Family Times - Auckland - Summer 2013

ISSN 2324 4496 ISSN 2324 4488

AUCKLAND / ISSUE 37 / Summer 2013

They have an appetite for adventure

in cinemas 5 december

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Blended families and Christmas Keeping the peace and building bridges

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Stay-at-home dads Growing trend or media hype?

A news magazine and online resource for families

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Raising bilingual kids Benefits of learning languages as a child

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inside this issue

From the editor Contents T here’s a lot of trending about stay-athome dads these days. From reading media reports, you’d almost imagine that every second home has one.

That’s not quite the case, although Statistics New Zealand doesn’t have information available about exactly how many dads are fulltime caregivers in their families.

What we can gather though, from statistics overseas, is that there are more households in Western countries who have the father as a fulltime caregiver than there were 20 or 30 years ago. So we at Family Times thought we’d better investigate and find out about stay-at-home dads in New Zealand.

Regardless of the reasons why men become full-time care-givers to their children, which you can read more about in our main feature on page 8, the overwhelming comment from stay-at-home dads that Family Times talked with was something that women have been saying for generations – being a stay-at-home parent is by far the hardest job you can take on.

The biggest challenge, said the dads, was the isolation and lack of adult interaction – again, something that stay-at-home mums know all about. But for dads that’s often compounded by lack of support groups or parenting networks for dads. And they feel a bit weird about joining women’s groups.

Experts that Family Times spoke with also said that there are a lot more expectations on all dads these days, not just those who are full-time care-givers of their children. More and more dads are becoming involved in day-to-day engagement with their children; simple things like making school lunches, transporting their kids to and from school, and being a more active participator in their

Features

5 Blended families and Christmas

How to make the most of the season’s festivities

5 10

children’s hobbies and sports. At one school I know of, there is a “dad’s club” that hangs around for the 3pm bell to collect their children, indicating that either their jobs are super flexible or parents today are sharing both work and home responsibilities to a greater degree.

Whatever the situation, with the holiday season just around the corner it’s a great time of year for parents to consider how they share the parenting load and ensure that they are both making the most of the precious growing up years with their kids.

And while you are thinking about all the fun of the silly season ahead, check out all the fantastic events that are coming up in your area in this edition of Family Times, and be in to win our exciting competitions.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all of the Family Times team.

S L L I H E E R T TI

S K E R T E S HOR WAIWERA

9 Preserving native languages

Tips to help your bilingual kids

Christmas gift guide for tech-crazy kids

Just get over it – I like my friends!

Sustainable physical activity

Reaching milestones

Get involved - how kids are helping clean our shores

10 Game on

11 Preteens

16 Fit families

17 Baby and toddler 18 Kiwi coastlines 6 Stay-at-home dads

A growing trend?

Question and answers with Diane Levy

19 Catching the reading bug

8 Words of wisdom

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Tips to help children enjoy reading

Family-friendly recommended destinations

20 Camping

21 Top Reads

Recommended holiday reading

Comment 12 Kids’ view

We ask kids about their dad’s role around the house

Special features 4 Spirit of Christmas

Resource information 14 Calendar of events 15 Entertainment 22 Marketplace

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

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

Contributing Writers Lee Keenan, Diane Levy, Wayne Webb, Eva-Maria, Jackie Cowan, Nick Draper, Cathy Robson, Fiona Oliphant, Crissi Blair 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. 65,310 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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Spirit of Christmas Terrace, Auckland, from 8.30pm.

Christmas is in the air, and 1-24 December there are so many great & You Shall Receive – Visitors to MOTAT events happening in Auckland Give can purchase a children’s gift for charity from the to really get you in the spirit. MOTAT shop in exchange for free admission.

Now – 24 December Kmart Wishing Tree Give the gift of generosity this Christmas.

Place a present under a Kmart Wishing Tree.

Gifts do not have to be purchased at Kmart.

Details at www.wishingtree.kmart.co.nz.

30 November-24 DecemberDreaming of a White Christmas? Dreams come true at Snowplanet. Visit Santa in his snow grotto, 10am - 2pm. Visit www.snowplanet.co.nz/christmas2013.

30 November – 24 December

Visit motat.org.nz for conditions and details.

1-24 December

Franklin Road Lights – The street lights up when the residents decorate their homes with garlands of lights. The week before Christmas, Santa and his elves will be there giving out free lollies.

4 December

The Great KidsCan Santa Run - the Santa Run concept is simple – a 2-3km fun run/walk in a Santa suit! Funds raised go to Kiwi kids affected by poverty. Enter or just watch. Visit www.lacticturkey.co.nz.

Waiuku Christmas Display - The moment you enter Santa’s Wonderland, you’ll be enthralled as you wind your way past a snow cave, through a mystical fibre optic entrance and into a snowing Christmas. Visit www. christmasdisplay.co.nz.

6 December

1,8,15 December

7 December

Make and Take – Get creative making Christmas craft, bunting, wreaths and decorations for your tree. Free drop-in sessions down on Auckland’s waterfront. Full times and details at www.wynyard-quarter.co.nz.

1-30 December

Christmas Lights House - This decorated house and lawn comes alive! Santa is onsite from 10 - 24 December (weather permitting), and donations go to support the Pukekohe Volunteer Fire Brigade. At 25 Prospect

Onehunga Christmas Lights – Check out the entertainment and stalls with the evening ending with the lighting of a beautiful Christmas tree. Event is held in Jellicoe Park, 7pm-9pm.

Mt Eden Tree Decorating Fiesta - Santa’s naughty helpers are calling for young assistants to decorate dozens of baby Christmas trees! Every tree completed gets a prize and can be carried home by the young helper! Visit www.mounteden.co.nz.

7 December

Panmure Christmas Parade – This year’s community Christmas parade and festival is shaping up to be the best ever with more than 40 floats and performers! Visit www. panmure.net.nz.

Watch or join in the fun at the Kidscan Santa Run.

7 December

Park, Papakura, 5.30pm-9pm.

Christmas family day out and market – This event starts with a market full of creative Christmas presents, and is followed by the popular parade and carnival! Phoenix Plaza, Inverness Road, 11am-6pm.

7 December

Blockhouse Bay Santa Parade – Dust off your tinsel and enjoy the parade, then get to the Family Fun Day put on by Blockhouse Bay Primary School. Visit www. blockhousebay.org.nz.

7 December

Christmas@Sunkist - A new special event celebrating Christmas in Beachlands. There will be dog shows and pony rides, and a fabulous new Santa parade arriving at the local art and craft market.

Visit www.logcabin.org.nz.

7 December

Helensville Christmas Parade – Join in all the fun and excitement as the parade winds its way through town. For full details visit www.helensville.co.nz.

7 December (rain date 8 December)

Glen Eden Christmas Carnival – Celebrate a good old kiwi Christmas! Enjoy the parade and then head to Santa’s grotto. Amusement rides, live stage show and so much more at Parrs Park, 11am-4pm.

8 December

Ponsonby Carols by Candlelight – Enjoy carol singing, live entertainment, face painting and Santa’s grotto. At Western Park, 5pm-8pm.

8 December

Carols by Spiderlight – This promises to be a great event with food, entertainment and a visit from Santa himself! Don’t forget the tree lighting at sunset. Avondale Town Centre, 6pm-8pm.

13 December

Carols in the Park – Take the kids along to sing some great Christmas favourites. Central

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13 – 15 and 20 - 24 December

MOTAT Nights, Christmas Lights - Sparkling lights, live entertainment, night time tram rides, mulled wine and Christmas treats for purchase! Entry, $2 per person, 8pm11pm. Visit www.motat.org.nz.

14 December

Coca Cola Christmas in the Park – One of the biggest, happiest, most magical musical extravaganzas on the Kiwi Christmas calendar! Auckland Domain. Full details at www.christmasinthepark.co.nz.

14 December

Waiuku’s Magical Christmas Parade Join a fun-filled day. Great festivities with street markets, live music and loads of family entertainment. This year’s theme is “All I Want for Christmas.”

Visit www.waiukutown.co.nz.

14-24 December

Sky Tower - Visit Santa Claus and the “best Christmas trees ever” up the Sky Tower 10am -3pm. Sky Tower admission rates apply. www.skycity.co.nz.

15 December

Kaukapakapa Village Market - Live music from the Cougar Chorus performing a special selection of Christmas carols. Then head along and see Santa in his grotto. From 8.30am-1pm, Kaukapakapa Hall.

20-24 December

Make and Take – Down near the Playspace at Wynyard Quarter you can make your own Christmas cards for friends and family for free! For full information and directions visit www.wynyard-quarter.co.nz.

22 December

Carols by Candlelight – Really get into the spirit a few days before Christmas. Dudding Reserve, Birkenhead, Little Shoal Bay, 5pm11pm.

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Blended families and Christmas

Blended families are a challenge at the best of times, but Christmas and the summer holidays can accentuate small issues and blow them up into big ones.

– it’s pretty cool. You’ve two bikes, because you’ve bikes at both houses. You’ve got two beds, so you’ve got more than some kids. And yeah, it is a hassle having to move between your mum’s and your dad’s, but you get two Christmases, which is good.”

Gift giving

It’s common for ex partners to try to “out give” their ex, or to have different standards Making an agreement about what kind of gifts are appropriate.

Child psychologist Rose Blackett recommends Wilson says that she is likely to spend more that ex-partners sit down and come to an on the children than her husband’s ex wife, agreement about Christmas arrangements, but buy more practical, boring gifts. Her but says that it’s a best case scenario, and husband’s ex tended to spend less but on many parents simply can’t do that without the more fun and frivolous things. Also, the kids help of mediation or the court system. often told both parents what they wanted and Sue Wilson* from Christchurch says that her it ended up with double-ups. husband’s ex-wife has had her husband’s two “We have challenges about buying gifts and boys, aged 10 and 12, for Christmas night we’ve got to the stage where I’ve said to my every year since the separation seven years husband, “you must check what she is buying ago, and it breaks her heart. because we don’t want double ups”,” said “It’s based on precedent – the days that we Wilson. Blackett said it was also common have the boys every week - and it never for one partner to feel anxious about how changes. "She tends to get her own way much they could spend on their children, because she is the mother. But we always particularly if they were not in the same tried to keep difficult parenting conversations financial position as their ex partner. away from the kids, no matter how young “If you can’t influence how much your partner they were.” is spending on the children, you just have to Wilson's husband and ex-wife had a let that go, otherwise you just spend years reasonably amicable split, says Wilson, and and it’s very bitter and people carry around a made their own childcare agreement rather lot of anger. Only look at things that you can than go through mediation and the court have an influence on.” system. They have the boys one night a week, Getting the kids involved every second weekend, and for extra time It’s important for blended families not to during the Christmas holidays. “What we’ve focus not on gift-giving or big Christmas said to the boys is “you get two Christmas’s

dinners, but to relax and get used to each other’s company and their new situation; particularly for kids spending their first Christmas together in new blended family situation, says Blackett.

