Growing Up in Malta - Issue 22 - Summer 2013 by M2M Publications

Issue 22

SUMMER 2013

Summer Bucket List p06 Win 4 weeks of Summer Club

p49

Keeping Safe in Water p42 NOW also

SUMMER is here!!! kids pages, competitions & much more ...

Summer 2013 - Issue 22

FREE Magazine for Kids, Parents & Grandparents

Hello and what a difference! For the first time ever in Growing Up in Malta history we are fully interactive and digital! Can you believe it?

Editors Word

Did you download the Growing Up in Malta app already? It is easy to share, easy to read, and you will never loose your personal copy as it is being stored in your own personal library. You can view video’s, website’s and send your email directly, all this just by touching the links on the pages. Even our content page is fully linked. Choose the page, touch the line of your choice and you will taken through to the page of your choice immediately. So easy.

We also have a great competition for you. You can win a block of 4 weeks of Eden Summer Club. (just touch here and we will take you through to the competition page) And what about the launch of Maltese Flash Cards?! (just touch here and we will take you through to the page) Oh before I forget... Whenever you see a fingerprint it means you can touch there and when online it will take you straight through to a link, email or video! That is the beauty of interactivity!

We hope you will enjoy this new experience as much as we enjoyed working on it!. See you next time! Diana

Diana

In this issue we are discussing everything related to the summer of course. Due to being digital we have the opportunity to offer you more pages and much more editorial. So you can now

fully submerge yourself in your Summer issue of Growing Up in Malta.

www.growing-up-in-malta.com

This Issue Summer 2013 Issue 22 Issue 22

SUMMER 2013

Summer Bucket List p06 Win 4 weeks of Summer Club

p49

Editorial

Advertising

Publishers

Additional Editorial

Design & Artwork

Cover Photo

Diana Lavender Editor diana@growing-up-in-malta.com Tel. 9986 6358

M2M Publications info@growing-up-in-malta.com Tel. 9986 6358

M2M Publications PO Box 20, St. Paul’s Bay www.growing-up-in-malta.com

Keeping Safe in Water p42 NOW also

SUMMER is here!!! kids pages, competitions & much more ...

Paul Grech Sylvana Brannon Albert Cilia FG.C.C.A

M2M Publications

Anna Omelchenko

Paula Doumanov

Disclaimer All adverts and editorial are printed in good faith, however, M2M Publications can not take any responsibility for the content of the adverts or services provided by the advertisers. The Publisher and/or Editor do not necessarily share the view(s) of editorial contributors. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored without the express permission of the publisher. Every effort has been made regarding the accuracy of the information given and printed in Growing Up.

Summer 2013 - Issue 22

When you have finished with this magazine please recycle it.

CONTENTS SUMMER 2013 Issue 22 for the

little ones p25 p26 p27 p28 p29 p31 p32 p33 p34

Kids Apps

Kids Pages

Jellyfish Make your own Billy Make your own Bangle Cooking: Flip Flops & Monkey Snacks Henry Hedgehog Puzzlepage Colouring in Competition Crafts: Grass Heads & Can walking stils Weather in Malta Kids Apps

34 Health & Safety

for

parents

& grandparents

p37 p38 p42

p08

p50 p54 p56

p20 p58

p13

p31 p49

Parents to be

Tips for Parents to be and New Parents Stem Cells - Today’s hottest topic Keeping Kids safe in and around water

Dad in progress

Don’t make Work-Life Balance your Goal

p38

Community

p10

The new Diagnostic Centre Kelb Imharreg - Sid Kuntent Dog training made easy Lynn, a success story

Education

Teatru Manoel breathes new life... Self Expression and Children

p23 p47 p48 p53

Money Matters

p16 p42

Competitions

p06 p18

The Liffetime Trust

Colouring in Competition Win a 4 week session of Eden Summer Club

p14

Mum Time

Stem Cells - Today’s hottest topic

First time Grandparent My baby has a baby...

Product Review Learning with Maltesse Flashcards Aqua Kidz 5th Anniversary Eden Summer Club Bath Time Magic with Tinti

Health & Safety

Ouwch - Splinters Keeping Kids safe in and around water

Summer

Summer Fun Bucket List Recommended Summer Time Reads

Nutrition

Nestlé reduces sugar in cereals

@ All pagenumbers are hyerlinks and will transport your directly to the editorial page of your choice. Summer 2013 - Issue 22

Next Issue Autumn 2013 Issue 23

Summer 2013 - Issue 22

Summer holiday

Summer Fun Bucket List We all know the feeling, what shall we do this summer, how are we going to entertain the kids for so long…. Well let us help you on the way to a fun filled summer, which will create loads of happy dreams and forever memories. To achieve this, we made a summer bucket list. You can create your own bucket list, use bits and pieces of ours, as long as your aim is to complete your bucket list by the end of the summer holiday. Most of the items don’t really need an explanation. Others have a brief outline of how to “deal” with this option in the best way possible. You can complete your list in any order. Have fun and keep us posted! Here is our bucket list for the summer! 1. Go to the beach 2. Make Popsicles 3. Go to the movies 4. Paint using our feet 5. Tie dye shirts 6. Take a picture everyday

7. Roast marshmallows 8. Go for a boat ride 9. Go to an outdoor concert 10. Make homemade soap Let’s face it, taking a bath is not the most-liked chore by many kids. There are thousands of things that parents

06 00

have to do for getting a kid into the shower. So, handmade soaps, the ones that are specially made by kids, can be a great reason for them to bathe! Besides having a great time while making these soaps, kids would definitely want to rush into the shower to try out their self-made masterpieces, don’t you think? For serving this very purpose, here is an easy soap-making recipe for kids that would be enjoyed by not only the kids but their parents too! You will need: Mixing bowl, water, vegetable oil, water, grater, transparent/ glycerin soap. Preparation method: • Take a transparent/glycerin soap and cut it into small pieces. • Now, transfer these pieces into a bowl. • Melt the soap pieces either in a microwave oven or by using a gas stove. You can also grate the soap into flakes and melt the flakes. • Optional: Add required quantity of fragrance to the melt. • Optional: You can add a few drops of desired liquid food color to the melt. Take a hand blender and mix the ingredients to get a clear liquid. You can also mix the ingredients using your hand by simultaneously adding water to the mixture, until it gets the form somewhat like playdough. • Pour the mixture into soap molds. If you have made the mixture into dough, then rub a few drops of vegetable oil on your hands and shape the soap dough, in the desired shape and size. • Let the soap stand overnight and then remove it from the molds. Your soap is ready to be used! 11. Play with water balloons 12. Play with squirt bottles outside 13. Play with colored bubbles Summer 2013 - Issue 22

14. Pick vegetables from your garden 15. Make and play with homemade face paint Ingredients: 1 tsp. corn starch 1/2 tsp. milk (I used whole) 1/4 tsp. water Food coloring Preparation method: • Mix the milk and cornstarch together until well blended. • Add one drop of food coloring at a time. Once you think it is dark enough, add a drop or two more as it will lighten up on your child’s face. • Find the smallest paintbrush you possibly can and get your little wiggle-worm to sit still for a minute or two. • And paint!!! • Once you’re ready to take it off, just use a wet paper towel and 15-seconds later, your child will be good as new! 16. Have an ice cream party 17. Try lots of different sunglasses on and take pictures 18. Build a sandcastle 19. Make frozen banana icecream 20. See fireworks 21. Go to a parade 22. Visit a farmer’s market 23. Visit a new playground 24. Play at a splash park 25. Go swimming 26. Have a late night movie night 27. Go bird watching 28. Visit a fair 29. Make fizzing sidewalk chalk To make your own fizzing sidewalk

chalk you need: A container of baking soda, 1/2 cup of cornstarch, warm (almost hot) Water and Food coloring. Preparation method: Mix the dry ingredients and then add water stirring until its not too thick. This paint dries very quickly – but washes off with ease! 30. Make cookies 31. Visit a sunflower field 32. Make (edible) moon sand Ingredients: 5-6 cups of flour, 1 cup of cooking oil Preparation method: • Add oil to 5 to 6 cups of flour and mix well by hand. The ingredients should hold a shape easily, like wet sand, but should not be sticky. • If it crumbles too easily and won’t hold its shape, add oil. • If it is too sticky, add flour. • Store in an air tight container when not in use. Moon sand can last up to 3 months • Alternate, colored version: • Add a few drops of food coloring to the oil and mix prior to adding it to the flour for different colored moon sand. Use white flour instead of unbleached flour. NOTES: Use unbleached flour for a more authentic sand color; children are less

likely to want to eat it. Use very light olive oil or sweet almond oil for best results, however any cooking oil will work. 33. Paint a self-portrait 34. Plant sunflowers 35. Write a poem 36. Walk around by the water and discover 37. Make our own strawberry jam 38. Go to a movie 39. Fly a kite 40. Make our own bouncy balls. The best part is they were SO easy to make. For each ball, you’ll need: 1 tbsp white glue, food coloring 1/2 tsp. Borax powder (can be found in the laundry detergentaisle of most bigger stores), 3 tbsp cornstarch, 4 tbsp warm water Preparation method: • In one cup, put your warm water, cornstarch and Borax. In another cup or bowl, put your glue. • Next, put several drops of food coloring into the white glue and stir well. • Give your water/Borax/cornstarch mixture a good stir to combine all the ingredients (the cornstarch has a tendency to settle on the bottom). Then pour the water mixture into your colored glue. • Give it a stir and you’ll see it

Summer 2013 - Issue 22

immediately start to clump together. Stir it a bit more until you have one big, slimy glob. • Take the glob out of the liquid and begin rolling it between the palms of your hands to form a ball. It’ll be sticky at first, so keep a paper towel handy to wipe off your hands occasionally, but soon a rubbery ball will form. (We found that just using our palms seemed to work better than using our whole hands and fingers.) • Once the stickiness is gone and you have a nice smooth ball, that’s it! You can bounce away!! NOTE: The balls will flatten out after sitting for awhile. We had the great idea to store them in plastic easter eggs. But ofcourse couldn’t find any when we needed to, so we just used small plastic containers and rolled the balls between our palms again to regain their shape. 41. Ride your bike 42. Go camping 43. Make a summer craft 44. Visit a museum 45. Make a collage 46. Write and send a letter 47. Have a pj day 48. Make an obstacle course 49. Have a lay-in 50. Go on a nature walk

07 00

Dad in Progress

Don’t Make Work-Life Balance Your Goal By Paul Grech

Work-life balance. I hate that phrase and all that it implies. When you’re trying to balance something against another, what you’re doing is trying to fight off gravity’s pull on those two things. Is that really how we want to view things? Is there anything that, when put on the other side of the scale can act as a counter-weight to your family? More than the semantics of it all, I hate how we’ve been fooled into allowing the ‘work-life balance’ myth to gain credibility; how there are those who push it as though it were the goal which all parents should strive to achieve. For me, there is no such thing as work-life balance; there is work and there is life. Thinking that you can ever get to a point where the former does not impinge on the latter is an illusion. How can it be otherwise? When you work, it often feels as if you only get to see the worst of your children. You get to see them late in the evening they’re too tired to do much apart from whine. When they’re full of life and energy; when they can do the fun stuff you’re usually at work. There are the weekends, of course. But far too often those end up being days where you rush from one place to another, doing the errands that you didn’t get the time to do during the week. The opposite applies just as much: kids often get to see the worst of us. I’m the first to admit that I’m not usually the most fun person to be around when I get home from work. And that often the last thing you want is to have to deal with three kids.

Occasionally I get to think about how my kids will remember me when they’re older. Will they think back fondly about the time they spent with their father or will they simply recall a grumpy man who often had too little energy to play with them? Often I fear that it will be the latter. It’s not that I don’t make an effort. I try to leave for home at a sensible time and I make an effort not to let work encroach on my evenings. Even so, it is extremely difficult to switch off; it is difficult not

Fair enough, there are those who are ambitious and who want to be in ever more pressurised jobs in order to feel fulfilled and as a result spend as much time as they possibly can working. But those are few. Then there are those who need to work as many hours as possible in order to earn enough money to get by. But again – and I’m talking about Malta

If you like this article then you’ll love what Paul has to say on his blog over at www.dad-in-progress.com

to think of some upcoming project that there is lined up or wonder how you’ll manage to handle whatever it is that you have to do. And, unfortunately, when your mind is filled with such worries those around you tend to suffer. Physically you might be at home but in truth your mind isn’t. Of course, some manage this better than others and there are those who can truly switch off when they leave the office or wherever they work. But if we’re being honest, most of us don’t do that anywhere near well enough. If you want proof, just keep an eye out for how many people can’t resist taking a peek at their smartphones to see whether they’ve got any new work mail whilst they’re out with their family. Or how many people go out to take a work call when they’re at a school concert. Does this mean that work is bad? Of course not (at least not unless you’re in a job that you really hate, in which case it most probably is harming you). Work is a necessity but not only that: it does give Summer 2013 - Issue 22

you a degree of satisfaction. Yet, even if you simply go by how much time we spend at work, it is naïve to think that it isn’t dominating your life.

here – in truth there are few of those too. The majority find themselves in the middle, stuck between the dual pressures of work and their family. They can feel that they aren’t truly happy with the time that they are dedicating to their kids but at the same time they feel powerless to do anything about it. People bandying about phrases like ‘work-life balance’ perpetuates the illusion that some minor changes here and there will allow you to make everything right. Yet that won’t happen. What needs to be done – and this is as much advice for myself as it is for anyone else – is to take a real look at yourself and determine what your real priorities are. Stop kidding yourself that a holiday or being able to work flexible hours (although both are good) will fix things. Fight so that you can live a life that truly makes you happy and fulfilled. Make sure that when they grow up your kids will think of you as a kind, loving and fun person who always had time for them.

