BC Parent Summer Issue

Summer

CAMPS

Playing safe in the sun lemonade stand learning

summer issue 2013 www.bcparent.ca

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early bird discounts to

June 11

inside ...

4 Gardening with Kids

12 Lemonade Stand Learning

Growing memories

Follow us on

More than lemonade

7 The Best Gift

14 The $120 Swim Lesson

Time alone

Should I make her go?

8 Playing Safe in the Sun

http://twitter.com/bcparentmag

16 Summer Camp Guide

All about sunscreens BC Parent Newsmagazine

10 Write Away Nurture your child’s love of writing

Publisher/Executive Editor: Forrest Phillips

Contributors: Judy Arnall, Janny J. Johnston, Heather Lee Leap, Marissa Marciano, Kerrie McLoughlin

Mail Address: Sasamat RPO 72086 Vancouver, BC V6R 4P2

Advertising Sales: info@bcparent.ca

BC Parent is published 8 times per year.

The Publisher reserves the right to omit advertising which is judged to be in poor taste or which does not conform to the concept of this publication.

email: info@bcparent.ca www.bcparent.ca

Circulation: Gold Distribution

Canadian Publications Mail Registration No.251836

Editor: Geoffrey Legh Advertising Design & Layout: Julie Cochrane Editorial Design & Layout: RetroMetro Designs www3.telus.net/retrometro

Summer Issue 2013 Volume 22, Number 4

bcparent.ca • summer 2013 3

Great Gardening Resources:

Green Thumbs: A Kid’s Activity Guide to Indoor and Outdoor Gardening by Laurie Carlson

Camp Registration now open! Reserve your spot at StageCoachschools.ca

Grow Your Own Pizza: Gardening Plans and Recipes for Kids

by Constance Hardesty and Jeff McClung

www.stagecoachschools.ca TOLL FREE 1-877-78-STAGE (78243)

Vancouver East & West • Richmond • Surrey • Victoria • Coquitlam • Langley • Maple Ridge

4 bcparent.ca • summer 2013

The Ultimate Step-by-Step Kids’ First Gardening Book: Fantastic Gardening Ideas for 5-12 Year Olds, from Growing Fruit and Vegetables and Having Fun with Flowers to Indoor and Outdoor Nature Projects by Jenny Hendy

Gardening with Kids Growing memories. I’ll never forget the first time I picked a beautiful, ripe, red tomato that I helped grow. I had watered and weeded the plant with love, and I was so proud of that tomato. And, because I wasn’t interested in gardening when I was a kid, this memorable gardening experience happened the summer I turned 40!

By Kerrie McLoughlin

This made me determined to share the joy of gardening with my own kids. I’m already learning that gardening alongside your kids provides valuable opportunities for them to learn, to get some exercise and fresh air and to spend some time connecting with you.

Check out these tips and ideas for gardening success, as well as a few reasons why gardening is one cool hobby.

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reen in right now, and there’s nothing greener than growing your own food. Composting is another fun,

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ppropriate tools. Make sure you have kid-size tools available for your budding gardener to keep him interested. For Small Hands (www.ForSmallHands.com) offers child-size gardening tools like gloves, shovels, watering cans, kneeling pads, small buckets for weeds, small aprons and totes for tools and more.

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esponsibility.

D

ecorate

E

ducation (a.k.a.

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green aspect of gardening because kids get to toss “trash” into the garden (egg shells, coffee grounds, fruit and vegetable shavings and rinds, etc.). Toss the “trash” from Halloween (leftover pumpkins and gourds) and see what happens next year. You can make the entire garden a compost pile in the off season, and if you like you can leave a section for composting year-round.

Consider planting most of the plot as a Family Garden, but save one entire section for your child’s own garden and make your child responsible for it. If she doesn’t fall in love with gardening, make the watering of and weed pulling in the entire garden chores she gets a small allowance for. And be sure to relax your own standards. For instance, who cares if the rows are not planted perfectly? plant markers with the kids. Make stepping stones using a kit. We have lattice screen my husband cut to make a short fence to keep animals out of the garden, and the kids can paint it their own way. These are all ways to help your child make the garden his own.

don’t tell the kids they are learning stuff). How much will it cost to buy enough tomato plants to fill half of our space? How many feet by how many feet is our garden, and how many different things can I plant in it? Could we plant an ABC garden if we have room for 26 small plants?

Have a garden-to-table pizza party where the toppings come from your own garden. Learn how to can your goodies at www.FreshPreserving.com so you can save them for another day, and give some as holiday gifts. Can fruits and vegetables as-is or doctor them up (salsa, pie filling, jam and so much more!). Sometimes you might end up with so much ripe bounty that you need to find people to share with. ourishment.

Which bugs are bad (Japanese beetles), and which are beneficial? Which plants attract butterflies? (Hint: wild plants) Buy some ladybugs and let them loose and see how long they stay to eat up aphids. Head to www.KidsGardening.org, search “insects” and have fun reading about different insects and the work they do.

nsects.

Try square foot gardening (www.SquareFootGardening.org), which is a great system for beginners that saves time, work, water and money. You can start as small as 1’ x 1’ and grow from there by adding more feet as you are ready. It’s on a raised-bed system, so weeds are kept to a minimum and you can even bring in your small garden if a frost is on the horizon. Or think up by growing pole beans or gourds so you can plant more stuff below. Grow herbs in a pot inside. And if you have no backyard, community gardens are all the rage these days. Visit www.CommunityGarden.org to locate one near you or learn how to start one.

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ot a lot of space?

