Island Parent November 2014 by Island Parent Group

Island Parent Celebrating

27 Years

The Resource Publication for Vancouver Island Parents

November 2014

The Giving Season A Knitting Revival Raising an Outdoor Child The Language of Movement

Holiday Gift & Book Recommendations

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Contents: November 2014 Articles The Giving Season........................................................................................... 8 A Knitting Revival......................................................................................... 10 Raising an Outdoor Child............................................................................. 12 Holiday Gift & Book Recommendations....................................................... 14 Little Drummers............................................................................................ 16 The Language of Movement.......................................................................... 17 When Weaning Ends..................................................................................... 18 Stress-Free Holiday Shopping........................................................................ 20 Homemade Bird Feeder................................................................................. 47

Columns Editor’s Note................................................................................................... 3 Maternity & Beyond..................................................................................... 22 New Parent Pages.......................................................................................... 30 Healthy Families; Happy Families................................................................. 32 Just Eat It!..................................................................................................... 34 Book Nook................................................................................................... 36 Is There an App for This?.............................................................................. 38 New Parent Pages.......................................................................................... 40 Dadspeak...................................................................................................... 44 Nature Notes................................................................................................ 46 Cut It Out..................................................................................................... 48

Departments IPM Notes....................................................................................................... 4 Party Directory........................................................................................ 18, 19 Family Calendar............................................................................................ 24 Around the Island......................................................................................... 28 Family Services Directory........................................................................ 40, 41 Preschool & Child Care Directory..................................................... 42, 43, 44 Business & Professional Directory................................................................. 45 Island Parent Magazine, produced by Island Parent Group Enterprises Ltd., is a monthly publication that honours and supports parents by providing information on resources and businesses for families, and a forum for the exchange of ideas and opinions. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher. Letters (max 250 words) should be emailed to the Editor at editor@islandparent.ca. No material herein may be reproduced without the permission of the Editor. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome and should be emailed to editor@islandparent.ca. Island Parent Magazine is distributed free in selected areas. Subscriptions can be obtained by sending $28.00 (includes GST) with your name and address to the address below. Canada Post: Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement 40051398.

Island Parent Magazine

830-A Pembroke St, Victoria, BC V8T 1H9 Tel: 250-388-6905 Websites: www.islandparent.ca, www.kidsinvictoria.com Publisher/Owner: Mark Warner Editor: Sue Fast Sales & Marketing: RaeLeigh Buchanan Publisher’s Assistant: Linda Frear Distribution: Ray Cutts, Ted Dawe (Mid-Island) Founders: Jim Holland & Selinde Krayenhoff Production: Eacrett Graphic Design Printed at Black Press, Victoria Cover printed at Hillside Printing ISSN 0838-5505

2 Island Parent Magazine

On the Cover: Sophie D, (6) Cover Photo: Rhayne Photography, www.rhaynephotography.com

If You Asked Me, & Even Though You Didn’t...

f you’re nine-months pregnant and standing in a grocery store line-up minding your own business, perhaps scanning the headlines on, say, the National Enquirer and I’m standing behind you, I will not be that person who places both hands on your belly, tells you to enjoy your sleep while it lasts, assesses, aloud, the nutritional value of every item in your cart, and then offers a lifetime’s worth—yours, mine, and the baby’s—of unsolicited advice. I will not. I will not. I will not. But if you asked me, and even though you didn’t… Here’s what I’d tell you I’ve learned about parenting so far, most often the hard way: Spend time with people who love spending time with their children—and yours. Share meals, outings, babysitting, rides, resources, wisdom, laughter, tears, expertise, feelings, worries, ideas, and camping trips, among other things. Create a community that celebrates and supports the important job of raising kids. And then invite others in. Smile when your child enters the room. Simple advice from a wise friend, that, if I can remember to follow it, yields amazing results. Rather than treating my children as works-in-progress—assessing their grooming habits, fashion sense, and posture, to name a few things—smiling at them sets an entirely different mood, one that’s much more conducive to conversation and connection. Don’t do for your kids what they can do for themselves. Too often, when my kids were little and I was in a rush, I would take over their tasks for the sake of speed and

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efficiency, robbing them of the chance to feel a sense of capability and contribution. If I had it to do over again, I’d encourage them to tackle any undertaking to the best of their abilities, never mind any messes, mix-ups, or lost momentum. Play. Outdoors. Play, as the saying goes, is a child’s work. Recognized by the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights as a right of every child, playing unleashes kids’ creativity while helping develop their imagination, dexterity, and physical, cognitive, and emotional strength. Better still is playing outside in nature. What man-made environments take away from us—through traffic, pollution, and noise, for starters— quiet natural landscapes give back. Travel. Near. Far. Literally. And metaphorically. Overland. By air. In books. To far off lands. Or nearby neighbourhoods. Travel is education: not only does it teach us more about different locations and cultures, but it also lets us experience ourselves and each other in an entirely new context, all while creating a fresh perspective of ‘home.’ Give your kids the benefit of the doubt. My mom’s wise words and another way of saying “Trust your kids.” Let them know you believe in them and show them that what they feel, say, think and do matters. Use the ‘small stuff’ to teach the ‘big stuff.’ How we talk to and treat each other makes a difference; we each have an impact on people around us and on the environment. Little things make a difference—and understanding that can add to who we are. That said, ask yourself: Will this matter in 10 years? If not, don’t sweat it.

Listen. The 2014 Highlights magazine’s State of the Kid survey found that 62 per cent of kids ages 6 to 12 think parents are too distracted to listen. The number one parental distraction? Technology—particularly cell phones. Of the 1,521 children polled, 33 per cent said the best time to connect with

Editor’s Note Sue Fast their parents was at dinner time, when, most often, their parents were unplugged, their phones turned off. Which is another reason to… Eat dinner together. Better yet, cook it that way, too. Besides appreciation for the value of food and the work that goes into preparing it, cooking and sharing meals together is the perfect way to reconnect with each other, talk and laugh, learn manners, take care of and serve each other, listen, solve problems, make plans, and dream aloud. Not only does eating together lead to better eating habits, but it nourishes our minds and spirits, too. Count your blessings. Your kids. Whoever is helping you raise them. Your friends. Family. Food on the table. A bed to sleep in. Take time to consider all you’re grateful for: from the quiet in the morning before everyone wakes up, and that hot cup of coffee, to the changing seasons, and the feeling of your child’s hand in yours. Trust your instincts. Resist one-size-fits-all parenting advice and trust your gut instead. When in doubt, turn to trusted friends and family, keeping in mind that nobody knows your child like you do. Trust yourself. You are the expert—for awhile anyway. Enjoy your status while it lasts!

November 2014 3

IPM Notes Victoria Teen Fest The Coast Capital Savings Victoria TeenFest will be on Saturday, November 1 at Pearkes Recreation Centre from 11am5:30pm. This one-day exhibition, for youth ages 12-18 years, and their families, will give teens and ’tweens in the Victoria area the opportunity to connect with each other, their peers, their communities and community leaders. By creating opportunities for interaction, activities, workshops and performances for this age group, TeenFest will engage and connect our youth, their families and the businesses and organizations that support them. Event highlights include: a teen talent contest; an indoor skateboard park; a teen model search; a performance by teen musicians, singers and bands; interactive sports and gaming activities; 100+ booths to see, learn, shop and sample; five different areas to explore (life and education, cool stuff, fashion and beauty, health and wellness and technology and gaming), dance performers

3-5 yrs Pre-primary School

on the main stage; special guests; prizes and more. For information, visit teenfest.ca/ welcome-to-teen-fest-canada.

Family Events at the Writer’s Fest The Victoria Writer’s Festival, from November 6-8, is offering two family friendly events. On Thursday November 6 at 7pm, you are invited to attend The Enormous World (www.victoriawritersfestival.org/ the-enormous-world.html), an evening for all ages, with three greats of children’s literature. There will be readings by Kit Pearson, John Wilson, and Polly Horvath, along with a festival-opening performance by Victoria Youth Poet Laureate Morgan Purvis. On Saturday November 8, the Festival presents Transformations: A Creative Writing Workshop for Teens from 2-4pm. Participants will take part in independent and collaborative exercises, and writing consultations with the facilitators will be available after the workshop. The Festival venue is at Oak Bay United Church, 1355 Mitchell Street. For more information, visit www.victoriawritersfestival.org.

Personal Power at 1UP Single Parent Resource Centre Personal Power explores a number of personal development topics: empowerment, goal setting, moods, self-awareness, and coping with stressful situations. This six-week course, running from November 7-December 12, is designed help you increase your personal power and create the life you want to live: • What does it mean to be empowered? • How do we empower ourselves? • How do we set goals and achieve them? • How do we shift negative thought patterns to a positive mental attitude? • What strategies exist for increasing self awareness? • What can we do to increase our ability to handle highly charged emotional situations in ways that we later look back on and feel good about? Explore a number of personal development topics and implement the strategies that inspire you into your everyday life, with Personal Power. 1UP Single Parent Resource Centre is also offering The Lighthouse Parent: A Forever Journey, Dads With Dads support group, Anatomy of Anger, Conflict Resolution, and Relationships & Boundaries. All classes are

A gentle learning opportunity for young children: - learning naturally through play

The joy of learning - naturally.

http://oakandorca.ca 250 383 6609 4 Island Parent Magazine

- nature awareness and respect - compassionate communication - experience with math and science - exposure to books and language arts

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at 602 Gorge Rd East. Fees are on a sliding scale. For more information, please visit www.singleparentvictoria.ca.

Student Art Video & Writing Contest Attention kids and youth in B.C. and the Yukon. Are you an artist, wordsmith, or a filmmaker? If so, take those words and pictures in your head and show the world. Create your work of art or literature about remembrance. You can create something that is broadly about remembrance or you can focus on something more specific such as a family member who fought in the war, the poppy, a war memorial in your community, or the sacrifice of veterans. Categories include: poster (grades 1-12); essay (grades 4-12); poetry (grades 4-12); and video (grades 7-12). Prizes include an iPad and a trip to Ottawa. Deadline November 15. For more information, visit www. legionbcyukon.ca/content/youth-contests.

Coats for Kids West 49’s Coats for Kids campaign, fueled by community support, is once again collecting coats for kids who don’t have adequate winter clothing. Since 2002, more than 85,000 kids have received winter coats as a result of this program. West 49 Coats for Kids campaign runs through to November 20. Coat collection barrels are located in every store. Anyone who brings in a clean, insulated gently used winter coat to any West 49 store will receive $25 off any winter jacket. Donated jackets will then be given to various youth shelters and charities across the country. Each store partners with a local charity in their area—so people in the community benefit. In past campaigns, coats have been provided to organizations such as Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Canadian Diabetes Association, Salvation Army, The United Way and local youth shelters and missions across the country. For more information, visit coatsforkids.west49.com.

Bear Wear 2014 Bear Wear—“the cuddliest event in town”— is a beloved holiday tradition, a festive display of cuddly teddy bears dressed up in fabulous costumes by local sponsors, businesses, organizations, and individuals. Since its inception in 2001, Bear Wear has raised over $350,000 for kids with special needs on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.

www.IslandParent.ca

The event is open to the public seven days a week from November 25-January 4, 2015. Pick up a hot chocolate and walk through the lobby of the Hotel Grand Pacific, elegantly decorated for the holiday season, and behold 40 bears in masquerade. Past favourites include Dr. Seuss Bear, Frankenstein Bear, Barbie Bear, and Katy Perry Bear. With a suggested $2 donation, you can vote for your favourite bear and enter to win it at the end of the event. Funds raised through public voting and sponsorships supports kids on the Island with special needs through Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island. In 2014, proceeds will support the Foundation’s commitment to Tools to Succeed, which gives kids with special needs the help they need to reach their potential. For more information, visit childrenshealthvi.org/events/bear-wear

Christmas in November Feel like getting into the Christmas spirit a little early? If so, there’s no shortage of events this month: Christmas Tree Light Up & Santa Parade. Kick-off the holiday season in Centennial Square with the 7th annual downtown Christmas Tree Light-Up on November 29 from 4-5:30pm. Enjoy musical performances, roving entertainment, ice sculptures, and free treats before the Island Farms Santa Light Parade at 5:45. Rain or shine. Free. Ferris Wheel in Centennial Square. See Victoria from 65 feet up on Friday (5-9pm), Saturday (1-9pm), and Sunday (1-7pm) on the ferris wheel in Centennial Square, running from November 29-December 21. Rides are $2. Free Horse-Drawn Trolley Rides from November 29-December 21 on Saturdays (noon-4pm); and Sundays (noon-3pm). Enjoy the sights and sounds of the Christmas celebrations in downtown Victoria. Two free trolleys will stop at: Store St. at Chatham St (in front of Ocean River Sports); Johnson St at Wharf St (in front of Willie’s Bakery); Langley St at Bastion Sq (across from reBar); Government St at Fisgard St (in front of CRD Plaza). Sidney Sparkles Parade & Sailpast on November 29 at 5pm. Watch the parade along Beacon Avenue and Second Street, then wander down to the waterfront to see the sailpast. The Ladysmith Festival of Lights on November 27, starting at 3pm, features entertainment, a parade, fireworks, and a visit from Santa.

November 2014 5

Art Classes IPM Notes Drawing Painting • Sculpture Cartooning Portfolio Preparation • Day and Evening Classes • One or Two hour sessions • Technique Oriented • Ages 5 and Up

COMPLETE A PORTFOLIO COURSE – Ages 14 & Up, DESIGNED ESPECIALLY FOR YOU FOR ENTRANCE INTO: INTERIOR DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE, BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS, FASHION & MORE

www.artisticstatementgalleryandschool.com

Ballet Victoria

Every Christmas season, Ballet Victoria takes to the stage for a wonderfully fun, family-friendly rendition of a classic tale. This year, the company will again intertwine the story of Pandora with the music of The Nutcracker as they present The Gift. Never content to rest on its laurels though, Ballet Victoria will introduce a new twist to the performance, with characters derived from popular culture such as the hit movie Frozen. Principal dancer Andrea Bayne portrays the curious Pandora who opens the forbidden box after the family’s traditional Christmas Eve party and unleashes a torrent of fun characters, and hilarious chaos. The music of a live orchestra brings a depth to the performance that highlights every nuance. Conducted by Joey Pietraroia, the Victoria Symphony will intersperse Tchaikovsky’s score with some modern jazz as they fill the theatre with incredible sound. For those who have never experienced ballet or for those who think it is all classical tutus and music, think again. Bring your family to The Gift and, chances are, you too will be on your feet at the end of the performance, waiting for an encore. On stage at the Royal Theatre for three matinee performances on December 27, 28 and 29 at 2pm, The Gift is accessible to families, with children’s tickets as low as $15. Tickets are on sale now and available at the Royal McPherson box office, by phone 250-386-6121 or online at balletvictoria.ca.

‘100 Objects of Interest’ at RBCM

Victoria & Vancouver Island 1-866-518-7287 Nanaimo 250-756-9794 Or online at: www.welcomewagon.ca

6 Island Parent Magazine

From more than seven million objects in the Royal BC Museum’s galleries, archival stacks and workrooms behind the scenes, curators, archivists and other expert staff have selected some of the most fascinating—and often seldom-seen—objects, what they are calling the “100 Objects of Interest.” These artifacts, specimens, archival records and works of art will be featured on the 100 Objects of Interest website at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/100. The website features a photo of each object and a brief description of its significance. The objects will rotate over time, as new items are uploaded to the site. The Royal BC Museum is embarking upon a number of web initiatives that allow greater access and interaction with the full scale of its collections, including the digitization of First World War diary entries and

letters home by British Columbian soldiers to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the Great War. Some of the 100 Objects of Interest are well-known and popular, such as John Lennon’s famous yellow psychedelic Rolls Royce Phantom V Touring Limousine, which wowed crowds at Expo 86. Some objects, like the Ground Mantid insect, are tiny and almost impossible to see in their home environment—in this case, the sandy grasslands in the extreme southern Okanagan Valley, a threatened and disappearing ecosystem. Many of the objects are never on public display. The shortlist of 100 was made subjectively, but each object speaks to the living landscapes and cultures of British Columbia. Seen collectively, they represent BC’s range of ecosystems and climate, the province’s abundance of flora and fauna and the complex histories of the people who have settled here over millennia, sometimes clashing but working towards peaceful coexistence. royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/100-objects-of-interest

GVPL’s Cultural & Recreational Passes The library, partnered with the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria and the Royal BC Museum, continues to offer library users the opportunity to access cultural offerings throughout Greater Victoria. If you have a valid adult library card, you can borrow a free art gallery or museum pass from your local library. Place a hold on a pass with your library card at www.gvpl.ca and pick it up at your local library branch. Art Gallery of Greater Victoria Household Access Pass provides free general admission to the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria for two adults and up to four children. The loan period is seven days, with no renewals, and does not include special events or gift shop discounts. The Royal BC Museum Family Pass provides free general admission to the Royal BC Museum for two adults and up to three children (youth under five are free). The loan period is 7 days, with no renewals, and does not include special events or gift shop discounts. The Saanich Recreation Pass provides free general admission to any Saanich Recreation Centre for two adults and up to four children (5-18 years; children four and under are free). The loan period is 7 days, with no renewals permitted, and does not include child minding or registered classes.

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For more information, please visit www. gvpl.ca.

Youth in Parks Team Do you love parks and being outside? Are you interested in improving your outdoor leadership skills? Do you want to join a group of people from all over Southern Vancouver Island who are interested in inspiring other youth to get outside and into parks? Join the Youth in Parks team. The Youth In Parks team is a group of high-school-aged youth (ages 13-18) who live in the Capital Regional District/Southern Vancouver Island and love the outdoors. The team meets monthly to learn skills and share their passion for parks. There will be an opportunity for some members of the team to become part of the Parks Youth Advisory Council. The Youth In Parks staff are from four hosting organizations: BC Parks, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Victoria, CRD Regional Parks, and Sierra Club. They bring a wealth of knowledge in youth engagement, building leadership skills, interpretation and volunteerism, and are very passionate about working collaboratively with Youth In Parks. There is no cost to participate except for your time, energy and enthusiasm. To apply, fill out an application online at www. crd.bc.ca/youthinparks or download the printable PDF application form. For more information, email youthinparks@crd.bc.ca or phone 250-360-3326.

