Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by KRTL: 9:37am On Nov 10, 2022 |
Rather unfortunate..I wonder why?? More like I want you to go through what I went through.. Nadingo: It's quite unfortunate that our people with kids in Canada do not want to assist us with their practical experiences over there. |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by KRTL: 9:39am On Nov 10, 2022 |
Especially, the mothers baptismal card..most required Creativebelle: So for those who are Catholics and want to enrol their kids in Catholic schools...
You should have the Child's baptismal certificate and also the Parent's baptismal certificate..
It's one of the requirements to enrol your kids in Catholic schools.. |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by Creativebelle: 10:29am On Nov 10, 2022 |
For those travelling soon or later.. As new immigrant..these things will come handy until you find your foot.. Here is an extensive list of what to buy.. These are things that are needed for the kids especially. And also to those travelling in Winter 1) Travel wears(Winter Jackets ,Winter Boots,Gloves, Headwarmers, Shawls, Cardigans,Socks) especially those travelling in Winter. 2) Drugs (Vitamin C, Multivitamins, Pain relief (paracetamol) Malaria drugs, Cough syrups 3)Universal Charger,Power bank 4)Mackintosh for kids 5) Hair extensions for kids and Adults, Hair accessories for kids 6)Bathing soaps,Bathing creams,Sponges,Toothbrushes 7)Shea butter, Aboniki Travel pillows if you have long layovers 9)Blankets 10)Pyjamas for the kids 11)Vaseline 12)African story books 13)Blood pressure Monitor (esp those travelling alone with kids(check your blood pressure from time to time) FOODSTUFFS Extensive list of food stuffs to travel with: 1)Snacks for the kids 2) Cereal for kids 3)Spices (Curry,Thyme,Ginger, Garlic ,etc 4)Pepper soup spice 5)Seasoning (Non chicken flavour 6)Ground pepper, Ground crayfish 7)Ground Ewedu,Ugwu, Bitterleaf etc Locust beans ( dried),Potash (kaun) 9)Garri 10) Beans 11)Ground Egusi,Ogbono etc 12)Poundo Yam,Semo, Elubo etc 13)Dried fish etc 14)Satchet Tomato paste 15) Pastas 16)Noodles (non chicken flavour 18)Turning sticks, Swallow packer 19) Manual blender 20) Groundnut Pls feel free to add to this list.. If you are travelling with one or more than one child..pls feel free to utilize your 23kg..Going with things you need esp going with kids helps you save as a new immigrant. It comes handy for those travelling in Winter.. as you may be indoors most times.. All items should be carefully and neatly packed in Zip locks 12 Likes |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by Creativebelle: 10:31am On Nov 10, 2022 |
Lol..I meant otherwise..thread wont close oooo.. Honeysweetest: I want it to thrive, what do you mean by game over? You mean it will close? I think this thread will be fun if more hands are on deck. |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by donbabchizy(m): 12:25pm On Nov 10, 2022 |
Thank you for this thread! So much appreciate! If I may ask? What do we need power bank and universal charger for ? When there's 247 light in Canada? Or do u mean while in the plane?? Secondly how do we package all this food stuffs and others without being charged so much for luggages? Thank you so much and I await your swift response.. Creativebelle: For those travelling soon or later.. As new immigrant..these things will come handy until you find your foot.. Here is an extensive list of what to buy.. These are things that are needed for the kids especially.
And also to those travelling in Winter
1) Travel wears(Winter Jackets ,Winter Boots,Gloves, Headwarmers, Shawls, Cardigans,Socks) especially those travelling in Winter.
2) Drugs (Vitamin C, Multivitamins, Pain relief (paracetamol) Malaria drugs, Cough syrups
3)Universal Charger,Power bank
4)Mackintosh for kids
5) Hair extensions for kids and Adults, Hair accessories for kids
6)Bathing soaps,Bathing creams,Sponges,Toothbrushes
7)Shea butter, Aboniki
Travel pillows if you have long layovers
9)Blankets
10)Pyjamas for the kids
11)Vaseline
12)African story books
13)Blood pressure Monitor (esp those travelling alone with kids(check your blood pressure from time to time)
FOODSTUFFS
Extensive list of food stuffs to travel with:
1)Snacks for the kids
2) Cereal for kids
3)Spices (Curry,Thyme,Ginger, Garlic ,etc
4)Pepper soup spice
5)Seasoning (Non chicken flavour
6)Ground pepper, Ground crayfish
7)Ground Ewedu,Ugwu, Bitterleaf etc
Locust beans ( dried),Potash (kaun)
9)Garri
10) Beans
11)Ground Egusi,Ogbono etc
12)Poundo Yam,Semo, Elubo etc
13)Dried fish etc
14)Satchet Tomato paste
15) Pastas
16)Noodles (non chicken flavour
18)Turning sticks, Swallow packer
19) Manual blender
20) Groundnut
Pls feel free to add to this list..
