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Perfectionist parenting
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Miscarriage and stillbirth
9
The cost of a free education
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Why loosening the reins is a Do we invest enough into our Talking about it helps, say NZ good thing kids? women
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ISSN 2324-450X (Print) ISSN 2324-4518 (Online)
CHRISTCHURCH / ISSUE 78 / Winter 2015
*July 4th – 19th, 2015
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inside this issue
Contents 6
9
4 What works for my family
Our Family Times facebook fans tell us what they think about issues.
5 Perfectionist parenting
Pick your battles, and learn when to let it go.
6 Miscarriage and stillbirth
It happens more than you’d think, and talking about it helps.
8 The importance of play
It’s a child’s work, and crucial to development.
9 The cost of a “free” education
Why you need to save for your child’s state education.
10 Childhood obesity
The push for greater in-school food education.
11 Encouraging entrepreneurship
Tips on preparing your child for the business world.
12 Grandparents’ changing roles
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They may be working, they may be travelling, they may half a world away.
13 Sustainable creativity
Turn rubbish into a fun and inspiring art project.
20 Science at home
Learn all about fossils, and even make your own!
21 From baby language to communication
What is normal in terms of your child’s language development?
22 Hygiene hypothesis
Why germs are good for your kids.
Tips and tricks to keep your family healthy in winter.
23 Winter wellness
Kids’ corner 14 Kids’ corner
Competitions, games and reviews.
Special features 26 Mackenzie Country
The South Island’s winter wonderland awaits.
Resource information 16 Calendar of events 17 Holiday programmes 17 After school care 18 Entertainment 21 Help is at Hand 25 School Term Dates
How is Your Child Performing at School?
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From the editor What works for my family
At Family Times we like to look at the upbeat side of parenting, as well as source the best parenting information that we can for our readers. So deciding to tackle a feature about miscarriage and stillbirth is a bit out-of-the normal for us.
B
ut the figures surrounding miscarriage and stillbirth are astounding, with one in every three New Zealand women experiencing miscarriage during their lifetime, and 400-plus stillbirths in New Zealand each year. That’s a lot of families affected by the loss of a child. I was a little hesitant to tackle such a sensitive subject: how is it possible to turn such a sad occurrence into a story of hope? Would anyone even want to be interviewed about such a personal and tragic story? The answer, to my surprise, was an astounding (and even though I hate to capitalise) YES! Of the two courageous women who shared their stories with me, one is a good friend and the other my sister, Racheal. It’s predominantly their experiences that convinced me that it’s possible to write about a subject that is little talked about in society and to focus on the strength, determination and overcoming spirit that has seen them through. I’ve seen Racheal at her absolute lowest point: in her pyjamas at eight in the morning, tear-stained face and bagged-eyed after spending a sleepless night lying on the floor hugging the wee white coffin of her baby girl
We asked you – our Family Times Facebook family what you think about parenting issues. Here’s what you said: Are the costs of school trips, uniforms, fees and donations too much? Jasmine, dreading putting her in the earth that day. “I can’t, I can’t,” she sobbed. But she did. It took a long time, but the day came when she began to smile again, began to laugh again, began to live again. But for her, Jasmine will always be a precious part of the family. Her photo sits on the buffet in the front porch of her home, along with photos of her other three living children. In generations past, that photo would never have existed. Racheal would have been told that Jasmine would be best forgotten. But as I learned when I was in my friend Kirsten’s home one day, talking about a lost child and acknowledging their life is healing. “Would you like to see a photo album of Freedom?” she asked, referring to her stillborn baby girl. “I would love to,” I responded. And I knew that made her day. Grief isn’t comfortable, but it’s a part of life. For many, many Kiwi families, it’s a part of being a parent. I hope that you’ll read about these amazing families in our main feature this issue. Of course, we’ve still got a bunch of other great parenting articles, event listings, competitions, and giveaways, so grab a coffee and start turning those pages. Enjoy.
Samantha Watkins
eldest heading to intermediate, otherwise that would have been a big shock. I think donations and activity fees are at an okay level. I have three kids and it’s just part of the cost of kids. Certainly cheaper than private school education!
Then we asked you... do you feel pressure to be a perfect parent?
Dairne Woods
I do find it very expensive; the uniforms, stationery and “donation” sure add up quick with four kids. I cut costs in other places so that the kids have what they need. And also there’s after-school clubs, so it does feel like all our money is going straight to schooling of one kind or another.
I always have a good chat with good friends who are fellow parents. You soon learn that we all have parenting days where everything’s not sunshine and rainbows. I also like exploring humorous parenting blogs that allow me to laugh at myself, learn from my parenting “mistakes” and to realise I’m far from alone on this tricky parenting journey!
Fiona Stodart
Vicky Jones
Personally I don’t have a problem paying school fees. What are frustrating are all the other add-ons during the term. Much as it would be more to outlay at one time, I would prefer to have all the costs itemised at the beginning of year, or even the term, so I can budget and pay for them without surprises. As far as school uniforms go, I think they are a godsend. Ours have lasted really well. So whilst a big outlay, we have saved on lots of other clothes’ costs overall. We have also been able to pick up a lot of the uniforms second-hand but still in excellent condition.
Anna Scott
Thankfully we got lots of uniform hand-medowns and second-hand bargains for my
So many start out as idealistic new parents, aiming for perfection. I think what’s more important is simply doing your best, on a case by case basis. Learning how to be the parent your child needs - not in competition with other parents at school or on social media, but because that’s where real satisfaction grows from. “Comparison is the thief of joy,” remember? And beauty is so often found in the imperfections. NZ’s Visit us Family Times New Zealand on Facebook to have your say!
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Perfectionist parenting Pushing you kids to be perfect my backfire, according to a report by the Journal of Experimental Psychology.
2 Unintentional: Most perfectionist
parenting is unintentional. Parents sometimes unintentionally model perfectionism for their children by the way they keep their home, their career efforts, their competitiveness in sports or games, and how they respond when things don’t go their way. These parents unwittingly communicate to their children that anything less than perfection will not be tolerated in the family. These parents tend to over-discipline – every small indiscretion is blown out of proportion and “corrected.”
T
he report, published in 2013, says that parents who practice perfectionist parenting did make their child strive to be more perfect, but also increased their child’s anxiety. Also, children who were not subjected to perfectionist parenting actually performed better than children who were.
What is perfectionist parenting?
3 Non-perfectionists. The final type of parent who strives for perfectionism are those who are not perfectionists at all – in fact, they may be the antithesis of perfect. But they want to make sure that they correct all of their mistakes in their children. They usually revert to the withdrawing love and affection model (as in #1), and use a perfectionist model to try and absolve their own imperfections, to no avail.
Every parent wants the best for their child – they want them to succeed in life. But pushing a child towards perfection, even with the best of intentions, can have dramatic consequences. Dr Jim Taylor says that parents pass on perfectionism to their children in three ways:
1 Intentional: Some perfectionist parents
deliberately raise their children to be perfectionists by actively praising and rewarding success and punishing failure. These parents offer or withdraw their love based on whether their children meet their expectations. When they succeed, their parents lavish them with love, attention and gifts. But when they fail, their parents either withdraw their love and become cold and distance, or express anger and resentment toward their children. The children then get the message that they must be perfect to receive their parents’ love.
What’s wrong with perfection?
They stick to games and projects they know are safe to avoid the anxiety over possible failure. Some kids with perfectionist parents result to rebellion – they give up trying to please their parents, since they can never achieve perfection. In the end, kids with perfectionist parents often end up modelling the same parenting methods with their own kids.
There’s nothing wrong with perfection in itself, except that it is unobtainable. How can you change your This constant reaching for unobtainable perfection, and fear of disappointing parents, perfectionist parenting? The good news is, it’s not too late to change can have far-reaching consequences for kids some of your perfectionist habits and relax a as they mature. bit more in your parenting style. One of those consequences is anxiety. Children might link being loved with being 1 Remove yourself from all the pressure perfect, and that message can make a around you making you feel like you have routine maths test or rugby game a cause for to be a perfect parent with perfect kids, sleepless nights and sore tummies. whether it’s external (perhaps from your Another outcome is that children become less own parents’ expectations) or the internal playful, less creative, and more risk-adverse. voice in your head. There is no perfect
parent. Let the washing build up, sit down and read a book. The world won’t end.
2 There’s a world of difference between
demanding perfection and striving for excellence. Encourage your kids to strive for excellence, and support them even when they fail. If your child knows that you love him even when he fails, he’ll feel free to take chances and pursue his goals without anxiety. It’s okay to tell him you are disappointed if he didn’t put in his best effort – this is different than failure, and can encourage him to try harder without making him feel like a failure.
3 Relax the rules. Living in a world where
there is a rule for everything is souldestroying to kid. Instead, pick a few really important rules and stick to them like glue. That way, your child has the security of knowing boundaries without feeling like he’s in a prison.
Touch, See & Learn
DISCOVERY
Rolleston Avenue, Christchurch General admission free; donations appreciated Discovery entry: $2 for over 3 year olds. www.canterburymuseum.com
Just for Kids!
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feature story
Miscarriage and stillbirth A miscarriage or stillbirth are far more than the death of an expectation, hope or dream. They are the loss of a much anticipated family member, as Vanessa O’Brien reports.
a baby, is aiming to turn around says SANDS former chairperson Cathy Buntting. “I think the best thing – the most helpful – is to acknowledge the significance of the loss. It’s a huge gift to families that others continue to acknowledge the life of the baby over the weeks and months and years.” Rewind to a generation ago and miscarriage and stillbirth were very hush hush. Even today, with all our claims of progression and modernity, we don’t like to talk about it, said Cathy. Conversely, that’s often the one thing that can bring healing. “A generation ago, it was believed that women should just move on, and to forget the baby, not talk about the baby. Often the baby was buried in an unmarked grave. And now, a generation on,
those parents – now grandmothers – can find it very difficult to embrace a different way of approaching a baby’s death. “Within SANDS NZ we are very clear that we do not distinguish between levels of grief. A parent who has lost a baby, no matter what age or gestation, is entitled – and should be encouraged – to grieve. They need to be allowed to grieve in order to once again find life that is meaningful.”
