Families Gloucestershire September/October 2017 issue 40

FR E E

TAKE

ME H

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Gloucestershire IN THIS ISSUE

Bumper Education guide

Help your child to learn.

Halloween

Guidlines on trick or treating.

Plus creative fun.

Issue 40 September/October 2017

familiesonline.co.uk

Editor’s Letter Dear readers Autumn is here and its back to school.

Where did the Summer holidays go? The change in routine is a big shock after the long summer break - for us parents as well as for the kids !– and this leads to tiredness and the occasional tantrum, particularly among younger children. So you may find our feature in this issue on dealing with tantrums useful.

Children move up a class in September and this brings with it the difficulty of working to new and more challenging levels. We report on how you can help improve you children’s performance by working with them at home. And we have a handy guide for those of you worried about the etiquette of Halloween Trick-or-Treating, a key part of the Autumn calendar.

I love Autumn, for it brings with it those lovely changes in colour. Enjoy the season!

Diane Clifford. Editor 01684 770566 editor@familiesgloucestershire.co.uk Families Gloucestershire is part of Families Print Ltd, a franchise company. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under licence. Families is a registered trademark of LCMB Ltd, Remenham House, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5TD. The contents of Families Gloucestershire are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of Families Hereford & Worcester. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, but the franchise company, Families Print Ltd and Lifecycle Marketing cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any consequence thereof.

www.familiesonline.co.uk

Could you be the next editor of Families Gloucestershire ?

Would you like the flexibility of working from home and never miss a school performance or sports day again?

Are you interested in running your own business and would find the support offered by a franchise helpful?

Are you self-motivated and well organised?

You now have the opportunity to buy Families Gloucestershire Franchise – a business which is up and running, including established client base, readership and drop points.

No previous experience needed, training is available and you will have the support of the fantastic team at Families Magazine Ltd.

To find out more about running your own business around your family call 01684 770566 or email editor@familiesgloucestershire.co.uk 2

Families Gloucestershire

Head to Blenheim Palace this autumn and see the Park burst to life with colour whilst exploring the 2000-acre ‘Capability’ Brown landscaped Parkland. Enjoy the ‘finest view in England’ in all its autumnal glory and discover a landscape that is full of historical significance, and contributed to Blenheim Palace and Estate becoming a World Heritage Site in 1987. Autumn is the perfect time to experience Blenheim Palace, with a combination of guided tours and suggested walks available throughout the season as well as warming seasonal food and new exhibitions on offer. www.blenheimpalace.com

Parents Live Longer Having children could improve your chances of living longer, a new study has found. The research, from Sweden’s Karolinska Institute, used national registry data to analyse the mortality rates of nearly 1.5 million Swedes aged between 60 and 100. It found that those with children tended to live longer than those without. The study also found that men benefited more from being parents than women when it came to longevity, despite the fact that women had a longer average lifespan overall.

The researchers suggest that one reason for the findings could be that children are able to provide better care, emotional support and argue for better treatment for their aging parents.

Another factor could be that parents tend to live healthier lifestyles than those without children.

To advertise call: 01684 770566 or email: editor@familiesgloucestershire.co.uk

familiesonline.co.uk

News & Views

A Chance To Shine Those who enjoy acting, dancing and singing and feel confident performing on stage will be thrilled to hear that they have the chance to be involved in this year’s Sleeping Beauty performed at the Roses Theatre in Tewkesbury for the build-up to Christmas and through to the New Year.

Not only are The Roses on the lookout for chorus members, but there is also a search for two children to play Kitty the Palace Cat, which is a silent role.

The auditions are open for those aged between 8-16 years and it is recommend that they have achieved at least a Grade 2 in modern dance and/or ballet. The Roses encourage all who meet these requirements to come along to the audition at The Roses on Sunday 17 September at 10.30am. For more information contact Hayley on takepart@rosestheatre.org.

Award Winning Tuition: Explore Learning are offering all readers a free trial of their workshops at their centre in Cheltenham. To book a free trial call 030 3003 4006 and quote Families Gloucestershire magazine. www.explorelearning.co.uk

Kids Having Too Much Salt

Free Childcare at Rendcomb

Official guidelines have advised that children aged between 1 and 3 should have no more than 2g of salt per day.

The Day Nursery at Rendcomb College Junior School, which caters for boys and girls aged 3 upwards, will be providing 30 hours of free childcare for pre-schoolers from this September through the Government funded scheme. The scheme will also apply to children aged 4 in Reception Class.

According to new research by Kiddyum (of 2,000 parents of children aged 1-4), a staggering 84% of parents are not aware of how much salt their child should be having.

Rendcomb College’s Nursery is nestled within the Junior School and has its own courtyard garden and dining room which are specially equipped for young children. Children may join the Nursery in the term they turn 3-years-old.

The Government funded childcare and early years education requires parents to meet specific criteria such as working and each earning at least £120 a week (on average) and not more than £100,000 each a year. www.rendcombcollege.org.uk

Meanwhile, 64% of parents also said that they trust food that’s marketed for children to be low in salt, but unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

The research therefore highlighted the following shocking revelations: A portion of spaghetti hoops with two slices of toast can be 117% of a child’s daily amount of salt!

While out of six prepared savoury meals for children, half of them contained one third of a child’s daily allowance of salt, while one contained 99% of the maximum serving of salt.

Register for Wear A Hat Day 2018 and start planning your event!

Wear A Hat Day is the UK’s premier brain tumour research fundraising event. It takes place on Thursday 29 March 2018.

March is also UK Brain Tumour Awareness Month. Schools and families across the country get involved to help raise funds for research into brain tumors’.

Brain tumors kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer… yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease.

Families are being left devastated by this dreadful disease.

Taking part can be as simple as putting on a hat and donating on the day, but most families like to create entertaining fundraising events. Many schools for example have inventive hat competitions, parades and fashion shows and raise hundreds if not thousands of pounds.

Register now on www.wearahatday.org and start planning your hattastic fundraising event. Your fundraising pack will be sent out in early 2018. familiesonline.co.uk

To advertise call: 01684 770566 or email: editor@familiesgloucestershire.co.uk

3

Education

Succeed In Secondary School September brings with it a new class or even a move to a different school for your child. For some, this is a very exciting time; at Explore Learning we hear our students chatting away about moving to ‘big school’ and planning trips to buy new uniforms and stationery. For others, you can see they are a little more anxious. It’s important to talk to children about what they are excited about as well as what they are concerned about. Let them know that it is ok to be worried about change, but it’s also good to take on a new challenges.

