Family Times Christchurch Winter 2016 by Family Times Magazine

When life gives you lemons... Author Lucy Hone shares keys for resilience through lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trials.

Choosing the right high school Why school culture is as important as grades.

New Zealand's leading parenting resource

Kids talking back Beat the back-chat beast with our helpful tips.

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CHRISTCHURCH / ISSUE 82 / Winter 2016

*July 9th – 24th, 2016

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Contents

Winter 2016

0 08 4 Parents say the funniest things

Parenting quotes that will put a smile on your face.

5 When grandparents overstep the mark

How to (respectfully) enforce your parenting style.

6 Developing resilience

Lucy Hone talks about how to cope with whatever life deals you.

8 It’s great to be a parent

For all the struggles, there are true moments of joy writes Karyn Riley.

9 Talking back

How to nip back-chat in the bud.

Tips for discovering more about the schools you are considering.

10 Choosing a high school

32 11 Science at home

Learn how to grow your own crystals at home!

12 Kids with anxiety-based illnesses

When sore stomachs and headaches are more than just a sick day.

29 Tech is changing the way kids communicate

Too much screen time is changing neural pathways.

Handy slow-cooker tips and tasty tarragon chicken.

Resource information

It’s dirty work, but the kids will love helping the garden grow.

14 Before and after school care

Enjoy nature and earn a medal for it with these DOC day/overnight trips.

16 Help is at Hand 20 Calendar of events 22 Holiday programmes

32 Making compost

15 Stranger danger

33 Winter outdoors

16 Incontinence after pregnancy

Special features

Eva-Maria talks about growing resilient preteens. Safety-proof your kids without fearmongering.

Get back your pre-baby abilities with these exercises.

Family dining 31 We’ve got the top spots for a child-

23 Entertainment

Help your wee one beat reflux by learning their cues.

Ski & skate 26 Explore the winter wonderland on

24 School term dates

17 Natural reflux remedies

Kids’ Corner

Kids’ Time 18 Puzzles and competitions

30 Healthy winter warmers

13 Preteen corner

friendly dining experience.

24 Going places

your doorstep.

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See New Zealand’s only gorillas! PUBLISHER Robyn Willis DESIGN & PRODUCTION Sally Travis ADVERT PRODUCTION Target Press Production Office EDITOR Vanessa O’Brien CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Baby & toddler Philippa Murphy, BabyCues Food Michelle Kitney, Munch Parenting Marcia Johnson

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Parenting Karyn Riley Pre-teen Eva-Maria DIGITAL TEAM Diane George, Ann Gillies & Jane Madison-Jones MEDIA EXECUTIVES Nicky Barnett, Amy Pawson, Vanessa Callaghan, Lynda Strowger, Gail Cropp OFFICE MANAGER Raelyn Hay EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Corrin Prebble

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Distribution: Printed and distributed quarterly approximately two weeks before each major school holiday. 41,547 are distributed through early childhood centres, primary and intermediate schools, Christchurch City Council offices, recreational facilities, libraries and service centres, selected medical and midwifery premises and McDonalds restaurants.The opinions expressed in this publication are not those of the publisher unless indicated otherwise. No part of this publication may be reprinted without the expressed written permission of the publisher. Family Times is not responsible for unsolicited material. Family Times is funded and published solely through the support of its advertisers. They support us, please support them.

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FROM THE EDITOR

KIDS PARENTS SAY THE

Welcome!

t’s amazing what a difference perspective makes. I was bemoaning the onset of winter and feeling miserable about the cold, wet, and rain the day that I interviewed Lucy Hone. I quickly realised that my winter-phobia was somewhat insignificant in light of realworld issues, problems and trauma. That day was about one week shy of the two-year anniversary of the death of Lucy’s 12-year-old daughter Abi in a horrific car crash, and although unspoken, the fact hung over the interview like a tangible presence. We didn’t talk that much about Abi – it still felt too raw. But what Lucy did say that stuck with me was her conscious decision to choose life even in the midst of death and loss. That, by the way, was a daily decision. She reminds herself constantly with necklace trinkets and wall art that she’s not just going to survive Abi’s death, but she’s going to live. The key: resilience. Lucy is a “pracademic” – or practicing academic – in the field of resilience and wellbeing. What she decided to do was to apply that to trauma and grief, and to develop coping strategies for herself, her family and others. But more than that, she says those strategies can apply to all of us and the ups and downs we go through in life.

FUNNIEST things

4 www.familytimes.co.nz

Each edition we like to share all the funny things that your kids say. This edition, we thought we’d turn the tables, trawl the internet and talk about all the funny things parents say. Here’s a snapshot!

I’ve noticed that in Canterbury, many of us don’t have the same resilience that we did pre-earthquakes. People seem to have less patience and grace after the trauma of ongoing aftershocks, insurance dealings and constant road blockages. What we might have once brushed off now bothers us and our overall tolerance has taken a hit. All of that affects our families. Some of us cope better with stress than others, and every parent wants to ensure that their kids are as resilient as they can be for all that life will hold for them. If that’s you, check out our main feature this edition for more of Lucy’s story and keys to developing resilience in your family. We’ve also got some top tips for helping to curb kids’ backchat, choosing a high school, kids’ activities, competitions, giveaways and much more. So keep turning those pages, and stay warm this winter. Enjoy!

vanessa

“All of us have moments in our lives that test our courage. Taking children into a house with a white carpet is one of them. ” Erma Bombeck

“When my kids become wild and unruly, I use a nice safe playpen. When they’re finished, I climb out.” Erma Bombeck “Having one child makes you a parent; having two you are a referee.” David Frost “Raising kids is part joy and part guerrilla warfare.” Ed Asner

“The sole purpose of a middle name is so that a child can tell when he’s really in trouble.” Unknown

“You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance.” Franklin P. Adams “The quickest way for a parent to get a child’s attention is to sit down and look comfortable.” Lane Olinghouse

“Having a child is liking getting a tattoo…on your face. You better be committed.” Eat Pray Love screenplay

“I figure that if the children are alive when I get home, I’ve done my job.” Roseanne Barr “People who say they sleep like a baby usually don’t have one.” Leo Burke

When grandparents

cross the line hey often look forward to their new role and the opportunity to finally make use of the warehouse of advice they’ve been storing up, only to find out that parenting today has changed and their well-meaning advice is sounding more like interference to the recipients. Even more difficult, is when grandparents repeatedly refuse to abide by the rules that parents set for the grandchildren. Of course there’s always a bit of leeway – Grandma will almost definitely let you have that ice cream and that’s okay – but how can you both negotiate the tricky divide between helpful and interfering? We’ve got some ideas:

1Parents, assume the best.

Believe that grandparents have the best intentions. They might make mistakes or be unaware of boundaries they’re crossing. Perhaps they feel unsure of what you want or don’t want from them. Let them know how they can be helpful to you. Help them feel included, important and needed.

don’t criticise. 2Grandparents,

No one likes to feel judged or blamed; most of us become

Grandparents await the arrival of a grandchild with almost the same eagerness as new parents do. It’s like being told that you no longer have to eat vegetables – just desert.

“Unsolicited advice is rarely welcome, and if it’s coming from one’s own parents or in-laws, it will most likely be heard as criticism.” definitely ask you if I need help.” Or “I know you may see it differently, but I’d appreciate you following the way I do it on this one.” Give them a role so they feel they have a way to contribute.

defensive and angry when criticised, and then we shut down. Think of it this way— who wants to be near someone who is always judging them? Instead of criticism, ask how you can be helpful.

a boundary has been crossed. 3When Parents, let grandparents know when they have stepped over a line that you’re not comfortable with, such as giving you unsolicited parenting advice. You can say, “I appreciate your expertise. I will

If a grandparent says something to the grandkids like, “Your parents don’t know what they’re doing,” or “I would never do it this way,” or to the parents, “Come on, give them a break, you’re too strict with them,” they’re stepping over a boundary. If they’re openly saying to the parent, “I think you should do it differently,” or “This is how I would do it,” without being asked, they are also showing a lack of respect for your rules and ideas. That’s when you have to make sure, as a parent, that you are clearly stating your boundaries.

unless asked, don’t tell. 4Grandparents,

Unsolicited advice is rarely welcome, and if it’s coming from one’s own parents or inlaws, it will most likely be heard as criticism. If you respect that boundary, you will probably be asked for your opinion.

- support your mate: 6Parents

You might have to tell your own parents to back off a bit and that they are intruding. While it’s important to get this point across, be sure to never make them feel like a burden. Communicate boundaries, but find ways to make grandparents also feel respected, honoured and wanted.

- define yourself and your role. 7Grandparents

Be clear, honest and thoughtful about what you will and won’t do as a grandparent. Not every grandparent wants to babysit or be at every event. Others long for the invitation. Know what you are willing to do and not do and make this very clear. LOVE THIS ARTICLE? THERE’S PLENTY MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM: VISIT US AT WWW.FAMILYTIMES.CO.NZ.

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FEATURE STORY

LIVING A

resilient life ucy Hone has a master’s degree in resilience psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and studied resilience through trauma post the Canterbury earthquakes. But it wasn’t until personal tragedy struck that she really found out what it meant to live it. Thirty-one May, 2014, started like any other day for Lucy. Her family was travelling to a mountain biking holiday in the lower South Island and her 12-yearold daughter Abi decided to make the journey there with her friend Ella and Ella’s family instead. Lucy and her husband Trevor were already at Ohau Lodge when the police knocked on the door. Abi had been killed instantly in car accident in rural Canterbury, the victim of a Dutch tourist who failed to stop at a stop sign. The accident also claimed the lives of Ella and Ella’s mother Sally. Lucy said in that very moment she knew straight away that she would be fighting for the survival of her sanity and family unit – her husband and two teenage sons. “At that moment, my life took a completely unexpected and unbelievable turn. I literally remember seeing this fork in the road and thinking to myself, “Wow. We didn’t see that coming. This is going to

Do you find yourself snapping at your kids at the smallest trigger? Resilience training may be what you need.

be our life now.”” Her next thought was remarkably lucid considering the shock. “It occurred to me that we didn’t have any choice in her death, but we did have a choice in how we recovered from that loss,” Lucy said. That’s when her resilience training kicked into gear.

“It occurred to me that we didn’t have any choice in her death, but we did have a choice in how we recovered from that loss.”

What is resilience?

Before studying resilience psychology, Lucy had heard the phrase bandied around a lot and wondered if anyone really knew what it meant. Today, she’s confident in her definition. Resilience in a nutshell she says, is being able to do whatever it takes to get you through the current adversity. It is the skill set that helps you cope and get over things. That includes: Childhood adversities – i.e. not being emotionally loved, being physically abused, a traumatic parental divorce. Daily obstacles – i.e. someone stealing your parking space, being late, the printer not working. The big challenges – i.e. redundancy, divorce, death. Reaching out – i.e. the ability to try new

things, speak to new people, take on new challenges, live in different places.

How do you become resilient?

It may seem that some people are more naturally resilient than others. However, research shows that resilient adults are often surrounded by strong, supportive relationships, and particularly resilient kids who have done well despite the odds thrown at them normally have at least one person who has enabled them to get through. Not everyone is that fortunate. The good news, Lucy says, is that you

can learn resilience, and it’s something that you can change as a parent and foster in your children. That, she says, is what parents want the most. “I work in schools and I ask parents what they want for their kids. They always say “healthy and happy.” That’s how I define wellbeing – it’s feeling good and functioning well.” A telltale sign of non-resilience is being short-fused, always angry, always negative and pessimistic. That’s not to say that resilient people don’t experience negative emotions, but they don’t get stuck there. “It’s absolutely fine to be angry, sad, guilty, anxious, but don’t get stuck in any one emotion,” Lucy said. “And if you find yourself stuck in one emotion, that’s when you need to get help.”

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6 www.familytimes.co.nz

FEATURE STORY A big part of that help would be cognitive behavioural therapy – or in layman’s terms, changing your thought patterns.

Thought patterns

Our thought patterns determine much of our mood and we may not even realise it. One key as a parent is to help your kids to identify what they are thinking/feeling, and why. Lucy calls it the three Ps. “When something goes wrong, did they personalise that event in their mind, did they make it permanent, and did they make it pervasive?” For example, a child who fails an exam may feel like they are going to fail the entire school year and their life is ruined. Did they personalise that event? Well, probably – it’s important to realise their own role in failing the exam. But in reality it’s not a permanent failure – they can re-sit the exam. And it’s not pervasive – in the scheme of a lifetime, it’s little more than a blip and will soon be forgotten. The ability to break down your own thoughts and determine their veracity is crucial to developing resilience in adults and kids. A big part of that, she says, is learning to fail well. “A teacher that I’m working with said recently that fail stands for First Attempt

“Thoughts are like a radio station: with a bit of effort, you can shift the radio frequency.”