G

et the kids involved. Take

them along to pick out seeds at the garden store or spend an afternoon poring over a seed catalog before making final decisions on what to plant. Their faces will light up when they get to pick green beans for dinner or grab some mint for their lemonade. Soft lamb’s ear, fragrant lavender and basil make a great addition to a fruit and veggie garden. bcparent.ca • summer 2013 5

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6 bcparent.ca • summer 2013

The Best Gift rooom.”

I lay my dish towel on the kitchen counter, and peek around the corner into the living room.

My three-year old son is lying on the oval rug, playing with little cars and trucks.

“Rrrr,” Matthew says. He makes automobile noises as he lines up all his vehicles, single-file, around the outer edge of the carpet.

It isn’t very often that I find myself alone in the house with my son. Typically his two bossy, older sisters are here to direct his playtime. But today it’s just Matthew and me.

An article I read recently touted the fact that parents need to spend one-on-one time with their children. The writer emphasized that the best gift we can give our kids is our time.

I’ve been working to get chores done before the girls and my husband get home, but instead I decide to ignore the dishes and give Matthew that gift of time with me.

Of my three children, Matthew is the quiet, undemanding one. He’s the daydreamer of my bunch. If I’m upset with the kids about the house being messy, his older sisters will be stoic, but it’s Matthew who will cry. If Matthew has an idea, the girls’ idea is better. When they play hide-andseek, one of the girls will tell him where he should hide—before she runs off and chooses a better spot for herself. I worry about this sensitive little guy.

I walk into the living room, where Matthew is busy sorting and lining up his cars.

“Hi, sweetie,” I say, approaching my parking attendant on the oval rug.

“Errrk,” is his only response.

Kneeling down, I take a blue four-door sedan and make it speed across the rug. I park it beside Matthew, under the coffee table.

He doesn’t acknowledge that I’m here, so I increase the intensity of my play. Plucking a vehicle from the bin I say, “Sorry, Buster.

My yellow car wants to be parked right here.” I push the toy automobile along the rug. “Zooom! Errrk!” I park it at the front of his line.

Matthew stops his play, head down, and watches me move other vehicles around.

Without looking at me, he carefully takes

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the blue sedan from under the table and places it at the end of the trail of cars. Then he gently sets his hand on my yellow convertible, and freezes.

I cock my head and look down at the top of his little blond mop of hair.

Matthew stays absolutely still, his arm extended, hand on my car. I can see the trunk of the yellow automobile peeking out from his grasp.

What’s he doing?

“You don’t want my car to be the leader?” I ask.

“No,” he says quietly, and hesitates for a second. “It belongs back here.” With that, Matthew places my car at the end of the line. Then he chooses an orange truck and slowly drives it forward to head up his parade of cars. He parks it where I’d had the convertible.

It feels like a challenge.

I slide backwards and lower myself onto my stomach to be at his eye level.

“Is it okay if I play cars with you?” I ask, reaching for a lime-green tow truck.

Again, Matthew comes to a stop. He gives a huge sigh. His head remains bowed and he doesn’t look my way.

By Janny J. Johnson “Mattie?” I ask. I wait for him to say something.

“Momma,” he says, with another sigh. “I just want to play by myself, and play my way.”

Startled, I find I’m a little hurt. I did exactly what the article said to do, but my own child doesn’t want individual time with me.

Despite my surprise at his reaction, I find that with a moment’s reflection, my hurt is quickly replaced with understanding.

Of course! Matthew usually has the girls interfering with his play. And today he ended up with a mom who took over. Not only does he rarely have time away from the girls, he rarely has time alone.

I tousle his hair and give him a quick kiss. Then I get to my feet. There are beds to be stripped and sheets to be washed. I walk away from my quiet child with his cars, the child who now has time to do what he wants to do.

Sometimes, just sometimes, the best gift a parent can give her child is time alone.

Janny J. Johnson was at one time the mom in a busy household with a husband, four children, five cats, two goldfish, a dog, a bird and a bunny. Now she sits in her recliner with a laptop and writes about those years. Go to her webpage at jannyjjohnson.com

bcparent.ca • summer 2013 7

Playing Safe in the Sun

By Marisa Marciano

We wind up trusting these higher SPFs too much, fail to reapply, and stay out longer in the sun than we should.

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o block the sun from our skin and our bodies, though knowingly important, has always felt a bit wrong to me.

There is an ongoing love/hate relationship we have with our giver-of-all-life come the summer season. It seems that as soon she begins to share her warmth we all want to frolic, but then commence to fear her.

(Usually because we’ve been burned by her before!)

We of course want to protect ourselves and our families from the hazardous effects of the sun.

However the idea that there is “no safe level of sun exposure” touted by some seems extreme. So without burning ourselves to a crisp, how much is ideal amount of sun? And what can we do to protect ourselves and our children from it’s more perilous effects?

Of course our fear comes from the very real and very scary development of skin cancer. As we know that prolonged exposure to strong sunlight significantly increases our risk, acting as a catalyst in a disease process that occurs especially in those with fairer skin and a specific genetic make up.

There are many different types of skin cancer but most take one of three forms: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma.

Of these, only basal cell carcinoma is really associated with sun exposure, and this is a non-fatal cancer that very rarely metastasizes or spreads to other parts of the body.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin is another type of cancer that can occur on sun-exposed parts of

8 bcparent.ca • summer 2013

the body and hence is “associated” with sun exposure, but occurs with greater frequency in other parts of the body, such as the, lung, prostate, vagina and cervix.

