Family Times - Wellington - Autumn 2014

ISSN 2324-4542 (Print) ISSN 2324-4550 (Online)

WELLINGTON / ISSUE 57 / Autumn 2014

Wellington St James Theatre 17 – 26 April rnzb.org.nz

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Mature mums

The pros and cons of starting a family later in life

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Parents doing too much Drop the drama and simplify parenthood

A news magazine and online resource for families

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Maleficent – In cinemas May 29

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biological clock on hold until 30-plus.

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

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

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

Enjoy!

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Features

8 Words of Wisdom

4 Mature mums

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

6 Parents doing too much

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

7 How much sleep does your child need?

Diane Levy dishes out advice.

Gaming guru Wayne Webb talks apps.

Delicious birthday treats and fun theme parties.

9 Game On

14 Birthdays 15 Baby sign

Communicate with your baby and toddler through baby sign language.

Kids have different sleep needs at differ- 16 To vaccinate or not? ent ages.

Be informed about protecting your kids.

19 Family physical activities

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Share the fun with family games.

Comment 12 Kids’ view

The Sleeping Beauty tale is told from the perspective of the villainous Maleficent and looks at the events that hardened her heart and drove her to curse young Princess Aurora .

We have five double passes to give away.

Enter online at www.familytimes.co.nz or write your name and address on the back of an envelope or postcard and send to: Maleficent, PO Box 36 004, Christchurch, to reach us by the 4 May 2014. Check out our website for more fantastic competitions.

We ask kids about their study habits.

Resource information 12 13 13 15

Calendar of events Entertainment School term dates Help is at Hand

Win a My Family Bag worth $159 The Family Times 5 minute video podcasts featuring Miriam McCaleb and Nathan Mikaere-Wallis are proving to be helpful and popular. Thank you for the emails and positive feedback - below are two comments from viewers. Also, you have until 16 April to vote for your favourite podcast and be in to win a My Family Bag, which delivers just the right amount of fresh, healthy and freerange ingredients to feed a family of four or five for five nights. www.myfoodbag.co.nz.

• SOOOO love your podcasts. You guys are really easy to listen to. The validation info has help me to calm down when fights break out and then the boys listen to me a lot more and I feel much better about the way I’ve handled it. Thanks.

• Hi guys, just wanted to let you know that I’m really enjoying the podcasts. They are short, to the point and provide good

actual examples. Thanks. *Go to www.familytimes.co.nz/ category/podcasts to vote and for further details.

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

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

Contributing Writers Maureen Crisp, Diane Levy Jackie Cowan, Nick Draper, Karyn Riley 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.

38,121 distributed through early childhood centres, primary and intermediate schools, public libraries and selected medical and midwifery premises. 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, so please support them. www.familytimes.co.nz

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feature story

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

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

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

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

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

immediately, without any intervention.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Decreased rates of postpartum depression.

• Enhancement of the baby’s birth weight.

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

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

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

• Better posture, which prevents or

• • • • • • •

• •

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

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

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

Increased resistance to fatigue.

Better quality sleep and better ability to deal with insomnia.

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

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

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

Reduced varicose veins and swelling of the feet and ankles.

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

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

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What’s the rush?

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

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

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

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

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

Prioritise Being over-committed is counter-productive.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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How much sleep

does your child need?

Sleep and newborns (1 to 2-months)

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

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

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

Sleep and infants (3 to 11-months)

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

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

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

Sleep tips for infants

• Develop regular daytime and bedtime schedules.

• Create a consistent and enjoyable bedtime routine.

• Establish a regular “sleep friendly” environment.

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

Sleep and toddlers (1 to 3-years)

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

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

Many factors can lead to sleep problems.

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

• Set limits that are consistent, communicated and enforced. Encourage use of a security object such as a blanket or stuffed animal.

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

Sleep and preschoolers (3 to 5-years)

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

Sleep tips for preschoolers

• Maintain a regular and consistent sleep schedule.

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

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

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

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

TV, computers, the media and Internet as well as caffeine products – all of which can lead to difficulty falling asleep, nightmares and disruptions to their sleep. In particular, watching TV close to bedtime has been associated with bedtime resistance, difficulty falling asleep, anxiety around sleep and sleeping fewer hours.

