Family Times - Wellington - Winter 2013

Caring for New ZealaNd’s Kids

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Cyber-kids:

how modern technology affects today’s children

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A news magazine and online resource for families

Winter wellness

Dr Libby Weaver’s top tips

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WELLINGTON / ISSUE 54 / Winter 2013

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inside this issue

Contents

9

6

Comment Features

21

future?

8 Sibling mayhem

4 Resilience during winter

Tips on keeping a calm household

Beating the winter blues

5 Learning disabilities

Identifying difficulties in learning and strategies to help

6 The impact of modern technology on kids

Tablets, iPads, Twitter – the way of the

9 Baby and toddler

16 Household chores for older kids

14 Knit a winter scarf

17 Top reads

Having fun with a cardboard box!

Keep the kids busy with this timeless craft

15 Winter wellness

Dr Libby Weaver’s top tips for healthy eating in the colder months

Advice for help in the home

Recommended reading these school holidays

18 Become a kiwi ranger

Discover the true beauty of the outdoors

10 Kids’ view

We ask kids about their use of technology and rules around it

Resource information 9 Help is @ hand 12 Calendar of events 13 Entertainment 19 Marketplace

About Us Spring iSSue 2012

Contributing Writers

Tracey-Ann Abery, Maureen Crisp Rose Blackett, John Cowan Diane Levy, Gill Connell Dr Libby Weaver, Eva-Maria Crissi Blair

Advertising Sales Shona Robb,Nicky Barnett, Jane Hunter, Tina Barriball, Katrina Wright, Naomh Cusin

Office Manager Raelyn Hay

Office Administrator Jackie Pithie

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

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

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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From the editor

Resilience through the tough times of winter

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As the colder weather harkens do you notice that you or members of your family/ whanau start to feel more moody, tired and less positive?

This can be common for many people.

ove it or hate it, technology is a big part of your child’s life in the 21st century.

It has the potential to enhance their life experiences, but given its proliferation, it also has the potential to rule it.

While a lot of parents have gotten super smart about setting time rules around the use of technology such as computers, phones, tablets, gaming consoles and the likes, there’s also the simple fact that it does keep the kids occupied – and quiet. And as smart as parents are, kids are in fact often the smarter ones when it comes to operating digital goods. They are, after all, digital natives in a digital age. It’s not unusual for my 7-year-old nephew to be found showing my mother how to do something on the computer, or for my 4-year-old nephew to Skype call me.

It’s stuff like this that my generation dreamed of as kids. Imagine video calling people instead of using a landline? Now that seems passé.

But there’s something important we have to remember here too. Kids have vivid imaginations, but less of a concept between what is real, and what is imagined. All the super-highquality graphic games and 3D movies can create a world in their minds that’s hard to distinguish from the real one. And unlike traditional games, most technology-based involvement is done individually, which creates unique challenges for parents: how do parents safeguard their kids from predators? How is technology changing the way kids relate to each other, communicate and form friendships?

Because let’s be honest - it’s even changing things amongst adults. There was a time when going to a café with friends meant good quality conversation – not checking Facebook messages and Twitter feeds. And call me oldfashioned, but when it comes to reading a book, there’s something nostalgic about turning actual

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uilding up resilience during these times can help families. You won’t stop experiencing times of stress or difficulty, but you will develop skills that you can use to come through those times and move forwards positively. Give some of these strategies a try:

• Get the basics right and look after pages rather than sweeping the screen of a Kindle.

I’m not down on technology at all. I think that when it’s used well it’s a powerful tool for education and amusement. I just don’t want to see today’s generation of kids miss out on the experience of building an outdoor hut, going fishing, or riding their bike because they prefer to do it virtually.

This edition we tackle the technology issue, and talk to the experts about what it means for kids and parents today. Check out our main feature for the story, and also some tips on how to manage technology with your kids.

Of course we have all the regular features too, with heaps of competitions, parenting tips, and entertainment ideas for the whole family.

Enjoy!

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•

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yourselves really well – getting enough rest, eating healthily and exercising helps you a lot – consider taking some Vitamin C to avoid winter colds.

Help the family recognise their feelings and find good ways to let out their stress – think of lots of physical, creative and everyday ways to release stress and tension before it builds up too much.

Make your home environment lighter and brighter – open up curtains or blinds, sit closer to bright windows, move away clutter and change the furniture around for fun.

Get family members outside everyday if you can – wrap up warmly and have a walk, bike ride or play outside. It can get energy flowing and help clear fuzzy thinking. Indoor pools can be great for winter swims!

Make the most of your support circle of family/whanau and good friends – look for opportunities to spend time together, to

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talk, to laugh and to have fun. Invest some time in those closest to you. Role model how it’s okay to ask for help when you really need it.

• Use a sense of humour - often it’s good to laugh at things because seeing things in a different way can relieve tension.

• Think creatively – when difficult things happen be willing to try new ways of doing things or problem solve. Ask others for their ideas as well.

• Persevere – remind the family that summer is around the corner. Treat yourselves to something special every now and then as a reward for your perseverance.

• If you or your family member feels negative or flat most of the time and unable to enjoy anything, finding professional help could make a difference. Visit a doctor, nurse or counsellor.

Information provided by Skylight.

Skylight supports those impacted by difficult life changes, loss, trauma and grief – whatever the cause and whatever the age. Visit www.skylight. org.nz, phone 0800 299 100, email rs@skylighttrust.org.nz.

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How to identify learning disabilities Does your child struggle with completing schoolwork? Does their teacher describe them as lazy, unmotivated or naughty?

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s reading out loud worse than eating brussel sprouts in their world? Do writing tasks or simple math problems lead to major meltdowns at homework time?

If so, consider the possibility that there is an underlying learning disability. By understanding learning disabilities, you can set your child up for success within the classroom and beyond.

What are learning disabilities?

Learning disabilities are difficulties with learning and processing information. A learning disability does not indicate a child is of low intelligence; however, their academic results may be very low. It is not a motivation issue, although if a child experiences failure continually they may become unmotivated very quickly within the classroom. Children with learning disabilities are certainly not lazy or dumb, but they may have acquired fantastic task-avoidance skills.

The most common types of learning disabilities involve challenges with reading, writing, math, reasoning, listening, and speaking.

Can children with learning disabilities succeed?

When parents first hear that their child has a learning disability, they are often both relieved and scared: relieved to have an answer and scared about what the future might hold for their child.

The important thing to remember is that most children with learning disabilities are intelligent and capable of learning if the environment and teaching methods are changed. These children learn differently and need to be taught in ways that are tailored to meet their needs. By becoming informed about learning disabilities in general, and your child’s learning difficulties in particular, you can help pave the way for academic success and social-emotional wellbeing.

The important thing to remember is that most children with learning disabilities are intelligent and capable of learning if the environment and teaching methods are changed.

What can I do if I think my child has a learning disability?

Investigate it further. Learning disabilities generally do not improve if left alone, and research indicates that early intervention can be very successful. If a child has reached high school before their learning disability is identified they have often experienced a lonely and academic struggle.

How are learning disabilities identified?

It’s not always easy to identify learning disabilities as they are highly variable and individual.

No set of single identifiers exists; however, some common characteristics are evident.

Your child might present with some or all of these, and therefore further investigation by a suitably qualified person is suggested.

All children are invigorating and exhausting, but these traits are often magnified in children with a learning disability. Both parent and child can experience great frustration.

Celebrate what your child can do and have high expectations. A little boy who once disliked school stated so aptly “I was, on the whole, considerably discouraged by my school days. It was not pleasant to feel oneself so completely outclassed and left behind at the beginning of the race.” He became the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill!

