Our Children Spring 2019

Halifax’s Family Magazine ourchildrenmagazine.ca

Spring 2019

Building a better break Our choices for some of the best March break options in Halifax

Adding a holistic element to your child’s care There’s plenty to consider before deciding integrated medicine is right for your kid

Collector kids How to tell if your young one is just going along with the fad, or has a serious hobby

plus Health & Wellness

by Starr Cunningham

Book Reviews Nutrition

NO EX PERIE NECES NCE

SARY!

Join us this winter!

Welcome Wednesdays Every Wednesday: Drop-in to explore our space and have fun!

February 13: Meet the author of The Terrible Horrible Smelly Pirate, Jacqueline Halsey March 13: Classical Munchkins by Symphony Nova Scotia February 9: Art of the Sailor Learn how to make a sailor’s Valentine Opening February 25: Canada at Play temporary exhibit Explore the history of toys in Canada

March 16–24: Maritime Fun over March Break May 11: We’ll celebrate Merlin the Macaw’s Birthday!

maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca

902-424-7491

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Spring 2019

Building a better break Here’s our choices for some of the best March break options in HRM

10

CONTENTS Adding a holistic element to your child’s care

There’s plenty to consider before deciding integrated medicine is right for your kid

DEPARTMENTS 7 Editor’s note March break memories

8 First bell Events, products, trends, and more

18 Nutrition How family-style meals can transform mealtimes

20 Parenting Health & Wellness Mindful March break travel tips

22 Book reviews Our Children reviews The Better Tree Fort, Where the Ghosts Are, A Family is a Family is a Family, and A Giant Man from a Tiny Town

14

Collector kids How to tell if your young one is just going along with the fad, or has a serious hobby

16

our

Atlantic Canada’s Ultimate Buy Local Show April 26, 27 and 28, 2019 Marcia-Lisa Dennis OT Reg. (N.S.), Doctoral candidate (OTD)

On our cover Learning how to use different media to paint it up is all part of the fun at this year’s Art Gallery of Nova Scotia March break art classes.

See page 10

Publisher Patty Baxter

Senior Editor Trevor J. Adams

Overcome symptoms of ADHD/ADD, Concussions, Dyslexia, anxiety, Autism, Sensory processing disorder, FASD, learning disabilities, PTSD, etc.

Cutting edge programs to improve brain function by forming new pathways (neuroplasticity).

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Clinic address: 397 Bedford Hwy, Suite 310, Halifax, NS, B3M 2L3 (inside Many Hats of the Bedford Basin Farmer’s Market) Tel: 902-580-7342 • Fax: 902-435-3038 lisasholisticrehab@gmail.com www.lisasholisticrehab.com

We’ve got a FABULOUS weekend planned for you!

Almost 500 unique Atlantic Canadian exhibitors and 100s of wonderful local tastings, demos and loads of live entertainment!

902-464-7258 • 1-877-311-5877 saltscapes.com

Join us this year at

Halifax Exhibition Centre

Production and Creative Director Shawn Dalton

Production Coordinator Paige Sawler

Printing Advocate Printing & Publishing Advocate Media Managing Editor Ken Partridge Contributors Starr Cunningham Katie Ingram Edwena Kennedy Kim Hart Macneill Chris Muise

For advertising sales and editorial and subscription enquiries: Tel. 902-420-9943 Fax 902-429-9058 publishers@metroguide.ca 2882 Gottingen Street Halifax, Nova Scotia B3K 3E2 metroguidepublishing.ca ourchildrenmagazine.ca No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written consent of the publisher.

Return undeliverable addresses to Metro Guide Publishing at the address above.

Our Children is a Metro Guide publication.

EDITOR’S NOTE

7

March break memories

In which spring moved from being something to endure to something to be enjoyed I have a love-hate relationship with March break.

When I was a youngling, I welcomed the break from the school routine. But it always meant the inevitable return to class and the stories from classmates about their break.

These stories almost always involved a trip. It might have been to a neighbouring province, or the one that has haunted my dreams ever since: Disney World. Boy, was I envious of those. I’ve said in the past I didn’t stay envious because there were other things to do, but if I’m honest, that one has stuck with me over the years.

Ken Partridge, Editor My breaks didn’t include trips. Both parents worked and they didn’t get time off in March.

March breaks mainly consisted of playing in Our Children Magazine the house, watching any children’s programming CBC might have on, and trying to keep things down to a dull roar when mom got home. The @OurChildrenMag exceptions were when the weather co-operated www and we could actually go outside. Those were the ourchildrenmagazine.ca best March breaks.

To this day I’ve never been to Disney World (or Land) and I still get a little pang in the heart kenpartridge@advocatemediainc.com every March.

Maybe that’s why I wanted to make sure things were different for my kids. I always scheduled a week of my vacation to coincide with March break, even if it meant giving up time in the summer.

I would check out what was available to do and discuss it with the family.

There were trips to the library and exciting museum exhibits (animatronic dinosaurs stand out), trips to neighbouring provinces and even down into New England. There was always a movie day, and we always included at least one place we had never visited before.

So, March break has improved. To assist those of you already planning your break this March, we’ve combed through the offerings and selected our favourites (see Page 10).

In addition to March break, this issue also looks at how holistic medicine fits our kids’ health needs (see Page 14); and how we can identify which of our kids are real collectors and help them preserve and protect what makes them happy (see Page 16).

Enjoy!

Have You Heard The Buzz?

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FINDING GRACE

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THERE BE PIRATES!