Sleep tips for school-aged children

• Teach school-aged children about healthy sleep habits.

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

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

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bedroom.

• Avoid caffeine.

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

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

looks and her size when in fact she is very slim and attractive. I am concerned that this will deeply affect her self-esteem.

What can I do?

The nightmare situation facing us all is that we are constantly bombarded in all media with images of impossibly-slender Photoshoppped models, “weight-watching” of all celebrities, endless diets, dire warnings about an obesity epidemic and a bizarre societal permission to greet people with an apparently praiseworthy Step 1: Have her in undies and let her comment, “Hello! You look as if you have know that whenever her body needs to poo lost weight.” No wonder your daughter has you will help her into a pull-up or she can go become very self-conscious! and put one on herself. Let her go off and Protecting our children in this bodypoo wherever she likes and then you will be conscious, weight-and image-obsessed happy to change her. Stay at this – and each – society is getting more and more difficult. step until it is easy for her.

Hopefully in her media studies at school she is already being made aware that almost all Step 2: When she needs to poo, you/ images that we see in magazines, billboards she puts on the pull-up and, instead of going and advertisements are Photoshopped and if to her favourite hiding place, she goes to the we all had the long, slender necks so lovingly room where the toilet is. portrayed, they would not be capable of our heads upright!

Step 3: Pull-up on, go to the room where holding Avoid, where possible, any comments (praise, the toilet is, poo sitting on the toilet with the reassurance or criticism) about her looks and pull-up on. body size and focus instead on all her other wonderful attributes that have nothing to do Step 4: One day, your daughter will with weight or appearance. triumphantly call you to show you that she Two lovely sayings I have come across lately: has pooed in the toilet.

This gentle four-step process allows her to 1 The definition of “beautiful” does not learn and get competent at a pace that she require the word “skinny.” can manage.

2 The scales can only give you a numerical My 14-year-old daughter has become very reflection of your relationship with gravity. self-conscious lately in regards to how she Your daughter is struggling to make the leap from pooing in her pull-ups to pooing in the toilet. If we can just break the leap into smaller manageable steps, she will be able to poo in the toilet when her body needs to.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Like with most things, the right attitude and approach to selecting software for your family is key. The other thing I would recommend is to not get caught up in the app vs. game definition. Games and apps are both just pieces of software and they don’t always do what they say they do. Some games

Experience the world with AFS

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

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

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

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

Win a copy of World Search: Incredible WIN, WIN, Animals

WIN!

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

We have 10 of these to give away.

Enter online at www.familytimes.co.nz or write your name and address on the back of an envelope or postcard and send to: Incredible Animals, PO Box 36 004, Christchurch, to reach us by May 4, 2014.

Check out our website for more fantastic competitions.

educate incredibly well while some so-called “educational” apps are a waste of time. It’s good to know as much as you can about the product regardless of the label on it.

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

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

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

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

It’s your decision, no one else’s.

Ultimately you know your children better than anyone and have the right and the responsibility to make content choices for

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them until they are capable themselves.

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

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

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

Dora’s Colouring Book: A free app that has dozens of line drawings that need colour added via virtual crayons. There are hundreds of variations in the app stores for free and for a price tag. Have a look for the one(s) that suit your kids.

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

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

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

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

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

It’s time for fun at your best out-of-school care under the rainbow!

Come join us and see... it’s always ‘About Kidz!’

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

www.afs.org.nz

WINZ Registered

Linden: 04-232 3647 Paparangi: 04-461 6347 www.aboutkidzoscar.com

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Karori Recreation Centre Preschool programmes School-age programmes Adult classes

This edition, Maureen Crisp visits St James School to talk with kids about how they manage exam stress. Here’s what they have to say:

Naomi Masson, age 10

I don’t like maths that much because I’m afraid that I won’t get it right. If it’s a number test and I don’t like it, I don’t really want to learn it and so I don’t try very hard with it. If it is a maths test, my tummy gets all knotty and I get very nervous.