By Rose Blackett Rose Blackett is the president of NZAGC, SENG Board of Directors, MoE advisory board.

NZ’s No.1 parenting publication

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Signs and symptoms of learning disabilities:  Trouble learning the alphabet, numbers, colours, shapes, days of the week.

 Difficulty following directions or learning routines.

 Trouble with buttons, zips, clothes fastenings, learning to tie shoes.

 Trouble learning and remembering the connection between letters and sounds.

 Fidgety, sometimes disruptive.  Unable to blend sounds to make words.  Trouble remembering the sounds that letters make or hearing slight differences between words.  Confuses basic words when reading.  Consistently misspells common words and makes frequent reading errors.  Trouble learning and retaining basic math concepts.  Difficulty telling time and remembering number sequences.  Slow to learn and demonstrate new skills.  Inconsistent learning - may be able to demonstrate a skill one day but not on another.  Variable concentration levels.  Difficulty with reading comprehension or math skills.

 Often skilled at task avoidance, often loses personal belongings.  May become disruptive and present as a behaviour challenge.  Spells the same word differently in a single document.  Poor organisational skills i.e. bedroom, homework, desk is messy and disorganised.  Poor handwriting.  Makes many mistakes when reading aloud, and repeats and pauses often.  Messy handwriting or holds a pencil awkwardly.  Struggles to express ideas in writing – huge gap between oral language ability and written output.  Mispronounces words or uses a wrong word that sounds similar.  Confuses math symbols and misreads numbers.  May not be able to retell a story in order i.e. what happened first, second, third.  Great difficulty starting tasks, and often unsure of next step to reach task completion.

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feature story

The pros and cons of modern technology for today’s kids It’s not uncommon to see a toddler on an iPad, children with smart phones and the latest “apps,” and to wonder, what has happened to kids these days?

Rachel Taniwha investigates.

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eing a child today is very different from previous generations; things are moving at an extra fast pace with modern technology such as the internet offering both benefits and disadvantages to parents, and increasingly, children.

It’s no small thing. Sir Peter Gluckman, the prime minister’s chief science adviser, described the internet as “the most profound change” in communications since we learned to speak, and spoke about the impact of the technological world on children’s and adolescent health and behaviour in a report for the Families Commission earlier this year.

Computers – the way of communicating?

Computers were a rare luxury in schools a generation ago – perhaps just a dedicated computer room and limited use for pupils, with limited capabilities as well. Comparatively, technology today is mind-boggling.

Now social networking means instant contact at anytime with anybody in the world, plus the bonus of virtually living vicariously through the computer screen. With web cams and online live streaming, it’s as simple as a click of the mouse.

It’s this topic that Sir Peter explored. Modern technology has changed the way we communicate and interact – from verbal and personal, to electronic. And electronic forms of communication that exclude body language, such as text messages and Tweets – leave a lot of room to be misinterpreted or misunderstood.

Stuart Wright, of UCANDO, is a leading New Zealand facilitator of Accelerated Learning and Whole Brain Learning Techniques. Wright believes that technology, with all its positives, is now encouraging learning by doing things at great haste without any logical analysis or even concern for the consequences. “The whole culture of text messages and computer games is about speed and instant hits rather than more profound or detailed ways of handling information.”

“Today’s children really are digital natives and soon even the most technologically-savvy parents will be left behind.”

Belinda Milnes, interim chief commissioner, Families Commission.

How technology influences brain development

Sir Peter suggested that the most important period for developing resilience is in early childhood when there is greater ability to influence brain development. He described today’s

voted of the one w top fi orld’s muse fty ums Museum of Wellington City & Sea Queens Wharf open every day 10am to 5pm www.museumswellington.org.nz www.facebook.com/MuseumsWellington

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children as the guinea pigs in “a new world we don’t fully understand.”

“The digital world is leading to different ways in which the brain develops, different environments in which we learn . . . and it does seem to be having impacts on cognitive, social and emotional development,” he said.

Wright agrees, saying that the nervous systems of today’s tots, tweens and teens are constantly being trained to watch, not listen. “All those fast-moving primarily visual images that this generation is constantly bombarded with every day arouse the right hemisphere at the expense of the left side. What is the left responsible for?

Language proficiency skills, logical sequence and reasoning.”

Are our kids taking more risks?

The Parenting Place creative producer, John Cowan, says that with all the technological know-how, children lack something adults have owned for years - a properly functioning prefrontal cortex. “That part of the brain handles risk assessment and social behaviour, and brain research says it isn’t working properly until a person is in their mid-twenties … so your young person might be bright and clever but

you have instincts, wisdom and risk-assessment skills that they won’t have for another decade.”

The Families Commission’s interim chief commissioner, Belinda Milnes, says she has tried to encourage her two daughters (aged 8 and 10) to take calculated risks after they have thought through what could go wrong. “For example we might say, “Sure you can jump off that shed roof, but what do you think is the worst that might happen? Do you think you can do something to make it safer? Do you still think it’s a good idea?” It doesn’t always stop them but I guess at least they are learning cause and effect and to take responsibility for their own decisions.”

A pre-digital world?

Cowan says that parents can remember a time before mobile phones and home computers, but kids can’t - their world is digital. “They live in a connected world; they know technology and they love it. They are the first generation that have to show their parents how to do things, rather than vice versa. Can we really guide and protect our kids in a world that they know better than we do?”

With guidance, he believes parents can. “While we may not be as familiar with all the gadgets, we know what our kids are doing. They are chatting, flirting, looking at pictures, shopping, fighting, listening to music, making friends, watching movies, arguing, reading, joking, playing games, hanging out… in other words, the same things kids have done for ages, but they’re doing it digitally, doing it more and, increasingly, doing it without adult coaching or protection.”

Milnes says the pace of technological change is both exciting and terrifying for parents.

“Today’s children really are digital natives and soon even the most technologically-savvy parents will be left behind. I saw my 10-yearold coaxing her 84 year-old granddad to use an iPad for Google searches the other day which was fantastic.”

She says she loves the way this generation of kids have no perceived limits on what technology can and can’t do. “The concept of a 3D printer churning out household items from downloadable plans instead of going to the hardware shop really challenges my whole world, but my daughters think it is brilliant and would like one for Christmas!”

The effect on education

Children are becoming more technologicallysavvy, albeit perhaps lacking some awareness of its limitations. But what effect does this greater cyber knowledge have on their teachers?

Sir Peter argued that children could require a certain type of teacher in order to cope with these changes.

Wright, an education specialist, said that the education system is actively encouraging the use of computers in virtually all of the learning activities in which instant communication is paramount. Yet he says that computers should not be children’s main source of gaining knowledge. “I believe schools need to start thinking seriously about providing a refuge from computers for at least part of the day to allow students to start developing the very skills that this technology seems to be quashing: linear analytical thought, sequential argument, reflection.”

He feels that students should be taught verbal and logical skills that require concentration and perseverance in their formative years, to counter-balance learning dominated by visual experience that requires little concentration and no perseverance. Furthermore, both parents and teachers shouldn’t cater solely to their “learning style,” he says, as “It is claimed that we remember up to 90% of not only what we see, but what we say, hear and do.”

Wright says parents could encourage their children to listen, read stories to them, tell stories about themselves as children, and get

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Tips for tech-savvy parents • Content filters - either programmes you buy or services from internet service providers - make it harder for kids to access unsuitable content on the internet.

• Limit access to internet in your home.

Windows 7 has features that allow you to set up a profile for each member of the house. You can customise the times they can use the net, what sites they can visit, and check who they accept as “friends” on social networking sites. K9 is also a great free internet control programme.