In Learning. And I thought, that’s so cool, because that is what it is.” For adults she suggests disputing negative thoughts like a friend. “So you’re friend says to you, “I’m not going to go to that party because nobody likes me.” And you reply – “well, that’s ridiculous. What evidence have you got for that? Let’s unpack that and talk that through shall we?” So you need to do that for yourself.”

Changing the channel

It’s those kinds of things that have helped Lucy get through the past two years since Abi’s death. She considers her thoughts and decisions in light of whether they ultimately help or harm her. She doesn’t allow herself to fall into thinking traps. She tries to put things into perspective and accept the good things in the midst of the difficult. That said, she admits “It’s very hard work.” But through the pain of loss she chooses life. And when she doesn’t feel like it she’ll use music to shift her mood, go for a walk or run or call a friend who makes her laugh. “Thoughts are like a radio station,” she said. “With a bit of effort, you can shift the radio frequency.” Lucy has detailed her resilience journey through grief in a book released in June, titled What Abi Taught Us. But the lessons learned in extreme circumstances also apply to everyday life. “Having some of these strategies on board enable us to live more easily,” she said.

TIPS FOR DEVELOPING RESILIENCE

1 Is it helping or is it harming?

Assess whether your thinking and decision making is helping or harming you. When you catch yourself in a negative thought pattern or deciding on a course of action, ask yourself whether those thoughts or behaviours are ultimately helping or harming you.

2 Thinking traps

Try not to fall into thinking traps that impede your functioning. Lucy Hone’s example of a thinking trap after her daughter’s death was expecting friends, family and neighbours to know what she needed. Instead of falling into the trap, she worked on communicating clearly with them on what her needs were and weren’t in the weeks and months following Abi’s loss.

3Put things in perspective

As difficult as your situation is, it’s important to accept the good, not just focus on the bad. The Malaysian airline crash in July 2014, so soon after Abi’s death, saw one Australian family lose all three of their children. Lucy released that she and husband Trevor were lucky enough to still have their two boys. “We vowed from that moment that instead of just letting death swallow us up, we would really try to focus on the good. Even in the direst of circumstances, there is some good.”

4 Use your strengths

Identify your character strengths. In Lucy’s family, they decided straight away that they would forgive the driver who killed their child, and that choice – or collective character strength – helped carry them through. “Forgiveness is the only way forward,” said Lucy.

5Be more mindful

Live much more in the present. Be mindful and aware of how negative thought patterns impede your daily life. Don’t let worry for tomorrow stop you from living today.

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FEATURE STORY

The dishes can wait... Women’s well-being coach and parenting author Karyn Riley highlights the importance of focusing on and enjoying the positives of parenting.

uch is said about the challenges and stress of parenthood. However, there is little emphasis placed on the joy of being a parent, celebrating the positives of parenting and the benefits of taking time-out for fun and relaxation… without feeling guilty! Sometimes the burden of responsibility and seemingly never-ending demands of parenting mean that there is little time or energy left to reflect on the positives at the end of a busy day. However, we can all benefit from including fun, a positive attitude and gratefulness in our lives. One of the biggest hurdles facing parents today is balancing numerous roles and responsibilities with fostering an enjoyable family environment and spending quality time with our loved ones. In our stressful, often over-scheduled lives, it can seem that there is “never enough time.” This is compounded by the guilt and pressure that comes with believing we aren’t spending quality time

“We are human beings, not human doings.” with our children. We often feel we are on-demand 24/7 and struggle to find calm, breathing space to stop, be present and simply enjoy the moment. One of my favourite sayings is “We are human beings, not human doings.” We can all benefit by taking time out to just “be” with our kids, partners and ourselves. Spending 5 to 10-minutes of 100 per cent present, fully-focused quality time with our kids is more

beneficial than longer periods of time in which parents are distracted, not fully present or disengaged. Children thrive on attention of any kind. Toddler and teenage tantrums, toxic family environments and undesirable behaviours can often be avoided by being pro-active, stopping what we are doing, listening fully and giving family members our undivided attention. It’s important to prioritise and plan time for fun and relaxation before it becomes lost in the busyness of everyday life. Often, parents are overwhelmed by conflicting demands on their time and energy and

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don’t know how or where to begin. Start by scheduling time for fun family activities and special time together in your diary. Plan and write down nonnegotiable blocks of time, even 5 to 10-minutes. Have strong boundaries in place – prioritise family time and stick to it. It’s also important to be spontaneous and relax a little. The dishes can wait. Take time out to simply enjoy being with your children. Everyone will benefit and it can make the end of a busy, stressful day easier and more enjoyable. Gratitude works wonders for focusing on the positives each day. Start a family gratitude book or journal, or ask your kids what was the best thing about their day: this creates opportunities for further discussion and quality family time, too. Learning how to say “No” and manage guilt will relieve pressure and free up time and energy for what’s truly important. When you have fun with your family and children, focus on this alone – not what you “should” be doing instead. Be realistic and go easy on yourself. There is no such thing as the perfect parent.

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BEATING THE

back-chat beast t can also be one of the most exhausting and frustrating elements of parenting, an endless barrage every time you ask for chores to be done, homework completed, or reinforce the rules you have established in your home. Back talk might be annoying and infuriating at times, but it’s a common side-effect of growing up and gaining independence. Kids need a strong sense of personal power on an emotional level at all ages. When they can’t get it because parents are ordering them around or doing everything for them, they lash out with words. It’s a typical “fight or flight” response: since they can’t exactly move into their own house (flight), they’ll fight back by testing limits and trying to get a reaction.

“The best way to stop back chat is to foster independence within limits.” WE’VE GOT PARENTING COVERED. VISIT US AT WWW.FAMILYTIMES.CO.NZ FOR ALL YOUR UP-TODATE PARENTING ADVICE.

The best way to stop back chat is to foster independence within limits. That said, disrespect is not behaviour to be tolerated. Here are some tips to help you rein in those snide remarks:

Figure out where it is coming from. It could be a child testing the boundaries, or it could be a hungry/ tired/grouchy child. Keep track of when back talk happens. Is your child irritable after school or extracurricular activities? Are they getting enough sleep? If you know the triggers, you can take steps to change or eliminate them.

Get calm; stay calm. How you respond to your child’s retorts can set the tone for your interactions. Kids can be extremely skilled at pushing their parents’ buttons. It can be extremely tempting to respond to a 5-year-old who declares, “You are not the boss of me!” with a quick, “Actually, I am!” But when you show that you are calm and in control, that sets an

A quick retort, a roll of the eyes, a smart-aleck comment – back-chat is the bane of many parents’ lives.

example for your child and shows him how he should behave.

Give, and ask for, respect. While children should know that they are safe to express their opinions and that mum and dad are listening to what they think and feel, they must also know that speaking to you respectfully and calmly is not negotiable. Be sure to emphasise the message that you will not listen to what they have to say until they are able to speak to you in a calm and respectful manner.

Don’t get into a war of words. When parents respond to kids’ back talk with retorts of their own, they are inadvertently saying that this is an acceptable way to handle conflict. If you don’t want your child to learn that trading barbs is a good way to discuss problems, then do not respond until you can speak in a calm and controlled

manner. In short, if you want to curb talking back in your child, do not feed the back talk beast.

Remember that oftentimes kids just want some personal power, and parents can give it to them – to a certain extent. For instance, allow them to decide what they are going to wear (within reason) or when they do their chores (also within reason). Small little concessions of power could prevent you from having daily power struggles with your child.

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Choosing the right

high school for your child A school’s true nature is found beyond the marketing, the glossy tours and the slick statistics. Here’s how to find it:

here’s a lot to consider when choosing a high school for your child. It’s easy to be seduced by stellar reputations, family traditions and locale, but finding the right fit for your child is what is most important. Often parents wander from school tours to open days and never really discover the true nature of the school. Here are some tips on how to determine if the school you are looking at is best for your child:

Where are your child’s friends going? Obviously you don’t want this to be a deciding factor, but unless your child is an extrovert who makes friends as easily as sneezes, it’s a good idea for your child to at least know a couple of kids in his class/year at high school before starting.

What is the school’s communication like? There are a couple of ways you can test the waters here. Send the principal an email about your child potentially attending their school and gauge how long it takes to get a response. Pop into the school office, introduce yourself and see what kind of welcome you receive. Stand in the school’s hallways between classes and see if anyone introduces themselves and helps you find your way. All of these things help reveal the culture and character of the school.

Talk to prior students If you just talk to the students that the school puts forward on an official tour, you are getting only part of the picture. Ask prior students, who no longer have a vested interest in the school, about their experience.

Online research Visit the school’s website and check out where the school excels – is it academics, graduation rates, sport, the arts, or something else?

Speak to the school’s guidance counsellor This is a great way to find out how the school supports students, and also the kinds of opportunities open to your child. Do they have

10 www.familytimes.co.nz

“Ask prior students, who no longer have a vested interest in the school...”

extension programmes, school-to-work programmes, a sports academy or other opportunities that relate to your child?

Attend an event Maybe you have a rugby or netballmad child. Pop along to a school game and see how their sports teams are supported and what the culture of the team is like. Talk with a coach and a couple of kids about the opportunities available.

Decide what is really important Different schools will offer different opportunities for your child. Talk with your child about what is most important to them. Also consider each school’s network of support for your child and the learning environment that will bring out the best in them.

School tour Finally, do the school tour and ask yourself what it is that the school isn’t showing you on its PR day. By now, you should have enough information to work out with your child the best fit for them. GOT QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR CHILD’S EDUCATION? CHECK OUT OUR WEALTH OF EDUCATION RESOURCE ARTICLES AT WWW.FAMILYTIMES.CO.NZ.

SCIENCE AT HOME

HIDDEN GEMS

Did you know you can make your own crystals? There are a few different methods to do this; some use crystals that you melt (borax crystals), which then grow over a few days to a week. You can also purchase special solutions with minerals that slowly grow crystals within a jar.

WHAT ARE GEMS?

Gems are rare mineral crystals, valued for their beauty.

OKAY, SO THEN WHAT ARE CRYSTALS?

2 3

Crystals are solids formed by a regular, repeated pattern of molecules connecting together. They all have different shapes and properties depending on which molecules are used to make them.

Snowflakes are ice crystals that are formed in the clouds when the water freezes, and every single one is unique (just like you!).

Gems are generally classified as precious or semi-precious stones - this changes according to culture, not science (it’s generally to do with how rare they are).

WHERE ARE THEY FOUND?

They are found inside different types of rocks and are made from clusters of minerals.

HOW DO THEY FORM?

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Gemmology scientists are called gemmologists and crystallography is the science of studying crystals. A great way to get kids involved in science is by doing an experiment. You can buy kits for creating your very own crystals, or if you’d like to learn how to grow your own crystals with borax crystals (available at most supermarkets), read on!

In nature, when liquids cool and start to harden, certain molecules in the liquid gather together and attempt to become solids/stable. Crystals can also form when liquid rock/magma cools.

If you’d like to learn how to grow your own crystals with borax crystals (available at most supermarkets) here are the instructions:

The best way to classify gems is from their chemicals and minerals, rather than how pretty or rare they are, because the science of them doesn’t change simply due to opinion or popularity.

Instructions: 1. Weave your pipe cleaners into a shape (three weaved together should be enough). 2. Suspend the pipe cleaners from the middle of the skewer with the thread. 3. Then create your crystal growing solution. Make it inside a heat-proof container. 4. Mix boiling water with your borax, then keep adding borax until it won’t dissolve anymore (this will take longer than you think!). 5. Stir it constantly: the solution will be cloudy, slightly heavier feeling

6. 7.

8. 9.

10.

and some crystals will settle on the bottom. Add your food colouring to achieve the desired colour. Then take your skewer with pipecleaners attached and hang them into the solution so they’re covered. Cover with a plate. Wait 8 to 12-hours and then pull your crystal out and dry with a paper towel. Tadah! A homemade grown crystal!

Visit Science Alive’s blog and you can go in the draw to win a packet of crystal growing kits!

SCIENCE ALIVE ARE EXCLUSIVELY PROVIDING ATHOME SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS TO FAMILY TIMES. FOR MORE, VISIT SCIENCE ALIVE’S BLOG AT WWW.SCIENCEALIVE.CO.NZ.

SwimKings Swim School Swimming is a skill for life!

