Family Times - Auckland - Autumn 2014

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Mature mums

The pros and cons of starting a family later in life

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Parents doing too much Drop the drama and simplify parenthood

A news magazine and online resource for families

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ISSN 2324-4488 (Print) ISSN 2324-4496 (Online)

AUCKLAND / ISSUE 38 / Autumn 2014

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inside this issue

From the editor Contents T his edition marks five years since I took up the role of editor at Family Times.

During this period we’ve covered a plethora of parenting topics, from dealing with head lice and beating holiday boredom through to sibling rivalry and parenting through separation. Still, every edition I find myself learning something new.

One topic that we haven’t covered – until now – is the overwhelming trend for women to have their first babies at a later age in life.

My mother was 18 when she gave birth to her first child – my sister – and 21 when she had me. And it was perfectly normal at the time. Today, in most of Western societies, this would be looked down on.

Developments in the equality of women in education and in the workforce have seen a growing number of women pursue careers that only 30 years ago were mainly in the male domain. While in previous generations women were scorned as spinsters if they weren’t married and having children by their mid twenties, women today are increasingly expected to have an education, a career, to travel and fully experience life before settling down to have a family.

The result is a growing number of first time mums in the 35 to 40-year-old bracket, and in the 40-plus bracket.

There are some great benefits to this: a lot of women report feeling more settled and ready to make the sacrifices needed for motherhood. But on the downside, women in this age group often struggle with fertility, with increased complications in pregnancy, and with an increased rate of miscarriages.

Simply put, a women’s body is at its best age for pregnancy when she is in her twenties, yet more and more women are putting the

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biological clock on hold until 30-plus.

This edition we talk with former Prime News anchor Suzy Clarkson about her experience becoming a first-time mum in her late thirties, and the birth of her second son when she was in her 40s. We also speak with inspirational mum Jacquie Dale from Hamilton, who fell pregnant with twin boys at the age of 46!

We’ve got lots of other great features to sink your teeth into this issue, plus entertainment ideas, competitions and giveaways galore.

Don’t forget to check us out at www. familytimes.co.nz for ongoing competitions, feature articles and podcasts.

Enjoy!

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Features

9 To vaccinate or not?

4 Mature mums

10 Words of Wisdom

Former Prime News anchor Suzy Clarkson talks about motherhood in her 40s.

6 Parents doing too much

Life coach Karen Riley asks parents, “what’s the rush?”

Tips on how to prepare your kids for stress-free exams.

8 How much sleep does your child need?

Be informed about protecting your kids.

Diane Levy dishes out advice.

Eva Maria talks about encouraging good study habits in your preteens.

11 Preteen corner 16 Birthdays

7 How to beat test anxiety

Delicious birthday treats and fun theme parties.

18 Game On

Gaming guru Wayne Webb talks apps.

Comment

Kids have different sleep needs at different ages.

12 Kids’ view

We ask kids about their study habits.

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Resource information 9 14 15 19

Publisher Robyn Willis Design & Production Moody Shokry Advert Production Target Press Production Office Editor Vanessa O’Brien Digital editor Rochelle Savage

Help is at Hand Calendar of events Entertainment Top reads

Media Executives Shona Robb, Nicky Barnett, Jane Hunter, Naomh Cusin, Penny Leary , Linda Radovancich Office Manager Raelyn Hay Office Assistant Jackie Pithie

Contributing Writers Karyn Riley, Diane Levy Eva Maria, Wayne Webb Reach us at: Family Publishers (NZ) P.O. Box 36-004, Christchurch 8146, NZ Ph. 03-355-9186 0800285 510 Fax: 03 3559 183 Mobile. 0274-359-414 admin@familytimes.co.nz www.familytimes.co.nz Distribution Printed and distributed quarterly approximately two weeks before each major

school holiday. 63,169 distributed through early childhood centres, primary, intermediate schools and city council libraries. The opinions expressed in this publication are not those of the publisher unless indicated otherwise. No part of this publication may be reprinted without the expressed written permission of the publisher. Family Times is not responsible for unsolicited material. Family Times is funded and published solely through the support of its advertisers. They support us, please support them.

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feature story

Tackling motherhood later in life More than 2500 New Zealand women age 40-plus gave birth in 2011, and 11,000 women aged 35-49 gave birth in the same period, according to the Perinatal Mortality Review Committee report.

Across the Tasman, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that there are now more first-time mothers over the age of 40 than ever before. In fact, 10-years ago, 3838 more babies were born to teenagers than to women aged 40-plus. Now the older category exceeds the younger by 1854 births each year.

So the statistics clearly show that more and more Western women are leaving motherhood until later in life. One of those women is New Zealand television personality Suzy Clarkson. She was 39-years-old when she fell pregnant for the first time.

“My relationship status was that I didn’t meet my husband until I was 36, and I wasn’t ready to have a baby before that. I had it on my mind that I wanted kids, but I was doing Prime Television, then a travel programme at the time, and it just didn’t transpire that way for me.”

Auckland-based Clarkson considers herself lucky that she fell pregnant almost

immediately, without any intervention.

“I was thrilled. Although, until you have the baby in your arms you don’t understand what it means. There’s this momentary shock with elation, and it’s a real rollercoaster for the first six months. There’s the tiredness mixed in with excitement.”

“It was really scary because my first two children were natural births, full term with no difficulties. Your body when you are older is not the same as when you are younger.”

Career and family Clarkson, like many other women today, put her career first until she was at a place in life when she was ready to think about having a family. She believes that many women do the same, to their detriment.

“I think they are not actually consciously thinking about it at all. A lot of them are probably high achievers who think, “I’ll have kids when I’m ready, like any other project in life.” They’re achievement focused. By the time they think about it, they are 38-40 and have to enlist help to get pregnant.”

Forty-nine-year-old Jacquie Dale from Hamilton has a slightly different story. She had

"Suzy Clarkson with husband Tim, and sons Ben and Toby" two daughters when she was in her twenties, but when she remarried in her forties, she and her husband Tim decided to try for round two.

“We thought it would be nice, but we didn’t think it would happen at our age,” said Dale.

Hence the state of shock when a scan showed that not only was she pregnant, but identical twins were on the way.

“We didn’t talk to each other the whole way driving back from the scan. I guess the whole

thing about having twins is, I didn’t know if we could cope.”

Pros and cons of pregnancy at an older age Dale was 46 when she fell pregnant with identical twin boys Toby and Finn, now aged 3. She was also shocked at the terminology that health professionals used to describe her condition – a geriatric pregnancy. She was automatically classed as a high-risk pregnancy.

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feature story

There were more doctor and midwife appointments, and due to complications she ended up delivering the twins at 29-weeks.

“They were in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit): Toby for six months, and Finn came home after two or three months.

“It was really scary because my first two children were natural births, full term with no difficulties. Your body when you are older is not the same as when you are younger.”

Clarkson agreed. “Being an older mum does put you at an increased risk for diabetes and having high blood pressure. But all the research points towards and says that if you keep fit and active and healthy, that it gives a much better start to life for your baby.”

That’s something that Clarkson is very passionate about; so much so that she’s just written and released a book about it – Fit For Birth and Beyond, The Guide for Women Over 35. In it, she diaries each trimester of her second pregnancy at the age of 44.

“Keeping fit doesn’t have to be expensive or at the gym. It’s core fitness, back strength and abdominal strength that you really need as an older mum.”

“My relationship status was that I didn’t meet my husband until I was 36, and I wasn’t ready to have a baby before that.”

Fighting fertility Many women who leave pregnancy until later in life aren’t as lucky as Clarkson or Dale. But Clarkson admits she was lulled into a false

sense of security about her fertility by the ease with which she fell pregnant with son Ben the first time. The second time around was not such smooth sailing.

“There were lots of starts and stops and miscarriages and IVF. Toby’s a miracle baby, the last of the last of the last embryos,” she said.

Science just doesn’t equate with the trend of more and more women over 40 starting families, or having a second or third child, said Clarkson.

“Some people just don’t manage it because they left it too late.”

Then, the desperation to have a baby can lead down many paths to disappointment. Wellmeaning friends and family dish out advice, and you can spend a lot of time and energy on the false hope of the latest fad intended to boost your chances of conception.

Clarkson says that if she could do it all again, she wouldn’t change her decision to wait for parenthood, but she would freeze her eggs at the age of 25. Dealing with 43-yeaar-old eggs and trying to get pregnant was no picnic.

But, she says, there are some advantages to being an older mum. Although your body no longer has the natural resilience of youth, you are usually more financially stable, settled in life and ready to make the sacrifices.

Dale also says that she wouldn’t change a thing, and that maturity makes a huge difference to parenthood. “It was an extreme kind of case, but the twins are keeping me young. They’re awesome. Really, I don’t think your age makes a huge difference, and I would say to women thinking about pregnancy later in life to go for it.”

Tips for mature mums Excerpt from Fit For Birth and Beyond – The Guide For Women Over 35, RRP $34.99.

Recent studies of regular exercise during pregnancy reveal: • No increase: early pregnancy loss, late pregnancy complications, abnormal foetal growth or adverse neonatal outcomes.

• No link or association between pregnant women exercising and miscarriage, congenital malformations, ectopic pregnancies, pre-term rupture of membranes, placenta insufficiency, retarded intrauterine growth, or unexplained foetal deaths.