• Don’t have internet-enabled computers in bedrooms, but rather in hightraffic areas of the house. Be aware that phones and games can also hook up to the net. Change the password on your home network or wireless hub to limit who can log on.

• Overcome your technophobia and join your kids online! Many parents them to listen to their grandparents about their days growing up. “Encourage lots of singing with words they can understand. Have a guitar and encourage a singsong at the party.

Encourage lots of colour and freehand drawing and doodling, not just on the computer. If they have Lego don’t just design what is on the box but fuel their imagination and then get them to create something and explain what it is.”

So there are ways parents can help their children develop resilience to modern technology

enjoy this extra dimension of contact with their kids through Facebook, etc.

Tip: don’t make too many comments on their page. Kids hate the idea that parents are “stalking” them…which, of course, they are. Facebook does provide that extra window into what they and their friends are up to. Enforce the age limit on Facebook, which is 13. Facebook boot around 20,000 underage kids off their site every day, but many still slip through. If you have younger children, join up to www. togetherville.com with them – a safe, fun social networking site for kids and their parents.

• Make phones behave at your place.

Good phone manners mean you can’t look at your phone if someone is talking to you, you don’t use it at meals, and it goes off at bed time.

Tips provided by John Cowan, creative producer, The Parenting Place and to make the most of the advantages it provides. Milnes says the ability to think creatively and develop solutions via modern technology is “going to be increasingly valuable, as will the ability to weigh and judge information. And perhaps knowledge won’t need to be held in our brains anymore, but finding it and using it in new ways will be even more important.”

Teachers inspire learning... nominate your

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Ngä mihi nui o te Tau Hou ki a koe – Happy New Year!

We invite you to celebrate the Mäori New Year with a day out for the whole family at Carter Observatory, with the team from Capital E and the Museum of Wellington City & Sea. Matariki stories and crafts, competitions and spot prizes.

Make your own constellation. Planetarium shows every 45 minutes from 10:15 until 3.30.

Sunday 7 July. Open from 10am – 5.30pm FREE for the kids. Normal admission applies for Adults.

Bookings not required. www.carterobservatory.org/ matariki-at-carter-0

These are Wellington Museum Trust institutions that receive funding support from Wellington City Council

TODAY

ASG Teaching Awards Cognition Education Leadership Awards Nominate at www.neita.co.nz Or call 09 308 0576 Closing date 30 September 2013 Nominations for early childhood educators, teachers, and leaders are invited from parents and grandparents, boards of trustees, parent associations, management committees, secondary student councils and community organisations.

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Sibling mayhem Let’s start by getting rid of the You see unacceptable behaviour words “sibling rivalry.” This Take action. Exile the offender to their room term implies that the sort of until they are ready to behave in a civilised way. do not need this sort of behaviour in your “stuff” that goes on between You home. siblings has something to do Often, there is one child who sets it up (often with provocative words) so that the other one with their rivalry for parenis always caught in retaliation (often physical). tal attention, time, goods or Get much smarter at catching the “setterupper.” They are the ones who make sure that services. the peace of your household is destroyed.

S

ince many parents, who give their children a great deal of attention and are doing their level best to be scrupulously fair, still find themselves dealing with warring siblings, I think we can rule out “rivalry.”

I prefer the term “sibling mayhem.” When we have more than one child, there is a certain amount of mayhem that does along with sibling interactions.

What is a parent to do? How can we make our homes a pleasant oasis in which everyone feels valued and secure, rather than a war zone?

Let’s think about three situations:

Someone comes running to you

Forget “don’t tell tales!” Actually, you do want them to tell you. Firstly, it gives you information about whether you need to intervene or not. If there is no blood or teeth-marks, don’t intervene. Your child has done a very sensible thing and got away from a dangerous situation. Let them tell you their tale of woe, hear them out and soothe them down. The most important thing is that mum or dad “gets it” i.e. understands and is empathetic.

Once they have calmed down, they can decide whether to go back or to keep away.

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When we have more than one child, there is a certain amount of mayhem that does along with sibling interactions.

You hear the situation heating up

We’ve all heard escalating noises that indicate the situation is heating up and stayed away hoping they’d sort themselves out. This is known as the triumph-of-hope over experience. Sooner or later there is a crash or a scream or both – and lots of sorting out to do.

Stay alert and get in there as soon as you hear the situation escalating. Hold them both accountable for the discord. Use my wonderful “no-blame” phrase – “This isn’t working.”

Split the children up and send them to separate rooms and set a timer for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, just go to their rooms and say, “Time’s up.” They are free to stay separate or to resume playing together.

Once they realise that when they scrap, you will show up immediately none-too-pleased and take action, you can just walk down the

corridor heavy-footed and the odds are that they will have sprung apart by the time you get there.

Your children will learn one of two things by using this approach each time they fight: • They will learn not to fight or • They will learn to fight very quietly.

By Diane Levy Diane Levy is a family therapist and well-known public speaker. She is the author of the best seller Of Course I Love You…NOW GO TO YOUR ROOM!, “They Look So Lovely When They’re Asleep,” and “Time-Out for Tots, Teens and Everyone in Between.

WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU....

In our upcoming Spring 2013 issue, we will be running a question and answer column with Diane offering her professional wisdom and advice regarding parenting concerns. Get those questions flowing!

Please email to admin@familytimes.co.nz.

What cardboard boxes can teach kids Like red rubber balls and teddy bears, broccoli refusals, skipping rope, sticky fingers, boo boo kisses, bath time pouts, and nighty-night tuckins, cardboard boxes are essential for little kids. And the granddaddy of them all is the refrigerator box.

Control

Cardboard boxes make ideal hiding places, and kids love to hide. Now, while there is no research to back this up, it seems obvious to educators that the hiding game may well be the first experience a child has with knowing something adults don’t know.

Asensory play

“Asensory” experiences play an important role in sensory development and the humble cardboard box is a great example of an asensory environment.

The brown colour suggests nothing in particular. The smooth sides infer little. The cube structure defines empty space. The subtle smell lacks distraction. The sound of the cardboard folding is muted and music-less.

This very lack of sensory input (or perhaps, more accurately said, the subtle nature of the sensory inputs) is an essential contrast to the more powerful and deliberate stimulation we traditionally think of when we talk about “sensory play.”

This relief from the sensory world may explain,

So, why are cardboard boxes great for kids?

Spatial awareness

The first thing little kids do when confronted with a cardboard box is try to get in it. Cute as this is, there’s actually an important reason why they do this. It’s called spatial awareness.

Preschoolers spend a good deal of time getting to know their own bodies, and with that comes the necessary question “how big am I?” But they’re growing, so the answer to that question keeps changing. That’s why kids are constantly testing their own size by crawling in, through, around, over and under things. Cardboard boxes are often the perfect size for this kind of spatial exploration.

Comfort and security

Right from the start, children are soothed by a sense of being bundled up or embraced. This need for “denning” continues throughout childhood (and throughout life) because in many ways, it’s a subconscious return to the comfort of the womb.

in part, why kids find the confines of a cardboard box so appealing. And of course, its very neutrality is the blank-slate upon which children so easily imprint their imaginations.

Imagination

Put simply, a cardboard box can become anything the child wants it to be. Creating something new from something that exists teaches a child that his view is important and that anything is possible.

By Gill Connell from Moving Smart Adapted from Moving Smart Blog http://movingsmartblog.blogspot.co.nz To find out about the many courses Gill Connell and the Moving Smart team run visit www. movingsmart.co.nz/home/pre-schools/workshopschedule-2/

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Empowerment

Imagine what it’s like to always be the smallest person in a room. Everything is sized for big people. In small spaces, kids feel big.