BY JOANN HAMILTON-BARRY 978-1-77108-579-3 YA Non-Fiction | $15.95

“The illustrations are striking and showcase the unique style of renowned Mi’kmaq artist, Alan Syliboy” – Resource Links

“This books reminds us about the resilience of the human spirit and that good can come from tragedy.”

– Canadian Children’s Book News

“Well-paced and laid out, using historical photographs and examples, activities and informative details, this book helps to give an understanding of piracy in the Atlantic.”

– Resource Links

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2019 Toronto Public Library First and Best Selection (for children 5 and under)

Available through booksellers everywhere Follow us online:

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8

FIRST BELL

Our Children | Spring 2019

Mini Pop Kids Live! Take Flight concert tour Take a hike!

What better way to enjoy the snow and local scenery than by hiking through your community. Hike Nova Scotia and its partner organizations have at least 50 hikes and snowshoe events taking place until Mar. 22. Hikes are in communities around the HRM (and beyond) and each is given a rating, depending on difficulty.

Up the fun by hiking with snowshoes. If you don’t have a pair, the Hike Nova Scotia website also has a list of where you can borrow, buy, or rent snowshoes in your area. hikenovascotia.ca/ews-andevents-events/

10-year-old shares her Children’s Wish with her school

Back to the land at Ross Farm Ross Farm in New Ross offers a great daytrip out of town for the entire family. This winter, the farm is hosting a number of events that explore agricultural life. On Feb. 16 and 17, a snowshoe demonstration will show you how to make snowshoes and there’s a chance to try them out. Learn how to hand-dip candles at a workshop on Feb. 23 and 24. On Mar. 2 and 3, sample dishes made on the open hearth and learn how early settlers made their meals. Ross Farm is a living and working farm museum showcasing agricultural life in Nova Scotia in the late 1800s. rossfarm.novascotia.ca

Getting active after school The Warehouse, an indoor batting facility in Lower Sackville, is now offering a multi-sport after-school program. The program is open to kids from ages seven to 12. In the program, kids learn a new sport every day of the week. They’ll try the basics in such sports as baseball, hockey, lacrosse, soccer, cycling, volleyball, basketball, and Ultimate Frisbee. The kids get to learn their new sports’ skills at The Warehouse facility, the Met Field, trails around First Lake in Lower Sackville, and other recreational facilities. The Warehouse also offers March Break programs for kids. the-warehouse.ca

Kymiah was diagnosed with severe Cerebral Palsy as well as other conditions. Her most heartfelt wish was for Snoozelen Therapy Products. On Jan. 11, Children’s Wish Foundation made that wish come true when it helped open Kymiah’s special room at The Learning Centre at William King Elementary School in Herring Cove. This allows Kymiah to bring other students and people into her world. Kymiah, her family, friends, and classmates send out a special thank you to all the generous donors that made this possible. Children’s Wish Foundation is the largest and only all-Canadian wish granting charity dedicated to granting wishes to Canadian children between the ages of 3 and 17 who are diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. For more than 34 years, Children’s Wish has worked to grant wishes to more than 25,000 children and their families. Each wish granted is carefully structured to meet the particular needs of the child and their family. In Nova Scotia, almost 1,200 wishes were granted so far and 90 more are being worked on at this moment. childrenswish.ca

9 These pint-sized pop stars are Canada’s best-selling kids’ group and they’ll bring their high-energy show to Halifax with two shows on Mar. 2 at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium. Avery, Carter, Eliseo, Jazzy, Kayleigh, Kylie, and Peyton perform their versions of the latest hits from such stars as Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, and Maroon 5, all family-friendly, of course. Parents who were kids in the 1980s will remember the Mini Pop Kids from K-Tel commercials advertising their albums. The latest Mini Pop Kid music line was relaunched in 2004. Parents will feel nostalgic as the kids perform pop classics like “Respect” and “We Got the Beat”. Tickets are $31.50 to $71.50. minipopkids.com

Ballet in Wonderland Young dancers from the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts’ School of Dance take to the stage in February for Alice the Ballet.

Combining Lewis Carroll’s classic tale, a score by Edvard Grieg, and all the whimsy, colour, costumes, and characters expected of Wonderland. Head to the show early to make a special craft before the performance. You can also get a poster signed by the dancers during intermission.

There are performances on Feb. 17 at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. at the Spatz Theatre in Halifax.

Tickets are $20 or $15 for seniors and students and available at the theatre box office. maritimeconservatory.com

Sackville Snow Days aim to make winter fun Celebrate winter with Sackville Snow Days, an annual event over the February long weekend that includes plenty of events for kids and families. Events take place at venues around Lower Sackville and include a scavenger hunt, snowman contest, free concerts, Winter Wonderland Skate, costume party, family swim, movies, crafts, and face painting. Many of the events are free or inexpensive to attend.

Hosted by the Sackville Business Association, along with many other community organizations and volunteers, the celebration wraps up on Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. with a wintry, float-filled parade down Sackville Drive. sackvillebusiness.com/snowdays

March Break Camp Hands-on fun Ages 5-12!

902-454-0863

www.maritimes.madscience.org MAD SCIENCE OFFERS EXCITING: After-School Programs • Assemblies • Workshops Birthday Parties • Preschool Programs Special Events • Vacation & Summer Programs

COVER STORY

Our Children | Spring 2019

a g n i d l i u B k a e r b r e t bet

e of th e m o for s s in HRM s e c i o , our ch ption o k s a re Here rch b a M t bes

By Katie Ingram

PHOTO: COURTESY OF DISCOVERY CENTRE

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The Discovery Centre offers two camps, Weather Wizardry and Digital Discovery.