• Fewer medical interventions during labour and delivery, and in some case shorter labour times.

• Decreased rates of postpartum depression.

• Enhancement of the baby’s birth weight.

• Maintenance and improvement of the mother’s heart and blood vessels.

• Improved strength for regular lifting and carrying required with a newborn.

• Stronger back muscles to counteract the pull and strain on your back and ligaments, as your centre of gravity shifts.

• Better posture, which prevents or

• • • • • • •

• •

alleviates some of the niggling complaints associated with pregnancy, particularly back pain.

Better awareness of the pelvic floor muscle exercise, helping prevent incontinence postpartum.

Improved positive mental attitude, helping the mother accept her changing body shape, and promoting selfesteem and confidence.

Increased resistance to fatigue.

Better quality sleep and better ability to deal with insomnia.

Smaller gain of extra body fat – outside of normal weight gain during pregnancy of 10-15 kilograms.

Faster recuperation after labour, and a more rapid return to pre pregnancy fitness, body shape and a healthy weight.

Reduced chances of gestational diabetes, which affects 5% of pregnant women, resulting from the effects of hormones but which usually subsides after delivery (if you do have gestational diabetes, exercise helps improve your blood sugar levels).

Reduced varicose veins and swelling of the feet and ankles.

Improved calcium uptake by the body, which helps prevent future osteoporosis.

For more on parenting, visit us online at www.familytimes.co.nz.

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What’s the rush?

Are you too busy – spending your days rushing from one activity to another? Do you feel pressured to live up to other people’s expectations or your own self-imposed standards?

Would you like to step off the “wheel,” find breathing space and simplify your life?

Christchurch-based parent educator and author Karyn Riley looks at ways to achieve more by doing less, relieve pressure, find balance and simply enjoy life as a parent.

As life seems increasingly busy, with quality family time and finances sometimes stretched to breaking point, parents can feel like they are on a treadmill day in, day out. Unrealistic expectations of “doing it all” often lead to increased pressure on individuals and families.

It can be hard to know how to break the cycle and regain a sense of control in your life.

Parents are commonly juggling careers, household chores, family schedules, school and sports commitments, maintaining relationships on top of finding time for themselves, quality time with children, or time simply to unwind, think and plan for the future.

The term “helicopter parent” is often used to describe modern-day over-parenting. In previous generations, children were expected to play outside, learn by trial and error, and take ownership and responsibility for themselves.

Nowadays, many parents experience some form of external or internal pressure or expectation to do things “right”: using “correct” parenting techniques; hosting the “best” birthday parties; enrolling kids in music lessons, sport or other classes; keeping up with the latest technology, gadgets or

fashion; or competing with other parents.

The resulting pressure can be daunting, overwhelming and endless, with children (and adults) often ending up tired, scratchy and over-scheduled.

Parents’ time, energy and patience is already stretched from the demands of work and family life. Parents find themselves not only managing their own time and priorities, but those of their children as well.

Many parents are in danger of becoming exhausted, overwhelmed and burdened with guilt simply because they have forgotten how to live life by their own personal values and guidelines.

Simplify Children don’t want or need too many activities. What they thrive on is quality time with their parents. Aim to keep things simple, achievable and realistic. This relieves stress, pressure and feeling overwhelmed, and supports a well-balanced life. Children and adults value time to play, imagine and be themselves, without structured activities everyday. We can all benefit from taking time out to slow down, relax and simply enjoy life as a family.

Prioritise Being over-committed is counter-productive.

Prioritise daily, focusing on and completing one thing at a time. Anything else you achieve is a bonus. Identify your priorities by asking: “What is the single most important thing

I must do today?” This alleviates feeling overwhelmed, out of control and under pressure to get everything done.

Boundaries Establish strong, healthy and consistent boundaries. Clarify your personal and family values: what’s important to you, what’s acceptable and what isn’t? Don’t be influenced or pressured by others – learn to say “No” without guilt or explanation.

Go easy on yourself, taking one day at a time. Avoid any additional or unnecessary commitments during challenging or stressful times. Have an “at home” or “down” day if you’ve had a busy week, sleepless nights or are finding it difficult to cope.

Common sense Ask yourself: “What is the worst thing that can happen if I don’t...enrol the children in extra-curricular activities/pay for expensive items/get involved in every opportunity available?” Trust your intuition and common sense.

Avoid comparisons to other parents who appear to have and do it all. There is no such thing as the perfect parent. Do what works for you and your family.

Support systems Don’t try to be “super-Mum” – this will only result in guilt, stress, resentment and burnout. Establish a strong support network.

Learn to ask for and accept assistance or delegate where possible. Talk with a friend, family member or trained professional – remember you are not alone.

Remain calm Rushing around leading a hectic, busy, stressful life often results in chaos, feeling overwhelmed

or unable to cope. If you’re stressed-out, exhausted, angry or frustrated, it’s important to try to remain calm and in-control.

Practise slow, deep breathing or use similar relaxation techniques and coping mechanisms, or take some time out to unwind. Keeping a clear head, speaking calmly or using distraction can help overcome a difficult situation.

As a busy parent, juggling various roles and responsibilities, simplifying your life and focusing on what’s truly important allows you to have more time and energy, ensuring a stress-free, well-balanced family environment and a sense of calm and control in your life.

Karyn Riley is a time management and life balance coach, author of “How to Keep the YOU in Mum”, inspirational speaker, writer and mother of two. For more information visit www.rileylife.co.nz For more on parenting, visit us online at www.familytimes.co.nz.

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Test angst – help your kids beat exam stress Preparation is the key to beating test butterflies, experts say.

Test anxiety can be a real problem if you’re kids are so stressed out over a test that they can’t get past the nervousness to focus on the exam questions and do their best work.

However, if they feel ready to meet the challenge, they can keep test anxiety at a manageable level.

Stress is a physiological response that is tied into our fight or flight mechanisms. A child under stress therefore, is much less likely to be capable of performing well. Stress can cause the brain to get out of sync and have to work harder to process information and achieve results. It can also make your child more vulnerable to illnesses and other negative effects.

You can strengthen your child’s body against stress response if you: * Make sure that your child is getting a proper night’s rest. * Make sure that your child eats healthily. * Make sure that your child gets the right amount of exercise.

However, the best way to help your child cope with test anxiety is to teach them to be well prepared for tests and to focus on the positive. The first will give them the skills to navigate the test questions themselves while the second will have a powerful effect on the mind’s response to stress.

Start by making sure that your child is regularly studying and doing their homework. Make

sure that they understand their work long before a test looms on the horizon.

When a test does come up, make sure they have studied for it long before cramming becomes necessary. Then, on the night before, have your child put the books down and focus on something fun and relaxing instead.

Teach your child to interrupt negative thoughts about their test performance and replace them with positive, affirmative thoughts.

Use a little stress to your advantage

Stress is your body’s warning mechanism — it’s a signal that helps you prepare for something important that’s about to happen. So teach your child to use it to their advantage: Instead of reacting to the stress by dreading, complaining, or fretting about the test, teach them that stress is a reminder to study well in advance of a test.

Ask for help

Although a little test anxiety can be a good thing, an overdose of it is another story entirely. If sitting for a test gets your child so stressed out that their mind goes blank and causes them to miss answers that they know, then their level of test anxiety probably needs some attention.

Be prepared

Good study habits and skills are so important, and no amount of cramming or studying the night before a test can take the place of the deeper level of learning that happens over time with regular study.

Many kids find that their test anxiety is reduced when they start to study better or more regularly. It makes sense — the more they know the material, the more confident they’ll feel. Having confidence going into a test means you expect to do well.

When you expect to do well, you’ll be able to relax into a test after the normal first-moment jitters pass.

Accept mistakes

Another thing you can do is to teach your child to keep mistakes in perspective —refer to mistakes as “learning opportunities.”

Everything takes time and practice, and learning to beat test anxiety is no different.

Although it won’t go away overnight, helping your child with test anxiety will help them learn the valuable skill of stress management, which is useful in many other life circumstances.

For more on education, visit us online at www.familytimes.co.nz and check out our wealth of education feature articles.

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How much sleep

does your child need?

Sleep and newborns (1 to 2-months)

For newborns, sleep during the early months occurs around the clock and the sleep-wake cycle interacts with the need to be fed, changed and nurtured. Newborns sleep a total of 10.5 to 18 hours a day on an irregular schedule with periods of one to three hours spent awake. The sleep period may last a few minutes to several hours. During sleep, they are often active, twitching their arms and legs, smiling, sucking and generally appearing restless.

Newborns express their need to sleep in different ways. Some fuss, cry, rub their eyes or indicate this need with individual gestures.

It is best to put babies to bed when they are sleepy, but not asleep. They are more likely to fall asleep quickly and eventually learn how to get themselves to sleep.

Sleep and infants (3 to 11-months)

By six months of age, night-time feedings are usually not necessary and many infants sleep through the night; 70-80 percent will do so by 9-months-of-age. Infants typically sleep 9 to 12-hours during the night and take 30-minute to 2-hour naps, one to four times a day – fewer as they reach age one.

