Island Parent August 2016

Island Parent Celebrating

28 Years

The Resource Publication for Vancouver Island Parents

August 2016

10 Things to

Do Before Summer Ends

Education schools & educational services

Experience the precision of customized vision

Dr. Joslin, Dr. Morin & Associates Doctors of Optometry

Langford: #105–814 Goldstream Ave 250-474-4567 www.langfordoptometrists.com Sooke: #5–6726 West Coast Rd 250-642-4311 www.sookeoptometrists.com

New Patients Welcome

Your Children and UV Light

Bubbles!

Just as the sun causes sunburn, UV light is also absorbed by the tissue of the eye and can cause serious eye damage. Children are more vulnerable to UV in the summer than adults, in fact the World Health Organization estimates 50% of lifetime exposure to UV happens before the age of 18.

Protecting your child now from UV light will decrease the potential for serious eye problems later in life. And remember, sunglasses aren’t just for summer months.

Doctors of Optometry recommend wearing sunglasses to reduce the glare from snow and the winter sunshine.

Toys, games and puzzles for all ages Kool Toys & Teaching Tools

#102 – 2517 Bowen Road Nanaimo 888.390.1775

koolandchild.com

Curiosity • Diversity Exploration • Nature Play-Oriented Learning

Irish Dance Classes Offered in Victoria, Esquimalt, Langford, Sidney & Nanaimo Ages 4 years to Adults Beginners to Champions Recreational & Competitive

Open House

Thursday, September 1 1 – 4 pm

www.victoriairishdancers.com

alisonpaladini@shaw.ca 250-888-9421 Home Studio: 734 Aldebury # 207 Join the fun of Irish dance classes!

CONTACT US FOR A FREE CLASS TODAY

3905 Haro Road, Victoria BC

250-477-3731 arbutusgrove.ca

Register NOW

I belong here, staying active.

Saanich has everything you need to stay active, fit and engaged this fall with 4 recreation centres offering hundreds of programs.

Register TODAY for best selection of program dates and times.

CEDAR HILL RECREATION CENTRE G. R. PEARKES RECREATION CENTRE GORDON HEAD RECREATION CENTRE SAANICH COMMONWEALTH PLACE

IslandParent.ca

250-475-7121 250-475-5400 250-475-7100 250-475-7600

JOIN US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

saanich.ca/recreation August 2016  1

Contents: August 2016 Articles Green Summer Reading................................................................................... 6 10 Things to Do Before Summer Ends............................................................. 8 The ‘Other’ Doula......................................................................................... 12 Dispatches from the French Alps................................................................... 14 Education: Schools & Educational Services................................................... 18 5 Great Places to Buy & Sell Used Kids’ Clothes........................................... 26 Berry Picking Days........................................................................................ 30 Grandparent Time......................................................................................... 42 To Market, to Market................................................................................... 44

Columns Editor’s Note................................................................................................... 3 Dadspeak...................................................................................................... 46 Maternity & Beyond..................................................................................... 48 Book Nook................................................................................................... 50 Healthy Families; Happy Families................................................................. 52 New Parent Pages.......................................................................................... 56 Is There an App for This?.............................................................................. 60 Nature Notes................................................................................................ 62 Cut It Out..................................................................................................... 64

Departments IPM Notes....................................................................................................... 4 Family Calendar............................................................................................ 32 Around the Island......................................................................................... 40 Party Directory........................................................................................ 42, 43 Family Services Directory........................................................................ 54, 55 Preschool & Child Care Directory........................................................... 58, 59 Business & Professional Directory................................................................. 60 Island Parent Magazine, produced by Island Parent Group Enterprises Ltd., is a monthly publication that honours and supports parents by providing information on resources and businesses for families, and a forum for the exchange of ideas and opinions. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher. Letters (max 250 words) should be emailed to the Editor at editor@islandparent.ca. No material herein may be reproduced without the permission of the Editor. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome and should be emailed to editor@islandparent.ca.

Island Parent Magazine is distributed free in selected areas. Subscriptions can be obtained by sending $35.00 (includes GST) with your name and address to the address below. Canada Post: Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement 40051398.

Island Parent Magazine

830-A Pembroke St, Victoria, BC V8T 1H9 Tel: 250-388-6905 Website: islandparent.ca Publisher/Owner: Mark Warner Editor: Sue Fast Sales & Marketing: RaeLeigh Buchanan Publisher’s Assistant & Sales: Linda Frear Distribution: Ray Cutts, Ted Dawe (Mid-Island) Founders: Jim Holland & Selinde Krayenhoff Production: Eacrett Graphic Design Printed at Black Press, Victoria Cover printed at Hillside Printing ISSN 0838-5505

2 Island Parent Magazine

On the Cover: Riley S. (6) Cover Photo: Darcy Smith

Follow Us on Facebook & Twitter facebook.com/IslandParent twitter.com/IslandParent IslandParent.ca

Pokémon a Go Go

I

t’s been called everything from the game that’s “inspired more unintentional exercise than a thousand broken elevators,” by Brian Barrett in Wired, a “startlingly lovely and ambitious work of software art…an augmented-reality version of catching fireflies and grasshoppers in the park,” by Virginia Heffernan in the L.A. Times, and “an overnight activation of public space” by Daniel Latorre in an interview with Huffington Post. It’s also been called “a waste of time,”“a cellphone-battery and data drain,” and a “money-making, marketing ploy,” by more than one overheard, exasperated parent.

Pokémon Go, a free augmented-reality or AR smartphone app, is just like Pokémon of old where you try to collect as many “pocket monsters” as you can. Only now, thanks to the wonders of GPS and cellphone technology, the monsters are running amok in the real world.

According to Forbes, 26 million people in the U.S. are playing Pokémon Go daily; in its first two weeks, it generated $35 million in revenue and is on course to be the most successful mobile app of all times, likely to surpass Twitter in its number of daily active users.

What’s worrisome—aside from people walking blindly into traffic and over cliffs—is

an opinion piece for the New York Times. “It familiarizes people with parks they may never have visited. For kids with special needs or

how Pokémon Go players are now becoming pawns in Nintendo’s game.

Take Japan, for example.

When the game launches there, McDonald’s Japan will be the first paying sponsor of Pokémon Go, offering 3,000 of its locations as “gyms,” or battle zones, for the game. Gyms are typically well-known places like public art installations, historical markers and monuments.

“The trade-off for McDonald’s is self explanatory,” reports Parmy Olsen in Forbes. “Pokémon Go players find themselves walking through the doors of the golden arches to do battle, and decide to buy a burger while they’re there.”

According to the official Pokémon Go site, players can also “spend real money” on PokéCoins, the in-game currency that can be exchanged for power-ups, extra items and enhancements to help speed up progress.

But it’s not all just a cash—and Jigglypuff—grab.

Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From NatureDeficit Disorder, says Pokémon Go does offer benefits.

“Like geocaching…Pokémon Go encourages physical activity outdoors,” he writes in

Editor’s Note Sue Fast fears, the game can be a motivator and gateway. Among some players, it builds a sense of community. It’s fun.” But, he adds, it deserves “respectful questioning.

“Here’s a litmus test: how long does it take a person to look up from the screen and actually experience the natural world? Does the device actually block that experience—or block it for others?”

Louv sees several ways the digital technology can be used to encourage interaction with nature—for example, while looking for virtual creatures, we might see real ones—and this might eventually lead to, say, animal count programs used to track and protect endangered species.

But balance is key, he warns.

“The more high-tech our lives become, the more we need nature.”

High School Education in a University Setting #StartYourJourneyHere The High School at Vancouver Island University is a BC certified independent high school uniquely situated on a university campus.

Contact:

Now accepting applications

highschool@viu.ca 250.740.6315

for grades 10, 11 and 12.

viu.ca/highschool

IslandParent.ca

Reed The High School at VIU, Grad 2016 Entering Bachelor of Business Administration

August 2016 3

Confident girls.

Inspiring women.

•

Canada’s first & only girls’ STEM* school

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Leaders in Early Childhood Education

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Nature-based early learning curriculum

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Empowering girls’ leadership program

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Small school benefits: safe, supportive, high engagement

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Continuity in education from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12

*STEM = inquiry-based, interdisciplinary approach to learning

ST. MARGARET’S SCHOOL CONTACT US TO APPLY FOR FALL 2016 SPACES AVAILABLE IN SELECT GRADES

1080 LUCAS AVE, VICTORIA 250.479.7171 | WWW.STMARG.CA

SUMMER IS HERE! REGISTER TODAY FOR: Leadership Programs Summer Sleepover Camps Summer Day Camps CampPringle.com • 250-743-2189 • registrar@camppringle.com 4 Island Parent Magazine

IPM Notes Learn to Fish Program The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC is continuing the summer Learn to Fish programs for Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. The free Learn to Fish sessions take place at locations in regional parks and urban lakes for local and visiting youth and their families. Learn to Fish locations include: Buttle Lake Campground, Strathcona Provincial Park (August 4, 1-3pm), Beaver Lake, Port McNeil (August 5, 11am-1pm), McIvor Lake Park, Campbell River (August 6, 1-3pm), Colliery Dam, Nanaimo (August 7, 1-3pm), Lake Ida Anne, Langford (August 10, 6-8pm), Elk Lake, Saanich (August 11, 6-8pm), St. Mary Lake, Salt Spring (August 19, 1-3pm), Horne Lake, Qualicum Beach (August 23, 1-3pm and August 24, 10amnoon).

Learn to Fish events are hosted on a drop-in basis for youngsters aged 5-15, with accompanying adults, at provincial park locations. Participants are asked to arrive on time for the sessions as fishing techniques and ethics are taught in advance of the hands-on portion. Pre-registration is required for most urban programs in regional parks. Children under 16 do not require a freshwater fishing licence to participate.

Learn to Fish events teach fish identification and biology; habitat and conservation; proper fish handling; ethics, safety, and fishing regulations. Instructors explain fishing tackle (rods, reels, lines, and lures) and knot-tying. Participants get hands-on experience while learning about casting and retrieving and tips and techniques for catching fish. All equipment is provided and two-hour programs run rain or shine.

There is no cost to participate, thanks to support from the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, Rapala, BC Ram Dealers, and Province of British Columbia and BC Parks. For a complete listing of Learn to Fish and throughout Vancouver Island visit gofishbc.com.

Gorge Swim Fest The fifth annual Gorge Swim Fest is on Sunday, August 7. The iconic inland waterway is a clean and warm swimming spot.

The 2016 Swim Fest events and celebration of the Gorge’s storied past and accessibility will be staged from noon to 4pm in Banfield Park (Vic West) and Kinsmen Gorge Park (Esquimalt). Popular swimming locations along the gorge are Banfield Park, IslandParent.ca

Kinsmen Gorge Park, and Curtis Point at Gorge Park (Saanich).

The family-oriented event is to emphasize the Gorge’s viability as a perfect place to swim. The water is clean, warm and accessible. Mid-day water temperatures over the pasts month have consistently been 23-24˚C. Again this year there will be a variety of food, beverages, live music, face painting, bubble making and other playful, family-oriented activities. The Gorge Swim Fest venues feature sandy beaches, pebble beaches, rocky cliffs and swim floats. gorgeswimfest.ca

Victoria Conservatory of Music Open House More live music, more free treats and two instrument petting zoos!

This year’s VCM Open House Party, on September 10, is going to be the best yet.

The entire school will be alive with positive musical energy flowing between faculty, staff, community partners and friends. The VCM parking lot will be filled with the sound of music making as Tom Lee hosts VCM’s traditional acoustic instrument petting zoo along with the mouth-watering smells of Pepperman’s Grill. Inside Wood Hall you can rock out in our second instrument petting zoo of electric guitars, basses, keyboards, samplers and more.

Kids will have a blast playing musical games in the Children’s Music classrooms and after visiting popcorn machines and a candy table, chat with VCM faculty to learn more about the lessons and classes at both the downtown and new Westhill locations.

The fun continues when you sign up for some free mini lessons, get better acquainted with VCM’s 100+-year-old organ “Cassie” and then take home a fun musical goody bag.

On September 10 Victoria music lovers will connect with the school and celebrate the joy of making music. Every hour will feature free live performances on the Alix Goolden Hall stage featuring wonderful Classical and Contemporary faculty and student musicians.

Every time you play music, there’s a party in your brain. In fact, more of your brain is engaged while playing music than during any other activity, a benefit to people of any age.

So Victoria, let’s party! For information, visit vcm.bc.ca.

The Little Fox Run The Terry Fox Foundation is looking for daycares and preschools to host their very own Little Fox Run. This fun filled IslandParent.ca

event teaches children the value of giving, raises cancer awareness, and provides them with the opportunity to be a part of the Marathon of Hope. As a Little Fox Run host, you will have the creativity to plan a route and determine how you would like to fundraise. The children could make a wish and throw their donations into a “Wishing Well” or participate in a “Loonie Parade” as you map out Terry’s route with loonies on a giant map of Canada. Foundation staff will be happy to provide you with free promotional material—stickers, tattoos, pledge forms, and posters. Join in continuing Terry’s battle against cancer and be a part of his dream of finding a cure. If you are interested in registering your childcare centre for the 2016 Little Fox Run, please call 1-888-836-9786 or email Gayle.Sison@ terryfoxrun.org.

Yoga, Support and Fun! August 2016 Schedule 975 Fort Street,Victoria | 250-595-4905

We have lots of classes, activities and support groups for Parents, Babies and Toddlers.

All classes are drop-in.

Come on down and try them out!

Sunday

Prenatal Yoga 10:30am

Monday Yoga for Labour & Birth 5:15pm

Tuesday Mobile Baby Group (9-18mos) 11:00am Mom & Baby Strength & Stretch 1:00pm Prenatal Strength & Stretch 5:15pm

Wednesday Family-friendly Rifflandia Children rock out for free at Rifflandia Festival! Rifflandia has always welcomed and encouraged parents to bring their children. It’s a great sight: parents and their kids barefoot in the grass, getting their boogie on under the sun—with sunscreen and a hat, of course. To that end, Rifflandia created Kidlandia: an area in Royal Athletic Park made specifically for you and your kids, complete with comfortable couches and chairs, baby changing stations, art classes for children, and games galore. In the past, Rifflandia has partnered with organizations such as Shyness and Bloom, Mothering Touch, UsedVictoria, and The Makehouse to bring you what you need to enjoy the festival with your family—a relaxed space for both children and parents and of course lots of great music.

But find out for yourself; give Rifflandia a try. Join Rifflandia for its ninth year—their baby’s growing up!—at Royal Athletic Park from Friday, September 16-Sunday, September 18. Children 10 and under get into Rifflandia’s general admission area for free, so register your kiddo online at rifflandia.com, pack a hat, and prepare to get your groove on! •

Older Baby Group (4-9mo) 1:00pm Prenatal Yoga 5:15pm

Thursday

Toddler Yoga 10:15am Mom & Baby Yoga 11:30am New Baby Group (0-4mos) 1:00pm Prenatal yoga 5:15pm

Friday Prenatal Yoga 10:15am Pregnancy Happy Hour 5:00pm Find more information on all of our classes and groups, on our website at www.motheringtouch.ca - bookmark it on your phone for quick access!

Yoga for Labour and Birth with partners A special workshop to practice yoga postures and movements with our partners, useful at all stages of labour.

Friday August 12 - 6:45pm

By Registration. (more info on our website)

August 2016 5

Rachel Dunstan Muller

Green Summer Reading

I

f you’re interested in sustainability issues and looking for a good book or two to take to the beach this summer, you might want to check out New Society Publishers. Based out of Gabriola Island, New Society publishes books intended to help build “an ecologically sustainable and just society.” Over the course of more than three decades, they’ve managed to produce one of the most impressive collections you’ll find anywhere. Here are a few recent titles worth looking for: Better: The Everyday Art of Sustainable Living is part memoir, part theory, and part DIY manual intended to motivate readers to reinvent their lives for the sake of the planet. The first chapters serve as an introduction to author Nicole Caldwell’s hope-filled philosophy, and tell the story of the 65-acre sustainability campus, organic farm and artists’ colony she co-founded in upstate New York. This initial section is packed with inspirational examples of individuals, grassroots organizations and even businesses shifting gears in order to make a more positive impact. With references to her own personal and family history, Caldwell makes it clear that there are no excuses not to live with intention. Part Two of Better is a call to action. We’ve reached a critical crossroads as a civilization, and Caldwell argues that each one of us has something valuable to contribute as we feel our way

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Island Parent Magazine

towards a healthier future. Part Three provides basic DIY instructions for a number of useful permaculture projects—from home aquaponics, to square foot mulch gardening.

For those who would like to produce their own food but don’t have access to acres of fertile land, Jenni Blackmore’s book Permaculture for the Rest of Us offers an accessible and engaging introduction to environmentally sustainable homesteading.

Over the course of two decades, the selfdescribed “accidental permaculturalist” has turned a modest, stunted-spruce-covered property on a rocky, windswept Atlantic island into a successful micro-farm. QuackaDoodle Farm currently supplies Blackmore’s family with almost 60 per cent of the food they eat in the form of meat, eggs, fruit and vegetables. Blackmore has a healthy sense of humour, which makes the wealth of information she offers easy to take in.

The misadventures she describes are both entertaining and encouraging: if she can do it under less-than-ideal circumstances, then surely her readers can as well. Permaculture for the Rest of Us is intended to be a beginner’s guide. For those looking for more comprehensive texts, Blackwell lists her favourite references on the Suggested Reading pages near the end of the book.

If you’ve ever dreamt of making a living growing and selling vegetables, The Urban Farmer by Curtis Stone is a must read.

When it comes to planet-friendly vocations, producing high-quality, locally raised food on otherwise unproductive land is hard to top. And yet prospective farmers face all kinds of challenging obstacles, including the high price of land and equipment, and the difficulty of matching harvested crops with buyers. Stone takes on each obstacle and turns it on its head, demonstrating by his own example that it’s possible to earn a decent living from small-scale farming on leased or borrowed land. Stone started work on his first borrowed plot in Kelowna in the summer of 2009, and brought in $22,000 during his first full growing season. By 2014 he’d settled on commercially farming a total of one third of an acre divided over five different sites, which allowed him to gross $75,000 from 15 different high-value, quick-growing crops. Stone’s engaging style will keep even armchair gardeners interested. For those ready to take the plunge and go into business, The Urban Farmer offers a comprehensive and detailed guide to almost every aspect of small-scale commercial vegetable production imaginable.

Of course not all of us have green thumbs, or aspire to grow our own fruits and vegetables. Happily, by shopping at local farmers markets we can support those who do. Chefs Julia Shanks and Brett Grohsgal make the case for locally-sourced, seasonal produce in their just-released volume The Farmers Market Cookbook. Veggies fresh from the field retain more nutrients than their long-distance counterparts, and their production benefits both the environment and our local economy. That’s all well and good, but what do you do with your bag of snap beans or garlic scapes once you’ve brought them home? Shanks and Grohsgal have the answer to all your fresh produce dilemmas. Recognizing that the sheer diver-

IslandParent.ca

sity of foods grown on local farms can be overwhelming to those more accustomed to supermarket fare, they devote the second chapter of their book to helpful descriptions and storage advice. Then come the recipes—over 200 of them. Designed to be fast and straightforward with a minimum of ingredients, they’re perfect for families who like good food. I can’t wait to try the Chicken Criollo, or the Blue Moon Carrot Cake!

And for some post-meal reading? The first chapter of The Big Swim: Coming Ashore in a World Adrift finds the author Carrie Saxifrage in the bone-chilling water off of Cortes Island, as she and two other hardy companions swim to a beach on Quadra Island, five miles away. It’s one of many ordinary-yet-extraordinary low-carbon adventures described in the book, which is part memoir, part meditation. I felt an immediate kinship with Saxifrage: her adventurous spirit, her reverence for the natural world, and her struggle to come to terms with both her own environmental footprint and that of our affluent, oil-dependent culture. The first few chapters are lyrically written and gently humorous in tone, but don’t be deceived by this quiet start: The Big Swim builds to a surprisingly powerful conclusion. The book concludes with a concise summary of our present climate change situation, and a helpful list of titles and websites for further reading. There’s also a Book Group Discussion Guide on the final pages.

You can find the above books at your local bookstore, online at newsociety.com, or at the library. Be sure to check out New Society’s impressive backlist for even more informative and inspiring titles.

BLOWING YOUR MIND SINCE 1986.

50 shows

Experience from around the globe at CAMP FRINGE

AUGUST 22 – SEPTEMBER 4 intrepidtheatre.com

Tickets + passes on sale August 2

O’Brien School of Irish Dancing

Rachel Dunstan Muller is the mother of five, and a children’s author. Her previous articles can be found at kidsinvictoria.com.

Cadboro Bay, Esquimalt, Downtown Victoria and Duncan Recreational, performance and competitive classes Dance, dance wherever you may be….

www.obrienirishdance.com IslandParent.ca

August 2016

7

10 Check out our courses!

Our Parenting & Life Skills courses will help you deepen your connection with your kids and build on your strengths so that you become the best parent for your child/ren and a confident resilient person.

And that is not all! At 1Up, you will find many useful programs and services: counselling, mentoring, support groups, and more.

Check our website www.1-up.ca for details and get on track to reach your educational goals today!

To register or for more information call

250-385-1114

or email Hayley@1-up.ca 8

Island Parent Magazine

Things to Do

Before Summer Ends

With more than a month of summer to go, there’s still plenty of time to tackle this “10 Things To Do” list. Now there’s no excuse for lazing around as the balmy days pass idly by—unless, of course, that’s your idea of perfect summer fun!

1

Visit a Festival

There’s no shortage of festivals this month. For starters, there’s the Filberg Festival in Comox (filbergfestival.com), a celebration of all things arts, crafts, and music, from July 29-August 1 where, along with artisans’ wares, you’ll find children’s entertainers including the Kerplunks, along with the Enchanted Forest, a kids’ interactive area that includes storytelling, face painting, sandboxes, painting, crafts, and games. Then there’s the Victoria Dragon Boat Festival (victoriadragonboat.com) from August 12-14 where you can cheer on the paddlers and enjoy live multicultural entertainment, activities for kids, the Forbidden City Food Court and Lights of Courage, a BC Cancer Foundation fundraiser. Don’t miss FringeKids Fest (intrepidtheatre.com) in Victoria’s Market Square on Saturday, August 27 from 11am4pm. This completely free one-day family festival introduces young children to live performances, music, puppets, costumes, strolling performers, a bouncy castle, the ever popular life-sized cardboard castle, and tons of interactive things to make and do.

Catch a Show

2

Pet the Fish and Other Impossible Tales, for the young and young-atheart, is running Tuesday through Saturday until August 13 at Chemainus Theatre. Josephine dreams. With her unwilling brother in tow, she sets out on a journey that magically transforms their lives. chemainustheatrefestival.ca. For rainy day entertainment, check out the IMAX productions Mammoths: Titans of the Ice Age, and be transported to the beautiful and otherworldly frozen landscapes of North America, Europe and Asia ten thousand years before modern civilization; The Jungle Book, offers audiences an all-new live-action epic adventure about Mowgli, a man-cub who’s been raised by a family of wolves; and A Beautiful Planet, paints a breathtaking portrait of Earth from space, providing a unique perspective and increased understanding of our planet and galaxy as never seen before. For showtimes and information, visit imaxvictoria.com or phone 250-953-IMAX (4629).

3

See a Movie under the Stars

If you feel like seeing a show, but don’t feel like being cooped up indoors, why not drop by one of Victoria or Esquimalt’s outdoor venues?

