Families Northants Jan/Feb 2020

Northants

IN THIS ISSUE Beat the January blues Ensuring your child is happy at nursery Tutoring: What you need to know RECRUITING NOW Successful ‘business mum’ is seeking 5 working partners to work part-time from home, alongside & without compromising family commitments or current career.

If you have a supervisory, managerial, sales, marketing, recruitment or selfemployed background, or you wish to develop an extraordinary lifestyle

please call Diana Willingale Page Please call Alexandra 07818•139571 01235 533362 07747 086518

ALEXANDRA

AW WILLINGALE

Issue 4 Jan/Feb 2020

familiesonline.co.uk

CONTENTS NEWS & VIEWS

4

EARLY YEARS

5

Ensuring your child is happy at nursery.

FAMILY TIME

6

How to beat the January blues.

ART & CULTURE

7

Being a culture vulture is good for your children.

Hello and welcome to the January 2020 edition of Families Northants Magazine! I hope everyone enjoyed the festive season with your children and loved ones. Its a brand new year, Its a brand new decade, a time to start a fresh, new beginnings, new adventures!

We have kicked off our new year magazine with some great articles.... for those of you who may need a bit of a pick me up after the Christmas break and need some fresh ideas for you and the family, we have some great ideas on page 6, ‘How to beat the January blues’. Our article on page 7 is on the importance of art and culture for our kids, It certainly has inspired me to do more with my children. On page 9, we have an interview with children’s Author Ross Welford with a competition to win a set of his books.

And don’t forget to add events in your diary from our What’s On guide on page 15.

Happy reading!

Hayley xx

Managing editor

PARENTING ADVICE

8

CLUBS & CLASSES

10-13

14

Activities away from school.

WHAT’S ON 2 Families Northants

EDITOR - Hayley Ash editor@familiesnorthants.co.uk www.familiesonline.co.uk 07568 406901 CONTRIBUTORS Kristen Harding Dr Andy Cope Claire Winter Toby Buckley Rachel Bailey Casey Farquharson Liat Hughes Joshi PRINTERS Warwick Printers www.warwickprinting.co.uk UPCOMING ISSUE March/April Easter Edition BOOKING DEADLINE 5th of February

9

Interview with Ross Welford and a competition to win a full set of his books.

EDUCATION

Northants

Protect kids from #FOMO with #JOMO

A parents guide to eating disorders.

BOOK CLUB

ISSUE 4 JAN/FEB 2020

Parents are urged to protect their children from the negative health effects of social media by helping them discover the ‘Joys of Missing Out’ #JOMO.

reconnect to the real world.”

• People are at their most intelligent, productive and calm when they can slow their thoughts down and use mindfulness.

According to Dr Georgia Henderson, a clinical psychologist working with young people at the Priory Hospital in London, social media is endlessly demanding, leading to toxic feelings of inadequacy amongst young people.

• There is increasing pressure on young people to be more mature than they are ready for in relationships as a result of social media, so why not pause and step away?

#JOMO is the opposite of #FOMO, where young people constantly check their smartphones because of the ‘Fear of Missing Out’ on conversations or social events.

The ‘what and why’ of #JOMO:

15-16

•

“When we turn off – we have to

• Parents modelling good boundaries around their own ability to shut off technology is the best way to show that being with your kids is enough.

• Self-esteem. Young people who spend a lot of time on social media are more likely to rely on external approval and physical attractiveness, rather than their internal attributes and worth. www.familiesonline.co.uk

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If you are interested in:

SUMMER DAYS OUT

● running your own

Planning ahead

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Put the Kids in Charge

Family Camping The Whys & the Hows

Clubs & Classes What’s On

Our guide on the best family days out

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familiesonline.co.uk

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Northants

BACK TO SCHOOL IN THIS ISSUE How to Choose the Right School

Then call us today for more information 07530 283330 or email with your post code and telephone number to info@familiesmagazine.co.uk

Does your Child Need a Tutor How to Teach your Kids their Times Tables…Easily

RECRUITING NOW

Successful ‘business mum’ is seeking 5 working partners to work part-time from home, alongside & without compromising family commitments or current career.

If you have a supervisory, managerial, sales, marketing, recruitment or selfemployed background, or you wish to develop an extraordinary lifestyle

please call Diana Willingale Page please call Alexandra

07818•139571 01235 533362 07747 086518

ALEXANDRA

AW WILLINGALE

Issue2 Sept/Oct 2019

www.familiesonline.co.uk

Email: editor@familiesnorthants.com Phone: 07568 406901

familiesonline.co.uk

Families Northants 3

NEWS & VIEWS

National storytelling week National storytelling week takes place from the 1st - 8th of February and is a chance to reflect on one of the oldest art forms in the world. We are all immersed in stories — from conversations during which we re-tell events in our lives, to watching our favourite television shows.

Speech and language therapists believe that storytelling is vital for children’s academic success as it promotes narrative skills and strengthens the ability of children to correctly sequence ideas. To be a good reader and writer a child needs

firstly to be a good speaker and listener.

Above all though, storytelling is fun.

Whether we are listening to someone else’s story or telling our own, inventing and adapting narratives can open doors to exciting new worlds — both real and imaginary.

National storytelling week takes place in storytelling clubs, theatres, museums, schools, hospitals, spoken word venues, and care homes.

To find a local event or to look through its extensive archive, visit www.sfs.org.uk

The big garden birdwatch

Gender reveal parties becoming popular

The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch takes place from the 25th - 27th of January and is the largest wildlife survey in the world. The information collected helps monitor bird species in the UK, and is great fun for children. o take part, you need to watch the birds in your garden or local park for just one hour at some point over the three days and report your results to the RSPB. You can request a FREE Big Garden Birdwatch pack from the RSPB which includes a bird identification chart and advice to help you attract wildlife to your garden.

To make it fun, challenge your children to see who can spot the most birds. Take a bike ride to a local park to look for birds, or make a day trip out of it and spot birds in a new place.