When infants are put to bed drowsy but not asleep, they are more likely to become “self- soothers” which enables them to fall asleep independently at bedtime and put themselves back to sleep during the night.

Those who have become accustomed to

parental assistance at bedtime often become “signallers” and cry for their parents to help them return to sleep during the night.

Sleep tips for infants

• Develop regular daytime and bedtime schedules.

• Create a consistent and enjoyable bedtime routine.

• Establish a regular “sleep friendly”

environment.

• Encourage baby to fall asleep independently and to become a “selfsoother.”

Sleep and toddlers (1 to 3-years)

Toddlers need about 12 to 14-hours of sleep in a 24-hour period. When they reach about 18-months-of-age their naptimes will decrease to once a day lasting about 1 to 3-hours. Naps should not occur too close to bedtime as they may delay sleep at night.

Many toddlers experience sleep problems including resisting going to bed and night-time awakenings. Nighttimes fears and nightmares are also common.

Many factors can lead to sleep problems.

Toddlers’ drive for independence and an increase in their motor, cognitive and social abilities can interfere with sleep.

use of a security object such as a blanket or stuffed animal.

“It is best to put babies to bed when they are sleepy, but not asleep.”

Sleep and preschoolers (3 to 5-years)

Preschoolers typically sleep 11 to 13-hours each night and most do not nap after five years of age. As with toddlers, difficulty falling asleep and waking up during the night are common.

Sleep tips for preschoolers

• Maintain a regular and consistent sleep schedule.

• Have a relaxing bedtime routine that ends in the room where the child sleeps.

• Child should sleep in the same sleeping environment every night, in a room that is cool, quiet and dark – and without a TV.

Sleep and school-aged children (5 to 12-years)

Children aged 5 to 12 need 10-11 hours of sleep. At the same time, there is an increasing demand on their time from school (e.g., homework), sports and other extracurricular Sleep tips for toddlers: and social activities. In addition, school• Maintain a daily sleep schedule and aged children become more interested in consistent bedtime routine.

TV, computers, the media and Internet as • Make the bedroom environment the same well as caffeine products – all of which can every night and throughout the night. lead to difficulty falling asleep, nightmares • Set limits that are consistent, and disruptions to their sleep. In particular, communicated and enforced. Encourage

watching TV close to bedtime has been associated with bedtime resistance, difficulty falling asleep, anxiety around sleep and sleeping fewer hours.

Sleep tips for school-aged children

• Teach school-aged children about healthy sleep habits.

• Continue to emphasise need for regular and consistent sleep schedule and bedtime routine.

• Make child’s bedroom conducive to sleep – dark, cool and quiet.

• Keep TV and computers out of the bedroom.

• Avoid caffeine.

For more parenting tips, visit our parenting articles feature section on www.familytimes.co.nz.

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Vaccinations The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that vaccination prevents between 2- 3 million deaths worldwide each year.

A

nd as Immunisation Awareness Week kicks off in the last week of April, WHO is reminding parents to make sure that their kids are up-to-date with their vaccinations.

Immunisation Advisory Centre spokesperson Theo Brandt says that New Zealand has a lot to celebrate in Immunisation Week.

“Ninety percent of eight-month-old babies have received their first three lots of immunisations, helping protect them against seven nasty diseases.”

However, Brandt said that some older age groups were less protected, and the current wave of measles cases showed the need for all family members to consider immunisation.

But No Forced Vaccines – an association of individuals concerned about ethics and maintaining the fundamental human right for parents to make the health care choices they deem appropriate for their children – says that Kiwi parents need to be made aware of all the issues surrounding vaccination, not just the potential benefits.

“Making a free and informed decision about any medical treatment, including vaccination, is a basic human right,” spokesperson Katherine Smith said in a recent media release.

Another organisation, WAVES nz, does not

advise people not to vaccinate, but facilitates an informed decision making process by provided resources for parents such as its online presence, referrals to other relevant websites, and book recommendations.

However, the majority of its members have made the personal decision not to vaccinate.

That’s not a course that is recommended by the WHO or New Zealand’s Ministry of Health. During Immunisation Awareness Week, WHO is encouraging people around the world to find out what vaccines are available, to check their vaccination status, and to get the vaccines that they need. WHO says that one in every five children are not vaccinated, and a lack of knowledge about vaccination on behalf of adults is the reason.

Brandt said the safety of vaccines was well understood. “There are common risks like a sore arm or general grumpiness, but these all pass with time. The risks of diseases are often ignored as they are not so often seen – but even so, three children in New Zealand lost their lives to whopping cough in the past few years, and many more were hospitalised.

New Zealand’s Ministry of health has an immunisation schedule available on its website, ranging from six-weeks-old to 65-years.

We’ve got health covered at www. familytimes.co.nz. Want to know how to handle headlice? Visit www.familytimes. co.nz/handling-head-lice.

Help your child reach their potential Breastfeeding support in many ways Meet breastfeeding mothers ContaCt a trained breastfeeding counsellor Read a book from our library BRowse our website Join and receive aroha magazine Buy books and leaflets donate to help La Leche League help more mums like you.

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“I left New Zealand for a year in Chile a naïve, 16 year-old and returned an independent, determined young adult.” – Sarah.

Sometimes you need some information or an answer to a curly question. Why not pick up the phone and call the relative support agency?

You’ll find professional caring people ready to assist you.

Alcohol and drug Concerned about your own or someone else’s problems with alcohol or other drugs? Call the Alcohol Drug Helpline today for free, confidential, friendly

Help is @ hand professional advice. 0800 787 797 www. alcoholdrughelp.org.nz

Experience the world with AFS

Conectus & The Immunisation Advisory Centre

With autumn here, now is a good time to consider immunisation against influenza.

It is free for pregnant women and other groups who may be at greater risk of complications from the flu. Check out fightflu.co.nz for more information or call the Immunisation Advisory Centre on 0800-466-863.

AFS is a worldwide student exchange organisation that provides students with amazing opportunities to live overseas, experience new cultures and learn new languages.

Kiwi students immerse themselves, living with an AFS family in one of 40 partner countries.

AFS has been doing exchanges in New Zealand for more than 65 years, so when it comes to safety we know what we’re doing.

If you’d like to find out more, text AFS sending coordinator Hedi on 022-6390560. Visit www.afs.org.nz.

For information on immunisation, vaccines and the diseases they help prevent, call our FREE phone line during weekdays or visit our website anytime.

www.immune.org.nz 0800 466 863

Find out more about AFS Student Exchanges call Hedi 0800 600 300

www.afs.org.nz

KiNZ Early Learning Centres have been specially designed with your child in mind, offering enriching learning experiences, nutritious cooked meals and vibrant well resourced environments for children from 3 months of age.* For more information please contact one of our four centres.

Mission Heights* 265 2850 | Sandringham 845 1364 East Tamaki 274 8994 | Myers Park (City)* 373 2709 www.kinz.org.nz * 3 months of age available at Mission Heights and Myers Park centres only. www.familytimes.co.nz

9

Words of wisdom with Diane Levy My daughter is fine with using the potty and toilet for “number ones,” but having issues with “number twos.” She really does not want to do it and makes a huge fuss and screams. Any tips how to manage this?

Your daughter is struggling to make the leap from pooing in her pull-ups to pooing in the toilet. If we can just break the leap into smaller manageable steps, she will be able to poo in the toilet when her body needs to.

Step 1: Have her in undies and let her know that whenever her body needs to poo you will help her into a pull-up or she can go and put one on herself. Let her go off and poo wherever she likes and then you will be happy to change her.

Stay at this – and each – step until it is easy for her.

Step 2: When she needs to poo, you/

she puts on the pull-up and, instead of going to her favourite hiding place, she goes to the room where the toilet is.

Step 3: Pull-up on, go to the room where the toilet is, poo sitting on the toilet with the pull-up on.

Step 4: One day, your daughter will

My 14-year-old daughter has become very self-conscious lately in regards to how she looks and her size when in fact she is very slim and attractive. I am concerned that this will deeply affect her self-esteem.

What can I do?

The nightmare situation facing us all is that we are constantly bombarded in all media with images of impossibly-slender Photoshoppped models, “weight-watching” of all celebrities, endless diets, dire warnings about an obesity epidemic and a bizarre societal permission to greet people with an apparently praiseworthy comment, “Hello! You look as if you have lost weight.” No wonder your daughter has become very self-conscious!

Protecting our children in this bodyconscious, weight-and image-obsessed society is getting more and more difficult.

Hopefully in her media studies at school she is already being made aware that almost all images that we see in magazines, billboards and advertisements are Photoshopped and if we all had the long, slender necks so lovingly portrayed, they would not be capable of holding our heads upright!

Avoid, where possible, any comments (praise, reassurance or criticism) about her looks and body size and focus instead on all her other wonderful attributes that have nothing to do with weight or appearance.

Two lovely sayings I have come across lately:

triumphantly call you to show you that she has pooed in the toilet.

This gentle four-step process allows her to learn and get competent at a pace that she 1 The definition of “beautiful” does not auckland_halfpage_new.pdf 1 26/03/14 11:45 AM can manage. require the word “skinny.”

2

The scales can only give you a numerical reflection of your relationship with gravity.

That’s it. It cannot measure beauty, talent purpose, life force, possibility, strength or love.