Esquimalt is hosting the Summer Outdoor Movie Series at Bullen Park every second Wednesday (August 5 and 19, and September 2) at dusk, roughly 9:45pm, weather permitting. Visit esquimalt.ca. The Victoria Film Festival (victoriafilmfestival.com) is once again presenting the Free-B Film Fest screenings on Friday and Saturday nights until August 27. The first screening (Space Jam) will take place on the Legislature lawn on August 5. After that the screenings will be at Cameron Bandshell in Beacon Hill Park on a 20-foot-wide inflatable screen. The line-up includes Galaxy Quest, Gremlins, Mars Attacks!, and The Poseidon Adventure, along with a list of others. For the complete line-up, visit freebfilmfest.com. Movies start at 9pm and are free. Bring your own snacks and blankets.

IslandParent.ca

Explore Sidney Spit

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Hop a ferry to Sidney Spit, a 25-minute scenic ride, and visit the salt marshes, tidal flats, rolling meadows, forest paths and beautiful beaches that make Sidney Spit a great place for beachcombing, hiking, camping, bird watching, and picnicking. Pack a picnic, your sunscreen, bathing suits and towels, and take the foot-passenger ferry from Sidney (at the bottom of Beacon Ave) to Sidney Island. Or pack your camping gear, make a campsite reservation (reservation. pc.gc.ca ) and stay for a night or two at one of the 27 campsites. There’s a tidal lagoon near the campsites that is a haven for birds and their watchers. And there’s geocaching. For a ferry schedule and rates, visit alpinegroup.ca.

5

Fire it up at Fireworks

If you’ve never seen the Fireworks at Butchart Gardens (every Saturday night through August), you are missing a great opportunity to be delighted and amazed. This is not your standard high-in-the-sky shower of stars— although there are lots of those—it’s a full-on pyrotechnic extravaganza set to music. You may be treated to sparkling, buzzing bees flying out of hives, brilliant trains rolling along tracks or waterfalls of fire. Anything is possible and it’s pure magic. This show— along with the beautiful gardens that you can stroll through beforehand—is a summer must-see. It changes every year, it’s truly fabulous and it’s all ours. Before the Firework Show enjoy the Summer Evenings at The Gardens live entertainment on the Concert Lawn (every night this month) and on each Fireworks Saturday. Plan for the crowds, pack a picnic, some warm clothes, and spend a family evening hanging out being awed. Visit butchartgardens.com.

Embark on a Full Moon Paddle

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Venture out into the night—and onto the water—by the light of a full moon during one of the many Island Full-Moon Paddles. Glide through the glittering bioluminescence in the water around you while you watch the moon rise.

This month’s full moon happens on August 18, but most kayaking outfits offering guided full-moon paddles do so on the two or three evenings closest to each full moon.

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COMPREHENSIVE FAMILY DENTISTRY family centered practice extended hours evenings and weekends the latest equipment and caring staff request an appointment online

saanichdentalgroup.com 119–1591 McKenzie Ave, Victoria

250 477 7321

info@saanichdentalgroup.com

Victoria’s favourite dentists believe a healthy smile starts early. Free first visit for children under 5.

Proudly providing flexible High School & Career Training courses for over 3000 Adults & Youth since 1986

Get your High School Diploma Build-up your resume with Career Training On-line, Face-to-Face, or both!

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August 2016

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Unlocking the potential in Victoria since 2002 one-on-one, in home professional tutoring Math & Sciences Language Arts French & English Study Skills Grade 1-12, University

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New Kids Dentist

dr. anita gadzinska-Myers

is a Board Certified Specialist in Pediatric Dentistry and has a Fellowship in Special Needs Dentistry for children • Accepting new patients now (infants to teenagers) • Referral not needed • Member of Cleft Lip and Palate Team

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Island Parent Magazine

250-383-2133

Most tours begin at 7:30 or 8pm and run for approximately two to three hours. Rates start, on average, at $60-$65 per person.

Some full-moon paddle operators include: Victoria Kayak (victoriakayak.com) Sealegs Kayaking (sealegskayaking.com) Cowichan Bay Kayaks (cowichanbaykayaks.com), and Alberni Outpost (albernioutpost.com). And if you don’t want to wait for a full moon, try a Sunset Paddle instead, also a popular option at most Island kayaking outfits.

7

Find Fun at Fisherman’s Wharf

Steps from Victoria’s Inner Harbour, along a picturesque waterfront walkway, there’s a hidden treasure waiting to be discovered at Fisherman’s Wharf.

You’ll find friendly and entertaining seals (who also preform live for the seal cam at fishermanswharfvictoria.com/sealcam. html), and an assortment of food kiosks, including the famous Barb’s Fish & Chips, Grilligans, Jackson’s Ice Cream, Puerto Vallarta Amigos, and the sushi restaurant Rock ’n Rolls. Rent kayaks at Kelp Reef Kayaking, book whale watching tours with Eagle Wing Whale Watching, or just stroll amidst the float home village. Buy seafood fresh off the boat, see moored pleasure crafts, and watch as fishing vessels unload their catch. For a different view of the city, and a chance to get out on the water, hop aboard a Harbour Ferry (victoriaharbourferry.com), leaving from Fisherman’s Wharf daily from 10am-9pm (until the end of the month), and take a ride. Be aware that cost is $6 per zone for adults, $3 for children (1-12 years). For more information about Fisherman’s Wharf, visit fishermanswharfvictoria.com.

Freeze Hot Chocolate

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(From Warm Up Your Winter by Laura Powell, Front Table Books, 2013.)

Makes 4 cups, depending on mug size.

1⁄2 cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips 2 tsp hot cocoa mix 11⁄2 Tbsp sugar 11⁄3 cups milk, divided 3 cups ice cubes whipped cream chocolate sprinkles Chop chocolate into small pieces and melt in a glass container in microwave for 10- to 20-second intervals until melted. Add hot

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cocoa mix and sugar to melted chocolate.

Stir until blended. Add 1⁄2 cup milk, stirring until smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature. In a blender, add remaining milk, cooled chocolate mixture and ice cubes. Blend on high speed until smooth and the consistency of a frozen daiquiri.

Pour into mugs and top with whipped cream and sprinkles.

9

Set Sail for Saltspring

No matter how you spell it, Saltspring or Salt Spring, this island will make you want to stay for more than just one day. Twenty-seven kilometres long, 182-square kilometres in all, Saltspring Island is the largest southern Gulf Island and boasts eight lakes, four villages, several mountains, over 200 small farms, one movie theatre, 22 beaches, a population of 12,000, and three B.C. Ferries routes.

Only a 25-minute ferry ride from Swartz Bay, Saltspring is a popular summertime destination, especially on Saturdays when around 150 local artisans, musicians and farmers display their wares at the weekly Market in the Park (saltspringmarket.com).

Here you’ll find such things as Saltspring Island goat cheese, sea salt hand scrub, and driftwood garden benches. Kids will be intrigued by the sights, sounds and smells at the market, and when they’ve had enough, the playground nearby provides respite. If you’re looking for a great place to hike, try Mt. Maxwell, the third highest mountain on the Gulf Islands, where you’ll find hiking trails and views of Fulford Harbour, Burgoyne Bay, Maple Bay and the surrounding islands.

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11

Tamara MacNeil

The ‘Other’ Doula

T

he baby is going through a growth spurt.

The sink is so full of dishes we’ve been calling it Mount Dish. My last three meals have all been toast. My husband’s time off is over and he’s going back to school. We have no family in town to help us with the baby.

I can make it, I tell myself while I nurse the kid for what must be the fiftieth time in this marathon day. Tomorrow is Monday.

On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, Pamela comes by. And she stays for three hours.

Pamela is what I’ve come to call The “Other” Doula. The first thing she does is take the baby from me and ask how I’m doing, when I ate last, and what she can do to help me out.

Me? I want a shower. I tell her that and she shoos me into the bathroom. When I come out, I find that while I was scrubbing milk out of my hair, Mount Dish has been scaled. Pamela is just putting the last dish away. She’s got the baby in the carrier and he’s fast asleep.

3-5 yrs Pre-primary School

“So,” she says. “What do you think? Nap first, or lunch?”

I nap. Sometimes for two hours. When I wake up there’s a salad and scrambled eggs and toast, and a cup of tea, and Pamela’s ready to keep the little guy entertained until I’ve eaten. After that, we chat over a cup of tea. She takes the garbage out when she goes.

Pamela is saving my sanity.

She picks up groceries I forgot to get, helps with breastfeeding issues, shows me how to use the baby carrier, makes sure I get a nap, a good meal, and a break. She checks in on my mental health. She tells bad jokes and does the voices when she reads stories to James. She has no fear of the diaper. She’s a postpartum doula. And nobody seems to know about them.

Postpartum doulas specialize in care of infants and new parents. They have skills related to breastfeeding, infant needs, plus the care and feeding of sleep-deprived, overanxious new parents. Some postpartum doulas specialize in high-needs infant care,

and some specialize in care of multiples. In our case, Pamela specializes in breastfeeding support, which was a godsend, given the trouble we had.

Before I had James, I had only ever heard of one sort of doula: the birthing kind. Since neither I nor my partner had been present at any birth we hired a doula to help us through the process. When she discovered we had no family in town, she suggested we hire a postpartum doula, if only for the first week or two, to make the adjustment to caregiving for a tiny human a little bit easier.

I had never heard of a postpartum doula, and had to ask what that was. Basically, she told us, they’re the other doula. If giving birth is like crossing a bridge, the birth doula is the one you start off with, and the postpartum doula is the one on the other side.

We took her advice, and I spent the weeks before James’ arrival scanning local websites for someone who seemed like a good fit. I sent out a few emails and finally met with someone. We hit it off right away.

She was straightforward and professional, gave me a printed list of things she would do (light housekeeping, emotional support, grocery pick up, food prep) and things she wouldn’t do (offer medical advice, drive long distances, work night-time hours)

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12 Island Parent Magazine

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IslandParent.ca

and she brought along a sample contract so my partner and I could discuss the pros and cons in private. Then we got chatting about postpartum life.

“Something I’ve always wanted to do is go over to somebody’s house while they’re still at the hospital, and get it all cleaned up.

When people are running out to give birth, they’re not worrying about the wet towel they left on the bedroom floor. Then you come home with a new baby and you have a mouldy towel stinking up your place.” She waved one hand. “Forget that.”

I mentally hired her on the spot.

As it happened, we didn’t manage to get her a key before James made his appearance.

Instead, she arrived, Mary Poppins-like, a few days after, just as we were starting to wonder how we were going to survive babyhood. As soon as she came in the door, she said the magic words: “What do you need?”

We needed everything. We needed help with latching the baby, and with swaddling.

We desperately needed something nutritious to eat. We needed someone to stay with me so my partner could pick up prescriptions.

We needed someone to come into our space and tell us it was all going to be okay, and then show us how. Which was, miraculously, what we got.

Postpartum doulas aren’t nannies, though some will take the baby out while the parents eat a meal together, or stay home with the baby while someone runs to an appointment. Neither are they midwives, though they’re attuned to the physical needs of a postpartum woman. They’re the wonderful in-between that fills up the gaps that are so hard to bridge those first few weeks. They exist somewhere in the centre of the Venn diagram of wise friend, doting family member, and housekeeper, being none of those but combining many of the best parts into something remarkable.

When people tell us we look like we’re doing well, when they express surprise that we’ve been out to see movies and had meals with friends, that we’re getting enough sleep so early in the process, we mention the postpartum doula. People always ask what a postpartum doula is, and that’s the cue to spend 20 minutes gushing about the other doula.

Tamara MacNeil is a new parent and a fulltime writer living in Victoria. Her writing has been published in Imaginarium 3: Best Canadian Speculative Writing and other venues, and has been nominated for an Aurora Award.

IslandParent.ca

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www.qms.bc.ca August 2016 13

No Disputes

Here

Kate Wiley

...Dispatches from the French alps It’s the stuff of dreams: A year in the French Alps! Thanks to the Deferred Salary Leave Program available to BC Public Service employees, Kate Wiley and her family of four are living the dream. Her two boys are enrolled at the local elementary school of just 80 pupils. Despite having its own ski hill that overlooks Lake Geneva, the village of Thollon-les-Mémises is mostly off the tourist radar. More than halfway through their year living in the French Alps, Kate shares her family’s experiences in this installment, the fourth of a six-part series.

T

here’s panic buying happening at the pumps here in France. Workers at oil refineries are on strike against labour laws. They’ve been joined by workers at transport hubs and nuclear power stations. Unions have called for rallies at most major cities. But you’d never know it here in Thollon-les-Memises, aside from shortages at a few of the local gas stations. There’s nary a tear gas grenade in site.

The government says the reforms, which make it easier for companies to hire and fire staff, are needed to bring down unemployment. The German Finance Minister supports the reform, saying, “France can live with such disputes. A certain dissatisfaction of voters with their respective rulers isn’t such a bad thing in principle.”

Workers in Germany seem to be a rather contented lot—at least the ones we encountered on a recent visit to friends who live outside of Cologne.

The workers we met there were largely employed by the pharmaceutical giant Bayer, and on this occasion they were gathered for a sing-along under a 100-year-old chestnut tree. It grew in the yard of a majestic heritage home rented to employees of Bayer. This was not your average company home: It had four floors and a sweeping mahogany staircase.

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But the greatest splendour beckoned from under that chestnut tree. Between trips to the picnic table for Belgian chocolates, I huddled beside the chimenea that night, listening to my husband accompany the hostess on a borrowed guitar. While the songs were all in English, an exquisite melange of languages drifted on the brisk air.

I overheard one woman use four languages in one breath as she shifted her attention between her friends, husband and children.

Biochem attracts a multinational crowd.

A favourite that evening was Simon & Garfunkel’s The Sound of Silence, which I would hear again the following day. The reprise ricocheted off the stairwell (a modern, spiralling sort) at our friends’ home. This live rendition came courtesy of their son, practicing the saxophone with his teacher.

Paul Simon apparently wrote the song in his bathroom so as to take advantage of

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the echoing effect of the tiles. He’d shut himself in there and turn out the lights…

Hello darkness, my old friend.

While I prefer to write at the kitchen table, I can empathize with the need to quiet the mind. The creative juices rarely flow when the mind is occupied. It’s one reason I like to reflect on my writing while I’m on a run. We all know about the benefits of mindfulness, but mindlessness can be equally rewarding.

Allowing the mind to drift, kilometer after kilometer, is one of the best ways I’ve found to fire that creative spark. Haruki Murakami noted in his book What I Talk About When I Talk About Running: “I just run. I run in

blog: lexieslittlebearschildcare.com IslandParent.ca

void. Or maybe I should put it the other way: I run in order to acquire a void.”

I’m writing to you now after having slept eight-plus hours last night in my own bed.

While I did cover several kilometers along the Rhine in my runners, any creative spark that might have surfaced was dulled by a haze of fatigue. Repeated late nights visiting with friends and early mornings with children too excited to sleep took their toll.

Try as we might to adjust to the European schedule, our family is just not cut out for 9 p.m. dinners. The youngest among us starts his day before 7 a.m., regardless of his bedtime.

As our year in France draws to an end, I’ve started dwelling more and more on what life will be like when we return to Victoria. One son will be attending Victor Brodeur while the other spends a couple of afternoons a week at a partial French im-

mersion preschool nearby. Given that we live in Langford, this means I will be spending a good deal of time in the car. That is, unless I find full-time work. Then it will become someone else’s responsibility.

I recently attended a webinar offered by my alma mater called “Getting Unstuck: For Moms Returning to Work—Avoid Getting Stuck or Discouraged as You Figure Out Your Next Career Move.” Quite a mouthful, but then it’s a tall order. It seems virtually impossible to avoid getting discouraged on some level when contemplating one’s career.

Such a lofty sounding word, career.

Rarely does anyone stick to a single occupation anymore. Theoretically, this should work in my favour. I am not alone in having a “diverse” professional background. Yet without a clear path ahead, it’s hard to kick start the journey to full-time employment.

I apply to the odd job that I find online, but with a return date a few months out, I wouldn’t be able to interview even if I did make it past the screening software.

And so I busy myself with much hemming and hawing over finding work. The webinar was presented by Professional Coach Stacy Kim, who referred to herself as a recovering perfectionist—someone whose tendency to plan and prepare often goes into overdrive.

Many of those listening qualified as the same, being graduates of Georgetown University.

She pointed out that a reliance on planning can serve you well in school and helps when you know exactly where you are going. For example, if you want to become a brain surgeon. But that same reliance on planning can keep you stuck if the end goal is not as clearly defined.

Kim’s solution is what she calls The Lighthouse Method, which summons bright women to abandon maps, aim for the lighthouse, and row. The lighthouse can be the foggiest idea of what you want to do with the rest of your life. In my case, it represents me in the act of writing. Nothing too defined. Then you get in your boat and row, stroke by stroke. One baby step at a time. Keeping your options open. If you’re dead set on becoming the next Director of Operational Excellence, you may well miss out on opportunities that present themselves along the way. For now, I’m content with current title: Anti-Social Behaviour Controller.

When Kate Wiley is not living with her family in the French Alps (which is most of the time), she calls Langford home.

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IslandParent.ca

August 2016 17

Schools & Educational Services Preschools

stimulating and engaging experiences that nurture each child’s sense of wonder, curiosity and innate desire to learn through play, exploration, discovery and creative expression. Cadboro Bay—UVIC area. arbutusgrove.ca or 250-477-3731.

Arbutus Grove Children’s Centre (formerly Goosey Gander Kindergarten) has a long history of providing outstanding early learning programs to the Victoria community. Our centre is a bright and engaging purpose-built preschool with a large, natural playground surrounded by urban forest. We offer half- and full-day programs for 3 and 4 year olds and an after school program for kindergarten/Grade 1 students attending Frank Hobbs. Our educators facilitate

ArtsCalibre Academy. There’s a reason why the first years of a child’s life are considered “formative”—they truly form the person, and profoundly influence the path and quality of the rest of their life. We believe that Fine Arts are the perfect vehicle for this formative process. Through our structured but fun program of music, dance, theatre and visual arts, children not only absorb these and all academic subjects with enthusiasm and ease, but they also develop the creativity, confidence and social skills to successfully

For more information about the following schools and educational services, check out the ads in this issue.

August 9—28

apply them throughout their future. It’s this philosophy and comprehensive program that sets us apart from every other preschool.

It’s the Art of Preschool. ArtsCalibre.ca.

250-382-3533.

Emmanuel Preschool is a welcoming and inclusive Christian preschool, where students with special needs have the support of an additional teacher. Our morning classes are offered either two or three days per week.

Both programs are for 3 and 4 year olds and include stories, games, singing, arts and crafts, science activities, free play (indoors and outdoors) and some field trips. Each class is licensed for a maximum of 20 children and has two licensed and experienced Early Childhood Educators. Our staff strive to teach and model Christian attitudes and values, and to maintain a warm, caring and safe environment.

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18 Island Parent Magazine

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August 2016 19

Full o’Beans Preschool, operated by Saanich Neighbourhood Place (at Pearkes Rec. Centre), offers flexible and accessible early learning programs for children aged 3 and 4. Qualified Early Childhood Educators offer activities that encourage learning, exploration and growth through play. Our ‘Classic’ program offers classes on either Mon/Wed/Fri or Tues/Thurs, from 9am to 11:30am, while our ‘Flex’ program offers more flexible classes from 9am to 1pm Monday through Friday. The ‘Flex’ program includes our ‘Forest Discovery Days’ on Monday and Friday, offering an outdoor learning experience in the park and woods nearby. Snacks included. Call 250-360-1148 for information and registration.

15 per cent off first month at 2 newly licensed preschools! Both programs offer HighScope curriculum in a natural environment for 30 months-school age. Full-day or half-day. Kiowa Farm Preschool is located in Saanich. This program fosters learning through working with horses and animals while experiencing the wonders of nature

through life on the farm. Willows Coastal Preschool is located in Oak Bay, only 2 blocks from Willows Beach. This program fosters learning through exploring west coast nature and coastal life. Registrations are being taken for the 2016 school year starting in September, 2016. kiowafarm.ca.

250-858-5330.

Lambrick Park Preschool and Childcare (LPP&C) is a cooperative preschool lead by parents and two qualified early childhood educators who create a “Learning through Play” environment in our preschool. We offer a high adult to child ratio and a healthy balance of indoor and outdoor play. Morning, afternoon and all-day programs are available for children aged 30 months to 5 years. Located in the Gordon Head area since 1969. lambrickparkpreschool.ca or 250-477-8131.

Lexie’s Little Bears Child Care. 250-590-3603.

Welcome to our “Nurture through Nature” program right in our own two-acre forest.

Our exclusive child care facility is one of a kind in Victoria. We provide exceptional care for infants, toddlers and preschool age children. Using the wood from our property, we have hand built most of the

furniture, shelving, outdoor playscapes and even some of the toys, creating a unique and beautiful space for children to explore.

We embrace the ideas from Reggio-Emilia, Waldorf, Forest schools and the Montessori philosophies and mix them together to create our own, one-of-a-kind experience for children. Please visit lexieslittlebears.com, our Facebook page and blog for info and photos.

Oak and Orca Pre-primary School is a licensed facility offering naturebased bioregional programming for 3 to 5 year olds. Founded on fifteen years of experience in quality instruction for children, the pre-primary offers an early learning curriculum based on child-directed learning, individual awareness and choice.

Natural learning is supported through investigation, experience and play. Relationships take priority for teaching time, where a focus on needs helps create harmony and self awareness. Regular out trips connect youngsters with the natural world, while at the school they enjoy experiences in science, math, language and more. Located in the

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Kumon Math & Reading Centres of West Shore (Grand Opening in Sep.) Free Trial - first 2 weeks of Sep. 115-963 Langford Pkwy, Victoria 250-516-2991 westshore@ikumon.com

Saanich Free Trial - last 2 weeks of Sep. 204-3965 Quadra St, Victoria 250-479-1800 • 250-216-2142(c) lindabirley@ikumon.com

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20 Island Parent Magazine

IslandParent.ca

Hillside area, the program is run by an ECE and certified teachers. Info: oakandorca.ca; 250-383-6609.

Victoria Montessori. Twenty-first century children are growing up in a crazy-paced world, with the stresses of busy home life and over-stimulating media and toys. At Victoria Montessori, we create harmony and the right balance. We try to cultivate self-awareness, confidence, and calm amid the “moving sea of chaos.” At Victoria Montessori, we build a strong foundation and strong values. The directoresses model respect for the environment, respect for others, and respect for oneself. These values build confidence, self-esteem and selfexpression, vital for emotional and mental health. 250-380-0534. victoriamontessori@ shaw.ca.

West Shore Parks and Recreation’s Licensed preschool offers a variety of programs including Kinderprep, Nature Preschool, and multi-age classes with both small and larger class sizes. With flexible registration options and a play-based curriculum, our program is designed to help little ones grow and learn in a fun and safe environment. Visit westshorerecreation. ca or call 250-478-8384 for information.

Follow us on Facebook; facebook.com/ westshorerecreation.

Schools

ArtsCalibre Academy. Imagine a school… where music, dance, theatre and visual arts are infused into all aspects of an outstanding curriculum. The result is a learning process in which students experience, explore, exercise, and express themselves in order to truly understand and remember. Our structured but dynamic program consistently exceeds the BC Ministry of Education’s Curricula for Kindergarten to Grade 6. Dedicated, highly qualified educators, excellent facilities and convenient Gordon Head location, which is also home to our Junior Kindergarten. We also offer Preschool for 3 and 4 year olds within the Cedar Hill Recreation Centre’s beautiful new Fine Arts wing. ArtsCalibre. ca. 250-382-3533.

