FamilyLife Canada
Parenting Conference

Sibling Conflict – Turning Clashes into Character

“Say you’re sorry! Just get along!” – Could you use a little more peace in your house? Sibling conflict is inevitable, exhausting and good. WHAT? GOOD? You’re crazy! In this session learn how navigating sibling conflict effectively is one of the best opportunities to help your kids thrive in life right now and well into adulthood.

Presented by Jay and Gretta Kennedy

Bubble Wrap Kids – How Shielding Children from Suffering Works against Them

Many well-meaning parents today mistakenly remove every obstacle – even the small pebbles – from their child’s path. They see it as a badge of honour to keep their children from any unnecessary life stress. But is that God’s plan? How will their child develop resilience and learn to handle the many stresses of life? After all, real life is filled with splatter – lots of it! Learn how to take the much wiser approach that will better prepare the next generation to overcome the many challenges that will unquestionably come their way.

Presented by Dr. Dave Currie

Parenting with the End in Mind

In the midst of the madness of raising kids we sometimes forget that the goal is not just to survive each day or week, but to raise healthy adults. And as parents of faith, that means adults who know, love and serve Jesus for a lifetime. Let’s talk about how to keep our eyes on the bigger goal as we navigate parenting in a wild world. Let’s parent intentionally with the end in mind.

Presented by Lisette Fraser

Preparing Your Child to Spiritually Flourish in a Secular Culture

Today, many young adults who have been raised in Christian homes end up abandoning their faith. In this workshop, Christian apologist Kirk Durston discusses helpful principles and tips for nurturing a life-long love of God so your child is prepared to spiritually survive and flourish in a very secular culture.

Presented by Kirk Durston

Homegrown Apologetics – How Your Child’s Questions Can Build the Faith of the Whole Family

“Who made God?” “What about other religions?” “Did God use evolution to make dinosaurs?” When your child asks a tough spiritual question, it’s an opportunity to connect and explore an answer together, resulting in a more enriched faith for the whole family. Jesus welcomed questions because it was a gateway to reveal more about Himself, and we get to do that for our children: show them more of who Jesus is by exploring answers to their big questions.

Presented by Alanzo Paul

Empowering Parents to Talk to Their Kids About Pornography

This workshop helps parents understand why children and teens are so vulnerable to today’s online pornography. Marilyn Evans provides parents and caregivers with ideas, resources, and practical solutions to overcome their own worries, fears, and concerns about addressing this sensitive topic with children at any age.

Presented by Marilyn Evans

What if we could turn back time?  

In this session, Brent & Céleste Trickett host a panel-conversation with a few couples on the FamilyLife Canada team. Reflecting on their parenting journeys, they dive into discussing some of the great parenting decisions they would make all over again, as well as where things got messy from their poor decisions. Join in to discover helpful lessons learned from the real parenting ups and downs of the FamilyLife Canada team.

Presented by Brent and Céleste Trickett & FamilyLife Canada couples

Engaging the LGBTQ Conversation as a Responsible Christian Parent

Preston Sprinkle will engage God’s vision for sex, sexuality, and gender in a way that’s relational, down to earth, biblical, and compelling. This conversation will cover challenging issues by addressing the areas of the love of God, the authority of God, and the shame that often cripples conversations about sex and prevents parents from even engaging the topic in healthy ways.

Presented by Preston Sprinkle

The Impact of Technology and Screen Time

To decide healthy boundaries around your child’s media use, it’s crucial to understand the effects on their cognitive and social development. In this session, Registered Psychologist Joel Pukalo hosts a discussion with educational professionals to increase awareness and offer practical solutions for parents. This workshop will better equip you to implement structures and expectations that are age-appropriate, maximize the benefits of technology and minimize the harms.

Presented by Joel Pukalo

Media. Faith. Culture

We need to be actively involved with our culture without blindly accepting it as true. This is especially relevant when it comes to the media we consume in our homes. Brett encourages a commitment to no more thoughtless watching, listening, or online activity, but to instead intentionally and daily pursue what is good for our hearts and minds.

Presented by Brett Ullman

Bring Them Closer

How do you bring children who are oppositional, violent, or depressed and anxious closer? Connie will share what this has looked like in her family and how it has made all the difference.

Presented by Connie Jakab

Anxiety, Stress, and Other Feelings We’d Rather Not Talk About

Anxiety and stress are higher than ever! This session will give you practical tips to deal with these uncomfortable feelings as well as tools to help your kids overcome fear. Be encouraged that we are never alone and nothing separates us from the love of God.

Presented by Jenn Dean

Parenting out of Covid

FamilyLife staff, Matt and Josie Jaggers, host a conversation with Psychologists Joel Pukalo and Chantal Seymour to discover insights and practical tips for guiding our children wisely into post-pandemic life. They especially focus in on understanding how to journey through this season with children who struggle with anxiety.

