’Ohana’ in Hawaiian culture means family — no one gets left behind, and no one is ever forgotten.
Family can take many forms but their key ingredient is that they provide us with a sense of belonging. As we in Ontario celebrate Family Day on February 16th, the Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Aid Society encourages everyone to take this opportunity to re-connect as family and strengthen the bonds that can sometimes get stretched as we go about our daily lives.
The importance of those family bonds can’t be underestimated and are essential to the well-being of children and youth. Throughout our work, our aim is to keep families together whenever possible, unless it means a child’s safety or well-being is at risk. In fact, the majority of families we work with have their children living at home.
Family can also extend to kin or to those individuals who have made a significant impact on a young person and in situations where children can’t be returned to their immediate family, kin can also provide that tangible link to loved ones.
The Society encourages everyone to take advantage of the opportunity that this upcoming Family Day provides to enjoy spending time together with loved ones and to remember that having a sense of belonging is vital to all of us.
