Member Courses

Family Language Planning consultations are designed for families whose children live with two or more languages. They aim to support each family in ensuring the successful bi-/multilingual development of their children by creating a language environment that is conducive to success and comfortable for everyone.

The product of each in-depth Family Language Planning consultation is a Family Language Plan. The process of creating it helps parents consider their options, formulate their priorities, and determine which steps to take to reach their objectives.  Creating a Family Language Plan includes goal setting, mapping out where the input in each language will come from (in terms of people and time), how fluency and literacy will be approached in each language and, last but not least, how challenges will be dealt with.

Maria Potvin and Daphne Vlachojannis are fully trained Family Language Consultants at On Raising Bilingual Children. They were both faced with the same challenges as the multilingual families they are now offering their support to.

Cost for a 30-minute Targeted Consultation: 50 euros

Cost for a 3-part Family Language Planning package (consisting of two in-depth consultation sessions of 90 and 60 minutes plus a written Family Language Plan): 230 euros

For more information, please visit onraisingbilingualchildren.com/services. To request a consultation, please use the contact form at onraisingbilingualchildren.com/contact.

Mondays, 19h - 21h.  Next course: November 7, 21 & 28

2023:  23 & 30 January & 6 February

Saturdays, 9-10 am
Online

Our new fertility yoga class is for all women who are interested in taking a holistic approach to their fertility. In class you will learn different yoga positions and breathing techniques to decrease stress, regulate hormones and increase the blood flow to your reproductive organs. The class will end with a guided deep relaxation.

Kate Pink is a fertility expert and a qualified and experienced fertility, pre- and postnatal yoga teacher (who trained with Linda Spackmann in 2019).  She has a PhD from the University of Vienna in the field of evolutionary anthropology with a specialization in female fertility & reproduction.
Kate is the Coordinator of the BCT IVF Network which supports group members who have tried, are trying or are planning to try IVF or other assisted reproductive treatments.

Cost: 15€ per session. Participants sign up for 4 weeks.

To register or for any questions that you might have: Please contact Kate at info@growingwithkate.com or +43 676 9041436. Places are limited therefore please register in advance (First come, first served).

Wednesdays, 10 - 11 h.  Next course: November 9, 16, 23, 30 & December 7 

For: caregivers and infants - newborn to pre-crawling

Massage can help bonding, break down barriers, soothe the mind and body.

This course of 5 classes of 60 minutes is fun and relaxed and open to all caregivers. We will progress to learn to massage the whole baby. It is a baby led course - we respect the wish of the baby. If your baby does not wish to be massaged, then you can participate and learn the strokes to then use later.

The course is facilitated by Joanne Fraser, who is a trained instructor of Infant Massage and has practised in the UK, Switzerland and Belgium over the last 14 years.

Cost: 100€ for a course of 5 sessions.
Places are limited so booking is essential. Minimum number of participants per class: 4. To register, please contact Joanne at joannefraser_home@hotmail.com

Fridays,  November 11, 25, December 2, 9, 16, 30, January 6, 20.

12.00-1.30pm via Zoom

Parenting with Positive Discipline helps children develop self-discipline and problem-solving skills, become more responsible and cooperative, and have greater respect for themselves and others. The teachings of Positive Discipline are filled with non-punitive and non-permissive methods that will build relationships and keep the lines of communication open.

This course is designed for families with children up to the age of 10. It allows parents and caregivers to go through the process of changing how they look at misbehaviour and their role as parents. Parents learn many of the Positive Discipline tools through experiential learning experiences.
The course will be run by Aiste Grubliauskiene, a Psychologist, who graduated from Vilnius University, Lithuania and has a Doctor’s degree from Leuven University, Belgium.  Aiste consults children and their families in Tervuren.

Cost for 8 one and a half hour classes: 240 euros (340 euros for a couple).

For more information or to register (indicating the age of your child/ren), please contact Aiste at aiste@happyduckling.org or +32 4 74 06 50 06.

