Connecting with neighbours, family and friends
By connecting with neighbours, family and friends, you create a better environment for your kids
- “Extensive research reveals that social support networks can act as a significant buffer to the debilitating effects of poverty. Families experiencing stress can avoid some family crisis if they have (i) formal and informal social networks and (ii) the ability to positively reframe perceptions of stresses so that they feel that they are not the only ones struggling with these stresses and have increased hope and feelings of power to improve life circumstances.”
- Social support plays an important role; if parents feel supported by their neighbours, friends and family, there tend to be lower levels of family stress and fewer parents experiencing depression.
Source: Understanding the Early Years, Red Deer, Alberta – A Community Research Report (pdf) ; page III-25.