We Partner With Parents
Raising a child has never been more challenging in the modern world.
With pressures to run a home, pay the bills, and raise healthy children, parents are feeling stretched more than ever.
If you feel like you are the only one considering sending your child to care, you are not. Over half of Canada’s children need to be in care for 3-10hrs, 5 days a week
There is a nationally recognized need for more spaces in childcare to accommodate the many children currently on wait lists. In many cities, there are waitlists into the hundreds, families wait 2-3 years for spaces in their desired centres and in some cases, parents are putting their children on lists when they find out they are pregnant.
Many 8-12 year olds go home to empty houses as the so hate traditional day cares available to them. The supreme court of Canada recently ruled that parents leaving children under 10 unsupervised are negligent and can be charged with child neglect.
Sending their kids to after-school care is not always their first choice but it is a necessary one to make ends meet and ensure their kids are safe. We know they’d love to be with their kids but they just can’t because of their work schedule.
A Crisis of Play
Children in Canada have lost the ability to play in unstructured outdoor environments.
In fact, recent national statistics show only 9% of Canadian children are getting the recommended minimum physical activity each day. This results in growing levels of obesity and diabetes.
This has been identified as a national crisis by child phycologists and developmental specialists and our nation is taking national and provincial steps to re-engage children in traditional and outdoor play for the many benefits it carries including battling the obesity crisis.
Research has shown clearly that children who actively engage in nature on a regular basis are less prone to illness, obesity, mental health issues and ADD. They are more generous, kind, and energized and spiritually aware.
Benefits from play in natural spaces are long term. This leads to greater social interaction, creativity, physical health, emotional stability, academic achievement, and spiritual awareness in young adults.
The Need Is There - The Solution Is Here
Thrive exists to partner with parents to make sure kids are in a safe, healthy environment where they can experience the world, develop their talents and create healthy relationships.
We make sure they get plenty of time outside, exploring nature and learning about the outdoors. Our hope is that they will develop a life-long passion for the daily adventures that nature offer.
Furthermore, they get to do it all within the context of relationships. Strong bonds are created with other kids and their leaders. We believe these kinds of connections are essential to growing healthy, happy kids.