Island Parent November 2014

Island ParentNovember 2014

Island ParentThe Resource Publication for Vancouver Island Parents

Island ParentIsland ParentIsland Parent27

Island ParentIsland ParentIsland ParentIsland ParentCelebrating

Island ParentIsland ParentIsland ParentIsland ParentYears

The Giving Season

A Knitting Revival

Raising an Outdoor Child

The Language of Movement

Holiday Gift & Book RecommendationsHoliday Gift & Book Recommendations

The Giving Season

A Knitting Revival



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

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

DepartmentsIPM Notes ...................................................................................................... 4Party Directory ....................................................................................... 18, 19Family Calendar ........................................................................................... 24Around the Island ........................................................................................ 28Family Services Directory ....................................................................... 40, 41Preschool & Child Care Directory .................................................... 42, 43, 44Business & Professional Directory ................................................................ 45

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Island Parent Magazine, produced by Island Parent Group Enterprises Ltd., is a monthly publication that honours and supports parents by providing information on resources and businesses for families, and a forum for the exchange of ideas and opinions. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher. Letters (max 250 words) should be emailed to the Editor at [email protected]. No material herein may be reproduced without the permission of the Editor. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome and should be emailed to [email protected]. Island Parent Magazine is distributed free in selected areas. Subscriptions can be obtained by sending $28.00 (includes GST) with your name and address to the address below. Canada Post: Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement 40051398.

Island Parent Magazine830-A Pembroke St, Victoria, BC V8T 1H9Tel: 250-388-6905 Websites: www.islandparent.ca, www.kidsinvictoria.com

Publisher/Owner: Mark WarnerEditor: Sue FastSales & Marketing: RaeLeigh BuchananPublisher’s Assistant: Linda FrearDistribution: Ray Cutts, Ted Dawe (Mid-Island)Founders: Jim Holland & Selinde KrayenhoffProduction: Eacrett Graphic DesignPrinted at Black Press, VictoriaCover printed at Hillside PrintingISSN 0838-5505

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

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Contents: November 2014

November 2014 3www.IslandParent.ca

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

their parents was at dinner time, when, most often, their parents were unplugged, their phones turned off. Which is another reason to…

Eat dinner together. Better yet, cook it that way, too. Besides appreciation for the value of food and the work that goes into preparing it, cooking and sharing meals together is the perfect way to reconnect with each other, talk and laugh, learn manners, take care of and serve each other, listen, solve problems, make plans, and dream aloud. Not only does eating together lead to better eating habits, but it nourishes our minds and spirits, too.

Count your blessings. Your kids. Whoever is helping you raise them. Your friends. Family. Food on the table. A bed to sleep in. Take time to consider all you’re grateful for: from the quiet in the morning before everyone wakes up, and that hot cup of cof-fee, to the changing seasons, and the feeling of your child’s hand in yours.

Trust your instincts. Resist one-size-fits-all parenting advice and trust your gut instead. When in doubt, turn to trusted friends and family, keeping in mind that nobody knows your child like you do. Trust yourself. You are the expert—for awhile anyway. Enjoy your status while it lasts!

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Editor’s Note

sUe FasT

If you’re nine-months pregnant and stand-ing in a grocery store line-up minding your own business, perhaps scanning the

headlines on, say, the National Enquirer and I’m standing behind you, I will not be that person who places both hands on your belly, tells you to enjoy your sleep while it lasts, assesses, aloud, the nutritional value of every item in your cart, and then offers a lifetime’s worth—yours, mine, and the baby’s—of unsolicited advice.

I will not. I will not. I will not. But if you asked me, and even though you didn’t…

Here’s what I’d tell you I’ve learned about parenting so far, most often the hard way:

Spend time with people who love spending time with their children—and yours. Share meals, outings, babysitting, rides, resources, wisdom, laughter, tears, expertise, feelings, worries, ideas, and camping trips, among other things. Create a community that celebrates and supports the important job of raising kids. And then invite others in.

Smile when your child enters the room. Simple advice from a wise friend, that, if I can remember to follow it, yields amazing results. Rather than treating my children as works-in-progress—assessing their groom-ing habits, fashion sense, and posture, to name a few things—smiling at them sets an entirely different mood, one that’s much more conducive to conversation and con-nection.

Don’t do for your kids what they can do for themselves. Too often, when my kids were little and I was in a rush, I would take over their tasks for the sake of speed and

efficiency, robbing them of the chance to feel a sense of capability and contribution. If I had it to do over again, I’d encourage them to tackle any undertaking to the best of their abilities, never mind any messes, mix-ups, or lost momentum.

Play. Outdoors. Play, as the saying goes, is a child’s work. Recognized by the United Na-tions High Commission for Human Rights as a right of every child, playing unleashes kids’ creativity while helping develop their imagination, dexterity, and physical, cogni-tive, and emotional strength. Better still is playing outside in nature. What man-made environments take away from us—through traffic, pollution, and noise, for starters—quiet natural landscapes give back.

Travel. Near. Far. Literally. And meta-phorically. Overland. By air. In books. To far off lands. Or nearby neighbourhoods. Travel is education: not only does it teach us more about different locations and cultures, but it also lets us experience ourselves and each other in an entirely new context, all while creating a fresh perspective of ‘home.’

Give your kids the benefit of the doubt. My mom’s wise words and another way of saying “Trust your kids.” Let them know you believe in them and show them that what they feel, say, think and do matters.

Use the ‘small stuff’ to teach the ‘big stuff.’ How we talk to and treat each other makes a difference; we each have an impact on people around us and on the environment. Little things make a difference—and understand-ing that can add to who we are. That said, ask yourself: Will this matter in 10 years? If not, don’t sweat it.

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


Victoria Teen FestThe Coast Capital Savings Victoria

TeenFest will be on Saturday, November 1 at Pearkes Recreation Centre from 11am-5:30pm.

This one-day exhibition, for youth ages 12-18 years, and their families, will give teens and ’tweens in the Victoria area the opportunity to connect with each other, their peers, their communities and com-munity leaders.

By creating opportunities for interaction, activities, workshops and performances for this age group, TeenFest will engage and connect our youth, their families and the businesses and organizations that support them.

Event highlights include: a teen talent contest; an indoor skateboard park; a teen model search; a performance by teen musi-cians, singers and bands; interactive sports and gaming activities; 100+ booths to see, learn, shop and sample; five different areas to explore (life and education, cool stuff, fashion and beauty, health and wellness and technology and gaming), dance performers

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

Family Events at the Writer’s FestThe Victoria Writer’s Festival, from No-

vember 6-8, is offering two family friendly events. On Thursday November 6 at 7pm, you are invited to attend The Enormous World (www.victoriawritersfestival.org/the-enormous-world.html), an evening for all ages, with three greats of children’s litera-ture. There will be readings by Kit Pearson, John Wilson, and Polly Horvath, along with a festival-opening performance by Victoria Youth Poet Laureate Morgan Purvis.

On Saturday November 8, the Festival presents Transformations: A Creative Writing Workshop for Teens from 2-4pm. Participants will take part in independent and collaborative exercises, and writing consultations with the facilitators will be available after the workshop.

The Festival venue is at Oak Bay United Church, 1355 Mitchell Street. For more information, visit www.victoriawritersfes-tival.org.

Personal Power at 1UP Single Parent Resource Centre

Personal Power explores a number of personal development topics: empower-ment, goal setting, moods, self-awareness, and coping with stressful situations. This six-week course, running from November 7-December 12, is designed help you in-crease your personal power and create the life you want to live:

• What does it mean to be empowered? • How do we empower ourselves? • How do we set goals and achieve them? • How do we shift negative thought pat-

terns to a positive mental attitude? • What strategies exist for increasing self

awareness? • What can we do to increase our ability

to handle highly charged emotional situa-tions in ways that we later look back on and feel good about?

Explore a number of personal develop-ment topics and implement the strategies that inspire you into your everyday life, with Personal Power.

1UP Single Parent Resource Centre is also offering The Lighthouse Parent: A Forever Journey, Dads With Dads support group, Anatomy of Anger, Conflict Resolution, and Relationships & Boundaries. All classes are

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Student Art Video & Writing ContestAttention kids and youth in B.C. and the

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

Coats for Kids West 49’s Coats for Kids campaign, fu-

eled by community support, is once again collecting coats for kids who don’t have adequate winter clothing. Since 2002, more than 85,000 kids have received winter coats as a result of this program.

West 49 Coats for Kids campaign runs through to November 20. Coat collection barrels are located in every store. Anyone who brings in a clean, insulated gently used winter coat to any West 49 store will receive $25 off any winter jacket. Donated jackets will then be given to various youth shelters and charities across the country. Each store partners with a local charity in their area—so people in the commu-nity benefit. In past campaigns, coats have been provided to organizations such as Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Canadian Diabetes Association, Salvation Army, The United Way and local youth shelters and missions across the country. For more information, visit coatsforkids.west49.com.

Bear Wear 2014Bear Wear—“the cuddliest event in

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

The event is open to the public seven days a week from November 25-January 4, 2015. Pick up a hot chocolate and walk through the lobby of the Hotel Grand Pacific, elegantly decorated for the holiday season, and behold 40 bears in masquerade. Past favourites include Dr. Seuss Bear, Frankenstein Bear, Barbie Bear, and Katy Perry Bear.

With a suggested $2 donation, you can vote for your favourite bear and enter to win it at the end of the event. Funds raised through public voting and sponsorships sup-ports kids on the Island with special needs through Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island. In 2014, proceeds will support the Foundation’s commitment to Tools to Succeed, which gives kids with special needs the help they need to reach their potential. For more information, visit childrenshealthvi.org/events/bear-wear

Christmas in NovemberFeel like getting into the Christmas spirit a little early? If so, there’s no shortage of events this month:

Christmas Tree Light Up & Santa Parade. Kick-off the holiday season in Centennial Square with the 7th annual downtown Christmas Tree Light-Up on November 29 from 4-5:30pm. Enjoy musical performanc-es, roving entertainment, ice sculptures, and free treats before the Island Farms Santa Light Parade at 5:45. Rain or shine. Free.

Ferris Wheel in Centennial Square. See Victoria from 65 feet up on Friday (5-9pm), Saturday (1-9pm), and Sunday (1-7pm) on the ferris wheel in Centennial Square, running from November 29-December 21. Rides are $2.

Free Horse-Drawn Trolley Rides from November 29-December 21 on Saturdays (noon-4pm); and Sundays (noon-3pm). En-joy the sights and sounds of the Christmas celebrations in downtown Victoria. Two free trolleys will stop at: Store St. at Chatham St (in front of Ocean River Sports); Johnson St at Wharf St (in front of Willie’s Bakery); Langley St at Bastion Sq (across from re-Bar); Government St at Fisgard St (in front of CRD Plaza).

Sidney Sparkles Parade & Sailpast on November 29 at 5pm. Watch the parade along Beacon Avenue and Second Street, then wander down to the waterfront to see the sailpast.

The Ladysmith Festival of Lights on November 27, starting at 3pm, features entertainment, a parade, fireworks, and a visit from Santa.


letters home by British Columbian soldiers to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the Great War.

Some of the 100 Objects of Interest are well-known and popular, such as John Lennon’s famous yellow psychedelic Rolls Royce Phantom V Touring Limousine, which wowed crowds at Expo 86. Some objects, like the Ground Mantid insect, are tiny and almost impossible to see in their home environment—in this case, the sandy grasslands in the extreme southern Okana-gan Valley, a threatened and disappearing ecosystem. Many of the objects are never on public display.

The shortlist of 100 was made subjec-tively, but each object speaks to the living landscapes and cultures of British Columbia. Seen collectively, they represent BC’s range of ecosystems and climate, the province’s abundance of flora and fauna and the com-plex histories of the people who have settled here over millennia, sometimes clashing but working towards peaceful coexistence. roy-albcmuseum.bc.ca/100-objects-of-interest

GVPL’s Cultural & Recreational Passes

The library, partnered with the Art Gal-lery of Greater Victoria and the Royal BC Museum, continues to offer library users the opportunity to access cultural offerings throughout Greater Victoria. If you have a valid adult library card, you can borrow a free art gallery or museum pass from your local library. Place a hold on a pass with your library card at www.gvpl.ca and pick it up at your local library branch.

Art Gallery of Greater Victoria House-hold Access Pass provides free general admission to the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria for two adults and up to four chil-dren. The loan period is seven days, with no renewals, and does not include special events or gift shop discounts.

The Royal BC Museum Family Pass pro-vides free general admission to the Royal BC Museum for two adults and up to three children (youth under five are free). The loan period is 7 days, with no renewals, and does not include special events or gift shop discounts.

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

Ballet VictoriaEvery Christmas season, Ballet Victoria

takes to the stage for a wonderfully fun, family-friendly rendition of a classic tale. This year, the company will again intertwine the story of Pandora with the music of The Nutcracker as they present The Gift. Never content to rest on its laurels though, Ballet Victoria will introduce a new twist to the performance, with characters derived from popular culture such as the hit movie Frozen.

Principal dancer Andrea Bayne portrays the curious Pandora who opens the for-bidden box after the family’s traditional Christmas Eve party and unleashes a torrent of fun characters, and hilarious chaos.

The music of a live orchestra brings a depth to the performance that highlights every nuance. Conducted by Joey Pietraroia, the Victoria Symphony will intersperse Tchaikovsky’s score with some modern jazz as they fill the theatre with incredible sound.

For those who have never experienced ballet or for those who think it is all clas-sical tutus and music, think again. Bring your family to The Gift and, chances are, you too will be on your feet at the end of the performance, waiting for an encore.

On stage at the Royal Theatre for three matinee performances on December 27, 28 and 29 at 2pm, The Gift is accessible to families, with children’s tickets as low as $15. Tickets are on sale now and available at the Royal McPherson box office, by phone 250-386-6121 or online at balletvictoria.ca.

‘100 Objects of Interest’ at RBCMFrom more than seven million objects in

the Royal BC Museum’s galleries, archival stacks and workrooms behind the scenes, curators, archivists and other expert staff have selected some of the most fascinat-ing—and often seldom-seen—objects, what they are calling the “100 Objects of Inter-est.” These artifacts, specimens, archival records and works of art will be featured on the 100 Objects of Interest website at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/100. The website features a photo of each object and a brief description of its significance. The objects will rotate over time, as new items are up-loaded to the site.

The Royal BC Museum is embarking upon a number of web initiatives that allow greater access and interaction with the full scale of its collections, including the digiti-zation of First World War diary entries and

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Youth in Parks TeamDo you love parks and being outside? Are

you interested in improving your outdoor leadership skills? Do you want to join a group of people from all over Southern Vancouver Island who are interested in inspiring other youth to get outside and into parks? Join the Youth in Parks team.

The Youth In Parks team is a group of high-school-aged youth (ages 13-18) who live in the Capital Regional District/South-ern Vancouver Island and love the outdoors.

The team meets monthly to learn skills and share their passion for parks. There will be an opportunity for some members of the team to become part of the Parks Youth Advisory Council.

The Youth In Parks staff are from four hosting organizations: BC Parks, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Victoria, CRD Re-gional Parks, and Sierra Club. They bring a wealth of knowledge in youth engagement, building leadership skills, interpretation and volunteerism, and are very passionate about working collaboratively with Youth In Parks.

There is no cost to participate except for your time, energy and enthusiasm. To ap-ply, fill out an application online at www.crd.bc.ca/youthinparks or download the printable PDF application form.

For more information, email [email protected] or phone 250-360-3326.

$10,000 Race to AlaskaPaddle, Row or Sail. Long distance row-

ers, paddlers and sailors will compete next summer in a first-ever Race to Alaska that offers a $10,000 prize—and no fuel bill.

The Northwest Maritime Center, based in Port Townsend, WA, has begun accepting applicants for the unique, non-motorized, 750-mile marathon scheduled to begin next June in Port Townsend.