“For children, if it’s a new relationship, or you have just moved in together, things like team building are quite fun; things like a treasure hunt so you get into teams and you have to work together to find the treasure. It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. It beats the boredom and helps build bridges in the relationships.

“A child that is not getting on with a new partner, who is like, “you took away my mum’s place or my dad’s place,” they have to work together to find the treasure.

The focus becomes the treasure, and it takes the emotion out of it.”

Christmas time – let them choose a favourite food. Having Tim Tams on the table for breakfast one day a year is not going to kill you.

“If children have ownership of it, they enjoy it. Otherwise, kids can feel quite powerless in the situation. Letting them be a part of the Empower your children planning is going to be huge.”

It’s also vital for kids to be a part of the Wilson agrees. She and her husband give decision making about Christmas and summer the two boys plenty of notice about what is holiday events says Blackett, especially if it is planned, and for when, so that they feel secure the first holiday season as a blended family. and in control and know what to expect over “They need to be involved with what happens Christmas and the summer holidays. on a day-to-day basis; like a breakfast table at * Real name withheld to protect children's privacy

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feature story

Stay-at-home dads Are more guys giving up the daily grind to stay at home and nurture their little ones?

Vanessa O’Brien investigates.

B

rian Sorell was a computer programmer in California, in a former life.

Nowadays, you are more likely to see him pushing a pram through the Auckland suburb of Devonport with his three-year-old son Charlie.

It’s a choice that he and his wife Tanya made for practical reasons, Sorell said.

“We did talk a lot about it and we decided that financially it was better off that she work.

I was pretty burned out in the computer programming world and I didn’t really want to do that anymore, and I wanted to make this transition to New Zealand, so we felt it was the ideal time - while everything was up in the air.”

Sorell took over the full-time care of Charlie when Charlie was four-months-old. He finished his philosophy degree and taught part time at university for a while, but he’s been strictly a full-time dad since immigrating to New Zealand 18 months ago - with a little parenting blogging and marketing writing on the side.

New routines The hardest thing was adjusting to a new routine – one that revolved solely around Charlie, said Sorell.

“It was strange to not get up and go to work every day when you’ve been in a routine for a long time and suddenly it’s completely changed. That was a bit awkward and

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disorientating, but I got used to that very quickly. As a parent you find routines. I love it now.”

That’s something that stay-at-home dad Andrew Snell, former manager of Burger King in Hamilton, can relate to.

“The most difficult thing I think would be adjusting to different routines, because I had been doing shift work. So some mornings I would be up at five o’clock to start at seven, and other times I would be working until two in the mornings on the weekends. Then everything changed.”

Snell’s wife, Marie, was diagnosed with single level degenerative disc disease in the spine when she was pregnant with the couple’s second child, Amber, eight years ago. Since then, Snell has been the full-time care giver of their three children; Bethany, 10, Amber, 7, and Thane, 4.

Snell says that he still misses work at times.

“Working for Burger King is quite interesting and you get to meet a lot of people. That’s something that I’m looking forward to getting into it again in a few months once Thane’s off to school.”

Sorell agreed that isolation was the toughest battle he faced.

“It can be very, very isolating and super lonely. And I really felt that when we emigrated I didn’t know anybody and my whole network was gone.

“It was hard; I’ll freely admit the first few months were very hard. Day to day, it was just tough because there wasn’t anyone to chat with. I think absolutely it gave me a tremendous appreciation for stay-at-home mums. It’s much harder to stay home than to work. It’s really hard.”

Brian and Tanya Sorell with their son Charlie.

Stay-at-home dads – trend or hype?

Being a stay-at-home dad is still nontraditional, said Sorell. He and his wife Tanya didn’t know any other stay-at-home dads when they decided to structure their child care that way, and because it was nonconventional it was hard to meet other stayat-home parents.

“You go to the local playground and all of the mums are sitting around chit chatting, and you try to get involved but it’s always kind of awkward and it’s hard to even put your finger on why.”

To his surprise though, once he became more integrated in the community – something he says he had to make a concerted effort at – he discovered that there were quite a few other stay-at-home dads in the Devonport area.

feature story

“We see each other at the parks all the time and we’ve all kind of struck up a good relationship I think.”

Statistics New Zealand does not have readily available data on whether more fathers are taking the role as primary care giver of their children or not. However, data from the United States’ 2011 census suggests that the number of stay-at-home dads there has more than doubled over the last decade and a half from about 76,000 in 1994 to 189,000 in 2011.

Yet among all U.S. married couples with children under 15, only 0.8 percent include a

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stay-at-home dad— up from about 0.3% in 1994—compared to 23% that include a stay-athome mum. Analysts conclude that for the most part, this is a result of single-parent families, and shared-care arrangements of children.

Senior lecturer in sociology at University of Auckland Vivienne Elizabeth says that in heterosexual families, the definition of fathering is broadening to include emotional ties with children in addition to breadwinning, and stay-at-home fathering is becoming more socially acceptable. However, it is not a typical practice, and she says that in most cases it’s because fathers wish to reconsider their careers, retrain for a different careers, or have lost their jobs, and most view it as temporary.

“The role of fathers is changing and they are expected and expecting to becoming more involved in their children’s everyday lives, and undertaking more of the care work. But the extent of that change shouldn’t be exaggerated. Very few men withdraw from the labour market either partially or in totality following the birth of a child, even though this remains a common practice amongst mothers.”

Mothers, she said, continue to spend twice as much time looking after their children than fathers. Most of the time fathers are involved in caring work when mothers are also present, a pattern that suggests that fathers remain secondary carers in many heterosexual households.

Dads building closer relationships with their kids Sorell says he believes that dads should be more closely involved in the day-to-day care of their children – not necessarily fulltime, but certainly more engaged.

Tips for stay-at-home dads Whatever your reasons for deciding to be a stay-at-home dad, there are some things you can do to ease into it and make your new a role a success from the beginning.

1 Discuss your duties together with your partner

Before you officially become “stay-athome dad,” you and your partner should sit down to discuss exactly what that title entails. Obviously, you will be taking care of the kids. But does it include cooking dinner every night, doing the laundry and running all the errands? Create a list beforehand so they’ll be no arguments later on.

2 Figure out what works for you

Working out a new routine will be a challenge. Establish a daily routine that works for you and the kids - and don’t worry if mum lets you know that isn’t the way she would do it. Include her in the process, but don’t be afraid to do things at home your way.

3 Build a support system

Isolation is the number one complaint for many stay-at-home mums, and it’s no “The good point about being a stay-at-home dad is absolutely my relationship with my little boy.

“The mum always has this super-tight relationship I think traditionally, and biologically, and I think it’s a lot of work for the dad to establish that same thing. But it’s given me the opportunity to do so and it’s

different for stay-at-home dads. There’s only so much kids’ television a person can stand. So seek out other stay-at-homedads through support networks, or create your own group.

4 Make time for yourself

It’s easy to think your whole world needs to revolve around the kids, but that can lead to some serious burnout. Make time for “guy stuff” and make sure your prioritise it. Work out at the gym, play golf, go fishing – do childcare swaps if you need to, and return the favour later.

5 Don’t be Superman

Stay-at-home-dads need help sometimes, just like stay-at-home-mums. Don’t be afraid to ask for it, otherwise the stress of doing it all on your own will get to you.

Your sanity should be a top priority!

6 Take advantage of your status Being a dad with a baby in a stroller is a ticket to VIP status. Accept offers to cut into lines, get faster to the cashier at a grocery store, and if you are flying alone with the baby, you will be treated like royalty. Take advantage of it.

really, really awesome.”

“Sometimes it is really rewarding,” added Snell.

“The good thing is definitely being able to go on field trips with the kindergarten, or going to awards ceremonies for end-of-year, and school things that otherwise I wouldn’t be able to. But I am looking forward to working again.”

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Words of wisdom with Diane Levy Single mother, angry daughter I am a single mother and have been noticing for years that my daughter has inherited her father’s anger and temper issues. Any tips on handling a stroppy preteen?

First tip Think of her chronological age, which doesn’t vary, and her emotional age, which is variable depending on her stress level and tiredness.

Although this is true of all our children, when they are preteen it becomes accentuated.

So, even though you might have a 12-yearold body in front of you, her emotional age may be four or even younger. A simple task is suddenly insurmountable and she descends into a toddler rage. Make sure that you don’t descend with her.

Second tip When it comes to anger and temper, a “wobbly” of despair and a “wobbly” of control look identical if we were to video them. We can only tell which one they are if

we take notice of the context. The wobbly of control indicates “I am going to scream till you do it my way.” The wobbly of despair indicates “My life is over and I have no idea how I can cope.” (This may be over a mislaid hair-tie, but it is still a wobbly of despair).

A wobbly of despair needs you to support her feelings and understand how awful it is for her. A wobbly of control needs you to disengage, get out of the way, avoid reasoning with her or arguing with her and to keep your distance until she is prepared to treat you well. I call it “The GST approach.” You do not need to offer goods and services to someone who is being abusive to you.

Pocket money problems My 10 year old son often talks about and complains that his friends get more pocket money than him and get to stay up later etc. How can I handle this?

I suggest that you both do your research and then compare notes. He should ask his friends what amount of pocket money they get and then present you with a written list.

In the meantime, you check in with parents of similar-age children and make your own list.

