Family Times Summer 2021 Issue

We’ve Got Parenting Covered

Su m mer I s sue 2 021

FREE!

THE REVOLTI NG CHI LDRE N

=take me home

ISSUE

Be in to win a family pass to Matilda the Musical

Canterbury kids

go fishing AND HUNTING

DOES BABY BIRTH ORDER MATTER?

With Nathan Wallis

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Book directly online or purchase a gift voucher to give the perfect present.

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The magic of

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Twice daily from 27 December to 30 January.

60 Hussey Road, Northwood, Christchurch.

Go to www.willowbank.co.nz for details.

Willowbank 2

Summer / 2021

EDITOR’S NOTE

Welcome

W

e made it to print! Sadly, we were unable to produce the spring print issue due to ‘you know what’, so it’s a great feeling to be able to get our summer magazine out into school bags and onto coffee tables ahead of the holidays.

Our team continues to be extremely grateful for the support of the local and wider business community who have continued to work with us in uncertain times to get timely and useful information out to parents and children in Canterbury.

This issue will be my last as editor at Family Times, and by autumn the magazine will be in the extremely capable hands of Kate Barber. Kate is a former editor and long-time contributor – she’s written several fabulous features for this issue, plus she already knows the ropes.

Personally, I would like to thank our lovely team for their ongoing dedication and commitment to putting together these pages. Sometimes the nights on deadline are long and late, but despite that, the process works like clockwork and always with a smile – or a nervous laugh.

And from here on, I look forward to receiving my copy as a reader while Family Times charges on into the future with a new publisher and new editor - but with the same pride in bringing you a quality read and a bit of fun ahead of each school break.

Anna Scaife / Editor anna@27publishers.co.nz @familytimesnewzealand

Summer / 2021

3

Contents

13

FEATURES 7

Birth order and my baby

9

Playing it safe

10

Share the joy of free play

11

Why children need messy play

12

Matilda the Musical

13

Meet the Matildas

14

The cost of winning

18

Catch some family time

19

Taking to the hills

20

Avoiding road trip rows

22

Kākāpō keeper

23

Myopia matter

11 REGULARS 3

Welcome Note

5​

Help is at hand

25

Waves in a jar

6

Books and Beats

26

Resene DIY

8

We love...

27

Food

16​

What’s On Christchurch

30

In the spotlight

24

Kiwi kids

28

Christchurch Marketplace

28

Funzone

29

Giveaways

PLUS, make sure you LIKE our social pages to stay up-to-date with happenings and advice, and for plenty of chances to WIN! familytimesnewzealand

08

Join the Kiwi Conservation Club Connect kids to nature

Your child may see well – we assess HOW they see

Explore, have fun and help nature through special events, activities and KCC’s magazine, Wild Things.

®

®

Find out more kcc.org.nz

4

Summer / 2021

CONTENTS

Help is at hand

familytimes.co.nz is delighted to be a long-term sponsor of The Canterbury Special Children’s Christmas Party, an event that has been giving underprivileged and special needs children the opportunity to celebrate Christmas.

PUBLISHER Filly Farm Publishing Sonia Speedy sonia@familytimes.co.nz 021 024 58141

DESIGN & PRODUCTION Rachel Brodrick rachel@familytimes.co.nz

EDITOR Anna Scaife anna@familytimes.co.nz

CONTRIBUTORS Crissi Blair Nathan Wallis Kate Barber Kaleb Dockerill Ruby Romano Gay Buckingham Jagrut Lallu Stacey Morrison Eva Thompson Carla Ladstaetter Millie Hutchison

SUBEDITOR Kathy Catton kathy@familytimes.co.nz ADVERTISING Sonia Speedy sonia@familytimes.co.nz 021 024 58141 Brooke Simpson brooke@familytimes.co.nz 027 357 0589

Sometimes you need some information or an answer to a curly question – all you need to do is pick up the phone and ask for help.

After Hours Counselling Services

GENERAL ENQUIRIES hello@familytimes.co.nz

Providing counselling and relationship services.

027 694 5275 afterhours-counselling services.co.nz

Perinatal Wellbeing Canterbury Groups that are safe and supportive environments for parents with perinatal depression, anxiety and other associated mental health illnesses.

PRINT Blueprint, Christchurch

Family Times is published quarterly and is a registered trademark. While all attempts have been made to verify information provided in this publication, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions or contrary interpretations of the subject matter contained herein. The reader of this publication assumes all responsibility for the use of these materials and information. Any perceived slight of any person or organisation is completely unintentional. Family Times asserts copyright on all material published within Family Times and none of it shall be reproduced, wholly or in part, without the prior written consent of this publisher. Family Times reserves the right to edit or abridge all letters or other material, whether solicited or otherwise, prior to publication.

familytimesnewzealand

@familytimesnewzealand

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

We are a charitable trust supporting grandparents and whānau carers who have children in their full-time care.

0800 GRANDS (0800 472 637) grg.org.nz

Christchurch Resettlement Services Free social services for people from refugee and migrant backgrounds. Interpreters are provided.

perinatalwellbeing.org.nz

03 335 0311 | crs.org.nz

SIDS and Kids

Parent Helpline

Dedicated to saving the lives of babies and children; and supporting bereaved families.

For all parenting issues, from those everyday situations to the most serious issue of child abuse.

0800 164 455 sidsandkids.org.nz

0800 568 856 parenthelp.org.nz

ISSN NO. 2324-450X

Orthodontic treatment is performed by Grahame Dutton who is a General Dentist with a special interest in Orthodontics.

A GIFT THAT LASTS A LIFETIME I can’t count the number of times in my career I’ve heard from my adult patients: “If only I’d had braces as a teenager”. Either orthodontics wasn’t available to them, or they and/or their parents, decided against braces, or the cost was prohibitive. But as they have gone into adulthood they have regretted that decision and had to live with consequences to their oral health, their chewing function and the appearance of their smile.

personal appearance. Most orthodontics is performed

The aim of orthodontics is to produce a healthy, functional bite, creating greater resistance to disease and improving

lifetime, and they will keep on thanking you. Call for your

03 348 5488

info@duxtondental.co.nz

during the adolescent growth spurt, however, there are some conditions that may be best treated when the child is as young as nine years old.

A healthy mouth is a great asset, not just medically but also socially and professionally. If your child needs invisalign, you could be giving them a gift that lasts a free consult today.

22 Bartlett Street, Riccarton Christchurch 8011

duxtondental.co.nz Summer / 2021

5

BOOKS AND BEATS

Books

Books, books, wonderful books!

CRISSI BLAIR picks out the best pages for all ages.

Ming’s Iceberg

By Kiri Lightfoot & Kimberly Andrews

Scholastic $20 Ming is a curious young penguin living in Antarctica. She jumps aboard an iceberg as it breaks away from the ice shelf to go and find where the ocean meets the sky. She is befriended by an albatross (Mr Albert Ross) and Blue the whale.

Ming’s iceberg slowly melts as she travels the warming ocean, until she is rescued and returned home by Blue, but her days as an explorer are not over yet.

Suitable for ages 3-8 There’s a Ghost in this House

Suitable for ages 3-10

Asiasiga ‘i le Falemata’aga i Te Papa – Going to Te Papa

Album imagined-worlds.net

By Dahlia Malaeulu

Te Papa Press $19.99 A beautiful board book featuring measina (treasures) from Samoa that are part of the collection at Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, which are beautifully photographed, set on colourful backgrounds, with English and Samoan text. Each item is linked to a member of the family like Aunty’s ili – fan. Great to share with babies and toddlers and their families, both at home and at school.

Suitable for ages 1-7 Draw Some Awesome

By Donovan Bixley

Upstart $29.99 Donovan’s many books are super-popular, and now he shares some of his drawing tips and ideas for budding artists, so anyone, young or old, can have a go. Including examples of his own work and illustration process, there is everything from simple mark-making and creating animals from shapes, to shading, facial expressions, making dummy books, composition and so much more. Lots of fun and learning to be done to become an awesome artist yourself.

Suitable for ages 7+ The Small Things

Kia Kaha: A Storybook of Māori Who Changed the World

By Lisa Thompson

Barrington Stoke $14.99

6

Anna is chosen to befriend a new girl at school, which is making her anxious.

But Ellie is too ill to attend school, and a special robot communicates for her.

Anna is embarrassed that her family is poor and she doesn’t do activities like others at school, so makes things up to be interesting, but this backfires, and she learns what is really important, growing new friendships in the process. Inspired by a true story. Dyslexicfriendly format.

True stories about a diverse range of Māori from history to the present day, who have achieved incredible things in a wide array of endeavours – science, performance, art, sport, politics, legends and more. Both individuals and groups like the Māori Battalion and the originators of Te Kohanga Reo. Each story is easy to read and accompanied by artwork from Māori illustrators.