Summer 2013 - Issue 22

First time Grandparent

My baby has a baby... I can barely write it... I have become a grandmother. My baby has a baby. Well to be precise, his wife had a baby, and today my husband and I went to the hospital to lay eyes on this precious first grandchild. Warming under lights in a maternity ward crib, his face looked perfect and vaguely familiar with brownish hair and long elegant fingers. His great-grandmother, who has lots other greatgrandchildren, proclaimed, “This baby is top of the line.” No argument there. I am awed by his beauty and diminutive size--I’d forgotten just how tiny a typical newborn is, at seven pounds not much bigger than a my husbands left shoe... In life, calm years may follow one another like pearls on a string, each one much like the others. Then, kaboom, you hit a stretch with nothing but surprise. This has been my last eleven months, which have exploded with joy. In December one son married, in May his older brother followed and now, this, a grandchild. (Do the math, if you must.) With three new people in our family to love, I am reminded how the emotion is engineered for tender, boundless expansion. When I see our son and daughter-inlaw with their baby, I’m dazzled by their competence. My husband and I were caring parents to our first-born, but far too intimidated to express the serenity I see when the new parents handle their son in a natural, well-orchestrated ballet. How did my son know to put a pinky in his baby boy’s mouth to suck? Why are these parents so eager to escape the wise, hovering care of hospital nurses to return to their own nest? Where did all this grace come from? In having these parents I feel my grandson has won the lottery. It makes

Being Nanna will be a grand adventure of nurture and discovery. Let the wild adventure begin... me so proud.Since both of my sons are newly married, grandparenthood has blindsided me. During the pregnancy my husband and I, superstitious sorts, made a pact to tamp down talk about the baby until he or she arrived, healthy and strong. Now that our grandson is here, I am dipping into a well of readiness that I never knew existed. I am more ready for Summer 2013 - Issue 22

grandmotherhood than I ever could have imagined. Being Nanna will be a grand adventure of nurture and discovery. Let the adventure begin. If you would like to share your first time grandparent story with us, email your story to: info@growing-up-in-malta.com

Summer 2013 - Issue 22

The Lifetime Trust – Saving in Trust is a necessity not a luxury! Money Matters Following up on our previous articles relative to Trusts and their purpose, here we will look into another scenario within the family nucleus where Trusts are utilised to provide peace of mind to the family. In fact the Lifetime Trust is designed for all those hard working fathers and mothers who want to make sure that their hard earned savings are given all the protection they need. A common concern of many working parents is that in this increasingly unpredictable and litigious society, their hard earned savings might be subject to various risks or exposed in any manner. Furthermore, many parents don’t have the time or expertise to ensure their assets are administered in the best possible manner. The Lifetime trust is a perfect solution to all these questions. So why set up a Lifetime Trust? A Trust operates according to the instructions and wishes of the individual setting up the Trust. Therefore besides ensuring that the assets held in Trust are protected for benefit of the beneficiary/ ies of the Trust, the Trustee may also be instructed to address more mundane matters. In the case of the Lifetime Trust the beneficiary is expected to be the person setting it up the Trust and who will continue to settle assets in the Trust for his / her benefit and potentially also for the benefit of his or her family throughout his/her lifetime. In practical terms, the Lifetime Trust will usually hold the person’s savings, term deposits, financial investments etc. The Lifetime Trust may also have a “Protector” who again, would usually be the Settlor and/ or his partner and then subsequently a close relative or friend of the parents which would cater for an unforeseen and unfortunate event. The Protector will be consulted on the decisions relating to the administration of the Trust. Is it easy to set up? An arrangement is formalised in writing

between the individual wishing to set up a Trust, the “Settlor”, and the Trustee. It determines how the Trustee is to administer the assets in the best interest of the Settlor and possibly the rest of his family. The assets legal ownership will be transferred from the Settlor to the Trustee who will administer them for the beneficial owner(s). Besides cash and financial investments, the Trust may include immovable property too. Today’s

demand and standardisation of the arrangement have resulted in Trusts becoming very affordable. Which Laws are Relevant? Authorised professional Trustees are regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority while the Trusts and Trustees Act (Cap.331 Laws of Malta) provides the legal framework.

“The Lifetime trust gives peace of mind against unfortunate and unforeseen circumstance and complements an individual’s savings habits.” Trust arrangements are simple and flexible ensuring all the necessary clarity in the terms set out but still remaining a personal and confidential matter. Tax implications? The Tax implications on income earned by the assets remain the same, irrespective of whether they are held in the Trust or by the individual. Is the Lifetime Trusts expensive? The trust industry has developed over the years and although the Trust arrangement is always a very personal and confidential matter, the increase in Summer 2013 - Issue 22

In conclusion, the Lifetime Trust is proving a popular and feasible solution for those individuals who want to ensure that their hard earned savings are well protected for their future and that a professional Trustee is administering them in their best interest. The Lifetime trust gives peace of mind against unfortunate and unforeseen circumstance and complements an individual’s savings habits. By Albert Cilia - Ganado Trustees & Fiduciaries Ltd. You can contact him via email: acilia@jmganado.com

@ 13

Nutrition - Diet

Nestlé reduces sugar in cereals popular with kids and teens Mums asked and Nestlé Cereals listened. Determined to make breakfast nutrition easier for families, Nestlé is responding to mums’ request for a more nutritious breakfast option for kids.

The nutrition improvements announced are Nestle breakfast cereals’ biggest effort to date, in line with consumer demand, following calls from parents for less sugar.

Now, breakfast cereals most popular with kids and teens, such as NESQUIK, CHOCAPIC CHOCOMIX and LION, have 9g or less sugar per 30g serving* – that’s up to 30% less than before. This is part of the Nestlé Breakfast Cereals Nutrition Commitment the company recently announced. In fact, the new recipes will invite mums to rethink breakfast cereal as a nutritious breakfast choice for kids.

The Nestlé commitment is that, by the end of 2015 Nestlé branded breakfast cereals popular with kids and teens will: • Contain 9g total sugars or less per serving* • Contain 135mg sodium or less per serving • Be made with more Whole Grain than any other ingredient • Be a good source of calcium per serving (15% of RDA per serving)

In addition to having less sugar than before, all the new recipes will also be made with more Whole Grain than any other ingredient, be a good source of calcium per serving, and contain 135mg sodium or less per serving. Most importantly all Nestlé Cereals will continue to have a delicious taste that kids will love, ensuring that both mums and kids are happy at breakfast time. While Nestlé Cereals are typically lower in calories, fat, salt and sugar than many other breakfast options – Nestlé research found that mums don’t always believe that’s the case. A recent study of more than 23,000 online conversations across five European countries revealed that many mums were confused as to how much sugar was in kids cereals

Breakfast cereals are an excellent choice

The sugar being removed is being replaced with other ingredients, typically other carbohydrates, which contain a similar amount of calories, which means

Nestlé Invites Mums to Re-Think Breakfast Cereals as a Nutritious Option for Their Families

for kids and adults. They can be made with whole grain and they provide important vitamins and minerals. In fact studies show that in many countries breakfast cereals are one of the main sources of certain vitamins and minerals and make a relatively low contribution to sugar intake: studies show on average five per cent of total sugar consumed during the day. Nestlé recognizes that mums face many challenges in the mornings. As such the company wants to make it easier to understand breakfast nutrition as well as offer nutritious options to make it easier to give kids a good start to their day. Summer 2013 - Issue 22

the energy content will remain roughly the same. The new recipes are the most recent in a series of important changes Nestlé Cereals has been making since 2003, including removing 9,141 tonnes of sugar, adding more than 3.4 billion servings of whole grains and removing 884 tonnes of salt. Its Whole Grain Guarantee, introduced in 2005, ensures that every serving of Nestlé breakfast cereal is made with at least 8 grams of whole grain, as noted by the Whole Grain Tick on the front of the pack. For more information, visit: www.nestle.com.mt

Editorial Sponsored by Nestlé Breakfast Cereals.

Nestlé breakfast cereals Mums and Breakfast study, social listening research project was undertaken in five European markets: UK, France, Germany, Italy and Poland to identify and understand the main topics that mums are discussing in relation to their children’s breakfasts in June 2012.

compared to sweets, cakes and biscuits. However, even before Nestlé’s recipe improvements, a serving of cereal already had less sugar than a pot of fruit yoghurt, a banana or a ¼ baguette with chocolate spread.

Please Note: NestlĂŠ breakfast cereals Mums and Breakfast study, social listening research project was undertaken in five European markets: UK, France, Germany, Italy and Poland to identify and understand the main topics that mums are discussing in relation to their childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s breakfasts in June 2012. Summer 2013 - Issue 22

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Health & Safety

Ouwch - Splinters!

You probably don’t get as many splinters as you did when you were a child. But they can still surprise you when you least expect it. Not even mentioning the children... It might be tempting to ignore a splinter, especially if it doesn’t hurt. But a splinter can become infected, so you should try to get it out as soon as you notice it. Removing a splinter right away means the skin won’t have time to heal over, so the splinter will pull out more easily. Here’s how to remove a splinter: 1. Clean the area. Wash your hands, then wash the area surrounding the splinter with soap and warm tap water. 2. Sterilize a needle and some tweezers. The best way to do this is to immerse the ends of the needle and tweezers in boiling water or run boiling water over them. Wipe them off with a clean cotton pad, cotton

ball, or alcohol pad after boiling. 3. Gently pull out the splinter. If the end of the splinter is still poking out of your skin, you should be able to remove it using just tweezers. Be sure the tweezers have a firm grip on the end of the splinter and pull slowly and gently at the same angle as the splinter went into the skin. (Pulling too quickly or at the wrong angle can break the splinter and make it harder to remove the part that remains in your skin.) If there’s no end to grab, use the sterilized needle to gently scrape the skin away from the splinter until there’s enough of an end to grab with the tweezers. 4. Clean the wound. Check to be sure all pieces of the splinter came out. Then, wash the area with soap and warm water once more. (You can also dab it with an alcohol pad or rubbing alcohol if you wish.) If the opening left by the splinter is noticeable, it’s a good idea to Summer 2013 - Issue 22

cover it with a bandage to prevent infection. When to Call the Doctor? Usually, splinters can be handled at home. But in some cases, you might have to visit the doctor. See a doctor if: • The splinter seems to be too deep. • The wound is bleeding a lot. • It can’t be removed. • The splinter seems infected (red, puffy, warm to the touch, or containing pus). Not all splinters can be prevented. But you can protect yourself from getting them in the first place: Wear shoes - It makes sense to wear sandals or flip-flops instead of barefooting it over a rough wood boardwalk or deck. But it’s also a good idea to wear water shoes to protect your feet when diving off a dock or wading in water. Of course wood’s not the only thing that splinters. If you drop a glass or bottle (or someone with you does), grab some slippers or shoes until the floor’s been swept.

Summer 2013 - Issue 22

Reading

Recommended Summer Time Reads Summer is here, and how great is it to have some extra time to finally dive in to your favorite book! We read some for you and here is what we thought of them.

Babyproofing Your Marriage: How to Laugh More, Argue Less, and Communicate Better as Your Family Grows Raising a child is tough, there’s no doubt about it. Raising more than one child is considerably tougher (this is personal experience talking here...) and often one of the victims tends to be the parents’ relationship. With so many things to do for the children, there isn’t really any time to think about yourself and what you have to do.

TKif Jahsibhom Mastru Gerfex by Carmel G. Cauchi If you’ve ever come across me and my children during one of our regular trips to the local library, then the likelihood is that at some point you’ve heard me exclaim “ooh, I used to love reading this when I was young”. It is my badly disguised attempt at getting my children to read the same books I used to. You see, I find it is extremely difficult to resist the urge to sit down and start reading anything by the likes of Enid Blyton or any other author whose books I spent my childhood reading. And on those occasions that I do manage to convince them to borrow one of these books; the undeniable truth is that I’ll read it before they have the chance to do so. Occasionally, however, I end up wishing I hadn’t done so. For, despite my fond memories of the stories, all too often I end up being slightly disappointed when I get to re-read them. What I find is that they don’t stack up with my recollections; that the stories I found wonderful as a child aren’t half as captivating as an adult. So it was with some apprehension that I approached the latest book in the Mastru Gerfex series. Author Carmel G. Cauchi was one of my favourites with his various book series involving a number of unforgettable characters like Sardinellu, Betta Trumbetta and, of course, Mastru Gerfex. My worry was that my positive memories would be shattered. Thankfully, I need not have worried. Of course, it is a book aimed at children

@ but adults will still enjoy the humour that it contains. The main character is, obviously, Mastru Gerfex; a one-time headmaster who is now a pensioner with an incredible knack of getting into trouble. The joy of this book lies in seeing just what kind of problems he manages to get into - which in this book range from the breakage of his wife’s new acquired mirror to an unfortunate incident involving snails - and, then, how he relies on his wit and intelligence to find a way out of each sticky situation. What adds character to the stories is that, despite the hilarity, each one is completely believable: even if reality has to be somewhat stretched you can just imagine someone acting as Maxtru Gerfex does.