IslandParent.ca

Christ Church Cathedral School (CCCS) is Victoria’s Anglican JK, Elementary and Middle School, welcoming students from all backgrounds. CCCS offers before and after school care, a wide range of extra-curricular programs, small class sizes, high calibre learning in math, science and technology, a strong focus on fine arts and progressive athletics programs. Weekly chapel service and seasonal performances are held in beautiful Christ Church Cathedral just a few steps away. Through focused encouragement of personal responsibility, self-discipline, community service and engaging learning opportunities with dedicated teachers, CCCS helps children realize their true potential. cathedralschool.ca. 250-383-5125.

Discovery School. Is your child bright, yet struggling in school? Would your child work best in a classroom of 10 students with a 1:3 staff to student support ratio? Perhaps your child requires an individual program with adaptations/ modifications. Are you looking for a quiet, nurturing school with a Christian atmosphere that encourages academic development, perseverance, responsibility, and organizational skills? Look no further! For 39 years Discovery School has been providing these services for struggling students. Discovery follows B.C. curriculum, is Ministry inspected, and provides this special education from the early grades to graduation. More information found at discoveryschool.ca or call 250-595-7765.

Island Montessori House School. Dr. Maria Montessori developed the Montessori method of education with the understanding that each child has a natural desire and ability to learn. The staff of Island Montessori is committed to providing a rich, safe, developmentally appropriate and caring environment, and to establishing rapport with each and every child. Our child-centred program promotes a sense of well-being, confidence and independence. Individual and group activities foster growth in all areas of development. We are proud to have children in our school from a variety of economic, ethnic and religious backgrounds, as well as a whole host of abilities and special needs.

Our rural location at 5575 West Saanich Rd is beautiful. For more information call 250592-4411 or visit islandmontessori.com.

Lighthouse Christian Academy is a small K-12 school that has been serving the Western communities including Sooke and View Royal for over twenty years. We create a caring community for our students. We have passionate teachers who excel at enabling each student to reach their full potential, both academically and socially. We celebrate and nurture each individual child. We enable students to grow in their strengths, follow God and serve their community. lighthousechristianacademy.com.

Oak and Orca Bioregional School’s Hands-OnHome Learning would like to present its new Forest School Program.

This blended program combines home learning with two days a week exploring Mount Douglas Park at the base of P’KOLS, in the forest and the shore. While being immersed in nature, playing cooperative games and perusing inquiry projects, students will be meeting BC curriculum requirements with the guidance of both outdoor specialists and certified teachers. Learning is organized in seasonal themes through multi-sensory activities, as we’ll be out there rain or shine! Visit our website or book a tour of the school to speak to a member of staff.

Info: oakandorca.ca; 250-383-6619 or 1-888-383-6619 Pacific Christian School nurtures students in Christlike living, critical thinking and joyful service to be faithful citizens in God’s world. PCS is a pre-school through grade 12 Class 1 independent school serving the Greater Victoria region. With over 900 students, it is a dynamic learning community exploring the full provincial curriculum from a Christian worldview perspective. Students regularly excel in arts, athletics and academics. You are invited to come by our Agnes Street campus and see what it’s all about.

PacificChristian.ca. 250-479-4532.

August 2016 21

VICTORIA MONTESSORI PRESCHOOL & CHILDCARE “Building a foundation for the rest of their lives”

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totallearningservices2014@gmail.com 22 Island Parent Magazine

At St. Margaret’s School, we seek to empower each girl to set her own course and shape her own dreams. Tucked away on 22-acres in the Blenkinsop Valley in Victoria, SMS is an all-girls school where your daughter can be herself, build confidence, and be a leader.

SMS teachers and our unique environment offer rich resources and challenges to support each girl’s development as a student, an individual and a citizen of the world.

Our rigorous academic program emphasizes STEM learning and leadership at all levels from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12, and is supported by experiential programs designed to engage students in learning beyond the classroom. Enjoy the benefits of a small school from high participation in athletics, to extensive extracurricular opportunities, to our tight-knit community where each girl is known and driven to achieve. stmarg.ca or 250-479-7171 Victoria School for Ideal Education. If you’ve felt that something was missing from your child’s education, you were probably right. This one-of-a-kind little school offers holistic education from Kindergarten to Grade 8 in a nurturing, stress-free environment. The twice daily children’s meditation, coupled with the study of nature and the laws that keep us in tune with the natural world, have attracted families from all over the Victoria area. Within this framework we cover the BC curriculum and all our teachers are BC certified. The Oct. 2013 Ministry of Education inspection report states, “The depth of care for each student, the level of personal support provided, and the degree of empathy displayed, all contribute to a family-like atmosphere and encouraging school setting for students.” Phone 250383-6654 to arrange a tour. vsie.ca.

Imagine a school where students are encouraged to challenge themselves across all their abilities, where they can find their balance and push their boundaries however they choose. Westmont Montessori School

is a local community minded independent school committed to academic excellence in a caring, learning environment. Our family oriented environment takes an individual approach to learning where students are challenged to be the best they can be from early primary through Grade 8. At the heart of the Montessori philosophy is the belief that each person is a unique individual with strengths to contribute to society. It is a method designed to engage a child’s natural curiosity within an environment that is specially prepared to maximize learning opportunities. Westmont is open for tours every Thursday morning. Book a visit. 4075 Metchosin Rd. Victoria, BC V9C 4A4. 250-474-2626. info@west-mont.ca. west-mont.ca.

Distributed Learning Hands-On Home-Learning For a Sustainable World, offered by Oak and Orca School, provides choice-based K-9 and high school distributed learning opportunities. This certified program weaves local and global perspectives into a supportive foundation to help students discover their own learning path while satisfying the BC curriculum and graduation requirements.

Through regular communication, certified teachers support families in creating their own educational programming. Hands-on, youth-centered activities are available to supplement and enrich what you naturally offer and to cover the basics. Parents are provided with the guidance they need, without pressure. The program is free and includes an expense budget to help meet educational needs. Info: oakandorca.ca; 250-383-6619 or 1-888-383-6619.

Navigate offers fully funded K-12 online learning programs for students on Vancouver Island and throughout BC. (Tuition fees apply for graduated adults.) Self-paced learning at home is a great option for students who don’t prefer a brick and mortar school environment, have busy schedules, or want to continue attending their current high school with more options for course selection. Choose from 30 international language courses through Rosetta Stone Foundations IslandParent.ca

Gold. All Navigate courses are instructed by certified BC teachers. For more information, please visit navigatenides.com.

WestShore Centre for Learning and Training is a School District #62, school of choice providing innovative educational opportunities for youth and adults in the Western Communities. We offer programing that strives to meet the diversity of needs required in our fast paced and technology driven workplace and world. WestShore Continuing Education provides training and certification for a variety of employment sectors as well as fast track programs designed to complete the Dogwood Adult Graduation program.

WestShore’s Distributed Learning division (JDFDL) provides on-line and paper-based courses as self-paced options to students.

WestShore’s Alternative Education School (Byte) provides dynamic cohort programs for youth focusing on strength-based and co-operative learning opportunities.

Duncan Christian School partners with families to provide a welcoming educational environment. Here, students experience the support and guidance of caring Christian teachers, dedicated to preparing them for life beyond the school doors. Our classes start at preschool-grade 12. Excellent academic, athletic and fine arts programs. Serving a diverse student body. We offer trades programs and hands-on apprenticeships,project based learning, international program, Grade 7 Leadership Retreat, Grade 11 West Coast Trail Hike, Grade 12 Missions trip, extensive student support program.

We welcome the opportunity to take you on a tour of our school, please contact: duncanchristianschool.ca or office@ duncanchristian.com. 495 Beech Avenue Duncan BC V9L 3J8. 250-746-3654.

IslandParent.ca

Four secrets you need to know!

What to do and what not to do.

Call now to discuss a step-by-step approach to buying your first home.

Mid-Island Schools/ Education Services

Arrowsmith Independent School is a brand new school in district 69 offering Preschool through Grade 7! We offer a top quality Academic program based on the BC Curriculum, enhanced with relevant life skills and a hands-on education. Our program is enriched with Outdoor Regional Studies, Agriculture, Cooking, Health and Wellness, Music, Drama and Art. Small class sizes, individual attention. Practical, engaging education in a nurturing and inspiring environment. Laying a confident foundation for a balanced and fulfilling life. Come and check out our beautifully renovated school and bring your family! You will feel right at home. Arrowsmith Independent School.

861 Hilliers Rd, Qualicum Beach V9K 1X5.

Phone: 250-752-2722. Fax: 250-752-8558. arrowsmithschools.ca. arrowsmithschool@ shaw.ca.

Considering your first home purchase?

250-891-6776 ConnieLebeau.ca ConnieLebeau@RoyalLePage.ca Start your journey at The High School at Vancouver Island University. We are a BC certified independent high school uniquely situated on a university campus. As the only high school in British Columbia—and one of two in Canada—that is directly connected to a university, we expose our students to the multitude of post-secondary programs offered to young adults. Experience small class sizes, individual attention and opportunities for intercultural understanding.

Starting your journey at the High School at VIU allows qualified graduates direct admission to Vancouver Island University!

Accepting applications for grades 10 to 12.

250-740-6317. highschool@viu.ca. world. viu.ca/high-school.

Kool & Child is your complete resource store for educational toys and games. We carry a wide assortment of educational games, homework helper workbooks, brain teasers, science kits, jewelry, and much more!

Teachers love our Kool School House full of everything they need to outfit their classroom in style, including an amazing selection of stickers. For homeschooling families, we carry grade appropriate resources for the elementary level. Preview some of our products online at koolandchild.com or come in

French Courses and Activities

AllianceFrançaise Victoria, Canada

250-386-1863 af@afvictoria.ca www.afvictoria.ca August 2016 23

and explore our store for a much greater selection. We are always happy to answer questions, please call us at 1-888-390-1775.

Navigate offers international award winning blended learning programs at our Comox Valley location that allow students K-12 to foster relationships with their teachers and the broader community while offering the flexibility of learning from home. In addition, Navigate serves more than 4000 learners throughout BC in our K-9, high school, and adult learning programs. A Navigate education includes a customized student learning plan that meets all provincially mandated learning outcomes and is instructed by BC certified teachers.

For more information about the Fine Arts, Robotics, or iClass options available at our school, please visit navigatenides.com.

Performing Arts School since 1980

ch o o l S e r P r e S umm C l a s spe s & s p m a du Da n c e C onths an for ages

18 m

Even the littlest angel can dance For more information call 250-384-3267 or email us at stagesdance@shaw.ca or visit us at www.stagesdance.com 24 Island Parent Magazine

Nanaimo Unique Kids Organization (NUKO) is a registered Canadian charity that supports the needs of children and youth with neuro-developmental disabilities and their families. Our mandate is to provide support services and relief to persons with neurodevelopmental disabilities by developing and implementing recreation, education, and social integration opportunities and services. NUKO implements a holistic education programs, incorporating social, recreational and therapeutic learning into traditional academics. We have 2 Sunshine Coaches from Variety Children’s Charity as well as a donated mini-van, which we use to access recreational programs and outings in the community so our students can learn valuable life skills. 250-585-6856. nuko.ca.

Queen Margaret’s School is a welcoming university-preparatory Senior School for girls (Grades 8-12), and offers an enriched co-ed Junior School (Kindergarten-Grade 7) and co-ed Early Childhood Education Program. Located on 27 beautiful acres in the Cowichan Valley, QMS is home to Canada’s only optional on-campus English Equestrian Program where students may ride within their weekly timetable. This program provides skills and theory training for recreational riders and elite equestrian athletes alike. As a globally-minded community, QMS fosters intellectual curiosity through unique programs that prepare students for university, for higher education, for life. Discover at QMS. Visit qms.bc.ca.

St. Joseph’s

Elementary School - CHEMAINUS

Nestled in a wooded landscape St. Joseph’s School in Chemainus offers faith-enriched education to children from preschool through Grade 7. Skilled educators provide a safe and caring environment, and nourish each student academically, physically, spiritually and artistically. St. Joseph’s offers music and band programming, specialist teachers for PE, and K-7 French instruction. On-site preschool and before and after school care is available. St. Joseph’s is an inclusive school, welcoming students of all backgrounds and abilities. Affordable tuition. Financial assistance is available. Please call 250-246-3191 for more information or to arrange for a tour.

Educational Services & Programs The Alliance Française de Victoria is one of over 800 Alliances world-wide. Active in Victoria since 1910, its core mission is to promote the French language and francophone culture. The Alliance offers French language courses to students of all ages at all levels. These intensive courses are taught by highly qualified instructors with special training in French as a Second Language (FSL). We offer both group courses and individual tutoring, along with a cultural program for both learners and the francophone community. Phone: 250-386-1863.

Email: af@afvictoria.ca. afvictoria.ca Kumon is an after-school math and reading enrichment program that unlocks the potential of children so they can achieve more on their own. Children attend the learning centre once or twice a week where a team of dedicated professionals provide individualized instruction and feedback.

Through daily practice and mastery of materials, students increase confidence, improve concentration and develop better study skills. Kumon has 26,000 centres in 49 countries and more than four million students studying worldwide. Visit kumon.ca to learn more or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/Kumon. Saanich: 250-4791800; Sidney: 250-896-8879; West Shore: 250-516-2991.

IslandParent.ca

READ Society. Learning, skills and confidence—that’s what parents and guardians tell us the READ Society means to them and their children. Starting with a nationally recognized Level B Academic Assessment, READ teachers design individual learning plans that build on strengths and close gaps. In small classes, using a wide range of learning tools, students are inspired to explore new ideas and ‘how’ to learn. As READ enters in to its 40th year of experience delivering remedial learning programs, chances are that you know someone who has benefited from attending READ. Find out more about after-school learning programs at readsociety.bc.ca and see the latest activity ideas on our Facebook page: facebook.com/pages/Victoria-READSociety. 250-388-7225.

What makes Smart Tutor Referrals unique in Victoria? Firstly, we were founded in 2002 in Victoria. Since then, we have tutored over 1,000 local students. Being local, we are familiar with the challenges local students face. Secondly our service is student-focused.

Only the best matched tutor is selected; it’s always about suitability not availability.

Thirdly, all our tutors have both experience and at least a Bachelor degree to work with us. Many have Masters as well as experience and qualifications in learning challenges. We are proud of our commitment to Victoria and our many, successful, long-term relationships with students and their families.

is made easier by Sylvan’s individualized programs in reading, writing and math.

Sylvan can pinpoint and develop the skills your child needs for success. Staffed entirely by teachers, we know how to motivate and empower your child to confidently tackle the demands of the new academic year. We can help your child study more effectively and be better prepared when tests and quizzes come around. Sylvan has been serving Vancouver Island families for 35 years.

Let Sylvan help your child build a strong foundation and have a successful school year. 1-800-Educate.

Total Learning Services (TLS) is a unique tutoring service in Victoria. TLS is dedicated to improving quality of life through effective clinical reading programs for children, teens and adults (age of clients: 5-50). The reading process can be a frustrating struggle for my clients; most times it is affecting their daily lives. As a reading specialist, I use strategies that make the reading process fun and easy. Achievement testing is done to determine the areas of the reading process which are of the greatest concern. My programs have changed the lives of many. Pediatrician recommendation.

For your free consultation, contact Brenda Osadchy, B.Ed. M.SpEd. 778-440-0997 or totallearningservices2014@gmail.com.

Post Secondary

Start the school year off strong with Sylvan Learning! Transitioning to a new grade

Pacific Rim College is a globally-recognized academic institution of complementary and integrative medicine located on Vancouver Island in beautiful Victoria, British Columbia. The college provides world-class

education and premier clinical services in a variety of medical modalities including Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, Western Herbal Medicine, Holistic Nutrition, Doula Training and Integrative Health.

PRC’s faculty is comprised of more than 50 leaders in the natural healthcare industry, and students have come from more than 40 countries. PRC was runner-up for mid-sized Business of the Year in Victoria in 2015 and Vancouver Island’s Professional Business of the Year in 2016.

Other CISV educates and inspires action for a more just and peaceful world. CISV is a global non-religious, volunteer organization dedicated to educating and inspiring for peace through building inter-cultural friendships, cooperation and understanding. Since 1965, CISV Victoria has been promoting peace and cross-cultural understanding through a variety of local and international programs for children, youth and adults. The innovative, fun, non-formal peace education ‘learning by doing’ programs begin with the original and unique Village for 11-year-olds. CISV offers an exciting blend of seven international camp-based, family exchange and local community programs.

CISV empowers participants to develop skills to become informed, responsible and active global citizens and make a difference in their communities and the world. The glue that underpins all of CISV programs is friendship, in line with the founding belief that peace is possible through friendship and mutual understanding. Learn more about CISV’s monthly Junior Branch (12-18) and Village (10 and 11) programs at the September Information Night, on Friday, September 30th at 3703 St Aidan’s Road (near UVic).•

Enter Our Online Contests Every month at IslandParent.ca you can enter to win great prizes!

Prizes include:

• Family Getaways • Gift Certificates • IMAX Passes • Books, CDs & More

One entry per family per week.

Check out the prizes and enter the contests by visiting IslandParent.ca

IslandParent.ca August 2016 25

Community Board Making our Community a Better Place to Live

1Up Victoria Single Parent Resource Centre 1-up.ca Art Gallery of Greater Victoria aggv.ca

5

Serena Beck

Great Places to

Buy & Sell

Used Kids’ Clothes

Bear Mountain bearmountain.ca Camp Pringle CampPringle.com Child Care Resource & Referral childcarevictoria.ca Farm Fresh islandfarmfresh.com Kaleidoscope Theatre kaleidoscope.bc.ca Royal BC Museum royalbcmuseum.bc.ca Silver Threads Service silverthreads.ca Victoria Conservatory of Music vcm.bc.ca Enquire about non-profit brochure or magazine distribution in Greater Victoria:

publisher@islandparent.ca 26 Island Parent Magazine

M

y daughter’s pants have turned into capris, which might be okay for the first few warm weeks of school, but not a chilly day. A great way to save money on your kids clothing is to sell their outgrown clothes and use the money to buy second-hand clothes. Consignment stores offer 40-60 per cent of the selling price and you can receive your profit or use it as an in-store credit.

Another way to buy used clothing is online. You can browse at your convenience and arrange to meet a seller in a public place or his or her house.

Before buying or selling, it’s important to know the rules of the consignment store or website and ensure that your items are in good shape and freshly laundered. Specify if any items are “as is.”

Usually consignment stores set the price of the items you’re selling, but if you’re selling items online, you set the price.

IslandParent.ca

Here are 5 great places to buy and sell used kids’ clothes: • Westshore Mom’s Swap ‘n’ Shop • Used Victoria • Varage Sale • Sailor Jack Consignment • Victoria Kids Consignment (twice a year)

1

Name: Westshore Mom’s Swap ‘n’ Shop Medium: Facebook Location: Public place or seller’s house Length of Sale: N/A How it works: Type a comment with “Next” or “Interested” below an item you wish to purchase. Then, send the seller a PM (private message) and arrange a pick up time. First come, first served sales are not permitted.

The seller adds a comment that the item is PPU (pending pick up) and then either marks the item as sold or available to the next person (if it didn’t sell). The seller must contact the buyers in the order they comment on the item.

Pros and Cons: You can set up notifications. Therefore, if you’re looking for a child’s outdoor slide, you’ll be notified as soon as one is posted. The seller decides how long to wait to hear back from the buyer, but the official rules recommend 24 hours.

Depending on your Facebook notification and message settings, it’s possible to miss seeing PMs from people. You can also post items you are ISO (in search of) or discussions such as childcare recommendations.

Emmanuel Preschool

Emmanuel Preschool

2121 Cedar Hill Cross Road (by entrance to UVic)

Openings forHill 2013–2014 2121 Cedar Cross RoadClasses! (by entrance to UVic) Children through ininclusive, our all inclusive, Children learnlearn through play in play our all non-denominational Christian preschool. non-denominational Christian preschool.

Great facility; outdoor play area a gym rainy for day play!

Great facility; outdoor playand area andfor a gym Two teachers with ECE certification plus assistant teachers to day play!

Twochildren. teachers with ECE certification helprainy with special needs plus an assistant help with special needs A competent and caringteacher teachingtoteam! children. A competent and caring teaching team!

Opportunities: Class Options for 2016–2017: Mon / Wed / Fri morning class Mon/Wed/Fri morning class Tues / Thurs morning class Tues/Thurs morning class 5 mornings a week

5 mornings a week Phone 250-598-0573 Phone 250-598-0573 preschool@emmanuelvictoria.ca preschool@emmanuelvictoria.ca www.emmanuelpreschool.ca

www.emmanuelpreschool.ca

2

Name: Used Victoria Medium: usedvictoria.com Location: Public place or at seller’s house Length of sale: 30 days from the listing date How it works: Choose a category and a price for your item and then post it. You choose if you would like to be contacted by telephone or email or both. You can also renew your ad.

Pros and Cons: You can set up RSS feeds to receive notification of items that have been listed. Some sellers offer delivery of larger items for a small fee.

There is a free category.

IslandParent.ca

August 2016 27

S T A G E S Su m mer Pro g ra ms 2016 36th A n nual

Da nce I ntensive

Aug ust 22 nd - September2 nd

Part-day program for dancers 10 years old & up

in Jazz, Ballet, Hip Hop & Acrobatics

Plus

Week-long, part day

Youth Da nce Ca mps Throughout July & August for dancers 6-12 years old in Jazz, Hip Hop & Acrobatics

A nd

Week-long, morning

Preschool Dance Camps Throughout July & August for 3-5 years olds in Ballet, Jazz, Musical Theatre & Tap plus

Little Dancers Classes photos by D Haggart

are running through the summer for those 18 months to 3 years old

Come Da nce With Us

For more information call (250) 384-3267 email us at stagesdance@shaw.ca or visit us at www.stagesdance.com

You’re invited to CISV Information Night: Fri, Sept 30, 2016

Come and learn about our FUN and AMAZING programmes for ages 10–19+

CISV Victoria Information Night Fri, Sept 30, 7–9pm at St. Aidan’s Hall 3703 St. Aidan’s St, near UVic

www.CISVvictoria.ca 28 Island Parent Magazine

What’s CISV? Formerly called “Children’s International Summer Villages,” we’re a youth and family-focused, world-wide organization of volunteers offering local and international programmes, camps and community activities to promote a more peaceful world.

3

Name: Varage Sale Medium: varagesale. com Location: Public place or at seller’s house Length of sale: No expiry How it works: You sign up and then choose which regions you would like to join (for example, Victoria, Cowichan Valley). Next, you take pictures and categorize your items. If you are buying items you search and then click the “Interested” button next to an item.

A message window displays and you can send a PM to the seller. A comment appears below the item stating you are interested in it. Next, the seller reserves the item for you until you collect and pay for it. First come, first served sales are not permitted.

The seller must go in the order of who was interested first and give that person 12 hours to contact the seller and arrange pick up.

You can recommend sellers and buyers.

Pros and Cons: It states when a seller was last online but doesn’t state the date an item was posted. There is a free category.

4

Name: Sailor Jack Consignment Medium: Store Location: 424 Craigflower Road Length of sale: 6 weeks and then 2 weeks on the half-price rack How it works: You drop off your consignment items and then they’re checked over. Next, they are entered in the store inventory, tagged and hung on the racks.

At the end of the eight weeks, you can collect your cash or use it as an in-store credit for future purchases.

