WestCoast Families Dec-Jan 2023

Preschool

The City of Surrey’s high quality, play-based preschool program runs from September to June and is designed to promote healthy growth and development throughout a child’s early years.

Recreation Centre

Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre is your one-stop-destination for lane swimming, public swimming, leisure swimming, diving and much more.

Vol 30, Ed 3

Jim Schneider Publisher publisher@westcoastfamilies.com

Sue Fast Editor editor@westcoastfamilies.com

RaeLeigh Buchanan Account Manager raeleigh@westcoastfamilies.com

Kristine Wickheim Account Manager kristine@westcoastfamilies.com

For distribution inquiries, please email publisher@westcoastfamilies.com

WestCoast Families, published by Island Parent Group Enterprises Ltd., is a bimonthly publication that honours and supports parents by providing information on resources and businesses for west coast families. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher. No material herein may be reproduced without the permission of the publisher.

The Case for Kindness

If you’re writing a list of New Years’ resolutions this season, one to consider putting near the top of the list is: be kinder.

“It’s a little facile, maybe, and certainly hard to implement,” said writer George Saunders in a convocation speech at Syracuse Univer sity, “but I’d say, as a goal in life, you could do worse than: ‘Try to be kinder.’”

Aside from making everyone’s day brighter, there are also some sci entific benefits of being kind. Studies show that a little kindness can help reduce stress levels and improve mental and physical well-being.

So being kind makes you feel good and it’s good for you—not to mention everyone else around you! And best of all: modeling kindness teaches our children to be kind. It’s contagious!

So what’re we waiting for? There’s no better time to look for ways to be kind than now.

Deliver seasonal baking to a neighbour, have kids sort through their old toys and choose a few to donate, give someone a sincere compli ment, make someone laugh, hold open a door for someone, smile! When it comes to kindness, no gesture is too small.

“Do all the other things, the ambitious things—travel, get rich, get famous, innovate, lead, fall in love, make and lose fortunes, swim na ked in wild jungle rivers…but as you do, to the extent that you can, err in the direction of kindness.”

FROM OUR TO YOURS

To help you have a happy holiday season and get 2023 off to a great start, this issue includes articles on navigating the holidays, set ting—and accomplishing—goals, the love-hate relationship with Elf on the Shelf and teaching boundaries. There’s a Holiday Gift Guide to help narrow down your Christmas shopping list, the WCF readers’ list of Family Favourites and a travel feature on celebrating the season in Seattle. And don’t miss GRAND, a special feature specifically for grandparents. There’s something for everyone!

All the best of the Holiday Season and Happy New Year!

From Our Family to Yours.

The Little Mermaid

East Van Panto is going somewhere they’ve never been before: under the sea! While Ariel is busking with her girl band at New Brighton Beach, she falls in love with a teenage mer-person. Ariel dives into an ocean adventure where she makes a questionable deal with a devilish octopus named Ursula, fights off evil electric eels with her trash crab BFF, Sebastian and has to help save the ocean from a mysterious purple slime of despair. Runs until Jan 1, 2023.

thecultch.com

Moms the Word: Talkin’ Turkey

This festive season, the moms are back in the creative kitchen. Enjoy a theatrical feast flavoured with big Santa belly laughs, stuffed with dysfunction and topped with a soupçon of sarcasm—all served on a platter of naked truth. Using their special recipe of raw humour and humanity, the moms prove that the holidays really are about family, however you define it. Runs until Jan 1, 2023.

Cyber Legends

With the support of Microsoft and Rogers, Cyber Legends is introducing a free game for schools and parents across North America designed to teach kids in grades 1–8 how to be safe when they’re online. It also teaches about predators, fraud, safe social media behaviours and inappropriate material. The goal is to help children learn to stay safe online while keeping parents (and teachers) closely involved. Being involved in a child’s online safety education encourages open communication about current and future online activities and experiences.

cyberlegends.com

Relaxed Performances

The Royal Canadian Theatre Company is offering “relaxed performances” on selected shows for those patrons with intellectual learning, communication and other sensory chal lenges. Relaxed performances are also suitable for anyone with babies or toddlers. Also called “sensory friendly per formances,” these shows are specifically designed to make theatre more welcoming for all audience members. Sound and lighting are adjusted to be less intense, exiting and enter ing the auditorium is allowed at any time, auditorium lights are never fully turned off, pre-performance the cast explains what’s about to happen and audience noise, movement and even the use of phones or other “fidget devices” are tolerated. rctheatreco.com

Mountaintop Pond Skating

Grouse Mountain is home to an 8,000-square foot ice skating pond—the only mountaintop outdoor skate pond in the Lower Mainland. Great for a fun family adventure or a romantic date—it’s time to lace up those skates for a spin in the fresh mountain air. Ice skating on the outdoor rink is complimentary with a Mountain Pass Admission Ticket or Annual Pass. Skate rentals are available for all ages.

grousemountain.com

Fresh Finds

If you’re looking for an alternative to stocking up on stuff — or stuffing stockings with stuff! — give the gift of getting out and about. Several businesses and attractions offer discounted annual passes and memberships this time of year, so why not give an experience?

For the Skier on Your List

The 5-Day Edge Card is good for any five days of the season at Whistler Blackcomb. For extra days beyond the allocated five days, the card holder will receive 15% off window lift ticket rates. Adults $455, teens (13-18) $392, kids (7-12) $228. whistlerblackcomb.com

For the Garden Lover

A VanDusen Garden Family or Family Plus Pass includes year-round general admission to a 55-acre oasis that includes the ever-popular Elizabethan Maze, Stone Garden and Scottish Shelter. There are family programs and seasonal highlights like the winter Festival of Lights. vandusengarden.org

For the Theatre Enthusiast

Be the first in line for tickets to the 2023 Vancouver Children’s Festival and stay tuned for exciting shows and special events happening May 30–June 4. $50 gets you a “1 Show Day Pass” that includes four tickets to one performance and four activity village wristbands. childrensfestival.ca/tickets

For the Fun-Loving Family

The Family Attractions Pass lets you choose your attractions including the Beaty Biodiversity Museum, Bloedel Conservatory, Britannia Mine Museum, Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, Cycle City Tours, FlyOver Canada and Grouse Mountain. Book any three and receive 25% off on all. Book five and save 35%.

For the Science Nerd

Welcome to a community of curious thinkers, fun-loving tinkerers, and proud problem-solvers. A Science World Membership allows you access to a full suite of member perks. Enjoy early access to the dome at 9:30am every day, unlimited general admission along with free admission to over 360 science centres worldwide.