Sundays, 4pm @ Bois de la Cambre* - UNTIL 6 November. After that, depending on the weather, we will see if we can continue walking during winter.  If you would like to join us spontaneously, please contact Sirka for a free trial!  

*There may also be the possibility of offering a Nordic Walking group in Tervuren Park. If you are interested, please contact Sirka without obligation at info@prae-vita.com. We will then see which day and time would suit best for the group.

For whom? Everybody, especially parents with their babies and mums-(and dads)-to-be. It burns twice as many calories as ordinary walking and is ideal and gentle during and after pregnancy. It is low impact and gentle on joints, great for strengthening & toning the abdominals and the whole body and fantastic for improving and maintaining your cardiovascular fitness. Exercising outdoors is guaranteed to boost your emotional, mental and physical well-being and it’s sociable and fun too!

What are the benefits for the mums-to-be? Nordic Walking assists with the changing centre of balance during pregnancy and is ideal for easing lower back pain during pregnancy.

What are the benefits for new mums? It’s great for getting back into exercise after having a baby. There is no need to book a babysitter either – you can take your baby with you in a carrier or baby sling! You will enjoy plenty of fresh air and, while you get a good workout, your baby will love the rhythm of walking and sleep soundly throughout! What will participants do?

4 x 60 minute sessions are recommended to learn the safe and effective Nordic Walking technique, with each session starting with a warm-up and ending with gentle stretching. Learning the correct technique with a qualified instructor makes all the difference and enables you to get the most out of this total body workout.

Please note: As with any new exercise regime, please get approval from your doctor or midwife before starting Nordic Walking.

Equipment needed: A pair of trainers or flexible-soled walking shoes and comfortable seasonal clothing are all you need. Poles will be provided, if you do not have your own. You don’t need any specialist baby equipment – just a normal baby carrier or a sling. It is advisable to practice carrying your baby in a sling or carrier prior to beginning Nordic Walking. When your baby is still small you will carry the baby in front. As soon as your baby can safely hold up his/her own head, you can carry the baby on your back, if preferred. This way you both have a better view; your baby can see a lot more of his/her surroundings and you will have unrestricted sight of the ground in front of your feet. Your baby will be able to enjoy sharing your body warmth. But as he/she is still a little too young to join in fully, his/her extremities will cool down rapidly, so wrapping up warm is of utmost importance, especially when it is cold outside.

Cost:
- for the 8 week beginners course: 90€ or bringing your own poles: 76€.
- for the 4 week beginners course: 54€ or bringing your own poles: 40€.

For more information or to register (first come first served), please contact Sirka at info@prae-vita.com or +49 176 34 51 61 25. Places are limited to 9, so booking is essential.

Safe and soft prenatal gym classes

Classes are given by Sirka Ginsel, who is a qualified and experienced sports and health scientist, trained to teach prenatal & postnatal exercises.

For more information and to register: Please contact Sirka at info@prae-vita.com or + 49 176 34 51 61 25. Places are limited so that we can really work together effectively and safely. Please register in advance (first come first serve).

Online via Zoom

Thursdays, 10.30 am, starting 10 November (free trial) until 22 December.  

Safe and soft postnatal gym classes
Congratulations! You have just had a baby. What a life change, especially if it's your first baby. During early motherhood, doing some light physical and breathing exercises can help your body and mind in a positive way. It is not always easy to find time for yourself having a young baby but together we will find a way to meet everyone's needs - including yours!

For: Women who have just had a baby*, as long as they have their gynaecologist’s consent to perform soft gym. In group classes, exercises will be adapted to each participant’s needs.

How? We will do pelvic floor and light lower belly exercises - low impact and low-pressure fitness which, combined with breathing, do not put extra stress on your abdomen. We will also do muscle toning, light aerobic and strength exercises, working stability, flexibility & stretching, also for the hips, the pelvis, shoulders, back and legs.

Cost: 90€ for a course of 6 sessions.  Starting later is also possible (you can pay proportionately but please be aware that the classes build up.) If you are unable to attend a class, you will of course receive a recording of the video and can catch up on the session or repeat it as often as you wish.  You will also be invited to join a Whatsapp group, where you will find audio files, motivation and exchange.
*If early or later postnatal stage depends on the participants who are interested.