Miscarriage and stillbirth
What is startling is just how many families are affected by miscarriage and stillbirth. New Zealand’s leading expert, Professor Lesley McCowan of Auckland University’s gynaecology and obstetrics department, Y&R_WES1582
A scan at 11 weeks indicated there was a problem with the pregnancy, and that the baby was possibly Down Syndrome. But the real shock came at her 18-week-scan. Medical staff noticed deformities; a missing heart ventricle, underdeveloped kidneys and extra digits. An amniocentesis determined that Jasmine had Trisomy 13 - a chromosomal abnormality in which some or all of the cells of the body contain extra genetic material It was the 24th of February 2008 when from chromosome 13. the induced labour pains started to wrack “It was surreal. It was like it wasn’t really Racheal O’Brien’s body at the Garden Room happening, but it was happening. It’s like of Christchurch Hospital’s maternity ward. you’re walking through it, but you’re not. Like In theory, it was no different than the you’re outside of your own body.” much anticipated births of her first two Racheal continued with the pregnancy children, Justis (now 11-years-old) and knowing that she was unlikely to carry Joshua (now 9-years-old). But this time, as Jasmine to term, and that if she did, Jasmine the contractions beat out their accelerated wouldn’t survive more than a few hours. rhythm towards inevitable delivery, there was no hopeful expectation: only a deep, gut- “Every day you wondered, “is this the day?” Yet I could feel her moving.” wrenching agony, as Jasmine Grace’s fragile Jasmine weighed a tiny 3 pound 2 when she body slipped into the world just hours after was born at 28 weeks’ gestation. Racheal her heart beat for the last time. Ironically, Jasmine’s death meant Racheal’s life: and her husband stayed in the Garden Room Racheal refused to induce labour until Jasmine’s overnight, holding Jasmine’s fragile wee body heartbeat failed, even though every minute she in a Moses basket. Then they took her to the funeral home, and left with a tiny white coffin continued the pregnancy, her spiralling blood for the funeral two days later. pressure threatened to kill them both. As traumatic as that was, the hardest part by Racheal hadn’t anticipated the pregnancy: far, Racheal said, was yet to come: after the with Justis about to start school and Joshua burial and everybody went home, and the soon to be in longer preschool hours, she silence set in. was toying with the idea of a part-time job. “I think for the first few weeks, people are quite But even if the timing was off, she says she understanding. But after that, they’ve forgotten. had a sense of excitement about the pending I found that really hard, and very isolating.” addition to the family. “Yes, I was definitely excited, but at the same time I think I intrinsically knew that something Breaking the silence That’s something that SANDS NZ, a network wasn’t right, right from the beginning,” of parent-run, non-profit groups supporting Racheal said. families who have experienced the death of
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AT WESTFIELD RICCARTON MONDAY 6 – FRIDAY 17 JULY Join us these school holidays for two weeks of full-on fun including crafts, games and entertainment. Grab a Monty Passport while you’re there, collect all the stamps between 6 – 17 July and score yourself a free movie ticket*. To find out about all of the above and even more fantastic events and competitions, sign up to the Westfield Kids Club online.
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feature story stated in a 2012 article that three million babies worldwide are stillborn every year. That’s more deaths than from HIV. Yet according to the World Health Organisation, stillbirth is seriously underfunded. It sits behind other health priorities such as diarrhoea, HIV/Aids, tuberculosis, traffic accidents, and any form of cancer. Back on home turf, a large New Zealand population-based study established that one in three New Zealand women have experienced miscarriage, and an estimated one in every four pregnancies end in miscarriage. It’s an estimate because miscarriage is not a notifiable event in New Zealand, and no national research has been conducted into the occurrence per known pregnancy. However, statistics from other Western countries such as Australia and the UK are on par. Miscarriage in Australia and New Zealand is defined as a pregnancy that ends spontaneously before 20 weeks gestation. The parameters of stillbirth vary around the world; the international measure is 28 weeks gestation, but New Zealand registers babies from 20 weeks into the pregnancy, or from when the babies weigh 400g. Statistics New Zealand figures say 420 of 2011’s 61,403 pregnancies were stillborn, dying at between 20 and 40 weeks of pregnancy. Cathy has experienced both miscarriage and stillbirth, and says that while it’s impossible to distinguish any difference in the level of grief, the process is very different. “A woman who loses a baby in early stages of pregnancy will sometimes deliver normally or will sometimes have a D&C. A woman who has a stillbirth will deliver naturally or have a caesarean. A natural birth is very much encouraged, and my own personal experience was that that was very traumatic. But for most women to deliver their babies, it is one of the few acts of
parenting that they can have.” A stillborn baby is also required to be registered, and the body either buried or cremated. “That means that the experience can be different in terms of farewelling the baby,” Cathy said.
“I think I intrinsically knew that something wasn’t right, right from the beginning,” Racheal said.
Life after losing a baby
Kirsten Te Momo says the hardest thing about life after losing a baby, is the fact that it goes on. “After we’d done her funeral, and we had her ashes, life went on. And I remember a week later going for my first hair appointment since I lost her and I just remember sitting on a couch bawling my eyes out thinking “how can anyone live still? How can everyone just carry on?” It was like having empty arms – I gave birth, but where’s my baby?” Kirsten’s baby girl Freedom died at 22-weeks gestation in 2013. Kirsten was induced and gave birth naturally in the same Garden Room as Racheal, at Christchurch hospital, after complications with the pregnancy. People’s response to her grief was the hardest thing to deal with, she said. There were a few key people who were great, but a lot more that she “wanted to slap.” “I felt that there were times when people’s lack of ability to have anything to say just blew my mind. They didn’t even have the compassion to say, “I’m so sorry for what has happened.” I had so many people completely and utterly ignore that it had happened and talk about the weather.” She put that down to ignorance, or people’s discomfort with the situation. But ignoring it
Tips for helping friends and family who have lost a baby It’s so hard to know the right thing to say to someone who has experienced miscarriage or a stillbirth. That’s why a lot of people don’t say anything at all. However, there are lots of things that you can do to support them in their grief.
everyone is different. Ask them.
5 Grandparents and siblings grieve too – they may need some support.
6 Be practical – organise a roster to bring around dinners, arrange childcare for siblings, and offer to help clean the house or run errands.
1 Acknowledge their loss, and don’t
pretend it never happened. Even an early miscarriage can cause significant and lasting grief: don’t ignore or minimise that.
2 Be there for them. Grieving people
tend to retreat – keep calling, visiting, and letting them know you are there.
7 Help them to find a pregnancy and
neonatal loss support group. Talking to others who have had a similar experience can be very comforting.
8 Refer to their baby by name, if they had chosen and announced a name. This is a great way to acknowledge their child existed, if only for a short time.
3 Listen to them. They may need to talk
about their baby and show you photos. This may not be comfortable for you, but remember: this is their baby, and a precious member of their family.
4 Offer to field phone calls or answer
letters and cards until they feel up to it. The parents may be open to lots of people visiting or they may not –
only made them feel better, rather than her, she said. However, sometimes relief came from the most unexpected quarters: for example, friends of her then 6-year-old son Hosea. “I got some of the most amazing comments from some of the little girls in his class. One little girl came up to me and said, “Mrs Te Momo, I am so sorry that your baby died,” and she gave me a card that she’d made. And I remember thinking, that child had more compassion and wisdom than more than half of the adults I know.” Both Racheal and Kirsten went on to have
9 Never, ever say “it was for the best,”
or “you can always have another baby.”
10 If you’re really stuck, just say “I am so
sorry about the loss of your baby,” and this will mean the world to grieving parents.
another child: Racheal’s son Shiloh is now 6-years-old, and Kirsten’s daughter Harmony is now 1-year-old. Racheal said that going on to have another child was an incredibly important part of the healing process for her, but nothing could replace Jasmine. “Even today, with our family – even for Shiloh, who wasn’t even born – Jasmine is very much a part of our family. He’ll sometimes ask to go and see her grave. I just think it’s really important to be natural about the way that we acknowledge her and remember her in our family.”
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Taking play seriously Play: consider it a child’s work. Because it’s in times of wild imagination, creativity and fun that kids can learn the most.
5 Games with rules – tag, duck duck goose etc. Each type of play supports a range of cognitive and emotional developments, and a good balance of play experience is regarded as a healthy play diet for children. This is something that parents can get involved in – parents; it’s a great opportunity to spend some quality time with your kids, even if you ut it’s more than that too. What is have to schedule it. Set the oven timer for increasingly being recognised is that the half-an-hour, and make that transition from one vital ingredient in supporting healthy work into playtime – maybe even change into intellectual, emotional and social development relaxed play clothes if it helps. Then enter in children is the opportunity to just enjoy your child’s magical world, and during this being a kid through unstructured playtime. time, give your child 100 percent of your Dr David Whitebread from the University attention – no phone calls, no preparing of Cambridge argues in a 2012 report dinner. supporting play time that people as a whole have essentially become too serious, and too focused on achievement. So while a “A good balance of play focus on and investment in a high quality experience is regarded early childhood education has increased, as a healthy play diet for the definition of high quality seems to be on children.” introducing literacy and numeracy as soon as possible, and preparation for school years, rather than on opportunities for rich play. Here are some ideas to
B
expand on play time for your There are five kinds of play kids: that are important for kids: 1 Physical play – rough-and-tumble, skipping etc. 1 Pillow fight. This is a pretty straightforward, rough-and-tumble 2 Playing with objects – building blocks, sand, cars, dolls etc. 3 Symbolic play - this is the ability of children to use objects, actions or ideas to represent other objects, actions, or ideas as play. A child may push a block around the floor as a car or put it to his ear as a cell phone. 4 Pretend play – using imagination, i.e. pretending to shop, mow the lawns, build a space rocket etc.
game that lets out a bunch of energy and laughter. No prep or forward-thinking required. 2 Lego or other building games/toys. These games are great object games, but can also be symbolic or pretend games. You can make a pretend piece of fruit out of Lego, or perhaps build a pretend village with shops and little people. You can add to it over each playtime. 3 Glow-stick tag. This is a great one for
winter, with early sunsets. As dusk settles, hand out the glow-sticks – with one in a different colour for the person who is “it.” 4 Online or technology-based games. While it’s great to get outdoors and release some of that energy, your digital native will appreciate it just as much if you sit down with them for a game of Minecraft and enter their tech-based world. 5 What’s on my butt? This is a winner-of-agame that you won’t have to even move for. Lie face down on the couch and try to guess what object you child has perched on your tush. “Is that a cement mixer on my butt?” Just getting to hear you say the word “butt” is the best thing that will happen to your kid all day.
6 Built a “tent.” Let them drag the blankets
and the sheets out of the cupboards, then use whatever surrounding furniture you can find to build a “tent.” Pretend camp can be fun, especially with snacks inside the new structure. 7 Sock puppets. Drag that pile of odd socks into the middle of the room with some stickers that can be used for eyes, mouth, ears etc, and get creative with sock puppet characters. If your kids are a bit older, they may be able to stitch on buttons.
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The cost of a “free” education The right to a free education is a benefit of living in a country like New Zealand, with taxpayer funder privileges. Crown-funded education in New Zealand cost tax payers $12.3 billion in the 2013/14 financial year, with forecasts suggesting that the 2014/2015 year will top $12.8 billion. Additionally, education received a $244 million boost in the 2015/2016 budget. But it’s getting tougher and tougher for schools to operate within the budgets set by the Ministry of Education according to New Zealand Educational Institute national president Louise Green. The current budget reflected a 1 per cent increase in operational funding, she said, and that was not enough to keep administration wages in line with the cost of living, or to account for rises in expenses such as electricity bills. “It’s just a real struggle to keep up with all of the things that need to be paid for and at the same time, deliver to the children what parents increasingly expect from schools.” New Zealand spends less on education than then OECD average; about NZ$9372 per primary student per year, compared to the OECD average of NZ$10,620. That means that schools resort to fundraising, sponsorship and grant applications, as well as requesting school donations from parents. Then there are ongoing costs that parents pay for, with the biggest by far being technology, said Green. Children increasingly use devices to learn and to present their learning with,
and that cost was not often able to be absorbed by the school. Add to that the costs of extras – uniforms, trips, stationery – and the cost to parents of a “free” education (up to year 13) in a statefunded public school for a child starting this year is $35,000, according to the Planning for Education Index.