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Servicing Christchurch families for 21 years Owned and operated by Olympic Swim Coach Todd Mason Babies to Adults Our lessons run all year Start anytime, no need to wait until the beginning of a new term Holiday Programmes run through all school holiday periods

Pegasus Health’s Partnership Community Workers work in collaboration with general practices with the goal of ensuring identified target populations, specifically Maori, Pacific, and low income people in Canterbury are accessing the primary health care that they need. They are based in community locations. PCWS focus on assisting people to enrol with a general practice, or who are enrolled but are not attending health care visits as often as they need to. “the school in the pool”

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For more information visit www.pegasus.org.nz Contacts: Joy Olson 022 657 3258 or Melissa McCreanor P: 021 868-491 or 353-9924 www.familytimes.co.nz 11

ARE YOUR KIDS worrying

themselves sick? Have you got a child who is frequently off school with headaches or a sore stomach? ometimes there are underlying issues to recurrent illnesses, and it’s important to know if anxiety is causing your child’s symptoms.

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is our body’s way of preparing us for a challenge when faced with stress, by releasing a hormone called adrenaline. This causes a “fight or flight” response so that we are alert and ready to react to the challenge. If you think your child’s anxiety is getting in the way of their day-to-day life, slowing down their development, or having a significant effect on their schooling or relationships, it is best to try and help them tackle it. The goal isn’t to eliminate anxiety, but to help a child manage it Help them learn to tolerate their anxiety and function as well as they can, even when they’re anxious. As a by-product, the anxiety will decrease or fall away over time.

Don’t avoid things just because they make a child anxious Helping children avoid the things they are afraid of will make them feel better in the short term, but it reinforces the anxiety over the long run. If a child in an uncomfortable situation gets upset and starts to cry, and her parents whisk her out of there or remove the thing she’s afraid of, she’s learned that coping mechanism, and that cycle has the potential to repeat itself. Express positive—but realistic— expectations You can’t promise a child that her fears are unrealistic—that she won’t fail a test, that she’ll have fun ice skating, or that another child won’t laugh at her during show-and-tell. But you can express confidence that she’s going to be okay, she will be able to manage it, and that as she faces her fears, the anxiety level will drop over time. Respect her feelings, but don’t empower them

It’s important to understand that validation doesn’t always mean agreement. You want to listen and be empathetic, help her understand what she’s anxious about, and encourage her to feel that she can face her fears. The message you want to send is, “I know you’re scared, and that’s okay, and I’m here, and I’m going to help you get through this.” Don’t ask leading questions Encourage your child to talk about her feelings, but try not to ask leading questions— “Are you anxious about the big test? Are you worried about the science fair?” To avoid feeding the cycle of anxiety, just ask open-ended questions: “How are you feeling about the science fair?” Try to keep the anticipatory period short When we’re afraid of something, the hardest time is really before we do it. So try to eliminate or reduce the anticipatory period. If a child is nervous about going

to a doctor’s appointment, you don’t want to launch into a discussion about it two hours before you go; that’s likely to get your child more keyed up. Try to model healthy ways of handling anxiety Don’t pretend that you don’t have stress and anxiety, but let kids hear or see you managing it calmly, and feeling good about getting through it.

WE’VE GOT PARENTING COVERED. VISIT US AT WWW.FAMILYTIMES.CO.NZ FOR MORE PARENTING TIPS AND TRICKS.

We have places available now! To arrange a visit or to enrol contact Linda Scanlan on 983 3757 or preschool@rangiruru.ac.nz

Share the joy of childhood!

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12 www.familytimes.co.nz

RAISING A

PRETEEN CORNER

resilient preteen

The world is so PC these days…no seriously, I remember when bulrush was just another playground game, and getting my ponytail pulled by some prankster from behind me was not punishable. ow we’ve removed boundaries for kids and have replaced them with regulations, because God forbid a child might be traumatised. Instead of teaching our kids boundaries and trusting that other parents are doing the same for theirs, we’re coming up with ways of shielding children after the fact and that’s not healthy. We’re trying to regulate all the outside forces without actually focusing on what’s important: the homegrown discipline, self-defence and feeling of self-worth. If we can just for a second focus on how important it is to prevent children from segregating into bullies and victims, instead of trying to come up with solutions once the damage is done, we as a society could really benefit. How you can do your bit to raise a resilient child: • Work on their self-esteem with them. Tell them how amazing they are. • Had a bad day at work? Great! Tell your child about it and how you held your ground. Children listen, and this will give you a way to lead by example. • Did they lose a game, or not win something at school? Discuss what they could have done better so they have a game-plan for next time. • Bad grade? Ask them where they think they went wrong and work through it so it doesn’t happen next time. • Ask them what they think about themselves. Get them to draw a picture. Discuss that. • Discuss how they feel about their life. Have a conversation with your child! Because you’re not asking doesn’t mean

their emotions or thoughts don’t exist. • Check in regularly to keep on track so you can be confident that you actually know who they are and what they’re thinking. You can probably see a pattern here: teaching self-esteem and self-analysis. A healthy self-esteem will guide them to make the best decisions in the moment. Self-analysis will help them overcome their actions’ consequences in a logical manner. Show that one bad thing doesn’t spiral anything out of control: they are in control of their future actions and the best way to add confidence is to simply go over their steps for next time. It’s like studying for a test: study, know your game plan, and you’ll be confident when coming out of it. It’s that simple. I’d like to invite you – the parents of these wonderful preteens – to join me on the mission: the mission to start from home to discipline your children instead of spending the rest of your life fixing a broken self-esteem after a traumatic experience. If we get enough voices where parents themselves are doing their bit to raise a generation they can be proud of, we can focus on raising awesome adults – and that, hopefully, is your game plan.

What Abi Taught Us

Lucy Hone’s beloved 12-year-old daughter Abi was killed in 2014 in a devastating car accident that also claimed the lives of Abi’s friend Ella and Ella’s mother Sally. Lucy works in the field of resilience psychology, helping ordinary people exposed to real-life traumatic situations. In What Abi Taught Us, Lucy shares her story and research so that others can work to regain some sense of control and take action in the face of helpless situations. Family Times has 5 copies of What Abi Taught Us to give away. Enter online at www.familytimes. co.nz. Enter online at www.familytimes.co.nz. Competition closes 24 July.

BY EVA MARIA EVA-MARIA IS AN INTERGENERATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS EXPERT AND AUTHOR OF BESTSELLING BOOK YOU SHUT UP! AND SEQUEL SHUSH, YOU!. VISIT WWW.EVA-MARIA.CO.NZ.

Calling new Home Based Carers! At Stems, we have gorgeous pre-schoolers wait-listed to begin care in local family homes now! If young children naturally warm to you and you are looking for a new homebased career, please contact us to arrange an interview… we’d love to meet you! Contact us today 0800 78 33 78 or emma@stemsfromhome.co.nz www.stemsfromhome.co.nz www.familytimes.co.nz 13

Before and after school Looking for a great programme or activity to keep your kids occupied outside of school hours? Look no further – we’ve got some great options for you here, and at www.familytimes.co.nz. ● HeavenLea Touch Craft Studio HeavenLea provides fun, interactive, quality art and craft workshops for all ages. After school children’s programme 2016: Creative and art course (pastel, sculpture, mosaic plant pots, canvas painting, up-cycling frames, salt dough, paper craft). Mondays 8-29 August, 5-19 September, 3.30-5.30pm. Bookings essential. Email heavenleatouchcrafts@xtra.co.nz, visit www.heavenlea-touch.weebly.com. ● Busy Bumbles Busy Bumbles is an award-winning OSCAR programme, which offers a stimulating, quality programme for children. Visit www.busybumbles.co.nz for more information. ● CASPA CASPA offers a before, after-school and holiday programme experience that your five to 13-year-olds will enjoy. Our

programmes are designed to be fun and educational. For peace of mind, call CASPA on 03-349-9260. ● Little Monkeys A fun and interactive weekly climbing session designed for preschoolers to help develop co-ordination, confidence and balance. Cost $5 per session, 12pm Thursday (term time only). ● Kidsbase Kidsbase after school and holiday programmes are great fun for ages 5 to 13-years. Visit www.kidsbase.co.nz for a programme near you or text 027-239-7690. ● M*A*S*H Various programmes around Christchurch, Timaru/Temuka and North Canterbury. WINZ subsidy available. “The best fun your kids can have.” Phone 0800-420520, admin@mashkids.co.nz, www.mashkids.co.nz.

Let’s talk about parenting A new campaign from All Right? is urging parents to give themselves a bit more credit and celebrate the “ordinary magic” that’s happening every day. There’s no doubt that being a parent can be tough sometimes, and living in post-quake Canterbury hasn’t made things any easier. All Right? research shows many Canterbury parents are feeling tired and isolated, and are finding it difficult to live up to the expectations they place upon themselves. All Right? manager Sue Turner says in many cases parents are downplaying, or don’t seem to be noticing, the great job they’re doing. “The “Let’s talk about parenting” campaign reminds us parents that there’s no such thing as the perfect parent. There are really high expectations placed upon us as parents

Top tips from Canterbury mums and dads: “You cannot pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself too.” Sarah. “Have as much fun as you can with your kids to top up your resilience tank in between the random emptying of it.” Lynne. “A hug with your kids makes you feel better too.” Trisha.

Anna, Lyttelton

Real families aren’t picture perfect. They’re messy, playful and so much better. allright.org.nz/parents

14 www.familytimes.co.nz

(by others, and ourselves) and it’s easy to lose track of our successes and forget to enjoy the moment. “While there’s no such thing as perfect parents or perfect children, there are plenty of perfect moments along the way, including snotty nosed cuddles, endless nonsensical jokes and music that’s not to your taste,” says Sue. For more information, including some practical wellbeing tips for children, visit www.allright.org.nz/parents .

“Try not to overlap work and family time. It’s too hard to split attention.” Justin. “Let her wear her hair out, go to their game, plant veggies together, and try to walk your kids to school every now and then.” Donovan. “Have fun with your kids, make up ridiculous songs about you and your partner and sing them loudly.” Gabe.

Stranger danger The words “stranger danger” tend to conjure up one thing in our mind – abduction prevention. t’s a cute phrase that even rhymes, so it’s easy to get kids to remember it. But is it the best way to teach kids about the risks out there? Experts are more and more saying no, it’s not. Here’s why: 1. Kids do not understand the concept of a stranger, and you don’t want them to believe that any person they don’t know is mean or has bad intentions. Secondly, and further confusing the issue, sometimes kids need to turn to people they don’t know for help. Lost kids need to be taught to seek assistance from a store clerk, police officer, or parent with children. In other words, it’s hard for young kids to understand the difference between helpful and potentially harmful strangers. 2. Focusing on “stranger danger” also ignores the fact that many – if not most – children are abducted by someone they know. Avoiding strangers will not help if the abductor is a family member, neighbour, or family acquaintance.

A new message

Instead of “stranger danger,” abduction prevention needs to focus on safety

lessons that teach children how to recognise and respond to threatening situations. Instead of: Don’t talk to strangers Rather than saying “Don’t talk to strangers,” try saying, “Check with me or your dad or babysitter before talking to another grown-up.” Kids take things very literally, and may be confused about what constitutes a “stranger.” You could instruct your child just to look at you, and you’ll nod or shake your head. Instead of: If you get lost in a store, ask a trusted adult to help you find me Perhaps a better way to word this one is, “If you get lost in a store, stay in the building and find someone with a name tag to help you.” A child who is scared at being alone in a store is unlikely to be able to make a judgement call about whom they can trust. Some will even leave the store looking for their parents. Instead of: Don’t take sweets from a stranger Once again, kids may be confused about what constitutes a stranger. Try saying instead, “Don’t take anything from anyone

except your parents, babysitter, teacher, or friend’s mom or dad on a play date.” Instead of: Don’t keep secrets Let your kids know instead that a surprise is the only secret that’s okay to keep. Some parents use the two terms interchangeably, and that confuses kids. If you tell your child to keep a secret about Daddy’s birthday gift or Grandma’s party, you are undermining the rule that no grown-up should ever tell you to keep a secret from your mum or dad.

Other safety tips: 1.

Create a codeword, and advise your child’s teacher of it also. Anybody who is collecting your child from school needs to use the codeword. 2. Teach your kids about dialling 111 in case of an emergency. 3. Make sure your kids know their home address, phone number, and parents’ first and last names.

FOR MORE SAFETY TIPS, VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.FAMILYTIMES.CO.NZ.