When I get my test back I usually get my answers right. If I don’t get it right it would be embarrassing.

Facility hire Sports league 251 Karori Road, Karori, Phone 476 8090 Wellington.govt.nz

Genuine Mahu, age 9

I get scared in spelling tests. I don’t have enough time to think about the word and then I’m put on the spot to spell it. I’d like more time because I feel scrabbled and queasy when I know I know the word but I can’t think and we have a time limit for each word. I’m always surprised when get my marks back by how well I did.

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Man Nu Pau, age 9

Sometimes I don’t know how to use speech marks so I get nervous and I feel not prepared for when I start writing.

When I get my tests back, I’m always surprised when I get a good mark. I always think I do lots of mistakes and then I find out I haven’t. Before every test I’m nervous that I will make mistakes. Once in a Rippa rugby test I got the ball and surprised myself and got a try. I felt like I was floating, I was so happy.

Soloman Vaofusi, age 9

I feel nervous when I do writing. I’m not very good at looking up words in the dictionary. I don’t get a chance to edit when we do free writing because I write a really long story. Sometimes I freeze and think for a little bit. In a maths test I’m always expecting to get a good mark. I’m sometimes surprised because I thought I would do better.

When I do really well in a test I feel happy.

A new Hellers CoCktAil sAusAge rAnge for tHe wHole fAmily.

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.

WIN, WIN,

WIN!

WIN, WIN,

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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

Win LEGO® City High Speed Police Chase

whole family. Available in all good stores now!

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

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

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It’s an all-out LEGO® City High Speed Police Chase to catch the crooks with the stolen money on their motorbikes!

Make sure the policeman is quick enough in the police car before slapping the handcuffs on them before they get away.

Includes three mini-figures with assorted accessories: two crooks and a policeman.

RRP $29.99.

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

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

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

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

Congratulations to our ‘What is your favourite activity to do with your family in summer?’ competition winners from our last issue. They are: 1- 4 Lucie Cairney

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

Enter the promo code FAMILY when purchasing online for 50c off per box

5 - 8 Rui - Yi Ong

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

Staglands

1/2 Price Kids *weekdays of April school holidays (excludes public holidays)

*Not available with any other special rate or offer

Open Every Day 9.30 - 5.00

www.staglands.co.nz

9 - 12 Luke Miller

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

WIN, WIN,

WIN!

Muppets: Most Wanted– In Cinemas April 10 - prize packs 1 x Double pass to the movie 1 x T-shirt 1 x Eight colour pen 1 x Sticker Sheet 1 x Door Tag (set ) 1 x Notepad We have five prize packs to give away.

Competition closes April 15, 2014.

2362 Akatarawa Valley, Upper Hutt

WIN, WIN,

WIN!

Win ZingBokashi® 2 x 15 litre bucket sets and 2 bags of Compost-Zing Recycling kitchen and garden waste has never been easier, and with the help of ZingBokashi® NZ Ltd and its range of environmentally friendly products, it’s easy to make a sustainable difference to your local environment - at home, at work and at play.

We have 4 sets to give away.

Just tick the things you want to win Autumn 2014

   

ZingBokashi® Muppets: Most Wanted Birth-to-potty pack LEGO® City High Speed Police Chase

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: Christchurch Competition, PO Box 36 004, Christchurch to reach us by May 4th 2014, unless stated otherwise. Only one entry per household. www.familytimes.co.nz

11

cool activities

Calendar of Events

Wrap the family up nice and finest classical ballet. At the St James Theatre.

Bookings at Ticketek. warm and head out to enjoy From 22 April 2014 some gorgeous autumn Kapital Kids Theatre. Racecars Vs days at the following family- Cupcakes...a fun story of tolerance, acceptance and freedom. Gryphon Theatre Welfriendly events. For more lington from 22 April. Visit www.kapitallkidsevent and entertainment theatre.co.nz. ideas, visit www.familytimes.