Suitable for ages 8-12

Suitable for ages 7+

Win!

Summer / 2021

By Kiwi Kids Music Tanya Batt and Peter Forster

By Oliver Jeffers

A young girl lives alone in an old mansion and has heard there are ghosts in the house, but hasn’t found any, so she enlists the reader’s help.

Illustrations from old architectural magazines have translucent layers between them, revealing the ghosts having lots of fun hiding from her all over the house, placing the reader firmly in the story as the one able to see the ghosts.

This playful, interactive picture book demands repeat reading.

LITTLE EARS A story and a song

TOP PICK

HarperCollins $35

Music for

By Stacey Morrison & Jeremy Sherlock

Puffin $45

We have ONE copy each of Ming’s Iceberg, Asiasiga ‘i le Falemata’aga i Te Papa – Going to Te Papa, Draw Some Awesome and Kia Kaha: A Storybook of Māori Who Changed the World to give away. Follow us for your chance to win @familytimesnewzealand

A collection of tall tales about friendships and food, which are guaranteed to delight and have you singing along with their catchy refrains.

Hands Cee Bee Teatime

Single linktr.ee/cebtalbot Hands is a short, lyrical, interactive song aimed at preschoolers and is particularly suitable for sitting down at mat time.

The Sun Te Rā Jaqualyn Taimana Williams

Album: Waiata Tamariki 2 tinyurl.com/3ch3m5kc This epic, energetic te reo Māori/English children’s rock song is inspired by the astrophysics curiosity of an enthusiastic young learner. It helps children let off steam and deal with big feelings and is also the ideal style of music to express the mighty energy of the sun, Te Rā.

Round Robin Claudia Robin Gunn

Single + B side (sing-a-long backing track) claudiagunn. bandcamp.com A quirky, fun and educational sing-a-long tune about the friendly and smart New Zealand robin/toutouwai.

The Children on the Train Levity Beet and Mr Roberelli

Single tinyurl.com/y6ecew5c A wonderfully catchy train journey song that introduces new characters in each verse – an exciting collaboration between these two wellknown artists.

kiwikidsmusic.co.nz

TEN TINY TOES

SLEEP SAFE,

my baby

SIDS and Kids New Zealand is dedicated to saving the lives of babies and children during pregnancy, birth, infancy and childhood and supporting bereaved families. The organisation delivers on its vision through world-class research, evidence-based education and bereavement support, and advocacy.

Remind everyone who cares for your child: +

Sleep baby on their back

+

Keep head and face uncovered

+

Keep baby smoke-free before and after birth

+

Safe sleeping environment night and day

+

Sleep baby in a safe cot in parents' room.

SIDS and Kids provides a range of safe sleeping education and support services as well as a national 24-hour sudden infant death helpline.

0800 164 455 / sidsandkids.org.nz

Birth order & my baby

T

he ‘birth order effect’ fascinates us. We talk authoritatively about the traits of firstborns or middle children or ‘the baby of the family’, especially when we recognise these typologies playing out in our own kids.

‘Firsts’ are responsible, conscientious, and tend to be perfectionists; while ‘seconds’ are more chilled out, fun and mischievous. Or so the conversations go…

Yet, despite numerous studies into ‘the birth order effect’, these have not provided definitive conclusions about how your child’s place in the family influences their development, says Nathan.

It boils down to the fact that all of the circumstances into which we are born shape the development of our personality.

While there is a tendency to overplay the ‘birth order effect’ when analysing and comparing our kids, there is a significant change in the family dynamic for the first baby compared to a younger sibling. Put simply: not-firstborns arrive in the world to find that their sibling/s got here first.

And there are other differences to family life: the house is noisier and messier; Mum is busier and more tired; schedules have been relaxed or discarded altogether.

Nathan emphasises that those first 1000 days are particularly significant because it’s during this time that “a baby gathers data to see what sort of brain they will need for life”.

Essentially, the development of the brain is

explains that those all-important ‘first 1000 days’ are different, significantly so, for firstborns and later babies. By KATE BARBER

NATHAN WALLIS

determined through a baby’s early interactions, in particular, within ‘the dyad’, that is, the relationship with the most responsive person, Nathan says. The amount of time you spend in your baby’s face, connecting with their eyes and talking to them (about anything), the better.

The research does reveal that firstborn children tend to gain more qualifications and earn more money at 32 years old, says Nathan. This, he says, comes down to the quantity of the interactions they had in their first 1000 days of life, and not because they got the best ‘brainy’ genes.

The research also reveals that middle children are overrepresented in helping professions.

We can speculate that this is because “they developed better social skills from a childhood of dealing with authority, and being the authority,” says Nathan.

From my own experience, after a few years of fogginess, I now feel able to look back on those crucial early days and months with my third baby, and I see how it was different for me and for her. Despite my intentions, I definitely didn’t spend as much time ‘in her face’, smiling and chatting. On the other hand, we had moved back to North Canterbury from Auckland, so we were surrounded by family in a way we weren’t when my first two girls were born.

In those early days, my youngest napped in the car, in the pram, or on me, or not at all. She was introduced to ‘Peppa Pig’ and ‘Frozen’ at a very

young age. Her big sisters laughed and screamed; they twirled and leapt off furniture dangerously close to where she lay; they squeezed her and poked her and dropped things on her.

With my third and final baby, I was determined to savour the moments: to smell her head and breathe her in, to stare into those beautiful blue eyes and chat and sing as much as I could.

Yet I remember, on several occasions, unceremoniously putting my unsettled newborn on the floor in the hallway when my second yelled, “the poos is coming” – because I remember that avoiding accidents with Number 2s was a number one priority for me at that time.

When we reflect on the circumstances and relationships that shaped our own babies, particularly in those first few years, we may well intuit why they developed certain traits or strengths: why our eldest child is responsible but bosses the others about; why the younger child is funny, but also cunning…

Most kids, Nathan says, end up a mixture of different types – they get to be ‘eldests’ or ‘middles’ or 'youngests' depending on the relationships around them, and they demonstrate traits associated with each.

The conversations on birth order, and the reflections they stimulate, are indeed fascinating.

But I’m reminded to look for my children’s other strengths – not just the ones commonly attributed to their status as ‘firstborn’, ‘middle’ and ‘baby’.

Summer / 2021

7

WE LOVE…

Things we’re

buzzing about SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAMMES AT FERRYMEAD

Looking for a fun activity to keep the children excited over the summer holidays? Ferrymead is providing fun and interactive booked-in school holiday programmes this summer that will be sure to get your children buzzing. From how we lived in early New Zealand, to baking, games and activities, this programme will have your children engaged all day! For further details contact education@ferrymead.org.nz. ferrymead.org.nz

The biggest family exhibition is at Otago Museum!

Sea Monsters: Prehistoric Ocean Predators: 70 exhibits, immersive multimedia, million-yearold fossils and huge life-sized fossil casts. Sink your teeth in! 11 December 2021 – 1 May 2022. otagomuseum.nz/seamonsters

The Great Museum Santa Search Canterbury Museum's annual family favourite is back this Christmas. Count all the hidden Santas in the Museum displays for the chance to win a terrific prize. 4 December 2021 – 8 January 2022.

Days of Ice

Days of Ice celebrates Christchurch’s unique connections with Antarctica with 11 days of events and activities.

Explore Days of Ice 24 February – 6 March. daysofice.co.nz

canterburymuseum.com

Christmas at Northlands

Visit Santa at Northlands this Christmas and receive a free* book, Santa is coming to New Zealand, by author, Steve Smallman.

Santa’s there every day from 10am all the way to Christmas Eve. *While stocks last. northlands.co.nz

NEW CORN THINS® MINIS

Introducing waste-free water fights! Each EcoSplat reusable water balloon replaces over 3,000 single-use water balloons.

Just dunk, throw, repeat for endless ocean-friendly fun!

Satisfy your snack cravings with new CORN THINS® Minis – a lighter, crispier bite-sized snack – like Popcorn in a cracker. Available from major supermarkets at $3.00 per 80g pack in three delicious flavours: ORIGINAL; SOUR CREAM & CHIVES; CHEDDAR CHEESE.

ecosplat.co.nz

cornthins.com

EcoSplat Reusable Water Balloons.

8

Summer / 2021

TECHNOLOGY

PLAYING IT SAFE

Around 80 per cent of children aged 8 to 17 years have played online games at some time. The games are entertaining, and kids are drawn to the challenge, but there are some very real risks. Online safety experts, Netsafe, share the practical steps you can take to keep kids safe and where to seek help if you need it.

T

he reason online games are so popular is because it’s fun.

Gaming can get a bad rap, but the news is not all grim.

Gaming has benefits such as opportunities to socialise, developing coordination, problem-solving and multi-tasking.

But, as games have become more sophisticated, opportunities for bullying, unwanted contact, excessive spending and accessing inappropriate content have increased.

