November 2017 Island Parent

Island Parent Celebrating

30 Years

The Resource Publication for Vancouver Island Parents

November 2017

A Little Learning

Pregnancy in the Information Age

Eating Pasta with Chopsticks The Challenges of Bicultural Parenting

Holiday Gift & Book Recommendations

Experience the precision of customized vision

Every parent wants their child to be happy and healthy, and part of that is ensuring their visual system functions properly.

did You Know?

• Eye exams are recommended at 6 months, and again at 3 years of age. Annual eye exams are recommended from kindergarten thereafter, as vision changes can occur rapidly as your child grows.

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Dr. Joslin, Dr. Morin & associates Doctors of Optometry

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1581 hillside Ave, victoria

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Across the street from Hillside Centre

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Curiosity • Diversity Exploration • Nature Play-Oriented Learning

Sooke: #5–6726 West Coast Rd 250-642-4311 www.sookeoptometrists.com

New Patients Welcome

• A Doctor of Optometry can assess your child’s health, vision and coordination with specialized testing at a very early age.

• Many optometric services are covered as a benefit by the BC Medical Services Plan (MSP), including one full eye examination annually for children age 18 and under.

St. Joseph’s Elementary School

Half Day & Full Day Early Learning Programs St. Joseph’s Elementary School offers Grades K–7, as well as licensed Group Day Care and Preschool.

Applications are available on-line or from the school office. St. Joseph’s offers a rigorous academic program in a Catholic Christian atmosphere.

3905 Haro Road, Victoria BC

250-477-3731 arbutusgrove.ca

757 West Burnside Road 250 479 1232 www.stjosephschool.ca

Come Grow With Us!

GIVE-A-$HEET You Can “Bridge People to Nature”

DID YOU KNOW...

Your donation to Phase II of the

“Bridges to Nature” Floating Boardwalk Campaign Will ~ no matter the size ~

* Each $heet of fiberglass decking will cost aprox $500 * Each $ection of the Phase II floating Boardwalk Project will cost aprox $5,000 $800,000 is required to span the lake

Make a Difference

Call 250.479.0211 or visit swanlake.bc.ca to donate

“Give-a-$HEET” and help Bridge People to Nature Today!

IslandParent.ca

November 2017 3

26 Screen Time & Young Children

Grandparent I S L A N D

2 0 1 7

Get Grandkid Equipped Here & There 10 Things to Do with Your Grandkids

Island Grandparent is Growing!

What started out as an annual publication will now be available 2x per year Advertising Deadline November 22 Distribution Through Your Favourite location December 4

FeatUReS 12 Christmas Craft Markets 13 Holiday Gift &

Book Recommendations 18 Elise Velazquez: Taking Care of Your Mental Health 20 Kelly McQuillan: A Little Learning 21 Jerri Carson: Pipes & Drums 22 Wakana Takai-MacLean: Eating Pasta With Chopsticks 24 Colleen Adrian: Praise that Cultivates Grit in Our Kids 26 Screen Time & Young Children

In Every iSSUe Island Parent Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Party Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Family Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Family Services Directory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46, 47 Preschool & Child Care Directory . . . . . . . . . . 48, 49 Business & Professional Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

Sue Fast

Editor editor@islandparent.ca

Island Parent Magazine 830–A Pembroke Street Victoria, BC V8T 1H9 250-388-6905 islandparent.ca

250-388-6905 sales@islandparent.ca

Linda Frear

CoLUmNS 5 Sue Fast: Editor’s Note

16 Erin Skillen:

Post-Married Mommy 36 Emillie Parrish: Cooking With Kids 38 Ashley Degraaf: Is There an App for This?

40 Daniel Griffin: Dadspeak 42 Murray Fyfe & Shelley McClure: Healthy Families, Happy Families 44 Diana Hurschler: New Parent Pages 50 Laura Trunkey: Maternity & Beyond 52 Emma Jane Vignola: Nature Notes 54 Allison Rees: Cut It Out!

RaeLeigh Buchanan

Mark Warner

Office Manager & Sales sales@islandparent.ca

Advertising Consultant raeleigh@islandparent.ca

Publisher/Owner publisher@islandparent.ca

Design & Layout Eacrett Graphic Design

Printed by Black Press

ISSN 0838-5505

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Island Parent Magazine, published by Island Parent Group Enterprises Ltd., is a monthly publication that honours and supports parents by providing information on resources and businesses for Vancouver Island families. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher. No material herein may be reproduced without the permission of the publisher. Annual mail subscriptions (12 issues) are available for $35 (GST included). Canadian Publication Mail Product Sales Agreement 40051398.

On the CoVeR

Connor (3) and Mango. Photo by Tara Townshend (Connor’s mom).

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Island Parent Magazine

IslandParent.ca

more relaxed and less wild—maybe because he isn’t trying to compete for attention; he knows he has it.”

In a crazy day, taking even 20 minutes to stop, drop and play can feel impossible.

But it’s worth it—a reset button for a busy stuff with them is great, but doesn’t count as day and a reminder of what’s important. “floor time.” Temper tantrums went from nearly every day to almost never when I started doing 20 minutes of floor time most days when my son was two or three.

So, Goddard took her advice.

Editor’s Note “Almost every morning for the past two weeks, I’ve been playing on the floor for 20 minutes with Anton. Just the two of us,” she blogged. “We’ll usually build a train This month, we bid a fond farewell to track all around the room (‘to China!’ he says, inspired by Knuffle Bunny). I’ll Daniel Griffin, who for almost 10 years has make sure to keep my mind present—if contributed to the much-loved Dadspeak it starts to wander (to work, home stuff, column. Through his articles, we’ve seen whatever), I bring it back to the moment. his three daughters grow from toddlers into I’ll build a bridge, comment on the tracks teens, and we’ve travelled with them from Anton chooses, or even just watch him and Vancouver Island to the Grand Canyon, the way he breathes really slowly when he Joshua Tree, and Death Valley via RV, to India where the family lived for a year, concentrates.”

The results have been remarkable, says and to Mexico, the subject of this month’s Goddard. “What a difference it has made, Dadspeak column, Daniel’s last. We will even on the very first day. He’s so much miss you and wish you well.

Stop, Drop & Play

H

ow do you stop tantrums?

When blogger Joanna Goddard of “A Cup of Jo” asked her readers that question, she had no shortage of answers.

Stop them before they start, some replied: cut sugar, increase sleep, get outside, tell a joke, avoid shopping. Some said to put kids on a stool in front of the sink, hand them some plastic cups and turn on the water.

Learn to make a mean paper airplane and distract them with the miracle of flight.

But the suggestion that resonated most with Goddard—and, in turn, worked on her three-year-old son, Anton—was this one: “The most life-changing book I read was Playful Parenting: A Bold New Way to Nurture Close Connections, Solve Behavior Problems, and Encourage Children’s Confidence. The main idea was that you need to make time regularly to sit on the floor and PLAY with your children. Doing other

A

ISTMA CHR S CAROL

Sue Fast

November 28— December 17 2017 “A superb production... sublime” GLOBE & MAIL

TICKETS

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November 2017 5

Island Parent Notes

Bleiddyn del Villar Bellis Artistic Director Fellow & Examiner CSC-CICB Enrico Cecchetti Final Diploma

Victoria Teen Fest

2017 Fall Children’s Classes Photo credit: David Cooper

Ballet Classes for ages 3 - Teen Registration now open online.

Outstanding dance training by award winning faculty.

250-590-6752 admin@victoriaacademyofballet.ca victoriaacademyofballet.ca

Let my family show your family the way home

Choosing the right Real Estate Agent just got easier!

The Victoria TeenFest is on Saturday, November 4 at Pearkes Recreation Centre, 3100 Tillicum Road, from 11am-4:30pm.

This one-day free 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 chance to win a $250 Visa gift card; a teen talent contest; skateboarding; a climbing wall; a performance by teen musicians, singers and bands; interactive sports and gaming activities; 60+ booths to see, learn, shop and sample; four different areas to explore (life and education, cool stuff, fashion and beauty, and health and wellness), dance performers on the main stage; special guests; and more.

For information, visit teenfest.ca/victoria.

New Library in James Bay

A new library is set to open in the James Bay neighbourhood in early 2018. The community and media are invited to learn more about the new facility and the broad range of services it will provide at an Open House on Saturday, November 4 from 11am3pm at the Central Branch at 735 Broughton Street in the Community Room.

Located on the corner of Menzies and Superior Streets, the new library is a partnership of the City of Victoria and the Greater

Victoria Public Library system. The City is providing $1.5 million in funding for the new branch, which is situated in the first phase of the new Capital Park residential and commercial development.

In late 2015, the Greater Victoria Public Library surveyed the public about the features and location of a new library branch in James Bay. The Open House will be an opportunity to thank the community for their input and for participants to view displays and speak with Library and City staff. Refreshments will be provided.

Modern in design with abundant natural light and views of the iconic Legislature building, the 7,500-square-foot branch will feature: wi-fi enabled outdoor reading space within the Capital Park courtyard and greenspace; community living room space and public computers; family-friendly children’s area; teen area and two rentable study rooms; separate, rentable community meeting room with seating for up to 60 people, available after hours; laptop bar and mobile charging station; varied seating options including lounge reading chairs, bistro seating, high tables and chairs; flexible mobile shelving to adapt to community needs; Automated Materials Handling (AMH) technology for immediate check-in of library returns 24/7.

The new branch fulfills the Library Board’s mission to build community and support lifelong learning by providing free access to information, space, tools and expertise. The new facility will provide users with access to all resources in the Greater Victoria Public Library system, including Lynda.com video tutorials and Hoopla digital movies, music, audiobooks and TV shows.

For more information on the new library and open house, visit gvpl.ca.

Pumpkin Smash 2017

As a 3rd generation Realtor, born and raised in Victoria, I am dedicated to providing the highest level of service and look forward to assisting you with all your Real Estate needs.

Paula Wensley

Office: 250-388-5882 Cell: 778-678-7387

The scariest thing about Halloween is the number of jack-o-lanterns that end up in the landfill. Keep your pumpkins out of the trash and drop by the Greater Victoria Compost Education Centre’s largest event of the year—the 12th Annual Pumpkin Smash (by donation). Bring your family and friends, and of course your pumpkins, and try your hand at an assortment of family games to help raise awareness for composting. Since the event started, the Compost Centre has diverted almost 100 tonnes of pumpkins from the landfill.

The Greater Victoria Compost Education Centre is located at 1216 North Park Street in Victoria and provides composting and organic gardening education to Capital Region residents. The Centre is also your regional “one-stop compost shop,” selling composting supplies and offering free Composting Basics workshops. For dates and times, phone the compost hotline at 250-386-WORM (9676) or visit compost.bc.ca.

Pwensley@macrealty.com Paulawensley.com 6 Island Parent Magazine

IslandParent.ca

Wonder Sunday at Royal BC Museum

essay (Grades 4-12); poetry (Grades 4-12); and video (Grades 7-12). Cash prizes and a The Royal BC Museum’s Wonder Sun- trip to Ottawa (for the winner in the senior day family series now takes place every category, grades 10, 11, and 12). Deadline Sunday and offers activities and lively November 15. For more information, visit presentations with themes inspired by the legionbcyukon.ca/content/youth-contests. current exhibitions. This month’s Wonder Sunday take place on November 5, 12, 19 Christmas in November and 26 from 1-3pm. This month’s topic: (and December) Micro-organisms. Sometimes the smallest Feel like getting into the Christmas spirit creatures can have the biggest impact. Dive a little early? If so, there’s no shortage of into the world of teeny tiny plankton and events this month: other micro-organisms to learn how their 26th Annual BC Children’s Hospital existence is crucial to our own lives and Festival of Trees at the Bay Centre from the lives of other land and marine animals. November 15-January 2, 2018. All proceeds For more information and tickets for support BC Children’s Hospital Foundathis and other events, visit royalbcmuseum. tion. Donate to vote for your favourite bc.ca.

Christmas tree (suggested $2 minimum).

Christmas in Old Town at Royal BC Museum (included with admission or 1UP Single Parent Resource membership) from November 16-January Centre Workshops 1UP Single Parent Resource Centre offers 9, 2018. Take in the sights and sounds of a variety of workshops including Everyday Christmas long ago. Visit the wood-cobbled Mindfulness, Lighthouse Parent (0-5yrs), streets lined with festive garlands and see Lighthouse Parent (6-12yrs), Navigating the shops decked with seasonal finery.

Habitat for Humanity’s Gingerbread the Digital Teen, Dads With Dads Support Groups, How to Talk so Kids Will Listen Showcase at the Parkside Hotel & Spa, and Listen so Kids Will Talk, Relationships (810 Humboldt St) runs from November & Boundaries, Make Stress Work for YOU 18-January 2, 2018, 9am-9pm. This year’s and Declutter Your Mind and Gain More Time. This month, Lighthouse Parent (612) starts on November 9 and runs for four weeks on Thursdays from 6:30-8:30pm.

This program is based on attachment and attunement theories, child to pre-teen stages of development, including strategies and resources to enhancing parenting capacity, parent/child bond and family resiliency. For class descriptions and times, visit singleparentvictoria.ca/our-courses. All classes are at 602 Gorge Rd East. Fees are on a sliding scale. For more information, visit singleparentvictoria.ca.

theme: Celebrating Canada. Proceeds support the work of Habitat Victoria.

Island Farms Santa’s Light Parade.

Kick-off the holiday season with the Santa Parade on November 25. Enjoy musical performances, roving entertainment, and Christmas splendor, starting at 4:45pm.

Rain or shine. Free.

Sidney Sparkles Parade & Sailpast on December 3 at 5pm. Watch the parade along Beacon Avenue and Second Street, then wander down to the waterfront to see the lighted boat parade.

The Ladysmith Festival of Lights on November 30, starting at 3pm, features entertainment, Santa’s arrival downtown at 6:30pm to light-up Ladysmith, then a parade at 6:45pm, and fireworks.

Fan Choice at the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Awards

Two local B.C. authors and an illustrator have been selected for the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Awards: When We Were Alone, illustrated by Julie Flett (Vancouver, B.C.); The Skeleton Tree, written

by Iain Lawrence (Gabriola Island, B.C.); and A Day of Signs and Wonders, written

by Kit Pearson (Victoria, B.C.).

Legion Youth Remembrance Contest

Attention kids and youth in B.C. and Yukon. Are you an artist, wordsmith, or a filmmaker? If so, take those words and pictures in your head and show them to the world. Create a work of art or literature about remembrance and what it means to you and your country and you could win local and national prizes. 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); IslandParent.ca

November 2017 7

presents...

Sansei:

The Storyteller Created and performed

by Mark Kunji Ikeda

Nov. 23-25 at 7:30pm Sat. Nov. 25 at 2pm VIU’s Malaspina Theatre Tickets $29 | $15 students

theatreone.org | 250-754-7587

Not only are they in the running to win a top prize of $30,000—one of the largest prizes in Canadian children’s literature— but also, young readers across Canada can vote for their favourite nominated book at cbc.ca/fanchoice to determine who will win the CBC Fan Choice Contest. One lucky voter will also receive a $500 prize, as well as a visit by one of the nominated authors, book donations and a generous financial donation to their school library. The CBC Fan Choice Contest (cbc.ca/fanchoice) runs from now until Nov 19, 2017 at 11:59pm.

Both the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award winner and CBC Fan Choice Contest winner will be announced at a gala event at The Carlu in Toronto on November 21.

Bear Wear 2017

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 $503,000 for kids with disabilities and health challenges on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.

This year at the 17th annual Bear Wear there will be festivities including stories with Santa, carols, cocoa and more.

Bear Wear is open to the public seven days a week from November 28-January 2, 2018. Enoy a hot chocolate during a walk through the Hotel Grand Pacific’s

lobby, elegantly decorated for the holiday season, and behold the adorable bears in masquerade. Past favourites include Dr. Seuss Bear, Frankenstein Bear, Barbie Bear, and Katy Perry Bear.

With a suggested minimum $2 donation in support of Children’s Health Foundation, 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 support children on Vancouver Island. For more information, visit childrenshealthvi.org/events/bear-wear-0.

GVPL’s Cultural & Recreational Passes

The library, together with several local partners, offers library cardholders the opportunity to explore local cultural institutions and recreation centres. If you have a valid adult library card, you can borrow a free pass from your local library. Place a hold on a pass with your library card at gvpl.ca and pick it up at your local library branch.

Passes include: Art Gallery of Greater Victoria provides free general admission for 2 adults and up to 4 children. The loan period is 7 days, with no renewals, and does not include special events or gift shop discounts.

Craigdarroch Castle provides free general admission—electronic passes only—for 2 adults and 2 youth (children under 5 are free). Passes are valid for 7 days and can be redeemed for a single visit.

Summit at the Bay

HELP YOUR CHILD with developmental, behavioural, learning or sensory processing difficulties reach their potential.

Learn how to help your child with our in-home neuroscience based music programs in just minutes a day!

“The Listening Program has restored harmony in our home and we all agree that it was the best purchase I’ve ever made. Thank you to all the people who developed this miracle program— you saved my son!” – Lacey, Lance’s Mom

Book your free Initial Listening Program Consultation to discuss your situation as to how The Listening Program may be able to help.

bookme.name/JostHealthWorx dougjost@me.com 888-283-6355 8 Island Parent Magazine

Canada’s only inquiry-based youth summit is happening again this year on November 18 and 19. High school students from across B.C. will gather at Royal Bay Secondary in SD62 for Summit at the Bay, a high-energy weekend of listening, laughing, and learning the skills that will prepare them for an uncertain future.