Pros and Cons: You don’t receive your money until the end of the eight weeks, but you can immediately use it as a store credit.

It is a 50/50 split and a 60/40 split for the seller on items over $60. You can drop off one garbage bag of clothes per month and you don’t have to price your clothes or be home for items to sell.

What do we do? Have fun by promoting youth: *cross-cultural understanding *global friendships *leadership and communication skills *travel *action for a more peaceful world (*non-religious and non-political)

IslandParent.ca

5

Name: Victoria Kids Consignment Medium: Temporary store available for two weekends (spring and fall sale) Location: victoriakids consignment.ca and Eagle Ridge Community Centre, 1089 Langford Parkway Length of sale: 2 days How it works: Before the sale, safety pin all your clothing to hangers and enter all your items into the computer system online, print tags and then pin on all the tags. Sign up for a specified check-in time and bring in your clothes. They are checked over on the spot. Next, you can monitor the status of your items by logging in throughout the weekend. At the end of the sale, you can donate your leftover items or pick them up. You receive your money one week after the sale.

Pros and Cons: It’s a lot of work to get your items ready, but if you have lots of items—especially popular brands that sell fast—then it is worth the work. There is an entry fee but it is reduced if you volunteer.

Sellers receive 60 per cent of the selling price. You can sell one large item for $70 or more and received 90 per cent of the selling price. There is a presale for volunteers and sellers. Many buyers attend the sale which can increase the chance of your items selling quickly. You can enter a maximum of 200 items to sell.

Most of the online sites have a free category and most consignment stores offer to send your unaccepted or unsold items to charity. Another option is to donate clothing to a thrift store. Thrifts stores also have really good sales such as five articles of children’s clothing for $5.

I’ve used all of the above stores and sites. They each serve a different purpose, depending on the item I am trying to sell.

My experience has been that toys and clothes sell fast on Westshore Mom’s Swap ‘n’ Shop.

Items I want to give away for free go fast on Used Victoria. There are a lot of shoes available on Varage Sale. I’ve found lots of clothes for my son at Sailor Jack and my daughter loved picking out her own clothes at Victoria Kids Consignment.

Club Registration BBQ

September 9th 1 2016-07-06 Beaver Lake Picnic Area

Westmont Ad_Island Parent_film2.pdf

5 TIME PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONS!

6:28 PM

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CM

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CMY

Serena Beck works full time as a technical writer and enjoys writing magazine articles.

She also loves spending time with her husband and three children at the beach.

K

IslandParent.ca

August 2016

29

Susan Gnucci

Berry Picking Days

T

he warm heat of the early morning sun, the sounds of a working farm gearing up for the day, the giggle and laughter of children—these are the things I remember fondly from the summers I spent with my children berry picking on the Saanich Peninsula. From strawberry picking in June to raspberry picking in July to blueberry picking in August, our summers were filled with trips to the Peninsula, buckets in hand, sunscreen slathered on slippery little bodies that squirmed and protested, mouths smeared and tongues dyed pink and blue from the fruits of our labours.

For any parent considering such a family outing, I have some words of advice: if you have any illusion your children will actually help you pick, you need to divest yourself of that notion entirely. But then, that’s not the point. Although my sons would typically spend the first 10 minutes or so in concentrated picking, determined to fill the ice cream buckets, periodically comparing how many berries each of them had in their buckets, they inevitably gave in to the lure of fresh berries. In no time at all, their focus switched from collecting berries to sampling them. For every one they dropped in their bucket, a fistful made it into their mouths. Predictably, tasting soon gave way to full-on grazing, buckets carelessly tossed aside as they ate their fill. Once satiated, they roamed the rows upon rows of berry bushes, calling out to each other from their hiding places or chasing each other in a game of tag. Blueberry picking proved to be especially entertaining as they soon discovered these round, compact berries made excellent missiles when hurled at each other. Always mindful of waste, I allowed them their fun on

the condition they used those berries that had already fallen to the ground.

Confined to city living, our berry picking mornings were an opportunity to spend time out in the country where the boys could run free in the fresh air, where I didn’t have to worry about traffic or watch them every minute, where they could yell and whoop without bothering anyone. I always found they slept soundly after a day of picking, no doubt exhausted (in the best of ways) from their hours of horseplay.

As any mother of rambunctious boys will attest, there seems to be a universal law that two brothers playing together for any length of time will typically result in one of three things: brother “A” hits brother “B”; brother “B” hits brother “A”; or brothers “A” and “B” hit each other. But to my surprise, berry picking seemed to bring out the best in my sons’ brotherly relationship. I don’t know if it was all the fresh air, or the adrenaline coursing through their little bodies that created natural “happy” endorphins, or the simple fact they had lots of room to run around and could therefore keep out of each other’s reach, but whatever the reason, I welcomed the reprieve from having to act as referee, however temporary it may have been. Remarkably, even their blueberry battles were conducted in good fun.

By the end of the summer, I had a freezer stocked full of berries and we were able to enjoy them in smoothies, cereal, and pancakes well into the winter months. I smile when I look back at all the photographs of the three of us proudly displaying our haul for the camera, the boys’ hands and faces coloured as if they had been playing with finger paints.

Now that I have a grandson, I happily share

this same experience with him. Last summer, he wasn’t quite walking, so I simply pulled him in his little red wagon and parked it in the shade at my side as I picked, all the while explaining what I was doing and showing him the delicious berries. Instead of growing bored and

impatient as I feared he would, he sat perfectly content, avidly watching me with his big green eyes. I placed the soft berries in his cup holder and he tentatively sampled them, grinning up at me when he realized how tasty they were. I pointed out the farm tractor that sat nearby, the butterflies as they flittered past, the bees buzzing lazily in the tall sunflowers bordering the berry crop, and the decrepit, cocky rooster that crowed incessantly in the farmyard—all new and exciting sights and sounds.

I know as my grandson grows, I will be competing with television, computer games, and a myriad of other activities, but I hope I can share with him the simple pleasure of summer berry picking days. As he picks, gorges, and plays with careless abandon, I hope to see the same joy on his face as I saw on his father’s all those summers ago.

Susan Gnucci is a local author and a proud “nonna” to an adorable two-year-old grandson. She enjoys sharing her experiences as a first-time grandparent.

See the IMAX film Mammoths: Titans of the Ice Age now playing with the Mammoths: Giants of the Ice Age Exhibition at the Royal BC Museum.

On until Dec 31, 2016 - it’s a combination you won’t soon forget!

250-480-4887 imaxvictoria.com 30 Island Parent Magazine

IslandParent.ca

PRESENTS

Open House Party!

FREE!

900 Johnson Street September 10 10am - 3pm Concerts oncerts every hour Contemporary and classical Instrument Petting Zoos Free mini-lessons Children’s music classes We acknowledge the financial assistance of the Province of British Columbia

... plus treats and fun for the whole family!

VCM.BC.CA/OPEN-HOUSE IslandParent.ca

August 2016 31

August 2016

Generously Sponsored by and

Family Calendar For calendar updates throughout the month visit IslandParent.ca TUES 2 Are You Yeti For Some Fun? at Nellie McClung Branch Library. Explore the world’s most elusive creatures, from Sasquatches to unicorns.

Enjoy stories, activities and a craft. For ages 6-9. 10:30-11:30am. Drop in; space is limited.

Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Visit gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more info.

Myth Adventures at Esquimalt Branch Library.

Don’t “myth” out on the fun. Explore mythical tales and create a craft. For ages 9-12. 2:303:30pm. Drop in; space is limited. Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit gvpl. ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more info.

WED 3 Where the Wild Things Are Puppet Show at Sidney/North Saanich Branch Library. Sail away on an adventure this summer. Journey to a faraway land as the librarians entertain you with a puppet show based on Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are. Stories, songs, and craft included. All ages welcome.

10:30-11:30am. Register by email at sidney@ virl.bc.ca or phone 250-656-0944.

Around the World at Juan de Fuca Branch Library. Explore our amazing world through stories and activities and make an imaginative craft. For ages 3-5. 10:30-11:30am. Drop in; space is limited. Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit gvpl.ca or call 250-940GVPL (4875) for more info.

32 Island Parent Magazine

Reading Circle with Zuzana at Oak Bay Branch Library. Join retired elementary teacher Zuzana Macknight for a session with charts, big books and vocabulary resources to encourage a love of reading and learning. Come to one session or attend them all. For ages 5-7. 10:3011:30am. Drop in; space is limited. Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit gvpl. ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more info.

Trip on a Ship at Central Saanich Branch Library. Imagine a trip on a ship. Adventures abound in this program filled with stories, activities and a craft. For ages 6-9. 2:30-3:30pm.

Drop in; space is limited. Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more info.

Celebrate Harry Potter (Muggles Welcome) at Juan de Fuca Branch Library. Enjoy Harry Potter games, crafts, trivia and a snack, and try out your best wizarding moves with the green screen. For ages 10-12. 2:30-3:30pm.

Drop in; space is limited. Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more info.

THURS 4 May the Force Be With You at Saanich Centennial Branch Library. Join us in a galaxy not so far away for Star Wars-inspired stories, activities and crafts. Drop in; space is limited.

Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis.

10:30-11:30am. For ages 5-12. Visit gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more info.

Around the World at Goudy Branch Library.

See WED Aug 3 for details. For ages 3-5. 10:3011:30am. Drop in; space is limited. Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit gvpl. ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more info.

Insect Investigations at Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary. Explore a nature theme through activities, hikes, experiments, and more. 1-3pm. $12/members; $18/nonmembers. Pre-registration required by calling 250-479-0211. swanlake.bc.ca.

Trip on a Ship at Bruce Hutchison Branch Library. See WED Aug 3 for details. For ages 6-9. 2:30-3:30pm. Drop in; space is limited.

Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Visit gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more info.

FRI 5 Rascally Raccoons at Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary. A fun and interactive program which includes hands-on discovery, an outside ramble, a story and a craft. 1011:30am. Members: $12/adult/child pair and $4/each additional child; non-members: $17/adult/child pair and $6/additional child.

Pre-registration required by calling 250-4790211. 3873 Swan Lake Rd. 250-479-0211. swanlake.bc.ca.

Things That Go at Nellie McClung Branch Library. All aboard. Enjoy stories that transport you from here to there, and create a fun paper craft. For ages 3-5. 10:30-11:30am. Drop in;

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space is limited. Admission on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit gvpl.ca or call 250940-GVPL (4875) for more info.

Down By the Bay at Esquimalt Branch Library.

Have you ever seen a whale with a polka-dot tail? Come for fun ocean-themed storytime and craft. For ages 3-5. 10:30-11:30am. Drop in; space is limited. Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit gvpl.ca or call 250-940GVPL (4875) for more information.

Myth Adventures at Central Branch Library.

See TUES 2 for details. For ages 9-12. 2:303:30pm. Drop in; space is limited. Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit gvpl. ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more info.

SAT 6 The Schoolhouse Market at Craigflower Schoolhouse. Indoor and outdoor vendors, music, food and prize giveaways. Kid friendly.

10:30am-2:30pm. 2755 Admirals Rd. Summer Star Party at Dominion Astrophysical Observatory. See SAT JULY 2 for details. Rain or shine. 7:30-11pm. Free, but admission is by ticket only. Tickets available at summerstar parties.eventbrite.ca the week before.

SUN 7 Cadboro Bay Festival at Cadboro Gyro Park.

Hands-on activities, bouncy castle, face painting, live performances, interactive games, kids treasure map, arts & craft stations, food, displays and more. World-class sand sculptors will create giant works of art from just sand, water and imagination. Fun for the whole family. 11am-3pm. 250-475-5522.

Bountiful Berries at Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park. Join a CRD Regional Parks naturalist on a walk to explore for blackberries, Oregon grape berries, salal berries, and more. There will also be an opportunity to taste jams made from some of these natural delights. We will look at and taste berries, but will not be collecting them to take home. Meet at the Beaver lake Nature Centre off the main parking lot at 1pm. 5+ years. BC Transit #70 or #72. 250478-3344. crd.bc.ca/parks.

WED 10 Busy Beavers at Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park. Bring your young ones to the shores of Beaver Lake Ponds to see an active beaver lodge. Children will have a chance to learn more about this amazing mammal and its marvellous adaptations. Meet at the grassy area adjacent to the picnic shelter in the Filter Beds parking lot at 10am. 10 and under. BC Transit #70 or #72. 250-478-3344. crd.bc.ca/parks.

Reading Circle with Zuzana at Oak Bay Branch Library. See WED 3 for details. For ages 5-7.

10:30-11:30am. Drop in; space is limited.

Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Visit gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more info.

Down By the Bay at Juan de Fuca Branch Library. See FRI 5 for details. For ages 3-5.

10:30-11:30am. Drop in; space is limited.

Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Visit gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

Mighty Mammals at Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary. I’m a mammal and so are you. Check out the marvelous variety and adaptations of our fellow mammals with pelts, skulls and help solve the latest mammal mystery at Swan Lake. Noon-3pm. Admission by donation. 3873 Swan Lake Rd. 250-4790211. swanlake.bc.ca.

Little Lego in the Library at Juan de Fuca Branch Library. Listen to stories and have fun with the library’s Lego. Bring your own Lego for a take-home project. For ages 4-6; parents are encouraged to attend. 2:30-3:30pm. Drop in; space is limited. Admission is on a firstcome, first-served basis. Visit gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more info.

Bike Repair Workshop & Cycling Jamboree at Wain Park, North Saanich. Adults can learn about bike safety, cadence and gearing, and road position, while kids will have fun navigating an on-site cycling course. 5:30-8:30pm.

Free. 871 Birch Rd. 250-655-2170.

Campfire Storytime at Sidney/North Saanich Branch Library. Gather ’round the (fake)

TM

campfire for slightly spooky stories, campfire songs and campfire snacks. Don’t forget to bring your flashlight. All ages welcome. 6-7pm.

Register by email at sidney@virl.bc.ca or phone 250-656-0944.

THURS 11 Island View Edibles at Island View Beach Regional Park. Enjoy the bounty of this gem of a park with CRD Regional Parks naturalists and guest nature walkers and ethnobotanists, Earl Claxton Jr. and John-Bradley Williams.

Sample herbal tea and native plant jellies and participate in a fun plant challenge. Guided plant walks offered at 11:15am and 1pm.

Meet at the grassy area adjacent to the picnic shelter off Homathko Rd. All ages. 11am-2pm.

250-478-3344. crd.bc.ca/parks.

Mind Your Mammals at Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary. See THURS Aug 4 for details. 1-3pm. $12/members; $18/nonmembers. Pre-registration required by calling 250-479-0211. swanlake.bc.ca.

FRI 12 Totally Turtles at Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary. See FRI Aug 5 for details.

10-11:30am. Members: $12/adult/child pair and $4/each additional child; non-members: $17/adult/child pair and $6/additional child.

Pre-registration required by calling 250-4790211. 3873 Swan Lake Rd. 250-479-0211. swanlake.bc.ca.

Coffee-crusted Beef Tenderloin

Ben, Ed & Adrian PARTNER SINCE

Customer Care: 1.800.667.8280 | thriftyfoods.com IslandParent.ca

2009

Fernwood Coffee Victoria, BC

August 2016 33

Pique Your Natural Curiosity

Early Evening Bat Exploration at Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park. As the day draws to a close, it is a magical time to be out in the park. The daytime creatures are preparing for a night of rest and the nighttime creatures are starting to rouse. On this program, explore the weird and wonderful world of bats and hopefully get a chance to see them in action as they swoop through the air feeding on flying insects that are found at this time of year. Meet at the grassy area adjacent to the picnic shelter in the Filter Beds parking lot at 7:30pm. 8+ years. BC Transit #70 or #72. 250-478-3344. crd.bc.ca/parks.

FRI 12 – SUN 14 22nd Annual Victoria Dragon Boat Festival in Victoria’s Inner Harbour. Dragon boat races, entertainment, food, activities for kids and families. victoriadragonboat.com.

SAT 13

We offer outings and activities for nature lovers of all ages in every season, such as guided nature walks & hikes, drop-in events & canoeing.

Most are free. All are fun!

There is a whole world of natural and cultural history to explore at our nature centres at Witty’s Lagoon, Francis/King and Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Parks.

See the full calendar at www.crd.bc.ca/parks.

Capital Regional District | Regional Parks crdparks@crd.bc.ca 250.478.3344

Morning Mist Canoe Adventure at Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park. Join a CRD Regional Parks naturalist for an early morning paddle on the lake searching for eagles, herons, turtles and other lake life. Canoe equipment and instruction are provided and no experience is necessary. 5+ years. $20 + GST (15 years +); $10 + GST (5-14 years). Pre-registration is required by August 11. Space is limited. BC Transit #70 or #72. 250-478-3344. crd.bc.ca/parks.

Heroes Inc.: Superheros at Your Library at Sidney/North Saanich Branch Library. Kapow!

There are superheros at the library. Listen to stories, get your picture taken with a superhero, and have your superhero questions answered by one or more of your favourite superhero characters. Wear a costume if you want. All ages welcome. Drop in. 10:30-11:30am. 250656-0944.

Evening Campground Program at Island View Beach Regional Park. Join a CRD Regional Parks naturalist for an evening of games and stories. Bring a beach chair and meet at the campfire ring at Island View Beach campground, off Homathko Rd at 7pm. All ages.

250-478-3344. crd.bc.ca/parks.

Summer Star Party at Dominion Astrophysical Observatory. See SAT JULY 2 for details.

Rain or shine. 7:30-11pm. Free, but admission is by ticket only. Tickets will be available at summerstarparties.eventbrite.ca the week before.

Offering Ballet, Tap, Jazz and Highland

2758 Peatt Road 778-265-5955 or 250-818-9225

www.leapforwardlangford.com info@leapforwardlangford.com 34 Island Parent Magazine

WED 17 Reading Circle with Zuzana at Oak Bay Branch Library. See WED 3 for details. For ages 5-7.

10:30-11:30am. Drop in; space is limited.

Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Visit gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more info.

IslandParent.ca

THURS 18 Feeling Crabby at Island View Beach Regional Park. Red, green, purple, hairy and hermit crabs. This bustling marine habitat has them all. Drop by any time between 10am and 1pm to meet some of these crabs and their crusty cousins, up close and personal. There will be an aquarium, a crab craft and lots of opportunity to explore the beach with buckets and dip nets. Be prepared to get your feet wet (bring sandals or beach shoes). Look for the blue tent on the beach off Homathko Rd. All ages. 250-478-3344. crd.bc.ca/parks.

Adaptable Amphibians at Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary. See THURS Aug 4 for details. 1-3pm. $12/members; $18/nonmembers. Pre-registration required by calling 250-479-0211. swanlake.bc.ca.

Celebrate Harry Potter (Muggles Welcome) at Juan de Fuca Branch Library. See WED 3 for details. For ages 10-12. 2:30-3:30pm.

Drop in; space is limited. Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more info.

FRI 19 Beach Seine at Witty’s Lagoon Regional Park.

Join CRD Regional Parks naturalists on a beach seine and see what creatures live in the underwater forest. Be prepared to get your feet wet (bring sandals or beach shoes). Meet on the main beach off Metchosin Rd at 10am. 5+ years. BC Transit #54 or #55. 250-478-3344. crd.bc.ca/parks.

Purple Pirate Summer Reading Club WrapUp Party at Sidney/North Saanich Branch Library. You’re invited to the Summer Reading Club wrap-up party. “Book a Trip” with the Purple Pirate to celebrate a fantastic summer full of reading. Prizes, cake and lots of fun for everyone. All ages welcome. 1:30-3pm.

Register by email at sidney@virl.bc.ca or phone 250-656-0944.

Creatures of the Summer Night at Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Centre. Check out the nightlife of Swan Lake. Sharpen your senses to look for owls, bats and other nighttime creatures. Using a grab bag of tricks, we’ll discover how these animals are adapted to their nocturnal life. Suitable for families with children over 6. 8-9:30pm. $4/members; $6/ non-members. Pre-registration required by calling 250-479-0211. 3873 Swan Lake Rd. swanlake.bc.ca.

Is Your Child’s Face Developing Well?

Does your child breathe through his/her mouth?

Does your child suffer from allergies?

Does your child have any oral habit such as thumb or finger sucking?

Does your child have an untreated tongue tie?

Does your child have crowded teeth?

Does your child have jaws that seem too far forward or back?

Early Intervention can have far reaching benefits.

Straight Teeth the Natural Way

Myobrace® treatment focuses on addressing the underlying causes of poor facial and dental development and can unlock your child’s healthy growth and development.

HOW MYOBRACE® WORKS • Promotes breathing through the nose • Retrains the lips and cheeks • Corrects poor swallowing habits

Summer Reading Club Extravaganza at Central Branch Library. Celebrate the end of

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After 6 months

Saanich Dental Group Free Consultation: 250-477-7321 info@saanichdentalgroup.com (for children under 12)

Afternoon & Kindergarten Space Available

• preschool to grade 2 • before and after

school care

• small class sizes • supportive and

caring staff

SAT 20 Saanichton Family Festival in Saanichton.

Games, prizes, inflatable obstacle course, Peninsula Country Market and more. 9am2pm. 250-656-7271.

Before

• Corrects tongue positioning

• excellent academic

foundation

• Kodaly music

A local non-profit serving all children since 1973 5575 West Saanich Rd info@islandmontessori.com 250 592 4411 www.islandmontessori.com

program

• lovely rural location

connecting children to nature

August 2016 35

Summer Reading Club with a puppet show, an easy obstacle course and a cupcake. Dress up like your favourite book character to be entered into a draw for a bookstore gift certificate. Fun activities provided by Heros, Inc. and PISE. For ages 12 and under. 1-2pm: Travelling Puppet Show performance in the Community Room; 2-3:30pm: bring your favourite book, and carry it through an easy obstacle course in the Courtyard. 1-3:30pm.

Drop in; space is limited. Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more info.

Summer Star Party at Dominion Astrophysical Observatory. See SAT JULY 2 for details.

Rain or shine. 7:30-11pm. Free, but admission is by ticket only. Tickets will be available at summerstarparties.eventbrite.ca the week before.

MON 21 Super Summer Kids Day at City Centre Park Westhills Stadium. Video game theatre, hamster balls, bungee run, castle jumper, and bumper balls. All funds raised will be donated in support of the BC Children’s Hospital. 10am-3pm. For more info, email info@ superheroesofvictoria.org.

TUES 23 Rascally Raccoons at Mill Hill Regional Park.

A CRD Regional Parks naturalist will lead you on a raccoon trail for a day in the life of these little rascals. Meet at the information kiosk in the parking lot off Atkins Ave at 10am.

All ages. BC Transit #53. 250-478-3344. crd.bc.ca/parks.

naturalist. Meet at the kiosk in the Aylard Farm parking lot off Becher Bay Rd at 10am. All ages. 250-478-3344. crd.bc.ca/parks.

Binoculars and Birding at Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary. See THURS Aug 4 for details. 1-3pm. $12/members; $18/nonmembers. Pre-registration required by calling 250-479-0211. swanlake.bc.ca.

WED 24

SAT 27

Reading Circle with Zuzana at Oak Bay Branch Library. See WED 3 for details. For ages 5-7.

10:30-11:30am. Drop in; space is limited.

Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Visit gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more info.

Coast Salish Clam Garden Campfire at McDonald Campground, Sidney. Curious about what a Clam Garden is? Similar to caring for a vegetable garden in your backyard, Coast Salish Nations tend beaches to make clams grow better. Come to the campfire to learn more about clam gardens, the local restoration project, listen to Coast Salish traditional singing and taste clams. 7-8pm. 1-866-944-1744.