Netsafe CEO Martin Cocker says, “There are real risks that come with people playing online games. As parents, understanding those risks and taking steps to manage them will help keep your kids safe online. Every child is different, so the key is finding the strategy that works for your family.”

To help support parents, Netsafe developed the Online Gaming Whānau Toolkit, a resource that outlines the potential dangers and offers practical advice for parents to implement. According to the guide, the first steps are to understand the risks and learn about gaming.

Martin Cocker says, “Talk to your children about the games, sit alongside them when they’re playing and even pick up a controller and learn to play. That way, you can find out about how they’re using their devices and games. Then you can begin to have conversations about security.”

Many parents worry about excessive use of devices or what is sometimes referred to as gaming addiction. Netsafe recommends talking to your children about the importance of balancing time online with other activities and then setting realistic boundaries and guidelines to follow as a family.

Many games include a social element that allows for communication with other players. This can be a very positive aspect of gaming, and most gamers are just there for fun. But it is important to be aware that this functionality brings with it the risk of bullying, harassment, or unwanted contact.

Martin Cocker says, “The anonymity of the internet means young people can be at risk of unsavoury or inappropriate contact. There are technical steps you can take with devices to reduce safety concerns. If you learn what the options are and implement them, you can be sure you’ve done everything possible.”

For a comprehensive guide to keeping young people safe to enjoy the world of online gaming, you can download the Netsafe Online Gaming Whānau Toolkit on their website. netsafe.org.nz

Online Gaming Whānau Toolkit NETSAFE’S GUIDE TO KEEPING TAMARIKI SAFE Download a free copy of Netsafe’s seven step Online Gaming Whānau Toolkit to get to a place where you can confidently engage with your children about gaming NETSAFE.ORG.NZ/GAMINGTOOLKIT

CALL NETSAFE 7 DAYS A WEEK ON 0508 NETSAFE Summer / 2021

9

POSITIVE PARENTING

Grandparents

RAISING grandchildren

Are you raising your grandchild or someone else’s child full-time? Do you need help getting access to financial support for their needs? Are you stressed and struggling with challenging behaviour? Do you need someone in your corner who understands what you are going through?

If yes, you are not alone. Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Trust NZ (GRG) supports over 5,700 member families nationwide to raise resilient and healthy children. GRG provides information, support, advocacy services and traumainformed caregiver education workshops designed to help empower you and reduce stress in your lives. Call 0800 GRANDS (0800 472637) and join GRG today. grg.org.nz

Share the joy of

free play

Playcentre is all about playing and learning together.

We look at some of the benefits of this unique early learning option.

F

or optimal development, our children need responsive, loving relationships, a strong sense of belonging and ample opportunities for self-directed, free play. These are the mainsprings of Playcentre – an ECE/early learning option for children from birth to six years. Playcentre is unique because it supports parents and caregivers to play and learn alongside the little people in their lives.

+ helps establish a strong sense of belonging

All about being together, Playcentre helps strengthen parents’ connection with their own child while growing friendships between families in the community. At Playcentre, you will meet other parents and educators and become part of a vibrant village, where children and families grow and have fun together.

Mums, dads, grandparents, aunties and uncles, all the whānau are welcome to attend.

+ helps children grow relationships with other responsive, trusting adults.

Share the joy of free play with your child: watch them thrive in an environment that embraces their ideas and imagination and supports them as they expand their world of relationships.

GOOD FOR YOUR CHILD Playcentre: + promises lots of fun

+ strengthens relationships through being together + embraces child-led free play and follows the interests and strengths of each child + offers a wide variety of quality resources and experiences playcentre.org.nz

10 Summer / 2021

+ caters for children from birth to six years, meaning children develop greater awareness of each other + provides a safe, secure, supportive environment + offers high adult : child ratios

GOOD FOR YOU Playcentre:

+ provides an opportunity to push ‘pause’ on your usual routines and play alongside your child + supports you to be involved in your child’s learning + provides a network of friendship and support + helps boost your confidence as a parent + offers a free accredited NZQA education programme for those interested in developing further their understanding of child development and their parenting skills + provides fun social occasions for the whole whānau + presents opportunities to take on new responsibilities and learn new skills.

POSITIVE PARENTING

In presentations across the country and overseas, neuroscience presenter Nathan Wallis provides an informative narrative on the different stages of children’s neurological development and offers valuable advice for parents and educators. facebook.com/ nathanwallis xfactoreducation

WHY CHILDREN

need messy play

urges parents to recognise the importance of unstructured, free play for young children, and embrace a little mess. By KATE BARBER

NATHAN WALLIS

T

he idea of ‘messy play’ makes many of us tense up, and others roll their eyes. Those two words threaten to upset the order of our homes, and why do kids need it anyway?

It all comes down to children’s need to play, which, Nathan says, is “the system humans have evolved in order to facilitate higher intelligence”.

Essentially, child-led, free play is the key to growing brains, he says. ‘Messy play’ exemplifies this because the child is in charge: empowered to engage with new materials in new ways and follow their own thought processes.

While messy play might conjure up an image of slime or mud, as Nathan explains, ‘messy play’ is all about unstructured exploration (free play) that is child-directed and open-ended, where there is no particular outcome or ‘right answer’. It’s not the particular substances or materials that are important so much as the nature of the play these inspire.

“If we focus on getting our kids ready for school by teaching them to read and write when they’re four, then we are raising black and white thinkers,” says Nathan. “Messy play gives children autonomy in their own learning, instilling the idea that they can follow their own lines of inquiry, make their own discoveries, get it wrong and try a new approach.”

“Essentially, messy play teaches children to cross boundaries, which is the basis of creativity and intelligence,” Nathan says.

LIMITLESS LEARNING

It is vital that children, especially those under the age of eight, are given ample, regular opportunities for this sort of play – indoors and out. That, as parents, we promote rather than stifle their need to explore, says Nathan.

own thought processes to solve problems,

The good news is that messy play works well outside. Let them dig in your garden or stamp out their own mud pit; provide them with a tub of sand and shells. Take them to the forest or the beach. Enhance their play with tools like forks, funnels and scoops. For more unstructured play (learning), provide ‘loose parts’ (random stuff) like cups, stones, tyres, tubes and planks.

If you like, designate a space for them to go wild.

Set some simple ground rules – about not hurting each other, respecting each other’s right to play and not damaging things that are precious. But let them go for it.

The benefits of messy play are many, not least for your relationship. It is thrilling and satisfying for a young child to explore their world on their terms. If you can look past the mess for a while, they’ll thank you for the opportunity.

‘Messy play’ describes an integrated learning experience where children follow their exercising social, motor and language skills through the process. The countless benefits stem from its open-endedness: the child is in charge, and there is no ‘right way’ to play.

Messy play: +

supports creativity and innovation, as children experiment with new solutions to problems

+

fuels imaginations and offers new outlets for self-expression

+

helps children develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination

+

supports the development of social and communication skills

+

helps children make sense of their world through engaging with different materials

+

helps children regulate their emotions

+

expands children’s capacity to concentrate – because it is fun and fully absorbing.

Summer / 2021

11

LOCAL LEGENDS

WIN!

Matilda

THE MUSICAL

B

ased on the book by Roald Dahl, Matilda tells the story of a little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence and psychokinetic powers. She’s unloved by her cruel parents (The Wormwoods) but impresses her schoolteacher, the loveable Miss Honey.

Follow us for your chance to win a family pass to Matilda The Musical @familytimesnewzealand

Casting and the audition process

Matilda has attracted more auditionees than almost any other previous Showbiz Christchurch production.

“This is an extremely demanding show for child performers,” says Craig Ogilvie, General Manager of Showbiz Christchurch. The young auditionees went through a stringent multi-level audition During the first term of school, Matilda and Miss Honey process over several weeks to find the 19 performers who will have a profound effect on each other’s lives, as Miss Honey feature in the show. The first round was a group dance workshop begins not only to recognise but also to appreciate Matilda’s audition. “This would be one of the most extraordinary personality. challenging musicals featuring children Matilda’s school life isn’t completely that requires dancing,” says Ogilvie.

Featuring an all-local cast, smooth sailing. However, the “Auditionees had to be able to dance well including some of New school’s mean headmistress, Miss and pick up steps quickly in order to be Zealand’s most talented in the show. That’s why dance auditions Trunchbull, hates children and just happened first.” loves thinking up new punishments child performers, Showbiz for those who don’t abide by her The following weekend, successful dancers Christchurch promises rules. But Matilda has courage were then asked to sing solo. From there, Matilda will be THE show to and cleverness in equal amounts auditionees who passed this round were and could be the school pupils’ see in Christchurch 2022! called back the final weekend for speaking saving grace! auditions for various roles. “Though it was Packed with high-energy dance numbers, catchy songs and an unforgettable star turn for a young actress, Matilda is a joyous girl power romp.