As well, the light-weight construction of a cardboard box enables young children to move and manipulate an object that is bigger than they are.

In other words, cardboard yields to their will.

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20% off when you order online at www.bedwetting-cure.com offer expires 30 September 2013

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9

Kapitall Kids Theatre presents The Boy Who Cried Wolf Travis is up to no good on the farm these holidays. His wolfish appetite for trickery displeases people - especially Dad and little sister Lola! However, best friend Gary Goodguy is never far away to show Travis fun things he can do without trickery. Are you a

Our reporter Maureen Crisp went to Gracefield Primary School in Lower Hutt to talk with kids about how they use technology.

tricky trickster like Travis and will you help him with his best trick yet? Or will you side with Dad, Gary and Lola to stop him? Find out with KKT! Visit www.kapitallkidstheatre.co.nz.

I use an iPad, a tablet and a computer. I listen to music and I use Playstation 2. I do searches on YouTube to find funny videos. I use the computer mostly for entertainment; playing games with friends on the Internet. I signed up to an online gaming community. My parents know about it. I get allocated time and I have to do my homework first.

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Josiah Fifita, age 11

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Kishan Reddy, age 10

16 to 27 July 2013

I use the iPad, iMac, MacBook Pro, iPod Touch, iPod Nano, and Xbox 360. I use the MacBook Pro the most. I use it for homework, games, typing, YouTube and online websites. I use it at school and I use it at home. I play online strategy games like Minecraft. I have to be careful that I don’t waste all the bandwidth. I’m not always on technology. I go outside and do stuff.

Gryphon Theatre, Ghuznee Street

11am & 1pm weekdays/11am Saturdays

Bookings: (04) 934 4068

Damon Lendrum, age 10

Tickets $10 : Groups 10+ $9

I have a computer and an e-reader and a MP3 player at home.

At school we have laptops, iPads and cameras. I mostly use the computer at home. I use it for offline games because I don’t have Internet on it. My mum and dad are protective about me. I like to play strategy games like Age of Empires on the computer. I’m only allowed an hour a day on the computer.

www.kapitallkidstheatre.co.nz

Made to Feel Good Buy from Trade Aid to help talented people improve their lives through trade.

Brooke McKenzie, age 9

At home I use an iPad most often. My mum just bought an iPad because she has to study. I begged her to give it to me so we share it. She is studying on it and I play educational games on it. I don’t look at videos on it. I have games on my iPod and my iPad. At school we play games on the iPads. They are all learning games.

R

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.

Karori Recreation Centre

Despicable Me 2

Sports league 251 Karori Road, Karori, Phone 476 8090 Wellington.govt.nz PAGE 10

www.familytimes.co.nz

Wee Rascals natural products prize pack Wee Rascals is focussed on providing natural quality products for littlies. Its scented playdough is non-toxic and 100% natural, and the different scents can calm, relax or energise your littlie. Visit www.weerascals. co.nz. As the winner you will get to choose your own colour combinations of scented playdough and ribbon wands. We have 8 prize packs to give away which contain: 1x crayon bag with 10 crayons 2 ribbon wands – mixed colours 3 tubs of playdough – mixed colours

WIN, WIN

WIN

M pa

WIN!

School-age programmes Facility hire

WIN!

WIN, WIN,

Preschool programmes Adult classes

WIN, WIN,

In 2010 Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment introduced us to supervillain Gru, his evil sidekick, Dr Nefario, the unpredictably hilarious Minions and the adorable orphans, Margo, Agnes and Edith, to whom he became father.

In 2013 prepare yourself for more Minion madness with the return of these beloved characters in the all-new comedy adventure Despicable Me 2 in which Gru, with the assistance of secret agent Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig), is recruited by the Anti-Villain League to help deal with a powerful new super criminal who threatens the stability of the world as we know it.

In cinemas 4 July. We have 8 x beach towels, 8 x kids (medium) t-shirts, 8 x double passes to give away. Entries close 10th July.

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Time to nominate outstanding teachers and leaders

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What would your dream slippers look like? We’d love to see a drawing of them; they could be for you, your mum, your dad or anyone you like. What features would they have? What would they look like? Send us your picture 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 28 July 2013.

Congratulations to our dream job design competition winners from our last issue. They are:

me. e the n’t have I like er. I’m

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Teachers are top-of-the-mind for families as nominations open for the ASG Teaching Awards and Cognition Education Leadership Awards.

Boards of Trustees, parent associations, secondary student councils and community organisations can nominate outstanding teachers and leaders who inspire learning in their school community.

These awards are an opportunity for education consumers to acknowledge those teachers and leaders whose inspirational approach stimulates student learning and success.

“Your nomination demonstrates recognition

of outstanding teachers and leaders at early childhood education centres, primary, intermediate and secondary schools nationwide who provide children with the desire, confidence and enthusiasm to learn and do well,” says Terry O’Connell, chairman of the NEiTA Foundation, which facilitates the awards programme.

Nominations are open until 30 September 2013. Nominate online at www.neita.co.nz or download a nomination form. Forms are also available at schools and early childhood education centres nationwide, or through the NEiTA Foundation, phone 09-308 0576 or email mventer@asg.co.nz.

Asheika Brasell-Jagger (bug collector) – age 4

Ryan Billington (cyber rats shop) – age 7

WIN, WIN,

Jonathon Tokios (boat architect) – age 11

WIN, WIN,

WIN!

WIN!

Monsters University prize packs DISNEY•PIXAR’s MONSTERS UNIVERSITY (In Disney Digital 3D™) In Cinemas July 11 www.disneymovies.co.nz Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan are an inseparable pair, but that wasn’t always the case. From the moment these two mismatched monsters met they couldn’t stand each other. Monsters University unlocks the door to how Mike and Sulley overcame their differences and became the best of friends.

We have 5 prize packs to giveaway each consisting of: A T-shirt A notebook A slapband A double in-season pass to the movie.

Entries close 10th July.

Grit Extremist Scooter

Grit Scooters offer a range of complete Grit Scooters, as well as parts and accessories that can be mixed and matched with other scooter brands on the market. Using only the highest grades of raw materials, Grit Scooters design and manufacturing is constantly improving to ensure that Grit products stay at the forefront of extreme scootering. Visit www.gritscooters.co.nz for a list of retailers near you! The Grit Extremist is the perfect quality entry level scooter incorporating the exclusive Grit deck and high Tensile T bars. Enter now for your chance to win a Grit Extremist! We have 4 to give away.

What does a Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 really mean?

I

n March 2011 the New Zealand government committed to Smokefree 2025 - a goal of this country becoming smokefree by 2025.

Wherever you work or whatever you do, you can talk about 2025 - everyone is responsible for helping to improve our future.

Smokefree 2025 means that our children and grandchildren will be free from tobacco and enjoy tobacco free lives, and that almost no-one will smoke (less than 5% - currently 20%). It means it will be difficult to sell or supply tobacco.

This goal will be achieved by providing

support for smokers to quit. It will also mean support for legislation that will protect children from exposure to tobacco marketing and promotion (like plain packaging) and reduce the supply and demand for tobacco products through taxation.

Smokefree 2025 goal is very important for New Zealand. In spite of high public awareness of the risks associated with smoking, nearly quarter of all cancer deaths are associated with smoking.

You can let your community, workplace and friends know that you support legislation to reduce tobacco use, such as plain packaging.