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Saturday 14 December Auckland Domain 7.30pm

While you both are doing your research, don’t forget to ask what the child has to do to get the pocket money and what they are allowed/expected to do with it. Some parents tie pocket money to chores and some parents give children pocket money as of right because they are family members and expect chores also just because they are family members.

As well as researching what happens in other families, consider your own situation. As far as bedtimes are concerned, the most important consideration is whether or not your son can wake up easily at an appropriate time to get ready for school without a rush. In other words, is he getting the right amount of sleep to enable him to function well during the day?

The amount of pocket money he gets and what he may do with it also depends on your family finances, your family values, his readiness to cope with the responsibility of handling money and his willingness to learn.

Submit your parenting questions and concerns

to family therapist, counsellor, parenting coach, speaker and writer Diane Levy. This is a regular column, so get those questions flowing! Email us at admin@familytimes.co.nz.

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Monday 21 July to Friday 26 September

SCHOOL TERM DATES

Monday 13 October to Tuesday 16 December

Public holidays 2014 1 January 2 January 6 February 18 April 21 April 25 April 2 June 27 October 25 December 26 December

New Year’s Day Day after New Year’s Day Waitangi Day Good Friday Easter Monday Anzac Day Queen’s Birthday Labour Day Christmas Day Boxing Day

New range of quality leather school shoes.

• Velcro straps • Toe protectors

w w w. 2 f e e t t a l l . c o m 8

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Preserving native languages As the population of New Zealand grows, so too does the abundance of cultures.

Immersing children in their native tongue is one way the diversity of these cultures can be preserved.

Being bi-cultural in New Zealand

Christchurch mother Melissa Heyrick was born and raised in New Zealand, and moved back home from Australia in July of last year.

She is learning to speak Mandarin, as her son Jacob Yang (age seven) is half Chinese/ half Kiwi, and bilingual in both English and Mandarin. His father Jeremy Yang was born in China and then raised in Australia from the age of five-years-old, and speaks English as his main language.

Jacob was immersed in Mandarin naturally since birth – with Chinese classical music and children’s music playing in the background, and tape recordings of his grandmother reading children’s stories in Mandarin.

“I always try to ensure he is learning Mandarin in a fun, engaging and creative way,” says Heyrick. Jacob goes to China every two years for a minimum of one month to give him the opportunity to be fully immersed in his culture, to learn more about his heritage and to speak Mandarin naturally. Heyrick says that preserving a language is more than just speaking and understanding the language.

“You need to learn the culture and you need to feel comfortable in the culture.”

Wellington mother Kaye-Maree Dunn says that her whanau actively try to maintain a bilingual household as they feel it is important for her eight-year-old son Te Rangiahuta to get a good foundation in his learning of and identification with Te Reo Maori.

Te Rangiahuta attended Kohanga Reo, then kindergarten, and now attends a mainstream school. Dunn says he still understands some reo but “we still need to work hard as a collective to korero Maori, not just in the home.”

Her key tips are to make Te Reo fun and engaging by learning new words together, pointing out things in Te Reo, practicing a small karakia (prayer) at eating times, watching Maori TV, engaging in Kapa Haka and continuing to go to the marae, and for kids in the family to carry around a notebook and write down any Maori words they hear and use them in a sentence. She considers Te Reo “a living language,” that needs to be spoken and heard daily.

Language learning starts at home

Dame Iritana Te Rangi Tawhiwhirangi, an advocate of Maori language education and the Kohanga Reo movement, says the Maori language is the life blood of Maori culture and therefore the native/fluent speakers are critically important in the transmission of it (and tikanga) to the mokopuna (young people) and their whanau (family) in order to ensure its preservation.

She says that Te Reo must begin in the home if it is to be valued and appreciated by mokopuna from the very early stages of their lives.

“This early embedding of it will fortify them for their educational journey and their place in both their cultural space and ultimately

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun! Girls Brigade groups right across New Zealand provide friendship and fun that builds healthy girls with strong life skills Contact Us today to find out where your nearest group is. Join for fun, friends and leadership.

Phone (09) 442 5055 Email info@girlsbrigade.org.nz

www.girlsbrigade.org.nz

Playball stands apart from other sports and movement programmes.

• Age-specific classes for 3-9 year-olds • Eight different sports • Unique sports-based games developed

by Playball

• Birthday parties • School holiday programmes for 4-10 year-olds

the wider world.”

Create opportunities to learn, and prepare your kids for the future

When Heyrick’s family moved to Christchurch, they missed the bigger Chinese community and the culture that went with it. That’s why Heyrick started up Mandarin Stars, a Mandarin language programme for children. She wanted to help Jacob preserve his native language and immerse him in a fun, high quality environment where he could naturally move between his two cultures and languages, and feel proud of his identity.

Jacob’s parents also feel they are preparing him for a predicted “Asian Century.” Earlier

this year Prime Minister John Key urged more children to learn to speak Mandarin, reflecting the future importance of New Zealand’s business relationship with China.

Heyrick says they consider it a blessing that Jacob can speak two languages, and feel it helps him grow as a person who has respect, understanding and an awareness of how different people live within different cultures in the world. “We openly discuss both his New Zealand and his Chinese culture. In doing so, I hope we can help instil in him a curiosity for his two cultures, and an acceptance of cultural and linguistic differences amongst his peers and the communities in New Zealand.”

By Rachel Taniwha

A new Hellers CoCktAil sAusAge rAnge for tHe wHole fAmily.

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

www.playball.co.nz www.familytimes.co.nz

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Christmas gift guide for tech-crazy kids It’s that time of year when you need to start thinking - if you have not already - about what technology or gaming gifts are on the market for this year’s Christmas season.

As always, gaming is an expensive and difficult market for the uninitiated, so here’s a preview of the big and new things that will be out this year for your potential gift dollars.

Consoles

There are a few consoles to choose from this year, but you may not be able to choose the one you want in time for Christmas.

PS4

The PS4 is undoubtedly the console that most people want to have (currently). It has the best hardware and is winning the PR war against rival consoles. Available about a week after the Xbox One, it is accompanied by mostly the same titles as the Microsoft console but has a few exclusives only available on this machine. However, it is also the one that will be the hardest to find as a number of suppliers have already sold out their allotment and the next shipment will be out in early 2014. Cost $650 (approximately).

Xbox One

The Xbox One is the closest contender to the PS4, and arguably only a hair’s breadth behind the Sony product. This is available from November onwards, is accompanied by mostly the same titles as the PS4, and has a few exclusives only available on this machine.

I have played on both machines, and find very little between them. Simply put, don’t believe the hype and make your own informed choice. Cost $750 (approximately).

Nintendo 2DS

This is a surprisingly good option for some players. The 3DS has been out for a while but not everyone got one due to the price and the limited range of titles. However, if you are a Pokemon fan for example, then this may be the option you are looking for. It’s a much

cheaper 2D version of the 3DS (minus the 3D elements) that will play all 3DS games, old and new, at a much better price. A good option for Nintendo fans on a budget. Cost $170 (approximately).

Existing consoles

The PS3, the Xbox 360 and the Wii U are all on the market already and the games will be around for these platforms for a long while yet. Expect to see huge discounts in the prices of the older generation boxes and their games in the run up to Christmas. There will be some bargains and bundles to choose from for the canny consumer.

Games

This year there will be a bumper crop of not only good new games but also the bigger, better and beautiful games on the enhanced consoles.

Out Now

Grand Theft Auto V: A stunning and immersive experience, but definitely for much older kids; late teens and up.

Beyond Two Souls: The latest in interactive storytelling and game/movie hybrid, also for late teens and up.

Disney Infinity: For all ages and all platforms.

Coming before Christmas:

Warfare games: Call of Duty Ghosts (all platforms), Battlefield 5 (all platforms).

Driving games: Gran Tourismo 6 (PS3) and Forza 5 (Xbox One).

Adventures: Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag (all platforms), Batman: Arkham Origins (Xbox 360, Ps3 and Wii U), Watchdogs (PS4 and Xbox One).

And these are just the highlights; there will be so many to choose from, and if you don’t know what you are looking for it’s best not to guess. If you are buying for someone else

then the best strategy is to avoid surprise and simply ask him or her specifically what he or she wants to avoid buying the wrong thing.

Win Para’Kito bracelets

WIN, WIN,

WIN!

Para’Kito provides 100% natural mosquito protection for 15 days using essential oils that are safe for use by pregnant women and babies. The pellets fit

If you are unsure if the content is appropriate for your child, check the rating on the bottom left of the game’s cover, which is the same as movie ratings. into neoprene bracelets that can be worn on the ankle or wrist. Para’Kito has six prizes to give away worth $100 each, including two bracelets with pellets as well as two double-pellet refill packs.

Enter online at: nz.parakito.com (via the Contact Us page. Fill out the contact form & where it says ‘Topic’ choose ‘Family Times competition’)

Christmas @ your finger tips www.funparties.co.nz

A Christmas present for Fido

Great stocking fillers!

Christmas made easy! w w w. e z e l e a sh.com SPCA refill dog poo bags available from

Give a taste of Central Otago delivered for Christmas Export quality cherries Handmade preserves Gift hampers www.saritaorchard.co.nz

Minecraft, LEGO and Star Wars chocolate & cake moulds, plus much more!

www.funparties.co.nz

For all your gift ideas

www.chartnoticeboards.co.nz

Get organised for 2014 Flowers, gifts, gift baskets, balloons, toys and chocolates

Children’s linen, gifts & room accessories

Patersonrose Christchurch now online at:

www.patersonrosechch.co.nz

www.lindenleaves.com

Delivered to your door 10

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Phone: 0800 533 333 www.nzflower.co.nz

“Just get over it – I LIKE my friends!”

Peer pressure has been the subject of many debates, research pieces and parents’ headaches since…forever.

a friendship and what they should be looking for in friends.

Be observant The biggest tell-tale sign of bad friends is a change of attitude in your preteen. While not to be confused with the rocky teen years, preteens are vulnerable to having their friends’ attitudes shape their personality. This is a big warning sign, so be observant and talk with them about any sudden changes.

T

he reality is that peer pressure only becomes an issue when preteens and teens themselves willingly choose to hang out with specific “friends”.