Children and adults alike will be thrilled and delighted by the story of the special little girl with an extraordinary imagination.

Showbiz Christchurch – The Musical Theatre People of Christchurch.

Over the past eight decades, Showbiz has entertained more than 2 million Cantabrians and visitors in the Canterbury region and engaged more than 30,000 Christchurch residents as volunteers participating in productions, onstage, backstage, in the orchestra pit or on the management team.

12 Summer / 2021

a highly competitive environment, we were incredibly impressed at how supportive the children were towards their peers,” says Ogilvie.

Matilda has two casts of children, each featuring four boys and four girls, aged between 8 and 11 years of age. Each cast of eight children will play alternate performances, and the season has been scheduled to take place over the April school holiday break, ideal for both the cast and families coming to see the show. Three girls will play the title role of Matilda, and each performance will have one Matilda on stage and one who follows the action backstage and goes through all costume changes in case she is required to step in as understudy at any time. The Matildas, like the rest of the child cast, will also alternate the lead role throughout the season.

For more information and ticket sales, visit showbiz.org.nz

LOCAL LEGENDS

Millie Hutchison

Eva Thompson

Carla Ladstaetter

T he three Matildas

The lead role of Matilda will be played by EVA THOMPSON (St Albans School), CARLA LADSTAETTER (Burnside Primary) and MILLIE HUTCHISON (Cashmere Primary).

ANNA SCAIFE caught up with the girls to chat about rehearsals and the upcoming show.

Congratulations on getting the role after all those auditions. What was that like to come back each week and wait for the phone call to see if you got through?

Eva: At first, I was so worried that I wouldn’t

get a callback. But by the time we got to the last audition it was really fun because we made new friends, and some of those friends have ended up being in the show.

Millie: At the start I was quite nervous, but once

we got into it, I was really excited, and we had a lot of fun.

Carla: I was a bit nervous, but it was so nice to

meet all the other people.

Do you all study singing and dancing?

What are you most excited about?

Eva: Yes. I did ballet when I was younger and

Isaac Theatre Royal.

then hip-hop and jazz after that. I’ve been dancing most of my life. I love to sing. When I was younger, I played Chicken Little when my school did that show.

Millie: I am so excited to perform. I just love to

Millie: I do all kinds of dancing – except for tap.

Eva: I am most excited about performing at the

perform on stage. It’s my thing.

Carla: I am really excited to be on stage and make people happy. And make people laugh.

I do eleven hours of dancing each week.

What are you most nervous about?

Carla: I have been singing since I was little.

Eva: I am always nervous about messing up my lines on stage.

I do lots of concerts with my mum because she’s a really good piano player. I go to Impact Dance School, and I do tap, hip-hop and modern dancing.

Millie: Same!

Carla: Same!

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Summer / 2021

13

PO AG S IET H I VEEA P DAE R E N T I N G

T he cost of winning There are so many advantages to playing a sport.

Yet, the pressure to perform, and win, can override these benefits and take away the fun. By KATE BARBER

W

e think a lot about what sporting pursuit will best suit our child, but perhaps we need to think more broadly about what we want our kids to gain from participation in sport.

Physical fitness, strength and skill development, of course, but also communication skills, a sense of progress, confidence, resilience, commitment, leadership, that feeling of belonging… As Nathan says, “We want to capitalise on all the benefits that sport has to offer.”

However, Nathan says, the competitive element can mean that children become more focused on winning, and satisfying their parents or coach, than on learning new skills and having fun.

Preoccupied with their performance, they can become consumed with anxiety on game day.

Anxiety becomes a big problem when kids are afraid of taking risks and failing; when they’re motivated principally by their determination to please others; when their self-worth is tied up with them winning or performing well.

“You never want kids to develop this thing in their mind that love is conditional on them doing well or winning,” says Nathan.

When the focus is squarely on performance and winning, kids lose out in the long run, says Alex Chiet from Sport NZ. They don’t access all the other benefits of playing sport because their enjoyment and investment diminishes. Many kids leave sport altogether. The same applies to those determined to reach their potential on a world stage, says Alex: focusing on winning and specialising too early can be detrimental.

Sport NZ’s ‘Balance is Better’ initiative is all about ensuring all young people get quality experiences in sport, for the sake of their wellbeing: so that

they reap all the benefits; reach their potential in sport if they aspire to; and still be engaged in sport 20 years on.

For any supportive parent, it’s natural to get excited when your child scores a goal, and to feel disappointed when they miss. But we need to check that our enthusiasm and investment in our child’s performance isn’t affecting their enjoyment and raising their stress levels.

We are more likely to fuel their passion without adding pressure if we talk about the ‘process’ of learning a particular skill, while avoiding comments on how well they played or on results, says Nathan. Sometimes any conversation about the game might be triggering, and in these instances, it may be best to talk about something else entirely.

Of course, as Nathan says, it’s ok to share your passions with your child, and encourage them down a pathway if you recognise a passion or strength in them. “Don’t waste an opportunity to get them involved in a sport that might build on their strengths and give them joy,” he says.

in nature Whether your child prefers their adventures adrenalinfuelled or more laid-back, there is something to satisfy every youngster, from toddlers through to teens at the Christchurch Adventure Park (CAP).

Thrill seekers will get the excitement they desire in the form of a downhill mountain bike ride (coaching and bike hire available) or a zipline, but there are plenty of other options at CAP, and they don’t have to cost a thing.

The younger visitors love burning some energy on the trampoline or searching for the fairy doors hidden throughout the forest, while any age can hone their skills on the free pump track or kids’ loop trail.

Make them feel like they’re on top of the world by taking a ride up the chairlift, or take a family walk on either the free forest loop trail or uphill trail... and then catch the lift

But monitor your own thinking, and your child’s interest in the sport. If you’re focusing on their progress through the grades or on them winning a particular title, then your child will be absorbing these messages and may be internalising this pressure. Ultimately your child will be more likely to reach their potential in a sport if they are intrinsically motivated and love playing.

down for free!

There is this prevailing idea that ‘quitting’ is bad. But, Nathan says, “If it’s no longer fun, if it’s making them anxious and stressed, if it’s negatively impacting on relationships, then find something else.”

CAP is also the perfect venue for children’s

There is a sport for everyone.*

christchurchadventurepark.com

*Of all the sports he tried growing up, it was theatre sports that “best set me up for adulthood”, Nathan says.

14 Summer / 2021

ADVENTURES

As well as building their brains, imaginations, stamina and confidence, all of this outside activity will build up a healthy appetite in your young charges. Then it’s time for a break in the Adventure Park Café, featuring a kids menu and plenty of family favourites.

parties, and keep an eye out for the popular school holiday programmes, which focus on fun with a sense of adventure for beginners through to experienced riders.

Facial Beauty and A Smile to share – “The Non-Surgical, Non-Extraction way” Before

INVISALIGN

“We want to bring balance and facial symmetry to your child’s smile and face —helping them look and feel their best.”- Says Dr. Sachdev of Smilesville Dental

After

Early intervention Dentofacial Orthopaedics is based on treatment at a younger age. It works by guiding and developing the growth of the muscles, teeth and bone into the ideal shape and their relationship with each other in a “non-surgical, non-extraction” way, creating stable bites using postural changes. This treatment focuses on creating room to accommodate all the adult teeth, alleviate crowding and produce a more balanced facial profile.

Guiding the growth of the jaws helps address and prevent overcrowded teeth and poor biting relationships between the upper and lower jaws.

Normally this treatment can be done without the need for jaw surgery and without the need for tooth extractions. Dentifacial Orthopedic treatment not only creates a full profile and a wide natural smile, a more open airway (addressing breathing problems such as asthma, mouth breathing, snoring and sleep apnoea) but also promotes the healthy positioning of the jaw joints (TMJs).

Face & smile improvement of a Smilesville patient

Before

After

Early intervention allows to focus on the growth, development and wellbeing of our younger patients along with straightening teeth before permanent teeth are set thereby bringing balance and facial symmetry. By using early orthodontics our goal is to maintain or provide space for permanent teeth so they grow in straight. This minimises the need for more extensive and painful intervention later. “We believe 6-8 years of age is the best time

to assess if your child would benefit from this treatment.”

Face & smile improvement of a Smilesville patient

Before

If a child missed this age then get our free assessment immediately as earlier is still better than later in general.

After

Smilesville offers the revolutionary Invisalign teeth straightening option of realigning teeth without the use of metal is a major advancement in the field of Orthodontics due to its Invisible nature. An option now available for kids, pre-teens, teens and adults. “We believe in minimally invasive

dentistry and Invisalign is the least invasive procedure to straightening teeth and getting an amazing Smile.” says Dr. Sachdev of Smilesville Dental

It’s major advantage is no wires to trap food, no manipulating toothbrushes around fixed wires, it helps the wearer to maintain a high level of dental hygiene.