Submit your parenting questions and concerns to family therapist, counsellor, parenting coach and speaker Diane Levy. This is a regular column, so get those questions flowing! Email us at admin@ familytimes.co.nz. Get an order form for Diane’s popular books via www.familytimes.co.nz.

2014/2015 primary and intermediate school term dates Term 2, 2014

Monday 5 May to Friday 4 July

Term 3, 2014

Monday 21 July to Friday 26 September

Term 4, 2014

Monday 13 October to no later than Friday 19 December

Term 1, 2015

Between Monday 2 February and Thursday 5 February to Thursday 2 April

2013 and 2014 secondary and composite school term dates Term 2, 2014

Monday 5 May to Friday 4 July

Term 3, 2014 Monday 21 July to Friday 26 September

Term 4, 2014

Monday 13 October to Tuesday 16 December

SCHOOL TERM DATES

Term 1, 2015

Between Monday 2 February and Thursday 5 February to Thursday 2 April

Remaining public holidays 2013 18 April 21 April 25 April 1 June 27 October 25 December 26 December

Good Friday Easter Monday Anzac Day Queen’s birthday Labour Day Christmas Day Boxing Day

NEW ON 91.8 MORE FM

Y

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10

Study tips for preteens A

preteen girl I once knew was really struggling at school. Her parents had sent her to me to coach because they felt she was spending a lot of time “studying” that didn’t reflect in her marks at school. It got so bad that they actually thought she was selfharming, or skiving off with friends when she said she was studying. It turned out to be that the reason was the simple fact that she didn’t have the study skills she needed. So here are some fool proof tips to help your preteen do well in their study, homework and exams.

1. Start a routine

It sounds obvious, but many young people lack structure. They know they have school between certain hours, but their time management skills outside of this lacks. Sit down and agree with them on a time they can dedicate to study and make sure they stick to it.

2. Use colour

Buy them some coloured pens and coloured paper. Encourage them to use these as tools to help with study when they need to remember specific facts and formulas, because use of colour helps memory retention.

Giving children the best start Barnardos has been nurturing and educating Kiwi children for more than 40 years. During that time, we’ve learned lots about the services New Zealanders want for their children. Under the Barnardos KidStart Childcare brand, we offer a unique service that provides a choice of homebased or centre-based care within the Barnardos tradition of quality services for children and their whanau.

Early learning centres We have 28 centres across the country, all offering a quality early childhood experience in which children learn, play and grow.

Home-based care Our trained educators provide quality childcare in their own homes for hundreds of families across the country.

Do you enjoy working with children?

If so, being a Barnardos KidStart Childcare

home-based educator might just be the best job in the world! Our educators care for children under five in their own homes, helping them develop as happy, confident learners.

No day as an educator is ever the same, and every minute is rewarding as you help children learn and grow. Expect laughter and lots of fun. Plus, Barnardos provides full training and support, and there’s the opportunity to interact with other educators and children through playgroups and outings.

More and more parents are seeking childcare that’s like a home away from home, where their child can form a strong bond with their caregiver and get lots of one-onone attention.

To find out more about becoming a Barnardos KidStart Childcare educator, phone 0800 4 BARNARDOS (0800-422762), email kidstart@barnardos.org.nz or visit www.barnardos.org.nz/childcare.

3. Eat popcorn and dark chocolate

Not the buttered stuff, but just straight popcorn is actually really good for you (it does come from a vegetable, right?). Dark chocolate has also been found to be an energy and concentration stimulant. Get your preteen to opt for these as study snacks along with other vegetables and fruit, rather than fatty fast food or chips.

4. Understand the question

Many youth fail school assignments simply because they do not understand the question that is being asked. Instead, they spend their effort going on a tangent about something irrelevant. Especially with essays, sit down with your preteen to dissect the question being asked, and make sure they understand it.

5. Know your burger

Like a good burger, essays must have a structure; go over the beginning, middle and conclusion structure with your preteen. Make sure this structure is engrained in their brain

A natural alternative for your child

Kids love the strawberry taste of these easily absorbed Kidz Minerals. Kidz Minerals offer a natural solution for a variety of childhood ailments from colds and coughs to irritability and anxiety.

The range of six Kidz Minerals are combinations of Schuessler Tissue Salts specially formulated for children and infants. They’re available from health food stores and selected pharmacies.

For more information, visit www. martinandpleasance.com.

because this will be useful for them way past the time they leave school.

6. Listen to baroque music

If your preteen finds it hard to study without music, suggest they listen to Baroque music; it has the same rhythm as the human heartbeat and helps with concentration, relaxation and memory retention.

By Eva Maria Eva-Maria is a 23-year-old on a mission to help improve 10,000,000 adult-teenager relationships around the world. She is the author of the bestselling You Shut Up! and sequel Shush, You!.

She travels throughout New Zealand, Australia and Russia coaching families, running workshops and speaking at conferences and events about the importance of intergenerational relationships and youth in the workforce, offering understanding from “the other side.” www.eva-maria.co.nz.

BE CALM

A new Hellers CoCktAil sAusAge rAnge for tHe wHole fAmily.

Is your child...

• Irritable?

• Over-excitable?

• Lacking concentration?

Hellers new Gluten free Cocktail Sausages are perfect for any fun occasion,

Try a natural solution...

Kidz Minerals are easily absorbed effective minerals in a chewable natural strawberry flavoured tablet.

as a treat or even as a handy and simple meal idea for kids that they’ll be sure to love. They come in 3 great varieties - Skinless, Cheese and Original. These tasty original kiwi classics recapture the fun of yesteryear, and with the great new flavours there’s a Cocktail Sausage to suit everyone. They’re also gluten free and with Hellers renowned quality, they will as sure as Hellers be a huge hit with the whole family. Available in all good stores now!

Available from Health Food Stores and Pharmacies.

Always read the label and use only as directed.

If symptoms persist, consult your healthcare professional.

www.martinandpleasance.com 11

www.familytimes.co.nz

Great giveaways for Autumn …....

Lee Keenan went to talk with Gulf Harbour Primary School students all about test stress.

Oliver Hertzke, age 12

At the beginning of the year we have quite a few tests in reading, writing, spelling and maths. Then the teacher can work out our levels for the term. We do maths just about every day and right before, we have a quick-fire lot of questions. I don’t mind tests but sometimes I get butterflies.

My mum and dad help get me ready for any tests by giving me warm-up questions at home.

It’s easy to win fantastic prizes with Family Times. Just fill in the entry form and post it to us by the due date, or enter online at www.familytimes.co.nz. This month we have a fantastic line up of prizes with more great giveaways… Good luck!

Check out last issue’s lucky winners online.

Win LEGO City High Speed Police Chase ®

WIN, WIN,

WIN!

It’s an all-out LEGO® City High Speed Police Chase to catch the crooks with the stolen money on their motorbikes! Make sure the policeman is quick enough in the police car before slapping the handcuffs on them before they get away. Includes three mini-figures with assorted accessories: two crooks and a policeman. RRP $29.99.

We have 20 x LEGO® City High Speed Police Chase sets to give away.

Win a birth-to-potty pack of cloth nappies

I really love tests! Sometimes I get nervous, though, if know a hard one’s coming up. The level of the tests goes up as you get better in that subject. Our teachers give us tests out-of-the-blue all the time. I don’t study for tests but as long as I understand what I’m learning in class then it’s fine. I really like to show my parents how I’ve done each time.

Jackson Howes, age 11

I love tests too. Just before maths we have quick questions to warm up our brains, which is good. I only get stressed when there’s a major test, but I just set my own goals every term.

We have lots of tests at the beginning of term and then at the end. This lets the teacher see what levels we’re in and whether we’ve got better and learnt what we are supposed to.

WIN, WIN,

WIN!

Brooke Warrington, age 11

No need to worry about buying more sizes as your baby grows: this birth-to-potty pack contains all of the cloth nappies that you will need to take your baby from birth to potty training. It includes flushable liners, snappi nappy fasteners and cotton booster pads for use at night or times when your baby needs a little bit more absorption.

Save money and the environment at http://nappyneedz.com and ecobots.co.nz.

We have one of these packs to give away valued at more than $520.

We have spelling every week to find out our levels. Once a term we get a test to check our grammar. We’re given a subject and have to write a story with it. Sometimes the teachers let you know about tests and other times they just do them. I don’t really study but as long as I understand the subject then I know I’ll be fine. I like to share the results with my parents.

Win ZingBokashi 2 x 15 litre bucket sets and 2 bags of Compost-Zing ®

Recycling kitchen and garden waste has never been easier, and with the help of ZingBokashi® NZ Ltd and its range of environmentally friendly products, it’s easy to make a sustainable difference to your local environment - at home, at work and at play.

We have 4 sets to give away.

WIN,WIN,

Jazmane Harris-Urlich, age 12

Win eco packaging: Kids Konserve and Bumpkins

IN, W , N WI

WIN

Turn over a new leaf this school year while teaching your children how to help the planet send them to school with eco food packaging and reusable snack bags thanks to two new brands from The Sleep Store: Kids Konserve and The Bumkins range.

We have 5 packs of a Bumkins reusable snack bag, a Kids Konserve sandwich bag and reusable container to giveaway.

