THE POST NEWSPAPER, JANUARY 21, 2014
Library learning ahead of first term
You can’t learn if you can’t see!
7
Child’s eyecare checklist!
View Road School students Elise Betbeder, Alexandra Long and Christopher Long were getting in a bit of holiday learning last week, ahead of the new school year. The trio were part of the ‘Dare 2 Explore’ programme that was run at the Library through the Christmas holidays and which finishes with a D2E party at Kevan Lawrence Park on Friday from 10.30am. The event is one of a number of Auckland Libraries initiatives, and youngsters and their families are welcome to the park to hear live storytelling. Families can bring a rug and relax in the park while their youngsters hear a story or two read by Library staff.
Breakfasts beat back to school blues Are you facing the back-to-school battle of getting the family organised and out the door? A new website has been developed to encourage families and youngsters to make breakfast a part of their morning. The website, www.breakfast-eaters.org.nz, features recipes and tips, and includes some of the breakfast ideas listed below. Mornings can be chaotic and it’s not easy getting kids back into the morning routine after summer holidays, late nights and sleeping in. It might be tempting to save time and skip breakfast but eating breakfast kickstarts the body and fuels the brain. Kids who eat breakfast are more alert, and have better concentration and memory. Breakfast doesn’t have to be hard work. Instead, it can be the easiest and cheapest meal of the day. These quick, low-cost breakfast ideas will give your kids a real head-start: • Wheat biscuits and milk (costs less than 50 cents a serving). • Peanut butter and banana on toast. • Glass of milk and banana. • Egg-in-a-cup No time to sit down for breakfast? These
speedy ideas can be eaten on the way to school: • Monkey roll (banana wrapped in bread spread with peanut butter). • Cheese and marmite/vegemite sandwich. • Toast sandwich (turn toast into a crunchy sandwich for an on-the-run breakfast). • Leftover roast potato or kumara. Make mornings more enjoyable by getting breakfast ready the night before. Here are some ideas that can be prepared in advance: • Peanut butter and jam sandwiches. • No-cook summer porridge made with oats, yogurt and fruit • Mini breakfast frittata If you are struggling to get your children to eat breakfast, lead the way by eating breakfast yourself. Kids do what you do so if they see that you’re having breakfast, it will inspire them to tuck in. Before long, it will be a daily habit for the whole whanau. So this year, give your kids a great start simply by fuelling them with breakfast every day. For more fast and tasty ideas, check out breakfast-eaters.org.nz or join breakfasteatersnz on facebook.
Waikato-Tainui Games start this week Waikato-Tainui is all set for its largest tribal sports event, being held over three weekends in January and early February. Held every two years, the 2014 WaikatoTainui Games is expected to attract more than 20,000 tribal members keen to participate in the social head-to-head competition. Rahui Papa, Chairman of Waikato-Tainui’s tribal executive Te Arataura, says the Waikato-Tainui Games will see tribal members represent one of 68 Waikato Raupatu marae in a range of sporting events and activities. “The Waikato-Tainui Games is one of our most popular events and sees tribal members of all ages taking part and showing support for their marae,” says Mr Papa. “Although marae will compete head-tohead, the Games event is also about our whanau getting together to celebrate tribal unity, tribal pride and tribal identity.” This year’s Games will feature a kapahaka component which aims to enhance the dissemination of tribal knowledge through Waikato waiata (songs) and haka. “Upholding our tribal history, knowledge, reo and tikanga is a key area of focus for the tribe so we’re excited to include kapahaka as part of the activities.
“We also want to encourage our whaanau to live healthier lifestyles so we will be offering a range of health and wellbeing services throughout the event including face-to-face health checks for our kaumatua. The Games will also maintain its stance on being a smoke free, drug free and alcohol free event.” Events and activities for the Waikato-Tainui Games kicked off on Saturday January 18 with surfing at Manu Bay in Raglan. On January 25, indoor bowls, Ki-o-Rahi, tennis and wakaama will be held at Turangawaewae Marae and Paterson Park, Ngaruawahia. The main Games event will follow on February 1-2 at the Hopuhopu Sports and Tribal Complex in Hopuhopu. Activities include power pulling, touch rugby, netball, basketball, table tennis, volleyball, chess and a hiikoi (walk). To wrap up activities a finale concert is planned featuring performances by New Zealand music artists 1814, Sons of Zion, Magic Paora, Sammy J and Bella Kalolo. For more information, visit the WaikatoTainui Games website at www.waikatotainuigames.co.nz
Headaches? Excessive blinking or rubbing of eyes? Closing one eye when reading? Poor concentration? Getting tired after close work? Dislike and avoidance of close work? Turning or tilting head to one side? Losing place while reading? Needing to sit close to the TV or board at school?
If you ticked more than one box, please have your child’s eyes examined
FREE
Eye Exam & Glasses* *CONDITIONS APPLY
For all children with a family Community services card
Waiuku Eye Care 7 Bowen St, Waiuku • Ph 09 235 8510 Email waiukueyecare@xtra.co.nz