Smilesville Dental was the first Invisalign platinum provider from Christchurch (and the whole of the South Island) having more than 13 years Invisalign experience.

Face & smile improvement of a Smilesville patient

What Smilesville patients are saying

Smilesville Dental exclusively offers expert advise and treatments in advanced cosmetic dentistry, Smile design and full mouth reconstruction, Implants, Invisalign and Orthodontics to give you an amazing Smile not only to Smile … but to Smile with Confidence.

Grant: “Competent , professional care with a laugh and a smile. Ruchika

looks after myself and two of my children. She is great with the kids, especially my youngest who can be a testing patient.”

Ruth: “Very happy with the good care taken of my children during their

Talk to the friendly staff at Smilesville Dental to transform your child’s face, jaws, teeth and life!

Call 0800 INVISIBLE (0800 468 474)

orthodontics. Some nervous moments as the treatment involved an ‘ugly duckling’ phase but as a result they have fabulous smiles and we are all very pleased. Rusheka is very patient with people and accommodating and I recommend coming when your children are as young as 8 to be able to take advantage of the most options for their treatment.”

GET A FREE CONSULTATION NOW and see how Smilesville Dental can transform your child’s face, jaws, teeth and potentially lifestyle going forward!

Rachele:

“I have been with Smilesville Dental for the last 10 years. We are now up to child number 4 for orthodontic treatment. Ruchika and Sam have been amazing over this time. My husband and I also attend the clinic. Dentists are not my favourite place but this is the best pain free, friendly and quick service. I highly recommend Ruchika and her team.”

Call 0800 INVISIBLE (0800 468 474)

Leaders in Appearance dentistry • Orthodontics for adults, youth and children • Invisalign – The Invisible way to straighten teeth - First Ever Platinum Provider of the South Island treating with Invisalign for 13 years + • Free dental treatment for 13-18yr olds (OHSA conditions apply)

• Extreme Dental makeovers • Whitening • General Dental and complete Hygiene services • Implants • A specialist referral might be required in some cases • Best price Guaranteed

Shop 201, Westfield Riccarton Mall 131 Riccarton Road, Riccarton, Christchurch

Located above ASB bank (best access via Lift in Farmers store)

0800 INVISIBLE (0800 468 474)

smilesville.co.nz Summer / 2021

15

christchurchadventurepark.com

Looking for something different over the school holidays? CAP has activities that will suit all adventure levels and budgets!

Walk the uphill trail (for free!), take the chairlift, book in for a zipline tour or mountain bike lesson, or just hit the trails and visit the café for tasty treats.

Christchurch Adventure Park 225 Worsleys Road

playcentre.org.nz

Playcentre Messy Play Come and explore messy play activities that spark creativity and unlock learning.

Get involved and have fun with your child without the mess at home.

CHRISTCHURCH

otautahirollers.co.nz

Learn to speed skate.

Ōtautahi Rollers Speed Skating Ōtautahi Rollers Rollerdrome, 19 Garvins Road

From 1 December Wednesdays 5 - 6pm

ferrymead.org.nz

Looking for a fun activity to keep the children excited over the summer holidays?

Ferrymead is providing fun and interactive booked-in school holiday programmes this summer which will be sure to get your children buzzing.

Prehistoric Ocean Predators: 70 exhibits, immersive multimedia, million-year-old fossils and huge life-sized fossil casts. Sink your teeth in!

Miniature Santas are hiding in displays throughout the Museum. Count them all for the chance to win a terrific prize.

bachcare.co.nz

Find your festive place this Christmas with

Christmas at the beach

artscentre.org.nz

Join Cubbin Theatre Company and a live band for music and stories for children under five, at The Great Hall this December.

The Arts Centre, Cubbin Concert Music and stories for children under five

8 December 10 - 10.50am

ymcachch.org.nz

Action-packed school holiday programmes and overnight camps to keep your children entertained throughout their holidays.

YMCA school holiday programmes and camps

19 December - 23 January

otagomuseum.nz/seamonsters

Otago Museum: Sea Monsters Exhibition

The Great Museum Santa Search Canterbury Museum

canterburymuseum.com

11 December - 1 May

Want to learn how Rollickin makes gelato?

The crew will love to show you how to create and whip at Rollickin Gelato. Fun!

Rollickin’ Gelato Classes Every Monday 11.30am - 12.30pm 8 - 12-year-olds

Mondays

wilddunedin.nz

A festival offering over 70 events.

Rewilding restores natural habitats, native species, and people’s connection with nature.

Wild Dunedin Rewild NZ Festival of Nature

22 - 28 April

daysofice.co.nz

Celebrating Christchurch’s unique connections with Antarctica with 11 days of events and activities.

Days of Ice

24 February - 6 March

If you have an event you’d like to add to our autumn calendar, email sonia@familytimes.co.nz.

4 December - 8 January

this summer

Ferrymead Heritage Park 50 Ferrymead Park Drive

What’s on

The school term is short, and we are warming into summer. Check out our list of events and places to go around Canterbury and start filling the family calendar with fun activities.

Pull me out and pin me up

CHRISTCHURCH EVENT CALENDAR

Pet-friendly holidays

bachcare.co.nz

Discover over 300 pet-friendly holiday homes at

Bring along the four-legged members of the family!

Pet-friendly holidays

showbiz.org.nz/ matilda-the-musical

Featuring an all-local cast, including some of New Zealand’s most talented child performers, Matilda will be THE show to see in Christchurch 2022!

Matilda the Musical Isaac Theatre Royal

14 April - 1 May 2022

TOP PICK

Beach festivities!

Clever Little Bees offers day and evening courses for primary school children during the school term and school holiday programmes, teaching kids about beekeeping. cleverlittlebees.co.nz

Black Cat Akaroa Nature Cruises Cruise the beautiful Akaroa Harbour for a unique scenic experience with a guarantee of seeing Hector’s dolphins. Family passes available for 2 adults and 3 kids for $219.

Under 5s cruise for free. blackcat.co.nz

Anytime

selwyn.govt.nz

Grab your nearest and dearest for a familyfriendly movie outdoors. Bring a seat, bean bag or blanket and chill out in front of our huge screen.

Rolleston Domain Outdoor movie – Zootopia

28 January 7pm

selwyn.govt.nz

Spend a summer’s evening at your local park with music, fun entertainment for the kids, a free sausage sizzle and more. At a different park each Thursday evening.

Selwyn’s Picnic in the Park

20 January - 24 March

act2drama.co.nz

Follow Snow White as she falls in love, escapes death and meets 21 dwarfs... what could possibly go wrong?

Snow White and the 21 Dwarfs Merivale Lane Theatre

9 - 15 January

Clever Little Bees afterschool & holiday programmes Phillipstown Community Hub

Daily

northlands.co.nz

Visit Santa at Northlands this Christmas and receive a free* book, Santa is coming to New Zealand, by author Steve Smallman.

Santa’s there every day from 10am all the way to Christmas Eve. *while stocks last.

Christmas at Northlands

Any day from 10am

Find your thank goodness it’s summer place.

willowbank.co.nz

Nowhere else in New Zealand will you find such a wide range of New Zealand wildlife so close to you.

Willowbank Wildlife Reserve 60 Hussey Rd, Northwood

Daily from 9.30am

oranawildlifepark.co.nz

See New Zealand’s only gorillas, meet the new otters and much more! An Annual Pass, enabling you to visit every day for 12 months, is the best value way to regularly visit the zoo.

Orana Wildlife Park 793 McLeans Island Road

Daily 10am - 5pm

Kim Free @ OWP

ourhauora.nz

A programme designed to teach tamariki the fundamentals of Our Hauora. This in-depth programme ensures children will come away with their own simple toolbox of skills.

Afterschool & holiday programme Hauora Heroes

Anytime

Book a summer escape

bachcare.co.nz

Book holiday homes with board games, swimming pools and more at

Find a place where your kids’ entertainment is taken care of.

Need a family summer escape?

rollickin.co.nz

ACTIVE KIDS

Catch some

family time

was introduced to freshwater fishing by his dad ANDY at a young age, and he has been a big fan ever since. We chatted to Kaleb about what he likes about his outdoorsy hobby.

KALEB DOCKERILL

How did you get into freshwater fishing?

I have always liked fish and things that live in both freshwater and the sea. I love seeing the world they live in. I used to watch fishing shows with my dad, and he took me fishing as well. Often we would go fishing in the Christmas holidays.

What do you like most about it? I like being outdoors and watching the fish. I also like the thrill of the fight when you get a fish on.

Where is your favourite spot in Canterbury to fish?

Kaleb at age 7

What’s the best fish you’ve ever caught?

A rainbow trout.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY FRESHWATER SPOTS IN CANTERBURY

FACT: The rainbow trout was introduced from North America. It is common in rivers and lakes but not as widespread as brown trout.