If you are travelling with one or more than one child..pls feel free to utilize your 23kg..Going with things you need esp going with kids helps you save as a new immigrant.
It comes handy for those travelling in Winter.. as you may be indoors most times..
All items should be carefully and neatly packed in Zip locks |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by Creativebelle: 2:11pm On Nov 10, 2022 |
Universal Charger because Canada have their own specification..our charger doesn't work with theirs.. Power bank..yes for Travel Most airline allow 23kg per person..so if you are travelling with one child or more..its best to utilize your 23kg..especially since you are a Newcomer..you may want to save. Also ,you can cargo your stuffs if you want to! donbabchizy: Thank you for this thread! So much appreciate! If I may ask? What do we need power bank and universal charger for ? When there's 247 light in Canada? Or do u mean while in the plane?? Secondly how do we package all this food stuffs and others without being charged so much for luggages? Thank you so much and I await your swift response..
2 Likes |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by sam4774: 11:45pm On Nov 10, 2022 |
Thanks for the reply, so 5 months for a Nigerian passport? nawa ooo please what was the cost as well as other costs that come with dealing with Nigerian parastatals. purplerain: Hello, We applied for my baby’s passport in April (received it in Aug) and she doesn’t have NIN. We weren’t asked for it either
|
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by Honeysweetest(f): 2:38pm On Nov 11, 2022 |
Creativebelle: Lol..I meant otherwise..thread wont close oooo.. lol, ok mama |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by Honeysweetest(f): 2:40pm On Nov 11, 2022 |
KRTL: I think she meant this thread will be loaded once she's in Canada yes, understand it now. Loll. Thank you |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by Honeysweetest(f): 2:47pm On Nov 11, 2022 |
sam4774: Thanks for the reply, so 5 months for a Nigerian passport? nawa ooo please what was the cost as well as other costs that come with dealing with Nigerian parastatals.
must not be this long, NIN is required,unless the state you are applying in do not use the enhanced passport,which is mostly some northern states, if not,go to local government and apply for her NIN,then you proceed to immigration office. If you want to do it online,it cost 26k, but if you want to meet an officer,hold from 45k,that is if you are going for the 32 pages. |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by megastu(m): 3:36pm On Nov 11, 2022 |
You dont need power bank in Canada Creativebelle: For those travelling soon or later.. As new immigrant..these things will come handy until you find your foot.. Here is an extensive list of what to buy.. These are things that are needed for the kids especially.
And also to those travelling in Winter
1) Travel wears(Winter Jackets ,Winter Boots,Gloves, Headwarmers, Shawls, Cardigans,Socks) especially those travelling in Winter.
2) Drugs (Vitamin C, Multivitamins, Pain relief (paracetamol) Malaria drugs, Cough syrups
3)Universal Charger,Power bank
4)Mackintosh for kids
5) Hair extensions for kids and Adults, Hair accessories for kids
6)Bathing soaps,Bathing creams,Sponges,Toothbrushes
7)Shea butter, Aboniki
Travel pillows if you have long layovers
9)Blankets
10)Pyjamas for the kids
11)Vaseline
12)African story books
13)Blood pressure Monitor (esp those travelling alone with kids(check your blood pressure from time to time)
FOODSTUFFS
Extensive list of food stuffs to travel with:
1)Snacks for the kids
2) Cereal for kids
3)Spices (Curry,Thyme,Ginger, Garlic ,etc
4)Pepper soup spice
5)Seasoning (Non chicken flavour
6)Ground pepper, Ground crayfish
7)Ground Ewedu,Ugwu, Bitterleaf etc
Locust beans ( dried),Potash (kaun)
9)Garri
10) Beans
11)Ground Egusi,Ogbono etc
12)Poundo Yam,Semo, Elubo etc
13)Dried fish etc
14)Satchet Tomato paste
15) Pastas
16)Noodles (non chicken flavour
18)Turning sticks, Swallow packer
19) Manual blender
20) Groundnut
Pls feel free to add to this list..