“It’s just a real struggle to keep up with all of the things that need to be paid for and at the same time, deliver to the children what parents increasingly expect from schools.” The peer-reviewed Planning for Education Index was compiled from a survey of more than 1000 members of ASG Education Programmes, who were asked about the cost of school fees, transport, uniforms, computers and school and sports trips. The survey also found that for a child born in 2015, 13 years of private school education in New Zealand is estimated to cost $323,814. State integrated schooling could cost up to $107,962, almost a third of the cost of private education, with state education costing up to $37,676. That’s a cost of more than $50 per week for each child in the state education system – an amount that some New Zealand families are struggling to meet. ASG Education Programmes CEO John Velegrinis said that regardless of whether choosing to educate
FREE RIDE on either the train or bumper car
a child in a state, state integrated or private school, parents need to start planning financially for education from the time their child is born. And school fees are only one component of total education costs. “There is a myriad of other costs involved including transport, uniforms and school books, excursions – which can create financial headaches if they’re not planned for.” On the plus side, state education in New Zealand is more than 40 per cent cheaper than in Australia, costing families about $37,676 for a 13-year education, in comparison to $67,894 across the Tasman. But that’s still a hefty bill if parents don’t start planning early, according to Velegrinis. “Education is one of life’s major investments – in some instances it’s an even bigger investment than the family home. What we’re advocating is that by putting a little bit away, parents are more likely to achieve the goals and aspirations they have for their children.”
Time to nominate outstanding teachers and leaders Teachers are top-of-mind for families as nominations open for the 2015 ASG National Excellence in Teaching Awards (NEiTA). Boards of Trustees, parent associations, secondary student councils and community organisations can nominate the outstanding teachers and leaders who inspire learning in their school community. These awards are an opportunity for education consumers to acknowledge those teachers and leaders whose inspirational approach stimulates student learning and success. “ASG is proud of NEiTA because
it provides the community with an avenue to nominate teachers and give them recognition they so richly deserve. These teachers are dedicated to ensuring that all of our children are receiving a world-class education and are equipped with tools for lifelong learning,” says ASG NEiTA chief executive officer John Velegrinis. Nominations for early childhood, primary and secondary educators, teachers and leaders can be made at www.asg.co.nz/ nominate until 30 September 2015.
2015 ASG National Excellence in Teaching Awards
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• Call in any time to meet the teachers and view the programme • Healthy Heart morning & afternoon teas & lunch provided • Uniqueness, individuality and tolerance are values upheld by the staff and promoted in the learning programme 2012 ERO report
Open 7.30am- 5.30pm Mon-Fri 375 Worcester Street Ph: 03 389 2483
Nominate an inspirational teacher or educator now Nominate online at asg.co.nz/nominate by 30 September 2015 To request a promotional kit visit asg.co.nz/neita For general enquiries call 09 308 0576
National Excellence in Teaching Awards
Email: lindisfarne.ns@xtra.co.nz
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Teaching kids food literacy Every parent wants to raise a healthy, happy child. But with busy lifestyles, healthy eating can easily take a back seat to convenience.
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fter all, it’s easier to pick up fish and chips for dinner than to prepare a hearty casserole or salad. But the result, according to Garden to Table founding trustee Catherine Bell, is a lack of “food literacy” in today’s generation, with many children having no clue where their food comes from, let alone how to cook it. With parents having less time to teach food literacy, and possibly not the same food knowledge as previous generations, food literacy should ideally be taught in schools to back-up home-based learning says Bell. That’s where she sees organisations such as Garden to Table playing a role. Garden to Table is a charitable trust established in 2009 to facilitate a programme of food education for children aged 7 to 10-years. Bell wants the New Zealand Government to invest in a curriculum-based food skills programme. She’s taking her cue from others overseas, such as celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, who is petitioning the governments of G20 countries to introduce food education programmes in their nations’ schools in the wake of a global obesity epidemic. The World Health Organisation rates childhood obesity as “one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century,”
with more than 42 million children under the age of five categorised as obese. Closer to home, New Zealand’s Ministry of Health figures show that childhood obesity in New Zealand is on the rise. According to 2013 figures, one in every nine children (11 per cent) is categorised as obese, up from 8% in 2007. A further one in five children (22%) is overweight.
“Bell wants the New Zealand Government to invest in a curriculum-based food skills programme.” The question is how to tackle the issue. Lots of schools have gardens, but the difference with Garden to Table according to Garden to Table executive officer Anne Barrowclough, is that it is more than growing vegetables or just understanding how to make good food choices. “It’s actually about empowering children with a hands-on lesson, full of practical skill development focused on how to action those choices – what you need to grow your own tomatoes, how you follow a recipe, how to cook from fresh ingredients. It also adds immediacy and relevance to science and maths concepts. “Learning is about more than telling, it is about experiencing, active engagement and interaction.” The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden
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Foundation, which runs a similar programme in Australia, recently evaluated how well its food literacy programme worked. As well as more children taking initiative to start home veggie gardens and to cook at home, there were unexpected spin-off benefits. These included improvements in students’ social behaviours; improvement in students’ teamwork skills, modifying of previous bullying behaviour, improvement in managing difficult behaviour, interacting with people of many ages, and development of leadership skills.
Bell says with this in mind, food education programmes in schools have the potential to change the attitudes and habits of whole future generations. “It enables children to learn skills and have experiences that will influence and inform the rest of their lives and positively impact outcomes across their education, health and social development as well give them respect for others and the natural world.
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Encouraging a young entrepreneur New Zealand is ranked as the easiest place in the world to start a business, according to a 2012 World Bank survey. So how do you get your kids on board?
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hile there is a push to teach more financial literacy in New Zealand schools thanks to initiatives such as ASB’s Get Wise programme, there appears to be a gap in teaching business skills, at least at a young age. 3 The traditional model of a university degree followed by a stable job and a steady progression up the career ladder has become out-dated says entrepreneur Lindy Abittan. A lot of students who graduate from top universities struggle for months to find a decent job, and often end up with one outside of their field of study. But if children are taught from a young age how to create their own opportunities, they can make their own way in the world.
1 Goal setting
Studies show that written goals are more than 80 per cent more likely to be achieved. Help your kids learn how to identify their goals and write them down. It could be to earn enough money to buy a new tablet, or to raise start-up money for a small business. Get your kids to use the S.M.A.R.T system to organise their goals – they should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely.
2 Look for opportunities
Lots of people in life never live to their full potential because they see only problems, not opportunities. Teaching your kids to turn a problem into an opportunity will not only help them to build resilience,
but also to have a mindset compatible with entrepreneurship. When your child has a problem, help them come up with creative, positive solutions. How can they reach items on the high shelf? What can they do about the homework that they lost? At the very least, life’s problems are learning opportunities. This will help your kids to see that every problem has a solution, and that they can have an impact rather than accepting the negative as fact.
Trade is a part of everyday life The ability to sell is an invaluable life skill. Whether your child is a natural-born sales person or not, the ability to build a case for an idea, a service, or a product will set them up well for life. Maybe they can start by selling their old toys on TradeMe – what would they write to sell Big Ted? There’s the classic lemonade stand in summer time, or perhaps offering pet washing services. They’ll need to work out what is a fair price for their service or product, and how to convince people to buy.
4 Financial literacy
Once your little munchkin has made a few dollars towards their goal, they are going to quickly learn a lesson or two about the value of money. This is a great opportunity to teach them more about money, and a solid grasp of financial management is essential to successful entrepreneurship. Educate them about how to invest to grow their savings, and how that money can be used in the future. Let them set up a bank account and learn how to budget their income. Help them to think creatively about ways to build their income.
5 Failure is not a bad thing
We’re schooled to avoid failure at all costs – unfortunately, that leads to riskadverse tendencies, which is a death blow to entrepreneurship. In actuality, you can learn more through failure than you ever will through success. Napoleon Hill, author of Think And Grow Rich, believes that, “Every failure carries with it a seed of equal or greater benefit.” Allowing your children to fail will force them to create new ways to accomplish their goals. Just don’t let them give up – it’s essential that they “get back on the horse.” This will lead to confident children who know how to persevere when times are tough.
Specialist maths and English tuition Make 2015 more rewarding for your children; whether they are struggling to keep up or bursting to race ahead, NumberWorks’nWords can make the difference. It may be their maths or their English, or both, that could do with some input. Whatever the case, NumberWorks’nWords promises to give your children’s education and their confidence- a noticeable boost. All aspects of both maths and English are covered using unique, proven resources that match the school curriculum. As well as the full maths curriculum from new entrant to NCEA (or Cambridge) the new NumberWorks’nWords English programme offers children a chance to develop skills in reading, comprehension, spelling,
punctuation, grammar and writing. “I’m very happy with how both Jacob and Liam are enjoying your programme. They are even reading to their little sister now; two books sometimes, without a hassle or a groan,” says Nicola, a current parent of NumberWorks’nWords. NumberWorks’nWords succeeds because students get specialist tutors in each subject, a student is taught as an individual, and learning is fun. All students have goals set and regular progress reports are given to parents along the way. Phone now for an assessment and introductory lesson – all free NumberWorks’nWords, Cashmere 03-3322033 or Burnside 03-358-7917.
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Grandparents changing with the times Families today are changing, and grandparents are changing with it.
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n one hand, greater mobility means that families are spread across the country (and the world) and many children aren’t able to see their grandparents regularly. Life is hectic for all generations and even families who live near each other often don’t spend as much time together as in the past. On the other hand, people are having fewer children and living longer. With fewer family members in each generation, intergenerational relationships can take on added significance. The great news is that with a longer life expectancy, grandparents are likely to be around for longer to be a part of their grandchildren’s lives. But how they define the role of grandparent is changing according to Age Concern CEO Robyn Scott.
“Grandparents Skype grandchildren all over the world every day of the week.”
Grandparents as caregivers A Families’ Commission report from 2010 estimates that as many as 10,000 children in New Zealand are cared for fulltime by their grandparents. This is for a variety of reasons,
such as parents being unable or unwilling to raise their children, or shared accommodation within the family. Then, according to Scott, there are a whole lot more grandparents who take on a part-time caregiver role with their grandchildren due to their parents’ work commitments. “There are lots of grandparents that are full-time or part-time caregivers to their grandchildren. The impact of that on them depends on whether that is out of necessity or choice – is it because of the need for unpaid childcare because of economic implications, or out of choice, out of love, because they want to be a full-time caregiver?”
Grandparents working On the flipside, in previous generations, even if the grandfather worked until retirement age, the grandmother would be at home. However, Scott says that’s changing. “The concept of retirement – whatever retirement is – has definitely changed. New Zealand has a very high percentage of over 65s in the workforce, so there are a lot of grandparents working either part-time or full-time, particularly between the ages of 65 and 75. When I was a child, my grandparents were in their late 70s early 80s, and there was nobody working in that age group at that time. They were grandparenting – that’s what they did. They were at home. “The other thing that has changed is that it is more difficult to generalise on these things than 50 years ago – there is more variation on
what a person later in their life is likely to be doing today.”
Connecting with grandparents
Grandparents today are much more likely to have grandchildren living in a different city or a different country than they were 50 years ago, and that does have an impact on intergenerational relationships, Scott said. “If your grandchildren are living on the other side of the world, you can’t travel to them every weekend, so your relationship with them is going to vary from what it would be if they were living around the corner. It’s more difficult to be close. But the bonus that’s come along in the last 20-years is the value of technology. Grandparents Skype grandchildren all over the world every day of the week. “I don’t think relationships are necessarily better or worse – I just think they’re different.”