Based in inquiry learning—with guest speakers in mental health, sustainability and Aboriginal issues—Summit offers a chance for high-school-aged kids to dive deep into their own personal interests, guided by adult mentors in the business community.

It’s real-world learning in a real-world setting. Principal Jeff Hopkins and the Pacific School of Innovation and Inquiry have partnered to facilitate the two-day inquiry and open-space sessions.

A rich Human Library connects youth with experts in science, business, health care, engineering, design, LGBTQ and Indigenous issues, policy and governance, and social services. And there’s theatre, food trucks, dancing and the annual-throwing-of-theholi-powder. What’s not to love?

Summit and its parent organization, Rethink Thinking, works to supplement what our kids are learning in the regular school system, equipping them with the tools they need to cope with a world that changes faster by the day: self-direction, accountability, resilience, financial literacy, decision-making, deep learning, knowledge of self and perceptiveness with others. These are the key life skills that our children don’t always have enough exposure to as they go through school. But they’re must-haves.

Parents have the power to connect their children with these skills. For tickets visit rethinkthinking.ca/summit-at-the-bay-2017.

IslandParent.ca

Family Services of Greater Victoria

We Have Moved!

We are now part of Victoria’s New Social Innovation Centre at

1004 North Park Street

(Between Cook and Vancouver)

þ Individual, Couple and Family Counseling þ Parenting Coaching þ Relationship Referee þ Parent­‐Teen Mediation þ Specialized Children’s Therapy Services þ Caught in the Middle þ Divorce and Separation Legal Information and Mediation þ Parenting with a New Partner þ Parenting After Separation

250.386.4331 www.fsgv.org IslandParent.ca

November 2017 9

The Royal BC Museum Family Pass provides free general admission for 2 adults and up to 3 children (youth under 5 are free).

The loan period is 7 days, with no renewals, and does not include special events or gift shop discounts.

Maritime Museum of British Columbia provides free general admission for 2 adults and up to 3 youth (ages 12-18). Children under 12 are free. Loan period is 7 days, with no renewals.

The Saanich Recreation Pass provides free general admission to any Saanich Recreation Centre for 2 adults and up to 4 children (5-18 years; children 4 and under are free). The loan period is 7 days, with no renewals permitted, and does not include child minding or registered classes.

The Robert Bateman Centre Pass provides free general admission for 2 adults and up to 4 children (6-18 years; under 5 are free). The loan period is 7 days, with no renewals. For information, visit http:// gvpl.ca/using-the-library/our-collection/ cultural-and-recreational-passes.

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Learning Portal at Royal BC Museum

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For a generation that’s growing up swiping screens, texting and puzzling over parental commands to “dial” phone numbers, the Royal BC Museum’s Learning Portal (learning.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca) is a custom-made digital tool, designed for techsavvy learners who like choice, connecting online and assembling info as they see fit.

The Learning Portal offers tools for teachers and students, including “playlists”—a feature similar to a mixtape (which parents can surely relate to). Anyone can create a playlist by choosing materials offered on the Learning Portal, mixing and organizing to fit whatever theme or topic they’re most interested in—and then sharing.

Some of the most interesting and useful playlists have been created by teachers and education students; these are all public and ready to share as resources. Check out the playlists at learning.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/ our-playlists/.

Since launching in February 2015, the Learning Portal has also added lots of new material, including episodes from the televised series “This Week in History,” featuring the Royal BC Museum’s collections, and “pathways,” which are entry points into Learning Portal subjects as varied as Emily Carr, BC’s species at risk and BC’s

Building families

Building families through adoption through adoption Building families Building families across BC BC across through adoption through adoption since 1989. across BC across BC

since 1989.

since 1989.

1989. since

November is Adoption Awareness Month November November isis Adoption Awareness Month Adoption Awareness Month

We can help. Contact us: 1-800-479-9811 / choicesadoption.ca We can help.

Contact us: We can help.

Contact us: 1-800-479-9811 / choicesadoption.ca

10 Island Parent Magazine / choicesadoption.ca 1-800-479-9811

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IslandParent.ca

gold rush. New articles, educator resources and additional features are added as the Learning Portal grows. The Learning Portal is a window into the Royal BC Museum’s collections and BC’s history that kids and adult learners can crack open no matter where they live in the province.

The Royal BC Museum will tweet the launch of new playlists, pathways or other new features on Twitter, using the hashtag #RBCMlearningportal.

Children’s Wildlife Book Series Helps Conserve Canadian Animals

Teacher, artist, illustrator, and local author, Sherry Ewacha-Poole is lending her support to wildlife conservation organization Habitat Acquisition Trust (HAT) with proceeds from a new five-book series raising funds for nature.

Written by Sherry Ewacha-Poole and published by Wildlife Matters Publishing, the A-Z Wildlife Series highlights 130 animals from all over Canada with each of the five books focusing on a different region, including our own West Coast.

Each book features 26 creatures. Some of the animals showcased from the West Coast include orca whales, Spirit Bears, and the Vancouver Island marmot, with informational fun facts about their natural history alongside colourful illustrations.

Purchasing the books helps these animals remain living in our forests, mountains, rivers, and seas, as $5 from the purchase goes directly to habitat protection, enhancement, and restoration programs with HAT. “When we learn about and admire the animals around us, it’s only natural to want to see them protected and remain a part of our world. With this partnership, children get a chance to not only grow their understanding of wildlife, but also feel empowered that they are a part of keeping them safe,” says Alanah Nasadyk, HAT community and development coordinator.

Books are available at 825 Broughton St. Call ahead at 250-995-2428 to ensure copies are on hand. You can also purchase the series online at wildlifematters.ca/thea-z-wildlife-series. Remember to mention Habitat Acquisition Trust in a note before check-out to ensure a portion of proceeds goes to local wildlife conservation.•

IslandParent.ca

November 2017 11

Christmas LANGFORD

Craft Markets The Little Owl SIDNEY

November 15 & December 6 5:30–8:30pm

Kids Fair

Rain, Sun or Snow!

Langford Legion

761 Station Avenue, Langford, BC Nov 15: Free Admission Dec 6: Food bank and monetary donations

first chance last chance Nov 4 - 5

Dec 9 -10

Mary Winspear Centre, Sidney

METCHOSIN

Christmas Craft Fair

Saturday 10-5 | Sunday 10-4 $4 Weekend Pass | Children U12 Free

Metchosin Hall Society

80+ Juried Artisans (25+ NEW)

SAANICH

Victorian Christmas Craft Fair November 18, 10am–5pm November 19, 10am–4pm Commonwealth Place 4326 Elk Lake Drive $3 • Info 250-479-6113

Saanich Fair – Christmas in the Manger 44th Annual Craft & Christmas Sale In the Main Hall and RCMP Barn. Saturday, November 25 and Sunday November 26 10am–4pm. 1528 Stellys Cross Road.

Admission $2, children under 12 FREE. Plenty of Free Parking.

150 vendors, snack bar/refreshments available. saanichfair.ca, 250-652-3314.

Cook Street Activity Centre 380 Cook St 30 Vendors Free Craft Workshops Cafe Facepainting Free for Kids

Donʼt Miss The Owl Designer Fair

Dec 1-2 Fernwood NRG facebook.com/owldesignerfair Enter To Win A $200 Vendor Shopping Spree!

Metchosin Hall, 4401 William Head Rd Info: metchosinhall@gmail.com

Nov. 18 10am-5pm

Nanaimo 27th Annual

Christmas Vintage, Retro & Collectible Show/Sale Sunday, November 19, 2017. 9:30am–4pm, entrance $4. Early Birds @ 8:30am, entrance $20. Mary Winspear Centre, 2243 Beacon Ave, Sidney. vintageretrocollectible.ca. Josiejones@ shaw.ca. 250-744-1807.

Randerson Ridge Craft Fair

SOOKE

Nov 17th 6-9pm | Nov 18th 10am-4pm

All Sooke Arts & Crafts 2017

at Dover Bay Secondary

$2 Admission ~ Children 12 and under Free 80+ Local Crafters ~ Raffle Baskets Door Prizes ~ Bake Sale ~ Concession on Site

Annual Christmas Craft Fair

Friday, November 17, 1–8pm Saturday, November 18, 10am–5pm Sunday, November 19, 10am–5pm Sooke Community Hall 2037 Shields Rd, Sooke BC

Frank J Ney Elementary PAC 2nd Annual

Over 80 Vendors on 2 floors • Free Admission Wheelchair Accessible • Photos with Santa Concession by Sooke Harbourside Lions

40 Vendors Raffles Concession

Victoria Quadra Village Community Centre Youth Program Hosts a Craft Fair!

Come find a variety of vendors and holiday cheer!

Date: November 25th Time: 10am–2pm Place: 901 Kings Rd Cost: $2 or non-perishable food item

37th Annual Dickens Holiday Fair Saturday, December 2, 2017, 10am–4:30pm. James Bay Community Center, 140 Oswego Street. Admission $2, children under 12 free.

November 24 5 - 9 pm November 25 10 - 3pm

Admission by Donation

5301 Williamson Road Nanaimo, BC

Ukrainian Christmas Bazaar Hosted by Ukrainian-Canadian Cultural Society of Nanaimo & Vesna Ukrainian Dancers

Saturday, Dec 2 • 11am–3pm

St. Michael’s Ukrainian Parish Hall

4017 Victoria Ave (off Norwell Dr.) Nanaimo You will find perogies, borscht, homemade baking, jams, pickles and relish, Ukrainian novelties, cabbage rolls from Sandy’s Kitchen and much more! Raffle to win dozens of perogies.

Concession: Perogies, Borscht, Smokies and other delicious delights

12 Island Parent Magazine

IslandParent.ca

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 Kool & Child (Nanaimo)

Preschool: Classic Canadian Children’s CDs. Many BC parents grew up with Raffi and Charlotte Diamond, and their CDs make a great gift for the next generation.

Also consider “modern” groups such as Bobs & Lolo and the Kerplunks. $12.99$19.99.

Children: Aquarellum Watercolour Kits.

For ages 5-adult, Aquarellum combines colouring with watercolour painting. From simple animal designs to complex Mandal-

las, all kits include canvasses and paints.

SentoSphere: $14.99-$27.99.

Teen: Tsuro—The Game of the Path.

Place a tile and slide your stone along the path created. Find your way wisely by staying on the board. For 2-8 players. $39.99.

Adult: Classic Wooden Games. Heirloom games never go out of style. Wood Expressions makes classic wooden games that are as much decoration as functional games. Choose from Chess, Checkers, Shut the Box, 3 or 4 Track Cribbage Boards, and Backgammon. $24.99$115.99.

clean, sturdy table for colouring, playing and more. $169.99.

Toddler: Farm Hoppers Bouncy Toy. Will keep your little one amused for hours—and wear them out for bedtime! These inflatable

From Momease

Baby: The Padraig Cottage Baby Slippers handmade in BC with pure wool. Dyed and crocheted by hand. Extra soft sheepskin lining and tough leather soles for long lasting comfort. The Baby Slipper has the elasticity to stay put without being overly constrictive on young growing feet.

Newborn to toddler. $32.00+.

Baby: Skip Hop Explore & More 3-Stage Activity Centre. Easy to assemble, with toys that can be positioned anywhere for baby, it features a 360-degree rotating seat that turns and stretches for bouncing. Discovery Window lets baby see their feet while they play. As baby grows, activity centre converts for easy cruising—ultimately becoming a

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b o u n cy animals are whimsically fun, and brightly coloured with soft, easy-to-grip ears or horns for children to hold while they bounce around. Made from a high quality, BPA-free plastic, and can help with core muscle development as well as coordination skills while having fun. Pump included! $35.99.

Child: The Hape Toys Gourmet Kitchen.

An all-in-one wooden kitchen that inspires mini chefs to cook everywhere and everything. Encouraging collaborative and

November 2017 13

Baby/Preschool: Avanchy Bamboo Stay Put Dishes.

Beautiful bamboo dishes made for new eaters. The colourful silicone base does not move once suctioned to a table or high chair. $29.99 including spoon.

Preschool: Rubina The Baby Wearing Doll. Little doll lovers will love this adorable “babywearing” doll. This unique set includes a 12" soft doll as well as a 5" baby and baby carrier. $59.99.

From National Geographic Store—IMAX Theatre

creative play, the Gourmet Kitchen can be combined with the Hape Gourmet Fridge, food and other cooking accessories for the complete ‘mini chef’ experience! $159.99.

From The Mothering Touch Centre

Baby: More Blueberries! by Susan Musgrave, illustrated by Esperança Melo.

Orca Books. With playful rhyming text and beautiful illustrations, this exuberant board book will delight little ones and have everyone happily shouting “more blueberries!” $9.95.

Baby: Baby Paper. Small enough for tiny hands to grasp, oh-so-soft fabric Baby Paper makes a deliciously crinkly sound for your baby. It sounds like paper with a satisfying crinkle. $6.99.

14 Island Parent Magazine

stars and sun to communicate when to go back to sleep and when it’s time to get up. Parents set the clock to display a cheerful smiley sun at progressively later times of morning, training the child to get up only once they “see the sun”.

SRP: $59.95.

Baby/Preschool: Gro Friends Breathable Toys. A perfect cuddly companion for baby with soft, velour graspable hands and made of a breathable, hypoallergenic fabric to make snuggle time even more snuggly.

SRP: $24.95.

Baby/Preschool: Bumbo Playtop Safari.

Convert any smooth surface to a safari play time with the playtop Safari Suction Tray.

The Tray easily suctions to the Bumbo trays, highchair trays and tabletops for endless entertainment. With its included bead maze, mirrored book, elephant toy and spinning ball, it’s a good thing there’s a snack and cup holder to keep refreshments close at hand. SRP: $34.95.

Baby/Preschool: Ollie the Owl. Ollie is a unique and adorable sleep aid with built in From Oyaco Baby/Preschool: Gro-clock. Give the gift CrySensor technology, helping baby (and of a good night’s sleep to the parent on your Mum and Dad!) to get quality Zzz’s every list. The Gro-clock uses fun images of the night. The latest must have baby sleep essenBaby/Preschool: Matryoshka Nesting Dolls. Classic Russian nesting dolls updated with fun themes like puppies, pirates & dinos. Rated ‘very suitable’ for special needs children by ‘Able Play’. $12.99.

Children: Trans Truck Transforming Construction Vehicles. Half awesome action figure. Models include bulldozer, cement mixer, excavator, crane and dump truck. Set combines to make one huge figure! $22.99.

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Designed and made by local carvers, studio stone kits will inspire creativity in up & coming artists. Kits contain everything you need to make your own soapstone carving. $32.99.

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BluRays regularly $29.99; DVDs regularly $24.99.

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Requires tricky teamwork with each game From Victoria Bug Zoo increasing in difficulty. For ages 7-adult.

Baby/Preschool: Finger and hand pup$14.99. pets. From one-finger ladybug puppets to whole-hand hermit crabs, our arthropod puppets will make you wish you had more From Rocky Mountain Books Baby/Preschool: Discovering Animals: fingers. $4-35.

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Children: Nuptse and Lhotse Go to the West Coast by Jocey Asnong. Surf’s up and it’s time for another Nuptse and Lhotse adventure! A colourful, imaginative story for adventurers of all ages that dream of falling asleep on a beach made of stars at the edge of the world. Suitable for ages 6-9. tial, Ollie will grow up with little ones and 32 pages. HC: $18 or PB: $12. become their trusty sleeping companion, whether on the move, at home or staying with their grandparents. SRP: $59.95.

From the Royal BC Museum

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Children: Aliens Among Us: Invasive Animals and Plants in British Columbia

by Alex Van Tol, Illustrated by Mike Deas.

Would you know Dalmatian Toadflax if you saw it? This informative book arms young people with the tools to stop invasive species in British Columbia. $19.95. PB. 128 pgs.

Adults: The Sustainability Dilemma: Essays on British Columbia Forest and Environmental History by Robert Griffin and Richard A. Rajala. Delve into two of the more controversial issues British Columbians have faced over the past 60 years—the management of our forest industry and its impact on our freshwater ecosystems.

Juvenile/Teen: Starter microscope sets.

For the budding young scientist, a first glimpse through a microscope can reveal a world of wonder. $15.99.

Adult: Attracting Beneficial Bugs to your Garden by Jessica Walliser. This refreshing book delves into the fascinating relationships between insects and plants and will help you make your own insect-friendly garden. $31.95. 240pgs.•

From Pumpkin Pie Kids

Baby/Preschool: Great Pretenders Fire Breathing Dragon. Fire breathing dragon costume featuring quilted dragon wings, textured velour scale-like material and dragon hood. Ages 3-5 years. $44.99.

Baby/Preschool: Djeco Glitter Box Glitter Dress. Glitter board art kit with four dream dresses that you can decorate with sequins. $23.99.

Children: Family Pastimes Co-Operative Games: Ogres & Elves. Play together to get the ogres and elves to share their treasures.

