September Island Parent Magazine by Island Parent Group

Island Parent Celebrating

27 Years

The Resource Publication for Vancouver Island Parents

September 2015

Fuel 4 Back to School

lunch & snack ideas

Vancouver Island Baby Fair show Guide inside

Fall Programs Guide

Experience the precision of customized vision

Did You Know? Oft en the increased visual demands of schoolwork can make greater demands on a child’s visual skills, pointi ng out a vision problem that was not apparent before school. The child may not realize they have a vision problem – they may simply assume everyone sees the way they do. A vision-related problem may cause some of the symptoms described below: • headaches or irritability • avoidance of near or distance work

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• covering or rubbing of the eyes • ti lti ng of the head or unusual posture

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• omitti ng or confusing words when reading • performing below their potenti al Protect your child’s vision. If you noti ce any of these symptoms, book an eye exam with a Doctor of Optometry.

Curiosity • Diversity Exploration • Nature Play-Oriented Learning

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IslandParent.ca

September 2015

Starting fro

Ballet Victoria Dance School

Contents: September 2015 Articles Greener Living................................................................................................ 8 Dining with the Queen of England................................................................ 10 Celebrating Our Seasonal Feathered Friends................................................. 14 DIY Bird Feeder............................................................................................ 17 Fall Programs................................................................................................ 18 @ the Vancouver Island Baby Fair................................................................. 25 Fuel 4 Back to School.................................................................................... 26 It’s All Mine.................................................................................................. 28 Teddy Bear Day............................................................................................. 30

Columns

Ballet • Contemporary Jazz • Hip Hop • Tap Classes taught by the professional dancers of Ballet Victoria in a unique, safe, creative and fun environment. In addition to children and youth classes, BV offers classes in Yoga, Pilates and adult Ballet.

COME TRY YOUR FIRST CLASS FOR FREE! Registration is ongoing at www.balletvictoria.ca 250-380-6063 bvclasses@balletvictoria.ca BV is a nonprofit school that helps support professional dance in Victoria.

Editor’s Note................................................................................................... 3 Dadspeak...................................................................................................... 44 Book Nook................................................................................................... 46 Just Eat It!..................................................................................................... 48 Is There an App for This?.............................................................................. 50 Healthy Families; Happy Families................................................................. 52 New Parent Pages.......................................................................................... 56 Maternity & Beyond..................................................................................... 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................................................................. 61 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 Websites: islandparent.ca, kidsinvictoria.com

Andrea Bayne - Principal Paul Destrooper - Artistic Director 2 Island Parent Magazine

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

On the Cover: Caleb Ell Cover Photo: Allyson Ell, Squishy Prints Photography, squishyprints.com

The Perks of Being a ‘Pesky’ Parent

ew teachers would disagree that parental involvement in a child’s education is a good thing. And, according to research, it is. For the most part. According to the study, The Broken Compass: Parental Involvement With Children’s Education, the most measurable forms of parental involvement—meeting with teachers, volunteering at school, helping with homework—don’t seem to affect their kids’ academic achievement. In fact, the study suggests, they might even hinder it. Researchers Keith Robinson, a sociology professor at the University of Texas, and Angel L. Harris, a sociology professor at Duke University, say that while most forms of parental involvement don’t seem to make a difference, some help is “critical.” The trick, they say, is to figure out what works best for your child. One of the most effective ways we can help our kids learn is to involve them in the process, say Robinson and Harris in an interview with Dana Goldstein for The Atlantic’s “Don’t Help Your Kids With Their Homework.”

“Ask them ‘Do you want to see me volunteering more? Going to school social functions? Is it helpful if I help you with homework?’” Children need to be a part of the conversation in determining what they need from their parents and schools to help them succeed. There is no one-size-fits-all model of parental involvement, they say. And the list of what generally works is short: discussing what happened at school, requesting a particular teacher for your child, and expecting children to go to college. “The essential ingredient is for parents to communicate the value of schooling,” they say, “a message that parents should be sending early in their children’s lives and that needs to be reinforced over time.” Parents need to “set the stage and then leave it,” they add. Provide supplies, fuel, routines and the principles that support the work. This means sharp pencils, snacks, no distractions, and clear expectations of a child’s responsibilities at school.

Encourage a sense of autonomy and be clear on the importance of parental support versus control. Be involved where it matters to your child, show interest, and provide structure. Then if kids need help after being given the time and space to work through frustration

Editor’s Note Sue Fast and challenge on their own, provide it in the form of redirection and encouragement rather than solutions and easy answers. “Valuing parental involvement via test scores alone misses one of the ways in which parents most impact schools,” writes Goldstein in The Atlantic. “Pesky parents are often effective, especially in public schools, at securing better textbooks, new playgrounds, and all the ‘extras’ that make an educational community come to life, like art, music, theater, and after-school clubs. This kind of parental engagement may not directly affect test scores, but it can make school a more positive place for all kids, regardless of what their parents do or don’t do at home.”