And by now, your preteen would have already found their own ways to make friends; whether it’s a compliment about what they’re wearing, common distain for a classmate (trust me, it doesn’t end at primary school) or a common interest, friendships during this age start very quickly. So here are a few ways that you as a parent can mitigate possible friendship disasters before they start:

If you don’t like their friends Don’t be too quick to judge, but offer some insights or observations about why you don’t think their friends are good for them. It may

Fujifilm summer WIN! holiday photo competition.

Revise who they hang out with now Be open to invite your preteen’s friends over to your place. What happens is, once a preteen is given that option, they will subconsciously reassess how comfortable they are with having these friends come home. If they are not comfortable with the idea, this should be a warning sign for you and may come as a warning sign for them. If they flat-out refuse, it’s worth having a chat about why, which can trigger them to re-think their friendships.

Online friends Always be careful with this – if they have a friend they met online that they are meeting, go along

WIN, WIN,

with them, even if you’re just dropping them off to make sure they are safe. Always suggest that they meet in a public place.

co.nz for readers to go online and vote for the photo they like the best. The photo with the most votes will win a Fujifilm photo print voucher, worth $200. So get snapping & be into win!

Plus each voter has an opportunity to win as they will go in to the draw to win 1 of 5 $20 print vouchers.

Start date: December 21st Closing date: February 8th

Teach The best thing you can do is talk with your preteen about what actually makes a good friendship. Take examples out of your own life, and explain what constitutes a good friendship for you. It will start to get them thinking about what exactly they may want in

WIN a Springfree , Trampoline for WIN, WIN your family and WIN! become our blog star!

Have you ever wanted to start a blog? It can be about anything!

We have 2 Springfree Trampolines to giveaway to:

Take photos of your ‘family on holiday’ (families sharing experiences, having fun....) on your phone and email the best of them to Family Times: admin@ familytimes.co.nz. The photos will be placed on our website www.familytimes.

be a misjudgement on your part so be aware of that. But if it’s not, they will remember what you said later down the track, and that will hopefully lay a foundation for them to listen to your judgment in future. Don’t stay silent, but don’t keep digging at it either.

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.

S FAMILIE E WELCOM

- The best Mum blog - The best Dad blog Go to http://www.familytimes.co.nz/ competitions/ for further details.

Tauranga • Indoor thermal hot pool • Playground with trampoline • Spacious green area • Barbeque area • Walking distance to shopping centre and restaurants

Reservations:

0508 888 818 E-mail: atm18@xtra.co.nz www.eighteenthavenue.co.nz

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Great giveaways for summer…....

In this issue, Lee Keenan talks with Whangaparaoa Primary School students about the role of their fathers at home.

Amberleigh Dyer, age 8

Dad works really hard. He has his own business so he works six days a week sometimes, which is a lot! When he’s at home though, he does the lawns and sometimes the vacuuming. He has to put the rubbish out every week and he always fixes stuff around our house. He just built a new gate. I like it the way it is at our home. I think Dad does enough chores.

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 a delicious healthy treat the whole family will enjoy

WIN, WIN,

The yonanas machine quickly turns frozen bananas and other frozen fruits into a variety of guilt-free treats that look and taste like softserve ice cream. You choose the flavour by adding your favourite ingredients – why not try strawberry, pineapple or mango? yonanas offers great value for money, especially because you can use fruit that you might otherwise throw away. Kids will love the bright colours and parents will love the healthy desserts that are dairy-free, fat-free and with no added sugar.

Visit www.yonanas.co.nz for colour availability and stockists. RRP: $129.99. We have 4 to give away.

Win Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2 – in cinemas 5 December - prize packs

WIN!

Alanah De La Rue, age 8

My dad does shift work and he does heaps around our house. He does the washing, makes our lunches, vacuums and cleans. He helps me and brother with homework and picks us up from school sometimes. I think Dad does enough chores around our house so it should stay the same.

Natalie Keenan, age 8

My dad is a boat builder and he goes off to work early. He sometimes even works Saturdays. Every week he has to put the rubbish out and he always does the dishes after dinner.

It’s his job to do the lawns too. If he finishes work early, he sometimes comes to watch me and my sister at our activities.

Mum works part-time so I think Dad does enough for our family.

WIN, WIN,

WIN!

Inventor Flint Lockwood thought he saved the world when he destroyed his most infamous invention - a machine that turned water into food causing cheeseburger rain and spaghetti tornadoes. But Flint soon learns that his invention survived and is now creating food-animals – “foodimals!”

5 prize packs, each consisting of: A Scratch n Sniff sticker set, A T-shirt, A notebook, A double pass to the movie CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 IN CINEMAS DECEMBER

Analise Collis, age 9

My dad works for a newspaper and my parents also have

their own paddleboard business. He works all week and sometimes in the weekend. If Mum’s sick he picks us up at school and he likes to cook too. He sometimes does laundry or cleaning and tidies up. After work, he comes to watch my swimming lessons, which I like. I think it’s good how it is at our house.

5 CLOUDY2-MOVIE.NET RATING: TBC ©2013 COLUMBIA PICTURES INDUSTRIES INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Competition closes 9 December, 2013.

Bag yourself a madpax

, ,WIN N I W

WIN

Life is too short to wear a bland backpack so MadPax New Zealand has six Full Packs valued at $89.95 to give away. MadPax are 3D-inspired backpacks and power pack-cessories that are the perfect fusion of fashion and funk-tionality. These unique packs allow kids of all ages to express themselves and their inner creature. You will definitely stand out with a MadPax back pack. What is your style? Choose from the original Spiketus Rex, primal skinned Later Gator, Bubble or the most recent addition to the range, Blok. See the range at www. madpax.co.nz.

WIN,WIN,

WIN

Win Frozen – in cinemas 26 December - prize packs When a prophecy traps a kingdom in eternal winter, Anna (voice of Kristen Bell), a fearless optimist, teams up with extreme mountain man Kristoff and his sidekick reindeer Sven on an epic journey to find Anna’s sister Elsa (voice of Idina Menzel), the Snow Queen, and put an end to her icy spell.

5 prize packs, each consisting of: A kids’ watch A girls’ T-shirt A boys’ T-shirt A double pass to the movie DISNEY’S FROZEN IN CINEMAS DECEMBER 26 WWW.DISNEYMOVIES.CO.NZ

Competition closes 9 December, 2013.

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Birthday party voucher for Dialled Indoor Tramp Park Be the coolest kid on the block and have your next party at Dialled Indoor Tramp Park! Family Times has a party voucher to give away that entitles you to one hour reserved tramp time for up to 10 kids, 2 ½ hours reserved table and goodie pack for birthday child. Flip, bounce, jump! Dialled Indoor Tramp Park is professionally built with floor tramps, wall tramps, a massive foam pit, raised platforms, walls and structures, plus a great onlocation shop! Visit 36 Parkway Drive, Rosedale, www.dialled.co.nz.

Win a clean floor with Dettol!

WIN,WIN,

WIN

Dettol’s new floor cleaning system provides an easy and efficient way to tackle everyday floor cleaning and touch up jobs.

The disposable disinfecting floor wipes cut through grease, dirt and grime, killing 99.9% of germs* to leave your floor with a sparkling shine and fresh fragrance.

The Dettol floor cleaning system starter kit and the Dettol floor wipes are available for purchase in supermarkets nationwide. Always read the label. Use only as directed. *Such as E.coli and Staphylococcus. We have 20 Dettol floor cleaning systems valued at $24.99 to give away.

IN, W , N WI

WIN

Win: The Princess and the Foal by Stacy Gregg What is your favourite activity to do with your family in summer? Send us your picture and a brief description about the activity 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 5 February 2014.

Congratulations to our drink bottle competition winners from our last issue. They are:

WIN, WIN,

WIN!

When her mother is killed in a helicopter crash, three-year-old Haya becomes more and more withdrawn until her sixth birthday when her father, King Hussein of Jordan, gifts her an orphan foal. And so begins an epic story about love, bravery and the unbreakable bond between a girl and her horse. Princess Haya determines to defy convention and prove herself by riding in the toughest equestrian competition in Arabia – The Kings Cup. Stacy Gregg is the popular author of The Pony Club Secrets series. We have 10 of these to give away.

Win: A Perfect Chirpy Christmas

WIN, WIN,

WIN!

A beautiful, gentle Christmas story, with the message that family and friends are most important.

A Perfect Chirpy Christmas is the adorable story of Flit, who desperately wants a white Christmas so flies all the way overseas until he finds a snowy city. Here he begins to realise that he misses his family terribly and begins to understand that what is even more exciting than building snowbirds is being at home with his friends and family.

We have 10 to give away.

1-4 -James Yang – 4-years-old

5-8 - John Yang – 8-years-old

9-12 - Tilly Sheers, Age 9 - “I was sitting on the edge of my

seat, cheering and booing the tele, watching the Americas Cup and I thought, MAN! Those guys must get so thirsty!

I also thought how desperate they want the trophy, so I combined the two together.”

Win Phylys the Farm Truck by Christine Fernyhough and Susan Elijas A fun rhyming children’s story about a new farm truck and her adventures. The folk at Castle Hill high country farm are not too impressed when they first meet Phylys, the new shiny, flash city truck. How will this gleaming new arrival cope with the steep hills, wide rivers and rough tracks? But Phylys soon shows she’ll give anything a go. She’s not put off by a few skids, crunches, sheep poo, high fords, soggy bogs, getting stuck and heaps of hard work. And in the end, Phylys is a hero – the plucky truck saves the day! We have 5 of these to give away.

WIN, WIN,

The new MONOPOLY: Auckland edition will be available from 1 November 2013, in time for Christmas gift giving! Twenty-two Auckland and greater Auckland property landmarks were selected to replace the famous London streets from the original board after the public was invited to offer up their suggestions via Facebook earlier in the year. Other Auckland-centric twists can be found in the tweaked Community Chest and Chance cards. We have 5 to give away.