22, 24, 29 April and 1 May co.nz and enjoy our large, Botanic Gardens. Free school holiday family-friendly resource. sessions - How do you make a garden? Meet 21 March — 22 April 2014

Whittaker’s Big Egg Hunt. Find 100 giant eggs created by New Zealand artists and designers, all in support of Starship. Hunt either for fun or to compete for the currently underwraps grand prize. At Courtney Place Park.

7 April – 5 May

Welington Ice Rink. Get ready to skate, Wellington! Due to overwhelming popular demand, Ice World NZ is proud to return the outdoor ice skating rink to the beautiful Queens Wharf waterfront. From 10am. Cost, $10 - $20.

12 April 2014

Berhampore Nursery Open Day. Emerson Street, Berhampore, 10am - 2pm. An opportunity to hear some great talks and pick up some good deals at the plant sale. This year’s theme is Families Growing Together.

17 April - 26 April 2014

Coppelia. The Royal New Zealand Ballet presents this comedy for the whole family. It combines laughter, mystery, romance and the

our curators and find out. From 10am - 12 noon, for more information visit wellington. govt.nz.

Get into the action at the Armageddon Expo.

27 April 2014 Fungal foray. Back by popular demand, this fabulous foray into the threads of fungi is an easy two-hour ramble. Meet at the Otari Information Centre. From 2pm, cost $3.

9 May — 11 May 2014

The Food Show Wellington. New Zealand’s largest culinary exhibition. Taste and buy from a huge range of the very best food, drink, and kitchen equipment from New Zealand and around the world. From 10am, Westpac Stadium.

10 May 2014 Are you and your kids fabric fans? Can’t resist sifting through piles of lovely weaves, textures and colours? Come to haberdashery heaven for all things fabric – quilting dressmaking, crafts and more.

From 10am, Island Bay Presbyterian Church, phone 04-383-8699.

See Wellington on board a Round Harbour Explorer with East by West.

23 May - 8 Jun 2014 Annie. The heart-warming rags-to-riches story of plucky young Annie’s journey from the hard-knock New York orphanage to the luxurious home of billionaire businessman Oliver Warbucks. At the St James Theatre.

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

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

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

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kapitall

KKT showAnotherthesefun-filled holidays! theatre

RACECARS VS CUPCAKES

Bookings at Ticketek.

24 May to 25 May 2014 Armageddon expo hits Hamilton. Gaming, comics, collectibles, TV, movie and cartoon stars, amusements, animation and more.

Check out www.armageddonexpo.com for details.

31 May — 1 June 2014

Handmade. A festival for people who want to learn the skills and crafts of previous generations but in today’s context, using modern technology and style. Wellington Waterfront, from 8am. Entry from $10.

31 May to 2 June 2014

Armageddon expo hits Wellington. Gaming, comics, collectibles, TV, movie and cartoon stars, amusements, animation and more.

Check out www.armageddonexpo.com for details.

22 June 2014 Gryphon Theatre Wellington, 22 Ghuznee St

22 APRIL - 3 MAY

MON-FRI 11AM, 1PM ANZAC DAY 1PM SATURDAYS 11AM

Bookings: (04) 934 4068 Tickets $10 : Groups 10+ $9

The Armstrong Motor Group Wellington Marathon. This event has been Wellington’s favourite footrace for almost 30 years. Full marathon, half marathon, 10k, kids’ Magic Mile... Runners and walkers welcome. Westpac Stadium, www.wellingtonmarathon.co.nz.

www.kapitallkidstheatre.co.nz

ScHool Holiday Fun only aT ZEalandia buG WEEK free activities with General admission 18–25 april booK noW for the Junior ranger full Day Programme 28 April – 2 may and Kids night adventures 22–24 April and 29 April – 1 may For all conditions, times and details go to visitzealandia.com/events or phone 04 920 9200

SEE THE SancTuary vallEy and ExHibiTion For onE pricE ADULTs $17.50 • ChiLDren $9 • fAmiLies $44 12