If you are travelling with one or more than one child..pls feel free to utilize your 23kg..Going with things you need esp going with kids helps you save as a new immigrant.
It comes handy for those travelling in Winter.. as you may be indoors most times..
All items should be carefully and neatly packed in Zip locks |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by Creativebelle: 10:38pm On Nov 11, 2022 |
We know ..we need it for the journey cos we got kids..hyperactive kids that will probably drain our phone batteries..lol megastu: You dont need power bank in Canada |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by throwaway123: 4:46am On Nov 12, 2022 |
All these bring iru bring garri no be the koko. Would share some bit of not personal and personal experience. 1. Budget well for housing. Houses are fucking expensive for families. As a single person you can pair up and share bunks and pay $800 but with a family? You need a proper house. A single 1 bedroom goes for at least $1800 CAD in Ontario and British Columbia. You might be lucky to get something cheaper in Alberta or Winnipeg but even there you would have to budget at least $1300 per month. Also note that Landlords won't just rent you anything anyhow. If you are a family of four. Minimum you can take is a 2 bedroom. Also if the kids are teenagers of different sexes please note you might be required to get individual rooms for them .so factor all these in your budget . Housing is one of the biggest headache. With what the Landlords went through during the pandemic. A lot are asking for minimum 4 months or even 6months rent. It can be worse if you landed and have no job or credit history with kids. Omoh. You go hear am. More reason sometimes it is better for one of the primary applicant land first and see what's happening before you bundle the battalions down. You don't want to spending your Nigerian earned naira money here. I can guarantee you, two months and your mutli year savings from Nigeria is gone. 2. For parents with kids who are much younger and need a minder, nanny, daycare or what not. Getting placement in daycares is a fucking nightmare. Some daycares have waiting list of 100 families. Heck even oyinbo people here start joining the wait list for daycares once they are pregnant. So they can get ahead and get a placement immediately they give birth and start daycare once they are ready to return back to work. Same applies to to elementary schools . You have to apply for placement. Fees for daycare is like $35 per day in most provinces. Your province might provide subsidies if both parents are working. When you land. To cut your spendings and not pay for daycare at least for a start or pending when you find a placement. Parents might need to alternate their working hours. Maybe wife works nights, husband mornings so someone is always home. Or for those guys wey no sabi look after kids(sorry is your case) . You might need to take up two jobs because sadly a single income cannot cater for the needs of most families here after dem knack you taxes , EI, CPP. 3. Government offers child care grants per child. You might receive as much as $700 monthly per child depending on Province. You need to file this immediately you land and have all the documents required. Takes about 6weeks for the Canadian Revenue Agency to get back to you with a cheque. The amount would reduce depending on your income the next time they compute your yearly taxes. 4. Toddler foods can be a problem. All those Nutribon, Golden Moore no dey here and kids might really not like the substitutes around. Also buying from African stores is expensive. N1600 Golden moore 800g goes for like $24. That's about 12k and would advise you pack plenty of these when coming if you have toddlers. 5.. There are always parks and playgrounds around most areas but need adult supervision. Kids do well with the cold, but I would advise you pack along drugs for kids. Heck there is a crises were Tylenol for kids (paracetamol) and Advil(pain relief, cold, catarrh drugs) are almost not on any shelves in Canada. There's scarcity. So pack Cough syrup, kids paracetamol plenty. Infact if you can pack 5carton.. carry am. 6. What else am I missing? RESP? That's too complex to talk about here. You would get an handle once you land and start earning. It's a targetted education savings plans towards your kids colleges. Elementary and high school is free in public institutions but colleges and universities are fucking expensive. So parents open interest free savings accounts for each kids and government might even match a certain level of amount towards paying for your kids university education. See below link for a summary. https://www.sunlife.ca/en/offer/resp/?WT.mc_id=en-ca:sem:paid:Google:national:X%7cSLF_NAT%7cPGS%7cGNR%7cEX%7cEN%7cCA%7cX%7cAways-On%7cX%7cX%7cGeneric_Product_Investment:resp&WT.srch=1&ef_id=Cj0KCQiAgribBhDkARIsAASA5bsWKUMn8bfVlSOz8TFO4-LablBLb0oZhk-mkrxnZTgGI_c5_0u8jJUaAg_5EALw_wcB:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!13660!3!476093472664!e!!g!!resp&gclid=Cj0KCQiAgribBhDkARIsAASA5bsWKUMn8bfVlSOz8TFO4-LablBLb0oZhk-mkrxnZTgGI_c5_0u8jJUaAg_5EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds 7. Apply for as much benefits as you can get please. Don't bleed