IslandParent.ca

November 2017 15

Island Parent the Dance of on for Vancouver Island

Celebrating

30 Years

The Resource Publicati

Parents

November 2017

A Little Learning

Eating Pasta with Chopsticks

Pregnancy in the Information Age

The Challenges of Bicultural Parenting

Book Holiday Gift & tions Recommenda

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Island Parent Magazine

the Co-Parents

E

nding a relationship with someone you share kids with pretty much means “I don’t want to be your #1 person anymore, but let’s be in each other’s lives on a regular basis for the next 15 or so years.” Divorce is the end of a marriage, but when kids are involved, it’s also the beginning of an entirely new relationship—as co-parents.

My ex and I have worked really hard to create a co-parenting dynamic that works for our family. And yes, we are still a family.

Our family just looks and operates differently than it did before. We do our best to be consistent, adaptable and supportive of one another to make a challenging situation as smooth as possible. We attend and co-host events and buy shared gifts for our kids’ birthdays. All of this comes after breaking almost every rule I share below. It was a battle with lots of lows and we’re far from perfect, but I have to say it is refreshing to see where we are now and to show up together at things like parent-teacher interviews and create zero drama.

No one knows exactly what a good coparenting relationship should look like, because each one is different. But what I have learned is that there are some ground rules that seem to make for better co-parenting, and maybe even a better marriage for those parents who are still together. Note: All of these rules assume that there isn’t any abuse or other serious risk issues in the mix. That is a far more complex situation that likely requires professional intervention.

Be Fair

This rule is integral in the process of separation, divorce and beyond. Don’t use your kids as a bargaining chip in a separation agreement. Don’t withhold access to the kids from a safe, loving parent. Don’t dump your kids on the other parent. Don’t bribe your kids in an attempt to make them like you more. This rule isn’t just about being fair to your ex, in doing this you’re intrinsically being fair to your children as well. No one wants to grow up knowing they were pawns in a battle where anger was given priority over what would have been best for them.

Bite Your Tongue

The marriage ended for a reason, and typically that means there are some communication issues in the relationship. In the early stages of separation it can be hard to behave like the adult you’re supposed to be.

You want to say hurtful things. You want to rehash arguments and stand on the peak of your resentment, screaming about how right you are and how wrong they are. You may be heartbroken and wanting them to hurt as much as you do.

But what I have learned is that there are some ground rules that seem to make for better co-parenting, and maybe even a better marriage for those parents who are still together.

As much as releasing that negative energy may feel vindicating, it only serves to undermine your ability to co-parent effectively.

At some point you need to Elsa that shit and just Let It Go. Doing so is hard, and sometimes it’s insanely hard and makes you crazy, but ultimately you need to play the long game. If you really need to say something horrible, write it in a journal, tell a trusted friend or draft an email that you delete. Just don’t say it to the person who loves your children as much as you do.

Be Flexible

Juggling a co-parenting schedule with your kids’ activities, your work, social plans, etc. is far from easy, but nothing makes it harder than a complete lack of flexibility. A parenting schedule is an art, not a science, and it will have to evolve as the needs of your family change. So act as you want your co-partner to act and adapt as required. Keep the give-and-take in balance. And when your co-parent is flexible with you, acknowledge it, thank them and return the favour when you can. Being rigid or vindictive to mess things up for the other IslandParent.ca

person achieves nothing and only creates stress that will likely be felt by your kids.

Say You’re Sorry

Mistakes will be made. They just will.

You might get dates mixed up or forget to do something or run late for a pickup. It happens. And when it does, apologize and do your best to prevent making the same

Erin Skillen Post-Married Mommy mistake again. Being defensive and arguing about why you messed up is rarely productive. And sometimes the “why” itself might be up for debate, as you may point the finger at each other. Unless the discussion is about how to fix the mistake and avoid it in the future, just give a genuine apology and move on. Chances are arguing in your marriage wasn’t super productive, so why bother trying it all over again as co-parents? That being said, if you’re constantly messing up it

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might be time to take a look at how you’re my co-parent and I generally take turns managing things and make some changes. with fun things like movies and playdates and such. His house has the Wii and mine has the iPad. His had a pool in the summer United Front Recently my six-year-old and his dad and mine had a bonfire pit. Changes to made an agreement that my son had to read routine, house rules and rewards/discipline a certain number of books before he was al- are discussed and mutually agreed upon. We lowed to have something he wanted. My son aren’t in competition to be the cool parent. decided that wasn’t happening fast enough, We’re consistent, much to the annoyance of so when he was at my house he asked if I the kids who can’t manipulate us.

Everyone’s co-parenting struggle and would get him the thing he wanted. I asked what his dad had said about it, and he told journey is different. If we choose to be me “Daddy said it was okay.” So I picked adults about the whole thing, honour the up the phone and called his dad. And that’s other parent and make the best of a tough when my son realized he couldn’t play us situation, then hopefully our kids will benagainst one another. And together his dad efit from our effort. The marriage may be and I decided that since he had tried to go done, but there’s no need to take the kids around the deal he had in place, he would down with it. While the fact that you’re have to read twice as many books to get not married isn’t changing, the “how” of being co-parents can have a huge impact what he wanted.

Maintaining consistent rules and a con- on your children and how they view their sistent schedule for children between their childhoods. two homes creates stability. Going back and forth is pretty disruptive, but if they know that the experience will be similar in each home it alleviates some of the uncertainty Erin Skillen is the co-founder and COO of Famiand stress. This also applies to fun. If one lySparks.com, an education company that helps house is the “fun house” and one is the parents navigate the toughest job in the world. “boring house” that’s not fair. In my case, She’s also a mom and a bucket list slayer.

November 2017 17

Taking Care of Your Mental Health

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Island Parent is looking for articles for upcoming issues.

Some of our best content comes from people just like you—Vancouver Island parents who are passionate about their families and are dealing with the day to day issues of raising children in our community. Share your experiences, your thoughts on a particular issue, your ideas on places to see or projects to do— anything related to parenting.

Check our Writer’s Guidelines at islandparent.ca for specific information on submissions.

We’d love to hear from you.

Please email submissions to editor@islandparent.ca.

18 Island Parent Magazine

ou have probably heard of Post-Partum Depression (PPD) and the “baby blues,” but have you heard of other stress disorders related to parenthood? Did you know that birth mothers are not the only parents who can experience mental health challenges related to parenthood?

Health care professionals are increasing their efforts to screen for PPD, but more needs to be done to diagnose and support new parents, including fathers, adoptive parents, and other non-birth parents, who may be struggling with depression, anxiety or other stress disorders related to parenting. PPD is a serious condition, but it is only one of the many ways that parents experience mental health challenges, and we all need to include ourselves in a broader conversation about mental health.

Ask yourself and your loved ones often, how is your mental health right now? How are you coping with the stress of parenting?

There is help available, so don’t suffer in silence. If you are experiencing any symptoms that bother you, including depression, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, suicidal thoughts, memory loss, or an inability to regulate your moods, seek help immediately.

Health care professionals are doing a lot of work to improve screening and education, but many of us slip through the cracks.

The more that we can push back against stigma and open up about our mental health, the more that we will be liberated to educate ourselves about the range of different conditions affecting parents and to access the professional support we need.

If You Aren’t Struggling, Now is the Time to Think About Your Mental Health

Mental health is something that we often don’t think about until we develop a mental illness. Think about your mental health often and look after your mental well-being, just as you do your physical health. Unfortunately, stigma around mental illness can mean that we unconsciously consider mental conditions to be a moral or personal failing, as I initially did when I had PPA. This is never the case, and mental health conditions—like physical health conditions—are normally a combination of genetics, environmental triggers or stress, and lifestyle, although it can also simply come down to our genetic predisposition.

Parenthood can be a major source of stress and can also cause us to neglect our own Screening Isn’t Enough When my son was born, I was given a self-care, including social outlets, exercise, routine assessment for PPD. The test told and support networks, so it is not surprisme what I already knew: I didn’t have ing that many parents experience mental PPD. What it didn’t tell me was that the health struggles. intrusive thoughts I was experiencing were a symptom of Post-Partum Anxiety How to Access Support and (PPA), something I wasn’t screened for and Look After Your Mental Health didn’t know anything about. During the Looking after your mental health is first six months of my son’s life, I would important no matter if you are in a crioften have visions of myself dropping my sis, experiencing minor symptoms, or no tiny baby or burning him on the hot stove. symptoms at all.

Once, to my horror, I even imagined myself If you are in a crisis and having symptoms snapping his delicate little arm. Because I that scare or worry you, particularly if you didn’t understand that intrusive thoughts, have had thoughts of suicide, you can imsometimes called scary thoughts, are one mediately call 811 to speak to a nurse, or of the possible symptoms of anxiety, I kept you can call the Vancouver Island Crisis them secret, fearing that I was a monster. Line at 1-888-494-3888. You can also head Once I did access counselling, after speaking to the emergency department at the nearest to my family doctor about my symptoms, hospital, or speak to a general practitioner I learned to manage my condition with doctor at a walk-in clinic. In addition to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). I these resources, you can also speak to a spent months needlessly suffering before I trusted friend or family member. Talking reached out for help.

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about your struggles often makes the burden feel immediately lighter.

If you are experiencing any mental health conditions that you are worried about, but you are not currently in a crisis, the first stop will be a general practitioner.

If you do not have a family doctor, you

Elise Velazquez can go to a walk-in clinic. Before you go to the clinic, write down a list of your symptoms and a timeline of when you have experienced them. Sometimes, when you are in the doctor’s office, it can be hard to remember all of your symptoms, or you might be tempted to downplay some of them. By writing them down, you will be more likely to give your doctor an accurate picture of your mental health struggles.

Once your doctor has enough information, they will help you decide if you need to see a counsellor, psychologist, or psychiatrist for further treatment. Doctors can also

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prescribe medications for conditions like depression and anxiety, and you can work with your doctor to decide if medication is a good idea for you.

If you are not currently experiencing any mental health struggles, now is the time to make a plan for self-care and make sure that you know how to access help, if you ever need it in the future. If you have had any mental health struggles in the past but did not seek professional help, consider talking to your doctor about it now. With the right help, you can work to understand your previous struggles better and make sure that you are caring for yourself properly. Even if you have never experienced mental health struggles, it is important to take the time to consider what types of self-care work well for you. If you are feeling a bit stressed-out, does exercise help you feel better, or a walk with a close friend? Or maybe cuddling a pet is what makes you feel better. Whatever they are, make sure you know what habits keep you feeling well, and come up with a plan to ensure that you are doing those things regularly.

Talk About Mental Health!

As well as looking after ourselves, we

need to make sure that we are checking in with friends and family. By having frequent conversations about mental health, we make sure that our friends know that they can come to us for help, and we get used to talking about it ourselves as well. It’s time to break the stigma! As an added benefit, sharing our struggles is one of the most important ways that we build intimacy in our relationships: something that, in turn, supports our mental wellbeing.

Prioritize Your Mental Health

Some mental health conditions are life threatening; others are life-altering; the vast-majority are manageable. Parenthood is stressful, and all parents are affected by this extra stress in one way or another. One important thing that you can do for yourself and your family is care for your mental health. Take preventative steps; speak to a health care professional if you have any symptoms that concern you, and learn to support your mental health with self-care.

Elise Velazquez is a communications professional, mother and UVic student. She was raised on Quadra Island and currently lives in Gorge-Tillicum.

November 2017 19

A Little Learning

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20

Island Parent Magazine

W

hen I was pregnant, my mother warned me: “Kelly, don’t read too much.” How I wish I had heeded her advice. In fact, it is one of the most important pieces of advice I would give to anyone who is expecting.

Pregnancy can be daunting and scary. So many strange things are happening to your body and you don’t know what to expect, especially if it’s your first. It can be hard to handle the unknown. In situations like these, my strategy has always been to gather as much information as possible so that I feel prepared and have at least the illusion of control. However, there is a world of difference between reading several recommended pregnancy books and flirting along the edge of the deep, dark rabbit hole of the Internet. I did both and I fell down the hole.

The Internet can be a great resource, connecting people all over the world, putting information at our fingertips, answering burning questions in seconds. But for every great source of information there are countless questionable, unreliable, downright sensationalist and fake sources.

As a teacher-librarian, I usually feel confident in my ability to filter information and use only the most reliable sources. But my intellectual training did not prepare me for the power of my hormones and fear, and it certainly didn’t prepare me for the online communities/message boards on maternity and parenting sites.

A simple question like, “How many times should I feel the baby kicking each day?” can quickly cascade into an ordeal of self-doubt and panic, when all you did was click on an entry that matched your search criteria. Too late, you realize it is a message board on which everyone and their dog feels the need to weigh in and dispense medical advice, or, even worse, to share extreme or tragic stories they have heard or experienced on the subject. Within seconds, you are completely transfixed, and half an hour later you find yourself hunched over the computer, chewing your nails or stresseating any food that happens to be nearby.

Sleep tonight? Forget it. You are going to be turning over possibilities in your head, imagining physical sensations that are not there, fighting with yourself.

“Here is the information the doctor gave me,” your rational mind says. “He/she assured us yesterday that everything is great and there is nothing to worry about. Go to sleep.” Meanwhile, your irrational, hor-

Kelly McQuillan mone-hyped pregnant mind has all alarms ringing: “But that person in Australia knew someone who had a sister who…” Argh! It can become so hard to separate mother’s intuition from pregnancy crazy talk.

You’ll probably get into these little fights with yourself anyway, owing to things you read in the news—I had to avoid that for a while—or careless comments from strangers/friends/family. Your mama bear instinct has already kicked in, and you want your baby to be safe and healthy. But you can make it so much easier on yourself if you: Stay. Away. From. The. Internet. Or, at the least, limit yourself to one or two recommended baby sites. Enter online forums/ message boards at your own risk. Yes, some of the content is innocuous and it can be comforting to hear others are going through similar things. However, there is so much unsubstantiated and often conflicting information that it can muddy the rational and emotional waters.

Pregnancy is a time to look forward to your baby’s arrival, not to stress and obsess over every terrible thing that has even a remote possibility of perhaps happening. Arm yourself with sound medical information, take care of your overall health, and then spend your time doing things that make you happy (instead of stressed). If you are calm, you will be more in tune with your body, you will learn to trust your own instincts, and that is healthier for you and baby.

Kelly McQuillan is a writer, musician, teacher, and fledgling mother living in Comox, BC. www.kellymcquillanwriter.weebly.com

IslandParent.ca

Pipes & Drums

agpipes are a familiar sound at Remembrance Day events. The droning notes create a sombre tone as we think of the soldiers who died in the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War. Often, bagpipes are accompanied by drummers; this musical ensemble is called a pipe band.

A pipe band can be especially loud, so it’s important to acquaint your child with these instruments and their sounds so they will know what to expect at a Remembrance Day ceremony.

A pipe band plays an important role during military ceremonies. The bagpipe is a wind instrument with a bag, a chanter and a drone. The chanter is the melody pipe, and it has finger holes to produce the tune. The drone is a pipe that produces a constant harmonic note throughout the piece of music. The bag holds the air and regulates its flow, thus allowing the piper to breathe and maintain a continuous sound. The bagpiper keeps the bag inflated by blowing air into it through a blowpipe.

The most common form of pipe band, the Scottish/Irish pipe band, consists of a

Who will your family meet this year?

section of pipers playing the great highland bagpipe, a section of snare drummers and tenor drummers, as well as bass drummers.

The drums are called the “drum corps” which supports the piping with a rhythmic foundation and a steady beat. As well, pipe bands wear uniforms consisting of a glengarry (cap), shirt, tie, waistcoat, jacket, kilt, hose and dress shoes. Each pipe band has its own signature tartan.

The music played by pipe bands generally consists of music from the Scottish or Irish tradition, in the form of traditional folk tunes, marches, slow airs, and dances. One of the most stirring pieces is the “Flowers of the Forest” which is the official lament of the Canadian Forces, played to honour fallen soldiers. Other bagpipe tunes include the lyrical “Rose of Kelvingrove,” “The Soldiers Return” and “Amazing Grace.”

All these bagpipe music tunes can be found on YouTube.

An excellent book to read with your child is B is for Bagpipes by Eve Begley Kiehm.

This rhyming alphabet book is all things Scottish, including “B is for bagpipes, sweet

2018

B

and wheezy, playing them is never easy” as well as “D is for dances, the Sword and the Fling, the swirl of the kilt is a marvelous thing!” The history of Scotland is brought to

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life in this book with colorful artwork that captures the spirit of its landscape and culture. Another picture book to read is Anna and the Bagpiper by Thomas Locker. In the story, young Anna hears a faint, faraway sound coming from the hills. She investigates the sound and discovers a bagpiper playing beautiful music. The book is about seeking, listening and discovering dreams.

Together, on the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of this eleventh month, take a moment of silence with your family to reflect on the men and women who serve Canada in conflict and peace.

Jerri Carson is a retired music teacher. She now spends her time playing the piano and cello.

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22 Island Parent Magazine

Eating Pasta with Chopsticks The challenges of bicultural parenting

S

cattered blocks on the floor, a halffinished sandwich on the table next to a cup with a tea bag still floating. These things represent a microcosm of my life.

Since my daughter, Akane, was born, interruption has become the norm. First, my sleep was disrupted with breastfeeding and pumping milk. I can’t remember the last time I had a warm meal or a cup of hot coffee without gobbling or guzzling it down. The bathroom door often bursts open with Akane telling me her latest news or requests. It’s gotten so bad that I can’t even finish my own thoughts.