Just tick the things you want to win Summer 2013

        

Yonanas Cloudy 2 Frozen Madpax Dialled Indoor Tramp Park Dettol Floor Cleaning System Phylys the Farm Truck Monopoly The Princess and the Foal

   

Rosie to the Rescue is a feel-good, rhyming book that follows the journey of Rosie the cow as she finds a way to transport all the fresh milk to town after the bridge is destroyed. Rosie is the New Zealand dairy industry’s Cowbassador, whose job is to educate kids all about dairy farming and the story of milk. As a Cowbassador, Rosie gets to do heaps of really cool stuff, like going on television, meeting the Prime Minister, performing in stage shows all over the country, and making her own moovellous moovies. We have 10 to give away.

WIN, WIN,

WIN!

Win MONOPOLY: Auckland Edition

Win: Rosie to the Rescue

A perfectly chirpy christmas Rosie to the Rescue Transformers Nerf Rebelle Heartbreaker bow

Name Address City 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 February 5th 2014, unless stated otherwise. Only one entry per household.

Win Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Beast Fire Predaking

WIN!

This Beast Fire Predaking figure lets you create the biggest Beast Hunter battles! Its huge 21inch wingspan makes it one of the largest beast figures in the Transformers universe. With light-up fire breath, you can imagine Predaking is sending a menacing signal to any enemies who would dare stand in his way - or reducing them to ash in seconds. The figure also comes with a giant sword - the Infernum Blade - and two firing missiles so you can create even more awesome battle action. RRP $119.99.

We have 3 to give away.

Win a Nerf Rebelle Heartbreaker Bow The ultimate adventure accessory, the Nerf Rebelle Heartbreaker Bow - RRP: $44.99 - features “true” bow action and powerful dart performance! Inspired by current pop culture trends, the heartbreaker bow offers girls the poise and precision to take on any mission. With fashion graphics and funky collectable darts, it’s perfect for the ultimate adventure. It’s time to step up and stand out! We have 4 to give away.

WIN, WIN,

WIN!

www.familytimes.co.nz

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cool activities

Calendar of Events There are a huge variety of events on offer in Auckland, so soak up the summer sun and get out and about with your friends and family.

Now – 16 February Sculpture in the Gardens - A 2km trail takes you on a delightful walk past 23 large-scale sculptures at the Auckland Botanic Gardens - kids’ activities, guided walks and live music. www.aucklandbotanicgardens.co.nz.

5 December (Barry Curtis basketball court, Flat Bush, 4-8pm) and 6 December (Otamariki basketball court, Otara, 4-8pm) Out and About 3 on 3 Street Ball Tournament series - Enter your team for free by emailing your team name, team members and age group (school year 5-13) to chris.earl@ aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.

luck at the silent auction or raffles. www. mbsfestival.co.nz.

11 December Samuel Miller Reserve Free Activity Day - No booking required, just turn up on the evening and join in with all the fun provided by Auckland Council. Pukekohe, 4pm-6pm.

15 January

Takanini Reserve Free Activity Day – Auckland Council is hosting another free events afternoon from 2pm-4pm.

18 January Chinese New Year Festival and Market Day – This festival’s popularity has grown over the years and it has now become a highlight of the summer. Full details at www. aucklandchinese.org.nz.

19 January and 21 February

Girls and women only skateboard and longboard sessions - Free lessons in parks 4 December and 26 with experienced skate coaches. Boards, helFebruary mets and safety pads will be provided. Turn Out and About Family Fun Day - Bring the up on the day to register. Visit www.onboardwhole family along to the park for free fun and skate.org.nz. games, courtesy of Auckland Council. Sutton 27 January Park, Vine Street, Mangere, 4pm-6pm.

Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta 7 December - Enjoy watching this great event. The whole of the Viaduct and Wynyard Quarter Mangere Bridge School Festival Experience foods from Tonga, New Zealand, area will turn into party central with free entertainment for all the family. Other great Samoa, Mexico, India and the Cook Islands. vantage points www.regatta.org.nz.

Enjoy rides or the treasure hunt. Try your

Enjoy a fun family day at the Onetangi Beach Races.

31 January -1 February

12 February

Chinese and Korean New Year’s Festival - Free community event full of colour, culture and cuisine, providing a taste of Asia with a wide range of entertainment and activities. www.eventfinder.co.nz.

8 February Auckland Beach Festival Football Tournament - Mission Bay will once again play host to this great day for football lovers!

Full details at www.beachfootballnz.co.nz.

Mountfort Park Auckland Council Activity Day - Meet to the right of the swimming pools on Skyes Road for this free evening of great kids events, 4pm-6pm.

15 February Orewa Beach Boulevard Arts Fiesta and Market Day - Orewa celebrates summer with a festival and market day throughout the entire town centre. Amusement rides, roaming entertainment and great stalls, 10am-3pm.

Race along for family fun A day at the races is a quintessential Kiwi summertime tradition and Interislander Summer Festival events provide the perfect day out for the whole family.

From Boxing Day through to mid-February, 40 Interislander Summer Festival events will take place at some of New Zealand’s most picturesque racecourses and hottest holiday spots.

All kids’ entertainment is free and includes the popular horse-themed More FM Kids Go Racing events and a range of under-12 activities such as pin-the-tail-on-the-horse

and the horseshoe toss. Kids also get to meet much-loved horse mascots, Hopples or Stirrup.

From Ruakaka to Gore - and everywhere in between - Interislander Summer Festival brings a celebration of summer to town, providing the perfect opportunity to catch up with friends and family in a fun and relaxed environment. Family picnics, deck chairs, shorts and jandals – it’s a classic Kiwi summer’s day out!

For more information about an event near you, visit www.theraces.co.nz.

Safer for summer We are a culture that thrives on being able to spend time at play in and around water, but we need help when it comes to staying safe: this year, 54 people have drowned in New Zealand. The team at Northern Arena Swim School is working hard to reduce this statistic. Learning to swim should be considered as important for children as reading and writing, and learning to swim isn’t just an activity; it’s an essential life skill, especially in New Zealand.

Northern Arena teaches children from three months through to adults. All lessons are designed to be fun, educational and to enhance enjoyment and confidence in the water. Northern Arena’s cutting-edge, indoor pools treated by UV-light (similar to the way drinking water is treated), allows for a low level of chlorine, which is ideal for babies and those with sensitive skin.

It’s never too late to learn to swim and ensure your family is safer this summer.

New Zealand

SWIM SCHOOL

40 Events Nationwide

Boxing Day - 8 Feb

For more information or to book a base camp visit theraces.co.nz

OF THE YEAR &

2012 2013

Northern Arena SWIM SCHOOL OF THE YEAR

A standard of excellence in swim teaching unrivalled by any other learn to swim school in New Zealand

Can your child swim and survive? www.northernarena.co.nz 09 421 9700 surf: www.northernarena.co.nz email: info@northernarena.co.nz 8 Polarity Rise, Silverdale, Auckland

phone: 09 421 9700 find: 8 Polarity Rise, Silverdale

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16 February Weetbix Kids TRYathlon – Have fun and achieve a personal best! The TRYathlon consists of a swim, bike ride and then a run. This event is for 7 to 15-year-olds. Register at www.weetbix.co.nz.

Entertainment We’ve put together some great family activities for you to enjoy. Check them out!

Waiwera Thermal Resort

23 February Panmure Basin Fun Day and Sk8 Competition – This will be a great day out for everyone. www.panmure.net.nz.

2 March

Only 35 minutes north of Auckland, Waiwera Thermal Resort has covered and uncovered thermal mineral pools, a movie pool, slides, a poolside cafe or treat yourself at the Waiwera Day Spa. Visit www.waiwera.co.nz.

Cloudy with a Chance of Onetangi Beach Races Waiheke Island Pack up your family, catch the ferry and watch Meatballs 2 (movie) as horses, tractors and amphibious craft take Flint Lockwood embarks on a dangerous to the golden sands and crystal waters. www. mission to save the world from his own invention, a machine that turns water into food, onetangibeachraces.co.nz. causing catastrophe! In cinemas 5 December.

22 March Visit www.cloudy2-movie.net.

Waitakere School Gala – Enjoy a range of Disney’s Frozen (movie) different games, activities, food and much more! Optimistic Anna, mountain man Kristoff and From 11am-3pm, Waitekere Primary School. his reindeer Sven embark on an epic journey

15 March Art in the Park - Great art activities such as face painting, flax weaving and painting for free organised by the Auckland City Council.

From 10am-12pm, Fencible Walk, Howick.

Compiled by Lee Keenan

Interislander Summer Festival Free entry and family on-course activities at the Summer Festival Races, venues around Auckland. Search www.theraces. co.nz/summerfestival for details.

2 January 3 January 4 January 11 January 26 January

cool activities

Tauranga Races Ruakaka Races Thames Races Ellerslie Races Tauranga Harness Races

Enjoy a whole day of fun in the water at Parakai Springs. and more with Bubble Dome these holidays.

For times and locations visit www.bubEnjoy a magical movie experience this sumbledome.co.nz. mer: get two adult/two kids, or one adult/ three kids to a film for $44, and kids get a free Snowplanet choc-top ice cream. Information at www.

Summer holiday programmes offer a great bridgeway.co.nz. environment for children aged 5 to 16-years

Bridgeway Cinema

Sky Tower to save the Snow Queen and their kingdom from eternal winter. In cinemas 26 December. New Zealand’s tallest man made structure, Sky Tower is truly amazing. Ride the glass www.frozenmovie.co.nz elevator to discover something breathtaking!

Xtreme Entertainment Wairau Visit www.skytower.co.nz.

Have a blast at the all new Xtreme EntertainAuckland Bridge climb and bungy ment store open in Wairau Auckland! BowlOpen seven days in all weather. A special faming, dodgems, laser tag, KidZone, and Timezone! Visit www.xtremeentertainment.co.nz. ily rate of $320 for the climb saves you $80!

Kids must meet the 35kg weight restriction.

Rainbows End Gift vouchers available for all special occaSuper family fun all day with more than 20 sions. Visit www.bungy.co.nz. rides and attractions, an amazing illusionist Waikaraka Family Speedway act on centre stage and the all-weather Kidz Stockcar racing most Saturday nights. CaraKingdom. One price and unlimited rides all van, boat and dunny demolition derby, monday. www.rainbowsend.co.nz. ster trucks and more. Great value family MOTAT - Rescue Travelling passes. Visit www.waikarakafamilyspeedway. co.nz for meet details.