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September 2015 3

IPM Notes Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup Kick off the school year with a handson learning activity. Teachers can sign up their class for the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup taking place from now until November 30. Students can join thousands of Canadians from coast to coast taking part in this annual event to remove shoreline litter from ponds, streams, rivers, lakes and oceans. Last year, 139,262 kg of litter was removed from over 2,563 km of shoreline, including 75,768 food wrappers, 329,562 smoking-related items, 35,482 plastic beverage bottles, and 23,296 plastic bags. This year’s goal is to remove over 100,000 kg of harmful litter. To check out how to organize a cleanup for your school or how to register as a participant in an already organized cleanup, visit shorelinecleanup. ca. You can search the online map to find a cleanup near you or suggest your own site. A cleanup team, consisting of a site coordinator and cleanup participants, comes together to have a positive impact on the environment by ridding local waterways of shoreline litter. Each team gathers and picks

up trash while filling out easy to use data cards that tabulate the type and amount of litter that is removed. Check shorelinecleanup.ca for details.

Class Dismissed: A Film About Learning Outside the Classroom The Victoria Home Learners’ Network Association (VHLN) is presenting the Vancouver Island premiere of Class Dismissed: A Film About Learning Outside the Classroom on Tuesday, September 8. This documentary focuses on alternative education and on one family’s transition into home learning. The film explores what it is like to be a student in the 21st century, how it is possible to get an education outside the classroom, and how this can foster a rich educational experience in the next generation of learners. The Victoria Home Learners’ Network Association is an organization that supports home learning families in the Greater Victoria area. This non-profit association fosters a rich, inclusive, and thriving community, available to members year-round as a means of building relationships through events and activities for the benefit of the community. Class Dismissed will show at Cinecenta, in the Student Union Building at the Uni-

versity of Victoria, on Tuesday, September 8 at 7pm. A facilitated, open discussion will follow from 8:30-9:15pm. Tickets can be purchased in advance or on the day at the Cinecenta Box Office for $7.50 or $5.75 for VHLN members. For information, visit vhln.org/contact-us.html.

Paddle for Health The 8th annual Paddle for Health event is on September 12 at Willows Beach in Oak Bay. Paddle for Health has partnered with the BC Childhood Cancer Parents Association (BCCCPA) to invite people to raise funds and participate in the paddling event. All funds raised will support BCCCPA whose mission is to help the families of the 800+ children who are fighting cancer in B.C. This event benefits the Vancouver Island Family Support Program which provides an expanded level of services and support specifically for Island-based families that have children with cancer and blood disorders. Held in Victoria each September, the event has raised over $100,000 for various charities supporting cancer care. No previous paddling experience is required. Guides and safety crews will take care of you every step of the way. Launching at

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4 Island Parent Magazine

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kidsinvictoria.com

Willows Beach you will paddle past Cattle Point into Cadboro Bay to Gyro Beach where you’ll have a chance to stretch your legs and take a snack break before paddling back to Willows Beach to a waiting BBQ lunch with great company for a great cause. A minimum of $300 in fundraising effort is asked of all participants beginning with a voluntary $50 donation upon sign up. Bring your own kayak/canoe/paddleboard or register to paddle one generously provided by sponsors and community partners. Share a day filled with smiles, prizes, Paddle for Health T-shirt, BBQ lunch and inspiration. Paddlers arrive at 8:30am. Launch is at 9:30am. BBQ lunch is from noon–2:30pm. To register and start collecting pledges visit paddleforhealth.ca.

The Victoria International Chalk Art Festival Canada’s largest street painting festival is taking place along Government Street and at the Bay Centre on September 12 and 13 in downtown Victoria. The family-friendly, free-to-attend arts celebration presents some of the world’s top street painters as well as those from across British Columbia and our local region. The festival’s First Nation’s theme for 2015 is “Adventure in the Spirit World,” a celebration of dreams, mystery and wonder. First Nation’s singers, dancers and drummers will perform on the outdoor stage at the corner of Government and View Streets along with members from Victoria’s music scene. You will also find a kid’s chalk zone just south of the Langley Street crosswalk with free chalk provided. Drop by for a fun-filled weekend and watch amazing art appear. Be sure to visit the 3D chalk painting area at the Bay Centre’s centre court on the lower level. Two internationally acclaimed chalk artists will create a 20' x 20' 3D painting over five days. In order to complete their work by Sunday, the 3D artists will begin their painting on Wednesday, September 9. For more information, visit victoriachalkfestival.com.

