Island Parent Magazine, June-July 2021

J U N E / J U LY 2 0 2 1

FREE COPY

Vancouver Island’s Parenting Resource for 33 Years

It’s the ‘Little Things’ that Matter this Summer

Explore the Island!

A Region-by-Region Guide Things to Do in June & July

Preschool for today’s child ...and tomorrow’s inner child.

Young children possess boundless imagination, perfect openness to the world and all its beauty, and the inborn idea that anything is possible. We believe that these wonderful gifts should not fade with age.

With an innovative program enriched by music, dance, theatre and visual arts, our goal is to enable children to fully explore and express these gifts in an endless variety of ways.

Inspiring and nurturing today’s child firmly implants their future inner child – that playfulness, creativity, vision and confidence that will enable them to realize their dreams.

Preschool to Grade 12

2 Island Parent Magazine

www.ArtsCalibre.ca 250-382-3533

“When I examine myself and my method of thought, I come to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy has meant more to me than my talent for absorbing knowledge.”

– Albert Einstein

IslandParent.ca

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June/July 2021 3

In Every Issue

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

10

5

It’s the ‘Little Things’ that Matter this Summer

Fast Forward

If ever there was a summer to embrace the little things— chasing the sound of the icecream truck, going camping or having a picnic at the beach—this is it.

SUE FAST

6

Need to Know

24

Family Calendar

SARAH SEITZ

26

Dadspeak

12

Features

See the Sights in the CRD

20

Poke Around the Pacific Rim

DAVID LEACH

28

What’s for Dinner EMILLIE PARRISH

22

Surviving— & Thriving— this Summer

Follow these steps and get ready for a summer full of memories, laughter, relaxing and a happier family.

GRETTA KENNEDY

34

21

Explore the Gulf Islands

So Much to See this Summer at RBCM

30

14

Kids’ Reads CHRISTINA VAN STARKENBURG

Discover the Comox Valley

32

Moms’ POV KELLY MCQUILLAN

16

35

Get to Know Nanaimo & Area

Businesses You Need to Know

18

Preschool & Child Care Directory

36

Chillin’ in the Cowichan Valley

38

Cut It Out! ALLISON REES

J U N E / J U LY 2 0 2 1

On the Cover

FREE COPY

Vancouver Island’s Parenting Resource for 33 Years

It’s the ‘Little Things’ that Matter this Summer

Rowan M (9 months) Photo by Bobby Marko

Explore the Island!

A Region-by-Region Guide Things to Do in June & July

4 Island Parent Magazine

Jim Schneider Publisher publisher@islandparent.ca Sue Fast Editor editor@islandparent.ca Kristine Wickheim Account Manager kristine@islandparent.ca RaeLeigh Buchanan Account Manager raeleigh@islandparent.ca Island Parent Magazine, published by Island Parent Group Enterprises Ltd., is a bimonthly publication that honours and supports parents by providing information on resources and businesses for Vancouver Island families. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher. No material herein may be reproduced without the permission of the publisher. Island Parent is distributed free in selected areas.

Annual mail subscriptions (7 issues) are available for $21 (GST included).

Canadian Publication Mail Product Sales Agreement 40051398. ISSN 0838-5505.

Island Parent Magazine

250-388-6905 islandparent.ca

518 Caselton Place, Victoria, BC V8Z 7Y5 A proud member of

BC IslandParent.ca

FA STF O RWA R D

Celebrate Summer

I

f all goes according to B.C.’s restart plan, not only will we be allowed to gather outdoors in groups of up to 50 friends and family—hello birthday parties, backyard BBQs, block parties and play dates!—but we’ll also be able to travel within B.C. as early as mid-June.

What better time to celebrate than summer? And what better place to be than outdoors—on Vancouver Island!

If you’re looking for things to do this summer, look no further.

On the following pages you’ll find tips on exploring Island sights and attractions—from “star” gazing (that’s sea stars!), chasing butterflies and watching whales to hiking, biking and marvelling at goats as they graze away the grassy roof in Coombs.

There’s information on enjoying the “little things” this summer and on the importance of spending time together. You’ll find articles on how to survive—and thrive—this summer, numerous Vancouver Island activities and attractions, places to explore, and ways to enjoy the fruits of summer. Wondering where to find the best trails suited to families? We’ve got you covered. Looking for places to see animals, or for good summer reads for kids? That’s here, too. Check out what’s happening at the Royal BC Museum and don’t forget to peruse the Summer

Calendar with highlights of what’s happening on the Island in June and July.

So, let’s get going!

No matter what you have planned this summer—or what just happens—we hope this issue helps you have a great time with your family. Whatever you decide to do, just remember to factor in enough time to relax and enjoy each other’s company and our beautiful surroundings.

Happy Summer.

RBCM@Home Kids June is Orca Awareness Month!

Help us celebrate by joining us on a free orca-themed playdate every Wednesday at 11:00 am.

Learn more at

rbcm.ca/calendar

IslandParent.ca

June/July 2021 5

N E E DTO KN OW

BC Summer Reading Club Starting June 29, children ages 12 and under (or their parent or caregiver) are invited to visit any GVPL or VIRL branch to collect a 2021 BC Summer Reading Club (BC SRC) package.

This helps kids build confidence in reading while having fun and developing stronger connections with their public library.

This year’s theme: “Crack the Case.” Kids can set their weekly reading goals and earn digital badges. Participate in the Spy Academy by picking up craft kits from your branch; three total will be handed out during the summer. bcsrc.ca

Malahat Skywalk The Malahat Skywalk, Vancouver Island’s newest outdoor experience, will provide the “ultimate natural high” when it opens in July. Located 35 minutes north of Victoria, Malahat SkyWalk will immerse visitors in nature along a 600m long accessible, elevated walkway through an Arbutus and Douglas Fir forest, leading to a 10-storey, architecturally-inspiring spiral tower lookout, the first of its kind in British Columbia.

Guests can opt to return to ground level by taking an exhilarating ride on a 20 m spiral slide. malahatskywalk.com

Buy an Authentic HarbourCats Jersey Orders are now being taken for all five of the jersey styles that the HarbourCats will wear when they hit the field in 2022. This includes the ever-popular baby blues, the HarbourCats’ classic home whites, the snazzy road dark blues, the special “Cats” solid reds and the nifty Forces Fridays, VicPD-styled jersey that was a big hit when introduced in 2019. victoria-harbourcats-official.myshopify.com

6 Island Parent Magazine

IslandParent.ca

Virtual Ocean Camp

Pacific Whale Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the world’s ocean and marine wildlife, is hosting summer sessions of its virtual program educating first- through fifth-graders about marine conservation

The Kiddies Store

from the comfort of home. Virtual

Dedicated to providing Vancouver Island families with high-quality infant and toddler products at affordable prices for over 25 years

Ocean Camp Summer 2021 is offered: June 21–25, July 5–9 and

One4Life takes your child from birth to big kid with Britax Safety and ClickTight Installation. A high strength steel frame, crumple zone and V-shaped tether help absorb crash energy. And, two layers of side impact protection surround your child’s head, neck and torso.

July 19–23. Each weeklong session explores an ocean-related theme that includes daily science lessons, team-building games and activities, crafts and nature-based inquiry. Campers will also be provided with optional daily science and craft activities that can be completed offline and often outdoors, either independently or in concert with others.

tjskids.com 250-386-2229

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June/July 2021 7

TD Grade One Book Giveaway

SWITCH TO RENEWABLE Canada has tremendous potential to be a leader in renewable electricity generation, as 67 per cent of our electricity already comes from renewable sources. Switchtorenewable.ca was developed by Earth Day Canada to help Canadians discover how each province and territory manages their electricity production and assess their renewable energy options.Check out the BC Tool at switchtorenewable.ca/provinces-and-territories/british-columbia.

This fall, Grade 1 children nation-wide will take home Malaika’s Costume, written by Nadia L. Hohn, illustrated by Irene Luxbacher and published

by Groundwood Books. Every year the TD Grade One Book Giveaway gives the gift of a great Canadian children’s picture book to every Grade 1 student in Canada. Working with ministries of education,

THE MOTHER RISING New data reveals that mothers in Canada are struggling under the brunt of the day-to-day decision-making and care for their children and families, including shouldering worry for their family’s mental and physical health.

This has led to mothers carrying greater feelings of anxiety, isolation, anger, and sadness than fathers, with nearly half (46 per cent) saying they are reaching their breaking point. Responding to this reality, the Canadian Women’s Foundation has launched The Mother Rising, a national campaign focused on what diverse mothers and family caregivers are going through and what needs to happen to make things better for them. To learn more about joining The Mother Rising, visit CanadianWomen.org.

8 Island Parent Magazine

school boards and library organizations, the Canadian Children’s Book Centre distributes over 550,000 giveaway books annually. A list of all 20 TD Grade One Book Giveaway titles is available at bookcentre.ca/programs/tdgrade-one-book-giveaway.

IslandParent.ca

COVID-19 Vaccination Information for Children 12–17

From Sea to Sea to Sea

Are you wondering: Swift Fox All Along by Rebecca Thomas and illustrator Maya McKibbin was nominated for a Governal General’s Literary Award in the Young People’s Literature— Illustrated category.

• Why should children get vaccinated?

• What vaccine will children get?

• How do we know this vaccine is safe?

• Is getting a COVID19 vaccine the right choice?

Swift Fox will also be celebrated at IBBY Canada’s launch for the 2021 edition of From Sea to Sea to Sea: Celebrating Indigenous Picture Books, a collection of outstanding titles published since 2018. Join writer and journalist Waubgeshig Rice on June 9 to see the 25 Indigenous picture books included in the collection, as well as an interview with Rebecca Thomas and other featured authors.

