Over the next two months, Monaco’s Service Petite Enfance & Familles will be offering a new round of workshops for parents and their babies at the dedicated Espaces Parents space at the Foyer Sainte Dévote. On the agenda: adapting to fatherhood and embracing a new role within the family, breastfeeding support sessions with a lactation consultant, managing mealtimes, the usefulness of dummies and pacifiers, and how to balance kindness with authority.
For the past two years, the Service Petite Enfance & Familles has regularly hosted free workshops and sessions led by specialised practitioners for new Monegasque and Monaco-resident parents. These events provide local parents and their children with an opportunity to engage with a range of early childhood professionals, including psychologists, paediatric nurses, early childhood educators and psychomotor therapists, while also connecting with other families in the area. The sessions are typically held on Tuesdays between 5pm and 6.30pm and on Fridays from 12.30pm to 2pm.
The November and December programme will cover a wide variety of topics, starting on Friday 8th November with a workshop aimed at expectant and new fathers. “Becoming a Papa-rent” will explore the role of fathers within the family and their unique connection with their child.
On Tuesday 12th November, the focus will shift to selective eating. A dietitian from the Service Petite Enfance & Familles will examine strategies for restoring calm and enjoyment at mealtimes.
Later in the month, on Friday 22nd November, the theme of “The Baby Clash” – the impact of a new child on relationships – will be discussed. Experts will provide advice on preventing and managing tensions within couples.
On Tuesday 26th November, parents will be encouraged to talk about the challenges of parenting, notably how to balance kindness and authority when raising children.
In December, the programme continues with a workshop on Tuesday 3rd December that will be all about dummies – or pacifiers for US readers. An expert on the topic will discuss their pros and cons and provide tips on how to help children transition away from them.
On Tuesday 10th December, the session will address the process of starting daycare, with guidance on how to prepare children and parents for entering a daycare environment.
Finally, on Friday 20th December, there will be a session dedicated to breastfeeding, offering mothers the chance to share their experiences and receive support in the presence of Brigitte Fino, a qualified lactation consultant, and a dietitian.
In addition to these discussions, there are regular activities, including parent-child play workshops every Wednesday from 9.30am to 11am and psychomotor sessions scheduled for Thursday 28th November and Thursday 12th December from 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
Baby-wearing workshops, exclusively available to families enrolled or in the process of enrolling in one of Monaco’s early childhood facilities, are held every Tuesday from 2.30pm to 4pm. Parent-baby massage workshops are held on Mondays from 9.30am to 11am.
All of these workshops will take place at Espaces Parents, which is located at the Foyer Sainte Dévote on 3 Rue Philibert Florence. They are free of charge, but prior registration is required. For more information and to register for a workshop, call +377 93 15 61 85 or email espacesparents@mairie.mc.
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