I’m an organized person by nature and I like routine. I knew raising a child would come with its challenges, but I never realized the impact of the constant interruptions.

Most families with a small children can likely relate, but the challenge, I would argue, is even greater for an immigrant mother like myself, raising a child bilingually and biculturally.

Take, for example, a recent dinner time conversation.

Sitting on the floor at a Japanese low table with a pasta dish in front of him, my husband commented, in English, about the radio news. At the same time, Akane spoke in Japanese to her imaginary friends who had joined us for dinner. I chatted with her in Japanese while responding to my husband in English. Akane got frustrated after she realized she was not getting our full attention, and switched to Akanese—her own language, she thinks she is speaking English—to have a conversation with both my husband and me.

I listened to Akane and my husband, replying in two different languages, then translated each for the other. Meanwhile I tried to eat my dinner and help my daughter eat her food. Just when I was about to lose my mind, my daughter insisted that we all eat pasta with chopsticks. Our dinner plates became small maps of biculturalism.

IslandParent.ca

Wakana TakaiMacLean

The Royal City Youth Ballet’s

The Nutcracker Island Exclusive

Friday Dec. 15, 2017 7pm

Photo: Amy Williams

My husband and I had a choice of raising Akane only in English. After all, we are living in Canada where the dominant language is English. But I felt that my job as a parent is to give her as many opportunities as I can— language among them. I can’t imagine not teaching her Japanese, my mother tongue, or not encouraging her to experience the Japanese culture. Now she can interact with her Japanese grandparents. It is up to her to decide later on whether or not she wants to drop the extra language. I was the one—an issei/first generation—who felt strong about keeping this heritage. Japanese will always be my first language; Japan will always be my home.

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This realization took me by surprise.

I have never felt close to my own family and always wanted to get out of the country. Having Akane changed this. Living thousands of miles away, that’s when my language, culture and family became more important. So it was my egotistical choice, and what’s happening at home with language and culture is my doing.

There are sweet moments when Akane and I engage in secret conversations. Sometimes I imagine us floating in a big linguistic bubble of foreign language which not many people understand around here, not even my husband. Every once in a while a miraculous moment occurs when I nail everything down and talk to my husband in English, chat with Akane in Japanese, translate her language into English while helping her with whatever she is doing. When this happens I give myself a pat on the back.

Soon Akane will attend school. The dynamics of language and culture in our house will change dramatically. She is going to be a much better simultaneous interpreter and will start getting annoyed with me, stuttering with English now and then. After all, she is already pretty strict when correcting my English and Daddy’s Japanese.

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Wakana Takai-MacLean is a certified translator who occasionally writes. She lives in Victoria with her husband and daughter, Akane. English is her second language. You can contact her at info@translationvictoria210.com IslandParent.ca

November 2017 23

Praise that Cultivates Grit in Our Kids I

he is always ‘good’ at something, even if it means not trying new activities.

When a child with a fixed mindset does try something new, if he isn’t quickly able to perform at a level he’d like, he mistakenly believes that he isn’t good at it or isn’t capable, and he quits. If he’s heard you say, “Wow! You’re so good at hockey!” in the past, he anticipates that when he screeches out his first tune on his new violin which he knows doesn’t sound great, that he’ll be judged as not-so-good—by himself or others—even if you’ve never actually criticized his accomplishment before. Eventually, praise that contributes to a fixed mindset manifests as decreased intrinsic motivation in our children. Children do all of this subThe Fixed Mindset A child with a fixed mindset believes consciously, thus it doesn’t help to explain that he has certain talents or traits, or he the above to your child; it’s most helpful doesn’t (for example, he is smart, athletic, to cultivate a growth mindset. good at soccer, a talented piano player, or he isn’t). The trait or talent is fixed and if The Growth Mindset he has it, he believes it will be effortless or A child with a growth mindset believes easy to learn and gain competency in the that regardless of any natural talent, all our associated skills. He further deduces that abilities and skills are a result of effort and having to make a substantial effort means are learned. There’s always an opportunity that he’s not capable or is deficient in that to learn and grow at something. Thus, talent. Thus, he becomes very selective if she tries a new activity and finds she about what he’ll do or try, because doing can’t perform at the level she’d hoped, it’s something new or that he’s not good at will because she just hasn’t accomplished that be a sure way to fail and feel inadequate. level of learning, yet. A child with a growth We create a fixed mindset in our children mindset is much more willing to try new whenever we give any feedback or praise activities, because she anticipates possibly that suggests our child’s accomplishment is doing poorly at the beginning and knows good or great, or that they have a specific it isn’t a reflection of her ability or worth. talent or trait. It was hard for me to be- She also has more tenacity and grit to put lieve that I was creating a problem when I in effort over time, because she believes exclaimed, “You’re so good at playing the that becoming competent at the skill is violin!” I felt so happy for him, and was potentially within her reach. Growth and so proud of his accomplishment. I can now learning are the result of effort, not necessee that it was a value judgment about his sarily only natural gifts or a result of being ability, and also a statement about what good or bad at something. he is or isn’t.

We create a growth mindset when: Making a value statement about his be• We say things that focus on the effort our ing “good” means there is also a possibil- child has made that led to his accomplishity of being “bad.” Even if you’ve never ment, and avoid “good” and “bad” comtold your child he’s bad at something, his ments. For instance, “Wow! You’ve been subconscious intelligence registers that pos- practicing that song every day for a week sibility, and sets him on alert to make sure now, and your efforts have paid off! I noticed

had been told that some types of praise make kids unmotivated, but in moments of being excited for my son about a success, it felt awkward to search for words to express my enthusiasm in a way that felt both genuine and was “correct.”

But then, when my son was in a phase of being unmotivated to try new activities, I happened to pick up Mindset by Carol Dweck and suddenly the light flashed on.

I finally saw how my praise was stripping him of his motivation and his tenacity for finishing challenging projects. Dweck describes the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset.

24 Island Parent Magazine

that you played it smoothly right through without pausing. Congratulations!”

• We genuinely share our joy and celebrate our children’s accomplishments with them by telling them how we feel, or sharing something we noticed or liked about their creation. For example, “I know you really wanted to make the soccer team. I’m so happy for you! Congratulations!” Or, “I

Colleen Adrian notice you used lots of this teal blue color in your picture, and I really love how it looks next to the green.”

Transforming the Fixed Mindset

If you’ve unknowingly been creating a fixed mindset in your child, using the above strategies can transform it. I’ve also found it helpful to share my own experiences. We often create a fixed mindset in our kids when we have one ourselves. Sharing my own vulnerability and struggles has been far more successful than saying “You should…” or trying to talk my son into trying something new. For instance, I’ve shared with him that I used to believe I couldn’t write because when I was younger, I was scared to try and thought I wasn’t good at it. I also worried about being laughed at or judged. I thought some people could just naturally write, and I didn’t discover until I was an adult that I just needed the courage to try and the selfdiscipline to practice. Now I love it.

Using strategies for creating growth mindset and sharing our own stories, without the intention of convincing your children, can eventually lead to them having more willingness to try new activities and more grit to keep going when it’s tough— and ultimately feeling the gratification that comes with mastering skills and creating what they love.

Colleen Adrian is a writer, speaker and parent educator. Visit colleenadrian.com

IslandParent.ca

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How can I set screen time limits at home?

Screen Time & Young Children

Setting limits when children are young is easier than cutting back when they’re older. As a family, agree on basic screen time rules that everyone understands and shares. Consider developing a family media plan to guide when, how and where screens can—and can’t—be used.

C

hildren under five years old are exposed to more screens than ever before, including televisions, computers, gaming consoles, smartphones and tablets.

When thinking about how much time your child spends with screens, be sure to include all these different devices. Also include time spent viewing at home and in other places, like child care.

The recommendations below are aimed at typically developing children. If your child has special needs, ask your family doctor or paediatrician for advice.

For children under two years old, screen time is not recommended.

Here are some tips: For children two to five years old, limit • Be a good role model with your own routine or regular screen time to less than screen use—on all devices. one hour per day.

• Turn off devices for mealtimes, reading with your child or doing things together as a family.

Why should I limit my child’s • Turn off screens when no one is using screen time?

Very often, screen time is a lost oppor- them, especially background TV. • Avoid using screens for at least 1 hour tunity for your child to learn in real time: from interacting, playing outdoors, creating before bedtime and keep all screens out or enjoying social ‘downtime’ with family. of your child’s bedroom. They interfere Too much screen time also increases your with sleep.

• Choose healthy activities, like reading, child’s risk of becoming: outdoor play and crafts, over screen time.

• Overweight • Sleep-deprived What is the right amount of • Less school-ready screen time for my child?

How do I choose the right • Inattentive, aggressive and less able to apps, videos or programs for Young children learn best from face-toface interactions with caring adults. It’s best self-soothe. my child? to keep their screen time to a minimum: Whenever possible, make screen time an activity you and your child do together.

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Watch with your child and talk about what you’re seeing. To ensure quality content: • Choose educational, age-appropriate and interactive programs and apps. Educational apps have a clear learning goal and encourage participation.

• Try out apps before your child uses them.

• Make sure your child watches programs you’re familiar with.

• Avoid commercial and adult or ‘entertainment’ programming.

• Use a media rating system to guide your viewing choices.

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Are e-books a good learning tool?

Quality, age-appropriate “learn-to-read” apps and e-books can help with language, as long as you and your child are reading and learning together. But even the best e-books don’t help with skills like page-turning and the physical ‘book experience’, which includes heavy handling, being scribbled in or chewed (board books, of course).

Won’t my child fall behind if he isn’t exposed to digital media early on?

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There is no evidence to support introducing technology at an early age to improve your child’s development. Young children always learn best from face-to-face interactions with caring adults. Given the choice, they almost always choose talking, playing or being read to over screen time.

Is it OK to use screens to calm or distract my child?

Screen time might help in the moment, but used repeatedly, over time, means your child won’t learn how to self-soothe without it. Talk to your child’s doctor if you need new strategies for calming your child or helping with daily transitions.

My child gets upset when I take away screen times. What can I do?

In today’s world, managing screen time is an ongoing challenge. Setting shared family limits at an early age can help. In the moment, use a calm voice, acknowledge your child’s frustration and try redirecting her interest to another activity or toy.

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November 2017 27

Family Calendar

For calendar updates throughout the month visit IslandParent.ca

N o v em b e r Our Generous Sponsors

Starting this month, you’ll notice we’ve combined our regular Island Parent calender with the Around the Island listings and now feature an Island-wide, at-a-glance guide to November’s family-friendly activities and events.

Regions are bolded, and activities and locations are at the top of each listing. So no matter where you live on Vancouver Island—or where your travels might take you—you’ll never be at a loss for things to do and where to go. time, parent support, special events throughout the with each other, their peers, their communities and year. $5/family drop in fee; $20/year-long member- community leaders. By creating opportunities for interaction, activities, workshops and performances ship. nanaimocommunityhomelearners.org. for this age group, TeenFest will engage and connect Victoria & CRD our youth, their families and the businesses and saturday th organizations that support them. Free. teenfest.ca.

Giggles and Wiggles, 10:30am at Oak Bay Branch jacquie@teenfest.ca.

Library. Little listeners with extra energy will enjoy Victoria & CRD action-filled stories, songs and rhymes followed by Salmon Sensation, 11am at Charters Intrepretive free play and stations. For young children and their St. Aidan’s United Church Annual Market Ba- Centre. Salmon have returned to the rivers. Drop in families; children under 3 must be accompanied zaar, 10am at St. Aiden’s United Church, Richmond for fishy-fun activities, a craft, and guided walks with by an adult. Drop-in. Free. 250-940-GVPL (4875).

Rd at Cedar Hill X-Rd. 21 stalls including jewellery, CRD naturalists along Charters River. All ages. Meet gvpl.ca. books, baking, toys, Christmas store, crafty things, at the Charters Interpretive Centre off Sooke River collectables and more. Silent auction. Thrift shop Rd. Free. 250-478-3344. crd.bc.ca/parks. open. Drop-in hot dog lunch for $5 (10:30amFRIDAY RD 2:30pm). Coffee shop. Cash only; ATM on site.

Feeding the Heart’s Fire: Stories to Warm and Free.

Sustain Us, 7:30pm at Friend’s Meeting House, Victoria & CRD 1831 Fern St. Join storytellers and listeners across Jan Thomas’ Silly Stories, 10:30am at Bruce Lego Stories, 3:30pm at Sidney/North Saanich Hutchison Branch Library. If your little one loves Canada. In the dark of the year, we still gather toBranch Library. Listen to stories while you use the giggling along to silly stories, come for a Jan Thomas gether to share stories, keep the hearth warm and library’s Lego to create masterpieces to display in storytime and craft. For ages 3-5. Pre-register online, our hearts hopeful. The light comes from us, until the library windows. Ages 5 years and up. Drop or call for more information. Free. 250-940-GVPL the season turns again. Admission by donation.

250-370-2964. leeporteous@shaw.ca. in event. Free. 250-656-0944. sidney@virl.bc.ca. (4875). gvpl.ca.

THURSDAY

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4

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Nanaimo & Area Home Learners Monthly Meetup, 1pm at Oliver Woods Community Centre. Resource library, gym

28 Island Parent Magazine

TeenFest, 11am at Pearkes Recreation Centre, 3100 Nanaimo & Area Tillicum Rd, Saanich. This one day free exhibition, for youth ages 12 to 18 years, and their families, will give Salmon Tour, 9:30am at Big Qualicum River Regional teens in the Victoria area the opportunity to connect Trail. Take a walk with a certified park naturalist.

IslandParent.ca

There’ll be plenty of stops along the way that leave you with a greater appreciation for the wonders of the THURSDAY th surrounding area and unique ecosystem. Children 6+ can attend with an adult. Call 250-248-3252 to Victoria & CRD register. $15.50. rdn.bc.ca/recreation Emergency Preparedness Workshop, 1pm at Victoria City Hall Antechamber. Learn about the TUESDAY th hazards that can affect Victoria, what to include in your emergency kits, what you can do to protect your Nanaimo & Area home from an earthquake, and how to reunite with your loved ones after a disaster. Register by email Glow in the Dark Skate, 6:30pm at Frank Crane or phone. Free. 250-920-3373. VictoriaReady.ca.

Arena. Skate in an atmosphere of dimmed lighting emvic@victoria.ca. and special effects. Regular Admission. 250-7565200.

Musical Storytime, 1:30pm at Oak Bay Branch Library. Take part in music-making and storytelling Dad’s Night Out Skate, 6:30pm at Oceanside in this action-packed session let by Nicole Payie, Place Arena. Dads, bring the kids and enjoy a free early childhood music educator at the Victoria skate together on the pond. Sponsored by Building Conservatory of Music. For ages 3-5. Register online Learning Together. Free. 250-248-3252. rdn.bc.ca/ or call for more information. Free. 250-940-GVPL recreation.

(4875). gvpl.ca.

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Paws 4 Stories with St. John Ambulance, 3:30pm at Juan de Fuca Branch Library. Practice reading aloud to a friendly dog in this three-week program. Enjoy Victoria & CRD games and activities to boost reading skills over Baby Sign Language Basics, 10:30am at Juan de three sessions. Presented by St. John Ambulance.

Fuca Branch Library. Join Layla Cochrane to learn For grades 2-4. Register online or call for more the basics of the Baby Signs Program. Benefits of information. Free. 250-940-GVPL (4875). gvpl.ca. signing include fewer tantrums, increased cognitive & language development. For parents, and All That Jazz (And Also Books), 7pm at Hermann’s educators, and children 0-24 months. Register Jazz Club, 753 View St. Live music by the John online or call for more info. Free. 250-940-GVPL Macarthur Trio. Cash bar, appetizers, door prizes.

Net proceeds from sale of books will be donated to (4875). gvpl.ca. the Victoria Youth Empowerment Society. RSVP by Childhood Stress & Anxiety: Building Resilience, November 1. info@touchwoodeditions.com.

WEDNESDAY

th

6pm at McKenzie Elementary, 4005 Raymond St N. Tailored for parents, caregivers and educators FRIDAY th supporting children ages 5-11 (K-Grade 5) who are experiencing stress and anxiety. All adults welcome.

Victoria & CRD Funded by the Eric Palmer Memorial Foundation.

Free. 250-888-5735. JulieAnneRichards.com.

Intro to Arduino, 4pm at Central Branch Library. karenpalmer@shaw.ca Arduino is an open-source platform that teaches cod-

10

Celebrate happy Eat happy

IslandParent.ca

ing and electronics through easy-to-use hardware and software. Find inspiration in some ready-made Arduino projects and then learn to make your own in this two-part program. Register online or call for more information. Free. 250-940-GVPL (4875). gvpl.ca.

MONDAY

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Nanaimo & Area School’s Out Everyone Welcome Skate, 1:30pm at Oceanside Place Arena. School is out, but skating is in. Regular admission. 250-248-3252. rdn. bc.ca/recreation

tuesday

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Victoria & CRD Under the Deep Blue Sea, 10:30am at Esquimalt Branch Library. Dive into reading with this underwater-themed storytime and craft with a splash of fun. For ages 3-5. Register online or call for more information. Free. 250-940-GVPL (4875). gvpl.ca.

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Since then, we’ve been having so much fun we don’t know where time has gone!