We’ve been taught for years that the use of sunscreens provides useful protection from sunburn, which they most definitely do when used correctly. They contain chemical compounds which work by either absorbing or reflecting ultraviolet-A (UVA) and ultraviolet-B (UVB) wavelengths. UVA waves penetrates deeper into the skin, and though they rarely are the cause of burns, they can produce excessive free radical damage. The far more abundant UVB rays are primarily the cause of sunburn, and can bind directly with our own DNA causing potential precancerous mutations. To prevent this, products are labeled with a sunscreen protection factor (SPF), which essentially measures how much UV radiation is being blocked.

Theoretically, applying a high SPF should offer us more protection, however studies have found that users of high-SPF sunscreens have similar, or even higher exposures to harmful UV rays than those that rely on lower SPF products. The reason being that we wind up trusting these higher SPFs too much, fail to reapply, and stay out longer in the sun than we should. Sales for these high SPF products have been on the rise for at least a decade, with little to no assurance that they are actually providing the protection we need.

It is crucial to avoid getting sunburned, but avoiding the sun altogether means we can lack the certain

number of sunrays required to restore Vitamin D levels in the body. Unlike other vitamins, vitamin D is produced by the action of UV rays from sunlight interacting with cholesterol in our skin. Slabbing on sunscreen blocks out these UV rays needed for vitamin D formation, a nutrient us Vancouverites are especially prone to lack.

So, how do we play safe in the sun?

If you and your have family have mostly been indoors for the past 6 months and you immediately head out to the beach on the first sunny day, your skin will be incredibly sensitive. At the beginning of summer rub a thin layer of coconut oil over all uncovered skin and go out for 15–30 minutes, depending on your degree of sensitivity. You can repeat this process, staying out 5 or 10 minutes longer each time.

Don’t get burned. Red, sore, peeling or blistered skin is a clear sign you’ve got too much. Sunburn is what increases your skin cancer risk more than anything.

The best defenses are limiting your exposure and covering up. Find some shade, some light breathable clothing and some stylish new shades (eye protection is especially important).

Coconut oil has been used as a sunscreen for generations as protection against burning and skin cancer.

One study in India compared the ability of various edible oils as sun protection and found that coconut oil was able to block about 20% of UV light, with a natural SPF of around 4. It has the added bonus of helping prevent the free-radical reactions that lead to sunburn and all of the consequences caused by overexposure (such as signs of aging) After Sun Care. Fresh aloe gel blended into a paste is a wonderful way to treat burns, and is also an excellent emollient to help nourish the skin.

Eat lots of bright coloured fruits & vegetables. These free-radical scavenging foods help ensure proper healing from the occasional excessive bit of sun. Pick what’s in season. It’s amazing how the very foods nature provides for us in the summer season are also those that will best protect us from the sun’s harmful effects. Some examples are rainbow chard, tomatoes, blueberries & raspberries.

Season Your Skin.

How to pick a Sunscreen

(as these can be inhaled and we’re still unaware of their effects).

Avoid sprays that contain zinc and titanium

Avoid ingredients like octisalate, oxybenzone, and avobenzone which can all cause allergic skin reac-

tions and may also be hormonal disruptors.

Avoid those that contain vitamin A (retinyl palmitate)

which may speed the development of skin tumours and lesions when applied to the skin the presence of sunlight Avoid Any SPF over 50+ as there’s very little proof that values greater than 50 offer any additional benefit.

An SPF of 15 blocks about 95% of UV radiation. An SPF of 45 blocks about 98%. Anything above this is basically meaningless. Putting these higher SPFs on can also give a false sense of safety that you can stay out in the sun for longer than we should.

A good rule of thumb is: If you wouldn’t eat it, don’t smear it. Regardless of whether ingredients are injested or applied topically, they are absorbed into your body, and then potentially into the bloodstream.

If you’re looking to purchase a low toxicity commercial sunscreen, the following are some recommendation made by the environmental working group, a non-profit organization that keeps excellent data on the known level of toxic environmental exposure in our personal care products. (You can find more information on their website: http://www.ewg. org/2012sunscreen/) • Keys Solar Rx Broad Spectrum Sunblock (SPF 30+) • Kiss my Face 100% Natural Mineral Sunblock Sunstick (SPF 30+) • California Baby Everyday/Year-round Sunscreen Stick (SPF 30+) • Coola Plant UV Body Suncreen (SPF 30+) I also highly recommend that parents make their own natural sunscreen (see recipe below). With the right ingredients it’s incredibly simple (and fun!) to do.

Play safe in the sun this summer. Protect your skin, and enjoy each beach day fully with your family without fear, and with full gratitude for the many blessings the summer sun brings us.

Play safe in the sun this summer and enjoy each beach day without fear, and with full gratitude for the many blessings the summer sun brings us.

Natural Sunscreen recipe: 1/2 cup almond or olive oil (can infuse with herbs if desired—my favourites are comfrey & calendula) 1/4 cup coconut oil 1/4 cup beeswax (add more or less for desired thickness) 2 Tbsp zinc oxide (this makes a natural SPF of 20+ — more can be added. Be careful not to inhale the powder during preparation!)

1 tsp vitamin E oil 1. Combine all ingredients except zinc oxide in a pint sized or larger glass jar (a mason jar works great). 2. Fill a medium saucepan with a couple inches of water and place over medium heat. 3. Put a lid on the jar loosely and place in the pan with the water. 4. As the water heats, the ingredients in the jar will start to melt. Shake or stir occasionally to incorporate. When all ingredients are completely melted, add the zinc oxide. 5. Stir in well as it cools and pour into a jar for storage. Store in a cool, dry place or in the fridge (is best used within 6 months).