BC SPCA’s Paws for a Cause Bring your pooch to Clover Point on September 13 for a day of family fun at the Scotiabank and BC SPCA Paws for a Cause Walk, supporting Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre (Wild ARC) and the Victoria BC SPCA. Registration begins at 10am, with the 3km walk at 11:30am. Enjoy

IslandParent.ca

entertainment and activities, all in support of our furry friends. The BC SPCA Wild ARC, located in Metchosin, is the only branch of the BC SPCA that specializes in wildlife rehabilitation and the only wildlife rehabilitation centre for all of southern Vancouver Island. The BC SPCA Victoria Branch provides care and protection to thousands of domestic animals each year. The society also conducts more than 7,000 cruelty investigations and provides a wide range of advocacy and education programs for domestic, farm and wild animals. Your participation in this event can help give a homeless, injured or abused animal a second chance. The event features pet- and family-friendly activities, including the Doggie Games and the Paws Parlour. For the kids there will be a a Kids’ Zone complete with a bouncy castle, crafts, face painting and more. There will also be walks in Nanaimo, Parksville, Comox and Campbell River on September 13, and there will be walks in Port Alberni and on Salt Spring Island on October 4. People of all ages are asked to take up the challenge, form a team, ask family, friends, neighbours or a business to join in to support animals that need our help. Learn more and pledge online by visiting spca.bc.ca/Victoria or wildarc.com.

Victoria Kids Consignment Fall Sale The Victoria Kids Consignment (VKC) fall sale will be September 18-20 at Eagle Ridge Community Centre, 1089 Langford Parkway. Along with the thousands of gently-used clothing, shoes, infant gear, bedding, toys, books, games and sporting equipment, VKC now offers brand new items from toy makers Melissa & Doug. Stock up (and start your holiday shopping early) all in one place. Shop early; the best items go fast. Sign up for a volunteer shift and earn a Pre-sale Pass. One four-hour shift allows you entry to the volunteer pre-sale. Sellers automatically earn a pass for the sellers pre-sale. Seller registration and item entry ends September 15. Unload the items your family no longer needs in one weekend. Sellers receive their consignment proceeds just days after the sale ends. If you have a family-friendly business, don’t miss out on the chance to get your products in front of moms, dads, grandparents and kids for as low as $50. Visit the ‘Vendors’ section of the website for details and to reserve your space.

September 2015 5

Pregnant? IPM Notes Pregnancy is a state of health. Midwives recognize what an extraordinary time this is in your life and we are available to support you through your childbearing year. Covered by Your BC Health Care BC’s Medical Services Plan pays for midwifery care, including in-home check-ups in labour and after you’ve had your baby. You can self-refer to a midwife.

Quality Care Studies show that midwifery clients have lower rates of episiotomies, infection, Caesarean sections, forceps and vacuum deliveries and newborns that require resuscitation.

Choice of Hospital or Home Birth Continuity of Care Comprehensive Care Breastfeeding Education & Support We would be pleased to schedule an appointment to answer your questions about midwifery care.

midwivesinvictoria.ca 6 Island Parent Magazine

VKC Fall Sale schedule: Sept 18 Presales by Invitation 5-8pm; Sept 19 Public Sale 10am-4pm; Sept 20 HalfPrice Sale 9am-noon. Visa, MasterCard, Debit and cash accepted. Admission and parking are free. Let Victoria Kids Consignment help you buy from local moms and shop with local moms. Visit VictoriaKidsConsignment.ca for more details.

Lantern Festival at Fort Rodd Hill Grab your coats and step back in time as Fort Rodd Hill opens its doors for an exclusive, after-dark guided tour on Saturday September 26. See the gun batteries by lantern light and eavesdrop on re-enactors in uniform going about the daily activities of garrison life. Take in the sights, sounds and smells of life at Rodd Hill during the period of 1897-1956. There may even be a few surprises along the way. Guided tours leave every 15 minutes from 7-9:15pm. This event is a fundraiser for the VictoriaEsquimalt Military Re-enactors Association (VEMRA) volunteers. Tickets available from the main entrance kiosk during site operational hours starting September 1. $10 per person, payable by cash only for VEMRA. Regular admission payable by cash, debit or credit card, or use your annual pass. For more information, visit pc.gc.ca.