• Do children have to get vaccinated?

• Do parents/guardians need to provide consent for their child to get vaccinated?

• Where can children get vaccinated?

• How do children get vaccinated?

The BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) has produced an information booklet for parents/guardians about the COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged 12–17. You can find this brochure at the BCCDC website: bccdc.ca/Health-Info-Site/Documents/ COVID-19_vaccine/Children_Vaccination.pdf.

Register at eventbrite.ca/e/celebrating-indigenouspicture-books-registration-154316399505.

S TAG E S Summer Programs Running This July & August

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June/July 2021 9

It’s the ‘Little Things’ that Matter this Summer “Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” – Robert Brault

W

hat public health officials consider safe and acceptable summer activities changes weekly. And the current travel restrictions are likely to remain in place

for many weeks to come. So families face unique difficulties and uncertainty about planning their summer adventures. But, while the list of things we can’t do is long, summer has not been cancelled.

Call me crazy, but I think the pandemic has been freeing. Prior to Covid, I was 10 Island Parent Magazine

busy keeping the family fed, clean, exerbefore our eyes and so did our family life. cised and socialized while balancing work I was laid off from work and worried and some semblance of self-fulfillment. It about finances. was a lot of work.

Then schools closed and I became a reluctant homeschool teacher and stayat-home mom. We had a lot of homeschool ‘Pro D Days’ and we ate a tonne of Kraft Dinner. We weren’t always living our best lives.

However, the lack of choice created a sense of freedom that, as a parent, I welcomed.

Almost overnight, our options for free time were narrowed down to a select few.

Even if I wanted to take the kids to the pool or organize a playdate to entertain them, I couldn’t. I was used to spending our weekends doing things and now there was nothing to do but be together.

I had always wanted more intimate family time and now it became a reality.

With all of the clutter of pre-pandemic life erased from our lives, I settled into the extra time with my kids.

This summer will be our second COVID summer and when I reflect back on last year, I am grateful for the simplicity of it. One day I would like to be able to take them to Disneyland, to the PNE and to travel to exotic places. But I believe that there is something in all of us that cherishes the little things in life.

When I reflect on the summers of my childhood, my warmest memories involve something little. Something so seemingly insignificant as jumping off the dock at a lake or popsicles from the corner store and sliding down the slip-and-slide with my friends.

Do you remember what knowledge you retained from the historic site you And when Dr. Bonnie Henry first put visited on that big family vacation? Probrestrictions in place, it felt like everything ably not, but you might remember sitting just came to a halt, including our busy in the backseat of a car, watching the personal lives. road go by as your family road-tripped to Like most people, navigating the evera destination. changing information created uncertainty One of my favourite memories from and worry. The world began changing childhood is a summer day spent on a IslandParent.ca

boat with my brother and Dad. We spent the day playing in the different coves in Desolation Sound. We jumped off the boat into the water, picnicked and lounged in the sun.

It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary because we often went boating as a family. But this day was different. It was just the three of us, which was unique being from a blended family after my parents divorced. I was with the two men with whom I felt the most cherished and safe, free from family dynamics and responsibilities.

This day stands out in my memory as one of the happiest days of my life, right up there with my wedding day and the births of my children. What gave the day meaning was three key elements: freedom, connection and play. It was spectacularly simple.

Life with young children is both beautiful and exhausting at the same time.

So, summer days can feel really long. But when—or if—life gets back to pre-COVID normal, we may be too busy to savour the little things.

If COVID has taught us anything, it is that the world can change in an instant.

Maybe this is the summer you declare to live simply. Maybe there are places on Vancouver Island that you’ve always wanted to explore but didn’t because the PNE or the Okanagan beckoned.

This could be the year to make a Vancouver Island Bucket List for your family and go for it.

We can’t know which moments with our children will crystallize into memories they will cherish as adults. If there ever was a summer to embrace the little things—chasing the sound of the ice cream truck, going camping or having a picnic at the beach—this is it.

My hope for all parents is that you can relax knowing that what your kids will remember from this summer is swimming, ice cream and time spent with you.

Likely in that order.

Sarah Seitz is a working mother, writer and consumer of coffee and books—in that order. She writes about the messy and real parts of parenting and reveals her underbelly in her words.

You can read more of Sarah’s writing at sarahseitz.ca.

IslandParent.ca

The

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June/July 2021 11

See the Sights in the CRD

With so much to do in the Capital Regional District, your biggest challenge will narrowing down your options!

To help, here’s a list of favourites. From “star” gazing (that’s sea stars!) and chasing butterflies to cooling off at the Potholes and stretching out at Sidney Spit. Hint: no matter what you choose, you can’t go wrong!

Plan Your Escape

Play in the Park

Victoria Escape Games is back after a brief shutdown for COVID retooling. Both the two-hour Outdoor/Indoor and the one-hour Indoor only versions of The Trinity Project are now available for booking with improved COVID-19 health and safety measures in place. Play the most exciting two-hour spy adventure in the city. victoriaescapegames.com

Beacon Hill Park offers 200 acres to play in, just steps from downtown Victoria. Explore the trails meandering through meadows, gardens and trees, and the 18-hole putting green (bring your own clubs and balls), spray park and playground.

Stroll past the duck ponds, over bridges, through gardens, and find what was once the world’s tallest free-standing totem pole. beaconhillpark.ca

Whale Watch at RBCM Royal BC Museum’s Orcas: Our Shared Futures continues this summer. Dive deep into the stories and science that surround the magnificent orca, spirit of BC’s wild coast and apex predator of all oceans. Reserve your tickets in advance. royalbcmuseum.bc.ca

Roam Around at Fort Rodd Hill Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Sites are open, with limited access to visitor facilities and services. Visits are self-guided only. Events and interpretive programs are suspended until further notice. 10am-5pm daily. pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/bc/fortroddhill

Think Small Miniature World, located within the Empress Hotel, is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am-4pm. The Greatest Little Show on Earth features over 85 miniature scenes. No more than six guests are permitted to enter (or gather within) the exhibit at any one time. Groups must be within the same household or “bubble.” miniatureworld.com

Get Out in the Garden Butchart Gardens is open daily 9am-4pm (with viewing until 5pm), welcoming guests to take solace from this beautiful garden. Health protocols are in place, allowing for physical distancing, capacity monitoring and sanitary precautions. butchartgardens.com

Gallop Along the Goose The 60-km partly paved Galloping Goose Trail winds from Victoria to Sooke with access points along the way. It also intersects with the E&N Rail Trail-Humpback Connector, the 17km cycling and pedestrian trail. Start the Goose in the heart of the city or drive out to a rural access point for more of a country experience. gallopinggoosetrail.com

Lose Yourself on the Lochside Trail The 29-km Lochside Regional Trail starts in Saanich and ends at the ferry terminal in Swartz Bay. In some places trail visitors must share paved or gravel public roads with motor vehicles and farm vehicles. Trail maps and suggested access points/ day trips are available from the CRD website at “Find a Park.” crd.bc.ca/parks

Loop Swan Lake Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary features both marshy lowlands and the rocky, oak-forested highlands of Christmas Hill. The 12,000-year-old lake is home to a variety of birds and wildlife including muskrats, river otters and mink. Circle the lake along a 2.5-km trail and cross the floating walkway then stop in at the Nature House (open on a limited schedule). swanlake.bc.ca

Stretch Out at Sidney Spit Sidney Spit Marine Park is a great destination for a day trip. The foot-passenger ferry service has re-opened so now you can book your trip to Sidney Island (25 minutes). Explore the sandy spit at the northeast end or hike around the whole island. Walk-in camping is also available. sidneyspitferry.com

12 Island Parent Magazine

While Away the Day at Witty’s Witty’s Lagoon Regional Park in Metchosin offers more than 5 kms of beautiful trails through woodland, past lagoon and marsh. Watch for birds as you meander down to the sandy beach. The Nature House at the trailhead has great displays.

Check for opening hours. On Metchosin Road, approximately 40 minutes from downtown Victoria. crd.bc.ca/parks

Retreat to Roche Cove Roche Cove Regional Park in East Sooke. Picnic at the protected cove after an easy walk from the parking area. Wander the 7 kms of trails through cedar forest and along a cool creek or climb a mossy slope for hilltop views of Roche Cove and the Sooke Basin. Roche Cove is also a good access point for the Galloping Goose Trail. crd.bc.ca/parks

Ease into East Sooke Park East Sooke Regional Park offers 50 kms of trails along the windswept rocky coast, over dry hilltops, through dark rainforest to sheltered coves.

Aylard Farm is popular with picnickers and those looking for an easy excursion. A 5-minute walk through open fields leads to a sandy beach. Trails head inland to hilltop views, or along the rugged, more challenging Coast Trail. crd.bc.ca/parks

Make a Splash at Thetis Lake Hike scenic trails hugging Upper and Lower Thetis lakes. The beach area is perfect for a picnic or swim, although it tends to be crowded in summer.