B

etween the holiday season and summer vacation is another magical time of year: March break.

While the break does come with a vacation from tests, quizzes, and projects, it doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do. Halifax has an abundance of activities to keep your child or children busy and, in some cases, they can learn something new.

Read on for some of Our Children’s top picks for the week:

Art Classes at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia This year your little artist has four classes to pick from at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.

In Paint it Up: Painting and Drawing they’ll use charcoal, watercolours, acrylics and pastels.

In Clay it Up: Clay and Sculpture, participants are shown how to sculpt and transform lumps of clay into art.

With Print it Up: Printmaking, kids

learn about different types of the printing technique and how it works.

Most of these skills are combined in the fourth workshop, Mix it Up: Mixed Media, where participants learn how to use different media together.

The gallery will also be open for public viewings during regular hours. This includes a few of its temporary exhibits (Alphabetical Order: Things Artists Have Drawn, which closes at the end of March; and Autism Art) and the permanent collection, including the Maud Lewis house.

Cost for art classes: non-members $130/week for half-days; $260/week for full-day classes. Pre-registration required.

Age/Grade Level: Ages 5 to 12. The day is divided up into two sessions. The first is from 9 a.m. to noon for ages five to seven. The second is from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and is for kids aged eight to 12.

Gallery entry fee: $5 for youth aged six to 17. Five and under are free.

Art classes at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.

Bowling at Bowlarama March isn’t known for its most reliable weather. It could rain, it could be sunny, and it could even snow. With bowling, kids can exercise and practise their math skills at the same time. The city has three Bowlaramas, one in Spryfield, one in Halifax, and one in Dartmouth. An afternoon at one of the locations is sure to delight even the most novice bowler, especially if you’re there during cosmic bowling, when the lights are turned off and colours glow in the dark.

11 Cost: The regular price of a lane is $11 per person, but there is often a deal or two for March Break. Call ahead to see what’s being offered this year.

Circus Classes Who doesn’t want to run away and join the circus? And now, your child can, at least for a week. Atlantic Cirque is holding a March break camp from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m, where kids can learn different circus skills such as juggling, stilts, human pyramids, and aerial silks. To celebrate the end of the camp, parents will be invited to a week-ending show on March 22 at 3 p.m.

Cost: $275 per child. Space is limited, so register early.

Age/Grade Level: Ages seven to 12.

Mount Saint Vincent University Day Camp Not all March break activities are focused on physicality. Some exercise the imagination.

This year’s March break camp at MSVU is focusing on books, allowing kids to, according to the website, “step inside their favourite storybook.” Authors whose books will be featured include Dr. Seuss, J.K. Rowling, and Robert Munsch.

Cost: $38 per day or $160 for the week. Please note, pre-registration is required.

Age/Grade level: Primary to Grade 6.

Superheroes by the Dalhousie Chorus

PHOTO

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If you’re kid loves superheroes, this might be perfect for capping off the week. Held in the Halifax Central Library’s Paul O’Regan Hall, the Dalhousie Chorus will be preforming and sharing odddefying stories of fictional, and non-fictional, heroes.

Superheroes takes place on March 24 at 2 p.m. For more information, contact: jmailhio@dal.ca.

Cost: $15 per person

March Break Camp

Send your kids to the Circus

classes, camps, and parties ages 5-15

1535 Dresden Row 902-405-5500 www.iness.ca Downtown Halifax

FRENCH CAMP Join us this summer for a week to remember!

FRENCH CAMP IS...

PHOTO: COURT ESY OF ATLANTIC CIRQUE

A wonderful re-fresher over the summer months.

The perfect introduction for students entering late immersion.

A great way to make new and lasting friendships.

The sun will come out tomorrow, or so the song says. But in this case, it doesn’t matter because you’ll be inside with Upstage Studios’ Annie theatre camp. Divided into three two-hour blocks, participants will learn signing, dancing, and acting from camp leaders. Campers will preform the musical at the end of the week.

Classes are at Saint James United Church in Dartmouth from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Cost: $190 per child.

Age/Grade Level: Age eight and up.

NAUTICAL CAMP Îles-de-la-Madeleine/ Magdalen Islands, Québec Ages 13-17 SEA KAYAKING ADVENTURE CAMP Îles-de-la-Madeleine/ Magdalen Islands, Québec Ages 15-17 CAMP FRANTASTIQUE Barton, Digby County Ages 10-14 CAMP DE LA BAIE Sambro Head, HRM Ages 10-14

Kids can learn different circus skills Atlantic Cirque.

Upstage Studios and Annie

FRANCO-FORUM St. Pierre, France Ages 14-18

DAY CAMPS Halifax and Cole Harbour Ages 6- 10

L’ÉTÉ, C’EST MAGIQUE!

CHAPTER CAMPS For more info on local camps, contact your local CPF chapter.

CPF Nova Scotia Summer Camps 8 Flamingo Drive, Halifax, NS B3M 4N8 T 902-453-2048 TF 1-877-CPF-5233 E cpf@ns.cpf.ca W ns.cpf.ca Registration forms available online

cpf.ns

@CPFNovaScotia

cpfnovascotia

CPF Nova Scotia

#

iSupportCPFNS

COVER STORY

Our Children | Spring 2019

Juniorpreneur Camp

OF PIER 21

Kids are always asking questions about how things work.

