LINDA GRIFFIN
IN ALBERTA, a 10-year old boy was visiting
a friend when he saw a rabbit and gave chase,
losing his way in the unfamiliar neighbourhood. In Winnipeg, a 5-year old boy became
frightened when he saw a large German
shepherd running loose on the street. An 11-
year old girl wanted to call her working
mum, but her babysitter allegedly yanked the
phone away and hit her. These stories might
have had less than happy endings if not for
one unifying fact: All of these children had
Block Parent homes to go to for help.
“When a child is bullied, lost, hurt, locked
out of their home or frightened for any reason,” says Linda Patterson, national president
of the Block Parent Program of Canada Inc.
(BPPCI), “they just have to look for the Block
Parent sign in a window.”
back to
school
Feeling safe in
any neighbourhood
Block Parent national president Linda
Patterson shows off the new window sign.
BPPCI has provided a safety net for children across the country for more than 35
years and is called upon a thousand times a
year to provide community support when
individuals feel at risk. It is internationally
recognized, has inspired similar programs in
other countries and is the largest volunteer-operated child-safety and crime-prevention
program in Canada.
The organization is a registered charity
with 12 affiliated chapters throughout
Canada. Volunteers numbering more than
300,000 individuals and small businesses
agree to background checks by police to
ensure participants’ safety.
While that might seem like a lot of volunteers, it is not enough to fill the need.
According to Patterson, people have a misunderstanding of what it takes to be a Block
Parent: “They don’t have to be available 24/7.
They simply put the sign in the window
when they can; they don’t have to open their
door if they feel threatened or uncomfortable; they don’t have to provide food, drink,
transportation or even toilet facilities; they
don’t have to administer first aid. Although,”
she quickly adds, “if a child has a scraped
knee, a Band-Aid might be helpful.”
Younger stay-at-home parents are ideal
block parents, but retired seniors are encouraged to apply as well. Small businesses of eight
or fewer employees may also participate.
The program is not just for kids; it assists
anyone in immediate need, notably the
elderly. Patterson relates the story of a
woman who called her directly.
“She said her father, who was in his 80s,
was living with and being abused by his step-family,” Patterson says. “She didn’t know
where to turn and was afraid to call the
authorities for fear it would make the situation worse. I made the call, as I was required
to do so. A month later she called back to say
her father had been removed from the situation and was very happy now. She couldn’t
stop thanking me. It took me a long time to
relay that story without crying.”
For more information, visit the Block
Parent Web site, www.blockparent.ca, and give
your neighbourhood a safe place.
—Steve Fisher
Back (pack) to school
MUCH HAS BEEN made about children’s
lack of exercise. Oh yeah? Did you ever see
the backpacks they carry? Kids today are
more hunched than Quasimodo.
a new backpack every year (or month), select
one made of synthetic fibres, such as a
higher-denier polyester fabric with polyurethane coating, which can last longer.
It’s not unheard of for a kid to have to
carry around more than 13 kilograms of
books and equipment. That makes it especially important to get a quality backpack
with a solid ergonomic design to provide
as much comfort as possible.
Access. Look for large pockets and double-headed zippers to make it easy to find things.
HOLIDAY GROUP INC.
With so many on the market, it’s
important to know what to look for. Here
are some tips.
Comfort. Choose a backpack with
padded straps and padded backing for extra
comfort. A chest compression strap and a
carrying handle are a couple of handy ways
to ease the strain or give the back a rest.
Size. The backpack should be big
enough to carry all the things your child
needs: books, pens, pencils, ruler, calculator, iPod, etc. The higher the grade level,
the more room your child will likely need.
Backpacks don’t have to be a pain
Even when a child must carry a full backpack, there are ways to lessen the potential for
back, neck and shoulder pain.
dent should carry a maximum of 10 to 15
per cent of his or her body weight.
Durability. If you don’t want to buy
Shoulder straps. Children should wear
both straps to distribute the weight evenly.
Using only one may cause a child to lean to
one side, stressing one shoulder too much.
The Costco Connection
High-quality, ergonomically correct backpacks are available in Costco warehouses
and on www.costco.ca.
Posture. If the child is leaning to one side
or hunching forward, he or she may be carrying too much weight or not using both straps.
Back breaks. When only a couple of
items are required, the backpack should be
safely stored and the student should carry
only what’s needed.
Weight. Whenever possible, unnecessary
books or items should be left behind. A stu-
Get a lift. If a student can’t don the
backpack without Cirque du Soleil contortions, there’s nothing wrong with asking a
parent, friend or teacher to help.—SF