Navigating the

NAVIGATING THE HOLIDAYS

People often ask, “How important is it to maintain some kind of routine over the holiday season?” Eating well, getting enough sleep and keeping active is always important but it becomes even more so during the holidays. Holiday parties, children’s activities and shopping make the holidays a busy time. It is easy to become tired, stressed out and run down. Maintaining a routine can help to prevent burnout and keep the holidays festive. Read on for strategies for navigating the holidays.

NAVIGATING FOOD

While it may be tempting to skip lunch to “save calories for later,” it is not a good idea. Skipping meals can lead to overeating later in the day. Hunger can make you irritable, tired and moody and does not help you feel “festive.” It is important to maintain a steady energy supply by eating small nutritious meals and snacks every two to three hours. Meals and snacks that contain lean protein, healthy fats and whole grains will keep you feeling satisfied longer and can prevent binging on less nutritious options. Eating small regular meals is especially important for children with smaller tummies and greater energy needs. Maintaining a healthy diet can also help boost your immune system and fight off infection.

The holidays should be enjoyed and that means sometimes overindulging in treats. Don’t beat yourself up if you “slip up” and have a few too many mincemeat tarts for your own good. Healthy eating is about moderation, not deprivation. If you do indulge, enjoy it and move on. Get up and get moving the next day and you will find it easier to return to your usual healthy routines.

NAVIGATING FUN

The busyness of the holidays can make keeping active more challenging. Children and adults alike will feel better and more energized with fresh air and fun play. Make some time for active and fun play every day. This might include going for an after-dinner walk to see the lights, having a snowball fight, sledding, going for a hike or bike ride, spending an afternoon swimming or skating at the rec centre or getting the kids to

Holidays

gether to rake up then jump in leaves. Having fun while being active is a wonderful way to instill fitness into your family’s everyday living.

NAVIGATING SLEEP

Evening events, the excitement of the holidays and oppor tunities to sleep-in make keeping to your usual sleep/wake routine challenging. We all know the fall-out of a poor night’s sleep! Aim to keep your children’s bed and wake times within 30 minutes of their usual time. This will keep you and your children well rested and make it easier to get back into your usual routine in January.

NAVIGATING SPENDING

It is easy to get wrapped up (pun intended!) in holiday spending. The average Canadian spends approximately $800 on presents alone (not counting grocery bills, host gifts, wrapping paper, postage and parties). Stave off overspend ing by first figuring out what you can afford versus what you think you need to spend, consider making homemade gifts, give the gift of your time or talent or organize a get-together in lieu of store-bought gifts.

However you and yours celebrate the holidays… eating well, being active and getting enough sleep is a gift we can give ourselves.

For more information visit: healthcanada.ca/foodguide participaction.com keltymentalhealth.ca/sleep

Areli Hermanson is a Registered Dietitian and mother of two very busy, very lovely boys. She looks forward to spending time with family and friends over holiday meals and festivities as well as throwing several well-pitched snowballs at her kids. Jane Barclay is Registered Dietitian and mother of two almost-adult children. She will be working on finding balance and routine with her own family over the holidays.

Why I Can’t Quit Elf on the Shelf

It’s that time of the year again. When I am forced to reevaluate my relationship with Ruby, our Elf on the Shelf. Like any relationship, Ruby and I have had our ups and downs.

I brought our first Elf home shortly after our kids started school. My daughter came home from school and told us about her friends’ Elves who were doing silly and mischievous things in their homes. It sounded like fun and like it could possibly be our new family tradition that the kids would remember fondly for the rest of their lives.

At first, I admit I was smitten with Ruby. It was fun thinking up funny and adventurous places for the kids to find her. One morning she was swinging from her ankles on the pendant light in our kitchen. Another morning she was discovered in a pile of chocolate chips after sneaking into the baking cupboard overnight. As we got deeper into December, my interest and energy waned and soon Ruby stopped pulling all-night ers. She wasn’t even moving.

After Christmas, I decided that the best thing for me was to chalk Ruby up to a parenting fail and move on. We would make different Christmas traditions—ones that were less guilt-inducing and created less resentment towards an inanimate object. I gave Ruby to a blended

family who needed an Elf for each home and felt relieved that she was now someone else’s problem.

When the next December rolled around, my kids were confused about why Ruby hadn’t appeared yet. “Was it because we’ve been bad this year?” they asked. “Do you mean the time you tried to sell your brother for five cents? Yes, that probably had something to do with it,” I answered half-joking.

I was surprised they remembered Ruby. I started to doubt how I ended things with her. With the discomfort of the previous Christmas season far enough in the past, I headed back to the store for another Elf on the Shelf.

I know what you’re thinking. I’m a glutton for punishment and a very, very slow learner.

This second go-around with our Elf on the Shelf has left me feeling more frustrated than before but now my kids are invested and to break up with her again feels complicated. One morning I found a handwritten note and drawing from our eight-year-old daughter to Ruby with a thoughtful and kind message inside.

It read: Dear Ruby, I hope you get presets from Elfs. If you don’t, I got you one. This tiny gesture from my little girl allowed me to see that Ruby meant something to her and also that I should have ended things when I had the chance.

According to the book she comes with, Ruby is supposed to serve as Santa’s eyes and ears—watching for the children’s naughty and nice behaviour to report back to Santa with. As her name clearly suggests, she is supposed to do this from her superior vantage point of THE SHELF. Unfortunately for me and other parents, the societal expecta tion is to find creative and amusing places for the children to find Ruby in. THE SHELF is no longer good enough.

There are websites, Instagram and Facebook posts dedicated to Elves NOT on the shelf. These Elves are usually involved in some kind of mischief that is often not even kid-appropriate. What started as a simple holiday game of hide-and-seek for children has become an entire industry. This is problematic for parents like me who have to move their Elf to 24 clever locations for 24 nights in arguably the busi est month of the year.

Another small but notable problem with Ruby is her 11 months of leave. She can’t live in the Christmas box because she’s magic and is supposed to be in the North Pole for the remainder of the year. She has to be carefully stored away in a box not labeled “Christmas” until the following November 30th when you begin searching for her whereabouts.

And while remembering where you stored your Elf is challenging, the real difficulty with the Elf on the Shelf is remembering to move it. After a long day with kids and the multitude of other jobs that need to get done before your head hits the pillow, the Elf on the Shelf is one more job. There have been several nights when I’ve been tucked into bed only to realize that I didn’t move the effing Elf. There have been even more nights when I just plain forgot. It is in those moments that

I truly resent this skinny red waif and plot her banishment from our home.