If you have a canoe, try an early morning or evening paddle. Pay parking: $2.25/day, $20/season. crd.bc.ca/parks IslandParent.ca

“Star” Gaze at Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea in Sidney is a state-of-the-art aquarium and marine education centre focused on the ecosystem of the Salish Sea. The Centre is open and welcomes visitors on Friday though Tuesday from 10am-4:30pm. Spend a moment with calming, drifting jellies. Take a peek at invertebrates of all shapes and colours. salishseacentre.org

Fly by Butterfly Gardens See thousands of exotic butterflies (up to 70 species) flying free in their own tropical rainforest environment. Wander through the orchid exhibit or carnivorous plant section. You’ll also see colourful fish and tropical birds. Open daily from 10am-4pm with the last admission into the facility at 3pm. Group bookings are only allowed between 8-10am. butterflygardens.com

Bowl, Ice Skate & Golf City Centre Park in Langford has opened some facilities. There’s Mini-Golf, now open from 9am9pm daily, drop-in ice skating at Westhills Arena, snacks at City Centre Grille and bowling at Langford Lanes. Playzone is temporarily closed. eagleridgecentre.com

Scream for Ice Cream Beacon Hill Drive Inn. Cones, cups, sundaes and avalanches! So many choices—and you can’t go wrong (beacondrivein.ca). Cold Comfort’s Cam Camteen window is open in summer and offers cool treats ranging from scoops of Plain Jane ice cream to Choc o’Clock Sandwiches and dairy-free options (coldcomfort.ca). Parachute Ice Cream is offering “walk-thru” scoop service daily from noon-7pm. Try the strawberry rhubarb sorbet or brown butter brownie (parachuteicecream.com).

Cool Down at Sooke Potholes Sooke Potholes are a series of deep fresh-water pools created by water falling over boulders in the Sooke River. Enjoy the views, explore the trails, camp under the stars or take a refreshing dip on a hot summer day. You can access the potholes at different points. crd.bc.ca

Take a Swing at Golf Mattick’s Farm Mini Golf is open weekends from 11am-5:30 (last tee off time at 4:45). Covid protocols are in place. After golfing, visit Mattick’s Farm Market for an ice cream cone from Adrienne’s Ice Cream. Or grab picnic ingredients from Red Barn Market and cycle the nearby Lochside Trail to a shady spot for a picturesque lunch break. matticksfarm.com

Seek Sun & Surf Sure the water at Gonzales Beach is freezing, but it’s a beautiful sandy beach with south-facing views and sunshine. It’s great for skim boarding and splashing about in the shallow waters. Willows Beach has all the amenities at hand: bathrooms, tea room, playground and sweeping sandy beach.

There’s a grassy park for picnics and trees for shade. Gyro Beach at Cadboro Bay is home of the Cadborosaurus! The ocean is no warmer at this beach, but the stretch of sand and nearby Cadboro-Gyro Park make it a hit with families.

Home of the $60 family pass, two adults, two kids. Tube rental, lifejacket and shuttle included.

IslandParent.ca

June/July 2021 13

Discover the Comox Valley Surrounded by rolling mountains, lush forests and gorgeous beaches—not to mention parks galore!—the Comox Valley is the perfect place for outdoor recreation activities and kicking back. Feel like ziplining through the trees at Mt. Washington? You can. Rather keep your feet on the ground with a trip to a museum, fish hatchery or aquarium? You’ve come to the right place!

Peruse the Courtenay Museum The Courtenay Museum is open Tues-Sat from 10am-4pm. Find out why the Comox Valley, past and present, is one of the most plentiful places on earth. Take a fossil tour and travel 80 million years back in time; browse the galleries to delve into the stories that make our history come alive. courtenaymuseum.ca

See the Sacred Journey Exhibit Campbell River Museum’s Sacred Journey exhibit immerses the audience in the world of Indigenous canoe culture on the Pacific Northwest Coast. The coast-wide tribal canoe journeys are a catalyst for cultural revitalization and a means of community healing and youth empowerment.

Open daily during the summer from 10am-5pm. crmuseum.ca

Wonder About Whales Look up at the Whale Interpretive Centre in Telegraph Cove and you’ll see the 18-metre skeleton of a fin whale hanging from the ceiling. Walk between the jawbones of a blue whale or check out the skull of a sperm whale with giant teeth.

Housed in an old freight shed, the interactive museum’s goal is to increase public awareness

about whales and other local marine mammals and the threats they face. killerwhalecentre.org

Catch a Fish Go fishing from Discovery Pier and see what you catch. Or pack a picnic and sit at one of the tables on the pier for dining al fresco. There’s a concession stand nearby that sells ice cream and rents fishing rods in the summer. campbellriver.travel/attractions/ discovery-pier

Zip-pidy Do Da Take flight with Mt. Washington’s newest adventure, the Eagle’s Flight ZipTour. Enjoy the rush of freedom as you fly down the face of the mountain reaching speeds up to 100 km/ hr. The ZipTour uses outdoor spaces and large indoor spaces for safe operations throughout each point of your tour. Or skip the zip and take a chairlift ride to the summit to see breathtaking mountain and ocean views. Book in advance online. mountwashington.ca

Go Go-Carting The Saratoga Speedway provides family-friendly entertainment and activities. Get a ride in a 14 Island Parent Magazine

IslandParent.ca

monster truck, race a go-cart or watch the action at a Crash to Pass race featuring everything from travel trailers to boats! saratogaracing.ca

Survive the Suspension Bridge Just a 30-minute walk from the parking lot, Elk Falls Suspension Bridge gives a bird’s eye view of the falls cascading 64 metres to the canyon below. The high wire sides mean you can relax and enjoy the view without worrying about any climbing kids. The area is well signed. bcparks.ca/explore/parkpgs/elk_falls

Discover Local Marine Species The Discovery Passage Aquarium features local marine species and habitats. The Aquarium offers education and fun hands-on experiences that are suitable for all ages. With a focus on conservation and education, the Aquarium will re-open this summer with species that are collected in the spring being released in the fall.

Make a Quick Stop at the Quinsam As one of Canada’s largest salmon rearing facilities, the Quinsam River Hatchery plays a vital role in restoring natural spawning runs to the Campbell and Quinsam Rivers during the fall.

Check out the fish floor inside the hatchery’s interpretive centre, a glass floor covering a recreation of the nearby rivers with salmon, trout and other native aquatic species. Check for reopening and hours. pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/sep-pmvs/projects-projets/ quinsam/quinsam-eng.html

Summer FUN at GNS Glenlyon Norfolk School is offering a variety of fun summer camps for students age 4 to 17. Arts, culinary, baking, soccer, field hockey, day camps, kayaking, magic, entrepreneurial camps and more— our summer programs offer something for everyone!

www.mygns.ca/summer-fun IB CONTINUUM CONTINUUM DE L’IB CONTINUO DEL IB

IslandParent.ca

June/July 2021 15

Get to Know Nanaimo & Area Hiking, biking and watching goats graze away the grassy roof in Coombs—Nanaimo and environs has it all.

Follow the Nanaimo Bar Trail, play at Venture Land Playground and Splash Park, look waaaayyy up at Cathedral Grove or bike at Top Bridge. There’s something here for everyone!

Brush Up on Island History Nanaimo District Museum offers two ways to visit the museum this summer: Self-Guided and Bubble Buddies visits. Self-Guided allows you self-paced exploration of the museum. Bubble Buddies lets you explore the museum with an exclusive guide. The Museum Gallery (entry by timed admission only) is open from 10am-4pm.

The Bastion remains closed, and cannon firings are cancelled until further notice. nanaimomuseum.ca

Gander at the Goats Coombs Old Country Market is along Highway 4A, on the way to Port Alberni from Parksville or Nanaimo. Wander the market, unique shops, galleries and studios for gifts, groceries and great food. There’s lots to see. Be sure to look up when you’re outside the market—the goats on the sod roof live there throughout the summer and “mow” the lawn. The Market is open from 9am-7pm. oldcountrymarket.com

Take Your Best Shot at Mini Golf Sink some putts at Paradise Mini Golf and Fun Park (paradisefunpark.net) featuring two worldclass mini-golf courses complete with a mini lighthouse, pirate ship and Victorian mansion. Riptide Lagoon Adventure Golf (riptidelagoon.com) will whisk you away to another land filled with mini mountains, rapids and a research station.

16 Island Parent Magazine

Play in the Park

Try Your Hand at Disc Golf

Lions Venture Land Playground and Splash Park is a landmark in the Parksville Community Park. Kids love the brightly coloured slides and sea creatures, swings, jungle gyms, in-ground trampolines and ever-popular Zipkrooze. Not only that, but there are horseshoe pits, a skate park, kite field, lacrosse box, sports field, ball diamonds, picnic shelter and gazebo.

Bowen Park Disc Golf is free and open to the public every day of the year. The par 54 course starts at a large, introductory sign located across from the main complex building, near Bowen Road.

Course map and score card available online. nanaimo.ca

Zip, Swing & Bungy at Wildplay

Explore the beauty and mysteries of Vancouver Island’s Underworld in a subterranean adventure at Horne Lake Caves. A wide variety of tour options offer many levels of experience for families and adventurous park visitors. Reservations are available for private, single bubble cave tours.

Face masks mandatory. No self-guiding allowed at this time. hornelake.com

At WildPlay Nanaimo, you start with a training session on the ground to get comfortable using the ziplines and continuous belay system. Then you’ll climb up a ladder and start making your way from tree to tree by walking across tightropes, climbing up cargo nets, sliding down ziplines, flying through the air on rope swings and leaping onto swinging logs and balancing on wobbly bridges.

There’s a Kids Course, too. Feeling really brave?

Give bungy jumping and the primal swing a try. wildplay.com/nanaimo

Bike at Top Bridge

Look Waaayyy Up at Cathedral Grove

The Top Bridge Trail in Parksville links Rathtrevor Beach with Top Bridge Mountain Bike Park on the scenic Englishman River. The trail is 5km each way and winds through public and private property, with a number of access points (a local favourite is at Industrial Way and Tuan Road).