Apply your sunscreen generously and evenly before sun exposure, and reapply as needed after swimming, sweating or toweling off to dry.

bcparent.ca • summer 2013 9

Write Away

By Heather Lee Leap

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way from home, or simply away from school, summer is an ideal time to nurture your child’s love of writing. Kids that normally balk at homework assignments and deadlines can relax and write what interests them. With fewer academic distractions, they can focus on the fun of writing. This year, go beyond the dreaded “What I did during my summer vacation” essay. Offer up these suggestions and opportunities to help your children put pen to paper.

Wish you were here. Stock your child’s travel bag with postcards this summer. Whether you’re away on a family vacation or your child is at sleep-away camp, postcards are a fun way to stay connected and get your child writing. Help campers address postcards home and to friends before heading to camp. They can add the details of their days and pop them in the mail. On a family vacation, seek out postcards of each destination.

Have your child write about your adventures and send a postcard home. When you collect your mail after the trip, a unique souvenir and reminder of your journey will be waiting.

Create a family travel journal. “We keep a family journal when we travel because I’ve found that it is hard to remember exactly what we did once we get home,” says Lili Panarella who has travelled extensively with her husband and two daughters. Kids and parents can write about adventures as they happen and preserve memories. We each experience the same events from a unique perspective. Your son’s description of falling out of a boat is sure to differ from your view of him launching over the side and bobbing up and down in his lifejacket. Take dictation from younger children whose writing skills haven’t caught up with their thoughts.

Assign each person a day, or write as the mood strikes but make sure everyone participates.

Interview your kids. E. Ashley Steel, co-author of Family on the Loose: The Art of Traveling with Kids, suggests interviewing children about the places you visit. Ask them what they have observed or learned about the 10 bcparent.ca • summer 2013

people, geography or food. Allow time for reflection and then capture their words on the page as they share their insights. Your kids don’t always have to do the writing to be engaged with ideas and thinking like a writer.

Use nature as inspiration. Provide your young scientist with an unlined journal to record observations. Head outside to draw plants and insects and to write descriptions of the natural world. Kids who prefer nonfiction can stick with details and descriptions as they study their surroundings.

Others can use nature to stir their imagination toward stories and poems.

Create a writer’s alcove. When I was little I wrote in my “office” in the living room. My pens and notebooks were hidden in a discarded magazine rack tucked in a corner behind a red paisley wing chair. Encourage writing by helping your child carve out a quiet space. Some children will thrive with a desk of their own, complete with a drawer for pens, a shelf for paper or a laptop; for others that will seem too much like school.

Your child might be happy curled up in a cozy spot where they won’t be disturbed.

What secret hideaways are waiting to be discovered in and around your home? Look at your space with new eyes and ask your children what location calls to them.

No matter what type of writing your child experiments with during the summer make a point of separating the creative flow of writing from the mechanics. Nothing stops budding writers faster than having their spelling corrected. If you find yourself distracted by your children’s errors, have

them read their work aloud so you can discuss their thoughts and ideas. Patricia Zaballos, author of Workshops Work! A Parent’s Guide to Facilitating Writer’s Workshops for Kids, agrees. Some of the kids in her workshops struggle with spelling or penmanship. “I’m sometimes amazed because these writers read sophisticated, nuanced stuff,” she says. She notes that parents and teachers might not see through the superficial errors to recognize the strength of the writing.

When we hear our children’s words we are more open to the stories they have to tell. If improving grammar and spelling are goals you have for the summer, set time aside to work on editing after you have acknowledged your child’s effort and creativity.

Neighborhood reporter, poet or playwright, your children can be all of them this summer with your support. Write together as a family and share your work. When summer ends your will have a record of your time spent together and apart. And that summer vacation essay in the fall? It will be as easy as sipping a tall glass of lemonade.

Heather Lee Leap is a freelance writer and mother of three girls. Her parents provided her with pens, paper and plenty of quiet time to write when she was young.

Writing Resources for Children and Families If You Were a Writer by Joan Lowery Nixon What Do Authors Do? By Eileen Christlow Rip the Page! Adventures in Creative Writing by Karen Benke Writing Magic by Gail Carson Levine Go to www.bcparent.ca for tips on setting up your own child-geared writer’s workshop this summer.

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bcparent.ca • summer 2013 11

By Kerrie McLoughlin hen your kids ask you if they can have a lemonade stand today, do you sigh in anticipation of all the work required? Me, too, especially because I never did a lemonade stand when I was a kid. Instead, my best friend and I went door-to-door in her neighborhood attempting to sell “must-have” summer items like rocks and pamphlets. So when my kids suggested doing a lemonade stand in our yard, I first blamed television for putting the idea in their heads.

I reluctantly agreed, and we were on our way to several whole days of fun and (don’t tell my kids this part) learning.

To start, I told the kids to hunt down a small table, folding table or stable cardboard box. Then we ran to the store for cups, ice and powdered lemonade mix. The kids made signs to put on their table and on sticks stuck in the ground. One of the kids held up a sign and yelled, “Lemonade!” to attract business.

My money-obsessed 10-year-old son started the first day by charging a big fat buck for each medium-size glass of lemonade. He actually had a few takers, but the next day he decided to charge half price and ended up earning much more. Some days the kids would put up a sign that said all the proceeds from the day would be going to a specific cause, like to a cat shelter or to the Red Cross. Those were the days I didn’t gripe about having to sit outside in the heat acting as Lemonade Stand Manager and instead beamed with pride.

