Parents and children gather at the family centre

At the family centre’s open activities, everyone with young children is welcome to spend time with their kids, but also to meet other adults and make new connections. For parents on parental leave, these visits quickly become the highlight of the week!

At the Kärnan Family Centre in Skövde, there’s plenty of activity! It’s just after ten o’clock and the singing session for children up to 18 months is underway. On the round mat sit around twenty adults with their children. One of them is Victor Röxner, who is there with his daughter Eveline.

“It’s so great that this meeting place exists! You can tell she’s getting to know the other children, and she even knows the gestures to the songs during the sing-along, even though she can’t talk yet.”

Victor has been on parental leave for a couple of months, and for him the family centre is an important meeting place. He is originally from Kristianstad and moved to Skövde in his early twenties to play handball. After a few years in Gothenburg, he and his wife are back in Skövde, which is her hometown.

“We don’t just come here for Eveline’s sake—it's also nice for me to meet other adults. Time can pass a bit slowly when it’s just the two of us at home, so it’s great to be able to come here,” says Victor.

An open and welcoming meeting place

According to Maria Ström, who works at the family centre, this—meeting others—is exactly the purpose of their open sessions.

“Our goal is for the children to interact with other children and for parents to talk to other parents—and of course for the children to have a cosy time together with their adults!”

Maria and Pia Kallberg are working during the morning session. In addition, child health nurse Elisabeth Svantesson joins to have coffee with the families when the singing session is over. Elisabeth leads the majority of all parent groups in the municipality.

“All first-time parents are invited to the child health service’s parent groups. There, they meet others who have had children at the same time and talk about their babies and the changes their families are going through. Everyone in the groups is also offered infant CPR and baby massage. When the children get a bit older, they start coming here to the open sessions. I recognise all the children and parents who are here today.”

Maria, Pia, and Elisabeth are present in the space throughout opening hours. The family centre also has a parental counsellor, Heidi, and any parent who wants a private conversation can have one. But most are simply there to spend time together.

“For me, it’s important to come here and meet other parents on leave.”

This morning, members of one of Elisabeth’s previous parent groups have arranged to meet at the family centre. Johanna Lindmark and her daughter Lovis are among those who have come to catch up with the group they’ve been close to since the babies were newborn.

“It’s so uncomplicated to meet here! You don’t have to plan much, and you don’t have to clean and prepare at home,” Johanna laughs.

Johanna is on parental leave from her internship at Skaraborg Hospital. She and her partner moved to Skövde when she got her position, and the plan was to move back to Gothenburg afterwards. But priorities change—now Lovis has arrived, and the couple has instead bought a townhouse in Skövde.

“I’m from Lidköping but don’t know anyone in Skövde except the people I’ve met through work. For me, it’s important to come here and meet other parents on leave. It’s so easy to come here and just spend some time. I can tell Lovis gets tired too—she always has a good nap once we get home!”

Norah Carmbrandt and her eight month old son Elwin agree that the family centre’s gatherings are just as important for adults as for children.

“He thinks it’s fun to watch the other children and gets lots of stimulation. For me, it’s nice to get out of the house and talk to other adults for a while. We live a bit outside town, so it’s not easy to meet children the same age or other adults in the same situation—here it’s easy to meet and talk!”

The clock is approaching eleven. The singing session ended long ago, and both children and adults have had time to enjoy coffee and play. Parents and children—many of them yawning widely—make their way into the hallway to put on their outdoor clothes and head home. Elisabeth retreats to another room to prepare for the afternoon’s baby massage session, while Maria and Pia sit on the floor talking with the children and parents who are lingering.

Just an ordinary Tuesday with children and parents on leave in Skaraborg.