Enter from the Chattell Road trailhead and you’ll be at the suspension bridge over the river. The Information Centre at the south end of town will provide directions. rdn.bc.ca/top-bridge-regional-trail

Cathedral Grove-MacMillan Park is a day-use park just past Cameron Lake on Highway 4. View some of the largest and oldest trees on Vancouver Island, including over-800-year-old giants and lush vegetation on the interpretive trail system that winds through the park. Cathedral Grove is approximately 20 minutes from Parksville. bcparks.ca/explore/parkpgs/macmillan

Go Underground at Horne Lake

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Hike to the Falls Stamp River Provincial Park near Port Alberni is over 327 hectares of forests, rivers and waterfalls.

Explore the 2 kms of hiking trails along the river, past fish ladders and crashing waterfalls. Starting in late August, spawning Sockeye salmon begin making their way up the Stamp River. The park is a 20-minute drive from town on Beaver Creek Road.

Pure New Zealand Merino Wool for little adventurers.

Newborn to 12 years.

Made in Canada. weewoollies.com @weewoollies

Spend a Day at the Beach Rathtrevor Beach is a five-kilometre stretch of sandy seaside, perfect for families craving a day at the beach, with water warm enough not only for wading, but for swimming, too! Stick around for the sunsets, often some of the most spectacular on the Island. The nearby BC Parks campground is also a family favourite. bcparks.ca/explore/parkpgs/rathtrevor

Be Wowed by Wildlife North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre (NIWRC) in Coombs is a rehabilitation facility, especially for raptors and black bears. The goal: to care for these animals and eventually reintroduce them into their natural environment. See eagles through one-way glass in the largest flight cage of its kind in Canada. View bears, owls, falcons, hawks, swans and ravens. NIWRA offers activities and educational programs for the whole family.

Open daily 9am–4:30pm. niwra.org

IslandParent.ca

COWICHAN BAY KAYAKING

ADVENTURE CENTRE

OPEN FOR BOOKING!

Canoeing Adventures Youth Programs

Kayak & SUP Rentals

Book online or contact us by email or phone (minimum 24 hrs ahead).

Visit our website for details.

Wildlife Tours

On the Dock at Bluenose Marina, Cowichan Bay

cowichanbaykayaking.com 250-597-3031 info@cowichanbaykayaking.com

June/July 2021 17

Chillin’ in the Cowichan Valley Walk among the totems or take a trip through the past, present and future at one of the local museums or discovery centres. Where else can you attend a meet-and-greet with raptors?! Explore the Cowichan River Footpath while you’re here or float down the river instead on an inner tube! What better way to spend the summer?!

Ahoy! from the Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre Originally an oceanfront boat-building workshop, this gorgeously restored building is now a museum and home to a variety of boats on display, along with the heritage of boat-building just waiting to be discovered. Build your own tiny boat or folding camp stool in the workshop with museum volunteers, or take part in camp activities that include crabbing off the dock, arts and crafts, boat building, water safety and more. classicboats.org

Walk Among the Totems Duncan, aka “The City of Totems,” has over 40 beautifully-carved totems scattered throughout the city, just waiting for you to take a self-guided walking tour. Follow the yellow footprints, or take a virtual tour with an interactive map. Take as long as you want; stop along the way for a drink, treat, lunch or to browse the toy shop. downtownduncan.ca

Change Your View of the World at Hand of Man Step inside this 17,000-square-foot museum of some of the most interesting personal collections in the world. Every bit of wall space is covered with a treasure, artifact, oddity or piece of culture and history. Don’t be surprised if the owner curator Jim Shockey joins you and starts talking about his incredible world-wide adventures over the last 40 years. This museum is a rarity and treasure all to itself. handofmanmuseum.com

All Aboard at the BC Forest Discovery Centre Take a trip through the past, present and future on 100 acres! Forestry and logging take an important place in history and our present-day-lives, 18 Island Parent Magazine

all captured in the Forests Forever interactive exhibit. No visit is complete without a locomotive ride across the spectacular grounds, and over the Somenos Lake trestle. Plan on lunch from the concessions or bring your own picnic. bcforestdiscoverycentre.com

Gear up for Cycling Bring your bikes and ride the trails! Hundreds of kilometres of trails for all levels of ability. Enjoy the lush forests, the vistas, waterfalls and the adrenaline. Camps and clinics for kids 8-14 are available at Next Level Riding (nextlevelriding. ca). Need a bike rental to get started? Check out Cycle Therapy in Duncan to get on a bike and start seeing the sights of Cowichan from a whole new perspective (cycletherapy.ca).

IslandParent.ca

Get Wet on the Cowichan River Dive into the fun of tubing down the Cowichan River with a leisurely but exhilarating floating experience. It’s Vancouver Island’s best kept secret for cooling off in the slow-moving, crystal clear waters of the Cowichan River. Jump in with your own floatie, or give The Tube Shack a call for licensed and insured tube rentals and complimentary shuttle back to Lake Cowichan. cowichanriver.com

Sign up for a

GRAND Digital Subscription

and you could win a selection of children’s books sent to your grandchild every month (3-month subscription) courtesy of Marmalade Books.

Spend the Day at Transfer Beach One of Ladysmith’s gems, Transfer Beach is a seaside park that will keep the little ones entertained for hours. Swimming, spray parks, playgrounds, and sheltered picnic areas—all surrounded by flora and fauna, viewpoints and lookouts. Pick up a game of basketball, horseshoes or sand volleyball then grab a bite and drink at the concessions and food trucks. This beach has it all, and is centrally located right off the Trans Canada highway. ladysmith.ca

Every month they will receive recently published books appropriate to their age. These books have been curated by a trusted children’s bookseller.

Marmalade Books is a monthly book subscription company located in Victoria for children aged 0–12.

Subscribe now at

grandmag.ca

Let Your Spirit Soar with The Raptors The Raptors, 10 minutes north of Duncan, invites you to meet some of the coolest birds in the world during a 2-hour pre-booked session from 1-3pm daily (and an additional session on Saturdays from 10am-noon). Tickets must be purchased in advance online. There will be meet and greets with some of the newly hatched babies and residents, a flying demonstration and a chance to meet the parrots and Gaston the Marabou Stork. pnwraptors.com

Fall in Love with Stocking Creek Falls This gentle waterfall is situated just north of Chemainus in the seaside community of Saltair. Part of the Cowichan Valley Trail, this easy path to the waterfall is full of wildlife, birds, trees, flowers and fresh air. Pick a salmonberry along the way, and count all the owls in the tall trees. Enter Stocking Creek Park from Chemainus Rd. cvrd.bc.ca

IslandParent.ca

June/July 2021 19

Poke Around the Pacific Rim

Surf, whale watch, explore the beach or hike one of the many rainforest trails through Pacific Rim National Park.

Bookended by Ucluelet on one side and Tofino on the other, the area offers a wealth of natural wonders.

Hang 10 in Tofino

at the mini aquarium and help raise awareness about local marine biodiversity and promote respect for the ocean environment. Open every day, including holidays, from 10am-5pm. uclueletaquarium.org

Want to Learn to Surf? You’ve come to the right place. Here are three rental places and surfing schools In Tofino: Surf Sisters, surfsister.com Pacific Surf Co, pacificsurfschool.com Tofino Surf School, tofinosurfschool.ca

Get Out in the Garden The idea of the garden is that it can be both a basic introduction to the natural and cultural history of Clayoquot Sound and a place where the relationship between culture and nature can be explored. A COVID-friendly way to spend a day in Tofino “just to set the heart free.” Now open seven days a week, from dawn to dusk. tofinobotanicalgardens.com

See the Sawmill McLean Mill National Historic Site will be operating under enhanced COVID-19 measures. Open for self-guided tours with maps available outside the administration office. The Mill will also be offering guided tours in limited group sizes. Dates and times to be confirmed. Gift shop and Steam Pot Cafe are open daily, hours to be confirmed.

Campground is open, with online booking available. mcleanmill.ca

Try Out Tuff City Skatepark awed by gigantic nurse-logs, raised root systems, mosses, fungi, lichens and ferns. The trail can be walked in two main sections: Lighthouse Loop and Big Beach. Then leave the coastline to visit the largest trees in the area at Ancient Cedars grove. wildpacifictrail.com

Tuff City Skatepark is a surf-inspired park built and powered by the determination of local resi-

Littles to the Lighthouse Lighthouse Loop, part of the Wild Pacific Trail and 2.6 kms long, can be walked in a 30-45 minute loop using the adjoining He-Tin-Kis Park boardwalk. The trail includes frequent viewpoints and benches for watching whales, birds or catching the sunset. The Bog Interpretive Trail is open, a 300m interpretive loop (within the Loop!). wildpacifictrail.com/lighthouse.html

Learn About Local Marine Life Explore the Trails The stretch of Pacific Rim National Park between Ucluelet and Tofino boasts magnificent beaches and dramatic seascapes (and a few tourists!).