More info at www.rspb.org.uk

The American trend of “gender reveal parties” to announce the sex of a baby is a growing trend in the UK. Celebrated at an earlier stage in pregnancy than a baby shower, a gender reveal party announces whether expectant parents will be giving birth to a boy or a girl. Sometimes this will be a surprise for the couple themselves with some asking the sonographer at their 20 week scan to write down “boy” or “girl” on a piece of paper and put it in an envelope. It is then given to a friend or relative who organises the party. Traditional ‘reveals’ include a cake with blue or pink sweets hidden inside, a pink or blue confetti-filled piñata or a guest taking off a hat to reveal a pink or blue wig. But more dramatic announcements, including fireworks are becoming more and more common.

Sleep lessons for school children School children across Britain may be offered sleep lessons to help tackle the problem of insomnia in young people.

Children and young people’s sleep is being seen as an increasingly important issue.

According to the British Medical Journal, there is increasing evidence emerging that lack of sleep has a major impact on children’s mental and physical health, as well as learning. A recent study by the BMJ suggests that sleep has a greater impact on an adolescent’s mental wellbeing than bullying, physical activity and screen time.

The sleep lessons are aimed at children ages 7 to 16 years and are available as part of the PSHE curriculum. The lessons focus on giving children strategies for falling asleep and raising awareness of how sleep needs change in adolescence.

Experts say the increase in sleep problems is down to a combination of higher obesity levels, excessive use of social media before bedtime and a mental health crisis among young people More info: www.pshe-association.org.uk www.thechildrenssleepcharity.org.uk

Would you rent baby clothes?

Babies can get through an alarming number of outfits in a day, so there’s no getting away from the fact that you will need plenty of sleepsuits in different sizes, each of which will only fit for a matter of months or weeks. So how to you avoid ending up with piles of clothes your baby has outgrown?

For more and more new parents, the answer is simple: rent.

Two UK companies have introduced an alternative which they believe solves this problem as well as being affordable and environmentally 4 Families Northants

sustainable by reducing waste. The alternative also reduces time spent by parents constantly re-selling and purchasing clothes.

Families pay a monthly subscription, return outgrown clothes and then receive the next size up, in line with their baby’s growth and the changing seasons. Clothes are professionally cleaned and must pass quality control before being sent to the next renting family.

For more info, visit www.bundlee. co.uk or www.bellesandbabes. co.uk www.familiesonline.co.uk

EARLY YEARS

Ensuring

By Kristen Harding

yo u r child is h a p py at nursery!

T

differ. When a child starts at a nursery, the nursery should follow the child’s home routine before adapting it slowly to suit the nursery pattern. It’s then helpful if you try to prevent your child taking extra naps, as his routine is likely to be disrupted.

If your child struggles to sleep at the nursery, a toy or blanket from home can provide comfort and help them drift off.

he process of introducing a child to a new caring environment can throw up a number of challenges. However, some can be prevented if your child’s nursery gets to know upfront what both you and your child need and want from the childcare arrangement.

Before a child arrives at a new nursery, nursery staff should take time to fully understand your child’s home routine. In this way, potential issues can also be nipped in the bud early.

Settling In This is a key part of the adjustment process. A change in environment can upset a child and parents are generally stressed and worried when their child is unsettled. For this reason, it’s vital that your chosen nursery takes time to help your child gently settle in. Communication between your child’s nursery and yourself is very important at this stage. You need to develop a trusting relationship with the staff and settle into the new arrangement just as much as your child does. In fact, it’s often parents that have most difficulty leaving a child behind in a new setting!

However, communicating regularly and in as much detail as you need with the nursery setting can help ease your nervousness and worry.

In turn, any insecurity your child is feeling will also lessen.

Separation Anxiety Regardless of the time taken beforehand, separation anxiety is a natural and sometimes unavoidable part of leaving a child at a nursery.

Generally, separation anxiety lessens over time but you can help by ensuring that nursery staff understand as much as possible about your child’s individual needs, how they behave when they are sad, anxious or upset and what helps calm them. This will ensure that your child’s nursery cares for your child in the very best way during this difficult period.

Often the anxiety of a child lessens when his nursery assigns a key worker to him. By identifying one particular carer who is going to form a strong bond and connection with your child, he will have the stability of knowing there is an individual there that he can rely on. www.familiesonline.co.uk

Eating Meal times at nursery are important and can have a real impact on the confidence and comfort of a young child. What your child is used to at home may differ greatly from what occurs in the nursery setting, whether it’s the food eaten or the way in which meals are consumed.

When you visit your child’s nursery, try to do so at meal time occasionally. In a good setting, you will see nursery staff leading by example, engaging children with different food choices, helping them to learn about what they are eating and introducing new foods gradually.

Meal times at nursery, as at home, should be unpressurised and enjoyable.

like to go or do you want them to sit him on the potty at specific times of day?

Sleep It is important that home and nursery work together over nap times, as the needs of individual children

Whilst challenges are bound to arise during your child’s time at nursery, most particularly at the beginning, these can generally be dealt with as long as there is good communication between you and your child’s setting.

Kristen Harding is a childcare expert at Tinies Childcare UK. For more information visit www.tinies.com

Now taking registrations For children aged 6 weeks to 5 years Fun is an essential ingredient at Nene Valley Day Nursery and Preschool where the care and education opportunities for each and every child are as extraordinary as the staff who provide them.

Potty Training This is another key milestone in your child’s development and reaching it may throw up stumbling blocks! Again, it is important to remember that each child is different and so will begin to learn at a different point and progress at a different speed to other children. A good nursery will ensure there’s no feeling of peer pressure between parents or children!

Don’t start potty training as your child is starting nursery. When you do decide to begin, ensure it’s not at a time of change or a stressful period at home. Share training methods with your child’s nursery to ensure consistency of approach.

For instance, do you want nursery staff to ask your child if he would

We would be delighted to show you around Twice rated Ofsted Outstanding

“Children’s learning is promoted excellently by an enthusiastic, motivated and highly qualified tea m of staff who understand the importance of working with children’s interests. They consistently provide an exceptional variety of interesting and challenging activities that promote children’s learning through play.”