As summer wore on, the kids enjoyed coming up with bigger and better ideas, like Koolaid mixed with clear soda, and that was a hit. They looked like mini business people sitting around the dining room table discussing the next Big Idea. They started getting repeat business from people who drove down our street every day and made labels for the cups with their business name: Summer Kids Drink Stand. The lemonade stand was a simple venture at first glance, but when I looked a little deeper I saw it for all the lessons it taught my kids and their friends, like: Financial: Kids learn how to seek out a deal on cups and lemonade and to make their own ice in advance at home since they should pay Mom back for start-up business costs. They also learn about making change, counting money, measuring, dividing earnings 12 bcparent.ca • summer 2013

between kids, how much to charge, record-keeping, saving for something they want and altruism (through donating their money to a specific cause or charity).

Social and general business:

There’s much for kids to learn about business, like the fact that there are good and bad times to sell lemonade (lunch and rush hour are good; neighborhood garage sales days are great; chilly days are not). They also get to meet and greet neighbors and strangers and learn patience and perseverance.

Safety and stranger danger:

I’m sure your kids know not to go up to a car when they don’t know who is in it, but selling lemonade helps reinforce that message and lets your child know it’s okay to tell someone “no, I’m not allowed to do that.” Your child should know to let the customer get out of their car and come to get their lemonade (it’s not a drive-through, after all!).

Basic manners: I made sure the kids knew to not hold cups by the lip or stick their hand in the cup. For a little humor break, I showed them the clip from “National Lampoon’s Vacation” where the kid stirs the drink up with her bare, dirty arm and told them never to do that. When telling customers how much the lemonade was, they would say, “Fifty cents, please” and thank the customer upon receiving the money. If they got a tip, they would say an extra profuse term of gratitude.

Bonus: your neighbors may be broke and sick of lemonade, but your kids won’t ask to borrow money from you again. At least, not until summer’s over.

Kerrie McLoughlin, sweet and sour mom of 5, writes about the mom life at TheKerrieShow.com

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) was started in 2000 by Alex Scott, who was diagnosed with childhood cancer when she wasn’t even one year old. When she was four, she set up a lemonade stand to donate the money to help find a cure. Soon others around the country were also setting up stands to donate their money, as well. Alex died at the age of eight, but her lemonade stand legacy has raised over $40 million for childhood cancer research and more. Visit www.alexslemonade.org to register your stand, and they’ll send you a packet of materials to make your fundraiser a success.

Le français au CSF,

c’est bien plus qu’une langue !

Inscrivez votre enfant dans une des écoles publiques du CSF !

Depuis sa création en 1995, le Conseil scolaire francophone de la ColombieBritannique offre des programmes et des services éducatifs valorisant le plein épanouissement et l’identité culturelle des apprenantes et apprenants francophones de la province. Le conseil compte aujourd’hui plus de 4 700 élèves, 37 écoles publiques et dessert plus d’une centaine de communautés réparties dans l’ensemble de la province.

▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

programme d’enseignement public de la maternelle à la 12e année; ▪ haut niveau de réussite scolaire; services à la petite enfance; ▪ portables pour tous; service de transport scolaire; programme d’anglais de qualité; ▪ programmes de musique, théâtre.

bcparent.ca • summer 2013 13

The $120 Swim Lesson

By Judy Arnall

T

his was the summer my son was going to learn how to swim! He was seven years old and old enough to agree to the lessons when I asked him in March. I signed him up and paid the $120.

Come July, he was feeling more anxious about it and resisted going the first day.

Once again, I’m faced with the age-old parenting question: “Should I make him go, or let him stay home?”

As a parent, we want to provide our children with a taste of the many wonderful experiences that life can offer. We flip through pages of booklets of the many offerings of classes, daycamps, preschools and envision our child loving the sports, art, music, science lessons, camps and activities. We take time to sign him up, write 14 bcparent.ca • summer 2013

checks, arrange transportation and prepare him for the first day. The first day arrives, and he doesn’t want to go. What to do now?

Should we drag him to the activity kicking and screaming, or give in and let him miss?

It depends on your child and your goals for the activity. Does your child usually complain until he gets there and then loves it? Or does your child complain loudly the whole time he is there and all the way home? Did you sign up your child to acquire skills, socialize a bit more or for a little downtime for you?

I would suggest the ‘nudge, but don’t force’ approach. Encourage him to go the first day and try it out. One day, that’s it.

This is giving the child informed consent.

He needs to experience what he is going to

make a decision about and if he goes the first day and hates it, then let him drop the activity. Most venues will give you the majority of your fees back, if you drop it immediately after the first day. If he loves it, then he will be glad you nudged him. Like getting kids to try new foods, one bite is enough to know if it will work for them or not (at that time). If you can’t get a refund, don’t worry about wasting the money. It’s better to build trust with your child in that he will try new things if you don’t force him to attend the whole way through in the name of ‘committing to the agenda.’

Many adults get second chances and can drop out of things they don’t like. As children get older, you can teach the importance of commitment with chores, friends

I would suggest the ‘nudge, but don’t force’ approach. Encourage your child to go the first day and try it out.

and homework, rather than with activities.

If you force them to attend the activity the whole course, you risk teaching them to hate the very activity you were hoping they would love. If it’s skills, socialization or time to yourself that is the goal, is there another way to achieve it? Is it the right time to work on that now?

If you have a quiet, shy or anxious child, promise to stay with him and leave in baby steps as per his comfort level. Again, building trust is important. Ignore complaints from staff who will recite their ‘no parents allowed’ policy. You know your child best and need to act in his best interests.