Yet whilst parenting does require a lot of self-sacrifice, it is important not to overdo it. That is the overarching message of this book that takes a good, deep look at various aspects of parenting and how this can put stress on the relationship between the parents whilst offering ideas of how to avoid these pitfalls. In itself, the fact that you see that other parents face the same issues that you do provides some relief; your ‘problems’ are actually quite common. And the advice contained here can truly help. As always, however, there is no universal truth. Read the book, read the suggestions and then decide for yourself whether they might work for you. For perhaps the most significant step forward of all is the realisation that there is something that needs working on. Recommended reading age: parents, whatever the age!

This latest book contains ten new stories in what is actually a great format for children as they can get through each one fairly quickly with the added benefit that each story is so interesting that they’ll be eager to read the next one.

My Brother’s Famous Bottom by Jeremy Strong There are some books that as a parent you read to your children only because of their insistence, the kind of book that are so mind numbingly boring that if they’re chosen as bedtime reading it is you who risk falling asleep first. This is not such a book.

Recommended reading age: 5 onwards (although for the younger children, this is a book that you read for them rather than them reading for themselves)

Instead it is a book that will have everyone laughing - parent and children - and which is huge fun. The story is told by Nicholas, a boy with a very weird

Summer 2013 - Issue 22

and discarded, they chance upon an opportunity to win some nappies if only Cheese (the nickname of one of the family’s baby twins - real name James) can be sucessful in an audition for a nappy advert. The rest? Well, you’ll have to read that! This is how children’s books should be: funny, engaging and imaginative. Recommended reading age: 6 - 9 yrs.

@ family whose father dreams up crazy money making ideas. Eventually, after a number of these schemes are discussed

L-Ixkupa tar-Re Vonxkup and Ir-Re Fellambrozja u r-Renju Lagenba The latest installments to the Jake Cassar series keep up with the fine tradition set by the previous four and continue cementing this serie’s credentials as one of the modern classics of Maltese children’s literature. For the uninitiated, these books centre around Jake Cassar a bespectacled, bookish boy with unruly ginger hair who finds himself travelling to magical

kingdoms and embarking on quests to undo the wrongdoings of the evil(-ish) Regina Fidelja. There is so much to praise in these books that it is almost impossible to do so without seeming rather fanboyish: the imaginative layout and use of text direction to help put the reader in character is simply wonderful, the illustrations by Mark Scicluna are worth the cover price by themselves whilst Clare Azzopardi’s words are playful, imaginative, quirky and offer up a great slice of story-telling. Truly a must in any children’s library. Recommended reading age: 7 - 11. Disclaimer: Review copies of L-Ixkupa tar-Re Vonxkup, Ir-Re Fellambrozja u r-Renju Lagenba and Kif Jahsibhom Mastru Gerfex were received from the publishers.

Avventuri Reading Ktieb ġdid għat-tfal ta’ bejn tmienja u tnax-il sena: Avventuri mill-Klassi ta’ Miss Ambrożja Pulis Kiftaranipenġini, kitba ta’ Audrey Friggieri u pubblikazzjoni Merlin Publishers. Il-ktieb jirrakkonta l-avventura ta’ erba’ studenti fil-klassi tas-sitt sena: Paskal, Furtu, Larissa u Egon. Kif ukoll, naturalment, Miss Ambrożja li hi l-għalliema tagħhom. Iżda mhix għalliema bħall-oħrajn. Jidher li għandha poteri speċjali! Darba Miss Ambrożja tat lill-istudenti tagħha problema biex jaħsbu dwarha u jsibu l-aħjar soluzzjonijiet għaliha: kif kienu jaħarbu kieku kellhom isibu ruħhom fuq gżira deżerta mdawra bilklieb il-baħar? Qasmet l-istudenti fi gruppi żgħar biex jiddiskutu u joħorġu bl-ideat tagħhom, iżda għax għandha l-poter speċjali li tittrasporta lit-tfal f’dinja oħra, bagħtithom verament fuq il-gżira biex jgħixu din l-esperjenza u jippruvaw is-soluzzjonijiet li kienu ħarġu bihom. Jekk Miss Ambrożja, minħabba l-poteri maġiċi tagħha, hi differenti mill-għalliema li mdorrijin naraw, it-tfal li niltaqgħu

magħhom fl-istorja jixbhu lit-tfal ħbieb tagħna – min qisu fil-qamar moħħu x’ġara lbieraħ jew x’jista’ jiġri fil-futur, min qiegħed la ’l hawn u lanqas ’l hemm, min jibża’ minn dellu, u min għandu d-don speċjali li jgħix fil-preżent. Iżda kull tifel u tifla għandha wkoll kapaċitajiet partikulari, u għalhekk kollha għandhom rwol importanti fl-avventura. Avventuri mill-Klassi ta’ Miss Ambrożja Pulis Kiftaranipenġini hu ktieb b’messaġġ dirett għat-tfal. F’dan il-ktieb Audrey Friggieri qed tgħaddi l-messaġġ lit-tfal li jaqraw l-istorja, li l-ħajja hi riżultat talmod kif naħsbu. Jekk wieħed jara kollox iswed xejn mhu se jkun pożittiv. Li tgħix ilpreżent, mingħajr ma tħalli l-passat jew il-ħsieb tal-futur ifixkel, huwa importanti biex tgħix bi sħiħ. U b’hekk inħallu l-potenzjal tagħna joħroġ u l-istima tagħna nfusna tikber. Friggieri tinvolvi lill-qarrejja matul l-avventura u tħajjarhom biex anke huma jaħsbu f’xi soluzzjoni għall-problema li t-tfal qed jippruvaw isolvu. Malprotagonisti ngħixu din l-avventura u xi mindaqqiet nibżgħu bħalhom, nidħku Summer 2013 - Issue 22

bihom u nirriflettu – anke aħna l-kbar – kif il-mod li naraw il-ħajja u l-attitudni tagħna għandhom konsegwenza fuq l-għażliet li nagħmlu. Avventuri mill-Klassi ta’ Miss Ambrożja Pulis Kiftaranipenġini huwa d-debutt fil-kitba ta’ Audrey Friggieri, u hu wkoll l-ewwel darba li l-Merlin ikkollaboraw ma’ illustratur mhux Malti. José Luís Ocaña, artist żagħżugħ Spanjol, ta ħajja lill-istorja bi stil li daħal f’sintonija ma’ dak tal-kitba, u li flimkien jagħmlu minn Avventuri ktieb interessanti u differenti minn tas-soltu. Il-ktieb jista’ jinxtara millħwienet tal-kotba kollha, jew direttament online minn: http://www.merlinpublishers. com/selectedisbnbook_mlt. php?isbn=9789990914405

Teatru Manoel breathes new life… Education TOI TOI is Teatru Manoel’s rich and varied educational programme supported by Bank of Valletta. The programme was set up by music therapist and educator, Rosetta Debattista, who believes that honing a love for the arts from a very young age is of intrinsic importance. Since its inception in September 2011, a number of ToiToi events have been set in motion and become increasingly popular. These include the monthly 022, 325s, 628 concerts for babies and children, theatre tours, behind the scenes, travels (to schools), workshops, mini concerts and Bonanzas, which are workshops with internationally acclaimed musicians such as Carlos Bonell, Carlo Rizzo, the Ardeo Quartet and Gerard Causse. Events for adults include preconcert talks and jazz jams. Other events include our popular Baroque Sundays events as well as collaborations during Malta’s annual Ziguzajg children’s festival. “Toi Toi is aimed at instilling a love for culture - whether music, art or dramainto children from an early age as we believe that this appreciation will remain with them through into their adulthood. Bank of Valletta has a wide ranging Community Relations Programme with one of its main pillars specifically

dedicated towards art and culture. The Bank does its utmost to support and promote the richness of Malta’s talent whilst focusing on instilling an interest for the general public to recognise the beauty of what Malta has to offer in this respect,” said Kenneth B Micallef, Head, CEO’s office. One of ToiToi’s important initiatives was Teatru Manoel’s home-grown youth

that it reaches all pupils and students attending public, private and church schools. So far, no less than 102 events are already planned. Amongst these are community and outreach programmes for The Young at Heart, by which we mean 60+. The response has been very positive for all events from “An inspiring experience and looking forward to the next season” to “Very nice; I didn’t cry or sleep” (from

“Toi Toi”, a phrase used to wish good luck to an artist, seconds before going on stage! theatre company TMYT, for people aged between 16 and 20. The weekly sessions culminated in a production entitled ‘Peculiar Children’ in February 2013. Following the success of TMYT, this year ToiToi plans on launching its own opera company for the young, TMYO. For the 2013/14 season, Teatru Manoel will continue to build on the success of this second season. The plan is to continue to expand this programme so Summer 2013 - Issue 22

a 3 month old audience member) to “Wonderful. Special thanks for making it better and more exciting everytime: with dance and kids live performance. Special THANK you.” Ray Attard, Teatru Manoel’s CEO, stated, “The ToiToi Education Programme is of particular importance to the Manoel as it enables us to fulfil our mission to educate and expand our audiences. What better way is there to do this than to introduce children from as young an age as possible to the joys of live music and performance? Although our plans are ambitious, our resources are not infinite and we need external support. We are therefore very thankful to BOV who are supporting this programme for three years.”

Summer 2013 - Issue 22

Product Review

Learning with Maltese Flashcards We all know how tricky it can be introducing the Maltese language to the very young, especially when – for whatever reason – they are more exposed to English on a daily basis. One of the most hands-on ways is usually flashcards, for a multitude of reasons but especially because they are so versatile and can easily be turned into game-like activities. In brief: fun. Filling this lacuna, Merlin Publishers are launching a new series of Maltese flashcards. The first two packs are launching in late July, and the rest will be rolled out gradually to get to a full complement of six packs. The first pack – L-alfabett – contains of course a flashcard for each letter of the Maltese alphabet, with each letter shown in both its lower and upper case forms. The second pack – Annimali, Insetti u Għasafar – covers, as the title implies, keywords for the most common animals, insects and birds. Each flashcard contains, on the front: a word, a large colour photograph of the object/animal the word describes, and in the case of the alphabet the first letter of the word. All images are high-quality colour photographs, professionally shot and carefully selected by experts in the field to aid identification. On the back of each flashcard, Merlin’s innovative cards contain a series of questions aimed at parents or teachers, intended to stimulate conversation based on the photograph shown on the front of the card. Oracy is a skill that is being promoted from the very early years, as this will be a crucial skill in later school years. These questions – based on the photograph shown on the card – serve to provoke conversation, imagination and discussion, whether in a full class or in a

one-to-one session with the child. The pack Annimali, Insetti u Għasafar – as well as future packs in the series – furthermore contains a set of miniflashcards containing all possible permutations of the article in Maltese, as well as the demonstrative pronouns dan and din. These mini-flashcards are the first of their kind in Malta, enabling teachers or parents to choose whether to show children the words without or with the article. It also facilitates adding, at will, dan and din to each word. Needless to say, these mini-flashcards can be used across the different packs, and have been hailed as one of the most exciting features of Merlin’s flashcards packs. Summer 2013 - Issue 22

Each pack of flashcards also includes a card with notes aimed at teachers or parents, with ideas on how to exploit the flashcards to the full – additional games and activities that can easily be applied with the child, using the flashcards to play while familiarising them with basic Maltese vocabulary. The Merlin flashcards – in line with Merlin’s trademark commitment to quality and safety – come with the highest safety CE certifications, and the cards all have rounded corners to prevent injury. For more information: www.merlinpublishers.com

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Summer 2013 - Issue 22

Jellyfish! What Are Jellyfish? Jellyfish live in the ocean and usually don’t bother anyone. They just float around and look weird, sometimes washing up on the beach. A jellyfish jiggles like gelatin, and some just look like small, clear blobs. But others are bigger and more colorful with a bunch of tentacles that hang down underneath it, kind of like an octopus. Beware of those tentacles! Jellyfish need to eat in the ocean, so their sting helps them catch other sea creatures. Unfortunately, that sting can be turned on people. Jellyfish can sting with their tentacles if they brush against you when you’re swimming in the ocean. You also can get stung if you step on a jellyfish, even one that is dead. What If You Get Stung By a Jellyfish? If you get stung, take these two steps right away: 1. Get out of the water. 2. Tell an adult. See the lifeguard next, if there’s one at your beach. He or she may be able to help and can also warn other swimmers. It’s helpful to know what kind of jellyfish stung you. Your lifeguard may be able to tell you what type is usually at that beach. One Jellyfish Sting = Thousands of Tiny Stingers Jellyfish stings aren’t like bee stings when it comes to the stinger. A bee sting leaves behind a single stinger that you can usually see and pull out.

games, com petitions When a jellyfish stings a person, it leaves thousands of very tiny stingers called nematocysts in the skin. These stingers can continue to release jellyfish venom (poison) into the person’s body. Sometimes, they can be rinsed off with seawater. They also can be scraped off. Here’s what a parent or other adult can do to help you feel better if a jellyfish stings you: • Rinse the area with seawater. (Fresh water could make it worse.) Avoid rubbing the area, which also can make things worse. • With many types of jellyfish stings, it helps to soak the area of skin with vinegar for 15 to 30 minutes. • Use a credit card to scrape off the stingers still in your skin. If available, put shaving cream or a paste of seawater and baking soda on the area. Then scrape it off (kind of like pretend shaving). Check with your doctor. Using certain creams or pain relievers may help you feel better. Someone needs to call for an ambulance right away if a person who’s stung is: • having trouble breathing or swallowing • has a swollen tongue or lips, or a change in voice • has bad pain or feels generally unwell • has stings over a large part of the body Summer 2013 - Issue 22

•

and a lot of fun!

has been stung in the eye or mouth

What About Pee for a Jellyfish Sting? You may have heard people say you should pee on a jellyfish sting. First off, ew! Secondly, experts say that’s not necessary. Seawater and vinegar are recommended instead. Yes, vinegar — the same stuff you might use in a salad dressing. Why does vinegar work sometimes? Vinegar is a weak acid. For many kinds of jellyfish stings, that chemical makeup may keep the nematocysts from “firing,” or releasing venom. Remember that nematocysts are the tiny stingers the jellyfish leaves behind in someone’s skin. That’s why seawater is best for rinsing off. Seawater — the jellyfish’s home environment — doesn’t seem to cause the stingers to fire or not fire. But fresh water (like the kind from your tap or in bottled water) is unfamiliar and may cause the stingers to fire.