$10,000 Race to Alaska Paddle, Row or Sail. Long distance rowers, paddlers and sailors will compete next summer in a first-ever Race to Alaska that offers a $10,000 prize—and no fuel bill. The Northwest Maritime Center, based in Port Townsend, WA, has begun accepting applicants for the unique, non-motorized, 750-mile marathon scheduled to begin next June in Port Townsend. The cash prize of $10,000 will go to the first competitor to reach Ketchikan without the aid of an engine The Race to Alaska is scheduled to begin June 4, 2015, on Port Townsend Bay, with a 65km first leg to Victoria. The Maritime Museum of BC is partnering with Race to Alaska as the official Victoria Port Host. Any paddler, rower or sailor is invited to participate in that leg without committing to the full race to Ketchikan. Racers who complete the first leg without assistance will qualify for the full race, www.IslandParent.ca

scheduled to begin the following day. Contestants will not be allowed to have any kind of motor on board—neither gas nor electric. There is no limit on the number of crew, but no substitutions will be allowed. To qualify for the prize, racers must be on board for the entire race. Successful race applicants should be proficient in navigation, first aid, radio use and logistics, and should be able to demonstrate that they have the physical ability and equipment to make the voyage. For more information, visit www.RacetoAlaska.com.

Learning

Through Play

Youth Angel-Making Workshops Victoria teachers and students take note: local volunteer group African AIDS Angels is offering another season of Angel-Making Workshops with youth. For the past 10 years, African AIDS Angels volunteers have engaged with local elementary, middle and secondary classes, providing educational presentations on the need to help impoverished African communities, and hosting angel-making workshops to help students get creative while contributing to an important humanitarian cause. The group is seeking new classrooms and youth groups who would like to learn more about their work in Africa, and the opportunity to get artsy and craft some angels. Fun foam angel templates decorated with markers and snips of fabric are used for younger classes, while older classes make angels with peg bodies, pre-cut fabric dresses and shawls, and jewellery accents. Angelmaking with youth has proven not only to be an exercise in dexterity and artistic expression, but also a means to empower youth to make a difference for families and orphans halfway around the world. All supplies are provided for workshops with a suggested donation of $3 per foam angel and $7 per peg angel. Both English and French presentations can be arranged for elementary, middle, and secondary classes, and this season Spanish presentations can potentially be made to middle and secondary classes, pending volunteer support. Also new this season are workshops with preschool groups—from young to mature, everyone can take part in crafting angels to help African communities in need. Would you consider this activity for your classroom or youth group? To sign up or learn more, email Sandra Dennis, chair of Youth Engagement at bensandy@shaw.ca. For information about African AIDS Angels, visit aidsangelsvictoria.blogspot.ca.•

Discover our parent-operated cooperative preschools where children (and their parents) learn through play. Victoria Cordova Bay Preschool

cordovabaypreschool.org

Countryside Preschool

countrysidepreschool.org

Goldstream Preschool Gonzales Preschool

goldstreampreschool.com gonzalescooppreschool.com lakehillpreschool.org

Lakehill Preschool Lambrick Park Preschool

lambrickparkpreschool.ca

Lansdowne Preschool

lansdownepreschool.com oakbaypreschool.com

Oak Bay Preschool Sidney Preschool

sidneypreschool.com

Strawberry Vale

strawberryvalepreschool.org

Outside Victoria Errington Preschool erringtonhall.bc.ca/preschol.htm Gabriola Island Preschool gabriolapreschool.com Nanaimo Preschool Salt Spring Island

nanaimopreschool.com saltspringcooppreschool.com

www.vicpa.org November 2014 7

Rachel Dunstan Muller

The Giving Season

ore than 400,000 people took to the streets of New York in September for the largest climate march in history. It was supposed to be a tipping point, as policy makers, celebrities and ordinary citizens came together in advance of the United Nations Climate Summit. But for all the attention this urgent issue is getting, I suspect that the status quo will prevail this holiday season. North Americans will head to the malls as always, returning in minivans and SUVs piled high with seasonal cheer. And who can blame us? It’s the giving season—what better time to be generous with our loved ones? But given the state of our over-burdened planet, perhaps we need to take a second look at how we define generosity. Perhaps it’s time we joined the Grinch in discovering that true holiday spirit doesn’t come from a store. In the words of the Grinch’s wise creator, Christmas can come without ribbons or tags, it can come without packages, boxes or bags! There are many good resources online

and at the library if you’re committed to a greener holiday season. Go to islandparent. ca, click on the ‘Articles’ tab, and type ‘Green Christmas’ in the search box, if you’d like to read the piece I wrote a few years ago. But these days I’m more interested in cultivating a generous spirit year-round—and redefining generosity so that it’s not centered on “stuff.” A few years ago, my husband and I found ourselves in an intense period that saw us navigating teen issues with our three oldest, while simultaneously coping with nightwakings and diapers with our two youngest. Life was about survival at the family level—there wasn’t much left over for the wider world. Things got easier once our older daughters were launched, and we’d made it through potty training with the younger ones. As the external world came into focus again, I became aware of the tremendous generosity around us. My first response was gratitude: for the wonderful family resource program that served as a second home for me and my preschoolers on many weekday

mornings. For my brother and sister-in-law and the countless bags of toys and clothes they passed down. For the neighbour who regularly brought over bags of interesting magazines. For the women at church who shared the surplus from their fruit trees. For the friends who listened sympathetically when I was feeling especially frayed. For the kind smiles and encouraging words of strangers when my youngest were melting down at the grocery store. In the last few years I’ve become an informal student of generosity, observing the many forms it takes, and trying to put it into practice in my own life. What I’ve seen as I’ve been consciously looking for it, is that anyone can choose to be generous, in almost any situation. You don’t have to be wealthy to be a giver. In fact some of the most generous people I know have very limited material resources. The following ideas are in no way a comprehensive list, but I hope they’ll serve as a source of inspiration: For your children: Time is the gift every child needs. Take them to the playground or library. Go beachcombing, hiking or on a family bike ride. Share your favourite hobby, whether it’s cooking or kayaking. Play games with them. Read to them. Sing to and with

GNS. The advantage starts at ages 3, 4 and 5… My child can: ✓ Sing over 10 songs in French. ✓ Speak this: 我爱我的家 (I love my family). ✓ Play on the Beach from September to June. At Glenlyon Norfolk School (GNS), our youngest students are able to enjoy: • Weekly lessons with specialty teachers in Mandarin, French, Music and PE. • A morning a week at Uplands Park exploring nature. • A classroom just steps away from the ocean. • The IB Advantage (International Baccalaureate – a leading modern approach to education). Options for: • Half-day or Full-day classes in Junior Kindergarten. • Before-school or After-school Care.

To enrol for Fall 2015, please contact: admissions@mygns.ca or 250.370.6801

www.mygns.ca 8 Island Parent Magazine

•

250.370.6801 www.kidsinvictoria.com

them. Show them they matter by turning off the screen when they want to talk. Write love notes for their lunchboxes. Recognize their efforts, especially in challenging areas. Make an effort to see the things that make them unique: an insatiable curiosity, unusual determination, or a contagious sense of humour. Be spontaneous when you can. For your spouse or partner: Write a heartfelt note of appreciation, and tuck it where they’ll discover it later. Take care of a chore they normally do—bonus points if it’s an unpleasant one! Give them an unexpected compliment. Leave their favourite treat somewhere in their path. Check out a book, magazine, or movie you think might interest them from the library. Listen without interrupting. In their earshot, say something especially nice about them to someone else. Make their favourite meal—more bonus points if you’re not a natural cook. Practice letting go of the little things: the raised toilet seat or the dirty socks on the floor. For your friends: Make note of great books, music or movies you know a friend would appreciate. Introduce like-minded friends. Be free with sincere compliments and expressions of empathy and encouragement. Share your surplus: your kids’ outgrown clothes, the bulk purchases that exceed what your family can consume, the apples that are dropping from your tree. Freeze extra soup for new moms or sick friends. Have a casserole put aside in your freezer for last-minute guests. Welcome friends in when they need a sympathetic ear or a safe place to land—and know that true hospitality has nothing to do with the clutter on your counters, or when you last washed your kitchen floor. In the community: Write a letter to someone who’s made a meaningful difference in your life. Write a thank you note to your child’s teacher. Donate unwanted toys, clothing or household goods to a local shelter or a charity thrift store. Volunteer, if you have the time. Offer kind words and smiles to cashiers, bus drivers and parking attendants. Lend a hand where you see a need. Help set up or clean up at social events. Pick up litter on the way to your mailbox. Allow yourself enough time to be a patient and generous driver. These suggestions are just the tip of the iceberg. The possibilities for generosity are almost infinite. For more inspiration, visit www.randomactsofkindness.org. Let’s keep the giving season going year round! Rachel Dunstan Muller is the mother of five, and a children’s author. Her previous articles can be found at www.kidsinvictoria.com.

www.IslandParent.ca

November 2014 9

Selinde Krayenhoff

www.lexieslittlebears.com 778-432-3600

FT & PT spaces available now in our Brand New Infant/Toddler Nature Program and our 3 to 5 year old Nature First-comeProgram registration!

Expecting?

Call us NOW to add your name to our Infant/Toddler wait list! “Even the wildest dreams have to start somewhere. Allow yourself the time and space to let your mind wander and your imagination fly.” ~ Oprah Winfrey 10 Island Parent Magazine

A Knitting Revival K

nitting goes through a revival every so many years,” says Andrea Rangel, a knitting pattern designer living in the Cowichan Valley. Now seems to be one of those times, she adds. People of all ages are gathering in homes, coffee shops and community centres to learn the craft, help each other pick up lost stitches, and enjoy each other’s company. Today there are men knitting, teenagers and even children and parent teams. “I credit Ravelry (www.ravelry.com) for the last surge of interest in knitting,” says Rangel. “There are lots of high-quality patterns available, the site is responsive and supportive, and it’s a place where knitters of all levels can meet up.” How did this master knitter come to spend her days designing contemporary fashion knitting patterns for the younger knitters? “I started knitting when I was eight years old,” recalls Rangel, “a hobby that I dropped after a few years.” In university, she picked it up again, inspired by the popular book Stitch ’n Bitch by Debbie Stoller, published in 2004. “I’m not that old but I can already say ‘In my day…’” she laughs, “because we didn’t have Ravelry or YouTube yet. We had to learn from a friend, a book or from someone at our local yarn store.” Rangel’s interest in knitting persisted after university when she went into teaching at the elementary school level. “It’s simple…I’m happy when I’m knitting,” she says. And that’s how her hobby became her livelihood. “I love being part of the creative process. I do the work most people are not interested in or don’t have the skill to do—the pattern design. Then I put the pattern out into the world and each person who buys it will express their creativity by their unique choice of yarn and the adjustments they might make to the pattern. Each project will turn out differently and I’ll have had a hand in that.” Economics have also played a part in the renewed interest in knitting. “Whenever there is a major down turn in the economy, people pick up knitting and other handicrafts. I think people want a sense of control over their lives,” Rangel

says. “Making your own clothing is empowering.” And when people’s income is not as secure, Rangel notes that they might not go out as much and “knitting gives them something to do at home, something that is practical and creates beauty.” Changes in the fibre industry include buyers hoping to source and manufacture local wool. In the Cowichan Valley, Leola Witt-McNie of Leola’s Studio is spinning and weaving mohair from Eastwind Farms.

“The choice of yarn is amazing today,” Rangel continues, adding that there is an increasing number of people willing to pay the real cost of yarn. “I know when I buy cheap yarn that someone, somewhere is paying the cost.” Rangel also teaches children to knit. “… in general, I find children more persistent and less prone to frustration.” As a public school teacher, Rangel taught her students how to knit and crochet. “One young boy really took to it and soon there were boys all over the playground crocheting.” And as gender roles

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loosen, Andrea is seeing more and more men becoming adept knitters. There are an increasing number of patterns for men and there are groups specifically for men on the Ravelry site. Designer Gudrun Johnston, originally from the Shetland Islands and now living in the U.S., publishes patterns in both adult and kids’ versions. Her recent book Knit with Me speaks from her experience sharing her passion with a pre-teen son and teenage daughter. “I don’t know if I would knit a smaller version of the same pattern as my mother,” laughs Rangel, “but I like the sense of family/community in the book.” There are other young designers here on Vancouver Island as well. For example, Jane Richmond (www.janerichmond.com) and Shannon Cook (www.luvinthemommyhood.com). Knitting can be a solitary, meditative kind of activity or a social one. When Rangel lived in Seattle, she knew of several informal parent and tot groups where the kids would play while their parents worked on knitting projects, exchanged ideas and expertise, and chatted. “It’s different from a book club where you feel the pressure to read the book in time for the meeting,” she says. “In a knitting group, if you’re working on the same project for months, only working a row or two every meeting, who cares?” The social part of the gathering can be equally or more important than a finished project. Knitting can be a great way to meet people. If you’re new to a community, check out the local yarn shop, search out your local spinners and weavers guild, or go on line to Ravelry and find a group that meets in your area, or, stay home and meet with others online. Rangel can knit almost anywhere—while working on complicated patterns and maintaining eye contact during conversations. So what does she do to relax? “When I finish a large knitting project, I pick up my needles and knit to relax… There are infinite possibilities in the design process. My mind is always busy.”

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Selinde Krayenhoff is the cofounder of Island Parent Magazine and the parent of two grown sons. She gives workshop and talks on Nonviolent Communication, Parenting, Spirituality and Midlife Transition. 2758 Peatt Road 778-265-5955 or 250-818-9225

www.leapforwardlangford.com info@leapforwardlangford.com www.IslandParent.ca

November 2014 11

Krista Minar

Raising an Outdoor Child F

ull disclosure: I don’t go outside every day. This fact, I’d argue, helps me understand how difficult it can be to get outside. Nonetheless my husband and I both wish for our girls a love of nature and the outdoors. We want them to want to experience the world around them through hands-on exploration and personal discovery. Only these days, neighbourhoods and communities aren’t the same as they were when I was a kid. Now I don’t see throngs of kids playing in the streets or in the parks. The streets are empty, and the excuses for why are plenty: too many extra-curricular activities, too much time with TV/computer/gaming systems, smaller families equating to fewer playmates, not being familiar with neighbours (meaning fewer people to keep an eye on the children), fear of abductors, fear of wildlife, traffic, the dreaded weather…you name it. Unfortunately, the excuses precluding being out of doors have, in part, contributed to the growing trend of overweight and unhealthy children—unhealthy not just physically, but mentally, emotionally and spiritually, too. So much of what is gained by spending time outdoors goes beyond keeping fit. I am guilty, more often that I would like to admit, of coming up with excuses to stay indoors. A part of me struggles to find the enthusiasm that my eldest daughter has at two years old. I would settle with half of her enthusiasm. I laugh and cringe at her insatiable need to be outdoors—despite the fact that I want her to be so in love with being outdoors. Two important reasons help me put aside my excuses and head outside. Those two reasons are my daughters. Their needs trump my excuses every time. So how do you raise an outdoor child? Here are 12 points my husband and I try to remember while raising our girls: 1. Lead by example. We have to be out there with our kids and we need to be out there often. We can’t expect them to do something that they don’t know or, in my daughter’s case, have no control over because they are just too little. 2. Follow their lead. If they say “I want to go outside” there has to be a very good reason not to. The laundry? It can wait. Really…most things can wait. It helps if I remind myself that I am never going to get that time back with them—and that unless we foster a love of the outdoors now, we might lose our chance—so it is now or never. 3. Set the stage. Meet the neighbours, find playmates, secure a place for your kids to play safely. Do the things that make it easier and safer for them to play. It’s also nice to be able to chat with some friends while the children play so invite others along. 4. Be prepared. Dress for the weather, have snacks, water, sunscreen all on hand. Shop at thrift stores or online swap sites for “play clothes.” Unless you are experiencing extreme weather conditions, there is no reason not to dress accordingly and have fun. Some of the best days I have had outside with my girls have been at the beach when it’s raining, during a low tide—there’s no one to share the beach with. 5. Change it up. Help kids experience the world around them. Take them to the creek, the beach, the park, the soccer fields, join in group and individual sports. Let them experience a bit of everything. 6. Let them go. Within reason and where age appropriate, we need to step back and let them do their own thing. They need to find what makes them want to be outdoors. They need to build their own love for the world around them. www.kidsinvictoria.com

7. Make it fun. Go out just to jump in puddles. If your child is in that “I am wearing superhero costumes/princess outfits everywhere” phase, then throw on a cape or tiara and join in. Those memories will forever be etched in your child’s mind. I also try to remember that getting them to the playground is good, but playing with them on the playground is fun, too—part of the time, anyway. 8. Bring the outdoors in—dirt and all. Use it for sorting, counting, crafting. Let your imagination go and encourage theirs! We brought home half the beach the other day: pieces of driftwood became ponies, ponies that ate rock pies and lived in pinecone homes. It was fun, cheap and easy! 9. Don’t take “No” for an answer. Depending on the age of your child, sometimes suggesting going outside results in an “I don’t want to,” which leaves you with your hands on your hips saying “I wasn’t asking,” continued by grumbling, eye-rolling or even fighting. Offer them two to three choices of what they would prefer to do instead. When all else fails, choose for them, ignore the cranky behaviour and go have fun—lots of fun—because eventually they really will want to join in. If this is a big family change, start small, go for short periods of time, and don’t give up! 10. That being said…don’t push what they don’t love. Try and compromise, otherwise they’ll dig in their heels. Find a balance between what they like, and what they need to try. Sometimes, I just want to walk. My daughter? She wants to throw rocks. Sometimes I can get her to compromise, other times we throw rocks until our arms get sore. 11. Encouragement. Acknowledge all the neat things that they are accomplishing and discovering by being outside. 12. Try again tomorrow. My husband and I are human and so are our children—sometimes we don’t get out. That’s okay though, our children need to know that sometimes things don’t always work out, but that tomorrow is a new opportunity to try again. If your goal is to raise your child to love the outdoors, then every day you have to make a decision to do this until it becomes not just a habit but life as you know it. Acknowledge that, as the parents or caregivers, the first step is ours. See you outside! Krista Minar, mother of two, in constant search of balance.

www.IslandParent.ca

EARLY SHIFT:

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Holiday

Gift& Book

Recommendations The following gift ideas come from some of our local merchants and businesses. To find out more about any of the businesses listed below, please refer to the ads in this issue. From Barefoot Books Preschool: My Barefoot Book of Wonderful Words. Follow a bustling family through their busy day. Each scene is teeming with people, places and things, and you’ll meet people of all races, cultures, lifestyles and abilities as you go. The bright, busy spreads invite readers to find new ways to interact with the book every time they read. A must-have for every family library. Ages 2 to 6 years. Illustrated by Sophie Fatus. HC. $19.99. Preschool: Space Song Rocket Ride. Blast through the galaxy to our own solar system and explore the mysteries of space to a rocking beat. Packed with endnotes about space exploration and more. Enhanced CD includes audio singalong and video animation. Ages 3 to 7 years. Author: Sunny Scribens. Illustrator: David Sim. Sung by Mark Collins. PB. $9.99. Children: Dara’s Clever Trap. Meet a cunning princess who is known for her brains and not her beauty. Dara uses her talent as an engineer to foil a wicked plot and save her husband in this Cambodian traditional tale. Our Early Readers series features illustrated folktales from around the world written in simple sentences to make them perfect first chapter books. Ages 6 to 11 years. Retold by Liz Flanagan. Illustrator: Martina Peluso. PB. $7.99.