Birds of a Feather at Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary. Feathered wonders live all over the world and come in so many different shapes, sizes and colours. Join in and try to figure out who’s who in the bird world.

Hands-on exploration, bird watching, crafts, songs and games. Noon-3pm. Admission by donation. 3873 Swan Lake. Rd. 250-4790211. swanlake.bc.ca.

THURS 25 Cougar Capers at East Sooke Regional Park.

Investigate the life of a cougar on this informative walk and talk with a CRD Regional Parks

SUN 28 Drop-In Paddlesports Family Race Day on the Gorge. Put all those new-found skills to the test. VI Paddlesports will bring out the Dragon Boats and some professional Dragon Boaters to help you with your speed. This program is geared for those that have participated in the drop-in Family Paddlesports course, but is open for first-time paddlers as well. Parent participation required. $10/person. 10am3pm. vipaddling.com.

Nationally Recognized Level B Assessments Language Arts Math Sciences Study Skills Family Literacy Individualized Learning Programs

Think Learning…Think READ

Since 1976 the READ Society has been supporting children and youth in the Greater Victoria community to reach their potential.

We offer nationally recognized academic assessments to pinpoint your child’s academic needs. We then develop an individualized learning program for your child that is delivered in small or private after school classes by BC Certified Teachers.

Learning skills, confidence and potential READ also offers learning assistance to lower income families in our sponsored programs: Noisy Kids Reading Club • READ is on the Road • Tuition Assistance We acknowledge the financial assistance of the Province of British Columbia and thank our generous community supporters

The Victoria READ Society would like to thank our sponsors:

Locations: Victoria, Westshore and Sidney To learn more about our programs and to register:

250-388-7225

info@readsociety.bc.ca

www.readsociety.bc.ca

Celebrating 39 Years of Remedial Learning!

36 Island Parent Magazine

IslandParent.ca

ONGOING BABIES, TODDLERS & PRESCHOOL

From Baby… to Ballerina

Family Storytimes and Baby Times at the Greater Victoria Public Library. Parents and caregivers are welcome and encouraged to participate with their children. Drop in; space is limited. Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis. For a complete schedule of programs, visit gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

CHILDREN Summer Reading Club 2016: Book a Trip at the Greater Victoria Public Library. Travel the universe page by page with the GVPL’s Summer Reading Club. Whether you’re reading at home or on holidays, you can track your daily reading on your reading record and enjoy weekly incentives along the way. Staying in town?

GVPL offers free library programs at branches throughout Greater Victoria. Register online and then drop by your local library to pick up a self-paced reading record. For info about the club, or to register for programs, check out gvpl.ca/src, or call 250-940-GVPL (4875).

Summer Reading Buddies at the Greater Victoria Public Library. Reading Buddies pairs children who need extra practice with reading with teen volunteers for fun literacy-based activities. Little Buddies and Big Buddies meet for an hour daily for one week. Week-long sessions are available until August 19 at different branch libraries throughout the summer. Maximum two sessions per child during the summer. Space is limited. For children in Grades 2-4. Register online at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more info.

Volunteer Opportunities for Tweens at the Greater Victoria Public Library. Are you a tween looking for a volunteer opportunity?

If you like working with children, enjoy stories, are a fluent English speaker and want to help young children with early literacy skills, the library needs you. GVPL’s Story Buddies program provides an opportunity to volunteer and work with kids. For ages 10-12. To find out more, visit gvpl.ca/about-us/work-withus/tween-volunteers or call 250-940-GVPL (4875).

Summer Reading Club: Book a Trip at Sidney/ North Saanich Branch Library. Make books, learn magic tricks, meet live birds of prey from the Raptor Centre, have an out-of-this-world experience with Science Venture and so much more. There will be fun, free events happening at the library all summer long. Some programs require pre-registration. For more info, call 250-656-0944, or email Sidney@virl.bc.ca.

Summer Challenge 2016 at the Greater Victoria Public Library. Are your between the ages of 10 and 110 and looking for fun stuff to do this summer? We challenge you to have

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A Thirty-Five Year History of Excellence in Dance Pacific Dance Centre tries to cultivate each child to the fullest extent of their abilities.

In a caring and nurturing environment, every student is challenged to reach high levels of technical proficiency. Many students go on to advanced studies and careers with Canada’s most prestigious dance companies.

Studio located at 5182 Cordova Bay Rd. 5 minutes from Broadmead Mall.

For more information visit www.pacificdancecentre.com or call 250.477.6114

Hand Shaken

June 27 - Sept 4 Serious Coffee locations can be found throughout Vancouver Island and in Powell River �o �nd one near �ou go to� seriouscoffee�co� August 2016 37

Summer Camps 2016 Join us and learn stage acting, singing and dancing!

We offer: 1 week camps (6 to 10 years old) 2 week camps (11 to 14 years old)

Visit our website for more details and or registration information. www.fsmtheatre.ca

Saturday a.m. fall classes start Sept 2016!

fun with books, music, magazines and more.

Choose from 24 challenges and every time you complete one, you’ll earn an entry into a weekly prize draw. Enter online or in person at any Greater Victoria Public Library branch.

Complete the challenges in any order, and feel free to repeat challenges. Runs June 30-August 25. For more information, visit gvpl.ca/ summerchallenge or call 250-940-GVPL. Children’s Entertainment in the Park at Cameron Bandshell, Beacon Hill Park. Wednesdays 11am-noon July 13-August 17.

YOUTH Reading Buddies: Teen Volunteers at the Greater Victoria Public Library. If you like working with children, enjoy reading, are a fluent English speaker, and want to help emerging readers, we need you. Reading Buddies teen volunteers mentor children in Grades 2-4 with reading practice and literacy-based activities.

We provide training and, upon completion, a reference letter outlining your volunteer hours. First-time volunteers, please complete the Teen Volunteer Referral Form and register for a Reading Buddies Training Session. Big Buddies and Little Buddies meet for an hour daily for one week. Week-long sessions are available until August 19 at different branch libraries throughout the summer. For ages 13-18. Register online at gvpl.ca or call 250940-GVPL (4875) for more info.

Book Review Club (All That and a Bag of Chips!) at the Greater Victoria Public Library.

Pick up your free book and a bag of chips at any GVPL branch. Review the book online and return for free refills of books all summer. For ages 10-18. Until August 29. Visit gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

Teen Summer Challenge at Sidney/North Saanich Branch Library. Express your creativity. 55 challenges dare you to get crafty, be wacky, and try new things. Complete tasks, earn points, do cool stuff and you could win an iPad Mini or a $50 Chapters gift card. Are you up for the challenge? Ages 12-18. 250-656-0944 or visit virl.bc.ca/teens/challenge.

FAMILIES

Come see why so many choose Ross Bay Preschool!

We proudly offer a kindness curriculum, outdoor play, special guests, field trips and community events in addition to our daily learn through play program.

www.rossbaypreschool.com

rossbaypreschool@shaw.ca 250-383-7445 38 Island Parent Magazine

Play in the Park in North Saanich. Panorama Recreation Centre staff will facilitate interactive play, face painting, and group games.

Inflatable fun and giant 50' obstacle course.

Mon-Fri, 5:30-8:30pm. Free. For a list schedule of parks, visit crd.bc.ca/panorama Afternoon Concerts in the Park Cameron Bandshell, Beacon Hill Park. Monday noon1pm, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 1:303:20pm until July 31. Free.

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Support Circles in Victoria. Every second Tuesday morning from 9:30-11:30am or every second

IslandParent.ca

Wednesday evening from 6:30-8:30pm. A safe supportive place to meet others in a similar situation and to share information and resources. Call 250-384-8042 for more information, or visit parentsupportbc.ca.

Province-wide toll free information and support line at 1-855-474-9777 or email grgline@ parentsupportbc.ca.

Summer in the Square in Centennial Square.

Lunchtime concerts Tuesday-Thursday until September 15. Noon-1pm. Free.

Geocaching on Sidney, Pender, Saturna, and Vancouver Island. Try a geocaching program and embark on a self-guided adventure to experience the park reserve’s cultural and natural hotspots. Choose from two routes: a family-friendly treasure hunt or a more strenuous quest to see the top ten places in the park reserve. Free. For more info, call 1-866-9441744 or visit parkscanada.gc.ca/gulf.

Smores n’ More at McDonald Campground, Sidney. Share the magic of a traditional Canadian campfire with your family. Join an interpreter and guest presenters for songs, park stories, s’mores and more. Bring a flashlight and a mug for hot chocolate. Ideal for families with children 12 and under. There will be a propane fire if there is a fire ban. Free. Please park at the adjacent Blue Heron Park and follow the signs to the campground. Meet at the group campfire ring. Saturdays 7-8pm

IslandParent.ca

until the end of August. Call 1-866-944-1744 or visit parkscanada.gc.ca/gulf for more info.

Recyclistas Bicycle Repair Classes at Recyclistas Bike Shop. Affordable classes twice weekly. Learn how to safely and effectively fix, maintain and rebuild bicycles. Thursdays 4-7pm, and Saturdays 1-4pm. $25/adults; $13/ youth 10-18. Pre-register by calling 250-4188867. recyclistas.ca.

Concerts in the Park at Cameron Bandshell, Beacon Hill Park. Dance, theatre and musical performances as well as community events.

Bring a blanket, or your personal lawn chair and enjoy and afternoon of free entertainment.

1:30-3:20pm, Friday, Saturday, Sundays and holidays, August 1-September 11. victoria.ca.

Moss Street Market at Moss Street and Fairfield Rd. Farmer’s Market, over 75 craft and food vendors. Local musicians, great coffee, special event days and more. Saturdays, 10am-2pm until October 26.

Dragon Boating For Families at Vic West Community Centre. Have you ever been in a dragon boat, outrigger or sprint kayak…or wanted to try? These drop-in sessions teach basic boat skills and provide an afternoon of fun for the whole family. Parent participation required. $5/person. Saturdays 1-3pm until September 3. youthprograms@vipaddling. com. vipaddling.com/family-programs.•

Send Us Your Stories!

Island Parent is looking for articles for upcoming issues.

Some of our best content comes from people just like you—Vancouver Island parents who are passionate about their families and are dealing with the day to day issues of raising children in our community. Share your experiences, your thoughts on a particular issue, your ideas on places to see or projects to do— anything related to parenting.

Check our Writer’s Guidelines at islandparent.ca for specific information on submissions.

We’d love to hear from you.

Please email submissions to editor@islandparent.ca.

August 2016 39

Around the Island

SAT 13

Visit IslandParent.ca for these and other events and resources for families from Cowichan Valley north to Campbell River and west to Tofino

Hawaiian Holidaze at Westwood Lake. Who needs a tropical getaway when we have our very own Westwood Lake. Enjoy a wide variety of tropical themed games and activities for the whole family. 1-3pm. 250-756-5200.

WED 3

SAT 13 – SUN 14

Glow in the Dark Skate at Cliff McNabb Arena. Skate in an atmosphere of dimmed lighting and special effects. Regular admission.

Glow necklaces available for $2. 6:30-8pm.

250-756-5200.

FRI 5 Family Picnic and Play at Sandpiper/Boultbee Community Park, French Creek. Kids, bring your adults and your dinner to the park. Games and activities provided by RDN Recreation and Parks leader. Propane BBQ’s are welcome.

5-8pm. 1291 Ormonde Dr, French Creek.

250-248-3252. rdn.bc.ca/recreation.

SUN 7 Bruno’s Bullhead Fishing Derby at Brechin Ramp Docks. Prizes for longest, shortest and ugliest bullhead. Prize draws for all registered youngsters. Registration starts at 9:30am with fishing starting at 10am. All kids must be accompanied by an adult and must wear a life vest at all times while on dock. Free hot

dogs and drink for each registered entrant.

Non-perishable donations to the food bank are welcome. Zorkin Rd, Nanaimo.

Learn to Fish at Colliery Dam Park, Nanaimo.

Learn about fish identification, conservation handling, tackle, and rod rigging. Sponsored by the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, and presented by the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC. All equipment provided, and program runs rain or shine. For 5-15 year olds.

Children must be accompanied by an adult.

1-3pm. Free. 250-756-5200.

BioBlitz on Sidney Island. Help us find and identify as many different organisms as possible within 24 hours. Work side-by-side with experts and add to the park reserve’s official species list. Two ways to participate: join scientists for drop-in nature activities or become a citizen scientist for the weekend and camp overnight. Also join in to celebrate Coast Salish culture with traditional singing, dancing, and clam tasting. Saturday noon to Sunday noon.

1-866-944-1744.

SUN 14

TUES 9 Growing a Child’s Mind: Summer Storytime at KinPark Youth Urban Farm. The Vancouver Island Regional Library and KinPark Youth Urban Farm are teaming together to host children’s storytime at the park. Kids receive a special kit to keep track of the reading and are awarded a collectible medal if they complete their reading log. For children 3-5. 10:3011:30am. Free. 250-746-7661. virl.bc.ca or cowichangreencommunity.org.

Shawnigan Lake Heritage Fair and Family Picnic at Elsie Miles Park. Celebrate Shwnigan’s past with old-time relay races and games, sit for a family photo in yester-year fashions, and enjoy the stock car display. Bring your stories from the good ol’ days. Submit your memories of Mason’s online at Shawnigan Lake Museum’s Facebook page and bring your photos to the Memory Tent. Pack a picnic for the family or partake from the hot dog cart.

10:30am-2:30pm. Free.

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Celebrating the growing family september 24 & 25, 2016 pearkes rec centre - 3100 Tillicum rd PR Photo Creations

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TUES 16 Growing a Child’s Mind: Summer Storytime at KinPark Youth Urban Farm. See TUES 9 for details. For children 3-5. 10:3011:30am. Free. 250-746-7661. virl.bc.ca or cowichangreencommunity.org.

WED 17 Glow in the Dark Skate at Cliff McNabb Arena. Skate in an atmosphere of dimmed lighting and special effects. Regular admission.

Glow necklaces available for $2. 6:30-8pm.

250-756-5200.

FRI 26 Family Picnic and Play at Maple Lane, San Pareil. Kids, bring your adults and your dinner to the park. Games and activities provided by RDN Recreation and Parks leader. Propane BBQ’s are welcome. 5-8pm. 1035 Maple Lane Dr, San Pareil. 250-248-3252. rdn.bc.ca/ recreation.

ONGOING PRESCHOOL Mornings with LaFF at the Aggie. Staff and participants create play-based learning stations to explore and enjoy. Bring food to share & make a healthy snack together while making new friends. Monday to Friday, 9:30amnoon. $2 suggested donation per family. familyandfriends.ca.

Family Storytime at Cowichan Library, Duncan. Bring the whole family for stories, songs, rhymes and fun. For ages 0-5. Tuesdays 10:3011:30am. 2687 James St. krumohr@virl.bc.ca.

CHILDREN Playground Programs in Nanaimo. Arts, crafts and sports. Drop in for free family fun. Monday-Wednesday, until August 26, 10am-3pm at Carmanah Park, and Country Hills Park. Monday-Friday, until August 26, 10am-3pm at Harewood, Centennial and Mansfield Park. Thursday and Friday, until August 26, 10am-3pm at Groveland Park and Deverill Square Park. For children 5-12 years old. 250-756-5200.

Wacky Wednesdays at Nanaimo Aquatic Centre. Come and enjoy some weird, wacky fun. Wednesdays 1-2:30pm, until August 24.

25-756-5200.

FAMILY Bowen Park Kin Outdoor Pool in Nanaimo.

Open daily 1-3pm for everyone welcome swims until September 2. kinpoolmanager@gmail. com or 250-753-8176.

Munchkinland Drop-In at Family Place Munchkinland, Parksville. Bring your family

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and play and the exploration centre this summer. For children 6 and under and a caregiver.

Mondays 9:30-11:30am until August 22. 250248-3252. rdn.bc.ca/recreation.

Water Parks in Nanaimo. Departure Bay Kiwanis Park, Deverill Square Park, Harewood Centennial Park, Mansfield Park. Open June to September 9am-8pm.

Drop-in Science Studio at Departure Bay Eco School. At Nanaimo Science and Sustainability Society’s Science studio, kids are encouraged to explore the many interactive displays and activities. Activities include: 8 foot marble wall, 2,000 KEVA blocks, kid-friendly microscopes, wind tunnels, a high-powered air field, math puzzles, sign-out activities, and more. For safety purposes, children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. $4/child; adults free.

Tuesday-Thursday 10am-noon; Thursdays 3-5pm; Saturdays 9am-noon. Schedule subject to change, so please check nanaimoscience.org for most current schedule.

Lions Free Skate at Frank Crane Arena. Every Sunday noon-1:30pm. 250-756-5200.

Beat the Heat Everyone Welcome Skate at Oceanside Arena, Parksville. Beat the heat and go for a refreshing skate. Everyone welcome.

Wednesday 6:45-8:15pm until August 10.

250-248-3252. rdn.bc.ca/recreation.

Concerts in the Park at Maffeo Sutton and Bowen Park Amphitheatre. Maffeo Sutton: Monday 12:30-1:30pm; Bowen Park: Wednesday, 6-7:30pm.

Art Classes Drawing Painting • Sculpture Cartooning Portfolio Preparation • Day and Evening Classes • One or Two hour sessions • Technique Oriented • Ages 5 and Up

COMPLETE A PORTFOLIO COURSE – Ages 14 & Up, DESIGNED ESPECIALLY FOR YOU FOR ENTRANCE INTO: INTERIOR DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE, BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS, FASHION & MORE

Now Registering for Fall Artistic Statement Gallery & School of Fine Art Call Joan at 250-383-0566

www.artisticstatementgalleryandschool.com

Sunset Wildlife Watch at East Point, Saturna Island. Discover the wildlife of the Salish Sea and relax into the peacefulness of an East Point sunset. Dress warmly and bring blankets, chairs and flashlights. Enjoy the talents of island musicians and storytellers. Meet out at the point (5 min. walk). Fridays 8-9pm until August 26.

Free. For more info 1-866-944-1744 or visit parkscanada.gc.ca/gulf.

Orca News at East Point, Saturna Island. A short, engaging update on the endangered southern resident killer whales. East Point is a prime spot for land-based whale watching, so you may be lucky enough to experience an appearance by the orcas themselves. Bring a blanket or chair. Meet out at the point. Saturdays 2-2:30pm in August. For more info, call 1-866-944-1744 or visit parkscanada. gc.ca/gulfislands.

Family Sundays at Winter Cove, Saturna Island. Dissect a real owl pellet. Make a nature craft. Pick up an Xplorers booklet. Bring along a camera or phone for a self-guided GPS Nature Photographer Adventure (GPS devices supplied). There’s something for everyone, so drop in any time and don’t forget a picnic.

Allow one hour to complete an adventure.

Sundays 10am-1pm in August. Free. For more info, call 1-866-944-1744 or visit parkscanada. gc.ca/gulf.•

Victoria & Vancouver Island 1-866-518-7287 Nanaimo 250-756-9794 Or online at: www.welcomewagon.ca

August 2016 41

Ashley Degraaf

Grandparent Time How much is too much?

H

ow much is too much when it comes to asking grandparents for help with their grandkids? Is there a fine line between babysitting and fun excursions and the stress and responsibility that comes with constant care?

It’s tough to answer those questions and if you ask around the answers are different for every family.

I conducted a straw poll and found out some families need weekly help from grandparents so they can work, others ask for weekly help so they can have some free time, while others only ask for help a couple times a month or even a couple time a year.

Reasons vary as well.

“My parents both work so maybe [I ask for help] six to 10 times a year,” said one respondent. “And my husband’s parents live out of town and have medical issues that would inhibit them from babysitting.”

Personally, I often seek out the help of our children’s grandparents on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.

I don’t like to ask for help. I like to do things for myself. But my hubby and I like to get out together every so often with friends or just the two of us.

I try my best to spread out who I ask so it’s not a burden on just the one set of grandparents. Fortunately we are lucky to have even their great-grandparents willing to help out sometimes as well.

But every situation is different and I’ve started to recognize how much is too much for them. There are other factors to consider, too.

For instance, I know my parents don’t typically like taking both kids at the same time because right now my kids fight a lot and behave better when they’re apart. So I often don’t leave both children with their grandparents. I know that my daughter is a bit of a wild child at the moment and quite busy and can be tiring so I don’t typically leave her with the great-grandparents for long, even her grandparents if I can help it.

My kids don’t have many overnight stays because that normally means quite a lot

42 Island Parent Magazine

of “routine” work, the stuff parents find exhausting: bedtime, breakfast, packing up for the day and getting out the door.

And that could be one place to draw the line. When enforcing and upholding routine comes into play too often, grandparents might go from being the fun ones to the fun police.

What grandparent likes disciplining their grandchildren? Their grandkids are perfect so it can be tough when they finally have to discipline them. Grandparents have already put in their time dealing with tantrums, time-outs, attitude issues and adjustments.

Sometimes I think about when my children will be grown and I will have my own grandchildren to spoil, sugar up and send home, and I can’t help but smile.

It’s sometimes hard for us to remember that our parents have social lives, dinner parties, volunteer positions, and in this day and age, many still work, too. They need their own time, a life of their own outside of their grandkids.

So how much is too much when it comes to asking grandparents for help with their grandkids? There’s no easy answer.

“We are very lucky to have such involved parents who really value being a part of their grandkids lives,” one respondent answered. “They never make me feel like it’s ‘too much.’”

And if there are moments when you feel like maybe your parents have been helping too much and had enough, treat them to a nice dinner out.

Buy your mom a gift card. Take her out to lunch. Beer always works for my dad.

Butter them up for the next time you drop off the kids.

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Ashley Degraaf is a freelance writer based out of the Cowichan Valley. She enjoys channeling her inner momma while chronicling her daily adventures with her children.

IslandParent.ca

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250-380-2442 August 2016 43

To Market, To Market Come Ride With Us This Summer!

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brought to you by SG POWER We offer a complete line of entry level dirt bikes, 50cc, 70cc, 90cc non clutch bikes and 80cc,110cc, 125cc 4 strokes with clutches. All safety gear is supplied, from boots to helmets and everything in between. This 1.5 hour Learn to Ride with Us course includes the basics of a motorcycle orientation including safety gear and safe riding habits, stop-n-go circle riding, escorted first laps on motocross track, and supervised solo riding sessions.

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Saanichneighbourhoodplace.com 44 Island Parent Magazine

Sleepy summer mornings and outdoor markets go together like a yawn and a stretch. Great for families with children of all ages, outdoor markets let parents peruse the produce and handicrafts while kids play and ponder amidst the festivities. Here’s a list of some of the Island’s outdoor summer markets.

In Victoria Bastion Square Festival of the Arts. A colourful and eclectic European-style artisans’ showcase and marketplace. Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 11am-4:30pm until the end of Sept. There’s also the Sunday Market from 11am-4pm. Both are free and wheelchair accessible. bastionsquare.ca.

James Bay Community Market. Homemade. Handmade. Homegrown. Two blocks from the Inner Harbour at the corner of Menzies and Superior Streets, this market features arts and crafts, live music, baked goods, fresh flowers, locally grown vegetables, fruit and free-range eggs. Saturdays 9am-3pm. jamesbaymarket.com.

Moss Street Market. Celebrating its 25th year, this market features Victoria’s largest selection of local and organic produce along with handmade crafts, cards, clothing, jewelry, toys, glass works, pottery, honey, and more.

There’s also a kids’ activity tent and live music.

Saturdays from 10am-2pm. Corner of Moss and Fairfield Roads. mossstreetmarket.com.