Minions at The Warehouse
win win win
We have a fantastic prize pack from our friends at The Warehouse, www.thewarehouse.co.nz. Valued at $170, the prize pack contains Minions action figures (assorted,) Minions Talking Stuart with Guitar and a Minions Fart Blaster. To enter to win please visit www.familytimes.co.nz. Competition closes 17 July 17 2015.
Experience the difference at Halswell Preschool At Halswell Preschool, we see the role of the teacher as someone who actively plays with the children; a person who expands children’s thinking skills and genuinely engages with each child. With this support from kaiako, the children are able to develop the ability to learn for themselves. With 18 children per day in the over twos area and just eight in the under twos, our conscious decision to keep group sizes small allows teachers to have more one-on-one time with the children and ensures the
Children’s play area
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Main North Rd, Northwood Supa Centre | Ph: 03-323 5420 | www.caesars.co.nz 12
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programme meets the learning interests of all tamariki. We believe our small group sizes really promote the children’s wellbeing. It also allows the teachers to develop stronger relationships with the children and to develop authentic partnerships with families/whanau based on relationships that foster honest communication, trust and respect. Call Jo or Kathryn today on 03-322-8727 or come and visit us at 31 Halswell Junction Road.
Sustainable creativity In a world of waste, we are seeing a trend towards converting forgotten junk of old into today’s treasures.
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ore and more families are choosing to upcycle old furniture by restoring and recovering it, rather than disposing of it and buying something new. It can be a fun family project. It’s also a fun outing to take the family to your local recycle depot and see what treasures you can find, clean up, and reuse – kitchenware, electronics, old puzzles and much more. Make Like a Tree’s Cath O’Brien is someone who knows all about recycling forgotten items into cool and interesting art projects. Make Like a Tree provides opportunities for “intuitive sustainable creativity for children.” In other words, helping kids to think differently about discarded items and recycling products from the surrounding environment, or from the natural environment. “Fun is a fundamental part of children’s art making, and movement, storytelling, invention and game playing are encouraged as part of the creative process,” Cath said. In Cath’s classes, children are exposed to the work of contemporary artists; particularly artwork that is temporary in nature. Then, after
The Fundamentals Preschool phenomenon
Fundamentals Merivale and Fundamentals Marshlands provide outstanding fun as well as educational programmes. Both have fully built-in gyms. The best has been taken from many sources of learning to develop the inspiring and nurturing fundamentals programme for infants (5 Innes Road only) to school-age children. It includes music, art perceptual/sensory motor gym activities, numeracy, literacy, languages and free choice times in fantastic, open indoor and outdoor spaces. Fundamentals is proud of the quality of its programme teaching ratios and the extras provided. Visit a Fundamentals centre at Merivale and Marshlands and see the Fundamentals difference for yourself. Visit www.fundamentals.co.nz or phone 03355-1527 or 03-385-5252.
Co see mee & se Com w hatt aall ll th wha e fu the fuss ss is out! about! is ab • Perceptual motor activities in our on-site gym • Numeracy & literacy extension class • Music and dance • Children’s yoga • Language classes – Spanish, Teo Reo • Low ratios
MERIVALE 5 Innes Road – 03-3551522 MARSHLAND 435 Marshland Road – 03-385 5252 www.fundamentals.co.nz
a trip to the recycling station, kids start thinking about how to make a creative art project. This edition, Make Like a Tree’s Cath O’Brien shares with Family Times some of the fun recycling art projects that her students have made, with some tips on how to make them at home.
Paper leis
I had some old calendars with beautiful coloured flower photographs. I remember at the time reading about an organisation that had imported thousands of leis for a fundraising event. Then the idea came to mind that they would be easy to make using recycled card and paper as there is so much of it around. We made a flower template, traced and cut them out of the calendar, made paper beads for the dividing parts and threaded it all together on string to make a lei.
Free standing animal sculpture
This is very popular with children. Disassemble a strong cardboard box. Draw the body profile of your favourite animal and cut out. Then make two pairs of legs that will slot in at a 90 degree angle. Collage with recycled gift wrap or even junk mail.
Paper Beads
Just roll paper around a pencil and sellotape, then thread through string.
Portfolio Agency Portfolio is the South Island’s premier model and talent agency: it has been established in Christchurch for more than 20-years. Portfolio represents an extremely high calibre of models, talent, actors and children, and runs educational confidence/deportment and grooming workshops for teenagers, tweens and children every school holidays. They include skincare, catwalk, a photo-shoot, confidence/life skills, makeup, grooming, presentation and much more! The courses are designed to bring out the best in young teenagers and set a fantastic platform for them to succeed in daily life. For the kids and tweens, it’s all about fun, growth and a “can-do” attitude. The course is also an excellent opportunity to be scouted and represented by this successful agency.
Cleaning Warrior Mask
Someone bought hundreds of unused bleach bottles to the North Shore Resource Centre where I get most of my resources. I thought about cleaning products and the monotonous task of cleaning and designed the cleaning warrior idea as a trigger for the children
to make their own masks using the bleach bottles. The patterns are made using stickers found at the North Shore Resource Centre.
Sleepy time at SmartyPants Did you know that SmartyPants sells more than just their amazing costumes? They also have a great range of boys’ and girls’ cotton pyjamas, in sizes 2-7. SmartyPants loves to offer things that are just a little bit “less than usual,” so you’ll find all sorts of interesting ap-
pliqués and prints on their pjs, from dirt bikes to ladybirds. If they don’t have quite what you’re looking for, they can even do special orders so you can get that perfect pair! Smart stuff for smart kids. For clothing, costumes and more, visit www.smartypants.kiwi.
Mel Radford Brown Director of Portfolio
Kids, Tween, Teen
& Adult Workshops
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Develop playing, aural, reading & rhythmic skills with piano as the learned instrument Now also taking enrolments in singing lessons, guitar & drums
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF MUSIC Level 1, Barrington Mall, Barrington Street | Phone: 03-377-3778 E-mail: admin@ismchristchurch.co.nz | www.ismchristchurch.co.nz www.familytimes.co.nz
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There’s Always Something New
KIDS TIM E
@ The Bush Inn Shopping Centre
Hair & beauty Gifts & food Stationery & Everyday needs
Specialty retail Amazing food One level access Undercover parking Child friendly
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. Looking for some rainy day activities for your children? Click on the For Kids section on our website for answers and for further activities your children can print out and complete.
Search - a- word
Like us on facebook and keep up to date with specials and events www.bushinncentre.co.nz Cnr Riccarton & Waimairi Roads Centre Office: Ph 03 348 6993
Lunches ~ High Teas
Dinner and Functions Venue Set in a quaint 1890's villa in the country town of Lincoln, The Tea House will treat you to something special every day.
6 Robert Street, Lincoln Phone: 03-325 7242 www.theteahouse.co.nz
Join us ate! to celebr
spot the difference Can you spot 6 differences
paramountnz
www.minions.co.nz
#minions
win win win
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Minions
Disney Pixar’s Inside Out
We have five fantastic prize packs from our friends at Paramount Pictures to celebrate the release of the new Minions’ film. To enter, visit www.familytimes.co.nz. Competition closes 17 July 2015. First prize winner: - 1 x Minions family in-season movie pass (two adults, two children) - 1 x Minions suitcase - 1 x Minions shopper bag - 1 x Despicable Me DVD box set – Despicable Me 1 and Despicable Me 2 - 1 x Minions toy: Interactive Talking Stuart with Guitar (RRP$100) Four runner-up prizes - 1 x Minions family in-season movie pass (two adults, two children) - 1 x Minions shopper bag - 1 x Despicable Me mini-movies series DVD
To celebrate the much anticipated release on 25 June of the Disney•Pixar film Inside Out we have five fantastic prize packs to give away. Each prize pack contains: 1 Inside Out umbrella 1 Inside Out cap 1 Inside Out bag Competition closes 17 July, enter at www.familytimes.co.nz
Turn old money into opportunities with NZ Lions
Maze
Did you know that there’s a large amount of unwanted money out there? Apparently, there’s approximately $80m in old coins and some $36m in bank notes plus loads of foreign cash. The Lions’ HU4K project collects everything from pre/old decimal currency and bank notes through to any foreign currency. The magic of this collection is taking something that doesn’t have much use and turning it into something really positive – life changing opportunities for Kiwi teens. Please take your old NZ/foreign money to any Resene ColorShop or selected New World Supermarkets. It’s as easy as that!
Connect the Dots
Desig n com petition This issue we would love you to draw your favourite winter scene. Maybe it’s one of your favourite places to go in winter or your favourite winter activity. Then tell us all about it. Send us your picture (either via post or email) and you will be in to win a wonderful prize pack for creative kiwi kids from Crayola. There are three entry age groups: 1-4, 5-8, and 9-12. Don’t forget to write your name, age, description and postal address (so we can send you your prize if you win!) Post to PO Box 36,004 Christchurch 8146 or email: jackie@familytimes.co.nz. Entries close 17 July 2015. A huge congratulations to the winners of our last issue’s design competition: 1-4 Zara Quinn (4) 5-8 Sarah Aitken 9-12 Max Breingan (10) Visit www.familytimes.co.nz to view the winning entries.
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KINGS SWIM SCHOOL
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win win win Christchurch tram and gondola
Griffins’ new Cookie Bear Snap ‘n’ Play We have three family passes to give paramountnz #minions biscuits are themed packets of bikkies www.minions.co.nz away from our friends at Welcome each with their own set of fun-loving Aboard. Each pass is valued at $175 characters – from pirates to pop stars and allows a family of two adults and and astronauts – that kids can snap off up to three children to experience the and eat, making them not only yum but Christchurch tram, the Christchurch so much fun! Available in three delicious gondola, punting on the Avon and a flavours and free from artificial flavours or gardens’ tour. colours, Cookie Bear Snap ‘n’ Play biscuits To enter to win, please visit are available now from supermarkets www.familytimes.co.nz . Competitions nationwide. paramountnzclose 17 July 2015. www.minions.co.nz We have three prize packs to give away, each including 20 packets of biscuits plus a pirate and a pop star re-usable colouring placemat. Competition closes 17 July 2015, enter at www.familytimes.co.nz.
Learn to Swim Experts • • • • •
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 #minions beginning of a new term • New reduced class sizes** “the school in the pool” Mention this advert from the Family Times when booking into the holiday programme* and pay a reduced rate of $80.00. *one week of swim lessons ** New reduced class sizes for most levels
109 main sth rd, sockburn, christchurch ph: 03 341 7579 www.swimkings.co.nz www.facebook/swimkings www.familytimes.co.nz
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cool activities
Calendar of Events Get out and about and make the most of winter days with the following family-friendly events. For more event and entertainment ideas, visit www.familytimes.co.nz and enjoy our large, familyfriendly resource. 24 June
Brooke Fraser at the Isaac Theatre Royal. See award-winning New Zealand folk/ popular singer/songwriter Brooke Fraser perform a selection of her hits. At 8pm, Isaac Theatre Royal. Visit premier.ticketek.co.nz to secure tickets.
26 June
Smokefreerockquest. Smokefreerockquest is New Zealand’s only nationwide, live, original music, youth event. Tickets from
$10. At Isaac Theatre Royal, 7pm, visit smokefreerockquest.co.nz for details.