All ages: Yoga Pretzels: 50 Fun Yoga Activities for Kids and Grownups. Stretch your way to a fun and healthy lifestyle with each of the fifty yoga poses in this colourful deck. Written by Yoga Ed, these cards include foward bends, back bends, partner poses, and balance poses. For all ages. Authors: Leah Kalish, Tara Guber. Illustrator: Sophie Fatus. $14.99.

From Bellies in Bloom Maternity Baby/Preschool: Ergobaby Doll Carrier. A perfect choice for Ergobabies who have grown and can carry baby dolls of their own. A good choice for an older sibling when a new baby arrives. $34.99. Baby/Preschool: Aden & Anais Comfort Blankets. The feel of a soft security blanket is comforting and soothing to babies and toddlers. Made with Aden & Anais muslin, choose from a variety of styles and prints. $24.50 - $28.99 Adult: Boob Polka Dot Nursing Sweater Boob’s must-have nursing sweater this season is double knitted with a polka dot print. The nursing access is incorporated in the design, works for maternity too! $109.00. Adult: Au Fait Mama Foster Nursing Scarf. A new solution to breastfeeding in public! This multi-function piece is a supersoft bamboo scarf and a nursing cover in one. Made in Vancouver. $55.99.

From KinderSpiel Baby/Preschool: Bayer Doll Prams. German designed classic doll pram in various colours for boys and girls. Steel frame and www.kidsinvictoria.com

Adult: Qwirkle. A new family-favourite game. Earn points by building rows and columns of blocks that share a commom shape or colour. 2 to 4 players. $29.99.

From Momease Baby Boutique

axles with structural foam wheels (sturdy, light-weight and quiet!). $84.85. Children: Board Games. Games by HABA and GOKI are designed to promote family time at the kitchen table without a buzz, beep or batteries. $15-$50. Juvenile/Teen: Eitech Metal Construction Sets. Trucks, bridges, cranes and much more can be created with these German designed and manufactured metal construction sets for a range of different skill levels and interests. $14-$225. Adult: KUBB—Viking Chess. This fun outdoor game can be played on grass, sand and snow. Knock over the wooden blocks with the batons, then knock over the opponent’s king. $35.

From Kool & Child (Nanaimo) Baby/Preschool: Squigz. PipSquigz for babies and Squigz for preschoolers. Creative construction pieces that stick to themselves or any smooth surface. Pop! to pull apart. $24.99 and up. Children: Keva Structures. Simple planks, amazing possibilities, 200 precision-milled, solid pine planks to create buildings and geometric forms. Instruction booklet included. The gift they never outgrow. $59.99. Juvenile/Teen: Gravity Maze. Test your visual perception and reasoning skills. Arrange the translucent towers to successfully carry your marble to the taret. 60 challenges: beginner to expert. $39.99

Baby: Minimoc Baby Mocassins. Each pair of Minimoc Mocassins is handmade with love in BC from durable, quality leather. Minimocs have been designed with an elastic at the opening that allows for an easy, slipon fit, yet keeps shoes on tiny feet despite the most enthusiastic kicker! The soft-soled suede bottoms also make for a great non-slip surface to help baby undertake those first few steps safely and comfortably. $44.99 Toddler: Prince Lionheart Wheely Bug. The Wheely Bug ride-on toys from Prince Lionheart make an excellent gift for that toddler on the go! Sturdily constructed to withstand even the most exuberant rider, the Wheely Bug ride-ons help to promote the development of gross motor skills and balance in a fun way, and are available in a variety of cute and playful characters. From $96.99. Child: Boon GLO Nightlight. The innovative and fun Boon GLO Nightlight features 3 colour-changing and cool-totouch removable LED balls that will also glow for up to 30 minutes when removed from the base. $89.99 Adult: aden + anais Bamboo Daydream Adult Blanket. The Bamboo Daydream Blanket from aden + anais is crafted from silky bamboo muslin and makes a stylish and versatile addition to any home. Perfect for cozying up on those cool winter nights in blissful and luxurious comfort! From $144.99.

From North Island Recovery Centre

imagination to build fantastic structures, children discover the principles of math and science. $19.99. Children: Playmobil Advent Calendars. This perennial favourite is available in several themes and is pre-loaded with Playmobil goodies. $28.99 Juvenile/Teen: ‘Pathfinders’ Leonardo da Vinci Trebuchet. This working wooden trebuchet comes in kit form and is based on da Vinci’s drawings. Learn the principles of physics while having fun. Adult: Puzzles, puzzles, puzzles. The largest selection of Cobble Hill and Ravensburger puzzles in the Cowichan Valley! $19.99.

From the Children’s Treehouse Baby/Preschool: Brio Railway Travel Switching Set. 42 piece train set with two trains, one motorized! Two-storey train station, bridge, switching tracks. Excellent mid-range starter set. $165.99. Children: Calico Critter Adventure Treehouse Bonus Gift Set. Excellent price and includes 3 poseable critters and and 65 pieces of furniture and accessories. Award-winning miniature animals and life-like environments inspire imagination and creativity. $89.95 Juvenile/Teen: Spy X: Night Ranger Set. Super set includes night mission goggles, invisible ink pen, micro motion alarm and micro voice disguiser. Protect yourself, see at night, read and write invisible messages. $59.95. Adult: Unplugged Play. 710 games and activities for ages 12 months to 10 years. No batteries, no plugs, pure fun. Lots of imagination. Author: Bobbi Corner. 376 pages. $11.99.•

Baby/Preschool: Wildlife Finger Puppets. Spark a child’s imagination with finger puppets. Four animals to choose from: hummingbird, owl, beaver and bear. Children to Adults: Wildlife Sponsorship Adoption. A great gift for wildlife enthusiasts. Adoption includes: certificate with photographs of your chosen animal and one entry pass to the centre. $25.

From Red Balloon Toy Shop (Duncan) Baby/Preschool: CitiBlocs. CitiBlocs are high-quality wooden construction blocks. While using their

November 2014 15

Jerri Carson

Little Drummers

f all age groups, young children are probably our most enthusiastic music makers. Often impromptu and rhythmic, their music making can be simply clapping, tapping or jumping to the beat. Percussion instruments provide an easy and fun way to introduce preschoolers to rhythms and music play. Small hand drums, rhythm sticks, tone blocks or shakers are perfect instruments for tiny musicians since they can experiment with rhythm and improve fine-motor skills at the same time. To start children off with rhythms, it is best to find instruments that are easy for them to play. Look for small drums such as the hand drum, bongo drum, frame drum or tambourine, all of which can be played with the hands. As well, try experimenting with lummi sticks, maracas, wooden guiros or tick-tock blocks. Other fun drums are ocean drums, which sound like the ebb and flow of waves, and the versatile djembas from Africa. There are a number of rhythm games

you can play with a simple drum that will promote interaction between you and your child, as well as develop listening skills. Here are some simple drumming and rhythm games: Mother Goose Rhythms. Children love to drum while accompanying their favourite songs. Begin with nursery rhymes as they are a rich source of ideas for drumming. Tap the beat on the drum while chanting rhymes such as Hickory Dickory Dock or Baa Baa Black Sheep. How Many Beats/What Time is it? This is a counting game. The leader plays a number of steady beats on the drum and asks the children how many did I play? Or what time is it? Keep it simple. Once your child is confident, they can take turns being the leader. Echo game. The leader taps out a simple rhythm on the drum. Next, the child taps back the rhythm on their drum. Keep the phrases short and simple. It may take a little time for your child to succeed with

K-9 Distributed Learning

this activity. Always give encouragement, even if the echo is not exact. Lots of fun variations can be added to this game. Add dynamics and ask “Can you play this pattern loud? How about soft? Or change the tempo to fast and then slow. Can you march and play the drum?” Have fun with your little drummer! Everyday Noises. Sounds of rhythm are everywhere, and you can help your child tune into them. Say, “Can you make your drum sound like the clip clop of a horse?” or “Can you make your drum sound like the tick tock of a clock?” or “Let’s see if we can sound like rain on the roof.” or, “Make your drum sound like a woodpecker.” Encourage your child to choose sounds that he wants to make. How about popcorn popping? The possibilities are endless! Drumming with your child will build a strong foundation for further music studies in the future. It may lead to drumming in a band or being a percussionist in an orchestra, or it might inspire an interest in other musical instruments when they are older. Jerri Carson is a primary music teacher for SD #61. She is a member of the CRD Arts Advisory Council. Jerri plays the cello in the Victoria Conservatory Cello Orchestra.

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16 Island Parent Magazine

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www.kidsinvictoria.com

Drew Cooper

The Language of Movement W

hat do our kids need to be successful in life? They need to learn language skills such as reading and writing—a.k.a. Literacy. They need to be skilled in the language of numbers such as math and algebra—a.k.a. Numeracy. And they need to be skilled in the language of movement—a.k.a. Physical Literacy. Physical Literacy provides a solid foundation for children and youth to develop the skills, knowledge and attitudes they need to enable them to engage with poise and confidence across a wide variety of activities. A generation ago, children developed physical literacy in many different ways, mostly by playing outdoors with siblings and friends. Today’s children spend significantly less time playing outdoors and as a consequence we now have kids who, according to latest evidence from the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS), average eight hours per day in front of a screen. Only seven per cent of Canadian kids are active for an average of 60 minutes every day. According to CHMS, childhood obesity rates have increased from 15 per cent to 26 per cent from 1980 to 2004, with rates in the 12 to 17 age group more than doubling—from 14 per cent to 29 per cent. Why is this important? Well, for one thing, the health of our children is at stake. The Type II form of diabetes that used to only appear in adults in their 50s or older, is now appearing in children and adolescents between 10 and 19 years old. The bottom line is we all need to get more active. There are many things you can do at home as parents to help your children develop their physical literacy. First and foremost, be a role model. When kids see their parents as active, then they will likely be active themselves. Swimming, cycling, skiing, and skating are great family activities that will instill a love for physical activity. • Talk to your child about their interests. Find out what physical activities or sports appeal to them. • Recognize and respect your child’s reasons for playing a sport or practicing a physi-

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cal activity. They might want to compete for medals and titles, or they might simply want to have fun and socialize through activity. • Be positive when supporting your child, regardless of results. Research has shown that children retreat from activity when their parents become demanding about results.

Talk to your child about their interests. Find out what physical activities or sports appeal to them. For complete list of ideas, go to canadiansportforlife.ca/parents/tips-parents As with other forms of literacy, schools and parents are partners in our children’s development. By providing children with a proper foundation in Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) we open the door to activities that allow children to take on physical challenges with confidence. Why is learning Physical Literacy so important? Children are naturally inclined to be active. Kids become more physically active when they come from a base of Physical Literacy. When they achieve a level of comfort in movement, they strive for challenges and seek out new sports and physical activities to pursue. Have you been to a skate park lately? Kids are constantly trying new things, challenging themselves and their friends to come up with the next trick, and working hard—all with nary a parent around to organize. Studies have shown that kids who are active learn better. The more kids move, the more they learn. Physical Education classes at school combined with an active lifestyle set the stage for success—and healthy, happy kids. Drew Cooper is the General Manager at the PacificSport Centre based in Nanaimo. dcooper@pacificsport.com or 250-7406169. November 2014 17

Party Directory Hassle Free Parties ~ Laser Tag ~ Human Hamster Balls ~ Booger Wars ~ Video Game Theatre ~ U:Launchers ~ Foam Party

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Fired UP!Parties! Birthday Paint your own ceramics

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Now Offering Full-week and one day camps! :: Ages 6Gym and up. & Bouncy Castle, See website for parties: details! creative kids, themed www.firedupceramics.ca girl power and preschool parties from Princesses to Pirates!

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S T I C S

Enter Our Online Contests Every month at Island Parent and Kids In Victoria you can enter to win some great prizes! Prizes include:

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One entry per family per week. Check out the prizes and enter the contests by visiting

www.IslandParent.ca or www.kidsinvictoria.com 18 Island Parent Magazine

www.kidsinvictoria.com

Party Directory Funtime Inflatables Vancouver Island’s #1 choice for party rentals

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(250) 386-JUMP (5867) www.par-t-perfect.com • Indoor facility options for all your bouncy castle and inflatable requirements • Christmas and holiday events • At home/indoor theme parties, i.e. Teddy Bear stuffing, craft parties • Free gift for birthday child when you mention this ad • Costumed facepainters and balloon twisters, i.e. princesses, pirates, ragdoll style clowns • Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

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November 2014 19

Keith Guinchard

WINTER HOLIDAY PROGRAMS

StressFree Holiday Shopping

A wide range of full and half-day programs for all kids in Victoria ages 5–15, including:

Passion Sports Christmas SLAM Camp Three days of intensive basketball skill development

Thawed: A New Sequel to Frozen

Check out the unlimited outdoor activities that winter has to offer

Chocolate Extravaganza

Get busy in the kitchen baking special chocolate-themed treats for the holidays Visit our website for information on these and other programs: www.smus.ca/winter, or call the Education Extension office at 250-370-6120

FOR ALL KIDS IN VICTORIA AGES 5–15

smus.ca

Emmanuel Preschool

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Island Parent Magazine

ne of the keys to a successful holiday season is having a plan—a plan that reflects involvement from all members of the family. The holidays are a collaborative event and if there’s any shopping to be done, it should be a collaborative effort, too. This time of year has a different meaning to each of us, often shaped by our earlier experiences. Making it a family event means traditions and common values are handed down. They can also bring a family closer together. For many, the holidays are stressful. There is often a lot of pressure to “get it right.” To avoid stress, it helps to recognize the triggers that negatively affect us. Some of the most common stressors are: increased expectations created by consumerism, family demands sometimes worsened by separated or dueling parents each trying to outdo the other, paying for the numerous costs without going deep into debt, and trying to recreate the memories of when we were kids. Many of us focus our energy on the last few weeks before the holiday. Consider spreading out the many tasks over a couple of months starting in late October or early November. Having a plan will also alleviate much of the holiday stress. Some ideas: • Start purchasing some of the necessary groceries in November and freeze them for later • In early November, determine your budget and spending limits. Ideally, to have sufficient cash put aside you would have started saving the previous January. With savings, you can leave the credit cards at home. Nothing spells impulse buying better than shopping without a budget, in a rush, with credit cards • Get cards and parcels in the mail before the mailing deadline so you don’t spend extra postage guaranteeing pre-holiday delivery www.kidsinvictoria.com

• A couple of weeks before the holiday, wrap gifts and put them aside. Annoy your friends and family by declaring you have finished. By sticking to your spending plan, you can avoid the need to make that lastminute, anxiety-driven dash to the store. • The week after the holidays is a great time to stock up on decorations and items for next year on sale at the Boxing Day sales. This time of the year, our wallets can take leave of their senses. Here are some ideas that will help prevent overspending: • Use a debit card linked to the holiday savings account • Use lower interest rate Visa or MasterCard instead of higher rate store cards • Don’t shop when you are tired • Don’t feel bad saying no to your children • Make shopping trips and purchasing trips separate events • Use reusable gift bags or make your own wrapping paper • Buy gift wrap and cards for next year after the holidays when they are significantly marked down • Use Craigslist or eBay for finding deals you won’t find in the stores If money is tight, there are many ways you can have a great holiday without breaking the bank. Consider the following: • Shopping at thrift or consignment stores • Clean and fix your children’s old toys. Have a toy swap with friends • Sell good condition, older toys and put the money towards new ones • Have a gift exchange instead of buying gifts for everyone • Make food dishes, bake cakes or pies as gifts • Offer to do services for someone such as yard work or cleaning their car. Make it fun by designing a coupon you can put in a card • Give a gift certificate to a theatre or a restaurant. When shopping, keep all receipts, and ask what the policy is for returns before you make the purchase. The holidays can be unnecessarily stressful, and often expensive. A solid plan, engaging the family, saving in advance and spreading the preparations over a couple of months will help alleviate the headaches and post-holiday bills. Happy stress-free holidays.

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Proven Leadership

An independent Trustee with a record of standing up and speaking out on behalf of our children, their families and the neighbourhoods where we live. We need to re-build our education partnerships, to put aside individual agendas, and revitalize public education in a respectful and collaborative way. I am running to be a part of that process. “Peg Orcherton has shown her leadership skills as a Trustee and in her role as Chairperson in our school district. I know that Peg is a leader with a strong voice and collaborative decision-making skills who always puts public education and the needs of students at the forefront of decision making at the Board table.”

Re-elect

MLA Victoria Beacon Hill, Past Board Chairperson School District 61, Past President BCSTA

– Carole James,

X Peg Orcherton

For more information and to help, please call 250-382-1603, email pegorcherton@telus.net or visit www.pegorcherton.ca

Vote November 15

“Every child has the right to access the maximum in education opportunity, regardless of their families’ economic or social circumstance…” – Peg Orcherton

Trustee, Board of Education School District 61 Victoria

Standing up for Children, Families and Quality Public Education

Authorized by Steve Orcherton, Financial Agent, 250-382-1603

Keith Guinchard is a former financial planner and non-profit debt counsellor who maintains a keen interest in financial issues and their effect on families. Email keith@keithguinchard.com. www.IslandParent.ca

November 2014 21

What Would a Calm Mom Do?

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If you thought you knew Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker, think again.

Victoria, Royal Theatre

Photo: Derek Ford

Dec. 27th, 28th & 29th | 2:00 pm Tickets: www.balletvictoria.ca or call 250-386-6121 Kids tickets from $15

With the Victoria Symphony and Joey Pietraroia

P   D       - A        D       -   .       .