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Their new teacher will have had information about your child from their previous teacher, however if there is something you feel is important that the teacher knows about your child, do ask for a quick chat.

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Moving schools or class can result in your child missing their friends. Ask them questions about new people they have met to encourage them to make new friends. Arrange to meet up with their old class mates outside of school so they can still see them.

At Explore Learning, we offer a course tailored to children in Year 6 to Year 9 called Succeed in Secondary which is specifically designed to help your family with the transition. We support children with the skills they need to excel in secondary school including debating, essay writing, delivering presentations, persuasive language, analysing and many more. Students get to grips with these skills though a whole range of topics including real life skills like budgeting and writing CVs. It’s the perfect course to help your child to fearlessly take on the challenge of secondary school.

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It’s really important to remember that if you don’t get your first choice of school, you can find out about your options.

Keep an open mind - and try not to show any concerns you have about a school to your child.

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Talk to families who already go there and arrange a visit to the school if you’ve not already been. You may find the school is the perfect place for your child. You can put your child’s name on the waiting list for the school you want to go to. This is no guarantee, but not everyone takes up the place they have been offered so you may get a place through the waiting list.

Explore Learning’s secondary top tips!

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Keep them organized! Get your child to check their timetable each night and pack everything they need for the next day - one less thing for them to worry about.

Book your FREE trial at your local centre in Cheltenham today.

Call 030 3003 4006 or online www.explorelearning.co.uk

We’re giving them the confidence to tackle the new school year fearlessly!

EducationInvestor

Awards 2016

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Families Gloucestershire

To advertise call: 01684 770566 or email: editor@familiesgloucestershire.co.uk

familiesonline.co.uk

How To Steer Through New Challenges Many children sail through the transition into a new class at the start of each school year, but for others it can be an anxious time. Here are a few tips to help you support your child through this transition: Acknowledge feelings:

It’s important that your child feels listened to, so rather than saying; ‘Don’t worry, it will be fine,’ let them know that you understand eg. ‘It’s a bit worrying when you have to get used to a new teacher isn’t it?’

Don’t feed their anxiety: That said, there is a fine line between sympathising with your child and ‘feeding’ their worry. Stay upbeat, if you are feeling anxious too try not to let it show.

Normalise: Tell your child that they are not alone, lots of other children will be a bit nervous as well, nerves are perfectly normal.

Be prepared: Talk through any worries that your child may have and make sure that they know what to do in certain situations.

If your child keeps asking questions don’t answer yourself, but get them to tell you the answer eg. ‘What did we say you would do if you forgot your PE kit?’ Get them to imagine themselves solving this problem.

Talk to the school:

Make sure the new teacher knows about it if your child is particularly anxious, and keep in touch with them in the early days of the new term.

And finally…

Give your child time to settle. You may find they regress in their behaviour at home during this settling in time, but if they feel secure and loved at home coping with new challenges will be gradually get easier.

Education

Gloucestershire Buckinghamshire CEM 11+ EXAM Mock Exams GROUP TUITION

• Year 5 and Year 4 - small group courses (supported by 1 to 1 tuition) • Groups run by professional tutor and published author, Philip McMahon • Our own high quality resources for tuition and homework • Saturday Sunday courses available and Tuesday Courses • Proven results

CEM STYLE TEST PAPERS FOR GLOS BUCKS 11+ EXAM Order our new test papers in conjunction with Letts Letts, the expert in revision and 11+ Tutoring Academy, have teamed up to provide pupils with resources for CEM • Completely new and up to date content • CEM style in their format and question types • Designed for practice at home Order our new test papers at collins.co.uk/letts11plus PRIVATE TUTORING COMPANY OF THE YEAR 2015 - FINALIST

www.11plustutoringacademy.co.uk 01242 221271 Twitter @11plustutoring

Book Now To Help Your Child With 11+ Parents wishing to help their children prepare for Gloucestershire’s 11+ examination are advised to register early for group courses for Year 5 students this month.

Courses are held in Charlton Kings, Cheltenham. They are run by a published author of very popular 11 Plus books who has many years experience of preparing hundreds of children for the 11 Plus.

Free trials are available any week. There is an option to switch course day if you are unable to attend a particular day.

By Jane Rogers – The Cambridge Parent Coach.

Find Jane’s books ‘How to encourage good behaviour so you can enjoy your children’ and ‘How to use positive discipline to improve your child’s behaviour’ on Amazon.

Follow The Cambridge Parent Coach on facebook: www.facebook.com/thecambridgeparentcoach/ familiesonline.co.uk

The courses have an excellent record supported by testimonials and teach over 100 children weekly. The courses include periodic progress tests, the opportunity to do mock exams and also provide guidance and feedback to parents.

Please contact Philip email:11plustutoringacademy@gmail.com or call 07734469495

To advertise call: 01684 770566 or email: editor@familiesgloucestershire.co.uk

5

Education

Ed’s Reading Room

SCHOOL OPEN DAYS

Hi book lovers everywhere! I’m Ed and here is my Autumn book selection for you to enjoy. Have fun reading!

Bredon School, Nr Tewkesbury Board and day co-ed ages 4 – 18 years Saturday 30 September 10.00am Contact 01684 293156 www.bredonschool.org

www.EdontheWeb.com

FOR AGES 5-7 YEARS

The Night Box by Louise Greig (Egmont £6.99)

Cheltenham College Prep School Board and day co-ed ages 3 – 13 years Fun Friday: Come and Play!

Friday 8 September Open Morning Saturday 30 September 10.30am Contact 01242 522 697 www.cheltenhamcollege.org Dean Close, Cheltenham Board and day co-ed ages 3 – 18 years Saturday 14 October 9.00am-11.00am Contact 01242 258079 www.deanclose.org.uk Gloucestershire International School Gloucester Saturday 30 September 10.00am 01452 764248 gloucestershireinternationalschool.co.uk

ED SAYS: “When Max turns the key in the Night Box, darkness swoops out and spills into the world. Thousands of stars begin to sparkle. Birds and animals that prefer the night come out to play. Meanwhile Max is tucked up in his soft, warm bed with his bear. Then when it is the turn of night to fall asleep, Max opens the box and out comes Day. It is time for a new song to begin.