The cash prize of $10,000 will go to the first competitor to reach Ketchikan without the aid of an engine

The Race to Alaska is scheduled to begin June 4, 2015, on Port Townsend Bay, with a 65km first leg to Victoria. The Maritime Museum of BC is partnering with Race to Alaska as the official Victoria Port Host. Any paddler, rower or sailor is invited to participate in that leg without committing to the full race to Ketchikan.

Racers who complete the first leg with-out assistance will qualify for the full race,

scheduled to begin the following day.Contestants will not be allowed to have

any kind of motor on board—neither gas nor electric. There is no limit on the number of crew, but no substitutions will be al-lowed. To qualify for the prize, racers must be on board for the entire race.

Successful race applicants should be proficient in navigation, first aid, radio use and logistics, and should be able to demon-strate that they have the physical ability and equipment to make the voyage. For more information, visit www.RacetoAlaska.com.

Youth Angel-Making WorkshopsVictoria teachers and students take note:

local volunteer group African AIDS Angels is offering another season of Angel-Making Workshops with youth. For the past 10 years, African AIDS Angels volunteers have engaged with local elementary, middle and secondary classes, providing educational presentations on the need to help impov-erished African communities, and hosting angel-making workshops to help students get creative while contributing to an im-portant humanitarian cause. The group is seeking new classrooms and youth groups who would like to learn more about their work in Africa, and the opportunity to get artsy and craft some angels.

Fun foam angel templates decorated with markers and snips of fabric are used for younger classes, while older classes make angels with peg bodies, pre-cut fabric dresses and shawls, and jewellery accents. Angel-making with youth has proven not only to be an exercise in dexterity and artistic expression, but also a means to empower youth to make a difference for families and orphans halfway around the world. All supplies are provided for workshops with a suggested donation of $3 per foam angel and $7 per peg angel.

Both English and French presentations can be arranged for elementary, middle, and secondary classes, and this season Spanish presentations can potentially be made to middle and secondary classes, pending volunteer support. Also new this season are workshops with preschool groups—from young to mature, everyone can take part in crafting angels to help African communi-ties in need.

Would you consider this activity for your classroom or youth group? To sign up or learn more, email Sandra Dennis, chair of Youth Engagement at [email protected]. For information about African AIDS Angels, visit aidsangelsvictoria.blogspot.ca.•

Victoria

Cordova Bay Preschool

Countryside Preschool

Goldstream Preschool

Gonzales Preschool

Lakehill Preschool

Lambrick Park Preschool

Lansdowne Preschool

Oak Bay Preschool

Sidney Preschool

Strawberry Vale

Outside Victoria

Errington Preschool

Gabriola Island Preschool

Nanaimo Preschool

Salt Spring Island

cordovabaypreschool.org

countrysidepreschool.org

goldstreampreschool.com

gonzalescooppreschool.com

lakehillpreschool.org

lambrickparkpreschool.ca

lansdownepreschool.com

oakbaypreschool.com

sidneypreschool.com

strawberryvalepreschool.org

erringtonhall.bc.ca/preschol.htm

gabriolapreschool.com

nanaimopreschool.com

saltspringcooppreschool.com

www.vicpa.org

Discover our parent-operated coopera-tive preschools where children (and their

parents) learn through play.

Learning Through Play


More than 400,000 people took to the streets of New York in September for

the largest climate march in history. It was supposed to be a tipping point, as policy makers, celebrities and ordinary citizens came together in advance of the United Nations Climate Summit. But for all the attention this urgent issue is getting, I suspect that the status quo will prevail this holiday season. North Americans will head to the malls as always, returning in minivans and SUVs piled high with seasonal cheer.

And who can blame us? It’s the giving season—what better time to be generous with our loved ones? But given the state of our over-burdened planet, perhaps we need to take a second look at how we define generosity. Perhaps it’s time we joined the Grinch in discovering that true holiday spirit doesn’t come from a store. In the words of the Grinch’s wise creator, Christmas can come without ribbons or tags, it can come without packages, boxes or bags!

There are many good resources online

Rachel Dunstan Muller

The Giving Seasonand at the library if you’re committed to a greener holiday season. Go to islandparent.ca, click on the ‘Articles’ tab, and type ‘Green Christmas’ in the search box, if you’d like to read the piece I wrote a few years ago. But these days I’m more interested in cultivating a generous spirit year-round—and redefining generosity so that it’s not centered on “stuff.”

A few years ago, my husband and I found ourselves in an intense period that saw us navigating teen issues with our three oldest, while simultaneously coping with night-wakings and diapers with our two young-est. Life was about survival at the family level—there wasn’t much left over for the wider world. Things got easier once our older daughters were launched, and we’d made it through potty training with the younger ones. As the external world came into focus again, I became aware of the tremendous generosity around us. My first response was gratitude: for the wonderful family resource program that served as a second home for me and my preschoolers on many weekday

mornings. For my brother and sister-in-law and the countless bags of toys and clothes they passed down. For the neighbour who regularly brought over bags of interesting magazines. For the women at church who shared the surplus from their fruit trees. For the friends who listened sympathetically when I was feeling especially frayed. For the kind smiles and encouraging words of strangers when my youngest were melting down at the grocery store.

In the last few years I’ve become an in-formal student of generosity, observing the many forms it takes, and trying to put it into practice in my own life. What I’ve seen as I’ve been consciously looking for it, is that anyone can choose to be generous, in almost any situation. You don’t have to be wealthy to be a giver. In fact some of the most generous people I know have very limited material resources.

The following ideas are in no way a com-prehensive list, but I hope they’ll serve as a source of inspiration:

For your children: Time is the gift every child needs. Take them to the playground or library. Go beachcombing, hiking or on a family bike ride. Share your favourite hobby, whether it’s cooking or kayaking. Play games with them. Read to them. Sing to and with

My child can:Sing over 10 songs in French.Speak this: 我爱我的家 (I love my family).Play on the Beach from September to June.

At Glenlyon Norfolk School (GNS), our youngest students are able to enjoy:• Weekly lessons with specialty teachers in Mandarin,

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them. Show them they matter by turning off the screen when they want to talk. Write love notes for their lunchboxes. Recognize their efforts, especially in challenging areas. Make an effort to see the things that make them unique: an insatiable curiosity, unusual deter-mination, or a contagious sense of humour. Be spontaneous when you can.

For your spouse or partner: Write a heartfelt note of appreciation, and tuck it where they’ll discover it later. Take care of a chore they nor-mally do—bonus points if it’s an unpleasant one! Give them an unexpected compliment. Leave their favourite treat somewhere in their path. Check out a book, magazine, or movie you think might interest them from the library. Listen without interrupting. In their earshot, say something especially nice about them to someone else. Make their favourite meal—more bonus points if you’re not a natural cook. Practice letting go of the little things: the raised toilet seat or the dirty socks on the floor.

For your friends: Make note of great books, music or movies you know a friend would appreciate. Introduce like-minded friends. Be free with sincere compliments and expres-sions of empathy and encouragement. Share your surplus: your kids’ outgrown clothes, the bulk purchases that exceed what your family can consume, the apples that are dropping from your tree. Freeze extra soup for new moms or sick friends. Have a casse-role put aside in your freezer for last-minute guests. Welcome friends in when they need a sympathetic ear or a safe place to land—and know that true hospitality has nothing to do with the clutter on your counters, or when you last washed your kitchen floor.

In the community: Write a letter to someone who’s made a meaningful difference in your life. Write a thank you note to your child’s teacher. Donate unwanted toys, clothing or household goods to a local shelter or a charity thrift store. Volunteer, if you have the time. Offer kind words and smiles to cashiers, bus drivers and parking attendants. Lend a hand where you see a need. Help set up or clean up at social events. Pick up litter on the way to your mailbox. Allow yourself enough time to be a patient and generous driver.

These suggestions are just the tip of the iceberg. The possibilities for generosity are almost infinite. For more inspiration, visit www.randomactsofkindness.org. Let’s keep the giving season going year round! Rachel Dunstan Muller is the mother of five, and a children’s author. Her previous articles can be found at www.kidsinvictoria.com.


Knitting goes through a revival every so many years,” says Andrea Rangel,

a knitting pattern designer living in the Cowichan Valley. Now seems to be one of those times, she adds. People of all ages are gathering in homes, coffee shops and community centres to learn the craft, help each other pick up lost stitches, and enjoy each other’s company.

Today there are men knitting, teenagers and even children and parent teams.

“I credit Ravelry (www.ravelry.com) for the last surge of interest in knitting,” says Rangel. “There are lots of high-quality patterns available, the site is responsive and supportive, and it’s a place where knitters of all levels can meet up.”

How did this master knitter come to spend her days designing contemporary fashion knitting patterns for the younger knitters?

“I started knitting when I was eight years old,” recalls Rangel, “a hobby that I dropped after a few years.” In university, she picked it up again, inspired by the popular book Stitch ’n Bitch by Debbie Stoller, published in 2004.

“I’m not that old but I can already say ‘In my day…’” she laughs, “because we didn’t have Ravelry or YouTube yet. We had to learn from a friend, a book or from someone at our local yarn store.”

Rangel’s interest in knitting persisted after university when she went into teaching at the elementary school level. “It’s simple…I’m happy when I’m knitting,” she says. And that’s how her hobby became her livelihood.

“I love being part of the creative process. I do the work most people are not interested in or don’t have the skill to do—the pattern design. Then I put the pattern out into the world and each person who buys it will ex-press their creativity by their unique choice of yarn and the adjustments they might make to the pattern. Each project will turn out differently and I’ll have had a hand in that.”

Economics have also played a part in the renewed interest in knitting.

“Whenever there is a major down turn in the economy, people pick up knitting and other handicrafts. I think people want a sense of control over their lives,” Rangel

A Knitting RevivalSelinde Krayenhoff

says. “Making your own clothing is em-powering.” And when people’s income is not as secure, Rangel notes that they might not go out as much and “knitting gives them something to do at home, something that is practical and creates beauty.”

Changes in the fibre industry include buyers hoping to source and manufacture local wool. In the Cowichan Valley, Leola Witt-McNie of Leola’s Studio is spinning and weaving mohair from Eastwind Farms.

“The choice of yarn is amazing today,” Rangel continues, adding that there is an increasing number of people willing to pay the real cost of yarn. “I know when I buy cheap yarn that someone, somewhere is paying the cost.”

Rangel also teaches children to knit. “…in general, I find children more persistent and less prone to frustration.” As a public school teacher, Rangel taught her students how to knit and crochet.

“One young boy really took to it and soon there were boys all over the play-ground crocheting.” And as gender roles

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loosen, Andrea is seeing more and more men becoming adept knitters. There are an increasing number of patterns for men and there are groups specifically for men on the Ravelry site.

Designer Gudrun Johnston, originally from the Shetland Islands and now liv-ing in the U.S., publishes patterns in both adult and kids’ versions. Her recent book Knit with Me speaks from her experience sharing her passion with a pre-teen son and teenage daughter.

“I don’t know if I would knit a smaller version of the same pattern as my mother,” laughs Rangel, “but I like the sense of fam-ily/community in the book.”

There are other young designers here on Vancouver Island as well. For example, Jane Richmond (www.janerichmond.com) and Shannon Cook (www.luvinthemom-myhood.com).

Knitting can be a solitary, meditative kind of activity or a social one. When Rangel lived in Seattle, she knew of several informal parent and tot groups where the kids would play while their parents worked on knitting projects, exchanged ideas and expertise, and chatted.

“It’s different from a book club where you feel the pressure to read the book in time for the meeting,” she says. “In a knit-ting group, if you’re working on the same project for months, only working a row or two every meeting, who cares?” The social part of the gathering can be equally or more important than a finished project.

Knitting can be a great way to meet people. If you’re new to a community, check out the local yarn shop, search out your local spinners and weavers guild, or go on line to Ravelry and find a group that meets in your area, or, stay home and meet with others online.

Rangel can knit almost anywhere—while working on complicated patterns and main-taining eye contact during conversations. So what does she do to relax?

“When I finish a large knitting project, I pick up my needles and knit to relax…There are infinite possibilities in the design process. My mind is always busy.” Selinde Krayenhoff is the cofounder of Island Parent Magazine and the parent of two grown sons. She gives workshop and talks on Nonviolent Communication, Par-enting, Spirituality and Midlife Transition.

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Full disclosure: I don’t go outside every day. This fact, I’d argue, helps me understand how difficult it can be to get

outside. Nonetheless my husband and I both wish for our girls a love of nature and the outdoors. We want them to want to experience the world around them through hands-on exploration and personal discovery.

Only these days, neighbourhoods and communities aren’t the same as they were when I was a kid. Now I don’t see throngs of kids playing in the streets or in the parks. The streets are empty, and the excuses for why are plenty: too many extra-curricular activities, too much time with TV/computer/gam-ing systems, smaller families equating to fewer playmates, not being familiar with neighbours (meaning fewer people to keep an eye on the children), fear of abductors, fear of wildlife, traffic, the dreaded weather…you name it.

Unfortunately, the excuses precluding being out of doors have, in part, con-tributed to the growing trend of overweight and unhealthy children—unhealthy not just physically, but mentally, emotionally and spiritually, too. So much of what is gained by spending time outdoors goes beyond keeping fit.

I am guilty, more often that I would like to admit, of coming up with excuses to stay indoors. A part of me struggles to find the enthusiasm that my eldest daughter has at two years old. I would settle with half of her enthusiasm.

I laugh and cringe at her insatiable need to be outdoors—despite the fact that I want her to be so in love with being outdoors.

Two important reasons help me put aside my excuses and head outside. Those two reasons are my daughters. Their needs trump my excuses every time.

So how do you raise an outdoor child? Here are 12 points my husband and I try to remember while raising our girls:

1. Lead by example. We have to be out there with our kids and we need to be out there often. We can’t expect them to do something that they don’t know or, in my daughter’s case, have no control over because they are just too little.

2. Follow their lead. If they say “I want to go outside” there has to be a very good reason not to. The laundry? It can wait. Really…most things can wait. It helps if I remind myself that I am never going to get that time back with them—and that unless we foster a love of the outdoors now, we might lose our chance—so it is now or never.

3. Set the stage. Meet the neighbours, find playmates, secure a place for your kids to play safely. Do the things that make it easier and safer for them to play. It’s also nice to be able to chat with some friends while the children play so invite others along.

4. Be prepared. Dress for the weather, have snacks, water, sunscreen all on hand. Shop at thrift stores or online swap sites for “play clothes.” Unless you are experiencing extreme weather conditions, there is no reason not to dress accordingly and have fun. Some of the best days I have had outside with my girls have been at the beach when it’s raining, during a low tide—there’s no one to share the beach with.

5. Change it up. Help kids experience the world around them. Take them to the creek, the beach, the park, the soccer fields, join in group and individual sports. Let them experience a bit of everything.

6. Let them go. Within reason and where age appropriate, we need to step back and let them do their own thing. They need to find what makes them want to be outdoors. They need to build their own love for the world around them.


Krista Minar


7. Make it fun. Go out just to jump in puddles. If your child is in that “I am wear-ing superhero costumes/princess outfits everywhere” phase, then throw on a cape or tiara and join in. Those memories will forever be etched in your child’s mind. I also try to remember that getting them to the playground is good, but playing with them on the playground is fun, too—part of the time, anyway.

8. Bring the outdoors in—dirt and all. Use it for sorting, counting, crafting. Let your imagination go and encourage theirs! We brought home half the beach the other day: pieces of driftwood became ponies, ponies that ate rock pies and lived in pinecone homes. It was fun, cheap and easy!

9. Don’t take “No” for an answer. Depend-ing on the age of your child, sometimes suggesting going outside results in an “I don’t want to,” which leaves you with your hands on your hips saying “I wasn’t ask-ing,” continued by grumbling, eye-rolling or even fighting. Offer them two to three choices of what they would prefer to do instead. When all else fails, choose for them, ignore the cranky behaviour and go have fun—lots of fun—because eventually they really will want to join in. If this is a big family change, start small, go for short periods of time, and don’t give up!

10. That being said…don’t push what they don’t love. Try and compromise, otherwise they’ll dig in their heels. Find a balance between what they like, and what they need to try. Sometimes, I just want to walk. My daughter? She wants to throw rocks. Sometimes I can get her to compromise, other times we throw rocks until our arms get sore.