22 Island Parent Magazine

’m an anxious person. I have been all my life. The things that speed my pulse are too numerous to list, but include wiener dogs and almost all “current events.” Naturally, I was anxious about having a child. While calculating the risks, I took into account all seemingly relevant factors: Mike’s and my readiness, our finances, overpopulation and rising sea levels. What I didn’t consider was the anxiety itself; that motherhood is nerve-wracking for the calm, and therefore often terrifying for the neurotic. Mike says I need to give up my worst-case-scenario thinking. It is not necessary to feel Angus’s forehead every night when he’s asleep, or to obsess about how few vegetables he ingests. I do not have to bolt upright in bed every time I hear movement through the monitor. “WWCMD” he says, shorthand for what would a calm mom do. Angus isn’t as concerned for his own safety. He is quite adamant that he does not need his hand held in parking lots. He likes to stop his strider bike by crashing into walls. He’s a fan of chewing-optional speed-eating. Before his third birthday, he had stitches twice. His legs are so bruised that summer is embarrassing. I need to be vigilant. Always. If not me, who? Angus’s stable of care providers extends beyond Mike and I, but not by much. He has Super Granny, and two close friends he calls his aunt and uncle. Sometimes it seems a good idea to lengthen this list, possibly even recruit a teenager from the neighbourhood. I was a teenage babysitter. All my charges survived, and this was before cellphones. I realize this hypothetical teenage babysitter wouldn’t hurt my son. At least not on purpose. Still, there’s something appealing about Angus being left only with people who love him. People who are as invested in his safety as I am. This September, I left Angus with strangers for the first time. He started preschool. I was not one of the mothers who cried the first day. I spent the summer worst-casescenario-ing the event, and by Labour Day I was exhausted. Angus was not one of the kids who cried, either. He asks to go to school on weekends. None of my imagined disasters have yet come to pass. I was comfortable well before I expected to be. Granted, I write in the coffee shop next door, which seems to make more sense than going home to do the same thing. Especially

www.kidsinvictoria.com

considering the on-call diaper-changing status of parents of the not-yet-toilet trained. It’s possible I even became a little bit calmer (adult-only time has that effect). And then, in mid-September, Angus’s swimming lessons began. It was Angus’s eighth lesson set. He

Maternity & Beyond

MAYNE ISLAND

Stroll wheroeuver Capt. Vanc otley and his mped… crew cam

Daydream on the shore

laUra TrUnkey loves swimming. But the first lesson of the fall was taught by an instructor who had been pulled in at the last minute, and who admitted to us moms that he hadn’t taught three-year-olds before. This became obvious when he started them in neck deep water, with pool noodles. WWCMD? I asked myself. A calm mother would not flip out immediately. She would assure herself that soon her son would be in much shallower water, practicing kicks or holding buckets over the pool lights to make them change colour. But this wasn’t the case. Instead, the instructor helped the kids with back floats, one at a time, while the other three wandered aimlessly in the pool. Of course it was Angus who walked straight for the deep end. Of course I sprung from my seat, rushed to the edge of the pool and waved him back. And, when he stepped over, his lips and his eyes grew huge, when I had already called the instructor’s name twice and he hadn’t looked up, I jumped in. (WWCMD? That, I assume). The swim manager, apologizing, told me she realized it was like taking “10 steps back” in terms of Angus’s comfort with the water. It wasn’t. He was upset that his lesson was over prematurely and also that I had to change before we could go to the library. I was the one I worried would step backwards. The thing is, no one loves your child as much as you do. That’s a fact. And yet you still have to loosen off that invisible leash and give them room to play outside your view. Angus is still at preschool. And he’s still in swimming, albeit with a different instructor. The older he gets the more time he’s going to want away from me. WWCMD? Accept that.

Still less than an hour

Explore on the water

MAYNE ISLAND: CLOSER THAN YOU THINK www.mayneislandchamber.ca

Laura Trunkey is mother to the amazing Angus and the author of a forthcoming short fiction collection from House of Anansi. Email laurajtrunkey@gmail.com.

www.IslandParent.ca

November 2014

Generously Sponsored by and

Family Calendar For calendar updates throughout the month visit www.kidsinvictoria.com SAT 1 Marvelous Mushrooms at Francis/King Regional Park. For the novice mushroom explorer. Join a CRD Regional Parks naturalist to discover more about fungi in the forest. 5+ years. 10:30am-noon. There is no fee for this program, but you must pre-register as space is limited. To reserve a spot, call 250-478-3344 before October 31. www.crd.bc.ca/parks.

SUN 2 Wild Mushroom Show at Swan Nature Sanctuary. A special presentation by the South Vancouver Island Mycological Society. Discover the wacky and wonderful world of the mushrooms of Vancouver Island. The huge variety found in our forests, fields and gardens will be on display. Bring your specimens for identification by members of the Mycological Society. 10am-4pm drop-in. Admission by donation. For more information, call 250479-0211. www.swanlake.bc.ca. Nuts About Squirrels at Francis/King Regional Park. Drop in for a squirrelly day and find out more about these amazing animals. Join in the fun with puppet shows at 11:30am and 1:30pm, and walks at noon and 2pm. Meet at the Nature Centre off Munn Rd. 11am-3pm drop-in. All ages. 250-478-3344. www.crd. bc.ca/parks.

TUES 4 Silly Sock Puppets at Oak Bay Branch Library. Watch a couple of short sock puppet plays to

24 Island Parent Magazine

inspire you. Then get creative and make your own silly sock puppet friend to take home with you. Materials will be provided. 3:30-4:30pm. For ages 6-9. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

THURS 6 Wild About Polar Bears at Central Branch Library. Join Diane Brown from Polar Bears International and discover the fascinating world of polar bears. Learn about the big white bears and their spectacular Arctic habitat through stories, photos and videos. For Grades 3 to 5 and great for homeschoolers too. 10:30-11:30am. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information. Ted Talks: Space: Three Dimensions at Central Branch Library. GVPL and the Community Arts Council of Greater Victoria invite you to a screening of two TED talks by artist, Arthur Ganson, and architect, Thomas Heatherwick, followed by a discussion on the topic of Space: Three Dimensions. 7-8:30pm. Register at gvpl. ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information. For adults, and teens ages 13-18.

FRI 7 Author John Wilson: “Wings of War” at Saanich Centennial and Oak Bay Branch Libraries. Join author John Wilson to hear about his exciting World War I novel Wings of War. For Grades 6 to 8 and great for homeschoolers, too. Saanich Centennial: 10-11am; Oak Bay: 1-2pm. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940GVPL (4875) for more information.

Lego at the Library at Bruce Hutchison Branch Library. Listen to stories and have fun with the library’s Lego. Bring your own Lego for a take-home project. 11am-noon. For ages 7-10. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information. Lego Stories at Sidney/North Saanich Branch Library. Use the library’s Lego to build your creation. Your creation will be displayed for two weeks. Ages 5+. 3:15-4:15pm. Please register at 250-656-0944.

SAT 8 Salmon Sensation at Charters Interpretive Centre. Drop in any time between 11am and 2pm for fishy-fun activities, a craft, and guided walks with CRD Regional Parks naturalists along the Charters River. Take a close-up look at these magnificent fish as they return to spawn and complete their life cycle. Meet at Charters Interpretive Centre off Sooke River Rd. All ages. 250-478-3344. www.crd.bc.ca/parks. Author David Weale and Illustrator Pierre Pratt: Doors in the Air at Juan de Fuca Branch Library. Join the award-winning author/illustrator team David Weale and Pierre Pratt as they read and demonstrate drawing techniques from their picture book Doors in the Air. All Grade One school children in Canada will receive a copy of this book. For Grades K to 3 and great for homeschoolers, too. 10:30-11:15am. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information. Musical Fun with Pete the Cat at Central

www.kidsinvictoria.com

Branch Library. Ready to have some fun? Goodness, YES! Join us for stories, songs and crafts featuring the grooviest cat in the world. For ages 3 to 5. 2:30-3:30pm. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

SUN 9 Animal Adventures at Francis/King Regional Park. Join a CRD Regional Parks naturalist on a family adventure as you learn animal skills. Creep like a deer, jump like a cougar, and feel like a raccoon as we wind our way through the Francis/King forest. Meet at the Nature Centre off Munn Rd at 1pm. 8 years and under. 250-478-3344. www.crd.bc.ca/parks.

WED 12 Lego at the Library at Juan de Fuca Branch Library. See FRI 7 for details 3:30-4:30pm. For ages 7-10. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940GVPL (4875) for more information. Ken Steele: Rethinking Higher Education at St. Margaret’s School. A rare opportunity to be simultaneously startled, entertained, and enlightened by this renowned speaker. Ken Steele is a higher education futurist, and offers a unique and wide-ranging perspective as an award-winning academic and entrepreneur, experienced consultant and de facto journalist. 7pm. 1080 Lucas Ave. Register online at www.stmarg.ca.

THURS 13 Silly Sock Puppets at Esquimalt Branch Library. See TUES 4 for details. 3:30-4:30pm. For ages 6-9. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250940-GVPL (4875) for more information. Ted Talks: Language and Community at Central Branch Library. GVPL and the Community Arts Council of Greater Victoria invite you to a screening of two TED talks by performer, Amanda Palmer, and MIT language researcher, Deb Roy, followed by a discussion on the topic of language and community. 7-8:30pm. For adults, and teens ages 13-18. Register at gvpl. ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

GRE

AT FRIEND

entertain GR

E AT F O O D

SAT 15 Marvelous Mushrooms at Francis/King Regional Park. See SAT 1 for details. 5+ years. 10:30am-noon. There is no fee for this program, but you must pre-register as space is limited. To reserve a spot, call 250-478-3344 before October 31. www.crd.bc.ca/parks. Crafts for Kids: Feed the Birds at Bruce Hutchison Branch Library. Using a few simple art supplies, create your very own bird feeder to take home. We supply the materials and samples, and you supply the imagination and enthusiasm. Everyone welcome; children under 3 must be accompanied by an adult. 11am-noon. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

SUN 16 Seasonal Safari at Mill Hill Regional Park. The leaves are turning yellow, and the air feels crisp. Animals know it is time to prepare for winter. Join a CRD Regional Parks’ naturalist as we play games, look at leaves, and explore how raccoons, squirrels, bears and more are collecting food in the fall and preparing a winter spot to rest. Meet at the information kiosk in the parking lot off Atkins Ave at 1pm. 8 years and under. BC Transit #53. 250-478-3344. www.crd.bc.ca/parks.

MON 17 Stories on Fern Street. The Victoria Storytellers Guild welcomes you to hear and tell stories. For people who love to tell stories, for people who love to listen, for people of all ages. Tea and goodies. Doors open at 7:15pm, stories start at 7:30pm. 1831 Fern St (park on Begbie). $5; $3/students. 250-477-7044. www. victoriastorytellers.org.

THURS 20 Wild About Polar Bears at Central Saanich Branch Library. See THURS 6 for details. For Grades 3 to 5 and great for homeschoolers too. 10:30-11:30am. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

entertain with ease

FRI 21 Lego Stories at Sidney/North Saanich Branch Library. See FRI 7 for details. Ages 5+. 3:154:15pm. Please register at 250-656-0944. Pirate Tales at Saanich Centennial Branch Library. Avast me hearties and shiver me timbers! Join us for swashbuckling stories, piratical crafts, and discover your pirate name. For ages 6-9. 10:30-11:30am. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information. Storyteller Shoshana Litman: Around the World with Stories at Central Branch Library. Embark on a magical journey around the world with master storyteller Maggidah Shoshana Litman and be swept away with fun stories and crafts. For ages 5-8. 1:30-2:30pm. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information. Art with Andrea: Stories in Art at Esquimalt Branch Library. Join Andrea Soos from the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria for a fun, mixedmedia art activity based on your favourite books and illustrators. Be sure to wear your painting clothes. For ages 6-9. 2:30-3:30pm. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information. Super Science Venture at Oak Bay Branch Library. Are you ready for a super science adventure at the library? Join Science Venture for a session that’s jam-packed with their favourite science gear and experiments that will fizz, bubble, beep, and kerplunk! For ages

View our selection of irresistible options at thriftyfoods.com/entertain Try our online Reserve & Pickup Service for party platters and gift baskets. You can place your order online, select your pickup time and you’re all set!

Order by phone: 1.800.667.8280 Please note that for online orders we require 48 hours notice and 24 hours notice for phone orders for our platters & trays.

Customer Care 1 800 667 8280 • thriftyfoods.com www.IslandParent.ca

November 2014 25

7-12. 2:30-4pm. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information. Musical Storytime for School-Aged Kids at Juan de Fuca Branch Library. Join Brenda from the Victoria Conservatory of Music to explore the fun of music making and storytelling in an action-packed session designed to introduce music concepts. For ages 6-8; parents and caregivers welcome. 2:30-3:15pm. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

moderate climate. Join a CRD Regional Parks naturalist to find out who’s who at the lagoon, a favourite bird hangout. Bring binoculars if you have a pair. A spotting scope will be available. meet at the Nature Centre off Metchosin Rd. 8+ years. 10am-noon. BC Transit #54 or #55. 250-478-3344. www.crd.bc.ca/parks. Family Sunday at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. Try your hand at a variety of projects while absorbing art history with your little ones. 2-4pm. 1040 Moss St. 250-384-4171.

SAT 22

Wed 26

Musical Storytime for School-Aged Kids at Central Branch Library. See FRI 21 for details. For ages 6-8; parents and caregivers welcome. 2:30-3:15pm. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

Christmas Lights Across Canada. Join special guests and children’s choirs to celebrate the annual cross-country light-up at 7pm. The provincial Christmas tree on the front lawn of the Parliament Buildings will be illuminated with thousands of lights, followed by hot cocoa and seasonal treats for everyone. For more information, visit www.pch.gc.ca

Merry Fishmas Day at Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre. Drop by from 10:30am to 3:30pm for Christmas-themed crafting and activities. The day’s offerings will include: A special Fishmas Scavenger Hunt, making your own Fish Print Wrapping Paper (while supplies last), marinethemed gift making, and more. Visit www. oceandiscovery.ca/merry-fishmas

SUN 23 Winter Birds of Witty’s at Witty’s Lagoon Regional Park. While some birds fly south, many spend their winters here enjoying our

THURS 27 Musical Storytime for Preschoolers at Goudy Branch Library. Join Brenda from the Victoria Conservatory of Music to explore the fun of music making and storytelling in an actionpacked session designed to introduce music concepts. For ages 3-5; parents and caregivers welcome. 10:30-11am. Register at gvpl. ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

SAT 29 Sidney Sparkles Santa Parade on Beacon Ave at 5pm. Watch as the festively adorned vehicles and floats pass by and cheer each other on along with marching bands, dancers, and Santa himself. After the parade, at around 5:30pm, head to the waterfront to watch the Sidney Sparkles Lighted Sailpast which will feature 40 beautifully deocrated and lit up boats. Island Farms Santa Light Parade along Government Street (from Belleville to Chatham Streets) from from 5:45-7pm. Bring the family to this festive, annual parade to celebrate the holiday season. Enjoy an array of dazzling floats and marching bands that travel along the magically lit Government Street from Victoria’s Inner Harbour to Chatham Street. Meet up at the Capital Iron parking lot for delicious free treats courtesy of Island Farms. KinderSpiel Walk on Government Street. Children will walk with handcrafted lanterns up Government Street as part of the Santa Light Parade, accompanied by guitar music and carol singing. Instead of candy, they will distribute yo-yos, spinning tops, and similar gifts. For more information, call 778-406-2102 or visit www.kinderspiel.ca.

SAT 30 Duck Day at Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary. Some dabble on the surface, some dive for their

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www.kidsinvictoria.com

food—come explore the amazing adaptations ducks have for living on the lake and discover who’s who in the duck world. Noon-3pm drop-in. Admission by donation. For more information call 250-479-0211 or visit www. swanlake.bc.ca. Mystery Creature at Coles Bay Regional Park. Solve the riddles to find the clues hidden along the trail with a CRD Regional Parks naturalist. Then piece the puzzle together to discover who the mystery creature is. Meet at the information kiosk in the parking lot off Inverness Rd, off Ardmore Dr at 1pm. 5+ years. 250-478-3344. www.crd.bc.ca/parks.

ONGOING BABIES, TODDLERS & PRESCHOOL Drop-in Family Storytimes at the Greater Victoria Public Library. Storytimes are free and drop-in. Please come early to find a space. Caregivers are welcome and encouraged to participate. For a complete list of drop-in programs, call your local library, or visit www.gvpl.ca. Good Morning Rhyme Time at Sidney/North Saanich Branch Library. Bring your littlest ones to the library on Thursday mornings for stories, songs, rhymes and movement. 0-5 years. Thursdays September 18-October 30. 10:15-10:45am. 250-656-0944.

FAMILY Free Horse-Drawn Trolley Rides from November 29-December 21. Saturdays, noon-4pm, and Sundays, noon-3 pm. Take in all of the sights and sounds of the Christmas celebrations in downtown Victoria. Two free trolleys will stop at: Store St. at Chatham St (in front of Ocean River Sports); Johnson St at Wharf St (in front of Willie’s Bakery); Langley St at Bastion Sq (across from re-Bar); Government St at Fisgard St (in front of CRD Plaza). Santa Claus Brunch Series at the Laurel Point Hotel. Straight from the North Pole, it’s Santa! Kids can eat, meet and snap a photo with Jolly Old Saint Nick himself. Start a new tradition by bringing the whole family down to relax and spend some time together on the ever-gorgeous harbour-side Terrace Ballroom. Children will enjoy their own special buffet as well as their own area to watch their favourite Christmas movies. Adults $43, Seniors $34, Children 6-10 $21.50, under 5 free. $1 from each adult brunch purchased will be donated to Habitat for Humanity Victoria. (Sundays; November 30, December 7, 14, and 21, 11 am-2 pm). All children will receive a complimentary photo with Santa. Reservations recommended. Call 250-414-6739 or email reservations@laurelpoint.com.•

Kim Paulo – Independent Barefoot Books Ambassador mylittlefolk@telus.net 250-380-7197 www.bitly/Barefootcatalogue

Send us the recipe for your family’s favourite

Christmas Goody and we’ll enter your name into a draw for a musical and narrative CD of Clement C. Moore’s The Night Before Christmas, performed by legendary trio Peter, Paul and Mary. A selection of recipes will be printed in the December issue of Island Parent. Please e-mail recipes (with Christmas Recipe as the subject) to editor@islandparent.ca Deadline: Monday, November 10 at noon.