“This is a wonderfully atmospheric story about the magic of night-time. The beautiful illustrations enhance the calmness and serenity of this enchanting tale.”

The No 1 Car Spotter Fights the Factory by Atinuke

ED SAYS: “No 1 gets his name from being the No 1 car spotter in his village or even in the whole of Africa. Although his village might not look very special, it is his family’s home and where they grow and catch their food. Good news comes that his father will be back from working in the city as a new factory is giving work to the locals. And the owner of the factory, to No 1’s delight, owns a Bugatti! But all is not what it seems. When problems start to arise, will No 1 be able to use his ingenuity to put things right?

“Here is the latest book about this fantastic character. It is brilliantly written and with its lively illustrations will entertain young readers from start to finish.”

Hopelands Preparatory School, Stonehouse Co-ed 2 – 11 years Friday 13 October 9.30am-12noon Contact 01453 822164 www.hopelands.org.uk Rendcomb College, Cirencester Board and day co-ed ages 3 – 18 years Saturday 7 October Contact 01285 831213 www.rendcombcollege.org.uk St Edward’s Prep School, Cheltenham Co-ed 2 – 11 years Saturday 23 September 10.00am Contact 01242 538900 www.stedwards.co.uk Westonbirt Prep School, Tetbury Co-ed Preparatory Day School & Nursery ages 3 – 11 years Saturday 7 October 9.00am-12noon Contact 01666 881375 www.westonbirt.org

(Walker £5.99)

FOR AGES 7 YEARS PLUS

Spy Toys: Out of Control by Mark Powers (Bloomsbury £5.99)

ED SAYS: “The Spy Toys are ready for their next mission. The secret code that controls all the Snaztacular Ultrafun toys has been stolen and toys everywhere are no longer playing nicely with the children who own them. It’s up to Dan, Arabella and Flax – also known as the Spy Toys – to get the code back and restore fair play in homes across the world. Who stole the top-secret information? And will the Spy Toys have the necessary courage to track down the evil mastermind in time?

“Here is the latest exciting adventure in this action-packed series.

The story with its super illustrations is great fun and very entertaining.”

Moonlocket by Peter Bunzl (Usborne £6.99) ED SAYS: “Darkness gathers in the lives of Lily and Robert when they find themselves part of the search for criminal mastermind Jack Door. Jack is an infamous escapologist and he has recently escaped from Pentonville Prison. He is determined to find the missing treasure known as the Moonlocket. Could something in Robert’s past hold the secret to the Moonlocket? Can Lily, Robert and their friend Malkin stay one step ahead of Jack? These are dangerous times for the young friends.

“This gripping adventure will have you on the edge of your seat.”

Wycliffe Nursery & Preparatory, School, Stonehouse Board and co-ed day ages 2 – 18 years Saturday 7 October 9.00am-12noon Contact 01453 820471 www.wycliffe.co.uk 6

Families Gloucestershire

Ed’s Reading Room is part of www.edontheweb.com, a DTI award-winning website. It was created by Maggie Humphreys, a teacher of more than 25 years, and Les Snowdon, who together are authors of several books on fitness walking and healthy eating. You can contact Maggie on 01753 730019 or by email at maggiehumphreys@aol.com. See Maggie’s latest ebooks at www.

WalkWalk.co.uk.

To advertise call: 01684 770566 or email: editor@familiesgloucestershire.co.uk

familiesonline.co.uk

Preparing For The 11 Plus

Education

retaining information. Some children are predominantly kinaesthetic learners, whereas others may be more visual or auditory, and some are read/write learners.

However, research has also shown that there are multiple factors involved in the learning process.

At KSOL, we understand the importance of providing engaging materials in a variety of ways to positively affect and advance a child’s progress.

Our award-winning personalised online programme is specially designed to aid retention in the learning process.

With daily personalised tests, our tutors target any weaker areas in key 11+ topics, build time management skills and encourage independent learning.

With the growing demand for Grammar and Independent school places in Gloucestershire, there is increasing demand to give children the edge in preparation for their 11 plus entrance exams. As a result, you may consider giving your child extra support at home.

What can KSOL do for you and your child?

We combine over 10 years of 11+ experience to create up-todate personalised online programmes which are monitored by a team of qualified and caring tutors.

When should I start my child’s 11+ preparation?

Our research shows that with the right guidance, children who start their preparation in Years 4 and 5 still have time to make progress in their studies. They can expand their key skills and identify any weaker areas, tackling them directly.

Our educational advisors are always available to offer you and your child additional support and guidance when you need it.

We ensure no stone is left unturned to help provide your child with the best 11+ education and you with the peace of mind that you’re on the right track.

How can KSOL help my child prepare?

Every child is unique and has a different way of absorbing and

See KSOL’s “Back to School” offers at www.ksol.co.uk or try a FREE week trial today. Call us today on 0121 733 6558.

The Ultimate Homework Guide Like it or not, homework is a necessary part of school life. So how can you make it run as smoothly as possible?

homework and the items required, e.g. a dictionary or ruler.

You might also have to clarify what a question means or provide support if they are stuck. But do remember it is their homework not yours!

Incorporate homework into a routine

How much is too much?

Helping your little one with their homework needn’t be difficult if you follow these three simple tips.

Many children benefit from having a set homework time they’re somewhat less likely to push back if it is just what happens at 5pm or whenever works for you both; consistency is key.

Most primary age children will get 30 to 60 minutes a week plus reading and perhaps spellings and times tables. If you think your child is being set too much, it’s definitely worth having a chat with their teacher.

Help yes, but don’t do it for them!

Liat Hughes Joshi is a parenting journalist and the author of four books including 'New Old-fashioned Parenting' and 'How to Unplug Your Child' (both published by Summersdale) and Raising Children: The Primary Years (Pearson).

As a parent your key role is to ensure that your child has somewhere comfortable and reasonably quiet to do their familiesonline.co.uk

To advertise call: 01684 770566 or email: editor@familiesgloucestershire.co.uk

7

Education

High Performance For All

By Wendy Berliner With the children back to school you could be forgiven for thinking you are handing them over to the professionals and your job is just to make sure they get enough good food, rest and enjoyment so that they flourish in class.