Please join us in celebrating our 40th Birthday, helping the communities we serve while enjoying the products you love.

November 2017 29

Symphony Storytime, 10:30am at Nellie McClung Branch Library. Listen to stories told through music with two Victoria Symphony musicians and their puppet friend, Kathy Cadence. Sing along and try some child-sized instruments. For ages 3-5. Register online or call for more information. Free. 250-940GVPL (4875). gvpl.ca.

WEDNESDAY

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Victoria & CRD Brown Bear, Brown Bear Everywhere, 1:30pm at Langford Heritage Branch. Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? with an interactive storytime and craft in honour of this iconic picture book and other works by Eric Carle. For ages 3-5. Register online or call for more information. Free. 250-940-GVPL (4875). gvpl.ca.

THURSDAY

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Victoria & CRD Paws 4 Stories with St. John Ambulance, 3:30pm at Juan de Fuca Branch Library. Practice reading aloud

to a friendly dog in this three-week program. Enjoy games and activities to boost reading skills over three sessions. Presented by St. John Ambulance.

For grades 2-4. Register online or call for more information. Free. 250-940-GVPL (4875). gvpl.ca.

FRIDAY

17

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Victoria & CRD Sensory Storytime: Deep Blue Sea, 10:30am at Nellie McClung Branch Library. Features sensoryrich stories, movement and songs appropriate for preschoolers with autism or sensory processing issues and preschoolers who thrive on routine. Parent and caregiver participation required. For ages 3-5.

Register online or call for more information. Free.

250-940-GVPL (4875). gvpl.ca.

Nanaimo & Area Early Years Healty Start Fair, 10am at Fairview Community School, 205 Howard Ave. Family resources, Triple P Positive Parenting Program, snacks, games, vision screening, activities, stories, Public Health Nursing, door prizes and more. Free. nanaimoearlyyears.org. nanaimoearlyyears@telus.net.

SATURDAY

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Victoria & CRD Wonderful Woodpeckers, 10:30am at Francis/King Regional Park. What makes woodpeckers so good at what they do? Join a CRD Regional Parks naturalist and learn how to identify different woodpeckers by sight, sound, and habits. Meet at the Francis/ King Nature Centre off Munn Rd. 5+ years. Free.

250-478-3344. crd.bc.ca/parks.

Lego Stories, 3:30pm at Sidney/North Saanich Branch Library. Listen to stories while you use the library’s Lego to create masterpieces to display in PJ Party, 6pm at GR Pearkes Recreation Centre, the library windows. Ages 5 years and up. Drop 3100 Tillicum Road. Let the rec centres experienced in event. Free. 250-656-0944. sidney@virl.bc.ca. leaders entertain the kids while you have a night out! Toys, games, crafts, snacks, movies and more! $20 per child; siblings $10 each.

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Nanaimo & Area Coastal Community Credit Union Sponsored Skate, 2pm at Oceanside Place Arena. Join your friends for an everyone welcome skate. Free admission and skate rentals. Free. 250-248-3252. rdn.bc.ca/recreation.

Star Wars Dive-in Movie/Games, 3pm at Nanaimo Aquatic Centre. Feel the force while you watch one of the Star Wars movies in the warm waters of the pool. 250-756-5200. Regular Admission.

Starlight Skate, 7pm at Nanaimo Ice Centre. An opportunity to come out and enjoy soft light “stars” and passive LED glow lights. A great time for couples and families before dinner or that “night out” with friends. Regular Admission. 250-756-5200.

sunday

19

Victoria & CRD

th

Close, off Willis Point Rd. 8+ years. Free. 250-478- Victoria City Hall Antechamber. Learn about the 3344. crd.bc.ca/parks. hazards that can affect Victoria, what to include in your emergency kits, what you can do to protect your Nanaimo & Area home from an earthquake, and how to reunite with your loved ones after a disaster. Register by email Wiggling Worms, 10am at Bowen Park (Lower Picnic or phone. Free. 250-920-3373. VictoriaReady.ca.

Shelter). Are worms really slimy? Have you wondered emvic@victoria.ca. what they eat or which end is their head? Why do they come out in the rain? Learn through games, Cowichan Valley crafts and stories. Parent participation required. $8/person. 250-756-5200.

Childhood Stress & Anxiety: Building Resilience, 6pm at George Bonner Elementary, 3060 Cobble Hill Rd. Tailored for parents, caregivers and educators MONDAY th supporting children ages 5-11 (K-Grade 5) who are experiencing stress and anxiety. All adults welcome.

Victoria & CRD Funded by the Eric Palmer Memorial Foundation.

Free. 250-888-5735. JulieAnneRichards.com.

Jan Thomas’ Silly Stories, 1pm at Oak Bay Branch karenpalmer@shaw.ca.

Library. If your little one loves giggling along to silly stories, come for a Jan Thomas storytime and craft.

For ages 3-5. Pre-register online, or call for more THURSDAY rd information. Free. 250-940-GVPL (4875). gvpl.ca.

Victoria & CRD

20

23

22

nd Durrance Lake Loop, 10:30am at Mount Work wednesday Regional Park. Join a CRD Regional Parks naturalist for a hike around this picturesque lake to explore its Victoria & CRD many inhabitants. Wear sturdy, waterproof footwear.

Meet in the Durrance Lake parking lot off Durrance Emergency Preparedness Workshop, 7pm at

IslandParent.ca

Paws 4 Stories with St. John Ambulance, 3:30pm at Juan de Fuca Branch Library. Practice reading aloud to a friendly dog in this three-week program. Enjoy games and activities to boost reading skills over three sessions. Presented by St. John Ambulance.

November 2017 31

For grades 2-4. Register online or call for more information. Free. 250-940-GVPL (4875). gvpl.ca.

FRiDaY

24

tH

Victoria & CRD Open House: St. Margaret’s School, 9am at St. Margaret’s School, 1080 Lucas Avenue (Near Quadra and McKenzie in Saanich). Free. stmarg.ca/news-events/ event/autumn-open-house. admissions@stmarg.ca.

Pro-D Day Skate, 1pm at Panorama Recreation, 1885 Forest Park Drive. Bring your family and friends for fun, music, games and prizes. $2. 250-656-7271. panoramarecreation.ca.

Emmanuel Preschool 2121 Cedar Hill Cross Road (by entrance to UVic) Children learn through play in our all inclusive, non-denominational Christian preschool.

Great facility; outdoor play area and a gym for rainy day play! Two teachers with ECE certifi cation plus an assistant teacher to help with special needs children. A competent and caring teaching team!

Class Options for 2017–2018: Mon/Wed/Fri morning class Tues/Thurs morning class 5 mornings a week

Phone 250-598-0573 preschool@emmanuelvictoria.ca

www.emmanuelpreschool.ca

Pro-D Day Swim, 1pm at Panorama Recreation, 1885 Forest Park Drive. The entire pool is open for recreational swimming including the waterslide, rope swing, climbing wall, diving board and spray toys. $2. 250-656-7271. panoramarecreation.ca.

Imagining Worlds Beyond our Solar System, 1:30pm at Sidney/North Saanich Branch Library.

Come and find out about the study of exoplanets—planets orbiting around stars in other solar systems. Learn about powerful telescopes and come prepared to see real pictures of other worlds. For teens 12-18 years. Register by email or phone. Free.

250-656-0944. sidney@virl.bc.ca Science Venture: Sphero Robot Challenge, 2:30pm at Juan de Fuca Branch Library. Work in teams to program a Sphero Robotic Ball using an iPad, then navigate an indoor obstacle course using three different levels of programming. Presented

by Science Venture. For ages 9-12. Register online or call for more information. Free. 250-940-GVPL (4875). gvpl.ca.

Lego at the Library, 2:30pm at Bruce Hutchison and Esquimalt Branch Libraries. Listen to stories and have fun with the library’s Lego. For ages 7-10.

Register online or call for more information. Free.

250-940-GVPL (4875). gvpl.ca.

Makefriends. friends.Don’t Don’tadd addthem. them.

Make

Knit Wits for Teens: Neckwarmers, 3:30pm at Saanich Centennial Branch Library. Learn the basics of knitting and create a simple neckwarmer. The library supplies the instructions, yarn and knitting needles. For ages 13-18. Register online or call for more information. Free. 250-940-GVPL (4875). gvpl.ca.

Register NOW avoid Waitlists!

Learn why ScoutsCanada Canadaisto isthe the nation's #1youth youthorganization organization Learn why Scouts nation's #1 RegisterNOW NOWtotoavoid avoidWaitlists!

Waitlists!

Register

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32

Find a groupnear nearyou youatatwww.scouts.ca www.scouts.caor or1-888-726-8876 1-888-726-8876 Find group | Find a agroup near you at www.scouts.ca or 1-888-726-8876 Island Parent Magazine

IslandParent.ca

SATURDAY

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• before and after

Open House

Saturday, January 27, 10am–1pm

Victoria & CRD

Now accepting applications for 2018/19

Esquimalt Clothing & Toy Exchange, 10am at Wheeley Hall (Rainbow Kitchen), 1311 Lyall St. Bring clothes to swap or just to donate. Peruse at your leisure. Bring a bag of clothing, toys, and/or bedding.

Take as much or as little as you want. No ripped, torn or stained items. Please ensure multiple-part items are all together and labelled. Free. Facebook. com/EsquimaltExchange. esquimaltexchange@ gmail.com.

Furry Forest Friends, 10am at Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park. Join a CRD Regional Parks naturalist for a fun-filled forest walk with your young ones. Explore mammal adaptations, play the “camouflage� game, and learn about our furry forest friends. Meet at the Beaver Lake Nature Centre off the main parking lot.

There is no fee for this program, but you must preregister. 250-478-3344. crd.bc.ca/parks.

Island Farms Santa’s Light Parade, 4:45pm on Government St (from Belleville to Chatham). Floats, bands, entertainment and lots of fun for the entire family. Come to Centennial Square afterwards for refreshments from Island Farms and see Santa declare Christmas officially open. Free, but bring donations for the Mustard Seed Food. gvfs.ca.

school care

• small class sizes • supportive and

caring staff

• excellent academic

foundation

• Kodaly music

A local non-profit for all children (Since 1973) 5575 West Saanich Rd info@islandmontessori.com 250 592 4411 www.islandmontessori.com

program

• lovely rural location

connecting children to nature

Licenced group childcare for children 1 to 5 years Open 6:30am – 5:30pm 2758 Peatt Road, Langford  250-818-9225 or 778-265-5955 www.leapforwardlangford.com info@leapforwardlangford.com

Nanaimo & Area Disco Light Skate, 7:30pm at Oceanside Place Arena. Catch dance fever under the disco lights.

The flashing lights and pumping music will take you back in time. Regular admission. 250-248-3252. rdn.bc.ca/recreation

SUNDAY

26

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Victoria & CRD Oh Deer!, Noon at Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary, 3873 Swan Lake Rd. Come celebrate all the members of the deer family with deer bingo, deer crafts, deer games, and lots of touchable deer items. If you want to have some nature fun and learn about who’s who in the deer world, we can help. Admission by donation. 250-479-0211. swanlake.bc.ca

wednesday

After Ate

Mint Mocha &

Candy Cane Brownie & our

“12 Days of Christmas� contest

29

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Victoria & CRD Giggles and Wiggles, 10:30am at Juan de Fuca Branch Library. Little listeners with extra energy IslandParent.ca

December 11-22

Mint Mocha & Candy Cane Brownie promotion starts November 12, 2017

Pick up your copy of Island Parent at any Serious Coffee cafÊ 5P ÜOE POF OFBS ZPV HP UP TFSJPVTDPòFF DPN

November 2017  33

will enjoy action-filled stories, songs and rhymes followed by free play and stations. For young children and their families; children under 3 must be accompanied by an adult. Drop-in. Free. 250940-GVPL (4875). gvpl.ca Teen Council Booksmack, 7pm at Saanich Centennial Branch Library. Get Booksmaked! Come out for an evening of great books, music, audio books and film recommendations. A team of teens will speed review as many titles as they can throughout the evening. Drop in event. Free. 250-940-GVPL (4875). gvpl.ca.

O ngoing

days 10:30-11am; Juan de Fuca Branch: Tuesdays 10:30-11am; Goudy Branch: Wednesdays 11-11:30am; Nellie McClung Branch: Wednesdays 11:30am-noon; Saanich Centennial Branch: Thursdays 11:30amnoon; Bruce Hutchison & Esquimalt Branch: Fridays 10:30am-noon. 250-940-GVPL (4875). gvpl.ca.

Cowichan Valley

Toddler Time, 10:30-11am at Central Branch Library.

Toddler-approved stories, songs, rhymes and puppets. For toddlers 16-35 months and their parent or caregiver. Drop-in program. 250-940-GVPL (4875). gvpl.ca.

Nanaimo & Area

Mother Goose, at Harewood Activity Centre and Oliver Woods Community Centre, Nanaimo. This program allows children to experience the pleasure and benefits of using rhymes, songs and stories in Good Morning Storytime, Thursdays 10:30-11:15am their daily activities. Free. For babies birth-12 months. at Sidney/North Saanich Branch Library. Bring you Harewood: Thursdays September-14-November littlest ones to the library for stories, songs, rhymes 2nd; Oliver Woods: Wednesdays September 20-November 8. and movement. Ages 0-5.

Young Parent Weekly Drop-in, Thursdays 10amnoon at Kiwanis Family Centre. Come and enjoy a hot meal, socialize with other young parents, enjoy Victoria & CRD a kids’ craft, let your little one explore the fully equipped playroom, or have a look in the ‘free’ store Baby Time, at Greater Victoria Public Library Loca- for gently used children’s items and household suptions. Learn songs, rhymes and fingerplays to use plies. Staff available to help with information about with your baby every day. For babies 0-15 months relevant local resources, advocacy and counselling and their parent or caregiver. Drop-in Program runs support, help with paperwork, and parenting supNovember 1-29. Central & Oak Bay Branch: Mon- port. 250-382-1004.

PRESCHOOL

34 Island Parent Magazine

Family Storytime at Cowichan Library, Duncan.

Bring the whole family for stories, songs, rhymes and fun. For ages 0-5. Tuesdays 10:30-11:30am.

2687 James St. krumohr@virl.bc.ca.

Saturday Breakfast Club, 9:30-11:30am at Munchkinland Family Place, Parksville. Enjoy a parent and tot exploration and a Mother Goose circle time, plus songs, stories and breakfast. Saturdays except November 11. Free. Suitable for families with children 6 years and younger. 250-248-3252. rdn. bc.ca/recreation.

IslandParent.ca

CHILDREN Victoria & CRD Family Storytime, 10:30-11am at Greater Victoria Public Library Locations. Fun-filled stories, songs, rhymes and puppets. For young children and their families; children under 3 must be accompanied by an adult. Drop-in program. Mondays: Langford Heritage and Nellie McClung Branch; Tuesdays: Oak Bay and Saanich Centennial Branch; Wednesays: Central and Esquimalt Branch; Thursdays: Bruce Hutchison and Juan de Fuca Branch; Fridays: Central, Juan de Fuca and Oak Bay Branch; Saturdays: Nellie McClung Branch and Saanich Centennial Branch (1111-30am). No program November 11. 250-940-GVPL (4875). gvpl.ca.

Cowichan Valley

outstanding artistry, skill and workmanship of local fibre artists. Suitable for all ages. 250-655-6355. info@sidneymuseum.ca.

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Support Circles. A safe, supportive place to meet others in a similar situation and to share information and resources. For information about groups near you, call 250-384-8042. Province-wide toll free infromation and support line at 1-855-474-9777 or email grgline@parentsupportbc.ca. parentsupportbc.ca.

Parent Support Circles. Parenting isn’t always easy. sometimes it helps to talk things through with other parents. At the Parent Support Services Society of BC, they bleieve that every parent is the expert of her/ his own family. For more information about groups near you, call 250-384-8042 or 1-877-345-9444 or visit parentsupportbc.ca.

Family Storytime at Cowichan Library, Duncan. Cowichan Valley Bring the whole family for stories, songs, rhymes and fun. For ages 0-5. Tuesdays 10:30-11:30am. Family Cooking Classes, 4-6:30pm at Cowichan Green Community. Geared to families who face 2687 James St. krumohr@virl.bc.ca. challenges accessing or preparing healthy foods, or who are recent immigrants and would like to Nanaimo & Area connect with their community. These classes aim Drop-in Gym Plus for Kids. Pick up an Active Pass to share inexpensive meal plans that yield high and come to the after school drop-in activities until nutritional value while offering participants the December 21. Craig St Common, Drop in Gym and opportunity to gain confidence in the kitchen and Lego Time, Mondays 3-5pm; Wednesays, Drop in to connect with other families in the Cowichan Gym, 3-4:45pm; Thursdays, Drop in Gym and Craft region. Pre-registration required. Mondays. cgcf.ca/ Room, 3-5pm. 250-248-3252. rdn.bc.ca/recreation. projects/chow-cooking-classes or contact Jennifer at 250-748-8506.

teens

Nanaimo & Area

Victoria & CRD

Drop-In Science Studio, Thursdays and Saturdays 10am-noon at NS3 Science Studio. Children can Friday Night Adventurer’ Club, 6:30-8:30pm at explore the many features of the Science Studio Nelie McClung Branch Library. Enter the fantastical including KEVA blocks, marble wall, air field, wind world of magic and role-playing in this interactive tunnel, and a variety of discovery boxes. $4/child; four-week program based on the fifth edition of adults free. Schedule subject to change, so please Dungeons and Dragons. Step into the boots of mighty check nanaimoscience.org for most current schedheroes (and sneaky anti-heroes), and create your ule. 4355 Jingle Pot Rd. 778-971-6893. own stories. No previous experience required. You will learn skills for acting, writing and storytelling Lions Free Skate, Sundays noon-1:30pm at Frank along the way. Fridays November 8-24. Register Crane Arena, Nanaimo. Until September 17-March online at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for 25. 250-756-5200. more information.