11. Encouragement. Acknowledge all the neat things that they are accomplishing and discovering by being outside.

12. Try again tomorrow. My husband and I are human and so are our children—some-times we don’t get out. That’s okay though, our children need to know that sometimes things don’t always work out, but that to-morrow is a new opportunity to try again.

If your goal is to raise your child to love the outdoors, then every day you have to make a decision to do this until it becomes not just a habit but life as you know it. Ac-knowledge that, as the parents or caregivers, the first step is ours.

See you outside! Krista Minar, mother of two, in constant search of balance.

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HolidayFrom Barefoot Books

Preschool: My Barefoot Book of Wonder-ful Words. Follow a bustling family through their busy day. Each scene is teeming with people, places and things, and you’ll meet people of all races, cultures, lifestyles and abilities as you go. The bright, busy spreads invite readers to find new ways to interact with the book every time they read. A must-have for every family library. Ages 2 to 6 years. Illustrated by Sophie Fatus. HC. $19.99.

Preschool: Space Song Rocket Ride. Blast through the galaxy to our own solar system and explore the mysteries of space to a rocking beat. Packed with endnotes about space exploration and more. Enhanced CD includes audio singalong and video anima-

tion. Ages 3 to 7 years. Author: Sunny Scribens. Illustrator: David Sim. Sung by Mark Col-lins. PB. $9.99.

Children: Dara’s Clever Trap. Meet a cunning princess who is known for her brains and not her beauty. Dara uses her talent as an engineer to foil a wicked plot and save her husband in this Cambodian traditional tale. Our Early Readers series features illustrated folktales from around the world writ-ten in simple sentences to make them perfect first chapter books. Ages 6 to 11 years. Re-told by Liz Flanagan. Illustra-tor: Martina Peluso. PB. $7.99.

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

From Bellies in Bloom MaternityBaby/Preschool: Ergobaby Doll Carrier.

A perfect choice for Ergobabies who have grown and can carry baby dolls of their own. A good choice for an older sibling when a new baby arrives. $34.99.

Baby/Preschool: Aden & Anais Comfort Blankets. The feel of a soft security blanket is comforting and soothing to babies and toddlers. Made with Aden & Anais muslin, choose from a variety of styles and prints. $24.50 - $28.99

Adult: Boob Polka Dot Nursing Sweater Boob’s must-have nursing sweater this sea-son is double knitted with a polka dot print. The nursing access is incorporated in the design, works for maternity too! $109.00.

Adult: Au Fait Mama Foster Nursing Scarf. A new solution to breastfeeding in public! This multi-function piece is a su-persoft bamboo scarf and a nursing cover in one. Made in Vancouver. $55.99.

From KinderSpielBaby/Preschool: Bayer Doll Prams. Ger-

man designed classic doll pram in various colours for boys and girls. Steel frame and

Book&GiftRecommendations

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.

axles with structural foam wheels (sturdy, light-weight and quiet!). $84.85.

Children: Board Games. Games by HABA and GOKI are designed to promote family time at the kitchen table without a buzz, beep or batteries. $15-$50.

Juvenile/Teen: Eitech Metal Construction Sets. Trucks, bridges, cranes and much more can be created with these German designed and manufactured metal construction sets for a range of different skill levels and in-terests. $14-$225.

Adult: KUBB—Viking Chess. This fun outdoor game can be played on grass, sand and snow. Knock over the wooden blocks with the batons, then knock over the op-ponent’s king. $35.

From Kool & Child (Nanaimo)Baby/Preschool: Squigz. PipSquigz for

babies and Squigz for preschoolers. Creative construction pieces that stick to themselves or any smooth surface. Pop! to pull apart. $24.99 and up.

Children: Keva Structures. Simple planks, amazing possibilities, 200 precision-milled, solid pine planks to create buildings and geo-metric forms. Instruction booklet included. The gift they never outgrow. $59.99.

Juvenile/Teen: Gravity Maze. Test your visual perception and reasoning skills. Ar-range the translucent towers to successfully carry your marble to the taret. 60 challenges: beginner to expert. $39.99

imagination to build fantastic structures, children discover the principles of math and science. $19.99.

Children: Playmobil Advent Calendars. This perennial favourite is available in sev-eral themes and is pre-loaded with Playmobil goodies. $28.99

Juvenile/Teen: ‘Pathfinders’ Leonardo da Vinci Trebuchet. This working wooden trebuchet comes in kit form and is based on da Vinci’s drawings. Learn the principles of physics while having fun.

Adult: Puzzles, puzzles, puzzles. The largest selection of Cobble Hill and Ra-vensburger puzzles in the Cowichan Valley! $19.99.

From the Children’s TreehouseBaby/Preschool: Brio Railway Travel

Switching Set. 42 piece train set with two trains, one motorized! Two-storey train station, bridge, switching tracks. Excellent mid-range starter set. $165.99.

Children: Calico Critter Adventure Treehouse Bonus Gift Set. Excellent price and includes 3 poseable critters and and 65 pieces of furniture and accessories. Award-winning miniature animals and life-like environments inspire imagination and creativity. $89.95

Juvenile/Teen: Spy X: Night Ranger Set. Super set includes night mission goggles, invisible ink pen, micro motion alarm and micro voice disguiser. Protect yourself, see at night, read and write invisible messages. $59.95.

Adult: Unplugged Play. 710 games and activities for ages 12 months to 10 years. No batteries, no plugs, pure fun. Lots of imagination. Author: Bobbi Corner. 376 pages. $11.99.•

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

From Momease Baby BoutiqueBaby: Minimoc Baby Mocassins. Each

pair of Minimoc Mocassins is handmade with love in BC from durable, quality leather. Minimocs have been designed with an elastic at the opening that allows for an easy, slip-on fit, yet keeps shoes on tiny feet despite the most enthusiastic kicker! The soft-soled suede bottoms also make for a great non-slip surface to help baby undertake those first few steps safely and comfortably. $44.99

Toddler: Prince Lionheart Wheely Bug. The Wheely Bug ride-on toys from Prince Lionheart make an excellent gift for that toddler on the go! Sturdily constructed to withstand even the most exuberant rider, the Wheely Bug ride-ons help to promote the development of gross motor skills and balance in a fun way, and are available in a variety of cute and playful characters. From $96.99.

Child: Boon GLO Nightlight. The in-novative and fun Boon GLO Nightlight features 3 colour-changing and cool-to-touch removable LED balls that will also glow for up to 30 minutes when removed from the base. $89.99

Adult: aden + anais Bamboo Daydream Adult Blanket. The Bamboo Daydream Blanket from aden + anais is crafted from silky bamboo muslin and makes a stylish and versatile addition to any home. Perfect for cozying up on those cool winter nights in blissful and luxurious comfort! From $144.99.

From North Island Recovery CentreBaby/Preschool: Wildlife Finger Puppets.

Spark a child’s imagination with finger puppets. Four animals to choose from: hummingbird, owl, beaver and bear.

Children to Adults: Wildlife Sponsorship Adoption. A great gift for wildlife enthu-siasts. Adoption includes: certificate with photographs of your chosen animal and one

entry pass to the centre. $25. From Red Balloon Toy Shop (Duncan)

Baby/Preschool: CitiBlocs. CitiBlocs a r e h i gh -qua l i t y

wooden construction blocks. While using their

November 2014 15


Of all age groups, young children are probably our most enthusiastic music

makers. Often impromptu and rhythmic, their music making can be simply clapping, tapping or jumping to the beat. Percussion instruments provide an easy and fun way to introduce preschoolers to rhythms and music play. Small hand drums, rhythm sticks, tone blocks or shakers are perfect instruments for tiny musicians since they can experiment with rhythm and improve fine-motor skills at the same time.

To start children off with rhythms, it is best to find instruments that are easy for them to play. Look for small drums such as the hand drum, bongo drum, frame drum or tambourine, all of which can be played with the hands. As well, try experimenting with lummi sticks, maracas, wooden guiros or tick-tock blocks. Other fun drums are ocean drums, which sound like the ebb and flow of waves, and the versatile djembas from Africa.

There are a number of rhythm games

you can play with a simple drum that will promote interaction between you and your child, as well as develop listening skills. Here are some simple drumming and rhythm games:

Mother Goose Rhythms. Children love to drum while accompanying their favourite songs. Begin with nursery rhymes as they are a rich source of ideas for drumming. Tap the beat on the drum while chanting rhymes such as Hickory Dickory Dock or Baa Baa Black Sheep.

How Many Beats/What Time is it? This is a counting game. The leader plays a number of steady beats on the drum and asks the children how many did I play? Or what time is it? Keep it simple. Once your child is confident, they can take turns being the leader.

Echo game. The leader taps out a simple rhythm on the drum. Next, the child taps back the rhythm on their drum. Keep the phrases short and simple. It may take a little time for your child to succeed with

this activity. Always give encouragement, even if the echo is not exact. Lots of fun variations can be added to this game. Add dynamics and ask “Can you play this pat-tern loud? How about soft? Or change the tempo to fast and then slow. Can you march and play the drum?” Have fun with your little drummer!

Everyday Noises. Sounds of rhythm are everywhere, and you can help your child tune into them. Say, “Can you make your drum sound like the clip clop of a horse?” or “Can you make your drum sound like the tick tock of a clock?” or “Let’s see if we can sound like rain on the roof.” or, “Make your drum sound like a woodpecker.” Encourage your child to choose sounds that he wants to make. How about popcorn popping? The possibilities are endless!

Drumming with your child will build a strong foundation for further music studies in the future. It may lead to drumming in a band or being a percussionist in an orches-tra, or it might inspire an interest in other musical instruments when they are older. Jerri Carson is a primary music teacher for SD #61. She is a member of the CRD Arts Advisory Council. Jerri plays the cello in the Victoria Conservatory Cello Orchestra.

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What do our kids need to be successful in life? They need to learn language skills

such as reading and writing—a.k.a. Literacy. They need to be skilled in the language of numbers such as math and algebra—a.k.a. Numeracy. And they need to be skilled in the language of movement—a.k.a. Physical Literacy.

Physical Literacy provides a solid founda-tion for children and youth to develop the skills, knowledge and attitudes they need to enable them to engage with poise and confidence across a wide variety of activities.

A generation ago, children developed physical literacy in many different ways, mostly by playing outdoors with siblings and friends. Today’s children spend significantly less time playing outdoors and as a conse-quence we now have kids who, according to latest evidence from the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS), average eight hours per day in front of a screen. Only seven per cent of Canadian kids are active for an average of 60 minutes every day. Ac-cording to CHMS, childhood obesity rates have increased from 15 per cent to 26 per cent from 1980 to 2004, with rates in the 12 to 17 age group more than doubling—from 14 per cent to 29 per cent.

Why is this important? Well, for one thing, the health of our children is at stake. The Type II form of diabetes that used to only appear in adults in their 50s or older, is now appearing in children and adolescents between 10 and 19 years old. The bottom line is we all need to get more active.

There are many things you can do at home as parents to help your children develop their physical literacy. First and foremost, be a role model. When kids see their parents as active, then they will likely be active themselves. Swimming, cycling, skiing, and skating are great family activities that will instill a love for physical activity.

• Talk to your child about their interests. Find out what physical activities or sports appeal to them.

• Recognize and respect your child’s rea-sons for playing a sport or practicing a physi-

Drew Cooper

cal activity. They might want to compete for medals and titles, or they might simply want to have fun and socialize through activity.

• Be positive when supporting your child, regardless of results. Research has shown that children retreat from activity when their parents become demanding about results.

For complete list of ideas, go to canadi-ansportforlife.ca/parents/tips-parents

As with other forms of literacy, schools and parents are partners in our children’s development. By providing children with a proper foundation in Fundamental Move-ment Skills (FMS) we open the door to activities that allow children to take on physical challenges with confidence.

Why is learning Physical Literacy so important? Children are naturally inclined to be active. Kids become more physi-cally active when they come from a base of Physical Literacy. When they achieve a level of comfort in movement, they strive for challenges and seek out new sports and physical activities to pursue. Have you been to a skate park lately? Kids are constantly trying new things, challenging themselves and their friends to come up with the next trick, and working hard—all with nary a parent around to organize.

Studies have shown that kids who are active learn better. The more kids move, the more they learn. Physical Education classes at school combined with an active lifestyle set the stage for success—and healthy, happy kids. Drew Cooper is the General Manager at the PacificSport Centre based in Nanaimo. [email protected] or 250-740-6169.


Talk to your child about their interests. Find out what physical activities or sports appeal to them.


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One of the keys to a successful holiday season is having a plan—a plan that

refl ects involvement from all members of the family. The holidays are a collabora-tive event and if there’s any shopping to be done, it should be a collaborative effort, too. This time of year has a different meaning to each of us, often shaped by our earlier experiences. Making it a family event means traditions and common values are handed down. They can also bring a family closer together.

For many, the holidays are stressful. There is often a lot of pressure to “get it right.” To avoid stress, it helps to recognize the trig-gers that negatively affect us. Some of the most common stressors are: increased ex-pectations created by consumerism, family demands sometimes worsened by separated or dueling parents each trying to outdo the other, paying for the numerous costs without going deep into debt, and trying to recreate the memories of when we were kids.

Many of us focus our energy on the last few weeks before the holiday. Consider spreading out the many tasks over a couple of months starting in late October or early November. Having a plan will also allevi-ate much of the holiday stress. Some ideas:

• Start purchasing some of the necessary groceries in November and freeze them for later

• In early November, determine your budget and spending limits. Ideally, to have suffi cient cash put aside you would have started saving the previous January. With savings, you can leave the credit cards at home. Nothing spells impulse buying better than shopping without a budget, in a rush, with credit cards

• Get cards and parcels in the mail before the mailing deadline so you don’t spend extra postage guaranteeing pre-holiday delivery

Stress-FreeHoliday Shopping

Keith Guinchard

FOR ALL KIDS IN VICTORIA AGES 5–15

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

Passion Sports Christmas SLAM CampThree days of intensive basketball skill development

Thawed: A New Sequel to FrozenCheck out the unlimited outdoor activities that winter has to offer

Chocolate ExtravaganzaGet busy in the kitchen baking special chocolate-themed treats for the holidays

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

smus.ca

WINTER HOLIDAY PROGRAMS

Emmanuel Preschool 2121 Cedar Hill Cross Road (by entrance to UVic)

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Opportunities: Mon / Wed / Fri morning class Tues / Thurs morning class 5 mornings a week

Phone [email protected] www.emmanuelpreschool.ca

Openings for 2014–2015 Classes!Children learn through play in our all inclusive, non-denominational Christian preschool. Great facility;outdoor play area and a gym for rainy day play. Twoteachers with ECE certifi cation plus an assistantteacher to help with special needs children.A competent and caring teaching team!

Opportunities:Mon/Wed/Fri morning classTues/Thurs morning class5 mornings a week

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Emmanuel Preschool2121 Cedar Hill Cross Road (by entrance to UVic)


• A couple of weeks before the holiday, wrap gifts and put them aside. Annoy your friends and family by declaring you have finished. By sticking to your spending plan, you can avoid the need to make that last-minute, anxiety-driven dash to the store.

• The week after the holidays is a great time to stock up on decorations and items for next year on sale at the Boxing Day sales.

This time of the year, our wallets can take leave of their senses. Here are some ideas that will help prevent overspending:

• Use a debit card linked to the holiday savings account

• Use lower interest rate Visa or Mas-terCard instead of higher rate store cards

• Don’t shop when you are tired• Don’t feel bad saying no to your children• Make shopping trips and purchasing

trips separate events• Use reusable gift bags or make your

own wrapping paper• Buy gift wrap and cards for next year

after the holidays when they are significantly marked down

• Use Craigslist or eBay for finding deals you won’t find in the stores

If money is tight, there are many ways you can have a great holiday without breaking the bank. Consider the following:

• Shopping at thrift or consignment stores• Clean and fix your children’s old toys.