At the heart of the matter though, is my doubt as to the value of her actual job. If she is supposed to be Santa’s eyes and ears, watching out for bad behaviour, why is she herself getting into mischief? The only message I can imagine my kids get from seeing Ruby in a mess of her own making is that she’s just like them and therefore not someone they need to impress.

Instead of a role model, my kids have an accomplice.

To truly live up to her life’s purpose, Ruby should be setting a good example for our children. I would like my children to find her doing the chores I so often have to nag them to do. Imagine if they found Ruby taking it upon herself to empty the dishwasher without being asked, making her own lunch or cleaning up the Lego. That kind of goodytwo-shoes behaviour may be just the ticket to turn my kids against Ruby forever.

Possibly the surest sign that a relationship is doomed is when you start to resent the mere presence of the other person. As I write this, we are a few weeks away from the holiday season and I can already feel the stirrings of resentment. I long for the simpler days when the chocolate Advent calendar was magic enough.

Sarah Seitz is a working mother, wife and writer. She spends her free time cutting off crusts and uses good coffee and humour to get through the day.

Holiday Gift Guide

Grimm’s Spiel & Holz Wooden Rainbow Tunnel

This is a classic Waldorf toy that will inspire an endless vari ety of creative and imaginative play and grow with your child. Babies and toddlers love stacking and nesting the wooden arches, which fit neatly into one another, developing their eye-hand coordination. Older children will use this simple wooden toy set in a myriad of different ways.

Lego Duplo Number Train

Little train drivers will love to practice early number recog nition and counting skills as they build and play with this co lourful train. Toddlers will love to build and rebuild this chunky train, learning early number recognition as they go. With two child Duplo figures and a cat figure for added role-play op portunities, this set provides endless building, driving and learning fun.

Smart Snacks Shape Sorting Cupcakes

Encourage shape and colour identification and build fine motor skills with these colourful and delicious looking cup cakes. Eight two-part cupcakes pull apart to reveal a circle, square, triangle, rectangle, oval hexagon, star and heart. A de licious way to encourage shape and colour identification and build fine motor skills!

Learning Resources Gears! Gears! Gears!

Chunky spinning gears snap easily into place and help kids develop fine motor skills. Compatible with all other Gears! Gears! Gears! sets for even more imagination and fun. Get your gears moving! Fun, bright new colors and kid-friendly pieces make this deluxe hands-on construction set a whole new building experience.

UrbanRed Blanket Fort Building Kit

The true brilliance behind blanket forts is that one can pop up virtually anywhere—like under the kitchen table, liv ing room floor, or back yard. The fort blanket includes six fort blankets in red, blue and yellow plus one travel tote bag. The fort blankets are designed with breathable kid-friendly mate rials and can be formed using the velcro straps and patches to quickly shape any design.

L.L. Bean Sonic Snow Tube

Instead of a single layer of PVC, L.L. Bean’s Sonic Snow Tubes features an injection-molded semirigid polyethylene base. Not only does this bottom slide well, it stands up to al most anything. Add a tough 600-denier polyester top cover and an inflatable inner tube made with heavy-duty rubber, and you get a snow tube that will last for years and years.

Invasion of the Cow Snatchers

Maneuver your way over and around farm obstacles while beaming up cows. The 40 Easy to Super Hard challenges are great for beginner puzzlers, while the 20 Genius level chal lenges are appropriate for experienced puzzlers. Ignite your mind with 60 out-of-this-world challenges.

Klutz’ Bean Bag Juggling Set

STEM toys offer a greater challenge and more engagement than one-and-done activities. Klutz’ first flagship set, cel ebrating 30 years. Comes with three aerodynamically sound bean-bags and a storage bag. Includes an 88-page instruc tional book with Klutz certified crystal-clear instructions.

Ateco 333 Cake Decorating Kit

Is your kid looking for more grown-up roles and responsibil ities? Why not let them try their hand at cake decorating. This professional quality cake decorating kit includes a flex bag, 12 stainless steel decorating tubes, a plastic coupler, instruc tions, recipes and a clear plastic storage box.

Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6 Instant Film Camera

Let kids check out the limitless creativity with the freedom and form of a wider frame in the SQ6. Capture bright photos even in dark places—no special settings needed. Get perfectly clear selfies with Selfie mode (also great for close ups!).

The Family Favourite results are in! Who has the best products, services and experiences? We asked and you answered. Developed to recog nize quality family retailers and service providers in our community. Our readers were invited to vote online at westcoastfamilies.com for their family favorites in 48 categories. The response was phenomenal. Thank you to everyone who voted and sent us such wonder ful feedback. We have tallied your votes—here are your 2022 WestCoast Families Family Favourites!

Family Favourites Favourite Outing

LIVE SPORTING EVENT

Winner: Vancouver Warriors Runners Up: Vancouver Whitecaps, Vancouver Giants

CAMPGROUND

Winner: Manning Park Runners Up: Harrison Hot Springs, Cultus Lake

PLAYGROUND

Winner: Granville Island Runners Up: Terra Nova Richmond, Charleson Park Playground

HIKE

Winner: Grouse Grind Runners Up: Dog Mountain, Crunch

BEACH

Winner: Spanish Bank/Locarno Runners Up: Jericho Beach, Crescent Beach

PARK

Winner: Capilano Suspension Bridge Park Runners Up: Stanley Park, Pacific Spirit Park

ATTRACTION

Winner: Wild Play Runners Up: Capilano Suspension Bridge, Playland

FAMILY GETAWAY

Winner: Summerland Waterfront Resort & Spa Runners Up: Manning Park, Harrison Hot Springs

Favourite Retail Store

CHILDREN’S CLOTHING

Winner: Petit Villan Runners Up: Beansprouts, TJ’s

TWEENS & TEENS CLOTHING Winner: Two of Hearts Clothing Runners Up: Her SOCIETY, Little Mountain Vancouver

BABY

Winner: Steveston Village Maternity Runners Up: Beansprouts, Once upon a child

TOYS

Winner: Dilly Daly Toy Store Runners Up: Kaboodles, Toys “R” Us

SHOES

Winner: Sports Chek Runners Up: Adidas, Walmart

WOMEN’S FASHION Winner: Aritzia Runners Up: LL Bean, Winners

CONSIGNMENT

Winner: Value Village Runners Up: Mintage, Shop Small & Kind

GROCERY Winner: East West Market Runners Up: Urban Fare, Super Grocer

HEALTH & ORGANIC Winner: Nature’s Fare Runners Up: Meridian Meats, Organika

FARMERS MARKET

Winner: Ralph’s Farm Market Runners Up: Richmond Country Farms, Langley Farmers Market

