University of Toronto – Redefining Traditional

A Glimpse into the Lives of Disabled Student Parents at the University of Toronto

Originally published by the University of Toronto’s Innovation Hub. Written by Lead Writer & Editor, Terri-Lynn Langdon.

Terri-Lynn and her daughter smiling — TERRI-LYNN AND HER
DAUGHTER, JAYCIE

I am a wheelchair- using mother and a PhD student at OISE in Social Justice Education. When the lockdown in Toronto began we lost access to daycare and we also lost more than one support person (Nurturing Assistants) who felt that their own lives were too disrupted by the pandemic to continue to provide ongoing support to us. Without this direct support neither myself nor my child can shower safely, and I have no means of taking my twenty-one month old outside on my own. On top of which our building has been plagued with significant apartment maintenance issues all summer which has meant I have had to solve big family pandemic issues for 4 months and counting….

How to Talk to Your Kids About Racism

By Amanda Cheung
Originally published on the University of Toronto’s Family Care Office Blog, Intersections.

Family reading a story book with their young child.

Race is a complex but necessary topic we should be considering to discuss in our homes, and especially with our children. We know that many families are beginning to have these difficult conversations with their kids. The Family Care Office has compiled a list of resources to help support discussions about race and equality with young people.

The Redefining Traditional Backstory: How Design Thinkers Created a Virtual Community of Student Parents and Supporters During COVID-19

By Celeste Pang, Sauliha Alli, Sanja Ivanov and Heather Watts

Design thinkers at the Innovation Hub share the backstory of the Redefining Traditional virtual community of student parents and their supporters.

This month, Redefining Traditional: Making Higher Education Family Friendly’s virtual community of student parents and supporters across departments and institutions was launched.

Spring Reflections Part II: Seeking Caring Villages in Urban Settings

Written by: Yusur Al-Salman, Redefining Traditional Project Lead The proverbial phrase “it takes a village to raise a child” has been resonating with me recently whenever I encounter the challenging experiences of parents in higher education. The proverb’s origins trace…

Spring Reflections I – Healthcare Access for International Student-Parents

By Yusur Al-Salman, Redefining Traditional Project Lead Redefining Traditional aims to unsettle the meaning of traditional student experiences to including non-mainstream experiences postsecondary student experience, specifically that of student-caregivers and student-parents. Throughout our journey, the small insights and anecdotes that…

Friendship and (Student-)Parenthood: A Short Guide

By Yusur Al-Salman, Redefining Traditional Project Lead If socializing has become something you equally dread and look forward to, you’re not alone. Many people are having mixed-feelings about return to in-person settings and interacting more frequently with large number of…

In conversation with Kyla Everall: Supporting Student Caregivers at University of Toronto’s Libraries

By Yusur Al-Salman, Redefining Traditional Project Lead Between the rising costs of childcare and the COVID-19 pandemic, entering parenthood as students seems more challenging than ever. And yet, there is growing effort to accommodate the practical needs of student-parents and…

Celebrating Black History Month: Events, Resources, and More!

First celebrated as a week in 1926 by African-American Professor Carter G. Woodson (known as Father of Black History), Black History Month is celebrated annually in the U.S. and Canada from February 1st – March 1st. It grew from a week to become a month-long celebration of the legacy and accomplishments of Black people and communities. In honor of…

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