GROYNES LAKES A great starting spot, the Groynes Lakes are stocked with fish and only under 17s can fish there. A nice handy location to have a first go at trout fishing.

Do you have any funny stories or mishaps that have happened when you were fishing?

WAIMAKARIRI RIVER You can catch brown trout and occasionally salmon from October to February between SH1 bridge and the Stewart’s Gully yacht club.

I was fishing in Kaiapoi with Dad and a duck grabbed the bait and the hook and took off into the water. Dad had to race into the lake to get the rod back.

Lake Lyndon.

Do you have any tips for other kids?

Editor’s note: See right. Lake Lyndon has a thriving trout population, and kids have a good chance of catching (or at least seeing) a fish.

When you’re fishing you need to make sure to stay quiet and not move around too much.

Be patient.

10

TOP TIPS FOR TAKING KIDS FISHING

1.

Pack plenty of drinks and snacks.

2.

Morning trips are best – the fish bite better, and kids have more energy.

3.

Pick a sunny day with moderate temperatures, but pack a warm layer for the kids in case the weather turns.

4.

Leave YOUR fishing rod at home. Remember, you’re taking the kids fishing; they aren’t taking you.

5.

Go somewhere where the kids feel safe and are safe.

6.

Keep the trip short – a couple of hours max.

7.

Target areas with a high likelihood of success, such as where bait fishing is permitted.

8.

Take plenty of breaks from fishing.

9.

Emphasise that fishing is FUN; catching is a bonus.

Use the time to foster an appreciation of the outdoors.

10. Be patient, take pictures and have FUN! fishandgame.org.nz

18 Summer / 2021

LAKE LYNDON You can get to Lake Lyndon from Lake Coleridge off SH73. There are good numbers of brown and rainbow trout in the lake.

KAIAPOI RIVER Another accessible option for taking the family, and the bonus is there are good runs of salmon that can be caught on bait.

ACTIVE KIDS

I always look forward to going hunting with my dad!

Taking to the hills Seven-year-old RUBY ROMANO and friends trek into Canterbury’s hill country to hunt for deer, pigs, rabbits and possums as often as they can.

Ruby shared her success at a recent hunting competition with Family Times and told us what she loves about hunting.

I

n July, Lincoln Young Farmers held their annual hunting Depending on what we are hunting, we have to get up Kids compete competition, a popular event on Canterbury’s hunting early in the morning or go out late at night after dinner. It’s calendar. Well supported by local sponsors, the event usually pretty cold, but we wear warm hunting clothes, so for heaviest we are warm enough. It is always warm in the truck and offers open and junior categories with some fantastic prizes. possum, heaviest hut, though.

Kids compete for heaviest possum, heaviest trout and most trout and most rabbits or hares. There’s even a prize for the heaviest mouse! We won some cool prizes at the competition! I got a knife, and my friend Katelyn won a prize for the rabbits or hares. Ruby and her friends joined the throng of kids (and adults) hunting heaviest trout. getting in on the action.

There’s even a WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT TELL US ABOUT THE COMPETITION, RUBY? prize for the GOING HUNTING? We stayed in the long hut at Lake Sumner. It has lots of I like going in the truck and looking for deer, pigs and heaviest mouse! bunks in it, so I got to sleep with all my friends. During rabbits with my binoculars. I enjoyed learning how to shoot the day, we got lots of possums, pigs, rabbits, trout and three deer.

As a team, we needed to enter a rabbit, a possum and a trout.

The easiest things to get were the possums, but the hardest was the rabbit because there weren’t many rabbits around.

the gun with Dad and spending time and playing with my friends. I also like sleeping on the bunks and having discos with my friends at night.

I always look forward to going hunting with my dad. I like going up to our hut, too.

Summer / 2021

19

OUT AND ABOUT

ARE YOU ADVENTURE READY? 1. Make sure your tyres are not only pumped up but have good tread depth (over 1.5mm).

Don’t forget the spare!

2. Check all your lights are working, including the indicators.

3. Check the engine oil level is above the minimum indicator on the dipstick.

4. Check the condition of the engine oil. It shouldn't appear dark, thick or sludgy.

Avoiding road trip rows

F

amilies heading off on a road trip these school holidays might want to take some earplugs. New research reveals it takes just 31 minutes into a car journey for arguments to start.

The most common reasons arguments break out in the car are incorrect directions (40 per cent), followed by missing a turn (29 per cent) and wanting to stop for food (26 per cent).

Other reasons include squabbles over the type of music being played (22 per cent) and needing a bathroom break (18 per cent).

The research, conducted by Budget New Zealand, investigated a wide range of travel trends and found well over half (69 per cent) of Kiwis with

children under 18 argue at least once every time they take a car journey with their family.

“Our research shows the car can be a highpressured place. But with the right planning, a road trip can be an unforgettable way to spend a holiday together,” Lee Marshall, General Manager at Budget New Zealand says.

So, whether you’re exploring the rugged coastline of the Catlins, or heading to the mountains for some tramping these school holidays, here are a few simple steps designed to ensure you avoid some of the most common car arguments.

Pre-plan your route

Twenty-nine per cent of arguments stem from the driver taking a wrong turn, so consider mapping out your next journey before you go.

5. Check and, if necessary, top up the window washer fluid level.

6. Clean the front windscreen and check there are no chips or cracks.

If you’re travelling by motorhome or towing a caravan check out the advice and benefits at nzmca.org.nz

Have multiple playlists ready to go

Choosing a podcast to listen to is another way to avoid the great music debate.

Pack snacks and plan toilet stops

Stopping for a breather or a bite to eat gives everyone a chance to stretch their legs and get some fresh air. It’s also the perfect excuse to use the bathroom, minimising the chance of you being in the 18 per cent of families who fight over needing to stop for a bathroom break.

LOCHMARA LODGE

DUSKY DOLPHINS ON DISPLAY

The lodge is just a 20-minute boat ride from Picton. On arrival you can embark on an exciting outdoor experience including kayaking, paddle boarding and a tour of the fabulous underwater observatory.

Swimming with the dusky dolphins is a unique and sought-after activity, often described as a life-changing experience; creating special and heart-warming memories. These dolphins are found in pods allyear-round along the coast.

There’s truly something for every guest at Lochmara Lodge, wildlife recovery and arts centre. Whether you’re planning a quick romantic getaway or a relaxing family holiday, Lochmara offers a smorgasbord of unique activities.

The Lochmara property operates as a predator-free environment to protect the local birdlife. The result is a flourishing population of native birds supported by the Lochmara Wildlife Recovery Programme. Enjoy the birdsong, delicious food and stunning views from the café and art exhibition space. lochmara.co.nz

20 Summer / 2021

Kaikōura is a unique and exciting place for a relaxing and refreshing break with the family, and watching Kaikōura’s dusky dolphins has a uniqueness all of its own.

Not everyone decides that swimming is for them, so watching the dolphins, and the people swimming with them, is magical in itself.

The acrobatic displays of the dusky dolphins will captivate your heart and put a smile on your face. dolphinencounter.co.nz

Explore

our big backyard Get deals and save Save thousands on essentials and adventures with our trusted partners.

Find places to stay Use our app to discover over 2,200 great value places to camp and facilities to make exploring easy.

Share the experience Meet like-minded members to connect, discover and enjoy our community.

Gear up, stay, play and explore:

Join now at NZMCA.org.nz Summer / 2021

21

GREAT OUTDOORS

Kākāpō

Keeper

new book, Kākāpō Keeper, is a novel for children based on the real efforts of early New Zealand conservationist Richard Henry. We asked Gay to tell us a little more about the book and give us some advice for getting the family involved in bird conservation.

GAY BUCKINGHAM’S

How did you first hear about the work of Richard Henry?

If somebody asked if you wanted to sail to a place where Captain James Cook and his men lived for six weeks, where New Zealand’s first European shipwreck occurred, and the very first attempt to save kākāpō took place, what would you say?

That’s what I said too.

So we sailed to Dusky Sound in Fiordland, and I saw those things – and became very interested in where Richard Henry lived, where he kept his boat, the islands to which he took the birds he saved, and of course, I read books about him.

How did you decide to turn it into fiction?

I loved the story of Richard Henry’s life, but there’s already an excellent book about him, and also his own notes, sketches, maps and photos tell his story very well. Then I started thinking about the teenage boys who helped him.

No one had written about them and they didn’t leave notes, so I rolled all four of his assistants into one character and showed what it might have been like for them. (Of course, I have embellished things a bit!)

What ideas do you have for families today on how they can help New Zealand birds?

• Bird feeding tables are interesting but must be kept clean to prevent disease, and make sure rats can’t get on it, nor cats creep up and pounce. Place food or sugar water where birds can’t poo on it.

• Nests must never be disturbed, so never drive on rivers, beaches, tussock or open country where parents may have eggs or chicks.