FAMILY Victoria & CRD Spinners and Weavers Guild Exhibit, until end of October at Sidney Museum. An array of different fibre art mediums and styles showcases the

Parkville Lions and Save on Foods Family Skate, 12:15-1:45 at Oceanside Place Arena, Parksville. This popular session is back. Pond hockey is not available. Sundays November 5-26. 250-248-3252. rdn. bc.ca/recreation.•

Community Board Making our Community a Better Place to Live Art Gallery of Greater Victoria aggv.ca Child Care Resource & Referral childcarevictoria.ca Goodlife Fitness Victoria Marathon runvictoriamarathon.com Kaleidoscope Theatre kaleidoscope.bc.ca Phoenix Theatre phoenixtheatres.ca Royal BC Museum royalbcmuseum.bc.ca Victoria Children’s Choir victoriachildrenschoir.ca Victoria Conservatory of Music vcm.bc.ca Enquire about non-profit brochure or magazine distribution in Greater Victoria:

publisher@islandparent.ca IslandParent.ca

November 2017 35

The Science of Pizza Did you know that every pizza is an amazing science experiment?

Why does the dough rise? Why does the cheese melt?

And why is pizza everyone’s favourite food?

Having a homemade pizza party is a great way to engage kids in the science of cooking. Kids can help dice up ingredients, grate cheese and create their own masterpieces. Turning pizzas into artwork may actually encourage children to try new vegetables. Create a garden with broccoli for trees, or a face with olives for eyes and a red pepper mouth. The options are endless.

Making dough from scratch might seem like a lot of work, but it is a perfect activity for a rainy Sunday afternoon, one that will engage children from ages one to 101! First, let’s look at the science of pizza.

36 Island Parent Magazine

IslandParent.ca

Why does pizza taste so good?

What is there not to like about pizza? It’s a combo of bread, cheese and your favourite toppings. However, there is a scientific reason for why pizza tastes so good…and it all comes down to a secret ingredient: MSG.

Why does bread rise?

the yeast eating the sugar. Stir in the flour and salt. Allow to sit for five minutes.

2. Put a bit of olive oil on your hands, then start to kneed the dough for five minutes until the gluten is knitting together and the dough becomes a nice elastic ball.

protein behind. This gluten forms a sticky bubble that fills with the carbon dioxide like a balloon.

Make dough at home with your kids! Feel how the dough transforms from a sticky ball of flour to a puffy ball of dough as the gluten knits together to become more elastic.

How long does it take to for the yeast to eat up enough sugar to cause the dough to double in size?

3. When you have a nice dough ball, pour a little bit of olive oil in the bowl, coating the ball of dough and the bowl.

Cover with a tea towel and allow to rise in a warm location, (near a heater or on top of your fridge) until it has doubled in size (about 1–2 hours).

4. Grease two cookie sheets and dust with cornmeal or sesame seeds. Divide the dough into two balls, roll them out and put them on the cookie sheets. Brush the top of the pizzas with olive oil so that the toppings doesn’t make the crust soggy.

5. Decorate your pizza with your choice of toppings and bake at 475˚F for 15–20 minutes.

Yeast is responsible for making bread rise.

Yeast is a little organism that eats sugar and turns it into alcohol and carbon dioxide.

When we add yeast to flour, the yeast eats the sugar part of the flour, leaving the gluten

Emillie Parrish Cooking With Kids What?!? Isn’t MSG that white powder that you are suppose to avoid? Yes, commercially added MSG is definitely not good for your health. However, MSG is also a naturally occurring flavour enhancer found in a number of foods including wheat, tomatoes, cheese, mushrooms and pepperoni.

MSG stands for monosodium glutamate.

Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter, which means that it causes neurons to be more excited. Our body makes glutamate and uses glutamate all the time, so we don’t need to worry about eating MSG. However, MSG in food excites your taste buds, so they are more responsive to the flavours in your mouth. This means that a piece of pepperoni pizza is so extra tasty because of the naturally occurring MSG.

Why does cheese melt?

There are a few things that change the way cheese melts: The fat content. Like butter, the fat molecules in cheese melt and become liquid when they heat up. (Low fat cheese versus regular cheese).

The water content. If cheese is very dry it will not have enough moisture to melt.

Older cheeses tend to be more dry, so these cheeses won’t melt quite as well as a younger cheese. (Parmesan versus mozzarella).

Acid or rennet. Cheese is made by curdling milk. If acid is used to make cheese, then the proteins don’t knit into an elastic structure, so they don’t melt well. Using rennet (an enzyme) to make cheese causes the casein protein to knit together into an elastic structure that is good for melting.

(Ricotta versus brie).

Experiment! Use different cheeses on your pizza to see which ones melt and which ones don’t, then see if you can figure out what is going on.

IslandParent.ca

Basic Pizza Dough Recipe

11⁄3 cup of warm water 1 package of instant yeast (21⁄4 tsp) 1 Tbsp sugar 31⁄2 cups of flour 1 Tbsp salt 2 Tbsp olive oil 1. Mix the water, yeast and sugar in a bowl. Wait until it starts to foam. This is

Emillie Parrish loves having adventures with her two busy children. She lives in Victoria and is the author of the fermentation-based blog fermentingforfoodies.com.

November 2017 37

Fitting In

W

ill most people spend their entire lives trying to fit in, to please others, to adapt to other people’s lives, and learning how to deal with the actions and behaviours of others?

Where does this behaviour come from?

Is it something that is innate—something we live with from the beginning to the end?

I’ve been wondering about this topic lately, ever since my son started kindergarten.

In high school, trying to fit in is common.

It’s the time where most teens are discovering who they are, where they fit in, and who their friends truly are. It can be a tough time with lots of tears, fights, and disagreements with their family and their peers.

Once these young adults reach parenthood there can be a breath in between, or a comfortable place where those worries and pressures sort of fade away. That, unfortunately, wasn’t the case for me or for many parents I’ve spoken to over the years.

That need to fit in can get worse for some, for those moms and dads trying to fit into the parenting norm and the many controversial aspects that come with it, including breastfeeding, co-sleeping and vaccinations.

38 Island Parent Magazine

It isn’t an absurd thing to say that some parents can be judgemental and fixed to their ways and also cliquey. What I find concerning is how early this behaviour begins.

This brings me back to my son starting school.

He’s been in many social scenarios before, including daycare and a preschool in our old community and a playschool in our new one. He’s outgoing and doesn’t typically have problems making buddies.

Since my son started kindergarten, though, I’ve witnessed a few scenarios already, quite subtle, but still telling of how this behaviour can start.

If, for example, kids don’t say ‘Hi,’ back

What’s so hard about saying, ‘Hello,’ back and introducing yourself?”

Aren’t these kids too young for this to be happening?

I try not to intervene as I want my son to be able to handle the situation as it’s something he’s going to face the rest of his life.

Ashley Degraaf Is There an App for This?

I do chat with him about it at home all the time. We talk about manners and saying please and thank you and showing respect for others and that kind of thing. But I also remind him to say “Hello” back to new friends, to try to be fair and welcoming to all the kids at the school.

I’ve chatted with him a few times how he should respond in certain scenarios he’s told me about, that have happened on the bus for example. I think these conversations are important.

I still find at my age, two children later, long past the high school and post-secondary years, that my feelings still get hurt quite often from situations with friends.

Some friends I’ve grown apart from.

Some seem to be trying so desperately to fit in with “more popular” people. It upsets me this behaviour carries on through adulthood. It also upsets me my son is already seeing this. It upsets me that both my son and daughter will have to feel the same pain and disappointment I have and many other adults do all the time.

And that brings me to focus on the words, “all the time.”

Everyone deals with this.

It’s how we deal with it that’s important.

Creating a support system within the family is key. Creating an environment to him because they don’t really know him. where my children can come to me to be They might walk away and join their group. comforted when they deal with it is, too.

It’s heartbreaking for a parent to watch.

Also educating them on building true and This isn’t unusual, kids getting upset lasting friendships and what those look because so-and-so won’t play with them for like, is important. various reasons: they are already playing I want to start the discussions now with with someone else; they played with them my kindergarten kid. I don’t think it’s too yesterday, so they won’t today. early.

“So what?” I want to say on behalf of all those kids that get left out. “What’s one Ashley Degraaf is a freelance writer based out more kid? of the Cowichan Valley. She enjoys channeling her inner momma while chronicling her daily adventures with her children.

IslandParent.ca

Together w e a re Family

the cridge centre for the Family is about people: children, adults, seniors, survivors of brain injury, women leaving abuse, refugees and immigrants, families with children with special needs and young parents. the cridge centre for the Family is about connection, about building community and partnerships, and about belonging and being valued. the cridge centre for the Family is about being at home and feeling safe, about achieving goals and reaching potential. the cridge centre for the Family is about all of us, working together to care for the vulnerable.

Won’t you join our family?

www.cridge.org or 250 384 8058 1307 Hillside Ave, Victoria BC V8T 0A2 IslandParent.ca

November 2017

39

Leading a Stray

W Matinees for KIDS!

Saturdays & Sundays

Nov 4 & 5 – 12:30 PM The Goonies Nov 11 & 12 – 12:30 pm Spirited Away Nov 18 & 19 – 12:30 pm Castle in the Sky

All Seats

Nov 25 & 26 – 12:45 pm Kiki’s Delivery Service

$4.75

Dec 2 & 3 – 1:00 pm My Neighbour Totoro

.com Student Union Building, UVIC | 250-721-8365

December 21-31 2373 R O S S TOW N R D, N A N A I M O

SEASON SPONSORS

By Ben Crocker

Tickets $16 • tickets and more information at:

nanaimotheatregroup.ca

250-758-7224

40 Island Parent Magazine

hen my wife and I decided to take our three daughters to Mexico for the summer, we knew they’d need some structure to their days. Before leaving we signed all three up for Spanish school and also arranged for each to do some volunteering once we arrived. Our two younger daughters would spend a few mornings a week helping at a dog shelter, while my wife and our eldest daughter would volunteer at an orphanage. The joke around the house in the weeks leading up to departure was that we’d return from Mexico with a dog and an orphan. I’m not sure how serious either my wife or I were about the possibility of adopting an orphan, but the moment Tessa and Vivian started helping with the 70 street dogs at the shelter, they were talking about which we’d bring home.

For years now our kids have been keen to get a dog. Tessa has been earning pocket money walking a pug from the neighbourhood. All three of our daughters approach just about anyone walking a lap dog, and of course they’ve been bugging their parents to get a dog. For a while now my wife has been open to the idea of a family dog, but I was the hold out—worried about how our cat would fare, worried about who would do the work of caring for the dog.

Shortly after Vivian and Tessa started working at the Mexican dog shelter, a new group of puppies arrived. When naming large numbers of animals, it’s best to have a theme and all the dogs in this particular group were named for African countries. Mauritius was the cutest of the bunch, a floppy-eared dog with a bit of a German shepherd look. The kids started talking about him at home, they brought back pictures, they brought back videos. After weeks of pressure, we finally decided to try bringing him back to the house for an afternoon.

Maurice, as we started to call him, peed in the car on the way to our house and once there he sat in the corner curled in a ball quivering with fear. He’d probably never been in a house before; he’d been scooped up off the street and had since been living in a penned-in field. We kept working on integrating him into the family though. We took him to the vet, the kids took him for

IslandParent.ca

walks, we had him vaccinated and medicated.

He had worms, a low platelet count and a tick-borne disease associated with dogs in the tropics. Eventually we brought him back to the house for a longer stay, but before agreeing that we could actually adopt him, I had each of our girls sign an agreement saying they would walk the dog any time requested, no questions asked, no fighting over whose turn it might be.

Daniel Griffin Dadspeak We’ve been back in Victoria for almost two months now and so far the kids have lived up to their side of the agreement. When my wife or I ask them to walk the dog they do it, but it turns out there’s a lot more work to raising a seven-month-old rescue dog than just walks around the block. While he’s mostly very well-behaved, it’s still a shock to someone who’s only ever had cats as pets—he jumps on the furniture, barks, chews things he shouldn’t. He pees on carpets, pees in his crate, tears up pillows and rugs.

After a couple weeks with Maurice home, we hired a dog trainer to help us integrate him into our household. The trainer was full of good advice in terms of consistency in how we treat the dog, and ensuring he has structure and discipline. When she showed us how to use the leash to get Maurice into his crate, the two of them ended up in a standoff: The trainer was pulling on the leash but the dog wasn’t moving.

“Once you’re in a confrontation,” she said, “you’ve got to carry on and follow through.

If you let the dog win, the dog will think he’s the alpha, so now I just have to show him who is boss and persist until he gets into the crate.” She slowly but steadily increased the pressure on the leash and finally Maurice stepped into his crate.

Except for the leash, the dog trainer’s method of getting Maurice into his crate is pretty similar to how I used to get our kids to bed. Adopting a dog’s a lot more like having a new child in the house than I’d expected.

Daniel Griffin is the father of three children and the author of Stopping for Strangers (Vehicule Press, 2012). His new novel, Two Roads Home, is out now.

IslandParent.ca

St. Joseph’s St. Joseph’s E

S

Elementary Schoollementary - CHEMAINUS chool

Traditional Values Affordable

250-246-3191 www.stjosephselem.ca

A colourful, imaginative story for adventurers of all ages that dream of falling asleep on a beach made of stars at the edge of the world.

Available in hardcover and softcover from your favourite local or online bookseller

November 2017 41

Active Play & Limited Screen Time

Healthy Families, Happy Families

Child, Youth & Family Public Health South Island Health Units Esquimalt Gulf Islands

250-519-5311 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 Ladysmith Lake Cowichan Nanaimo Nanaimo Princess Royal Parksville/ Qualicum

250-709-3050 250-755-3342 250-749-6878 250-755-3342 250-755-3342

Port Alberni Tofino

250-731-1315 250-725-4020

250-947-8242

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

viha.ca/prevention_services/ 42 Island Parent Magazine

I

n Canada, roughly one in five children (21 per cent) between the ages of two and five years of age are considered overweight or obese. Many children in this age range attend child care, therefore licensed child care settings are an important environment for enhancing physical activity in young children. In British Columbia, the Director of Licensing has issued a specific policy titled, Director of Licensing Standard of Practice—Active Play (DLSOP) under the authority of section (4) (1) (e) of the Community Care and Assisted Living Act. Effective September 1, 2017, licensing officers in Island Health are inspecting child care facilities, ensuring that licensees have created and are enacting an Active Play Policy and a Screen Use Policy to meet the intent of the DLSOP.

So what is Active Play?

Active play is physical activity that increases a child’s heart rate. It is small and large muscle movement which involves spontaneous and occasional bursts of high energy. It may be structured or unstructured and it can occur indoors or outdoors. Active play is important for children of all ages.

It encompasses any activity that increases small and large muscle development such as moving hands and fingers, arms and legs and can occur through activities such as dancing, crawling, walking, and running, skipping, jumping, and rolling. When children engage in active play their bones, muscles and brain are enriched.

Synchronous with active play in the DLSOP is the limit of screen time in licensed child care facilities. Screen time includes and is not limited to television, computer, and electronic games. All licensees must limit screen time to 30 minutes or less a day. An Active Play and Screen Time policy are both required in licensed child care facilities in B.C. This fall, ask your licensed child care provider what his or her policies are and why they are important.

How is your licensed child care provider meeting the DLSOP requirements?

From a population health perspective, it is being projected that today’s kids may experience a shorter life span than their parents The DLSOP provides specific recommen- because of inadequate physical activity. In dations to increase active play and physical response, the Canadian Pediatric Society movement for a minimum of 60 minutes a issued a positon statement advocating that day in the daily routines and activities for care practitioners “promote physical activchildren in licensed child care facilities. ity and reduce sedentary time in children, Activities can be broken up into 15 minute adolescents and their families.” In the Island intervals or longer periods throughout the Health region there are 1,176 licensed child day. Specific requirements for each category care facilities, providing child care spaces for of care are included in the DLSOP. For ex- 14,314 children. While increasing physical ample, a three-hour preschool session must activity and reducing screen time is a mandainclude 30 minutes of active play, and a full tory requirement in all licensed child care day care session must include a minimum facilities, expanding the lifelong wellness of 60 minutes of active outdoor play. of a child, adolescent, and family member Evidence-based literature states that early is a community responsibility. childhood is a critical time to implement Beginning in 2017, the Island Health Liphysical activity. It enhances movement censing program partnered with the Pacific skills and develops physical activity behav- Institute for Sports Excellence and Pacific iours that will impact a children throughout Sport Vancouver Island to offer education their lives.