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Please call 01604 628444 or email nene.valley@childbase.com Nene Valley Day Nursery, General Hospital Complex, Cliftonville, Northampton NN1 5BD

Open 7.30am to 6.30pm www.childbasepartnership.com

Email: editor@familiesnorthants.com Phone: 07568 406901

Families Northants 5

FAMILY TIME

How to

b e a t the January b l u e s

By Dr Andy Cope

O

nce the excitement of Christmas is over and gone, it can often feel like a real struggle for the whole family to keep things fresh and lively at the beginning of a new year. However, there are so many opportunities for you to do things together as a family - both indoors and out - that will soon banish the January blues!

Here are a few ideas to keep in mind…

A family read-in

storm. Let younger children indulge in some messy play with their own bowl of cake mix or a piece of pastry - don’t get stressed about the mess but enjoy a real opportunity to spend some creative time together in the kitchen. For older children, encourage some healthy competition by going ‘full Bake off’ and seeing who can produce the best cookies or cupcakes.

Get creative in the garden

Of course, snow in January isn’t guaranteed, but if it does snow you have the ideal excuse to wrap up warm and organise snowman building contests and a monster snowball fight. Kids of all ages love playing in the snow, but have you ever played tug of war? Or tried snowball dodgeball? Once that snowman is built, try frisbeeing a hat onto his head or play a game of pin the nose on the snowman using a carrot. And everyone can join in a simple game of tag, made a little more interesting if you’re only allowed to use the footprints of the other players!

their say - you can only talk when holding the stick - so, for larger families, this could be an ideal way for your kids to create something that will ensure they’re heard.

Have a tech-free day

Create rock pets

When it’s blowing a gale outside, there’s no better way to spend an afternoon than snuggled up with a good book. For younger children you can encourage them to act out the story and show off their full range of funny faces and voices. For older children, take the opportunity to discuss what they’re reading in some depth - talk about plot and characters and why they enjoy a particular type of book.

Who knows, you may even inspire them to try writing their own story!

Family Bake-Off

Outdoor crafts are a wonderful way to liven up the garden for pennies, using materials you can find outdoors or simply lying around the house. It’s amazing how ice, berries and watercolours or food colourings can transform tap water into beautiful ice baubles to decorate the garden when set in interesting moulds. Or spread peanut butter all over the outside of an empty toilet roll holder or that piece of over crunchy toast, then roll in birdseed to create an instant feeder that the kids can hang near the kitchen or living room window. Add a bird book and they can pass a few hours identifying and logging the birds that come to visit. Just make sure they wrap up warm!

Be brave and ban iPads, smartphones and games consoles for the day. Instead put out a pile of blank paper, pens and craft materials and see what your children can create.

Boredom can be the best motivator for creativity.

The best way to blow away the cobwebs during January is to take the family for a long winter walk.

It’s great exercise, but it’s even more fun if you make your walk an excuse to collect items for some winter crafting.

Revive the art of den building

Find a talking stick

Fun in the snow

Who doesn’t love the Great British Bake Off? Those grey January days offer the perfect opportunity to get into the kitchen and bake up a 6 Families Northants

Another interesting find on your walk might be a stick that transforms, with the help of some beads, feathers, paint and markers into a wish stick for younger children or a talking stick for the older members of your tribe. Talking sticks have a long history in tribal cultures as a way of allowing everyone to have

For younger children, provide blankets, boxes and furniture indoors.

Encourage older children to get outdoors and get den building in the garden or the woods. Find out who’s the Bear Grylls of the family and who can create the best fantasy castle/spaceship/dragon’s belly.

Den building is for everyone, so get involved!

For more ideas visit: www.familiesonline.co.uk/activities www.familiesonline.co.uk

ART & CULTURE

culture vulture

Being a

D

is good for your children By Claire Winter

id you know that full participation in cultural and artistic life is a basic human right for children that is enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child?

same time, they are introduced to other cultures. Community-based art projects can involve the whole community, helping society become more cohesive, inclusive and tolerant.

Giving children an education in art and culture is a way of broadening their knowledge and experience of the world.

Not only this but regular exposure to the arts can encourage children to take up an artistic project themselves, whether it be drawing, painting, performing or dancing. In this way, they can actively explore their own creativity and emotional world, expressing their feelings with or without words.

By sharing different experiences with them, whether art, theatre, dance or music, you are offering them a window into other people’s perspectives, lives, imaginations, hopes and dreams.

An arts education helps children learn how to observe, describe, analyse and interpret.

A cultural education is not only hugely enriching, it can boost academic achievement and improve the self-confidence and self-esteem of children. Research also shows that participating in art projects can also lead to an improvement in social behaviour helping to engage even the most disconnected students. An arts education can boost tolerance levels in children too. Being immersed in a dance show or art installation allows them step out of their own lives and put themselves in another’s shoes. At the www.familiesonline.co.uk

However, there are still too many children for whom education in the arts and culture is inaccessible. For instance, 27% of secondary school students who claim free school meals and 14% of students from low-income families choose not to study subjects like art and drama due to the related costs, compared to 8% of students from wealthier families.

Additionally, a recent study shows that the learning opportunities for students in arts and culture have significantly declined in many state schools because of a lack of funding. Schools need increased support from the government to ensure that children are engaging with the arts and culture throughout their education. Programmes that promote the value of arts and cultural

education for children, irrespective of their class, wealth, gender, ethnicity, or religion, are needed so all children can benefit.

We have a long way to go in terms of parental engagement, training teachers, out of hour’s activities and funding for school trips, to ensure that an arts education is accessible to all children in the UK. Clearly, parents can help expose their children to the arts by taking them to performances, exhibitions and galleries. However, this can be costly. We are lucky that there are many free art galleries and museums across the UK at which you can inspire and educate your children.

‘I remember taking my toddlers to Tate Britain in London and sitting them in front of a giant Constable painting. They were given large bits of paper and crayons from art carts so they could draw. It was a completely free service that totally captivated them’.