• Dogs must always be under control and kept away from ground-dwelling birds like kiwi.

• Cats are dangerous: keep cats in at night, keep them well-fed and offer activities so they won’t want to hunt birds.

Consider making them wear a visual collar (see BirdsBeSafe) or a bell.

What would you have most loved or hated if you had been an assistant to Richard Henry?

I’d hate rats chewing my boot laces or sticking their noses in my ears while asleep! I wouldn’t like living on dried and tinned food (even tinned butter) or eating penguin eggs – let alone preserved penguin eggs! The sandflies would have been the worst thing. They never stop biting, and their bites are itchy! Henry’s assistants burned green branches to make smoke to drive them out of the house. Richard Henry smeared butter on the chimney and the sandflies stuck and could not escape. Traditionally Māori rubbed ngaio leaves on the skin to prevent sandflies from biting, but I don’t think Richard Henry knew that.

Do you have a last fun fact for us about the southern fiords where the book is set?

There is an old rhyme to help remember the order of the southern fiords, starting from furthest south, it goes: “Preserve your Chalk, it’s Dusky at Breaksea And Dagg says it’s Doubtful if Thompson went round. But Nancy and Charles go to Caswell for marble And George and Bligh to grand Milford Sound.”

Hoiho ON TOUR

H

oiho are unique to New Zealand! Even though they are our largest penguins, they still only grow to be about the height of a one-year-old human, 75 cm. They live for about 20 years, which is very old for a penguin! Hoiho feed on fish and squid in the ocean. They go to the sea during the day and come back to shore to sleep in their nests.

Head to kcc.org.nz/portfolio/take-hoiho-on-an-adventure to download your Hoiho. Draw a background around him to show us where you’d take him OR insert him into a photo using the clear-cut image provided.

Share your picture or pictures with us at kcc@forestandbird.org.nz.

We’ll put it up on our activity page to inspire others. kcc.org.nz

22 Summer / 2021

For over 30 years, Forest & Bird’s Kiwi Conservation Club | Hakuturi Toa (KCC) has been connecting Kiwi kids to New Zealand’s amazing wildlife and wild places. KCC now has over 5,000 members throughout Aotearoa, New Zealand. Members have the opportunity to go on KCC Adventures. Volunteer coordinators (KCOs) arrange outings and meet-ups for members to explore their local beaches, forests and everywhere in between. Some clubs also get involved in local conservation projects like tree planting, creating lizard gardens or making nesting boxes for little blue penguins.

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Myopia matters:

LOOK OUT FOR THE EARLY WARNING SIGNS OF MYOPIA

Myopia is a common eye health condition seen in children which causes blurred distance vision (short-sightedness). JAGRUT LALLU, New Zealand Optometrist and founding member of the Australia and New Zealand Child Myopia Working Group, discusses what parents should look out for.

M

yopia is not just an inconvenience. It is often a progressive condition and, in most cases of myopia in children, involves excessive eye elongation, leading to stretching and thinning of the tissues within the eye. Although lifetime risks of developing several serious eye conditions increase significantly with higher degrees of myopia, no level is safe.

THE EARLY WARNING SIGNS TO LOOK OUT FOR AT HOME OR AT SCHOOL The first symptom of myopia to be aware of is if your child has difficulty reading road signs and seeing distant objects clearly, although they would be able to see well for close-up tasks such as reading and computer use.

If a child is myopic, they will often shy away from activities, sitting more closely to things they wish to see. Many myopic patients develop skills in other areas which avoid it being picked up. Some sit at the front of the class, copy another student’s work or develop very good audio memories to cope with blurry vision.

It is good also to be aware of what signs may show themselves in the classroom and to discuss with the teacher if you have any concerns. They are: 1. Sitting – is your child sitting closer to the front of the class?

2. Squinting – is your child squinting to see further away?

3. Schoolwork – is your child’s schoolwork performance declining?

CREATING A HEALTHY EYE ENVIRONMENT + More green time, less screen time – get kids outdoors. + Build in regular breaks from devices at home – every 20 minutes, remind your child to have a break for at least twenty seconds and look out a window to something at least six metres away. + Regular eye examinations with a local optometrist.

DISCUSS MYOPIA MANAGEMENT OPTIONS

As research and technological innovations in this area continue, optometrists now have an impressive arsenal of new management options, which mean they can not only provide clear vision but slow down the progression of myopia.

This makes it crucial for children to have a full eye examination with an optometrist before starting school and then regular visits as they progress through primary and secondary school as part of their general health regime.

When you go to a local optometrist, ask them about the latest research on myopia and the management options best suited to your child. childmyopia.com

Summer / 2021

23

KIWI KIDS

THE NAVYBABY BASE SET NavyBaby is the original heuristic play shop, and its Base Set is a best seller. Watch your child’s imagination burst to life with this assortment of curated loose parts that encourage creative play.

PL AY WITH YOUR PAINT Have fun with your painted spaces with Resene FX Blackboard and Resene FX Chalkboard Paint. Simply apply in your chosen colour, allow to dry and then have fun writing all over it in chalk. It’s ideal for everything from walls to toys, furniture to noticeboards. For an extra handy feature, paint basecoats of Resene FX Magnetic Magic first before your topcoats and enjoy a finish that you can use magnets on as well as draw and write all over. The only limit is you and your child’s imagination. resene.co.nz/colorshops

navybaby.co.nz

Kiwi kids

Star Wars X Adairs

Coming to Adairs from a galaxy far, far away is the new Star Wars range. Explore the galaxy with your favourite Star Wars characters, redesigned in an adorable and modern print. Darth VaderTM, R2-D2TM, and YodaTM are just some of the iconic heroes and villains of this charming collection.

From bed linen and baskets to nursery, this must-have range is a complete look for fans of all ages to bring Star Wars adventure into their room. May the Force be with you! adairs.co.nz

24 Summer / 2021

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Waves in a jar

Plan a trip to Dunedin this summer and visit Otago Museum's Sea Monsters exhibition!

At the Otago Museum they’re going crazy about the ocean. Take a look at this great activity where you can make your own ocean waves!

WHAT YOU NEED

INSTRUCTIONS

+ a jar with a lid

1. Fill your jar halfway with water and add as much food colouring as you like.

+ blue or green food colouring + water + vegetable oil

2. Fill the rest of the container up as much as possible with vegetable oil.

3. Put the lid on tightly.

4. Tilt the jar and see the waves grow!

When you move the jar, you’re seeing energy move through the water, making waves, just like on the beach! Outside a jar though, wind blowing on the water’s surface creates energy to make waves.

If you want to see the weird and wonderful things that were in the oceans when the dinosaurs were on the land, come down to Otago Museum and visit our Sea Monsters exhibition; hands-on touchable and immersive fun for kids, with real fossils that are millions of years old, gigantic ocean predator casts and you can even draw your own sea monster and watch it swim around the gallery walls! otagomuseum.nz

Summer / 2021

25

GET CRAFTY

Tip: Use Resene FX Metallic Gold to decorate the pots.

Merry Christmas!

Kids DIY

Pinecone Christmas Trees Getting out and about to collect pinecones is step one in our Christmassy art project made with Resene Testpot colours. We found our cones alongside the bike tracks at Bottle Lake Forest.

We used these Resene testpot colours

YOU’LL NEED:

INSTRUCTIONS:

Pinecones

1. Paint your pots in two coats of Resene Roadster. Let them dry in between (if littlies can wait).

Small terracotta pots Paint brushes Resene Testpots Pom poms for decorations Glue Resene Black White

2. Cover your pinecones with Resene Goblin paint. Use an old brush (it’s hard on the bristles) and push it down between the scales to get good coverage.

3. When the green paint is dry, use Resene Black White and dab it on the ends of each of the pinecone scales to look like snow. Make sure you put plenty of paint on the brush for a more realistic look.

Resene Goblin (Green)

4. Glue the pinecones onto the top of the painted terracotta pots.

Resene Roadster (Red)

5. Decorate your trees!

For all your DIY projects, big or small, visit your nearest Resene ColorShop. resene.co.nz/colorshops

26 Summer / 2021

FOOD

Molten dark chocolate and hazelnut pudding YUM!

A quick stir-together pudding that bakes to gorgeous soft and pillowy deliciousness.

Serve with lashings of ice cream or cream – or both!

SERVES 6 EQUIPMENT:5-CUP CAPACITY BAKING DISH

INGREDIENTS 180 g butter 200 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped 3 large eggs 125 g caster sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons plain flour ¼ teaspoon sea salt 1 cup roughly chopped hazelnuts icing sugar for dusting (optional)

METHOD

+ Preheat the oven to 160°C fan bake. + Put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan of simmering water to melt. Don’t let the base of the bowl touch the water. Set aside to cool. + Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract together in a large bowl until pale and thick. + Stir in the melted chocolate, then use a large metal spoon to fold in the flour and salt. Stir in half the hazelnuts and tip the mixture into the baking dish. Scatter over the remaining hazelnuts and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the pudding is set but still with a little wobble in the centre.