Exhibition Rescue is a fun-filled, action-packed exhibition Ti Tree Hills Horse Treks from Australia at MOTAT, with 17 interactive Ride through kauri, bush and ponga ferns. Reach exhibits. See motat.org.nz for more informathe hilltop and experience breathtaking views of tion. Open now. the Hauraki Gulf, Hibiscus Coast and Coromandel. Well-mannered horses and lead rein ponies Snowplanet for kiddies. Visit www.titreehills.co.nz.

Cool off this summer with a family trip to Snowplanet! At Snowplanet you can ski, snowboard, tube, toboggan, and dine at its world class facility. Visit www.snowplanet.co.nz.

Holiday specials

Parakai Springs

Learn to swim at Silverdale Northern Arena’s intensive learn-to-swim holiday programme.

Open for bookings on 09-421-9700 or visit www.northernarena.co.nz for more details.

Enjoy the natural thermal water, heated from beneath the earth. Great value and fun for families with grassed areas for picnics, trained life guards, barbecues and marquees for hire.

Visit www.parakaisprings.co.nz.

Visit & Experience

Parliament Wor k shops on th e W harf

Northern Arena

Bubble Dome technology workshops

Learn Minecraft, architecture, programming

to learn and progress in the world of snow sports. Visit www.snowplanet.co.nz-schoolholiday-programmes/.

Come and play

Wynyard Quarter Playspace comes alive with balls, rope, chalk and hoops to play with for free. A few days are not included so please check website for full details. www.wynyard-quarter.co.nz.

Rockcamp

Don’t miss the best week of 2013! Give your kids a Christmas gift that will inspire them forever.

Learn first-hand from New Zealand’s top music industry professionals. www.rockcamp.co.nz.

Horse Riding Auckland

Looking for great holiday activities for the kids? We have it all; riding lessons, pony rides, programmes and pony parties. Have some country fun and fresh air! Visit www. ponyrides.co.nz or phone 022-017-4157.

8 Count Dance Studio

Workshops in dance and acrobatics available during holidays, subject to interest. Email tania8count@yahoo.com.

Bruce Mason Centre - The Great Christmas Caper

It’s Christmas Eve and there is panic at the North Pole – Santa Claus is missing! Has Santa been kidnapped? Who will deliver the presents? Will Santa ever come back?

Tickets www.brucemason.co.nz.

Compiled by Lee Keenan

the imperial russian ballet company presents...

DON QUIXOTE “A flamboyant and festive ballet”

Bust the boredom these holidays.

Get your kids active with fun, FREE workshops in Wynyard Quarter!

Free drop-in sessions between 11am-2pm.

For a full workshop timetable check out our website today.

www.wynyard-quarter.co.nz/workshops

Take a free tour with a professional tour guide who will show you the historic buildings, stunning art collection and talk you through the parliamentary process.

Parliament Tours run daily, private and art focused tours for groups are run on request and need to be booked in advance.

For bookings and tour information: P: 04 817 9503 E: tour.desk@parliament.govt.nz www.parliament.nz

ASB THEATRE

Fri 28 & sat 29 March

BOOK NOW www.ticKEtMastEr.cO.NZ Ph (09) 970 9700

www.russianballet.com.au www.familytimes.co.nz

15

Fit Families

The FUNdamentals of sustainable family physical activity I

n a special series of articles for Family Times, Jackie Cowan and Nick Draper primary school and physical activity specialists from the University of Canterbury - will highlight some activities, games and resources that can help families add more fun physical activity into their lives.

First come the FUNdamentals –activities that can easily be added into your lifestyle to increase both yourselves and your children’s physical activity levels in a way that’s sustainable.

Recent physical activity research tells us two important things that identify that change is not as difficult as you first might think. Firstly, little bursts of physical activity throughout the day are better than one big bout of exercise at the start or end of the day. Secondly, short, sharp physical activity bursts can be just as good for you as jogging on a treadmill for an hour.

To this research evidence we can add two more anecdotal facts; firstly it is much easier to exercise when you don’t realise you are doing it. For example, going for a 40 minute run is often more daunting than going out to play a game of touch, yet both increase our physical activity levels. Then secondly, recently published data from surveys suggests that we spend as little as seven minutes a day of quality time with our children. Combining the two – fun physical activities and family time – genius! Here are a few ways to get you going: Joining in children’s games –Children have loads of energy and always seem to be on the go. When we watch them play, their

games are full of short bursts of activity – a burst to catch someone in a game of tag or a run down the wing to score a try or goal.

This is really close to the type of short burst activity that the research suggests – short bursts that leave you slightly breathless as you chase your son or daughter in a game of tag, a short recovery and then go again, or chasing them as they dribble to score a goal.

When playing a game, if you are fully engaged with your son or daughter, you forget about the exercise and just play. We can learn loads from children about that – exercising without thinking about it.

Walking/scootering to and from school – Walking is an oldie but a goodie and similarly combines family time with exercise.

Research tells us that fewer children walk to and from school for a number of reasons. It is, however, a great activity where you have time to talk to your children about their day with no television or computers as a distraction.

It’s a time where you can model being physically active and can be active together.

Alternatively, nowadays it is not uncommon to see parent’s scootering home on their children’s scooters after dropping them at school. Why not purchase a family collection of scooters and travel together? It’s a fast mode of transport and a little novel.

If we do walk or scooter to drop off and pick up children from school, not only are we increasing quality time spent together, but we are also spreading our physical activity throughout the day, which is valuable for

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NO BOU

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general health and overall wellbeing.

Cycling to and from work – If we chose to cycle to and from work, while this might not seem like a whole family activity, it can have a whole family pay-off by giving us more energy and helping us to be fitter for family cycling activities during the weekends.

If you live too far from work to cycle the whole way, or don’t feel fit enough yet to cycle the whole way, you could put the bike in the back of the car, drive part of the way, park up and cycle to and from work from there.

If you set a goal of increasing this a bit each

month, you could add greatly to your level of physical activity. Being active throughout the day is particularly important for those of us who work in a sedentary job sitting at a desk or in meetings most of the time. This form of activity also fulfils the physical activity guidelines for adults, outlined by Sport New Zealand (in consultation with the Ministry of Health Manatu Hauroa), of 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day.

By Jackie Cowan and Nick Draper Primary school and physical activity specialists from the University of Canterbury.

How to exercise when you’ve got kids If you keep up with the news, you may recall a recent media storm over a Facebook post

by Maria Kang.

baby jogger

baby jogger

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Equipped with one of a kind all wheel suspension and remote front wheel swivel lock, this stroller is the perfect running companion.

The City Elite offers modern luxury and comfort over any terrain with features such as plush seating, raised kicker, vented seat recline and front wheel suspesion with swivel lock.

It is the perfect choice for those long walks.

The tight and toned young mother-of-three posted a photo of herself in barely-there sports attire, along with her three small children, with the caption – “What’s your excuse?”

Most mothers have taken offense at the campaign, calling it fat-shaming rather than motivational. But it does raise a valid point, even if it’s not the point that Kang intended: most mums prior to motherhood aren’t aware of exactly how much their exercise regimes will change with little people in their lives, and it is a challenge to maintain prior fitness levels.

That challenge is all-the-greater if you want to start a fitness routine for the first time to burn off those extra post-baby calories.

We’ve got a few tips that may help: 1 2

3

view the full range at our new look site www.babyfirst.co.nz 16

www.familytimes.co.nz

4

Train when the kids are asleep. Put on a fitness DVD, use a home exercycle or treadmill.

Prepare your exercise clothes the night before. That way, you’ve got a motivating factor involved, even after those tiring, sleepless nights.

Does your local gym have a crèche?

Make the most of it, or make a regular arrangement with friends and family to mind the kids.

If that’s not an option, check out the mini core workouts or five minute CrossFit

5 6 7 8 9

workouts on Pinterest and do them from home.

Invest in a good outdoors pram for jogging, and take the kids with you on your workout.

Power walk/run to the local park, maybe 15 minutes from home – kids in tow.

Play with your kids on the playground – up, over and down obstacles. Your heart rate will quickly climb.

Source a “mum-friendly” personal training group. Doesn’t exist? Start your own!

Participate in family fun run events.

There are plenty to get you going over the summer. Remember though to set realistic goals, and that you are really only racing yourself.

Milestone manic or go with the flow?

From the moment a baby is born, parents consult books and are given advice about which milestones are important for their child.

T

hey’re things like when their baby should first smile, clap their hands, roll over, sleep through the night, crawl and start speaking, right through to toilet training, writing their name, counting and learning their ABCs. For many parents, these milestones are a joy – from the first smile, every little development is a treasure. But as Dr Victoria Metcalf, a biologist and lecturer in genetics at Lincoln University says, it can also become a competition.

“I think that milestones in themselves feed back into this pressure that mothers feel to do certain things by a certain stage. It adds to stress levels that we feel in a busy world. If your child is not walking by two years, maybe worry then… it’s not a “mumpetition”.”

Metcalf is not alone. Some parenting experts question whether milestones are really helpful, or whether parents put too much pressure on their kids to fit the “norm”, when in reality every child is different.

Plunket clinical advisor Allison Jamieson says there needs to be a safe middle ground.

“Milestones are really important. Evidence for them is given by paediatricians and

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

Alcohol and Drug Helpline

international as well as national organisations – The World Health Organisation and the Paediatrics Society - so that while they’re not set in concrete in as much as they don’t have to happen at the same time for every child, you do want them to happen, because if there’s a delay in them happening, maybe there’s something else that the child is not developing to their potential that we need to look at and assess.”

Jamieson says that milestones exist to give parents an indication of what should be happening and when – not to create fear, but so that parents are aware if anything is potentially wrong. If a baby is not smiling and interacting with its parents at six weeks, can it see? Can it hear? If a parent is aware of a potential problem, early intervention can lessen the impact of that delay on development.

“They can let them do their own thing as long as they actually achieve it,” said Jamieson.

“There’s nothing wrong with that. If your little Johnny walked at 12 months and my child didn’t walk until 14 months, that’s not to say that mine is slow. It’s just what’s within normal for that child. But if that child is not walking at age two years, I would be very, very concerned.”