Oaklands Sunset Market. Drop by Wednesdays from 4:30-8:30pm and buy dinner at one of the food trucks or stock up on veggies, breads, granola, teas, canned and baked goods.

The market includes a kids’ bouncy castle, facepainting and information on food security. At Oaklands Community Centre, 2827 Belmont Ave. oaklandscommunitycentre.com/market.

Ship Point Night Market. Sample an eclectic mix of vendors and entertainment at Ship Point on Fridays and Saturdays from 6-10:30pm in Victoria’s Inner Harbour where close to 75 vendors will be selling their crafts on the pier, only a few steps from the streets of downtown. Enjoy original art, handcrafted jewelry, food, live music and more. victoriaharbourfestival.com.

Victoria Downtown Summer Farmers’ Market. Hosted by the Victoria Public Market at the Hudson, 1701 Douglas Street, the Summer Farmers’ Market runs Wednesdays from 11am3pm—indoors and outdoors (on back carriageway)— until Nov. victoriapublicmarket.com.

West Shore Goldstream Farmer’s Market. On Saturdays from 10am-2pm at Veterans’ Memorial Park, Langford—this community market is a destination for families wanting to shop for locallyproduced products in a place where they can gather with friends, embrace a slower pace, picnic, and enjoy the small-town atmosphere of a farmer’s market in the park. goldstream farmersmarket.ca.

Metchosin Farmer’s Market. At the Metchosin Municipal Grounds, 4450 Happy Valley Rd (behind the firehall). This Farmer’s Market runs on Sundays from 11am-2pm. Browse through the market, check out the Pioneer Museum, then head to a local beach or hiking trail with a picnic of your farm fresh goodies.

Sooke Sooke Country Market. This busy, familyoriented market features organic produce, seasonal fruits, jams and preserves, fresh home baking, herbs, plants and more. Entertainment and kids’ activities too. Saturdays from 10am-2pm, Otter Point Rd at Eustace Rd. sookecountrymarket.com.

Sooke Night Market. This market, at the Sooke Region Museum and Visitor Centre, 2070 Phillips Road, features products that are made, baked, grown, raised, caught or wild harvested. There’s food, crafts and entertainment on the museum grounds on Thursdays 5-8pm. sookeregionmuseum.com.

In Saanich North Saanich Farm Market. Great music, organic coffee, treats from the St. John’s bake table, and more veggies, plants, bakery items and crafts than you can imagine.

Saturdays 9:30am-12:30pm at Saint John’s United Church, 10990 West Saanich Road. northsaanichfarmmarket.ca.

In Sidney Sidney Street Market. Beacon Avenue is closed to traffic for this summer’s evening market on Thursdays from 5-8:30pm. Stroll the street and see arts, crafts, farm-fresh produce and the wares of over 150 vendors. Lively international entertainment. sidneystreetmarket.com.

In Duncan Downtown Duncan Farmer’s Market.

This farmer’s market offers fresh local produce, baked goods, preserves, honey, nursery stock and bedding plants, juried crafts, pet treats and more. Entertainment and kids’ activities. Saturdays from 9am-2pm in Dun-

IslandParent.ca

can City Square and along Ingram Street. duncanfarmersmarket.ca.

Errington Errington Farmer’s Market. Taste a famous market sticky bun, pick up some local produce, take part in kids’ activities or just enjoy the shaded, woodsy atmosphere at this Saturday market running from 10am-1pm at Errington Community Park, 1390 Errington Road. erringtonfarmersmarket.ca.

Makefriends. friends.Don’t Don’tadd addthem. them.

Make

Port Alberni Port Alberni Farmer’s Market. This market runs year round. Plenty of goodies here, including produce, smoked sausages, baked goods, fresh honey, farm-fresh eggs, emu products (sausages, oil, soap), crafts, plants and live entertainment. Saturday from 9am1pm. Located at the First Baptist Church gymnasium, 6211 Cherry Creek Rd. markets. bcfarmersmarket.org.

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Qualicum Beach Qualicum Beach Farmers Market. Farm products including fresh vegetables and fruits, preserves, baking, herbs, dried and fresh flowers, seafood, wool, sheepskins and emu goods. Veteran’s Way at Memorial Avenue. Saturdays from 8:30am-noon, and Wednesdays 4-6:30pm (June, July and August). qbfarmersmarket.com.

In Courtenay & Comox Comox Valley Farmer’s Market. Saturdays 9am-1pm on the Exhibition Grounds north of Courtenay at 4839 Headquarters Rd. This month, the market also runs on Wednesday from 9am-noon in downtown Courtenay on England Avenue between 5th and 6th Streets from 9am-noon. cvfm.ca.

Campbell River Pier Street Market. Here you’ll find a selection of fresh farm products along with local artisans’ works, entertainment and more.

Sundays from 10am-2:30pm in front of the Maritime Heritage Centre. pierstreet.com/ id1.html.

Opening this September!

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· Top quality Academic program based on the BC Curriculum, enhanced with relevant life skills and a hands-on education. · Enriched with Outdoor Regional Studies, Agriculture, Cooking, Health and Wellness, Music, Drama and Art. · Small class sizes, individual attention.

On Saltspring Island Saltspring Island Market in the Park. This grow-it, make-it, bake-it market features products made by Salt Spring Islanders. Featuring organic produce, baked goods, arts, crafts and pottery, non-profit tables, and children vendors (toe painting, crafts, baking, “gumboot planters”). Rain or shine. Saturdays 8am-4pm in Centennial Park, Ganges. Visit saltspringmarket.com.•

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OPEN HOUSE August 12th & 13th 10am–2pm

August 2016 45

Family Vacation

I

t all sounded great for a family vacation: four nights camping at E.C. Manning Park followed by two at a friend’s house.

Manning is a lovely park, especially in summer. Great for camping. So, off we went, hopping on an early morning ferry, stopping to see family in Vancouver, then arriving at Manning in the early evening.

It was a bit chillier than we thought it’d be; cool air from the mountains. Well, we didn’t pack much in the way of pants or sweaters, but we thought, no biggie, we’ll survive. It was August, after all!

You’ll excuse me if I get my timeline a bit messed up. It’s just that the seething rage gets the best of me when I think of the trip!

LOL! No, seriously, it rained. I think it was Day Two. The sky got greyer and then, those words: “I just felt a drop of rain.”

Did I mention my wife was sick? Trooper that she is, she toughed it out, resting in the tent while I kept the dream alive with the kids. Funny thing is, it was raining and, well, we had no rain jackets. Why would we? It was August.

The next day, more rain. Crushed by the unbearable weight of existence, we decided to drive to some small town—whose name I can’t currently remember because I’ll begin weeping if I do—to eat lunch and kill time with a drive. Then back to the campsite where my sick wife retreated to the tent and I hung out with the kids in the car.

Now, here’s the thing: that hour we spent sitting in the car in the campsite, while absurd, was pretty special. I mean, it could’ve been infuriating, sitting with your kids in a car in a rainy campsite while everything falls apart and the windows fog up and the kids are farting and it’s just all so hard to believe. But on the other hand there I was with my awesome kids and they were farting and we were laughing and it was hard to believe in a great way.

Please visit our website for a complete list www.mylittlesteps.net or call Meaghan at 250-386-1171, e-mail: admin@mylittlesteps.net

46 Island Parent Magazine

IslandParent.ca

But then it was dinner time, and raining.

What to do? Drive in the other direction, towards Hope, so to speak, to a restaurant.

Drive back in the dark, through the mountains and clouds and some insane visibility issues, see the aftermath of a car hitting a deer, get involved in that situation for a brief, surreal, horror-movie moment (“Are ya’ll okay?”), eventually make it back to the campsite quite literally happy to be alive.

The next morning my son got his one pair of pants wet on the campground’s slide, so as

Dadspeak GREG PRATT he enjoyed the cold, grey weather in shorts, we realized…Oh, wait! I didn’t mention that I forgot to pack lanterns. That was funny!

Anyway, the decision was made: we were leaving a day early.

Defeated, and embarrassed, we hightailed out of there. We figured we’d stop at Harrison Hot Springs to soak our sorrows away in the hot springs; never done that before, and it sounded relaxing—and warm. We were all just so cold. So we got to Harrison only to find out we couldn’t actually go in the hot springs; they were too hot. I didn’t bother to ask the tourist-centre lady what that even meant. It was time to go.

Off to our last destination: my wife’s best friend’s place in Surrey. We could stay there for a couple nights, relax, and enjoy the company of friends after all that we’d been through. Well, we made it through one night before some epic tantrums from our crew shook Surrey to its core, which is tough to do. At that point, we did all we could do: through clenched teeth and with twitching eyelids we said, “We’re going home.”

And we went home.

Greg Pratt is the father of two children and a local journalist and editor. His writing has appeared in, among other places, Today’s Parent, Wired, Revolver, and Douglas.

Nature Explorers

Ages 7–10

Each class explores a different nature theme through activities, hikes, experiments and stories. Pre-registration required, call 250-479-0211.

Register for as many as you like.

Cost: $12 per class for members / $18 per class for non-members.

Thursdays from 1:00–3:00pm

August 4th – Insect Investigations (Pond Dipping) August 11th – Mind your Mammals August 18th – Adaptable Amphibians August 25th – Binos and Birding (around the lake)

Big & little

Ages 3–5

These series of classes are on Fridays from 10:00–11:30am for children and their adult friends. Each class has a different nature theme which is explored through stories, games, experiments, and other fun activities. Pre-registration is required by calling 250.479.0211.

Cost: Members, $12 per adult/child pair, $4 each additional child.

Non-members, $17 per adult/child pair, $6 each additional child.

August 5th – Rascally Raccoons

Swan Lake

August 12th – Fabulous Frogs

n a t u r e

christmas hill s a n c t u a r y

3873 Swan Lake Rd 250.479.0211

w w w. s wa n l a k e . b c . c a

S w a n L a k e C h r i s t m a s H i ll N at u r e S a n c t u a r y IslandParent.ca

August 2016 47

Island Parent Feeling Blue Celebrating

28 Years

on for Vancouver Island

The Resource Publicati

Parents

August 2016

I

10

Things to Do Before Summer Ends

Educat&ion Schools Educational Services

Please visit any of our valued partners to pick up your latest copy of Island Parent.

GREaTER VICTORIa Greater Victoria Public Libraries Vancouver Island Regional Libraries Greater Victoria Recreation Centres Thrifty Foods All 25 Serious Coffee locations Island-wide Victoria Gymnastics Country Grocer Chapters Vitamin Shop The Bay Centre (info booth) Scallywags Royal BC Museum Buddies Toys Crumsby’s Market on Yates Market on Millstream Victoria Conservatory JamTots Lifestyle Market Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre

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For a complete list of where you can find a copy of Island Parent Magazine, go to

islandparent.ca 250-388-6905 48

Island Parent Magazine

n the winter, Angus had a chunk of “rough days” at preschool. Days when I felt anxious dropping him off and remained anxious the three hours he was there. Anxious because my phone could ring at any moment, and there was a high probability that “preschool” would appear on call display.

Days without a phone call from the preschool weren’t necessarily better. Those days I’d have to stand amid the crowd of parents and kids during pick-up, and ask a teacher: how did it go today? The response was always highly descriptive, but could generally be summed up easily: “Badly.”

Soon I stopped leaving the building when I dropped Angus off. I set up camp in the rec centre coffee shop attached to the school, my cell phone on the table beside me. Every day before school we rehearsed what Angus could say to his teachers if he needed a break, if he felt a meltdown coming. But I wasn’t sure Angus was able to tell when an explosion was imminent. And by the time he did know, everyone else in the vicinity was aware also.

One afternoon a friend of mine joined me for tea at the rec centre.

“I just wish he could calm himself down,” I told her. I wanted it for him, so he wasn’t the kid who screamed all the time. And I wanted it for me: so that I wasn’t tethered to the coffee shop.

At home, meltdowns weren’t much of an issue. Generally, I could tell when Angus was getting upset, and could help him turn it around. But there’s a big difference between home with mom, and being at preschool with 19 other kids and only three sets of eyes moving between them.

My friend grew up with parents who weren’t very present, and she explained how she taught herself to calm down. She imagined her body covered in a layer of blue—like a shield. When other people were upset or unhappy (red), she’d picture that blue becoming thick and impenetrable. And when she felt her own body turning red, she’d focus on changing the colour back again.

“You could try that with Angus.”

“Maybe,” I said. But I doubted Angus could make sense of such an abstract concept.

Our occupational therapist had suggested we teach Angus to identify his emotions by first getting him to verbalize more concrete

Maternity & Beyond laUra TrUnkeY things: what it felt like in his body when he had to go to the bathroom for instance. But Angus didn’t verbalize a need to pee until he was almost five. I was the one who noticed when he needed to go, just like I was the one who noticed when he was getting upset.

I expected when I explained a blue body to Angus, he would stare at me blankly. But I was willing to try anything.

Angus understood “blue” almost instantly. Within a week, he was reporting to me that so-and-so at preschool turned red but he had kept himself blue. It didn’t end the meltdowns right away, but it sure seemed to help. It’s become a shared language in our household: blue feelings, red feelings, blue days, red days.

I didn’t know it at the time, but here are recognized programs that use colours to teach self-regulation to kids. The “Zones of Regulation” categorizes different feelings into different colours or “zones.” There is red (angry, explosive), yellow (frustrated, anxious, silly), green (happy, focused), blue (sad, sick, bored). Maybe we’ll expand out colour palette in the future, but for now this two-colour system seems to be all we need.

Besides, it’s summer now—blue skies and blue days ahead.

Laura Trunkey is the mother of the amazing Angus, and the author of the story collection Double Dutch (House of Anansi, 2016).

Find her at lauratrunkey.com.

IslandParent.ca

To Each Their Own

B

e who you are.

That’s the message in a number of excellent picture books out this season from Canadian publishers.

In the charming Rosie the Raven, written and illustrated by Helga Bansch (Annick Press, 2016), young Rosie doesn’t realize right away how different she is from her raven sisters and brothers. They all hatched from the same clutch of eggs, and, like her siblings, she eats worms, maggots, flies and snails, and keeps warm under her parents’ wings. But it’s hard to ignore the stares. “It’s pretty ugly,” the other animals say. “Rub it down with birch leaves. That will make its feathers grow!”

But Rosie won’t grow feathers, and she won’t learn to fly, and nor will her caws sound like her siblings’: “nice and wild and harsh”. Because Rosie is a human girl.

“Yeah, so?” Rosie says. “I’m just different.” Rosie realizes her arms are good for other things—scratching her head, plugging her ears when her siblings squawk. When her siblings leave home, Rosie stays with her parents, riding their backs to get places and getting swimming lessons from a frog.

Rosie adjusts to who she is, as we all must.

The book is calm and sure, the illustrations sweetly captivating. Children will love the vicarious thrill of being tiny in a loving, feathered world, and flying astride a raven.

Most interesting about the book is that Rosie stays with her parents; the confirming comfort of their presence is palpable, and may make the book particularly winning and encouraging to an anxious child. Ages 2-6.

The girls of Sibylle Delacroix’s Prickly Jenny (Owlkids, 2015) and Blanche Hates the Night (Owlkids, 2016) have Rosie’s pluck and determination. Prickly Jenny is the epitome of a grumpy toddler: she won’t wear her new polka dot dress; she’s tired but won’t take a nap; she tells Mom to go away, then cries desperately for her attention. The book never tries to jolly or distract Jenny; she is never scolded or made to feel guilty. The beauty of the book is that Jenny is allowed to have her awful mood. There is just one whisper of guidance: “Jenny doesn’t know

what she wants today. Tomorrow, when she’s bigger, it will get better.”

Blanche, in Blanche Hates the Night, has been tucked in, but she’s wide awake.

She plays with her stuffed toys, sings and somersaults, uses her bed as a trampoline and, finally, when she begins to tire out, as a sleigh, which carries her away “to the land of midnight”. Although her mother tells her several times to get back to bed, as with Prickly Jenny there is no judgement, no scolding, no proposal that Blanche is doing something wrong. Blanche is just being Blanche.

The hands-off portraits of both spunky girls is refreshing, even feminist: kids will be thrilled to see that their moods and wakefulness are natural, normal, and even—as the illustrations capture—quite fun. The language in both books is lyrical and simple. The art focusses entirely on the little girls, affirming them, holding them close. Ages up to 6.

Elliot, the young rabbit in Elliot, by Julie Pearson (Pajama Press, 2016), has far less agency than Rosie, Blanche and Jenny. He doesn’t have a loving family that carries him through the air or lets him have his moods.

Elliot’s parents don’t feed him when he’s hungry and they don’t give him attention when he’s upset. Finally, Thomas intervenes: the older rabbit takes Elliot to new family, where he is cared for. As a much needed book about foster care, Elliot gets so much right, and one thing quite wrong. What is accurate is how Elliot misses his parents and has multiple placements, returning to his family several times, but finding they are still unable to care for him adequately.

Finally, Elliot finds a permanent home with the third, loving, doting foster family, and “there was a party.”

But what Elliot, the book, gets wrong is its focus on Elliot. It needs to be made clear that Elliot was not neglected because he cried too much, or acted out—it was because his parents had not learned to parent, or they were caught up in addiction (even a reference to “illness” would be preferred to completely ignoring their circumstances); as it stands,

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the onus of Elliot’s situation falls strangely on Elliot. Still, the book affirms and explains foster care and a boy’s experiences of it. It ends happily (as much as such a story can), and the artwork is winning, as cute as it can be for such a subject. Ages 3-6.

Ooko, by Esmé Shapiro (Tundra, 2016) is about a darling fox that wants a friend.

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- Chemainus

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SARA CASSIDY When he sees people (he calls them “Debbies”) with their dogs (which he thinks are foxes, like him), he tries to look like a dog so that he will find a Debbie of his own.

One person, with very bad eyesight, actually mistakes him for a dog. But, Ooko isn’t so sure about bath and the leash and itchy sweater. Luckily, a raccoon comes along— his name is Oomi and, indeed, the two have a lot in common. Oomi springs Ooko from his leash and the two are immediate friends.

Like Rosie asking, “Yeah, so?” Ooko happily determines, “To each their own.” The lively, rich, and consuming art makes this book soar. Ooko wins hearts. Ages up to 6.

For older children moving into chapter books, and for family reads, look no further than Esta Spalding’s Look Out for the Fitzgerald-Trouts (Tundra, 2016). The novel is impeccably written, funny, smart, and utterly captivating. If you were a fan of Pippi Longstocking, Boxcar Children, From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, here is the same resourceful, can-do spirit and sibling closeness for the current generation. There is so much to love in this book about four siblings (not all fully related) and a goldfish living in a car on a lush tropical island, fishing and looking for a home—they even try a night in the bedrooms at MARRA, a thinly camouflaged IKEA. Ages 5-13.

Sara Cassidy’s seventh book for children, A Boy Named Queen, is out this month.

“A small eloquent book with a powerful message.” – Kirkus (starred review)

9735 Elm Street, Chemainus 250 246 3191 sjc@cisdv.bc.ca www.stjosephselem.ca

SMALL CLASSES. BIG LEARNING. Christ Church Cathedral School + Childcare & Jr. Kindergarten

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August 2016 51

School: A Place to Learn, Play & Grow Healthy Families, Happy Families

Child, Youth & Family Public Health South Island Health Units Esquimalt Gulf Islands

250-519-5311 250-539-3099

(toll-free number for office in Saanichton)

Peninsula Saanich Saltspring Island Sooke Victoria West Shore

250-544-2400 250-519-5100 250-538-4880 250-642-5464 250-388-2200 250-519-3490

Central Island Health Units Duncan 250-709-3050 Ladysmith 250-755-3342 Lake Cowichan 250-749-6878 Nanaimo 250-755-3342 Nanaimo Princess Royal 250-755-3342 Parksville/Qualicum 250-947-8242 Port Alberni 250-731-1315 Tofino 250-725-4020

North Island Health Units Campbell River Courtenay Kyuquot Health Ctr ‘Namgis Health Ctr Port Hardy

250-850-2110 250-331-8520 250-332-5289 250-974-5522 250-902-6071

T

here’s something exciting happening in school communities across the Island and in schools around the world called Healthy Schools. Healthy Schools brings together students, parents, school staff and community to create the best opportunity for students to learn and be healthy every day.

From kindergarten through high school, children and youth spend 30 to 50 hours per week in school. With so much time spent at school, it is important that they are healthy places for children to grow, play and love to learn.

Everyone, including parents and grandparents, has a role to play in supporting schools to be healthy places. Check out the links at the end of the article and, as time allows, try one or two ideas from the list below.

Pay a visit to your child’s school: • See, hear and experience what your child’s school looks, sounds and feels like.

• Is the playground well used? Are there lots of safe places to be active?

• Does the school offer a welcoming and comfortable space for everyone?

• Does the school have a Healthy Schools Team?

• Are birthdays or other celebrations a part of classroom and school practice? Make celebrations a happy and healthy experience.

If celebrating with food, try a Friendship Fruit Salad where each student brings a piece of fruit and it all gets cut up and put together for a shared snack. Celebrations do not need to centre on food—they can be enjoyed with fun craft or physical activities.

Learn more from Eat Smart Celebrations at Action Schools! BC. • Ask your child’s teacher about health practices and policies in the classroom and school.

• Ask your child’s teacher or your child about the health practices they are learning so that you can reinforce the learning at home. If you know of a great resource, share it with your child’s teacher.

There are many excellent classroom resources that support mental wellness and social and emotional learning, such as: • Being Me: Promoting Positive Body Image & Self-Esteem has engaging activities for home or school.

• BC FRIENDS for Life is offered in many schools. It also has a Parent Program that allows for parents to help their child practice at home. Resources at the website are great for parents, whether your child is doing the program at school or not.

• Heart-Mind Online has many activities for social and emotional learning.

Offer your sweat equity and volunteer.

• Talk to the principal, teacher and/or the Parent Advisory Council (PAC)—offer your ideas and ask what you can do to help.

• If the PAC does fundraising, bring forward the idea of the Fresh to You Fundraiser through BC Agriculture in the Classroom.

The program raises money by selling local vegetables and fruit to families and friends of the school community.

• If your school has the BC School Fruit and Vegetable Nutritional Program, ask if they need parent volunteers.

• Farm to School and/or School Gardens offer the opportunity to get your hands dirty by volunteering in the garden or in the kitchen. There is no better way to learn about growing and preparing food than by hands-on experience.

• Support your school’s “walking school bus,” “bike rodeos,” or anti-bullying efforts.

• Offer to investigate funding sources to improve options for physical activity.

Offer your student the gift of your time: • Truly listen. Put everything else aside for even a few minutes (that’s all it takes) and really engage with your child.

• Try changing the conversation from “what did you learn at school today?” to “how did you feel at school today?”

Practice healthy habits at home and at school.

www.viha.ca/prevention_services/

52 Island Parent Magazine

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• Your child is watching, so model a healthy routine. Getting enough sleep, eating well and being active every day will help you and your child be alert and ready to learn.

• Build in non-scheduled time to let your child play, rest and just be. Kids have stress too. Although some stress is normal, too much stress can be overwhelming. Learn and practice mindfulness strategies yourself and with your child.

Healthy Families, Happy Families CHI L D Y O U T H & FA M I LY P U b l i c H e a lT H

JaneT krenZ, areli HerManson & Janelle HaTcH

• Does your child have energy to burn after school? School programs are now focusing on building children’s physical literacy, which is about building the skills and confidence for children to be active throughout their lives. In some schools, parents are leading fun physical activities after school on the playground. Check out the Active for Life website for fun activities and games for home or school.