What better way to spur on that curious nature than with entrepreneurship? Organized by the Centre for Entrepreneurship Education and Development, kids will spend a week learning about business. Participants will build on both their leadership and teamwork skills, while also learning about innovation, critical thinking, and the risks associated with entrepreneurship.

They will be able to earn money from their venture and, at the end of the week, pitch their idea to a group of local business owners.

The camp is from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Suite 225, 7071 Bayers Road.

Cost: $180 per child. Pre-registration required.

Age/Grade Level: Ages eight to 14.

URTESY PHOTO: CO

Pier 21 holds its March Break at the Museum event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m

LOOKING FOR MORE? While most of our top picks last more than a day, there are many other daily excursions for you and your family to enjoy.

Museums: No matter what your child is interested in, you’ll find a suitable museum nearby. The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is hosting nautical games and other activities, crafts and holding film screenings in their Warehouse Theatre. Its most recent exhibit, Canada at Play, which looks at Canadian toys from the past 100 years, will also be open to the public. The Canadian Museum of Immigration Pier 21 holds its March break at the Museum event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. everyday. It features movement and food-based workshops and special guests. The Museum of Natural History is offering Dinosaurs Unearthed with animatronic dinosaurs. Roar!

Public Skating: The last scheduled day for the Halifax Oval’s winter season is March 17, so glide over. There are also several other public skating options if you can’t make it to the Oval: the Halifax Forum, RBC Centre (formerly 4Pad) in Dartmouth, and the Sackville Sports Stadium, among others.

Cineplex: As part of its March break offerings, Cineplex has $2.99 movie deal. Titles are released closer to the break.

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Right: Dinosaurs Unearthed exhibit at the Museum of Natural History.

Discovery Centre Day Camps

PHOT O

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The natural and the artificial are being explored during March break at the Discovery Centre.

With Weather Wizardry, campers will learn and take part in activities that focus on how weather works and varies each season.

The Digital Discovery Camp brings together human curiosity with technology. Campers will spend the week learning about video game development, robots, coding, and other topics. They will also be mentored by information and communications technology professionals.

Weather Wizardry: cost: $215 for members, $230 for nonmembers. Pre-registration required.

Age/Grade Level: Ages five to 12 Digital Discovery: cost: $250 for members, $275 for nonmembers. Pre-registration required.

Age/Grade Level: Ages nine to 14.

Halifax Public Libraries: Libraries have more than 100 events across 14 branches. They include the SuperNOVA Science Camp for Newcomer Youth at the Keshen Goodman and The Annual March Break Chess Tournament at Alderney Gate. For more events visit: halifaxpubliclibraries.ca/marchbreak.

Artech Camps: Artech has been teaching kids about digital technology since 2005. This year’s March break offerings include: Encounters with Aliens (a game design camp where kids seven to 12 years create their own characters, aliens, and worlds); Reach for the Stars - Get Animated (an animation camp for all ages teaching different ways to animate, such as stop motion, claymation, frame-by-frame, and more); and Outta this World with Unity 3D (a 3D game design for youth 11 and up that shows new and returning campers how to develop games with Unity 3D. artechcamps.com

Halifax

Moncton

Two fun locations!

For birthday party bookings and information visit hopskipjump.ca Cafe onsite

hopskipjump.ca Halifax 902.406.4406 Moncton 506.859.4406

FEATURE

Our Children | Spring 2019

PHOTO: COURTESY OF DR LYNK

Dr Andrew Lynk has served as chair and chief of Pediatrics at Dalhousie University and the IWK Health Centre in Halifax since 2016

PHOTO: CHRIS BENJAMIN

14

Adding a

Chris Benjamin and his son Dylan.

element to your child’s care There’s plenty to consider before deciding non-conventional medicine is right for your child

By Kim Hart Macneill

ince birth, Chris Benjamin’s son Dylan suffered from chronic ear infections. By age four, his doctor suggested surgically inserting tubes into the child’s ears to avoid the infections.

Benjamin wanted to relieve his son’s pain, but he had a similar surgery as a child and didn’t have fond memories.

A friend suggested visiting an osteopath first. Benjamin saw one for his chronic hip pain and figured it was worth a try. Dylan’s pain was gone the day after his osteopath appointment. Given the family’s experience with ear infections for the prior four years, Benjamin estimates Dylan was about halfway through the infection when they sought treatment.

Dylan got another infection several months later and the family eventually opted for the tubes. Nonetheless, Benjamin says he sees a place for both treatment approaches.

“Her treatment gave him the relief he needed at the time, and Western medicine

has evolved to the point where it’s less intrusive than it used to be,” Benjamin says. “We benefited from both people’s work in the long-term.”

In Nova Scotia, unconventional medicine is known by many names, such as alternative, holistic, and complimentary medicine. It can include naturopathic medicine, chiropractic, massage therapy, acupuncture, physiotherapy, and osteopathy, to name a few. For parents like Benjamin, there’s a lot to consider before choosing a non-conventional treatment plan for a child.

Many registered practitioners prefer the term integrated medicine because it better explains how treatments should work. Dr. Jennifer Salib Huber is a naturopathic doctor (ND), registered dietitian, and founder of Pillars of Health, a clinic in Dartmouth, focusing on integrated medicine.

“Integrated is a term I’d use over alternative or complimentary,” she says “Both of those suggest it’s mutually

exclusive and that’s absolutely not the case. We frequently work with other health care providers either referring to, receiving referrals from, or collaborating on care.”