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cool activities

Entertainment Round Harbour Explorer Need a fun activity to beat See Wellington on board a Round Harbour the autumn blues? The Explorer tour these holidays, or make up your own trip with up to 16 return harbour crossings weather may be cooling down, but there’s still plenty daily. Visit www.eastbywest.co.nz. of fun to be had at a plethora The Carter Observatory Take a journey into space at Carter of events and entertainment Observatory’s multimedia exhibition and digital full-dome planetarium. For opening hours and destinations around the prices visit carterobservatory.org or phone 04city. Here are a few ideas to 910-3140. get you started, and we’ve Wellington Ice Rink Get ready to skate, Wellington! Ice World NZ is got heaps more at www. proud to return the outdoor ice skating rink to familytimes.co.nz. the beautiful Queens Wharf waterfront. Family Capital E National Theatre for Children presents Mr McGee & the Biting Flea

Saturday 19 April - Saturday 3 May 2014 (no show Sundays/no performance on ANZAC day) Hannah Playhouse, 12 Cambridge Terrace, Wellington. To book tickets visit www.capitale. org.nz or call 04-913-3740.

Armageddon

passes from $50. Visit www.iceworld.co.nz.

Holiday specials Here are some great holiday ideas designed to keep you and your little ones entertained during the school break.

Armageddon expo hits Hamilton and Wellington with gaming, comics, collectibles, TV, movie and cartoon stars, amusements, animation and more. Check out www.armageddonexpo.com for details.

Staglands

Staglands

Zealandia

Karori Pool

Karori Pool

Staglands Wildlife Reserve offers visitors the unique opportunity to feed and freely interact with wildlife in a natural environment. Open daily, www.staglands.co.nz.

Come along and enjoy Karori Pool’s 25m heated indoor pool – warm, even in the cooler weather! Plus a learners’ pool with water features, toddlers’ pool, spa pool, 30m hydroslide and more. Visit karori.pool@wcc. govt.nz.

Win a copy of Stories for 7 Year Olds

Staglands fantastic school holiday special is back!

– All kids half price entry week days of the April school holidays. Conditions apply. Visit www. staglands.co.nz for more details.

Bug week: free activities with general admission 18-25 April. Book now for our Junior Ranger full-day programme 28 April – 2 May. Kids Night Adventures: 22-24 April and 29 April - 1 May. Check out Karori Pool’s school holiday activities at karori.pool@wcc.govt.nz - facilities include a 25m heated indoor pool, learners’ pool with water features, toddlers’ pool, spa pool, 30m hydroslide and more.

WIN, WIN,

WIN!

Stories For 7 Year Olds is a little more adventurous, with the stories often about getting out there and doing exciting things. The stories are about exploring and things — like best friends, monsters, climbing trees, pasta, kapa haka, snorkelling, wetas, whales, skating and much more!

Some on New Zealand’s best authors.

We have 10 of these to give away.

Enter online at www.familytimes.co.nz or write your name and address on the back of an envelope or postcard and send to: Stories for 6 Year Olds, PO Box 36 004, Christchurch, to reach us by 4 May 2014. Check out our website for more fantastic competitions.

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

Monday 5 May to Friday 4 July

Term 3, 2014

Monday 21 July to Friday 26 September

Term 4, 2014

Monday 13 October to no later than Friday 19 December

Term 1, 2015

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

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

Monday 5 May to Friday 4 July

Capital E National Theatre for Children presents Mr McGee & the Biting Flea.

Become a Junior Ranger at Zealandia.

Karori Pool

Term 3, 2014 Monday 21 July to Friday 26 September

Term 4, 2014

Monday 13 October to Tuesday 16 December

SCHOOL TERM DATES

Term 1, 2015

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

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

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

• 25 metre pool • Toddler pool • Spa • Hydroslide • Aqua fitness classes • Birthday parties 22 Donald Street, Karori Phone 476 5400 Wellington.govt.nz www.familytimes.co.nz

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parties

Delicious and fun Birthday themes birthday treats for older kids So you’ve got the party theme sorted – now, what about the food?? It doesn’t have to take too much effort to make your child’s party the talk of the schoolyard – and on a budget.

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Here are a few ideas to get the creative juices flowing:

Fear Factor

1- Teddy bear cars

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

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

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

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

Cut the M&Ms in half and glue onto the Tim Tam in front of the teddy for the steering wheel. Then use the icing to attach four whole M&Ms as the wheels. A couple of dots of icing on the front of the Tim Tam serve as the headlights.