the society but if you are struggling. Ask for help. There are always government programs out there to help especially for families with kids. 8. Lastly don't paint Nigeria as a bad country to your kids. Let them learn the good values the country teaches. Small time i have spent in parks. The kids can swear for Africa and it is almost all of them. We get bad kids for naija, but for the posh area I stay . I expected better language and manners. Also social vices are very rife. Smoking , drugs, partying amongst teenagers and whatnot. Omoh the amount of cigarettes butts i saw in the span of 1 week i didn't see it in my 30 plus years staying in the most ghettoish parts of most Nigerian cities. So you need to wear that toga of an African parent and try as much as possible to be friends with your kids so they can tell you everything that goes on in their lives. Especially the teenagers. Let them learn their local languages. Speak it with them. A lot of kids of immigrants lose their identities and end up depressed abi confused because they are caught up in two different worlds. One where the customs of their parents is different from where they now call home; whilst where they call home might not be as accepting of them as the "natural born" kids here. I see a lot and I am speaking from experience. The kids i have seen that are well adjusted are ones where their Nigerian roots seem a lot intact. Caveat not saying others aren't. But it's hsrd when a child tries to assimilate a culture that's different and can't draw inspiration from their closest loved ones but strangers. The most traumatic time of my life was when we moved to a different region in Nigeria when i was in Primary 6. I was the only different kid who couldn't speak the local language well. I had a different accent. And it was hell making friends. The kids gave me names and i only had one or two friends. I dreaded going to school because i was just different. Now imagine the scales of differences here and the challenges your kid MIGHT likely face? They might be the only black kids in their entire class or even school if you move into more remote areas. So you need to be closer to them and support them. This is where fathers also need to play active roles. Takes a lot of parenting to support kids moving to a new society to settle in well. On the face value you might think they are settled but some deep structural issues don't crop up until later in life. So please be listening, engaging and support them. I hope i tried a bit.. I don't have it all figured out yet. But we learn as we go. 43 Likes 3 Shares |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by throwaway123: 4:48am On Nov 12, 2022 |
Creativebelle: We know ..we need it for the journey cos we got kids..hyperactive kids that will probably drain our phone batteries..lol You actually need it.. especially if you never buy car... I dey carry my power bank steady. You don't want a flat battery when google maps is your only way home. I suffered the day my battery went dead. Had to go into a chinese cafe and beg the attendant to help charge for some few minutes to get details of my connecting buses and my way home 5 Likes |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by Creativebelle: 8:44am On Nov 12, 2022 |
Wow..thanks for this... throwaway123:
You actually need it.. especially if you never buy car... I dey carry my power bank steady. You don't want a flat battery when google maps is your only way home.
I suffered the day my battery went dead. Had to go into a chinese cafe and beg the attendant to help charge for some few minutes to get details of my connecting buses and my way home 1 Like |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by Creativebelle: 8:49am On Nov 12, 2022 |
Wow wow..this is an eye opener..thanks for this..Housing tho..God will help us ooo lol.. Some mothers are going alone with the kids..God will see everyone through.. thank you throwaway123: All these bring iru bring garri no be the koko.
Would share some bit of not personal and personal experience.
1. Budget well for housing. Houses are fucking expensive for families. As a single person you can pair up and share bunks and pay $800 but with a family? You need a proper house. A single 1 bedroom goes for at least $1800 CAD in Ontario and British Columbia.
You might be lucky to get something cheaper in Alberta or Winnipeg but even there you would have to budget at least $1300 per month. Also note that Landlords won't just rent you anything anyhow. If you are a family of four. Minimum you can take is a 2 bedroom. Also if the kids are teenagers of different sexes please note you might be required to get individual rooms for them .so factor all these in your budget . Housing is one of the biggest headache. With what the Landlords went through during the pandemic. A lot are asking for minimum 4 months or even 6months rent. It can be worse if you landed and have no job or credit history with kids. Omoh. You go hear am. More reason sometimes it is better for one of the primary applicant land first and see what's happening before you bundle the battalions down. You don't want to spending your Nigerian earned naira money here. I can guarantee you, two months and your mutli year savings from Nigeria is gone.