You can also take advantage of the live screenings of ballet, theatre, and opera that are regularly shown in cinemas across the UK. For the price of a cinema ticket, you can see The Royal Ballet and many other

Email: editor@familiesnorthants.com Phone: 07568 406901

famous actors and musicians perform. It’s also worth getting on the mailing list of your local arts centre as they often hold events or festivals that are free, partially free or subsidised, particularly in school holidays.

Not only is art good for education, it is also good for our economy. According to recent Government statistics, the creative industries are worth £8 million an hour to the UK economy. Additionally, a recent British Council report says that arts and culture are regarded as the number one ‘selling point’ in the UK among people ages 18 to 34 years from China, Brazil, India, Germany, and the US. If the UK is to continue attracting tourists, students, and business investors from overseas, we must continue to highlight the importance of educating our children about art and culture.

Families Northants 7

PARENTING

A parent’s guide

eating disorders to

By Toby Buckley

F

inding out that your beloved child has developed an eating disorder is any parent’s worst nightmare, and it can happen to children and young people of any age.

It’s Eating Disorders Awareness Week from the 2nd - 8th of March - the perfect time to be educated about the important facts regarding eating disorders. And, most importantly, how can they be avoided? If your child is already suffering, what can you do to help?

Different Types of Eating Disorders There are several types of eating disorders: Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, binge-eating disorder (BED) and eating disorders not otherwise specified, known as (EDNOS) whose features closely resemble more wellknown eating disorders.

Anorexia Nervosa: Young girls or boys as well as adults who have anorexia try to keep their weight as low as possible by not eating enough food and/or exercising too much which causes illness and starvation.

Bulimia: Those who suffer sometimes lose control and eat a lot of food in a very short amount of time (binging) and are then deliberately sick, or use laxatives to stop weight gain.

Binge eating disorder (BED): Individuals regularly lose control of eating, consume large portions of food all at once and get uncomfortably full. They then feel upset or guilty.

Other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED): This eating disorder is the most common and symptoms do not exactly match those of anorexia, bulimia or binge eating disorder. The illness is not less serious than those above but simply presents itself in a different way.

8 Families Northants

How Can Parenting Make a Difference?

If you suspect your child has an eating disorder, it’s advisable to raise the issue as soon as possible and see your GP. Your child will be more likely to make a full recovery if they are able to accept they have a problem early on. Improved self-esteem and confidence are a big part of getting better, alongside physical recovery and an improved attitude towards food.

• •

•

Just move on if a meal doesn’t go well tomorrow is another day!

Plan a family activity like a game or watching television together after each meal as this can distract your child from wanting to purge or over exercise.

Ask your child to set the table or wash up if they start to focus on the various healthy/unhealthy ingredients while you’re cooking. This should help them feel pride in helping you cook, without obsessing over how healthy/unhealthy their meal is.

Don’t allow your child to see you eat ‘low-calorie’ or ‘diet’ foods or take diet pills.

Make meal plans with your child that you both agree to.

Be aware that a child can develop an unhealthy relationship to food and body weight as a direct result of your attitude, even if you are unaware that you have a particular attitude in the first place.

•

Things like making negative comments about a person’s weight or appearance, even if these comments are not targeted at your child, can quickly become internalised.

Your child will soon realise that their parent sees overweight and obese people as being somehow ‘lesser’ and, not knowing that these views are cruel and downright incorrect, they might adopt these views themselves.

Remember What Food Is For

Mealtimes Made Easy

•

With all the discussion of good foods and bad foods, good bodies and bad bodies, it’s easy to forget why we need to eat in the first place.

Attempt to instill an understanding of why we need to eat a certain amount of food each day. Make it clear that while broccoli is known as a healthy food for good reason, we also need carbohydrates for energy, protein for growth and repair and, yes, fats for energy, insulation and brain growth.

If food is a touchy subject in your household, the following tips might be useful: •

• •

•

Avoid discussing weight and appearance at any time, especially at the dinner table.

Avoid discussing calories or how healthy/unhealthy a meal is.

Whatever your mood, attempt to keep conversations light and enjoyable at dinner.

Don’t focus too much on your child or what they are eating.

For more information about eating disorders, check out Need2Know’s Essential Guide to Anorexia at www.need2knowbooks.co.uk To receive a 25% discount, quote N2K25OFF at checkout.

www.familiesonline.co.uk

BOOK CLUB

H

A

ere at Families we love a good book.

Whether it’s curling up with a book and a cuppa ourselves (or wistfully remembering when we had the time to do so!), or sharing a story with the kids, books are an important feature in our family lives. Often we suggest our top picks for stories to share with younger children, but this month Rachel Bailey has been talking to Ross Welford about his best-selling novels for young readers (aged 8+) and to celebrate the publication of his newest book The Kid who came from Space, we have a full set to giveaway!

I love seeing kids dressed as characters from my books! I have seen someone as a hamster in a football top (Alan Shearer from Time Travelling With A Hamster); a Viking boy (Alfie from The 1,000 Year Old Boy) and a white-coated mad professor (Dr Pretorius from The Dog Who Saved The World) Failing that, you could just let them truant for the day and say they went as Ethel from “What Not To Do If You Turn Invisible”….

Q A

They are teenagers now, so I’m pathetically grateful for any scraps of time that they deign to spend with their dad. That said, Sunday lunch is always good, and beach holidays.

Best Selling Author Ross Welford www.rosswelford.com

A Q A

What made you swap the glamorous world of television to become a full-time writer?

It was necessity, really. TV is a tough job: it’s long hours, the pay isn’t especially good and it honestly isn’t all that glamorous! The interesting jobs began to dry up and I realised I needed a new career path…

Q A

There’s a minor character who pops up in a few of my books called Jamie Bates. He’s a broadcast journalist who is usually fairly benign, but in my next book he’s much more vain and devious. He’s an amalgamation of several presenters I worked with!

Q

Your first novel was Time Travelling With A Hamster and that was followed by What Not To Do If You Turn Invisible. Is there a particular superpower you wish you had?