BOOKS

Winner: Creative Bookworm Runners Up: Bookworm, Kidsbooks

PHARMACY

Winner: Rexall Runners Up: Pharmasave, Costco

PET STORE

Winner: Bone & Biscuit Runners Up: Bones Yaletown, Uptown Dawg Port Coquitlam

PET GROOMING

Winner: Vicky’s Paw Spa Runners Up: Pawparazzi, Pupper Palace

GARDEN CENTRE

Winner: Potters Garden Centre Runners Up: Art Knapp, Peace Arch Nursery

BIKE SHOP

Winner: Granville Island Bike Shop Runners Up: Bicycle Sport Pacific, City Cycles

CAR DEALERSHIP

Winner: Jim Pattison Chrysler Runners Up: Messiah Motor Cars, Coastal Ford

Favourite Children

PRESCHOOL/CHILDCARE

,

s...

Winner: City of Surrey Runners Up: My Whole Earth Academy, Wesbrook Preschool

ARTS OR THEATRE PROGRAM

Winner: Evergreen Runners Up: Arts Umbrella, Chorus & Clouds

BIRTHDAY PARTY LOCATION

Winner: Granville Island Kids Market Runners Up: Kidtropolis, 6 Pack Indoor Beach

SUMMER CAMP

Winner: Camp Luther Runners Up: Camp Qwanoes, Sasamat Outdoor Centre

OVERNIGHT CAMP

Winner: Camp Qwanoes Runners Up: Camp Luther, Sasamat Outdoor Centre

RECREATION CENTRE

Winner: Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre Runners Up: Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre, Killarney Community Centre

EDUCATION SERVICE

Winner: Oxford Learning Runners Up: Burnaby Online, Sylvan Learning Centre

Favourite Personal Service

ESTHETIC SALON

Winner: Lilli & Roo Runners Up: Vivid Nails, Spa Utopia

OPTOMETRIST

Winner: Prestige Optical Runners Up: Mt. Pleasant Optical, Real Eyes Optometry

ORTHODONTICS

Winner: PDG Dental Runners Up: BC Orthodontist, Little Smiles Dental Centre

HAIR

Winner: Sparky’s Kutz for Kids Runners Up: Star Kids Family Hail Salon, The Hair Loft

DAY SPA

Winner: Breathe Spa Vancouver Runners Up: Harmonie Day Spa, Willow Spa

DENTIST

Winner: AARM Dental Runners Up: PDG Dental, SmileTown Dentistry

PHYSIOTHERAPIST

Winner: Myodetox Runners Up: Kids Physio, Inner Circle Physio

FINANCIAL PLANNER

Winner: Novella Wealth Runners Up: Legacy Family Office, Money Coaches

Favourite Food Service

FOOD TRUCK

Winner: Shameless Buns Runners Up: Tacofino, Japadog

ICE CREAM SHOP

Winner: Sweet Tooth Creamery Runners Up: Earnest, Elephant Creamery

HAMBURGERS

Winner: Five Guys Runners Up: Red Robin, White Spot

PIZZA Winner: Rocky Mountain Flatbread Runners Up: Pizzeria Grano, AJ’s Brooklyn Pizza Joint

VEGAN Winner: 4 Stones Runners Up: Chickpea, Main Street

ETHNIC

Winner: Sushimoto Runners Up: Tasty Indian, Naka Bistro

FAMILY DINING

Winner: Red Robin Runners Up: The Old Spaghetti Factory, Pepino’s Spaghetti House

FOOD PREP SERVICE

Winner: Hello Fresh Runners Up: Fresh Prep, Chefs Plate

Deck the Halls

…with Lots of Books

Winter is here! So curl up and read books with your kids. There’s great excitement about reading Christmas and holiday books as they can ignite chil dren’s imaginations during this magical time. As well as being fun and engaging, reading can turn into a special time with your child. Your child will build a rich network of words and become inspired to read books for years to come. Here are some titles to get you into the festive spirit.

Happy All-idays

by Cindy Jin (Little Simon 2022)

Learn how different families celebrate the winter holiday season with this colour fully illustrated board book for toddlers. With upbeat rhyming lines, the book captures the meaning of Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwan zaa. Whether it’s decorating the tree, lighting the menorah or preparing for Kwanzaa, this story demonstrates that the holiday season is a special time for everyone.

The Real Santa

by Nancy Redd (Random House 2021)

Follow the story of one Black family as their young son gets ready for Christmas and wonders what Santa really and truly looks like. Will he look like the Santa figurines on the chimney mantel? Will he look like the smiling Santas on the gift wrap? Will he resemble the Santa that is knit on his sweater? Find out the answers in this joyous tale celebrating iden tity, family and the magic of the Christmas season.

I Got the Christmas Spirit

by Connie Schofield-Morrison (Bloomsbury 2018)

This cheerful picture book explores the joys of the holiday season by a young girl as she visits the city on a snowy day. The girl hears carollers and she feels the “spirit from my heart.” She goes skating and “swirled and twirled around the spirit” and she sparkled in the “spirit of the lights.” With simple text and colourful illustrations, the book encourages kindness and gratitude the whole year.

The Twelve Days of Christmas in Canada

by Ellen Warwick (Sterling Children’s Books 2015)

This colourful book is full of Canadiana. Follow Juliette and her cousin as they take a holiday trip across Canada from Charlotte town all the way to Victoria. She visits all the provinces and sends letters home about her adventures. During the cross-country trip, Ju liette finds lots of Canadiana such as a loon in a maple tree, three lobsters, five golden bagels and six Mounties marching. This book is fun to sing along to as you read as well as learn facts about Canada.

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

Full Orchestra Conducted by Nicholas Buc

Setting & Accomplishing Goals through Brain Science

We’re just starting a new year, and that means you’re either feeling good about taking steps to accomplish your goals for the year, or you’re worried about defaulting back to your old habits and routines. Setting new year’s resolutions is simple. It’s ac complishing them that’s difficult.

When it comes to setting goals and accomplishing them, there are two key things we need to remember:

1. Goals should be S.M.A.R.T. SMART goals are ones that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. However, when it comes to accomplishing goals, even the smartest ones some times remain out of reach.