IslandParent.ca

opportunities to licensees and their employees. The purpose of these sessions was to educate licensees and their employees on fundamental movement skills of active play and the importance of reduced screen time. Did your licensed child care provider attend one of the sessions? Resources from

Child Yo u th & Fami ly P u b l ic H ealth

Murray Fyfe & Shelley McClure Happy Families, Healthy Families

these sessions are available to licensees and families of children enrolled in their programs through the Island Health Licensing program.

To learn more about what licensing officers are doing to educate licensees and monitor active play and reduce screen time in licensed child care facilities, please contact the Island Health Licensing program.

Resources are available through Island Health, Licensing, the Ministry of Health, Pacific Institute for Sports Excellence and Pacific Sport Vancouver Island. Also, Live 5210 provides evidence-based resources to support licensees and families build healthy environments for children.

Resources: Director of Licensing Standard of Practice— Active Play (DLSOP) www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/health/aboutbc-s-health-care-system/child-day-care/active_play_june_2016.pdf Island Health Licensing Program viha.ca/mho/licensing/ Pacific Institute for Sports Excellence pise.ca Pacific Sport Vancouver Island pacificsportvi.com Live 5210 live5210.ca

Murray Fyfe, MD, MSc, FRCPC, Medical Health Officer; Shelley McClure, Ed.D, CEC, CAM, Acting Regional Manager, Community Care Facilities Licensing, IslandParent.ca

SWIM SKILLS PROGRAMS AVAILABLE! Juan de Fuca Pool Early Competitive/Competitive Programs Available!

Ages: 9 –13 If you are interested contact us for more details! officeadmin@islandswimming.com

Christmas Goody Contest Send us the recipe for your family’s favourite CHRISTMAS GOODY and we’ll enter your name into the draw for a $50 gift certificate to your favourite bakery. A selection of recipes will be printed in the December issue of Island Parent.

Please e-mail recipes (with Christmas Recipe in the subject) to editor@islandparent.ca.

Contest Friday, November 17,3:06:35 2017.

171024deadline: SMUS_Ed_Ext-IslandParent_ad-4.75x3 copy.pdf 1 10/24/2017 PM

WINTER HOLIDAY PROGRAMS December 18, 2017 to January 4, 2018

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

Passion Sports Winter Elite Camp Three days of intensive basketball skill development.

Holly Days

Festive tours and trees are all part of this action -packed camp.

January Jump Start

You’ll literally be flying through the air at this joyful start to the New Year.

Visit our website for information on these and other programs: www.smus.ca/winter, or call the Education Extension office at 250-370-6120.

November 2017 43

putting his hands to his mouth. Crying is a late hunger cue.

• Sit or lie down comfortably, using pillows for support and comfort if necessary.

Relax your shoulders and bring your baby to your breast rather than your breast to baby.

• Hold your baby close, tummy to mummy, nose to nipple, chin to breast and bottom tucked in to your body. Support your and a bottle of water with you so you can baby’s neck and shoulders firmly without eat and drink while your baby is feeding. pushing the back of your baby’s head as • Accept and/or ask for help with house- this often makes the baby push away from work and meals from your partner, family the breast.

• Support your breast by holding four and friends.

• Invite visitors only when you feel fingers underneath, away from the areola ready and/or limit the number of guests (dark area), with your thumb on top. Exand how long they stay to visit. It is easy pressing a few drops of milk will awaken to miss early hunger cues while baby being your baby’s senses of taste and smell.

• Rest your baby’s chin on the breast, passed around. nose to nipple until her mouth opens as big as a yawn and she moves her head back to take a big mouthful of the breast. You can also gently touch your baby’s lips until her mouth opens very wide.

• When your baby feels your nipple with her tongue, her lips will close over the areola and nipple and form a seal; both lips should be rolled outwards. You will feel your baby suckling gently at first and then deeply and rhythmically, one or two sucks per swallow, with little pauses to rest.

• Babies need to eat often in the first weeks—eight or more times in 24 hours.

This establishes active milk production and ensures that your baby regains his birth weight by the second week of life. Night feeds are important to establish breastfeeding and to maintain milk production.

• Mother’s milk is easily digested. When your baby is breastfeeding well and often, there is no need to supplement with food or other liquids, not even water.

Breastfeeding Basics

B

reastfeeding is more than simply providing nutrients and calories for physical growth—it contributes to an intimate and special relationship. Holding your baby close stimulates all of her senses.

A baby who is smiled at, talked to and cuddled will develop a sense of security.

Remarkably, as your baby grows your milk will also change to keep up with your baby’s needs and continues to have just the

• Reach out for help if you need it: public right amount of nutrients. Breastfeeding, although natural and has countless benefits, health nurses, lactation consultants, the La can be a challenge at first. Here is how to Leche League, your doctor or midwife, family members, or friends who have breastfed. navigate your way to success: • Do something you enjoy every day; relax in the bathtub, read a chapter of your new First and Foremost: • Take care of yourself. If you are not novel, take a walk with your baby, keep getting enough nutrition, adequate rest and in touch with family and friends—do not support around you, you will not be able become isolated. navigate your way as easily if things are tricky. Remember that both you and your Tips for Success: baby are learning something new and it • Instead of timing feeds by the clock, takes time and patience. look for your baby’s early signs of wanting • Eat healthy meals and drink lots of to feed, such as rooting, licking his lips or water. Have easy-to-grab healthy snacks 44 Island Parent Magazine

Signs Your Baby is Getting Enough Breast Milk:

It can be difficult for a breastfeeding mom to know how much babe is taking in at a feeding because she cannot see the volume being consumed. It is important to listen for an audible suck/swallow rhythm, as well as keep track of baby’s output. Expect one wet diaper on day one, increasing to five to six per day by the time baby is one week old.

Urine should be pale and mild smelling.

Baby should have three to four or more soiled diapers in a 24-hour period. Stools should be yellow (no meconium) by day five and the size of a quarter (2.5 cm) or larger.

Once mom’s milk comes in, average weight gain is about six ounces per week. If you are IslandParent.ca

concerned about your baby’s weight please don’t hesitate to contact your health care provider or public health nurse.

Breastfeeding is a basic supply-anddemand activity. The more you nurse, the more milk your body makes. When your baby goes through a growth spurt and seems to be nursing all the time, keep in mind she’s signaling your body to increase

Diana Hurschler New Parent Pages the milk production for her new nutritional needs, and that it is not a sign that you aren’t producing enough milk. Typical growth spurt times are at two to three weeks of age, six weeks, three months and six months.

Breast milk contains antibodies and other immune factors that help protect against infections and disease—benefits that last a lifetime. Please note that since sunlight is the principal source of vitamin D for all people, a vitamin D supplement of 10 ug (400 IU) is recommended for all breastfed babies in Canada to correct for a lack of exposure to sunlight. This supplement should be given from birth until the baby’s diet includes at least 10 ug (400IU) per day of vitamin D from other foods or until he or she is one year old. Beginning at six months of age babies need to replenish their iron reserves by adding a variety of foods in addition to breast milk, which continues to provide nutrition and protection. Many mothers continue to breastfeed until their babies are two years old or more.

The first four to six weeks are a learning period while your body establishes your milk supply and you become more at ease with breastfeeding and understanding your baby’s cues. Time, patience, and humour can all help! Have faith in your body’s ability to provide for your baby. Get help without delay if you need it. Once you work through the early days you will be rewarded with convenience and lifelong health benefits of breastfeeding for both you and your child.

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. Email diana@hurschler.com.

IslandParent.ca

COMPREHENSIVE FAMILY DENTISTRY family centered practice extended hours evenings and weekends the latest equipment and caring staff request an appointment online

saanichdentalgroup.com 119–1591 McKenzie Ave, Victoria

250 477 7321

info@saanichdentalgroup.com

Victoria’s favourite dentists believe a healthy smile starts early. Free first visit for children under 5.

Toys, Games & Puzzles for All Ages

koolandchild.com Kool Toys & Teaching Tools

#102 – 2517 Bowen Road Nanaimo 888.390.1775 November 2017

45

Family Services Directory

Community Options for Children and Families offers recreational support groups for Children and Youth age 6-18 who have a brother or sister with a disability. The Sibshop Program allows children and youth to connect with peers who understand what This directory, sponsored by Thrifty Foods, features not for profit it is like to be a Sib. Sibkids (age 6-12) and Sibteens agencies and organizations serving children, youth and families. (age 13-18) are play and activity based designed to provide opportunity for participants to share in a comfortable and safe environment. For further 1Up, Victoria Single Parent Resource Centre (1- help finding a job? Need employees? Contact us info call 250-380-6363 or communityoptions.bc.ca. up.ca) provides support, education and resources for FREE assistance! 9860 Third St. Sidney. 250for parents in the Greater Victoria area through 656-0134. beaconcs.ca.

End Dyslexia. Does your child have trouble reading free counselling, volunteer training, a mentoring or is behind in reading? Is your child bright, but is program for single moms, and a support group for Boys & Girls Club Services offer after-school not learning as quickly as you would like? Get ready dads, as well as a variety of integrated life skills and evening social, educational and recreational for September now with Summer Reading Camps and parenting courses which are open to the whole programming for children and youth at 5 locations from the convenience of your own home! Use community, with fees on a sliding scale. For single (Colwood, Langford, VicWest, Central Saanich and research-based programs with fast, lasting results parent members, the Centre provides free toys and Esquimalt) and summer camps both in Esquimalt while working with award-winning speech-language books, a clothing room and bread pantry. Donations and at our Outdoor Centre in Metchosin. We also of- pathologist, Marlene Lewis, who brings many years of gently-used clothing, small household items, and fer support to parents through our Parents Together of experience and proven results in improving readtoys are welcome. Hours: Mon., Tue., Thu., Fri.: 9–4, program and parent workshops. For more informa- ing for children, teens and adults. To learn more & Wednesdays: 12–7. Location: 602 Gorge Road tion on all programs and services visit bgcvic.org or please visit end-dyslexia.com or call 250-474-6368.

East. Phone: 250-385-1114. call 250-384-9133.

Family Services of Greater Victoria (formerly BC Beacon Community Services is a community- Canucks Autism Network (CAN) provides high- Families in Transition) is a non profit agency that has based, non-profit agency dedicated to helping quality, adapted sports, recreational and social been serving families since 1978. We provide a full people and improving lives on southern Vancouver programs for kids, teens and young adults living range of services to the whole family in supportIsland and the southern Gulf Islands. Beacon thrift with autism on Vancouver Island. Shawnigan Lake: ing their relationship and through separation and shops fund important LOCAL community services Multisport day camp, bike clinics and family camp. divorce. Counseling, mediation, legal information and programs. Beacon also offers: child, youth and Victoria: Swim, soccer, skate and physical literacy. and a range of group programs are available for family services (including the Peninsula Early Years Nanaimo: Swim and physical literacy. Family events children, youth and adults on a sliding fee scale. Call Centre and child care); counselling; employment take place throughout the year! Become a member us at 250-386-4331 or visit fsgv.org. We can help. services and training for people of all ages; home for only $25/year at canucksautism.ca/join. Call support care; volunteer services and opportunities; 604-685-4049, email info@canucksautism.ca or HappyBaby Sleep Solutions helps families creaffordable housing/care/supports for seniors and visit canucksautism.ca/VancouverIsland for more ate healthy sleep habits in babies and children so people with disabilities. For Home Support, please information. everyone is well rested and happy. Sukkie Sandhu, call 250-658-6407. For other programs: 250-656M.Ed., has worked with hundreds of families locally 0134. beaconcs.ca.

CHOICES Adoption & Counselling is a licensed, in Victoria and worldwide. Sukkie is a Registered professional, non-profit agency that provides Clinical Counsellor so the cost of a sleep consultaBeacon Community Services Employment services to adoptive parents, birth-parents, and tion may be covered under your extended medical Programs. Beacon Community Services offers a adoptees. CHOICES arranges adoptions domesti- plan. For more information visit happybabysleepfull menu of employment services on the Saanich cally and internationally. We are committed to pro- solutions.com or call 250-857-1408 for a FREE Peninsula and Gulf Islands. We’ve been helping viding a comprehensive, client-centered adoption evaluation. Let’s get started! people find work since 1982! Our programs build on service which best meets the needs of everyone a person’s strengths and resolve barriers to finding in the adoption constellation. Please contact us at HeadWay Victoria Epilepsy & Parkinson’s Centre and keeping employment. We also work with our choices@choicesadoption.ca, or call 250-479-9811 supports families living with seizures by offering employer network to support job seekers. Need for further information. parent workshops three times a year, educational

Maxine Fisher M.Ed., RCC, MTA

Counselling for Children, Families & Adults Over 20 Years Experience (Music Therapy Also Available)

Stress & Trauma (Acting Out) • Parenting • Family Transitions Physical & Learning Disabilities • Relationships • Individuals Skype & Phone Sessions Available M.Ed. | Registered Clinical Counsellor | Accredited Music Therapist

Call Today for a Complimentary 10 minute phone consultation Call 250-686-7582 maxinefisher@shaw.ca victoriafamilycounselling.com 46 Island Parent Magazine

IslandParent.ca

presentations in schools and community groups as well as providing tutoring sessions and one-to-one professional consultations to help your child live up to their highest potential. Keep up to date with the latest research about treatments, lifestyle, and safety issues for your child. We can be reached at headwayvictoria.com, or you can reach the Epilepsy Program Coordinator directly at 250-475-6677.

Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria (ICA) is a registered charity and nonprofit helping individuals and organizations to connect across cultures. Programs offered include immigrant and refugee services, parenting programs, employment services, interpretation and translation, diversity workshops and training, English language training, volunteer placements, youth programs and tutoring, seniors groups, and inter-cultural arts programming.

Located at 930 Balmoral Road, 250-388-4728 info@ icavictoria.org, icavictoria.org.

LDABC The Learning Curve (previously The Learning Disabilities Assn.) supports, educates and advocates for children with learning disabilities and related challenges. Individual and group support, education and consultation is available for children, youth, parents, caregivers and professionals.

Please visit our website @ ldasvi.bc.ca or call us for more information or to book an appointment: 250 370 9513.

Power To Be inspires people living with barriers or disabilities to explore their limitless abilities through inclusive adventures rooted in nature. With programs for children, youth and adults, year-round adventures include kayaking, canoeing, camping, hiking and more. Visit powertobe.ca or call 250385-2363 to learn more.

Sooke-West Shore Early Years Centres provide information to families about children and family services, supports, child development and parenting. The Early Years Navigator will assist families with referral information for local early years programming, child care, public health, special needs intervention services, and social supports. The Sooke-West Shore Early Years Centres are hosted

by Sooke Family Resource Society and located at the Child, Youth, and Family Centres in both Sooke and the West Shore and can be reached at 250217-9243. Additional information can be accessed at sfrs.ca/early-years-centre.

Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society (VIRCS) supports immigrants and refugees living in Greater Victoria. Services are free and include oneon-one counselling, parent education workshops, youth life skills classes, a preschool program, art therapy, language classes and academic support, employment help, computer classes and fun community events like free yoga, tai chi, dance and cooking classes. Visit us online at vircs.bc.ca or phone 250-361-9433.

IslandParent.ca

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Specializing in:

Renovations New Construction Custom Showers Hot Water Tanks Fixture Replacements Contact me today for a quote:

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Enter Our Online Contests Every month at IslandParent.ca you can enter to win great prizes!

Prizes include:

• Family Getaways • Gift Certificates • IMAX Passes • Books, CDs & More One entry per family per week.

Check out the prizes and enter the contests by visiting

IslandParent.ca November 2017 47

PReSCHooL & CHiLD CaRe Directory CeNtRaL SaaNiCH

Recreation Oak Bay ................................250-370-7200 Fully licensed, ECE Daycare, Preschool and Nature Preschool.

Play based, child led learning. Afterschool care available.

HiGHLaNDS

Chrysalis Child Care ...............................250-652-0815 A nurturing and stimulating environment for a small group of 21⁄2–5 year old children. Qualified ECE promotes learning through play. chrysalischildcare.ca.

CoLWooD/LaNGFoRD

Licenced group childcare for children ages 12 months to 5 years old. Open 6:30am-5:30pm.

Leap forward dance school offers weekday and Saturday dance classes for children ages 2 and up.

2758 Peatt Road, Langford

250-818-9225 info@leapforwardlangford.com

www.leapforwardlangford.com

Miles of Smiles Nature Junior Kindergarten .......................................... 778-265-4374 Come See Why learning In Nature Rocks! Reggio Influenced Philosophy ages 3-5. Have Your Child Become a Nature Detective Today! Email mosnjk@hotmail.com.

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

Cordova Bay Preschool........................... 250-658-3441 A bright and cheerful parent participation preschool with a philosophy of learning through play. 4 yr olds - M/W/F 9:151:15; 3 yr olds - T/Th 9:15-12:15. cordovabaypreschool.org.

SaaNiCH Only seconds past luxurious Bear Mountain our highly respected outdoor program will not disappoint! Our “Nurture through Nature” facility is rooted from the Reggio-Emilia philosophies, allowing the children to use their environment as the “third teacher.” Located on 2 acres of forest land, your child will learn and grow in a natural surrounding of tress and wildlife! Newly expanded, we NOW have more spaces available for your Infant/ Toddlers and Pre-Kindergarten aged children. We use the trees from our own property to build the furniture and some of the toys in all three centres. The children enjoy yoga, music, Spanish, signlanguage and an outdoor classroom. In 2016, Lexie Biegun won the BC Provincial Gov’t award of Excellence for Child Care Providers.