Oh yes: the ability to write a full-length book once a year effortlessly. It’s not exciting like invisibility, but it’s a power that I would do almost anything to possess.

Q

As well as having a talent for writing, we’ve heard you put on a pretty impressive event when you visit schools/festivals. What do you enjoy most about sharing your books with young fans?

It’s a privilege simply to meet readers. I especially like it when a teacher introduces a child saying “He/she didn’t like reading until they discovered your books…” The knowledge that I have made a difference like that is awesome: that’s a proper superpower!

Q

You describe yourself as a life-long magic-nerd. Care to elaborate?

www.familiesonline.co.uk

Q A

What’s the thought behind your re-writing competition, and can anyone enter?

Q A

What’s your favourite childhood book/author?

Q A

Which book do you wish you had written?

Growing up I loved The Magic Faraway Tree books by Enid Blyton and loved them again when I read them aloud to my own kids.

She was phenomenal: the sheer volume of her output was astonishing. There are occasional lapses of quality, but they are pretty rare and she seldom repeats herself.

A

A

I enjoy writing about impossible things becoming possible, and that is exactly what magic tricks do. It’s an interest I have had since I was quite small, and this year I was admitted to the Magic Circle, which was a very proud moment. I include magic in all my school and festival presentations, and the tricks all have a relevance to my books, or to reading generally.

I had been doing an “improvised story” with school and festival groups since the start, and the end results are often hilarious. But I worried that I was leaving the children with the impression that that’s how books get written! So I stress that everything needs to be re-written if you hope that other people will read it. I invite the students to re-write what we come up with and submit the results to my competition via my website. It has proved very popular!

You’ve worked on many well-known shows.

Have your days in television provided you with inspiration for any of the characters in your novels?

What’s your favourite way to spend time with your family?

The Kid who came from Space is available from 9 January 2020 priced £6.99.

COMPETITION Families have one full set of Ross’ books to give away to one lucky reader: Time Travelling With A Hamster, What Not To Do If You Turn Invisible, The 1,000 Year Old Boy, The Dog Who Saved the World and The Kid who came from Space For your chance to win, all you have to do is answer the question below and email your answer to editor@familiesnorthants.co.uk

What is the name of Ross’ new book?

A The Child who came from Space B The Dog who Saved the World C The Kid who came from Space Closing date for entries is 28 February 2020

I recently read The Bridge To Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. American children’s literature can sometimes come with a rather heavy-handed “message” but this book, from the 1970s, packs a knockout punch with delicacy, honesty and wonderful brevity. I aspire to write like that.

Q

World Book Day is coming up soon. Whilst I am fully behind anything that aims to encourage a love of books, I still experience the homemade costume panic every year. Do you have any tips?

Email: editor@familiesnorthants.com Phone: 07568 406901

Families Northants 9

EDUCATION

Equipping our children for a

digital future

By Casey Farquharson

social skills are also vital. No matter how digitalised the world becomes, these three attributes of success cannot be compromised.

A

nalysts Gartner had predicted that £19bn would be spent globally on educational technology by the end of 2019, and will continue to accelerate every year. But are we sure that this will make our children better prepared to succeed in the future? Will they possess the necessary skills to thrive in an increasingly digitalised world?

Coding is a key tech skill which can help prepare our children for the future.

Yet, according to an article in The Guardian, over 67% of primary and secondary school teachers believe they cannot teach coding because of a lack of ‘skills and teaching tools’. Many schools simply don’t have personnel with the required skills and understanding to teach pupils how to code. There is an urgent need for more investment in the education sector to train teachers to code; to attract more individuals to learn and teach coding; and to equip schools, both secondary and primary, with the necessary hardware.

However, it isn’t all about technology. Yes, we want our children to have good tech and digital skills, but character, creativity, and 10 Families Northants

The components of character are courage, determination, the audacity to be different, focus, and the ability to ask questions and make one’s own decisions.

With creativity comes problem solving skills, innovation, critical thinking, and the ability to think outside the box. Rapport and relationship building, the ability to effectively express oneself both orally and in writing, confidence and collaboration are key components of social skills.

Plying our children with tablets and other forms of tech hardware is most definitely not a sure-proof way to ensure they have these attributes. The point here is not that tablets are bad or not useful, but that they should never be utilised as a be-all and end-all.

Technology should not be a foundation of learning, but rather an enabler and a catalyst.

There are seven learning styles* that need to be understood and embraced if our primary-age children are to get the most from their technology learning experiences: Aural Listeners – individuals that respond primarily to sound. Technology can be utilized to effectively engage with such individuals via the use of podcasts and audio teaching tools.

Logical learners – individuals with logical and organized minds. Mind mapping technology can be effectively utilized to improve their learning experience.

Physical learners – individuals who respond to words that incite feeling and activity. They like to understand what it feels like to go through the motions of what they are learning. Virtual reality technology can be utilized to optimize their learning experience.

Social learners – Individuals that respond to teachers who are inquisitive and ask what they are thinking and feeling about key topics and concepts. Search engines such as Google, Google assistant and Siri can be utilised to maximise their learning experience.

Solitary listeners – individuals that are more comfortable sorting out problems on their own. Videos, online tutorials and audio learning can be utilized to optimize their learning experience.

Verbal listeners – individuals who absorb information more effectively via verbal instruction. Innovative technology such as Siri, Cortana and Ok Google can be utilized to teach such individuals.

Visual learners – individuals that learn more effectively with pictures and imagery. Tablets and virtual reality technology can be utilized to optimize their learning experience.

It’s clear from the above that technology has the potential to be an effective enabler of specific and overall learning experiences.

However, the key to its sustained effectiveness when it comes to education lies in technology being utilised in a supportive capacity, as against a leading one.

If we want our children to succeed in the future, then we must protect their emotional and psychological wellbeing. It is time to take responsibility for educating children, not only on the distinct dangers of the digital world but also on the importance of the true foundations of positive self-esteem. In order for our children to prosper in the future it is absolutely vital that we improve and preserve their emotional well-being – and appropriate technology training and learning scenarios can play a part in that education. www.educationdegree.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Casey Farquharson is the founder of IDEAS Bus, an interactive educational platform (on wheels!) designed to help educators discover the latest cutting-edge learning technology and students to get hands on coding, tech and digital media experience.