Check in with the Tourist Information Centre at the Ucluelet-Tofino-Port Alberni Junction to find out about trails, beaches, eateries and activities. pc.gc.ca

Get Wild on the WPT The Wild Pacific Trail in Pacific Rim Park. Follow cliff-edges along the extreme outer coast, including the Amphitrite Point Lighthouse site. You’ll view the ocean’s fury from the protection of the trail and from viewing platforms situated at the best headlands along the route. You’ll also be 20 Island Parent Magazine

Visit Ucluelet Aquarium, Canada’s first catch-andrelease aquarium, where you’ll find a diversity of local marine life. The touch tanks will be covered for animal care purposes as soap and disinfectants are harmful to the health of fish and invertebrates. Learn about the local marine ecosystems

dents. The result is a well designed, safe skateboarding area for the young and old, those who are learning or experienced skateboarders. tourismtofino.com/plan-your-trip/businessdirectory/tuff-city-skatepark

Indulge in Gelato Chocolate Tofino offers handmade gelato flavours including Dutch Chocolate, Salted Caramel, White Chocolate Raspberry, Hammerhead—a secret recipe—“Kookville” and Rhino Coffee Toffee, to name a few. With a menu that’s “sometimes seasonal, sometimes as we please,” you never know what you’ll find. chocolatetofino.com

IslandParent.ca

Explore the Gulf Islands

Want to see wildlife? You’ve come to the right place. You’ll find black-tailed deer, seals, whales, song birds, sea birds, sea lions and porpoises. Biking, hiking and kayaking are some of the best ways to explore the islands. So choose your mode of transport—be that on your feet or seat—and get going! the seashore. Crushed by storms and bleached by the sun, the shells have created beautiful white beaches, perfect for exploring. bcparks.ca/explore/parkpgs/montague

Play in Paradise Visit Big Tribune Bay on Hornby Island, dubbed “Hawaii of the North” for its crystal-clear blue waters and sweeping sandy beach. With lots of tidal pools to explore at low tide, this Hornby favourite provides a day’s worth of to-dos so pack a picnic and beach toys and kick off your shoes. bcparks.ca/explore/parkpgs/tribune

Meet You at the Market Salt Spring Saturday Market on the waterfront in Ganges is famous for a reason: there’s lots to see and do. 140+ stallholders sell what they make, bake or grow on the island between April and October from 9am-4pm. saltspringmarket.com/salt-spring-island-markets/saturday-market

See the Seashells at the Seashore Montague Harbour was declared the province’s first marine park in 1959 and the area has been home to Coast Salish people for over 3,800 years.

You’ll fiind middens made of discarded clam, oyster and abalone shells on

Ultimate Frisbee Summer Camps

elevateultimate.com Get $20 Off with islandfrisbee20 At Elevate Ultimate we got frisbee, fun, and occasionally, flying. If you’re seeking a summer camp that’s out of the ordinary, Elevate is where it’s at. We offer ultimate frisbee and disc golf camps for kids aged 6–19. Loved by 1,000+ parents for our high-energy coaches, we ensure the safest (but most memorable!) experience.

Email: victoria@elevateultimate.com

IslandParent.ca

June/July 2021 21

Surviving–and Thriving–this Summer

Healthy Families, Happy Families

Child, Youth & Family Public Health South Island Health Units

Esquimalt Gulf Islands

250-519-5311 250-539-3099

Peninsula Saanich Saltspring Island Sooke Victoria West Shore

250-544-2400 250-519-5100 250-538-4880 250-519-3487 250-388-2200 250-519-3490

D

on’t just survive the summer, thrive!

Follow these steps and get ready for a summer full of memories, laughter, relaxing and a happier family.

Are you ready for Summer?

I’m ready for summer. I’m ready for hot days, sprinkler fun, lazy mornings, and no schedule. But after what we’ve all gone through this past year, I find we all get a little antsy and tired of trying to

We eat breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.

I need my coffee to feel like my day has started.

Even the kids need it. We all need it.

No, no, not coffee…routine. It’s still good and I think we crave it, though our routine during the summer looks entirely different from the rest of the year. You see, instead of a daily routine, we tend to keep a weekly routine and I encourage you to do the same and here’s why—you’ll

(toll-free number for office in Saanichton)

Central Island Health Units

Duncan Ladysmith Lake Cowichan Nanaimo Nanaimo Princess Royal Parksville/Qualicum Port Alberni Tofino

250-709-3050 250-755-3342 250-749-6878 250-755-3342 250-739-5845 250-947-8242 250-731-1315 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

islandhealth.ca/our-locations/ health-unit-locations Changes with BC Medical Services Plan premiums mean that families eligible for partial payment of some medical services and access to some income-based programs now must apply for Supplementary Benefits through the Government of BC. Applications can be done online and take approximately 15 minutes.

Families who previously qualified for MSP Premium Assistance should not need to re-apply if taxes are completed yearly. It is advised to confirm coverage before proceeding with treatment to avoid paying out of pocket.

For more information, visit gov.bc.ca/gov/ content/health/health-drug-coverage/msp/ bc-residents/benefits/services-covered-bymsp/supplementary-benefits

22 Island Parent Magazine

come up with something great to do with our time. Then comes the dreaded summertime phrase: “Mom, I’m bored.” And just like that it seems like we’re all going a bit nuts.

get the best of both worlds. It will feel like you’re all relaxed and taking life as it comes, but you’ll still have some predictability that allows you to keep your sanity.

summer days is to keep a routine…yes, a routine. But, isn’t summer supposed to be a break from the schedule? Yes it is, but I would argue that we are designed for routine. Look around. There is a routine to everything. The sun rises; the sun sets.

STEP 1. Take a few minutes to figure out what your goals are for summer. Do you want to explore new places in your area? Read those books that are piling up? Paint the bedroom? Teach your child to ride a bike? Go to the lake?

With a little (and I mean little) So what’s the secret to thriving planning, you’ll be able to eninstead of merely surviving? joy the summer with these four The way to get the most out of our steps:

IslandParent.ca

Make a list and talk with your kids too, they often will have expectations of their own and you may be surprised to hear some of their ideas.

STEP 2. Choose one or two special things to do each week and balance it out with the things you need to accomplish. Take that bike path. Go to the beach you’ve heard is fantastic. Take a picnic to the kids’ favourite park. But don’t try to tackle the whole list in the first two weeks. You’ll be exhausted! Space it out so you’ll continually have things to look forward to.

STEP 3. Create a schedule that includes your goals and special things along with planned down time and jobs. Don’t forget the down time. Whether your kids take naps or you all need to sit down and read a good book in the afternoon, everyone needs a little peace and quiet. Make a weekly schedule and put it up on the wall so everyone can read it and know what to look forward to as well as see the work that needs to be done too.

STEP 4. I may step on a few toes here, but I’m just going to say it. Turn off the TV. And the computer. And your phones.

Spend time building memories together. Summer is for getting outside. It’s for playing in the sprinklers and climbing trees. It’s for exploring and adventuring.

A few years ago we implemented what we call “screen time boxes.” Each kid gets six boxes for the week and each box is good for 20 minutes of screen time.

They get to use them when they want (as long as it fits with the family schedule and they have their jobs done for the day), but when the boxes are used up, they don’t get more until the next week. It helps the kids have ownership over their time and

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helps us feel like they don’t become zombies who have vegged out on too much media entertainment. Our kids used all their “screen time boxes” on the first day in a matter of hours. So be prepared for a learning curve. It will all be worth it.

During the summer, the kids rarely use their boxes. Why? We are doing all the things we wanted to do and planned on doing as a family. We’re out making memories. Together.

So with this little bit of planning, we keep to a schedule for the summer. And no, I’m not militant about it.

We still go on vacation and deviate from the routine.

I mean, after all this is SUMMER. Often we will switch our days around or change the week completely, but the point is, we have a rhythm to our days and weeks. It keeps us from getting bored or from getting to the end of the summer feeling like we didn’t do the things we really wanted to. We keep our sanity. But more than that…we THRIVE. You’ll find that with a little preparation, you can thrive this summer too and create life-long memories with your family.

Gretta Kennedy a writer, speaker and co-owner of Traveling Islanders, the #1 travel blog on Vancouver Island. She loves being a West Coaster and has a passion to inspire her readers from all over the world to enjoy travel and new experiences as much as she does. Read more of her family’s adventures at travelingislanders.com.

June/July 2021 23

JUNE/JULYFAMILYCALENDAR V P W

For more information and calendar updates throughout the month visit IslandParent.ca

JUNE

Victoria & Area Peninsula Westshore

CV Cowichan Valley N Nanaimo & Area CX Comox Valley

PR Pacific Rim G Gulf Islands O Online

20 SUNDAY

What’s on the menu? Food webs are complex and connect all living things in an ecosystem. Explore AGGV Family Sunday V the links in one chain of the Salish Sea food WEDNESDAY Art Gallery of Greater Victoria web—the orca food chain. Learn through creating RBCM@Home (Kids) Museum O An afternoon of exploring hands-on art-making a craft with the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea. Field Trip: Behind the Scenes Part 2 and ideas for all ages. This recurring program Noon-12:30pm, Online often features special guests like storytellers, WEDNESDAY The first Wednesday of the month RBCM @ Home artists, performers or musicians.

(Kids) takes you on a field trip of sorts to a new RBCM@Home: Orca Speak O part of the Royal BC Museum. You’ll see back hall11-11:30am, Online MONDAY TO JULY ways and secret doors, as well as familiar animals Join Bridget Penner, youth learning facilitator at and old town dioramas. This month, RBCM will be Indigenous People’s Day O the Royal BC Museum, as she explores how orcas going behind the scenes. Wherever the tour ends Virtual Maker Workshop vocalize and what it can tell us about how they up, you’ll sketch that area. So get your curiosity, Join artist Violet Elliott/SNU’MEETHIA from June live and interact with each other. some paper and a pencil ready.

21, Indigenous People’s Day until July 21 for a royalbcmuseum.bc.ca royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/rbcmhome-kids

2

30

21

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3 THURSDAY RBCM@Outdoors: Orcas

O

Noon-12:30pm, Online Join host Liz Crocker and author Mark LeirenYoung (Orcas of the Salish Sea), for an outside conversation about orcas. Register in advance at zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_hZIXuutEQlm1r_ q1qlxrLw. royalbcmuseum.bc.ca

9 WEDNESDAY RBCM@Home: Class Act

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11-11:30am, Online When you notice a problem, what actions can you take to start making things better? Join the Grade 2 class at Discovery Elementary School in Shawnigan Lake as they explain their process, what they’ve learned, and what you can do to help. royalbcmuseum.bc.ca

16 WEDNESDAY

virtual family-friendly weaving workshop. A limited number of traditional cedar kits are available RBCM@Home: Orca Art O with materials needed for this workshop. One kit 11-11:30am, Online per household/family. Preregister.