You need: • Scissors • Tape or Butterfly clips • Feltpens, pencils or crayons • Glue • A4 piece of card

@ 26

Colour Billy in. Glue it on your piece of A4 card. Cut Billy out. You can use tape to put Billy together or some butterfly clips. Have fun!!!

Touch here to download and print the page. Summer 2013 - Issue 22

You need: • Scissors • Tape or Butterfly clips • Feltpens, pencils or crayons • Glue • A4 piece of card

Colour Bangle in. Glue it on your piece of A4 card. Cut Bangle out. You can use tape to put Bangle together or some butterfly clips.

Touch here to download and print the page. Summer 2013 - Issue 22

ne Summer treats for everyo

Make your own:

Summer Fun Flip Flops What is more summery than a whole plate full of little coloured flip flops for your beach picknic! Preperation time: Cooking Time: Ingredients: Difficulty: Makes:

0:45 no need to cook 5 Super easy 24 pairs

Equipment: A few bowls for mixing, a large plate to present your flip flops on and a knife for cutting the stawberries. An adult for supervision whilst using the knife. Ingredients: • 4 (reduced-fat) cream cheese, softened

Step 2 Spread a teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture in center of each cracker.

• • • •

1 cup marshmallow creme Food coloring 48 Oval crackers/or oval cut pieces of bread 8 to 10 large strawberries

Preperation: Step 1 In small bowl stir together cream cheese and marshmallow crème. Tint with desired food coloring.

Step 3 Lengthwise cut strawberries into thin slivers. Place two slivers on top of each cracker forming the “top of the flip flops”. Step 4 Now it’s time to put on your own favorite pair of flip flops and let the summer festivities begin!!

Touch here for the link: http://www.snackpicks. com/en_US/for-kids/ flip-flops.html

Monkey Snack Preperation time: Cooking Time: Ingredients: Difficulty: Makes:

0:45 no need to cook 5 Super easy 1 serving

Equipment: Circle cookie cutter, small bottle Small lid, Plastic straw. An adult for supervision whilst using the knife. Ingredients: • 1 slice of bread • 3 Crackers • Sliced Ham • String Cheese • Cucumber Peel • Preperation: Step 1 Using the circle cookie cutter, cut a

circle out of a slice of bread. Cut a circle out of the slice of ham using the same cookie cutter. Place ham circle on top of bread circle. Place bread in the middle of a plate. Step 2 Using the small lid, cut 3 small circles out of the ham. Cut one of the small circles of ham in half for ears. Place the halves on top of bread halves to complete ears. Place the other two circles at the bottom of 2 Crackers. Step 3 Cut a small piece of string cheese and then cut in half for the eyes. Put into place. Using the plastic straw, cut 6 tiny circles out of the ham for paw pads. Put in place on crackers. Cut 4 small circles out of

Summer 2013 - Issue 22

cucumber peel for eyes and nostrils. Place 2 of them on top of the string cheese to complete the eyes. Place the other two on a Cracker for the nostrils. Put the whole cracker on the monkey face for the nose/ mouth. Step 4 Cut the crust off of the bread and roll up for the tail. Put in place on plate. Use pieces of the remaining bread/crust to prop up the cracker feet. Slice a tiny strip of ham for detail on nose/mouth.

Touch here for the link: http://www.snackpicks. com/en_US/for-kids/ monkey-fun-snack.html

@ Summer 2013 - Issue 22

Touch here to download and print the page. 29

Imaginative play with

Stick and cream make-up

NEW 30

A range of high quality products with a smooth texture, suitable for children from 3 years of age. The facepaints are applied directly onto the face. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more they are heat resistant and comply with all safety regulations. Two types are available: cream and crayons. The cream can be applied using fingers, a sponge or a paint brush. The crayons, made with fats, are very durable. The face paint can be removed easily with make-up remover or soap.

Summer 2013 - Issue 22

Colouring in

Touch here to download and print the page.

Summer Colouring in Competition! Can you see yourself floating on the sea on a hot summers day? Our two friends are enjoying their day on the beach but could do with some colour! Go on get your colouring pencils out to decorate the picture. Send your entry in before the 15th of September 2013 and you could win 2 cinema tickets to a movie of your choice! Send your entry to: Growing Up in Malta, PO Box 20, St. Pauls Bay.

SUMMER\ is here!

Name: Address: Tel:

Age:

31 Summer 2013 - Issue 22

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get busy! Kids Summer Crafts Let’s

Grow your own:

Grass Head Monsters! This is a brilliant nature craft you will love creating your own grass head monster and watching him sprout hair! What do you need: • A nylon sock or a foot from tights or a stocking. • Grass seed • Sawdust • Elastic band • Old yogurt pot • Googly eyes • Paper, buttons, ribbon etc to decorate • Some glue How to make your monster: Step 1 Fill the toe of your sock with grass seed.

Top up with sawdust until you have a ball shape. Fasten tightly with the elastic band. Step 2 Decorate the yogurt pot as the body using, paper, ribbon, and whatever else you can find in your craft box! Step 3 Stand the stocking ball in the pot with the grass seed at the top. Add some eyes and any other decorative bits you like. Step 4 Keep the yogurt pot topped up with water. After a few weeks your head should grow hair!

Create your own:

Tin Can Walking Stilts I’m sure your Mum or Dad can remember playing with these Stilts when they were younger! It takes a bit of practice but it’s great fun! Equipment: • 2 large juice cans (unopened) • Hand bottle/can opener (with the triangular end) • 2 long pieces of rope • Heavy-duty scissors (for cutting the rope) • Various colors of electrical tape or various colors of paint and paintbrush • A supervising assisting adult! How to make your Tin Can Stilts: Step 1 Use the bottle/can opener to punch

two holes in either side of one can towards the top. Repeat with other juice can. Step 2 Let the juice drain out of the cans (save it in a pitcher, container, etc.). Rinse the cans out with water and allow them to air dry. Step 3 Cut two pieces of rope long enough to go through the holes in the can and up to your child’s hands to hold on to. Thread each piece of rope through the holes in the cans.

Summer 2013 - Issue 22

Step 4 Tie the two ends of each piece of rope together. You should have a loop of rope going through each can that is long enough so your child can hold onto the rope as handles. Use the scissors to cut the different colors of electrical tape and decorate the cans. You can also use the paint to decorate them.

rk? Lets experiment! wo it es do w ho .. r. he at We

Summer in Malta Summers in Malta are warm, dry and very sunny. The weather usually shows signs of warming up in April, heralding in a long spell of hot, dry weather. It rarely rains from May to August. July and August are Malta’s hottest months with daytime temperatures usually above 30°C and sometimes also above 35°C. Excessive heat is not that common but, when southerly winds suck up hot air from northern Africa, notable heat waves can arise. July 2012 was one example of an unusually hot month, when the temperature climbed as high as 40.7°C on the 11th. In July 2009, it became even hotter on the 25th July with a maximum of 41.6°C. This was not quite a record, because on the 9th July 1988, the temperature soared as high as 42.7°C. These can be trying days for anyone having trouble with extreme heat.

Businesses in Malta usually close down during the middle part of the day when the temperatures are at their highest, and the local people have learned to adapt to the weather in Malta and make the best use of their time. This is the time when Malta’s outdoor culture really pops into action. Tourists and locals alike head to the water for relaxation and to cool off in the warm sea. The sea temperature climbs to approximately 24°C during July, which makes swimming, diving and snorkelling quite attractive at this time of year. However, since humidity is rather high in Malta (due to the fact that

Malta is an island) summer temperatures can feel quite irritating, thereby making it quite often unbearable to stay out in the sun. This is especially so in August and September, when a high humidity can make it quite unbearable, especially at night. However, luckily enough, daytime temperatures in summer are usually mitigated by cooling sea breezes, especially along the coast. Another concern for those trying to cool off by swimming in Malta’s pristine sea are those pesky jellyfish that get pushed around by the winds and currents. However, a daily-updated map of beaches free of jellyfish and safe to swim in is available on http://www. maltaweathersite.com/jellymap.asp Staying in the sun for a long time is dangerous and should be avoided as the UV index is regularly 9 or 10 and sometimes even more than this. This indicates a very high risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure. Minimize sun exposure during midday hours, from 10am to 4pm. Otherwise, seek shade, cover up, wear a hat and sunglasses, and use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. To remain updated with the weather just visit our website www. maltaweathersite.com where you can find lots of useful weather information, including live weather data, a live weather webc am and 7-day weather & marine forecasts. You may also download our app for both iPhone and Android from our website. It is also best to wear lightcoloured clothes in summer, but why is that?

Experiment Experiment with light, colour, heat and some water to find out. Summer 2013 - Issue 22

What you’ll need: • 2 identical drinking glasses or jars • Water • Thermometer • 2 elastic bands or some sellotape • White paper • Black paper Instructions: • Wrap the white paper around one of the glasses using an elastic band or sellotape to hold it on. • Do the same with the black paper and the other glass. • Fill the glasses with the exact same amount of water. • Leave the glasses out in the sun for a couple of hours before returning to measure the temperature of the water in each. What’s happening? Dark surfaces such as the black paper absorb more light and heat than the lighter ones such as the white paper. After measuring the temperatures of the water, the glass with the black paper around it should be hotter than the other. Lighter surfaces reflect more light, that’s why people wear lighter coloured clothes in the summer, it keeps them cooler. Next issue we will be looking at the Autumn Weather. See you next time!

Touch the blue text to see the websites

27 31 33

ne and Android Kids Apps for iPad, iPho

Amazing Alex An amazing new physics puzzle game from the creators of Angry birds. Meet Amazing Alex! This whiz kid has a boundless imagination and a houseful of fun toys that can turn anything into an amazing adventure. From cleaning up his room to battling cardboard robots in his backyard. Alex creates amazing chainreactions to get the job done with the maximum amount of fun. Now he is going to challenge you and he wants to see the most creative solutions you can create. The game is suitable for 4+ and is compatible with an iPad. There is a free trial version to download but soon the kids will be asking you to purchase the full version.

We can only recommend this game as it requires the engagement of braincells. It is fun and imaginative and the kids (and daddies) will be “mathmatically” entertained.

Bugs and Bubbles Bugs and Bubbles is the latest app in a growing collections based on the award winning Bugs and Buttons. The uniquely detailed graphic styling, beautiful relaxing classical music and advanced interactivity is designed to engage, entertain and educate. Packed with 18 games and activities in one title, Bugs and Bubbles offers plenty of choice for children to explore and play. Enjoy an eclectic mix of organic and industrial scenery around the mythicla Uncle Bob’s Bubble Factory where you can harvest, pinch, pop and even nudge fantastic bubbles.

The game is suitable from 4+, and the only downside we found is that we had to purchase the full version immediatly. No free trial version. The upside is that it has been worth every penny so far. Bugs and Bubbles is compatible with iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.

The graphics from this game are simply out of this world. It looks like the bugs are walking on the iPad screen! The music is soothing and provides a gentle calming athmosphere.

Summer 2013 - Issue 22

ne and Android Kids Apps for iPad, iPho

The little Crane that could The little crane that could, a game like no other that offers a truly unique experience. Learn to drive and operate a mobile crane. The graphics are fairly simply and I guess that helps the appeal to the mini wannabe crane drivers amoungst us. The controls are easy to grasp and within minutes our little crane driver was lifting and driving his little crane like he had been doing this for years. The free levels invited us to purchase the full version. The only downside was the hefty price tag of â&#x201A;Ź3.59. (as we normally only download free versions) But it has been worth it. The amount of entertaining and learing to drive we got out of it and still do is amazing.

The game is suitable from 4+. Compatible with the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.

Please see requirements for optimised use when downloading the game.

Jump Daisy Daisy went crazy and decided to use springs under her hoofs to scout the meadow for stars and flowers. The game is easy to pick up but hard to put down. But donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let Dasiy tip over, because once she in no longer upright, this poor dairy cow will have to start all over again! Mooo! Uncomplicated graphics and easy handling of the game. Should appeal to anyone really. We downloaded the free version and laughed our heads off with this jumping cow. The game is suitable for 4+ and is compatible with an iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.

35 Summer 2013 - Issue 22

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Touch here to download and print the page.

T-Shirt

Exclusive

Order your child’s very own Billy and Bangle top now! Printed in a limited edition and exclusive to Growing Up in Malta, make sure you don’t miss out on this offer. Available in the following sizes and colours: ❏ 12-18 Months ❏ 18-24 Months ❏ 2-3 Years ❏ 3-4 Years ❏ 4-5 Years ❏ 5-6 Years ❏ 6-7 Years ❏ 7-8 Years

❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏

Please tick your required size and colour.