2- Shark cup cakes

These little beauties are perfect for a boy’s birthday party.

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

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

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

Birthday themes for little kids are easy – pirates, super heroes, fairies and princesses.

But what about older kids?

We’ve got a few party ideas for them based on popular television shows:

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

Frogs’ eggs

Make up a batch of tapioca pudding with a few drops of green food dye, and give each child a spoon. The child who eats the most spoons of “frogs eggs” is the winner.

Cow part identification 3

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

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

We’ve got birthdays covered at www.familytimes.co.nz. Visit, search “birthdays” and we’ve got heaps of party, party destination, gift, food and decoration ideas.

Pixie Party Supplies

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

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

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

You’ll be surprised at how many cow parts you can buy at the supermarket – tongue, liver, stomach. Get as many as you can and put them in individual plastic zip-lock bags. The winner is the child who correctly identifies the most cow parts.

must eat everything in that cup to progress. Use local landmarks for challenges – like counting the number of bricks on the first line of your patio. Assemble a puzzle.

Include a quick-fire geography quiz.

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

6 The winners are those over the finish line first.

Master Chef

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

Fill a child’s paddling pool with cold water, ice, For the sake of space, limit the party to about eight kids, split into teams of two, ready for and marbles. Each child has to use only their the cook-off! feet to retrieve as many marbles as they can 1 Upon arrival, greet you little master chefs in 60 seconds. with their own apron and chef hat. Have The Amazing Race coloured fabric pens on hand for decoratCapture the adventure of a whirlwind arounding and autographs. the-world race with an Amazing Race-themed 2 Make a small recipe handbook for the party. This will be a very active and participative participants, so that they can choose party, where everybody gets a shot at the title. which recipe they want to make, and take This party takes quite a bit of organising, but is the recipes home with them afterwards. sure to be a hit with slightly older kids.

3 Alternatively, for a simpler party, try 1 Workout your location – whether it’s your the mystery box challenge. Put together backyard or the local park. Decide where boxes with mystery ingredients and let the clue points and challenges will be the kids’ creativity loose. Great things to located and organise an adult to monitor include are mini meringues, chocolate each one. mousse, sponge cake, different flavours 2 Print out your clues in Amazing Race of ice cream, banana, crushed nuts, style, and pair the kids up into teams of cream, cherries, mint, berries, and of two with matching bandanas. course, chocolate. Set a time limit – i.e.

3 Give the kids the first clue, and send them 20 minutes – and the best creation wins. on their way.

Remember, presentation is key!

4 Some cool challenges (road blocks) can 4 Another great Master Chef challenge is be: an egg-and-spoon circuit; polystyrene cupcakes – you can either pre-bake the cup cups full of lollies or jelly set out on a cakes and have decoration as the whole table, with a special marking on the inside challenge, or start from scratch and have to match the child’s clue. The child then the kids bake the cup cakes. Bon appetite!

Iced marbles

Stylish partyware & decorations from NZ & around the world

Music, Magic, Juggling & Balloons Beautiful baby shower ranges, cute children’s themed party supplies & lots of pretty, boutique items for all occasions.

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Family Times Special Offer

1 hour Birthday Party Show only $220 When you mention this advert – conditions apply.

Valid until 22 June 2014.

Contact Rick on 04-389 4483 Email: rick@entertainment.org.nz

www.entertainment.org.nz

support services

Baby sign What if our babies could somehow tell us what they’re thinking about, what they want, and what distresses them?

communicate their needs and wants if they are given the right tools to do so. Although many mothers develop an intuition about whether their baby’s cry is from hunger, tiredness, pain or need of a nappy change, baby sign language creates a direct form of communication that removes the mystery.

“Definitely, one of the biggest things that obyn Holt, national coordinator for Baby people notice is the reduction of tantrums,” Talk in New Zealand, says they can. said Holt.

Holt heard about baby sign language through “One of the biggest reasons for a tantrum is an advertisement and decided to go along to “I’m not making myself understood and I’m a workshop. frustrated.”