Have a toy swap with friends• Sell good condition, older toys and put

the money towards new ones• Have a gift exchange instead of buying

gifts for everyone• Make food dishes, bake cakes or pies

as gifts• Offer to do services for someone such as

yard work or cleaning their car. Make it fun by designing a coupon you can put in a card

• Give a gift certificate to a theatre or a restaurant.

When shopping, keep all receipts, and ask what the policy is for returns before you make the purchase.

The holidays can be unnecessarily stress-ful, and often expensive. A solid plan, engaging the family, saving in advance and spreading the preparations over a couple of months will help alleviate the headaches and post-holiday bills.

Happy stress-free holidays. Keith Guinchard is a former financial planner and non-profit debt counsel-lor who maintains a keen interest in financial issues and their effect on fami-lies. Email [email protected].

Proven Leadership

Re-electX Peg Orcherton

Vote November 15

Trustee, Board of Education School District 61 Victoria

Standing up for Children, Families and Quality Public Education

An independent Trustee with a record of standing up and speaking out on behalf of our children, their families and

the neighbourhoods where we live.

We need to re-build our education partnerships, to put aside individual agendas, and revitalize public education in a respectful and collaborative way. I am running to be a

part of that process.

“Peg Orcherton has shown her leadership skills as a Trustee and in her role as Chairperson in our school district. I know that Peg is a leader with a strong voice and collaborative decision-making

skills who always puts public education and the needs of students at the forefront of decision making at the Board table.”

– Carole James, MLA Victoria Beacon Hill, Past Board Chairperson

School District 61, Past President BCSTA

For more information and to help, please call 250-382-1603, email [email protected]

or visit www.pegorcherton.ca

“Every child has the right to access the maximum in education opportunity, regardless of their families’

economic or social circumstance…” – Peg OrchertonAuthorized by Steve Orcherton, Financial Agent, 250-382-1603

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I’m an anxious person. I have been all my life. The things that speed my pulse are too numerous to list, but include wiener dogs

and almost all “current events.” Naturally, I was anxious about having a child. While calculating the risks, I took into account all seemingly relevant factors: Mike’s and my readiness, our finances, overpopulation and rising sea levels. What I didn’t consider was the anxiety itself; that motherhood is nerve-wracking for the calm, and therefore often terrifying for the neurotic. Mike says I need to give up my worst-case-scenario thinking. It is not necessary to feel Angus’s forehead every night when he’s asleep, or to obsess about how few vegetables he ingests. I do not have to bolt upright in bed every time I hear movement through the monitor. “WWCMD” he says, shorthand for what would a calm mom do.

Angus isn’t as concerned for his own safety. He is quite adamant that he does not need his hand held in parking lots. He likes to stop his strider bike by crashing into walls. He’s a fan of chewing-optional speed-eating. Before his third birthday, he had stitches twice. His legs are so bruised that summer is embarrassing. I need to be vigilant. Always. If not me, who?

Angus’s stable of care providers extends beyond Mike and I, but not by much. He has Super Granny, and two close friends he calls his aunt and uncle. Sometimes it seems a good idea to lengthen this list, possibly even recruit a teenager from the neighbourhood. I was a teenage babysitter. All my charges survived, and this was before cellphones. I realize this hypothetical teenage babysitter wouldn’t hurt my son. At least not on purpose. Still, there’s something appealing about Angus being left only with people who love him. People who are as invested in his safety as I am.

This September, I left Angus with strang-ers for the first time. He started preschool. I was not one of the mothers who cried the first day. I spent the summer worst-case-scenario-ing the event, and by Labour Day I was exhausted. Angus was not one of the kids who cried, either. He asks to go to school on weekends. None of my imagined disasters have yet come to pass.

I was comfortable well before I expected to be. Granted, I write in the coffee shop next door, which seems to make more sense than going home to do the same thing. Especially

What Would aCalm Mom Do?

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considering the on-call diaper-changing sta-tus of parents of the not-yet-toilet trained.

It’s possible I even became a little bit calmer (adult-only time has that effect). And then, in mid-September, Angus’s swimming lessons began. It was Angus’s eighth lesson set. He

loves swimming. But the fi rst lesson of the fall was taught by an instructor who had been pulled in at the last minute, and who admitted to us moms that he hadn’t taught three-year-olds before. This became obvious when he started them in neck deep water, with pool noodles.

WWCMD? I asked myself. A calm mother would not fl ip out immediately. She would assure herself that soon her son would be in much shallower water, practicing kicks or holding buckets over the pool lights to make them change colour. But this wasn’t the case. Instead, the instructor helped the kids with back fl oats, one at a time, while the other three wandered aimlessly in the pool. Of course it was Angus who walked straight for the deep end. Of course I sprung from my seat, rushed to the edge of the pool and waved him back. And, when he stepped over, his lips and his eyes grew huge, when I had already called the instructor’s name twice and he hadn’t looked up, I jumped in. (WWCMD? That, I assume).

The swim manager, apologizing, told me she realized it was like taking “10 steps back” in terms of Angus’s comfort with the water. It wasn’t. He was upset that his lesson was over prematurely and also that I had to change before we could go to the library. I was the one I worried would step backwards. The thing is, no one loves your child as much as you do. That’s a fact. And yet you still have to loosen off that invisible leash and give them room to play outside your view.

Angus is still at preschool. And he’s still in swimming, albeit with a different instructor. The older he gets the more time he’s going to want away from me. WWCMD? Accept that.

Laura Trunkey is mother to the amazing Angus and the author of a forthcoming short fi ction collection from House of An-ansi. Email [email protected].

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Still less than an hour

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

SUN 2Wild Mushroom Show at Swan Nature Sanc-tuary. A special presentation by the South Vancouver Island Mycological Society. Dis-cover the wacky and wonderful world of the mushrooms of Vancouver Island. The huge variety found in our forests, fields and gardens will be on display. Bring your specimens for identification by members of the Mycological Society. 10am-4pm drop-in. Admission by donation. For more information, call 250-479-0211. www.swanlake.bc.ca.

Nuts About Squirrels at Francis/King Regional Park. Drop in for a squirrelly day and find out more about these amazing animals. Join in the fun with puppet shows at 11:30am and 1:30pm, and walks at noon and 2pm. Meet at the Nature Centre off Munn Rd. 11am-3pm drop-in. All ages. 250-478-3344. www.crd.bc.ca/parks.

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

inspire you. Then get creative and make your own silly sock puppet friend to take home with you. Materials will be provided. 3:30-4:30pm. For ages 6-9. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

THURS 6Wild About Polar Bears at Central Branch Library. Join Diane Brown from Polar Bears International and discover the fascinating world of polar bears. Learn about the big white bears and their spectacular Arctic habitat through stories, photos and videos. For Grades 3 to 5 and great for homeschoolers too. 10:30-11:30am. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

Ted Talks: Space: Three Dimensions at Central Branch Library. GVPL and the Community Arts Council of Greater Victoria invite you to a screening of two TED talks by artist, Arthur Ganson, and architect, Thomas Heatherwick, followed by a discussion on the topic of Space: Three Dimensions. 7-8:30pm. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information. For adults, and teens ages 13-18.

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

Lego at the Library at Bruce Hutchison Branch Library. Listen to stories and have fun with the library’s Lego. Bring your own Lego for a take-home project. 11am-noon. For ages 7-10. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

Lego Stories at Sidney/North Saanich Branch Library. Use the library’s Lego to build your creation. Your creation will be displayed for two weeks. Ages 5+. 3:15-4:15pm. Please register at 250-656-0944.

SAT 8Salmon Sensation at Charters Interpretive Centre. Drop in any time between 11am and 2pm for fishy-fun activities, a craft, and guided walks with CRD Regional Parks naturalists along the Charters River. Take a close-up look at these magnificent fish as they return to spawn and complete their life cycle. Meet at Charters Interpretive Centre off Sooke River Rd. All ages. 250-478-3344. www.crd.bc.ca/parks.

Author David Weale and Illustrator Pierre Pratt: Doors in the Air at Juan de Fuca Branch Library. Join the award-winning au-thor/illustrator team David Weale and Pierre Pratt as they read and demonstrate drawing techniques from their picture book Doors in the Air. All Grade One school children in Canada will receive a copy of this book. For Grades K to 3 and great for homeschoolers, too. 10:30-11:15am. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

Musical Fun with Pete the Cat at Central

November 2014 Generously Sponsored by and

Family Calendar For calendar updates throughout the month visit www.kidsinvictoria.com

www.kidsinvictoria.com24 Island Parent Magazine

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

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

WED 12Lego at the Library at Juan de Fuca Branch Library. See FRI 7 for details 3:30-4:30pm. For ages 7-10. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

Ken Steele: Rethinking Higher Education at St. Margaret’s School. A rare opportunity to be simultaneously startled, entertained, and enlightened by this renowned speaker. Ken Steele is a higher education futurist, and offers a unique and wide-ranging perspective as an award-winning academic and entrepreneur, experienced consultant and de facto journal-ist. 7pm. 1080 Lucas Ave. Register online at www.stmarg.ca.

THURS 13Silly Sock Puppets at Esquimalt Branch Li-brary. See TUES 4 for details. 3:30-4:30pm. For ages 6-9. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

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

SAT 15Marvelous Mushrooms at Francis/King Re-gional Park. See SAT 1 for details. 5+ years. 10:30am-noon. There is no fee for this pro-gram, but you must pre-register as space is limited. To reserve a spot, call 250-478-3344 before October 31. www.crd.bc.ca/parks.

Crafts for Kids: Feed the Birds at Bruce Hutchison Branch Library. Using a few simple art supplies, create your very own bird feeder to take home. We supply the materials and samples, and you supply the imagination and enthusiasm. Everyone welcome; children under 3 must be accompanied by an adult. 11am-noon. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

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

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

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

FRI 21Lego Stories at Sidney/North Saanich Branch Library. See FRI 7 for details. Ages 5+. 3:15-4:15pm. Please register at 250-656-0944.

Pirate Tales at Saanich Centennial Branch Li-brary. Avast me hearties and shiver me timbers! Join us for swashbuckling stories, piratical crafts, and discover your pirate name. For ages 6-9. 10:30-11:30am. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

Storyteller Shoshana Litman: Around the World with Stories at Central Branch Library. Embark on a magical journey around the world with master storyteller Maggidah Shoshana Litman and be swept away with fun stories and crafts. For ages 5-8. 1:30-2:30pm. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

Art with Andrea: Stories in Art at Esquimalt Branch Library. Join Andrea Soos from the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria for a fun, mixed-media art activity based on your favourite books and illustrators. Be sure to wear your painting clothes. For ages 6-9. 2:30-3:30pm. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

Super Science Venture at Oak Bay Branch Library. Are you ready for a super science adventure at the library? Join Science Venture for a session that’s jam-packed with their favourite science gear and experiments that will fizz, bubble, beep, and kerplunk! For ages

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7-12. 2:30-4pm. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

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

SAT 22Musical Storytime for School-Aged Kids at Central Branch Library. See FRI 21 for details. For ages 6-8; parents and caregivers welcome. 2:30-3:15pm. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

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

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

SAT 29Sidney Sparkles Santa Parade on Beacon Ave at 5pm. Watch as the festively adorned vehicles and floats pass by and cheer each other on along with marching bands, dancers, and Santa himself. After the parade, at around 5:30pm, head to the waterfront to watch the Sidney Sparkles Lighted Sailpast which will feature 40 beautifully deocrated and lit up boats.

Island Farms Santa Light Parade along Gov-ernment Street (from Belleville to Chatham Streets) from from 5:45-7pm. Bring the family to this festive, annual parade to celebrate the holiday season. Enjoy an array of dazzling floats and marching bands that travel along the magically lit Government Street from Victoria’s Inner Harbour to Chatham Street. Meet up at the Capital Iron parking lot for delicious free treats courtesy of Island Farms.

KinderSpiel Walk on Government Street. Children will walk with handcrafted lanterns up Government Street as part of the Santa Light Parade, accompanied by guitar music and carol singing. Instead of candy, they will distribute yo-yos, spinning tops, and similar gifts. For more information, call 778-406-2102 or visit www.kinderspiel.ca.

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

moderate climate. Join a CRD Regional Parks naturalist to find out who’s who at the lagoon, a favourite bird hangout. Bring binoculars if you have a pair. A spotting scope will be avail-able. meet at the Nature Centre off Metchosin Rd. 8+ years. 10am-noon. BC Transit #54 or #55. 250-478-3344. www.crd.bc.ca/parks.

Family Sunday at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. Try your hand at a variety of projects while absorbing art history with your little ones. 2-4pm. 1040 Moss St. 250-384-4171.

WED 26Christmas Lights Across Canada. Join special guests and children’s choirs to celebrate the annual cross-country light-up at 7pm. The provincial Christmas tree on the front lawn of the Parliament Buildings will be illuminated with thousands of lights, followed by hot cocoa and seasonal treats for everyone. For more information, visit www.pch.gc.ca

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

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food—come explore the amazing adaptations ducks have for living on the lake and discover who’s who in the duck world. Noon-3pm drop-in. Admission by donation. For more information call 250-479-0211 or visit www.swanlake.bc.ca.

Mystery Creature at Coles Bay Regional Park. Solve the riddles to fi nd the clues hidden along the trail with a CRD Regional Parks naturalist. Then piece the puzzle together to discover who the mystery creature is. Meet at the information kiosk in the parking lot off Inverness Rd, off Ardmore Dr at 1pm. 5+ years. 250-478-3344. www.crd.bc.ca/parks.

ONGOINGBABIES, TODDLERS & PRESCHOOLDrop-in Family Storytimes at the Greater Victoria Public Library. Storytimes are free and drop-in. Please come early to fi nd a space. Caregivers are welcome and encouraged to participate. For a complete list of drop-in programs, call your local library, or visit www.gvpl.ca.

Good Morning Rhyme Time at Sidney/North Saanich Branch Library. Bring your littlest ones to the library on Thursday mornings for stories, songs, rhymes and movement. 0-5 years. Thursdays September 18-October 30. 10:15-10:45am. 250-656-0944.

FAMILYFree Horse-Drawn Trolley Rides from Novem-ber 29-December 21. Saturdays, noon-4pm, and Sundays, noon-3 pm. Take in all of the sights and sounds of the Christmas celebra-tions in downtown Victoria. Two free trolleys will stop at: Store St. at Chatham St (in front of Ocean River Sports); Johnson St at Wharf St (in front of Willie’s Bakery); Langley St at Bastion Sq (across from re-Bar); Government St at Fisgard St (in front of CRD Plaza).

Santa Claus Brunch Series at the Laurel Point Hotel. Straight from the North Pole, it’s Santa! Kids can eat, meet and snap a photo with Jolly Old Saint Nick himself. Start a new tradition by bringing the whole family down to relax and spend some time together on the ever-gorgeous harbour-side Terrace Ballroom. Children will enjoy their own special buffet as well as their own area to watch their favourite Christmas movies. Adults $43, Seniors $34, Children 6-10 $21.50, under 5 free. $1 from each adult brunch purchased will be donated to Habitat for Humanity Victoria. (Sundays; November 30, December 7, 14, and 21, 11 am-2 pm). All children will receive a complimentary photo with Santa. Reservations recommended. Call 250-414-6739 or email [email protected].•

Kim Paulo – Independent Barefoot Books [email protected] 250-380-7197 www.bitly/Barefootcatalogue

Resolving your family law case through mediation is the sensible and affordable decision for the future of your family. I provide legal information and practical guidance to simplify the process of separation and divorce, so you can focus on what really matters.

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Send us the recipe for your family’s favourite

Christmas Goodyand we’ll enter your name into a draw for a musical and narrative CD of Clement C. Moore’s The Night Before Christmas, performed by legendary trio Peter, Paul and Mary.A selection of recipes will be printed inthe December issue of Island Parent.

Please e-mail recipes (with Christmas Recipeas the subject) to [email protected]

Deadline: Monday, November 10 at noon.


