May 28, 2013

2013

THE COMOX VALLEY RECORD

2013

THE COMOX VALLEY RECORD

A GUIDE FORTODAY’SPARENTS

• Join the Kerplunksat Filberg Park

• Kids need nature• Hiring a babysitter

inside

Cover to cover on-line at comoxvalleyrecord.com

explorationexplorationexplorationexplorationexplorationexplorationexplorationexplorationexplorationexplorationexplorationexplorationexplorationexplorationexplorationexploration& discovery

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Ant FarmsBug HutsMicroscopes...

MAY IS CHILD CARE MONTH

Gymnastics Summer Camps!Half day (3 years+) and full day (6 years+) camps available all summer long.

Spaces fill quickly – register NOW!Located at Comox Recreation Centre, 1855 Noel Ave., Comox

For Detailed Info, See the “Comox Valley Recreation Reporter”

Chimo Gymnastics“The Valley’s Gymnastics Club”

www.chimogymnastics.com 250-339-2255

PacificCARE assists parents in finding child care for children (newborn to 12 years of age) at no cost. Based on the parents’ specific needs, the computerized registry selects a list of providers for parents to choose from. In addition, parents have access to:• information and brochures pertinent to child development

and child care selection• education opportunities such as workshops and printed

information• information on child care subsidy and application forms• access to the Internet for a child care-related business

Funded by the Government of BC

Are you someone who:• Loves children?• Is nurturing?• Is interested in starting a home-based business?• Is currently caring for children and would like some support?

We Offer:• Support and Training• Resources, Toys, Equipment and Theme Packs• Access to enhance Child Care Subsidy payments• Access to low-cost business liability insurance• Referrals to parents who are looking for child care

EnhancingQualityChild Care

Call PacificCARE Child Care Resource & Referral

PH: 1-888-480-CARE www.pacific-care.bc.ca

2 TUESDAY, MAY 28, 2013 • COMOX VALLEY RECORD CHILD’S PLAY www.comoxvalleyrecord.com

The B.C. government has proclaimed May as Child Care Month to celebrate the work of thousands of caring and committed child-care operators and early child-hood educators throughout the province.

Every day, child-care providers are helping chil-

dren climb on jungle gyms, introducing the joy of music through songs and reading children’s stories that pique young imaginations. Child-care providers offer babies, toddlers and children safe, high-quality care environ-ments where they can learn through play.

Aboriginal child-care centres provide cultural programming — such as singing, drumming and lan-guage-learning opportunities — to help connect aboriginal children to their cultural roots.

The child-care and early learning system is actively

supporting parents of young children to work or go to school.

Parents can decide from a range of child-care options that meet their needs, including group child care (centre based), family child care (based in a family home), preschool, before- and

after-school care and care in their own home.

If you are a parent and you want to find available child care in your neigh-bourhood or you’d like more information on the child-care subsidy program, go to www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/childcare/parents.htm.

If you are a child-care operator and would like more information on funding and services offered through the government, go to www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/childcare/pro-viders.htm.

— Ministry of Children and Family

Development

MAY IS CHILD CARE MONTH

TUESDAY, MAY 28, 2013 • COMOX VALLEY RECORD CHILD’S PLAY CHILD’S PLAY CHILD’S PLAY www.comoxvalleyrecord.com

Record Staff

Back by popular demand, The Kerplunks will take the stage at this year’s Kids Day in the Park.

The Kerplunks “have a very good reputation in the Valley,” says Filberg Heritage Lodge and Park Association volunteer co-or-dinator Kirra Gullickson. “They’ve played at MusicFest before and people love them — and there was requests to have them back.”

Kids Day in the Park happens from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 22 on the upper lawn of Filberg Park in Comox. The Ker-plunks will perform their popular music show at 12:30 p.m. at the main stage, and they are excited to see their fans.

“The Comox Valley is one of our favourite places to perform on Vancouver Island,” say Dinah D (Big D) and Tina Jones (Madge). “We are excited about rocking out with some of our little fans... and looking forward to meeting new fans too!”

The Kerplunks also include Aaron Cadwaladr (Caddie) and Phil Wipper (Chillups). The group has been nominated for a Juno

Award for Children’s Album of the Year three times, and is known for its high-energy performances.

