Who we are

A community where parents on campus can meet, share stories and information, and seek support.

 

Access and Equity Services (AES)

How this Affects Student-Parents

Access and Equity Services (AES) and includes “accommodation of students in all Human Rights equity groups, not just those with disabilities” (quote from an announcement email from Maxine Kinakin, Manager AES, November 17th, 2017). Access and Equity Services assists in accommodations for student-parents and pregnant students.  Email aes@usask.ca. More information can be found here.

Comfort Room

We are located in Thorvaldson 127.

The Comfort Room is a safe space for parents who might need a quiet place to breastfeed, pump, or take a few minutes away from busy campus life.

The Comfort Room provides a safe, clean space for parents and their children to use for breastfeeding, changing, feeding, relaxing, finding community, and more, the Comfort Room is available to all parents and caregivers on campus.

Email campus.parents@usask.ca for the door key code.

Comfort Room Amenities

  • Fridge with freezer, microwave, kettle, sink, dishes, cutlery, bottles, baby spoons
  • Couches, chairs, dining table and chairs, lamp, power outlets (with covers)
  • Toys, diapers (limited sizes), washing basin
  • Parenting books, magazines, other resources
  • A great environment to relax, spend time with children, and meet other parents on campus!

Prince Albert Comfort Room

Located on the Prince Albert campus, second floor of the new campus.

Contact Bonnie Kraska for details: 306-765-3878, bonnie.kraska@usask.ca.

Breastfeeding

Designated Locations on Campus

Breastfeeding is a human right and is acceptable in any place at any time. Bathrooms are not safe places to breastfeed, and more comfortable locations are available on the U of S campus. These designated locations allow for more privacy and reduced noise.

Breastfeeding locations map

Thorvaldson, Room 127
Access: Key pad access (contact for code)
Amenities: Fridge, microwave, kettle, sink, couches chairs, tables, lamp, power outlets, toys
Contact: campus.parents@usask.ca

Student Wellness Centre
Place Riel 3rd and 4th floors
Access: Ask at front desk (4th floor) for access to private space
Amenities: Comfortable seating, power outlet
Contact: Jocelyn Orb, 306-966-5773, jocelyn.orb@usask.ca

USSU Food Centre
Room 110, Upper Place Riel
Access: Confirm use of space with secretary at USSU front desk
Amenities: Chairs, fridge, power outlet
Contact: USSU Food Centre, 306-966-1792, food.centre@ussu.ca

Emmanuel & St. Chad 1337 College Dr.
Monday-Friday 9:00am-7:30pm
Ammenities: Chairs, fridge, power outlets
Contact: Administration, gsa.admn@usask.ca, 306-966-8471

Memorial Union Building, Room 105
*Area designated as breastfeeding/pumping friendly. Please contact for more information
Contact: Women's Centre, 306-966-6980, womens.centre@ussu.ca

*Area designated as breastfeeding/pumping friendly. Please contact for more information
Contact: Campus Daycare, 306-966-7807, campus.daycare@usask.ca

*Area designated as breastfeeding/pumping friendly. Please contact for more information
Contact: USSU Childcare Centre, 306-966-2483, childcare@ussu.ca

Amenities: comfortable seating, fridge, power outlet
Contact: Reception, 306-966-5081, gordonoakes.redbear@usask.ca

Prince Albert campus.
Contact Bonnie Kraska (307-765-3878, bonnie.kraska@usask.ca) for details.

Resources

Step 1: Search 'self declare' in the search field on PAWS.

 

Step 2: Select 'Student Self Declaration' in the search results.

Step 3: Click the 'Self Declare' button and answer a small set of questions.

Family health, nutrition, and childcare in Saskatoon.

The University of Saskatchewan provides resources and support for families and expecting parents. If you have any questions or seek support, consider contacting the groups listed below. If you aren't sure where to go, talk to Parents on Campus for advice and advocacy.

Need a break from school work and want something fun you can do with the whole family? Saskatoon has a variety of activities for families. Here are a couple of options, with all the details to get you started.

Meewasin Trail
This circuit of trails runs along the South Saskatchewan River, through the beautiful river valley. There are a few picnic areas, benches and water fountains along the trail to enjoy a picnic with your family, or just enjoy the view. It would give you and the family a chance to see Saskatoon’s beauty and enjoy some fresh air and exercise.

  • Ideal age: Everyone!
  • Hours: Always open
  • Cost: Free!
  • Location: Simply walk West on College Drive to reach the river trails

Children’s Discovery Museum
The Children’s Discovery Museum features hands on exhibits for children to play and learn at the same time. Children get to explore, create, learn and socialize with other kids. There are five different interactive exhibits for children to explore, and then teach you what they’ve learned! They also have events and presentations.

  • Ideal age: 12 and under
  • Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9:00 am – 6 pm
  • Cost: Children and adults $8 each, children under 1 free
  • Location: Market Mall, 2325 Preston Ave South

The Fun Factory

This facility features a giant play unit with slides, tunnels and more. It also has a ball pit, arcade games and a laser tag arena. There is a separate area for toddlers aged 1-3. Other local indoor play parks to check out: Flynn’s Forest in Sutherland and CJ’s in Warman.