According to the Nova Scotia Association of Naturopathic Doctors (NSAND), its members “blend modern scientific knowledge with traditional and natural forms of medicine.” This includes diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease using natural treatments such as botanical medicine, clinical nutrition, hydrotherapy, homeopathy, naturopathic manipulation, traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, and lifestyle counselling.

In Nova Scotia, Salib Huber says, if a patient or parent chooses a ND, it’s key to maintain a relationship with a general practitioner, i.e. a family doctor.

Naturopathic doctors aren’t regulated by the province the same way general practitioners are by the Nova Scotia Medical Act.

15

PHOTO: COURTESY OF LISA’S HOLISTIC REHAB

NSAND is the professional association and self-regulating body representing licenced NDs in the province. It protects the public by upholding the national standards of competency in naturopathic medicine. Chiropractors, massage therapists, acupuncturists, and osteopaths all have similar self-regulating provincial associations.

NSAND is working toward the implementation of full-regulatory legislation in Nova Scotia.

Because NDs aren’t covered under the Nova Scotia Medical Act, there are limits on their scope of practice, including lack of formal access to provincial testing labs and ability to bill under MSI, which means paying out of pocket or accessing private medical insurance to cover the bill. That’s why Salib Huber encourages parents who choose naturopathic medicine to also maintain a general practitioner.

Rather than rely on an over-the-counter, prescription, or surgical solution, Salib Huber says many of her patients’ parents come to her to try something less invasive.

“Most of the time when people are bringing a child in it is because they’re looking for a second opinion,” she says, “They might be coming to us first because they have an inclination [the issue] is related to diet and lifestyle and they may feel we are better suited to take that on.”

One of the most common concerns Salib Huber says she sees in children is constipation.

“We would talk about a diet or we might be suggesting vitamins, minerals, or herbal treatments that might help to regulate or normalise their bowel movements,” she says.

If the condition doesn’t improve, or the child complains of more severe pain or blood in their stool, she refers them back to a GP for further treatment.

“That’s the importance of our training; recognising when we need to bring someone else into the circle of care,” she says.

Salib Huber notes that for many in HRM, and around the province, the acute shortage of doctors leaves many families to rely on walk-in clinics. For those patients, she says, having a naturopathic doctor can mean continuity of care.

For some parents, making the choice to visit an integrated practitioner is easier because of past personal experience with one.

But for others there’s much to consider. Dr. Andrew Lynk says it’s not a decision parents should take lightly.

Lynk has served as chair and chief of Pediatrics at Dalhousie University and the IWK Health Centre in Halifax since 2016.

Before that he was a community pediatrician for 25 years in Sydney, Nova Scotia.

“There’s lots of chronic conditions that adults or children experience that Western medicine has some therapies for but can’t always regulate all of the symptoms in satisfactory manner,” Lynk says. When Western medicine can’t find a solution, he says, it’s easy to understand why a patient would look at other options.

Lynk says he asks his small patients’ families to consider three things before starting a mode of treatment, whether it’s conventional Western medicine or complementary medicine.

First, is it safe? Lynk says parents should ask this same question of conventional medical practitioners.

Some botanical supplements, such as Saint John’s Wart, can cause conventional medicines to under or over preform, so it’s key to ensure your naturopath, prescribing doctor, and pharmacist

INTEGRATED MEDICINE FOR BODY AND MIND Integrated medicine practitioners can be found in just about every branch of medicine. Lisa’s Holistic Rehab Occupational Therapy Services is just one example.

Established by Marcia-Lisa Dennis, Holistic Rehab offers a full-range of services to patients looking for an integrated approach.

Dennis also focuses on nontraditional areas, such as neuroplasticity. This is the ability for the brain to adapt and create new neural links and pathways if traditional ones haven’t formed correctly or been damaged through trauma.

Marcia-Lisa Dennis

Dennis says some reflexes in children may not mature due to a variety of factors, including prematurity, C-section, brain injury during delivery, hereditary factors, lack of stimulation at birth, disease, or exposure to alcohol or drugs in utero.

This may mean milestones aren’t met, leading to developmental delays, problems with attention or sensory processing, and learning disabilities.

The good news is that research (see Blomberg, H., & Dempsey, M. (2011) Movements that heal: rhythmic movement training and primitive reflex integration.

Sunnybank Hills, Qld: BookPal) has shown the brain is resilient and can change itself. With proper treatment by an occupational therapist trained in cognitive rehabilitation, the brain can be rehabilitated (depends on diagnosis) to make new connections and form new pathways even into adulthood. know all the medications and supplements your child is taking.

Second is efficacy. “You can ask your therapist or the health product store, what’s the evidence for this treatment,” Lynk says.

“We should also ask our conventional doctors what’s the evidence for a conventional treatment. Sometimes the evidence is strong and sometimes it is not. We should always be asking that of everyone before we take on a new therapy.”

The third is cost. Not just financial cost, as most integrated practitioners aren’t covered under MSI, but also the cost of relying on what may be an unproven treatment.

In addition to that advice for parents, Lynk has some for fellow pediatricians: “I think physicians should be open minded and not judgemental when parents want to try something new.”

Feedback He cautions everyone involved to ensure they’re thinking critically about the treatments they choose and ensure the health of the child. “There’s lots we don’t know about complimentary medicines yet, but that’s not to say Western conventional medicine is perfect either, because it’s not,” Lynk says.

FEATURE

Our Children | Spring 2019

How to tell if your young one is just going along with the fad, or has a serious hobby

By Chris Muise

L

ife with children means a life with toys; with Lego, comics, cards, and any number of other flights of fancy they might enjoy, scattered across your living room floor, your kitchen table or, best case scenario, a self-contained play room that’s covered end-to-end with stuff.