Perhaps you think your teaching job is limited to hearing the little ones read while you make sure the bigger ones do their homework. But it’s more than that. What parents do at home educationally can make the difference between whether their children succeed at school or not.

The latest research from education and neuroscience proves how malleable the brain is, how learning potential can grow, how IQ isn’t fixed – it can go up if you invest in it, and it can probably go down if you don’t. The truth is that with the right support at home, the vast majority of children could deliver performance at school more commonly associated with the gifted and talented.

In our new book Great Minds and How to Grow Them, Professor Deborah Eyre, a lifetime specialist in advanced learning, and myself, an education journalist who has taken a special interest in why some children from similar backgrounds do badly at school whilst others don’t, have looked at the research in detail and come up with guidance any parent can use at home, fitting it seamlessly and easily into normal daily life.

Cultivate confidence and resilience If a child thinks they can, they keep trying. It’s the ones that think they can’t who fall behind – the ones who say ‘I’m rubbish at this’. Don’t sort everything out for them – and that includes tying their shoelaces as much as it does doing their homework.

And model the behaviour, don’t give up too easily in your life.

Key words: How could you do this? Have you done anything similar before? What did you do then? ‘I know you can. I know it’s hard to do now but I know you can do this if you work at it.

Develop critical or logical thinking The ability to deduct, hypothesise, reason and seek evidence is probably the charac¬teristic most associated with success.

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Families Gloucestershire

Keywords: ‘Why do you think. . . (bread goes mouldy, babies cry, leaves fall when autumn comes, people disagree about climate change?)’ ‘I wonder if that happened because of this?’

‘How could I find out the truth about that?’

Encourage them to monitor their progress Very important to the high performer is knowing how they are doing, knowing they are on track with their homework for example, knowing they need to put more effort into improving certain things.

Key words: ‘What do you need to be able to do this? How can you check you’re on track? How can you tell whether you are doing it right?

Encourage open mindedness

Being open to new ideas is the hallmark of an advanced learner.

Start with being open minded yourself so you model what it’s like to be receptive of ideas that differ from your own.

Keywords: ‘That’s different to us, isn’t that interesting?’ ‘I never thought of it like that, but that is such a good approach.’

Practice It’s the only way to get good at something. Make sure it is regular and planned, working towards achievable incremental goals and practise what you can’t do until you can do it well. Key words: ‘You are really good at that now, what’s the next step up from (playing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star on your recorder, writing a story of 100 words/ swimming a width of the pool?)’.

Great Minds and How to Grow Them by Wendy Berliner and Deborah Eyre. For a 20% discount and free delivery of the book use webcode: GMGT230 on www.routledge.com.

Reader offer open until 31 December 2017.

To advertise call: 01684 770566 or email: editor@familiesgloucestershire.co.uk

familiesonline.co.uk

Education

How Children Learn New Things Every parent anticipates and remembers their little one’s first steps. All those baby milestones – rolling, sitting up, waving, crawling, talking – are eagerly aided and encouraged. But what happens when your child gets a little bit older? By Anna Wright “We talk about specific windows for learning some of those early skills, but every age is a window of opportunity for engaging children, showing an interest, exposing them to a wide variety of experiences,” says consultant clinical psychologist Emma Citron, who specialises in children and adolescents. “The approaches might change but children don’t stop needing that input once they reach school age.”

The science bit So what’s going on in there?

Learning any new skill means building connections between brain cells called neural pathways. Like branches on a tree – and fed by the information around them in numerous different ways – more advanced skills stem from the fundamentals already in place. Not everyone learns in the same way, so the neural pathways for mastering the same skills can take different routes. Similarly, circuits that aren’t used will weaken until eventually they no longer exist.

pieces? “A young child needs to be in a caring, stimulated environment, where you are making eye contact, playing, giving your attention and time, and being patient,” Emma points out.

The same applies when that child is attempting to master a new skill a few years down the line. And as parents we learn pretty quickly not to introduce anything new or challenging if it’s nap or feeding time. “That hasn’t changed. If your child has switched off because they’re tired, overloaded, working hard at school, they’re not going to be ripe for learning much of anything.”

Have fun!

Compare your time in the classroom with your children’s now, particularly at primary school, and we all recognise that professional teaching methods have changed dramatically.

“Gone are the days when you’d expect children to just ingest information,” Emma states. “It’s not all a top-down process. We know that most children learn best by being given the resources and space to work things out for themselves, with support there when it is wanted – not by being micromanaged by a so-called tiger parent!”

“Physically, emotionally, socially, in every way the development process is ongoing,” Emma emphasises. “Even a child of 9 or 10 would potentially need remedial parenting or therapy if for whatever reason they were suddenly not enabled to develop.”

“I don’t want to”

The brain circuits for the most critical activities, such as breathing, are already developed at birth. Those for the next wave of core skills – moving, eating and communicating – happen instinctively within roughly the same time frame for all babies because they are at some level essential for survival.

When it comes to later skills, whether it’s swimming, riding a bike, playing chess or singing, there is no inherent drive to learn so the motivation has to come from elsewhere.

“You still have a teaching role but it’s more complicated as children get older. You need to communicate effectively, listen and have mutual trust to find the approach that works for them,” says Emma. “But whatever suits their style of learning, the same basic dos and don’ts apply…”

Fail together Those neural pathways strengthen with use so practice really does make perfect. As beneficial as passing on your tips for the skills you do have and letting children see what can be achieved is showing that you’re not afraid to fail – and keep trying – when it’s something you can’t do. Make sure there are activities in the mix that are new to you, too – and if your child is sometimes the faster learner, they will gain confidence from that boost.

Be the best model

Children will still learn – whether you want them to or not – by copying you. Of course it’s more subtle than the baby mirroring your actions, and the circle of people they will emulate in some way gets larger as they get older.

“Do practise what you preach. It’s a very easy thing to say but one that many don’t actually do,” Emma warns. Don’t say you can’t without trying, don’t fall back on the same automatic excuses, don’t go in with a negative mindset or be overly selfcritical, but – most importantly – embrace and share a positive, open-minded, approach to everyday life.