Kids Day in the Park will also

feature door prizes, food, games, face painting and “lots of bubbles,” says Gullickson.

Admission is $5 per person, and

kids under two are free. Tickets can be picked up at Whale Tale Toys, Podlings and Planet Kids in Courtenay, or at Benino Gelato and Planet Kids in Comox.

Tickets are also available online at www.filberg.com or at the Fil-berg Heritage Lodge Gift Shop from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday to Sunday.

Gullickson notes the event will help raise funds to care for the Fil-berg Heritage Lodge and Park.

The Filberg Heritage Lodge and Park Association is a non-profit organization in charge of taking care of the heritage building and grounds.

“So it’s half fundraising for us but also community support, you know, just supporting our family community,” she continues. “So we don’t want to make it very expen-sive; we want to make it so that everybody can come and just have a great time.”

For more information, visit www.filberg.com

[email protected]

WW

.NIC

.BC.C

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Help create a caring community

Consider a new career path with NIC

For a full list of programs, or to apply, visit www.nic.bc.ca

or call 250-334-5000 today.

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NATURAL MEDICINE SEMINAR for Healthier ChildrenThursday June 6, 7:00 pmCrown Isle Clubhouse

NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIANDr. Deidre Macdonaldwill share how to treat the cause,

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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT…

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FREE 15 MINUTE“MEET THE DOCTOR VISIT”

www.comoxvalleyrecord.com child’s play COMOX VALLEY RECORD • tuesday, may 28, 2013 3

pOpUlaR childREN’s entertainers The Kerplunks will perform at this year’s Kids day in the park event saturday, June 22 in comox’s Filberg park. PHOTO SUBMITTED

Join The Kerplunks for fun at Kids Day in the Park

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Kids learn best bybeing active outdoors, having fun

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SPACES CURRENTLY AVAILABLE.Email: [email protected]

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Pharmasave’s compounding team can take a drug that is only commercially available in tablet, re-formulate it into a liquid and make it taste like some of the most popular � avours! Our compounding pharmacists and technicians work with your physician to ensure that your child gets the right medication for their needs.

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4 tuesday, may 28, 2013 • COmOX VaLLey ReCORd child’s play www.comoxvalleyrecord.com

Lorraine AitkenSpecial to the Record

Liam is a curious, friendly four year old who loves to build with blocks and play with trucks in the sandbox. At his preschool he is keen to play with other children but he has a hard time joining in to play. He misses the social cues that most children naturally learn through play and he has dif-ficulty communicating due to a speech and language delay.

Fortunately there is help for children like Liam who require extra help to suc-cessfully participate in child care. The Supported Child Development program (SCD) at the Comox Valley Child Development Association (CVCDA) offers a range of supports for children attend-ing child care.

Supports include con-sultation with the family to establish goals for their child. An SCD consultant works directly with the child-care staff to turn the goals into action, and to support the child to be fully included in all aspects of daily activities at the child care centre.

For example, the staff may need additional train-ing or information. The child may need adult help to facilitate peer interac-tions, to ensure a smooth transition from one activity to the next, or to help with feeding, dressing or toileting. SCD can arrange for extra staffing, if needed, and can also provide child specific equipment. A variety of specialized toys, equipment, books and videos may be loaned to care providers and to parents.

SCD supports families with children up to 12 years of age who have special needs such as Down syn-drome, autism, cerebral palsy or communication delays. Supports are offered

in all types of child-care settings including group day care, family child care, pre-school, after-school care or in-own-home care.

Referrals can come from child care staff, public health nurses, family doctors and parents themselves. There is no charge for the program which is funded by the Min-istry of Children and Family Development.

Kathy Yendall, manag-er of the Supported Child Development program, has been with CVCDA for 25 years.

“We work in collaboration with families to provide sup-port for their child as well as accommodate the family’s needs,” she says. “It’s a fami-ly package.”

The SCD program is connected to more than 40 local child-care facilities and provides services to over 150 children each year.

Spring is a busy time as SCD consultants meet with parents and the school

district to plan a smooth transition for those children starting kindergarten in the fall. And SCD staff are looking ahead to summer as they plan for school-aged children who need supports while attending child-care programs during the sum-mer months. School-aged child care is an invaluable resource over the summer for working families with children with special needs.