Research supports a gradual leaving of your child and building trust in your relationship that you will fulfill your promises of staying until he no longer needs you.

Child program professionals should understand the importance of your child’s comfort level and it should supercede any perceived concerns that ‘it will show favouritism to one child’ if their parents are allowed to stay. If the venue or staff will not let you stay, consider a more parent friendly program or venue and also consider if your child is really ready. Sometimes a few months or weeks of further emotional or social development is all your child needs to push his independence further.

In the end, my son didn’t go back after the first day of swimming lessons. However, he trusts that if he tries something new, he has the power to trust his instincts about whether the choice is right for him or not and have those instincts respected by his parents. That is worth more than $120.

Judy Arnall is an international award-winning peaceful parenting speaker, and bestselling author of “Discipline Without Distress: 135 tools for raising caring, responsible children without time-out, spanking, punishment or bribery” and the new DVD “Plugged-In Parenting: Connecting with the Digital Generation for Health, Safety and Love.” She is also author of the new book, “The Last Word on Parenting Advice” www.professionalparenting.ca; 403-714-6766; or jarnall@shaw.ca. Judy is also co-founder of Attachment Parenting Canada: www.attachmentparenting.ca.

Better grades start here.

1.800.EDUCATE SylvanLearning.ca

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bcparent.ca • summer 2013 15

summer camp guide

Photo: Camp Qwanoes

art, music, drama & dance The Arts Connection 604/241-0141 www.theartsconnection.ca Richmond Arts Umbrella 604/681-5268 www.artsumbrella.com Get inspired this summer! Through hands-on visual, media and performing arts programs, children and youth ages 3–19 are immersed in creative, discovery and fun. Registration available now! Classes also available year round.

Check the website for details.

Bard on the Beach: Young Shakespeareans 604/737-0625 www.bardonthebeach.org Vancouver Our Young Shakespeareans workshops deliver an interactive fun-filled theatrical adventure. Professional actors lead dynamic workshops on the Bard stages all summer.

Camp Monarch, Music, Art & Dance 604/723-8151 www.campmonarch.ca North Vancouver

Dance Co 604/736-3394 Dance Co provides unparalleled dance training for all ages and levels.

Providing technique and performance while developing confidence and creativity. Programs start throughout the year, for more information visit our website: danceco.com

Place des Arts Summer Fun! Art Camp 6 weeks: July 2 to Aug. 9, 2013.

Summer Fun! offers flexibility, choice and lots of summertime fun for children ages 5-7 & 8-12. Our half-day, week-long workshops for 11-14 year olds provide more intensive experiences in a range of visual and performing arts disciplines.

Stagecraft Theatre Schools Ltd. 604/267-7287 www.stagecraft.ca Vancouver/North Shore/West Van Week-long Summer Camps with BC’s Biggest Musical Theatre School for Children! Camps for ages 6–14. For more info please call 604/267-7287 or visit www.stagecraft.ca

Evergreen Cultural Centre 604/927-6555 www.evergreenculturalcentre.ca Coquitlam

Prussin Music 604/736-3036 www.prussinmusic.com Want to play in a Jazz Ensemble?

Interested in Fiddle orSongwriting?

How about Girls with Guitars or Campfire Songs? Does Music for Children sound interesting? All at Prussin this summer.

“Summer in the City” weekly Art Camps Suzy Birstein www.suzybirstein.com 604/737-2636

Gateway Academy’s Summer Camp 604/247-4975 www.gatewaytheatre.com Richmond Goh Ballet 604/872-4014 admin@gohballet.com Join us this summer to experience unique and enriching ballet and creative movement workshops designed specifically for budding dancers ages 4–7.Call or email to register.

Jean Lyons School of Music 604/734-4019 www.jeanlyonsmusic.com Place des Arts 604/664-1636 www.placedesarts.ca Coquitlam

16 bcparent.ca • summer 2013

StageCoach Theatre Arts – Summer Camps 877/78-STAGE (78243) www.stagecoachschools.ca Sing, Dance, Act! For 4–18 yr olds.

The world’s largest part-time theatre school network, with over 700 locations worldwide in 10 countries! We offer classes in Singing, Dancing and Drama every weekend alongside the school term as well as week long summer camps. Schools throughout the Lower Mainland; Vancouver Eastside/Westside, Richmond, Surrey, Langley, Coquitlam, Victoria.

Summer Music at UBC 604/822-3113 www.summer.music.ubc.ca The UBC Summer Music Institute provides an intensive and fun musical experience for ages 10 to 18 in two levels of concert band and jazz band workshops, as well as two singing workshops. Overnight or daycamp.

Vancouver Academy of Dance 604/231-8293 www.vancouverdance.com Vancouver/Richmond. Quality dance training. Starting this July, 5 weeks of summer programs in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, breakdancin’, Chinese dance, Ballroom and Acrobatics.

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AT PLACE DES ARTS

we inspire the artist in everyone!

Place des Arts makes learning fun, challenging & rewarding!

New student registration begins June 16 for 2013/14 private music lessons or group classes in music, dance and theatre arts.

1120 Brunettte Avee., Coquuitlam | 604.664.16366 bcparent.ca • summer 2013 17

summer camp guide Vancouver Academy of Music 604/734-2301 www.vam.bc.ca Experience a taste of what VAM has to offer during our one-week summer camps, Soundfest, July 9–August 3. Contact us for details and registration.