Vancouver Island Baby Fair The 9th annual Vancouver Island Baby Fair is taking place on September 26 from 10am-5pm and on September 27 from 10am-4pm at Pearkes Recreation Centre, 3100 Tillicum Road. A Western Canada favourite for families ranging from pregnancy through preschool, the Vancouver Island Baby Fair is not to be missed. You’ll find exhibitors with great shopping, resources and loads of prizes. Bring your little ones—newborn to 6 years old—early to the onsite charitable photo contest for a mini photo shoot with PR Photo Creations. For your convenience, parents can make use of the stroller parking, comfortable baby feeding lounge, Café, Kids’ Corner and diaper changing areas. We’re excited to welcome back Juno nominated children’s performers Bobs & Lolo at noon and 3pm on both days. Talks on breastfeeding, parenting, birth, fitness,

nutrition, healthy sleep and more, can be found on the Main Stage throughout the day. For speaker bios and presentation descriptions, visit vancouverislandbabyfair.com. Bring your little crawlers up to 11 months old to enter the baby races. The charitable fundraising efforts support The Cridge Centre for the Family’s Young Parent Outreach program. Admission is $8/per person or $10 for a weekend pass. Kids 12 and under are free. A limited number of Weekend Passes are available at select locations in advance for $6. For complete details please visit VancouverIslandBabyFair.com and be sure to click through to join us on Facebook and Twitter too.

Quintessence Breastfeeding Challenge The Quintessence Breastfeeding Challenge started in British Columbia in 2001 with 856 babies and their mothers at 26 locations. By 2014, there were 4,590 mothers and babies in 10 countries at 186 sites. The Breastfeeding Challenge continues to grow globally as more mothers and babies join in. Quintessence Foundation works to increase awareness about Baby Friendly Initiative and Donor Milk Banking around the world. This year, on Saturday October 3, take part in the Quintessence Breastfeeding Challenge at Mayfair Shopping Centre from 10:30am–noon. Join Greater Victoria Public Library and public health staff for story time at 10:30am and the official breastfeeding count at 11am. Families, breastfeeding children and siblings are all welcome to participate. No registration is required. Brought to you by Island Health and your local library. Check out viha.ca for all details and locations in communities throughout Vancouver Island.

Nanaimo Child Development’s Annual Telethon October 3 is the Nanaimo Child Development’s 4th Annual Telethon. Tune in live on Shaw TV Central Vancouver Island (Channel 4), or come down to the Port Theatre in Nanaimo from noon-8pm for free family entertainment. Donations can be made by phone and in person with all proceeds supporting the Nanaimo Child Development Centre (NCDC). The NCDC is a non-profit organization that offers a wide range of services, programs and sup-

kidsinvictoria.com

ports to nearly 1,800 children and youth with special needs and their families from Lantzville to Ladysmith with the Complex Developmental Behavioural Conditions assessment program reaching as far west as Tofino. Through support from parents, volunteers, businesses, and the community, the NCDC has grown from its humble beginnings to be a leader in early childhood development and children’s services in the area. It is through these partnerships that Nanaimo Child Development strives to meet the service needs of the children and families it serves. For more information about how you can get involved as a sponsor, donor, or volunteer, please visit nanaimocdc.com.

All Buffleheads Day Nature Canada’s Shoal Harbour NatureHood launches during a three day event— All Buffleheads Day from October 15-17. The Friends of Shoal Harbour Sanctuary Society oversee this NatureHood that encompasses the Shoal Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary situated in Sidney/North Saanich. NatureHood’s goal is to connect people of all ages to nature right where they live—which, in Canada, increasingly means urban centres. NatureHood inspires urban residents to connect with nature through innovative programming, celebratory events and stewardship activities set in urban green spaces and Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas. Through strong partnerships with grassroots naturalist clubs across Canada, NatureHood promotes nature awareness at the local level and exposes a new generation of naturalists and citizen scientists to nature all around them. All Buffleheads Day—an annual event— celebrates the return of a most punctual duck, the Bufflehead. A variety of activities are planned to reach a wide range of community members—beach walks, birding tours, conservation forums, beach cleans, citizen science monitoring and children’s events. The latter includes a special storytime and craft hosted by the Vancouver Island Regional Library in Sidney on Saturday, October 17, 10:30am. For up-to-date information on events and activities follow Shoal Harbour NatureHood on Facebook and Twitter (@ NaturehoodFOSH). For more information, contact naturehoodfosh@gmail.com.

IslandParent.ca

Halloween Wonder Sunday at the Royal BC Museum Explore how Halloween was celebrated a century ago at the Royal BC Museum’s October Wonder Sunday on October 25 from 1-3pm. Get dressed up in your fanciest costumes as Old Town becomes a place for tricks and treats. Wonder Sunday is an interactive, learningbased special event that happens from 1-3pm on the last Sunday of every month (excluding December, July and August). A theme, based on ideas inspired from our galleries, is offered through activities and lively presentations for families. Free with admission or membership. For information visit royalbcmuseum.bc.ca.