The brain circuits children are forming are powered by everything they are experiencing around them. It is their senses Create the right environment – the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and sensations – and their feelings and emotions that release the neurotransmitters (the Remember how involved you were when your baby was trying chemicals in the brain) to ‘flick the switch’ on their new skills. to balance blocks in a tower or put together their first jigsaw familiesonline.co.uk

To advertise call: 01684 770566 or email: editor@familiesgloucestershire.co.uk

9

Halloween spirit Getting into the

Have some creative fun this half term with some simple activities

Trick or Treat Etiquette

By Justina Gapper

Custard monsters Layer broken-up chocolate brownie and custard into a short glass. Once filled to the top, use 2 mini marshmallows and chocolate buttons to create eyes.

If you and your children are going trick or treating for the first time, here are a few guidelines.

Floating ice hands All you need to make these creepy floating drink coolers are clean rubber gloves, water and a freezer! Secure the wrist of the glove tightly with an elastic band while the water freezes.

What age can children start?

There’s no minimum age! Many parents enjoy dressing up and venturing out with their toddlers, whilst others take babies along in prams with older siblings.

What are the rules?

Only approach homes that have a visible “invitation” – whether it’s a pumpkin, lantern or other Halloween decorations displayed.

Don’t knock if the lights are off and don’t knock more than once. Alternatively, you may decide to knock only on doors of friends and neighbours that you have pre-warned of the visit!

What if my children don’t like the treat?

Muddy worm puddings Make up a batch of chocolate Angel delight, and poke jelly worms out of the top as though they're coming out of the ground. Then sprinkle with grated chocolate to look like dirt!

Toilet roll characters!

Create these mummies and friendly bats out of toilet rolls, black paint and some bandage or toilet paper. Add googly eyes to finish the look!

Make sure your children are briefed to say “please” and “thank you” in addition to “trick or treat,” plus they should try to be appreciative of any treat they are given.

What’s the trick all about?

The word "trick" refers to the "threat" to perform mischief on the homeowners or their property if no treat is given. These days it is uncommon to have raw egg splattered over your driveway by pranksters, but it’s safest not to answer the door to raucous groups of older teenagers, or if you suspect your visitors are not well-intentioned.

If you are asked for a “trick,” what should you do?

One harmless but fun idea is to get the homeowner to close their eyes and put their hand in a witch’s hat or toy cauldron filled with a gooey mess or plastic spiders, rubbery worms and insects.

10 10 | Families Sussex Coast Magazine

Hand print spiders Cut out your handprints (cutting off the thumbs), overlap the lefts on top of the rights to create these spiders and hang them around the house with string. Make it a family activity to create spiders of all different sizes!

Get loads of cool craft ideas at mollymoocrafts.com familiesonline.co.uk familiesonline.co.uk

Clubs and Classes

Activities To Keep Them Happy Clubs and classes are a great way to continue your child's development, as well as allow them to have fun, get exercise, socialise with others, and take part in activities they might not have the chance to do at home. Here are just a few of the clubs and classes on offer.

Rugby Rugby isn't just for boys - it's for girls too. Rugby is a great way for children to have fun and get exercise while learning to work and function as part of a team. Your children can learn a wide variety of skills from the sport, including respect, winning and losing, and working together.

Drama Drama is always hugely popular with children and really helps younger people release their creative thoughts and let their imagination run wild. Always fun and engaging, it's also a great way to help children develop their own sense of self, confidence and self-esteem - even shy children love taking part. It can also be a great way to develop an interest in other forms of art.

Sports for ADHD ADHD can make it difficult for some children to engage in organised activities and team sports. Not all sports are well suited to children with ADHD traits, and not all coaches and supervisors are understanding about the difficulties associated with the condition. There are programs specifically designed for children with ADHD, using sports that are well suited to the different challenges posed by those with the condition.

Brownies and Cubs Joining the Brownies or Cubs is a great way to get your child to experience the outdoors and engage and socialise with others.

Studies have shown that scouting organisations help children with their mental health in later life, and with the huge range of activities on offer you'll be sure to get your children off to a good start.

Trampolining Trampolining is always popular among children, but it's also a great fun way to get exercise. Under supervision, and learning different moves on the trampoline, it can be the perfect way to get into gymnastics and other athletics too - as well as being healthy and fun in its own right.

Music Music classes will help your child to develop their artistic talents by exploring how to create music and learning an instrument. As well as the joys of music, it’s also a great way to learn other related abilities - like patience, discipline, and social and physical skills.

Baby and Toddler Physical Sensory Classes Great for very young children, this class allows you to explore a multi-sensory environment with your child, with organised activities in place for you to enjoy as well as the freedom to explore. In the play area, your child can benefit from physical activity, learn to make friends with others, and have plenty of fun while doing so.

Martial arts Martial arts are a great way to help develop confidence in children, as well as learning values like discipline and patience.

Teaching responsible self-defence helps to benefit children enormously, and it’s a great and fun way to get exercise too. familiesonline.co.uk

Award winning music classes for babies & young children CHELTENHAM & GLOUCESTER T: 07768 457403 E: cheltenham.gloucester@monkeymusic.co.uk

Saturday classes now open!

Book a Monkey Music FREE TRIAL CLASS. Call Sian Ferris on 07768 457403 or email cheltenham.gloucester@monkeymusic.co.uk

To advertise call: 01684 770566 or email: editor@familiesgloucestershire.co.uk

11

Health Headlice: An irritating problem How to cope with those nasty nits.

Headlice are every parent’s nightmare. How do you cope with headlice and can they be prevented?

What are headlice?

Headlice, also known as nits, are tiny insects that live in human hair and feed on blood. They are very small, so it’s no surprise they’re difficult to see.

The discarded egg cases are white and it’s often these, the ‘nits’, that you notice first, behind the ears.

Are they obvious?

They are tiny, so difficult to spot and although most children will have itching and the feeling of movement in their hair, others may have no idea.

Even if your child displays no symptoms, check regularly.

Coping With Tantrums When your child is in the middle of a tantrum, it can be very hard to stop yourself from joining in!

But do not fear! There is a solution to the tantrum episodes.

Ignorance is bliss You should respond to a tantrum, but not react. When a child is in a full blown screaming tantrum, they have exploded with emotions. Ride the tantrum wave.

Nothing you say will help - if anything, it will make the situation worse.