WIN

Muppets: Most Wanted – In Cinemas April 10 - prize packs 1 x 1x 1x 1x 1x 1x

Double pass to the movie T-shirt Eight colour pen Sticker Sheet Door Tag (set ) Notepad

We have five prize packs to give away.

Competition closes April 15, 2014.

Win a copy of My Heart is Laughing

WIN,WIN,

WIN

This is the standalone sequel to the acclaimed illustrated chapter book, My Happy Life (a New York Times Notable Children’s Book). Dani’s been trying her best to stay happy ever since her best friend Ella moved away. But when some girls in Dani’s class start being cruel to her, it starts a chain of rather unhappy events. Ages 6 plus.

Author: Rose Lagercrantz. Illustrator: Eva Eriksson. ecko Press

www.geckopress.co.nz.

Paperback RRP$19.99 We have 10 of these to give away.

12

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I

Design your own birthday cake. What would it look like? Send us your picture, and a brief description, and be in to win an amazing $50 prize pack from Crayola!

Three entry age groups: preschool (age 1-4), 5-8, 9-12.

Create your design on an A5 sheet or download the template and entry form from www.familytimes.co.nz. Post in to PO Box 36 004, Christchurch 8146. Entries close on May 4, 2014.

Congratulations to our ‘What is your favourite activity to do with your family in summer?’ competition winners from our last issue. They are:

Win a copy of Stories for 7 Year Olds

WIN, WIN,

WIN!

Stories For 7 Year Olds is a little more adventurous, with the stories often about getting out there and doing exciting things.

The stories are about exploring and things — like best friends, monsters, climbing trees, pasta, kapa haka, snorkelling, wetas, whales, skating and much more! Some on New Zealand’s best authors.

We have 10 of these to give away.

1- 4 Lucie Cairney

Win a copy of World Search: Busy Places

" I like to draw. This is a beautiful colourful flower"

Aimed at adventurers aged five and over, Lonely Planet’s World Search are fun “lift-the-flap” books that span the globe to reveal the weird, wonderful and silly things that happen around the world. Lift the flap to discover what’s really happening beneath an array of busy real-life scenes – including Copacabana beach, Heathrow Airport and Shanghai.

5 - 8 Rui - Yi Ong

" I like to go to the beach. We play in the water with the balls"

We have 10 of these to give away.

9 - 12 Luke Miller

"In the light blue skies and the crystal clear water. I like to go fishing at the river mouth and build sand castles with my family"

Win a copy of Stories for 6 Year Olds They’ll get plenty of giggles and they are about all the important things — like pets, the Tooth Fairy, camping, peanut butter sandwiches, ice-blocks, pirates, running races, possums, summer holidays and much more!

These 25 stories are written by some of New Zealand’s leading writers for children such as Margaret Mahy, David Hill, Patricia Grace and Barbara Else, as well as other seasoned and up-and-coming writers.

We have 10 of these to give away.

Win a copy of World Search: Incredible Animals

WIN, WIN,

WIN!

Aimed at adventurers aged five and over, Lonely Planet’s World Search are fun “lift-the-flap” books that span the globe to reveal the weird, wonderful and silly things that happen around the world. Lift the flap on animals in their natural habitat – including Antarctica, the Red Sea and Los Angeles - and see what’s happening inside.

Win a copy of World Search: Amazing Jobs

WIN, WIN,

WIN!

Aimed at adventurers aged five and over, Lonely Planet’s World Search are fun “lift-the-flap” books that span the globe to reveal the weird, wonderful and silly things that happen around the world. Lift the flap on amazing jobs in action – including a gaucho in Argentina, a park vet in Congo’s Virunga National Park and an Australian Royal Flying Doctor – and see what’s happening inside.

We have 10 of these to give away.

WIN, WIN,

WIN!

Maleficent – In cinemas May 29 – double passes The Sleeping Beauty tale is told from the perspective of the villainous Maleficent and looks at the events that hardened her heart and drove her to curse young Princess Aurora.

We have five double passes to give away.

We have 10 of these to give away.

Just tick the things you want to win Autumn 2014

 LEGO City High Speed Police Chase  Busy Places  Birth-to-potty pack of cloth nappies  Amazing Jobs  ZingBokashi  Maleficent  Muppets: Most Wanted  Kids Konserve and Bumpkins Name  Incredible Animals Address  Stories for 6 Year Olds  Stories for 7 Year Olds City  My Heart is Laughing ®

®

Phone

To be in the draw to win, enter online at www.familytimes.co.nz or write your name and address on the back of an envelope or postcard and send to: Auckland Competition, PO Box 36 004, Christchurch to reach us by May 4th 2014, unless stated otherwise. Only one entry per household. www.familytimes.co.nz

13

cool activities

Calendar of Events entertainment. Also, a chance to showcase ranger. Totara Park-Puhinui Stream Forest Wrap the family up nice and Baker Drive, Otara, 4-5pm. your beloved four-legged friends in a parade Trail, 9.30am – 12pm. Meet at the Wairere warm and head out to enjoy 11 April through the streets of Devonport. From Road car park entrance.

12.30-4.30pm at Windsor Reserve.

Opunuku Stream Night Walk View the some gorgeous autumn 17-21 April world’s only fresh water luminescent limpets days at the following family- and glow worms. There are wonderful things 13 April Coca Cola Easter Show - Auckland’s glowing out there! Visit www.ecowest.org.nz. Cornwall Park School Fair - Loads of favourite event returns for 2014 with friendly events. For more all the big rides, family fun and wall-togreat activities including bouncy castles, event and entertainment 12 April wall entertainment for the entire holiday climbing wall and awesome rides to keep weekend. Visit www.eastershow.co.nz for the kids entertained for hours. Visit www. ideas, visit www.familytimes. Eye On Nature - This year’s focus is more information. cornwallpark.school.nz.

Nurturing Our Forests. There’s plenty to do co.nz and enjoy our large, and it’s all free! Craft for the kids, music and 15 April 18-21 April family-friendly resource. games. Auckland Botanic Gardens, www. beautifulmanukau.org.nz.

Out and About Park Ranger Free Walk Easter Egg Trail – Auckland Museum - Over Thursday evenings Go for a free guided walk with your local park Easter weekend the museum has an egg trail to 12 April New Lynn Night Markets - Enjoy the tastiest street food with entertainment, workshops and cultural performances. Visit www.facebook.com/NewLynnNightMarket.

21 March-22 April The Whittakers Big Egg Hunt – Find the eggs hidden around Auckland! Full details at www.thebigegghunt.co.nz.

8 and 15 April Out and About Park Sport - Get along to the park for some free structured sport for the whole family courtesy of Auckland Council. Mansell Field, 34R Marne Road, Papakura, 4-5pm.

10 and 17 April Out and About Park Sport - Come along to your local park for some free structured sport for the whole family courtesy of Auckland Council. Pearl Baker Reserve, Pearl

Trash 2 Treasure for kids - Join multiple award winning teacher and author Adam Buckingham to make fun and amazing things from household waste and recycled materials.

Visit www.ecofest.org.nz.

12 April Kumeu Militaria Show – Military vehicles on display, a gun show, food entertainment and so much more. Visit www.facebook.com/ KumeuMilitariaShow.

13 April Orewa Beach Half Marathon – Sprint, jog or walk, you decide and you choose the distance. Visit www. orewabeachhalfmarathon.com to register.

13 April Devonport Dog Parade – A free, action-packed day of doggy events and

Coca-Cola Easter Show at ASB Showgrounds With a massive line-up of entertainment, circus acts, rides and exhibits, plus an A&P Show that has been running for more than 160-years, the Coca-Cola Easter Show has a special place in the hearts and minds of New Zealanders.

This year is no exception: with free entry to the public, the return of the Big Rides from Mahons Amusements, four huge halls of prize winning livestock and five full days of children’s and cultural entertainment that spans the globe, the 2014 Coca-Cola Easter Show is a must see event.

Visitors can literally go from feeding the lambs, to screaming their lungs out on a huge ride, to dancing along to a fantastic musical performance, all in less than an hour!

Mahons Amusements brings the Big Rides

to the Coca-Cola Easter Show and this year the Turbo Boost, Scream Machine, Gravitron and other favourites return to get the adrenalin pumping for the big kids, while at the other end of the scale, the Cookie-Bear rides bring smiles to the faces of the little kids and their parents.

More children’s entertainment happens each day on the main stage, with Pinocchio and New Zealand’s dairy ambassador, Rosie the Cow. Also on the main stage some of the best cultural acts of the nation keep the toes tapping from day to night, including star performers Deelicious, Jamoa Jam and many more.

Fireworks displays close the event each night, lighting up the sky above the Showgrounds and for kilometres around.

botanytowncentre.co.nz Like us on Facebook to get started, visit

facebook.com/BTCNZ

Behind every great kid is a great mum who needs a break.

Let us keep your kids entertained for a while.

Devour a muffin and a coffee while your kids exercise their imaginations. There’s a new theme every week plus arts and crafts.

When: Every Monday, 10:30am – 11:00am.

Where: The Conservatory by Muffin Break.

DROP SHOP While you shop, drop your little ones off at Botany Town Centre’s new casual childcare centre.