TO SERVE Dust with icing sugar, if desired, and serve immediately with ice cream or cream.

Recipe extracted from dish FAST

by Sarah Tuck and Claire Aldous published by ICG Media.

Summer / 2021

27

FUN ZONE

KIDS’ time

ACTIVITIES FOR ALL AGES

rence

freaky ages.

inish

Spot The Difference Circle all 10 frightfully freaky differences in the images.

Spider Web Maze Words Help our beastie buddy find his way to the center of his web.

1._________________________

.

3._________________________ 4._________________________ 5._________________________

Finish

6._________________________ 7._________________________ 8._________________________ 9._________________________ 10.________________________

Start Here

Spider Web Maze

Spot The Difference 1. Thing: Wristwatch 2. Lurch: Bowtie 3. Fester: Sunglasses 4. Morticia: Flower on hat 5. Gomez: Color of sunglasses 6. Gomez: Color of flower lei 7. Wednesday: Color of pet 8. Cousin IT: Sunglasses 9. Pugsley: Candle in snorkle 10. Pugsley: Color of arm floaters

SKULL- 2 SPIDER- 4

Hidden Icons 1. CHILDREN 3. SCREAM 5. HAUNTED 7. VACATION 9. ELEMENT

Weird Words

BAT- 2 EYEBALL- 3 2. FAMILY 4. BOND 6. MISERABLE 8. ADVENTURE 10. ICONIC

Answers

THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2 ©2021 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. THE ADDAMS FAMILY™ Tee and Charles Addams Foundation. All Rights Reserved.

M A RK ETPL ACE WeirdCHRISTCHURCH Words

Words 1._________________________

Double, double, toil and trouble, unscramble the secret words.

The arrow indicates if you should move one letter backward or forward.

2._________________________ 3._________________________

I

We find Morticia and Gomez distraught that their BGHKCQDM are growing up, skipping GBNJMZ dinners, and totally consumed with “TDSFBN time.” To reclaim their ANMC they decide to cram Wednesday, Pugsley, Uncle Fester and the crew into their IBVOUFE camper and hit the road for one last NJTFSBCMF family WBDBUJPO . Their BEWFOUVSF across America takes them out of their DKDLDMS and into hilarious run-ins with their HBNMHB , Cousin IT, as well as many new kooky characters.

What could possibly go wrong?

I

I

I

4._________________________ 5._________________________

7._________________________

I

I

I

I

6._________________________

I

8._________________________

I

Spot The Difference 1. Thing: Wristwatch 2. Lurch: Bowtie 3. Fester: Sunglasses 4. Morticia: Flower on hat 5. Gomez: Color of sunglasses 6. Gomez: Color of flower lei 7. Wednesday: Color of pet 8. Cousin IT: Sunglasses 9. Pugsley: Candle in snorkle 10. Pugsley: Color of arm floaters

Hidden Icons 1. CHILDREN 3. SCREAM 5. HAUNTED 7. VACATION 9. ELEMENT

Weird Words

2. FAMILY 4. BOND 6. MISERABLE 8. ADVENTURE 10. ICONIC

Having to pack is simply ghastly, lend a hand and help the Addams find everything they need. Count how many of each icon you can find on this page.

littleonesloburn.com 57 Hodgsons Rd, Loburn Rangiora 7472

Spider Web Maze

28 Summer / 2021

10.________________________ Providing a rural experience for little ones to make discoveries and safely explore the natural world.

BAT- 2 EYEBALL- 3

Hidden Icons

9._________________________

SKULL- 2 SPIDER- 4

nd page.

2._________________________

3 Orana Wildlife Park Win a family pass to visit the animals at Orana Wildlife Park, the only open range zoo in New Zealand.

GIVEAWAYS

Win 1 of 3 SING 2 prize packs Dream big dreams. See Sing 2 only in cinemas December 26. Pack Inclusion: Pencil case Kid bucket hat Sticker Sheet Buster character head band Double movie pass

2

2

Osmo games

Win one of two award-winning Osmo STEM prize packs including the Math Wizard game, Fantastic Food truck plus an Osmo base/camera.

Marvin Makes a Friend Get your hands on one of two copies of Nadia Lim’s cute new kids’ book – based on a true story!

Be in to

The complete set Win a Wildling Books Aroha series of four books; Aroha’s Way, Let It Go, Aroha Knows and How Do I Feel?

Win!

2

Win one of two copies of Craig Smith’s latest adorable Wonky Donkey tale.

Follow us for your chance to win: @familytimesnewzealand

10

Water Wipes

3

Win 3 months’ supply of WaterWipes new plantbased and biodegradable gentle baby wipes.

CORN THIN Minis

Win 1 of 10 CORN THINS Minis Summer prize packs. Prize includes all three THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2: ROAD TRIP delicious flavours: ORIGINAL; SOUR CREAM & CHIVES; CHEDDAR CHEESE and Everyone’s favorite spooky family is back in the animated comedy a CORN THINS Minis branded cooler bag sequel, THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2: ROAD TRIP. Three prize packs including: – great for those family picnics!

Character mask, Sticker sheet, Pairs card game and Double movie pass.

Terms and conditions can be found at familytimes.co.nz

Wonky Donkey’s Big Surprise

Modibodi RED Win a prize pack from Modibodi, helping teens and tweens manage their first period with confidence. Prize includes 1x pair of sleep shorts and 2x regular pairs of Modibodi RED undies.

CHRISTCHURCH M A RK ETPL ACE

Christchurch’s Favourite Family PIZZA Restaurant

2 Waterman Place, Ferrymead

376 4900

pizzarepublic.co.nz

Summer / 2021

29

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Stacey Morrison

Celebrating Maoritanga

is a familiar face to all New Zealanders, having enjoyed a successful 25-year career in radio and television. Now adding writing to her impressive resumé, she published bestseller My First Words in Māori and co-authored Māori at Home and Māori Made Fun with her husband, Scotty. Her latest book is Kia Kaha: A Storybook of Māori Who Changed the World, written with Jeremy Sherlock for tamariki and rangatira, telling the true stories of Māori who have achieved great things.

STACEY MORRISON

T

he book features notable people from the 28th (Māori) Battalion to All Blacks and Taika Waititi, telling their story in a way that shows New Zealand children how they, too, can make a difference.

Our editor ANNA SCAIFE chatted to Stacey about the new book and her aspirations for te reo Māori in New Zealand.

Congratulations on your beautiful new book.

What prompted you to begin writing after your success in the entertainment industry?

I went to Avondale Primary School, where I had some great teachers who really encouraged me. I’ve always loved writing, and some excellent English and drama teachers helped me along the way. I guess I have come to writing now because there’s a need, and the thing that I can offer has been the Māori language.

Avondale Primary! Did you grow up in Christchurch?

Yes, I did! We live in Auckland, but I still make sure that our whānau spends time in Christchurch. On a recent visit, we took the kids to the Waimakariri River, and they found out why it’s named ‘cold water’.

What are some of your memories of Christchurch?

I always remember the excitement of the Lucky Book Club. I went to Chisnallwood Intermediate, and I can remember being encouraged to make a raft and float down the river. But that seems like something that would never happen now!

Your family speaks te reo full-time at home, is that right?

Yes. If I wound the clock back twenty years, I never would have foreseen the mother I would turn out to be. Sometimes life throws you a curveball. When we had the kids, Scotty and I shared that bold vision of bringing up our children in a Māori speaking home.

30 Summer / 2021

Do you have any tips for parents who want to incorporate te reo into their home life?

My advice is to learn from your tamariki. Often they will know more than you do. Ask them about the words they are learning. And if there are words you know, like puku, kai and whānau, begin to use them every day. Most people are surprised by how many words they already know. Another great way to learn is listening to songs.

What is your vision for te reo in New Zealand?

Firstly, I think it’s to celebrate bilingualism. We could still lose the language, and so it’s important that the opportunities and resources to learn are there. Scotty and I have not focused on compulsion.

We are working towards goodwill building, to help build mana and status for the language.

What did you want to achieve with the new book Kia Kaha?

I wanted to counter what we tend to do in New Zealand, which is to minimise things. I wanted to reflect that our stories matter, and everyone can change the world. I set out to find stories that would show tamariki how, with their kura huna, their special gifts, they could make a difference, too.

The book is beautifully illustrated. What was that process like?

There was a group of artists working on the book, and it was fascinating to see what they came up with. The artworks were individual, but at the same time they worked so well together. It’s my fervent hope that this helps the illustrators to gain more mahi because of their contribution to Kia Kaha.

VISIT DUNEDIN THIS SUMMER!