Please visit our Facebook page for current info and pics.

lexieslittlebears.ca

250-590-3603 Cub House waitlist: 778-432-3600

metCHoSiN Metchosin Cooperative Preschool .......... 250-478-9241 Gorgeous forested playground. Half day play based nature programs. Exploration, self discovery, child centered learning nurtured by our wonderful ECCEs. West-Mont Montessori School ................250-474-2626 Exceptional preschool Montessori instruction in a beautiful natural environment. Ages 30 months and up. Providing a balanced approach to incorporating French, Music, Art and Nature. Stop by and experience what it is like to be part of a community devoted to the development of the whole child.

Open House: Thursdays 9-11 am. west-mont.ca.

• Half day and Full day Preschool Programs • Children’s learning is nurtured and supported through exploration, discovery, play and creative expression 3905 Haro Road, Victoria BC

250-477-3731 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. camosun.ca/childcare.

Full o’ Beans Preschool .............................. 250-360-1148 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! saanichneighbourhoodplace.com.

Island Montessori House ....................250-592-4411 Inclusive, integrated and nurturing Preschool and After School Care programs. lovely rural setting with a focus on nature and outdoor environmental activities. islandmontessori.com.

eSQUimaLt Ciara Early Childhood Centre ..................250-386-7369 Education and Fun Hand in Hand! Exceptional care for ages 1-5yrs. Inclusive nature inspired kindergarten readiness program with Christian values. Facebook.com/ CiaraEarlyChildhoodCentre.

Island Kids Academy Esquimalt ..............250-381-2929 High quality child care (ages 1-5). Enriched Curriculum Includes Music Classes and Character Development using the Virtues Project. Part -time spaces available. Islandkids.ca.

La Pré-Maternelle Appletree Preschool .....250-479-0292 A French Immersion Program. 30 months to school age. licensed Christian centre. prematernelleappletree.com.

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. Now offering Infant and Toddler Care.

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

Gonzales Co-op Preschool ...................... 250-727-1003 An imaginative Reggio Emilia inspired learning-Through-Play community that focuses on nature, music, and arts. gonzalescooppreschool.com.

Child Care

Resource & Referral vancouverislandccrr.ca ccrr.bc.ca 48

Island Parent Magazine

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul has opened a brand new licensed child care facility in Royal Oak at 4353 West Saanich Road. We currently have openings in our over 36 months program operating Monday to Friday.

For more information call 250-727-0007 and ask for Maureen Hall, Manager or email us at info@svdpvictoria.com

Looking for child care? Need help with subsidy forms?

Taking care of children? Need child care training?

Your community’s best source of child care information and resources.

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

IslandParent.ca

Lambrick Park Preschool & Childcare........ 250-477-8131 Gordon Head’s parent-participation preschool and childcare center. Flexible hours M-F 9am-3pm & drop-ins offered. Play based learning and outdoor play. Allergy friendly. Celebrating 40 years. lambrickparkpreschool.ca.

Licenced group childcare for children ages 1 to 12 years old

Montessori Educare.................................250-881-8666 Beautiful learning environment in Broadmead and Saanichton. 30 months to 5 years. All year round. montessorieducare@shaw.ca. montessorieducare.com.

Open 6:30am–5:30pm

Neighbourhood Junior Kindergarten....... 250-479-4410 Welcoming, culturally sensitive parent participation program in Lakehill School. Morning and afternoon.

For 3s and 4s. See website for details. neighbourhood juniorkindergarten.com Oakcrest Preschool................................ 250-472-0668 A welcoming, nurturing environment with a large, bright facility. Learn through play with 2 caring ECEs. oakcrestpreschool.org.

Pre-School Junior Kindergarten PacificChristian.ca 250-479-4532 Educational Excellence to the Glory of God 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 Inside Hillcrest Elm. in Gordon Head, we help children transition to Kindergarten. Licensed Preschool with highly qualified, warm ECE. heoscmanager@gmail.com.

Offering Before & After school care for Vic West Elementary School

babiestobigkids.com 250-590-2722 info@babiestobigkids.com

949 Fullerton Ave

Castleview Child Care............................. 250-595-5355 Learning Through Play & Discovery. Licensed non-profit, ECE staff. Since 1958. Morning or full-time care. castleviewchildcarecentre.com.

Centennial Day Care............................... 250-386-6832 Exceptional childcare and education 35+ years. Nature inspired, play based program. NEW central, “green” building. centennialdaycare.ca.

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. Spacious, renovated facility with a huge backyard in Fairfield. cathedralschool.ca.

Little Paws Preschool...............................250-384-3211 A program designed to enhance children’s creativity, interdependence, independence and to expand self-expression.

Website: vnfc.ca.

SIDNEY Storyoga Preschool................................. 778-679-4004 Embracing and empowering children exactly as they are. Storyoga Preschool is a nature and yoga based program located in Sidney, BC. storyoga.com.

VICTORIA

www.ArtsCalibre.ca 250.382.3533

IslandParent.ca

International Montessori Academy of Canada................................................. 250-737-1119 Offers an enriching environment for preschool children 2-4.9 years with potty training. Nurturing young minds, keeping the spirit free. intmontessori.ca.

Parkside Academy..................................... 250-746-1711 Providing high quality early learning and care from infancy to 12 years of age, in a stimulating, respectful, nurturing, nature based environment with fully educated and passionate early childhood educators. Visit parksideacademy.ca or find us on Facebook.

Queen Margaret’s School.......................... 250-746-4185 Early Childhood Education Program. Co-ed nurturing curriculum to develop the whole child. Healthy snacks and lunch provided. 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 In a warm environment, this nature and play-based program enlivens and nurtures the growing child. sunrisewaldorfschool.org.

Rainbow Express Daycare....................... 250-382-2314 A nurturing environment for children to learn through play and discovery in a natural setting. ECEs and specialist teachers. rainbowexpressdaycare.com. Close to city centre.

St. Joseph’s Preschool..............................250-246-3191 An enriching preschool program allowing children to grow as individuals in a safe and nurturing Christian environment.

Chemainus

Nanaimo

Positive and supportive program motivating children to learn, discover and grow through play.

Kindness Curriculum, Jolly Phonics and Active Outdoor Play!

250-383-7445 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–K. victoriamontessori.com.

VIEW ROYAL v Comprehensive programs for Preschool through Grade 8 v Delivering academic excellence through music, dance, drama and visual arts v Outstanding educators, locations and facilities

DUNCAN

Nightingale Preschool and Junior Kindergarten Ltd....................250-595-7544 We offer education through creativity and play, providing rich learning experiences through a well sourced and stimulating indoor and outdoor environment. Early years reading programme. nightingalepreschool.com. Arts/Drama programme. kidsworks.ca.

St. Joseph’s Catholic Preschool................... 250-479-1237 • A Christian child centre for 3–5 year olds.

• A warm nurturing and challenging program • Offered by St. Joseph’s Catholic School.

Wiseways Preschool & Daycare................ 250-477-1312 Quality, fully licensed, Christian preschool/daycare for 3–4 year olds. Experienced team of ECEs. Spacious facilities include large playground and indoor gym. Subsidized fees welcome. Call for a tour. wisewaysvictoria.com.

View Royal Preschool..............................250-479-8067 Exciting inclusive program in a safe and exceptional care environment. 3-5 year olds. Outside play and themes enrich this program. Full/part-time spaces available. viewroyalpreschool.com.

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. islandkids.ca.

View Royal Childcare...............................250-479-8067 Preschool structured, high quality childcare. Victoria Conservatory of Music classes. Part time spaces available. 2.5-5year olds. viewroyalpreschool@live.com.

Aspengrove School.................................. 250-618-2201 Aspengrove School in Nanaimo, an independent school offering Junior Kindergarten for 3 & 4 year olds. Play-based learning, rooted in the same International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum taught in our Kindergarten-Grade 12 classes.

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. Licensed preschool, group care and out of school care. Early Childhood Educators. childrensdiscovery centre.ca. childrensdiscoverycentre@hotmail.com.

Little Star Children’s Centre.....................250-752-4554 Mother, Daughter owned and operated. Earth friendly preschool education inspired by nature. Infused with fun and creative daily yoga practices! Licensed group care.

Enthusiastic ECE instructors. littlestardaycare.ca

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.

November 2017 49

dealt with during the twice-daily sweep and scrub down of Angus’s eating area.

Instead of napkins, he uses washcloths.

Instead of leaving the table after dinner, then undressing upstairs before he gets in

Messy

A

ngus is a messy kid. Not the shrugged-off sort of messy that many parents use to describe their sons—kids who come home from school with grass stains on their knees and dirt under their fingernails.

Angus comes home with dirty knees and fingernails, sure, but he also has half his

his outfit except ensure his coat is on and zipped up to his neck.

We try to keep on top of our house. Angus can be convinced to stack his piles of books before dinnertime. He will grudgingly wipe the floor when he spills something. But then there’s the area around his side of the table—not just under his chair but on the

lunch on his shirt and a rainbow of paint every place his art smock doesn’t cover: his wrists, his pant cuffs, the back of his neck. The day the lice notice appeared in his bag I took a comb to his head and was appalled every time I found something to fish out, but on close inspection there were no itchy critters, just dirt, sand, food, glue.

I try not to look too closely at the other children when I pick Angus up from school, but I’ve seen them: little boys in gleaming white polo shirts after six hours of learning.

Before after-school missions to the grocery store I take a wet wipe to Angus’s hands and face, but there’s little I can do about

the tub, he undresses before he leaves the table and carries his clothes directly to the washing machine. Even still, if we haven’t vacuumed in 48 hours, it looks like we haven’t cleaned our floor in months.

Angus is a messy kid, but a lot of it can’t be helped. The last time his fine motor skills were assessed by an occupational therapist he was in the .5 percentile, meaning 99.5 per cent of six-year-olds have more refined fine motor skills than my son. He’s still working on spoon skills with his intervention worker, how to scoop food and bring it to his mouth without it falling on his lap.

We cut all his meals small enough that a spoon is possible—either that or we allow him to use his hands. Forks and knives are not even worth considering. Besides spoonhandling he works on folding, colouring, pre-printing, cutting and opening and closing clothing fasteners. All these things are frustrating for Angus, and take significant effort. He can’t zip up his pants, but he can now zip up his jacket. Every small victory is worth a celebration.

Next time you’re at your child’s school and see scribbled “drawings” or school work sheets pinned to the board, you might be seeing the labours of a kid like my son.

Please remember that “messy” isn’t always a reflection of not caring or not trying. Kids like mine find colouring painful. Literally. wall behind and beside it: a Jackson Pollock They don’t have the hand strength for it. masterpiece of food. Some of it has to do Printing is even more difficult. But an inwith Angus’s wiggly nature, how a moment ability to write doesn’t necessarily mean an after he complies with our instruction to sit inability to read. For some there’s simply properly, he has his knees up, resting on a disconnect between input and output. the edge of the table, his body tipped back Angus is the poster child of this disconnect. in his chair, his plate half off the table. His Chances are, if Granny leaves yet another Island Parent on her back seat, he’s reading “helper hand” rarely helps at all.

The worst mess is the result of the Greens this right now. powder and kefir popsicles that Angus eats daily, a ritual started when he decided all vegetables were inedible. Contrary to the Laura Trunkey is the mother of the amazing name, kids’ Greens powder is a purple that Angus, and the author of the story collection stains wooden tabletops. Luckily not walls Double Dutch (House of Anansi, 2016). Find and laminate floors, those are effectively her at www.lauratrunkey.com.

50 Island Parent Magazine

Laura Trunkey Maternity & Beyond

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51

Hibernators The world’s best nappers

A

s parents, you can likely appreciate the value of a good nap and its ability to replenish energy levels and mood. Naps can be a necessity for keeping

a lot more than that; it can be a matter of survival. You see, some animals use naps as a secret weapon to help them tough out the winter season. These naps, or prolonged

the little ones—and sometimes ourselves— periods of sleep, are known as hibernation.

Hibernation is the state of deep sleep ready to take on the day or evening. But for some wild animal species, a nap can mean animals go into to conserve energy. They

do this by lowering their body temperature, and slowing their breathing and heart rate.

Hibernation is a winter survival strategy for animals whose food sources, such as insects and green vegetation, are hard to come by in the coldest months. By taking these long winter naps, they can fast until spring, when their food sources will again be plentiful. Hibernation also allows them to stay sheltered from the elements.

Animals prepare for hibernation in fall by digging themselves burrows or dens in the ground or finding nooks and crannies in the trees as shelter against the cold. Some animals will even use caves to try and stay cozy. In the fall, some hibernators will eat extra food to store energy as fat. Others will gather extra food to store in their dens.

Animals that store food will wake up for short periods of time for winter snacking.

By the end of November, most hibernators will be ready to nap.

There are two kinds of hibernators: “true” hibernators and “light sleepers.”

What’s the difference? True hibernators will drop their body temperatures very low, sometimes to just above freezing. Light sleepers on the other hand, will only drop their body temperature slightly, and are

This holiday season at Bolen Books our staff recommends:

Letters from Father Christmas The entire family can dive into the magical world of the North Pole created by the one and only J.R.R. Tolkien. The mystic world he has created will sweep parent and child off their feet.

Santa’s Husband It’s the time of love and giving, and everyone has the right to love whoever they may. This wonderful new publication will impart the incredible lesson that Santa is who you want him to be, and love is universal.

The Christmas Cat This holiday classic is Mog’s Christmas sure to bring a smile to Join Mog as she discovers your face the same way it the magic of Christmas does to us. You absolutefor the first time! This ly can’t go wrong with incredible board book such a cherished and will have every child heartwarming story. and parent laughing and smiling with joy.

Jingle Bells Susan Jeffers is synonymous with first class illustrations. This season she takes a classic carol and makes it a feast for the eyes with her magical art. Feel the joy of the season from every page!

Stop into Bolen Books for all your holiday reading needs and wishes.

111–1644 Hillside Ave, Victoria | 250-595-4232

bolen.bc.ca | facebook.com/bolenbooks 52 Island Parent Magazine

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able to wake up more easily throughout the winter. Most bat and rodent species in B.C. are considered true hibernators. Skunks, raccoons and opossums are examples of light sleepers.

While black bears are well-known for

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Nature Notes their sleeping habits, they are actually not considered true hibernators, especially here on the coast. While they do sleep for up to six months without waking in colder areas, their body temperatures don’t drop low enough for them to fit the definition of a true hibernator. It is still an impressive feat to sleep for half a year. Can you imagine going that long without eating or going to the washroom?

So far we’ve talked about mammals who hibernate, but they aren’t the only animals who do so. Some amphibian and reptile species hibernate, too. These animals are cold-blooded. Even though they can’t warm their own bodies, they still need to protect themselves from freezing temperatures.

Frogs and turtles will bury themselves below the frost line deep in the mud. They absorb oxygen in the mud through their skin. They will come out in the spring as the mud is warmed by the sun. Snakes will hide in large groups underground or in sheltered areas like piles of rocks or rotten logs to hibernate. These sheltered areas are called hibernacula.

So now you know that people aren’t the only ones who take naps. Some creatures take napping quite seriously. You could even say that animals who hibernate through the winter cold are the world’s best nappers! The next time your kids are reluctant to take a nap, share with them how important naps can be for animals in the wild. Tell them, “even big strong bears and little fuzzy bats take naps. That’s how important they are.”

Happy napping.

You are invited to join the CRD Parks Naturalists year round for free family-friendly programs (once you are well-rested of course). For more details please visit crd.bc.ca/parks-events.

Emma Jane Vignola is a Park Naturalist with CRD Regional Parks.

IslandParent.ca

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The Victoria School for Ideal Education • Daily meditation • Nature based learning • Small class sizes • BC curriculum K – Gr. 8 2820 Belmont Avenue

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Mad About Clouds

C

• inviting them to answer questions that change perspectives: What’s good about this? Or What has worked for you before?

Or What now?

louds come and go, this is out of your We need to be an umbrella for control. What would happen if you our kids by: got upset every time it got cloudy or • giving empathy (not sympathy) to the it rained? The clouds would be in charge point that they know we understand and acof you! Life has clouds and sometimes it cept their feelings and why they feel that way rains. Really hard. Spending time reacting Cut It Out! to the rain is only useful for a moment or two and then you grab your raincoat or umbrella and get on with your day, your life, your plans—even if they had to change.

• showing faith they can handle the As parents, we have the wisdom and growing pains of life experience to recognize the importance • being present, loving and calm of accepting what we can’t change and to We provide unconditional love to our control what we can—but our kids don’t. kids which means we give them acceptance, appreciation and affection. We affirm their feelings and needs, and sometimes, we drag We keep our kids stuck under them out of a self-defeating story and hold the clouds when we: up an invitation to see things from a perspec• feel sorry for them tive that just makes them feel better, more • dismiss their feelings peaceful and in control of the one thing we • allow a “feel bad” story to continue beyond that useful moment • helping them identify their needs— can control—ourselves.

• try to stop and control life’s clouds by acceptance, autonomy, understanding, taking over our kid’s problems comfort and so on—and brainstorm about LIFE Seminars has two books available, Side• over-protect kids how to meet those needs despite the clouds stepping the Power Struggle and The Parent Child Connection. See lifeseminars.com.

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Even the littlest angel can dance 54 Island Parent Magazine

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