CVCDA provides ser-vices for children with developmental delays and disabilities including phys-ical, cognitive, communica-tion, social/emotional and behavioural needs. Fami-ly-centred services include assessments and individual-ized supports and interven-tion. For more information visit the CVCDA website at www.cvcda.ca or call 250-338-4288.

— Lorraine Aitken is executive director of

the Comox Valley Child Development Association.

SCD helps kids succeed

lEaRNiNG iN GROUps can be hard for some children. The comox Valley child development association’s supported child development program helps them succeed.

Follow comoxvalleyrd

SIGN UP FOR SWIMMING LESSONS AND LEARN MORE THAN SWIMMING,

LEARN WATER SAFETY!

With swim lessons, your children learn more than just how to swim. They learn water safety skills that will last their lifetime.

In addition to traditional swimming skills, all CVRD swim lessons cover vital water safety topics - including the proper use of lifejackets, or personal �otation devices (PFDs). When children learn to identify the risks early on, they tend to not participate in unsafe activities that can lead to drowning.

Learning how to choose and wear a lifejacket is just as important as learning the strokes. And the best way to learn about the proper use of lifejackets is to enroll in swim lessons through the CVRD.

Registration is now open for summer swim lessons at the CVRD’s aquatic centre. For a complete schedule, visit www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/rec. To register, call 250-334-9622, ext. 2.

THE PROPER USE OF LIFEJACKETS

www.comoxvalleyrecord.com CHILD’S PLAY COMOX VALLEY RECORD • TUESDAY, MAY 28, 2013 5

Kids need nature

Sue WarrenSpecial to the

Record

By provid-ing children a love of nature and a respect for all living things, by allowing them to explore and to become involved with their outside world, the more likely they are to develop a strong appreci-ation for their environment.

Nature can be appreciated wherever you are. Whether you live in a city or in a rural commu-nity, observe birds nesting, or dandelions struggling to grow through the cracks of a concrete pave-ment.

When you show your passion and sense of wonder for nature, your feelings will be contagious; they will inspire and sustain a child’s love of nature. Give children an opportunity to learn about insects and ani-mals, how they live, and the part they play in our ecosystem. With knowledge, respect develops.

Children of all ages love to be outside where they seem more relaxed and uninhib-ited in their play. They learn how the weath-er changes and how animals and plants are affected by these changes.

Natural landscapes can provide children the opportunity for physical challenge and risk taking. They learn about their own emo-tional and physical capabilities by pushing their limits and asking themselves: How

high can I climb? Do I dare climb a little higher? How will I get down?

To learn about the natural world, the child must experiment with the environment around them. They are keen to learn: What does it feel like to run in the sand? Can I roll on grass? What hap-pens when I throw a stick into the pond? What does mud feel like?

An essen-tial task of development is appreciat-ing how we fit into the natural order of things —

animals, plants, the weather. We all need a sense of belonging. We can discover this relationship with the natural world only by experiencing and interacting with it as we grow up and develop.

How can a child grow to respect and be in awe of nature if he has never experienced the joy of sitting by a pond and watching something as simple as a tadpole growing into a frog?

The children of today are the future stew-ards of our beautiful and amazing world.

Just go outside and play!— Sue Warren works for PacificCARE,

a Child Care Resource and Referral program located at

237 Third St. in Courtenay. Call 250-338-4288 for more information.

� e building blocks for developing responsible human beings are

laid in the early years.

TO LEARN ABOUT the natural world kids must experiment with the environment around them. PHOTO SUBMITTED

Lewis Centre250-338-5371

The LINC250-334-8138http://www.courtenay.ca/recreation.aspx

Filberg Centre250-338-1000

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In many ways, today’s kids have busier schedules than any previous generation of youngsters. Many extracurricular activities, including sports, require a nearly year-round commitment, and the dual-income household has landed many kids in afterschool programs where kids tend to their schoolwork or engage in various activities that keep them from resting on their laurels.

Swimming is a fun and healthyexercise to keep kids physically active

throughout the summer.

Keeping kids activeonce the school year ends

But those busy schedules get a lot less hectic when the school year ends. Once school is out, kids used to a full schedule might find themselves with lots of time on their hands. Though it’s good for kids to squeeze in some rest and relaxation during their summer break, it’s also important for kids to stay active so they don’t develop poor hab-its as the summer goes on. In addition, the American Psycho-logical Association notes that kids who are physically active are more capable of coping with

stress and tend to have higher self-esteem than kids who do not include physical activity as part of their regular routines. The fol-lowing are a few suggestions for parents looking for ways to keep their kids active throughout the summer while still allowing them to recharge their batteries after a long school year.