Just tick the things you want to win Winter 2013

 Wee Rascals natural products prize pack Despicable Me 2

  Monsters University prize packs Grit Extremist Scooter 

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 July 28th 2013, unless stated otherwise. Only one entry per household.

www.familytimes.co.nz

PAGE 11

cool activities

Calendar of Events T

he winter school holidays family activities with the Wellington Museums Trust team to celebrate the Maori New Year. are almost here. It’s Carter Observatory, 10am-5.30pm. Children free with adults admission charge. time to wrap up warmly 9 July and find some fun things to The Outlook for Someday sustainability film do. Wellington has lots of for young people presents its 2013 activities on offer for families project series of one-day film-making workshops. to enjoy. Here are some ideas Open to students from school years 7 to 13 as well as teachers and youth workers. All to get you started. workshops are free. Spaces limited to 25 Until 28 July

Black O. A series of giant black and white wall drawings by Melbourne artist Kerrie Poliness.

Drawn directly onto the wall in marker pen, the works create vivid illusions of three dimensionality. The Dowse Art Museum, Laings Road, Lower Hutt. Free admission.

5 July Kilbirnie Roller Disco. A night of fun activities for the whole family. Some skates available for hire. No bikes or skateboards allowed – but scooters and tamariki tricycles are welcome.

Kilbirnie Recreation Centre, 6.30pm-9pm.

Gold coin donation.

6 July Hurricanes vs Highlanders. The Hurricanes will have all cylinders firing, wanting to give you a final home round robin game to remember.

At Westpac Stadium.

6 July Rubber Stamp Making Workshop. Learn how to make prints by carving your own rubber stamp. In this one-hour workshop you will carve a stamp using knives and an eraser to create a 3D print. Beginners are welcome and all materials are supplied. Cost $20. Visit www. matchboxstudios.co.nz.

7 July Baby Loves Disco presents the Super Heroes Tour for Plunket. Come dressed as your favourite super hero and know that you are a super hero too for donating to an amazing cause. DJ - Justin Rae from MoreFM. For every ticket bought, $5 will be donated to Plunket. From 12.30pm3.30pm at The Grand, 69 Courtenay Place. Visit www.babylovesdisco.co.nz.

7 July Matariki Family Day at Carter. A fun day of

participants per workshop so sign up early. Te Puni Kokiri, 143 Lambton Quay.

13 July Quilt Show & Craft Fair. An array of quilts for beds and walls will be on show (and for sale).

Also stalls including silver jewellery, baby rattles, pincushions, tote bags, quilted bags, home baking, children’s clothes and more. Free admission. Fundraising for trips and projects for the Rice Bowl Mission in Myanmar. At St John’s in the City, 10am-3pm. Visit www. ricebowlmission.org.nz.

14 July Wellington Brass presents Brass Matter, featuring major works by Kenneth Downie and Philip Wilby, solos from band members, and a special “old school” performance. This concert will have something for everyone. Whitireia Performance Centre, Vivian Street. Under 12’s are free. Visit www.wellingtonbrass.net.nz.

15 July Belmont School presents An Evening with Pio Terei. Pio will talk through many topical parenting messages such as engaging children in their learning, communicating, successful relationships and the roles and expectations of both home and school. Tickets are $5 from Belmont School during normal school hours.

No door sales. Hutt City Church, 39 Marsden Street, admin@belmont-lowerhutt.school.nz.

13 – 27 July

Catch the DCM Book Fair at TSB Bank Arena this August.

Travis the trickster plays his best trick. Will you help or stop him? Gryphon Theatre www. kapitallkidstheatre.co.nz

18-27 July The Royal New Zealand Ballet presents Swan Lake as the centrepiece of its 60th birthday year.

Considered the greatest of all classical ballets, Swan Lake is a perfect synthesis of music and dance. At the St James Theatre. Children’s tickets from $25, www.ticketek.co.nz.

Tinytown Buggy Walk. Enjoy the company of other parents with guided buggy walks around the southern and eastern suburbs each month.

No booking required.

All participants will receive a free Tinytown admission, a discounted early bird admission, and a free coffee and muffin courtesy of Porse after the walk. Meet at 9.45am at the car park at the bottom of Houghton Bay Road and The Esplanade, walk from 10am.

Caring for New Zealand’s kids

KidzStuff Theatre presents ‘Three Billy Goats Gruff’. Is the grass really greener on the other side…? Mon-Fri 11am and 1pm. Sat 11am. 4 Moncrieff St, Mt. Victoria. Tickets $10, groups 10+ $9. Bookings 04-385-0292.

16-27 July Kapital Kids Theatre presents The Boy Who Cried Wolf.

One of the best ways to look after New Zealand’s future is to look after our kids. That’s why Fonterra, together with its 10,500 Fonterra farmers, offer two great programmes to New Zealand’s schools.

The Fonterra Milk for Schools programme gives kids a boost from the goodness of milk with calcium for healthy teeth and bones and protein to build muscle for their growing bodies. By the end of term one 2014, schools in New Zealand with children in years 1 - 6 will be able to provide free milk to those kids every school day. Schools will also receive free fridges to keep the milk cold and free recycling services, as part of the programme.

Many schools run breakfast clubs to provide nourishment to the kids that need it most be12 www.familytimes.co.nz

18 July

fore the school day starts. Fonterra’s existing KickStart Breakfast programme is in its fifth year and provides a breakfast of Anchor milk and Sanitarium Weet-Bix two days a week to children in more than 570 school communities around New Zealand. Recently the government announced its partnership with Fonterra to extend the programme to five mornings per week.

These two programmes work together to help care for New Zealand’s kids and are just two of the ways Fonterra works within local communities.

For more information on either programme visit www.fonterramilkforschools.com or www.kickstartbreakfast.co.nz.

17-18 August

Entertainment

The annual DCM Bookfair is the largest of its kind in Wellington. With some 90,000 books, as well as CDs, DVDs, vinyl, books and puzzles, there is something for everyone.

DCM supports the most vulnerable people to break the depressing cycle of life on the street.

TSB Bank Arena. Admission is free. Visit www. facebook.com/wellingtondcm.

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

Holiday specials

3 August The Petone Winter Carnival is back for 2013.

Join more than 40,000 others on the Petone foreshore for the biggest event in our city.

A day of fun, featuring carnival rides, music, workshops, food, fire sculptures, and of course, the Pelorus Trust Fireshow! From midday – 8pm. Free entry, $5 for five ride passes. Visit www.petonecarnival.co.nz.

 Reading Cinemas Courtenay Reading is the perfect destination for your winter holidays. Check out Epic, Monsters University in 3D and Despicable Me 2. Visit www.readingcinemas.co.nz to find out more.

 Staglands

6-8 September Under the Spinfluence. Come one, come all, to Wellington’s premier circus gathering: a weekend of workshops, play, practice, and performances with national and international artists. Brookfields Scout Camp, Wainuiomata.

Day tickets from $54, weekend tickets from $117. Visit www.underthespinfluence.com.

Compiled by Tracey-Ann Abery

Tell our advertiser you saw it in...

cool activities

Free marshmallows for everyone to toast on the campfire at Staglands these July school holidays. Visit www.staglands.co.nz for more information.

Kids’ night adventures at Zealandia. Photo: Jo Moore

Winter is upon us. Now is a good time to start looking for some holiday entertainment ideas to keep your kids occupied during the cooler months and upcoming school holidays. We’ve put together some fun options to get you started.

 KIDSCO Kids just want to have fun in the holidays.

KIDSCO focuses on each child’s spark and provides opportunities to engage and affirm them. KIDSCO - “the next best place to home.” Visit www.kidsco.co.nz.

 Museum of Wellington

 Matariki family fun day at  School holidays at

Voted one of the top 50 museums in the world by the Times, this museum - filled with precious objects and stunning technology - is a must-see during your visit to Wellington. Visit www.museumswellington.org.nz.