2. You need to learn how to use your brain to your advantage. The trick with accomplishing goals is understanding how your brain works and how to motivate yourself for success. Often, personal or professional goals are based on changing habits. Changing a routine or pattern can be extremely difficult to do without recognizing how our brains create new habits and what motivates them.

FOCUS ON CREATING A NEW ROUTINE

The thing with the human brain is that it loves routines. When it comes to goal-setting, we’re often trying to change a pre-existing routine. Want to be an early riser? That means changing an established routine and belief that you’re just “not a morning person.” If you turn your goal into a pattern or a habit, it will be far easier to accomplish. To do this, you have to convert a goal into a habit within your brain. This means moving it into a completely new location, from the subcon scious lower brain to the conscious orbitofrontal cortex. This can be as simple as changing a few variables like eating popcorn in a movie with your non-dominant hand. With the help of endocannabinoids, that act like little administrative assistants who organize the files within this part of your brain and work the switchboard, you can transfer a goal into a habit.

REWARD YOURSELF

Make sure you have mini-goals along the way to measure progress. Saying you plan to run a 10km race by the end of June can seem daunting on the days you struggle to run even one kilometre in under 30 minutes. Setting smaller goals within your resolutions will help you stay motivated, thanks to all of the mini celebrations that will excite you and motivate you to keep going. This method works because you get a hit of dopamine when you accomplish mini-goals, encouraging your brain to continue to the next milestone for the next reward.

CHANGE YOUR LOCATION

Some say that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. When it comes to accom plishing goals, if things aren’t going according to plan, try changing the technique or method of accomplishment. This change could be as simple as a new location. This location change can make it easier for your brain to learn a new habit or change a pre-existing one as it removes the familiar cues that cause the default routines.

Once you’ve re-evaluated your goals to make sure they’re smart, we need to look at ways to use brain science to accomplish them. Here are a few tips on achieving your goals and why these things work.

PRIME YOUR BRAIN

Priming your subconscious can drastically affect your behaviour. To be more successful, create subconscious visuals to motivate yourself. If your goal for the year is to pay off debt, create a tracker that you can fill out each day and visually see your progress. Perhaps your goal is to exercise more. Create a vision board of all the workouts you want to try and the visual representation of success in your mind. Seeing these things, consciously and subconsciously, can prime our brains and cre ate motivation.

When it comes to accomplishing goals and changing our habits, there are many obstacles to overcome. Life always seems to get in the way, doesn’t it? However, when you can begin to learn how your brain works, you can use this knowledge to your advantage and work with yourself rather than against yourself to accomplish your goals and resolutions.

Dr. Shimi Kang is an award-winning psy chiatrist, researcher and best-selling author of The Dolphin Parent and The Tech Solution. She is also the founder of Future-ready Minds (dolphinkids.ca), co-founder of Get Sparky app (getsparky.ca) and host of the YouTube Show, Mental Wealth with Dr. Shimi Kang.

S.M.A.R.T. Goals

Goals should be SMART—specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time frame.

Specific

If you set yourself a general goal like “to get fit,” it’s hard to know where to start and you might have trouble keeping yourself motivated. Instead, make your goal specific, like “to go for a 30 minute walk every day.” Then you know exactly what needs to be accomplished.

Measurable

Give yourself a way to measure when you’ve achieved your goal. By measuring each step along the way to a larger goal, you know how far you’ve come and how much farther you have to go. An example of a measurable goal is “to run five kilometres in 30 minutes.”

Attainable

Make sure you’re physically capable of achieving the goal you set. Let’s say your goal is “to train for a 42-kilometre marathon within eight weeks.” If you can only run five kilometres right now, your goal may not be attainable.

Realistic

Your goal should be based on the realities of your circumstances and lifestyle, as well as the budget, support and tools you have avail

able. For example, keep in mind that your goal may require a good pair of running shoes, someone to baby-sit your children or payment for a program. Make your timelines realistic. Set short-term goals (for example, “to climb 10 stairs three times a day”) and some long-term goals (for example, “to train for a five kilometre race in four months”).

Time Frame

Set a reasonable deadline for when you’d like to achieve your goal. Start by setting one or two long-term goals, then break them down into monthly, weekly and daily goals. Be sure to set a specific end date. Keep your goals simple and always have a new goal ready for when you achieve your current goal. This gives you something to work toward and helps you stay on track.

For more information, visit healthlinkbc.ca.

Teaching Boundaries

It is essential that children understand boundaries because smart boundaries are critical to their development and safety. Boundaries are about respect, both for oneself and for others. When children understand boundaries, they are then able to pinpoint situations that could make them uncomfortable, and to know what to do in these kinds of situations.

Explicitly teaching boundaries to children helps them understand where the line between right and wrong stands, and it helps them develop a foundation of strong personal values to help guide decisions over the span of their lifetime.

Children must understand that that certain parts of their bodies—for exam ple, the parts of their bodies covered by bathing suits—are private and should never be touched inappropriately. The important adults in children’s lives need to teach this critical life lesson.

Kids need to be able to confidently and strongly tell someone “no” when their boundaries are crossed. Saying “no” forcefully is a powerful deterrent to poten tial abusers. This is of course equally important for both boys and girls.

Another component of helping keep kids safe, especially in today’s hyper sexualized environment, is to both talk about and eliminate people-pleasing tendencies. Young people—and in particular women—are socialized to be nice, polite and cooperative, and above all to avoid conflict. Many of us are taught from a young age to never hurt someone else’s feelings, to protect relationships and to put other people’s needs before our own.

However, young people need to know that they should never put up with their boundaries being crossed to avoid conflict and/or to be polite. We must never worry about harming a relationship or hurting someone else’s feelings when we say “no” to a boundary violation. No one should ever feel obliged to do something they do not want to do. We always have the right to say “no!” Kids need to be taught this and empowered to stand up for themselves.

Kids also need to know that a boundary can be crossed even when no one is watching and even if no one ever knows. It still happened, and it still hurt us. Becoming loose with our boundaries now makes it more likely that we will be loose with them in the future. Little boundary violations lead to bigger ones. Teaching kids this lesson early on will help keep them safe over time.

There is a further message here, when kids understand boundaries, they bet ter understand consent and they learn how to respect the boundaries of others. We need to help kids connect the dots between having control over their bod ies as well as control over their choices. When we explicitly teach boundaries, we not only help children learn how to stay safe but we help children avoid be coming victimizers.