Kids Care Each year, children visit the Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island (CHFVI) to show they care. Kids grip ziploc bags filled with the proceeds from lemonade stands and birthday parties or they excitedly deliver gifts they’ve asked friends and family to give so they can pass them along to a child who needs them more. They care. They care about those they know and those they may never meet, but who will appreciate that they did something special just for them. The CHFVI Kids Care program supports children with their fundraising efforts, whether they are doing it themselves or with their class, school or activity group. The Foundation encourages and appreciates their spirit of giving and will show them what a difference they can make to their community. Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island is a registered charity that financially supports over 20,000 children and youth and their families on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands each year. Money raised through the Kids Care program helps fund various programs that benefit children with special needs. Kids can show they care about helping kids by holding a small fundraising event or activity, by themselves or with classmates and friends, and donating the proceeds to CHFVI. There are lots of ways—lemonade stands, chores for change, coin collections, bake sales, bottle drives, or making a donation of their own. For more ideas and to get involved, visit childrenshealthvi. org/events/plan-fundraiser. For questions, advice, feedback, or support, phone Jackie Adamthwaite at 250-519-6935 or email Jackie.Adamthwaite@viha.ca. •

SUNRISE WALDORF SCHOOL

Teaching the BC curriculum in the inspired, holistic, Waldorf way. Enhanced by French, Handwork, Strings, Plays and Seasonal Festivals.

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Grades 1-8 Preschool Kindergarten

sunrisewaldorfschool.org Founded in 1980, located in the Cowichan Valley. September 2015 7

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 Child Care Resource & Referral childcarevictoria.ca Island Health viha.ca Good Food Box thegoodfoodbox.ca GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon RunVictoriaMarathon.com Kaleidoscope Theatre kaleidoscope.bc.ca Phoenix Theatre phoenixtheatres.ca Royal BC Museum royalbcmuseum.bc.ca Silver Threads Service silverthreads.ca Thrifty Foods Kids Run RunVictoriaMarathon.com Victoria Conservatory of Music vcm.bc.ca Enquire about non-profit brochure or magazine distribution in Greater Victoria:

publisher@islandparent.ca 8 Island Parent Magazine

Rachel Dunstan Muller

Greener Living It’s not all or nothing!

’m a sucker for extreme environmental challenges—at least the vicarious kind. My heroes are people like Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon, who ate exclusively local food for a year, and wrote about it in their bestseller The 100-Mile Diet. People like Colin Beavan—a.k.a. “No Impact Man”—who turned his back on all kinds of ordinary conveniences in his quest to be an environmental superhero. Or Beth Terry, whose book and blog recount her adventures in plastic-free living. Or Bea Johnson, the ultra-stylish French-born author of Zero Waste Home, whose family’s annual garbage fits into a mason jar. These eco-pioneers were all motivated by a belief that the status quo was seriously flawed—and a conviction that they bore responsibility for their contributions to that status quo. They each took an inventory of how their everyday actions were impacting the planet, then rolled up their sleeves and set about reinventing their lives. But what if you share these authors’ convictions, yet lack the time and resources to completely overhaul your life? I don’t think it’s a coincidence that only two of the five people above had children at the time they undertook their respective challenges. They were able to invest themselves with a level of concentration and focus that would be almost impossible for most of us with kids. And that’s the danger of looking to “all-in” challenges for motivation. Extreme approaches make for entertaining reading, but they’re unrealistic for those of us who already feel like we have too many balls in the air. Instead of being motivated by these stories, we can end up feeling overwhelmed to the point of paralysis. The trick is to read these accounts from the right frame of mind: not as examples of impossible standards which must be met all at once, but as sources of ideas to mix and match for our own families’ unique situations.

Focus on one area at a time. Transitioning to a more sustainable lifestyle doesn’t have to be an all or nothing endeavour. My family has been most successful in meeting our greener-living targets when we’ve concentrated on one specific

area at a time. How and why we choose an area has varied with our interests and circumstances. For example, I’m passionate about local food security and sustainable food sources, and so I return to this area frequently when my family is ready for a new challenge. On the flip side it drives me crazy how much garbage we’re capable of creating (and the waste of resources that

garbage represents), so my current focus is extreme waste reduction. Your motivation may come from an external source: a plea to conserve water from your municipality, or a challenge from BC Hydro to conserve electricity. If your family budget is tight, you may want to concentrate on an area where money and planet-saving practices overlap. Or you may want to focus on reducing your carbon emissions as a proactive response to climate change. If you’re still not sure where to start, visit davidsuzuki.org, and click on the “What You Can Do” tab for some practical suggestions.