Presented by Matt & Josie Jaggers

Discipline that Connects with Your Child’s Heart (an Introduction)

This workshop equips parents with practical, grace-based tools for effective discipline and ends with an uplifting call to action: Let go of your primary (and exasperating) goal of trying to manage your kids’ behaviour. Start mentoring their belief, empower them to manage their own behaviour, and watch kindness and wisdom grow in your family!

Presented by Mike and Karen Woodard

Giving Your Kids the Security of a Healthy Marriage 

You’ve probably heard before that the best gift you can give your children is the security of a strong, healthy marriage. But how does that work in real life? How much authenticity do you model? What if you have different approaches to parenting? How do you pass on faith if you’re not on the same page spiritually? How do you strengthen your marriage when you’re so busy parenting? Neil and Sharol Josephson will share what they’ve learned (mostly from trial and error) in their 40 years of parenting.

Presented by Neil and Sharol Josephson

How Joy Can Transform Your Home

Best-selling author Phil Callaway believes that joy and laughter are the forgotten secrets to a happy home life. In this transparent talk, Phil takes us through the early daze of parenthood and into the white knuckle teenage years and beyond, showing how biblical principles combined with joy and laughter have helped him and his wife survive. If joy is difficult to find right now, you’ll love these five grace-filled steps to help you laugh again and leave a lasting legacy. PS: Don’t forget to bring your funnybone.

Presented by Phil Callaway

Connected Parenting – Building Connection with Your Kids

Have you ever had your child “listen to you” and then do nothing that you said? Even worse is when they don’t listen at all. In this workshop, you will learn how to attach to and train your kids so your voice and values have weight in their lives. We will look at some of their attachment needs, how to bring the walls down, and what to do when they make significant mistakes.

Presented by Kim Unrau

Giving the Gift of Your Blessing to Your Grandchildren

Drawing from biblical and personal stories, Bob Dobson shares the great legacy and impact grandparents can have when they find ways to bless to their grandchildren. The spiritual deposits intentional grandparents make have a way of affirming God’s unconditional love and unique calling for their grandchildren.

Presented by Bob Dobson

Parenting in Blended Families

In blended families, biological parents and stepparents have to find harmony even as stepparents bond with stepchildren and try to find their place in the home. It’s often quite complex and confusing, but it can be done if you get stepfamily smart. This session with blended family expert Ron Deal will build your teamwork and move your family forward.

Presented by Ron Deal

Overcoming Single Parent Guilt

What negative tapes keep playing in your head? Do you ever compare yourself to those “good” or “normal” parents? In this session, your coach Jenn Dean will help you replace self-defeating messages with truth and grace for your single parenting journey.

Presented by Jenn Dean

Managing Emotions as a Single Parent

When you can’t tag-team in the moment with another parent, it can be extra tough to navigate the complex emotions that surface both in yourself and in your kids. In this session, Registered Psychologist Joel Pukalo will equip you with tools and strategies to manage emotions healthily and to find the support you need as a single parent.

Presented by Joel Pukalo

Building a Strong Connection as a Single Parent

Jenn Dean and Joel Pukalo are joined by Susan Dos Santos, herself a single mom for over ten years. Together they discuss the practicalities of building a support team around you and how to develop a deep connection with your children.

Presented by Susan Dos Santos

Introduction to Discipline that Connects with Your Child’s Heart (in Mandarin) 普通话

介绍 “心相联的管教”
每个孩子都有需要被管教的时候。在管教的过程中，父母经常向孩子表现出愤怒、烦躁和受伤的情绪，这种情绪表现破坏亲子关系。“心相联的管教” 帮助父母明白：他需要在和孩子的互动中，彰显出上帝的性情；来使用管教的机会，栽培孩子成为门徒，同时增进亲子关系。

Presented by Fay Chao and Bob Li

Parenting in a Digital World (in Cantonese) 從「數碼世界」看管與教

在「數碼世界」教養孩子是親子關係的一個新領域。你的孩子是在
科技世界中長大的「數碼原住民」。作為父母,了解你的孩子想什
麼、做什麼、和看什麼是很重要的。為要引導孩子明智地處理在線
文化,並正確地使用媒體,包括智能手機、互聯網、YouTube、社
交媒體、視頻遊戲等,父母需要經常與他們對話並培育心的相聯。

Presented by Edmund and Angela Lau

Introduction to Discipline that Connects with Your Child’s Heart (in Cantonese) 粤语

介紹 “心相聯的管教”
每個孩子都有需要被管教的時候。在管教的過程中，父母經常向孩子表現出憤怒、煩躁和受傷的情緒，這種情緒表現破壞親子關係。 “心相聯的管教” 幫助父母明白：他需要在和孩子的互動中，彰顯出上帝的性情；來使用管教的機會，栽培孩子成為門徒，同時增進親子關係

Presented by Edmund and Angela Lau