“Sign language is something that’s always When they have the signing tools, they can be interested me, and I thought, hey, it could understood.” be really cool to try this with a baby because A baby can usually begin to understand and we are always guessing all the time what they use sign between the ages of 6-months and actually want. Let’s give it a go.”

12 to 13-months, dependent on the child’s Holt started signing to her baby son Benjamin, developmental schedule set up by the brain. now 12, and within two weeks he started to At that stage developmentally, the brain works sign the sign for milk. She has since used baby out how to move the hand, and the child starts sign with her two younger sons Dominic, 8, to play with their hands more and more. and Matthew, 3.

It’s during this time that parents can begin to Baby sign language is nothing new: the teach baby sign: use the sign for milk while practice (which is based on a simplified feeding, and also talk about milk, so that the version of adult sign language) has been out child begins to make the link in their brain. Then in America for more than 30 years. But it is begin to add other signs i.e. food, sick or pain. enjoying a resurgence in New Zealand.

“I know of one parent and their child was The concept behind baby sign is that signing the sign for hurt by their mouth, and babies and toddlers do have the ability to she realised they were teething. It makes life

R

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

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

Help is @ hand

Cancer Society Wellington

invites you!

We would welcome home-based parents and grandparents to contribute as little or as much time as they can spare as volunteer drivers or visitors. We will provide you with an orientation, free training, free parking and a contribution to your expenses.

Manager Volunteering

Phone: 04-389 0050

Email volunteering@cancersoc.org.nz

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

so much easier,” said Holt.

Nowadays it also possible to get flash cards, picture books, videos, and even apps to help the teaching process.

The amount of signs that your child will learn depends on their developmental schedule, and also your input as a parent. Some kids will learn about 10 signs, and others will learn 80-120 signs.

Holt knows of some toddlers who use more than 300 signs.

The key criticism that is aimed at baby sign

language is that is slows down a child’s need to talk and use language. Holt says that’s simply not true.

“The only downside is that often they will start talking earlier and you can’t keep them quiet, and usually if a child is signing and not talking at an age that they should be, there are underling issues.”

For more articles about babies and toddlers, check out www.familytimes. co.nz, and for tips on settling your baby, www.familytimes.co.nz/settling-baby

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Stay active – 20 minutes of exercise.

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

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

www.familytimes.co.nz

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

A

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

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

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

However, Brandt said that some older age groups were less protected, and the current wave of measles cases showed the need for

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

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

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all family members to consider immunisation.

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

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

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

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

That’s not a course that is recommended by the WHO or New Zealand’s Ministry of Health. During Immunisation Awareness Week, WHO is encouraging people around the world to find out what vaccines are

Conectus & The Immunisation Advisory Centre

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

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

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65-years.

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

Maleficent – In cinemas May 29 – double passes

available, to check their vaccination status, and to get the vaccines that they need. WHO says that one in every five children are not vaccinated, and a lack of knowledge about vaccination on behalf of adults is the reason.

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

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

Are you finding parenting a challenge?

For parenting support, information and advice:

Call 04-499 9994

Are you interested in helping parents with parenting concerns?

To become a Parent Help volunteer telephone support worker:

Call 04-802 5767

www.parenthelp.org.nz

WIN, WIN,

WIN!

The Sleeping Beauty tale is told from the perspective of the villainous Maleficent and looks at the events that hardened her heart and drove her to curse young Princess Aurora.

1 x Notebook 1 x Tumbler 1 x Cap 1 x T-shirt 1 x Double pass We have three prize packs to give away.

Enter online at www.familytimes.co.nz or write your name and address on the back of an envelope or postcard and send to: Maleficent, PO Box 36 004, Christchurch, to reach us by 4 May 2014.

Check out our website for more fantastic competitions.

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

CONTACT US: (04) 471 0690 EMAIL: help@lalecheleague.org.nz facebook.com/LLLNZ lalecheleague.org.nz

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

www.immune.org.nz 0800 466 863

Share, shape and sustain play through family games In a special series of articles for Family Times, Jackie Cowan and Nick Draper – primary school and physical activity specialists from the University of Canterbury –highlight some activities, family games and resources that can help families add more fun physical activity into their lives.