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

TUES 4Dad’s Night Out Free Skate Night at Oceanside Place Arena. Enjoy a free skate together on the pond. Sponsored by Building Learning Together. 6:30-7:30pm. 250-248-3252. www.rdn.bc.ca/recreation.

Glow in the Dark Skate at Frank Crane Arena, Nanaimo. Dimmed lighting and special effects. Regular admission rates; glow necklaces $2. 6:30-8pm. 250-756-5200.

SAT 15Wiggling Worms at Bowen Park Lower Picnic Shelter. Are worms really slimy? Ever wondered what they eat or which end is their head? Come out and learn through games, crafts and stories. This is a parent-participation course. $8/person. 10-11am. 250-756-5200.

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

Disco Light Skate at Oceanside Place Arena. Try something different, dress up and come skating! Flashing disco lights and disco music will take you back in time. Prizes for best disco costumes will be awarded. 6:45-8:15pm. 250-752-5014. www.rdn.bc.ca/recreation.

TUES 18Fish Tour at Englishman River Regional Park. With the rain, come the fish. The Englishman River is an active salmon spawning ground. Learn more about the Salmon cycle and the details of their habitat. 9:30-11:30am. $15.50. 250-248-3252. www.rdn.bc.ca/recreation.

Glow in the Dark Skate at Frank Crane Arena, Nanaimo. Dimmed lighting and special effects. Regular admission rates; glow necklaces $2. 6:30-8pm. 250-756-5200.

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

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

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

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

FRI 28Jersey Day at the Arena at Oceanside Place Arena. Wear your jersey to any skating session and receive a reduced admission rate. Check the schedule for skate sessions and times. 250-248-3252. www.rdn.bc.ca/recreation.

SAT 29Super Saturdays at the Campbell River Art Gallery. Drop-in art making program. All materials provided. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. 1-3pm. Admission by donation. 250-287-2261.

National Sport Day at Oliver Woods Com-munity Centre. 1-4pm. 250-756-5200.

Sports Day in Canada Skate at Oceanside Place Arena. Try your hand at some of Canada’s favourite ice sports during the everyone wel-come skate. 2-3pm. 250-248-3252. www.rdn.bc.ca/recreation.

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

ONGOINGPRESCHOOLParent and Tot Drop-in at the HUB at Co-wichan Station. Come for songs, organized

Around the IslandVisit www.IslandParent.ca for these and other events and resources for families from Cowichan Valley north to Campbell River and west to Tofino

Celebrating 30 Years!

Inspiring Family Entertainment K - 7Just Kidding for Kids

November 22, 2014 - 1pmMalaspina Theatre at VIU

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games, and free play with balls, parachutes and more. This is a wonderful opportunity for parents and young children to connect with other families in the community. Free. For information, email [email protected].

LaFF at the Aggie. A safe play-based learning environment for families and caregivers with children newborn to age 6. Reading centre, craft area, indoor car and toy riding area. Monday to Friday, 9:30am-noon and Thurs-days 12:15-1:45pm. $2 suggested donation per family (punch cards available). 250-210-0870, [email protected], www.familyandfriends.ca.

Family Storytime at Cowichan Library, Dun-can. Bring the whole family for stories, songs, rhymes and fun. For ages 0-5. Tuesdays 10:30-11:30am. 2687 James St. [email protected].

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

CHILDRENJunior Lifeguard Club at Nanaimo Aquatic Centre. Build lifeguarding skills, shadow lifeguards, participate in fun competitions, learn about first aid, participate in community events, develop leadership skills and more. For children 8-13-years-old. Saturdays noon-1:30pm until December 13. Regular admission rates. 250-756-5200.

YOUTHThe Youth Zone in Ladysmith. A fun and safe place to hang, meet new friends and enjoy games, internet kiosk, movies, karaoke and more. Play sports in the gym, do homework. Mondays, 3-6pm in the Rec Room (girls only); Wednesdays, 3-5pm in the gym; Fridays 6-10pm in the Rec Room or gym. Free. 250-245-6424. www.ladysmith.ca.

FAMILYFamily Frolics at the Community Centre, Lady-smith. Bring your parent or caregiver for open gym fun. Burn off some energy with soft toys (balls and nerf-type games), mini-trampoline, ride-on toys, hula hoops and more. Tuesdays, 5:45-6:45pm. $2 suggested donation/family. 250-245-6424. www.ladysmith.ca.

Parksville Lions and Save-On-Foods Free Family Skate at Oceanside Place Arena. Sun-days 12:15-1:45pm. Free admission and skate rentals. Note: children must be accompanied by an adult 19 years or older.•

STAGESPerforming Arts School

since 1980

For more informationCall 250-384-3267

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Becoming a new parent can bring much joy, but it can also challenge you in ways you never expected. Soon after giving

birth, you may find that you feel weepy and your moods can change from minute to minute. Rest assured: these feelings—known as the “baby blues”—are normal during the first couple of weeks after childbirth. You are not alone. Some degree of emotional upheaval is natural and almost expected after childbirth. Up to 80 per cent of new mothers experience the baby blues, a reac-tion likely due to hormonal shifts that begin a few days after delivery and generally lasts no longer than two weeks. Moms often feel better after getting some rest and a helping hand with the baby. But if your blues—or those of someone you love—have lasted more than two weeks, read on.

Is it Postpartum Depression (PPD)?Postpartum depression is depression that

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

What Can Help?Postpartum depression is not generally a

condition that you can treat on your own, but you can do some things for yourself that build on your treatment plan and help speed recovery.

• Rest as much as you can. The rigors of caring for a newborn 24/7 can leave you exhausted. Moms often cannot sleep when they want to, but it is still important to take rest breaks, even if you just flip through a magazine or watch a TV show

• Make healthy lifestyle choices. Include physical activity, such as a walk with your baby, in your daily routine. If even a brief excursion is too much for you right now, then just go outside, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and sit in the sunshine for a few minutes. It will help. Eat healthy foods, and avoid alcohol. Drink enough water.

• Set realistic expectations. Do not pres-sure yourself to do everything. Scale back your expectations for the perfect household. Do what you can and leave the rest. Ask for help when you need it.

• Avoid isolation. Discuss your feelings with your loved ones, health care provider or public health nurse. Tell someone you trust about how you feel. Call an understanding friend. Join a Mom’s group for support. You may be surprised at how many women are experiencing similar feelings.

Partner Support A new mother who is trying to cope with

a depression needs support from her partner and loved ones. Here are some suggestions on how to help out:

• Spend time talking about feelings and show that you are trying to understand—let her know she is loved and valued

• Help out with basic household routines such as meal prep and laundry

• Understand that people who experience postpartum depression may want to spend a lot of time alone. This can hurt, but try to remember that it isn’t about you. They are simply trying to cope with an illness.

• Ask and accept help from friends and family

• A short break or a chance to get back into interests can make a big difference in anyone’s well-being. It can also create more opportunities for sleep.

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

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

Where to Get HelpIf you are experiencing any of the above

signs, please seek help. Postpartum depres-sion and anxiety can impact you physically and affect your emotions, thinking, and behaviours. Without treatment, postpar-tum depression affects both you and your baby. A mother who is depressed for a long time can have diffi culty bonding and caring for her baby, which can have effects on her baby’s sense of safety, security and love. Treating depression early will lessen possible long-term effects on both mother and baby. There are many resources and supports available to help you.

Your health care provider or public health nurse

HealthLink BC (dial 8-1-1) or toll free for hearing-impaired at 1-866-889-4700

Pacifi c Postpartum Support Society at 1-855-255-7999 or www.postpartum.org

BC Mental Health Information Line at 1-800-661-2121.

All children deserve the chance to have a healthy mom and all moms deserve a chance to enjoy their life and their children. If you are feeling depressed after having a baby, do not suffer alone. The best help usually comes from a mix of support from health care providers, family, friends, self-help, and community connections.

Diana Hurschler, RN BscN, childbirth edu-cator, certifi ed breastfeeding counselor has been helping families in their childbearing years and beyond since 1998. Diana is the proud Mama of four little ones. She can be reached at [email protected].

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Whether your child has just started kindergarten or Grade 12, good nutrition and adequate sleep are

foundations for learning. Here are some ideas to help you and your family set healthy habits for the whole school year.

Sleep Times Did you know that kids who get enough

sleep think more clearly? Children and youth require eight to 10 hours of sleep each night so they can grow and have energy for school. If bedtime is a struggle in your household, then routine is key. Ensure your child gets enough Zzz’s by setting a regular wake up and bedtime schedule—even on weekends. This will help your child develop a natural sleep pattern that allows him or her to fall asleep more easily.

Before bedtime, plan quiet activities, such as a soothing bath or story time, and turn off the electronics. Research has shown that watching TV, playing video games or using the computer before bedtime can make it difficult for children to fall asleep. Lastly, don’t forget about caffeine. Ask your chil-dren about their intake of caffeinated food and drinks, like pop, energy drinks, coffee, tea and chocolate—all of which can hinder good sleep.

Start the Day with Breakfast A healthy breakfast provides children and

teens with the fuel they need to get through a long school day. Skipping breakfast can make kids feel tired, grumpy or irritable. As children reach adolescence, skipping meals becomes more common. In fact, 12 to 50 per cent of teens skip breakfast, mostly because they don’t have enough time.

When it comes to breakfast, it’s important to have a routine. Wake up early enough to ensure that you and your family have time to enjoy breakfast and get out the door on time. Breakfast is also a good opportunity to model healthy choices. If possible, try to sit down with your children and eat breakfast together. Make it a family affair, and involve your child in choosing and preparing the meal.

Preparing a healthy breakfast doesn’t have

to be complicated. Look for quick ideas that include at least three of the four food groups in Canada’s Food Guide, such as:

• A slice of toast topped with peanut butter and berries

• An egg sandwich with tomato and an orange

• Yogurt and fruit smoothie and a hard-boiled egg

• A bowl of whole grain cereal topped with almonds and banana

Packing Your Child’s Lunch: Plan Ahead

Involving your children in preparing lunch is a great way to help them develop a sense of independence, and to contribute to household chores. As well, children may be more likely to eat a lunch that they have helped to make. To save time in the morn-ing, pack lunches together the night before. Offer your kids a few healthy options, and let them choose. Younger kids can help with simple tasks, while older children and teens can learn to make lunches on their own.

Like breakfast, fill your child’s lunchbox with a variety of foods from at least three of the four food groups in Canada’s Food Guide. Include healthy foods that you know your child will enjoy. As often as possible, offer whole foods, like vegetables, fruits and grains, and limit processed foods. And don’t forget about fluids! Choose plain water and milk most often, and skip sugary drinks which provide no nutritional value.

Need some lunchbox inspiration? Instead of a traditional sandwich, try a fun wrap! Simply roll up a pita pocket or tortilla with one of these fun fillings:

• Shredded cheese and cucumber slices• Chopped ham and pineapple• Salmon or tuna fish with bell pepper

slices• Turkey or cooked tofu chunks with

grated carrot and shredded lettuceTo boost the flavour of your wrap, add a

healthy sauce like salsa, hummus, or plain yogurt mixed with salad dressing.

Simple Family DinnersAt the end of a busy day, having to

Healthy Habits During the School Year

Child, Youth & Family

Public HealthSouth Island Health Units

Esquimalt 250-519-5311

Gulf Islands 250-539-3099(toll-free number for office in Saanichton)

Peninsula 250-544-2400

Saanich 250-519-5100

Saltspring Island 250-538-4880

Sooke 250-642-5464

Victoria 250-388-2200

West Shore 250-519-3490

Central Island Health UnitsDuncan 250-709-3050

Ladysmith 250-755-3342

Lake Cowichan 250-749-6878

Nanaimo 250-755-3342

Nanaimo Princess Royal 250-755-3342

Parksville/Qualicum 250-947-8242

Port Alberni 250-731-1315

Tofino 250-725-4020

North Island Health UnitsCampbell River 250-850-2110

Courtenay 250-331-8520

Kyuquot Health Ctr 250-332-5289

‘Namgis Health Ctr 250-974-5522

Port Hardy 250-902-6071

www.viha.ca/prevention_services/

Healthy Families, Happy Families


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

fruits, and important nutrients like protein, iron, calcium and fibre. They also eat less “junk” food and are more likely to maintain healthy growth and weights.

At least once each day, try to eat a snack or meal together with your children. A good habit is to turn electronics off, as watching TV while eating is linked with poor nutrition and contributes to weight gain.

To save time, keep dinners simple and healthy. Sure, it’s fun to experiment with a new dish once in a while, but try to build up a repertoire of reliable, go-to dinners that you know your family will enjoy. For example, slow cooker meals, like chilli and pasta sauces, are easy to prepare and make great leftovers for lunch! A quick stir-fry is also a good solution for busy nights.

Homemade meals are the best choice because you decide exactly what goes into them. However, sometimes life happens and you need a fast fix. If you are short of time, try “almost homemade” cooking. Start with two prepared ingredients, and then add your own fresh ingredients. For example, you can prepare a quick pizza by combining a store-bought pizza crust and a can of tomato paste with low-fat mozzarella cheese and your favourite vegetables.

For more family-friendly recipe ideas, check out these websites:

• Better Together BC: www.betterto-getherbc.ca

• Healthy Families BC: www.healthy-familiesbc.ca

• Dietitians of Canada: www.dietitians.ca Caitlin Weedle, UBC Dietetic Intern, Ei-leen Bennewith, RD, Fiona Devereaux, RD, Christine Thomson, RD and Justine Wardle, RD, are Community Nutritionists with Vancouver Island Health Authority.

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Today’s interior urban landscape has as many distinctive sounds and scents as any offered up in the hinterlands of

our countryside. Shhhhh…it’s the squeak and hiss of the antibacterial gel dispenser, signaling the approach of the germ-wary city dweller. Close your eyes, and breath deeply—you’ll note the astringent fumes carried along the air currents. That little click that you hear is the lid of the cleansing wipes container being snapped open before counters, keyboards and door handles are all washed down, accompanied by the sharp cit-rus scent that signals ultra clean to everyone. By the sink, you’ll see a super-sized bottle of washing liquid, proudly proclaiming its bacteria-slaying capabilities.

Changes in the season will bring the usual onslaught of colds and flus, meaning that the barking cough, sometimes accompanied by the rattle of the antibiotic pill box, will ring out often in our living and working environments. We fall into a semi-automatic habit of eradicating all germs and bacteria, neglecting to think before we spray or wipe. In our zeal, we forget that we humans are

Good for the Gutnot made of enamel and stainless steel: we are living creatures, made of cells and skin and a lot of unknowns that all go together and work in gentle harmony (flesh, bone, and mystery—that’s how I like to define the mix).

Like any delicately tuned mechanism, the body is an organism that is easily thrown off, and more difficult to get back into the proper rhythm. We need some bacteria to live; our digestive systems depend on it. Fermented and pickled foods are good for the gut. They are easy to digest as they have been partially broken down by the lacto-acid produced by fermentation. Fermenting a vegetable has the added benefit of boosting the vitamin offered, so sauerkraut has a bigger kick of vitamin C than raw cabbage. We are also more likely to contract e-coli from raw vegetables, which is not a risk faced when eating the same things, treated to a round of pickling or fermenting.

Gut health is essential to all health, but we wind ourselves up into such a sanitized frenzy of niceness that we don’t even like to say the word ’gut’, much less feed the

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

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

Refrigerator Veggie Pickles 6 field cucumbers, quartered lengthwise6 young carrots, peeled and cut in half

lengthwise1 handful green beansa few cauliflower florets4 small hot chilis 10 cloves garlic2 cups white vinegar6 tsp kosher saltseveral sprigs fresh dill

Just Eat It!kaTHy HUmPHrey

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1 tsp celery seed1 tsp coriander seed1 tsp mustard seed1 tsp peppercorns

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

Quick Dill Pickles 1⁄2 cup white vinegar2 tsp sugar1 tsp mustard seed1 tsp salt1 clove garlic, slightly mashed1 tsp dried dill1 bay leaf4 fi eld cucumbers, cut into 1" slices on the

diagonalHeat vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, salt and

garlic over medium high heat, stirring often, until mixture has come to a boil and sugar is dissolved. Toss cucumbers with dill weed and bay leaf in a large bowl. Pour vinegar mixture over and stir to coat evenly. Allow to cool. Serve at room temperature, or chilled.