Sunday 7 July. Kids come for free! Celebrate Maori New Year with a stellar day out for the whole family. Matariki stories, craft, competitions, spot prizes and planetarium shows, from 10am–5.30pm.

City & Sea

Carter Observatory

Zealandia

Junior Rangers’ day programme, kids’ night adventures, and new kids’ photography workshops with Simon Woolf. Free child admission with each main meal at Rata Café.

Book now. Visit www.visitzealandia.com/ events.

Compiled by Tracey-Ann Abery

Childhood Concepts

Childhood Concepts is family owned and operated. To support families returning to work or study it offers the first week fee free, and a discount for those with childcare subsidies.

Its teachers are selected on their ability and commitment to providing a service that reflects love, respect and understanding of children. It provides an enriching educational programme in which children are cherished and individual learning needs are met.

Childhood Concepts welcomes parents visiting its centres or alternately, they are happy to come to you. www. childhoodconcepts.co.nz.

 

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 

SCHOOL TERM DATES

Term 3, 2013

 

       

2013 and 2014 primary and intermediate school term dates Monday 29 July to

Monday 29 July to Friday 27 September

Term 4, 2013

Monday 14 October to Friday 20 December

Term 4, 2013

Term 1, 2014

Term 1, 2014

Between Monday 27 January (at the earliest); and Friday 7 February (at the latest) to Thursday 20 April



Term 3, 2013

Friday 27 September Monday 14 October to no later than Friday 20 December

  

2013 and 2012 secondary and composite school term dates

Term 2, 2014

Monday 5 May to Friday 4 July

Between Monday 27 January (at the earliest); and Friday 7 February (at the latest) to Thursday 20 April

Term 2, 2014

Monday 5 May to Friday 4 July

Remaining public holiday 2013 27 October 25 December 26 December

Labour Day Christmas Day Boxing Day

  

…. when you can’t be there for primary school kids during the school holidays!

 

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∗  ∗  ∗  ∗  ∗ 

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• Themed programmes – fun, imaginative activities & games • Programme design includes each child’s stage of development • No fuss/no charge late pickup for emergencies • Qualified & Trained staff • OSCAR & WINZ • See web site for details

www.kidsco.co.nz



www.familytimes.co.nz

13

cool activities

Knit a winter scarf Knitting is a great skill for children to learn. It encourages concentration and handeye co-ordination, and with the colder months ahead, it’s a great opportunity to indulge in this timeless craft. Here are some simple instructions to make a winter scarf.

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Casting on 1. Placing the first row of stitches on the

needle is called “casting on.” Make a slip knot and place on your left hand needle.

Take the other needle in your right hand and insert the point through the loop so that it rests under the left hand needle forming a cross. Take the yarn from the ball under and over the point of the right hand needle

Perfect for your Winter Scarf Creative DK - Solids & Prints 100% pure new wool

3.60

$

Prints

the yarn through the slip knot on the left hand needle making a new stitch. Transfer this stitch onto the left hand needle making sure that each loop is facing the same direction. between the two stitches on the left hand needle. of the right hand needle. Draw the yarn through between the first two stitches to make a new stitch, then transfer the new stitch onto the left hand needle. Repeat this until you have the required number of stitches on the needle (note: the slip knot counts as the first stitch).

4.40 Knit

$

Over 25 colours to choose from 5. Hold the needle with the cast on stitches in Visit our shops and or go online to view the entire range

60 Queens Drive Lower Hutt 04 566 4689

Shop 210b Left Bank Cuba Mall, Wellington 04 385 1918

your left hand. With the yarn at the back of the work, insert the right hand needle from left to right through the front of the first stitch on the left hand needle.

www.knitworld.co.nz www.facebook.com/ProudKiwiKnitter

Mad for toasted marshmallows Make sure you visit Staglands these July school holidays: they’re giving away free marshmallows for everyone to toast on the campfire.

Who doesn’t love a marshmallow freshly toasted on an open fire?

Well the generous people at Staglands Wildlife Reserve thought they would treat all their visitors these July school holidays by offering them the chance to enjoy their own toasted marshmallows on the cosy camp fire down by the barn whilst enjoying nature in all

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3. Insert the right hand needle

4. Take the yarn under and over the point

Exclusive to Knit World

Solids

2. With the right hand needle pull

her glory. Marshmallows will be distributed to visitors at the ticket office.

Competition time: how mad for toasted marshmallows are you? Fancy winning a year’s supply of marshmallows (a whole 10kg worth!!) plus an annual family pass to Staglands valued at $140? To go into the draw simply guess how many marshmallows will be toasted on the campfire at Staglands these July school holidays.

Visit www.staglands.co.nz to enter competition.

6. Wind the yarn from left to right over the point of the right hand needle.

the first stitch on the right hand needle over the second stitch and drop it off between the points of the two needles. Knit another stitch from the left needle and lift the first stitch over the second stitch as you did before . Continue across the work until there is only one stitch left on the right hand needle. Cut the yarn and thread through the last stitch. Remove from the needle and pull up firmly to secure.

7. Draw the yarn back through the stitch forming a loop on the right hand needle.

8. Slip the original stitch off the left hand

needle, keeping the new stitch on the right hand needle. Continue to knit into every stitch to the end of the row. Transfer the needle with the stitches on into your left hand and work the next row.

Casting off 9 & 10. Knit the first two stitches from the left hand needle.

To knit the scarf: You will need two balls of DK/ 8ply 50g 5.0mm needles Cast on 23 stitches, knit in garter stitch (normal knitting as above) until the two balls are used up, leaving enough yarn to cast off in garter stitch.

Instructions provided by Knitworld

11. Using the tip of the left hand needle, lift

Let the kids go wild at Zealandia July school holidays Week one Book on the exciting Junior Rangers programme for a full or half-day filled with fun and educational activities. The programme has four distinctive days from Tuesday to Friday. Explore the exhibition, learn about being a ranger, build a weta hotel or flower press, go treasure hunting and feed eels in the sanctuary valley. There are games, lunch and relaxing time too. Best suited to five to 12-year-olds, $30-$65.

After dark on Tuesday, Wednesday and

Thursday is Kids’ Night Adventures - a truly memorable experience! Best for seven to 12-year-olds, booking essential, $15 child, $30 adult.

Week two Come and meet a living legend – Sirocco the Kakapo! One-hour tours from 6.30pm.

For full details visit www.visitzealandia.com, or to book phone 04-920-9200 extention 3.

A must for families: gain year-round access to Zealandia for just $101 (two adults and up to three children).

Free Marshmallows at SCHOOL HOLIDAY FUN STAGLANDS

Toast on the campfire Available July School Holidays

WIN a years supply of marshmallows Visit www.staglands.co.nz to enter Open Every Day 9.30am-5.00pm 2362 Akatarawa Rd Upper Hutt 14 www.familytimes.co.nz

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BOOK NOW: JUNIOR RANGER ADVENTURES (4 days – programme changes daily) and our creepy crawly KIDS’ NIGHT ADVENTURES and try our FREE CLUE TRAILS.

Photo: Jo Moore

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For all conditions, times and details go to www.visitzealandia.com/events or phone 04 920 9200

BRINGING BIRDSONG BACK TO WELLINGTON

Winter wellness – how not to over-eat in the chilly season The lure of the fridge late at night can result in even the most health-conscious person’s downfall. So why is that despite our good intentions, we demolish a block of chocolate after swearing we’d only have two pieces?