Send your orderform to: M2M Publications, PO Box 20, St. Pauls Bay

Order Form:

inclusive of post and packaging.

Name:

Or “Touch here” for email ordering!

Address: Tel: Quantity required:

« F

Now only €15

Summer 2013 - Issue 22

parents

to be

Top Tips for Dads

Eat for you, not for two! In the past, it was thought that you need to eat for you and your baby during pregnancy. But we now know that you only need to eat for you. Being pregnant doesn’t mean that you’ll automatically put on weight. Maintaining a healthy weight during pregnancy means it’s easier for you to carry your baby, and to have fewer complications at birth. It also means that your baby is more likely to be a healthy weight – both at birth and as they grow up. It’s only in the final three months of your pregnancy that you need an extra 200 calories a day. That’s the same as two slices of wholemeal or wholegrain toast and margarine. So… if your mum tells you eat for two, say no thanks. You only need to eat for you!

Eating a variety of foods will help your baby to get the range of nutrients that it needs to develop and be healthy. These include: • Fruit and vegetables: try to eat at least 5 portions of fruit and veg a day, to provide the vitamins, minerals and fibre your baby needs. •

Starchy foods (carbohydrates): such as bread, potatoes, breakfast cereals, rice, pasta and noodles. Try to eat wholemeal versions if you can.

•

Protein: foods like meat, fish, poultry, eggs, beans, pulses and nuts. Protein provides the building blocks for your baby to grow.

•

Dairy products: includes milk, cheese and yoghurt. These contain calcium, essential for healthy bones.

•

Try to only eat a small amount of foods that are high in sugar or fat.

Things you can do together during pregnancy Try to cut down on alcohol The best advice for pregnant women is to drink no alcohol but if she’s used to drinking with you, this can be tough. Join her in cutting back and you’ll feel good too. Stop smoking Smoking while pregnant, or inhaling secondhand smoke, can be like blowing smoke in a baby’s face. So if you’ve always been puffing partners, now could be the perfect time to give up together. Plus, you’ll save some money – just think about how you could celebrate once the baby arrives! See if you can get her up and about more Walking for 150 minutes each week can help her and your growing baby to stay healthy. It’s a great, free way to spend time together. Plus you’ll be in better shape too, ready for enjoying your new baby in a few months’ time. Try eating some healthier foods with her Maybe she’s even craving something she doesn’t usually eat? If you like cooking, see what you fancy making together. Or maybe you can ask her mum or one of her mates to help. You could even make a load and freeze some - handy once the baby’s arrived. Good for you too! Supporting your partner with all of these things can not only help her have a healthier and happier pregnancy, but can also lessen the risk of postnatal depression later. But this support doesn’t have to be just one-way - it can also help you be healthier so that you’ll be able to enjoy new fatherhood more.

Staying active during your pregnancy Did you know that 150 minutes of walking each week has loads of benefits for pregnant mums? And it doesn’t even have to be in one go! Being active during pregnancy means you’re likely maintain a healthier weight and be able to cope better with the physical demands of pregnancy and labour. It also reduces the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, birth defects and diabetes. It can also prevent gestational diabetes, which makes your baby grow too big in pregnancy, and can lead to delivery complications and low blood sugar. Being active can also prevent you from getting high blood pressure, which can result in a stillbirth. And for you, 150 minutes of walking a week makes it easier to get back to your normal weight after your baby is born.

Summer 2013 - Issue 22

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Stem Cells – today’s hottest topic Mum Time

By Sylvana Brannon

These days it seems that not a week goes by without another story in the media about the incredible regenerative power of adult stem cells. And it isn’t surprising, because the global scientific community has recognized the potential for this completely holistic style of medicine – where the body is enabled to repair itself – to make a dramatic change to the degenerative disease burden of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and many more. In fact, scientific research on a global scale is creating genuine excitement about the potential of adult stem cells to provide effective therapies for a vast range of diseases and conditions based on cell degeneration. Currently, www.clinicaltrials.gov listed close to 5,000 current studies on stem cell therapies. Non-invasive source Evidence now shows that stem cells are found in different places, such as the umbilical cord, umbilical blood, bone marrow, fat tissue, and the teeth – which contain more stem cells than some other sources and are by far the most natural, non-invasive source of stem cells. Benefits for the whole family For parents, today’s opportunity to store their children’s stem cells from umbilical cord or cord blood at birth offers a unique “health insurance promise” for the child. In the event of serious illness in the future, treatments using one’s own stored stem cells eliminate the need for donor matching and rejection. For parents who may have missed this opportunity, or those that want to store different types of stem cells, or adults who want to store their own stem cells, the ability to extract stem cells from teeth that naturally fall off, teeth

removed for orthodontic purposes, or from extracted wisdom teeth, offers an important second chance. Birth is a one-time opportunity to store

Cord Blood Stem Cells The blood within the umbilical cord contains your baby’s own unique stem cells. They form the building blocks for their blood and immune system. Collecting and preserving a sample of cord blood at birth is a one-off opportunity to capture these vital cells. They provide a unique biological insurance which one day might prove to be a life saver. That’s because cord blood cells can be used to replace damaged or diseased cells anywhere in the body. They will always be a perfect match for your baby and also carry a significant probability of providing a match for other family members.

Summer 2013 - Issue 22

Cord Tissue Stem Cells

The mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) found in your baby’s precious cord tissue can help repair damaged skin, liver and neurological cells in the body. Yet umbilical cord tissue is routinely discarded as medical waste. As you only have one chance to collect and store stem cells from cord tissue – immediately after birth – it makes sense to decide on cord tissue stem cell storage before your new baby is born. The process is quick, painless and noninvasive and can be performed at the same time as cord blood stem cell collection. your baby’s cord blood for your own family. Transplant patients recover better when they receive stem cells from a related donor, instead of an unrelated donor. If a first degree relative of your baby needs a stem cell transplant, the baby’s

cord blood stem cells could be a suitable match. Plus, there are now emerging therapies in which children use their own cord blood stem cells to help the body repair itself. In the future, children whose parents saved their cord blood will have better access to those treatments.

Tooth Stem Cells

It is a special stage in your child’s development when their milk teeth start to wobble and the tooth fairy pays a visit. As well as placing a coin under their pillow, wouldn’t it make sense to offer your child a gift of lasting value? Tooth stem cells are special cells that live in the pulp tissue inside our teeth. These stem cells are formed during the sixth week of a baby’s development in the womb. They contain unique mesenchymal stem cells that have the potential to be used in a wide variety of medical treatments, such as tissue and bone regeneration. When your child’s milk teeth come out – usually between the ages of 6 and 12 – they can be sent to us and we can preserve and store the stem cells from one or more of them in case your child or other family members need them to treat future health conditions How is cord blood collected and banked? Cord blood collection does not cause harm or pain to either the mother or the baby. Blood is drawn from the umbilical cord after the baby is delivered and the cord is clamped and cut. The

stem cells in cord blood remain viable for approximately three days at room temperature, providing sufficient time for the blood to be shipped to a laboratory in the UK. At the laboratory the cells are processed and cryogenically frozen. Once frozen, stem cells remain viable for decades. How are cord blood stem cells used today? Today a growing percentage of stem cell transplant patients are receiving cord blood to cure over 70 diseases. Seventy percent of patients who need a transplant of blood-forming stem cells do not have a matching donor in their own family, and their physician must search public registries of donors. Malta does not have a bone marrow donor register so unless a sibling match is found, Maltese patients must rely on foreign registers to find a matching donor. The time on a waiting list can vary and at times can be too long so that a patient dies before a match is found. Cord blood is an effective alternative to bone marrow because cord blood cells do not have to be matched as closely to the patient as cells from an adult bone marrow donor, making them very effective family transplants. How may cord blood stem cells be used in the future? Medical research is developing new therapies where stem cells help the body to repair itself, called regenerative medicine. So far, these therapies require the patient’s own stem cells, not those from a donor. Children who have their own cord blood in storage may have

more medical options later in life. Currently clinical trials for Cerebral Palsy and Type 1 Diabetes are being conducted using a child’s own cord blood. Can my child use his/her own cord blood? Most of the diseases for which children receive stem cell transplants, including most cancers and all genetic diseases, require that the cells come from another person, not the patient. Transplants among adults are split pretty evenly between transplants with the patient’s own cells and transplants from a matching donor. At present, the odds that a person will have any type of transplant of blood-forming stem cells before age 20 are about 1 in 1700, whereas by age 70 the odds are 1 in 200. In the future, if cord blood is routinely used for regenerative medicine, then the odds of personal use could increase greatly. Accreditation Standards Cord blood banking was introduced to Malta 8 years ago by Smart Cells Malta (now Stem Cells Malta). With increased options now available, it is important to understand the important role that accreditation should make in your choice of a cord blood bank, as it’s your only guarantee that the cells you are storing will indeed be available for you in the future. In this section we are giving an overview of the various accreditations available, and what to look for. Story continues on page 40

Benefits of cord blood transplants How donor-patient matching is determined • • •

We all get half of our genetic material from each parent. Only a few genes, those that determine HLA type, are important to match a patient with a donor. The genes that are important for matching tend to be inherited as a group. As a result, two children of the same parents have a 25% chance of being a perfect match to each other. Genetic variations are also grouped by race. Hence, a patient has a better chance of finding a donor among his or her own racial group. This is especially important for Malta, as we do not have a local bone marrow donor register, thus making it more difficult to find a match when needed.

Cord blood transplants do not have to be an exact match About 70% of patients who need a stem cell transplant do not have a matching donor in their own family. The cord blood donated to public banks helps these patients to find a matching donor. Whereas a bone marrow transplant requires a patientdonor match of 6 out of 6 or 100%, studies find that cord blood transplants are just as successful with a patient-donor match of 4 out of 6 or 67%. In the United States the national Be The Match Registry run by National Marrow Donor Program puts an emphasis on recruiting cord blood donations from racial minorities. By their definition of “minority”, Malta would also qualify as a minority group, hence making it even more important for Maltese families to store their stem cells. Summer 2013 - Issue 22

Continued from page 39 FACT - Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy FACT is a non-profit organization devoted to voluntary inspection and accreditation of facilities that participate in cellular therapy. Whereas AABB grew out of the blood banking community, FACT grew out of the medical community. The FACT accreditation process is more comprehensive than AABB. The hallmark of the FACT approach is that the inspection is end-to-end, covering every aspect of cord blood handling from the moment of collection at the site where the baby is delivered, through the cord blood lab, and including patient management at the clinical care site. Because of the emphasis on patient care, transplant physicians review inspection results before a bank is accredited. Neither of the two local companies offering storage outside of the UK holds FACT accreditation. HTA - Human Tissue Authority Cord blood laboratories operating in the UK must comply with government licensing requirements administered by a national agency called the Human Tissue Authority. The development of the HTA regulations goes back over a decade. Tissue banks in the UK are regulated by the division of the UK Department of Health called the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). They issued A Code of Practice

for Tissue Banks in 2000, and it became compulsory after March 2004. Later in 2004, the Human Tissue Authority or HTA took over regulation of tissues intended for human transplant. The HTA licenses all UK establishments which remove, store, test, process, use or distribute any human cells that will be used to treat patients. Only tissue banks accredited by the HTA may supply tissues for therapy at National Health Service (NHS) hospitals. The UK code of practice for tissue banks is consistent with EU standards established at the same time. On 31 March 2004 the European Parliament passed Directive 2004/23/EC titled “EU-Directive on setting standards of quality and safety for the donation, procurement, testing, processing, preservation, storage and distribution of human tissues and cells”. Compliance with this directive has varied among EU nations, but the UK was one of the first to establish fully compliant regulations. HTA regulations are intended to ensure that cord blood is collected in a way that minimises risk to the mother and child and preserves the quality of the collection. HTA-licensed facilities are inspected every two years. During a site visit, the HTA focuses on operational policies and procedures, inspection of premises, review of documentation, and in some cases interviews with staff at the establishment. If the HTA inspection report identifies shortfalls, they will be classified as ‘Critical’, ‘Major’ or ‘Minor’. Summer 2013 - Issue 22

HTA facilities must be able to trace the path of a human specimen through their facility. This ensures that if there is a problem with a human tissue product, it can be traced back to other related batches. Cord blood can only be imported or exported from the UK under the authority of an HTA license. HTA accreditation is particularly important for Maltese patients because we do our bone marrow and cord blood transplants in the UK under an agreement between Malta’s Department of Health and the NHS. UK hospitals do not transplant with cord blood stored in a non-HTA licensed facility, it is important for Maltese clients to only choose an HTA-accredited facility to store cord blood and other stem cells. Locally, the only company offering storage in an HTA-accredited facility is still Stem Cells Malta. ISO - International Organization for Standardization ISO is a very generic quality accreditation which may apply to any business or organization. An ISO accreditation indicates that the organization has welldocumented procedures and follows those procedures. The motto of ISO is: “Say what you do, Do what you say, Be able to prove it.” Although ISO does not have standards for cord blood banking, many cord blood banks have ISO accreditation on certain aspects of their operations. All companies offering storage locally have ISO certification of some sort.