Over the holidays, we as parents often think about how our children can be occupied and engaged in physical activity during the break.

When friends are away and children struggle to settle on something to do, it can be difficult to get through a day without being hounded about time on technology or costly trips out and about.

This is our second article in a series of six that explores strategies and ideas for sustainable family physical activity time.

Our ideas in this article are based on the concept of “play” through family games.

Play is described in recent research as fundamental to the child’s quality of life and a major contributing factor to overall wellbeing (social, emotional, physical, cognitive and spiritual).

The following ideas support SPARC 2007 and (now)Sport NZ guidelines that suggest children (5 to 18-years) need to engage in 60 minutes of accumulated moderate to vigorous physical activity per day, and adults should be engaging in 30 minutes per day, five days a week. We are talking about sustainable change but this time we focus on attitudes and how the outcomes of playing family games can be so much more positive when both parents and children create time to be actively and positively engaged in play together.

As parents, it can be easier showing and teaching children something based on our own personal experiences. Family games and activities played in the past were certainly valued and are something that our new generation can gain from.

We can be guided by the following points gained from some recent research related to why children engage in physical play.

and activities played. This is evident in school playgrounds where numerous games and activities are designed by children with their own unique modifications and played with very few issues.

Sharing old games and activities with children

Can you remember the following games and activities: hopscotch, jump rope, elastics, four square/handball, patter tennis, chasing games like Go home, Stay Home and Spot Light?

Modifying games – a twist from the new generation

After sharing and playing your game and/or activity, encourage children to make modifications for the game. Playing the game with their modifications can indicate to them that their ideas are valued and an increased sense of ownership or contribution can increase motivation to play. You can encourage children to make modifications by asking open-ended questions such as; How could we make the game faster?

What could we do to make it harder to ……?

What would happen if we changed a piece of equipment?

So much of what children learn is modelled from what they see and how they feel during experiences in and through play.

In sharing and shaping games together you will experience enjoyment, improved motivation and more time together.

For more feature articles on family health, visit www. familytimes.co.nz. To get started, why not check out How to Exercise With Kids? www.familytimes.co.nz/ exercise-kids

2014

1 Children are more likely to show an interest when others

NZ

(both children and adults) are involved. Children are motivated by the social aspects of play such as the time to connect with others and share time together. This is particularly so if the others participating are parents and/or a significant adult in the child’s life.

Half Marathon

Champs

2 Children enjoy the “fun” element that can be gained

through playing games. More often than not, “fun” as described by children relates to participation, the positive feelings they get by being involved and completing an activity or what they may see as a personal challenge. Children also value the idea of competition, but for younger children, this is usually related to the challenges throughout the activity as opposed to winning. This means that the personal challenges emphasised throughout an activity become important in maintaining children’s interest and more sustainable involvement.

3 Children enjoy experiencing some ownership in the games

Armstrong Motor Group Wellington Marathon - a fun day for the family Looking for a goal to keep you keen and lean over winter? Maybe a fun day out for the fit family? The Armstrong Motor Group Wellington Marathon has something for everyone!

Based at Wellington’s famous Westpac Stadium, the fast, flat, scenic route around Wellington’s spectacular waterfront has been the capital city’s favourite footrace for almost 30 years. With a full marathon, half marathon, 10k and the hugely popular Kids’ Magic Mile, this is an event for runners and walkers of all ages, abilities and aspirations.

More than 5000 runners and walkers line up for this great annual occasion. But don’t take our word for it - find out for yourself: scheduled for Sunday 22 June, entries for the 2014 Armstrong Motor Group Wellington Marathon are now open at www.wellingtonmarathon.co.nz.

BANG FOR YOUR BUCK Every finisher receives a warm down pack that includes a towel, sponsor goodies, fruit and Powerade. Full Marathon and Kids’ Magic Mile finishers receive medals.

22 JUNE 2014 www.familytimes.co.nz

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Daddy says I’m still beautiful.

Make sure you have working smoke alarms.

Before it’s too late.

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

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