Swedish Pickled Beets1⁄2 cup cider vinegar1⁄2 cup water1⁄4 cup sugar1 tsp saltpinch ground black pepperapproximately two cups cooked beets,

peeled and thinly slicedCombine vinegar, water, sugar, salt and

pepper in saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally, until sugar has dissolved. Place beets in a deep bowl and pour dress-ing over top. Let sit for at least 12 hours before serving.

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

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colour

A friend told me recently that she was re-luctant to speak to her daughter about war. Her daughter, she explained, is

very sensitive and gets easily overwhelmed. The school Remembrance Day assembly was terrifying to her and has caused her to associate the Canadian national anthem with violence and war.

I have always discussed all kinds of is-sues with my kids, even when even when they were quite young. We have travelled and experienced developing world condi-tions, but not war. The other day, though, my 11-year-old told me he hated thinking about homelessness, that it made him feel depressed and sad. This gave me pause. He is sensitive and we do live in a time when access to information is overwhelming. It is graphic and nonstop. Never before have kids had access to the kind of information they have now, much of it well beyond their realm of influence, which can be paralyzing and daunting. So how do we protect the short time our kids have to be innocent and emotionally safe, while still encouraging strong, empathetic, worldly individuals?

Deborah Ellis’ new book, Cat at the Wall (Groundwood Books, 2014) does just that. At first the storyline seemed a little far-fetched. The book jacket describes a 13-year-old girl who dies and comes back to life, living as a cat on the Gaza strip. This is a stretch for me and I know the descrip-tion would not turn many middle-school heads. However, it is this stretch that can help create a beautiful balance between that safe bubble and world issues.

The conflict the cat finds herself in is horrific, yet there is no clear ‘enemy,’ only confusion. The Israeli soldiers that the cat befriends are just young boys, struggling to make sense of the world. In an unanticipated turn, they find themselves holding a young Palestinian boy hostage and are eventually besieged by a local crowd. As the tension grows so does the hope that they can avert conflict. Though there are no enemies, there are heroic characters, people who put themselves at risk for the safety of a child. The tone is relatively light—some may find it too light considering the seriousness of the issue—however, I think it is a gentle but moving introduction to the situation.

Bursting the BubbleThe story flips back to the United States

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

start to see her capacity for self-indulgent and manipulative behaviour. This in itself is an interesting strategy for a young adult novel. It isn’t often that the reader doesn’t particularly like the main character. Clara faces issues of responsibility, navigating her social life, boundaries and respect, and typical issues for a girl in her context. This is Clara’s ‘normal’ life, one that readers will likely be comfortable with and will identify as having more control over and ability to navigate.

And that is why this experiment works. Readers can emotionally manage and relate to Clara’s problems when she is in a school in the States. They won’t feel powerless when considering what Clara could do to act as a better human. While focusing on this emotional development, the atrocities and horrors of the Gaza strip won’t seem quite as overwhelming as the emphasis becomes less on what a horrific mess the world is in and more on what kind of person we are each capable of being, something that is within each of us to manage.

News Flash! If your kids love books, or if you love kids books, don’t miss The Enormous World, November 6 at 7pm at the Oak Bay United Church, 582 Marifield Ave. A gala evening of readings for all ages, with Kit Pearson, Polly Horvath, John Wil-son, and Morgan Purvis. This is a Victoria Writer’s Festival Event and tickets are $10. www.victoriawritersfestival.org Paisley Aiken reads extensively to her three energetic young boys. She is founder of The Story Studio Writing Society, a charity that grows kids’ relationship with literacy.

Book NookPaisley aiken

Does your child have difficulty reading?•can’treadwordsjustreadearlier• letterreversal•symptomsofdyslexia•“soundsout”wordsbutcannotblendthem

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I offer an effective program that works! Call for more information or to arrange your individualized one-on-one tutoring solution.

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Abra-Kid-Abra

new & Used Toys, Clothing & Furniture 2024 Oak Bay Ave • 250 595 1613

Car Seats, Cribs, Play-n-Pak,High Chairs available for short term rentals• A great selection of books

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

Morning Glory schoolPre-School to Class 8

Registration accepted throughout the year—call for more info or

to set-up a school visit

250-752-2722861 Hilliers Rd off Hwy 4

just minutes from Qualicum [email protected]

www.morninggloryschool.ca

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colour

Things are different with a First Child than with a Last Child—it’s only natural. A parent’s energy is fresh

when First Child comes along, but by the time Last Child arrives, we are worn down by years of inadequate sleep, mealtime negotiations, and the like. This doesn’t mean a Last Child is less loved. No! But it does equate to less fuss—over everything. Birthdays are a perfect example. When Last Child celebrated a birthday last month, I couldn’t help but notice the colossal drop in my party-planning standards.

When First Child had a birthday party, I started planning five weeks in advance. The guest count was approximately 42—all of our friends, our church family, that nice old lady who lived one floor down and gave us a board book once, 10 playgroup buddies and their mothers, our favorite babysitter, and the music teacher. A tad overboard, perhaps, but I just couldn’t imagine celebrat-ing without all of them.

Last, But Not LeastI spent three days making food for First

Child’s party, feeling the need to provide a gourmet feast. Seven types of crackers, artisanal cheese, tiny sandwiches cut up into flower shapes, platters of cut-in-half grapes. First Child’s cake was perfectly frosted in pink buttercream, ordered from a bakery weeks in advance. Colourful streamers and balloons festooned each corner of our apartment. All that was missing was the ice sculpture which my husband said was just too much.

The event was fully recorded on video-tape, and guests—wearing personalized party hats, of course—were invited to write First Child a special note in her baby book. Now, granted, I didn’t actually see much of First Child during this party, so busy was I with all these details. And my spouse may have used the term ‘manic’ more than once. But it was First Child’s birthday, and I did what I had to do.

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

Child was overstimulated for a week, and didn’t seem to give a fig about the huge pile of presents left behind, preferring instead to play with wrapping paper bits. But despite all these drawbacks, that is often what a First Child’s birthday party looks like.

Now, a Last Child’s party? That is an entirely different animal. For starters, I’m ashamed to admit that for Last Child’s birthday, I didn’t even start making plans until the morning of the party. Negligent, yes. But wait, it gets worse.

Is There an App for This?saraH milliGan

Enrolment is limited. For more information or to arrange a tour, visit www.discoveryschool.ca, call Sherri Ko at 250-595-7765 or email [email protected]

At Discovery School, learning disabilities are transformed into valuable skills and abilities. Students work at their own pace in small classes, with focused, individualized instruction.

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Last Child’s guest list was pitifully small—fi ve, including her. The only other guests were her parents, her brother, and her sister. No favourite babysitters. Please, we haven’t gone out at night in years! No nice old ladies whom we barely know, and no playgroup pals since most kids she knows are her older siblings’ friends.

The menu at Last Child’s party consisted of apple slices and chocolate cupcakes, whipped up that afternoon by yours truly—with an eager-but-messy six-year-old helper. I can’t guarantee that all the ingredients actually made it into the cupcakes, and there was some confusion over a missing Lego man and whether he did or did not end up in the batter, but I dug out the candles, slathered on some hastily-assembled icing, and hoped for the best.

The decor at Last Child’s party was limited to fi ngerprint-smeared walls. Background music was provided by way of bickering and piano practice. I managed to snap 11 photos, seven of which turned out to be blurry. Through it all, I felt the crushing weight of motherguilt, feeling that I wasn’t providing my poor Last Child the fabulous party she deserved.

However, despite the lack of pomp, Last Child’s party was surprisingly enjoyable. The cupcakes were not only edible, but downright delicious, and none contained a Lego person. Last Child delighted in a few small, sweet gifts. At no point did I fi nd myself breaking out in a cold sweat over falling-down streamers.

At party’s end, I retired to the sofa with a cup of tea. Despite having planned, prepared, hosted, and cleaned up after a birthday party that afternoon, I felt relaxed and content. And so did Last Child. That’s when it fi rst occurred to me that maybe, just maybe, less fuss was actually a good thing, and that the real gift to my daughter on that day was a calm, present mother. When all is said and done, I truly can’t think of a better thing to offer her.

So here’s to you, Last Children every-where! You may be last, but you are certainly not least. You don’t get as much fuss, but as it turns out, fuss isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. And in fact, with the fuss worn away, you might be getting the best your mother has ever had to offer.

Sarah Milligan lives on Vancouver Island. She is grateful to her children for the joy they inspire—not to mention the endless writing fodder.

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This directory, sponsored by Thrifty Foods, features not for profi tagencies and organizations serving children, youth and families.

1Up, Victoria Single Parent Resource Centre(www.1-up.ca) provides support, education and re-sources for parents in the Greater Victoria area through free counselling, volunteer training for reception and peer helper positions, a mentoring program for single moms, and a support group for dads. The Centre also offers over 20 integrated life skills and parenting courses which are open to the whole community (fees are on a sliding scale). Child care assistance is available based on fi nancial need. The Centre provides a bread pantry and free clothing for single parents. Donations of gently-used clothing, small household items, books, and toys are very welcome every Monday and Wednesday. Centre hours are 9–4 weekdays. 602 Gorge Rd. East; call 250-385-1114 or [email protected].

BC Families in Transition (formerly the Separation and Divorce Resource Centre) is one of three non-profi t agencies in North America that offers professional counselling, legal support and education for people who are having problems in their relationships. Each year we help 10,000 adults, children and youth through family changes, separations and divorces, remarriag-es, and complex family situations. Whether you wish to separate or remain together, call us at 250-386-4331 or visit www.bcfi t.org to see how we can help. Some evening and weekend appointments available.

Beacon Community Services is a community-based non-profi t agency providing social, employment, and health services to Saanich Peninsula, Greater Victoria, and Southern Gulf Islands residents. Beacon offers: child, youth, and family services; a drop-in family resource centre; counselling; employment services for adults, youth, and people with disabilities; home sup-port; volunteer services and opportunities; community events; affordable assisted living for seniors; referrals, information, and resources; thrift shops. For Home Support information call 250-658-6407; for all other in-quiries call 250-656-0134, or visit www.beaconcs.ca.

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

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Victoria is a non-profi t organization that provides mentoring programs for children and youth between the ages of 7 - 17. Adult volunteers (“Bigs”) are matched with children (“Littles”) based on shared interests, respect and trust. No special skills or experience are needed to be a mentor to a child, just a willingness to be a friend and commit to being a consistent, positive adult role model. Make a BIG difference in the life of a child in as little as 1 hr./week. Contact us at 250-475-1117 or visit www.bbbsvictoria.com or ‘LIKE’ our page at facebook.com/bbbsvictoria.

Boys & Girls Club Services offer after-school and evening social, educational and recreational program-ming for children and youth at 4 locations. We also offer support to parents (Parents Together) and pro-grams at our Outdoor Centre in Metchosin. For more information on all programs and services visit www.bgcvic.org or call 250.384.9133.

The Canucks Autism Network (CAN) provides year-round, innovative, high quality sports, recreational, social and employment related programs for indi-viduals and families living with autism, while building awareness and capacity through community networks across British Columbia. The Canucks Autism Network currently offers the following programs on Vancouver

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

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

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

HeadWay Victoria Epilepsy & Parkinson’s Centresupports families living with seizures by providing tutoring and one-on-one professional consultations to help your child live up to their full potential. We offer a parent workshop three times a year as well as education presentations in schools and community groups. Keep up to date with the latest research about treatments, lifestyle, and safety issues for your child. We can be reached at www.headwayvictoria.com, or you can contact our Epilepsy Program Coordinator directly at 250-475-6677.

Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria (ICA) is a service agency for immigrants and refugees. Programs offered include cross-cultural counseling, parenting programs (child care available), family vio-lence programs, employment services, interpretation and translation, diversity workshops and training, ESL

TM

Come Swim With Us!Lightning Fast Swim Series, Levels 1–5:Learn to swim faster than regular swim lessons and learn thetechniques of competitive swimming right from the earliest levels.

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

www.pacificcoastswimming.com Ongoing Registration2007 Swim BC Club of the Year

2014 Provincial Champions


instruction, volunteering, youth programs and tutor-ing, as well as intercultural arts programming. 930 Balmoral Rd, 250-388-4728, [email protected], www.icavictoria.org.

Learning Disabilities Association of BC, SVI Chap-ter, educates, supports and advocates for children and youth with learning disabilities and related conditions. Services include a public lending library, individual/group support for parents and children, professional/educational workshops for parents and professionals. Child and youth programs include: reading/writing, academic skills, social/emotional skill development and Fast ForWord. 1652 Fort St, Victoria, BC V8S 5J2. Ph 250.370.9513. Fax. 250.370.9421. www.ldasvi.bc.ca. www.knowyourrights.ca

Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC) provides programs and services to the military family commu-nity including: 24-Hour Information Line; Deployment Information and Workshops; Short Term Counselling, Crisis Support or Intervention; Welcome/Relocation Services; Childcare and Family Support Services; As-sistance for Families with Special Needs and Respon-sibilities. Exciting Volunteer opportunities available! Call the MFRC: 250-363-2640 (1-800-353-3329) for information or visit www.esquimaltmfrc.com.

Parent Support Services Society (www. parentsupportbc.ca) provides support circles, parent-ing resources and referrals to all in a parenting role including grandparents raising grandchildren. Our training in peer group facilitation is open to the com-munity. Support circles are free with child minding and transportation assistance available. Volunteers are always needed. Call 250-384-8042; email [email protected].

Sooke Family Resource Society (SFRS) provides Family Resource Programs including: Prenatal Educa-tion and Outreach, Parent-Tot Drop-In Groups, Parent Discussion Groups, Family Support Groups and Out-reach, a Toy and Book Lending Library and Kingfisher Preschool. Sooke/Westshore Child Care Resource and Referral services are also provided by SFRS. Services are provided from the Child, Youth, and Family Centres in both Sooke and the Westshore. Call 250-642-5152 for more information or visit our website at www.sfrs.ca.

South Island Centre for Counselling & Training is an affordable, non-profit, counselling and training agency serving individuals and families from all social, ethnic, and financial backgrounds. We help people with a wide range of issues including low self-esteem, depression, grief, marital and family conflict, abuse and spiritual direction. We also offer helpful “life” courses. For more information contact us at 250-472-2851; [email protected] or visit www.southislandcentre.ca.

Attention Non-Profit Organizations

Would you like your informational brochures or magazines professionally distributed to 16 high traffic areas in Greater Victoria?

Victoria Community Information Services (VCIS), an Island Parent Group subsidiary, services these locations

on a weekly basis to ensure your brochures and magazines are highly visible for pickup by walk-by traffic.

Our wall-mounted distribution boards are outside partnering grocery stores and inside many recreation centres.

Space is available for either brochures (approx. 4" x 9") or magazines (approx. 8.5" x 11").

For distribution rates or additional information, please contact:Mark Warner

[email protected]


CENTRAL SAANICH

Almosthome Childcare/Preschool ........ 250-590-7666Quality childcare with a preschool curriculum/kindergarten readiness program. Experienced Early Childhood Educa-tors. Nurturing environment for ages 21⁄2 to 5 years old. www.almosthomecare.com.

Chrysalis Child Care ............................... 250-652-0815A nurturing and stimulating environment for a small group of 3–5 year olds. Qualified ECE promotes learning through play. www.chrysalischildcare.ca.

COLWOOD/LANGFORD

Almosthome Childcare/Preschool ........ 250-590-7666Quality childcare with a preschool curriculum/kindergarten readiness program. Experienced Early Childhood Educa-tors. Nurturing environment for ages 10 months to 5 years old. www.almosthomecare.com.

Caring Touch Daycare ............................ 250-478-4886A warm, loving, fun family daycare in a safe, nurturing environment. Infant/toddler care for ages 1–5 years.