2. For parents with kids who are much younger and need a minder, nanny, daycare or what not. Getting placement in daycares is a fucking nightmare. Some daycares have waiting list of 100 families. Heck even oyinbo people here start joining the wait list for daycares once they are pregnant. So they can get ahead and get a placement immediately they give birth and start daycare once they are ready to return back to work. Same applies to to elementary schools . You have to apply for placement.
Fees for daycare is like $35 per day in most provinces. Your province might provide subsidies if both parents are working.
When you land. To cut your spendings and not pay for daycare at least for a start or pending when you find a placement. Parents might need to alternate their working hours. Maybe wife works nights, husband mornings so someone is always home. Or for those guys wey no sabi look after kids(sorry is your case) . You might need to take up two jobs because sadly a single income cannot cater for the needs of most families here after dem knack you taxes , EI, CPP.
3. Government offers child care grants per child. You might receive as much as $700 monthly per child depending on Province. You need to file this immediately you land and have all the documents required. Takes about 6weeks for the Canadian Revenue Agency to get back to you with a cheque. The amount would reduce depending on your income the next time they compute your yearly taxes.
4. Toddler foods can be a problem. All those Nutribon, Golden Moore no dey here and kids might really not like the substitutes around. Also buying from African stores is expensive. N1600 Golden moore 800g goes for like $24. That's about 12k and would advise you pack plenty of these when coming if you have toddlers.
5.. There are always parks and playgrounds around most areas but need adult supervision. Kids do well with the cold, but I would advise you pack along drugs for kids. Heck there is a crises were Tylenol for kids (paracetamol) and Advil(pain relief, cold, catarrh drugs) are almost not on any shelves in Canada. There's scarcity. So pack Cough syrup, kids paracetamol plenty. Infact if you can pack 5carton.. carry am.
6. What else am I missing? RESP? That's too complex to talk about here. You would get an handle once you land and start earning. It's a targetted education savings plans towards your kids colleges. Elementary and high school is free in public institutions but colleges and universities are fucking expensive. So parents open interest free savings accounts for each kids and government might even match a certain level of amount towards paying for your kids university education. See below link for a summary.
https://www.sunlife.ca/en/offer/resp/?WT.mc_id=en-ca:sem:paid:Google:national:X%7cSLF_NAT%7cPGS%7cGNR%7cEX%7cEN%7cCA%7cX%7cAways-On%7cX%7cX%7cGeneric_Product_Investment:resp&WT.srch=1&ef_id=Cj0KCQiAgribBhDkARIsAASA5bsWKUMn8bfVlSOz8TFO4-LablBLb0oZhk-mkrxnZTgGI_c5_0u8jJUaAg_5EALw_wcB:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!13660!3!476093472664!e!!g!!resp&gclid=Cj0KCQiAgribBhDkARIsAASA5bsWKUMn8bfVlSOz8TFO4-LablBLb0oZhk-mkrxnZTgGI_c5_0u8jJUaAg_5EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
7. Apply for as much benefits as you can get please. Don't bleed the society but if you are struggling. Ask for help. There are always government programs out there to help especially for families with kids.
8. Lastly don't paint Nigeria as a bad country to your kids. Let them learn the good values the country teaches. Small time i have spent in parks. The kids can swear for Africa and it is almost all of them. We get bad kids for naija, but for the posh area I stay . I expected better language and manners. Also social vices are very rife. Smoking , drugs, partying amongst teenagers and whatnot. Omoh the amount of cigarettes butts i saw in the span of 1 week i didn't see it in my 30 plus years staying in the most ghettoish parts of most Nigerian cities. So you need to wear that toga of an African parent and try as much as possible to be friends with your kids so they can tell you everything that goes on in their lives. Especially the teenagers.
Let them learn their local languages. Speak it with them. A lot of kids of immigrants lose their identities and end up depressed abi confused because they are caught up in two different worlds. One where the customs of their parents is different from where they now call home; whilst where they call home might not be as accepting of them as the "natural born" kids here. I see a lot and I am speaking from experience. The kids i have seen that are well adjusted are ones where their Nigerian roots seem a lot intact. Caveat not saying others aren't. But it's hsrd when a child tries to assimilate a culture that's different and can't draw inspiration from their closest loved ones but strangers.