Every school holidays they can learn, play, discover and have loads of fun! And it’s all under the professional supervision of Our Place’s qualified teachers so you can shop without a worry.

YOUR HOME FOR KIDS ENTERTAINMENT

14

www.familytimes.co.nz

cool activities

Entertainment follow. Also, be in to win a hamper of chocolate eggs. Visit www.aucklandmuseum.com.

20 April Lock N Load Paintball - Do something different and exciting! Spot prizes and Easter eggs to give out. At 12pm, there’s a walk-in game, or book a group together. Email info@ locknloadpaintball.co.nz, phone 09-257-2265, www.locknloadpaintball.co.nz.

20 and 21 April Butterfly Creek - Egg and spoon races in the farm, Easter egg give away and enter the baby bunny photo competition. Email info@ butterflycreek.co.nz, phone 09-275- 8880, www.butterflycreek.co.nz.

20 April, 27 April, 5 May Rocket Ropes - Sunday Fundays – Book now for a half hour session on the climbing wall, long drop and the cargo net! Email info@ rocketropes.co.nz, phone 09-275-8880 ext 213. Visit www.rocketropes.co.nz.

22 April-2 May New Zealand’s Heroes - Discover New Zealand’s heroes, follow the trail to save the day and make a medal to give to your own hero! Visit www.maritimemuseum.co.nz.

23 and 24 April

Get hands-on with objects that have been confiscated at border control! Museum staff will give you the chance to get close to these collections. www.aucklandmuseum.co.nz.

25 April Anzac Day at the Auckland Museum An opportunity for the whole family to commemorate fallen New Zealanders from all the conflicts that our country has been involved in. Visit www.aucklandmuseum.com.

26 April Frog Fun Day - Learn more about our native frogs and turn your whole family into frog fans! Frog face painting, storytelling and lots of other fun activities.From 10am-2pm, South end of Baxter Street, Warkworth.

1 May Out and About Park Ranger Free Walk - Explore the great outdoors, take in Auckland’s breathtaking scenery and get to know the area better. At 344 East Tamaki Road, East Tamaki, along from the little church on the hill, from 9.30am-12 noon.

7 May Out and About: Mums in Buggies - Mums, dads and bubs: come along and join in a walk through local parks and pathways. Enjoy a free coffee, information and activities. From 10am-12pm, Maraitai Beach Park, Maraitai.

The APO for Kids - The Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra is combining with The Polkadots! Check out this magical musical 11 May carpet ride. Tickets www.ticketmaster.co.nz Waiuku Steel ‘n’ Wheel – A huge array of or www.ticketsdirect.co.nz. vehicles, classics, hot-rods, vintage cars, army memorabilia, dragsters, motorcycles and 23 and 30 April more! See the New Zealand Warbirds doing a Meet the Objects – Auckland Museum fly over. Visit www.waiukutown.co.nz.

co.nz or email aucklandbungy@bungy.co.nz.

Need a fun activity to beat Here are some great holiday ideas designed the autumn blues? The to keep you and your little ones entertained during the school break. weather may be cooling down, but there’s still plenty APO 4 Kids your toddler on a musical magic of fun to be had at a plethora Take carpet ride with the Auckland Philharmonic of events and entertainment Orchestra and The Polkadots. Bruce Mason Centre, 23 April, www.ticketmaster.co.nz destinations around the and Vodafone Events Centre, 24 April, www. city. Here are a few ideas to ticketdirect.co.nz. get you started, and we’ve Coca-Cola Easter Show Auckland’s favourite event The Cocagot heaps more at www.

Cola Easter Show returns for 2014 with familytimes.co.nz. all the big rides, family fun and wall-to-

Auckland Bridge Climb and Auckland Bungy

Take a guided bridge tour. Stunning views, fascinating facts, watch a bungy and climb right to the top. Or jump 40 meters above the Waitamata Harbour right under the traffic! Visit www.aucklandbridgeclimb.co.nz, www.bungy.

Kumgang Taekwondo

Do you want to get fit, lose weight, get stronger and more flexible, increase coordination, learn to defend yourself and become bully safe? Or learn selfcontrol, respect, get confidence and find new friends? At Kumgang Taekwondo you can get it all and much more.

Kumgang Taekwondo has classes for five to seven-year-olds, children, teens, adults, ladies only, families, beginners and advanced. Check out www.kumgang. co.nz for more information or phone 09-479-9180.

wall entertainment for the entire holiday weekend. Visit www.eastershow.co.nz for more information.

Lock ‘N’ Load Paintball

New Zealand’s premier paintball facility.

Play paintball, laser tag or try the new junior paintball for kids age 8-plus. Join the fun! Great for parties, sports teams and groups of friends and families. Visit www. locknloadpaintball.co.nz.

Fullers Harbour Cruise

Take the kids on a harbour cruise and they could win a treasure chest by completing the treasure hunt quiz on-board. Plus, one child travels free with every full fare paying adult!

Visit www.fullers.co.nz.

Holiday specials Artz on Show

Enrol in the performing arts workshop for students aged 5 to 15-years. There is a variety of classes, and the week concludes with a

ARTZ NSH W WHERE FAME BEGINS

School Holiday Performing Arts Workshop Students aged 5-15 years

New Zealand An invitation to all girls aged 5 to 18...

The April Workshop is:

The Sound of Music AUCKLAND CBD : 22 - 25 April at Epsom Girls Grammar EAST AUCKLAND : 22 - 25 April at St Kentigern College NORTH SHORE: 28 April - 2 May at Westlake Boys High School

Enrol online NOW at www.artzonshow.co.nz Phone: 0800 ONSHOW (667469) Email: artz@onshow.net.nz

Come join the fun & friendship at any of our nationwide locations.

www.girlsbrigade.org.nz E-mail: info@girlsbrigade.org.nz

WHANGAPARAOA RAILWAY

• Adventure park • Animals • Bring-a-picnic Open daily from 18 April to 4 May 10AM to 4PM Train ride + Park Entry ONLY $8 PER PERSON

PORSE IN-HOME CHILDCARE PRESENTS

Take your toddler on a musical magic carpet ride – with the APO and the Polkadots.

apo.co.nz

Bruce Mason Centre, Takapuna 10 & 11.30am, Wed 23 April Bookings: 09 970 9700 / www.ticketmaster.co.nz* Vodafone Events Centre, Manukau 10 & 11.30am, Thurs 24 April Bookings: 0800 224 224 / www.ticketdirect.co.nz* *Booking and service fees apply.

All tickets (adults and children) $15

400 Whangaparaoa Road, Stanmore Bay, Auckland

www.rail.co.nz • Phone: 09-424 5018

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parties show highlighting the drama, dance and vocal classes. Visit www.onshow.net.nz.

Stardome

Explore, imagine and discover at Auckland’s favourite observatory and planetarium. A visit to Stardome is truly a unique and fun learning experience for the whole family. Visit www.stardome.org.nz.

Butterfly Creek

Check out the unique collection of animals, a mini train and the new Dinosaur Kingdom!

A fantastic day out all year round, with 50% undercover attractions. Visit www.

butterflycreek.co.nz.

Rocket Ropes

Rocket Ropes is a high rope adventure park offering a unique mix of exciting aerial challenges. Great for parties, groups, families and friends. Suitable for ages 6-plus: height requirements apply. Visit www.rocketropes.co.nz.

Voyager NZ Maritime Museum – Heroes of the Sea Explore and be inspired by the heroes you find along the way. Enjoy live performances and make a medal to award to a hero in your own life. Visit www.maritimemuseum.co.nz.

Birthday themes for older kids child a spoon. The child who eats the most Birthday themes for little spoons of “frogs eggs” is the winner. kids are easy – pirates, super heroes, fairies and princesses. Cow part identification You’ll be surprised at how many cow parts But what about older kids? you can buy at the supermarket – tongue, liver, stomach. Get as many as you can We’ve got a few party ideas and put them in individual plastic zip-lock for them based on popular bags. The winner is the child who correctly identifies the most cow parts. television shows:

Fear Factor

Iced marbles

Frogs’ eggs

The Amazing Race

Find out who the ultimate Fear Factor champion is at your child’s adventure-themed party. Who’s willing to put it all on the line to take out the title?

Make up a batch of tapioca pudding with a few drops of green food dye, and give each

360 Discovery Cruises

Become a “Kiwi ranger” on Tiritiri Matangi Island. Pick up a booklet on arrival and start exploring. Book your ferry ticket now at www.360discovery.co.nz.

Whangaparaoa Railway

Good old-fashioned ramshackle family fun!

An amazing train ride through beautiful bush, animals to see and a great playground fun.

Open school holidays and weekends until the end of June. Details at www.rail.co.nz.

Amazing Kids Parties

At Amazing Kids Parties we provide amazing entertainers to make every child’s party super special and super fun!

We have party packs for all age groups and genders – check them out: www. amazingkidsparties.co.nz. Our party planning team are also super helpful – call them on 09-889-2243 for advice on throwing the perfect party for your child.

So many choices… characters, disco pack, pamper pack, cooking pack, science pack, face painting, balloon twisting and more!

Party in Space!

Blast off into space for your next birthday party!

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Head to Stardome for a birthday adventure that’s truly out of this world.

Includes a planetarium show, private room hire, a fully equipped catering kitchen and unlimited access to our space gallery and exhibits.

