Have canoe: Will paddle
Although separation and divorce can be the most painful events a family may Children and break-up
ever experience, they may come as a wel- come relief after a pe- riod of tension and conflict in a troubled marriage. However, the period of adjustment is a painful one too. As a parent, you must deal not only with your own confusion and pain but also the confu-
Joanne Ledoux- Moshonas Canadian Mental Health Association
sion and pain of your children. You will also worry about what the break-up will mean for their futures, how they will cope, and if they will still love you. Research shows that children’s success in adjusting to separation and divorce depends very much on the success of their parents’ ad- justment. If you are coping well, they will cope well too. WHAT YOU CAN SAY? As their parent, you can say a number of things to your children to help them through this difficult time. These things need to be said to both very young children and to teenagers to help them get past feel- ings of guilt, insecurity and the fear of being abandoned. The separation is not their fault. Chil- dren of all ages often blame themselves for their parents’ separation. They feel that per- haps they caused the break-up of the family because they were “not good enough.” You must let them know that this is strictly an adult problem. You will always be their parents. Your children need to know that they are not los- ing the love and care of either parent. They need to know that neither of you is divorc- ing your children. WHAT YOU CAN DO? It will be important to do certain specific and practical things to help your children adjust to the break-up of the family. These are things you can do, both as the custodial parent (the parent living with the children) and the non-custodial parent (the parent living apart). Encourage and support your children’s relationship with your ex-spouse as well as yourself. Separation and divorce often cause intense, negative emotions between spouses. However, it is important not to criticize your ex-spouse or undermine his/ her authority. You and your ex-spouse should remember that, although you are no longer married, you will still be linked to- gether for many years as parents. You, therefore, still need to cooperate with each other to meet your children’s needs. Keep your children’s routines in place. Do your best to maintain their regular schedules, especially in the time immedi- ately after the separation. Keep your promises, be reliable. Your children will need to know they can rely on you. If you have promised to take them on a picnic next Saturday, make sure you do not let other things get in the way and any promise should be treated very seriously. Most children are able to cope with the separation and divorce of their parents and make good adjustments to their new family structure. However, if you are concerned that your children are having difficulty ad- justing, do not hesitate to get professional help for them. There are many excellent child psychiatrists, therapists and doctors specifically trained to assess and treat chil- dren.
VanLoon tops in Raisin River Canoe Race
2:34:34 41; 3 - Rob MacDougall, 3:09:11. 17-Foot Open: 1- Pierre Pinard, Elsa Jensen, 2:25:38; 2 - Mathieu Brouillet, Robert Brouillet, 03:06:28; 3 - Nicolas Lemarchand, Florent Servignat, 03:15:30. Mixed Rec: 1 - Emma Saaltink, Hendrik Saaltink, 2:43:13; 2 - Willy Suter, Lisa Suter, 2:49:31; 3 - Michael Conway, Meaghan MacDougall, 03:00:03. Women’s Rec: 1 - Denise Sauve, Valerie Parent, 2:31:10; 2 - Lynn Macneb, Karen Kingston, 3:06:37; 3 - Heidi Suter Sondra Lamothe.
Pierre Pinard and Elsa Jensen in the 17 Foot Open Class and Masters winners at 2:25:38, Peter Dobbs in the Kayaks Class at 2:27:14 and Denise Sauve and Valerie Par- ent with a time of 02:27:14 in the Women’s Rec class. The following are some of the top finish- ers from Sunday. Overall: 1 - Corey VanLoon, 2:16:19; 2 - Natalie Long, 02:21:47 35 ; 3 - Pierre Pinard, Elsa Jensen, 2:25:38 49. Masters: 1 -Pierre Pinard, Elsa Jensen, 2:25:38; 2 - Jean Paul Claude, Yvon Ranger,
By Greg Kielec
Pro Class contestant Corey VanLoon won a shortened Raisin River Canoe Race on Sunday. The race was launched from Delaney Road east of traditional St. Andrews start- ing point because of low water levels. VanLoon finished with a time of 2:16:19, a little more than five minutes faster than Natalie Long who finished with a time of 2:21:47 in the Kayaks Clas. Rounding out the top five finishers were
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