Goldstream Co-op Preschool .......................................Learning Through Play for 3 and 4yr olds! For registra-tion information go to our website: www.goldstream preschool.com.

Jenn’s Little Bears .................................. 250-478-8999A safe nurturing environment for children from infancy to kindergarten. Our Infant and Toddler Program enriches each child’s development while our 3-5 Program prepares children for kindergarten. Two separate buildings allow each age group space to grow!

Leap Forward Childcare ........................ 250-818-92252758 Peatt RD. Licenced group childcare for chil-dren ages 6 months to 5 years old. Offering full-time and part-time care. Open 6:30am-5:30pm. For more information please contact Amber: info@leap forwardlangford.com, www.leapforwardlangford.com.

Miles of Smiles Nature Junior Kindergarten ................... 778-265-4374Come see why learning in nature rocks! Reggio Influenced Philosophy for ages 3-5. Have your child become a nature detective today!www.naturejuniorkindergarten.com

CORDOVA BAY

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

ESQUIMALT

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

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

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

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

HIGHLANDS

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

METCHOSIN

A Growing Place ..................................... 250-391-1133Half day program (AM or PM) for 2.5-5 yrs. ECE educator, small class size. Our own petting farm. Summer program for July.

Metchosin Co-op Preschool .................. 250-478-9241Come visit our stunning natural outdoor playspace, and see how our inclusive, play-based program allowsparents to grow and learn alongside their children. Excep-tional ECE staff provide a warm and enriching experience for 2.5–5 yr. olds. Come Grow With Us! EST. 1960. Reg. begins March 1 @ 9am. [email protected].

West-Mont Montessori School .............. 250-474-2626Preschool Montessori instruction in a beautiful natural environment in Metchosin. Ages 30 months and up. Providing a balanced approach to incorporating Nature, French, Music, and Art. Stop by and feel what it is like to be part of a community devoted to the development of the whole child. Open House: Thursdays 9-11 am. www.west-mont.ca.

NORTH SAANICH

In The Garden Childcare Centre ............ 250-654-0306A 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.

OAK BAY

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

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

Gonzales Co-op Preschool .................... 250-727-1003Children use imaginations in a Learning through Play class-room and natural playground. Reggio-Emilia inspired, focus is on art, nature and music. Nurturing, highly qualified ECE and ECE assistant. Parent participation options. Allergy aware. gonzalescooppreschool.com.

Kindred Spirits Children’s House ............. 250-590-6966Now accepting registration for a small group of 2.5–5 year olds in a purpose built Montessori class-room. The prepared environment stimulates and en-gages the children at their own pace with hands on, size, age and developmentally appropriate materials. www.kindredspiritschildrenshouse.com

Oak Bay Co-op Preschool ....................... 250-592-1922Children Learn Through Play in this parent participation school. Our bright facility is allergy-free with a large outdoor playground. www.oakbaypreschool.com.

Recreation Oak Bay ............................... 250-370-7200Fully licensed, qualified ECE Daycare and Preschool with play based learning. After school care also available.

St. Christopher’s Montessori School ................................. 250-595-3213A beautiful, warm environment, steps from beach and park in Oak Bay. We offer an enriched Montessori program – half days for 3 and 4 year olds and half or full day Kindergarten. www.stcmsoakbaybc.com.

SAANICH

Arbutus Grove Children’s Centre .......... 250-477-3731Formerly known as Goosey Gander Kindergarten. Half Day and Full Day Preschool Programs. Children’s learning is supported and nurtured through inquiry, exploration, play and creative expression. www.arbutusgrove.ca.

Camosun College Child Care Services .....250-370-4880Quality licensed facilities on both campuses providing children, newborn to 5 years, with rich early learning experiences in a learn through play environment. www.camosun.ca/childcare.

Cloverdale Child Care ................................250-995-1766Full time daycare spaces available for 3-5 year olds start-ing Sept. 2014. Preschool spaces available Sept. 2014 for 3-year-olds Tuesday & Thursday 9am-noon. www.clo-verdalechildcare.com. [email protected].

Preschool & Child Care Directory

Looking for child care? Taking care of children?Call your local Child Care Resource & Referral for free referrals and resources.

Victoria & Gulf Islands: 250-382-7000 or 1-800-750-1868Sooke: 250-642-5152 Westshore: 250-391-4324

Cowichan Valley: 250-746-4135 local 231PacificCare (Ladysmith north): 250-756-2022 or 1-888-480-2273

Funded by the Province of BC

www.islandfamilyinfo.ca www.ccrr.bc.caYour community’s best source of

child care information and resources.

Child CareResource & Referral


Full o’ Beans Preschool ..............................250.360.1148Opening September 2013. We offer ‘learn through play’ programming designed to foster your child’s natural curios-ity and imagination. Flexible scheduling, 2.5 and 4 hour programs, qualified staff. Registration is ongoing!www.saanichneighbourhoodplace.com.

Island Montessori House ....................... 250-592-4411Inclusive, integrated and nurturing preschool, kindergar-ten, Grade 1/2 program. Located in a lovely rural setting. Extended day available.www.islandmontessori.com.

Lakehill Co-op Preschool ...................... 250-477-4141Where children’s development is nurtured through a child centered inclusive, play based program. Come visit our out natural outdoor playground and meet our loving qualified ECE team. Multiple Levels of participation available, please enquire. www.lakehillpreschool.org.

Lambrick Park Preschool & Childcare ................................................. 250-477-8131Gordon Head’s only parent-participation preschool and childcare centre. Flexible options, play-based learning and outdoor play. Allergy friendly. Celebrating 40+ years. www.lambrickparkpreschool.ca.

Little Readers Academy ......................... 250-477-5550An enriched learn-to-read program for your 3-6 year-old! Reading, Writing and Math. Half-day, weekend and evening sessions available. www.oxfordlearning.com.

Montessori Educare ............................... 250-881-8666Beautiful learning environments in Broadmead and Saan-ichton. 30 months – 5 years. Summer program available. Special needs are welcome.www.montessorieducare.com.

Oakcrest Preschool ................................ 250-472-0668A welcoming, nurturing environment with a large, bright facility. Learn through play with 2 caring ECEs. www.oakcrestpreschool.org.

Puddles & Paints (Nature Daycare) ....... 250-658-6573Introduce your children to the natural world around them! Surrounding them with nature and animals, we build on their curiosity while exploring the outdoors! On 10 acres of parkland the children lead the way towards environmental awareness! With a new ART STUDIO, and weekly lessons from the Vic. Academy of Music... your child’s day will be FULL of wonder and NATURE. Strongly influenced by Reggio. Visit our facebook page for pics of our studio, and handmade toys!

Rainbows & Dreams Preschool ............. 250-479-1966Small classes for 3-5 yr olds in a safe nurturing environ-ment. Children learn through play and fun–developing a sense of confidence, independence and creativity. Highly qualified ECE teacher.

Ready Set Grow Preschool .................... 250-472-1530Caring, quality licensed Learning Through Play environ-ment. In Hillcrest School, Gordon Head. Highly qualified, warm ECE. [email protected].

Rogers Child Care Centre ...................... 250-744-2343Trusted High Quality Programs since 1991. Early Learn-ing and Out of School Care. www.rogerschildcare.com.

St. Joseph’s Catholic Preschool ................................... 250-479-1232 ext 120• A Christian child centre for 3–5 year olds.• A warm nurturing and challenging program• Offered by St. Joseph’s Catholic School.

St. Margaret’s School Early Learning Centre ............................ 250-479-7171Junior Kindergarten for girls age 3 and 4. Nurturing, play-based curriculum with art, STEM and outdoor exploration. Specialist teachers. New LEED-certified facilities on 22-acre parkland near Quadra and McKenzie. Half or full day options. www.stmarg.ca.

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

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

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

SIDNEY

Acorntree Preschool .............................. 250-686-1408Balanced indoor/outdoor program, designed to stimulate natural curiosity and foster empathy and compassion towards others. We believe in the importance of both child and teacher directed activities. www.acorntreepreschool.ca.

Adel’s Play N Discovery House ............. 250-655-4888Licensed childcare, 3-5 years, Reggio Emilia inspired. Mon–Fri, 7:30am–5:30pm. 2146 Beacon Avenue W. www.adelplayndiscovery.ca, [email protected].

Positive Path Early Learning ................. 250-655-7244Located near the library and Sidney School, our program has earned a stellar reputation for quality child care and is growing as fast as the children we care for. Space is available for your child to embark on a journey of active exploration and discovery, enjoying a natural outdoor playground and an expansive indoor learning space. Experienced educators foster a lifelong quest for knowledge and guide children with Christian values and virtues. [email protected].

VICTORIA

ArtsCalibre Academy ............................. 250-382-3533Comprehensive programs for Preschool through Grade 5, delivering academic excellence through music, dance, drama and visual arts. Outstanding educators, locations and facilities. www.ArtsCalibre.ca

Babies to Big Kids Childcare .....................250-590-2722949 Fullerton Ave. Licenced group childcare for children ages 6 months to 11 years old. Offering full-time and part-time care. Open 6:30am-5:30pm. info@babies tobigkids.com, www.babiestobigkids.com.

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

Cedar Daycare ........................................ 250-479-2032Community oriented, NFP Child Care facility. Wide variety of activities offered including the use of a private outdoor pool during the summer months. Licensed ECE educators devoted to nurturing children aged 30 months – 5 years. www.cedardaycare.com.

Christ Church Cathedral Childcare and Junior Kindergarten ........................ 250-383-5132ECE and specialist teachers provide an outstand-ing all day licensed program for 3–5 year olds in our spacious and welcoming facility in James Bay. www.cathedralschool.ca.

Downtown Y Child Care Centre ............ 250-413-8869Enriched program, for children ages 3-5 years, supporting healthy child development and future school success. www.victoriay.com.

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

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

Nightingale Preschool and Junior Kindergarten ........................ 250-595-7544

– Taking children’s learning forward –One of Victoria’s leading preschools and Junior Kin-dergartens. Balanced approach to play and education. Programme supports literacy, numeracy. Visit www.nightingalepreschool.com. Fernwood.

Parkdale Early Childhood Centre .......... 250-382-0512ECEs offer the highest quality care and positive learning experiences in our daycare and preschool. Full time or part time. Call for a tour or visit us at www.parkdalechildcare.ca.

Rainbow Express Daycare ..................... 250-382-2314Enriched preschool style program in a daycare setting. Visit our website at www.rainbowexpressdaycare.com.

Ross Bay Preschool ............................... 250-383-7445Positive/supportive program motivating children to learn, discover and grow through play. Daily outdoor time, special guests and community events! [email protected]

The Sir James Douglas Playschool ...... 250-389-0500Fun, 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 ................................ 250-380-0534Unique, innovative learning environment combining the best of Montessori and Learning Through Play. Open yr. round. 30mths–grade 1. www.victoriamontessori.com.

VIEW ROYAL

A Secret Garden Preschool ................... 250-380-8293Program built on Christian values. Monthly themes, weekly topics and daily activities. [email protected].

Island Kids Academy View Royal .......... 250-727-2929High quality child care (ages 1-5). Preschool curriculum offered within a warm, caring child care environment. Character development using the Virtues Project. Access to community programs including swimming, skating, Victoria Conservatory of Music. Part-time spaces available. www.islandkids.ca.

Little Friends Childcare Center ............. 250-479-8423For a creative learning environment. Licensed group facility. Infants/Toddlers/Preschool. www.littlefriends childcare.ca.

Little Wonders Preschool (View Royal OSC) .................................... 250-744-2718A creative and supportive program that will pre-pare your child for a lifetime of learning! Out of School Care is also available for school aged children. www.viewroyalosc.com.

Quails’ Nest Daycare .............................. 250-721-2342At-home licensed daycare near VGH; multi-aged; all families welcome. Play-based environment promoting social, emotional, physical growth. Art, songs, story-telling, puppet shows, daily walks. $835.00 quailsnestdaycare.weebly.com.

Continues next page


View Royal Preschool ............................. 250-479-8067An exciting inclusive program in an exceptional care environment. Licensed 3–5 year olds. Outside play and themes enrich this program. [email protected].

MILL BAY / COBBLE HILL

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

DUNCAN

Maple Tree Play House Licensed Family Childcare..................... 250-746-5060A daycare program that provides enriched outdoor play time and activities that build on a child’s intrinsic love of nature. Healthy meals and snacks are provided. [email protected].

Queen Margaret’s Preschool/Junior Kindergarten ............... 250-746-4185Offering a co-ed enriched curriculum in a friend-ly atmosphere. Morning ECE/afternoon daycare. www.qms.bc.ca.

Queen of Angels Early Learning Centre .............................. 250-701-0433We believe that the development of the whole child (physically, socially, emotionally, cognitively, and spiritu-ally) 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 .......... 250-743-7253A warm, nature-based rhythm where wonder is nurtured. www.sunrisewaldorfschool.org.

CHEMAINUS

Cherry Tree Child Care Centre .............. 250-246-9195Preschool program nurturing creative play and engaging learning activity. 30 months to age five. Qualified and experienced Early Childhood Educator.

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

QUALICUM BEACH

Children’s Discovery Centre .................. 250-752-4343Our program recognizes the uniqueness of each child and provides a nurturing, safe and creative learning environ-ment. Preschool, Groupcare, Out of School care. ECE qualified staff. [email protected].

Little Star Children’s Centre .................. 250-752-4554Earth friendly preschool education inspired by nature. Kinder-Prep classes. Licensed group care. ECE instructors. www.littlestardaycare.ca. [email protected].

Thimbleberry Childcare .......................... 250-752-8342A place for preschoolers to seek out adventure and ex-ploration in a natural environment. A magical forest of 20 acres right on our door [email protected]

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.

Preschool & Child Care Directory continued

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

The Saturday night before Evelyn’s four-teenth birthday, I slipped down to my office, entered my credit card information and signed us up for Netflix. The truth is that despite my reservations, I, too, like a good movie or a good TV series. The alternative of hiking the extra two miles to the next nearest video store just seemed too daunting.

That same night we began watching. We started with a documentary about the sprinter Usain Bolt and then we watched an episode of Arrested Development. And then another episode of Arrested Development and another and…

For anyone out there worried about Netflix and the slippery slope to nightly TV binges, more screen time and a family-wide desperation for the “next episode,” I can assure you there’s no slippery slope. It happens a lot faster than that. After just a few days, our whole family was addicted to Arrested Development, and my wife and I were staying up late watching Orange is the New Black.

Even our kids have been amazed at how quickly this happened. I know because when my wife and I suggested we have 15 minutes of family reading before our nightly dose of Arrested Development, no one objected. We all got out our books, and 15 minutes later, switched on the TV. Daniel Griffin is the father of three children and the author of Stopping for Strangers (Vehicule Press, 2012), a collection of short stories about parents, children, brothers and sisters.

One afternoon this summer my 13-year-old daughter, Evelyn, returned from our local video store and called out,

“I think Yo Video is about to shut down.” She held up the DVD she’d just brought home: “They asked if I wanted to buy this instead of just renting it.”

Evelyn was right. Two weeks later their doors were shut and their shelves empty. The moment my kids heard the news they were all over me: “Now can we get Netflix?”

All three of our daughters had been bad-gering my wife and me for months, maybe for years, but we’d maintained a hard line support for the video store—nostalgic, per-haps, for an era quickly passing. Certainly neither of us are fans of the always-on, instant-access of Netflix.

For the next month or so we limped along without either a local video store or a Netflix subscription, then in early September, the issue came to a head in a strange way. One night over diner, our middle daughter, Tessa, told us about a friend’s cat who’d just had kittens. Right there at the dinner table, our youngest daughter, Vivian, shouted that we should get a kitten. Evelyn, always looking for an opportunity to get her point across said, “Lets get Netflix instead of a kitten.”

We all started arguing, Netflix vs. Kitten, and for some reason it came to me to decide.

Our last kitten had been a nightmare. We already had an adult cat when we got him, and by the time the new kitten came of age, he was wandering miles from our house and peeing and pooing on our fur-niture. He practically lived in the shops up and down Oak Bay Avenue and generally demonstrated that he wanted to live any-where but with us.