  • Ideal age: 1-10
  • Hours: Monday 9 am – 6 pm, Tuesday – Thursday 9 am – 8 pm, Friday – Saturday 9 am – 9 pm, Sunday 9 am – 7 pm 
  • Cost: Prices have changed, please check with the Fun Factory
  • Location: 1633 Quebec Ave, Saskatoon

Public Leisure Centers
There are also several Public Leisure Centers throughout Saskatoon, with waterparks, skating rinks, and playgrounds. Leisure Center locations include:

Additional Resources

Written and Compiled by: Khadija Samoylove, Sarvenaz Esmaeelzadeh, Temitope Akintilebo, and Maryellen Gibson as a part of their PUBH 803 class.

Do you ever wonder; How does everyone get it all done? It can be so difficult to balance school work let alone juggle your academics with work and family life. Often contributors to effective time management are not radical and seem very simple, but when we are so busy, we overlook the most basic ways to help ourselves.

A few time management techniques include:

  • Do not fall into the multitasking trap. We often don’t create our best work when we are multitasking, but it can be difficult to focus on the task at hand, especially with fussy kids around! Do what you can to silence your phone and turn off your social media so you can focus.
  • Tackle your most difficult task first. We like to procrastinate our hardest work. Once we start though, we find it isn’t as bad as we thought and the feeling of accomplishment afterwards is even stronger!
  • Post it. Hang a family wall calendar to keep track of everything from PTA meetings to doctor visits to movie dates to exam schedules.
  • Take productive breaks. When you just can’t look at that paper anymore, take a break to clean up your work space or respond to emails. Finding small moments to get other tasks done not only can be refreshing, but helps your overall productivity.
  • Pause before saying YES. Know your limits and reserve your energy for things that matter the most to you. It can be difficult to tackle the feeling of obligation, but in the end, you need to do what is best for your mental health and wellbeing.
  • Know your resources. There are more supports on campus and beyond than we tend to know about. See what’s out there that can help you or you can tap into.

Remember that you need to take time to take care of yourself. Self-care is an important process that we all must do to decrease our stress, promote mental wellbeing, and increase our resistance to future stressors. Everyone has different ways of caring for themselves. Here’s a few ideas that you can try:

  • Yoga or exercising regularly releases built-up tension, in your body and emotionally. It also releases endorphins “happy hormones” for a natural high. This can mean going to the gym, taking a long walk, or having a dance party at home!
  • Take a long bath and have some alone time in your own space- maybe after the kids are asleep!
  • Try journaling. Even writing a few sentences a night can help release emotional build up before sleep.
  • Spend time with family in a non-stressful atmosphere. Rather than focusing on getting from point A to point B try having fun at a park, museum, or even on that walk to school.
  • Trying breathing for relaxation. Here's How:
1. Sit or stand in a relaxed position.
2. Slowly inhale through your nose, counting to five in your head.
3. Let the air out from your mouth, counting to eight in your head as it leaves your lungs. Repeat several times. That's it!
  • Laugh. Just laugh. Find something that makes you happy and laugh it out. Try stand-up comedy or cat videos. Just laughing for a few minutes every day can make you feel much happier.
  • Rethink how you think. What are your priorities? Why? Do you find room to celebrate small accomplishments? Do you strive for perfection when what you need is a happy balance?
  • Ask for help or to talk it out with someone. Remember you are not alone and you are not burdening anyone else when you talk to someone.

Written and Compiled by: Khadija Samoylove, Sarvenaz Esmaeelzadeh, Temitope Akintilebo, and Maryellen Gibson as a part of their PUBH 803 class.

Being a student comes with huge financial demands and having a family on top of that can be even more difficult to cope with. While bursaries, scholarships or a part time job can help to lessen the impact on finances for student parents, it can still be a very challenging situation. Here are 4 tips that can help you stay on top of your finances as a student parent!

4 Money Management Tips for Student Parents
  1. Create a budget for everything! – This may sound cliché because it is easily assumed that the only things you need to make a budget for are monthly expenses such as rent, groceries, bills etc. However, those daily cups of coffee or cans of sodas can add up so fast! A great way to stick to your budget is to use a budgeting app such as Mint® or Money Manager®. This can help you keep track of your finances and find areas where you need to cut back.
  2. Save on school books - Another money-saving tactic would be to buy used books from colleagues or from Amazon instead of buying new ones which can be expensive. You can also take advantage of eBook offerings or try selling your old, used books to make some extra cash.
  3. Automate your savings - It might be a bit difficult to save each month, but it will pay off in the long run. If you’re one who struggles to save a portion of your earnings, make the decision to automate your savings. Most banks can help you set this up and remember it doesn’t have to be big money!
  4. Swipe ONLY when necessary! - Swiping your credit card at the register is very easy and convenient and sometimes it’s easy to forget that equates to actual money. After you get your paycheck and allocate what needs to go to bills and other monthly payments, use cash for other areas of your budget. Handing a crisp twenty-dollar bill to the grocery store clerk might feel different to you than paying with plastic, but it will help you avoid overspending. Another useful tip is to take only the amount of cash you're happy to spend when socialising and no plastic cards!
Finally, before spending money on anything, ask yourself three questions: Do I really need it? Can I afford it? Can I get it cheaper elsewhere? If any one answer is no, then think again!
Written and Compiled by: Khadija Samoylove, Sarvenaz Esmaeelzadeh, Temitope Akintilebo, and Maryellen Gibson as a part of their PUBH 803 class.