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JULY 7 JUNE 23 TBC

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www.familytimes.co.nz 15

WHOOPS–I DID IT AGAIN

s kiwis don’t like to talk about it, but it’s very normal for new mums to experience a degree of incontinence up to six-weeks postpartum, and one in every three women experience ongoing stress incontinence – that’s leakage that happens with coughing, sneezing, exercising, laughing, lifting heavy things, and other movements that put pressure on the bladder. It is often caused by physical changes from pregnancy, childbirth, and later on, menopause. The good news is that it can be treated and sometimes cured completely, according to physiotherapist Jane Le Fevre, who recently completed research into the subject.

Here’s how

FIND YOUR PELVIC FLOOR

The pelvic floor runs from your pubic bone at the front of your pelvis to the coccyx at the back. Imagine this sling of muscles is like two elevator doors. As you lift it, imagine the doors closing together

and then lifting towards your head. The rest of your body should stay still.

PRACTICE GENTLE LIFTS THROUGHOUT THE DAY

Practice lifting during the day at your desk, or at the sink while washing your hands, not just lying down at the end of the day. See if you can hold it for 5 seconds. As it is an internal exercise, no one will know you are working out.

COMBAT COUGHS AND SNEEZES

Strong contractions are needed to resist higher loads on your pelvic floor, such as coughs or sneezes. So if you feel a cough or sneeze on its way, lift your pelvic floor as strongly as you can and try and keep it lifted while you sneeze. If at first this is a bit difficult, scrunching your toes in your shoes can help you to get a little bit more oomph!

PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE!

If you don’t use it, you will lose it!

If you are an expectant or new mother, here a few more tips: Practice! Practice lifting your pelvic floor daily, both strong fast and slow gentle contractions throughout the day. Your pelvic floor has to work harder to support

Parent Helpline 0800 568 856 Available from 9am-11pm 7 days a week

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E-mail: parenthelp@xtra.co.nz www.parenthelp.org.nz 16 www.familytimes.co.nz

your growing baby and changing body so it’s a perfect time to keep it active and strong. Practicing lifting your pelvic floor regularly during pregnancy will help you regain pelvic floor control after the birth of your baby. Lift baby and pelvic floor Every time you lift your baby, lift your pelvic floor. This will help to regain control as well as protect your back.

Patience Be patient with your pelvic floor after birth. If you aren’t feeling confident with your pelvic floor by six weeks post partum, talk to your GP or see a women’s health physiotherapist to get help.

HELP IS @ HAND

FOR MORE EXPERT TIPS AND VIDEO DEMONSTRATIONS ON HOW TO STRENGTHEN THE PELVIC FLOOR, VISIT WWW.LIGHTSBYTENA.CO.NZ. FROM A TO Z, WE’VE GOT FAMILY HEALTH COVERED AT WWW.FAMILYTIMES.CO.NZ. SEE YOU THERE!

Do you remember the days when you could confidently sneeze, cough or laugh in public without peeing a little? If you’re a mum, you’re not alone.

Sometimes you need some information or an answer to a curly question. Why not pick up the phone and call the relative support agency? You’ll find professional caring people ready to assist you.

➜ Angel Fund Wahine Putea A Women’s Savings and Loan Fund. Don’t let money hold you back. Save with the Angel Fund and build a nest egg. Wanting to step ahead in small business, education or training? No interest loans to $500 available to women on low incomes. Text or phone 022 412 6435, email angelfund@gmail.com ➜ Catholic Social Services No-cost parenting support programmes and family/individual counselling open to all. Usual office hours with late night on Tuesdays to 6.30pm, only by appointment. 336 Cashel Street, P O Box 4237, Christchurch. Phone: 03-379 0012 www.cathsocservs.nzl.org ➜ Christchurch Resettlement Services. Free social services for people from refugee and migrant backgrounds. Interpreters are provided. Phone: 03-335 0311

➜ Women’s Centre – Christchurch A safe women-only space run by women for women. We provide: Information and resources, free legal advice, free counselling, courses. Drop-in 10am-2 pm, Monday to Friday, or contact us: 03-371 7414 or 022-105 5308. Email: support@womenscentre. co.nz, www.womenscentre.co.nz ➜ New Zealand Speak Easy Association Inc. Canterbury is a stuttering support group. We meet at the University Speech Disorders Unit every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month at 7.30pm. For more information phone Barry Hay on 03-981 8593. New Zealand Speak Easy Association Inc, PO Box 16554, Hornby, Christchurch. ➜ Autism Associates NZ, provider of ABA services. Phone: 027-910 4020 ➜ Sudden Infant Death Support Phone: 0800 164 455 www.sids.org.nz

normal reflux? What is

eflux is the normal biological process in which stomach contents makes its way up into the oesophagus. This process is just as natural for your baby as it is for you, however, if you don’t have the knowledge it can cause concern. So let’s look at some basic facts about newborn reflux.

Here are the facts

Reflux (also called spitting up or positing) commonly occurs, as a normal process, several times a day for newborns, often straight after feeds and sometimes one to two hours later. Natural influences make it easy for stomach contents to travel up the oesophagus, like the fact a baby’s oesophagus is shorter than an adult’s and their diet is fluid. The occurrence of reflux also greatly depends on: • Quantity of feeding (milk and solids). When fed beyond stomach capacity, the milk often comes back up because a baby’s stomach does not stretch like an adult’s. • Swallowing air. The air sits amongst the milk and as it comes up for release, it pushes milk out with it. The more air a baby takes in, the bigger the pockets of trapped wind, which often causes bigger posits. • How a baby’s tongue is attached and moves. This is called tongue tie (the

BABY & TODDLER

Most baby reflux issues can be remedied naturally if you know the underlying cause.

medical term is ankyloglossia). When a baby has tongue tie, or even lip tie, they take in more air when feeding. Most babies grow out of reflux by 12-months but most cases of mass reflux can be healed well before then. Each cause can be remedied naturally by returning the baby’s digestive function back to natural capacities and capabilities.

Signs that reflux may be of medical concern

The symptoms below may mean your baby had gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD or GERD) whereby you would need to seek medical advice: • Baby is highly unsettled and bringing up large amounts of milk after the majority of feeds. • Baby is not gaining enough weight. • They have respiratory problems like a chronic coughing or wheezing. • Refusal to feed – this often happens with natural levels of reflux too as the baby responds to the overload they feel in their digestive tract.

Tips to minimise reflux

• Reduce oversupply if breastfeeding. • Check latch, whether breast or bottle. • Have baby checked for tongue or lip tie.

• Feed in accordance with the biological size of your baby’s stomach for their age. • Feed every three-and-a-half to four hours so your baby has the opportunity to break down the nutrients in a

“Most babies grow out of reflux by 12-months but most cases of mass reflux can be healed well before then.”

healthy manner, and you have the chance to release more wind. • Burp baby well after each feed for the whole time they are awake – this is much more than one or two burps after a feed. Learn what your baby’s cues really are – looking to suck doesn’t necessarily mean your baby is hungry. BY PHILIPPA MURPHY – BABYCUES, NURTURE WITH NATURE. VISIT WWW.BABYCUES.INFO. GOT MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR LITTLIES? VISIT OUR “BABY & TODDLER” SECTION UNDER FEATURE ARTICLES AT WWW.FAMILYTIMES.CO.NZ.

Hire or buy new, the choice is yours Baby On The Move stocks a wide range of capsules, carseats, buggies, carriers, highchairs, portacots and more. Long or short-term hire, or buy new.

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There is no better time than now to book your free nurse phone consultation on 0800 255 522 or fertilityassociates.co.nz

www.familytimes.co.nz 17

LARNACH CASTLE

New Zealand’s Castle

Email: info@larnachcastle.co.nz Ph: 0800 527 6224 www.larnachcastle.co.nz

KIDS' TIME Welcome to Kids’ Time at Family Times. Enjoy the fun activities and competitions. For competitions, enter online by visiting www.familytimes.co.nz and click on the competitions link.

Design competition Term & Conditions apply Valid for New Zealand school holidays Children must be accompanied by 1 paying adult

casa dei bambini

Term & Conditions apply • Valid for New Zealand School Holidays only • Children must be accompanied by one paying adult

foundation school

creative intelligence unfolding montessori preschool

places now available 333 River Road, Richmond Phone: 3857312 | 027 3632833 casadeibambini.school.nz

18 www.familytimes.co.nz

This edition, we want you to share your favourite winter heartwarmers with us. Design, draw, paint or collage a piece of paper with everything that means warmth and happiness for you and your family in winter. When you’re done, send us your picture and be in to win an amazing $50 prize pack from Crayola! Three entry age groups: preschool (ages 1-4), 5-8, 9-12. Create your design on an A5 sheet. Post in to PO Box 36 004, Christchurch 8146. Entries close 25 May 2016.

Original Scripts Scripts Theatre Theatre Trust Trust Presents Presents Original

Brother NS15 sewing machine

Do you know the next design star? Registrations are open now for youth fashion and craft competition Brother Design Stars, and this year the hottest young designers will nab a spot on the runway at NZ Fashion Week! To celebrate this competition, Brother is giving away a Brother NS15 sewing machine, valued at $549.95. With 16 built-in utility and decorative stitches, the NS15 will help bring your designs to life! It also features a unique automatic needle threader, making set-up a breeze. Register for Brother Design Stars today at www.brotherdesignstars.co.nz To enter, visit our competitions page at www.familytimes.co.nz. Competition closes 24 July 2016.

JULY 13TH-15TH DAILY SHOWS SHOWS DAILY

11AM/1PM/3PM 11AM/1PM/3PM

AT NASDA THEATRE AT CPIT

BOOK TICKETS AT DASH TICKETS

AND WWW.KIDSFEST.CO.NZ

Ice Age Collision Course

In cinemas everywhere 7 July Scrat’s epic pursuit of the elusive acorn catapults him into the universe where he accidentally sets off a series of cosmic events that transform and threaten the Ice Age world. To save themselves, Sid, Manny, Diego and the rest of the herd, must leave their home and embark on a quest full of comedy and adventure. We have three great Ice Age 5 merchandise packs to give away, each including: 1 x Play tent, 1 x Lunch bag, 1 x Double movie pass (two tickets) To enter, visit our competitions page at www.familytimes.co.nz. Closing date 1 July 2016. Terms and conditions are available on the Family Times website.

By Hans Christian Andersen Adapted by Allison Horsley

Books! Books! Books!

Meet Frankie Potts, the village of Tring’s number one girl detective. She has flaming red hair, a questioning mind and an addiction to gobstoppers. And she is really good at solving mysteries. Juliet Jacka’s fantastic new chapter book series for children aged 7-10, with illustrations by Phoebe Morris, are filled with exciting adventures and a good dose of humour. Frankie Potts is a great new heroine that Kiwi kids are sure to fall in love with. We have 3 copies of the two books (Frankie Potts and the Sparkplug Mysteries and Frankie Potts and the Bikini Burglar) to give away. To enter, visit our competitions page at www.familytimes.co.nz. Competition closes 24 July 2016.

www.CourtTheatre.org.nz Phone 963 0870 Principal Sponsor

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www.familytimes.co.nz 19

COOL ACTIVITIES

Calendar of Events Christchurch has some fantastic winter events to get you and your family out and about this winter.

23 June

● West African Drumming Workshop. Learn West African drumming and perform traditional music from Ghana. Open to people of all ages and abilities. Phillipstown Hub, 39 Nursery Road, 7pm. Bookings essential: 0800-843-687 or email admin@themuse.org.nz.

24 June

● Lyttelton Harbour Festival of Lights. Lyttelton transforms into a magical midwinter celebration of creativity and light. Street parade starts at St Saviour’s at Holy Trinity at 6pm and ends at Albion Square. Visit www.lyttelton.net.nz.

24–26 June

● Christchurch Art Show. This show supports local artists and celebrates Christchurch as an arts destination. View and buy original art with a range of prices, styles and mediums. Opens at 10am, Wigram Air Force Museum. Visit www.chchartshow.co.nz.

24 June–3 July

● American Express Queenstown Winter Festival. A 10-day extravaganza

of Queenstown’s unique culture and community with street parties, fireworks, international and local acts, comedy, family fun and plenty of mountain mayhem. Visit www.winterfestival.co.nz for a full programme.

3 July

● Winter Encraftment Market. Enjoy more than 90 stalls from New Zealand designers, handpicked for their quality craft and design items. Large food court. From 10am to 3pm, Lincoln Event Centre, 15 Meijer Drive. Free entry.

9–23 July

● KidsFest. Celebrate KidsFest’s 25th anniversary: with more than 270 events in Christchurch, Banks Peninsula, Waimakariri and Selwyn districts, there is plenty to keep the children entertained over the school holidays. Visit kidsfest.co.nz.

9 July

● More FM Lantern Parade. KidsFest kicks off with an exploratory night-time journey through central Christchurch.