Have some fun experimenting with watercolour virl.bc.ca resist while learning to draw an Orca. This session will be led by arts educator Jeri Engen from WEDNESDAY Kudzu Studio. royalbcmuseum.bc.ca RBCM@Home: Orca Dining with O

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the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea 11-11:30am, Online

24 Island Parent Magazine

JULY

1 THURSDAY Virtual Canada Day Celebration

O

Though no in-person Canada Day celebrations are planned this year, you can still celebrate the nation’s birthday at the 2021 Virtual Canada Day Celebration. canadadayvictoria.ca IslandParent.ca

ONGOING VIRL’s Storybook Walk

N

Bowen Drive Park, Ladysmith Daily (until July 31) Storybook Walk gives kids the chance to explore the pages of a picture book mounted to storyboard signs along a trail. Each storyboard sign includes interactive questions relative to the story or environment and give readers an opportunity to partake in fun, physical literacy activities. virl.bc.ca/event/storybook-walk

CVRD’s Stay at Home Adventure Calendar

O

Online For a month’s worth of activities that families can do at home, check out Cowichan Valley Regional District’s Adventure calendar. You’ll find everything from craft activities, games and science experiments, to scavenger hunts, cooperative activities and letter writing challenges. cvrd.ca/2049/Parks-Recreation

HCP’s Outdoor Fairy Gardens

O

Inspire a life long love affair with horses and ponies!

Unicorn Club is the start of something magical!

This amazing program runs year round, two days per week.

Registration now open!

unicornclubkids.ca | oaklandsunicornclub@gmail.com

Science & Nature summer camps

Horticulture Centre of the Pacific, Online Using a selection of winter hardy plants, participants will create an outdoor fairy garden for your deck, your balcony or garden. These will provide a fun reason to move your child’s play out of doors this season and makes a great check on your garden during the winter and spring.

Open a Door to a Brighter Future

July-Aug 2021 Summer Camps!

Campers will explore the life of pollinators, shoreline plants, inter-tidal species and coastal birds, practice their discovery skills, expression of gratitude, and respect for self and others through play!

We are excited to offer week-long camps in July and August as well as one day camps on August 3th, 4th and 5th. We incorporate COVID-19 advisories into our programming and daily routines to ensure a safe and fun experience for all campers!

Five day Summer camp $240 Register at: www.cowichanestuary.ca or email: camps@cowichanestuary.ca

P

Pier Hotel, Sidney Get creative and join ArtSea in brightening up the community with your beautiful heART work.

Hearts are available at no charge—pick up a heart, get creative, and return your heart to the bin at the Pier Hotel in Sidney; it will be added to the community display! If your medium is wood, glass, metal, fabric or other, you can create a 5" heart in your medium to be included in the display. artsea.ca

IslandParent.ca

Registration is Open!

O

Until June 13 Habitat for Humanity, Online Now’s your chance to own an original artwork and help Habitat for Humanity Victoria to open a door for families in need of a safe, decent and affordable place to call home. Local artists have been invited to imagine a brighter future for us all. habitatvictoria.com

The ArtSea Festival of Hearts

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

We are open for summer camps and family cabin rentals!

June/July 2021 25

DA D S PE A K

Bucket Time

R

ecently, I’ve been thinking a lot about “bucket time.”

Don’t worry, I’m not feeling morbid. I don’t mean “kick the bucket” time…although the global pandemic has cast the long shadow of mortality across all our thoughts.

And I don’t mean time to a make “bucket list,” even though travel restrictions and limited gatherings have inspired future fantasies of post-pandemic summer trips and try-it-once activities while we still have our health and a less-than-empty nest.

No, by bucket time I mean something familiar to parents of kids who play baseball or softball. I’m sure there’s an equivalent for Hockey Moms or Dance Dads, for families of children with a passion for marimba or mountain-biking, lacrosse or Lego robotics. It’s that extra time we spend with our kids to support their hobbies, outside of scheduled practices, performances or games.

For baseball and softball parents, it means hours with our butts on a bucket—ideally one with a padded lid—tossing balls for young players to bat into a net or a fence, or catching their pitches in a driveway or diamond.

To be honest, bucket time isn’t that exciting for either party. The extra reps hone new skills but can’t match the thrill of an actual game. And playing catch with a parent isn’t as fun as trading gossip during warm-up with a teammate.

Despite its monotony, bucket time is a chance for parents and kids to reconnect, to chat about the day, to gauge each other’s emotional equilibrium, or just be in the moment together. (Try catching a fastball while checking your iPhone—it’s a mistake you’ll only make once.)

The relentless tides of the COVID crisis have made bucket-time activities feel even more vital. With team

practices and games curtailed or cancelled, tossing—or kicking or volleying or racqueting—a ball with mom or dad has become a lifeline to the physical health, emotional growth and mental focus that sports can provide.

Over the last year, I’ve valued these hours on the bucket, even if my aching back hasn’t, because I know they’re coming to an end. Our daughter plays softball at a higher level than I can coach, but she’s still happy to share a little bucket time between real practices. Our high-school-age son is easing out of baseball as he focuses on summer jobs and school work and other interests.

But when his spring team needed a coach, I came out of retirement for what might be his last season—and mine.

Bucket time, I’ve discovered, is about storing away memories we don’t yet realize are important. These aren’t the highlight-reel moments or bloopers preserved on Facebook and retold around the dinner table. They’re not about our kids’ big joys (like winning the city championships) or teary-eyed lows (like losing a heartbreaker at Provincials) or even oddities (like really, really needing to go to the bathroom in the middle of a clutch atbat).

Bucket-time memories are not the pristine foul ball your daughter caught at a HarbourCats game or the autographed major-league souvenir your son keeps on his dresser. No, they’re like the weathered practice balls at the bottom of a bucket stored between seasons in a musty corner of the garage.

You can still reach in, though, and feel the familiar scuffed leather and fraying seams. The broken-in ball sits perfectly in your hand. And as you toss it one more time to your kid, now no longer a kid, it all comes back. Not just a single moment but a deep-seated muscle memory of the hours, the days, the seasons you spent together.

That’s the time we fill our buckets with. May they never be empty.

David Leach is a professor in UVic’s Department of Writing and head coach of the U15A Carnarvon Cubs.

26 Island Parent Magazine

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June/July 2021 27

W H AT’ SF O R D I N N E R

Enjoying the Fruits of Summer

S

ummer is ripe with sunshine, trips to the beach and fresh fruit. While peaches are now available year-round, they just don't taste as good as those picked ripe from the Okanagan. California strawberries aren’t as delicious as those grown in Saanich. And frozen blackberries aren’t nearly as sweet as those you picked yourself.

Here are three simple and delicious recipes to celebrate the fresh fruits of summer: ripe and flavourful berries, peaches and nectarines.

Berry Almond Salad (Total time: 15 minutes) This fresh and savoury salad is a quick and delicious side dish or serve it with a slice of bread for a light meal. Feel free to use a mix of whatever berries you happen to have. It’s delicious with blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or sliced strawberries.

Unlike many restaurant or store-bought berry salads, this salad doesn’t contain any added sugar. Ripe berries provide plenty of sweetness, however, feel free to add 1 tsp of sugar to the dressing if you want sweeter salad.

Salad Dressing: 1⁄2 cup olive oil 1⁄4 cup of fresh berries 3 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar 2 tsp Dijon mustard A pinch of salt, to taste Salad: 1⁄3 cup of slivered almonds 1 red pepper 1 large carrot 1⁄2 cup of fresh berries 1 head of lettuce 1⁄2 cup of feta cheese Place all of the salad dressing ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth and emulsified, then pour the dressing into the bottom of your salad bowl.

Lightly toast the slivered almonds in a dry frying pan. Remove from the heat as soon as they are starting to brown.

Finely dice the red pepper and grate the carrot. Add the pepper, carrot and berries to the salad dressing. Toss to combine.

Wash and dry the lettuce. Rip the leaves into bite-sized pieces.

When you’re ready to serve the salad, toss the lettuce into the dressing, then top the salad with the slivered almonds and crumbled feta.

28 Island Parent Magazine

Barbecued Nectarine Pizza (Prep time: 15 minutes, Cook time: 10 minutes) Want to try barbecuing something other than the usual hot dogs and hamburgers? This unique barbecued pizza is absolutely delicious. Nectarines are firm enough to stand up to the heat without getting soggy, and they’re sweet enough to caramelize. I love the added flavour and sweetness of red onions, but if your kids aren’t as keen, feel free to skip them.

Toppings for a Single 10-Inch Pizza 1 nectarine 1⁄2 small red onion 1⁄2 cup grated mozzarella cheese 2 tbsp of grated Parmesan cheese Fresh basil Barbecued Pizza 1 ball of pizza dough (store-bought or homemade) 1⁄4 cup olive oil Prepare the pizza toppings while your barbecue heats up. Thinly slice the nectarine and the red onion.

Divide the pizza dough, so that you have enough dough for a few 10inch pizzas. Larger pizzas are harder to work with on the barbecue.

Roll out the dough. Brush one side with olive oil, the place the pizza dough on the gill with the olive oil side down. This is easier if you have a grilling tray but as long as your dough is firm, you should be able to place it directly on the barbecue grill.