27 June
Winter Encraftment Gift Market. New Zealand’s finest crafters offer a selection of clothing and accessories, jewellery, housewares, stationery, kidsware and toys, art prints and more! At The Foundry, University of Canterbury, Ilam Road.
CSO presents Pirates of the Carribbean: Dead Man’s Chest. This features an exciting and dramatic soundtrack from the pen of Hans Zimmer. Horncastle Arena, 7pm, tickets from premier.ticketek. co.nz.
11 July
Kaikoura Matariki Mini Festival. The market/mini festival is in celebration of Matariki and aims to educate around what Matariki means to Maori. West End car park, Kaikoura, 10am-4pm.
The Annual Bear and Doll Show. Bears and dolls on display, as well as competitions. Raffles, free bookmark making for children. At St Andrews College senior common room, 10am-4pm, adults $5, children under 12 $3.
27 June
11-12 July
27 June
African Youth Talent Showcase. This showcase of performances by African youth will feature guest performances by local artists. A great night out for the whole family! Addington Events Centre, 5pm, cost $10.
From waste to precious objects
The challenge of reusing an entire house to save it from waste has formed the basis for Whole House Reuse to open at Canterbury Museum on 5 June 2015. The project involved reusing every single piece of 19 Admirals Way, which was scheduled for demolition in 2013. More than 250 people have invented ways of reusing the materials. The exhibition showcases original works by some of the country’s finest designers and craftspeople and it also includes works by school children, retired experts, community organisations like Kilmarnock Enterprises, and students of various arts and crafts. Objects include chairs made of lath wood, delicate bowls made from window glass, precious musical instruments carved from framing timber
4 July
and games made from plastic piping. From fine jewellery and cutlery to furniture and toys, the reused materials have taken on a new life in the form of nearly 400 objects. The project was the brainchild of Rekindle a social enterprise that seeks to bring about creativity and positive change in the way resources are valued. On 21 June there will be a music performance with instruments created from house materials. On 18 July at the free theatre, children can create puppets and learn animation techniques, and there is a demonstration of these puppets on 2 August at Canterbury Museum. An auction of the objects will take place on 24 August at the Isaac Theatre Royal. Visit www.canterburymuseum.com.
Kaiapoi Art Expo. The Kaiapoi Art Expo is Waimakariri district’s largest visual art show and attracts large crowds every year. At the Kaiapoi Club, Raven Quay, Kaiapoi, 10am5pm.
18-19 July
Meet Disney princesses and their princes as Disney on Ice presents Dare to Dream.
Baby & Child Expo. A huge range of products and services will be on show along with seminars, demos, workshops, and a childcare service. At Pioneer Stadium, 9am4pm, adults $5, 15-and-unders free.
26 July
1 August
Mum’s Market. Pre-owned toys, books, clothes, kitchenware and other bits and pieces at bargain prices. At Ferry Road BBQ & Cafe, 130 Ferry Road. Phone Mei Staples on 03-377-8853 to book a stall.
Sri Chinmoy 10km, 5km and children’s 2 August 2.5km races in Sumner. Registration area is JD Duathlon Series – race one. All ages at the far end of Sumner Esplanade by the clock tower. From 9am. Medals are awarded to the top and abilities, including novice and junior, youth and kids. At Ruapuna raceway. Visit www. three male and female finishers in each event. jdevents.co.nz for details.
Patricia Paul School of Dance Patricia Paul A.R.A.D. (London) has been passionate about educating students in Christchurch for more than 20 years. Follow in the footsteps of international singing star Hayley Westenra and Kase Craig (Ballet de l’Opera National de Bordeaux), Marysa Dalton (ex RNZB) and Sacha Copeland (Java Dance Company choreographer). With schools in Cashmere, Thorrington, Rolleston, Upper Riccarton, Marshland, Fendalton, Sumner, Harewood and New Brighton and classes in classical ballet, contemporary, hip hop and jazz, there is something for everyone. Dance tuition in classical ballet starts from 3-years-old and jazz and hip hop from 6-years-old. Phone 03-372-9191 or email info@studioone.co.nz for enquiries.
3 August
Toolbox – The Middle Years (6-12-years). Over six sessions, the Middle Years Toolbox is designed to help you teach skills and build memories. At St Andrews College, 7-9pm. Visit www.theparentingplace.com, phone 0800-535-569 for tickets.
7-9 August
Disney on Ice presents Dare to Dream. Join your favourite Disney princesses and their heroic princes in a classic-meetscontemporary celebration of 75 years of Disney princess stories. Horncastle Arena, various times. Visit premier.ticketek.co.nz.
15-16 August
Go Green Expo. Find everything you need for better living, and discover exciting new choices at New Zealand’s largest organic and sustainable living show. Airforce Museum, 10am-4pm. Tickets at www.gogreenexpo.co.nz.
Contact: Ingrid 03-349 9924 / 027-387 0065
www.phatsk8.co.nz
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cool activities
Holiday programmes Looking for something fun, Kings Swim School educational or adventurous for Learn to swim with the experts at Kings Swim School: book now for school holiday your kids during these school programmes and enjoy new, reduced class holidays? Check out some of sizes. Phone 03-341-7579 or visit www. the great programmes available swimkings.co.nz. in the following listings: Artisan Sewing Learn to craft your own fashion with Busy Bumbles school holiday sewing classes and textile Busy Bumbles award-winning OSCAR Programme is action packed, fun filled days of holiday fun. Children from all schools welcome.
painting holiday workshops for kids and teens. Bookings: Artisansewing@gmail.com, 027-961-4517 or Artisan sewing on facebook.
West Christchurch Christchurch Circus Trust South SHARP Trust provides quality, Christian Holiday circus classes for kids 8-years plus. Learn trapeze, unicycle, juggling, acrobatics and more. After school programmes too. Email circustrust@gmail.com.
CASPA
CASPA offers a holiday programme experience that your five to 14-year-olds will enjoy. Our programmes are designed to be fun and educational. For peace of mind, call CASPA on 03-349-9260.
Christchurch Football Academy
Join our July holiday football programme and train with qualified international coaches on two brand new artificial pitches.
South West Christchurch
SHARP Trust provides quality, Christian outof-school care for children aged 5 to 14-years in the South West of Christchurch. The afterschool, holiday and music programmes are high quality, low cost and heaps of fun. Enrol now at www.sharp.org.nz or phone 03-338-0673.
out-of-school care for children aged 5 to 14-years in the South West of Christchurch. The after-school, holiday and music programmes are high quality, low cost and heaps of fun. Enrol now at www.sharp.org. nz or phone 03-338-0673.
M*A*S*H
Looking for a fantastic school holiday programme? Check out all that the team at My After School Headquarters have to offer at various locations around Canterbury. Visit www.mashkids.co.nz or phone 0800-420-520.
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Step back in time and become a paratrooper with Air Force Museum.
Christchurch Football Academy Christchurch Football Academy’s vision is to be a recognised New Zealand sports’ brand and to develop young football players who will proudly represent the academy and their country around the world. Our goals are: • To construct a world-class sports’ facility. • To attract the best coaches and create the best working conditions for coaches and academy personnel, and to develop their professional growth. • To offer the best training and educational programmes including nutrition, physio and rehab, that exceeds the expectations of the local Christchurch and wider New Zealand communities. • To create the image of CFA as a highlevel sports organisation and, among all
sports clubs, the primary resource of choice for parents. • We are a non-profit organisation that aims to provide financial stability and independence in order to allow for constant growth in member numbers and academy revenue. • To build relationships with professional clubs, academies and universities around the world, in order to provide career pathways for academy players. • To grow football players with a life-long passion for the game, to a level where they can start playing for professional clubs, New Zealand national teams or any tertiary institution. Don’t miss out on being part of this amazing resource for Christchurch – especially our July school holiday programmes. Check out www.cfa.org.nz.
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cool activities
Entertainment
July Bonanza Sale where there are loads of Need a fun activity to beat the The Jungle Book special deals. Come see the animals! Visit Southern Ballet’s junior company brings life to winter blues? The weather www.willowbank.co.nz. timeless story; may be chilly but there are still Kipling’s 8 – 9 July at 11am and 2pm; 10 – 11 July 11am, Canterbury Museum a plethora of exciting events 2pm and 5pm. Bookings: 03-379-7219, tickets Explore the Victorian Christchurch street, and entertainment destinations $12.50. At Southern Ballet Theatre, 108 Antarctic and Maori galleries, special Carlyle Street, Sydenham. around the city. Here are a exhibitions, shop and café. Enjoy Discovery for children. Visit www.canterburymuseum.com. few ideas to get you started, Little Red Riding Hood and we’ve got heaps more at Featuring Southern Ballet’s intermediate Antarctic Centre ballet company; 15 – 16 July 11am and 2pm; 17 www.familytimes.co.nz. A unique Antarctic experience for all, with – 18 July 11am, 2pm and 5pm. Bookings: 03snow and ice, an Antarctic storm, exciting 379-7219. All tickets $12.50. At Southern Black Cat Cruises – Hagglund ride, 4D Extreme simulated cruise Ballet Theatre, 108 Carlyle Street, Sydenham. and the penguin encounter. Visit www. Akaroa See dolphins, fur seals, penguins and plenty The Plains Vintage Railway iceberg.co.nz. of marine birdlife. Only 90 minutes from The Plains Vintage Railway, Maronan Road, Bush Inn Christchurch and under 5s travel free! Visit Ashburton - open on request from June www.blackcat.co.nz.
Orana Wildlife Park
Experience up-close animal encounters at Orana Wildlife Park. Hand feed giraffe, see kiwi, lions, Tasmanian devils and much more.
- September for group visits. Visit www. plainsrailway.co.nz or phone 03-308-9600.
Willowbank Wildlife Reserve
Duck into Willowbank in July for their famous
Fostering a lifelong love of music The Christchurch School of Music (CSM) is a fun, family-oriented society aimed at providing quality music education in and around Christchurch. CSM is celebrating 60 years of teaching children to love and appreciate music in 2015, so why not join us and become a part of the next 60 years? CSM is a not-for-profit organisation with a strong focus on community. On a Saturday morning the whole family can find something to suit: preschool children can start their musical journey by joining in our
experiential “Take Orff with Music” while older children and adults may opt for group or individual lessons on a specific instrument (including voice). Those who already play are welcome to join in one of the fabulous groups. If Saturday isn’t an option, CSM also offers a range of weekday opportunities for learning and playing music. Visit www.csm.org.nz or phone the office on 03-366-1711 to find out what we can offer you.
Music tuition family! for the whole
CHRISTCHURCH SCHOOL OF MUSIC
FOSTERING A LIFELONG LOVE OF MUSIC Whether you’re 2 or 92, the Christchurch School of Music can offer a musical experience to suit your needs. Tuition is offered for a range of instruments (including voice) along with theory, aural perception, and preschool classes. CSM also offers a wide variety of ensembles ranging from small Chamber Music groups and Rock Bands through to large orchestras, concert bands and choirs.
ENROL NOW
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visit
www.csm.org.nz
Ph: 03-366-1711, email: office@csm.org.nz
www.familytimes.co.nz
For easy access, covered parking and a child friendly environment, you can’t go past the Bush Inn Shopping Centre. To stay connected with competitions and events, like our facebook page.