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302 - 852 Fort Street ! 250-383-8038 ! www.victoriamediation.ca www.IslandParent.ca

November 2014

Around the Island

Celebrating 30 Years!

Just Kidding for Kids Inspiring Family Entertainment K - 7

Visit www.IslandParent.ca for these and other events and resources for families from Cowichan Valley north to Campbell River and west to Tofino SAT 1 Super Saturdays at the Campbell River Art Gallery. Drop-in art making program. All materials provided. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. 1-3pm. Admission by donation. 250-287-2261.

A Tale of Compassion & Courage

“Mesmerizing.” - Edam School, SK

November 22, 2014 - 1pm Malaspina Theatre at VIU

TUES 4 Dad’s Night Out Free Skate Night at Oceanside Place Arena. Enjoy a free skate together on the pond. Sponsored by Building Learning Together. 6:30-7:30pm. 250-248-3252. www. rdn.bc.ca/recreation. Glow in the Dark Skate at Frank Crane Arena, Nanaimo. Dimmed lighting and special effects. Regular admission rates; glow necklaces $2. 6:30-8pm. 250-756-5200.

TICKETS: $10 each or 2 for $18 By phone: 250-754-7587 Online: www.theatreone.org At the door: one hour prior to showtime

SAT 15

Generously Sponsored by:

Wiggling Worms at Bowen Park Lower Picnic Shelter. Are worms really slimy? Ever wondered what they eat or which end is their head? Come out and learn through games, crafts and stories. This is a parent-participation course. $8/person. 10-11am. 250-756-5200.

Mid Island

Lighthouse Academy of

Dance

Super Saturdays at the Campbell River Art Gallery. Drop-in art making program. All materials provided. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. 1-3pm. Admission by donation. 250-287-2261.

Pure, pleasing, positive.

Photo: Andrei Fedorov

Disco Light Skate at Oceanside Place Arena. Try something different, dress up and come skating! Flashing disco lights and disco music will take you back in time. Prizes for best disco costumes will be awarded. 6:45-8:15pm. 250752-5014. www.rdn.bc.ca/recreation.

Beginner–Professional • Boys & Girls • Age 2 – Adult Ballet • Tap • Jazz • Modern • Contemporary • Acro Jazz/Hip Hop • Creative • Musical Theatre • Zumba Highland Dance • Fitness Classes • Special Needs Class RAD & ISTD Exam & Leisure Courses

934 Goldstream Ave, Langford

New Adult & Preschool Classes Added!

We also do DANCE PARTIES for kids and adults!

250.595.8705

info@lighthouseacademyofdance.com www.lighthouseacademyofdance.com

28 Island Parent Magazine

TUES 18 Fish Tour at Englishman River Regional Park. With the rain, come the fish. The Englishman River is an active salmon spawning ground. Learn more about the Salmon cycle and the details of their habitat. 9:30-11:30am. $15.50. 250-248-3252. www.rdn.bc.ca/recreation. Glow in the Dark Skate at Frank Crane Arena, Nanaimo. Dimmed lighting and special effects. Regular admission rates; glow necklaces $2. 6:30-8pm. 250-756-5200.

FRI 21 Spa Night for Teens at Ravensong Aquatic Centre. Teens will be treated to a special night. Services will be provided by local health and

wellness professionals. Rejuvenate your body and spirit, take part in aquafit class, or relax in the pool amenities. 7-9pm. Free with preregistration. 250-752-5014. www.rdn.bc.ca/ recreation.

SAT 22 Free Skate at Oceanside Place Arena. Join your friends for a skate courtesy of the Parksville Branch Credit Union. 2-3:30pm. Free admission and skate rentals. 250-248-3252. www. rdn.bc.ca/recreation.

WED 26 Sno Cone Swim at Ravensong Aquatic Centre. Join the lifeguards for fun in the pool and a tasty sno cone treat. Everyone welcome. 6:30-8pm. Regular admission. 250-752-5014. www.rdn. bc.ca/recreation.

FRI 28 Jersey Day at the Arena at Oceanside Place Arena. Wear your jersey to any skating session and receive a reduced admission rate. Check the schedule for skate sessions and times. 250248-3252. www.rdn.bc.ca/recreation.

SAT 29 Super Saturdays at the Campbell River Art Gallery. Drop-in art making program. All materials provided. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. 1-3pm. Admission by donation. 250-287-2261. National Sport Day at Oliver Woods Community Centre. 1-4pm. 250-756-5200. Sports Day in Canada Skate at Oceanside Place Arena. Try your hand at some of Canada’s favourite ice sports during the everyone welcome skate. 2-3pm. 250-248-3252. www.rdn. bc.ca/recreation.

SUN 30 Hiding in Plain Sight at Bowen Park Upper Picnic Shelter. Learn about how animals adapt to their environment and why we can’t easily see them. Learn how to use camouflage like the animals do. 10-11am. $8. 250-756-5200.

ONGOING PRESCHOOL Parent and Tot Drop-in at the HUB at Cowichan Station. Come for songs, organized

www.kidsinvictoria.com

STAGES Performing Arts School

games, and free play with balls, parachutes and more. This is a wonderful opportunity for parents and young children to connect with other families in the community. Free. For information, email kids@cowichanstation.org. LaFF at the Aggie. A safe play-based learning environment for families and caregivers with children newborn to age 6. Reading centre, craft area, indoor car and toy riding area. Monday to Friday, 9:30am-noon and Thursdays 12:15-1:45pm. $2 suggested donation per family (punch cards available). 250-2100870, laffexecutivedirector@shaw.ca, www. familyandfriends.ca. Family Storytime at Cowichan Library, Duncan. Bring the whole family for stories, songs, rhymes and fun. For ages 0-5. Tuesdays 10:3011:30am. 2687 James St. krumohr@virl.bc.ca.

since 1980

Come Dance With Us

• Offering classes in Jazz, Ballet, Lyrical, Tap. Hip Hop & Musical Theatre in a non- competitive atmosphere. • Not sure which class to take? Try a Drop-In: No hassle, No Obligation ses Clas l o ho .. e -S c angels. r P e t im ittle Day or the l f

Adventures in Early Literacy at the Ladysmith Resource Centre. A parent-child, fun-filled program designed for children ages 3 to 5 years. Participants learn and have fun doing crafts, games and singing. A book is read, lunch and snacks are provided. 9:45-noon. Space is limited, so call 250-245-3079 to get on the list. 630 2nd Ave.

CHILDREN Junior Lifeguard Club at Nanaimo Aquatic Centre. Build lifeguarding skills, shadow lifeguards, participate in fun competitions, learn about first aid, participate in community events, develop leadership skills and more. For children 8-13-years-old. Saturdays noon1:30pm until December 13. Regular admission rates. 250-756-5200.

Even the littlest angel can dance

For more information Call 250-384-3267 Email us at: stagesdance@shaw.ca Or visit our website: www.stagesdance.com

YOUTH The Youth Zone in Ladysmith. A fun and safe place to hang, meet new friends and enjoy games, internet kiosk, movies, karaoke and more. Play sports in the gym, do homework. Mondays, 3-6pm in the Rec Room (girls only); Wednesdays, 3-5pm in the gym; Fridays 6-10pm in the Rec Room or gym. Free. 250245-6424. www.ladysmith.ca.

Our Christmas Roast

ETHIOPIA HARRAR

Makes a great gift! (limited supply)

Turtle Mocha

Gingerbread Latte

FAMILY Family Frolics at the Community Centre, Ladysmith. Bring your parent or caregiver for open gym fun. Burn off some energy with soft toys (balls and nerf-type games), mini-trampoline, ride-on toys, hula hoops and more. Tuesdays, 5:45-6:45pm. $2 suggested donation/family. 250-245-6424. www.ladysmith.ca. Parksville Lions and Save-On-Foods Free Family Skate at Oceanside Place Arena. Sundays 12:15-1:45pm. Free admission and skate rentals. Note: children must be accompanied by an adult 19 years or older.•

www.IslandParent.ca

Nov 12 to Jan 4

November 2014 29

Pregnant? Pregnancy is a state of health. Midwives recognize what an extraordinary time this is in your life and we are available to support you through your childbearing year. Covered by Your BC Health Care BC’s Medical Services Plan pays for midwifery care, including in-home check-ups in labour and after you’ve had your baby. You can self-refer to a midwife.

Quality Care Studies show that midwifery clients have lower rates of episiotomies, infection, Caesarean sections, forceps and vacuum deliveries and newborns that require resuscitation.

Choice of Hospital or Home Birth Continuity of Care Comprehensive Care Breastfeeding Education & Support We would be pleased to schedule an appointment to answer your questions about midwifery care.

midwivesinvictoria.ca 30 Island Parent Magazine

Postpartum Depression

ecoming a new parent can bring much joy, but it can also challenge you in ways you never expected. Soon after giving birth, you may find that you feel weepy and your moods can change from minute to minute. Rest assured: these feelings—known as the “baby blues”—are normal during the first couple of weeks after childbirth. You are not alone. Some degree of emotional upheaval is natural and almost expected after childbirth. Up to 80 per cent of new mothers experience the baby blues, a reaction likely due to hormonal shifts that begin a few days after delivery and generally lasts no longer than two weeks. Moms often feel better after getting some rest and a helping hand with the baby. But if your blues—or those of someone you love—have lasted more than two weeks, read on.

Is it Postpartum Depression (PPD)? Postpartum depression is depression that may start during pregnancy or at any time up to a year after the birth of a child. It is a mental illness that affects mood—the way a person feels. Mood impacts the way people think about themselves, relate to others, and interact with the world around them. This is more than a ‘bad day’ or ‘feeling blue.’ Without supports and treatment, depression can last for a long time. Busy and sleep-deprived moms experiencing PPD may deny even to herself that she struggling emotionally, so it is especially important to be aware of warning signs to watch for. Signs of depression include feeling sad, worthless, hopeless, guilty, or anxious a lot of the time. Some feel irritable or angry. People lose interest in things they used to enjoy and may withdraw from others. Depression can make it hard to focus on tasks and remember information. It can be hard to concentrate, learn new things, or make decisions. Depression can change the way people eat and sleep, and many people experience physical health problems. A mother or father with postpartum depression may not enjoy the baby and have frequent thoughts that they are a bad parent. They may also have scary thoughts around harming themselves or their baby. Although it is rare for a parent to make plans to act on these thoughts, this situation is serious and requires urgent medical care. If you believe that a loved one is in danger, do not hesitate to call 911 or your local crisis line.

What Can Help? Postpartum depression is not generally a condition that you can treat on your own, but you can do some things for yourself that build on your treatment plan and help speed recovery. • Rest as much as you can. The rigors of caring for a newborn 24/7 can leave you exhausted. Moms often cannot sleep when they want to, but it is still important to take rest breaks, even if you just flip through a magazine or watch a TV show • Make healthy lifestyle choices. Include physical activity, such as a walk with your baby, in your daily routine. If even a brief excursion is too much for you right now, then just go outside, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and sit in the sunshine for a few minutes. It will help. Eat healthy foods, and avoid alcohol. Drink enough water. • Set realistic expectations. Do not pressure yourself to do everything. Scale back your expectations for the perfect household. Do what you can and leave the rest. Ask for help when you need it. • Avoid isolation. Discuss your feelings with your loved ones, health care provider or public health nurse. Tell someone you trust about how you feel. Call an understanding friend. Join a Mom’s group for support. You may be surprised at how many women are experiencing similar feelings.

Partner Support A new mother who is trying to cope with a depression needs support from her partner and loved ones. Here are some suggestions on how to help out: • Spend time talking about feelings and show that you are trying to understand—let her know she is loved and valued • Help out with basic household routines such as meal prep and laundry • Understand that people who experience postpartum depression may want to spend a lot of time alone. This can hurt, but try to remember that it isn’t about you. They are simply trying to cope with an illness. • Ask and accept help from friends and family • A short break or a chance to get back into interests can make a big difference in anyone’s well-being. It can also create more opportunities for sleep.

www.kidsinvictoria.com

• Become familiar with symptoms of PPD and seek immediate attention if she talks of harming herself or baby. This is not something you can deal with on your own.

New Parent Pages DiAnA HUrscHler, bscn Postpartum depression is a serious health issue. One way to show support is to attend healthcare provider appointments and share your concerns. Do not forget about your own wellbeing during this time: It is also important for you to talk to someone about how you are feeling.

Where to Get Help If you are experiencing any of the above signs, please seek help. Postpartum depression and anxiety can impact you physically and affect your emotions, thinking, and behaviours. Without treatment, postpartum depression affects both you and your baby. A mother who is depressed for a long time can have difficulty bonding and caring for her baby, which can have effects on her baby’s sense of safety, security and love. Treating depression early will lessen possible long-term effects on both mother and baby. There are many resources and supports available to help you. Your health care provider or public health nurse HealthLink BC (dial 8-1-1) or toll free for hearing-impaired at 1-866-889-4700 Pacific Postpartum Support Society at 1-855-255-7999 or www.postpartum.org BC Mental Health Information Line at 1-800-661-2121. All children deserve the chance to have a healthy mom and all moms deserve a chance to enjoy their life and their children. If you are feeling depressed after having a baby, do not suffer alone. The best help usually comes from a mix of support from health care providers, family, friends, self-help, and community connections.

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Diana Hurschler, RN BscN, childbirth educator, certified breastfeeding counselor has been helping families in their childbearing years and beyond since 1998. Diana is the proud Mama of four little ones. She can be reached at diana@hurschler.com.

COMPREHENSIVE FAMILY DENTISTRY

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November 2014

Healthy Habits During the School Year Healthy Families, Happy Families

Child, Youth & Family Public Health South Island Health Units Esquimalt 250-519-5311 Gulf Islands 250-539-3099 (toll-free number for office in Saanichton)

Peninsula 250-544-2400 Saanich 250-519-5100 Saltspring Island 250-538-4880 Sooke 250-642-5464 Victoria 250-388-2200 West Shore 250-519-3490

Central Island Health Units Duncan 250-709-3050 Ladysmith 250-755-3342 Lake Cowichan 250-749-6878 Nanaimo 250-755-3342 Nanaimo Princess Royal 250-755-3342 Parksville/Qualicum 250-947-8242 Port Alberni 250-731-1315 Tofino 250-725-4020

North Island Health Units Campbell River 250-850-2110 Courtenay 250-331-8520 Kyuquot Health Ctr 250-332-5289 ‘Namgis Health Ctr 250-974-5522 Port Hardy 250-902-6071

www.viha.ca/prevention_services/

32 Island Parent Magazine

hether your child has just started kindergarten or Grade 12, good nutrition and adequate sleep are foundations for learning. Here are some ideas to help you and your family set healthy habits for the whole school year.

Sleep Times Did you know that kids who get enough sleep think more clearly? Children and youth require eight to 10 hours of sleep each night so they can grow and have energy for school. If bedtime is a struggle in your household, then routine is key. Ensure your child gets enough Zzz’s by setting a regular wake up and bedtime schedule—even on weekends. This will help your child develop a natural sleep pattern that allows him or her to fall asleep more easily. Before bedtime, plan quiet activities, such as a soothing bath or story time, and turn off the electronics. Research has shown that watching TV, playing video games or using the computer before bedtime can make it difficult for children to fall asleep. Lastly, don’t forget about caffeine. Ask your children about their intake of caffeinated food and drinks, like pop, energy drinks, coffee, tea and chocolate—all of which can hinder good sleep.

Start the Day with Breakfast A healthy breakfast provides children and teens with the fuel they need to get through a long school day. Skipping breakfast can make kids feel tired, grumpy or irritable. As children reach adolescence, skipping meals becomes more common. In fact, 12 to 50 per cent of teens skip breakfast, mostly because they don’t have enough time. When it comes to breakfast, it’s important to have a routine. Wake up early enough to ensure that you and your family have time to enjoy breakfast and get out the door on time. Breakfast is also a good opportunity to model healthy choices. If possible, try to sit down with your children and eat breakfast together. Make it a family affair, and involve your child in choosing and preparing the meal. Preparing a healthy breakfast doesn’t have

to be complicated. Look for quick ideas that include at least three of the four food groups in Canada’s Food Guide, such as: • A slice of toast topped with peanut butter and berries • An egg sandwich with tomato and an orange • Yogurt and fruit smoothie and a hardboiled egg • A bowl of whole grain cereal topped with almonds and banana

Packing Your Child’s Lunch: Plan Ahead Involving your children in preparing lunch is a great way to help them develop a sense of independence, and to contribute to household chores. As well, children may be more likely to eat a lunch that they have helped to make. To save time in the morning, pack lunches together the night before. Offer your kids a few healthy options, and let them choose. Younger kids can help with simple tasks, while older children and teens can learn to make lunches on their own. Like breakfast, fill your child’s lunchbox with a variety of foods from at least three of the four food groups in Canada’s Food Guide. Include healthy foods that you know your child will enjoy. As often as possible, offer whole foods, like vegetables, fruits and grains, and limit processed foods. And don’t forget about fluids! Choose plain water and milk most often, and skip sugary drinks which provide no nutritional value. Need some lunchbox inspiration? Instead of a traditional sandwich, try a fun wrap! Simply roll up a pita pocket or tortilla with one of these fun fillings: • Shredded cheese and cucumber slices • Chopped ham and pineapple • Salmon or tuna fish with bell pepper slices • Turkey or cooked tofu chunks with grated carrot and shredded lettuce To boost the flavour of your wrap, add a healthy sauce like salsa, hummus, or plain yogurt mixed with salad dressing.