Close the lid and let the dough cook for 2 minutes.

Check the crust, it should have some grill marks on it, but you don't want it to be crisp.

Brush the top of the crust with olive oil, then flip it over (so the freshly oiled side is down).

Quickly brush the cooked side of the pizza crust with more olive oil.

Sprinkle on the mozzarella then add the nectarine and onion slices. Top with the Parmesan cheese.

Close the lid again and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Check a few times to make sure that the pizza isn’t burning.

Remove from the barbecue and sprinkle with the fresh basil. Allow the pizza to cool for a few minutes before serving.

IslandParent.ca

JUNIOR GOLF CAMPS

Peach & Banana Creamsicles (Total Time: 15 minutes) I love ripe peaches. I also love naturally fruit sweetened treats! These banana and peach creamsicles are a healthy and delicious alternative to freezes and store-bought popsicles.

Feel free to replace the peach with 1⁄2 cup of berries for a berry creamsicle instead.

Summer Break Camps: July 5 through Sept 3 One-week camps are $255 and run from 9am–12pm daily, Monday to Friday

HighlandPacificGolf.com | 250.478.4653

1 peach 1 ripe banana 1⁄2 cup of whipping cream 1⁄4 tsp vanilla extract Slice the peach in half and remove the pit.

Place the peach in the blender with the banana. Pulse a few times to chop up the fruit.

Add the whipping cream and vanilla extract. Blend until smoothly pureed. Continue to pulse until the cream has started to whip and thicken. The extra air in the whipped cream will make the popsicle easier to eat.

However, avoid whipping it too much or it will be hard to pour into the popsicle maker.

Fill your popsicle maker and freeze until set, about 4 hours.

Summer Music Camp JULY 26 – 30 9:00AM – 3:30PM Ages 11 to 17 $420 Contact:

Emillie Parrish writes from Victoria and Saturna Island. She is the author of the Pacific Northwest lifestyle blog BerriesAndBarnacles.com.

IslandParent.ca

externalprograms@smus.ca

Our newly designed Music Camp offers: • Professional musicians and educators • Masterclasses in Strings, Woodwinds, Brass and Rhythm • Electives and workshops to introduce a variety of musical topics for both jazz and classical players • Combos & Ensembles

Register today at smus.ca/summercamps June/July 2021 29

K I DS ’ R E A DS

Summer Fun

(Even if we have to stay close to home again)

W

e are in our second pandemic summer, and, just like last year, no one really knows which activities will be up and running and which ones will be cancelled at the last moment due to the ever-changing health regulations. There are many reasons to be hopeful; this year many British Columbians have received their first dose of a vaccine, and some have even received their second. But, just in case we are stuck close to home again, I have curated a list of books that will

searcher, albeit, behind a desk working with data that her male colleagues sent back. From here, she created a map that changed the way we understand the earth.

The images in this book are rich and evocative and will draw you into the world as Tharp saw it, a world of lines and waves, of underwater mountains and valleys, a world that was always moving. The back of the book describes the tools used to create the map. Who knows, maybe your child

ocean, Dindim doesn’t want to leave João. This story, which is based on the true story of friendship between João and Dindim, highlights the importance of paying attention to our surroundings and taking care of the environment so we don’t hurt the creatures around us. For ages 4 to 7.

help us travel without leaving our own homes and ones that will show us some different activities to try.

will end up wanting to create their own map once they are done. For ages 4 to 7.

The first book in this list is Ocean Speaks: Marie Tharp and the Map that Moved the Earth by Jess Keating and illustrated by Katie Hickey (Tundra, 2020). Marie Tharp always wanted to be a scientist, but as a woman in the mid-1900s, she was advised to find a more “appropriate” job. But Tharp wouldn’t be dissuaded and she eventually got a job as an ocean re-

The next book draws us out of the water to a beach where a dying penguin is lying on some rocks. The Old Man and the Penguin by Julie Abery and illustrated by Pierre Pratt (Kids Can Press, 2020) is a beautiful poem about João who finds this penguin and nurses the newly-named Dindim back to health. But, when the time comes for the penguin to go back home to the

friendship and listening to the music of the world around us. Natsumi loves cicadas, she likes finding them in trees, she likes the way they feel on her arms, and she loves the songs they sing. But when her American cousin comes to visit, Natsumi is worried that Jill won’t feel the same way she does and so she tries to ignore her favourite bugs. For ages 4 to 7.

30 Island Parent Magazine

Natsumi’s Song of Summer by Robert Paul Weston and illustrated

by Misa Saburi (Tundra, 2020) takes place in Japan. It is a story about

If you are looking for some activities to try Birds by Pamela Hickman and illustrated by Carolyn Gavin (Kids IslandParent.ca

Can Press, 2020) can help. This book is designed to help beginner birdwatchers get started. The beautifully painted images will help your child recognize different wing types, beak shapes, and bird homes. The book also contains directions on building birdfeeders for some easy bird-watching,

and a list of the things your child will need to spot and record all of the birds they see. For ages 9 to 12.

Another book of activities for you and your child to try is Gardening with Emma: Grow and Have Fun by Emma Biggs with help from her father Steven Biggs and illustrated by Rob Hodgson (Storey Publishing, 2019).

This vibrant book is “a kid-to-kid guide” about growing vegetables in a large garden or small pot.

Throughout the book, Emma gives helpful tips about how she gets her own garden to grow, how she gets rid of the bad bugs, and how to encourage the good bugs to live in your garden.

She also lists a few different types of gardens, such as an alphabet garden, rainbow garden, giant garden, and sound garden. For ages 9 to 12.

No matter what the summer holds for you and your family, I hope these books help get your imaginations soaring with the birds and swimming in the depths of the ocean.

Christina Van Starkenburg lives in Victoria with her husband, children and cat. She is the author of One Tiny Turtle: A Story You Can Colour and many articles. To read more of her work and learn about her upcoming books visit christinavanstarkenburg.com. Facebook: facebook.com/christinavanstarkenburg and Twitter: @Christina_VanS.

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June/July 2021 31

M O M ’ S P OV

Making Peace with the ‘Season’

R

ecently an anonymous poster in a mom’s group spoke of feeling lost in motherhood and craving something outside of the domestic realm through which to find and express herself. The acute need behind her words resonated with me.

I think that many parents, and especially moms, experience a kind of disconnect from themselves amidst the

enthood when my step-kids lived with us for four years.

However, they were older (9 and 10) and independent in many things so I still had space and time to pursue my selffulfilling passions of music and writing.

Currently, I’m lucky if I get 15 minutes to myself to play the piano, never mind compose anything. Writing happens in fits and starts, ideas jotted down on scraps of paper and

daily trials and tribulations of parenting. The challenges of the past year have undoubtedly amplified that feeling for countless people, and I’ve heard and read more than one person drearily anticipating “another COVID summer with the kids.”

I wonder how many of us stare into the mirror in the mornings and wonder: Who is this frazzled, exhausted person?

When my husband and I decided to have a child, we knew our lives would change. I experienced quasi-par-

promptly forgotten about, pushed to the farthest, most cobwebby corners of my too-full brain for someday when I have more time and energy. Someday, someday…

The expected shifts brought with my son’s arrival coincided with other, unexpected, transitions and challenges for our family. Even when I occasionally had time, I was too burned out to do anything with it besides veg out in front of Netflix.

I’ve definitely experienced many morning Mirror Moments, studying my expanding network of grey hairs and

32 Island Parent Magazine

IslandParent.ca

my tired eyes, wondering: Where did the person go who had all these dreams and goals, who got so much satisfaction out of creating and sharing? Where is she? And who on Earth is this?

Eventually, as it does, life settled into a more predictable routine. There was more breathing room and I started finding my way back to my artistic self. When my son turned four he attended an outdoor preschool. I used this time for “me” and really began to hit my creative stride again. My first journal entry of 2020 was full of artistic and personal goals that I was excited to strive toward.

And then along came COVID. We opted for distance learning for kindergarten, since we have immunocompromised family members. Homeschool, unexpected though it was, has been a good fit for us, and my son has thrived so much that we’ve decided to keep him enrolled in this option. I’m grateful for our privilege in being able to do it (and the lucky fact that I was a teacher in my previous career!).

However, it also means that the “me” time I was temporarily gifted is gone, at least for a few years until my son becomes more independent with his learning (and can be left to his own devices for more than a few minutes without fear of household disasters and traumatized pets).

But you know what? I’m OK with this.

Every season has different priorities, as well as lessons and opportunities for growth. Possibly due to the roller coaster we went through over the past five-and-a-half years, I’m learning to accept that now is not forever.

When I look in the mirror, even though I don’t immediately see her, I know that Creative Me is still in there, observing, processing, storing, and dreaming. But it’s not her time right now. At the forefront of my reflection is Mama, a strong, resourceful, empathetic, calm (usually) presence who is showing up for her son and family in the best way she can, in this here and now.

I do let Creative Me out to play every now and then. I join my son in journaling each morning, I’m learning violin alongside him, we make up silly songs together in the car, and I do different voices for every single character in my nightly read-aloud of Harry Potter. This is how she manifests right now, and I’m content with that. What I produce has changed, but it’s still an outlet.

There will inevitably come another time when our lives are different, when there are plenty of hours to spend lost in creative flow because my son is off playing with friends, or working, or going to university (gulp) in a post-COVID world. Perhaps I will look back on this season of intensely shared time and space and I will miss it. So I’m soaking it in. This COVID-summer is going to be amazing.