As adults, it’s tempting to think of these things as childhood distractions, or some fad they’ve gotten into recently, or anything else that really doesn’t command your respect. They’re just playthings, after all.

But what if they aren’t just playthings to your child? What if that pile of Pokémon cards, or closet full of Barbie dolls, means more to them than just the toy of the week they’re bound to forget about and eventually grow out of? What if it’s not just the latest fad they’ve bought into, but a lifelong collection?

With all the different kinds of toys and games vying for our kids’ attention invented every year (not to mention the legacy ones that have stood the test of time), we know it can be hard for the uninitiated parent to tell exactly when an interest crosses that threshold into full-on hobby, and then how best to support them once that threshold is crossed.

We spoke with some experts on the matter, to help you identify when an interest becomes a collection and compiled some advice on how to support them with their collection while also helping them prevent it from becoming an obsession.

It’s not always easy to pinpoint the moment a new interest becomes a lifelong hobby. Sometimes, even the kids themselves don’t notice the shift. Max Peach can’t remember the moment when he knew his love of Transformers would be a long-term

thing, but he does remember his first robot in disguise.

“My dad took me to a Wal-Mart and bought me one, Revenge of the Fallen Bumblebee, deluxe class,” says Peach, 13. “It appeals to me mostly because it’s just the person I am. I enjoy just playing with toys.”

For others, like Cooper Brown’s mother Karen, it wasn’t hard to spot when he dove head-first into Pokémon.

“It stemmed from his older brother, who was a collector of Pokémon cards before him,” says Brown, a childhood educator for kids with special needs. “But unlike my older son, Cooper has found a love for playing the game. I think Cooper is more serious.”

At first, interest in a fleeting fad can be hard to distinguish from a budding collection, because it’s not uncommon for one to stem from the other.

According to Dr. Shawn Gates, a clinical psychologist with the IWK Health Centre, fads are a healthy part of being a kid and are often a way kids develop relationships with their peers.

“It’s normal, developmentally, for people to be experimenting with ‘Who am I? Where do I fit in,’” Gates says. “When you see, ‘Hey, all my peers are doing this,’ there’s a certain natural draw… that natural gravitation towards things that can be fad-y.”

Getting into something and realizing it’s not for us is just a normal part of growing up. But sometimes, trying something because it’s popular can lead to a child discovering their “thing.”

“Sometimes you get the kids in who are interested because their friends like it, and it’s a social thing to do,” says Joshua Pyle-Carter, owner of The Deck Box, a card-game shop in Halifax.

“You can definitely tell the kids who are actively looking to collect

PHOTO: COURTESY OF CHRIS MUISE

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17 something, for whatever reason. Those kids are the ones who are going to take better care of their cards, ask more questions.”

Darryl Wall, owner of Giant Robot Comics in Dartmouth, could spot Max Peach right away as someone who was going to stick with collecting robots.

“There’s a lot of kids, like when movies come out, we’ll sell a bunch of Avengers figures, we’ll sell Superman, or Batman, or Transformers, but then you won’t see them after the movie’s had its heyday,” says Wall, himself a collector of Transformers. “Max, we see him pretty much every week. And almost every other week, he’ll go home with something.”

Gates, himself a collector of sports memorabilia, says collecting has come up in his practice. How much time or energy is being devoted to the hobby is cited as the primary concern for parents.

But in general, he says parents don’t have much to fear in terms of a long-term collection becoming problematic, so long as a balance is maintained between it and their everyday lives.

“If they’re doing it within their financial means and everything else, then who’s to say it’s a negative for them,” Gates says.

There can be plenty of benefits to having a collector kid. A collection is a great lens through which parents can teach and encourage all sorts of life skills to their children.

“You can use it as kind of a small-scale example of how we have to deal with things in our day-to-day lives,” Gates says. “It’s just a big, meta teaching moment.”

“It was an interest in something, and it included literacy and numeracy,” says Brown, who especially likes that Cooper plays in a

Pokémon League at The Deck Box. “The fact he plays the game and comes here, and he’s social with other people, I like that. I love that part of him being involved in this.”

“Max is always using his imagination,” says Darlene Warner, Peach’s mom. “That’s what I like about Max playing with them, because he [employs]… imagination, dexterity, patience.”

“When you’re exposed to the world of collecting… it instills a sense of value and an appreciation of value,” adds Pyle-Carter, who says he was inspired to find his first job to pay for his Magic the Gathering hobby as a teen. “Occasionally we’ll get parents who are concerned about the cost of some things, but that’s a pretty infrequent occurrence. More likely what happens is that parents appreciate it simply because it teaches a kid a sense of value.”

A collection can even be a great way to connect emotionally with your child, if you’re willing to take an interest. “It just provides us another opportunity to relate with our child and learn more about them and have them feel like they’re valued,” Gates says.

“That we’ve got stuff to learn from them as much as they have things to learn from us. It provides a good self-esteem moment.”

Peach knows just how lucky he is that his mom supports his Transformers hobby. “She’s very, just, compassionate, and allows me to be myself, collecting Transformers,” he says. “I’m glad I don’t have a mom who’s like, ‘oh, you should stop collecting these!’ No, she’s actually really supportive.”

Ditto (Pokémon pun intended) for Cooper.

“She lets me get things to help with the card game and lets me get the video games,” Cooper says. “It definitely makes me happy.”