Simple Family Dinners At the end of a busy day, having to www.kidsinvictoria.com

prepare dinner may feel daunting, but it’s worth the effort as eating together has many benefits for both kids and adults. In fact, family meals have been shown to improve a child’s relationships, emotional health and performance at school, while reducing risk-taking behaviours, such as smoking. Children and teens who have family meals also have better intakes of vegetables and

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Saturdays & Sundays at 1pm All Seats $4.75 Nov 1 & 2:

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Nov 8 & 9:

Grease

Healthy Families, Happy Families

Nov 15 & 16:

How to train your dragon 2

Caitlin Weedle, EILEEN BENNEWITH, Fiona Devereaux, Christine Thomson, Justine Wardle

Nov 22 & 23:

Dolphin Tale 2

Nov 29 & 30:

The Boxtrolls

fruits, and important nutrients like protein, iron, calcium and fibre. They also eat less “junk” food and are more likely to maintain healthy growth and weights. At least once each day, try to eat a snack or meal together with your children. A good habit is to turn electronics off, as watching TV while eating is linked with poor nutrition and contributes to weight gain. To save time, keep dinners simple and healthy. Sure, it’s fun to experiment with a new dish once in a while, but try to build up a repertoire of reliable, go-to dinners that you know your family will enjoy. For example, slow cooker meals, like chilli and pasta sauces, are easy to prepare and make great leftovers for lunch! A quick stir-fry is also a good solution for busy nights. Homemade meals are the best choice because you decide exactly what goes into them. However, sometimes life happens and you need a fast fix. If you are short of time, try “almost homemade” cooking. Start with two prepared ingredients, and then add your own fresh ingredients. For example, you can prepare a quick pizza by combining a store-bought pizza crust and a can of tomato paste with low-fat mozzarella cheese and your favourite vegetables. For more family-friendly recipe ideas, check out these websites: • Better Together BC: www.bettertogetherbc.ca • Healthy Families BC: www.healthyfamiliesbc.ca • Dietitians of Canada: www.dietitians.ca

cinecenta

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is a Board Certified Specialist in Pediatric Dentistry and has a Fellowship in Special Needs Dentistry for children • Accepting new patients now (infants to teenagers) • Referral not needed • Member of Cleft Lip and Palate Team

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Caitlin Weedle, UBC Dietetic Intern, Eileen Bennewith, RD, Fiona Devereaux, RD, Christine Thomson, RD and Justine Wardle, RD, are Community Nutritionists with Vancouver Island Health Authority. www.IslandParent.ca

November 2014 33

Good for the Gut

oday’s interior urban landscape has as many distinctive sounds and scents as any offered up in the hinterlands of our countryside. Shhhhh…it’s the squeak and hiss of the antibacterial gel dispenser, signaling the approach of the germ-wary city dweller. Close your eyes, and breath deeply—you’ll note the astringent fumes carried along the air currents. That little click that you hear is the lid of the cleansing wipes container being snapped open before counters, keyboards and door handles are all washed down, accompanied by the sharp citrus scent that signals ultra clean to everyone. By the sink, you’ll see a super-sized bottle of washing liquid, proudly proclaiming its bacteria-slaying capabilities. Changes in the season will bring the usual onslaught of colds and flus, meaning that the barking cough, sometimes accompanied by the rattle of the antibiotic pill box, will ring out often in our living and working environments. We fall into a semi-automatic habit of eradicating all germs and bacteria, neglecting to think before we spray or wipe. In our zeal, we forget that we humans are

proper things to ours. Fermented foods are an obvious solution to this issue. More than that, they are made with seasonal produce, and inexpensive to make. We’ve fallen out

not made of enamel and stainless steel: we are living creatures, made of cells and skin and a lot of unknowns that all go together and work in gentle harmony (flesh, bone, and mystery—that’s how I like to define the mix). Like any delicately tuned mechanism, the body is an organism that is easily thrown off, and more difficult to get back into the proper rhythm. We need some bacteria to live; our digestive systems depend on it. Fermented and pickled foods are good for the gut. They are easy to digest as they have been partially broken down by the lacto-acid produced by fermentation. Fermenting a vegetable has the added benefit of boosting the vitamin offered, so sauerkraut has a bigger kick of vitamin C than raw cabbage. We are also more likely to contract e-coli from raw vegetables, which is not a risk faced when eating the same things, treated to a round of pickling or fermenting. Gut health is essential to all health, but we wind ourselves up into such a sanitized frenzy of niceness that we don’t even like to say the word ’gut’, much less feed the

Just Eat It! Kathy Humphrey of the habit of making anything, except for the odd batch of cookies or cupcakes, which may feed the sweet tooth but don’t really help the big picture. Give your gut some love—give it some good bacteria!

Refrigerator Veggie Pickles 6 field cucumbers, quartered lengthwise 6 young carrots, peeled and cut in half lengthwise 1 handful green beans a few cauliflower florets 4 small hot chilis 10 cloves garlic 2 cups white vinegar 6 tsp kosher salt several sprigs fresh dill

IMAX® ANNUAL PASS Your Ticket to Adventure

includes the 2015 Film Festival

On Sale November 1 in-theatre and online at imaxvictoria.com

POLAR EXPRESS

The IMAX® Christmas Tradition returns this holiday season. Watch our website after Nov. 15, 2014 for the schedule and a special admission offer.

IMAX® is a registered trademark of IMAX Corporation

34 Island Parent Magazine

For information on all current films, showtimes and rates 250-480-4887 • imaxvictoria.com www.kidsinvictoria.com

1 tsp celery seed 1 tsp coriander seed 1 tsp mustard seed 1 tsp peppercorns In a medium saucepan, bring four cups water to a boil. Reduce to simmer. Add garlic. Simmer five minutes. Add vinegar and salt; bring to boil again, stirring until salt dissolves. Remove from heat. Set two clear one quart jars on counter. Place a few sprigs of dill in each; divide peppercorns and seeds between jars. Using tongs, place five cloves of garlic in each jar. Pack the jars full with cucumbers, carrots, beans, chilis, and cucumbers. You want them to be very crowded and stuffed full. Bring the brine back to a boil, then pour it over the vegetables to cover them completely. Allow them to cool, then refrigerate. They will taste good after only a few hours, but better with age, and will last for about three months.

Celebrating 25 Years of Building Families through Adoption! Kids are waiting call CHoICES today

Quick Dill Pickles 1⁄2 cup white vinegar 2 tsp sugar 1 tsp mustard seed 1 tsp salt 1 clove garlic, slightly mashed 1 tsp dried dill 1 bay leaf 4 field cucumbers, cut into 1" slices on the diagonal Heat vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, salt and garlic over medium high heat, stirring often, until mixture has come to a boil and sugar is dissolved. Toss cucumbers with dill weed and bay leaf in a large bowl. Pour vinegar mixture over and stir to coat evenly. Allow to cool. Serve at room temperature, or chilled.

Swedish Pickled Beets 1⁄2

cup cider vinegar cup water 1⁄4 cup sugar 1 tsp salt pinch ground black pepper approximately two cups cooked beets, peeled and thinly sliced Combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt and pepper in saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally, until sugar has dissolved. Place beets in a deep bowl and pour dressing over top. Let sit for at least 12 hours before serving. 1⁄2

Kathy Humphrey lives in Victoria with her husband and two children. She tries to see cooking for a family not as a chore but as a creative outlet.

www.IslandParent.ca

1.888.479.9811

www.choicesadoption.ca

& The place online where parents and grandparents get information about their community for their family: Read current and past issues of Island Parent Magazine. Visit our Marketplace to find businesses, programs and services that cater to the little person in your life. Want to see what’s up today or this weekend? View our calendar of events. Whether it’s dance lessons, parenting workshops, fun days and festivals, what’s happening at your local rec centre or community events— Kids In Victoria has it all!

Looking for that special something you had when you were a kid? Check out our classified ads. Maybe you are looking for something to engage your mind or perhaps need a little bit of advice. Well we have that too on our community forum. Receive Island Parent & Kids In Victoria e-newsletter for updates and exclusive contests. Enter our monthly and photo contests.

Come be part of our community at

www.kidsinvictoria.com

November 2014

Abra-Kid-Abra

Bursting the Bubble

Car Seats, Cribs, Play-n-Pak, High Chairs available for short term rentals • A great selection of books • Dress-up for girls and boys • Shoes…Pedipeds, See Kai Run …and More • Rainwear and rainboots…TUFFO – MUDDYBUDDY, now up to size 5

Now Accepting Winter Consignment New & Used Toys, Clothing & Furniture 2024 Oak Bay Ave • 250 595 1613

Does your child have difficulty reading? • can’t read words just read earlier • letter reversal • symptoms of dyslexia • “sounds out” words but can not blend them correctly • confuses similar sounding words • avoids reading/poor speller I offer an effective program that works! Call for more information or to arrange your individualized one-on-one tutoring solution.

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friend told me recently that she was reluctant to speak to her daughter about war. Her daughter, she explained, is very sensitive and gets easily overwhelmed. The school Remembrance Day assembly was terrifying to her and has caused her to associate the Canadian national anthem with violence and war. I have always discussed all kinds of issues with my kids, even when even when they were quite young. We have travelled and experienced developing world conditions, but not war. The other day, though, my 11-year-old told me he hated thinking about homelessness, that it made him feel depressed and sad. This gave me pause. He is sensitive and we do live in a time when access to information is overwhelming. It is graphic and nonstop. Never before have kids had access to the kind of information they have now, much of it well beyond their realm of influence, which can be paralyzing and daunting. So how do we protect the short time our kids have to be innocent and emotionally safe, while still encouraging strong, empathetic, worldly individuals? Deborah Ellis’ new book, Cat at the Wall (Groundwood Books, 2014) does just that. At first the storyline seemed a little far-fetched. The book jacket describes a 13-year-old girl who dies and comes back to life, living as a cat on the Gaza strip. This is a stretch for me and I know the description would not turn many middle-school heads. However, it is this stretch that can help create a beautiful balance between that safe bubble and world issues. The conflict the cat finds herself in is horrific, yet there is no clear ‘enemy,’ only confusion. The Israeli soldiers that the cat befriends are just young boys, struggling to make sense of the world. In an unanticipated turn, they find themselves holding a young Palestinian boy hostage and are eventually besieged by a local crowd. As the tension grows so does the hope that they can avert conflict. Though there are no enemies, there are heroic characters, people who put themselves at risk for the safety of a child. The tone is relatively light—some may find it too light considering the seriousness of the issue—however, I think it is a gentle but moving introduction to the situation.

The story flips back to the United States when the cat was a normal 13-year-old girl. When we first meet Clara, we anticipate liking her, but as the story unravels, we

Book Nook Paisley Aiken start to see her capacity for self-indulgent and manipulative behaviour. This in itself is an interesting strategy for a young adult novel. It isn’t often that the reader doesn’t particularly like the main character. Clara faces issues of responsibility, navigating her social life, boundaries and respect, and typical issues for a girl in her context. This is Clara’s ‘normal’ life, one that readers will likely be comfortable with and will identify as having more control over and ability to navigate. And that is why this experiment works. Readers can emotionally manage and relate to Clara’s problems when she is in a school in the States. They won’t feel powerless when considering what Clara could do to act as a better human. While focusing on this emotional development, the atrocities and horrors of the Gaza strip won’t seem quite as overwhelming as the emphasis becomes less on what a horrific mess the world is in and more on what kind of person we are each capable of being, something that is within each of us to manage. News Flash! If your kids love books, or if you love kids books, don’t miss The Enormous World, November 6 at 7pm at the Oak Bay United Church, 582 Marifield Ave. A gala evening of readings for all ages, with Kit Pearson, Polly Horvath, John Wilson, and Morgan Purvis. This is a Victoria Writer’s Festival Event and tickets are $10. www.victoriawritersfestival.org Paisley Aiken reads extensively to her three energetic young boys. She is founder of The Story Studio Writing Society, a charity that grows kids’ relationship with literacy.

totallearningservices2014@gmail.com 36 Island Parent Magazine

www.kidsinvictoria.com

Morning Glory School Pre-School to Class 8

Family-Friendly Mid-Island

Registration accepted throughout the year—call for more info or to set-up a school visit

Christmas Faire Saturday, December 6th 10 am to 3 pm Activities, crafts, food, silent auction Vendors, many with handcrafted items

Nanaimo’s #1 Toy Store

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861 Hilliers Rd off Hwy 4

just minutes from Qualicum Beach Kool Toys & Teaching Tools

#102–2517 Bowen Road, Nanaimo 250-585-1778 www.koolandchild.com Follow us on Facebook!

mgs@shawcable.com

www.morninggloryschool.ca

North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre

Ask us about our 10% off program

A Wildlife Experience for the Whole Family!

Eagles • Owls • Bears Hawks • Falcons • Ferrets Turkey Vultures • and More

Open to Public Viewing 9am–5pm, 7 Days a Week from March Spring Break to Mid-December

Wildlife Adoptions Make Great Gifts! Support your favourite NIWRA resident: visit us for more information or go to www.niwra.org

Guided Tours available for groups of 15 or more. Advanced booking required.

1240 Leffler Road, Errington 250.248.8534 niwra.org www.IslandParent.ca

November 2014 37

Last, But Not Least

hings are different with a First Child than with a Last Child—it’s only natural. A parent’s energy is fresh when First Child comes along, but by the time Last Child arrives, we are worn down by years of inadequate sleep, mealtime negotiations, and the like. This doesn’t mean a Last Child is less loved. No! But it does equate to less fuss—over everything. Birthdays are a perfect example. When Last Child celebrated a birthday last month, I couldn’t help but notice the colossal drop in my party-planning standards. When First Child had a birthday party, I started planning five weeks in advance. The guest count was approximately 42—all of our friends, our church family, that nice old lady who lived one floor down and gave us a board book once, 10 playgroup buddies and their mothers, our favorite babysitter, and the music teacher. A tad overboard, perhaps, but I just couldn’t imagine celebrating without all of them.

I spent three days making food for First Child’s party, feeling the need to provide a gourmet feast. Seven types of crackers, artisanal cheese, tiny sandwiches cut up into flower shapes, platters of cut-in-half grapes. First Child’s cake was perfectly frosted in pink buttercream, ordered from a bakery weeks in advance. Colourful streamers and balloons festooned each corner of our apartment. All that was missing was the ice sculpture which my husband said was just too much. The event was fully recorded on videotape, and guests—wearing personalized party hats, of course—were invited to write First Child a special note in her baby book. Now, granted, I didn’t actually see much of First Child during this party, so busy was I with all these details. And my spouse may have used the term ‘manic’ more than once. But it was First Child’s birthday, and I did what I had to do.

When the final guest departed, First Child and I both had colossal meltdowns and took three-hour naps. When I had regained the strength to stand, I cleaned up party aftermath for two days straight, grumbling about lack of sleep and missing ice sculptures. First

Is There an App for This? SARAH MILLIGAN Child was overstimulated for a week, and didn’t seem to give a fig about the huge pile of presents left behind, preferring instead to play with wrapping paper bits. But despite all these drawbacks, that is often what a First Child’s birthday party looks like. Now, a Last Child’s party? That is an entirely different animal. For starters, I’m ashamed to admit that for Last Child’s birthday, I didn’t even start making plans until the morning of the party. Negligent, yes. But wait, it gets worse.

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Last Child’s guest list was pitifully small—five, including her. The only other guests were her parents, her brother, and her sister. No favourite babysitters. Please, we haven’t gone out at night in years! No nice old ladies whom we barely know, and no playgroup pals since most kids she knows are her older siblings’ friends. The menu at Last Child’s party consisted of apple slices and chocolate cupcakes, whipped up that afternoon by yours truly— with an eager-but-messy six-year-old helper. I can’t guarantee that all the ingredients actually made it into the cupcakes, and there was some confusion over a missing Lego man and whether he did or did not end up in the batter, but I dug out the candles, slathered on some hastily-assembled icing, and hoped for the best. The decor at Last Child’s party was limited to fingerprint-smeared walls. Background music was provided by way of bickering and piano practice. I managed to snap 11 photos, seven of which turned out to be blurry. Through it all, I felt the crushing weight of motherguilt, feeling that I wasn’t providing my poor Last Child the fabulous party she deserved. However, despite the lack of pomp, Last Child’s party was surprisingly enjoyable. The cupcakes were not only edible, but downright delicious, and none contained a Lego person. Last Child delighted in a few small, sweet gifts. At no point did I find myself breaking out in a cold sweat over falling-down streamers. At party’s end, I retired to the sofa with a cup of tea. Despite having planned, prepared, hosted, and cleaned up after a birthday party that afternoon, I felt relaxed and content. And so did Last Child. That’s when it first occurred to me that maybe, just maybe, less fuss was actually a good thing, and that the real gift to my daughter on that day was a calm, present mother. When all is said and done, I truly can’t think of a better thing to offer her. So here’s to you, Last Children everywhere! You may be last, but you are certainly not least. You don’t get as much fuss, but as it turns out, fuss isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. And in fact, with the fuss worn away, you might be getting the best your mother has ever had to offer. Sarah Milligan lives on Vancouver Island. She is grateful to her children for the joy they inspire—not to mention the endless writing fodder.

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Family Services Directory This directory, sponsored by Thrifty Foods, features not for profit agencies and organizations serving children, youth and families.

1Up, Victoria Single Parent Resource Centre (www.1-up.ca) provides support, education and resources for parents in the Greater Victoria area through free counselling, volunteer training for reception and peer helper positions, a mentoring program for single moms, and a support group for dads. The Centre also offers over 20 integrated life skills and parenting courses which are open to the whole community (fees are on a sliding scale). Child care assistance is available based on financial need. The Centre provides a bread pantry and free clothing for single parents. Donations of gently-used clothing, small household items, books, and toys are very welcome every Monday and Wednesday. Centre hours are 9–4 weekdays. 602 Gorge Rd. East; call 250-385-1114 or info@1-up.ca. BC Families in Transition (formerly the Separation and Divorce Resource Centre) is one of three non-profit agencies in North America that offers professional counselling, legal support and education for people who are having problems in their relationships. Each year we help 10,000 adults, children and youth through family changes, separations and divorces, remarriages, and complex family situations. Whether you wish to separate or remain together, call us at 250-3864331 or visit www.bcfit.org to see how we can help. Some evening and weekend appointments available. Beacon Community Services is a community-based non-profit agency providing social, employment, and health services to Saanich Peninsula, Greater Victoria, and Southern Gulf Islands residents. Beacon offers: child, youth, and family services; a drop-in family resource centre; counselling; employment services for adults, youth, and people with disabilities; home support; volunteer services and opportunities; community events; affordable assisted living for seniors; referrals, information, and resources; thrift shops. For Home Support information call 250-658-6407; for all other inquiries call 250-656-0134, or visit www.beaconcs.ca.

Island: Soccer (ages 5-15), Swim (ages 4-15), Family Events and Camps. To learn how you can become a member, please visit canucksautism.ca/join or call (604) 685-4049.