Break it down into baby steps. I’ve set myself an ambitious challenge for the fall. Inspired by Bea Johnson’s example, my goal is to create no more than a masonjar’s worth of non-recyclable garbage each month from September through December. It would be an exhausting project if I just plunged in, but I’ve been preparing for my challenge one baby step at a time. I’ve been reading books, blogs, and websites for inspiration and ideas, playing with new recipes, and making field trips to new stores. I’ve set many small targets in preparation for the larger one: learning to make nut butter, finding good sources for bulk teas and kidsinvictoria.com

coffees, even locating compostable bamboo toothbrushes. As I’ve achieved each small goal, I’ve moved on to a new one. The process has been so gradual, that I haven’t felt overwhelmed.

UVIC THEATRE PRESENTS OUR SPOTLIGHT ON ALUMNI

Build on your successes. The more you repeat a new sustainable activity or practice, the more it becomes second nature—which then frees you up to take on a new challenge. Ensuring my reusable produce and grocery bags are with me when I go to the store no longer consumes valuable mental space, it’s become routine. So is hopping on my bike when I need a few last-minute items at the store. Or automatically combining a visit to my chiropractor with a stop at the nearby Soap Exchange—a source of environmentally safe cleaning and toiletry products in reusable containers. As you find green practices that work for your family, keep adding new ones. By taking on one new action at a time, you can gradually build a more sustainable lifestyle without becoming overwhelmed.

OCTOBER 14 - 24, 2015

...otherwise known as

Stay motivated. When you feel your enthusiasm flagging, seek out new inspiring books or blogs or revisit the old ones. Be reminded that you aren’t alone in your commitment to a healthier planet, that we each have a moral and ethical responsibility to be accountable for how we live, and that collectively our individual actions do make a difference. Be inspired by the example of others, but don’t compare yourself unfavourably to them. We each start from a unique place, with different skills and levels of awareness, and with unequal access to time, money, and other resources. It’s not all or nothing. I believe in the value of the waste-reduction challenge I’m taking on this fall, but I won’t beat myself up if I fail to meet my target. I’m convinced that the attempt will make me a more conscious consumer, and that’s a worthwhile outcome on its own. Be kind to yourself if you fall short of your own goals, or slide back into less green habits when life gets extra busy or stressful. Do what you can, and know that it all adds up. P.S. If your goal is waste reduction, paredownhome.com is an excellent source of Victoria-based inspiration and information.

Featuring Kate Braidwood (BFA’03) & Andrew Phoenix

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

September 2015 9

Bill Dean

Queen ENGLAND

Dining with the

y father was a man of few words, the majority of them shouted at the dinner table. Dinner conversation was punctuated with blasts of “Elbows off the table!”…“Mouth closed when you’re chewing!” and “Fork down between mouthfuls!” I think that when my father married my mom, he thought he wanted to have kids. Then he had kids, which brought order and sanity to his world much in the same way a pet ape might while throwing feces and pulling limbs off relatives. He drew the line at proper table manners, though, in an attempt to restore order. After we’d finish eating in silence, my siblings and I would sit rigidly in our chairs like POWs, waiting in silence for a lull in the conversation so that we could chime “Thank-you-forthe-lovely-dinner-excuse-me-from-the-table-please” like Mary Poppins saying “supercalifragilistickexpealidocious.”

10 Island Parent Magazine

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Occasionally, my father would become angry at our lack of sincerity and call us back to say it again, this time, with feeling. We’d last with this new tone for about a week’s worth of dinners, emoting like Hamlet, then we’d slide back into our old routine. Dinner times were not much fun for us back then. I survived by receding into fantasy, imagining that I was MacGyver or James Bond strapped to a chair, enduring a grueling hour of torture. My brother developed a speech impediment and my sisters married poorly. However, we all are well-mannered eaters. Since that time, I have come to see good table manners as a gift from my father. At formal dinners, I frequently notice others perplexed by seemingly extraneous utensils, confused by dining protocol and distracted by trying to eat politely. Meanwhile, for me, this is all familiar and reflexive. I am in my element, except for the lack of shouting. I am much more lenient than Dad, but do find myself repeating his old phrases and

After we’d finish eating in silence, my siblings and I would sit rigidly in our chairs like POWs, waiting in silence for a lull in the conversation so that we could chime “Thankyou-for-the-lovely-dinnerexcuse-me-from-the-tableplease” like Mary Poppins saying “supercalifragilistickexpealidocious.” trying to whip my kids’ eating habits into shape. And whenever they ask “Why?” I answer, “You must always be prepared to dine with The Queen of England.” It may well turn out that if I’ve taught them nothing else, I’ve taught them to hate Queen Elizabeth II, and possibly England, as well. If she ever did invite them for supper, they’d likely decline. The last time we visited my wife’s family in Japan, Noah was 10 and Rihana was 8. My Dad came with us on that trip, and I emphasized to the kids how strict Grampy was about table manners, so they should be on their best behaviour. They rose to the occasion and I was very proud. It probably helped that there were no knives or forks, only chopsticks. IslandParent.ca

STAGES Performing Arts School since 1980

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12 Island Parent Magazine

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Grampy returned home ahead of us and I breathed a sigh of relief thinking that my worries about their behaviour at the table were over. But apparently there was one rule I had neglected to mention. Before I tell you which one, though, let me give you some background.

