Gradlife

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Before I start, I want to say that I don’t know the first thing about taking care of a family. I’ve never been in a position where I am the caregiver of my loved ones, be it children or older parents and relatives. But when I do see friends and colleagues in those positions, I always wonder how they are able to balance school, work and family. I can only imagine the incredible burden on their shoulders.

In honour of those friends, I have decided to do a post on family and the resources available to help student caregivers. As my program director likes to say, there is always support available on campus. The first person you should go to for guidance, especially when it comes to managing your academic work, is your advisor or program director. They can provide advice and help you manage your work load while you sort things out.

Today’s post is going to be separated into the different kinds of support you can get from our very own Family Care Office. The service is home to many programs and workshops that are designed to help student parents and caregivers take care of their families. For example, their Life Management workshop series is geared towards helping students find balance between their academic and family lives. This series includes workshops on career planning, and some even count towards the GPS program.

Services for Student Parents and their family

Some grad students may have a young family or are expecting a new baby. If my mom’s stories are to be believed, taking care of kids is hard. According to her, my brother and I were a handful, though I distinctly remember us being absolute angels. The Family Care Office has a number of workshops and groups for student parents to help them prepare for life as a parent, from learning how to make baby food, to parenting teens (this one gave me a giggle) to a single parent support group. Grad students who are expecting a little one can also book an appointment to talk about taking a leave, funding and EI eligibility.

There are also child care services available for students on campus. The office has an online list of babysitters (who are all U of T students or partners/spouses of U of T Students), and a listing of day cares and after-school programs, many of them on or close to campus. They can also provide information on Summer camps and occasionally offer seasonal events, such as their recent March Break Activities for parents and children, which included an origami workshop and sky gazing.

Taking care of aging family members

Taking care of family isn’t just about young families and kids. Many students are also responsible for taking care of elders, especially since grad students are generally older, and have older parents. Learning to manage caregiver responsibilities is something that I am also starting to think about as my grandparents and parents get older. FCO regularly offers workshops on elder care, like these upcoming workshops on Healthy Caregiving and Understanding Canada’s Retirement Income System

In addition to workshops, they can also provide information on home care services, long-term care facilities for aging family members, friendly visits, and other services you may need to help you take care of your family. During my last year of undergrad, I was a friendly visitor at a seniors home. Elder care has a special place in my heart. Taking care of seniors takes a completely different kind of patience compared to taking care of children, so I am especially happy to know that the Family Care Office is helping students transition into being a caregiver for the seniors in their family.

How many readers are student parents or caregivers? What tips or advice would you give your fellow students? I would love to hear your tips and advice below.