LEGO PLAY FOR EVERYONE AT IMAGINATION STATION. Bring your own lantern, light or anything that glows. From 4.30–6.30pm (parade departs at 5:30pm), Cathedral Square. Visit kidsfest.co.nz.

2.30pm, Graham Condon Recreation and Sports Centre, 3 Sisson Drive, Papanui. $3.10 per child. $5.80 for caregiver if swimming. Visit kidsfest.co.nz.

10 July

11–15 July and 18–22 July

● KidsFest Pool Party. Pool games and swim fun on inflatables. From 12.30–

written by VIVIANNE WATSON directed by SCOTT CAMPBELL 9th - 24th July 2016 Saturdays and Sundays at 11am and 1pm Malthouse Theatre, 71 Colombo Street all tickets $8 book online at www.malthouse.co.nz or phone 332 3271 /canterbury.childrens.theatre

20 www.familytimes.co.nz

For more event and entertainment ideas, visit www.familytimes.co.nz and enjoy our large, familyfriendly resource.

● All Grown Up. This is an exhibition celebrating 25 years of KidsFest. Enter

COOL ACTIVITIES the All Grown Up competition to go in the draw for a big prize. From 9.30am–4pm, Christchurch City Council civic offices. Visit kidsfest.co.nz.

Zealand, and includes a dedicated LEGO play area for children. Horncastle Arena. Admission $5.

12–13 July

● National Bear and Doll Show. Displays, competitions, demonstrations, sales and free bookmark making for children. From 10am–4pm, St Andrew’s College, 347 Papanui Rd. Adults $5, under 12s $3, under 5s free, family $13.

● Mister Maker and The Shapes. Enjoy the fun with arts and craft hero, Mister Maker, and his colourful all-dancing friends Circle, Square, Rectangle and Triangle. Aurora Centre. Tickets from $39.90. Visit livenation.co.nz.

16–17 July

● KidsFest Pool Party. Pool games and swim fun on inflatables. DJ playing 1.30–3.30pm, $3.10 per child and $5.80 for caregiver if swimming. From 1.30–5pm, Pioneer Recreation and Sport Centre. Visit kidsfest.co.nz.

16–17 July

● Christchurch Brick Show. This event is the biggest LEGO-based show in New

16–17 July

20 July

● Leighs Construction presents CSO Kids. These short concerts, specifically programmed for 2 to 6-year-olds, provide an opportunity to see, hear, take part and explore the world of the symphony orchestra. Visit www.cso.co.nz for details.

13–14 August

● Go Green Expo. New Zealand’s largest organic, natural, sustainable and greenliving expo. Taste, learn, try and buy from

GET INTO KIDS’ FEST IN THE JULY SCHOOL HOLIDAYS! selected, genuine eco-brands. From 10am– 5pm, Wigram Airforce Museum. Adults $5, under 16 free. Visit www.gogreenexpo.co.nz.

23 July

Whether it’s for fun with the family,swimming lessons or relaxation, come in and make the most of our heated pools and enjoy the warm indoor environment.

27 August

● KidsFest Pool Party. Pool games and swim fun on inflatables. DJ playing 1–3pm. Brave the Jelly Park outdoor dive well with its ice breaker bomb competition. Visit kidsfest.co.nz for details.

● Winter Wonderland Cheerleading Championship. New Zealand’s newest competitive cheerleading experience. From 9am–10pm, Aurora Centre, Corner Greers Road and Memorial Avenue, Burnside. Visit www.allstarcheerleaders.co.nz.

23–24 August

28 August

● Royal New Zealand Ballet’s Giselle. This classical ballet is a perfect fusion of human characters, a romantic story, elegant costumes, beautiful choreography and exquisite pointe work.

Something for the whole family

At 7:30pm, Isaac Theatre Royal. Visit isaactheatreroyal.co.nz.

● JD Duathlon. A variety of race options for all levels of athletes, from children and first timers to elite athletes. From 9–11am, Rhodes Domain, Tai Tapu. Entry fees from $20 (child) to $49. Visit www.jdevents.co.nz.

Learning to craft your own fashion Term and holiday sewing classes for kids/teens and adults Learn to design and make your own clothing pattern Textile painting and sewing holiday workshops for kids

∙ Pre School, After School and Adult swimming lessons ∙ Aquafit Classes for all ages and abilities ∙ 25m Lane Pool for training ∙ Leisure Pool with Lazy River and Toddlers Pool for fun with the kids

For class times please go to the Artisan sewing Facebook page Call 027 456 2177 Mail artisansewing@gmail.com Web artisansewing.co.nz Artisan sewing

∙ Hydrotherapy Pool and Spa Pool for relaxing and recovering ∙ Retail store for swimwear and accessories Come and try the Inflatables and Paddle Boats on Saturday and Sunday from 2pm – 4pm.

Selwyn Aquatic Centre 71 Broadlands Drive, Rolleston 7643 Contact (03) 347 2734 www.selwyn.govt.nz/sac

www.familytimes.co.nz 21

COOL ACTIVITIES

Holiday PROGRAMMES

Looking for something fun, educational or adventurous for your kids during these school holidays? Check out some of the great programmes available in the following listings: ● Christchurch Football Academy The academy runs a football school, tournaments and holiday programmes for all primary and intermediate school age-groups of all levels on a worldclass facility. Visit www.cfa.org.nz for information and enrolments. ● Kowhai Residential School of Riding Kowhai runs horse riding courses most weekends and all school holidays throughout the year: fully supervised, fun and educational. Visit www.kowhai.co.nz, phone 03-312-4309. ● Busy Bumbles Busy Bumbles is an award winning OSCAR programme, which offers a stimulating, quality programme for children. See www. busybumbles.co.nz for more information. ● Kaiapoi Aquatic Centre Bumper boats every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, 1-3pm during the school holidays. Cost is $5 plus pool admission. Kaiapoi Aquatic Centre, 9 Cass Street, Kaiapoi. Phone 03-375-5041. ● Mainland Football Have a ball - join one of Mainland

Football’s action-packed holiday programmes for both outdoor and indoor fun these holidays. Visit www.mainlandfootball.co.nz. ● M*A*S*H Various programmes around Christchurch, Timaru/Temuka and North Canterbury. WINZ subsidy available. “The best fun your kids can have.” Phone 0800-420520, admin@mashkids.co.nz, www. mashkids.co.nz. ● Sport Canterbury Sport Canterbury Active Kids’ holiday programmes promote fun, participation and sporting experiences for 5 to 13-yearolds. Visit www.sportcanterbury.org.nz. ● SHARP Trust SHARP Trust provides quality, low cost, fun, Christian programmes for children aged 5 to 14-years. Enrol now at www.sharp.org.nz or phone 03-338-0673. ● HeavenLea Touch Craft Studio HeavenLea provides fun, interactive, quality art and craft workshops for all ages.

Take the stress out of childcare • We provide a safe, creative • Environment for 5-13 year olds • Our staff are trained • A range of fun activities • 7.15-8.30am and 3-6pm Mon-Fri • 8am-6pm Holidays • Kids jsut LOVE it! Creative After School Programmed Activities

CALL US

NOW!

p: 03 349 9260 or 027 352 1638 e: info@caspa.org.nz w: www.caspa.org.nz

Subsidies Apply

for the love of learning

We currently have spaces available for children aged 2.3 years up to 6 years. We welcome you to make an appointment to come along and see our beautiful garden setting and learning environment. 99a Somerfield Street, Somerfield, Christchurch Phone: 332 1444 Email: info@courtyardpreschool.org.nz www.courtyardpreschool.org.nz

22 www.familytimes.co.nz

Children’s school holiday programme: Creative workshops (salt dough, mosaic boards, string art, soaps). From 19-22 July, 10am - 12pm. Bookings essential. Email heavenleatouchcrafts@xtra.co.nz or visit: www.heavenlea-touch.weebly.com. ● Little Arpeggios Little Arpeggios Musicplay is offering free music classes over the school holidays for under fives. Unique interactive fun learning! Email hello@littlemusicplay. com, phone 021-767-967, visit www.littlearpeggios.co.nz. ● CASPA CASPA offers a before, after-school and holiday programme experience that your five to 13-year-olds will enjoy. Our programmes are designed to be fun and educational. For peace of mind, call CASPA on 03-349-9260. ● SwimKings Learn to swim with the experts at SwimKings: book now for school holiday programmes and enjoy small class sizes. Phone 03-341-7579 or visit www.swimkings.co.nz.

For more event and entertainment ideas, go to www.familytimes.co.nz

● Kidsbase Kidsbase after school and holiday programmes are great fun for ages 5 to 13-years. Visit www.kidsbase.co.nz for a programme near you or text 027-239-7690.

Busy Bumbles Busy Bumbles is an award-winning Oscar programme that prides itself in offering a stimulating, quality programme for children aged 4 to 15-years in the Selwyn area. Great feedback from parents includes -“Just to let you know that we were going to take time off for the holidays, but Alex requested that he come to Busy Bumbles instead. Goes to show how good your staff are!” Check out our website www.busybumbles.co.nz for more information.

COOL ACTIVITIES

ENTERTAINMENT It’s time to don the winter woollies, rug up and head out to explore a plethora of exciting events and entertainment destinations around the city. Here are a few ideas to get you started, and we’ve got heaps more at www.familytimes.co.nz. ● Laser Strike Come play an indoor, family-friendly, exciting game of laser tag. We also do birthdays and large groups. Phone 03366-7595. ● Orana Wildlife Park Experience up-close animal encounters at Orana Wildlife Park. See New Zealand’s only gorillas, hand feed giraffe, view kiwi, lions and much more. Visit www.oranawildlifepark.co.nz. ● Canterbury Museum Hands on fun at Discovery for children! See, touch and learn about our natural world. Just $2 for over threes. Visit www.canterburymuseum.com. ● Little Monkeys @ YMCA AdventureCentre A fun and interactive weekly climbing session designed for preschoolers to help develop co-ordination, confidence and balance. Cost $5 per session, 12pm Thursday (term time only). ● Willowbank Wildlife Reserve Visit Willowbank’s Big 5; the tuatara, the kiwi, the cheeky kea, the mighty takahe and the very rare kaka. Visit www.willowbank.co.nz. ● Weka Pass Railway Enjoy a fun day out or picnic at Weka Pass Railway. All weather entertainment. Visit www.wekapassrailway.co.nz for details. ● Arion Farm Eduction Park Nothing beats a fine, frosty, sunny day with the animals at Arion Farm Park. Visit www.arionfarmpark.co.nz for details.

Holiday specials

Here are some great holiday ideas designed to keep you and your little ones entertained during the school break. ● Southern Ballet Theatre presents... Hansel and Gretel, and the magical ballet set in a toy shop, La Boutique Fantasque. Tuesday 12 – Saturday 16 July, 11am and 2pm daily. Tickets $12.50.

Bookings: Southern Ballet Theatre office, phone 03-379-7219, email southernballet@xtra.co.nz. ● Southern Ballet Theatre presents Petrushka Southern Ballet’s senior ballet company takes you on a journey into the secret lives of three puppets! Wednesday 20 and Thursday 21 July, 2pm and 4pm. Friday 22 and Saturday 23 July 2pm, 4pm and 6pm. Tickets $12.50. Bookings: Southern Ballet Theatre office, phone 03-379-7219, email southernballet@xtra.co.nz. ● Orana Wildlife Park These July holidays (9-24 July), our promotion is that kids enter for free! Up to two children (5 to 14-years) can enter Orana free with each paying adult. Please present our ad to gain the discount. ● Canterbury Museum Free school holiday fun with Mystery Night at the Museum and Radio for Kids! Visit www.canterburymuseum.com for dates and information. ● Willowbank Wildlife Reserve During the July school holidays, Willowbank has its famous July Bonanza Sale with loads of special deals. Visit www. willowbank.co.nz. ● Black Cat Cruises Kids cruise for free with Black Cat Cruises Akaroa Harbour Nature Cruise these holidays: one child per one full-paying adult. Phone 0800-436-574 or visit www. blackcat.co.nz for more information. ● Imagine Theatre Pinocchio! Imagine Youth Theatre’s Kidfest show: 11am and 1pm, 12-23 July at Elmwood Auditorium - every day except Sunday. Bookings www.dashtickets.co.nz. ● Court Theatre presents The Little Mermaid Venture under the sea and discover how

BE A FARMER FOR A DAY AT ARION FARM PARK. much one brave mermaid will risk for the life and love she wants. From 13-23 July, tickets: bit.ly/CourtLittleMermaid. ● Northlands Shopping Centre Explore the Ice Age and hang out with Sid at Northlands! Friday 8 - Tuesday 12 July. Find out more at northlands.co.nz.