More info at http://theideasbus.org.uk www.familiesonline.co.uk

A sense of belonging from the very first moment

Upton Hall, Northampton, NN5 4UX

Experts in education for girls aged 2 to 18. We invite you to book a personal tour of our school, and we look forward to welcoming you into our family. Book a bespoke visit today: northamptonhigh.co.uk/visit-us

3 to 18 years old

Juniors Open Morning 31 Jan 2020, 9.30am to 12.30pm

Open Day Saturday 8th February, 10am to 1pm Visit us on our open day and discover our exceptional school where dreams are realised.

To book your place, call our Admissions Manager on 01604 684828.

Come and see what we have to offer and how we prepare your child for learning We would love to meet you.

Just call the Registrar on 01604 880306 or email registrar@pitsfordschool.com

www.quintonhouseschool.co.uk A co-educational independent day school for girls and boys aged 3-18 years. www.pitsfordschool.com

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Email: editor@familiesnorthants.com Phone: 07568 406901

Families Northants 11

EDUCATION

h e l p children with e xa m p r e s s u r e C How parents can

By Claire Winter

hildren are facing an increasing amount of pressure when it comes to exams, whether its SATs, the 11+ or school entrance exams. Here’s how parents can help their children cope with the stress.

Although SATs will eventually be phased out for younger children over the next five years, year 2 and year 6 pupils will still have to sit their SATs this May. Many children also have entrance exams for prep schools, private secondary schools and the 11+ to prepare for too.

Find the revision techniques that work for your child

Expectations are Important

Agree on a plan

Recent research shows that parents who place a high value on education and have high academic expectations can have a positive impact on children. However, with high expectations there must come a high level of support. Children who don’t get this are more likely to struggle. They also need to learn how to build up resilience. We need to teach them how to cope with the highs and lows of life, and how to handle exams.

Talk to your child about the schoolwork they need to do and devise a realistic programme of revision and work that they can realistically achieve. Remember they will need additional support from you, so make sure you can stick to what you have agreed.

Children ages 10 and 11 should be getting 9.5 hours of sleep a night, and this doesn’t really change when they become teenagers. Make sure they get adequate sleep by taking digital distractions out of their rooms. Give them an alarm clock, so they don’t use their phone as an alarm.

Avoid distractions

Set them up for the future

Children can’t multi-task; revising with an iPad, mobile phone, television or XBox means they are not fully concentrating. The average person checks their phone over 80 times a day. If you set them up to study without outside distraction from the get-go, they will hopefully continue to revise this way when they go to secondary school.

Remember you are setting up your children with good habits for the future. Sarah Brazenor, a tutor from Connective Learning (www.connective-learning.co.uk) says, “It’s really important as parents to help your child get through these first serious tests in the best possible way. Once they go the secondary school there will be more exams, and some schools are not very good at using motivational language, so learning coping strategies now can set them up for the future.

Setbacks are not failures Children are often well aware of what their parents think about failure. If they are taught that mistakes are opportunities to learn, rather than being made to feel bad or a ‘failure’, they are more likely to develop a growth mindset.

Using the word ‘yet’ is incredibly powerful and encourages the growth mindset. “I am not good at spelling yet”. When your child faces a setback remind them that the more they learn and try, the more their brains will grow. There are some great TED talks about the growth mindset, by Carol Dweck on YouTube.

Does your child remember best by what they see or hear, or do they learn by doing? Children may find learning easier if they know their learning style. There are lots of online quizzes, which children can do to find out whether they are visual, auditory or kinaesthetic learners. This may help them work out what revision style works best for them.

Take a break Make sure your children still have hobbies, see their friends and have a life away from studying, exams and schoolwork. Educational specialist and children’s author Leysa Henderson, who taught Year 6 pupils for 15 years says, “We need to help children feel good about themselves

when doing exams and not feel under pressure.

I would recommend lots of creative and fun mental stimulation that isn’t necessarily exam/ content focussed.

In fact, it is important to give them space from content. Helping children to make links in life also encourages independent thinkers. Laughter is also a fantastic stress reliever, so go out and play silly games with them. I always gave this advice to my pupils, and I always got extremely good results”.

Sleep matters

“Find family mantras that work for you and your children. We have, “There’s no such thing as failure, just feedback.” We have to get things wrong to learn from them. It took the lighting pioneer Edison 1000 tries before he developed the light bulb. Without him continuing to learn by his “failures,” we’d all be sitting in the dark.”

Here’s some advice from local parents: Gill says, “Be

organised, don’t spring work on them, agree on a revision plan or work schedule with lots of breaks and treats. Help them revise - make them know they have a team helping them. A ‘we are all in it together’ approach, has really helped support my girls.”

Mark says, “We

don’t focus on academic achievement, we tell our children to put maximum effort into their studies and to do their best. We value emotional intelligence, above exam results.”

Clare says, “Support

them to relax and switch off when the pressure feels intense. My son regulates by listening to a relaxation CD at bedtime to help switch off his busy brain.”

Bhavna says, “I

rewarded my children for actually studying. I never focused on the results when it came to the SATs. However, I was like a woman possessed with my eldest for the 11+. Again, we rewarded her effort before we even got the results. A successful result did make her realise that you get what you put in. I feel that this is a valuable life skill to learn so early in life.”

12 Families Northants

www.familiesonline.co.uk

CLUBS EDUCATION & CLASSES

Tu t o r i n g :

What you need to know

By Liat Hughes Joshi

£20 and £65 an hour, depending on where you live and how in demand a particular tutor is.

However, more expensive doesn’t necessarily mean better.

Arrange a trial lesson

W

hether it’s to prepare for exams or improve a struggling child’s confidence, a tutor can provide a significant boost to learning. Yet finding a decent one can be a test in itself.

Here’s how to find the best one for your child…

Plan ahead where possible, the best tutors may well have waiting lists, so if you know your child will need support for exams or perhaps before moving to secondary school, begin your search well in advance.