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he lure to comfort eat, or to over-eat, may become even greater as the weather begins to get colder. The days become darker and shorter and it seems what you’re having for dinner becomes all the more important. So how can you avoid falling into an over-eating trap this winter?

If you were truly eating in order to nourish your body, there would be a point you would feel comfortable and nourished.

“Once I start I cannot stop” is a phrase I have heard countless times. This wording gives you a clue. If you were truly eating in order to nourish your body, there would be a point you would feel comfortable and nourished. Many people eat to find what I call “soul food.” It’s actually not

about the food at all. For some, food is used to replace a feeling in their lives. Food is reliable, consistent and you know it will taste a particular way. There are not many things in life that do that. Eating for comfort or eating to feel lit up or happy are common scenarios and may be one way you have learnt to cope. To shift your focus away from eating to fill your soul, bring more of the things that truly nourish your soul into your life. Read more often, dance, sing, move, or watch your children sleep and soak up how truly precious they are. Food can never replace the role of soul food in your life. Nor can it make the sun shine.

It is no secret that, at times, we may serve ourselves and our family too much total food.

The tendency to serve big portions seems to increase as we introduce more hearty fare to our diets. Your stomach is roughly the size of your closed fist and so this provides a good indication for portion sizes of concentrated foods such as carbohydrates and protein.

The majority of your family’s plate should be water-based vegetables. There are many ways of transitioning to smaller portion sizes; using smaller plates is a great way of making the meal appear larger than it is.

Keeping your nutritional status maintained is an essential component in mounting you and your family’s best defence to winter ailments.

In today’s time-poor world, incorporating easy ways of increasing the nutrient density of your diet is a must. One of the obvious winter favourites is soup. Soup makes a delicious lunch or a convenient and nourishing snack.

GO Healthy GO Allergy Support Skip into a sneeze-free spring this year with GO Healthy GO Allergy Support; a comprehensive formula that’s packed with allergen-busting ingredients to help clear respiratory passages. This enhanced natural brew of key ingredients includes horseradish, garlic, fenugreek and quercetin at triple strength levels, helping to clear the airways so you can smell those roses! RRP: $27.90 (30 capsules) $43.90 (60 capsules). visit www.gohealthynz.co.nz.

Green soups, fragrant Asian-style broths, classic vegetable soup and of course chicken soup are all great options, but one way to supercharge them is to use a bone broth as the base or a good quality stock. Kids can help with the cooking!

It is also vital that you and your family continue to move. A winter walk even at night, rugged up with a friend can be wonderfully rejuvenating. If the weather doesn’t permit any sort of outdoor activity it might seem rather 1980s, but set aside some time to watch an exercise DVD, stretch or practice simple yoga poses in your home. Or commit to an exercise class preferably breath-focused to keep your body

and mind occupied. Try a restorative or warm yoga class. The energy and optimism you create from regular movement can help you remain calm, clear and energised in everything you do.

Make choices that will nourish your body and your soul this winter. Don’t let the season become an excuse to overeat. Instead, use it as a time to get to the heart of the matter, truly addressing why you may consistently overeat or make poor quality food choices. Be aware of how you speak to yourself and be sure to treat yourself with the care you deserve.

By Dr Libby Weaver. To read more visit www.drlibby.com

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We have 6 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: GO Healthy GO Allergy Support, PO Box 36 004, Christchurch, to reach us by 28 July 2013. Check out our website for more fantastic competitions.

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Household chores for pre-teens and teens at home Household chores are probably one of the most debated household issues. As your kids grow up from preteens into teenagers, a lot of conflict may arise from misunderstandings about what the responsibilities at home are.

on their “chores day.” Some teens are great with their time management and are probably planning to do this before midnight strikes.

However, if from experience you know that chores may be avoided by your teen, give them a gentle reminder. If you want to avoid conflict as much possible, perhaps on your chores chart, also give a time when the chores must be done, or at least the time they must be done by. Again, you’ll see here my theme of enforcing strict, exact rules that avoid confusion.

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4. Have clear consequences. What will it mean if the chores are not done on time? Perhaps this is something you must sit down and discuss with your teen when you’re making the chores chart. The consequence must be something that will motivate them to do the chores.

If taking their phone away for two hours is what you see as a consequence and you are the one to suggest it, your teen will quickly start weighing up whether it’s worth it to do the chores, and if they decide that having their phone taken away is not that big-of-a-deal, you may find lots of chores not getting done.

So talk the consequences over with them, and make them substantial.

eens are the masters of loopholes, so it’s very important to state your rules clearly as soon as you can – train them as preteens before those teen years kick in. So here are some tips to help you out:

1. Give them the rules. Spell them out and write them down. Make a chart that you put up on the fridge, or somewhere in a visible place in the house. Just like a well-organised flat, give everyone responsibilities they can stick to and execute to their abilities. It’s also good because when something isn’t done, you can refer back to this chart.

2. Communicate the rules. Make sure the rules are clear. If the task is to do the dishes, spell out that the task also involves, for example, not only stacking the dishwasher, but also unloading it.

Again, if you don’t make the rules clear, it’s easy for them to stray away from responsibility.

3. Keep calm. Don’t get wound up just

because your teen hasn’t vacuumed by 6pm

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About Eva-Maria Twenty-one-year-old bestselling author of the book You Shut Up!, international speaker and certified coach Eva-Maria is living her dream: she is on a mission to help improve 10,000,000 relationships between adults and teenagers around the world.

Join Eva-Maria on her journey to bridge the gap of misunderstanding between teenagers and adults around the globe! www.eva-maria.co.nz

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play. The beauty of the chores chart is that you can assign tasks to everyone. It does not mean you must do an equal amount of chores as your teen; in fact, I advise you do the minimal amount because, after all, you are the one paying the mortgage or rent on your home, and, it should be the teen’s responsibility to help out

Dr Halpine can prescribe exercises and fit orthotic devices to give relief to both these groups of sufferers. Call Active Feet Podiatry to get an appointment. Its offices are conveniently located at level two, 85 The Terrace, Wellington, and at the Ngaio Medical Centre. Phone 04-473-8696 or visit wwwActiveFeetPodiatry.com.

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we’d love to hear from you to spread the fun around.

5. Lead by example. Everyone has a part to

An end to painful heels!

Both adults and children can suffer with crippling heel pain. Expert help is available at Active Feet Podiatry.

In adults, the most common cause for this pain is a strain to a structure known as the plantar fascia. In children aged 11-14 it is usually an irritation to a growth plate in the calcaneus or heel bone. This condition is known as Sever’s disease.

don’t feel you’re purely taking advantage.

as much as they can. But make sure that they see that you’re doing something as well so they

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PO Box 36004 Christchurch Email: admin@familytimes.co.nz or find us on facebook

Blackmores comes to parents’ rescue with the introduction of Respra Syrup; a sugar-free formula that can be enjoyed by kids as young as six months. This natural chest tonic contains ivy leaf extract to naturally thin mucus, and to support clear airways and bronchial relaxation. RRP $25.90 (200 mils). Visit www.blackmoresnz.co.nz. We have six of these to giveaway. Enter online at www.familytimes. co.nz or write your name and address on the back of an envelope or postcard and send to: Blackmores Respra Syrup, PO Box 36 004, Christchurch, to reach us by 28 July 2013. Check out our website for more fantastic competitions.

P TO ADS

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.

RE

Picture Books

Junior Fiction

Queen Alice’s Palaces

Hey Jack! The Circus Lesson

By Sally Rippin Illustrated by Stephanie Spartels Hardie Grant Egmont Paperback $9.95

By Juliette MacIvor Illustrated by Lucia Masciullo ABC Books Hardback $29.99 Queen Alice has the best palace in the land. Sir Hugh’s palace is falling down and he tries to trick Alice into designing a new palace, which he then plans to take by military coup. She has some very innovative building materials including bamboo (put together by pandas), icebergs and fondue cheese. Lots of fun with rhyming text. Ages 3 plus.

