kiani Tari notes, there has always been a focus on mothers or the female caregiver, as the main point of interaction for children. “With research, we know fathers have a huge impact on how children emotionally regulate and how they can build resiliency and be able to bounce back from setbacks in their adolescence and adulthood.”
Sessions are held Wednesdays from 6-8 p.m. To register for the program or for more information visit online at famcentre.ca/programs.