Plan an active vacation.Summer is when many fam-

ilies go on vacation, so why not choose a vacation that involves more than napping poolside?

Though it’s still good to leave some time for relaxation, find a locale where you can embrace activities like snorkeling, hiking, kayaking, or other adventures that get you and your young-sters off the poolside chaise and out exploring. Such a trip might inspire kids to embrace an activ-ity more fully, getting them off the couch not only while they’re on vacation but also when they return home for the rest of sum-mer.

Continued on page 7

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Teach kids to garden.Gardening might be seen as a peaceful

and relaxing hobby, but it still requires a lot of elbow grease and hard work that pays physical dividends. A garden must be plant-ed, hoed, weeded, and watered, and garden-ing gets kids out of the house to enjoy the great outdoors. When growing a vegetable garden, kids might embrace the chance to be directly involved in the foods that will even-tually end up on their dinner tables. Parents can embrace this as an opportunity to teach the value of eating locally-produced foods and the positive impact such behavior has on the environment.

Go swimming.Few adults who work in offices haven’t

looked out their windows on a sunny sum-mer day and thought how nice it would be to be spending that afternoon making a few laps in a lake, at the beach or in a pool. Kids have the same daydreams during the summer, so take a day off every so often and take the kids for an afternoon of swimming. Swimming is a great activity that exercises the entire body, including the shoulders, back, legs, hips, and abdominals. In addition, swimming helps kids and adults alike main-tain a healthy weight while also improving

their cardiovascular health. It’s hard for some people to find a place to swim once the warm weather departs, so take advantage of the summer weather and go swimming as often as possible while the kids are not in school.

Limit how much time kids spend watching television, playing video games or surfing the Internet.

Many of today’s kids are as tech savvy as they are busy. But it’s important that kids don’t spend too much time online or on the couch watching television or playing video games. Such activities are largely sedentary, and they can set a bad precedent for the months ahead, even when the school year begins once again. Parents should limit how much time their youngsters spend in front of the television or the computer during summer vacation, keeping track and turning the TV or computer off if they suspect kids are spending too much time staring at the screen instead of being active. Kids might not love it when you turn their video games off or minimize their access to social media, but explain the limitations at the onset of summer and let kids know you expect them to be physically active even if it is summer vacation.

Continued from page 6

Cozy Corner Nursery Schoolat the Lewis CentreAges 3 - 5 yearsRegister now for Fall 2013 classes!Monday Wednesday & Friday ORTuesday & Thursday9:00 - 11:30 am or 1:00 - 3:30 pmMonthly Fees$120 - 2 days/week$160 - 3 days/week$20 - annual family registration fee

Lewis Centre250-338-5371

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Hiring a babysittertakes careful consideration

One of the primary roles of parents is ensuring their children are safe and well-cared for and receive the necessities in life. But sometimes parents need time away from the kids to recharge their batteries. In such instances, par-ents often fret over finding reliable child-care. Hiring a babysitter is not always easy, and many parents take extra steps to ensure the babysitter they hire is the right match for their children.

Parents are understandably uneasy about leaving their children in the hands of a stranger. That is why so many par-ents rely on relatives, including grand-parents and aunts, to act as babysitters. But many people no longer live in close proximity to their relatives, forcing parents to look outside the family for a babysitter.

Finding a babysitter should begin with a careful consideration and investi-gation of applicants. Although horror sto-ries of children being mishandled while in the care of nannies and sitters are few and far between, parents still worry that something can happen to their children when the kids are left in the hands of someone other than Mom and Dad. Here are some tips parents should keep in mind before hiring a babysitter.

Start your search within your own community and network of friends.

Mommy online forums, church clubs and social groups associated with your child’s school are good places to network with other parents and find out about good babysitters in the area. Many par-ents have hired the son or daughter of a close friend to babysit their children. If that is not an option, many Web sites offer free or low-cost listings of local sitters. These services often use third parties to vet the applicants and may offer everything from background checks to identity confirmation.

Don’t hire a sitter who is too young.