The Quiet Pirate

Jack’s best friend is Billie B Brown, (who has her own great series). Jack’s cousin Sue is babysitting.

She practises for her circus act, orders pizza for dinner and suggests they sleep under the stars – an adventurous night for Jack who is nervous but learns that trying new things can be fun. Perfect for the new reader. Ages 5-7.

Saurus Street: Tyrannosaurus in the Veggie Patch

Duck Creek Press Hardback $29.95

By Nick Falk Illustrated by Tony Flowers Random House Paperback $16.99

Barnaby would love to sing and shout and roar like the other pirates, but he’s just plain quiet. But he watches and thinks and when disaster strikes he gets to be top pirate after all. This is a classic tale with a tatty old boat, and roguish pirates with suitably piratical lingo. Smashing painted illustrations give extra spark to the characters. Ages 2-8.

Jack finds a tyrannosaurus in the middle of the ruined vegetable garden and has to hide it before his mum finds out. He builds a time machine to send it back to the Cretaceous period, but Jack and his dog are accidentally sent back in time too. More to follow in the series. Ages 6-10.

Blue Moon Bird

Super Baddies: Baddies vs Goodies

By Meredith Badger & Simon Swingler Hardie Grant Egmont Paperback $14.99

By Sabrina Malcolm Scholastic Paperback $19.50 Theodore is a quiet boy who lives at the Turtleduck Toy Factory where there are extraordinarily complex toy-making machines that spring into action on the night of a rare blue moon, producing a little bird for Theodore. An entrancing simply told tale with textural and richly coloured illustrations in acrylic paint and pencil. Ages 3-8.

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Magical Margaret Mahy

By Sandy McKay Longacre Paperback $19.99

It’s 1914 and war has broken out in Europe. Tom’s older brother Jack has been called up and ends up on the front line. The story is told in the form of letters between Tom and Jack, describing the wartime experience at home and in the brutal midst of the war. Newspaper clippings add to the veracity of this sobering wartime story.

Ages 10-16.

Felix and the Red Rats

By James Norcliffe Random House Paperback $19.99 David’s author uncle comes to visit and bizarre things start happening, like his brother’s rats turning bright red. David senses they are connected to a story he is reading that was written by his uncle, which makes up the alternate chapters of the book. In this story Felix and friend Bella are shifted into a strange land where they must solve a riddle that puts them in danger.

Ages 9-12.

Soonchild

By Russell Hoban Walker Books Hardback $29.99 A mystical tale set in the Arctic Circle. SixteenFace John and his wife, No Problem, are expecting a baby – Soonchild.

But the baby tells John it won’t come out because it cannot hear the World Songs, thus setting John on a mission to recover the songs. Pencil illustrations are perfect to capture the icy landscape and dark magic of this tale.

Ages 8-12.

By Betty Gilderdale Illustrated by Alan Gilderdale Puffin Paperback $19.99 This book was first written in 1987 and was updated following Margaret’s death last year. Read about the childhood, home, working life, travel and awards of one of NZ’s greatest writers.

Told by someone who knew Margaret well, with lots of anecdotes and quotes and a great insight into why and how her books were written. Line drawings mainly of things found in Margaret’s home. Ages 7 plus.

The New Zealand Art Activity Book: 100+ Ideas for Creative Kids

By Helen Lloyd Te Papa Press Paperback $29.99

Activities to help children (and adults) see, think and draw like an artist, using works of art from the Te Papa collection and new work by leading artists made especially for this book. Includes full-colour reproductions of some work. Draw a mural, turn a circle into a 3D ball, draw your own landscape, put on an exhibition. Ages 8 plus.

The Elephant’s Friend and Other Tales from Ancient India Retold and illustrated

by Marcia Williams Walker Books Hardback $32.99 Paperback $18.99

This big bright comicformat book provides modern interpretations of eight folktales from India. The characters are mainly animals and are rather like Aesop’s fables, with a moral to each story.

The colours are straight from India too, bright with gorgeous patterns and fun along with the message in each one. Ages 7-12.

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2010

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The Baddies are evil superhero kids who are constantly fighting with the Goodies. Their schools are adjacent and they’re already fighting on the first day of term. Scorder lives in a volcano and makes fire. His friends, a mixture of boys and girls, all have their own skills – Sand Storm turns into a whirlwind and Frosty can make ice out of thin air.

Bright illustrated panels and simple text will lure in readers aged 6-10.

Intermediate Fiction

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Kia Kaha Christchurch

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Become a Kiwi Ranger Ever felt the soft spring of forest moss with your toes, tasted a drop of pure honey dew on the tip of your tongue or sat with closed eyes in the bush and really listened to all the bird sounds you can hear?

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hese are some of the activities that children of all ages get to do through the Kiwi Ranger programme, now offered at 10 South Island sites and one in the North Island.

Kiwi Ranger was developed by Mick Abbott and Carli Richter of Shades of Green Inc, which together with DOC is creating a nation-wide network of Kiwi Ranger sites.

Kiwi Ranger is easy to do and in most cases free. You pick a booklet and choose which activities to do. Completion of the tasks earns you a badge – unique to each site – and the title of “Kiwi Ranger.” The programme is aimed at kids from three upwards with older children challenged to do more activities to earn their badge.

The activities get children to use all their senses to investigate the special features of a place—the native plants and animals, its unique geography, relics of human history and how it’s being conserved today. Many also call for a bit of detective work and imagination.

Budding Kiwi Rangers are also encouraged to think about something they’d like to do when they get home that’s good for the environment and to record this in their booklet.

The Kiwi Ranger programme fits nicely with DOC’s vision to create “one million conservation kids.”

DOC community engagement specialist and

mother of two, Sarah Mankelow, says the beauty of Kiwi Ranger is the way it engages families to work together.

“The booklets are designed to be self-directed so parents or caregivers can pick one up and off they go.

“Parents have an important role as first teachers, and Kiwi Ranger gives children and parents an opportunity to learn alongside each other.”

With 86% of New Zealanders living in towns and cities it is no surprise that children are increasingly disconnected from the natural world. Yet, research shows that experiences with nature as a child are critical to influencing attitudes and behaviours towards the environment.

Kiwi Ranger is one way of getting kids to reconnect with nature and to develop a sense of wonder and respect. By developing a network of Kiwi Ranger places around the country, DOC hopes to encourage families to go to new places and build on their experiences, as well as collect the badges.

Kiwi Ranger Wellington New Kiwi Ranger sites at Rimutaka Forest Park near Wellington, the Manawatu Gorge near Palmerston North and Ahuriri Estuary in Napier will be launched in September in time for the spring school holidays.

In the meantime, you get close to nature on pest-free Matiu/Somes Island, just 20 minutes by ferry from Wellington. Hear the chatter of kakariki or red-crowned parakeet, spot skinks skittering off the tracks, visit the working lighthouse and learn about the fascinating human history of this wildlife refuge.

For a list of Kiwi Ranger sites visit: www.kiwiranger.org.nz and www.doc.govt.nz/kiwiranger.

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The focus for our first year Wellington-based midwifery students is to ‘follow through’ pregnancy, birth and early weeks at home, with women and their families – the role being that of a companion/support person.

Our students enjoy these experiences which provide their best learning opportunities.

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Only valid for films rated G, PG or M. Not valid for films screenings in the Gold Lounge or Titan XC. Excludes Special Event Screenings.

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