In very competitive 11+ areas for example, you may have to register interest with the most in-demand tutors 18 months ahead.

Ask around Word-of-mouth is often the most effective way to find a good tutor.

Ask parents you know and trust for recommendations. For the 11+ or public exams, speak to those with kids a year or two older, who’ve been there and done that recently.

Consider agencies If your requests for recommendations draw a blank, a well-established tutoring agency could be the answer. Reputable agencies will vet tutors’ credentials and should www.familiesonline.co.uk

match you and your child to someone with a similar style. Another upside of an agency is that if your usual tutor is ill or away for a long period, they should be able to send someone else.

Group tutoring reduces costs but probably won’t be as tailored There are increasing numbers of tuition centres offering group classes, both independent companies and chains. These can work out cheaper per hour but your child won’t get the same one-on-one attention, and it’s vital to check that those in the group need to work on the same things at roughly the same level.

Anyone can become a tutor so do your homework Anybody can set up as and call themselves a tutor, even if they’ve never taught anyone anything there’s no regulation, which means checking credentials and qualifications is vital. One-on-one tutors should be Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checked (formerly

known as CRB checking) – if they aren’t, then be wary.

Don’t be shy about checking how they work Ask questions even if you’ve had a recommendation from other parents - what suits their child may not suit yours. Are they a teacher/ former teacher and if so where did they work? How long have they been tutoring for and what is their track record like?

Find out the local going rate and expect to pay anything between

Many tutors will offer your child a trial lesson - this lets you get a feel for whether the tutor and your child gel and whether their teaching style is going to work for you both.

Good luck!

Get more information about tutoring from Families Online: www. familiesonline.co.uk/tutoring Liat Hughes Joshi is a parenting journalist and the author of four books including ‘New Old-fashioned Parenting’ and ‘How to Unplug Your Child’ and ‘Raising Children: The Primary Years’.

MATHS AND ENGLISH TUITION

NORTHAMPTON EAST

07762 233 910

Email: editor@familiesnorthants.com Phone: 07568 406901

TAKE ON LEARNING. AND WIN.

Families Northants 13

CLUBS & CLASSES

Activities

a w a y from school

A

ctivities that take place completely away from the school environment don’t just keep restless children busy or entertained and help working parents manage their child’s spare time, they can also offer great developmental benefits that will help them academically, physically and socially.

New friendships Your child is likely to make friendships with children that don’t go to their school and get used to

01536 415444

socialising with children of all ages.

Improving life and social skills Outside school activities provide an ideal environment in which to nurture social skills and confidence.

Many extra curricular activities work to teach children the value of working as a team to achieve a mutual goal — a skill that will benefit them in their future endeavours.

Boosting academic performance

ketteringgymtots@gmail.com

Discovering that they have a talent can give a child a new source of confidence or a passion that translates into their engagement and behaviour at school. For example, performing in drama club can improve confidence in speaking up in class and inspire creative writing.

Building self-esteem In a busy classroom it can sometimes be hard for a child to make themselves heard. Outside of school activities will give your child the chance to build their self-esteem. Most groups or teams are more intimate making them less intimidating for children.

Positive role models Sports coaches, group leaders and other responsible adults who are sharing their skills can be role models and provide a valuable new take on the world for children.

We offer sessions: . For children aged under 2, 2-3 and 3+ . To build coordination, strength . To learn gymnastics skills . That are filled with fun and excitement!

Come & join us!

Happier children Outside of school activities promote emotional well-being by allowing children to work off excess energy, relax their minds, and overcome

the stress associated with school.

Chance to shine Outside of school activities offer your child the chance to be themselves away from the influence of their school friends. Without being judged by their peers as “not cool” or “geeky” your child may thrive in developing new outlet for creative, sporting or intellectual pursuits.

Time management As children get older and move on to secondary school, being able to juggle different aspects of their lives becomes increasingly important. By attending classes, clubs or activities outside of school, your child will be taking on more responsibility for managing their schedule effectively.

Sense of commitment Students who participate in outside of school activities develop a sense of commitment to whatever they are involved in. This is because they have to commit to them and give them their all, and this commitment starts to extend to other areas of their lives.

Classes held NORTHAMPTON

Every Friday at 5.45pm & Saturday at 10.00am Caroline Chisolm School Wooldale Centre for Learning Northampton NN4 6TP

For more information please contact us on

07709 327274 or 01753 882012 tiska.karate@btconnect.com 14 Families Northants

KETTERING Every Saturday at 10.00am Isebrook School Eastleigh Road Kettering, NN15 6PT All our instructors have enhanced Disclosure and Barring Certificates

www.tiska.com

WhatsON

Our fun packed family guide for January & February 2020 Jan 14th - 19th Jack and the Beanstalk Castle Theatre Wellingborough Pantomime Society returns with their annual traditional pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk. Well known songs, colourful costumes and professional scenery providing fun and laughter for all the family. Will Jack be able to beat the giant and earn his fortune? Come along hiss, boo and cheer to find out the full magical story.

Book tickets online www.parkwoodtheatres.co.uk

Feb 1st - 2nd

Feb 12th

Feb 15th

Aladdin - Weldon Amateur Theatre School The Core at Corby Cube

Chinese New Year Extravaganza The Lighthouse Theatre

Stunt Fest Santa Pod Raceway

Mark the fresh beginning and welcome the Year of the Rat (the first in the 12-year cycle of Chinese zodiac) at the Lighthouse Theatre this Chinese New Year as Jinlong Culture & Performing Arts brings a spectacular line-up of Chinese acrobatics, music and dance to Kettering!

Book tickets online. www.lighthousetheatre.co.uk

An afternoon of awesome stunts and displays for all the family, featuring some of the top UK stunt drivers and riders. The perfect high octane half term entertainment for kids.

Main stunt attractions from 11.45am to 4pm, gates open from 10.30am.

Book tickets online. www.santapod.co.uk

Weldon Amateur Theatre School return in February with the traditional family pantomime, Aladdin.