● Avonhead Shopping Centre Learn to paint in one hour at Avonhead these holidays! Sessions run from 11 – 15 July, 11am – 2pm daily. Bookings essential. See Facebook/website for full details.

● Original scripts The Battle of the Pillow Dragon is a funfilled journey into the magical world of Pillowtopia! Visit www.kidsfest.co.nz. Book now! ● Mister Maker Mister Maker is bringing his brilliant, fun and interactive live show to Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington during the July school holidays. Tickets selling fast! Visit www.livenation.com.au. ● Cushion Theatre Snow White has some new friends these school holidays! Come see Cushion Theatre at the Malthouse and meet them too. Saturdays and Sundays, 11am and 1pm, 9 – 24 July. Visit www.malthouse. co.nz or www.kidsfest.co.nz.

Little Monkeys

Interactive Climbing Sessions Thursday 12pm-1pm (term time only) $6 per child No bookings required www.ymcachch.org.nz

239 Waltham Road Phone 03 377 3000 www.familytimes.co.nz 23

COOL ACTIVITIES

GOING PLACES You might be surprised by all the free (or low-cost,) family fun there is to be had in and around Christchurch. From walks and parks to museums and galleries, there’s plenty to do in the Garden City. We’re featuring a few ideas each issue to get you going places in Christchurch.

Recreation

It’s true – winter weather isn’t all that reliable when it comes to planning a family walk. But when Christchurch does turn on a sunny winter day, it’s spectacular! Why not make the most of it? Get the kids outside to burn all their energy on these Christchurch tracks: ● Pegasus Track Kids always love the beach, even in winter. This walk explores the dune landscape of North Shore with stunning views along the way. There are no roads to cross and an extra bonus is the excellent children’s playground at Broad Park. Start: The car park in Larnarch Street, North Shore. Finish: Broad Park, Waimairi Beach. Distance: 2km. Time: 30 minutes each way. Toilets: Located at Broad Park car park. Dogs: Can be exercised off the leash on the track and on the beach but must be under effective control.

Heritage walks

● Christchurch before 1850 - inner-city and coastal heritage trails Why not mix a little culture with excercise? Christchurch has two heritage walks that mark life in the area prior to 1850: the Inner-City Heritage Trail, and the Coastal Heritage Trail. Both trails still hold traces of the first Maori peoples on the landscape of Christchurch about 700 years ago. On each trail you will find information panels and plaques that provide stories about historically significant sites. • For the Inner-City Heritage Trail, allow about 30 minutes to walk from the inner-city to the last site at Barbadoes Street. • For the Coastal Heritage Trail, allow about 30 minutes to walk from Moncks Cave (in Redcliffs) to Cave Rock, in Sumner. For more information on these two trails, visit www.ccc.govt to download brochures.

SCHOOL TERM DATES 2016 - 2017 primary and intermediate school term dates

2016 - 2017 secondary and composite school term dates

Term 4, 2016 Monday 10 October to no later than Tuesday 20 December

Term 4, 2016 Monday 10 October to no later than Friday 16 December

Term 1, 2017 Between Monday 30 January and Tuesday 7 February to Thursday 13 April

Term 2, 2017 Monday 1 May to Friday 7 July

Term 3, 2016 Monday 25 July to Friday 23 September

Remaining public holidays 2016 24 October Labour Day 25 December Christmas Day 26 December Boxing Day

24 www.familytimes.co.nz

EXPLORE CANTERBURY MUSEUM AT NIGHT IN JULY!

Canterbury Museum Follow the clues and solve the “whodunit” at Mystery Night at the Museum! It’s your chance to dress up and prowl around Canterbury Museum after hours. Come in costume as a sleuth or detective – or even something mysterious. You could win a spot prize! You can even post a photo of yourself in costume on our Facebook page and be in to win a prize for your creative effort. Be sure to bring a torch and children under 14 need to bring a caregiver. There will be story time in the visitor lounge for the littlies and the museum cafe and store will be open. Mystery Night at the Museum is on 12, 14, 19 and 21 July, 5.30 to 8pm. ● Travis Wetland Walk Travis Wetland is the last large freshwater wetland in Christchurch. Start: The car park at Beach Road, Burwood. Finish: Same as the starting point. Distance: 4km. Time: 1 hour. Toilets: Located near the information kiosk. Description: From the main car park at Beach Road, turn right past the information kiosk. A good, gravelled path winds along the edge of the wetland and reaches an alternative entrance off Mairehau Road. The next section of the track is named

Have you ever wondered how a radio show is put together? Children can learn all about it at Radio for Kids, which is part of our exhibition Alternative Radio: RDU98.5FM since 1976. Children aged from 5 to 12-years can get involved with pre-recording radio voice breaks, hearing stories from the shows and learning how radio works. Numbers are limited and bookings are essential. Children aged 5 to 8-years: 12, 16, and 21 July. Children aged 9 to 12 years: 9, 14, 19 and 23 July. From 10 am to 12 pm. Visit www.canterburymuseum.com or phone 03-366-9429 x817 to book a place. These are free events; donations appreciated.

Anne Flanagan Walkway after a local personality who campaigned to preserve the wetland. This track offers sweeping views of the wetland and reaches a carpark beside Mairehau Road. From here the circuit track continues on an easy boardwalk and turns south to wind through groves of trees to reach the observation tower. The track continues into Clarevale Reserve with its large children’s playground then closely follows the pretty Angelas Stream. A gravel path comes to a junction with the bird hide track which is two minutes walk to a lookout over the ponds. The main perimeter shortly arrives back at the starting point.

COOL ACTIVITIES

Museums/public libraries/ galleries

● Akaroa Museum If you’re heading over to the peninsula for a day or two, the kids will love a stop at Akaroa Museum. Akaroa Museum reflects the varied and colourful history of Akaroa, Banks Peninsula and New Zealand. Established in 1964, the museum has recently marked its 50th anniversary. The museum includes three historic buildings, two of which (the LangloisEteveneaux House (c.1843) and the Court House (1879) ) are incorporated into the museum complex. The third historic building is the Customs House (1852) situated within walking distance of the museum. Location • 71 Rue Lavaud, Akaroa Opening hours • Winter (From Easter Weekend) 10.30am - 4.pm Admission is free

Picnic spots, reserves, play areas

Winter is the perfect time to rug-up and get the kids out to burn some energy. Check out some of these cool playgrounds: ● Botanic Gardens playground This great kids’ play area is located in the middle of Hagley Park. It’s well-known as a summer play area with paddling and wading pools, but it’s also great in winter

with plenty of space to run around, climbing equipment, slides, and a see-saw. ● Fendalton Park playground Fendalton Park is a sports park with balance beam, multi play structure, goal posts and swings. Located on Fendalton Road.

Swimming pools

It’s true: we’ve lost a few pools in Christchurch since the earthquakes. But we’ve still got some great facilities to enjoy. Here are a few indoor pools that allow great water fun even when the weather’s packed in: ● Jellie Park Jellie Park is one of Christchurch’s biggest and best sporting and recreation facilities. Indoor facilities include an eight-lane, 25m recreation pool, an eight-lane, 25m sport pool, a teaching pool, toddler pool and spa. Outdoor pool in summer. Phone 03941-6888 for bookings or enquiries. ● Pioneer Indoor pools include a five-lane, 25m pool, a four lane, 16m teaching pool, a 20m x 20m wave pool, lazy river, bubble pit and fountains, spa, sauna and steam room. At 75 Lyttelton Street, Spreydon, phone 03941-6888 for bookings or enquiries. ● Graham Condon Indoor facilities include eight-lane, 25m pool, toddler pool with fountains, spa, and 4m teaching pool. At 3 Sisson Drive, Papanui. Phone 03-941-6888 for bookings or enquiries.

Springfree Trampoline launches global innovation to get kids active Local Christchurch-based company Springfree Trampoline is launching the world’s first outdoor interactive gaming system to get kids outside and active – Springfree featuring tgoma. The tgoma system uses mat sensors to detect trampoline jump location, jump height, and even calorie-burn rate, and converts it using a patented algorithm to enable the jumper to play games using their whole body as a controller. “This is about shifting kids’ behaviour from indoor sedentary time to outdoor active play,” said tgoma product manager Jonathan Collins. “If we can leverage technology to shift screen time from being a sedentary activity to being an active experience, there are significant wellness benefits.” Unlike other exergames that are used indoors, Springfree featuring tgoma takes the power of digital gaming outside where it can be a fully active, whole-body, fresh-air experience. Health benefits from cardiovascular fitness to musculoskeletal strengthening are then delivered in a compelling way that merges exercise with play. The best way to describe tgoma is to think of the trampoline as your Xbox controller. You’re controlling what’s happening with your body, with your jumps. The free tgoma app from App store or Google Play features seven games that include educational and fitness options as well as simple playtime such as Fruitants, where players blast mutant melons and strawberries.

As well as games for kids, tgoma includes a trampoline fitness app created by New Zealand National Trampoline team coach Angie Dougall, Collins said. “Our research showed that while parents were aware of the benefits of trampolining, there was little available to motivate them to utilise the backyard trampoline as a serious piece of exercise equipment. Angie’s tgomaFit app effectively brings a world-class trainer conveniently to backyards and gives parents a legitimate reason to also get active.” Springfree’s tgoma system is already popular in the USA and Canada. It was also recently recognised at the Australian Good Design Awards, taking home awards in product design and digital design.

Games for the entire family Track your high score Compete with global players

See how it works, visit us online at springfree.co.nz/tgoma

TAKE GAMING OUTSIDE &

MAKE IT ACTIVE www.familytimes.co.nz 25

WINTER WONDERLAND

Explore a South

Island snow-scape this Winter

The great thing about living in New Zealand’s South Island is that we’ve got a winter wonderland on our doorstep. o if you want to make the most of snow season and plan a family trip, you’ve got options – starting from a budget day-trip right through to a destination holiday experience. Whichever you choose, we’ve got some handy pointers on how to make your winter snow trip a success.

Road safety Before you head anywhere, check the safety of your vehicle (water, oil, wiperblades and tyres), the state of the roads you are planning to travel and the weather forecast. New Zealand roads can be treacherous in winter – black ice, snow storms and blizzards. Ensure that you have chains for your tyres if you are travelling through the Lindis Pass or Arthur’s Pass, or any other roads they are recommended for – including ski fields. Remember to always drive to the conditions and to turn on your lights if the weather is dim or rainy. Increase your following distance and watch out for sun-

strike since the sun is lower in the sky during winter. Most importantly, make sure that you’ve got everything you need for the family in case of breakdown – blankets, food and drink, communication methods etc. Always leave details of your travel plans/routes with relatives or friends. Visit www.nzta.govt.nz or www.aa.co.nz for road closure information. Gear up There’s nothing worse than being shivering cold because you don’t have the right snow gear. And doubly worse is when kids are cold and miserable – and make your snow holiday miserable too. Dress your children (and yourself) appropriately for the day. Jeans and gumboots – even for a day tobogganing – won’t cut it. Layers, and lots of them, are the key here. Start with thermals, add layers and finish with a waterproof one. It’s much easier to take layers off than it is to deal with a cold, unhappy child.

ROUNDHILL IS THE PERFECT PLACE TO LEARN TO SKI.

783 METRES OF VERTICAL

www.roundhill.co.nz Only valid for one redemption, coupon to be retained by Roundhill. Offer valid for the 2015 season excluding 9th July – 21st July

26 www.familytimes.co.nz

SLOW DOWN, RELAX ENJOY...

WINTER WONDERLAND

You’ll need to make sure that you’ve got the right equipment too, if you’re looking at skiing or snowboarding. Check out hire prices in town as well as up the mountain if you don’t have your own gear, and make sure that you reserve it for the days that you’ll be hitting the powder. Otherwise, beg or borrow gear from relatives and friends in your circle – kindy, school, family or work. You’re bound to score a few bits and pieces this way. Just try it out and make sure it fits before you pack the car and head away. Consider lessons Lessons are a great idea for kids (and parents!) who are new to the ski field. Even if it’s just half a day, it can mean the difference between a happy and enjoyable holiday, and a miserable, frustrating holiday. Get the basics down and spend the rest of your holiday skiing or snowboarding like a boss. Stuff to take Taking too much gear – even for a day-trip – is a bad idea. But here are a few things you should consider: • Thermos. Even if you are planning to stop at a cafe or stay at a hotel, it’s a great idea to take a thermos for hot drinks or soup in the car with you. That way if you break down somewhere or just stop to take in the view, you’ve got something to keep you warm. • Hand warmers. You can buy synthetic

TEKAPO SPRINGS

CAPTION XXXXXXXXXXX PORTERS HAS GENTLE SLOPES FOR CHILDREN TO LEARN ON.