Circus Classes for kids After & ol scho ay holid es class
For workshop and class details
Visit: www.chchcircus.com Email: circustrust@gmail.com or call: 027-436 5384
Whole House Reuse opens at Canterbury Museum on 5 June 2015.
National Trade Academy
School holidays are coming up. What better way to spend them than visiting Arion Farm
Christchurch Circus Charitable Trust The Christchurch Circus Charitable Trust has run circus workshops and classes for more than 10 years. Kids learn trapeze, acrobatics, balancing on equipment and different kinds of juggling. Circus is physically versatile and builds dexterity, strength, fitness and balance. Circus training promotes social and cooperative skills with children often helping each other with their new found expertise. It fosters life skills such as perseverance. Most importantly, circus is fun. For more information, check out www.chchcircus.com or call 027-436-5384.
Air Force Museum Let the Air Force Museum take care of your child’s next birthday party! With three options to choose from, there is always something that every child will enjoy with these fully hosted birthday parties. The Trent Aviation birthday is where children delight in getting dressed up as aviators, learning drill, then getting on board a real aircraft for a pretend flight and parachute jump. The Pearce Aviation party is where intrepid paratroopers board an Andover for a pretend flight and parachute jump followed
by grenade throwing (water balloons). The Checketts Aviation party is where brave children step back in time to experience a bombing raid in the Pacific and complete a scavenger hunt around the museum. All parties include dressing up in flight suits, making dog tags and learning drill, and each child receives a goodie bag. Both catered and non-catered options are available. Charges apply. Visit www.airforcemuseum.co.nz or contact the public programmes team on 03343-9504.
cool activities Park at McLeans Island? Touch and feed animals in their natural environment. Fun for all ages!
Weka Pass Railway
Original Scripts
Original Scripts at Kidsfest: The Heartless Giant - A princess journeys to find the giant’s lost heart and save the kingdom.
Weka Pass Railway runs its popular excursions on the first and third Sundays every month, plus on holiday weekends. Visit www.wekapassrailway.co.nz for details.
Westfield Riccarton
Holiday specials
The Cat in the Hat
Here are some great holiday ideas designed to keep you and your little ones entertained during the school break. Black Cat Cruises- Akaroa
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.
Orana Wildlife Park
These July holidays, our promotion is that kids enter for free! Up to two children (5 to 14-years) can enter Orana free with a paying adult. Please present our ad to gain the discount.
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.
The Imagination Station
Come along to Northlands for free fun activities these school holidays. See the back page for details or visit www.northlands.co.nz.
Antarctic Centre
Join us these July school holidays for lots of fun crafts, games and entertainment with Monty the Monkey. Join your favourite cat in that hat, from the best-selling children’s books, for plenty of games and lots of fun. From 8-18 July, bookings at www.courttheatre.org.nz.
Fun holiday activity at Arion Farm Education Park
Arion Farm Education Park is a unique facility run by the National Trade Academy at 890 McLean’s Island, Christchurch, where visitors can see, touch and hand feed animals in a natural environment. It is an affordable, fun and educational holiday option. Pony rides are offered and a picnic and play area with shelter and shade is available. The farm focuses solely on New Zealand farm animals and farming heritage. Visitors learn about breeds, handling and care, the farming industry and its contribution to the economy. Arion Farm Education Park is an ideal venue for hosting children’s parties. Arion Farm Education Park is open every day from 10am – 3pm. For more information, visit www.arionfarmpark.co.nz or for bookings phone 03-360-2192, 021881-279, or visit the “arion farm education park” Facebook page.
Daily programmes throughout the school holidays for children 6 to 12-years. Details and bookings at www.iceberg.co.nz
Parliament
Take a free tour with a professional tour guide who will show you the historic buildings, stunning art collection and talk you through the parliamentary process. Parliament Tours run daily, private and art focused tours for groups are run on request and need to be booked in advance.
For bookings and tour information: P: 04 817 9503 E: tour.desk@parliament.govt.nz www.parliament.nz
Artisan Sewing is all about creating your own garments by making them yourself. At Artisan sewing, whether you are 8-years-old or 80-years-old, learning or experienced, it doesn’t matter; the ability to make your own garment is possible. It’s not that hard! Artisan Sewing has been created by Miriam, a fashion designer of 13 years. Miriam still loves designing and making creations and continues to do this to this day. She enjoys sharing her love of creating an item or a piece of clothing by teaching and tutoring; that’s how Artisan Sewing began. With a big emphasis on creativity, students at Artisan sewing will learn sewing
techniques and if the student is advanced, they will be able to learn more about tailoring. But the emphasis is on fun learning. Artisan Sewing will have classes available afterschool as well as in the evenings, and a sewing bee will be available on Fridays. Watch out for school holiday textile printing workshops for kids and teens, and Artisan’s Sew a Dress in a Day weekend work shop. Artisan Sewing’s location is 30 Colombo Street (New Life church on corner of Malcolm Ave and Colombo Street). For class and workshop times email artisansewing@ gmail.com or phone 027-961-4517. Like Artisansewing on facebook and stay in touch with workshop times.
Learning to craft your own fashion • School holiday sewing classes for kids and teens
Club
Visit & Experience
Artisan Sewing
Artisan Sewing
Robotics For more information, visit: www.technotutorz.co.nz
Duck into Willowbank this July for awesome specials.
• Textile painting holiday workshops for kids and teens
Museum Village open upon request for group and charter visits. Public open days recommence in September.
MARONAN RD, TINWALD, ASHBURTON Phone: 03-308 9600 www.plainsrailway.co.nz
For class times and bookings
email artisansewing@gmail.com Phone/txt 027-961 4517 or find us on Facebook
class and workshop location: Cashmere New Life Church 30 Colombo St
Horse Riding Courses Quality instruction on excellent horses and ponies in a safe, country environment. Suitable for complete beginners to advanced riders. 8~18 years. Weekend: $160.00 includes 2 nights’ accommodation, all meals, horse riding, trekking and instruction. Five day camps $370.00 Excellent facilities for Dressage, Show Jumping and Cross Country
Island Road, View Hill, OXFORD Phone: 03-312 4309 www.kowhai.co.nz www.familytimes.co.nz
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Science at home: fossils or even millions of years. As more mud presses What you will need: Have you ever been to the down on the remains, minerals in the mud are A plastic cup or plastic sauce container beach or the river - maybe released, turning it into stone. These remains lid even the forest - and stumbled are called fossils, and they give scientists clues with Plastic wrap about the history of life on Earth. across some cool looking The study of fossils is called palaeontology. The Scissors rocks? Sometimes if you look only way we know about dinosaurs is because Modelling clay or play-dough of the fossils found and then studied by Plaster of Paris closely at the rocks you may palaeontologists – these are usually footprints. Water to mix with see leaf patterns, or even shell It’s unusual to find an entire animal fossil, but Plastic insect, shells etc to make the imprint of the fossil patterns etched into the rock. shells, bone and teeth are common fossils. 1 If you are using a plastic cup, cut down How to make your own You may have discovered a to half way then cut across so you have a fossil without even realising it! fossil: shallow cup. Alternatively you can use a
W
hen a plant or animal dies, they usually decay quite quickly, but sometimes they can sink into thick mud. Because mud contains no air, the remains don’t decay and other animals and insects can’t disturb the remains. The remains can lay in the mud for thousands
Childcare during school holidays Busy Bumbles is an award-winning Oscar programme that prides itself on 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 for more information at www.busybumbles.co.nz.
These fossils aren’t made over millions of years – more like millions of seconds. Twentyfour hours to be exact!
First Learners First Learners childcare centres, located in Rangiora, Mairehau and Shirley, are privately owned and managed by a qualified early childhood teacher who is passionate about providing the very best in child education and care for children aged 0 to 6-years. The centres provide a free play environment alongside structured play, which is planned around the individual child’s areas of interest, including a four-year-old extension programme. All the centres offer spacious and well-equipped indoor and outdoor play environments with low child-to-staff ratios and qualified and experienced staff.
Early Childhood Centres
MATHS READING WRITING Fun, motivating tuition that gets results!
First four weeks free! Flexible booking hours
• Friendly, qualified teachers • NZ-based curriculum • Face-to-face teaching • School Years 0–9
Rangiora – 313 5675 Mairehau – 385 8311 Shirley – 385 9577
351-3000
www.marleyperkins.co.nz 208A Wairakei Rd, Bryndwr
www.firstlearners.co.nz
sauce container.
2 Break of some dough/ clay and place it in
the bottom of the container. You want it about a thumbnail thick. and press it hard into the clay/dough. If you’re doing an insect make sure you press it in upside down.
4 Remove the item from the clay and you should now have a good indentation.
5 Mix up a small portion of the plaster of
Paris and water. Mix it until it’s the consistency of PVA glue.
6 Pour the plaster mix into the cup until the 7 Leave in a safe place where it can’t be
knocked over. If using the sauce container, place the lid on, or cover with plastic wrap. It will take 24 hours for it to set.
8 Once set, remove the plaster from the
container – Ta da! You have your very own fossil! You can colour it with felt pens if you want to. Science Alive are exclusively providing at-home science experiments to Family Times.
Pebbles Montessori Cashmere
Pebbles Montessori Cashmere will open in August 2015. It will be licensed for 30 children aged 6-months to 6-years, and open from 8am – 6pm every day. It’s the third preschool owned and operated by Belinda Slade. Pebbles Preschool Sumner opened in April 2010 and Pebbles Montessori Sumner opened in February 2014. The Pebbles’ vision is to inspire a love of learning within the centre and the community. Enrolments are now being taken. Please email info@ pebblespreschool.co.nz or call Belinda on 021-274-1967 for more information.
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Pebbles Montessori & Pebbles Preschool Sumner
4 CASPA after school and holiday programmes
For peace of mind while you work, CASPA after school and holiday programmes are the answer for you. With a before-school, after-school and holiday programme experience that your five to 13-year-olds will enjoy, our programmes are designed to be fun and educational. Your children are cared for by our experienced team who are trained, highly motivated and professional, and provide a safe, friendly environment. We’re also Child, Youth and Family approved for the Out of School Care and Recreation (OSCAR) subsidy. Call us now on 03-349-9260.
CASPA
After School & Holiday Programme
Opawa School Holiday OPEN Programme
NOW
www.celc.co.nz
sori
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MEOROEN CASNH ING S
s Pebble
Providing... • A high quality boutique preschool • Licensed for 8 under 2s and 18 over 2s • Privately-owned and operated • 100% qualified and registered teachers • Purpose-built classrooms
OPE
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AT BOT H
8.00am-5.00pm
OSCAR approved
www.familytimes.co.nz
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clay is covered.
TAKING ENROLMENTS NOW!
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2
3 Take your item that you want to fossilise
WINZ Subsidy available
192 Cashmere Rd, Christchurch Phone: 03-943 2305 | E-mail: info@celc.co.nz
1
CYF approved
WINZ subsidies
HOURS
CENTR
ES
Ph: 021-274 1967 www.pebblespreschool.co.nz www.montessorisumner.co.nz
A safe, creative environment for 5-13 year olds.
Creative After School Programmed Activities
CALL US NOW! p: 349 9260 or 027 352 1638 e: info@caspa.org.nz Subsidies apply w: www.caspa.org.nz
support services
From baby language to communication One of the most exciting developmental stages in infants and toddlers is their growing ability to communicate.