Children also need to understand that if someone has crossed a boundary of theirs, either by force or by coercion, the child did not cause the boundary vio lation. It is in no way their fault on any level. We must teach them to focus on accountability for the perpetrator, rather than blaming the victim, and empower them to be resilient in the face of challenges.

Dr. Jillian Roberts is a child psychologist, UVic professor and mother. She is the author of Kids, Sex and Screens: Raising Strong, Resilient Children in the Sexualized Digital Age and CEO and founder of Mind Key Health mental health clinics with locations in Victoria, Sidney and soon-to-be in the Western Communities. drjillianroberts.com

Celebrate the Season

at Seattle’s Wonderland

Even Ebenezer Scrooge couldn’t resist the cheery festivities of Seattle during the holiday season. Visitors and locals alike can see the city’s iconic spots decked out, from life-size animal lanterns illuminating the Woodland Park Zoo, to Santa welcom ing photos on the revolving glass floor of the Space Needle and a brand-new light and music display projected onto the stunning Winter Brilliance exhibit at Chihuly Garden and Glass. These holiday happenings are not to be missed! Find the whole lineup of events on seattleholidays.com

Woodland Park Zoo’s spectacular light fes tival WildLanterns returns with new displays this holiday season, as well as returning fan favorites. Visitors will enjoy an interactive, larger-than-life holiday experience unlike any in the Pacific Northwest. zoo.org

A new experience is at Chihuly Garden and Glass this holiday season. Winter Bril liance will offer guests a brand-new original light and music experience. Using innovative video projection technology, this immersive installation was created to project onto the stunning Winter Brilliance exhibit, originally created for the Barney’s New York flagship store in Manhattan in 2015 for their famous annual holiday window display. chihulygardenandglass.com

Seattle Center Winterfest offers a world of sparkling lights, amusements and spirited entertainment, including live performances, a Winter Train and Village and the annual cam pus lighting display. seattlecenter.com

Not to be missed, Downtown Seattle’s Tree-Lighting Celebration will dazzle once again on November 25, accompanied by a full slate of performances. If you miss the lighting, you can still see all of the beautiful decora tions, lights and festivities. downtownseattle. org/events/holidays

Argosy Cruises Christmas Ship Festival is back starting November 25 as well, offer ing a classic Seattle holiday celebration that has been a Northwest tradition since 1949. Board a festive ship decorated with hundreds of shimmery white lights and sail to differ ent Puget Sound waterfront communities— around 40 in all. A live choir and reading of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas will warm the soul, or adult guests can opt for the 21+ ugly sweater party aboard a following boat. Those who would rather enjoy shoreside can catch a 20-minute choir performance broad cast from the ship or join the Parade of Boats Viewing Party December 9.

Finally, celebrate the New Year at TMobile’s New Year’s At the Needle, where revelers can watch the largest structurally launched fireworks and light display in North America at Seattle Center. spaceneedle.com/ newyears

HOLIDAY MARKETS & LIVE PERFORMANCES

Find unique, authentic gifts from local Na tive tribes at the United Indians Native Art Market (unitedindians.org/native-art-market) on December 17–18.

Theatre-lovers of all ages won’t want to miss the timeless magic of Charles Dickens’ Yuletide classic A Christmas Carol returning for the 47th year at ACT Theatre from No vember 25–December 24.

George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker will also return to McCaw Hall beginning Novem ber 25. Showcasing Tchaikovsky’s timeless score performed by the world famous PNB Orchestra, as well as PNB Company dancers in show-stopping roles, this is a holiday trea sure for audiences young and old. pnb.org/ nutcracker

The 27th Annual Magic in the Market, Pike Place Market’s longest-running holiday tradition, returns Saturday, November 26 with spirited holiday activities for the whole family. Highlights include a Market holiday lighting ceremony, visits with Santa, holiday treats and plenty of shopping options. Then, on Decem ber 2, return for some pure joy at The Figgy Pudding Caroling Competition, from 6–9 p.m. pmsc-fb.org/figgy-pudding.

Robert McPherson, known as Seattle’s Drunken Tenor, is back for a repeat of his hit

comedy special, A Very Drunken Christmas Carol, starting December 9. This tipsy retell ing of the time-honored Christmas classic offers a heady cocktail of opera, comedy and holiday favorites ideal for getting into the spirit of the season. seattleopera.org/ drunkentenor

SPECIAL SANTA SIGHTINGS

Santa can be spotted in some unique loca tions this year, including within an all-glass sleigh at the Space Needle (spaceneedle. com) beginning November 25, offering com plimentary digital photos with admission. He’ll also be diving in—literally—for a quick story time and photo opportunities from a tank at the Seattle Aquarium (seattleaquarium.org), beginning December 3.

HOTEL FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Hotel promotions and packages will be offered throughout the holiday season from properties such as the Fairmont Olympic Hotel, Hyatt Hotels, W Seattle, Lotte Hotel and many more. Find more details at visitseattle.org/holidays.

Visit Seattle is the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for Seattle and King County. For more information, visit visitseattle.org

An early learning studio for infants, toddlers and pre-school aged children to explore the wonder in our world.

A space where parents, grandparents, nannies, aunties, titas and caregivers can make time and `collect the moments, one by one`

Chorus & Clouds IS ONE OF A KIND in offering highest quality Music classes, Art Exploration classes and Infant Development classes as well as a specialized toy shop at our new location in Kitsilano.

Thanks for nominating us a Family Favourite!

There’s no shortage of seasonal celebrations this time of year so making a list of festive to-dos should be easy! The hard part will be narrowing that list down! To help with the task, we’ve chosen two holiday highlights. So get glowing!

Christmas Glow Langley

glowgardens.com

Santa’s tree trimming team decked out the biggest, most beautiful tree, only to have it all come crashing down in a decorating disaster—now “the Jolly Jumble!” Panicked, the elves have run off to find new things for a tree for Santa. Find Santa’s elves as you wander through the sea of giant ornaments, magical trees and cascading lights. Meet beloved characters like the Glow Princesses, visit with Santa Claus (nightly until Dec 24), take a ride on the Glow Comotive, explore the animated musical tunnel, the Forest of Dancing Trees, the Elf Castle, playpark and bouncy farm. Experience the magic under the twinkle of more than a million lights!

North Pole Express

Three weekends: December 4–5, 11–12 and 18–19 wcra.org

Take a train ride to the North Pole and meet Santa Claus at the Railway Museum of B.C.! The North Pole Express is a fun family Christmas event that takes you on an adventurous and entertaining train ride from Candyland Station to the North Pole. Kids of all ages will enjoy the entertainment along the way to deliver much needed wrapping paper and bows to Marshall Mellow, a Polar bear that is the head of Santa’s workshop. You’ll meet all sorts of characters, enjoy cookies, hot chocolate and lots of fun activities for the kids. Top off this exciting day with a photoshoot with Mr. and Mrs. Claus.