Summer 2013 - Issue 22

Health & Safety

Keeping Kids safe in and around water Pools, lakes, ponds, and beaches mean summer fun and cool relief from hot weather. But water also can be dangerous for kids if you don’t take the proper precautions. Nearly 1,000 kids die each year by drowning. And most drowning’s occur in home swimming pools. It is the second leading cause of accidental death for people between the ages of 5 and 24. The good news is there are many ways to keep your kids safe in the water and make sure that they take the right precautions when they’re on their own. Keeping your kids safe Kids need constant supervision around water — whether the water is in a bathtub, a wading pool, an ornamental fishpond, a swimming pool, a spa, the beach, or a lake. Young children are especially vulnerable — they can drown in less than 2 inches (6 centimeters) of water. That means drowning can happen where you’d least expect it — the sink, the toilet bowl, fountains, buckets, inflatable pools, or small bodies of standing water around your home, such as ditches filled with rainwater. Always watch children closely when they’re in or near any water. If you don’t already, it’s a good idea to learn how to swim, and kids older than 4 years should learn, too (check the local recreation center for classes taught by qualified instructors). Kids who are younger (but older than age 1) also might benefit from swimming lessons, but check with your doctor first.

Don’t assume that a child who knows how to swim isn’t at risk for drowning. All kids need to be supervised in the water, no matter what their swimming skill levels. And infants, toddlers, and weak swimmers should have an adult swimmer within arm’s reach to provide “touch supervision.” Invest in proper-fitting, Coast Guardapproved flotation devices (life vests) and use them whenever a child is near water. Check the weight and size recommendations on the label, then have your child try it on to make sure it fits snugly. For kids younger than 5 years

old, choose a vest with a strap between the legs and head support — the collar will keep the child’s head up and face out of the water. Inflatable vests and arm devices such as water wings are not effective protection against drowning. Don’t forget the sunscreen and reapply frequently, especially if the kids are getting wet. UV sunglasses, hats, and protective clothing can also help provide sun protection. Kids should drink plenty of fluids, particularly water, to prevent dehydration. It’s easy to get dehydrated in the sun, especially when kids are

“Infants, toddlers, and weak swimmers should have an adult swimmer within arm’s reach to provide “touch supervision.”

Summer 2013 - Issue 22

active and sweating. Dizziness, feeling lightheaded, or nausea are just some of the signs of dehydration and overheating. The temperature of the water is important, too. Enter the water slowly and make sure it feels comfortable for you and your child. A temperature below 20°C (70°F) is cold to most swimmers. Recommended water temperatures vary depending on the activity, swimmer’s age, and whether or not they are pregnant. In general, 28°-30°C (82°86°F) is comfortable for recreational swimming for children (babies are more comfortable when the water is on the warmer side of this temperature range). Body temperature drops more quickly in water than on land, and it does not take long for hypothermia to set in. If a child is shivering or experiencing muscle cramps, get him or her out of the water immediately. At Home and at the Pool Water safety precautions start in the home.The bathroom is full of dangers for youngsters. Never leave a young child unattended in the bathroom, especially

while bathing — even if the child appears to be well propped in a safety tub or bath ring. Put away all hair dryers and other electrical appliances to avoid the risk of electrocution. Hot water can also be dangerous, particularly for kids younger than 5, who have thinner skin than older kids and adults, which means they burn more easily. Just 3 seconds of exposure to hot tap water that’s 60°C (140°F) can give a child a third-degree burn. You can reduce the risk of scalding by turning the water heater thermostat in your home down to 49°C (120°F) and by always testing the water with your wrist or elbow before placing your child in the bath.Outside the home, being aware can help prevent accidents. Find out where the water hazards in your neighborhood are. Who has a pool or water spa? Where are the retaining ponds or creeks that may attract kids? Tell neighbors who have pools that you have a young child and ask them to keep their gates locked. Having a Pool at Home Having a pool, pond, spa, or hot tub Summer 2013 - Issue 22

on your property is a tremendous responsibility when it comes to safety. Hot tubs may feel great to adults, but kids can become dangerously overheated in them and can even drown — so it’s best not to let them use them at all. Having a fence (one that goes directly around the pool or spa) between the water and your house is the best safety investment you can make and will help prevent poolrelated drownings. You can buy other devices, such as pool covers and alarms, but these haven’t been proved effective against drowning for very young children, so fencing remains your best measure of protection. Making Kids Water Wise It’s important to teach your kids proper pool and spa behavior, and to make sure that you take the right precautions, too. Let kids know that they should contact the lifeguard or an adult if there’s an emergency. Kids shouldn’t run or push around the pool and should never dive in areas that are not marked for diving. Continued on page 44

Continued from page 43. If the weather turns bad (especially if there’s lightning), they should get out of the pool immediately. Above all, supervise your kids at all times. Don’t assume that just because your child took swimming lessons or is using a flotation device such as an inner tube or inflatable raft that there’s no drowning risk. If you’re at a party, it’s especially easy to become distracted, so designate an adult who will be responsible for watching the children. If you leave your child with a babysitter, make sure he or she knows your rules for the pool. Seconds count when it comes to water emergencies, so take a cordless phone with you when you’re watching kids during water play. A quick-dial feature keyed to 112 or your local emergency center will also save additional seconds. If you receive a call while supervising kids, keep your conversation brief to prevent being distracted. Learn CPR (other caregivers should learn it, too) and make sure you have safety equipment, such as emergency flotation devices, that are in good shape and are close at hand when boating or swimming. Post emergency numbers on all phones and make sure all caregivers are aware of their locations. After your kids are finished playing in the pool for the day, be sure to remove all pool toys and put them away. Children have drowned while trying to retrieve playthings left in the pool. You should still be concerned about water safety, even after the swim season has passed. Pools with covers are not safe; many kids attempt to walk on top of pools during the winter months and may get trapped underneath a pool cover. In addition, icy pools, ponds, and streams are tempting play areas for kids, so keep your pool gates locked and teach your kids to stay away from water without your supervision. If you have an aboveground pool, it’s wise to always lock or remove the ladder when the pool is not in use.

At Lakes, Ponds, or Beaches First, teach kids never to swim alone. Using the buddy system means there’s always someone looking out for you. Make sure your kids understand that swimming in a pool is different from swimming in a lake or the ocean — there are different hazards for each. Here are some tips:

•

kids to avoid them in the water and to tell an adult right away if they’re stung. Whether at the lake or at the beach, teach your child to get out of the water during bad weather, especially lightning.

At the Lake or Pond • Don’t let kids swim without adult supervision — lakes or ponds may be shallow near the bank and then increase in depth sharply further out from shore. • Ponds and lakes may hide jagged rocks, broken glass, or rubbish. • Make sure kids wear foot protection; even in the water, they should wear aqua socks or water shoes. • Watch out for weeds and grass that could entangle a leg or arm. • Most boating accidents, particularly among teenagers, are related to alcohol. When you and your family are boating, assign a designated driver who won’t drink. Be sure teens know about the dangers of alcohol, on and off the water.

Water Park Safety Water parks can be a lot of fun for kids, as long as you keep safety in mind. Before you go, make sure the park is monitored by qualified lifeguards. Once there, read all posted signs before letting your child on any rides (many rides have age, height, weight, or health requirements, and each has a different depth of water). Teach your kids to follow all rules and directions, such as walking instead of running and always going down the water slide in the right position — feet first and face up. A Coast-Guard approved life jacket is a good idea, too. Know which rides are appropriate for your child’s age and development. For example, wave pools can quickly go from calm to rough, putting even a good swimmer in over his or her head. Younger children can be intimidated by older kids’ splashing and roughhousing.

At the Beach • Teach kids to always swim when and where a lifeguard is on duty. They shouldn’t swim close to piers or pilings because sudden water movements may cause swimmers to collide with them. • Unlike the calm waters of a swimming pool, the beach has special dangers like currents and tides. Check with the lifeguard when you arrive to find out about the water conditions. • Don’t allow kids to swim in large waves or undertows, and tell them never to stand with their back to the water because a sudden wave can easily knock them over. • Teach kids that if they’re caught in a rip current or undertow, they should swim parallel to the shore or should tread water and call for a lifeguard’s help. • The stings of jellyfish or Portuguese man-of-wars can be painful, so tell

What to Do in an Emergency: • Whenever a child is missing, always check the pool first. Survival depends on a quick rescue and restarting breathing as soon as possible. • If you find a child in the water, immediately get the child out while calling loudly for help. If someone else is available, have them call 112. Check to ensure the child’s air passages are clear. If the child is not breathing, CPR should be initiated as necessary. This is best done by someone who is trained in CPR. When the emergency number is called, follow the instructions the emergency operators provide.  • If you think the child may have suffered a neck injury, such as with diving, then keep the child on his or her back and brace the neck and shoulders with your hands and forearms to help keep the neck immobilized, until emergency help

Summer 2013 - Issue 22

arrives. This type of immobilization minimizes further injury to the spine and is best performed by someone who is trained in the technique. Don’t let the child move. Speak in calm tones to keep the child comforted. Continue to watch for adequate breathing. Recreational Water Illnesses Recreational water illnesses happen due to contact with contaminated water from recreational water sources like a swimming pool, hot tub, water fountain, water park, lake, or ocean. It is usually spread by swallowing, inhaling or coming into contact with water that is contaminated with germs. Most reported infections people get are diarrhea-related and often are due to the parasite Cryptosporidium, which normally lives in the gastrointestinal tract and is found in feces. Other infections can affect the skin, eyes, ears, and respiratory tract. Kids, pregnant women, and people with a weakened immune system can be the most affected by these infections. Although chlorine treatment in water kills germs that cause these illnesses, it can take time depending on the type of germ. A few tips to prevent getting a

recreational water illness: • Kids with diarrhea should not swim. • Take kids on bathroom breaks often and change swim nappies often (not at the poolside). • If you are taking a baby in the water who is not potty-trained, use a swim nappy. • Wash hands after using the bathroom or changing nappies. • Avoid swallowing or getting water in your mouth. • Keep the swimming water clean by showering with soap before entering the pool. • After swimming, dry ears well with a towel/washcloth, tilting each ear down to help water drip out of the ear canal. This can help prevent swimmer’s ear (an ear infection due to trapped water in the ear canal). Water Safety Tips for Babies Drowning, although the biggest worry, isn’t the only concern when babies are exposed to water. Infants are particularly susceptible to diseases that can be transmitted in water. After introducing an infant to a pool, dry the child’s ears carefully with a towel or cotton ball to help prevent swimmer’s ear. After a dip, wash your baby with a mild soap and shampoo the hair to remove pool Summer 2013 - Issue 22

chemicals. Water temperatures below 29°C (85°F) can cause babies to lose heat quickly, putting them at risk for hypothermia (when body temperature falls below normal). Shivering infants or those whose lips are turning blue should be removed from the water immediately, dried, and kept in a towel. Infants can also spread disease in a pool. Cryptosporidium can be released into pools by babies with leaky nappies. When swallowed by other swimmers, the parasite can cause severe diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and dehydration. The safest thing to do is to keep your baby out of public pools until the child is pottytrained. If you do decide to take the baby in for a dip, use waterproof diapers only and change the diapers frequently (but not poolside!), washing your child well each time. Keep any child with diarrhea or a gastrointestinal illness out of the pool during the illness and for 2 weeks afterward. Provide frequent bathroom breaks for kids who are already pottytrained. Water play can be a great source of fun and exercise. You’ll enjoy the water experience more by knowing and practicing these safety precautions.

Summer 2013 - Issue 22

Product Review

Aqua Kidz th 5 Anniversary Five years ago Andrea Agius and Adrian Buttigieg, the masterminds behind Aqua Kidz, had a dream. They wanted to use their years of experience in swimming and years of coaching practice, to better use. Aqua Kidz was born when they were both at the start of their university studies. Now Adrian is a qualified architect while Andrea is currently sitting for his finals to become a dentist. But Aqua Kidz went from strength to strength and their popularity is showing no signs of weakening. Andrea and Adrian have now accumulated over 9 years of coaching experience. Their goal is to teach young kids how

to swim and to get them comfortable and confident in the water. They do this through a variety of fun games and exercises, and always with a beaming smile on their face. Aqua Kidz is a stepping stone for a future in swimming. Many kids who have started off with Aqua Kidz are now taking part in Maltaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Swimming Championships. This is something Andrea and Adrian are very proud of. Swimming in Malta is growing and Aqua Kidz are a part of it. Exercises are short, quick and fun so as to keep your kids attention and energy levels high at all times. They assure you that no kid will leave the lesson bored or unhappy. The lessons always finish with

Summer Spring 2013 2013- -Issue Issue21 22

a group of smiling kids, many not wanting to get out of the water. Andrea and Adrian can not wait to kick start this magical and important year. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s their 5th birthday party! Come and join in the fun. For more information you can contact them on: 79435134 or 79059389.