The most traumatic time of my life was when we moved to a different region in Nigeria when i was in Primary 6. I was the only different kid who couldn't speak the local language well. I had a different accent. And it was hell making friends. The kids gave me names and i only had one or two friends. I dreaded going to school because i was just different. Now imagine the scales of differences here and the challenges your kid MIGHT likely face? They might be the only black kids in their entire class or even school if you move into more remote areas. So you need to be closer to them and support them. This is where fathers also need to play active roles. Takes a lot of parenting to support kids moving to a new society to settle in well. On the face value you might think they are settled but some deep structural issues don't crop up until later in life. So please be listening, engaging and support them.
I hope i tried a bit.. I don't have it all figured out yet. But we learn as we go. 3 Likes |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by KRTL: 9:35am On Nov 12, 2022 |
Are these applicable to International students who are travelling with kids or just PRs..? Thank you throwaway123: All these bring iru bring garri no be the koko.
Would share some bit of not personal and personal experience.
1. Budget well for housing. Houses are fucking expensive for families. As a single person you can pair up and share bunks and pay $800 but with a family? You need a proper house. A single 1 bedroom goes for at least $1800 CAD in Ontario and British Columbia.
You might be lucky to get something cheaper in Alberta or Winnipeg but even there you would have to budget at least $1300 per month. Also note that Landlords won't just rent you anything anyhow. If you are a family of four. Minimum you can take is a 2 bedroom. Also if the kids are teenagers of different sexes please note you might be required to get individual rooms for them .so factor all these in your budget . Housing is one of the biggest headache. With what the Landlords went through during the pandemic. A lot are asking for minimum 4 months or even 6months rent. It can be worse if you landed and have no job or credit history with kids. Omoh. You go hear am. More reason sometimes it is better for one of the primary applicant land first and see what's happening before you bundle the battalions down. You don't want to spending your Nigerian earned naira money here. I can guarantee you, two months and your mutli year savings from Nigeria is gone.
2. For parents with kids who are much younger and need a minder, nanny, daycare or what not. Getting placement in daycares is a fucking nightmare. Some daycares have waiting list of 100 families. Heck even oyinbo people here start joining the wait list for daycares once they are pregnant. So they can get ahead and get a placement immediately they give birth and start daycare once they are ready to return back to work. Same applies to to elementary schools . You have to apply for placement.
Fees for daycare is like $35 per day in most provinces. Your province might provide subsidies if both parents are working.
When you land. To cut your spendings and not pay for daycare at least for a start or pending when you find a placement. Parents might need to alternate their working hours. Maybe wife works nights, husband mornings so someone is always home. Or for those guys wey no sabi look after kids(sorry is your case) . You might need to take up two jobs because sadly a single income cannot cater for the needs of most families here after dem knack you taxes , EI, CPP.
3. Government offers child care grants per child. You might receive as much as $700 monthly per child depending on Province. You need to file this immediately you land and have all the documents required. Takes about 6weeks for the Canadian Revenue Agency to get back to you with a cheque. The amount would reduce depending on your income the next time they compute your yearly taxes.
4. Toddler foods can be a problem. All those Nutribon, Golden Moore no dey here and kids might really not like the substitutes around. Also buying from African stores is expensive. N1600 Golden moore 800g goes for like $24. That's about 12k and would advise you pack plenty of these when coming if you have toddlers.
5.. There are always parks and playgrounds around most areas but need adult supervision. Kids do well with the cold, but I would advise you pack along drugs for kids. Heck there is a crises were Tylenol for kids (paracetamol) and Advil(pain relief, cold, catarrh drugs) are almost not on any shelves in Canada. There's scarcity. So pack Cough syrup, kids paracetamol plenty. Infact if you can pack 5carton.. carry am.
6. What else am I missing? RESP? That's too complex to talk about here. You would get an handle once you land and start earning. It's a targetted education savings plans towards your kids colleges. Elementary and high school is free in public institutions but colleges and universities are fucking expensive. So parents open interest free savings accounts for each kids and government might even match a certain level of amount towards paying for your kids university education. See below link for a summary.
https://www.sunlife.ca/en/offer/resp/?WT.mc_id=en-ca:sem:paid:Google:national:X%7cSLF_NAT%7cPGS%7cGNR%7cEX%7cEN%7cCA%7cX%7cAways-On%7cX%7cX%7cGeneric_Product_Investment:resp&WT.srch=1&ef_id=Cj0KCQiAgribBhDkARIsAASA5bsWKUMn8bfVlSOz8TFO4-LablBLb0oZhk-mkrxnZTgGI_c5_0u8jJUaAg_5EALw_wcB:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!13660!3!476093472664!e!!g!!resp&gclid=Cj0KCQiAgribBhDkARIsAASA5bsWKUMn8bfVlSOz8TFO4-LablBLb0oZhk-mkrxnZTgGI_c5_0u8jJUaAg_5EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
7. Apply for as much benefits as you can get please. Don't bleed the society but if you are struggling. Ask for help. There are always government programs out there to help especially for families with kids.