F
rom their first word – usually Mum or Dad – or a variation of those terms, to when they start school, their brains are hard-wired for learning words and their meanings at a staggering rate. One of the greatest stages of development hits at about 18-months, with a language explosion that will see your toddler’s vocabulary grow from a few words at age one to 1000-2000 by his third birthday. It’s usually around this time too, that he will start to make simple combinations of words to form short sentences, i.e, “go car,” or “no bath.” You probably won’t understand everything they say for some time – after all, some consonants are tricky, and words with blended sounds (such as pl, or br) can take some time. What is important, and worth celebrating, is your toddler’s efforts to make himself understood. If you are a first-time parent, you may have some questions or concerns about your child’s language development. Plunket clinical advisor Marg Bigsby says this is normal. “Language development is a topic that often comes up. First time parents often have more questions, and this is exactly the kind of topic to discuss with your Plunket nurse, who can in most cases offer reassurance that your child’s language is developing just fine or, if required, refer to a specialist.”
The Special Needs Library
The Special Needs Library in Huxley Street lends educational, learning, recreational and therapeutic resources to children and adults throughout Canterbury. Charlotte Ganderton, a trained professional, is the resource advisor who is available to advise on the use and suitability of resources relevant to the client’s needs. With more than 3000 resources, the library is a treasure trove of items for hire: for instance, resources for gifted children and English as a second language. Interesting speakers for groups, agencies, and service groups are available. Phone Charlotte direct on 03-332-0731, or all other enquiries to 03-332-0733
Educational and Therapeutic Resources • Stimulation • Challenge • Early learning skills • Language development • Co-ordination • Sight and hearing
OPEN Tues,Thurs 10am~4.30pm Sat 10.00am Christchurch ~Noon
Here are some general guidelines for language development in little ones:
By the end of 3 months
By the end of three months, your child might: • Smile when you appear. • Startle upon hearing loud sounds. • Make “cooing” sounds. • Quiet or smile when spoken to. • Seem to recognise your voice. • Cry differently for different needs.
By the end of 6 months
By the end of six months, your child might: • Make gurgling sounds when playing with you or left alone. • Babble and make a variety of sounds. • Use his or her voice to express pleasure and displeasure. • Move his or her eyes in the direction of sounds. • Respond to changes in the tone of your voice. • Notice that some toys make sounds. • Pay attention to music.
“What is important, and worth celebrating, is your toddler’s efforts to make himself understood.” By the end of 12 months
By the end of 12 months, your child might: • Try imitating words. • Say a few words, such as “dada,” “mama” and “uh-oh.” • Understand simple instructions, such as “Come here.” • Recognise words for common items, such
Optimum Learning
Optimum Learning provides highly effective solutions for anyone struggling with learning, reading, social issues, or interpersonal skills. Using the Davis Correction® Programmes, Optimum Learning enables individuals to enhance their gifts and overcome the challenges associated with learning differences such as dyslexia, autism, dyspraxia, ADD/ ADHD, maths, and reading/writing difficulties. Melanie Curry is a highly experienced teacher and licensed Davis facilitator who is dedicated to empowering you to achieve your goals. Visit www.optimumlearning.co.nz or contact Melanie Curry at melanie@ optimumlearning.co.nz.
I’m smart so why do I have such trouble with learning? Finally there is an answer...
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• Turn and look in the direction of sounds. • Respond to “no.”
By the end of 18 months
By the end of 18 months, your child might: • Point to an object or picture when it’s named. • Recognise names of familiar people, objects and body parts. • Follow simple directions accompanied by gestures. • Say as many as eight to 10 words.
By the end of 24 months
By the end of 24 months, your child might: • Use simple phrases, such as “more milk.” • Ask one- to two-word questions, such as “Go bye-bye?” • Follow simple commands without the help of gestures. • Speak at least 50 words.
When to check with your child’s doctor
Talk to your child’s doctor or a Plunket nurse if your child hasn’t mastered most of the speech and language development milestones for his or her age or you’re concerned about any aspect of your child’s development. Speech delays occur for many reasons, and it’s important to tackle them quickly in order to prepare your child for school.
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• Drop-in 10 am-2 pm, Sometimes you need some Monday to Friday Help is information or an answer to Contact us: 03-371 7414 or 022-105 @ hand a curly question. Why not 5308 pick up the phone and call Email: support@ the relative support agency? womenscentre.co.nz You’ll find professional caring www.womenscentre.co.nz Catholic Social Services people ready to assist you. Parenting and family support programmes open to all, free of charge. Christchurch Usual office hours with late night on Resettlement Services. Free social services for people from refugee Tuesdays ‘till 6.30pm by appointment. 336 Cashel Street, P O Box 4237, and migrant backgrounds. Interpreters are Christchurch. Phone: 03-379 0012 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
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
Dr Murray Cameron
Removing limitations for Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADD and other challenges. 109 Huxley Street, Chch Phone: 03-332 0733 www.specialneedslibrary.co.nz
www.optimumlearning.co.nz Melanie Curry
Dip.Teach, B. Ed, Licensed Davis™ Facilitator
p. 03 322 1726 m. 021 367 669 melanie@optimumlearning.co.nz
P.O. BOX 16554, HORNBY, CHRISTCHURCH Canterbury Speakeasy 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: 03-981 8593
M.Sc(distinction), PH.D, Dip MH, MEd Counselling (Hons) Provisional Member of NZAC
Counselling and Relationship Consultant Available evenings and weekends Home visits in need Phone: (03) 355 0336, Cell: 027 694 5275 Caledonian Clinic, 304 Papanui Rd, Christchurch Email: murray@afterhourscounselling.co.nz www.afterhours-counsellingservices.co.nz
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health
Are you too clean for your kids’ good? Want to sanitise that baby toy? Hygiene hypothesis In fact, a mounting body of research suggests Think again...
is with asthma – most people are no longer exposed to endotoxins that are a byproduct of livestock and farms that can help build that exposing infants to germs may offer them resistance. Parents worry about their kids’ health from greater protection from illnesses such as On top of the reduction in exposure to before they are even born. But overprotecting allergies and asthma later in life. This theory is microbes, we tend to treat every symptom kids from germs can have the opposite effect called “hygiene hypothesis.” with antibiotics, and our gut microflora has from the one intended. It is the basic nature Hygiene hypothesis theorises that when changed with the type of diet we eat. of young children to touch everything within exposure to parasites, bacteria and viruses Studies show that kids with older siblings, their reach – whether it’s your pet’s food, the is limited in early life, that children face a who grew up on a farm, or who attended dish cloth or the dust in the vacuum cleaner greater chance of having allergies, asthma day care early in life seem to show lower bag. And it’s the basic nature of parents to and other auto-immune diseases during rates of allergies, at least in some part due seize that month-old raisin that’s been hiding adulthood. Essentially, human society has to exposure to germs. That’s because a under the couch from their little one’s hand morphed and there have been radical changes young immune system strengthens itself and before it inevitably makes it into their mouth. to our environment; changes associated with learns to adapt and regulate when exposed But have parents gone overboard in trying to the size of families, and moving from a rural to to those germs. Exposure trains the infant protect their kids’ health? an urban environment. As such, we’ve moved immune system to attack bad bugs and ignore Studies show that it may pay to think twice from a situation in which we are exposed harmless things like pollen. before reaching for the hand sanitizer every to microbes to a more sterile environment In a recent study, a team from the Northfive minutes. without those exposures. A good example Western University in America discovered that children who were exposed to more animal faeces and had more cases of OKU New Zealand Native diarrhoea before the age of 2 had less Herbal Products incidence of inflammation in the body as they The OKU Cough & Chest Elixir range information, visit www.oku.co.nz. utilises a unique blend of New Zealand We have six bottles of OKU’s Children’s native herbs that have all been traditionally Elixir and the original Cough & Chest used for a range of respiratory and bronchial Elixir to give away. To enter, visit Looking for an all-in-one family-friendly conditions. Both blends have a completely www.familytimes.co.nz. Competition supplement to support quality sleep and closes 17 July 2015. natural base that includes the beautiful optimal health? Try our SleepDrops powder! tasting and therapeutic properties of Suitable for ages 2 and above, this product rewarewa honey, and they may assist in contains a comprehensive blend of key both wet and dry coughs. Both formulas are vitamins, minerals and fruit extracts to suitable for children aged 1-plus. For more support optimal sleep, immune response, nervous and adrenal system function, energy levels, and cardiovascular well-being.
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grew into adulthood. Inflammation is linked to many chronic adulthood illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimers. Balance is the key, according to experts. Hygiene hypothesis doesn’t mean that you should cancel your cleaning routine, but instead take a common sense approach: not everything in sight (or out of sight for that matter) needs to be washed or sanitised.
New Zealand Health Shop
Breakfast is sustaining and important
“We are what we eat,” and children who consume a balanced and sustaining breakfast that maintains normal blood sugar levels are likely to have a more successful day. Consumption of carbohydrate provides glucose for the body to convert into energy. Carbohydrates can be measured by how quickly the energy is absorbed into the body: white sugar (glucose) is quickly absorbed providing a fast glycemic response. Oats (complex carbohydrate) are slowly absorbed providing a medium to low glycemic response. Over consumption of carbohydrates causes high blood sugar levels with the excess energy stored as fat
and a long term pattern that may lead to type 2 diabetes. We all need carbohydrates and we need to stay aware of fast and slow glycemic response to maintain even blood sugar levels through the day. • Eat more whole grains, porridge oats, low sugar muesli, eggs with wholemeal toast. • Drink water to help obtain the benefits of a diet higher in fibre (wholegrains). • Stay active – 20 minutes of exercise. • Maintain regular meals including sustaining carbohydrates such as oats, barley, brown rice, pasta and wholemeal bread.
Mix the powder into a delicious drink for the whole family! Prioritise your family’s sleep and get on top of your wellness strategy this winter with SleepDrops’ Essential Sleep and Stress Nutrients. Available at 1100 health stores and pharmacies nationwide and from www. sleepdrops.co.nz. Always read the label and take as directed.
“When young bears go to bed, a few SleepDrops before the story is read”
Always read the label and take as directed.
CALL NOW to talk to our Naturopaths about helping your child get a great nights sleep and receive a free information booklet.
0800 345 999
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Individual. Learning. Brilliance. Graciously inviting you to tour our school, observe in a classroom and speak personally to the Co-Heads of School, and the teaching staff. Montessori is right for your child. Phone us today to discuss your child’s education.