While I was courting my Japanese wife, Junko, she was busy trying to avoid getting married to a different man. Her family had arranged for her to meet and marry into a very wealthy branch of their own family. This is not uncommon in Japan: a family without heirs may adopt a full-grown outsider male to carry forward their legacy. Sometimes, to ensure that the adoptee marries well, his bride is also arranged in advance. In Junko’s case, a very rich uncle who’d had no children of his own, had chosen a young man he thought would make a suitable heir. That young man had agreed to be adopted, swapping his birth-family name for theirs. In their perfect world, my Junko would marry this man and the union would produce male children so that the family name and fortune would be secure for another couple of generations. Because of this, Junko w a s reluctant to tell her parents about me. Instead, she made excuses to avoid the initial marriagemeeting until, like a prince on a white stallion, I rode in on my 1975 Tercel, scooped her up and swept her away to the extravagant comforts of my musty basement suite. This is an endless kidsinvictoria.com

source of amusement for me and whenever we can’t afford to vacation in the south of France or to get a tooth filled, I can’t help but point to that decision and laugh. One day during our trip to Japan, we were invited to visit Junko’s rich uncle’s home for a midday snack. As might be expected, the house was a mansion, large and modern, yet with traditional elements reminiscent of a Buddhist temple. Walking through the large wooden gate felt like we were entering a movie set. The surrounding garden was intricate and perfect, the foyer huge and appointed with marble and exotic hardwoods. His wife— who, interestingly, is always referred to as “The Rich U n c l e ’s Wi f e ” and never as “The Rich Aunt”— led the way down a long hallway to a large, glass-walled room that looked out on the garden. We sat on silk cushions around a massive teak table and were served green tea and expensive baked goods on very fine china. As we all settled in, there was an extended silence and I was never more happy to have drilled fine dining etiquette into my children because it felt like we were actually about to dine with The Queen of England. And that’s when my darling daughter, Rihana, farted. It was not one of those subtle, muffled farts that might have been mistaken for the rustling of clothing against silk cushions or the low resonance of a saucer scuffing across polished teak. It was a tuba-esque performance more akin to the horn of a diesel. All eyes turned toward Rihana. “It wasn’t me!” she said, pointing at her brother. Fart, point and lie. A faux pas hat trick. I felt my father turning over in his easy chair. William M. Dean is a writer living in Victoria with his wife, Junko and two children, Noah and Rihana. William blogs his wit and wisdom at wmdean.com.

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Upcoming Classes

September 19 to November 21 We offer voice, dancing and acting classes for people of all ages. Four Seasons Musical Theatre classes are back in session! FSMT classes teach the fundamental skills of stage acting, singing and dancing. Our goal is to foster confidence and success on the stage. Students also have the opportunity to experience our fall show, A Christmas Carol, as part of their learning process. The 8 sessions of classes are available for children 7–14 years old starting September 29 to November 21; there are no classes on the Thanksgiving weekend (October 10). For more details and registration visit

www.fsmtheatre.ca September 2015

Tina Kelly

Celebrating our

Seasonal Feathered Friends C

old, wet—and occasionally white—weather is in our near future and its arrival sends some friends, neighbours and grandparents packing their bags to head south to warmer climes for the season. While these folks fly the friendly skies in jets, many feathered species make their way here for the winter under their own wing power. For many Northern and Central Canadian aquatic birds, our mild coastal weather offers suitable habitat and abundant foraging waters free of ice. This influx of migratory birds offers us the perfect opportunity to connect with nature during the winter months.