The Perfect Pizza Party

Looking for a way to keep your grandkids busy on a rainy day? Why not throw a pizza party?! Pretty much everyone loves pizza, and it’s a perfect meal for getting kids involved in cooking.

• Even the littlest helpers can decorate their own pizzas.

• Young kids can grate cheese, slice mushrooms with a butter knife, knead dough and build their own pizzas.

• Encourage older kids to explore the science of yeast by making their own pizza dough.

• Depending on how much time you have, making pizza can take all afternoon, or be a quick 30-minute meal. So put on some music, prep your ingredients and dance your way to a delicious pizza dinner.

Alternative Pizza Crusts

Pizza doesn’t have to be made on a traditional pizza dough. There are all sorts of alternatives depending on how much time you have to prepare.

Uncooked Pizza Crusts. If you have 20 minutes to bake a pizza but aren’t interested in making your own dough, use store-bought pizza dough instead! Like traditional pizzas, the ingredients don’t need to be cooked or heated in advance as they will have plenty of time to cook in the oven.

Top with all your favourite toppings, then follow the baking instruc tions on the package.

• Balls of traditional yeasted pizza dough are usually found in the freezer section of the grocery store. Defrost them in the fridge for 24 hours then get ready for your pizza party.

• Pillsbury offers a quick, refrigerated dough that isn’t quite the same as a classic pizza crust, but it’s a LOT tastier than premade frozen pizza.

• Puff pastry results in a crispy golden pizza crust. Just cover it with the toppings and bake according to the instructions on the package.

Bread Pizza Crusts. Looking for a super quick meal? Using bread as a pizza crust means that the pizza will be ready in under 30 min utes. Here are three options for bread pizza crusts:

• Greek-style pita bread and naan bread are both perfect for a quick pizza.

• Little kids enjoy making tiny, individual pizzas out of English muf fins. Slice the English muffin in half, then decorate the cut side.

• A baguette sliced in half also makes an amazing pizza crust. I recommend using pasta sauce instead of pizza sauce on a baguette, for a really saucy, Sloppy Joe-inspired pizza.

Here’s how to cook your bread-based pizzas:

1. Preheat the oven to 425˚F.

2. Lay the bread out on a baking sheet and top with your favourite pizza toppings. Since the pizzas are only going to cook for a few min utes, avoid toppings that you wouldn’t enjoy eating raw. Alternatively,

sauté any ingredients that you would prefer fully cooked (for example onions and mushrooms).

3. Bake the pizzas until the cheese is brown and bubbling, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Traditional Pizza Dough

Making pizza dough from scratch is the perfect rainy-day activity. It’s fun to watch the yeast bloom and see how it makes the dough rise.

Give your grandkids a small piece of dough so they can play with it and make their own dough creation. Bake their butterflies, turtles and hearts beside the pizzas, just keep an eye on them, as they’ll probably be ready about 5 minutes before the pizzas.

11⁄2 cups water

1 envelope instant dry yeast (21⁄4 tsp)

1 tsp sugar

2 Tbsp olive oil (+ more for coating the dough)

31⁄2 to 4 cups of all-purpose flour

2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp cornmeal

1. Mix the water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl.

2. Allow the yeast to dissolve and bloom. Then mix in the oil, fol lowed by the flour and salt. The dough will be very sticky. I recom mend coating your hands with a little bit of oil then kneading and kneading the dough until it’s smooth and elastic.

3. When you have a nice smooth ball, coat it with a drizzle of oil. Place it back in the bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Let it rise for 1 hour.

4. After 1 hour, punch down the dough and divide it into 2 balls, along with a few smaller balls for kids to play with. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes while you get the rest of the pizza ingredients ready.

5. Preheat the oven to 475˚F and prepare the pizza toppings.

6. When the oven is preheated, roll out the pizza dough on a lightly oiled surface. Each dough ball should make a 12-inch pizza crust.

7. Sprinkle two baking sheets with cornmeal and place the pizza crusts on the baking sheets.

8. Decorate the crusts with your favourite toppings.

9. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and crust is golden brown.

Emillie Parrish loves having adventures with her two busy children. You can find more of her reci pes in her recently released cookbook Fermenting Made Simple. fermentingforfoodies.com

Multi-generational Travel

Multi-generational travel has been popular for some time and now there is an increase in skip-gen or ‘gramping’ travel, when grandparents travel alone with the grand kids leaving mom and dad behind. It’s a great opportunity to get to know the grandkids, create life-long memories and travel experiences for your grandchildren.

The planning process should be as fun as the trip itself and when all involved participate it is sure to be a hit! If you want to get really creative, how about a mystery trip? With hidden clues along the way and the destination a surprise, it is sure to keep everyone interested and engaged in the trip itself. If the thought of the planning is just too overwhelming, there is al ways help by way of your local travel advisor.

To make the most of your trip, here are a few tips and ideas to get you started.

1. Family Meeting: Gather the troops together and ensure everyone is on the same page. Are you looking for an actionpacked or relaxing getaway? Being on the same page at the very beginning will help avoid disappointment and conflict. You may have an aspiring marine biologist that would love a trip to the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea on Vancouver Island or per haps for the animal lover stop in at the Greater Vancouver Zoo in Langley.

2. Planning: Once you’ve agreed on the overall concept, plan together. Involve the grandkids! If they are old enough to research, have them look into activities and points of inter est along your route and at your destination. This way they are invested, and you never know what they may find! Need a theme? How about a farm tour, totem discovery tour, cycling tour or see as many waterfalls as you can tour?

3. Consider Everyone’s Needs: Are there special require ments for accommodation and restaurants? Separate bedrooms for the snorers in the group? Restaurants that offer a menu to

suit everyone’s taste, including accommodating any food aller gies or preferences? Did you know your grandson is afraid of heights or your granddaughter is a vegan? Having some options in advance will save a lot of time and frustration on your trip.

4. Plan for Meltdowns: Adult or child, there will be at least one. Plan your day to include some down time, respect each other’s pace while doing activities and keep to familiar sched ules. Stopping for meals before everyone (including grandpa) is hungry. Stop at the local deli for a picnic lunch on the beach, stop at the local food truck or farm-to-table restaurant. And remember to always have a plan B!

