If you just had a baby, do you know the correct way to install a car seat? What if you have toddlers: do you know when and what immunizations are required at every growing stage? And for children in preschool and kindergarten, are you up to speed on what's best to feed them?
These topics and others will be covered by the various health, community and educational agencies represented on Thursday at the 8th annual Tri-Cities' Healthy Kids' Fair, a one-stop shop at the Port Coquitlam recreation complex that tends to draw hundreds of parents and caregivers wanting to learn the latest when it comes to children's safety and development.
Among the 35 organizations that will have staff on hand to share information are Fraser Health, Simon Fraser Society for Community Living, Share, School District 43, the cities of Coquitlam and PoCo, YMCA, the Tri-Cities Early Childhood Development Committee, Coquitlam RCMP, PoCo Fire and Rescue, and BC's ministry of Children and Families, which is funding the gathering.
And for newcomers to Canada, SUCCESS will have interpreters who can speak Mandarin, Cantonese, Farsi and Korean to parents and childcare providers wanting to access the bevy of resources.
The fair is specifically geared for families with kids age six or younger "because we really feel like it's important to catch parents when they've got young children," said Susan Foster, the Tri-Cities' ECD community development co-ordinator. "It's not that it's not important after the kids turn seven, but the younger years are a critical time for development."
Foster said she and other childcare leaders are waiting for the release of the Census 2011 that show a more current breakdown of demographics in the region - such as the number of single parents per household - so agencies like hers can tailor their programs and services.
As for now, they rely on events like the Tri-Cities' Healthy Kids' Fair and other data to find out where the community needs are. Usually, about two-thirds of the attendees will be new to the fair while the rest have been to at least one in the past. "Most people take something away from it," Foster said. "But no matter how small, we are happy because we know it will improve a child's life."
The Tri-Cities' Healthy Kids' Fair is Thursday, April 19 in the Green Arena at the PoCo rec complex (2150 Wilson Ave.) from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For more information, call 604-927-7529. Admission is free; however, non-perishable items are being accepted for the Share food bank.
