The changing nature of family life is one of the most significant social developments in Canada in the past 25 years.  The structure of the family has altered.  Families now include those which are blended, common-law, single-parent, two-parent, lesbian, gay, and parents living apart with joint custody. 

The many and complicated tasks which families perform have become more difficult and stressful not only because of their changing nature, but also because families struggle to balance work and personal responsibilities.  Employees work longer and harder as a result of the changing nature of workplaces.  Parents find it difficult to spend the amount of time that they want to with their children.  Constant juggling of home and work obligations affects parents' ability to provide a nurturing and supportive environment.  This conflict can have a negative effect on the social and emotional development of children.  See Family-Friendly Workplaces for more information. 

See below For a list of resources available

Facts

• "In Peterborough County and City, 77% of children live in two-parent families.  In 70%, the parents are married; 7% live in families with common-law relationships. 
The First Nine Years... A profile on child health in Peterborough.

• Locally, "lone-parent families make up 23% of families with children at home; lone female-parent families make up 19%, lone male-led families, 4%." 
The First Nine Years... A profile on child health in Peterborough.

• "Almost one in every three Canadian couples (31%) who married in 1991 will eventually split up if the 1991 divorce rates prevail." http://www.vifamily.ca/cft/divorce/divorce.htm

• In 1994, 79% of Canadian children 0-11 years lived with both parents, 16% lived with a lone (single) parent, and 4% lived in a stepfamily.  These statistics are for one year.  Each year, some of these children join a stepfamily while other children see their parents divorce.  http://www.vifamily.ca/cft/divorce/divorce.htm

• In 70% of two-parent families both parents work. www.labour.gov.sk.ca/family/taskforcereport/question1.htm

• "64% of mothers with children less than 3 years old are in the labour force." 
Kerri Daly, Centre for Families, Work and Well-Being, University of Guelph.

• 25% of men, and 33% of women experience severe "time stress".  General Social Survey, Statistics Canada.

Families all have diverse needs.  Parenting may present different challenges depending on the family structure.  Reducing conflict between partners and not disagreeing in front of children are the most important strategies to help children adjust to separation and divorce.  Resources and services are available to support families that are going through divorce, separation or other changes.  Check out the following resources, available at the Peterborough County-City Health Unit.

 

Resources

Pamphlets

• Parenting...through separation and divorce.  BC Council for Families

• Parenting...after separation/divorce.  BC Council for Families

• Building Your Stepfamily...a blueprint for success.  BC Council for Families.

• Because Life Goes On...helping children and youth live with separation and divorce.  Health Canada

Books

• Put Work in its Place, by Bruce O'Hara, 1994.

Videos

• Step Parenting, JVM Productions

• Single Parenting, JVM Productions

Websites

• Helping Your Child Cope with Separation and Divorce

• Hints for Separated Parents

• The New Canadian Family

Services

Community Counselling and Resource Centre
459 Reid Street, Peterborough, Ontario  K9H 4G7
Telephone: 705-743-2523

This is a multi-service agency that empowers people and the community through counselling and access to community resources.  Community Counselling offers individual, couple, family, senior, and group counselling.  Free, Credit Counselling Service provides assistance to individuals and families experiencing over-indebtedness, and money management problems.  Services include budget planning, saving strategies, negotiations with creditors and, in some cases, an agency administered debt management program.