Parents should avoid hiring sitters who are younger than 13 or 14. Accord-ing to the Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention, accidental injuries in the home are one of the leading caus-es of death for children more than 12 months old. Therefore, sitters should be physically and mentally capable of reacting should an accident or inci-dent that requires emergency action occur. Babysitters who are knowledge-able in first aid or CPR are particular-ly attractive.

Ask for references.When narrowing down candidates,

parents should ask for references and be sure to follow up. Ask pointed questions about the candidate’s skill set, including the type of care they provided, how many hours the sitter was capable of working and if there were any incidents, positive or nega-tive, that stood out. Inquire about the sitter’s temperament and ability to fol-low directions and how well children responded to the sitter.

Let prospective candidates interact with your children.

Once potential candidates have been vetted, let them spend time with your kids to see how they interact with the children and how the kids react to each candidate. The most qualified individual will not work out if he or she does not have a rapport with the children.

Observe the sitter with your kids even after he or she has been hired.

Upon hiring a sitter, plan a day when he or she can come over and stay with the children while you supervise from another room. Gradually work up to leaving the kids alone for a certain period of time. As the relationship between the sitter and your children becomes more comfortable, you can stay out for longer periods of time. The sitter should be aware of all rules and expected conduct while in the home and caring for children.

When hiring a sitter, many parents trust their gut instincts. But no matter how reli-able your instincts are, it still helps to vet candidates as thoroughly as possible.

Comox RecreationCOME PLAY WITH US!

Comox Community Centre COME PLAY WITH US! 1855 Noel Ave, [email protected] 250-339-2255 www.comox.ca

HANDS ON FARMat the Filberg Park, COmOxA family oriented petting zoo, located on the fabulous Filberg Park grounds!Open 10am - 4pm,June 17 - August 16.Drop in for $2,Children under 6 $1,School groups $25,(Reservations begin June 3)Call 250-339-FARM

HANDS ON FARM PROGRAMSFairies & Farmers(3 – 5 years) Junior Farm Hand(6 - 8 years)Farm Club(9 – 12 years)Call 250-339-2255

Today N’ Tomorrow Young Parent

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Located adjacent toVanier High School.

Phone 250-338-8445for information.

PHONE:250-338-8445

E-MAIL: [email protected]

PHONE:250-338-8445

E-MAIL: [email protected]

Little FriendsEarly Learning

CentreLicenced Group Childcare for children 3-5 years old

Located at4830C Headquarters Rd.,

Courtenay250-338-8446

Teddies ‘NToddlers

Childcare CentreLicenced Group Childcare

for infants and toddlers-birth-36 months.

Located at 4830B Headquarters Rd.,

Courtenay


In today’s world of speed and general busyness — where we are bombarded with information, where instant communication and immediate gratification is expected and constant sound surrounds us — both chil-dren and adults are wound up like tightly coiled springs, ready to jump at the slight-est touch.

What can we do to stem the cascade that assaults us? How to stem the flow to take better control of our over-extended lives?

Daily pressures, assaults on our senses, demands to conform, keep up and satisfy every individual or societal whim may cause us to lose sight of an important reality – as adults, it is our respon-sibility to provide secure, nurturing spaces for our children as they grow.

We need to remind our-selves that, like every living creature, children must be fed, watered, protected

and given space in order to mature into healthy, strong and resilient adults. Do we expect animals to become full-grown or plants to pro-duce fruit immediately? No, but often, against our better instincts, we are swept into what may seem a never-end-ing stream rushing into a distant but looming, yet ever-receding, end.

The demands of growing children, running a home, part- or full-time work, and keeping a balanced perspec-tive and maintaining some sort of personal life is daunt-ing indeed.

What can be done? Is there a solution? Is it achievable?

Yes! Remember traffic lights. STOP, WAIT until everything clears. PRO-CEED SLOWLY. Incorporate learning games into daily life; have fun together; remember that learning to lose is just as important as winning; games provide

modelling of social skills, like shaking hands at the end of a game.

Remember to teach by example rather than words but respect your child’s need to do things their way. Your children may need remind-ing that you, too, have a life.

Communication, and keeping lines open to discuss problems, is the most effec-tive way to deal with stress. Aggressive behaviour can result when there is no out-let and/or ability to express feelings.