Keep calm and breathe Even though you may want to lay next to your child and kick and scream alongside them, if you bite your tongue and remain authoritative rather than stressed, then your child will be more likely to calm quicker. Patience is needed.

Distraction How to check

Your best friend is your nit comb.

A brilliant weapon in the parenting toolbox! Try and distract them before they When you wash your child’s hair, apply descend into utter madness. Use humour to distract tricky situations, such as silly plenty of conditioner and comb in songs or even tickles. sections, making sure you don’t miss any areas. Check the comb for small Recognise the signs black or brown dots - these are the The good ole saying "prevention is better than cure" is apparent here. Although we lice. Remove under a hot tap or into a can't always predict what will cause a tantrum, we can try and avoid it a second time cup of hot water. Even if you use a around, or be prepared for heightened emotions such as hunger and tiredness that lotion from the pharmacist, you should can lead to a tantrum. Why not make a note of the cause of the tantrum and hopefully still comb. try and avoid it next time?

What to treat the hair with A pharmacist can sell you a remedy; treat all family members and again after a couple of weeks to take care of eggs; lice have a 30-day life span. Some lotions are not suitable for the undertwos or for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Can I prevent them?

Whilst there is some evidence that they dislike tea tree oil and lavender, you can’t really prevent an infestation.

Headlice facts: • They can live under water for hours • They are passed from head to head • They are not a sign of being dirty – they prefer clean hair

The "calm corner" Admittedly you may want to sit in this corner yourself when you think it's too much to handle, but it's for the little ones! If your child is having a meltdown at home, create a quiet corner such as the bottom step of the stairs, or the corner of the hallway.

Whilst they are there, don't give them a lot of attention.

Do not give into ‘I want it all' One of the most common tantrums in the book. If your toddler is having a strop because you’re not allowing them to steal a toy off another toddler, or because of the chocolate you refused to give them... do not give in! If you do, they catch on very quickly that this means they get their way.

Compromise Tantrums are often caused by a feeling of "no control". Your toddler is desperate for a little control over their life, so try and keep the balance. Instead of saying "you need to hold my hand when crossing roads", say, "would you like to hold mummy/daddy's hand or the pram when crossing the road?” That way they think they're getting a choice, but you're still getting the desired outcome.

Praise the good • They do not only affect children, Reinforce *WITH THIS VOUCHER ONLY. VALID UNTIL and praise good behaviour. Try making a star chart, and if they hit a target of check your hair too starsACCEPTED in the week, give a reward. This helps your child realise there is a certain type of 30 SEPTEMBER 2017. PHOTOCOPIES NOT behaviour that leads to great results •AND TheyTHIS can not jump MAY ONLY BE USED ONCE. FAMGLOS VOUCHER 12

Families Gloucestershire

To advertise call: 01684 770566 or email: editor@familiesgloucestershire.co.uk

familiesonline.co.uk

Fostering

Can You Provide Care For Local Children?

At Gloucestershire County Council we are always looking for caring and secure homes for local children. There are many reasons why children come into foster care.

Sometimes they just need a family to stay with short term, while their own families weather a crisis. Other children may not be able to return to their birth families and need foster carers to care for them until they are independent.

We are particularly looking for families who can help brothers and sisters stay together or who would be interested in fostering older children and teenagers.

Birth children are always part of the process and often gain a great deal from the experience of fostering, as our case study shows.

In order to foster, your own children would need to be over two years old and you would need a spare room or rooms for siblings. We welcome applications from all sections of the community, to reflect the differing needs of children in care. You can be single, married, co-habiting (for at least two years) or in a same-sex relationship.

Share your family’s life Gloucestershire County Council needs foster carers for children of all ages, especially siblings and teenagers. If your children are over two years old and you

You will be paid weekly allowances to cover all costs, plus other fees and travel expenses. You’ll also receive support from a social worker and ongoing training to increase your skills and knowledge.

If you’d like to find out more, ring our friendly Fostering Recruitment Team or chat to us at one of the events advertised on our website.

GCC_1765 8.17

To see if fostering is for you, call us for an informal chat on 01242 532654 or complete the fostering enquiry form on our website and we’ll call you: www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/fostering.

have a spare room, we’d love to hear from you. In return you can expect excellent support, training and weekly allowances and fees.

01242 532654 www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/fostering Gloucestershire Fostering @FosteringGlos

Our friendly team also runs events throughout the year where you can come and speak to us face to face. A foster carer will be there to answer your questions. Like us on Facebook (Gloucestershire Fostering) or visit our website to find out the date of our next event in your area.

CASE STUDY Ruth and Martin have been fostering for over 13 years and have five children of their own who are 12, 18, 23, 25 and 27.

Their experiences of growing up in a fostering family have helped shape their lives and even their career choices.

Beth, who is 27, is a senior staff member in a children's residential home. She said, "Growing up with my parents fostering children was beneficial to me as I was able to help look after the younger children and be a big sister to them. It helped me understand that not everyone is able to be looked after in their own family and may need the help of another family to care for them. I believe that my career in residential children's care is familiesonline.co.uk

boosted by the knowledge and From left to right: Izzy, Ellie, Beth and Esme experiences I gained from being Izzy, who is 18 and at university, said, in a family that fosters.”

"Fostering has so many positive effects on my family life; not only does Ellie, who is 25 and a teaching assistant, welcoming children into our home bring said, "Fostering has had a positive effect with it a lot of smiles and fun times but on my life, helping me decide what I it gives our family a sense of purpose wanted to do as a career. and ultimately pride in the sense that we are helping others through simply being “I now work in a special needs school a loving supportive family." and do respite for families with special needs children. Fostering has given me many happy memories and I love that we Esme, who is 12 said, "I like taking the children shopping and fun places and also can give children a fresh start in life. I'm making new friends at Kids 4 Kids, the keen to become a foster carer myself in support group for birth children." the future."

To advertise call: 01684 770566 or email: editor@familiesgloucestershire.co.uk

13

What’s On

Please check with the venue in case details have changed and also please note that with some venues, it is cheaper to pay in advance on-line.

HALLOWE’EN AND HALF TERM ACTIVITIES BERKELEY CASTLE Berkeley, Gloucestershire GL13 9BQ 01453 810332 www.berkeley-castle.com 22 - 25 October. Witches and wizards, pumpkin carving, bat detecting, moth traps and owls in the Great Hall!