Jump on board our magical carpet flight to China to help our good friend Aladdin find his love. Will evil Abanazar ruin his chances and rule the world? Or can Aladdin triumph and wish his way to the top?

Book tickets online www.thecorecorby.com

Feb 15th - 16th The Tiger Who Came To Tea Castle Theatre

Feb 15th - 23rd Jan 18th

Feb 4th - 8th

Wizard of Oz – Ballet Theatre UK The Lighthouse Theatre

Annie The Musical The Lighthouse Theatre

Join Ballet Theatre UK as we follow the yellow brick road and discover all the wonders of Oz.

The Theatreworkz team put their stamp on another firm family favourite - Annie, the story of an orphan who finds herself whisked from the clutches of the mean Miss Hannigan into the home of Billionaire Oliver ‘Daddy’ Warbucks who makes it his mission to reunite her with her parents - but all doesn’t go entirely to plan. www.lighthousetheatre.co.uk

Enjoy Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tinman, and Lion, (and yes Toto too) as they seek the Wonderful Wizard to find that there’s no place like home!

The Wizard of Oz is a two act, fulllength, ballet adaptation of the iconic tale by L. Frank Baum, told through the magic of classical dance. Set to a classical score which brings the story to life, this production is family friendly and is the perfect way to introduce children to the classical ballet.

Book tickets online. www.lighthousetheatre.co.uk

Bugs and beasties trail Canons Ashby Find out more about some of the tiny creatures that live at Canons Ashby and get out in the fresh air together.

Bring your wellies! It may be a squelchy adventure.

10 - 3pm Free event Meet point at visitor reception canonsashby@nationaltrust.org.uk

Join the tea-guzzling tiger in this delightful family show; packed with oodles of magic, sing-a-long songs and clumsy chaos!

Book tickets online. www.parkwoodtheatres.co.uk

Feb 6th - 8th Peter Pan The Lighthouse Theatre The legend of Peter Pan has been delighting children for over 100 years and this faithful new version is a festive adventure, perfect for the whole family. Peter Pan is guaranteed to bring forth one’s inner child, and send you reeling “Just Beyond the Stars.”

Book tickets online. www.lighthousetheatre.co.uk

Jan 25th Snow Queen The Lighthouse Theatre When Kay is abducted to the Snow Queen’s frozen palace, his best friend Gerda sets out to rescue him… but will she reach the Snow Queen before it’s too late?

A magical theatre experience for all the family, suitable for ages 5+.

Book tickets online. www.lighthousetheatre.co.uk

Feb 8th Tails of the River Bank Stanwick Lakes Wildlife explorers -Investigating food chains and predators.

(There’s always the risk of brambles and nettles, so please make sure you come wearing sensible outdoor clothes – warm, waterproof and with wellies, if necessary. A drink and biscuit will be provided.

All meetings are at The Rangers Cabin, 10am-12 noon £2.00 per child www.stanwicklakes.org.uk

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Email: editor@familiesnorthants.com Phone: 07568 406901

15 Families Northants

Advertise with us: If you are interested in spreading the word about your family friendly business then contact us. We are read by 32,000 families across the Northants region from Brackley up to Peterborough. editor@familiesnorthants.co.uk 07568 406901 Feb 17th - 20th

Feb 18th

Feb 21st

Holiday Project - The Wizard of Oz The Royal & Derngate

The Three Billy Goats Gruff The Lighthouse Theatre

Archaeology handling, and kids’ clay making Canons Ashby

Inspired by the much-loved The Wizard Of Oz story, these four days will be full of wonder and fun where you can build confidence, make new friends and have a brilliantly creative time. Book tickets online. www.royalandderngate.co.uk

On a grassy hillside, in the middle of the country, there lived THREE BILLY GOATS GRUFF! With catchy songs and dances to clap along to, this is the perfect half-term treat for little ones and the big kids that bring them!

Book tickets online.

Have a look at some real archaeological objects and chat with our volunteers. For younger visitors they can try making something special out of clay to take home for £1. 11 - 2pm Meet point at visitor reception canonsashby@nationaltrust.org.uk

www.lighthousetheatre.co.uk

Feb 23rd

Feb 19th

Pub Quiz For Kids The Lighthouse Theatre

Little Mix: Woman Like Me The Lighthouse Theatre

Feb 15th - 23rd Lambing Festival Westlodge Rural farm The Lambing Festival takes place throughout February Half Term. Join everyone in the Lambing Shed and meet the new born lambs. Bottle feeding takes place 3 times a day. www.westlodgeruralcentre.co.uk

Now playing it’s 4th successful year touring the UK and having played to over 50,000 people around the country, the Little Mix Show is back! A highly energetic show that follows in the footsteps of the award-winning girl band, Little Mix. Book tickets online www.lighthousetheatre.co.uk

Feb 19th - 20th

A runaway hit at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, this family fun quiz is unlike anything you’ve seen before.

Story knowledge, family film and TV music rounds mix with the mystery round where we know the questions but only one person can know the answer. And that person’s in the audience.

This show will find out who is Boss Baby and who doesn’t have a Scooby Doo! Book tickets online. www.lighthousetheatre.co.uk

Make a bird feeder Canons Ashby

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Make a pine cone bird feeder for our feathered friends at this chilly time of year and have a look at our nature collection. Then take it home to feed the birds where you live. 11 - 2pm £1 fee Meet point at visitor reception canonsashby@nationaltrust.org.uk

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Although we take great care in ensuring we have the correct information for you, it is always best to double check before your journey.

Please call or check websites for details, as things may change after we have gone to print.

WINTER ❄

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FUN

Find these winter words in the grid.

Then read the remaining unused letters on the bottom three lines from left to right to find a secret message!

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Families Northants is part of Families Print Ltd, a franchise company. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under licence. Families is a registered trademark of LCMB Ltd, Remenham House, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5TD. The contents of Families Northants are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of Families Northants. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, but Families Northants, its distributors, the franchise company, Families Print Ltd, and LCMB Ltd cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any consequence thereof.