Beacon Community’s Employment Services. Beacon Community Services provides a full menu of employment services to the Saanich Peninsula, Southern Gulf Islands. We have been helping people find work since 1982! Our programs build on a client’s strengths and resolve barriers to securing and maintaining employment. Furthermore, we work in tandem with our employer network to support those residents looking for work. If you need help finding a job or need employees please pay us a visit! It’s FREE. 9860 Third St, Sidney, 250.656.0134, www.beaconcs.ca

Community Living Victoria supports people with developmental disabilities and their families by providing residential services, day and community supports (supported employment, parent support and independent living). Our Host agency provides direct supports for those with Individualized Funding and Home Share service. We also provide Autism Services for youth between 13 and 19. Our family support program offers advocacy, conflict resolution, education, newsletters, workshops, support groups and a resource library. Please call 250-477-7231 ext 233.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Victoria is a nonprofit organization that provides mentoring programs for children and youth between the ages of 7 - 17. Adult volunteers (“Bigs”) are matched with children (“Littles”) based on shared interests, respect and trust. No special skills or experience are needed to be a mentor to a child, just a willingness to be a friend and commit to being a consistent, positive adult role model. Make a BIG difference in the life of a child in as little as 1 hr./week. Contact us at 250-475-1117 or visit www.bbbsvictoria.com or ‘LIKE’ our page at facebook.com/bbbsvictoria.

Esquimalt Neighbourhood House Society. Our Family Services offer family resource programs with a focus on early childhood development and learning, parenting education and pre and post-natal services. Our Counselling Services are free to adults and youth (12-18 years); adult and short term clinical counselling is offered for acute mental health problems. For more information call 250-385-2635 or visit 511 Constance Ave. in Esquimalt.

Boys & Girls Club Services offer after-school and evening social, educational and recreational programming for children and youth at 4 locations. We also offer support to parents (Parents Together) and programs at our Outdoor Centre in Metchosin. For more information on all programs and services visit www. bgcvic.org or call 250.384.9133. The Canucks Autism Network (CAN) provides yearround, innovative, high quality sports, recreational, social and employment related programs for individuals and families living with autism, while building awareness and capacity through community networks across British Columbia. The Canucks Autism Network currently offers the following programs on Vancouver

HeadWay Victoria Epilepsy & Parkinson’s Centre supports families living with seizures by providing tutoring and one-on-one professional consultations to help your child live up to their full potential. We offer a parent workshop three times a year as well as education presentations in schools and community groups. Keep up to date with the latest research about treatments, lifestyle, and safety issues for your child. We can be reached at www.headwayvictoria.com, or you can contact our Epilepsy Program Coordinator directly at 250-475-6677. Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria (ICA) is a service agency for immigrants and refugees. Programs offered include cross-cultural counseling, parenting programs (child care available), family violence programs, employment services, interpretation and translation, diversity workshops and training, ESL

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To register please contact: Commonwealth Place 250-727-5300 Gordon Head 250-475-7100 UVic Vikes Rec vikesrec.uvic.ca Oak Bay Recreation 250-595-7946 Esquimalt & Panorama 250-727-9243

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Ongoing Registration www.kidsinvictoria.com

instruction, volunteering, youth programs and tutoring, as well as intercultural arts programming. 930 Balmoral Rd, 250-388-4728, info@icavictoria.org, www.icavictoria.org. Learning Disabilities Association of BC, SVI Chapter, educates, supports and advocates for children and youth with learning disabilities and related conditions. Services include a public lending library, individual/ group support for parents and children, professional/ educational workshops for parents and professionals. Child and youth programs include: reading/writing, academic skills, social/emotional skill development and Fast ForWord. 1652 Fort St, Victoria, BC V8S 5J2. Ph 250.370.9513. Fax. 250.370.9421. www. ldasvi.bc.ca. www.knowyourrights.ca

Attention Non-Profit Organizations Would you like your informational brochures or magazines professionally distributed to 16 high traffic areas in Greater Victoria?

Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC) provides programs and services to the military family community including: 24-Hour Information Line; Deployment Information and Workshops; Short Term Counselling, Crisis Support or Intervention; Welcome/Relocation Services; Childcare and Family Support Services; Assistance for Families with Special Needs and Responsibilities. Exciting Volunteer opportunities available! Call the MFRC: 250-363-2640 (1-800-353-3329) for information or visit www.esquimaltmfrc.com. Parent Support Services Society (www. parentsupportbc.ca) provides support circles, parenting resources and referrals to all in a parenting role including grandparents raising grandchildren. Our training in peer group facilitation is open to the community. Support circles are free with child minding and transportation assistance available. Volunteers are always needed. Call 250-384-8042; email parentsupport@shaw.ca. Sooke Family Resource Society (SFRS) provides Family Resource Programs including: Prenatal Education and Outreach, Parent-Tot Drop-In Groups, Parent Discussion Groups, Family Support Groups and Outreach, a Toy and Book Lending Library and Kingfisher Preschool. Sooke/Westshore Child Care Resource and Referral services are also provided by SFRS. Services are provided from the Child, Youth, and Family Centres in both Sooke and the Westshore. Call 250-642-5152 for more information or visit our website at www.sfrs.ca. South Island Centre for Counselling & Training is an affordable, non-profit, counselling and training agency serving individuals and families from all social, ethnic, and financial backgrounds. We help people with a wide range of issues including low self-esteem, depression, grief, marital and family conflict, abuse and spiritual direction. We also offer helpful “life” courses. For more information contact us at 250472-2851; info@southislandcentre.ca or visit www. southislandcentre.ca.

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Victoria Community Information Services (VCIS), an Island Parent Group subsidiary, services these locations on a weekly basis to ensure your brochures and magazines are highly visible for pickup by walk-by traffic. Our wall-mounted distribution boards are outside partnering grocery stores and inside many recreation centres. Space is available for either brochures (approx. 4" x 9") or magazines (approx. 8.5" x 11"). For distribution rates or additional information, please contact: Mark Warner

publisher@islandparent.ca 250-388-6905

November 2014 41

Preschool & Child Care Directory CENTRAL SAANICH Almosthome Childcare/Preschool......... 250-590-7666 Quality childcare with a preschool curriculum/kindergarten readiness program. Experienced Early Childhood Educators. Nurturing environment for ages 21⁄2 to 5 years old. www.almosthomecare.com. Chrysalis Child Care................................ 250-652-0815 A nurturing and stimulating environment for a small group of 3–5 year olds. Qualified ECE promotes learning through play. www.chrysalischildcare.ca.

Colwood/LANGFORD Almosthome Childcare/Preschool......... 250-590-7666 Quality childcare with a preschool curriculum/kindergarten readiness program. Experienced Early Childhood Educators. Nurturing environment for ages 10 months to 5 years old. www.almosthomecare.com. Caring Touch Daycare............................. 250-478-4886 A warm, loving, fun family daycare in a safe, nurturing environment. Infant/toddler care for ages 1–5 years. Goldstream Co-op Preschool........................................ Learning Through Play for 3 and 4yr olds! For registration information go to our website: www.goldstream preschool.com. Jenn’s Little Bears................................... 250-478-8999 A safe nurturing environment for children from infancy to kindergarten. Our Infant and Toddler Program enriches each child’s development while our 3-5 Program prepares children for kindergarten. Two separate buildings allow each age group space to grow! Leap Forward Childcare......................... 250-818-9225 2758 Peatt RD. Licenced group childcare for children ages 6 months to 5 years old. Offering fulltime and part-time care. Open 6:30am-5:30pm. For more information please contact Amber: info@leap forwardlangford.com, www.leapforwardlangford.com. Miles of Smiles Nature Junior Kindergarten.................... 778-265-4374 Come see why learning in nature rocks! Reggio Influenced Philosophy for ages 3-5. Have your child become a nature detective today! www.naturejuniorkindergarten.com

CORDOVA BAY Carrot Seed Preschool............................ 250-658-2331 Where children can discover, imagine, construct and learn through play. Wondrous natural playground. www.carrotseedpreschool.com.

ESQUIMALT CIARA Early Childhood Centre............... 250-386-7369 Education and fun hand in hand. Exceptional care for little ones ages 12 month-5yrs in an inclusive centre with Christian values. Facebook.com/CIARAEarly ChildhoodCentre.

Island Kids Academy Esquimalt............. 250-381-2929 High quality child care (ages 1-5). Preschool curriculum offered within a warm, caring all-day program. Character development using the Virtues Project. Access to community programs including swimming, skating, Victoria Conservatory of Music. Part-time spaces available. www. islandkids.ca.

OAK BAY

La Pre-Maternelle Appletree Preschool................................ 250-479-0292 French immersion program. 30 months to school age. Licensed Christian centre. www.prematernelleappletree.com.

Emmanuel Preschool.............................. 250-598-0573 Children learn through play in our non-denominational Christian preschool near UVic. Bright attractive setting. www.emmanuelpreschool.ca.

Simply Fun Childcare Centre.................. 250-881-3958 A warm, loving, fun and nurturing place for children to grow and learn. We have spaces available for registration ages 2.5 to 12 in our Licensed Group Facility. We offer extraordinary childcare, before and after school programs and a preschool. Our teachers are extremely qualified with ECE training and have lots of experience. Call Brenda to set up a tour. Let your child’s light shine bright with us!

Highlands Lexie’s Little Bears Child Care Inc......... 250-590-3603 Welcome to Forest Daycare! Our OUTDOOR nature program provides your child with an experience like no other...in the elements! Our Nature-lovers program boasts our own 2 acre forest, outdoor gardens and handmade playgrounds; strongly influenced by Reggio Emilia! New Infant/Toddler centre this spring! Wait list being taken NOW! www.lexieslittlebears.com. Visit our facebook page for ongoing photos and news!

METCHOSIN A Growing Place...................................... 250-391-1133 Half day program (AM or PM) for 2.5-5 yrs. ECE educator, small class size. Our own petting farm. Summer program for July. Metchosin Co-op Preschool................... 250-478-9241 Come visit our stunning natural outdoor playspace, and see how our inclusive, play-based program allows parents to grow and learn alongside their children. Exceptional ECE staff provide a warm and enriching experience for 2.5–5 yr. olds. Come Grow With Us! EST. 1960. Reg. begins March 1 @ 9am. metchosinpreschool@gmail.com. West-Mont Montessori School............... 250-474-2626 Preschool Montessori instruction in a beautiful natural environment in Metchosin. Ages 30 months and up. Providing a balanced approach to incorporating Nature, French, Music, and Art. Stop by and feel what it is like to be part of a community devoted to the development of the whole child. Open House: Thursdays 9-11 am. www. west-mont.ca.

North SAANICH In The Garden Childcare Centre............. 250-654-0306 A GREAT PLACE TO GROW. Offering preschool, full day care, before and after school care for children aged 2.5 to 12 years old. Open all year.

Creative Child.......................................... 778-679-0076 At Creative Child, you will find a place of quality learning and care for a small group of young children in a beautiful Montessori-inspired setting. www. creativechildcentre.com

Gonzales Co-op Preschool..................... 250-727-1003 Children use imaginations in a Learning through Play classroom and natural playground. Reggio-Emilia inspired, focus is on art, nature and music. Nurturing, highly qualified ECE and ECE assistant. Parent participation options. Allergy aware. gonzalescooppreschool.com. Kindred Spirits Children’s House.............. 250-590-6966 Now accepting registration for a small group of 2.5–5 year olds in a purpose built Montessori classroom. The prepared environment stimulates and engages the children at their own pace with hands on, size, age and developmentally appropriate materials. www.kindredspiritschildrenshouse.com Oak Bay Co-op Preschool........................ 250-592-1922 Children Learn Through Play in this parent participation school. Our bright facility is allergy-free with a large outdoor playground. www.oakbaypreschool.com. Recreation Oak Bay................................ 250-370-7200 Fully licensed, qualified ECE Daycare and Preschool with play based learning. After school care also available. St. Christopher’s Montessori School.................................. 250-595-3213 A beautiful, warm environment, steps from beach and park in Oak Bay. We offer an enriched Montessori program – half days for 3 and 4 year olds and half or full day Kindergarten. www.stcmsoakbaybc.com.

SAANICH Arbutus Grove Children’s Centre........... 250-477-3731 Formerly known as Goosey Gander Kindergarten. Half Day and Full Day Preschool Programs. Children’s learning is supported and nurtured through inquiry, exploration, play and creative expression. www.arbutusgrove.ca. Camosun College Child Care Services......250-370-4880 Quality licensed facilities on both campuses providing children, newborn to 5 years, with rich early learning experiences in a learn through play environment. www. camosun.ca/childcare. Cloverdale Child Care.................................250-995-1766 Full time daycare spaces available for 3-5 year olds starting Sept. 2014. Preschool spaces available Sept. 2014 for 3-year-olds Tuesday & Thursday 9am-noon. www.cloverdalechildcare.com. cloverdalechildcare@shawbiz.ca.

Looking for child care? Taking care of children?

Call your local Child Care Resource & Referral for free referrals and resources.

Child Care

Resource & Referral Your community’s best source of child care information and resources. 42 Island Parent Magazine

Victoria & Gulf Islands: 250-382-7000 or 1-800-750-1868 Sooke: 250-642-5152 Westshore: 250-391-4324 Cowichan Valley: 250-746-4135 local 231 PacificCare (Ladysmith north): 250-756-2022 or 1-888-480-2273 Funded by the Province of BC

www.islandfamilyinfo.ca www.ccrr.bc.ca www.kidsinvictoria.com

Preschool & Child Care Directory Full o’ Beans Preschool............................... 250.360.1148 Opening September 2013. We offer ‘learn through play’ programming designed to foster your child’s natural curiosity and imagination. Flexible scheduling, 2.5 and 4 hour programs, qualified staff. Registration is ongoing!www. saanichneighbourhoodplace.com. Island Montessori House........................ 250-592-4411 Inclusive, integrated and nurturing preschool, kindergarten, Grade 1/2 program. Located in a lovely rural setting. Extended day available. www.islandmontessori.com. Lakehill Co-op Preschool....................... 250-477-4141 Where children’s development is nurtured through a child centered inclusive, play based program. Come visit our out natural outdoor playground and meet our loving qualified ECE team. Multiple Levels of participation available, please enquire. www.lakehillpreschool.org. Lambrick Park Preschool & Childcare.................................................. 250-477-8131 Gordon Head’s only parent-participation preschool and childcare centre. Flexible options, play-based learning and outdoor play. Allergy friendly. Celebrating 40+ years. www.lambrickparkpreschool.ca. Little Readers Academy.......................... 250-477-5550 An enriched learn-to-read program for your 3-6 year-old! Reading, Writing and Math. Half-day, weekend and evening sessions available. www.oxfordlearning.com. Montessori Educare................................ 250-881-8666 Beautiful learning environments in Broadmead and Saanichton. 30 months – 5 years. Summer program available. Special needs are welcome. www.montessorieducare.com. Oakcrest Preschool................................. 250-472-0668 A welcoming, nurturing environment with a large, bright facility. Learn through play with 2 caring ECEs. www.oakcrestpreschool.org. Puddles & Paints (Nature Daycare)........ 250-658-6573 Introduce your children to the natural world around them! Surrounding them with nature and animals, we build on their curiosity while exploring the outdoors! On 10 acres of parkland the children lead the way towards environmental awareness! With a new ART STUDIO, and weekly lessons from the Vic. Academy of Music... your child’s day will be FULL of wonder and NATURE. Strongly influenced by Reggio. Visit our facebook page for pics of our studio, and handmade toys! Rainbows & Dreams Preschool.............. 250-479-1966 Small classes for 3-5 yr olds in a safe nurturing environment. Children learn through play and fun–developing a sense of confidence, independence and creativity. Highly qualified ECE teacher. Ready Set Grow Preschool..................... 250-472-1530 Caring, quality licensed Learning Through Play environment. In Hillcrest School, Gordon Head. Highly qualified, warm ECE. heosc@pacificcoast.net. Rogers Child Care Centre....................... 250-744-2343 Trusted High Quality Programs since 1991. Early Learning and Out of School Care. www.rogerschildcare.com. St. Joseph’s Catholic Preschool.................................... 250-479-1232 ext 120 • A Christian child centre for 3–5 year olds. • A warm nurturing and challenging program • Offered by St. Joseph’s Catholic School. St. Margaret’s School Early Learning Centre............................. 250-479-7171 Junior Kindergarten for girls age 3 and 4. Nurturing, playbased curriculum with art, STEM and outdoor exploration. Specialist teachers.New LEED-certified facilities on 22acre parkland near Quadra and McKenzie. Half or full day options. www.stmarg.ca.

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Strawberry Vale Preschool..................... 250-479-4213 Programs for 3 or 4 year olds at “The Little Red Schoolhouse.” Choose between full or partial parent participation. www. strawberryvalepreschool.org.

Lansdowne Co-op Preschool................. 250-370-5392 An extraordinary learning environment for families with young children. Parent participation. wwwlansdownepreschool.com.

Victoria Nature School............................ 250-588-3303 A nonprofit community based organization. Their licensed preschool, running out of the forest and beach at Mt Douglas Park, offers full-day and half-day programs for 3-5 year olds with Monday-Friday options. The VNS forest school philosophy focuses on fun, child-led, inquiry-based education. Visit www.victorianatureschool.com for more information. Contact: Bonnie Davison.

Moss Rock Preschool............................. 250-382-2065 Join our ECEs in our play based licensed preschool which builds on the intellectual, social and emotional growth of the children through a pedagogy of listening and relationships. www.fairfieldcommunity.ca

Wiseways Preschool & Daycare............. 250-477-1312 Fully licensed Christian preschool for 3 and 4 year olds. Designed to meet the needs of the whole child. Subsidized fees welcome. www.wiseways.lambrick.com.

SIDNEY Acorntree Preschool............................... 250-686-1408 Balanced indoor/outdoor program, designed to stimulate natural curiosity and foster empathy and compassion towards others. We believe in the importance of both child and teacher directed activities. www.acorntreepreschool.ca. Adel’s Play N Discovery House.............. 250-655-4888 Licensed childcare, 3-5 years, Reggio Emilia inspired. Mon–Fri, 7:30am–5:30pm. 2146 Beacon Avenue W. www. adelplayndiscovery.ca, adelina.gotera@gmail.com. Positive Path Early Learning.................. 250-655-7244 Located near the library and Sidney School, our program has earned a stellar reputation for quality child care and is growing as fast as the children we care for. Space is available for your child to embark on a journey of active exploration and discovery, enjoying a natural outdoor playground and an expansive indoor learning space. Experienced educators foster a lifelong quest for knowledge and guide children with Christian values and virtues. positivepath@shaw.ca.

