Feelings First program helps parents raise healthy children

Feelings First is a provincial initiative that aims to help parents and caregivers raise a child with the right tools for success.

“Zero to five is a really crucial time for brain development, and for setting the stage for a lot of different healthy behaviours,” says provincial lead for Early Years Health & Wellness Sana Fakih.

Sana says this includes physical activity and healthy eating, but also includes cognitive, language, social and emotional development.

“We know from research that if we can set the stage and really support parents and caregivers to create environments that help healthy social and emotional development, the long-term outcomes are actually very good,” explains Sana. "What we see in the research is that kids end up becoming more resilient, and they have better relationships with their peers and family members.”

According to research, she notes that children with better social and emotional skills find more success in school and in the job market in their adult years.

Feelings First YouTube Playlist

IH’s involvement in the program started in 2021 and IH was a key partner in the development and launch of Feelings First across the province.

“Feelings First is beneficial for all families. We were able to put the information on our Child Health Clinic parent handout,” says Rhonda, noting Feelings First allowed IH to enhance the education already being provided to parents. “When families come in for their child health clinic appointment, public health nurses are able to highlight this great resource.”

When Charla Weatherhead was a public health nurse with the Nurse-Family Partnership home visiting program, she would work with vulnerable families and often shared the Feelings First website and resources

“If you're working with a family for a more extended period, it's something you can bring up and look at together,” says Charla, who’s now a Population Health program specialist with IH. “It’s a great way to reinforce the message that you're trying to get across, and the program content is easy to understand.”

It all starts with a healthy environment, Sana says, but it does not mean parents have to be perfect in the journey of raising their kids.

“We’re not trying to promote this idea of perfection. It relates back to one of the core messages of Feelings First, which is ‘Be present, not perfect,’” she says. “So it's really about supporting your child, being there for them, listening to them, and supporting that healthy attachment.”

She adds part of a healthy environment is routine, which helps to relieve stress for the child who can anticipate what is coming next.

It can relieve stress as well for parents, who Sana says should be taking care of themselves at home to add to the healthy environment.

“Parents need to pay attention to what helps them calm down and regulate and make sure that their cup is full. Because once a parent's cup is full and they're feeling good, they're regulated, they can be present, and they can then be there for their child,” she notes.

Whether you’re a new parent, a caregiver, a childcare professional or simply someone who wants to support children’s development, Feelings First offers a welcoming starting point for understanding and nurturing the emotional lives of young children.

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