However, I didn’t want Netflix much either. I feared Netflix would take us down a slippery slope to nights with the whole family glued to the TV screen. I’m the guy that never had a TV, never wanted a TV and thought we should all spend our evenings reading books or playing music. And now my kids wanted us to hook up to the IV stream of never-ending, always-on, always-available TV.

So I went around the room, asked if everyone really wanted me to make this decision for the family. Everyone agreed. I

The Screen-Time Sky Dive

Dadspeak

DAniEl GriFFin


Island Business & Professional DirectoryAd DirectoryAbra-Kid-Abra ........... 36

Artistic Statement ........ 6

Ballet Victoria ............. 22

Barefoot Books .......... 27

BC Parenting

Roster Society ........ 13

BC Transit .................. 47

Bellies in Bloom ......... 26

Choices Adoption ....... 35

Cinecenta .................. 33

Conseil Scolaire ........... 9

Discovery School........ 38

Dr. Joslin, Dr. Morin

& Associates ......... IBC

Duncan & Faber ......... 27

Emmanuel

Preschool ............... 20

Four Seasons

Musical Theatre ...... 23

Glenlyon Norfolk

School ..................... 8

HappyBaby Sleep

Solutions ................ 47

IMAX ......................... 34

International

Nannies ................. 21

Island Farms .............. 24

Kaleidoscope .............BC

KinderSpiel ................ 48

Kool & Child ............... 37

Leap Forward Dance .. 11

Lexie’s Little Bears ..... 10

Lifestyle Markets .......... 4

Lighthouse Academy

of Dance ................ 28

Mayne Island Chamber

of Commerce ......... 23

Momease ................. IFC

Morning Glory ............ 37

Mothering Touch .......... 5

Nanaimo Theatre

Group .................... 21

North Island Wildlife

Recovery Centre ..... 37

Oak & Orca ............ 4, 16

(The) OCEAN 98.5 ........ 1

Pacific Coast

Swimming .............. 40

Peg Orcherton ........... 21

READ Society ............ IBC

Rhayne

Photography ........... 20

Royal BC Museum...... 13

Saanich Dental .......... 31

Saanich

Recreation ............ IBC

Scallywags ............... IFC

Serious Coffee ........... 29

St. Margaret’s ............ 11

St. Michaels University

School ................... 20

Stages....................... 29

Sylvan ...................... IFC

The Children’s

Treehouse .............. 39

The Red Balloon

Toyshop ................. 37

Theatre One .............. 28

Thrifty Foods .............. 25

TJ’s The Kiddies

Store ..................... 31

Tom Lee Music .......... 22

Total Learning

Services ................. 36

Tutor Doctor ............... 22

United SD 61 ............... 2

Vancouver Island Coop

Preschool Assoc ....... 7

Victoria Academy

of Ballet ................. 17

Victoria Good News

Choir ..................... 16

Victoria Irish Dance .... 39

Victoria Midwives ....... 30

Victoria Pediatric

Dental .................... 33

VIHA .......................... 32

Vitamin Shop ............... 3

Welcome Wagon .......... 6

West-Mont School ..... 33

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being green and getting it clean

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Tired of hotels or ‘glamping?’Best Holiday Stays offers family-friendly holiday homes on Vancouver Island and beyond. Book your getaway today.

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Join the Conversation at Kids in victoria & island Parent

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

• Jot down your observations or do a sketch in a notebook to help you remember the birds you have observed.

When bird watching, I like to fi nd a spot close to water. If I sit patiently and watch I may see an eagle perched high in a tree surveying its next meal or a great blue heron stalking its breakfast.

So, whether you are watching birds this winter from the comfort of your couch or from one of our Regional Parks, take the

time to enjoy these amazing creatures. It’s easy to learn about some of the birds that live around you. The more we learn about birds the more interest we develop in our own natural environment.

Did you know that bird watching is one of the fastest growing hobbies? It’s enjoyed by all age groups because birds are easy to observe and very interesting to watch. Once you introduce a child to birds they will have friends forever!

Happy winter bird watching!Join us for a bird watching program on

November 23 at Witty’s Lagoon Regional Park or learn more about owls on Dec. 29 at Mill Hill Regional Park. See the calendar of events at crd.bc.ca/events.

Katie Turner is a park interpreter with CRD Regional Parks.

colour

It’s raining again and my children are itch-ing to get outside, but it’s hard to share their enthusiasm. As I glance out the window

to see if the rain is easing, I happen to see a fl ock of birds hopping around in our tree, oblivious to the downpour.

Winter weather really is for the birds! Our mild climate allows many birds to skip over winter in mild Victoria, compared to our neighbours to the east. So why not use winter bird watching as a fun way to get outside?

Winter draws my family’s interest to our feathered friends. Maybe it’s the fact that without the leaves the birds are easier to spot. Or maybe it’s the suet feeder outside the living room, bringing the birds into view. It’s lovely to enjoy these small wonders throughout the year, particularly during this season.

So if you are looking to enjoy the sounds of an American robin or the distinct co-louring of a harlequin duck, then look no further than the forests, lagoons, beaches and marshes of our great Regional Parks.

Bird watching is a bit like spying, and children love this. If you are quiet and

secretive you will be rewarded with the sights and sounds of winter birds. Move slowly and stop often to look up into the trees and down into the bushes. Listen hard while cupping your hands behind your ears. When you spot a bird, keep your eyes on it and try your best to identify it through its distinct patterns, colours and sounds.

You only need binoculars, a simple bird guide and a notebook to have a great day of bird watching.

• Binoculars let you see the birds up close, notice the details like the colourful wing patch on a mallard duck or the little beak of the buffl ehead. Trying to identify bird species is great for people who like to solve puzzles.

• Having a local bird guidebook with you is like having an expert by your side. Look for one that has very simple large drawings.

Winter’s for the Birds!

NatureNoteskaTieTUrner

is

We’ve recently expanded our freedistribution into additional outlets!

Please visit any of our valuedpartners to pick up your latest

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We welcome and thankour newest partner…

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GREATER VICTORIAGreater VictoriaPublic Libraries

Vancouver IslandRegional LibrariesGreater Victoria

Recreation CentresThrifty Foods

All 25 Serious Coffeelocations Island-wideVictoria Gymnastics

Country GrocerChapters

Vitamin ShopThe Bay Centre (info booth)

ScallywagsRoyal BC Museum

Buddies ToysCrumsby’s

Market on YatesMarket on MillstreamVictoria Conservatory

JamTotsLifestyle Market

Shaw OceanDiscovery Centre

DUNCANDuncan Mall (centre court)

IndigoRed Balloon

Cowichan Recreation CentreCowichan Aquatics Centre

KinderbeezDuncan Tourist Information

CHEMAINUSChemainus Theatre

SHAWNIGAN LAKECommunity Centre

LADYSMITHLadysmith Recreation Centre

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Quality FoodsCountry Club Mall

Regional Library – BobanFairway Market

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

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Island ParentNovember 2014Island ParentThe Resource Publication for Vancouver Island Parents

Island ParentIsland ParentIsland Parent27

Island ParentIsland ParentIsland ParentIsland ParentCelebrating

Island ParentIsland ParentIsland ParentIsland ParentYears

The Giving Season

A Knitting Revival



Holiday Gift & Book RecommendationsHoliday Gift & Book Recommendations

The Giving Season

A Knitting Revival



GROWING!


colour

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

Victoria Regional Transit System

4201

SantaSantaBusBus

Watch for Rudolph’s re

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BC Transit’s

Santa Bus is Coming to Town

4201 _VIC BC TransitIsland Parent MagazineSize: 4.75” x 6.75”Insertion Date: November and December

Reber Creative for BC Transit250-383-5255

Friday, December 19 and Saturday, December 20

Come ride the bus and meet Santa• Santabusstickers • Candycanes• Holidaymusic

Variousroutes–checkwebsiteforschedule.HolidayServicealsoontheweb.

SLEEPING BABIESARE HAPPY BABIES...If your baby or child isn’t getting the sleep they need, help is available.

Call Sukkie Sandhu • 250.857.1408 • www.happybabysleepsolutions.com

Whether the birds are fall migrants or year-long residents, supplementing their

diets with high-quality calories will help them survive to reproduce in spring.Ingredients1 cup crunchy peanut butter*1 cup flour (whole wheat or white flour)1 cup fat (suet or vegetable shortening)**4 cups grains, seeds, legumes and/or dried

fruit***Use local, organic ingredients, if possible.

Melt fat in a saucepan on low heat. Mean-while, mix other ingredients in a large bowl. Pour melted fat over dry mixture, stir well and pour into loaf or muffin tins. If you’re using a larger pan, cut the mixture into smaller blocks (about the size of a large brownie) once it’s cooled. To avoid attracting rodents, feed blocks should be small enough for birds to consume in a day. Discard rancid or moldy feeders. Blocks can be frozen until needed.

Spread one serving of feeder mixture onto tree bark or smush it onto a pine cone. Or place one fat block into a mesh onion bag or a wire suet cage (get this at the bird store)—these give birds something to hang out on.

If you hang your feeder from a tree branch, secure the holder to a tree trunk with wire or string. Keep it at a distance from bird houses or nest boxes to avoid attracting predators. Clean feeders with a solution of Borax and water (1 Tbsp Borax to 1 litre water) or non-chlorine bleach.

*If peanut allergy is an issue, substitute almond or other nut butters. If nut allergies are a problem, try seed butters.

**Suet, the best fat choice for birds, can be purchased from a butcher, or at a wild bird store. If you choose vegetable fat, be sure it’s non-hydrogenated.

***Options: rolled oats, cracked corn, corn-meal, shelled sunflower seeds, millet, peanuts (raw, unsalted), cranberries, raisins, apples, or pre-mixed birdseed. (Note: many birds won’t be able to eat seeds in the shell once they are coated in fat. Substitute with unshelled seeds.) Lindsay Coulter, David Suzuki’s Queen of Green, can be reached at queenofgreen.ca. Her article is reprinted with permission from www.davidsuzuki.org.

Homemade Bird Feeder

Lindsay Coulter


Cut It Out! Tips from Parent Educator Allison rees of liFE seminars

Fear of Being Judged?

How much does the fear of judgment cre-ate anxious behaviour in adults? Could it be that our terror of not measuring up

to the omnipresent judges of the parenting world makes us a major pain in the butt to our kids? Perhaps we need to Cut it Out!

When we force manners and apologies, we are acting intrusive, which is rude, and we should say “Sorry.” When we overprotect because we are fearful, we create a sense of inadequacy in our kids and tell them the world is scary. When we give too much too soon without empowering kids to create for themselves, we foster irresponsibility and helplessness. Why do you think so many children have anxiety today? Perhaps it’s

So how can this look? Do you ever feel a quiet sense of knowing even though society tells you otherwise? That sense that your kid should be playing instead of doing home-work? Or that your toddler shouldn’t have to hug the distant relative he doesn’t know? What about times when you lose yourself in the moment and just want to play with your child…all day doing nothing important? Can this be okay and does it have value?

When you can accept your children for who they are, you can relax and enjoy them no matter what. When you show this kind of confidence it spills over to them. How about valuing childhood? How about get-ting messy? What about dreaming big and focusing on things you love to do? What about being the guardian of your child’s need for rest, relaxation, dreams, belonging, acceptance, play and creativity? Maybe if you’re okay, they will be okay too. LIFE Seminars has two books available, Sidestepping the Power Struggle and The Parent Child Connection. See www.lifese-minars.com.

us! It’s our fear that leads to perfectionism and expecting kids to act like adults. Of course our kids feel anxious when we worry about their behaviour because it shows them we can’t be okay until they act differently. This is a problem because they can’t meet these standards and if they do, what are they sacrificing by making sure we are okay?

While the fear of babying our kids and being permissive is huge in the world of parenting, what we really need to focus on is our mistaken ideas of how we think children are supposed to act. If we don’t know what our child’s “normal” looks like, then we are acting out of ignorance and when we do that, we are holding the bar too high.

KinderSpiel is proud to off er fun and beautiful, sensible, and educational Montessori and Waldorf inspired toys, games and activities for children of all ages.

Consider purchasing a gift that not only your children will play with... but also the generations to come.

“Distinguish the naughty from the nice, the disposable from the durable, the trendy from the timeless.” — Jackie Knechtel

Designed for play. Geared for learning.

1113 Langley Street • 778 - 406 -2102 www.kinderspiel.ca • [email protected]

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Saanich Recreation Gift CardsSaanich Recreation Gift Cards can be used for a wide selection of passes,

courses, programs and drop-in sports. Explore arts, sports, recreation, golf,

personal growth and wellness. Gift Cards may be purchased at any Saanich Recreation Facility,

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Langford: #105–814 Goldstream Ave250-474-4567

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Experience the precision of

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Doctors of Optometry

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.

• 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.

Fall and Winter Classes…Expand your skills, build your confidence and find the joy in learning!

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For 40 years, Kaleidoscope Theatre has introduced and delighted the imaginations of over 2.5 million young people around the world through the magic of theatre. Since 1974 Kaleidoscope has been the driving force behind Vancouver Island’s most beloved theatre experiences for young people and their families, entertaining families across the country and around the world with our innovative and entertaining productions for young people of all ages. !Join the Drama: Discover creativity with no limits at Victoria’s premiere performing arts studio for youth. Offering classes in musical theatre, dance, magic, on camera, and more. Now accepting registration for classes beginning January 2015. !

Experience the magic of theatre…

P R O F E SS I O N A L T H E AT R E O N TO U R T H E AT R E S C H O O L C A M P S WO R K S H O P S

3130 JUTLAND ROAD, VICTORIA BC V8T 2T3 | p : 250.383.8124 | e : info@kale idoscope.bc.ca WWW.KALEIDOSCOPE .BC.CA

40TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON !THE SECRET GARDEN December 6-14, 2014 | Uptown The perfect Holiday treat for the whole family. !ALICE February 13-15, 2015 | The Atrium Featuring the Kaleidoscope Young Company. !CAMP X May 23-31, 2015 | Fort Rodd Hill NHS A World Premiere Play outdoors at Fort Rodd Hill. !FAMILY THEATRE FESTIVAL May, 2015 | Centennial Square Dynamic entertainment for the whole family. !!SEASON TICKETS START AT ONLY $30.00 Experience Kaleidoscope’s Mainstage season and SAVE when you purchase a season pass. Season Passes and Individual tickets may be purchased online through Kaleidoscope Theatre.

For 40 years, Kaleidoscope Theatre has introduced and delighted the imaginations of over 2.5 million young people around the world through the magic of theatre. Since 1974 Kaleidoscope has been the driving force behind Vancouver Island’s most beloved theatre experiences for young people and their families, entertaining families across the country and around the world with our innovative and entertaining productions for young people of all ages. !Join the Drama: Discover creativity with no limits at Victoria’s premiere performing arts studio for youth. Offering classes in musical theatre, dance, magic, on camera, and more. Now accepting registration for classes beginning January 2015. !

Experience the magic of theatre…

P R O F E SS I O N A L T H E AT R E O N TO U R T H E AT R E S C H O O L C A M P S WO R K S H O P S

3130 JUTLAND ROAD, VICTORIA BC V8T 2T3 | p : 250.383.8124 | e : info@kale idoscope.bc.ca WWW.KALEIDOSCOPE .BC.CA

40TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON !THE SECRET GARDEN December 6-14, 2014 | Uptown The perfect Holiday treat for the whole family. !ALICE February 13-15, 2015 | The Atrium Featuring the Kaleidoscope Young Company. !CAMP X May 23-31, 2015 | Fort Rodd Hill NHS A World Premiere Play outdoors at Fort Rodd Hill. !FAMILY THEATRE FESTIVAL May, 2015 | Centennial Square Dynamic entertainment for the whole family. !!SEASON TICKETS START AT ONLY $30.00 Experience Kaleidoscope’s Mainstage season and SAVE when you purchase a season pass. Season Passes and Individual tickets may be purchased online through Kaleidoscope Theatre.

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Island Parent November 2014