•

hand warmers that temporarily generate heat to warm up cold digits. They’re brilliant. Snacks. Kids need lots of energy to move about in the snow. Make sure you’ve got snacks on hand to keep them pumped.

Site-seeing New Zealand’s landscape is completely different winter to summer, and there are plenty of wonderful places to stop and see on your cold-weather trip.

THE BEALEY

The Bealey provides family-friendly accommodation just 20-minutes from four skifields, with large cabins sleeping up to 5. There’s no charge for under 5s. An onsite restaurant offers healthy and delicious meals with a “kid approved” children’s menu and there’s also a bar attached for Mum and Dad. Alternatively, large cabins come with kitchenettes – and great views!

Take time to play this winter. New Zealand

Tekapo Springs is the place to be these school holidays! Get your adrenalin pumping at the snow tube park and get your groove on with Friday and Saturday night ice disco. Warm yourself in the pools then relax by the open fireplace and enjoy a meal and drink from the Café & Thar Bar.

ROUNDHILL

Roundhill is a fantastic family ski field with breathtaking views of Aoraki Mt Cook, the Southern Alps and Lake Tekapo. There’s a beginners’ area featuring a platter lift and two beginners’ rope tows for learners and littlies – the perfect fun and gentle way for them to find their feet in the snow! Visit www.roundhill.co.nz.

Lake Tekapo / Mount Cook / Twizel / Fairlie Discover your very own winter wonderland just a short distance from home Sit back and relax with your family in the hot pools

Hit the slopes, on one of three ski fields Have a go at ice-skating, fun for the whole family

www.mackenziewinter.co.nz

www.familytimes.co.nz 27

WINTER WONDERLAND •

•

Consider stopping at thermal pools – there are several around the South Island, and there’s nothing better on a cold, snowy day. Research the best hot chocolate or coffee in the area you are staying in (there’s an app for that!) and make a visit. Don’t forget to rate it! Stop at the lookouts. Sometimes we kiwis take New Zealand’s beauty for granted, so make sure your kids get a good chance to see just how stunning it really is! Check out child-friendly and fun activities in your holiday zone. It’s a good idea to break up snow days with some indoor family fun too – movies, shopping, activity zones etc.

Wherever you are going this winter – whether it’s building snowmen, racing home-made toboggans or swishing down the slopes in style - stay safe, warm and dry in our Kiwi wonderland.

PORTERS SKI AREA

Porters ski area’s family facilities make it the best place in Canterbury to learn to ski, and it’s just 89km away. With gear hire onsite, a free mountain road shuttle and a new quad chairlift, the whole family will be smiling. Try our hot chocolate at our modern and warm cafe!

GET INTO THE DOWNHILL SNOW ACTION AT TEKAPO SPRINGS.

TEKAPO SPRINGS’ NEWEST ADDITION: THE KIDS’ AQUA PLAY AND DEEP POOL.

A new Hellers CoCktAil sAusAge rAnge for tHe wHole fAmily.

Hellers new Gluten free Cocktail Sausages are perfect for any fun occasion, as a treat or even as a handy and simple meal idea for kids that they’ll be sure

der

Kids 10 & un

SKI FREE* Families SAVE

Memories that last a lifetime skiporters.co.nz

to love. They come in 3 great varieties - Skinless, Cheese and Original. These tasty original kiwi classics recapture the fun of yesteryear, and with the great new flavours there’s a Cocktail Sausage to suit everyone. They’re also gluten free and with Hellers renowned quality, they will as sure as Hellers be a huge hit with the whole family. Available in all good stores now!

* Family discounts apply to related immediate family members only, (includes grandparents). Applies to groups of 1 adult and 1 child or larger. Private lessons excluded.

28 www.familytimes.co.nz

TZO/PTRS/FAMTIMES

ski area The closest rch! to Christchu

DIGITAL DEVICES

changing kids’ communication

The Information Age has revolutionised the way that people communicate. or adults, it’s mostly about digital shortcuts – a quick SMS or Facebook message is usually about saving time. But with today’s kids as digital natives, experts warn that an overuse of technology affects the brain and can rewrite neural pathways in a different way to how they would normally develop. Of more concern is that experts say they’re finding that people communicate more often with family and friends because of technology, but the quality of that communication may be weaker. Kids who spend more time engaging with a screen than with other kids or adults can struggle to understand emotion, create strong relationships or become more dependent on others.

IS DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY THE ENEMY? University of Canterbury associate professor and head of media and communication department Dr Linda-Jean Kenix says not necessarily. “The thing with all of this research looking at kids and digital technology is that we just don’t know and we won’t know for decades,” she told Family Times. “At a minimum they’re simply more comfortable communicating on screen but it’s not such a simple shift.”

COMMUNICATION HAS CHANGED FOR EVERYONE

Communication has changed for adults as well as kids. The number of interactions that we have as a human race is going down. Robert Putnam wrote a book called Bowling Alone in 2000, bemoaning the collapse of American society due in great part to television. Kenix says that’s phenomenally escalated with the advent of digital devices, screens and social media.

THE UBIQUITY OF MEDIA “If you ask an average kid how many friends they have, that number has declined over time.”

“We have far less friends than we used to have. Kids do. If you ask an average kid how many friends they have that number has declined over time. But the thing is, how to measure the depth of those friendships; quantity or quality? Saying you have 20 friends, is that a good thing when they’re all a centimetre thick?”

The trouble is, media is so prevalent. Kenix described it as a fish in water: it doesn’t know it’s in water because it’s all around them. “For humans, with media in many ways – certainly in Western developed societies – we’ve reached that level of saturation.” Adults who have grown up before the digital age use and engage with technology in a different way to today’s fledgling digital natives. Adults are more aware that they’re dealing with a screen, she said, and see it as an interaction between two humans. But for children growing up connected to devices, that artifice dissolves in a way that Kenix said was fascinating, intriguing and concerning all at the same time.

NEURAL PATHWAYS

Research shows that the constant use of digital communication is changing neural pathways in kids. It affects concentration, self-esteem, and in many cases, personal relationships. In some cases kids have been seen to lose empathy or not develop the sympathetic and empathetic skills that they need. On the other hand, some kids who are more introverted communicate more readily digitally than they would in person. So although the research is compelling, Kenix said that our brains are constantly evolving and the positives and negatives would take some time to tell. LOVE TECH? SEARCH MORE ARTICLES ONLINE AT WWW.FAMILYTIMES.CO.NZ, INCLUDING HOW TO STALK YOUR KIDS AND APPS FOR KIDS.

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FOOD

Slow cooker tips FOR DELICIOUS WINTER DINNERS

BY MICHELLE KITNEY, WWW.MUNCHNZ.CO.NZ.

Slow cookers really are the family’s best winter friend.

t’s a great kitchen gadget for preparing a nutritious family meal with very little effort. You can get dinner prepped and cooking in the morning and avoid juggling cooking during the witching hour! Plus, slow cooking food allows the flavours to develop more intensity and you can make the most of budget cuts of meat. Another bonus is that a slow cooker can cut down on the washing up! It can take a while to get used to cooking with a slow cooker because there are some subtle differences to stove based cooking. Save yourself the trouble and check out these great tips from Munch on using a slow cooker: • Plan dishes that utilise cheaper cuts of meat and bulk up with legumes or vegetables to make it go further. • Try not to take the lid off too often; it

•

• •

will let the heat escape and slow the cooking process down. You don’t need to add oil to a slow cooker; the contents won’t catch as long as there’s enough moisture in there. You don’t need a lot of fat on your meat either. Liquid doesn’t really evaporate from a slow cooker. If you’re adapting a standard recipe, it’s best to reduce the liquid by roughly a third. The liquid should just cover the meat/vegetables. Don’t overfill your slow cooker. It should be about half to two thirds full. Save time by preparing everything you need for your slow-cooked meal the night before, put it into the slow-cooker dish, cover and store in the fridge overnight. Then put it on to cook before you rush out the door in the morning.

Harraways – a tasty and healthy breakfast

Eating less can be difficult. In fact, overeating is a big issue in New Zealand and is a primary reason for our high obesity rates. Consequently, many people go through each day with the challenge of having to eat less. Unfortunately, most people fail at this seemingly simple task because it’s actually quite complex. Various psychological and physiological mechanisms are at play and in the world in which we live, most of them prompt us to eat more - not less. A major influence over how much we eat, however, is our satiety or fullness factor. By choosing different types of foods and changing the way we eat them, we can manipulate our satiety level to help us eat less. Chewing promotes satiety and reduces energy intake When we chew, we programme ourselves - both psychologically and

30 www.familytimes.co.nz

physiologically - to eat less. It seems that the more we use our mouth in the process of breaking down food, the fuller we feel after a meal, less hungry we feel later on and fewer calories we consume overall. This should come as no surprise as energy-dense, highly processed food and drink is often easily swallowed and as a consequence, we go back for more – again and again. Over time, this may lead us to become overweight. Steel cut oats help us to feel full Making better food choices is essential. Steel cut oats are a slightly courser product than rolled oats and require us to chew more to break down the food. If consumed regularly over other highly processed cereals, this perfect alternative will help us to feel fuller for longer and improve our control over how much we eat later in the day - a great addition to any diet!

• Use your “low” setting as much as you can. It’s safer and flavours develop better over the longer period of time. • Root vegetables can take longer than meat and other vegetables so put these near the heat source, at the bottom of the pot.

MUNCH IS AN ECO-FRIENDLY NEW ZEALAND COMPANY THAT MAKES AND MARKETS KITCHEN PRODUCTS AND OFFERS IDEAS AND RECIPES TO FEED THE FAMILY. IT IS “USEFUL, BEAUTIFUL AND GREEN.”

SLOW COOKER LEMON TARRAGON CHICKEN Prep time 5 minutes Cook time 6 hours Serves: 4 – 6 people 1.5kg whole chicken 2 lemons 2 cloves of garlic 2-3 tbsp olive oil 1 large bunch of tarragon An oven bag 1. Place the chicken into the oven bag in the slow cooker or on the roasting tray. 2. In a pestle and mortar place 2 cloves of garlic, the juice of half a lemon, olive oil, and half of the remaining tarragon and grind up. 3. Cut a few slits in the skin of the chicken then pour the olive oil mixture over the chicken rubbing it over and

under the skin, over the flesh and inside the cavity of the chicken. 4. Cut the remaining lemon in half and place into the cavity of the chicken along with the rest of the tarragon. 5. Cook in an oven bag in the slow cooker for six hours. 6. Note - this makes: 4 adult, 2 toddler and 4 baby portions.

Family-friendly

cafe and restaurant dining The dining scene is an ever changing, ever developing landscape, with so many new places popping up to replace those that have gone. We have compiled a list of some of our favourite, family-friendly places. MILIEU CAFE

Milieu Cafe is a warm and welcoming cafe located in the heart of Addington. Great for meeting people for a full meal, coffee and cake or even afterwork drinks and nibbles. We offer all kinds of kids’ drinks and meals; it’s a great place for kids and family meals on the weekend. 112 Wrights Road, Addington 03-962-9629 www.milieu.net.nz

SPECTATORS 7 DAY BAR & BISTRO

Located at Addington Raceway, Spectators is open all day, has ample free parking at the door, a “minor” menu and kids eat free on Sunday. It opens out onto the Lindauer Lawn – the perfect garden spot for kids to run and play while you enjoy the food, views and brews. 65 Jack Hinton Drive, Addington, Christchurch 03 339 7915 www.spectators.co.nz

ART METRO ART SCHOOL AND CAFE

Here at Art Metro we offer an oasis away from the everyday hustle and bustle. We believe anyone can learn the skills required to create fabulous pieces of artwork - no matter how much or little talent they have. Come and have a coffee and see for yourself. 465 Papanui Road Phone: 03 354 4438 www.artmetro.co.nz

LONE STAR PAPANUI

At the Lone Star Papanui restaurant, we can seat about 110 guests mainly in our upstairs area. But there is room on the ground floor for another 25 people plus a fully enclosed and heated outdoor area – ideal for that group outing. Simply call us and we’ll sort out the details for you and give you a wonderful night. 116 Northlands Mall, Papanui Phone: 03 352 6653 www.lonestar.co.nz

CARLTON BAR & EATERY

Dine at Carlton Bar & Eatery, say you saw this ad in Family times, and kids get a free dessert and kids’ drink after ordering a kids’ meal. Kids must have a minimum two adults dine with them. (T&Cs apply). 1 Papanui Road, Merivale Phone 03-355-9543 www.carltonbar.co.nz