DEAN HERITAGE CENTRE MAGICLAND Soudley, Cinderford, Gloucestershire Meadow Road, Cirencester GL7 1YA GL14 2UB 01594 822 170 01285 885570 www.magicland.co.uk www.deanheritagecentre.com 23 October. Magic Shows.

The Gruffalo Woodland Trail. Wander 11.00am-11.20am; 12.00pm-12.20pm; with the famous mouse as he makes his 1.00pm-1.20pm; 2.00pm-2.20pm and journey through the woodland, meeting 3.00pm-3.20pm. the various animals along the way.

MUSEUM IN THE PARK

DYRHAM PARK Stratford Park, Stratford Road, Stroud Dyrham, near Bath, SN14 8ER GL5 4AF 01453 763394 (Sat Nav: SN14 8HY) 0117 937 2501 www.museuminthepark.org.uk CHEDWORTH ROMAN VILLA www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dyrham-park 29 October. Apple and Pumpkin Day. A Yanworth, Cheltenham, GL54 3LJ 23 27 October.

Hallowe’en witch’s community late harvest celebration day in 01242 890256 crafts.

Different Halloween themed crafts collaboration with Stroud Valleys Project. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ every weekday in the October half term.

Press your own apple juice, enjoy chedworth-roman-villa delicious apple cake, admire an exhibition 21 - 29 October. A fun children’s trail.

21 - 29 October: Hallowe’en witch trail. of heritage apples from Gloucestershire Every day there will be seasonal craft Search for the witch’s clues around the and more. In the evening, enjoy a magical activities. Trail free. Some activities at an park. Collect your spooky price from the pumpkin lantern trail. additional charge. 10.30am – 4.30pm. witch’s house, all trails £1.

CORINIUM MUSEUM Park Street, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 2BX 01285 655611 www. coriniummuseum.org 21 - 26 October. Family drop-ins and workshops. Holiday fun trails.

Booking required.

Gloucestershire Slingmeets GLOUCESTER AND CHELTENHAM SLING MEETS For times and venues please check www.facebook.com/ cheltenhamandgloucesterslinglibrary STROUD SLING MEETS Parliament Street Children’s Centre, Old Bisley Rd, Stroud

Gloucestershire Breastfeeding Supporters’ Network Support Groups All groups are free drop-in sessions. You don’t need to have a breastfeeding problem. Monday.

10.00 – 12.00 noon: MOBS in Dursley, Parish Room, St James the Great Church GL11 4JE Tuesday. 10.00 – 12 noon: BAPS, Hesters Way Children’s Centre, Dill Avenue,Cheltenham GL51 0ES Wednesday. 10.30 – 12.00 noon: BABES, Noah’s Ark Children’s Centre, York Road, Priors Park, Tewkesbury, GL20 5HU Thursday 9.30am – 11.30am: CRIBS, Church Hall, St John’s Church, Churchdown GL3 2DB 10.00am – 11.30am: BEST, Springboard Children’s Centre, Trinity Road, Cirencester, GL7 1JU 10.00am – noon: MOBS in Stroud, Parliament Street Children’s Centre, Bisley Old Road, Stroud GL5 1NL 12.30pm – 2.00pm: GLOBES, Gardners Lane Children’s Centre, Cheltenham GL51 9JW. Full information: www.gbsn.org.uk

Cheltenham Children’s Centre Baby Groups

Every Monday at St. Margaret’s Hall, GL51 3NU 10.00am-11.30am (0-18 months) Every Tuesday at Rowanfield Children Centre, GL51 8HY 1.00pm-2.30pm (mums to be and

14

Families Gloucestershire

OVER FARM MARKET NEWARK PARK Ozleworth, Wotton-under-Edge, Over Farm Market, Gloucester GL2 8DB GL12 7PZ 01453 842644 01452 521014 www.overfarm.co.uk www.nationaltrust.org.uk/newark-park 30 September, 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 - 31 29 October. Children's Halloween October Frightmare Halloween Festival.

Evening Bring young ones to Newark Family Halloween fun by day. Slightmare House for an evening of spooky fun. takes place on one of the nights.

6.30 – 8.30pm. pre-walking babies) Every Wednesday at Gardners Lane Children Centre, GL51 9JW 10.00am -11.30am Every Thursday at Hester’s Way Children Centre, GL51 0ES 1.15pm -2.45pm Every Friday at Oakwood Children Centre, GL52 5QH 10.00am - 11.30am.

Bishops Cleeve Library Children’s Centre.

Every Tuesday from 10.15 – 11.30 a.m.

Bishops Cleeve Library, GL52 8NN. From new born to crawling.

NCT Courses

CHELTENHAM & NORTH COTSWOLD BRANCH First Aid Spaces are limited so please email Louisa at:events@nctcheltenham.org STROUD BRANCH NCT Signature antenatal course

For more details see www.nct.org.uk/courses or contact your local course organiser on 0208 752 2494 or bookings3f@nct.org.uk NCT Early Days/Postnatal course For more details see www.nct.org.uk/courses or contact your local course organiser on 0208 752 2494 or bookings3f@nct.org.

TETBURY BRANCH Signature antenatal course For more details see www.nct.org.uk/courses or contact bookings3d@nct.org.uk uk

NCT Drop Ins CIRENCESTER BRANCH Bumps, Babes & Beyond: Every Wednesday 9.30am - 11.00am at Cirencester Baptist Church, Chesterton Lane.

Contact: ParentSupport.cirencester@nct.org.uk BEST - Breastfeeding Support: Every Thursday, 10.00am – 11.30am at Springboard Children’s Centre, Trinity Road, Cirencester, GL7 1JU. Contact: breastfeeding@cirencesternct.org.uk GLOUCESTER BRANCH Gloucester Breakfast Club: Every Wednesday.

10:00am – 11:30am. Wheatstone Inn, Centre Seven, Gloucester GL4 3HR. Open to all, members and non-members. Contact: coordinator.gloucester@nct.org.uk Relax, Stretch & Breathe Classes: Every Monday in term time.

For more info visit www.nct.org.uk.uk/ gloucester/courses Gloucester Bumps and Babies Every Tuesday from 10.30am-12.00 noon at Salvation Army Hall, Eastgate Street, Gloucester, GL1 1QU. You don’t need to be a member to come along.