Vancouver Tap Dance Society 604/253-0293 Vancouver Westside Dance Centre 604/736-1000 www.westsidedance.ca Visit our website for details on summer camps.

general activities Alexandra Neighbourhood House 604/535-0015 Programs for children and families throughout Metro Vancouver. Residential Summer Camps include a 5 day camp for Families with limited resources, as well as a weekend Family Camp for families with teens/preteens with developmental challenges.

Photo: Camp Qwanoes

False Creek C.C. Daycamps 604/257-8195 www.falsecreekcc.ca Vancouver Offers canoe/kayak camps, recreational camps and leadership camps for ages 3–14.

In Wonderland Summer Camp 604/872-4665 www.inwonderland.ca Our camps offer a creative fun and artistic experience for your child.

Visit our website for details Langara Family YMCA 604/324-9622 www.langarafamilyymca.org Ages 3–16; Hours 8 am–5 pm Preschool, Adventure, Leadership, and Counsellor in Training Camps.

Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House Licensed Out-of-School Care at Florence Nightingale School 604/879-8208 www.mpnh.org 8 weeks of licensed summer care for 20 children 5–10 years old North Vancouver Recreation Commission 604/987-PLAY (7529) www.northvanrec.com SFU Summer Camps 778/782-4965 www.sfu.ca/camps Sunset Community Centre 604/718-6505 www.mysunset.net Vancouver

THE SUMMER GAMES EXPERIENCE

Win

A full scholarship for a Goh Ballet Children’s Summer Dance Workshop.

Workshops run July 8–August 2nd and are for ages 4–7. The lucky young winner will receive a free one-week workshop with the Goh Ballet.

To enter contest visit www.bcparent.ca

18 bcparent.ca • summer 2013

2013 Summer Sport Camps (ages 3-18) are offered in: Badminton | Baseball | Dance | Fencing | Girls Only Camps | Gymnastics Hockey | Floorball Multi-sport | Rowing | Paddling | Power Skating | Ice Skating | Speed Skating | Sport Leadership Soccer | Table Tennis | Volleyball REGISTER TODAY!

richmondoval.ca/summercamps

778.296.1400

WIN

A playland birthday!

Prize includes 4 One-Day PlayPasses and 4 Triple O’s meal vouchers.

Contest ends June 15th To enter, subscribe to BC Parent Newsmagazine at www.bcparent.ca

WIN

passes for the 36th annual Vancouver Folk Festival.

This annual event runs from July 19–21 at Jericho Beach Park.

Enjoy over 60 artists from all over the world. Contest ends July 5th. Enter at bcparent.ca

bcparent.ca • summer 2013 19

summer camp guide around the province. Participants will learn about animal care, welfare and environmental issues in a safe and fun environment.

Vancouver College: A Finnegan Summer 604/261-4285 www.vc.bc.ca

residential camps Camp Qwanoes 250/246-3014 www.qwanoes.ca Qwanoes is a youth-oriented highadventure Christian camp seeking to encourage biblical discipleship through relationship-focused, fun-oriented, and Christ-centred programs. Wild action and pure fun, real relationships, awesome counselors, great music, a world of discovery, all in one amazing setting.

Outward Bound 1-888-OURWARD (688-9273) ext 209 www.outwardbound.ca Webbs Holiday Acres 604/857-1712 www.webbsholidayacres.ca

specialty BC SPCA Among Animals Camp 604/599-7297 www.spca.bc.ca/youth/whats-happening Camps are held in various locations

Vancouver each week of summer, 9 am–4 pm.

Heritage Summer Daycamps 604/592-6956 Spend a summer day on the farm at Historic Stewart Farm doing things the old-fashioned way! Tend the garden, go on a nature walk, play games, be a river pirate, and more–there is a different theme every day!

Bricks 4 Kidz 778/822-5672 www.bricks4kidz.com/vancouver With our unique, motorized Lego® models, Bricks 4 Kidz® Vancouver is offering an exciting lineup of summer camps.From our popular Space Adventures Camps and Robotics to our new Bricks Olympics Camp, kids will have a blast with hands-on, activities and challenges.

K12 Plus Learning 604/767-0949 We offer special summer programs at our centre or your home.

Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre 604/990-3755; www.dnv.org/ecology North Vancouver

Christianne’s Lyceum of Literature and Art 604/733-1356 The Lyceum encourages young people to see themselves as readers, writers and artists as they engage with abstract ideas and reflect on their own place in society. Programs include: bookclubs, writers’ workshops, literature and art classes and holiday and summer camps.

Midnight Cheer Athletics 604/263-6436 Vancouver www.midnightcheer.com Oxford Learning N. Vancouver 604/990-8850 Coquitlam 604/936-1371 Richmond 604/233-5566 South Surrey 604/575-1494 Langley 604/534-4089 www.oxfordlearning.com

FUN Camps www.funsociety.ca FUN Camps is a hands-on environmental leadership camp that makes caring for the environment and exploring the natural areas in our cities FUN and interactive! Runs in Victoria and

St. George’s Summer Programs 604/221-3601 www.summeratstgeorges.ca Vancouver, Dunbar area

35th Anniversary

BCCA Acredited

Spring/Summer Residential Horse Camps BEGINNERS & EXPERIENCED RIDERS AGES 6-14 • Horseback Riding • Volleyball & Baseball • Heated Swimming Pool

• Petting Zoo • Arts & Crafts • Hikes, Campfires

www.webbsholidayacres.ca 1128–256 St Aldergrove • 604.857.1712 GROUP BOOKINGS AVAILABLE OFF SEASON

Register now at Sportball.ca for Summer camps & programs

Sportball Junior (16-24 months) Parent & Child (2-3 years) Multi-Sport (3-5 years) Hockey Skills (4-8 years) Outdoor Soccer (3-7 years) Half-Day Camp (3-7)

Play with passion.