We currently have spaces in our Montessori Early Childhood Centre (3-6 years) and Primary School (6-9 years and 9-13 years) Contact Pauline or Shubha Phone: 03-382 0503 admin@novamontessori.school.nz
Nova Montessori Centre Education for 3-13 years 22
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novamontessori.school.nz
Winter wellness tips and tricks Staying warm, well and safe help prevent the onset of coughs and colds. Hand sanitiser – give the kids small in winter takes a bit more bottles for school, and make sure they use it effort than in sunny summer – this will help stop the spread of germs that result in winter illnesses. months. We’ve got some tips home to keep your family on track Family Insulation: A snug, cosy and warm enduring winter’s icy grip. vironment is crucial for winter wellness. Consider insulating your home if you haven’t Family health already. Check out EECA Energywise grants
Vitamin C – during winter, when vegetables and fruits high in the immune-boosting vitamin are scarce, you may need to take regular vitamin C supplements to support body tissue growth, healthy blood vessels, strong bones and teeth, and to ward off winter influenza. Flu injection - if you haven’t already, consider getting flu injections for you and your family. It may even be free – enquire with your local GP. Dress warm – kids will fight it and swear they’re not cold, but make sure they’re wrapped up snug even inside the house to
lose control in wet or icy conditions. Avoid quick movements. Avoid sudden braking or turning movements that could – you may be eligible for a subsidy towards cause you to skid. Instead, accelerate slowly insulation and an energy efficient heatpump. and brake gently. Open windows. It’s important to do this Safe distance. Drive at a safe travelling regularly – every day – to prevent dampness distance because it takes longer to stop on and mould that create an unhealthy environa slippery road, especially in poor weather. ment. Double the two-second-rule. Draught stoppers. Invest in door sausages Drive to conditions. When travelling for internal doors, v-seal around windows and in fog, rain or snow, drive with your lights doors, and draught stops for under external dipped for increased safety. doors to stop heat escaping. Plan your journey. Consider if you really need to travel, especially if the weather is very Winter driving poor. Always check the weather forecasts and Driver slower. Drive slower than you road conditions, and think about which route normal would. It only takes a split second to to take. Choose safety over convenience.
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Invite people over. If you really don’t want to leave the safe haven of your snug winter home, invite family members or friends over for a potluck lunch or dinner. Company has a way of lifting our moods and a warm winter meal is always a winner. Plan activities. Make a concerted effort to plan things to do outside of the house, whether it’s a simple Saturday morning grocery shop or trip to the movies. Winter sports. Encourage your kids to get involved in a winter sport, or even get involved yourself. Keeping moving in winter is crucial to health.
Me time
Schedule in personal time. It can be tricky to do when the kids are inside, but try to find Community minded a quiet corner, read a book, draw a bath or Don’t hibernate. We all have tendencies have a nap. to snuggle up in our homes in front of our Start a hobby. Winter is the perfect time televisions until spring temperatures start to to take up a new personal interest. What kick in. But getting out and about has benefits. about scrapbooking, knitting/crochet or exWhen the sun is shining, wrap up warm and ploring some new hearty and healthy winter take the kids out for a bike ride to the park. recipes? You could even take an online lanThey’ll get rid of excess energy, and you’ll all guage course or explore learning about topics feel better for the excursion. that are of interest to you.
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Pegasus Health With the onset of winter illness, the Pegasus Health 24 Hour Surgery is focused on reducing wait times and ensuring patients receive treatment as quickly as possible. To achieve this, they will use a number of methods - including their usual triage system - to assess patients and assign them to the relevant clinical treatment stream to achieve timely patient care, with safety as a priority. This means that patients may not be seen in the order they arrive. They
will also use a text system, allowing those patients considered well enough by the triage nurse to elect to leave the surgery and wait for their consultation time at home or elsewhere. Patients are sent a text to advise them when it’s time to return for their consultation. The surgery can experience periods of high demand and recommends that for non-urgent matters, patients visit during quieter times, which are usually before 8am, 2-4pm and after 8pm.
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Have you tried? ViBeri blackcurrants are the perfect mid-winter snack. Packed full of immune boosting health benefits, they offer a great tasting way to help fight off the chills this winter. ViBeri organic blackcurrants are grown on our certified organic farm in South Canterbury. Our goal is to deliver uncompromised organic blackcurrant products suitable for the whole family!
Hello, meet Pineapple Heads – an all-natural hair and bath care range for kids aged 10 months-10 years, made in NZ with buckets of love and scrum-diddly-umptious smells.
Our blackcurrant range includes: Freeze or soft dried berries, along with snap frozen fresh from the farm. Or our indulgent dark chocolate covered blackcurrants.
Our products don’t have any dumb stuff like silicones, PEGs, petrochemicals, parabens... no baddies allowed! Our super duper products are fully kid tested and approved. Come say ‘Hi’ at pineappleheads.co.nz or PM us on Facebook and quote FamilyTimes for a FREE SAMPLE.
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market place 2015/2016 primary and intermediate school term dates Term 3, 2015
2015 and 2016 secondary and composite school term dates
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Term 3, 2015
Monday 20 July to Friday 25 September
Term 4, 2015
Monday 20 July to Friday 25 September
Monday 12 October to no later than Wednesday 16 December
Term 4, 2015
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Term 1, 2016
Term 1, 2016
Between Monday 1 February and Friday 5 February to Friday 15 April
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Mackenzie country
Destination Tekapo and Central Otago Advertorial
Milky Way looks so close you feel that you could touch it at times. You may even see an Tekapo and the South Island’s aurora or a meteor shower! Central region are New When you are ready to start expending some energy, pack up the kids and head to Zealand’s winter wonderland, Roundhill for some winter snow fun skiing and the perfect place to escape and snowboarding. Roundhill is due to open in late June, and is the ideal place to try for a family getaway in the these snow sports for the first time. The cooler months. huge beginners’ slope is serviced by two n your journey south you will encounter beginner rope tows and a platter lift. The wide slope and gentle pitch makes it easy the breathtaking views of the lake and fun to get up and going. Expert ski and and the picturesque Church of the Good board instructors give group lessons and Shepherd at Tekapo, the gateway to the Central region, but that’s just the beginning. private lessons. Of course, there are more challenging runs On land, water, or high in the sky, there is for the more experienced: the adventurous something in this little piece of paradise to can head up the world’s longest and steepest keep everyone in the family happily occupied rope tow and see what Australasia’s biggest and ensure lasting memories of fun and vertical drop (783m) is all about. Then, for excitement. a warming drink or to fill hungry tummies, Known for its bright turquoise lake and the on-site Two Thumb Café has been impressive snow-capped mountains, Tekapo redeveloped and doubled in size. is an area of outstanding beauty. No snow? Snow making facilities ensure It’s also one of the best star-gazing spots enjoyable skiing and snowboarding, even in the world, with plenty of options for day when heavy snow falls are delayed. and night tours to the observatory on the A trip to the Central region wouldn’t be summit of Mount John, 300 metres above complete without a stop at Tekapo Springs. Lake Tekapo. During the day, the summit Situated at the base of Mt John in Lake provides spectacular panoramic views of Tekapo, Tekapo Springs is a year-round the Mackenzie Country, and at night, the destination for the whole family. Whether it’s
O
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a relaxing soak in the hot pools, an indulgent treatment at the day spa, a dash around the ice skating rink or an adrenaline filled ride down the tubing park, Tekapo Springs has something for every member of the family. If you’re keen to explore the Central area a bit further, Hot Tubs Omarama is a must. Located on the northern edge of town, Hot Tubs Omarama is a unique, environmentally-conscious hot tub complex that has earned a 5-star Trip Advisor rating each year since 2012. Immerse yourself in pure mountain water on a private, landscaped site while surrounded by beautiful upper Waitaki/Mackenze Country scenery. Each tub is heated by a firebox that is submersed in the water, and each tub is cleaned and refilled with fresh mountain water after each use. Back in Tekapo, the township has a lot to offer visitors. Along with a good range of accommodation and breathtaking scenery, activities in the area include horse trekking, mountain biking, and, on clear nights,
starlight tours. There is also mini golf and, in and around the town, plenty of good walking spots. And after you have stopped at the Church of the Good Shepherd to marvel over the vista through the window behind its altar, take another few minutes to say hello to the bronze sculpture of a dog on the lake’s foreshore, there to commemorate the working collie dogs that helped to settle the high country. Enjoy your family holiday to Tekapo and the Central region this winter!
Come and unwind in private peaceful surroundings. The rejuvenating properties of fresh mountain water will deeply cleanse and revitalise. Your tub is cleaned and re-filled just for you - no chemicals are added.
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Enjoy winter at Tekapo Springs Ø Hot Pools in stunning scenery Ø New Zealand’s most scenic ice skating rink - check web for ice schedule Ø Snow Tube Park (July – September) Ø Glacial Day Spa for complete relaxation Ø Fully licensed Tahr Bar & Cafe no surcharge on public holidays! Ø Free Shuttle - to and from the Tekapo village Bring this advert or mention FAMTEK to receive a complimentary upgrade to our steam & sauna (offer valid until 31st March 2016) Web: www.tekaposprings.co.nz Ph: 0800 2 353 8283
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Mum and Dad... take a look at my teeth!
By Grahame Dutton BDS
Children should be seeing a dentist or school dental nurse regularly for dental care but sometimes it's you, the parents, who first notice something is not quite right with your child’s teeth. Here are some things that you could look out for that can indicate a bite problem is developing.
Do the upper and lower midlines match up?
Do they have lots of teeth and not enough room?
If your child can’t bite lettuce out of a sandwich?
This can be as a result of the upper jaw being too narrow which makes the child move their jaw to the side so they can chew. If this is left untreated the lower jaw can grow into an asymmetry so the chin is off to one side.
Termed ‘crowding’ this can lead to teeth being pushed out of place and stop teeth from coming through properly.
When the back teeth are together is there a space between the front teeth? If there is a gap then we term that an anterior open bite (you can see all of the lower front teeth). An open bite can develop from a digit habit like thumbsucking or be hereditary.
Are there large gaps between the teeth? Is there a tooth sitting on the wrong side? Usually all the upper teeth sit on the outside (cheekside) of the lower teeth. This is technically termed a crossbite.
Do the teeth poke out? Or does your child sit their lower lip under the top teeth at rest? In lay terms this is sometimes called “buck teeth”. If we have buck teeth or a crossbite left untreated these it can affect the teeth and the bite and be an increased risk of accidental damage.
This can be caused by an extra tooth being up in the gum or a thick band of fibrous tissue. It can also be if the teeth are small or missing.
Can’t see the lower teeth when they bite? This is termed a deepbite. Left untreated this can be very difficult to manage as an adult and tooth wear is likely. This can be due to a jaw or tooth problem.
Has a tooth not come through? When the baby teeth come out usually the replacement adult tooth comes through almost immediately. If a tooth hasn't come through after six months then it may be stuck or missing.
If you can see any of the conditions described then it might be worth consulting a dental professional. Even if you haven't noticed any of the issues above we still suggest your child has an orthodontic assessment at around nine years of age. A jaw scan at this age may also pick up missing adult teeth.
Find useful information on children’s general dental health at: www.kidshealth.org.nz or www.health.govt.nz or call 0800 TALK TEETH (0800 825 583)
For our help, contact Duxton Dental: Phone 03-348 5488 Email info@duxtondental.co.nz Visit www.duxtondental.co.nz
TEENAGE AND CHILD ORTHODONTIC SCREENING Initial consultation ($78) ? Orthodontic assessment ? Jaw scan (if indicated) ? Digital photos If treatment is thought necessary further records will be required to formulate a treatment plan.
Records appointment ($175) ? Jaw Scan ? Lateral Ceph xray ? Study models ? Photo series Once all the information has been analyzed the treatment options can be discussed.
info@duxtondental.co.nz
Treatment planning appointment (no fee) ? ? ? ? ?
Treatment options Costs Timeframes Retention Expectations
Orthodontic treatment is performed by Grahame Dutton who is a General Dentist with a special interest in Orthodontics. A specialist referral maybe required.
Phone: 03-348 5488 22 Bartlett Street, Riccarton. (Hagley Park end of Riccarton Road)
www.duxtondental.co.nz www.familytimes.co.nz
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