Remember – it’s as important to listen as it is to talk. Make sure to create a safe ‘listening post’ and gear your responses appropriate-ly, avoiding extra detailed information.

— Submitted by 4R’s Education Centre (Soc.),

a non-profit organization operating out of 581 McPhee Avenue in Courtenay (www.

facebook.com/4RsEducation-Centre). Call 250-338-4890

A 4R’S EDUCATION CENTRE student practices handwriting outside to learn in a different way.PHOTO SUBMITTED

Slow down & listen

www.yanacomoxvalley.com • 250-871-0343

When a local child or expecting mother requires medical services outside the Comox Valley, Y.A.N.A. is there to help. Donations to Y.A.N.A. allow our community to provide a home away from home for local families and funding to help ease the financial burden.

27th Annual Nautical Days

BULLHEADDERBY

Sponsored By

JUNIOR STRINGSJULY 1 - 6, 2013

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Open to kids 6 - 12with one year’s experienceon a violin or viola or cello.

Comox Valley Youth Music Centre

NEWTHIS

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Ensembles


Dr. Deidre MacdonaldSpecial to the Record

Parents all want their children to be as healthy and happy as possible. We know that good nutrition is essen-tial to achieving those goals, but get-ting children to eat healthy foods can be a challenge in a world of junk food.

These tips will help your family to set up good nutritional habits that

will help establish a lifetime of health for your chil-dren.

Drinks: The only drink kids really need is water. I encourage parents to minimize the use of juice, as juice is high in sugar and not nearly as nutritious as eating fruit.

A great way to

get fluids into kids on hot summer days is to make herb tea, chill it and sweeten it with Stevia. A nice tea to try is Celestial Seasonings’ black cherry berry (it has no artificial fla-vours). Stevia is a safe, natural sugar substitute that comes from a plant whose leaves taste sweet without having any sugar or calories. It is very concentrated so a few drops go a long way.

Fruit: Whole fruit is rich in anti-oxidant nutrients, enzymes and fibre. Fruit juice, dried fruit and fruit leath-ers just concentrate the sugars and do not have the nutritional value of the whole, fresh fruits.

It is a good idea to make fresh fruit readily available for snacks and ‘des-sert.’ Home-made fruit popsicles and smoothies feel like a treat!

Vegetables: Many parents struggle to get enough vegetables into their children. Creativity and persistence

pay; you need to keep exposing kids to a variety of vegetables to allow their taste buds to get used to them. Try mashing broccoli or other vegeta-bles into spaghetti sauce or fill celery with peanut butter, cheese, humous, or canned salmon or tuna. Sneak in more vegetables by putting a veggie dip out before dinner when everyone is hungry and try starting dinner with a salad course.

Whole grains and beans: Brown rice and quinoa have nutrients and fibre while white rice has very little. Make these whole grains a staple in your house and the kids will never know what they are missing. You can make them more interesting by serv-ing a rice pilaf or quinoa salad.

Nuts and Seeds: Raw, unsalted nuts and seeds are nature’s perfect nutritious snack. Having a bowl of trail mix on the counter will help your kids, (and you), stay away from less nutritious munchies and are easy to add to cereal or salads. Make your own nut and seed mix, because most trail mixes include dried fruits which are hard on teeth. Break out of the peanut butter rut and try almond, cashew or sunflower butter.

Protein: Protein is needed to pro-vide the building blocks for growth and development. It is also import-ant for stabilizing blood sugar and avoiding low blood sugar meltdowns. Good protein choices include: Salmon, (its oils are proven to enhance brain development), chicken, lean beef and bison. Eggs are handy when hard boiled. Have kids draw on the cooked eggs with crayon or you can write notes to them on the shells and pop the eggs into their school lunch. Nuts, seeds, beans and quinoa also are rich sources of protein.

In general I recommend children’s diets also be supplemented with a quality multivitamin, a purified fish oil and Vitamin D.

Now is the time to start your chil-dren out with excellent eating habits. Have fun with these ideas!

— Dr. Deidre Macdonald is a naturopathic physician with a

natural family practice in Courtenay. For information call 897-0235 or check out www.getwellhere.com.

Getting good foodinto your kids

Dr. Deidre Macdonald

The Comox Valley Child Development Association is proud to be celebrating 39 years of service to children and families of the Comox Valley.