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NUTRITION

Our Children | Spring 2019

How family-style meals can transform mealtimes … and may even save your sanity

By Edwena Kennedy

BIGSTOCK/ZURIJETA

18

T

rying to accommodate a variety of eating preferences?

Many families struggle with this. It could be you’re dealing with a picky eater, or perhaps someone has an allergy or intolerance. It could also be you have a wide variety of ages among family members (for example, a six-year-old, 16-year-old, two parents, and your mother-in-law), which makes it hard to serve something everyone wants to eat.

Whatever the case may be, planning only one meal that meets the demands of everyone becomes a seemingly impossible task.

And the last thing you want to do is make multiple meals or become a short order cook for that one eater that doesn’t like what they’ve been served.

I used to battle quite a bit in my household with what to make.

My husband was a real meat and potatoes man, with little liking for vegetables or salads. He also likes his food spicy. I preferred trying more unique foods with different flavour palates, most

of it vegetable-based and always whole grain rice. My kids went through a phase where they basically only wanted to eat if it was a pizza, chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, or fries… and no spinach, mushrooms, onions, etc. The list went on. I was at my wits end.

Until one day I noticed the only time my whole family enjoyed a meal was when it fell on one of my Mexican-themed food nights (i.e. tacos, burritos, quesadilla, etc.).

I realized these were the only nights I would serve food “family style,” that is, have all the components of the meal set out on the table as part of a spread and have each family member pass around the bowl of ingredients. This allowed everyone to serve themselves what they wanted.

After contemplating this for a day, I decided I would tweak my meals plans a bit and try incorporating more meals where I could just lay out different fixings and have each person build their own meal.

For example, things like build-your-own pizza, sandwiches, and taco nights worked well. I would still make meals like “salmon with dill sauce”, but would separate the salmon, serve the dill sauce on the side as optional and let everyone build their own salads and choose the dressing. Mixed meals such as casseroles I would still incorporate, but I made sure to include a few side options my family could choose from should they not want the main. For example, a side of peas, rolls, shredded cheese, and fruit.

Turned out, serving meals family style had benefits beyond just saving my sanity. As I became more and more fascinated with family and pediatric nutrition and feeding strategies, I discovered the research on this was bountiful. Family-style meals work for several reasons, including: • Eliminating catering to children. Catering encourages picky eating and prevents exposure they desperately need to new food.

• Encouraging a respect for your child’s appetite, such as allowing your child to choose food amounts right for him/her based on their hunger levels. All to often, we overshoot portion sizes.

• Providing young children with opportunities to hone their motor skills, such as balance, passing platters, holding bowls, and scooping food. For children under the age of five years, parents can hold the platters and bowls for their child and walk around behind them, asking if they would like some of such and such, and how much.

• Exposing children to food they may otherwise not experience.

For example, when passing items around the table, all options

get handed around, and each child holds, looks at a food and can smell it up close. This is a big deal for kids that won’t let a particular food near them in any capacity. Even if your picky eater snubs the broccoli, he still needs to be polite and pass it around, exposing himself to the food in the meantime.

• Providing opportunities to learn and practice their table manners, such as please, thank you, and other courtesies, as well as patience.

Overall, family-style meals create a positive atmosphere, encouraging kids to feel in control without overstepping boundaries, to try more food, and more peaceful meals without pressure to eat something particular.

Here are some tips for creating family-style meals to please all taste buds and make it work for you.

• Make sure to include all food groups in the spread: meat or other protein such as fish, beans, tofu, etc.; a high-fibre carbohydrate source such as whole grain rice, pasta, bread, sweet potatoes, etc.; at least one or two types of fruit, vegetable, or both; and a dairy like cheese or milk.

• Have things like salad dressings, gravies, condiments, even certain spices and herbs separate from the main meal and allow each family member to add what and how much they like.

• When you introduce new foods, also offer something familiar that everyone likes and can fill up on. I typically recommend having at least a roll of bread or plain rice that family members can eat in case they don’t like the “new” food.

• Make mealtimes pleasant. Enjoy a good conversation and never scold or fight with someone to eat. Your job is to choose what

and when your family eats and it’s up to them to choose if and what they eat.

• Don’t let the fear of having to wash multiple dishes get the best of you. Go ahead and place pots and pans directly on the table (be careful if they’re still hot) and serve each other directly from them if the thought of multiple dishes to wash that night is too much.

These days, I recommend family-style meals to pretty much all my clients, because it works every time. It’s not magic by any means, but as a long-term means of decreasing mealtime anxiety and giving children back a sense of control, it’s pretty amazing.

If this isn’t already part of your family mealtime ritual, try this at home. Your family may like it!

Edwena Kennedy is the registered pediatric dietitian and mom of two behind My Little Eater (mylittleeater.com), an online course platform with multiple courses to help parents raise happy, healthy eaters from ages six months to 12 years. Sign up for her free resource, 25 lunch ideas for your school-aged child. She lives in Halifax and loves to travel with her family, try cuisines from all over the world, and does interior decorating in her spare time.

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PARENTING HEALTH & WELLNESS

Our Children | Spring 2019

Mindful Marchbreak travel tips PHOTO: PAUL DARROW

Flexibility and relaxation key to keeping March break healthy and stress-free

By Starr Cunningham

PHOTO: BIGSTOCK/ LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS

20

“What are we doing for March break?”

It’s a question countless children ask their parents each year and even more parents ask themselves. Yes, March break is fun, but it can also be stressful.