ATTRACTIONS, ACTIVI

TIES & FAMILY FUN!

Pick up a copy of the

Parks & Playgrounds Museums Pools & Recreation

201 6/2 017 tainment Historical Sites • Enter & Much More

at Tourist Info Centres or your local recreation centre!

Resources: • Action Schools! BC, actionschoolsbc.ca • Active for Life activeforlife.com • Being Me: Promoting Positive Body Image & Self Esteem (search at actionschoolsbc. ca ) • BC Friends for Life Program, friendsparentprogram.com • BC School Fruit and Vegetable Nutritional Program & Fresh to You Fundraiser, sfvnp.ca • Farm to School BC farmtoschoolbc.ca • HealthySchoolsBC, healthyschoolsbc.ca • Heart-Mind Online heartmindonline.org • Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre keltymentalhealth.ca/family (check out the Stresslr App).

Health and education are connected. You can help your children learn and be happy by supporting their physical, mental, social and emotional health at home and at school.

We wish you a wonderful school year ahead.

Janet Krenz, Areli Hermanson and Janelle Hatch are dietitians with Island Health.

IslandParent.ca

What Moves You? The Ride for Refuge is a family friendly ride/walk to fundraise for local charities. Start a team, choose your charity, and get your friends to donate—it is as easy as that!

On Oct 1, 2016, come out and ride with us to support charities that care for the vulnerable, exploited and displaced. Last year Victoria raised over $103,000! What moves you?

Proudly hosted by The Cridge Centre for the Family

rideforrefuge.org or call

250 995 6419

August 2016

53

Family Services Directory This directory, sponsored by Thrifty Foods, features not for profit agencies and organizations serving children, youth and families.

1Up, Victoria Single Parent Resource Centre (www.1up.ca) provides support, education and resources for parents in the Greater Victoria area through free counselling, volunteer training for peer helper positions, a mentoring program for single moms and a support group for dads.

The Centre also offers a variety of integrated life skills and parenting courses which are open to the whole community (fees are on a sliding scale). The Centre provides free toys and books, a clothing room and bread pantry for single parents. Donations of gently-used clothing, small household items, books and toys are welcome. Hours are Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri: 9-4, Wed: 12-7. 602 Gorge Rd. East; call 250-385-1114 or info@1-up.ca Beacon Community Services is a community-based non-profit agency providing social, employment, and health services to Saanich Peninsula, Greater Victoria, and Southern Gulf Islands residents. Beacon offers: child, youth, and family services; a drop-in family resource centre; counselling; employment services for adults, youth, and people with disabilities; home support; volunteer services and opportunities; community events; affordable assisted living for seniors; referrals, information, and resources; thrift shops. For Home Support information call 250658-6407; for all other inquiries call 250-656-0134, or visit beaconcs.ca.

Beacon Community’s Employment Services. Beacon Community Services provides a full menu of employment services to the Saanich Peninsula, Southern Gulf Islands.

We have been helping people find work since 1982! Our programs build on a client’s strengths and resolve barriers to securing and maintaining employment. Furthermore, we work in tandem with our employer network to support those residents looking for work. If you need help finding a job or need employees please pay us a visit! It’s FREE. 9860 Third St, Sidney, 250-656-0134, beaconcs.ca.

Boys & Girls Club Services offer after-school and evening social, educational and recreational programming for children and youth at 5 locations (Colwood, Langford, VicWest, Central Saanich and Esquimalt) and summer camps both in Esquimalt and at our Outdoor Centre in

54 Island Parent Magazine

through separation and divorce. Counseling, mediation, legal information and a range of group programs are available for children, youth and adults on a sliding fee scale.

Call us at 250-386-4331 or visit fsgv.org. We can help.

TM

Metchosin. We also offer support to parents through our Parents Together program and parent workshops.

For more information on all programs and services visit bgcvic.org or call 250-384-9133.

Canucks Autism Network (CAN) provides high-quality, adapted sports, recreational and social programs for kids, teens and young adults living with autism on Vancouver Island. Shawnigan Lake: Multisport day camp, bike clinics and family camp. Victoria: Swim, soccer, skate and physical literacy. Nanaimo: Swim and physical literacy.

Family events take place throughout the year! Become a member for only $25/year at canucksautism.ca/join. Call 604-685-4049, email info@canucksautism.ca or visit canucksautism.ca/VancouverIsland for more information.

CHOICES Adoption & Counselling is a licensed, professional, non-profit agency that provides services to adoptive parents, birth-parents, and adoptees. CHOICES arranges adoptions domestically and internationally. We are committed to providing a comprehensive, clientcentered adoption service which best meets the needs of everyone in the adoption constellation. Please contact us at choices@choicesadoption.ca, or call 250-479-9811 for further information.

Community Living Victoria’s Autism Services offers dynamic community-based programs for children and youth (6 – 18 yrs) with Autism. We offer 1:1 Behaviour Intervention, Social Skills Groups and spring, summer and winter Day Camps. Our skilled and caring team draws from various behaviour support models to customize programming for each youth. Fun programming within safe, supportive environments motivate youth to expand their interests, gain confidence, strengthen social and communication skills, and build friendships. 250-4777231. communitylivingvictoria.ca Family Services of Greater Victoria (formerly BC Families in Transition) is a non profit agency that has been serving families since 1978. We provide a full range of services to the whole family in supporting their relationship and

HappyBaby Sleep Solutions helps families create healthy sleep habits in babies and children so everyone is well rested and happy. Sukkie Sandhu, M.Ed., has worked with hundreds of families locally in Victoria and worldwide. Sukkie is a Registered Clinical Counsellor so the cost of a sleep consultation may be covered under your extended medical plan. For more information visit www. happybabysleepsolutions.com or call 250-857-1408 for a FREE evaluation. Let’s get started!

HeadWay Victoria Epilepsy & Parkinson’s Centre supports families living with seizures by offering parent workshops three times a year, educational presentations in schools and community groups as well as providing tutoring sessions and one-to-one professional consultations to help your child live up to their highest potential.

Keep up to date with the latest research about treatments, lifestyle, and safety issues for your child. We can be reached at headwayvictoria.com, or you can reach the Epilepsy Program Coordinator directly at 250-475-6677.

Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria (ICA) is a service agency for immigrants and refugees. Programs offered include cross-cultural counseling, parenting programs (child care available), family violence programs, employment services, interpretation and translation, diversity workshops and training, ESL instruction, volunteering, youth programs and tutoring, as well as intercultural arts programming. 930 Balmoral Rd, 250-388-4728, info@ icavictoria.org, icavictoria.org.

Learning Disabilities Association of BC, SVI Chapter, educates, supports and advocates for children and youth with learning disabilities and related conditions.

Services include a public lending library, individual/ group support for parents and children, professional/ educational workshops for parents and professionals. Child and youth programs include: reading/ writing, academic skills, social/emotional skill development and Fast ForWord. 1562 Fort St, Victoria, BC V8S 5J2. Ph 250-370-9513. Fax. 250-370-9421. ldasvi.bc.ca. knowyourrights.ca.

IslandParent.ca

Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC) provides programs and services to the military family community including: 24-Hour Information Line; Deployment Information and Workshops; Short Term Counselling, Crisis Support or Intervention; Welcome/Relocation Services; Childcare and Family Support Services; Assistance for Families with Special Needs and Responsibilities. Call the MFRC: 250-363-2640 (1-800-353-3329) for information or visit esquimaltmfrc.com.

Power To Be provides inclusive nature-based activity programs for youth and families living with a barrier or disability who need support to access recreation and their community. We create year-round programs to fit participant needs through activities such as kayaking, rock climbing, hiking, canoeing and more. Visit powertobe.ca or call 250-385-2363 to get involved.

Sooke Family Resource Society (SFRS) provides Family Resource Programs including: Prenatal Education and Outreach, Parent-Tot Drop-In Groups, Parent Discussion Groups, Family Support Groups and Outreach, a Toy and Book Lending Library, and Kingfisher Preschool. SookeWestshore Child Care Resource and Referral services, as well as all-ages counselling services are also provided

by SFRS. Services are provided from the Child, Youth and Family Centres in both Sooke and the Westshore.

Call 250-642-5152 for more information or visit our website at sfrs.ca.

SFRS’s Welcome Home Program is looking for homes that can support adults diagnosed with a disability looking to gain further independence. The livingsituations are varied and unique and can include living within a family home or a suite in the family home. The needs of the individuals are varied, dependent on the disability, but can include relationship building, life skills, meal prep, etc. For more information, please call 778-433-2023 or go tosfrs.ca.

Sooke-Westshore Early Years Centres provide information to families about children and family services, supports, child development and parenting. The Early Years Navigator will assist families with referral information for local early years programming, child care, public health, special needs intervention services, and social supports. The Sooke-Westshore Early Years Centres are hosted by Sooke Family Resource Society and located at the Child, Youth, and Family Centres in both Sooke and the Westshore and can be reached at 250-217-9243.

Additional information can be accessed at sfrs.ca/earlyyears-centre.

Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society (VIRCS) supports immigrants and refugees living in Greater Victoria. Services are free and include one-onone counselling, parent education workshops, youth life skills classes, a preschool program, art therapy, language classes and academic support, employment help, computer classes and fun community events like free yoga, tai chi, dance and cooking classes. Visit us online at vircs. bc.ca or phone 250-361-9433.

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The place online where parents and grandparents get information about their community for their family: Read current and past issues of Island Parent Magazine.

Visit our Marketplace to find businesses, programs and services that cater to the little person in your life.

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View our calendar of events.

Whether it’s dance lessons, parenting workshops, fun days and festivals, what’s happening at your local rec centre or community events—Island Parent Online has it all!

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Receive Island Parent e-newsletter for updates and exclusive contests.

You can also enter our monthly and photo contests.

Come be part of our community at

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August 2016 55

Too Much Information P arenting, while extremely rewarding, can also be one of the most challenging jobs on the planet. Part of what adds to the stress of being a parent is all the conflicting advice and information we receive. We are bombarded with advice from all angles: our friends, social media, blogs and websites, relatives, baby books and even perfect strangers on the street. It is very easy to get confused and overwhelmed with a dozen answers to seemingly simple questions. We are told to hold and comfort our babies, but not to hold them too much because they need to learn how to soothe themselves. We are told to sleep close to our babies, but not too close. Start a sleep routine early, but follow their sleep/wake cycles. Use a soother. No, don’t use one and help them find their thumb. And on and on.

Those of us who become parents do so with little training or preparation so when the answers sound reasonable and the sources credible, it can be very difficult to find our own path. Our intuition as parents becomes drowned out by the deafening selfdoubt that can come from way too much information. There is a plethora of resources aimed at parents that promise ways to raise the “best” child in the quickest amount of time. Books and websites offer “once and for all” solutions for the ever-persistent parenting concerns of sleep, potty training and nutrition. Western culture fosters a perception of a need to “teach” our baby to become as independent as soon as humanly possible.

I have read dozens of parenting books on my journey as a parent, some of which I have found to be helpful and encouraging.

The best books on parenting can sometimes serve as useful references, giving us new ways of seeing situations and reassuring us, especially in those early years of parenting.

Sometimes these books help us to see that there are various ways to handle things or that we are not alone when we are dealing with special problems. But a lot of what I have read can make a parent feel over-

New Parent Pages Diana Hurschler, BScN whelmed and incompetent. And all of a sudden, the parent is relying on the books as definitive guide rather than a resource, shying away from tuning into their own baby’s cues, environment and their own instincts.

How do we get to a place of trusting our own intuition and avoid getting swallowed up and overwhelmed by our doubts, our insecurities?

One thing that I know to be true about raising children is that there are no theo-

Maxine Fisher M.Ed., RCC, MTA

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56 Island Parent Magazine

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ries that are right for every baby and every family. Parenting is above all uniquely personal. Ultimately, it has to come from deep inside ourselves. Someone else’s way will not necessarily do, and even how you parent one child will differ from the next in the same family. We each have to find a way that is our own, learning from all useful sources along the way. We have to trust our own instincts and nourish and refine them. There is no other way except for us to learn on the job, as we go. We have to rely on our own hearts, our deepest human instincts, and the things we carry from our own childhood, both positive and negative, to encounter the unknown territory of having and raising children.

Although I am a parent with a bit of experience and I have learned a lot from books and “on the job” training, the biggest learning I have to share with you is this: you already have the majority of what you need to know to be the best parent you can be. As I started to believe this and started to parent my own children from my heart and not my head, I found that my worry and stress began to lift. It was then that I truly began to enjoy being a parent.

You are your biggest resource of knowledge and intuition when it comes to parenting your child. Put away those books. Close the laptop. Look at your baby—observe them—to get to know their cues and begin to decipher what they are communicating.

Over time, you will find that if you focus on your children instead of outside information, you can see more deeply who your children are and what they need, and find ways to nourish their individuality and further their growth and development. You can learn how to interpret their many different, albeit sometimes confusing signals and trust your ability to find a way to parent your little soul. A baby tells us what he needs in his own language. Our job is to learn that language. It is hard to learn a language if you are too busy looking for answers externally instead of listening and trying to understand what is being communicated right in front of you. Trust yourself. You will soon find you have the answers.

Opening September 2016

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Synchronized Swimming SUMMER CAMP Aug 22-26 9am-4pm

Girls & Boys Ages 8-12 $225 includes shirt & cap—Saanich Commonwealth

email: jennifervicsynchro@gmail.com

Diana Hurschler, RN BscN, childbirth educator, certified breastfeeding counselor, has been helping families in their childbearing years and beyond since 1998. Diana is the proud mama of four little ones. Email diana@hurschler.com.

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August 2016 57

Preschool & Child Care Directory CENTRAL SAANICH Chrysalis Child Care................................ 250-652-0815 A nurturing and stimulating environment for a small group of 21⁄2–5 year old children. Qualified ECE promotes learning through play. chrysalischildcare.ca.

Colwood/LANGFORD Goldstream Co-op Preschool................. 250-474-3011 Learning Through Play for 3 and 4yr olds! For registration information go to our website: goldstreampreschool.com.

Leap Forward Childcare......................... 250-818-9225 2758 Peatt RD. Licenced group childcare for children ages 6 months to 5 years old. Offering fulltime and part-time care. Open 6:30am-5:30pm. For more information please contact Amber: info@leap forwardlangford.com, leapforwardlangford.com.

Miles of Smiles Nature Junior Kindergarten.................... 778-265-4374 Come See Why Learning In Nature Rocks! Reggio Influenced Philosophy ages 3-5. Have Your Child Become a Nature Detective Today! Email mosnjk@hotmail.com.

RIA Early Learning Centre...................... 250-590-0781 Reggio Program—for Preschool aged children. A unique learning environment—encourages each child’s development. reggiopreschool.ca.

CORDOVA BAY Carrot Seed Preschool............................ 250-658-2331 Where children can discover, imagine, construct and learn through play. Wondrous natural playground. carrotseedpreschool.com.

La Pré-Maternelle Appletree Preschool.. 250-479-0292 A French Immersion Program. 30 months to school age.

Licensed Christian centre. prematernelleappletree.com.

Highlands

SAANICH

Lexie’s Little Bears Child Care Inc......... 250-590-3603 Only seconds past Luxurious Bear Mountain our HIGHLY reputable Nature Program will not disappoint! Our NATURAL outdoor environment provides an experience like no other…in our own rainforest. Located on 2 acres of treed forest land, your child will learn and grow in NATURE! Our Brand NEW Infant/Toddler centre is tranquil and serene.

All the furniture, shelving and some toys have been hand crafted using the trees on our own property! Programs for 3 to 5’s and for Infant/Toddlers. Spaces avail. NOW! Visit our Facebook blog, and website at lexieslittlebears.com.

Call for more info. Cub House: 778-432-3600.

METCHOSIN Metchosin Co-op Preschool................... 250-478-9241 Est. 1960. Our school provides a beautiful natural play space and inclusive child led learning through play emergent curriculum. Two excellent ECEs per class provide loving and enriching family support. Half-day programs for 2.5-5 yrs. metchosinpreschool.com.

West-Mont Montessori School............... 250-474-2626 Preschool Montessori instruction in a beautiful natural environment in Metchosin. Ages 30 months and up. Providing a balanced approach to incorporating Nature, French, Music and Art into a complete educational program. Be a part of a community devoted to the development of the whole child. Open House: Thursdays 9-11 am. west-mont.ca.

North SAANICH

Cordova Bay Preschool.......................... 250-658-3441 A bright and cheerful parent participation preschool with a philosophy of learning through play. 4 yr olds - M/W/F 9:151:15; 3 yr olds - T/Th 9:15-12:15. cordovabaypreschool.org.

In The Garden Childcare Centre............. 250-654-0306 A GREAT PLACE TO GROW. Offering preschool, full day care, before and after school care for children aged 2.5 to 12 years old. Open all year.

Lakeview Christian Preschool/Daycare.. 250-658-5082 30 mths to Kindergarten entry. Small group. Experienced teacher. Full time and part time spaces. Mornings only or full day. Monthly DROP IN STORY HOUR. For information please e-mail lakeviewschol@shaw.ca.

OAK BAY

ESQUIMALT Ciara Early Childhood Centre................. 250-386-7369 Education and Fun Hand in Hand! Exceptional care for ages 1-5yrs. Inclusive nature inspired kindergarten readiness program with Christian values. Facebook.com/ CiaraEarlyChildhoodCentre.

Island Kids Academy Esquimalt............. 250-381-2929 High quality child care (ages 1-5). Preschool curriculum offered within a warm, caring all-day program. Character development using the Virtues Project. Access to community programs including swimming, skating, Victoria Conservatory of Music. Part-time spaces available. islandkids.ca.

Child Care

Resource & Referral www.islandfamilyinfo.ca www.ccrr.bc.ca 58 Island Parent Magazine

Recreation Oak Bay................................ 250-370-7200 Fully licensed, ECE Daycare, Preschool and Nature Preschool. Play based, child led learning. Afterschool care available.

Emmanuel Preschool.............................. 250-598-0573 Children learn through play in our non-denominational Christian preschool near UVic. Bright attractive setting. emmanuelpreschool.ca.

Gonzales Co-op Preschool..................... 250-727-1003 Children explore their imaginations in our learning-throughplay environments and large natural playground. Our Reggio Emilia inspired program focuses on art, nature, music and friendship. Over 50 years serving Victoria’s families. Nuturing and highly qualified ECE and ECE Assistant. Parent participation level options available, nut-free and allergy-aware. Join us! gonzalescooppreschool.com.

Arbutus Grove Children’s Centre........... 250-477-3731 Formerly known as Goosey Gander Kindergarten. Half Day and Full Day Preschool Programs. Children’s learning is supported and nurtured through inquiry, exploration, play and creative expression. arbutusgrove.ca.

Camosun College Child Care Services......250-370-4880 Quality licensed facilities on both campuses providing children, newborn to 5 years, with rich early learning experiences in a learn through play environment. camosun.ca/childcare.

Carrot Seed Preschool............................ 250-658-2331 Where children can discover, imagine, construct and learn through play. Wondrous natural playground. Extended hours starting Sept. carrotseedpreschool.com.

Cloverdale Child Care.................................250-995-1766 Register now for preschool 4 year olds Mon/Wed/Fri 9:00–1:00 & 3 & 4 year olds Tue/Thur 9:00–1:00. Full time Early Learning Centre 7:00am – 6:00 pm 3–5 year olds.

Before and after school care. cloverdalechildcare@shawbiz. ca, cloverdalechildcare.com.

Full o’ Beans Preschool.............................. 250-360-1148 We offer ‘learn through play’ programming designed to foster your child’s natural curiosity and imagination. Flexible scheduling, 2.5 and 4 hour programs, qualified staff.

Registration is ongoing! saanichneighbourhoodplace.com.

Island Montessori House........................ 250-592-4411 Inclusive, integrated and nurturing Preschool and Kindergarten programs. Located in a lovely rural setting with a focus on nature and outdoor environmental activities such as gardening and composting. islandmontessori.com.

Lakehill Co-op Preschool....................... 250-477-4141 Where children’s development is nurtured through a child centered inclusive, play based program. Come visit our natural outdoor playground and meet our loving qualified ECE team. Multiple Levels of participation available, please enquire. lakehillpreschool.org.

Lambrick Park Preschool & Childcare.. 250-477-8131 Gordon Head’s only parent-participation preschool and childcare centre. Flexible options, play-based learning and outdoor play. Allergy friendly. Celebrating 40+ years. lambrickparkpreschool.ca.

Neighbourhood Junior Kindergarten..... 250-479-4410 Welcoming, culturally sensitive parent participation program in Lakehill School. Morning and afternoon.

For 3s and 4s. See website for details. neighbourhood juniorkindergarten.com

Looking for child care? Need help with subsidy forms?

Taking care of children? Need child care training?

Your community’s best source of child care information and resources.

Victoria & Gulf Islands: 250-382-7000 or 1-800-750-1868 Sooke: 250-642-5152 Westshore: 250-391-4324 Cowichan Valley: 250-746-4135 local 231 PacificCare (Ladysmith north): 250-756-2022 or 1-888-480-2273 Funded by the Province of BC

IslandParent.ca

Preschool & Child Care Directory Oakcrest Preschool................................. 250-472-0668 A welcoming, nurturing environment with a large, bright facility. Learn through play with 2 caring ECEs. oakcrestpreschool.org.

Castleview Child Care............................. 250-595-5355 Learning Through Play & Discovery. Licensed non-profit, qual. ECE staff. Since 1958. Preschool and full-time care. castleviewchildcarecentre.com.

View Royal Childcare.............................. 250-479-8067 Preschool structured, high quality childcare. Victoria Conservatory of Music classes. Part time spaces available.

2.5-5year olds. viewroyalpreschool@live.com.

Pacific Christian School – Pre-School... 250-479-4532 Your child will love the playful, safe environment and caring staff at PCS Pre-School. Come and explore Educational Excellence to the Glory of God. PacificChristian.ca

Centennial Day Care............................... 250-386-6832 Exceptional childcare and education 35+ years. Nature inspired, play based program. NEW central, “green” building. centennialdaycare.ca.

View Royal Preschool.............................. 250-479-8067 Exciting inclusive program in a safe and exceptional care environment. 3-5 year olds. Outside play and themes enrich this program. Full/part-time spaces available. viewroyalpreschool.com.

Rainbows & Dreams Preschool.............. 250-479-1966 Small classes for 3-5 yr olds in a safe nurturing environment. Children learn through play and fun–developing a sense of confidence, independence and creativity. Highly qualified ECE teacher.

Christ Church Cathedral Childcare and Junior Kindergarten......................... 250-383-5132 ECE and Specialist teachers provide an outstanding all-day, licensed program for 3–5 year olds. Spacious, renovated facility with a huge backyard in Fairfield. cathedralschool.ca.

Ready Set Grow Preschool..................... 250-472-1530 Inside Hillcrest Elm. in Gordon Head, we help children transition to Kindergarten. Licensed Preschool with highly qualified, warm ECE. heoscmanager@gmail.com.

Nightingale Preschool and Junior Kindergarten Ltd.................. 250-595-7544 We offer education through creativity and play, providing rich learning experiences through a well sourced and stimulating indoor and outdoor environment. Early years reading programme. nightingalepreschool.com. Arts/ Drama programme. kidsworks.ca.

Rogers Child Care Centre....................... 250-744-2343 Trusted High Quality Non Profit Care since 1991. Year Round Early Learning and Out of School Care. For more info go to rogerschildcare.com.

St. Joseph’s Catholic Preschool................250-479-1237 • A Christian child centre for 3–5 year olds.