Contact: Gloucester@nct.org.uk Tots on the Move at Tinies Nursery at Gloucester College on Llanthony Road, GL2 5JQ. Every Monday term time only 10.00am -11.30am no need to be a member. Parking is limited.

TETBURY BRANCH Bumps and Babes: Every Wednesday 10.30am – 12.00 noon at The Snooty Fox, Market Place, Tetbury GL8 8DD

To advertise call: 01684 770566 or email: editor@familiesgloucestershire.co.uk

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What’s On

Please mention you saw the event in Families Gloucestershire magazine

COMMUNITY EVENTS

MORE

FIVE VALLEYS WALK IN AID OF MENINGITIS NOW www.meningitisnow.org/support-us/ featured-events/five-valleys-walk-2016/ familiesonline.co.uk 24 September. A 21 mile circular route through stunning Cotswold countryside, taking in each of Stroud’s five valleys; PUZZLEWOOD

Painswick, Slad, Toadsmoor, Chalford and Perrygrove Road, Coleford, GL16 8QB Nailsworth. The walk is split into sections 01594 833187 www.puzzlewood.net by nine checkpoints and you can start 23 – 29 October. Halloween Witch Hunt and finish at any of them.

Search the mysterious woods for witches, WESTONBIRT CHARITIES FAIR pumpkins, goblins and more! No need to Westonbirt School, Tetbury Road GL8 book, just pop along and please dress up!

8QG www.westonbirtfair.org 10.00am - 3.30pm.

24-25 October. 130 stalls full of lovely, SLIMBRIDGE WETLAND unique products – an ideal start to CENTRE Bowditch, Slimbridge, Christmas shopping. The Fair is not-forGloucestershire GL2 7BT 01453 890 333 profit and the charities being supported www.wwt.org.uk/visit/slimbridge this year are Home-Start SD, the Great 21-29 October. Slimbridge Spooktacular.

Western Air Ambulance and Toucans for Grab your witches hat and your Children. broomstick for a week of spooky fun at DAYS OUT WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre. Enjoy BERKELEY CASTLE creepy indoor crafts, ghostly outdoor Berkeley, Gloucestershire GL13 9BQ activities and terrifying trails throughout 01453 810332 www.berkeley-castle.com the holiday.

1 October. Michaelmas Harvest event.

WESTONBIRT ARBORETUM Enjoy everything the countryside has to Tetbury, Glos, GL8 8QS 01666 880220 offer, find out where your food comes www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt from, how it is harvested and sample 23 -27 October. Seed Spectacular. Make some treats too! your own cone or conker snail, and MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES investigate our amazing variety of seeds and how they travel. Different seed MUSEUM IN THE PARK themed crafts every day.

Stratford Park, Stratford Road, Stroud GL5 4AF 01453 763394 FESTIVALS www.museuminthepark.org.uk 8 October. Meet the Buzz Club.

Come and meet Stroud Buzz Club, see our Walled Garden bee hive, sample local honey and find out more about the importance of bees around the world. Everyone welcome. 11am - 12pm. £2.00.

NEW

ONLINE

CHELTENHAM LITERATURE FESTIVAL www.cheltenhamfestivals. com/literature 6 – 15 October Perfect for families who love reading, writing and having fun. With two brandnew free children’s spaces, The Den and The Woodland Trust Wild Wood, there are countless free activities and workshops to keep the whole family engaged. Highlights include new Children’s Laureate Lauren Child; and familiesonline.co.uk

THE WILSON Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum, Clarence Street, Cheltenham GL50 3JT 01242 237431 www.thewilson.org. uk Last Sunday of every month.

Arty Sundays. Families are invited to take part in fun and interactive art activities. FREE family drop-in. 11am – 1pm. £1.00 per child.

Kids’ Cooking Classes and Parties!

Children love to cook! Join us

with your pre-schooler Children love to cook! Joinfor usfun with baking classes and crafts on your pre-schooler for fun baking Mondays, Thursdays or or classes and crafts on Mondays Fridays.

Fridays. Suitable for ages 3 - 5.

Suitable for ages 3 - 5.

Call Fiona: 07475883019 or visit

www.cookerydoodledoo.com

restrictions. Discover the amazing astronomy we can see from our back gardens this Autumn. Immerse yourself in the wonder of astronomy. This show is suitable for beginners and experienced hobby stargazers, and is not to be missed!

BABIES AND TODDLERS DYRHAM PARK Dyrham, near Bath, SN14 8ER (Sat Nav: SN14 8HY) 0117 937 2501 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ dyrham-park 12, 19 and 26 September and 3, 10 and 17 October. Tuesday Toddler Trail. Fresh air and family fun. 10.45am - 11.30am.

Arrive by 10.30 to catch the shuttle bus.

THE GLOUCESTER GUILDHALL 23 Eastgate St, Gloucester GL1 1NS 01452 503050 www.gloucester.gov.uk/guildhall Mondays. LaLa Lounge (for parents with under 5’s) Meet your friends, chill and chat, treat yourself to tea, coffee or a light lunch while the little ones play.

10.30am – 12.00pm. Free.

LILLIPUT CONCERTS St Andrew’s Church, Montpellier Street, Cheltenham GL50 1SP 18 September. The Belgrave Trio with music for flute, oboe & piano. Live music in a relaxed environment for babies and toddlers and their adults. 40 minutes of music followed by delicious freshly made cake. Events are aimed at the 0-4 age group and their adults www.facebook. com/LilliputConcerts.

THE WILSON AT-BRISTOL Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum, Anchor Road, Bristol BS1 5DB Clarence Street, Cheltenham GL50 3JT 0845 345 1235 www.at-bristol.org.uk 01242 237431 www.thewilson.org.uk 6 September - 4 December. Autumn First Wednesday of every month. Tots and Stargazing (3D) Regular daily shows, 3D: Tales. A fun session of storytelling and £3.50 per seat (members £1.75), in addition to standard admission. 3D shows arty activities for parents and carers with pre-school children. Term-time only. only available for ages 6+ due to health 10.30am - 11.15am.

To advertise call: 01684 770566 or email: editor@familiesgloucestershire.co.uk

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Families Gloucestershire

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