Family life can be super stressful at times, there’s no doubt about it!

Mindfulness can be a powerful remedy to parenting stress and can increase our ability to cope. With mindfulness we can respond skillfully to what’s needed in the moment. Whether it’s practicing one mindful breath, or one mindful step, it is possible to remain calm and centered as we interact and connect with loved ones. Practicing mindfulness can also support our overall well-being and help us to appreciate positive parenting moments.

The BC Children’s Hospital Centre for Mindfulness has teamed up with the Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre to develop two new free online resources to support parents and caregivers through mindfulness.

1.  Kelty Centre Podcast: A mindful Approach to Parenting & Caregiving



2. JUST LAUNCHED! New mindfulness for parents and caregivers section on Kelty website, “A Mindful Approach to Parenting and Caregiving.”
https://keltymentalhealth.ca/mindful-approach-parenting-caregiving

As a highlight, check out these new meditation recordings:
Coping with Guilty Feelings (3min) and Love & Kindness for Your Child (2min)  

These resources and practices will invite parents and caregivers to explore how they can bring the spirit and energy of mindfulness into their day and approach to parenting. Our hope is that this awareness will bring more understanding, joy and well-being to families. Mindfulness is not passive and it is not a substitute for addressing systemic challenges and oppressions such as racism, discrimination and injustice. At its best, mindfulness can help us interact with our children – and the world – in a more effective and compassionate way.



In addition to the online resources in partnership with the Kelty Centre - the BC Children’s Hospital Centre for Mindfulness is also offering a series of virtual group session to parents and caregivers whose children or youth are accessing care and support through BC Children’s Hospital. We have just started the spring 2022 cohort of the pilot program:

Mindful Awareness and Resilience Skills for Parents and Caregivers (MARS-PC)
The program is free of charge and consists of one 30-minute information session followed by a series of six 1-hour sessions. The sessions are educational and experiential in nature, and are facilitated by Dr. Joanna McDermid and Dr. Dzung Vo. The intention of this group is to help parents be at their best while caring for their loved one, who may be struggling with psychological distress, including anxiety and depression, and/or chronic illness or pain. The development of MARS-PC was made possible by a generous donation through the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Currently, we are recruiting parents and caregivers through select BCCH clinical programs. We hope to offer MARS-PC to parents and caregivers of patients campus-wide across BCCH in the coming year. If you work at BCCH and would like to explore this opportunity of becoming a “MARS-PC Ambassador” to facilitate connections of parents and caregivers with this program, please email mindfulness@cw.bc.ca.