There are, however, some milestones that both Jamieson and Metcalf agree need to be more flexible for parents – things such as sleep training and toilet training.

Metcalf says that there is a lot of “real or

Help is @ hand

Concerned about your own or someone else’s problems with alcohol or other drugs? Call the Alcohol Drug Helpline today for free, confidential, friendly professional advice. 0800 787 797 www. alcoholdrughelp.org.nz

Ready to listen – The Alcohol Drug Helpline For parents with concerns about their own, their partner’s or their children’s alcohol or other drug use, the Alcohol Drug Helpline is the ideal place to start.

It is a free, confidential phone service available 10am - 10pm every day and the online counsellors are happy to listen to any concerns. The aim is to help callers to clarify their concerns and then to help them decide the best next steps to take: free information (dvd/booklets), contacting a local community service or continuing contact with the Helpline by phone or text.

Many parents ring with concerns about their children’s exploration or use of alcohol or cannabis – particularly the newer synthetic cannabis products. The counsellors are happy to discuss ways to talk to young children, or to teens about any of these issues – from how to confront a son or daughter about suspected drug use to organising a teenage party. And of course young people themselves are

baby & toddler

not a human doing. And remember that one mother’s definition of sleeping through the night might not be the same as another’s.”

Jamieson agreed that it was not helpful to have too much pressure around expecting babies to sleep through the night too soon. “We don’t expect babies to sleep through the night at a young age, because if they are it means that they’re not getting enough food,” she said.

“There’s a bit of difference between developmental-related milestones and sleeping through the night and toilet training, which are more related to how we parent, what’s important to us and when our child is ready.”

If you have any concerns about your child’s development, contact your primary health care giver.

Breastfeeding help by mothers for mothers LA LECHE LEAGUE OFFERS: perceived” pressure on parents to have their children sleep through the night and toilet train from an early age – pressure from friends, their own parents, and even grandparents, who create expectations by talking about their own experiences of parenting.

“It’s not fair to the mother or the child. What we have to remember is that every child is different and they work to their own rhythm.

When you work into “what is my child ready for,” the better the relationship will be between you and your child.

“Most children have their own system and do things in their own time. Read the parenting books but don’t use them as law. Breathe into it a bit more and being a human being,

• Mother-to-mother support • Telephone help • Trained breastfeeding counsellors • Regular meetings • Books and leaflets for sale • Lending libraries

CONTACT US: (09) 846 0752 EMAIL: help@lalecheleague.org.nz www.facebook.com/LLLNZ www.lalecheleague.org.nz

Nuztri helps schools buy iPads Best Health Products, the maker of Nuztri branded formula milk and fortified milk powder, has announced a new initiative to support schools, kindergartens and early childhood centres.

For every can of Nuztri formula milk or vitamin A+D/iron-enriched full cream or skim milk powder, Nuztri will donate $2 or $1 to buy iPads or laptops, respectively.

Participating schools, centres or PTAs simply collect supermarket dockets and redeem iPads or laptops.

For years, imported formula or formula

made from imported milk have dominated the New Zealand market, even though we are the number one dairy exporting country in the world. Nuztri formula and milk products are guaranteed made from New Zealand pasture-fed, GE-free, free-range cows’ milk.

Nuztri products are available in more than 40 supermarkets around the country. All Pak’nSave and New World stores are able to order directly from their system. Parents are encouraged to ask local supermarkets if Nuztri is not available there yet.

welcome to call. As well as being able to call any day, callers can arrange to receive regular support calls from the Helpline.

Students can ring for information for their school project, or concerns about their friend who is getting into party pills.

Helpline staff promise to listen, and to help in any way they can.

Phone 0800-787-797 or text “adh” to 234. www.familytimes.co.nz

17

Kids keeping Kiwi

coastlines clean A volunteer trip to the Galapagos Islands national park in 2009 inspired Sam Judd to help clean up New Zealand’s coastlines.

“We saw all these dead animals wrapped up in rubbish in the Galapagos, and we ran a big cleanup out there. It was really satisfying so we brought the concept back here.”

The result was the establishment of the Sustainable Coastlines Charitable Trust in 2009. Four years later, the Sustainable Coastlines team has motivated more than 26,000 people across New Zealand to keep New Zealand beautiful by cleaning up the beach, resulting in the removal of a whopping 123 tonnes of rubbish – mostly plastics.

Sustainable Coastlines has educated more than 75,000 kids in schools about New Zealand’s coastline, and what they can do to preserve it says co-founder Judd.

“We’ve been measuring behavioural changes and surveys and working with psychologists and that’s been very successful. We’re starting to see some numbers that show that yeah, kids are responding really well to the programme.”

The education programme was developed to run in conjunction with large-scale beach clean-up events, to ensure that beaches didn’t just keep filling up with rubbish again.

Sustainable Coastlines ran extensive data analysis on the rubbish that they collected, and what they discovered surprised them; about

85% of the rubbish removed came from the stormwater system. In other words, people littering on the beach wasn’t a huge problem.

People littering on their own streets was.

“There is a real disconnect in our community between litter on our streets, the stormwater drains and their route to the waterways and ocean,” says Judd. “If people knew what really happens when they drop plastic and the havoc it causes when it inevitably washes into the ocean, they wouldn’t do it in the first place.”

Plastics are perhaps the biggest problem, as they entangle and are consumed by wildlife – around the world, and locally - often causing death.

One of Judd’s colleagues, Camden Howitt, ran a presentation at Colville School in the Coromandel where he showed them pictures of dead birds with guts full of plastic in the North Pacific, then when the kids went out cleaning up they found a Pied Oyster Catcher – native to New Zealand – dead with plastic in its stomach.

Judd also says that there is a growing amount of evidence to show that plastic rubbish – which can contain poisonous chemicals and essentially act like a sponge for pollutants in the ocean – is being eaten by fish.

What can we do?

Visit loveyourcoast.org and check out different community events in your area to support cleaning up New Zealand’s coastline.

No events in your area? Why not plan your own community event?

“Kids can do it themselves using the eventplanning tool on loveyourcoast.org; we’ve had several groups of kids that have done it

Love New Zealand

themselves like that. You can then upload the data online,” says Judd.

For a small donation (to cover administration and cleaning costs) Sustainable Coastlines can also provide reusable rubbish sacks and gloves.

Alternatively, schools can plan mufti days

and sausage sizzles to help raise money to clean up New Zealand’s coastline, book a school or community visit with the Sustainable Coastlines team, or anyone can make a donation online by visiting www. sustainablecoastlines.org.

Citizen scientists wanted!

S ummer is the perfect time to head down to your local beach and start discovering the plethora of plant and animal species that dwell there.

Sound intriguing but a bit overwhelming?

Well… how about mapping out just 1 metre at a time?

The Marine Metre Squared (MM2) project is an easy way for anyone to survey the plants and animals living on their local seashore.

The NZ Marine Studies Centre, University of Otago, is encouraging everyone to participate in long term monitoring of their marine environment – the Marine Metre Squared.

Anyone can take part – individuals, families, schools and community groups.

The Marine Metre Squared website (www. mm2.net.nz) is where you can find everything you need to get involved in this new

and exciting nationwide, citizen science project, get the tools to start surveying your local seashore, and find out where plants and animals that live between the tides are found around New Zealand.

When you join the Marine Meter Squared project (it’s free), you can share your stories about your local seashore, suggest an idea for a mini project, describe the beauties and the beasts that dwell in your m2, and get and give help identifying animal and plant species. As a registered member, you can get full access to the online MM2 database where you can add your own survey data to show others what’s living between the tides on your local shore, and compare your shore with rest of New Zealand to find out which species live where using simple mapping and analysis tools.

12 days to a greener summer Day 1 Day 2

Use the right bin 18

www.familytimes.co.nz

Recycling collection times may be different so make a note of the new time.

You can recycle: • Paper, glass, metals (food tins, drink cans, jar lids, wine bottle screw tops) • Plastics 1 and 2 (and in some places 1-7)

Day 3

Look for the Love NZ recycling bins in your area

Day 4

Recycle more packaging more often.

Day 5

Reuse. Use a reusable shopping bag when you go out shopping.

Day 6

Recycling reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

Day 7

Be clean and conserve space. Rinse out bottles and cans.

Day 8

Reuse or recycle your Christmas cards. Around 60 million Christmas cards will be sent to New Zealanders this year.

Day 9

Be a recycling champion at events Many sports stadia, concert venues and festivals now have Love NZ recycling bins.

Day 10

It’s not just packaging that can be recycled – there are collection points for TVs, print cartridges and old mobiles.

Day 11

Separate your glass by colour in a glass bottle bank.

Day 12

Make it your New Year’s Resolution to reduce, reuse and recycle even more in 2014. If we all do our bit New Zealand WILL remain clean and green.

Catching the reading bug In the words of Dr Seuss: “The more that you read, the more things you will know.

The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

B

ooks have the power to inform, educate and entertain, and reading should be an enjoyable experience shared with family and friends.

For kids, a fun, supportive environment for learning to read is essential, and can be accomplished by providing ample opportunities to read, practice and experience the written word in a relaxed setting.

Teaching children early reading skills through sharing books, storytelling, singing songs and playing games helps to develop basic knowledge and preparation for formal school instruction.

It is never too early to read to children. There is a huge range of books available for babies in varying sizes and materials (fabric, cardboard, plastics) with bright colourful pictures, and babies love to hear the voice of their mother and father. It’s easy to develop a habit of regularly reading stories to your child; any time is a good time for books. Remember too, reading yourself provides a positive role model for children to encourage them to read, so even if it is just the daily newspaper or a magazine, make an effort to read around your child.

Going to the local library is like a wonderland

for children, with its rows and boxes of books. Make an effort to go to the library on a regular basis, as borrowing new books keeps the excitement of reading alive at home. Let toddlers select books themselves, and spend time at the local library reading books together. Many libraries run story time sessions that are free to attend; these involve group stories, songs, rhymes and plays suitable for a range of ages. This also provides a great chance to meet up with other parents who live in the local area.

Many toddlers develop an interest in certain subject areas such as trains, dinosaurs, fairies, policemen or dogs. Encourage and motivate your child to read by selecting books related to their interests.