FREE KIDS MEAL

Dine with us at the Papanui Lone Star mention this Family Times ad and 1 child on your table will receive a FREE Kiwi Kids meal incl dessert & drink (conditions apply)

Kids Group DEal

Celebrate that special birthday or sports team breakup with us. We’ll feed the wee ones for $1 per year of age. eg 10 x 9 year old kids = only $90

MEXICO CELEBRATES THE VIBRANT, FRESH AND LIGHTER SIDE OF MEXICAN CUISINE, WITH A RANGE OF AUTHENTIC AND FUSION MEXICAN DISHES. THE MENU IS SEASONAL, BUT CUSTOMER FAVOURITES ARE MENU STAPLES, SO YOU’LL NEVER HAVE TO MISS OUT ON MEXICO’S FAMOUS FRIED CHICKEN. EVERY SUNDAY KIDS CAN EAT FREE FROM THE KIDS’ MENU WHEN THEIR PARENTS DINE. 203 MANCHESTER STREET, CHRISTCHURCH 03 374 5422 WWW.MEXICO.NET.NZ

WILLOWBANK RESTAURANT

Willowbank provides a unique restaurant dining experience, with wonderful ambience and the unique surroundings of the reserve. You and your family can enjoy sitting in front of the fire in winter while watching deer grazing outside the windows. Our chefs focus on bringing you the very best of New Zealand cuisine. 60 Hussey Road, Harewood Phone: 03 359 6226 www.willowbank.co.nz/restaurant

116 Northlands Mall , Papanui | ph 03 352 6653 www.lonestar.co.nz

CAESARS FAMILY RESTAURANT & BAR

Caesars is a spacious restaurant and bar with fresh, home-style Kiwi food and a section for Mediterranean cuisine. The restaurant offers quality food and beverages for all ages and budgets, including a children’s menu and play area. It’s ideal for birthdays and functions. Promotions throughout the week and Kids Dine Free Mondays (conditions apply). Northwood Supa Centa Phone: 03-323-5420 www.caesars.co.nz www.familytimes.co.nz 31

FEATURE STORY

How to compost

with your kids omposting is heaps of fun and an easy, inexpensive way to support sustainability. Kids can be involved at every step and will love watching Mother Nature’s “magic trick” at work in their own backyard. The whole family will enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that together you are doing your bit for the environment.

What is compost?

Composting is nature’s way of recycling. It’s the process of taking your everyday household waste and waiting for it to break down into a rich, organic soil over time. This happens naturally to all organic materials, but backyard composting accelerates the process.

Why compost? My waste will be composted in landfill anyway

There are real problems with putting green waste into landfill. When sent to landfill, air cannot get to the waste. So as it breaks down it produces harmful methane gas that damages the Earth’s atmosphere, contributing to global warming. If the same waste is composted above ground at home, oxygen helps it to decompose aerobically, producing much

32 www.familytimes.co.nz

What better way to enjoy spending quality time with your kids outdoors than getting hands-on with a mucky, grubby, wormy, pile of compost?

less methane or none at all – and a happier planet.

Sold! What do I need?

All you need to compost is a space to do it, plus food and garden scraps. You’ll also need a compost turning tool – a garden fork does the trick. Compost bins are readily available at garden and hardware stores for about $50 - $100. A bin isn’t necessary though: you can build a basic frame from wood or wire. Or simply start a compost “heap” – just pile it up right there on the ground.

The key ingredients

Four things are essential to the success of your compost: air, heat, moisture and a good mix of ingredients. Start your compost pile on bare earth with a layer of straw a few centimetres deep. Then alternate between layers of moist “green” materials and dry “brown” materials. Green material is rich in nitrogen and includes food scraps, tea bags, coffee grounds and grass clippings. Brown material provides carbon and includes dry leaves, twigs, newspaper, cardboard and saw dust. For best results your compost will consist of about 75 per cent brown

material to 25% green material. Once your pile is established, regularly aerate it with a garden fork. Keep your compost in a warm place and cover it with black plastic to trap the heat and keep excess rain water out. Ideally compost should be moist but not sodden. A pile that’s too dry will take longer to break down and a pile that’s too wet will create a foul odour.

The finished product

If you start your compost now, monitor it

carefully and keep the balance right, you could easily have a valuable nutrient-rich soil ready in time for the spring veggie garden! Flower beds, potted plants, trees and even your lawn can also benefit from a sprinkling of compost. The kids will get a kick out of seeing the process through and helping to distribute your long-awaited bounty around the garden. AT FAMILY TIMES, WE WANT A BETTER WORLD FOR OUR CHILDREN’S FUTURE. SEARCH “SUSTAINABILITY” AT WWW.FAMILYTIMES.CO.NZ.

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Weathering the winter IN CHRISTCHURCH t’s easy to feel trapped indoors by winter. Cold weather and short days makes planning outdoor family activities more of a challenge than it was during the summer months. But have no fear—there are many places to go and things to do this winter in and around Christchurch. In this article, Christchurch-based DOC ranger Cheryl Close suggests a few ideas to help keep your family active, happy, healthy and outside this season.

In the city Take it easy for your family’s first outdoor day of the winter season and visit Riccarton Bush in Christchurch. Just a short drive or bike ride from the city centre, Riccarton Bush features the only remaining old-growth forest in the area with kahikatea trees more than 600 years old! This predator-free environment is rich in bird-life and you’ll hear some wonderful choruses as you explore the forest. To get your kids excited about their day out, introduce them to Toyota Kiwi Guardians where they can earn badges for exploring nature and engaging in conservation activities. Riccarton Bush is just one of four Kiwi Guardian sites in Christchurch, so make sure to check out the other three as well by visiting www. doc.govt.nz/kiwiguardians. An hour’s drive away Just an hour north-west of Christchurch, Mount Thomas Forest is the city’s closest and most accessible beech forest. The

picnic and camping area at Wooded Gulley is a lovely, open spot to get away from the city – plenty of room to kick a ball around or climb a tree. From here, the family-friendly tracks range from a 1-hour loop track to a 2 to 3-hour hike to the top of the Mt Thomas to stunning views on those classic still winter days that Canterbury can sometimes turn on. An added bonus of visiting Mount Thomas over winter is escaping the summer-time wasps. For young families, I’d recommend Kereru Track – so named because you are almost guaranteed to spot one. Make a weekend of it Looking for something a little more challenging? A trip to Woolshed Creek Hut in Mid Canterbury offers families an accessible overnight winter excursion from the Christchurch area. This modern 26-bunk, serviced hut is situated in beautiful tussock landscape on the Mount Somers Track, and is a 3-4 hr (5km) walk from the Woolshed Creek car park. As you make your way to the hut, you will have fantastic views of upper Ashburton Gorge and pass alongside the old Blackburn Mine. An area rich in history and native flora, we think you should definitely put Woolshed Creek on your list of winter family adventures this year! It’s a good idea to check in with a DOC visitor centre or online for safety information beforehand, particularly over the cooler months. Keep an eye on the weather and take plenty of warm

THE JAKSTINS FAMILY TRAMPING AT WOOLSHED CREEK HUT. waterproof clothing, suitable footwear and provisions for your trips. Remember, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the neat things you can do to keep your family active this winter. Check out www.doc.govt.nz for information on these opportunities and loads of others in your local area and beyond. Enjoy! NEED MORE IDEAS FOR EXPLORING THE GREAT OUTDOORS? CHECK OUT OUR SPORT AND RECREATION FEATURE ARTICLES AT WWW.FAMILYTIMES.CO.NZ.

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s a parent of an infant or toddler faced with choosing s a parent of an infant or toddler faced with choosing a childcare centre, how can you trust a centre will a childcare centre, how can you trust a centre will provide the best education and care for your child? provide the best education and care for your child? What will happen to the routines you have worked so hard to What will happen to the routines you have worked so hard to establish? Will your child get enough attention? establish? Will your child get enough attention?

BestStart has been providing quality education and childcare to BestStart has been providing quality education and childcare to New Zealand’s youngest for almost 20 years. With over 40 centres in New Zealand’s youngest for almost 20 years. With over 40 centres in Christchurch, you can trust BestStart to provide the very best care for your Christchurch, you can trust BestStart to provide the very best care for your child. child. Erin Roome, Centre Manager of First Steps Fendalton says, “We Erin Roome, Centre Manager of First Steps Fendalton says, “We believe you are your child’s most important teacher. Children have their believe you are your child’s most important teacher. Children have their own rhythm and pace and we work with you to help your child feel safe own rhythm and pace and we work with you to help your child feel safe and develop strong, trusting relationships with their teachers. and develop strong, trusting relationships with their teachers. “Children become responsive to learning when the natural rhythm of “Children become responsive to learning when the natural rhythm of their days are followed. Our centres are planned to allow free movement, their days are followed. Our centres are planned to allow free movement, responding to and extending upon their interests.” responding to and extending upon their interests.” All BestStart centres implement the NZ Early Childhood Curriculum, All BestStart centres implement the NZ Early Childhood Curriculum, Te Whāriki which supports children’s wellbeing, exploration, Te Whāriki which exploration, communication and supports sense of children’s belonging.wellbeing, This encourages individual and communication and sense of belonging. This encourages social development, building conﬁdence and self-esteem. individual and social development, dencefor andinself-esteem. Infants at BestStartbuilding centres conﬁ are cared a nurturing and respectful Infants at BestStart centres are cared for in aneeds nurturing and respectful environment where their routines and individual are the priority environment where their routines and individual needs are the priority allowing for the trusting relationships with teachers, children and parents allowing for the trusting relationships with teachers, children and parents alike. alike.

Toddlers are busy, and BestStart centres provide for this perfectly with Toddlers are busy, and BestStart centres provide for this perfectly with plenty of interesting activities and experiences. This allows children to plenty of interesting activities and experiences. This allows children to develop at their own pace, with teachers there to support and extend their develop at their own pace, with teachers there to support and extend their interests. interests. BestStart has a wonderful Be School ReadyTM initiative for preBestStart has a wonderful Be School ReadyTM initiative for preschoolers, ensuring that every child attending is fully prepared for the next schoolers, ensuring that every child attending is fully prepared for the next stage of their learning journey. stage of their learning journey. “When you visit a centre, discuss how they can accommodate your “When you visit a centre, discuss how they can accommodate your routines. Talk with staff about communications and planned learning, so routines. Talk with staff about communications and planned learning, so you will know your child is happy and progressing well”, says Erin. youChildren will know your the child is start happyasand progressing receive best lifelong learnerswell”, whensays theirErin. teachers Children receive the best start as lifelong learners when theirsupport teachers are valued and supported. BestStart teachers receive professional are valued and supported. BestStart teachers receive professional support that is second to none. thatBestStart is secondoffers to none. a range of centres backed by leading ECE experts that BestStart offers a needs. range of centres backed by leading ECE experts that will suit your family’s willFor suitmore yourinformation, family’s needs. visit BestStart’s website www.best-start.org For more information, visit BestStart’s website www.best-start.org

For education, adventure and friendship The team at BestStart is committed to providing the The team at BestStart committed providing the highest quality care andiseducation fortoyour child. With highest quality across care and education for With over 40 centres Christchurch, weyour havechild. a centre to over 40 centres across Christchurch, we have a centre to suit everyone’s needs. suit everyone’s needs. We welcome families to come and see our wonderful We welcome families to come and see our wonderful centres and meet our dedicated teams. centres and meet our dedicated teams. Quality education programmes tailored to your child’s needs Qualityset education programmes tailored and to your child’s needs Centres up to encourage exploration discovery Centres set up to encourage exploration and discovery Great teacher to child ratios TM Great teacher to Ready child ratios initiative Unique Be School TM initiative Unique Be School Specialised care forReady infants and toddlers Specialised care for infants and toddlers Friendly, professional teams, focussed on fostering strong relationships Friendly, professional teams, focussed on fostering strong relationships To find a centre new you, To find a centre today new you, visit our website visit our website today www.best-start.org orwww.best-start.org phone 0508 BESTSTART or phone 0508 BESTSTART BestStart for happy, confident learners BestStart for happy, confident learners www.familytimes.co.nz 35

Ice Age: Collision Course Fun School holiday fun that is sure to keep your youngsters entertained. Date: Time: Location:

Friday 8 July â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Tuesday 12 July 10am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2pm Centre Court

Sit down in the chill out zone and watch Ice Age: Collision Course clips and have the chance to meet Scrat, the unlucky pre-historic squirrel. Learn fun facts about space and planets or hang out in the activity zone. For more information please visit northlands.co.nz 55 Main North Road, Papanui Ph 03 352 6535

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