Throughout the years, my children have done everything from visiting our local fire station to taking week-long trips to spend time with their aunt and uncle in Toronto.

The possibilities are endless, and the price tags can vary from inexpensive (visits to the library, hikes in the park, playdates

and crafts at home) to quite costly (sunny vacations to Florida and further abroad).

But beyond the finances, there’s another significant factor to consider: your mental health.

Whether you’re traveling outside the city for a day-trip or packing a suitcase to board a plane, there are some tried and true tips aimed at helping you and your family stay mentally well.

Maintaining a sleep schedule, eating well, staying hydrated, incorporating some exercise or activity into your day, and

taking lots of breaks are all key mental health practices.

Dr. Alexa Bagnell is the associate chief of child and adolescent psychiatry at the IWK Health Centre. Her specialty is in the assessment and treatment of anxiety disorders in children and adolescents, as well as school psychiatry. Bagnell has some suggestions for making sure your March break travel is healthy and enjoyable.

“The more relaxed parents are, the more fun it will be for everyone,” Bagnell says.

Speaking from my own personal

21 experience, that can sometimes be more difficult than it sounds.

I still recall daytrips from almost 20 years ago that ended far too late with sleepy, hungry children in the backseat.

Bagnell says not being rushed or trying to do too much is important. She suggests prioritizing the things you really want to do and then fitting in the extras if time and energy allow.

For me, that basically means setting realistic expectations.

Rather than listing all the activities you’re going to do during your trip, it would be much wiser to highlight just one or two and save the rest for consideration depending on how the day, or the week, plays out.

Bagnell believes flexibility should play a key role during your March break excursions as well.

“Many times, the best family travel stories and memories are from the unexpected or unplanned parts of the trip,” Bagnell says.

“We should try to remember this when travel curve balls occur!”

And occur they will. My 16-year-old daughter, Lily, and I were recently reminiscing about family trips that came with stubbed and bloodied toes, unexpected stomach ailments, and last-minute weather woes. I guess there’s a reason for that saying regarding best-laid plans.

In the last edition of Our Children, I wrote about the importance of self-care. Bagnell says we shouldn’t forget about that when we’re away from home. She emphasizes the need for parents to take care of themselves while traveling too.

And no matter where you are, it’s always a good idea to

encourage breaks from electronics. Engaging with the family doesn’t mean you can’t still play games. Bagnell recommends thinking back to your own childhood to come up with some plane, train, and automobile entertainment.

“Remember I Spy and the Alphabet Game (‘I packed my bag to go on vacation and I brought _____!’ – starting with A, B, C, etc.),” Bagnell suggests.

And finally, just have fun! March break can be a time for making life-long memories without having to take a break from your family’s good mental health habits. It’s all about remembering to pack your regular routine along with your healthy snacks and sunscreen.

Happy March break!

Starr Cunningham is the president and CEO of the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia. She’s an acclaimed journalist, best-selling children’s author, and volunteer. She was recently recognized as a Canadian Difference Maker—150 Leading Canadians for Mental Health and is a winner of the Northwood Foundation 2017 Live More Advocacy Award.

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BOOK REVIEWS

Our Children | Spring 2019

By Trevor J. Adams

The Better Tree Fort

By Jessica Scott Kerrin Pictures by Qin Leng Groundwood Books Ages 4–7 When young Russell asks his dad to help him build a tree fort, he has ambitious plans: a slide, a balcony, an observatory, and more. Dad is no handyman, but he does his best; after many trips to the hardware store, Russell has his tree house. And although it’s not what he imagined, he’s happy with it… until he sees workers building a new, bigger, more opulent treehouse in a neighbour’s yard. In this subtle but humorous tale, kids will learn about the diminishing returns of keeping up with the Joneses and appreciating what they have on its own merit: “There will always be a better tree fort.”

Where the Ghosts Are

By Steve Vernon Nimbus Publishing Ages 10+ Author Steve Vernon shares old favourites such as the Shag Harbour UFO and the buried treasure of Oak Island alongside lesser-known tales of the ghost of Haddon Hall and the Grey Lady of Stoney Beach. With some 50 tales, complete with addresses and GPS coordinates, this compendium offers a do-it-yourself tour of Nova Scotia’s spooky and supernatural sites. Vernon is an accomplished and affable storyteller, offering a book that will engage ambitious younger readers and parents alike.

A Family is a Family is a Family

A Giant Man from a Tiny Town

Story by Sara O’Leary Pictures by Qin Leng Groundwood Books Ages 4–7

Story by Tom Ryan Art by Christopher Hoyt Nimbus Publishing Ages 4–8

Quebec author Sara O’Leary has penned many fiction titles for both adults and children. In this heartwarming and inclusive book, she returns with a look at what makes a family special. A diverse group of kids answer a teacher’s simple question, describing their different families. As the children share their differences, they discover the one important thing all families have in common. This is obviously a story-with-a-message, but O’Leary delivers it subtly, giving readers something to think about without beating them over the head with it.

Qin Leng, who also illustrates The Better Tree Fort, shares playful, whimsical illustrations that are rich in detail and sure to captivate young readers.

In Cape Breton, Angus MacAskill is the stuff of local legend. Standing 7’9”, he was well known for his great stature and immense strength, but also for his sweet singing voice and kindly manner. Author Tom Ryan brings a deft and gentle touch to this true story of how MacAskill journeyed around the world finding fortune and adventure before his heart led him home. Hoyt’s buoyant and joyfully illustrations of Victorian-era Cape Breton add to the experience.

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