When children reach school age, make sure positive experiences continue and homework reading does not become a chore. Choose a time when your child is not too tired, hungry or distracted by their favourite television programme. Give your child lots of positive behaviour-specific praise – this helps them to recognise what they are doing well, which in turn boosts their self-confidence and fosters enjoyment in reading.

Encourage your child to talk about what they have read. Asking them questions about how the characters might be feeling or what they would they do in that situation helps the child to relate the story to themselves and gain a deeper understanding. At school, children are required to be able to comprehend what they read, so practising these skills will support their learning and achievement. Reading does not have to be just for homework; there are

lots of ways in which literacy practice can be fun and squeezed into everyday life.

By Cathy Robson, Massey University educational psychology student.

Worried about your child’s reading and spelling?

If homework time is met with tantrums or tears of frustration and you are desperate to see the joy of learning back in your child’s eyes, help is at hand.

Try Easyread’s simple, 15 minute daily computer lessons and see massive improvement in their abilities and confidence.

Easyread provides you with full support so you know how to reinforce their learning.

Results are guaranteed or your money back.

Get started now to ensure your child begins the New Year with confidence.

Call 0800-777-225 or email hello@ easyread.co.nz for more information. www.easyread.co.nz.

Worried about your child’s reading and spelling?

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The Father Of Invention As a dad, Dr Keith Alexander invented a safer trampoline so his kids would be safe while having fun. That was 20 years ago. He didn’t foresee that his design would become the world’s safest trampoline.

With one in every fifteen spring-based trampolines putting a child in hospital, Dr Alexander’s design has now kept thousands of children out of emergency wards all over the world.

To find out how this kiwi inventor made bouncing safer for his kids, and yours, visit www.springfree.co.nz or call 0800 586 772.

The World’s Safest Trampoline www.familytimes.co.nz

19

Camping holidays that don’t cost the earth Camping is a Kiwi tradition and an affordable family holiday option.

T

here are many Department of Conservation campsites by the sea, a high-country lake or native forest where you can pitch your tent for the cost of a cup of cafe coffee (and perhaps a fluffy).

This is not “glamping.” The facilities are basic—toilets, water and perhaps a picnic table or cold shower. But the beautiful settings and access to activities such as bush walking, biking, swimming, boating and fishing more than make up for the limited services.

You can’t book these campsites—it’s first come, first served—but they are not often full. Visit www.doc.govt.nz for more information.

Tapotupotu campsite, Northland Here’s another reason to make the pilgrimage to Cape Reinga/Te Rerenga Wairua. New Zealand’s northern-most campsite at Tapotupotu Bay, just 10 minutes drive from the cape, offers an unspoilt white-sand beach, bush backdrop and nearby estuary.

This is a wilderness camping area that you can drive to. DOC Kaitaia ranger Laree Furniss rates Tapotupotu Bay as a place to “kick back and relax,” when visiting the far North.

“It’s a great base to explore the surrounding Te Paki reserve with its beaches, wetlands,

dunes and, of course, Te Rerenga Wairua.”

A short boardwalk and bridge over mangroves connects Tapotupotu to Te Paki Coastal Track—a four-day walk from Spirits Bay around the tip of New Zealand. There are day walks from the campsite south to Pandora Beach or north to Cape Reinga.

Facilities: 45 tent sites, tap water, toilets and cold showers. Pets are not allowed.

Fee: $6 per night adult, $3 per night child, under four free.

on the edge of the Puketi Forest, 20 km north of Kerikeri, could be more your thing.

Puketi and Omahuta forests together form one of the largest tracts of native forest in Northland. They include important remnants of mature kauri forest, of which so little is left. The area is home to many native plants and animals including kiwi, kokako, kaka and lesser short-tailed bats.

It’s a great base for day and overnight walks, and you can mountain bike on the old logging roads in the forest. Pigs and goats can be Puketi campsite, Northland hunted with a permit.

If you prefer bush to beach this small campsite Facilities: 20 tent sites, tap water, toilets,

Children are our future – is teaching them yours?

Consider a career in early childhood education (ECE). Study with the experts!

cold showers, picnic table and outdoor fireplaces. Pets are not allowed. Fee: $6 per night adult, $3 per night child, under four free.

Help stop kauri dieback Kauri dieback disease is killing our native kauri trees. It spreads by soil movement but you can help prevent it.

• Stay on the tracks and off kauri roots.

• Clean your gear (including boots and shoes) before and after visiting kauri forests.

d i k s ? d e r Bo ckla nd u A e h a ot Head t Gardens for y! a c Bota ni fun, fa mily d free ,

Gain your Bachelor of Teaching (ECE), Tohu Paetahi Whakaakoranga, or upgrade your ECE diploma to a degree.

Earn and learn! Attend class for a maximum of one day a week and continue to work.

Join us at our modern Manukau teaching base.

Piki mai ki runga i tō mātou waka. Tukua mai tō tono.

GO TO

nzca.ac.nz TO APPLY

Applications close 10 December 2013 for study commencing February 2014.

Check out our fun, interactive garden especially for kids Explore the wide open spaces Bring a picnic, or treat yourself to a snack from Café Miko Get tips for your own home garden Enrol in our School Holiday programme (see our website for details)

NZCA271 FT

www.aucklandbotanicgardens.co.nz 20

E enrol@nzca.ac.nz P 0800 CHILDCARE (244 532) www.familytimes.co.nz

09 267 1457 | Free admission | Open daily 8am – 4pm | 102 Hill Road, Manurewa

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.

Junior Fiction

Picture Books Winnie-the-Pooh and the Grand Christmas Surprise

Don’t Look Now 1

By Alice Corrie Illustrated by Andrew Grey Egmont Hardback $25 This book is based on the original, with the novel device of letters in envelopes built into the pages. Pooh has a Christmas idea and soon all his friends receive rather misspelt anonymous letters inviting them to the North Pole for luncheon. This will be a special Christmas book to add to the library. Age 3 to 8-years.

By Paul Jennings Allen & Unwin Paperback $15.99 Ricky longs to be famous, and when he discovers that he can fly, he’s sure that it will be his path to fame. Unfortunately he can only fly when no-one (person or animal) is looking at him, and if anyone looks he drops to the ground. Two stories in one, with more to follow in the series.

Ages 6 to 10-years.

While You Are Sleeping

Spooky House

By Melinda Szymanik Illustrated by Greg Straight Duck Creek Press Hardback $29.99 Paperback $19.99 The world is a busy place, even while you are asleep. Find out who is awake on the other side of the world, what nocturnal animals are up to, and the occupations of people who work in the dark like bakers and farmers. The illustrations create clever connections between the pages, and the poetic text is perfect for reading aloud at bedtime. Ages 2 to 8-years.

Ted

By Leila Rudge Walker Books Hardback $30 Ted is a cute little dog with a green jumper but no-one seems to notice him in the pet shop. Then one day he spies a sign: “Wanted. Furry friend for Dot. Enjoys long walks and ball games.” Could he at last have found his niche? Just perfect with sweet pencil and ink illustrations.

Ages 2 to 8-years.

By Sally Rippin Illustrated by Aki Fukuoka Hardie Grant Egmont Paperback $12 First in the Billie B Mystery series.

Billie starts a Secret Mystery Club with three friends and decides that for their first mystery they should find out what’s going on in the derelict house on the corner. In Billie’s enthusiasm, she frightens her friends away, and then gets a good scare herself. Ages 6 to 10-years.

The Nelly Gang

By Stephen Axelsen Walker Books Paperback $25 This story is set in the goldfields of Australia in 1859.

Young Nelly races out of school when she hears her Pa strike gold. But bushrangers pounce, steal their gold and abduct Pa. Nelly’s not one to give up though. This adventurous story is told in comic format with lots of funny details for the eagle-eyed. Ages 8 to 12-years.

Intermediate Fiction Loki’s Wolves

KL Armstrong & MA Maar Little Brown Paperback $19.99 Matt Thorsen (13) knows his Norse myths well, as does everyone in Blackwell; descendents of either Thor, or Loki. Ragnarök (the apocalypse) is coming and Matt must find and lead the other descendants against the monsters.

He’ll need a good team if he’s to change the path of destiny. Full of dramatic action with a cliff-hanger ending, ready for the next book in the Blackwell Pages trilogy.

Ages 8 to 12-years.

Rooftoppers

Katherine Rundell Faber & Faber Paperback $17 Sophie was found as a baby, floating in a cello case after a shipwreck.

Fostered by Charles who found her, the authorities disapprove of the bohemian way he is bringing her up and threaten to put her in an orphanage. They flee to Paris where Sophie begins her mother search in the shadowy night world. Ages 8 to 12-years.

Demon Dentist

By David Walliams HarperCollins Paperback $25 Alfie (12) hasn’t been to the dentist for years, but now the scary Miss Root has some very unpleasant treatment planned for him. There are strange tooth-related happenings in town - teeth left under pillows hoping for a reward from the tooth fairy are being replaced with gruesome things, and Alfie and his not-girlfriend Gabz are determined to find out what’s happening. Ages 9 to 13-years.

Knowledge books The New Zealand Wildlife Activity Book

By Dave Gunson New Holland Paperback $24.99 There are lots of opportunities here for kids to get practically involved with wildlife and the environment. There are activities suitable for preschoolers and older children, such as making a flying dragonfly or a pudding for the birds, getting out and about with the species spotter or collecting seashells to make a crafty critter or necklace. Ages 6 to 10-years.

Tui: A Nest in the Bush

By Meg Lipscombe Craig Potton Publishing Hardback $30 This book is an intimate view of a tui’s nest through the lens of the author’s camera. See two eggs laid there, hatched and the day-by-day development of the chicks to fledgling stage. There’s a brief text for each of the 37 days as the chicks change until final pictures of them standing independently.

The Hobbit, An Unexpected Journey: Chronicles - Art & Design

By Daniel Falconer HarperCollins Hardback $59.99 This is the first of a delectable collection of luxuriously bound books about how Peter Jackson’s movies of The Hobbit were made. This volume, packed with photographs, drawings and interviews, focuses on the art and design of the first movie. Written by a Weta Workshop designer. Foldout map of Middle Earth at front. Ages 9-years to adult.

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