Product Review

Eden Summer Club Understanding the needs of both children and their parents, the creators of the Eden Summer Club are offering the ideal way to keep your child busy in the summer months within an environment which is fun, educational and safe. Designed by mums, the Eden Summer club caters to kids between the ages of three and fourteen and includes numerous activities such as drama, singing, dancing, bowling, cooking, storytelling, outings, movies and much more! Wanting to make the process as easy as possible for parents, the Eden SummerClub provides great flexibility in the days or months one can opt for. Taking place from Monday to Friday, children may be enrolled in 1, 2 or all three of our 4-week sessions. Also, parents can also choose whether to send them once, twice, four or five times a week. Being held between 8:30am to 1pm, the Eden SummerClub is structured in a way that ensures that kids attending make the most of their childhood, especially in the summer time. On Mondays and Wednesdays, Tiziana Calleja and her team of professionals from Centre Stage will be introducing kids to musical theatre. Practicing their acting, singing and dancing, children will then take part in a special performance, showcasing all that they have learnt. Also, kids will get the chance to really breakout of their shell and try new things. Tuesdays and Thursdays will include

different activities which will guarantee that the kids are having a great time! Tuesday mornings are dedicated to movies and bowling, were children are sure to become experts by the end of the summer. Films will include some of the most popular blockbusters such as Mirror Mirror, The Adventures of Tin Tin, Madagascar 3, Ice Age 4, Continental Drift, Hotel Transylvania, Tinker Bell, Brave, and The Pirates: In an Adventure with Science, and more! As for Thursdays, the day will include bowling followed by at least one other activity were children will be divided into different age groups. Sure to be popular amongst the kids are cooking sessions and even a tour of 89.7 Bay where children learn what it takes to become a top DJ. The young ones will also have arts and crafts sessions whilst the older kids will take part in many fun competitions. Creating an environment where children are learning as well as having fun, the Eden SummerClub has planned a different outing for each week such as a trip to Maltaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new Aquarium, Taâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Qali petting farm, a water park, underwater Summer 2013 - Issue 22

safari as well as museums, followed by interactive games. Each outing is designed to make sure that the kids are really making the most of their summer. Children are to be dropped off between 8:15am and 8:30am, were our supervisors will be outside waiting to take your child inside, without parents having to hassle about parking. Early drop offs may be arranged, as well as late pick-ups were children will be escorted to the Cynergi Kids Club being made available till 8pm. In addition, transport is offered for both collection and drop-off at an additional charge, according to the location. Applications are now open, and signing up is easy! Make it a summer to remember by securing your place in advance and avoiding disappointment. For more information, visit www.edenleisure.com/summerclub, call 237 10 100 or email on summerclub@edenleisure.com

The Eden Summer Club is hosted by the Eden Leisure Group and sponsored by Okaidi Kids Wear.

Win a 4 week session of Eden Summer Club Summer is here and none of us want to be bored at home! So what a better place to go then the Eden Summer Club. Singing, dancing, excercise, theatre, movies and much more! Who wouldn’t want to do all that. Now you can enter our Growing Up in Malta competition and win a block of 4 weeks of Eden Summer Club. All you have to do is to answer the following question: What will the Children be doing on the Thursday’s? Download the entry form and send it to: Growing Up in Malta, PO Box 20, St. Pauls Bay. Or “Touch here” to email your entry. Don’t forget to include your contact details in the email. Thank you!

Touch here to download and print the page.

# Name: Address:

Email: Telephone: Date of Birth: Answer:

Summer 2013 - Issue 22

Terms and Conditions Apply

for

parents

& grandparents

Community

The new Diagnostic Centre operated by Inspire Kyle is a happy little boy who has an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). His parents sought professional intervention from Inspire’s ASD Early Years programme in January 2012 at which time Kyle was just 2 years old. As a result of the specialized early intervention programme that Kyle is receiving, he continues to improve in all areas of development. “As soon as we realized that our son had a difficulty, we came straight away to Inspire” Kyle’s mum said. “Kyle began to improve from the very first day he started the STEP Early Years programme. He now is a very different little boy to when he started as he presented as being severely affected by autism – he did not communicate in any way, he preferred to be alone and it was a very difficult time for us as parents” Kyle’s mum goes on to say that initially Kyle communicated with the use of photos, however he quickly progressed to the use of a symbol/word visual schedule. His communication improved from early on and Kyle developed speech – “he is now saying sentences and making choices! The staff has always guided us on how to handle Kyle especially when at home. Whenever I am facing a problem, I feel really comfortable referring to the Inspire team and share my concerns with them.

It is wonderful seeing my son improve and enjoying the time he spends at Inspire. “ Child development research has established that the rate of human learning and development is most rapid in the preschool years. Timing of intervention becomes particularly important when a child runs the risk of missing an opportunity to learn during a state of maximum readiness. If the most teachable moments or stages of greatest readiness are not taken advantage of, a child may have difficulty learning a particular skill at a later time. Karnes and Lee (1978) have noted that “only through early identification and

causes delay in the process of development. “Early Intervention was the key to help us deal with and address my child’s problems,” said Mrs Xerri who first started coming to Inspire with her son to attend an early intervention programme within the Parent and Child Educational Services at Inspire, when he was only a few weeks old. Karl was a very passive child who had significant speech delay and sensory issues. He just sat there happily letting everyone take care of him and doing nothing on his own. Even chewing his food was a challenge. He was happy staying on his own, fearful of noisy

“As soon as we realized that our son had a difficulty, we came straight away to Inspire...”

appropriate programming can children develop their potential” (p. 1). Sollars et al (2006) also highlighted that early childhood education and care is a critical first step in building the foundation for a child’s on-going learning and development. Early intervention may focus on the child alone or on the child and the family together. Karl was the second child born to Mr & Mrs Xerri. He was diagnosed at birth with Down syndrome. The syndrome Summer 2013 - Issue 22

places, and very limited in his diet. All this has changed over the past years and Karl can now do things quite independently. At school he is well loved by his peers and will participate in adapted activities in the classroom. He even does his homework like any regular child! He knows his numbers, can do simple addition sums, can read a vast amount of words and simple sentences, can recognize and count money (coins) and can even tell the

time on the hour. His writing skills have also improved considerably over the past few years. As regards eating and selfhelp skills, Karl now eats a wider variety of foods and can even feed himself. He can also undress himself independently and will actively participate in getting dressed. Early intervention may begin at any time between birth and school age; however, there are many reasons for it to begin as early as possible. With this in mind, and following the success stories of children like Karl and Kyle, Inspire has developed a Diagnostic centre, the purpose of which is to enable parents, who feel that their child might not be developing as expected, to have a place where to go without having to endure long waiting lists to seek information and assistance. The Diagnostic Center will be offering assessments for the following conditions: • Specific Learning Disabilities which may encompass difficulties related to dyscalculia, dyspraxia and dysgraphia, • Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), • Autism, and • Sensorimotor Dysfunction - which occurs when individuals find

difficulty in processing information from their senses. There is no single test that can provide all the information needed to make an accurate diagnosis for these conditions. Therefore, diagnosis consists of a careful and detailed history of a person’s current symptoms (onset and progression), his or her medical and developmental history, any current medications that may affect the condition, and a series of tests to assess various aspects of the disorder or impairment. Furthermore, in order to ensure continuity of care, once diagnosis has been established, Inspire will be able to offer the child a programme or service that would be able to support them to achieve and maximise their potential. In fact Inspire draws on 38 years of experience and operates through a multidisciplinary team of experts and members of staff specialised in various fields addressing the educational, therapeutic, social and recreational needs of persons with disabilities, focusing on their ability and potential, and promoting their independence and participation in society. The individualised and eclectic services and programs on offer at Inspire are what make the organization unique and difficult to replicate. Diverse therapeutic activities and programs on offer include, but are not Summer 2013 - Issue 22

limited to, Multisensory Therapy which is provided within state of the art Multisensory Theatres. Such an environment supports interaction, discovery and communication, encouraging stimulation of the senses vital for those with some sensory impairment and for children at the very beginning of their learning and development. They also provide inter activity for those developing cognitive and physical skills all within a unique learning environment. A Therapeutic Horseback Riding (THR) service - This is the use of horses to assist people to overcome a wide range of problems arising in any or all of the three areas of their being, namely the psychological, the physical and emotional aspects. THR helps people with special needs to develop their full potential by the relationship built with the horse. The movements and demands of the horse, plus its unique charisma, help to inspire people with disability into action. This type of therapy uses the movement of the horse as an alternative seat of learning to increase understanding and personal responsibility. Specialised highly individualised Educational Programs are also offered to children and adolescents with autism. Continued on page 52.

Continued from page 51. These programs are accredited by the National Autistic Society (NAS UK) and have been built on evidence based practice and strive to support not only the child but also the family and school. This is achieved through an open door policy that encourages parents and school personnel to come and see exactly what, why and how it is possible to make an impact on the lives of their children. LANES at the Learning Centre caters for children between 5 and 16 years of age who have been diagnosed with Specific Learning Difficulties or else are struggling with learning concepts relating to language subjects and Maths. Sessions take place on a one-to-one basis at Inspire Learning Centre in Bulebel or at the student’s home according to parents’ choice. Qualified tutors help students improve in their literacy skills namely phonological awareness, expressive language skills, comprehension and

writing development. As regards numeracy this is addressed through Numicon*. Liaison with school staff also takes place to ensure that a holistic approach is adopted. Both the direct and indirect services come together to provide a holistic service. Inspire can boast of it being the only existing NGO nationally to hold this capacity and ensure that services provided are eclectic and holistic. Inspire’s Diagnostic Centre will, therefore, provide early individualised and specialist intervention, without the waiting times experienced when attempting to access services through Government systems, as well as offer the most appropriate support to then enable these children to achieve and maximise their potential. by Paula Doumanov - Senior Manager, Lead for Expert Panel More information can be obtained by contacting Charlene Borg, Parents’ Summer 2013 - Issue 22

Relations Manager on 20928100 or via email on charlene.borg@inspire.org.mt Inspire is a non-profit organisation that leads the way in providing therapeutic, education and leisure services to persons with disabilities in Malta and Gozo. Through close relations with parents, government and the business community we aim to reach out and assist those who are excluded; to give them choice and opportunity and to emphasize their human rights and equal access to independence, education, employment, leisure and an inclusive community. We depend on voluntary giving, volunteering and social enterprise to continue to provide support to those in need, in order to make a difference in the lives of the people we help. You can help our effort with as little as €3 a month. Join Friends of Inspire our direct debit monthly donation campaign and directly impact our clients’ lives www.inspire.org.mt/friends

Product Review

Bath time magic with Tinti

Have you seen it yet? Tinti - Malta’s latest innovation in kids bath time products? Tinti makes bath time so much fun you will have no problem getting your kids in the bath…the problem will be getting them out… We all must have experienced it as parents at some point. The little one(s) needs to go in the bath, but refuses to budge. You’re getting desperate when everything else fails. Luckily now there is a solution to avoid bath time hassle! (I can all hear you sigh with relief!) There is a lot of fun for kids with Tinti. The bath fun and toy products make bathing, personal care and washing in the bath water great fun and develop children’s creativity and senses. The concept is very simple; Tinti brings colour and fun to the water in any bath, shower or paddling pool. And while the kids enjoy playing with Tinti, parents can rest assure that the products are completely harmless for the sensitive skin, never contain preservatives or stain your child or bath, are dermatologically tested and paraben free.

used for educational experiments. Here is an example: Tinti’s colour experiment What you will need • Tinti bath water colours in blue, red and yellow • A bath tub or paddling pool in the garden with sufficient water • Empty, non-returnable plastic bottles or different sizes of transparent tumblers. Glass bottles can break so be careful and use plastic bottles instead for this game. And after the game, simply recycle the bottles and protect the environment. Here’s how to do it: The colours and different possibilities for mixing the colours are the focus in this experiment. First of all, fill all of the

transparent containers and bottles with water. It is best to place half a tablet of each colour in each of the large plastic bottles and then mix them well with the water. Now the experiments can begin. Add a small splash of red water to a small splash of blue water: suddenly a new colour will appear and when you slowly stir it with your finger you will see blue and red veils of colour turn into a colour purple. And so it continues with the fun mixing experiments. What colour do you get from blue and yellow and from red and yellow? Try it out! Your friend the Tinti Octopus hopes that you will have lots of fun! What children will learn from this experiment? With the Tinti colour experiment, little ones learn to distinguish and experience colours around them and also learn how exciting it can be to mix different colours. The blue and red colours make purple and blue and yellow make green. You can find Tinti products at: All leading pharmacies and stationers. For Trade Enquiries please call: Tub4Fun on 9949 3774 or 9946 7733 or visit the website www.tub4fun.com

The interaction of playing by having fun is responsible for the promotion of children’s curiosity, independence and last but by no means least the positive experience of washing and caring for themselves. The Tinti range consists of: Bath water colours, Kneading Soap, Painting Soap, Crackling Bath, Magic Bath Balls, a Magic Wand and even a Volcano!

Besides fun in the bath, Tinti can also be Summer 2013 - Issue 22

Check out the cool video of all the Tinti products! Just touch here to see it.