Hours of Operation:Monday to Friday – 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

Phone: 250-338-4288237 – 3rd Street, Courtenay, BC, V9N 1E1

Email: [email protected]

Programs and Services for Children and Youth• The Autism Program• Early Intervention Therapies

Occupational TherapyPhysical TherapySpeech Language Pathology

• Infant Development Program• JumpStart Preschool

ACCREDITED

Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch

Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General

Ministry of Childrenand Family Development

1974 – 2013

• Supported Child Development Program• Community Integration Program• Vancouver Island Children’s Assessment Network• Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Support Group• Out of School Care (co-locator)• PacificCare Child Care Resource

& Referral (co-locator)

LOOK US UPwww.cvcda.ca

Children and youth programsfunded by:Tickets Available at:

RCMP Courtenay; Roxanne’s Fashions/Comox Mall; Blue Heron Books; Whale’s Tale Toys; both Royal Bank branches, Coastal Community Credit Union Ryan Road branch; Sid Williams Theatre www.sidwilliamstheatre.com 250-338-2420 Ext. 1

FMI www.cvtrs.com

THE RCMP MUSICAL RIDEHosted by the Comox Valley Therapeutic Riding Society

August 13 & 14 • 6PMGATES OPEN 4PM

PRE-SHOW: Aug 13 Kenny ShawAug 14 Sue Medley & the Back Road Band

Tickets Available at:

TICKETSAdvance $10

At The Gate $12Kids 6 & Under Free!

101 - 389 12th Street • 250-338-5011www.orcadental.com

New Patients Welcome

www.comoxvalleyrecord.com child’s play COMOX VALLEY RECORD • tuesday, may 28, 2013 11

Kids’ vitamin deficiency signsA healthy diet is supposed to

provide all of the essential vitamins and minerals necessary to sustain a body. But thanks to finicky eating habits and limited choices, many children are not getting the vita-mins and minerals they need to grow up healthy. Although many foods are fortified with certain vita-mins, they still may not be enough to provide the level of nutrition required for a growing body. Par-ents may be well informed of a child’s needs of vitamin C to boost immune system function, but they may not be as readily informed about other vitamins that are essential to human health.

• Vitamin A: Vitamin A promotes a healthy immune system and prop-er eyesight function. A child lack-ing in vitamin A may be tired and weak and experience weight loss. Other symptoms include dry eyes, skin scaling and respiratory infec-tions.

• Vitamin B6: Hyperactivity and impulsiveness are often blamed on an underlying medical condition, such as ADHD. But such conditions may be the result of a deficiency in vitamin B6.

• Vitamin B12: Nervous system function is largely governed by proper levels of vitamin B12. Chil-dren who do not receive enough vitamin B12 may experience weak-ness, insomnia, edema, and abdom-inal pain.

• Vitamin D: Vitamin D is called the “sunshine vitamin” because it is produced in the body after exposure to the sun. Children who spend many hours indoors or wear-ing thick layers of sunscreen may not get enough vitamin D. Irrita-bility, muscle cramps and even late teething could be tied to vitamin D deficiency.

Parents should consult with pedi-atricians about the proper levels of vitamins children need.


SATURDAYJune 22nd

TICKETS ON SALE NOWat ticket locations, online at www.fi lberg.comor at the Filberg Gift Shop Friday-Sunday 11-4

11 am to 2 pm

Dr. Terry Blasco D.M.D. Inc.

Featuring:

Performingat 12:30on theMain Stage

Door Prizes

Food and Fun

Ocean Paci� c Realty

Featuring:

PerformingThe Kerplunks are multi-award winning children’s entertainers bringing high-energy, colourful performances to the stage

This three-time JUNO nominated band provides a unique live performance with a full four-piece multi-instrumental band, playing

a variety of upbeat musical styles that even parents enjoy and guaranteed to get you groovin’.

SATURDAY

Dave Procter • Ryan Williams • Cindy Armstrong • Bryce Hansen

S P O N S O R E D B Y :

GamesFace Painting

by Magical Faces

Bubble TankAdmission:

$5per person(under 2 FREE)

Tickets ON SALE NOW

Available Online or at: Courtenay:

Whale’s Tale Toys • PodlingsPlanet Kids (downtown)

Comox:Benino Gelato • Planet Kids

Documents

May 28, 2013