Category: Themes
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Families Growing Together: Is Discipline a Struggle in Your Family?
by Margaret Evans, Director of Lifespan Learning Discipline is a touchy subject in many parenting circles. It is common for there to be a plethora of ideas and practices around the adherence to discipline within the home. One of the struggles with discipline is that it requires some level of power to be relinquished. Parents…
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Our Music: Visits With the Hamilton First UU Choir
by Susanne Maziarz, Music Director at Neighbourhood In our weekly staff meetings, Wayne always asks that a piece of pop music be included in the service. Whether it is a prelude or congregational song, I try to fill this request. Having secular music in a religious service is considered sacrilegious in other faith traditions. I…
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Families Growing Together: Where Are the Rituals Within Your Family Unit?
by Margaret Evans, Director of Lifespan Learning Does your family have special rituals? Perhaps some are centred around bed time routines? When I was young, my grandmother had a cottage on the Lake of Bays. We would travel the 4+ hours to make it there for Friday nights. When my cousin was visiting from out…
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May's Theme: Discipline
Our 2015-16 overall theme is: Search For Meaning. Each month we’ll feature a theme related to this “umbrella” topic. This month (May) we focus on Discipline: Visit our selection of thought-provoking posts on this theme. For more information about — and a gateway to past — themes, visit our Themes page.
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Our Music: The Drum Circle Is Back
by Susanne Maziarz, Music Director at Neighbourhood How can we musically “be”? For some it’s through practicing, for others it’s through improvisation, or the thrill of an embodied performance. Music demands our full attention. It brings together heart, and soul, and spirit. Meditation teaches us how to be still, be aware, be in the moment,…
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Families Growing Together: Listening Around The Dinner Table
by Margaret Evans, Director of Lifespan Learning Have you ever asked a child what they want to be when they grow up? Many adolescents answer with a career: a teacher, doctor or lawyer. Even from small children, we get answers that show an association between who they are and what they will do. Once in…
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Our Music: Music, A Tool For Education In African Culture
by Susanne Maziarz, Music Director at Neighbourhood To launch Black History Month on Sunday, February 7th, Tiki Mercury-Clarke performed at Neighbourhood as the first artist in our 2016 Concert Series. But this wasn’t an ordinary hour of entertainment; this was education disguised as entertainment. Through storytelling, song, and ‘herstory’, she shared with us the experience…
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Families Growing Together: Uncovering Hidden Opportunities for Shared Learning
by Margaret Evans, Director of Lifespan Learning I have heard numerous stories over the years of parents saying or doing something and their little one repeating that action, much to their chagrin. Monkey can see or hear but monkey should not do. Being aware of what you say and how you act around your children…
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Our Music: Practicing, Performing, Creating
by Susanne Maziarz, Music Director at Neighbourhood This month we are launching our 2016 Concert Series. Music is always about doing: practicing, performing, creating, active listening. At Neighbourhood, we want to honour and showcase this art form with three different performances falling on the first Sunday of the next three months. I hope you will…
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Families Growing Together: Teaching Children About Doing
by Margaret Evans, Director of Lifespan Learning The work of doing is just that: work. So, we often balk at the idea of added work in our lives. We complain about our busy schedules and tired feet and yet, ironically, we tend to lend ourselves to ‘busyness’ as a tool for distraction. It is easier…