• A warm nurturing and challenging program • Offered by St. Joseph’s Catholic School.

Wiseways Preschool & Daycare............. 250-477-1312 Quality, fully licensed, Christian preschool/daycare for 3–4 year olds. Experienced team of ECEs. Spacious facilities include large playground and indoor gym. Subsidized fees welcome. Call for a tour. wisewaysvictoria.com.

SIDNEY Acorntree Preschool............................... 250-686-1408 Balanced indoor/outdoor program, designed to stimulate natural curiosity and foster empathy and compassion towards others. We believe in the importance of both child and teacher directed activities. acorntreepreschool.ca.

Positive Path Early Learning.................. 250-655-7244 Located near the library and Sidney School, our program has earned a stellar reputation for quality child care and is growing as fast as the children we care for. Space is available for your child to embark on a journey of active exploration and discovery, enjoying a natural outdoor playground and an expansive indoor learning space. Experienced educators foster a lifelong quest for knowledge and guide children with Christian values and virtues. positivepath@shaw.ca.

Storyoga Preschool................................. 778-679-4004 Embracing and empowering children exactly as they are.

Storyoga Preschool is a nature and yoga based program located in Sidney, BC. storyoga.com.

VICTORIA ArtsCalibre Academy.............................. 250-382-3533 Comprehensive programs for Preschool through Grade 6, delivering academic excellence through music, dance, drama and visual arts. Outstanding educators, locations and facilities. ArtsCalibre.ca Babies to Big Kids Childcare......................250-590-2722 949 Fullerton Ave. Licenced group childcare for children ages 6 months to 11 years old. Offering full-time and part-time care. Open 6:30am-5:30pm. info@babies tobigkids.com, babiestobigkids.com.

IslandParent.ca

Parkdale Early Childhood Centre........... 250-382-0512 ECEs offer the highest quality care and positive learning experiences in our daycare and preschool. Full time or part time. Call for a tour or visit us at parkdalechildcare.ca.

Rainbow Express Daycare...................... 250-382-2314 A nurturing environment for children to learn through play and discovery in a natural setting. ECEs and specialist teachers. rainbowexpressdaycare.com. Close to city centre.

Ross Bay Preschool................................ 250-383-7445 Positive/supportive program motivating children to learn, discover and grow through play. Daily outdoor time, special guests and community events! rossbaypreschool @shaw.ca.

The Sir James Douglas Playschool....... 250-389-0500 Fun, creative and educational ECE program for 3-5 year olds to grow and develop life long skills. Come play and learn in our bright and modern centre in Fairfield.

Mill Bay / Cobble Hill Cedar Montessori..................................... 250-710-9007 A beautiful rural setting where children are lovingly supported to learn at their own pace within a stimulating Montessori environment.

DUNCAN Parkside Academy.................................... 250-746-1711 Providing high quality early learning and care from infancy to 12 years of age, in a stimulating, respectful, nurturing, nature based environment with fully educated and passionate early childhood educators. Visit parksideacademy. ca or find us on Facebook.

Queen Margaret’s School......................... 250-746-4185 Early Childhood Education Program. Co-ed nurturing curriculum to develop the whole child. Healthy snacks and lunch provided. qms.bc.ca.

Queen of Angels Early Learning Centre... 250-701-0433 We believe that the development of the whole child (physically, socially, emotionally, cognitively, and spiritually) encourages each individual to develop to their full potential. We offer an enriched full day program for 3–5 year olds based on Kindergarten readiness.

Sunrise Waldorf School Preschool........... 250-743-7253 A warm, nature-based Waldorf rhythm where wonder is nurtured. Led by Waldorf trained ECE teachers. sunrisewaldorfschool.org.

Chemainus

Victoria Montessori................................. 250-380-0534 Unique, innovative learning environment combining the best of Montessori and Learning Through Play. Open yr. round. 30mths–K. victoriamontessori.com.

St. Joseph’s Preschool........................... 250-246-3191 An enriching preschool program allowing children to grow as individuals in a safe and nurturing Christian environment.

YMCA-YWCA Child Care Centres.......... 250-386-7511 Enriched programs for children 10 months – 5 years. Our programs support healthy child development and future school success. victoriay.com.

Qualicum Beach

VIEW ROYAL Island Kids Academy View Royal........... 250-727-2929 High quality child care (ages 1-5). Preschool curriculum offered within a warm, caring child care environment.

Character development using the Virtues Project. Access to community programs including swimming, skating, Victoria Conservatory of Music. Part-time spaces available. islandkids.ca.

Little Wonders Preschool (View Royal OSC)..................................... 250-744-2718 A creative and supportive program that will prepare your child for a lifetime of learning! Out of School Care is also available for school aged children. viewroyalosc.com.

Children’s Discovery Centre................... 250-752-4343 Our program recognizes the uniqueness of each child and provides a nurturing, safe and creative learning environment. Licensed preschool, group care and out of school care. Early Childhood Educators. childrensdiscovery centre.ca. childrensdiscoverycentre@hotmail.com.

Little Star Children’s Centre................... 250-752-4554 Mother, Daughter owned and operated. Earth friendly preschool education inspired by nature. Infused with fun and creative daily yoga practices! Licensed group care.

Enthusiastic ECE instructors. littlestardaycare.ca

Port Alberni John Paul II Catholic School.................. 250-723-0637 “Where children grow and learn through play.” We provide a program that will inspire development physically, socially, emotionally, cognitively, creatively and spiritually.

A Secret Garden Preschool.................... 250-380-8293 Program built on Christian values. Monthly themes, weekly topics and daily activities. asecretgardenpreschool@ shaw.ca.

August 2016 59

Business Directory Ad Directory

Early Care and Learning Programs for Preschoolers

Registering Now for r Septembe

• Licensed programs for 3 and 4 year olds • Part – time, flexible scheduling • 2.5 & 4 hour programs • Outdoor program options • Competitive rates, subsidy available • Qualified Early Childhood Educators Located at Saanich Neighbourhood Place, in Pearkes Recreation Centre For more information contact 250-360-1148 ext 101 Corinne@snplace.org

Saanichneighbourhoodplace.com

Advertise Your Business or Service in Island Parent Contact us today at 250-388-6905 or sales@islandparent.ca

60 Island Parent Magazine

1Up Single Parent Resource Centre........ 8 Alliance francaise de Victoria............... 23 Arabesque Dance....... 17 Arbutus Grove............ IFC Arrowsmith School...... 45 Artistic Statement....... 41 Arts Calibre Academy............... IBC Ballet Victoria............. IBC Belfry Theatre............. 18 Camp Pringle................ 4 Chemainus Theatre..... 10 Christ Church Cathedral School..... 51 CISV........................... 28 CRD........................... 34 Cridge Centre............. 53 Discovery School........ 64 Dr. Joslin, Dr. Morin & Associates.......... IFC Emmanuel Preschool................ 27 Erin Wallis Photography............ 27 Four Seasons.............. 38 Full ’o Beans.............. 44 Huckleberry Baby Shop.............. 62 IMAX.......................... 30 Intrepid Theatre............ 7 Island Catholic Schools................... 61 Island Montessori........ 35 Kaleidoscope.............. 46 Kiowa Farms............... 39 Kool & Child............... IFC Kumon....................... 20 Larsen Music.............. 11 Leap Forward Dance... 34 Lexie’s Little Bears...... 16 Lifestyles.................... 12 Lighthouse Christian... 27 Little Steps................. 46 Mad Science.............. 24 Maxine Fisher............. 56 Mothering Touch........... 5 Nanaimo Museum....... 53 North Island Distance Education.......... 45, 51 North Island Wildlife.... 62 NUKO......................... 17 O’Brien Irish Dance....... 7 Oak & Orca..... 12, 54, 56 OCEAN 98.5............... 49 Pacific Christian......... IBC

Pacific Coast Swimming............... 29 Pacific Dance............. 37 Pacific Rim College..... 32 Pumpkin Pie Kids........ 57 Queen Margarets........ 13 READ Society.............. 36 Ross Bay Preschool..... 38 Royal BC Museum...... 13 Royal LePage.............. 23 Saanich Dental....... 9, 35 Saanich Recreation....... 1 Scouts Canada........... 45 Serious Coffee............ 37 Smart Tutor Referrals................. 10 St. Joseph’s Chemainus............. 51 St. Margaret’s School.... 4 Stages................. 24, 28 Swan Lake................. 47 Sylvan Learning.......... 19 Thistle & Wren............ 57 Thrifty Foods............... 33 TJ’s The Kiddie Store... 11 Tom Lee Music........... 29 Total Learning Services.................. 22 UVic Farquar................. 2 Vancouver Island Baby Fair................ 40 Vancouver Island University.................. 3 Victoria Academy of Ballet.................. 16 Victoria Bug Zoo......... 61 Victoria Conservatory of Music................. 31 Victoria Montessori..... 22 Victoria Pediatric Dental..................... 10 Victoria School for Ideal Education........ 61 Victoria School of Irish Dance............ IFC Victoria Synchro.......... 57 VIHA........................... 52 Welcome Wagon......... 41 West-Mont Montessori.............. 29 Westshore Centre for Learning.............. 9 Westshore Motocross............... 44 Westshore Parks & Recreation...........BC

Fit by Bit

L

ast week, I did something I swore I would never do, something which compromised my morals to the very core.

I gave in to guilt and pressure, succumbed to cliche and bought a FitBit. If you’re unfamiliar, the FitBit is a personal fitness tracker worn on the body for the purpose of documenting how active—or inactive—you are. For years I scorned such devices. Why would anyone pay good money for a tiny robot whose only purpose is to state how terribly out of shape they are? But desperation is as desperation does, and this mama was desperate for a little FitBit motivation.

How did I get into this step-counting, self-loathing mess? I blame my kids. Until recently, they made it very easy for me to get my exercise, as long as I approached the topic creatively. The newborn days provided me with nightly marathons, pacing the halls with my colicky baby—and of course, all the rocking, jiggling, burping, and bouncing were excellent bicep toners. Then came the era of the stroller power-walk, truly, the glory days, when my baby would nap, or at least agree to sit happily, while I walked places. I gradually increased the intensity by way of added weight-training; having a second child took care of that. Things started to get dicey when the kids grew old enough to insist on walking or riding a bicycle; then, it was either a painfully slow bug-rock-and-flower-examining crawl, or else an all-out sprint to keep up with my children who could suddenly travel very quickly, yet had very poor braking skills.

But once I recognized this stage for what it was, a ghetto version of interval training, and added squats to the bug-examining breaks, I felt much better about it.

But now my kids are school-aged, and so far, I am stumped as to how I’m supposed to get any exercise. Between all their activities, appointments, playdates, sports events, laundry, messes, goldfish babysitting responsibilities, and so on, my days are busier than ever, yet in a different way.

Now I find myself orchestrating things— taking people all the places, picking up all the things, washing all the things—and it feels impossible to achieve anything I can call a workout.

IslandParent.ca

And this is how I found myself comically struggling to attach the dreaded FitBit to my underwear. At first I felt ridiculous, like I should be leading an aerobics class as I made breakfast, or at least wearing leg warmers and a ponytail, 80’s workout style. But after storming my way through

Is There an App for This?

SARAH MILLIGAN oatmeal preparation, I had already clocked 500 steps. And after cleaning up three apple juice spills, running to the garage for more paper towels, and chasing my four-year-old around the house trying to wipe the blueberry jam off her face, I had nearly 1,900 steps down.

It got better from there. Driving the kids to swim lessons didn’t count for a whole lot of steps, but when my son forgot his goggles in the van, I didn’t mind so much going to retrieve them. Multiple laps around the grocery store for things I had forgotten on the first pass actually felt productive, as did returning the shopping cart. Later, taking five separate trips up and down the stairs to the laundry room in search of my daughter’s favourite top—which ended up being in her drawer the whole time—felt great, once I realized each trip was worth 400 steps.

At the end of the day, I still fell short of the goal, having banked just 7,321of the recommended 10,000 daily steps. But the FitBit helped me to see that all in all, my daily mom tasks add up to a lot more activity than I thought; and while there is definitely room for improvement, my current fitness situation is far less grim than I had feared.

As always, my needs can be met in and around my family’s needs—I just have to think a little creatively, and take it one step at a time, bit by bit.

Sarah Milligan lives on Vancouver Island.

She is grateful to her children for the joy they inspire, not to mention the endless writing fodder.

The Victoria School for Ideal Education • Daily meditation • Nature based learning • Small class sizes • BC curriculum K – Gr. 8 2820 Belmont Avenue

250-383-6654 vsie.ca vsie@shaw.ca A few spaces still available for September

Island Catholic Schools care for our

common

home

Call today for registration information K to 12, Pre-school, Day Care, Out of School Care for September 2016 250-727-6893 or visit www.cisdv.bc.ca

IslandParent.ca

August 2016 61

North Island Wildlife RECOVERy CENTRE

A Wildlife Experience for the Whole Family!

Eagles • Owls • Bears Hawks • Falcons • Ferrets Turkey Vultures • and More

Open to Public Viewing 9am–5pm, 7 Days a Week from March Spring Break to Mid-December

Wildlife Adoptions Make Great Gifts!

Support your favourite NIWRA resident: visit us for more information or go to www.niwra.org

Guided Tours available for groups of 15 or more. Advanced booking required.

1240 Leffler Road, Errington 250.248.8534 niwra.org

Summer Camp-Out

I

f you’re heading out on a family camping trip this summer, why not camp in your own backyard, so to speak, at one of the CRD Regional Parks campgrounds? Close to amenities for those forgotten items and not far from home, they’re a great way to get camping with the kids. You can sleep under the stars in affordable, self-contained RV and tent camping sites in a variety of natural settings: from forested riverfront at the Sooke Potholes Regional Park to beautiful ocean views at Island View Beach and Jordan River Regional Parks. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your camping trip and discover nature nearby.

Bring your sense of adventure to explore the intertidal zone while camping at Island View Beach Regional Park. Under the rocks, discover a whole new world of unique marine creatures. Look for shipworm tunnels in the driftwood (shipworms are really clams!) or check out all the different kinds of sea-

Gentle Choices for Families Ethical, eco-friendly, family friendly.

A–3148 Barons Rd, Nanaimo

Parking in the numbered stalls accessed by driving behind the building

250-585-5552

huckleberrybabyshop.com 62

Island Parent Magazine

weed in the tide line. Watch a shore crab or a clingfish and you might even happen upon a sea star! These marine animals are able to survive high tides, low tides and everything in between. They cling to the rocks, dig into the sand and duck under the seaweed to avoid predators, bad weather, and waves.

Bring a bucket and be sure to treat these animals with respect. Always make sure to have water in your bucket if you’re catching crabs and other animals (they breathe with gills), put them back after a minute, and gently put the rocks you’ve turned over back into their original position.

On the other side of the Island, head upstream to the Spring Salmon Place Campground at Sooke Potholes Regional Park or check out the Jordan River Regional Park campground. At the Potholes, pack

Nature Notes keiliH GaTes your bikes and bathing suits. Ride from the campground up to the less-visited part of the park, along the Galloping Goose Regional Trail, which also passes through Kapoor Regional Park. Here you’ll find crystal clear water, swimming holes and serene wilderness. Look for crayfish under the rocks and watch for cutthroat trout. If you decide to try your luck at fishing, remember to check the regulations beforehand and have your freshwater fishing license handy. Children under 16 do not need a license.

As the day winds down and you settle back at your campsite, try out some of these activities: • Read out loud or tell stories.

• Play a musical instrument.

• Make popcorn or roast marshmallows.

• Play your favourite card or board games.

• Bring a star chart and stargaze.

• Give the kids glow sticks to play with.

• Watch for bats as they swoop and dive, hunting for mosquitos. (For more information on how beneficial bats can be, check out Elk/Beaver Lake with a CRD Parks Naturalist on August 12 from 7:30-9pm.)

Check the information kiosk at the park to see if your visit coincides with a nature outing or event offered by CRD Regional Parks, such as campground stories at Island View Beach and guided hikes at Sooke Potholes.

No matter what you and your family decide on this summer, there’s a neverending list of activities and adventures at regional campgrounds and in our regional parks. To download park maps or a nature outings and events brochure, please visit: crd.bc.ca/parks.

Keilih Gates is a CRD Regional Parks Naturalist.

IslandParent.ca

Island Parent We’re Growing Too! With our September 2016 issue…

…we’ll be full colour on every page! advertising booking deadline for September issue is august 17th RaeLeigh Buchanan raeleigh@islandparent.ca

IslandParent.ca

250-388-6905

Linda Frear sales@islandparent.ca

August 2016

63

Cut It Out!

Tips from Parent Educator Allison Rees of LIFE Seminars

Irritability, Stress & the Need for Self-care

W

hen we’re under stress, we tend to become cranky and irritable.

Stress, often caused by too many demands and not enough “down time,” is one of the major contributors to aggression or impulsive behaviour. Stress can come on with sudden unexpected events such as the loss of a loved one, the loss of a job, or a marital conflict. Stress can also be a part of our lifestyle when we have children just because we have them! If you are taking on too much, you might need to CUT IT OUT! We put a lot of energy into our children.

We birth them, change them, feed them, burp them, drive them, listen to them, clean for them, and spend our money on them.

Stress runs high because most of us aren’t just parents; we have many other obligations to fill as well.

If we get angry, it may be a signal that

we are doing more and giving more than we can comfortably do or give. It might also mean that we are not addressing important emotional issues in our lives, or that too much of our self is being sacrificed. If we don’t pay attention to our stressed out, cranky feelings, they can easily turn into anger directed at the people who make demands of us, including our dependent children.

A sensitive child will quickly pick up on his parent’s stress and may engage in negative behaviour as a result. Children show stress in various ways—negative attention getting behaviours, regressive behaviours, withdrawing, arguing with parent or sibling, whining and so on. They can often do a good job of these behaviours even if they aren’t terribly stressed!

Often a simple decision to cut down on volunteer work or let the phone go to voicemail can cut down the stress levels that often

plague our households. How are you at saying “No”? Do you take on other people’s responsibilities? Do you feel guilty when you rest or play?

The answers to our problems aren’t usually the complicated, mysterious ones we are looking for. Often the answers lie in solutions that are so simple that we can easily overlook them. What can you do less of?

LIFE Seminars has two books available, Sidestepping the Power Struggle and The Parent Child Connection. See lifeseminars.com.

Transforming disability into ability.

At Discovery School, learning disabilities are transformed into valuable skills and abilities. Students work at their own pace in small classes, with focused, individualized instruction.

• Experienced, highly-qualified teachers • Ongoing assessment, evaluation & feedback • Improves organizational & study skills • Boost confidence, independence & responsibility • Nurturing environment based on Christian values • For students aged 7 – 18 in grades 1 – 12 • Individual Education Plans • Low student/teacher ratio

Enrolment is limited. For more information or to arrange a tour, visit www.discoveryschool.ca, call Sherri Ko at 250-595-7765 or email principal@discoveryschool.ca 64 Island Parent Magazine

IslandParent.ca

Preschool to Grade 6…and beyond.

Imagine a School…where music, dance, theatre and visual arts are infused into all aspects of an outstanding curriculum. v Junior K and Half/Full-day Kindergarten options also available v Comprehensive K–6 program consistently exceeds BC Curriculum v Excellent facilities, convenient Cedar Hill and Gordon Head locations v Highly qualified, dedicated staff and low student/teacher ratios

Visit our website, come to one of our Open Houses, or call us! www.ArtsCalibre.ca info@ArtsCalibre.ca 250.382.3533

WEST SHORE PARKS & RECREATION 2016/2017 School Year

In our play-based preschools children have fun, build relationships and explore the world in which they live. Activities include arts & crafts, storytelling, music, cooking, indoor and outdoor play. We participate in a variety of off-site field trips, use of the library and kindergym, and activities such as dance, sports, yoga and skating. Our Licensed programs are led by certified Early Childhood Educators who are also trained in (NCCP) Fundamental Movement Skills.

KinderPrep 4 Years

For children entering kindergarten the following year. In addition to play-based learning, time is dedicated each day to kindergarten preparation such as numbers, literacy and structured activity.

JDF KIDS COTTAGE 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM M Sep 12-Jun 19 $1122/33 102018 Tu Sep 13-Jun 20 $1258/37 102019 W Sep 14-Jun 21 $1258/37 102020 Th Sep 15-Jun 22 $1258/37 102021 F Sep 16-Jun 23 $1190/35 102022 ROYAL BAY SCHOOL 9:30 AM-1:30 PM M Sep 12-Jun 19 $1122/33 101639 Tu Sep 13-Jun 20 $1258/37 101642 W Sep 14-Jun 21 $1258/37 101640 Th Sep 15-Jun 22 $1258/37 101643 F Sep 16-Jun 23 $1190/35 101641 Kinderprep at Royal Bay includes Nature-Based learning and daily outside time rain or shine.

Play & Learn Preschool 3 Years

This introductory class is designed to ease children’s transition to West Shore Parks & Recreation’s Year Long Preschool. Children build friendships and independence through play and hands-on learning.

JDF PLAYROOM 9:00 – 11:30 AM M Sep 12-Jun 19 $759/33 102011 Tu Sep 13-Jun 20 $851/37 102012 W Sep 14-Jun 21 $851/37 102013 Th Sep 15-Jun 22 $851/37 102014 F Sep 16-Jun 23 $805/35 102015 Children must turn the minimum age for the program by December 31, 2016.

We accept families receiving Child Care Subsidy. If your child requires extra support or qualifies for funding through Supported Child Development contact the program supervisor prior to registration. Space is limited to one support staff per class.

Nature Preschool 3-5 Years

Each class is spent outdoors where children deepen their understanding of the natural world and their place within it.

Drop off and pick up locations vary, and include Esquimalt Lagoon, Goldstream Park, and Fort Rodd Hill.

Limited number of 3 Year olds spaces.

JDF PICNIC SHELTER 9:00-11:30 AM Two Age Groups!

3 YEAR 4 YEAR M Sep 12-Jun 19 $759/33 101645 101634 Tu Sep 13-Jun 20 $851/37 FULL 101635 W Sep 14-Jun 21 $851/37 101647 101636 Th Sep 15-Jun 22 $851/37 FULL 101637 F Sep 16-Jun 23 $805/35 101649 101638

Bright Beginnings 2-3 Years

A class for those who don't quite meet the age requirements of year long preschool.

We introduce children to a world of exploring, sharing, and making friends.

Classes includes music, play, art and crafts, stories and gym.

JDF KIDS COVE 9:00 – 11:00 AM Tu/Th Sep 13-Dec 15 $448/28 FULL Tu/Th Jan 10-Apr 27 $448/28 102030 Tu/Th May 2-Jun 22 $256/16 102031 W/F Sep 14-Dec 16 $432/27 102032 W/F Jan 11-Apr 28 $432/27 102033 W/F May 3-Jun 23 $256/16 102035

Discover Preschool 3-5 Years

Each day is spent creating, exploring, and having fun with cooperative play and learning. In a mixed age setting, children are able to act as mentors and take leadership roles according to their abilities and interests.

JDF PLAYROOM 12:30-3:00 PM M Sep 12-Jun 19 $759/33 102023 Tu Sep 13-Jun 20 $851/37 102025 Th Sep 15-Jun 22 $851/37 102027 F Sep 16-Jun 23 $805/35 102024

Book a classroom tour!

CONTACTS US Royal Bay & Nature Preschool

Katherine Salmons 250-474-5825

Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre Alexandra Matthew 250-474-8619

www.westshorerecreation.ca | 250-478-8384