Play for fun.

Birthday Parties (2-12 years)

604.688.3157 VANCOUVER@SPORTBALL.CA

WWW.SPORTBALL.CA 20 bcparent.ca • summer 2013

Science Camps – HT Science Made Fun 778/737-5277 www.ScienceMadeFunBC.net High Touch is offering our hands-on science camps throughout the Lower Mainland at a location near you. For a complete listing of our location and camps please visit our web site.

Science World at TELUS World of Science 604/443-7443 www.telusworldofscience.com/ Dive into Summer Camp at the Vancouver Aquarium 604/659-3552 www.vanaqua.org Kids explore the intriguing world of marine mammals, fabulous fish and other cool creatures through hands-on activities, exploration, games and crafts. Plus check out the behind-thescenes action! Remember Members save 20%.

Westside Church Day Camps Cosmic City & Beyond!

604/263-2314, Kistilano www.churchonthewestside.com Visit our website for all the details on our outer space themed camps packed with games, crafts, science, singing and local trips.

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Jump into the adventure and let friendship fill each day. Experience a world of discovery, over tivities, all with an amazing staff.

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T-COAST SUMMER! ES W N IA AD N CA A OF ST BE E ENJOY TH

SUMMER CAMPS FOR ALL AGES!

www.qwanoes.ca 1-888-997-9266 CALL FOR OUR FREE BROCHURE

LIFE LIKE NO OTHER!

Located on Vancouver Island, BC

bcparent.ca â&#x20AC;˘ summer 2013 21

summer camp guide YWCA Camp Fun Girl 604/895-5844 Writing and Book Camp (Vancouver Public Library) 604/331-4093 www.vpl.vancouver.bc.ca/events/ details/bookcamp

sports The Academy at Richmond Stables 604/275-1830 Athletes in Action 604/514-2079 www.athletesinaction.com Atlantis Programs 604/874-6464 www.atlantisprograms.com Vancouver Cartwheels 604/275-0020 or 604/594-1555 www.cartwheelsincorporated.com Richmond/Surrey Cliffhanger Indoor Rock Climbing 604/874-2400 www.cliffhangerclimbing.com Fitba—Soccer Player Development 604/340-1263 www.fitba.ca

Jump Gymnastics 604/568-9690 www.jumpgymnastics.ca Langara Family YMCA 604/324-9622 www.langarafamilyymca.org Ages 6–12: Hours 8 am–5 pm Basketball, Soccer, Hockey, Tennis and more! Girls and Boys only options offered, as well as a UBC Wrestling Camp for ages 12–16. Financial Assistance available.

Pedalheads Bike Camp 604/874-6464 www.pedalheads.ca Vancouver Royal Soccer 800/427-0536 www.royalsoccer.com Royal Soccer is excited to offer our #1 grassroots soccer camp in Canada.

Open to boys & girls ages 5 to 13 at multiple BC locations during July & August.

The Little Gym 604/539-2543 www.thelittlegym.com Call for summer day camp details.

Sportball 604/688-3157 Sportball is a non-competitive sports program for children 16 months to 12 years. Children are introduced to eight popular sports: soccer, hockey, football, basketball, baseball, volleyball, tennis and golf. Sportball offers weekly programs, outdoor soccer, camps during school holidays, and birthday parties.

Come try a free trial class! See our website for a location near you.

Oval Sport Camps Richmond Olympic Oval 778/296-1400 www.richmondoval.ca camps@richmondoval.ca We offer 49 different sports camps for ages 6–16.

Visit our website for details.

Summer Smash!

Community Tennis Camps at Elm Park 604/257-8100 http://vancouver.ca/parks/cc/kerrisdale/ website/ Email: spencer.mackoff@gmail.com New this summer! Come learn tennis from our team of experienced and enthusiastic coaches at the beautiful

RBL Basketball 604/269-0221 or 604/253-5295 www.RBLBasketball.ca Week long camps for boys and girls from kindergarten to Grade 10. Two to three hours each day.

Dr. Marisa Marciano

Naturopathic Physician

dr.marisamarciano@gmail.com doctormarciano.com 604 355 71o6 쐍 LICENSED NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR 쐍 B.A KINESIOLOGY 쐍 CRANIOSACRAL & ACUPUNCTURE THERAPY 쐍 BOTANICAL MEDICINE NUTRITION & LIFESTYLE COUNSELING 쐍 CREATIVITY & COMPASSION Free introductory consultations available by request.

Visit www.bcparent.ca Read our new blogs… catch up on past issues… enter our contests and find out about great family events in the Lower Mainland.

Love our articles? You can have BC Parent Newsmagazine delivered directly to your inbox. Visit bcparent.ca to subscribe.

22 bcparent.ca • summer 2013

Photo: Camp Qwanoes Elm Park courts, located in the heart of Kerrisdale. There is a group for every age, from “Mini-Hitters” (5–7yrs), to “Junior Aces” (8–12yrs), all the way up to “Teen Aces” (13–18yrs). We’ve got a group for you! Sign-up through the Kerrisdale Community Centre.

Twin Rivers Equestrian Centre 604/574-5481 www.twinriversequestrian.com UBC Sport Camps 604/822-6121 www.ubccamps.ca Vancouver Vancouver Phoenix Gymnastics 604/737-7693 www.phoenixgymnastics.com

a magical journey is about to begin! extraordinary birthday party & special event entertainment 604.653.7773 livingmagicentertainment.com

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bcparent.ca • season 2013 23

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