8. Lastly don't paint Nigeria as a bad country to your kids. Let them learn the good values the country teaches. Small time i have spent in parks. The kids can swear for Africa and it is almost all of them. We get bad kids for naija, but for the posh area I stay . I expected better language and manners. Also social vices are very rife. Smoking , drugs, partying amongst teenagers and whatnot. Omoh the amount of cigarettes butts i saw in the span of 1 week i didn't see it in my 30 plus years staying in the most ghettoish parts of most Nigerian cities. So you need to wear that toga of an African parent and try as much as possible to be friends with your kids so they can tell you everything that goes on in their lives. Especially the teenagers.
Let them learn their local languages. Speak it with them. A lot of kids of immigrants lose their identities and end up depressed abi confused because they are caught up in two different worlds. One where the customs of their parents is different from where they now call home; whilst where they call home might not be as accepting of them as the "natural born" kids here. I see a lot and I am speaking from experience. The kids i have seen that are well adjusted are ones where their Nigerian roots seem a lot intact. Caveat not saying others aren't. But it's hsrd when a child tries to assimilate a culture that's different and can't draw inspiration from their closest loved ones but strangers.
The most traumatic time of my life was when we moved to a different region in Nigeria when i was in Primary 6. I was the only different kid who couldn't speak the local language well. I had a different accent. And it was hell making friends. The kids gave me names and i only had one or two friends. I dreaded going to school because i was just different. Now imagine the scales of differences here and the challenges your kid MIGHT likely face? They might be the only black kids in their entire class or even school if you move into more remote areas. So you need to be closer to them and support them. This is where fathers also need to play active roles. Takes a lot of parenting to support kids moving to a new society to settle in well. On the face value you might think they are settled but some deep structural issues don't crop up until later in life. So please be listening, engaging and support them.
I hope i tried a bit.. I don't have it all figured out yet. But we learn as we go. 2 Likes |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by Honeysweetest(f): 12:04pm On Nov 12, 2022 |
KRTL: Are these applicable to International students who are travelling with kids or just PRs..? Thank you nawa oo, yes naa. Hian |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by Profgordons(m): 4:55pm On Nov 12, 2022 |
Creativebelle: Wow wow..this is an eye opener..thanks for this..Housing tho..God will help us ooo lol.. Some mothers are going alone with the kids..God will see everyone through.. thank you When I discussed with my spouse on she leaving for her studies alone without the kids, the conversation didn’t go well. It did come with many nights of crying, but today she is glad she didn’t travel with them. She for hear am and our pockets too. Also it is not so much of an advantage as long as the kids have their visas approved. My advice would be that you leave them if you have a trusted family member then return to pick them when things are settled. Kids do just fine without you! 3 Likes |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by KRTL: 6:50pm On Nov 12, 2022 |
What's wrong with my question? IF you read through you will see where he/she wrote about Government grants,day care subsidy and other sensitive issues...I need to be sure if its not only Applicable to PRs/Citizen as most times Intl student are exempted I do not think I have asked too much. Honeysweetest: nawa oo, yes naa. Hian 1 Like |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by KRTL: 6:52pm On Nov 12, 2022 |
You are right but some kids are toddlers..the older kids can cope but the toddlers.. This journey is not for the faint hearted ooo. Profgordons:
When I discussed with my spouse on she leaving for her studies alone without the kids, the conversation didn’t go well. It did come with many nights of crying, but today she is glad she didn’t travel with them. She for hear am and our pockets too. Also it is not so much of an advantage as long as the kids have their visas approved. My advice would be that you leave them if you have a trusted family member then return to pick them when things are settled. Kids do just fine without you! |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by throwaway123: 6:55pm On Nov 12, 2022 |
Creativebelle: Wow wow..this is an eye opener..thanks for this..Housing tho..God will help us ooo lol.. Some mothers are going alone with the kids..God will see everyone through.. thank you The lord is your strength. How old are these kids? |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by KRTL: 7:28pm On Nov 12, 2022 |
throwaway123:
The lord is your strength. How old are these kids? |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by Creativebelle: 7:30pm On Nov 12, 2022 |
Got friends who's kids are 2,4,5 range throwaway123:
The lord is your strength. How old are these kids? |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by Creativebelle: 7:31pm On Nov 12, 2022 |
Really! How old are the kids? Profgordons:
When I discussed with my spouse on she leaving for her studies alone without the kids, the conversation didn’t go well. It did come with many nights of crying, but today she is glad she didn’t travel with them. She for hear am and our pockets too. Also it is not so much of an advantage as long as the kids have their visas approved. My advice would be that you leave them if you have a trusted family member then return to pick them when things are settled. Kids do just fine without you! |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by throwaway123: 7:42pm On Nov 12, 2022 |
KRTL: . You don't get child care benefits until you have lived for 18months if you are an international student. All other things apply. But i honestly do not know how you intend to combine studies, payment of fees, child care for the 2 year old while you are in school especially when you are the only one here. Maybe for the 5 year old i can understand. But the 2 year old? Hmm. Guess you would have funds coming in from Naija. You know your circumstances, so you are a better judge of your situation. I would rather drop the 2 year old till much later maybe after 3 months when you have settled in well. Except you have a family friend you would be staying with here that would help you with the burden in the first few months. You should also check around your school to see what facilities they offer for mothers. Also start looking for child care centers around the school area and start sending emails and enquiries . Not impossible to do but it would be hell of an effort if you pulled this off. |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by Honeysweetest(f): 8:43pm On Nov 12, 2022 |
KRTL: What's wrong with my question? IF you read through you will see where he/she wrote about Government grants,day care subsidy and other sensitive issues...I need to be sure if its not only Applicable to PRs/Citizen as most times Intl student are exempted I do not think I have asked too much. Lol! Nothing dear,the writer wrote many things, so you were not specific,seem you are asking if all she wrote apply to you. |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by Creativebelle: 8:47pm On Nov 12, 2022 |
Yea,on this journey everyone's circumstances, background etc is different. For the daycare, most people already have their child on waitlist from Nigeria cos majority submitted it for their child's application. PEOPLE coming in should be prepared financially at least for the first few months.. Leaving a two year old may be hard for some people..Well everyone knows their strengths and weaknesses.. throwaway123:
You don't get child care benefits until you have lived for 18months if you are an international student.
All other things apply. But i honestly do not know how you intend to combine studies, payment of fees, child care for the 2 year old while you are in school especially when you are the only one here. Maybe for the 5 year old i can understand. But the 2 year old? Hmm. Guess you would have funds coming in from Naija.
You know your circumstances, so you are a better judge of your situation. I would rather drop the 2 year old till much later maybe after 3 months when you have settled in well. Except you have a family friend you would be staying with here that would help you with the burden in the first few months. You should also check around your school to see what facilities they offer for mothers. Also start looking for child care centers around the school area and start sending emails and enquiries . Not impossible to do but it would be hell of an effort if you pulled this off. |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by jasperonyx: 10:10pm On Nov 12, 2022 |
I know life happens,but I have decided that by the grace of God, I will not embark on any journey without my husband and kids,adding my husband to this application, brought down my point,but I hold on to God. I know my strength and my weakness. I rather abandon this than leave any of them behind. God will grant my heart desires 2 Likes |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by aestake: 10:30pm On Nov 12, 2022 |
jasperonyx: I know life happens,but I have decided that by the grace of God, I will not embark on any journey without my husband and kids,adding my husband to this application, brought down my point,but I hold on to God. I know my strength and my weakness. I rather abandon this than leave any of them behind. God will grant my heart desires If you have to move, move and he tags along after. Again, I heard folks can add their spouses after PPR. |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by jasperonyx: 11:42pm On Nov 12, 2022 |
aestake:
If you have to move, move and he tags along after. Again, I heard folks can add their spouses after PPR. I know aestake. I have two kids, here in Nigeria,it is difficult doing things here without help, although he is around,I don't want to imagine how I will cope without him. Loll, I just hope this works for me,so that we leave together. |
Re: Parenting In Canada...lets Connect !!!! by Profgordons(m): 12:01am On Nov 13, 2022 |
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