Enjoy a free activity in English just for pre-school age children (ages 3 to 4 years), and their parents or grandparents from October to June. Sing songs, hear stories, enjoy a snack and make a craft. Sessions rotate between St. Brigid's Home, the Morrin Centre, Valcartier Family Centre in Ste-Foy and Courcelette and the Quebec City Reading Council at Eastern Quebec Learning Centre.  Please click here to view our 2014/15 schedule.

The Quebec City Reading Council is ready to take your reservations at 418 681-1258 for the next Travellin' Toddler Time session to be held on Friday, Decmber 12, 2014 from 9:30 to 11 am in the Kildare Lounge at St. Brigid's home  (1645 chemin St-Louis G1S 2M3). December's theme is Christmas! Spaces are limited to 12 participants although baby brothers and sisters are welcome to accompany the toddler and his/her family. Call today to reserve your child's place. Please note: free parking is available in St B's parking lot for this activity - no need to pay for parking that day.

Every mom needs time out from parental responsibilities now and then. It's perfectly normal. Admit it - you're dying to make some new women friends who are in the same life stage and who speak English!

Community Services has been helping to organize Moms' Nite-Out (MNO) activities for a number of years now. These events have become very popular and newcomers are ALWAYS welcome! Some events are just for moms, others for couples and many are for the whole family. Our dynamic team of volunteers has put together a fun line-up of activities for this fall and winter. Click here to view our 2014/15 MNO Schedule

A creative crowd enjoyed a relaxing evening  together at the Ceramic Café on November 19. Out thanks to Daisy Enriquez and Jean Nivischiuk  for organizing this outing.
   

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 Upcoming Events to look forward to: 

Saturday, December 13: Party with Santa

 
Please use GREAT discretion when dropping off these gifts at the entrance - we don't want to destroy the magic of Christmas for our little ones. Make sure the wrapped gift is well concealed in a bag and please don't yell out "Here's the SANTA gift!!! " as little ears are listening.  

January 13: Zumba Your Way into 2015

January 27: Winter's Eve at the Spa

Stay tuned details coming soon ...

Voice of English-speaking Québec (VEQ) is still very concerned about the future of Jeffery Hale - Saint Brigid's and its critical role for the English-speaking community of the greater Quebec City region. "During the parliamentary hearings, all parties acknowledged the importance of maintaining the community's control over the Jeffery Hale - Saint Brigid's given the very great risk of seeing the needs of the English-speaking community drowned in the ocean of the Francophone network," says Jean-Sébastien Jolin-Gignac, Executive Director of VEQ.

"We are still waiting to see how this will translate into concrete amendments to the legislation. The fact that a member of the opposition in the National Assembly recently called for the end of bilingual services in the network's institutions heightens our worry, and illustrates well why the Minister must take action to ensure that the Jeffery Hale - Saint Brigid's retain its ability to effectively serve the local English-speaking community."

The Valcartier Famiy Centre in Ste-Foy (1039 ave Wolfe, Ste-Foy) invites English-speaking military families in the Quebec City region to a bilingual family holiday party on Saturday, December 13 from 1 to 3 pm 
Please call  418 844-6060 to register by December 4 

For more information click here:
 https://www.familyforce.ca/sites/Valcartier/SiteCollectionDocuments/Noel_stefoy.pdf

There will also be a bilingual dessert exchange at the Valcartier Family Centre in the community centre  on the base (buliding 93, rue Vanier Shannon). Non-military participants are also welcome. Registration before December 2 is necessary  418 844-6060. 
 

• Videotape your children's special activities (school plays, church outings, sporting events) and send tapes to your parents
• Allow your children to make video messages for grandma and grandpa. Record them saying hello or singing their favorite songs. Then, encourage your parents to make video greetings for your children in return. Suggest they read a book or tell a story about when you were little
• Visit as often as possible
• Mail or email  your parents any drawings (or pictures of drawings) that your children have created for them
• Send newspaper articles about your children and the events they participate in. Encourage your parents to use the internet, no matter how daunting it may seem to them at first. Children are becoming more and more computer savvy at very young ages, and it might be easier for them to keep in touch through emails rather than letters
• Schedule regular phone conversations or Skype chats to say I'm thinking about you, I love you 
• Use phone calls or Skype chats to report major and minor accomplishments 
• Place a picture of grandparents in a prominent spot in your home 
• Talk about your parents often.
• Have children sign holiday and birthday cards to grandparents; encourage them to create their own
• Comment on something a grandparent would enjoy if he or she were there
• Point out similarities between your child and a grandparent-a talent, an interest, a resemblance 

 The Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph offers a free online calendar for the local English-speaking community: http://www.qctonline.com/event ; check it out regularly!

Be sure to regularly check Voice of English-speaking Quebec's What's Happening Page: http://www.veq.ca/homepage and discover a wealth of programs and services to suit your family's needs.

Sign up for http://www.lifeinquebec.com free weekly online magazine and learn more about  what's happening in our beautiful city.

 The towns of Quebec,  http://www.ville.quebec.qc.ca/famille/index.aspx ; Lévis http://ville.levis.qc.ca/Fr/Ind; ex.asp  and Saint-Gabrielle de Valcartier http://www.saint-gabriel-de-valcartier.ca/all offer on-line access to information about a variety of events for people of all ages.