Classes are given by Sirka Ginsel, who is a qualified and experienced sports and health scientist, trained to teach prenatal & postnatal exercises.

For more information and to register: Please contact Sirka at info@prae-vita.com or + 49 176 34 51 61 25. Places are limited so that we can really work together effectively and safely. Please register in advance (first come first serve).

Online via Zoom and in-person @ Wezembeek-Oppem

Mondays, 10-11 am: Pilates + Low-Pressure Fitness (LPF)
Thursdays, 8-9 pm: Pilates + Legs, Bums & Tums + LPF (intermediate level)
Fridays, 10-11 am: Pilates + Legs, Bums & Tums

Open to everyone - dads & postnatal mums are welcome.

Fun, tailor-made classes with individual correction.

Do you wish to:

• Reduce stiffness on your joints?
• Enhance body awareness (flexion, extension & rotation);
• Improve your posture, balance & coordination;
• Avoid back-aches (upper, middle or lower back pain due to prolonged sitting or carrying your children);
• Work several muscle chains simultaneously;
• Feel relaxed & stretch after your workout;

Guided by Sandra, a qualified and experienced Stott Pilates instructor, you will learn how to

• strengthen your perineum & pelvic floor,
• reduce your waistline, tone your muscles,
• improve your breathing and sleep,
• avoid hernias & decrease urinary incontinence & prolapse,
• detect and massage your trigger points to release tension
• gain 1 extra hour of energy.

Sandra Gomez Wilches is qualified Stott Pilates instructor, expert in matwork and reformer, with 5 years of experience teaching all age groups from rehabilitation to professional sports people. As Sandra strongly believes that the mind, the emotions and body are linked, she insists on the importance of breathing to create body awareness and positive thinking to achieve one's goals. Sandra has also followed training on trigger points (how to find tender areas on your body and releasing tension) as well as Low Pressure Fitness (a repertoire of postural & breathing exercises which decreases intra-abdominal pressure using apneas. Its benefits are: improves capacity of breathing, creating recuperative sleep, strengthening & restoration of pelvic floor & perineum muscles as well as reducing your waist perimeter).

Cost: 180€ for 10 classes or 20 € for 1 class - The first session is a free trial for BCT members. Personal training & duos are also available on request.

Places are limited so booking is essential. Please contact Sandra at gomezwilchessandra@gmail.com or 0485 94 15 89.

Online via Zoom

An individual sleep consultation for BCT families with children between 0 and 4 years of age.

Johanna, postpartum doula specialised in infant and toddler sleep training, will explore your children's characters and the effect it has on their sleep.

Cost: 50€ per family.

To register or to ask questions, please contact Johanna at johannatillycoaching@gmail.com.

Coming up in 2023 @ the Clubhouse

In this workshop (for 16 years+), you will discover the Ornate Spine Binding, a unique bookbinding style created by Luis Marujo from Marujito Books (https://www.instagram.com/marujitobooks) , who gives workshops in Saint Gilles.
You will learn how to bind your own notebook, using one of the techniques that he developed, which allows you to embellish your notebook with an ornate pattern on its spine.   The result will be a beautiful addition to your bookshelves or a gift to be treasured for Christmas or any occasion.

Cost: 60 euros for the workshop.  All materials will be provided.

To register: please contact talks@bctbelgium.org 

Online via Zoom

Wednesdays, 21:20 - 22 h

A session to de-stress, relax and sleep well. Put your kids to bed and then put on comfortable clothes or even your pyjamas (cameras can be on or off) and find a quiet space for 30 minutes of relaxing stretching, breathing and soft yoga poses, followed by 10 minutes of guided relaxation, leaving you relaxed and ready for a good night's sleep.

Johanna is a yoga teacher specialised in yoga for relaxation, anxiety and stress management.

Cost: 10€ per session. Participants always sign up for 4 weeks (40€).

To register please contact Johanna at johanna.tilly89@gmail.com.