09 624 1246 / stardome.org.nz / events@stardome.org.nz

Fill a child’s paddling pool with cold water, ice, and marbles. Each child has to use only their feet to retrieve as many marbles as they can in 60 seconds.

Capture the adventure of a whirlwind around-the-world race with an Amazing Race-themed party. This will be a very active and participative party, where everybody gets a shot at the title. This party takes quite a bit of organising, but is sure to be a hit with slightly older kids.

1 Workout your location – whether it’s your backyard or the local park. Decide where the clue points and challenges will be located and organise an adult to monitor each one.

2 Print out your clues in Amazing Race style, and pair the kids up into teams of two with matching bandanas.

3 Give the kids the first clue, and send them on their way.

4 Some cool challenges (road blocks) can be: an egg-and-spoon circuit; polystyrene cups full of lollies or jelly set out on a table, with a special marking on the inside to match the child’s clue. The child then must eat everything in that cup to progress. Use local landmarks for challenges – like counting the number of bricks on the first line of your patio. Assemble a puzzle.

Include a quick-fire geography quiz.

5 Don’t forget detours, when kids get to choose which challenge they sign up for.

6 The winners are those over the finish line first.

Master Chef

This one is a little tougher to pull off, especially with just a single home kitchen.

For the sake of space, limit the party to about eight kids, split into teams of two, ready for the cook-off!

1 Upon arrival, greet you little master chefs with their own apron and chef hat. Have coloured fabric pens on hand for decorating and autographs.

2 Make a small recipe handbook for the participants, so that they can choose which recipe they want to make, and take the recipes home with them afterwards.

3 Alternatively, for a simpler party, try the mystery box challenge. Put together boxes with mystery ingredients and let the kids’ creativity loose. Great things to include are mini meringues, chocolate mousse, sponge cake, different flavours of ice cream, banana, crushed nuts, cream, cherries, mint, berries, and of course, chocolate. Set a time limit – i.e.

20 minutes – and the best creation wins.

Remember, presentation is key!

4 Another great Master Chef challenge is cupcakes – you can either pre-bake the cup cakes and have decoration as the whole challenge, or start from scratch and have the kids bake the cup cakes. Bon appetite!

les, Games, z z u P ty li a u Q ts Toys and Gif s e g for all a If you are off to a party or throwing one of your own, come in and see our fun range of party ware, helium balloons, or just let us help you find that special gift.

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Delicious and fun birthday treats

parties

3- Cake pops

So you’ve got the party theme thirds of the way down.

Cut the M&Ms in half and glue onto the Tim sorted – now, what about the Tam in front of the teddy for the steering 1 food?? It doesn’t have to take wheel. Then use the icing to attach four whole M&Ms as the wheels. A couple of dots too much effort to make your of icing on the front of the Tim Tam serve as 2 the headlights. child’s party the talk of the 3 schoolyard – and on a budget. 2- Shark cup cakes These little beauties are perfect for a boy’s Here are a few ideas to get the creative juices birthday party.

4 flowing:

1- Teddy bear cars

Kids of all ages will enjoy these fun Teddy bear cars, but they’re especially a hit with preschoolers.

Teddy bear cars are easy to make – you can quickly whip them up yourself, or enlist the help of your kids.

All you need is a box of Tiny Teddies, a packet of Tim Tams, some M&Ms and white icing.

Cut the Tiny Teddies in half and “glue” them on to the Tim Tam with the icing, about two

Pixie Party Supplies

At Pixie Party Supplies, we love helping you create the perfect party or event with stylish products from New Zealand and around the world. Whether you’re organising a kid’s birthday, baby shower, wedding or “grown up” party – we can help make your event look amazing.

From children’s themed party supplies to pretty, boutique items for all occasions – our pixies have it all, and are always on the lookout for new, exciting products!

Visit us online at www. pixiepartysupplies.co.nz to browse & buy from our extensive range.

What you’ll need  Cupcakes, completely cooled  White or light-coloured thick icing  Blue food colouring  Oreo® cookies How to make it

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Using blue food colouring, dye your icing to the shade you desire. Mix well until it’s completely incorporated and a smooth colour. An electric mixer makes this much easier.

Frost your cupcakes and place in the fridge so the frosting can set while you prepare the cookie fins.

Carefully separate the Oreo® cookie and scrape out the white filling (eat it or discard it). With a serrated knife, gently cut one of the cookies in half, using a sawing motion to keep it from cracking.

Cut off the bottom third of the cookie to make a flat base. Place one fin in the top of each cupcake and serve.

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These delicious sweet treats are not as easy to make as they look – that is, unless you have a cake pop maker.

For those who don’t, you can still make a delectable cake pop feature for your child’s party; it just takes a little more time.

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Bake your cake, and allow to cool.

Cut off the hard edges, then cut the cake into four equal size pieces Pick up two of the pieces, and rub them together over a bowl to catch the fine crumbs.

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Add just enough icing to the cake crumbs so that the mixture will stick together and make balls. Too much icing and the cake will become too moist and heavy.

Use a half round scoop to scoop up enough mixture to make a well-rounded ball.

Roll the mixture in your hands until perfectly round. Tip: clean your hands regularly while rolling the mixture, and keep them slightly moistened to aid the rolling process.

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Place the balls on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.

Cover with plastic wrap and foil and refrigerate for at least four hours.

Use a skewer to create holes for the lollypop sticks. Secure the lollypop stick by first coating it with your cake pop icing or melted chocolate before inserting.

10 Coat and decorate your cake balls to

your heart’s delight! The sky is the limit.

We’ve got birthdays covered at

“birthdays” and we’ve got heaps of party, party destination, gift, food and decoration ideas.

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Butterfly Creek is the perfect place for a party – lots to see and do, the kids will be love it!

Our hassle free party packages include food, drinks, room hire, entrance, a train ride and more!

Suitable for ages 1- 8, bookings essential, minimum of 10 children per party.

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Apps: a family guide For the uninitiated, apps and software in general can be a daunting prospect.

If software and computing devices are not “your thing,” then it can be a confusing and harrowing prospect trying to make sense of it. The biggest fallacy about buying software though, is that you have to know all about it in the first place.

Like with most things, the right attitude and approach to selecting software for your family is key. The other thing I would recommend is to not get caught up in the app vs. game definition. Games and apps are both just pieces of software and they don’t always do what they say they do. Some games educate incredibly well while some so-called “educational” apps are a waste of time. It’s good to know as much as you can about the product regardless of the label on it.

Here are five things you can do to stack the odds in your favour: Research. You should know what Google does, so use it. A quick search on “Apps for kids” will bring you thousands of results, but instead of being daunted by the volume, pick the ones you like the look of and start reading. Look for comments and reviews by other parents.

Check with the peers you trust. You likely have family members, friends or colleagues in the same boat as you and they may be armed with experience or knowledge. Checking with someone you know and trust trumps guesswork every day of the week.

1

2

3 Watch out for micro transactions. The

trend with “free” games and apps these days is to offer the game for free and then you pay to get extras inside the game. Passwords are your friend; always protect your devices with a password and especially the payment options.

Look for a rating. Apple, Android, App Store and Windows all have rating guides on their various sites and apps. If you can’t find one then don’t trust it and move on to something else. There are thousands to choose from.

It’s your decision, no one else’s.

Ultimately you know your children better than anyone and have the right and the responsibility to make content choices for them until they are capable themselves.

Here are some of the apps that I recommend and will be around for a while: Duolingo: An app that teaches you to speak, read and write in several languages in a natural and fun way. Using the basic premise of “gamifying” the process (getting points, using lives, high scoring) a five minute exercise in this app every day will have you (or your school aged children) learning the core concepts and vocabulary of their chosen language without it feeling like a chore.

Flow Free: this game is deceptively good at teaching lateral thinking and good planning.

Essentially a game of connect the dots, the quick thinking child and/or adult will spend hours solving the puzzles and honing their hand/eye co-ordination.

Dora’s Colouring Book: A free app that has dozens of line drawings that need colour

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added via virtual crayons. There are hundreds of variations in the app stores for free and for a price tag. Have a look for the one(s) that suit your kids.

Puzzle Planets: Another game, but one that educates as much as it is fun to play.

Developed by a New Zealand company for the National Geographic Society, this game is all about planetary development.

By Wayne Webb Wayne Webb is a community services manager for SmallWorlds – an online gaming site that caters to a 13-plus age range – an avid technology fiend and the father of two children who also love “screen things.”

For more from the gaming guru, check out www.familytimes.co.nz – including Xbox vs Playstation www.familytimes. co.nz/exercise-kids/

Wayne Webb

Free goat milk trial with Fresco Nutrition Auckland-based Fresco Nutrition is giving local families the chance to try a goat milk drink without the risk of losing their money if the taste is not to their toddler’s liking.

The risk-free trial offer is running now at New World and Pak’n’Save supermarkets, and the company pledges to refund the purchase cost on return of unused product.

Managing director Gregg Wycherley says goat milk has many advantages over cow milk, especially for those with allergies or milk sensitivity, but there is always a risk fussy feeders may not want to change to a new product. He says breast feeding should always be first choice, but when that’s not possible a goat milk product may be the next

best option, although the cost is a bit higher.