Kelly McQuillan is a writer, musician, teacher and fledgling mother living in Comox, BC. Writer: kellymcquillanwriter.weebly.com; Music Teacher: kellymcquillan.com.

Beginner SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING August Summer Camps Ages 6-11 9am—12:30 pm Choice of: 5 day camp: weeks of Aug 9, 16 or 23rd ($139) 4 day camp: week of Aug 30th ($119) Saanich Commonwealth Place

Register at: victoriasynchro.com IslandParent.ca

June/July 2021 33

So Much to See this Summer at RBCM A

s COVID-19 vaccinations ramp up and case counts continue to fall, the Royal BC Museum is welcoming visitors with a wealth of summertime offerings: Orcas: Our Shared Future, on now through January 9, 2022, offers a deep dive into the stories and science that surround the magnificent orca, spirit of BC’s wild coast and apex predator of all oceans. Visitors will discover the complex social structure of orca society; learn which orca populations are thriving and which are at risk; and surface with a new understanding of how orcas and humans are inextricably connected.

The museum has reduced visitor capacity and implemented timed ticketing to facilitate physical distancing in our galleries, so please book your entry time on the website well before you arrive at the museum, as tickets have been selling out in advance and your preferred entry time may not be able at the box office. Full details about the museum’s COVID-19 response are available at royalbcmuseum. bc.ca.

34 Island Parent Magazine

Collaborating for Conservation, the museum’s current pocket gallery on the museum’s ground floor, runs until August 11. The display highlights the Royal BC Museum’s role in documenting BC’s natural heritage through the collection of biological specimens in BC Parks. It also highlights the roles played by our universities collecting digital observations and park visitors contributing submissions to the iNaturalist app. There’s no charge to visit.

Peering into the Past : Celebrating Canada’s Oldest Chinatown, a pop-up exhibit in Victoria’s Fan Tan Alley, offers a glimpse into local history. It features an indepth look at a Chinese Freemasons’ lantern, handmade in Victoria’s Chinatown by a master craftsman, and a striking historical black and white photograph from the BC Archives, depicting children in Victoria’s Chinatown celebrating Chinese New Year in 1900. The pop-up exhibit, also free to enter, runs until March 2022.

Missed RBCM’s previous feature exhibition, Emily Carr: Fresh Seeing—French Modernism and the West Coast?

Don’t worry, you can still visit the exhibition through the

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BUS I N E SS E S YO U N E E DTO KN OW These local businesses are family-focused and committed to our community and helping you.

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museum’s virtual tour. Learn how the Canadian icon of arts and letters charted new ground as a modernist painter in France before turning her attention to BC’s wild West Coast. You’ll learn how time spent at her canvas and encounters with international artists in France changed her forever.

Also available online, from the creators of Fake Ghost Tours, it’s Orcas: Wolves of the Sea “Lecture”—an extremely unscientific, tongue-in-cheek tour of the museum’s latest feature exhibition, by “world-renowned” and “totally qualified” zoologist Dr. Brad Gooseberry. Disclaimer: Dr. Gooseberry does not have a doctorate and is neither worldrenowned nor qualified… but he is a great comedian! Two dates available for this online event: June 25 and 26.

And remember: you can eat, drink and practice physical distancing with the Royal BC Museum’s year-round food truck festival. Put your hunger in park and visit the museum’s back courtyard to enjoy a selection of Victoria’s favourite food trucks, including DeadBeetz, Puerto Vallarta Amigos, The Love Perogy and Yummy Truck.

To see more great offerings at the museum, visit royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/visit/ calendar for virtual experiences, enhanced collections and behind-the-scenes access.

IslandParent.ca

June/July 2021 35

PRESCHOOL&CHILDCAREDIRECTORY v Comprehensive programs for Preschool through Grade 11 v Delivering academic excellence through music, dance, drama and visual arts v Outstanding educators, locations and facilities

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Christ Church Cathedral Childcare & Jr. Kindergarten..................250-383-5132 ECE and specialist teachers provide an outstanding all day licensed program for 2.5–5 year olds at our Fairfield and Gordon Head locations. cathedralschool.ca

Nightingale Preschool & 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

Photo: Annilee Jane

Educational Excellence to the Glory of God

Sir James Douglas Preschool.............................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. sjdoutofschoolclub.com

Cloverdale Child Care............250-995-1766 Come join us in our preschool programs for fun and learning. Classes 9:30 to 1:30, we offer 3 and 4 year old classes and a Mon to Fri multiage preschool class. Flexible schedule available. Located at Quadra and Cloverdale streets. cloverdalechildcare@shawbiz.ca

Ready Set Grow Preschool.....250-472-1530 Join our learning through play preschool located in Hillcrest Elem. Our caring ECEs offer an enriched Program for 3-4 hour, 2-5 days a week and help with kindergarten transition. heoscmanager@gmail.com

Victoria Montessori.............. 250-380-0534 Unique, innovative learning environment combining the best of Montessori and Learning Through Play. Open year round.

30mths–K. victoriamontessori.com

Island Kids Academy Esquimalt..............................250-381-2929 High quality child care (ages 1-5). Enriched Curriculum. Includes Music Classes and Character Development using the Virtues Project. Wait list being taken. Islandkids.ca

St. Margaret’s School Jr. Kindergarten

Pre-School Junior Kindergarten PacificChristian.ca 250-479-4532

Apply now for our Early Learning (JK and Kindergarten) Programs. Early learning at SMS is a curriculum-based program for 3 and 4 year olds.

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722 Johnson St,Victoria,BC

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We implement a play-based curriculum where our trained professionals develop and adapt individual programs by observing and listening to your child.

Call your local CCRR for free referrals and resources.

Victoria & Gulf Islands: 250-382-7000 or 1-800-750-1868 Sooke: 250-642-5152 West Shore: 250-940-4882 Cowichan Valley: 250-746-4135 local 231 PacificCare (Ladysmith north): 250-756-2022 or 1-888-480-2273

36 Island Parent Magazine

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Victoria & Area

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Island Montessori House....... 250-592-4411 Inclusive, integrated and nurturing Preschool and Before/After School Care programs.

Lovely rural setting with a focus on nature and outdoor environmental activities. islandmontessori.com

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.

Sidney Preschool We are a licensed co-operative preschool with a philosophy of learning through play!

Four hour program, four days per week, for children ages 2.5-5 years. Celebrating 49 years! sidneypreschoolteacher@gmail.com, sidneypreschool.com

Sunrise Waldorf School Preschool...............................250-743-7253 In a warm environment, this nature and play-based program enlivens and nurtures the growing child. sunrisewaldorfschool.org Photo: Chelsea Rumsby

• Licensed programs, for children 3–5 years • Flexible part-time schedules • Supported spaces available • 3 and 4 hour morning classes Encouraging your child’s development and learning through play and exploration

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Island Kids Academy View Royal........................... 250-727-2929 High quality child care (ages 1-5). Enriched Curriculum. Includes Music Classes and Character Development using the Virtues Project. Wait list being taken. Islandkids.ca Photo: Chelsea Rumsby

Little Star Children’s Centre...........250-752-4554 Little Gems Infant & Toddler Care..250-228-5437 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

Nestled on 4 acres of lush west coast forest, our Award winning, Nature based program will not disappoint!

While firmly embracing the Reggio-Emila (Italy) Philosophy our dedicated team of educators use the environment as the third teacher as we encourage your child throughout their day.

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Waitlist: 250-590-3603 Programs for Infants/Toddlers/Pre-school Age. BC Award of Excellence in Childcare & Prime Minister’s Award of Excellence in Early Childhood Education.

IslandParent.ca

June/July 2021 37

CUTITOUT!

Your Inner Expert

T

here is no end to the things we can worry about as parents, along with no end of advice from the experts out there. What can experts teach you? They can help you understand how "normal" children behave so that your expectations are in check. They can help you figure out negative patterns that, once seen, can be avoided. Of course, every relationship can use better communication skills.

Yet, the more wisdom we borrow from others, the less we rely on ourselves.

When we focus on the "how-to" and information from the outside, we lose touch with our ability to solve our own problems. Accessing what we already know and thinking things through objectively requires a certain amount of insight. This has to come from you. Only you know what sets you off. Only you know when you feel triggered.

When emotions take over, it is hard to be objective, and our feelings seem bigger than the situation calls for. Strong emotions call on the most immature part of ourselves, which acts on impulse. Too much emotion usually shows up as anger, over-control or excessive worry and anxiety. We pass these emotions back and forth to other family members like an electric current.

The last thing our kids need is to be the victim of our anxiety. They respond to this over-concern with increasing self-consciousness. This can look like increased neediness or agitation. Then, we give even more support or correction, and now we have a child who cannot manage their own worries and becomes more impulsive. Now we see symptoms of a problem in the child and call in, yet again, another expert.

So, let this expert tell you a thing or two. Quite often, what we think is a problem, isn't the problem at all; it is a symptom of our reactions. Keeping our anxiety in check can alleviate many difficulties in our families.

How much of your anxiety goes unchecked and focuses on changing somebody else’s behaviour? Can you resist acting out your impulses and give yourself a little time? Can you tap into immediate feelings and let them guide you to your values and needs? This is the path to accessing our inner expert, and the more attention we give it, the more often it will show up.

Dr. Allison Rees is a parent educator, counsellor and coach at LIFE Seminars (Living in Families Effectively), lifeseminars.com.

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38 Island Parent Magazine

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Plan a summer of FUN! Choose from weekly themed camps, sports camps, specialty camps, youth camps and more. We’re having fun and keeping it safe.

Some camps fill quickly so register early:

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June/July 2021 39

40 Island Parent Magazine

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