5. Trip Photographer: Perhaps the most important job of all! Designate someone as the trip photographer. To appease multiple volunteers, you may want to alternate days. If you have younger grandkids, pick up some disposable cameras. It’s always fun to see what has sparked their interest. If it is a spe cial trip, you may want to consider hiring a professional pho tographer for a couple of hours or for the day. Either way, you want to capture those family memories.

We have so many beautiful and wonderous places to visit in the Lower Mainland, in the province and across Canada. Take this time to enjoy it with your grandkids and spend some qual ity time together.Here are some resources to help in your plan ning: destinationvancouver.com, hellobc.com

As co-owner of Departures Travel Sidney, Cathy Larsen is passionate about sharing her love of travel—even after 35 years of experience in the industry. She enjoys life and sees travel as more than a stamp in their passport! departurestravel.com, facebook.com/DeparturesTravelSidney, linkedin.com/in/cathylarsen

Downsizing

Finding Your Perfect Fit

All of your kids are out of the house and now your home feels like a big empty space. The idea of keeping up on all the work in the yard gets more daunting with every pass ing year and vacuuming the stairs has become a real CHORE! The thought of leaving the home your kids grew up in likely feels overwhelming and emotional, but now may be the time for you to downsize into a space that better suits your current needs. You will have an exciting new space that is easier for you to maintain, and you will save money on hydro and prop erty tax. No matter if you’re making the change as a couple or on your own, there are a variety of downsizing options for you, maybe some you haven’t even thought of before!

A Smaller House

Maybe you cannot imagine not having a stand-alone house with a yard, but your current house is just too big. You may want to investigate buying or renting a smaller home that bet ter suits your current and future needs. A one-story home with a small yard would allow you to still have an extra bedroom for family visits, a small garden and no extra stairs to deal with.

Townhouse or Apartment

Buying or renting an apartment or townhouse is ideal if you no longer want to deal with any yard work and are ready for a cozier space. Moving into an apartment or townhouse may be a consideration if you are still fine doing all your own cook ing and housework, but don’t want to deal with any more yard work or manage any maintenance issues that come up. Town houses will give you a bit more space and a private outside en trance, but most typically have stairs so consider your mobility needs currently as well as for the future.

Retirement Community/Independent Living

Contrary to widely held belief, retirement communities (often referred to as independent living communities and oc casionally as senior communities) are not for the “old and frail” demographic. These communities are full of life! You have a private suite to live in while also reaping the benefits of weekly housekeeping, most to all your meals prepared for you and ac tivities and community events for you to enjoy. This type of liv ing situation is ideal for someone who is still able to take care of themselves and enjoys their own private space but is also

looking for someone else to take care of those tedious chores that you oversaw for years. Being a part of these communities is also a fantastic way to meet people your age and have access to fun entertainment, activities and outings. One monthly cost includes everything, and most of these independent living communities also have laundry services, libraries, hair salons, recreational services and visiting health professionals.

Assisted Living or Long-Term Care

If failing health is an issue and you or your partner needs extra care, it may be time to investigate assisted care homes or long-term care communities to get the proper care you need. In most cases assisted living communities provide you with a small private room to decorate as you choose, as well as all meals are prepared for you and housekeeping is typically done daily. Plus, there is a 24-hour care team of nurses and regis tered care aides who will look in on you as often as needed and are available with the push of a button. You no longer need to worry about remembering to take your medication and the rooms are often equipped with special beds and other equip ment to make you feel more comfortable and safer in your liv ing space.

Moving in with Family or Friends

You likely have a few friends or know other couples your age who are in the same boat as you are so consider teaming up and buying or renting a home to live in together roommate style. You can share in the responsibilities of doing or paying for the housework. The Golden Girls made it work—and had a lot of fun together!

With the rising housing costs in BC, you may also consider moving in with your kids to help them out with the mortgage. Many homes have basement or garden suites as mortgage help ers. You can have your personal space for relaxing and be close enough to spend quality time with your grandchildren.

Erika Palmer is a writer living in Victoria with her husband and daughter. She believes most problems can be solved with a good cup of tea and a huge piece of chocolate.

Independent School & Education Guide!

10 Types of Private Schools

There is no such thing as a homogenous private school system.”

In reality, the private school world is defined by choice. There are many types of private and independent schools, and they come in many different configurations. Some schools educate children from kindergarten all the way to grade 12, while some start at grades six or eight. Others are high school only. It all depends on what you’re looking for in your child’s education.

DAY SCHOOLS

This is the traditional model of schooling: a school that students attend from morning until mid-afternoon, returning home afterward and staying home on the weekends. Parents largely take on helping kids develop good schoolwork habits, such as studying for upcoming tests and completing homework thoroughly, especially with younger students.

BOARDING SCHOOLS

At a boarding school, students live at school during the week within the school year calendar. At some schools—and depending how far away students’ family homes are from school—they may live at school on weekends, too. Students go home for breaks, such as the Christmas–New Year break and spring break, and for the summer. Boarding school can start in middle school (grades six through eight) or in high school (grades nine through 12). Boarding school is highly structured, with set times for study after school and during examination periods, set “free times” during the week, as well as curfews. Supervision and support are provided by staff such as peer counsellors, residential dons and academic staff, including teachers. Boarding school students are deeply involved in academics and extracurricular activities. This

is a highly personal choice for a child and his or her family. Some kids thrive at boarding school, while others are much better suited for day school.

SINGLE-GENDER SCHOOL

In single-gender schools, the student body is all boys or all girls. Some believe that boys and girls experience less peer pressure, focus better on learning and operate differently in school without the distraction of the opposite sex. Some studies point to better grades and a higher rate of admission to four-year university programs. Singlegender schools may help break down gender stereotypes—leading to more girls taking maths and sciences, for example.

CO-EDUCATIONAL SCHOOL

Often referred to as “co-ed,” this is a school in which the student body is made up of boys and girls attending classes together. It mirrors the real world, where boys and girls, men and women interact and work together all the time. Some believe that going to school together helps girls and boys benefit from the other gender’s learning style, promoting cooperation.

RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS

Depending where you live in the country, schools based on world religions can be found: Bahá’í Faith, Christian (specific denominations or non-denominational), Hindu, Islamic, Jewish and Sikh. Faith-based schools offer full academic curricula that adhere to or exceed required provincial standards, but also religious instruction. The faith’s general worldview is reflected in teaching and is part of the life of the school. Parents should learn about a school’s curriculum to ensure that, while