VICTORIA ArtsCalibre Academy.............................. 250-382-3533 Comprehensive programs for Preschool through Grade 5, delivering academic excellence through music, dance, drama and visual arts. Outstanding educators, locations and facilities. www.ArtsCalibre.ca Babies to Big Kids Childcare......................250-590-2722 949 Fullerton Ave. Licenced group childcare for children ages 6 months to 11 years old. Offering full-time and part-time care. Open 6:30am-5:30pm. info@babies tobigkids.com, www.babiestobigkids.com. Castleview Child Care............................. 250-595-5355 Learning Through Play & Discovery. Licensed non-profit, qual. ECE staff. Since 1958. Preschool and full-time care. www.castleviewchildcarecentre.com. Cedar Daycare......................................... 250-479-2032 Community oriented, NFP Child Care facility. Wide variety of activities offered including the use of a private outdoor pool during the summer months. Licensed ECE educators devoted to nurturing children aged 30 months – 5 years. www.cedardaycare.com. Christ Church Cathedral Childcare and Junior Kindergarten......................... 250-383-5132 ECE and specialist teachers provide an outstanding all day licensed program for 3–5 year olds in our spacious and welcoming facility in James Bay. www.cathedralschool.ca. Downtown Y Child Care Centre............. 250-413-8869 Enriched program, for children ages 3-5 years, supporting healthy child development and future school success. www.victoriay.com.

Nightingale Preschool and Junior Kindergarten......................... 250-595-7544 – Taking children’s learning forward – One of Victoria’s leading preschools and Junior Kindergartens. Balanced approach to play and education. Programme supports literacy, numeracy. Visit www. nightingalepreschool.com. Fernwood. Parkdale Early Childhood Centre........... 250-382-0512 ECEs offer the highest quality care and positive learning experiences in our daycare and preschool. Full time or part time. Call for a tour or visit us at www.parkdalechildcare.ca. Rainbow Express Daycare...................... 250-382-2314 Enriched preschool style program in a daycare setting. Visit our website at www.rainbowexpressdaycare.com. Ross Bay Preschool................................ 250-383-7445 Positive/supportive program motivating children to learn, discover and grow through play. Daily outdoor time, special guests and community events! www.rossbaypreschool@ shaw.ca The Sir James Douglas Playschool....... 250-389-0500 Fun, creative and educational ECE program for 3-5 year olds to grow and develop life long skills. Come play and learn in our bright and modern centre in Fairfield. Victoria Montessori................................. 250-380-0534 Unique, innovative learning environment combining the best of Montessori and Learning Through Play. Open yr. round. 30mths–grade 1. www.victoriamontessori.com.

VIEW ROYAL A Secret Garden Preschool.................... 250-380-8293 Program built on Christian values. Monthly themes, weekly topics and daily activities. asecretgardenpreschool@ shaw.ca. Island Kids Academy View Royal........... 250-727-2929 High quality child care (ages 1-5). Preschool curriculum offered within a warm, caring child care environment. Character development using the Virtues Project. Access to community programs including swimming, skating, Victoria Conservatory of Music. Part-time spaces available. www.islandkids.ca. Little Friends Childcare Center.............. 250-479-8423 For a creative learning environment. Licensed group facility. Infants/Toddlers/Preschool. www.littlefriends childcare.ca. Little Wonders Preschool (View Royal OSC)..................................... 250-744-2718 A creative and supportive program that will prepare your child for a lifetime of learning! Out of School Care is also available for school aged children. www.viewroyalosc.com. Quails’ Nest Daycare............................... 250-721-2342 At-home licensed daycare near VGH; multi-aged; all families welcome. Play-based environment promoting social, emotional, physical growth. Art, songs, story-telling, puppet shows, daily walks. $835.00 quailsnestdaycare. weebly.com.

Continues next page November 2014 43

Preschool & Child Care Directory continued View Royal Preschool.............................. 250-479-8067 An exciting inclusive program in an exceptional care environment. Licensed 3–5 year olds. Outside play and themes enrich this program. viewroyalpreschool@live.com.

Mill Bay / Cobble Hill Starchild Centre........................................ 250-929-3240 Unique infant/toddler daycare, combines the best of Montessori and Waldorf. Our 9 acre hobby farm enables each child to have a garden plot, participate in planting trees, picking fruit, feeding animals, and other outside adventures. www.starchildcentre.ca.

DUNCAN Maple Tree Play House Licensed Family Childcare..................... 250-746-5060 A daycare program that provides enriched outdoor play time and activities that build on a child’s intrinsic love of nature. Healthy meals and snacks are provided. mapletreekids@telus.net. Queen Margaret’s Preschool/Junior Kindergarten................ 250-746-4185 Offering a co-ed enriched curriculum in a friendly atmosphere. Morning ECE/afternoon daycare. www.qms.bc.ca. Queen of Angels Early Learning Centre............................... 250-701-0433 We believe that the development of the whole child (physically, socially, emotionally, cognitively, and spiritually) encourages each individual to develop to their full potential. We offer an enriched full day program for 3–5 year olds based on Kindergarten readiness. Sunrise Waldorf School Preschool........... 250-743-7253 A warm, nature-based rhythm where wonder is nurtured. www.sunrisewaldorfschool.org.

Chemainus Cherry Tree Child Care Centre............... 250-246-9195 Preschool program nurturing creative play and engaging learning activity. 30 months to age five. Qualified and experienced Early Childhood Educator. St. Joseph’s Preschool........................... 250-246-3191 An enriching preschool program allowing children to grow as individuals in a safe and nurturing Christian environment.

Qualicum Beach Children’s Discovery Centre................... 250-752-4343 Our program recognizes the uniqueness of each child and provides a nurturing, safe and creative learning environment. Preschool, Groupcare, Out of School care. ECE qualified staff. childrensdiscoverycentre@hotmail.com. Little Star Children’s Centre................... 250-752-4554 Earth friendly preschool education inspired by nature. Kinder-Prep classes. Licensed group care. ECE instructors. www.littlestardaycare.ca. littlestar@shaw.ca. Thimbleberry Childcare........................... 250-752-8342 A place for preschoolers to seek out adventure and exploration in a natural environment. A magical forest of 20 acres right on our door step. Thimbleberrychildcare@gmail.com

Port Alberni John Paul II Catholic School.................. 250-723-0637 “Where children grow and learn through play.” We provide a program that will inspire development physically, socially, emotionally, cognitively, creatively and spiritually.

44 Island Parent Magazine

The Screen-Time Sky Dive

ne afternoon this summer my 13-yearold daughter, Evelyn, returned from our local video store and called out, “I think Yo Video is about to shut down.” She held up the DVD she’d just brought home: “They asked if I wanted to buy this instead of just renting it.” Evelyn was right. Two weeks later their doors were shut and their shelves empty. The moment my kids heard the news they were all over me: “Now can we get Netflix?” All three of our daughters had been badgering my wife and me for months, maybe for years, but we’d maintained a hard line support for the video store—nostalgic, perhaps, for an era quickly passing. Certainly neither of us are fans of the always-on, instant-access of Netflix. For the next month or so we limped along without either a local video store or a Netflix subscription, then in early September, the issue came to a head in a strange way. One night over diner, our middle daughter, Tessa, told us about a friend’s cat who’d just had kittens. Right there at the dinner table, our youngest daughter, Vivian, shouted that we should get a kitten. Evelyn, always looking for an opportunity to get her point across said, “Lets get Netflix instead of a kitten.” We all started arguing, Netflix vs. Kitten, and for some reason it came to me to decide. Our last kitten had been a nightmare. We already had an adult cat when we got him, and by the time the new kitten came of age, he was wandering miles from our house and peeing and pooing on our furniture. He practically lived in the shops up and down Oak Bay Avenue and generally demonstrated that he wanted to live anywhere but with us. However, I didn’t want Netflix much either. I feared Netflix would take us down a slippery slope to nights with the whole family glued to the TV screen. I’m the guy that never had a TV, never wanted a TV and thought we should all spend our evenings reading books or playing music. And now my kids wanted us to hook up to the IV stream of never-ending, always-on, always-available TV. So I went around the room, asked if everyone really wanted me to make this decision for the family. Everyone agreed. I

paused, looked from face to face and said: “No problem: A kitten.” Evelyn screamed. Tessa screamed. My wife started yelling at me, too. Even Vivian started yelling at me. It turned out she actually wanted both a kitten and Netflix. The whole family wanted Netflix. Everyone but me.

Dadspeak Daniel Griffin The Saturday night before Evelyn’s fourteenth birthday, I slipped down to my office, entered my credit card information and signed us up for Netflix. The truth is that despite my reservations, I, too, like a good movie or a good TV series. The alternative of hiking the extra two miles to the next nearest video store just seemed too daunting. That same night we began watching. We started with a documentary about the sprinter Usain Bolt and then we watched an episode of Arrested Development. And then another episode of Arrested Development and another and… For anyone out there worried about Netflix and the slippery slope to nightly TV binges, more screen time and a familywide desperation for the “next episode,” I can assure you there’s no slippery slope. It happens a lot faster than that. After just a few days, our whole family was addicted to Arrested Development, and my wife and I were staying up late watching Orange is the New Black. Even our kids have been amazed at how quickly this happened. I know because when my wife and I suggested we have 15 minutes of family reading before our nightly dose of Arrested Development, no one objected. We all got out our books, and 15 minutes later, switched on the TV. Daniel Griffin is the father of three children and the author of Stopping for Strangers (Vehicule Press, 2012), a collection of short stories about parents, children, brothers and sisters.

www.kidsinvictoria.com

Ad Directory

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Winter’s for the Birds! t n e r a P d n Isla Celebrating

on for Vancouver Island

The Resource Publicati

27 Years

Parents

4 November 201

The Giving Season A Knitting Revival Raising an Outdoor Child The Language of Movement

Holiday Gift & Book ns Recommendatio

GROWING! We’ve recently expanded our free distribution into additional outlets! Please visit any of our valued partners to pick up your latest copy of Island Parent. We welcome and thank our newest partner…

t’s raining again and my children are itching to get outside, but it’s hard to share their enthusiasm. As I glance out the window to see if the rain is easing, I happen to see a flock of birds hopping around in our tree, oblivious to the downpour. Winter weather really is for the birds! Our mild climate allows many birds to skip over winter in mild Victoria, compared to our neighbours to the east. So why not use winter bird watching as a fun way to get outside? Winter draws my family’s interest to our feathered friends. Maybe it’s the fact that without the leaves the birds are easier to spot. Or maybe it’s the suet feeder outside the living room, bringing the birds into view. It’s lovely to enjoy these small wonders throughout the year, particularly during this season. So if you are looking to enjoy the sounds of an American robin or the distinct colouring of a harlequin duck, then look no further than the forests, lagoons, beaches and marshes of our great Regional Parks. Bird watching is a bit like spying, and children love this. If you are quiet and

My favorite bird book to use with children is The Birds of Coastal British Columbia by Nancy Baron and John Acorn. Another favorite is the coloring book series Pacific North-West Birding for Children by Bob Cockrell.

secretive you will be rewarded with the sights and sounds of winter birds. Move slowly and stop often to look up into the trees and down into the bushes. Listen hard while cupping your hands behind your ears. When you spot a bird, keep your eyes on it and try your best to identify it through its distinct patterns, colours and sounds. You only need binoculars, a simple bird guide and a notebook to have a great day of bird watching. • Binoculars let you see the birds up close, notice the details like the colourful wing patch on a mallard duck or the little beak of the bufflehead. Trying to identify bird species is great for people who like to solve puzzles. • Having a local bird guidebook with you is like having an expert by your side. Look for one that has very simple large drawings.

time to enjoy these amazing creatures. It’s easy to learn about some of the birds that live around you. The more we learn about birds the more interest we develop in our own natural environment. Did you know that bird watching is one of the fastest growing hobbies? It’s enjoyed by all age groups because birds are easy to observe and very interesting to watch. Once you introduce a child to birds they will have friends forever! Happy winter bird watching! Join us for a bird watching program on November 23 at Witty’s Lagoon Regional Park or learn more about owls on Dec. 29 at Mill Hill Regional Park. See the calendar of events at crd.bc.ca/events.

Nature Notes kaTie TUrner • Jot down your observations or do a sketch in a notebook to help you remember the birds you have observed. When bird watching, I like to find a spot close to water. If I sit patiently and watch I may see an eagle perched high in a tree surveying its next meal or a great blue heron stalking its breakfast. So, whether you are watching birds this winter from the comfort of your couch or from one of our Regional Parks, take the

Save-On-Foods

(six Greater victoria locations) plus GREATER VICTORIA Greater Victoria Public Libraries Vancouver Island Regional Libraries Greater Victoria Recreation Centres Thrifty Foods All 25 Serious Coffee locations Island-wide Victoria Gymnastics Country Grocer Chapters Vitamin Shop The Bay Centre (info booth) Scallywags Royal BC Museum Buddies Toys Crumsby’s Market on Yates Market on Millstream Victoria Conservatory JamTots Lifestyle Market Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre

DUNCAN Duncan Mall (centre court) Indigo Red Balloon Cowichan Recreation Centre Cowichan Aquatics Centre Kinderbeez Duncan Tourist Information CHEMAINUS Chemainus Theatre SHAWNIGAN LAKE Community Centre LADYSMITH Ladysmith Recreation Centre NANAIMO Nanaimo Aquatic Centre Quality Foods Country Club Mall Regional Library – Boban Fairway Market Island Natural Health Foods Woodgrove Centre

For a complete list of where you can find a copy of Island Parent Magazine, go to

www.islandparent.ca 250-388-6905 46

Island Parent Magazine

Katie Turner is a park interpreter with CRD Regional Parks. www.kidsinvictoria.com

Lindsay Coulter

Homemade Bird Feeder

Santa

Lindsay Coulter, David Suzuki’s Queen of Green, can be reached at queenofgreen.ca. Her article is reprinted with permission from www.davidsuzuki.org.

www.IslandParent.ca

fo r

e R u d olp h’s r

BC Transit’s

Santa Bus is Coming to Town Friday, December 19 and Saturday, December 20

Come ride the bus and meet Santa • Santa bus stickers • Candy canes • Holiday music Various routes – check website for schedule. Holiday Service also on the web.

Victoria Regional Transit System 4201

hether the birds are fall migrants or year-long residents, supplementing their diets with high-quality calories will help them survive to reproduce in spring. Ingredients 1 cup crunchy peanut butter* 1 cup flour (whole wheat or white flour) 1 cup fat (suet or vegetable shortening)** 4 cups grains, seeds, legumes and/or dried fruit*** Use local, organic ingredients, if possible. Melt fat in a saucepan on low heat. Meanwhile, mix other ingredients in a large bowl. Pour melted fat over dry mixture, stir well and pour into loaf or muffin tins. If you’re using a larger pan, cut the mixture into smaller blocks (about the size of a large brownie) once it’s cooled. To avoid attracting rodents, feed blocks should be small enough for birds to consume in a day. Discard rancid or moldy feeders. Blocks can be frozen until needed. Spread one serving of feeder mixture onto tree bark or smush it onto a pine cone. Or place one fat block into a mesh onion bag or a wire suet cage (get this at the bird store)—these give birds something to hang out on. If you hang your feeder from a tree branch, secure the holder to a tree trunk with wire or string. Keep it at a distance from bird houses or nest boxes to avoid attracting predators. Clean feeders with a solution of Borax and water (1 Tbsp Borax to 1 litre water) or nonchlorine bleach. *If peanut allergy is an issue, substitute almond or other nut butters. If nut allergies are a problem, try seed butters. **Suet, the best fat choice for birds, can be purchased from a butcher, or at a wild bird store. If you choose vegetable fat, be sure it’s non-hydrogenated. ***Options: rolled oats, cracked corn, cornmeal, shelled sunflower seeds, millet, peanuts (raw, unsalted), cranberries, raisins, apples, or pre-mixed birdseed. (Note: many birds won’t be able to eat seeds in the shell once they are coated in fat. Substitute with unshelled seeds.)

Bus

Transit Info 250·382·6161 • www.bctransit.com

SLEEPING BABIES ARE HAPPY BABIES...

4201_VIC BC Transit Island Parent Magazine Size: 4.75” x 6.75” Insertion Date: November and December

If your baby or child isn’t getting the for BC Transit Reber Creative sleep they need, help250-383-5255 is available.

Call Sukkie Sandhu • 250.857.1408 • www.happybabysleepsolutions.com November 2014 47

Cut It Out!

Tips from Parent Educator Allison Rees of LIFE Seminars

Fear of Being Judged?

ow much does the fear of judgment create anxious behaviour in adults? Could it be that our terror of not measuring up to the omnipresent judges of the parenting world makes us a major pain in the butt to our kids? Perhaps we need to Cut it Out! When we force manners and apologies, we are acting intrusive, which is rude, and we should say “Sorry.” When we overprotect because we are fearful, we create a sense of inadequacy in our kids and tell them the world is scary. When we give too much too soon without empowering kids to create for themselves, we foster irresponsibility and helplessness. Why do you think so many children have anxiety today? Perhaps it’s

us! It’s our fear that leads to perfectionism and expecting kids to act like adults. Of course our kids feel anxious when we worry about their behaviour because it shows them we can’t be okay until they act differently. This is a problem because they can’t meet these standards and if they do, what are they sacrificing by making sure we are okay? While the fear of babying our kids and being permissive is huge in the world of parenting, what we really need to focus on is our mistaken ideas of how we think children are supposed to act. If we don’t know what our child’s “normal” looks like, then we are acting out of ignorance and when we do that, we are holding the bar too high.

So how can this look? Do you ever feel a quiet sense of knowing even though society tells you otherwise? That sense that your kid should be playing instead of doing homework? Or that your toddler shouldn’t have to hug the distant relative he doesn’t know? What about times when you lose yourself in the moment and just want to play with your child…all day doing nothing important? Can this be okay and does it have value? When you can accept your children for who they are, you can relax and enjoy them no matter what. When you show this kind of confidence it spills over to them. How about valuing childhood? How about getting messy? What about dreaming big and focusing on things you love to do? What about being the guardian of your child’s need for rest, relaxation, dreams, belonging, acceptance, play and creativity? Maybe if you’re okay, they will be okay too. LIFE Seminars has two books available, Sidestepping the Power Struggle and The Parent Child Connection. See www.lifeseminars.com.

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48 Island Parent Magazine

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