Pets at home

Kelb Imharreg - Sid Kuntent

Dog Training Made Easy Imagine you are in a lido. A man is sipping a cool beer in the shade of a big umbrella. Fido is lying down nicely at his feet letting him enjoy his time away from the hectic daily routine. Life is great Meters away some poor chap is battling his dog constantly, trying to keep him off the table scraps and shouting out “sit!”s, and “stay!”s, and “down!”s but the dog, not knowing what these words mean, doesn’t do any of this. Which one would you rather be? Your dog will very likely pick the same one. Training your dog with positive reinforcement you can teach so many new ways to behave in different situations. Praising them for good behaviour is far less stressful for you and the dog, than watching out for bad behaviours to correct. Any mother will tell you that is true. Rewarding your children for sitting nicely at the table in restaurants or even at home when you have guests, will avoid all the 101 things you don’t want them to do. Make sure they understand their good behaviour is appreciated or they will look for other ways to gain your attention. We so often fail to praise good behaviour when it happens and end up relying heavily on nagging and punishment instead because our children, and our dogs, crave our attention, and even bad attention is better than none. If you were to go to a shop to get supplies, you hand over the cash and they refuse to give you the goods. Would you return to that shop? Just

like that you’ve learned that to get what you need you either need to steal or go elsewhere, but you’ll probably never again handover any semblance of money to the attendant. The funny thing about it is that common sense goes out the window when we’re behind the wheel. We have bad drivers in Malta because we keep rewarding each other for bad behaviour. You want to get out of a stop sign but staying behind the line, no one gives way, but get out in the middle and surely the next car gives way. Next time you will just get on with it and plonk your car in the most inconvenient spot on the road. Start looking around you today, and particularly at your relationship with your dog, and you’ll find plenty of events that tell you exactly what we’re saying here. Once you’ve identified these events and you have this knowledge, you should have enough Summer 2013 - Issue 22

to want to make the change to positive reinforcement training. Thankfully positive reinforcement training of dogs is easy and fun, for both you and your dog, check out our videos on www.dogtrainingmadeeasy.org for how you can start. A few useful things you can teach your dog with positive reinforcement: • Walking nicely on a lead • Sitting when you stop for a chat or to cross the road • Staying in one place for a length of time • Coming when called • Toileting in the right place • Behaving safely around children, strangers and other pets

Go to www.dogtrainingmadeeasy.org to get more info and a free training clicker and information booklet to help you train your dog the easy and fun way.

Pets at home

The Clicker Game Training any animal is possible with a clicker because you’re always telling them when they get it right and they will eventually understand what you want them to do without ever forcing them to do it.

Telling them what to do won’t work either because animals and our language just don’t mix. With animals you would need to teach them that the clicker means “That’s right! Here’s a treat!” It’s a good way to tell them exactly what they did right. This is a fun game to try even with your friends. Instead of playing the usual Pictionary or Charades, why not try getting your friends to do something without telling them what you want ahead of time. This is not just a lot of fun, it is also a good way to understand the dog’s and trainer’s experience from a different perspective. You won’t need a clicker for this but you will need to say “click” instead. In fact it is better if you don’t use a clicker if you’re using it to train your dog.

Game Rules: 1. You cannot say “wrong” or “no” or give verbal instructions. You can only say “click” or “yes” when they get it right 2. Divide the group in pairs. Every person in the pair gets a turn at being both the ‘dog’ and the ‘trainer’. 3. Prepare some bags with tokens for each pair (these can be small change or dried beans) 4. For every “click” or “yes” the ‘dog’ gets a token. 5. Use some kind of time keeping device to put a time limit on how long each session takes. 6. The ‘trainer’ has to think up a task, without telling the ‘dog’ what it is. Some examples: Put a plate over your head - Pick up an object and place it in someone’s hands - Sit on a particular object - Put your hands on your head - Tidy up the table Make coffee 7. When the ‘trainer’ has the task clearly in their mind the timer is started and its over to the ‘dog’ to Summer 2013 - Issue 22

10.

11.

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start the guessing game as to what it is the ‘trainer’ wants them to do. Shaping is when you “click” and give a token for every step in the right direction. So a look, a turn in the right direction, walking towards the object or touching it all counts as something you can “click”. Slowly but surely the ‘dog’ will work towards the final task you have in mind. When they get the full task completed you shout a big “click!” and give a few extra tokens as a jackpot. Each session ends either when they complete the task, you run out of tokens or when they run out of time. If they ran out of time or tokens the pair must continue when their turn next comes up. This is similar to training a dog over several sessions rather than at one go. The pair that wins are the ones that complete the most tasks by the end of game. Have lots of Fun!!!

Pets at home

Lynn, a success story... Lynn here is one of the reasons that makes all our efforts worth it! She came to us in a truly pitiful state, heavily pregnant and all her ribs sticking out. Within a few hours with us she gave birth to 5 puppies. Unfortunately she was terribly weak and three of the pups did not survive. Lynn had great motherly instincts and nurtured her surviving puppies Sam and Samantha beautifully. They in turn found a good and loving

Four-legged friends wanting to complete your happy home…

home and have adapted well to their new environment. Lynn has also found a very loving home and she is treated like to the queen of the house thanks to the boundless love of the Sciberras family.

Funky

This young 18 month old mix breed is your typical teenager always on the go, full of fun and ready for a new adventure. He loves to cuddle and play all day long. This charming chap is a very fast learner and would be the missing piece of the puzzle of an active family!

Heidi Mars & Snickers

Last but not least are Mars and Snickers - 2 year old lovable cats that can not stay away from each other. They are very playful creatures, once they befriend you.

Princess Princess

This 3 year old ‘tal-kacca’ beauty is very loving but somewhat timid until she breaks the ice. She is a very quiet, calm and serene being and loves going for walks. Princess simply loves human contact and laps all the kisses and cuddles she can get. She has been at the home for the last year and suffers from a skin allergy which is treatable but not contagious. She needs care but would make a wonderful companion.

Tex Tex

This loving 9 year old, German shepherd mixed breed is a very relaxed chap and likes to take life easy. He is not a huge fan of cats and enjoys his daily strolls. He likes to take things one step at a time and will not be rushed not even when it comes to eating!

Mars & Snickers

Heidi

Heidi is a 7 year old fox terrier mixed breed. She had to come to us as her owners could no longer keep her because of their failing health. She is therefore very well housetrained and very friendly.

Funky 56

She simply loves her walks and would make an ideal companion for an elderly couple. Summer 2013 - Issue 22

For More Information:

For information about adoption of dogs and cats or for advice please contact the Manager, SPCA Homing Centre, St. Francis Ravelin St., Floriana, 21234431/21230468 or visit our website: www.spcamalta.org

Pets at home

SPCA SPCA Malta is the largest homing centre on the island and our premises are built right into the bastions at St Francis Ravellin in Floriana. The need for new premises is obviously very pressing and we wish to be in a better position to service the whole of the island. At present, when our homing centre is at full capacity, we have up to 160 dogs as well as cats, puppies and kittens being cared for at the same time. In an idyllic world, these would all eventually be rehomed once they are healthy, old enough, neutered and microchipped. Treatment and care are obviously costly, so whoever wishes to assist us can do so by donating directly by SMS or via PayPal. All donations are truly welcome and appreciated. At the home, we also promote the benefits of neutering and to this end we hold an educational programme targeted to all ages. In the long run this programme will reduce the number of strays and abandoned animals. Our operations are completely reliant on donations and sponsorships and therefore we are always looking into different ways on how to raise funds. SPCA Malta also runs a bookshop, Paws for a Cause, next door to our home in Floriana. Here we sell all sorts of second-hand books from bestsellers, to cookery, history, hobbies, sport etc. at unbelievable prices. Everyone is welcome to come and browse our bookshelves. We also have an upmarket charity shop in George Borg Olivier Street in Sliema where we sell good quality clothing, bric-a-brac, books, household items and much more. Anyone wishing to donate items can come directly to our shops. Every drop counts and is truly appreciated. Donations can be brought over to either Floriana or Sliema –whichever is the closest. A pressing need during the upcoming summer months is the tiling of our courtyard and five of our kennels. This work needs to be done imminently during the dry season and therefore we need to raise 1000 Euros as soon as possible so that the necessary material can be bought and works start soon. Anyone wishing to donate can do so directly on our Face Book page via PayPall . All your financial assistance would make our furry friends’ life so much easier. Our efforts to fund raise are non-stop and we always have a number of initiatives going on all year round, from fairs to cakesales, car washes and dress down events. We’ll do whatever for a good cause as our four-legged friends deserve the best. Our two next upcoming events are a Trial Dive on the 27th of July where any one wanting to try out the thrill of a first dive can join us. No experience is needed! So if you have animals at heart and love the sea look out for further details on our Facebook page. The second event this month will be our summer BBQ which will be held at the Danish Village in Mellieha on Wednesday 31st July from 7:30pm onwards. Scrumptious food and great entertainment are the order of the day so please join us and get your friends with you for a night of guaranteed fun. For reservations please call on 99894115 or message us on our Facebook page on www.facebook.com/ spcamalta. Hope to see you there!

Summer 2013 - Issue 22

Self Expression and Children Education Why is important for children to express themselves. Christine Attard will try and explain to us parents.

Let them shine Self Expression allows for children to shine as individuals, allowing them to gain confidence as well as help their communication and creativity skills. It is in recognising selfvalue that I personally found it easier to express myself both as an adult and as an artist. This is why I question whether self-expression is a product of self-belief and selfconfidence. Let them be strong Allowing children the opportunity to sound their thoughts and opinions is a boost to childrens’ self-confidence. They will recognise that their words and opinions are being valued and people are giving their precious time to listen to them and acknowledge their presence. Throughout my teaching experience I found that when I made time to listen to what children had to get off their minds, they pushed themselves further and attempted things that they were apprehensive in confronting before. Let them choose Some children found it hard to express themselves and used violence and aggression instead, so I tried to deal with the situation by helping them become aware of their behaviour and by taking the opportunity to pass on some pointers which could help the child maintain control in a similar future situation. By making children aware of their behaviour and getting them to question the reasons why it got to that point, helps the child reflect on his/her own actions. This way the child has the ability to help themselves and allows them to own their actions, empowering them into being responsible for their own behaviour. (POEM – Anger)

Ideas: • Allow the child time to reflect on their actions • Explain the outcomes of their choice of self expression i.e. another child is hurt / sad • Ask them how they could have handled the situation in a more beneficial way. Let them share Expression is one part of communication and, since no man is an island,

Feeling angry by Christine Attard When you get angry and feel real mad, Remember it’s ok. As long as you control yourself, The anger will go away. When you feel the need to hit, Hurting those who made you mad, It is then you need to learn, Control before making others sad. Hurting others really is not good, And will not help you in the least. You need to breathe and count to ten, To calm the anger beast. So try it out when you feel anger, And think before you hit. So that you become a better you, And you’ll be loved to bits.

Summer 2013 - Issue 22

communication is a vital tool in everyday life. Teaching and guiding our children to speak up and share what they are thinking and feeling is essential in their future lives in the work place and in their private lives. Through my experiences as a wife I found that self-expression was something that both myself and my husband had to, and still are, working on. I can honestly say that once we overcame our struggles with self -esteem and the ability to express, our relationship became stronger. Let them create Self expression is also an outlet for creativity whereby the child is able to create something from their own experiences and personal feelings. Exposing the child to the various opportunities to display this allows the child to choose which is the better for him/her. Ideas: • Art - Using as many different materials as possible: paint, paper, wire, clay, wood or any recyclable objects i.e. cardboard boxes, plastic bottles • Photography - If they do not have a camera cut out a square view-finder and let them show you the beauty they see. • Writing - Let them choose a topic and write a story, poem, song or even a play which you can dress up for and act out

• •

Moving - Allow them to participate in dance, sports or drama Dressing - Let a child express themselves through choosing their clothing.

Let them see Most of the time children will emulate the words and actions of the people closest to them i.e. parents, guardians etc. The way we deal with and cope with situations, and their consequences, affects the way a child will approach and deal with a similar situation. As parents we tend to treat our children the same way our parents treated us, and we are now aware of the effects their parenting methods had on us. This is a great opportunity, as it is our turn to make any changes we feel is necessary, with our own children. (POEM- Do they still love me?)

Do they still love me? by Christine Attard When mum and dad get angry at you, This makes you feel kind of sad. Don’t think that they don’t still love you, Or that with you they are very mad. But when you do things that are naughty, Or do something that is unkind. The adults just want you to know this, Your best interest’s are in their mind. Their first reactions may be a bit scary, Or loud and they may start to shout. Making you feel scared and quite lonely, And make you fell like you want to get out. This shouting may make you quite teary Thinking their love has gone clean away It’s because they are disappointed, With the bad things you’ve done in the day. They’re angry because they both love you, And want you to grow up to be good. So try learning from the bad things that happened, And be the best child that you could.

Let them be free Just as children will learn how to deal with situations from us, they can also learn self-confidence through our own depiction of it. Show children your confidence and your ability to enjoy life, show them how you can let go at times and peel away the layers of conformity and rigidity that life sometimes pushes

us into. I sometimes make myself sing in the street (though not in a loud mad way), and skip or race down the promenade just to stop myself form determining my actions based upon the reactions of others. Have fun with your children wherever you are even whilst walking along the promenade. Ideas: • Copy cat – copy what the person in front is doing = run, skip jump (not being shy to run, skip or walk in public allows children to see that you can do what you need to do regardless of what people may think or how people see you) • Up to – Choose something to do ‘up to’ the next dustbin / bench/ lamppost e.g. walk backwards, hop, side step, pigeon step • Don’t touch the lines - The one who does has to i.e. sing a song (don’t be shy to sing or hum the confidence you show will be seen by the child who in turn may or may not copy you, but at least they see that you overcame your shyness) Summer 2013 - Issue 22

Let them learn Expressing ourselves in a way that is easy for people to understand can sometimes be a challenge, as our emotions and frustrations can take over and turn situations from a molehill into a mountain. Its hard as a parent to always be perfect and not allow situations and our reactions to get the better of us, so here are some tips I find useful to remember in more challenging situations. Ideas: • Keep calm: Lets try to keep calm in situations so that we can think clearly and act rationally • Reflect: Reflect before you act thinking about the situation in its own right, without linking anything else or any other previous incidents to this one. • Think: Think about the real reasons behind our emotional reactions • Act: Try not acting on decisions based on anger or frustration. Think through what happened and then act upon it.