The goat milk used in Fresco Nutrition’s product is pasteurised and homogenised, which means the taste is very mild and creamy so toddlers can convert from cow milk without a problem. Mothers are often surprised at how good the taste and smell is; Fresco’s milk comes from specially bred dairy goats, says Wycherley.

“We get such great feedback from parents about the taste of our product, and we’re told that even fussy feeders take to it.”

For more detailed information on nutritional benefits, ingredients and feeding advice, see Fresco Nutrition’s website www.fresconutrition.co.nz.

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If your child does not like the taste, or you are unhappy with this product for ANY reason, return it to us for a FULL REFUND* • It’s more digestible than cow milk • More micronutrient uptake than cow milk • Improved intestinal health • Less allergenic burden than cow milk Available now from selected PAK’n’SAVE and New World Supermarkets.

Freephone 0508 437 372 www.fresconutrition.co.nz DISCOVER LINDEN LEAVES NATURAL SKINCARE IN STORE AND ONLINE TODAY www.lindenleaves.com

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* Proof of purchase required. Can bearing refund offer sticker and unused product to be returned to Fresco Nutrition Ltd at customer’s cost.

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TOP S READ

Crissi Blair lives with her family in west Auckland and spends her time reading and writing, mostly about children’s books. Crissi organised the Storylines Festival of New Zealand Children’s Writers and Illustrators for three years and publishes the useful guide New Zealand Children’s Books in Print which is updated every year. Visit www.silvertone.co.nz for more information.

Picture Books Jim’s Letters

Glyn Harper Illustrations by Jenny Cooper Puffin, hardback $25 This story is based on letters written by and to Anzac soldiers during the First World War. It is told in the form of correspondence between two brothers Tom, home on the farm, and Jim, in Egypt then Gallipoli, from December 1914 until Jim’s death in August 1915. With letters in envelopes and depictions of life at home and at war, this is a beautifully-made book. Ages 7 to 14-years.

Mr Miniscule and the Whale

Julian Tuwim English translator Antonia Lloyd-Jones Illustrator Bohdan Butenko Book Island, hardback $25, paperback $18 Published in Polish in 1956, this timeless tale, told in rhyme, is about Mr Miniscule, so tiny that his boat is a walnut shell and oars are cut from a matchstick. He is bold and adventurous, setting off to find a whale but all he can see is a big blue island… or is it? Line drawings with touches of yellow and blue capture the big adventure perfectly. Ages 3 to 8-years

Mrs. Mo’s Monster

Paul Beavis Gecko Press, Hardback $34.99, Paperback $19.99 There’s a knock at Mrs Mo’s front door and in runs a monster “looking for something to CRUNCH, MUNCH, AND CHEW. (That’s what monster do.)”

The scratchy line drawings with brilliant colours and scrawling text capture the monster perfectly as Mrs Mo patiently encourages him to discover better behaviour and new things he can do. Kids will love the wild monster and perhaps want to learn to do what he does too.

Ages 3 plus.

Junior Fiction Tinklers Three: A Very Good Idea

M.C. Badger Illustrations Leigh Brown Hardie Grant Egmont, paperback $14.99 The three Tinkler children live in an apartment on the 33rd floor without their parents who are away being circus performers. Marcus, Mila and Turtle seem to do just fine on their own, with a very Pippi Longstocking outlook on how things should be done.

In this book they decide to go all the way from their apartment to the town clock tower without touching the ground. First in a great series. Ages 6 to 8-years.

A.K.A. Peabrain

Janet Pates Illustrated by Gary Wood JP Books, paperback, $18.99 Peter needs money for a school trip but Dad is unemployed and money is tight, so Peter and his mate Shorty decide they’ll get holiday jobs to pay for it. It’s not that easy though, especially when Peter does things, like losing a mouse in his auntie’s handbag, which cost him money instead of earning it. But a lucky find might be just the thing. A humorous family story for ages 7 to 11-years.

Fortunately, the Milk…

Neil Gaiman Illustrated by Chris Riddell Bloomsbury, Hardback $22.99 Mum’s away and Dad is looking after the kids, but he’s forgotten to buy milk for breakfast.

He heads out to the shop, and is gone for a very long time.

When he finally returns he tells a highly unlikely story about all the amazing things that happened to him – revolving around Professor Steg the time-travelling dinosaur, pirates, jewels and much more.

Zany illustrations add pizzazz to this very imaginative story. Ages 6 to 11-years.

Intermediate Fiction Counting By 7s

Knowledge books

Holly Goldberg Sloan Penguin, hardback, $33.50 Willow Chance is a home-schooled genius with an obsession for nature, medical conditions, and counting by 7s.

When she goes to public school, keen to join school life, she just doesn’t fit in, ending up with the school counsellor, suspected of cheating. Here she finally connects with a couple of other outliers; Vietnamese siblings. When Willow’s adoptive parents are killed she is thrown into an unpredictable world, transforming everyone involved into an eclectic family group. A quirky and delightful read.

Everything You Need to Know About Animals

Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made

In the Garden: Explore & Discover the New Zealand Backyard

Stephan Fastis Walker Books, hardback, $19.99 Timmy Failure (11) declares himself the CEO of his own detective agency, with his sidekick, polar bear Total (company named Total Failure).

His nemesis is the too perfect Corrina Corrina who poaches (and solves) his cases. He narrates his own story, complete with drawings and handwritten notes. His justification of every move and decision he makes is hilarious and you can’t help willing him to finally succeed.

Dappled Annie and the Tigrish

Mary McCallum Illustrations by Annie Hayward Gecko Press, paperback, $19.99 Annie (9) plays in the hot summer weather while her father is out working on the lighthouse. She recognises faces in the hedge and spots a nest of tiny fantails. When an earthquake strikes and terrible winds blow the fantails away, with Mr and Mrs Hedge in hot pursuit, Annie simply must go to the rescue, aided by little brother Robbie and the wonderfully mysterious tigrish.

A fanciful and charming tale. Ages 8-plus. what’s happening. Ages 9 to 13-years.

Nicola Davies Kingfisher, paperback, $19 A great non-fiction book for young children interested in the natural world, encompassing a wide range of animals from the tiniest sea creature to the biggest elephant. It’s arranged in five sections, all with glorious colour illustrations and easy-to-follow text, fact boxes, features and internet links. Specialist vocabulary is featured and kids will enjoy the creativity challenges not often included in information books.

Ages 5-plus.

Gillian Candler Illustrator Ned Barraud Craig Potton Publishing, paperback $19.99 Find out about the flora and fauna that’s in a New Zealand garden. We see different areas of garden and what is found there in the day and night time.

There are close-up views and lots of interesting and intriguing facts. There are sections about bees, wasps and flies; butterflies and moths; snails and spiders; lizards, mammals and birds. Aimed at children from preschoolers up and illustrated in painterly style.

Does My Goldfish Know Who I Am?

Gemma Elwin Harris Illustrator Andy Smith Faber and Faber, hardback $29.99 Why do cats always land on their feet?

Is silence a sound?

Do cows and sheep have accents?

Three-hundredplus questions from primary school children with answers from experts in their field such as Bear Grylls, David Attenborough, Paul McCartney and Tony Robinson. There are quizzes and favourite facts’ sections, brief biographies of the experts and an index. An entertaining and informative read. Also in paperback titled Why Can’t I Tickle Myself?

Deeelicious Ice cream cakes available in-store or online at www.wendysicecreamcakes.co.nz Now available in 4 sizes and choice of your favourite Wendys Supa Sundaes ice cream, flavour.

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ISSN 1178

2011

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Helping a kids bounce back

Maximise your child’s learning potential

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No mess cost effective solution to feeding fresh homemade food on the go

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Breakfast is sustaining and important “We are what we eat,” and children who consume a balanced and sustaining breakfast that maintains normal blood sugar levels are likely to have a more successful day.

Consumption of carbohydrate provides glucose for the body to convert into energy.

Carbohydrates can be measured by how quickly the energy is absorbed into the body: white sugar (glucose) is quickly absorbed providing a fast glycemic response. Oats (complex carbohydrate) are slowly absorbed providing a medium to low glycemic response.

Over consumption of carbohydrates causes high blood sugar levels with the excess energy stored as fat and a long term pattern that may lead to type 2 diabetes.

We all need carbohydrates and we need to stay aware of fast and slow glycemic response to maintain even blood sugar levels through the day.

• Eat more whole grains, porridge oats, low sugar muesli, eggs with wholemeal toast.

• Drink water to help obtain the benefits of a diet higher in fibre (wholegrains).

• Stay active – 20 minutes of exercise.

• Maintain regular meals including sustaining carbohydrates such as oats, barley, brown rice, pasta and wholemeal bread.

Here is a recipe for a smoothie this is easy to make. The oats provide a source of slow release energy - a perfect breakfast for children and teens.

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Mother’s Day

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Design your own LoveLoop pendant or choose from one of our ‘Most Loved Looks’. Online sales only – Order by 27th April for Mother’s Day delivery.

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Daddy says I’m still beautiful.

Make sure you have working smoke alarms.

Before it’s too late.

Smoke alarms save lives. fire.org.nz The New Zealand Fire Service recommends long-life photoelectric smoke alarms.

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