Before you play hockey, Before you figure skate, Make sure you

CANSKATE

Tuesdays 5:05–5:50pm • Saturdays 12–12:45pm Pearkes Recreation Centre • Ongoing Registration

www.saanichskatingclub.com saanichskatingclub@shaw.ca 250-479-1094 or 250-477-2053

14 Island Parent Magazine

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Photo: Bob Orchard

Greater Victoria is home to three designated Migratory Bird Sanctuaries (MBS), all easily accessible and surprisingly urban. Challenge your family to visit all three and look for species that are the same or different from location to location. You can expand your family’s waterfowl repertoire from Mallards at the local duck pond with winter visitors—American Wigeon, Horned Grebe, Canvasback, Ruddy Duck, Scoters, Scaups, Bufflehead and more. Shorebirds also think the region is a pretty good place to spend winter; look for Black Turnstones, Dunlins, Surfbirds and Sanderlings. Think a gull is just a gull? More than eight species of gull can be found here throughout the winter. Gull species have physical differences so small, they are some of the hardest birds to identify!

What and where are Greater Victoria`s Migratory Bird Sanctuaries?

Shoal Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary: Freshwater running into Shoal Harbour creates an estuarine and mudflat region rich with the flora and fauna birds love. Two thousand four hundred birds of 51 species depend on this 143 hectare sanctuary located in both Sidney and North Saanich. The sanctuary is lined with marinas and residential neighbourhoods scattered with parks (for example, Lillian Hoffar Park and Resthaven Park) and many beach access points. Victoria Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary: Many would be surprised to know that downtown Victoria’s busy working harbour is a MBS. More surprising may be its size—1841 hectares; this sanctuary stretches from the eelgrass beds of Portage Inlet, through the Harbour around the waterfront past both Oak Bay and Cadboro Bay, and terminates near the tip of Ten Mile Point. The size and location of this sanctuary make it extremely accessible. Public accesses to this sanctuary are many, including Esquimalt Gorge Park, Songhees Walkway, Ogden Point Breakwater, Willows Beach and Cattle Point. An estimated 4,200 birds of 21 species rely on this sanctuary. Esquimalt Lagoon Migratory Bird Sanctuary: This lagoon is well, not located in Esquimalt, but is set in the city of Colwood, below Royal Roads University and adjacent to Fort Rodd National Historic Site. When the swimsuits are delegated to the bottom of the drawer, this summer beach lover’s paradise becomes a bird lover’s heaven. The saltwater lagoon, beach and sandy spit are part of the 134 hectare sanctuary providing habitat for many seabirds and shorebirds.

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September 2015 15

Tips for winter birding:

THE NEXT GENERATION IS HERE. And because we believe in them and we believe they can change the world, they deserve an education that lives up to their promise. Meet the next generation here at SMUS.

OPEN HOUSE Junior School (Grades K-5) 820 Victoria Ave

Friday October 23rd 9-11am & 1-3pm

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Senior School (Grades 9-12) 3400 Richmond Rd

F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N A N D T O R E G I S T E R :

www.smus.ca/open 16 Island Parent Magazine

JOB # SMUS-17377 CLIENT: SMUS INSERTION DATE: TBC PUBLICATION: Island Parent SIZE: 4.75" x 9.25"

1. Take along a field guide to help you identify your sightings. There are a variety of bird identification guides to choose from; borrow them from the library to get a feel for which style you prefer. For the electronic savvy, apps can also help you identify birds, either immediately or as feedback from experts later, and cell service should be good in all of these urban MBS’. Apps to check out—iNaturalist, Audubon Bird Pro, Birdwatch Canada, iBird, Sibley, or Peterson apps. 2. Consider binoculars. Although many of these waterfowl are as big as a breadbox , binoculars will help you see the sometimes small differences between species or genders. Seasoned birders wouldn’t dare leave home without them. 3. Make like a duck! Waterproof yourself with the westcoast staples— gumboots and a raincoat. 4. Leave dogs at home. Consider the effort and energy it took those birds to get here; they can’t afford to waste more fleeing Sparky. Habitual harassment may also cause birds to shift locations to a habitat subpar for their survival. It may also be difficult to identify birds when they are flying away from you. 5. Let the birds maintain their regular diet. These birds forage here for a variety of natural vegetation, invertebrates and fish, not mouldy bread, stale Fruit Loops or leftover popcorn. The latter can negatively affect their health, reduce their foraging instincts or make them dependant on us for food. 6. Look up! Along with seasonal visitors, don’t forget to look up and around for some of our great yearround birds—Bald Eagles, Belted Kingfishers, Hawks and more. So while your snowbird friends of the human variety are packing their spring clothes and escaping the cold, embrace the weather, throw on your raingear and explore a Migratory Bird Sanctuary to learn about our winter dabbling, diving and shoreline feathered neighbours. Tina Kelly is the NatureHood Coordinator for Nature Canada’s Shoal Harbour NatureHood.

kidsinvictoria.com

Lindsay Coulter

DIY Bird Feeder

hether your feathered guests are fall migrants or year-long residents, supplementing their diets with high-quality calories will help them survive to reproduce in spring. Ingredients 1 cup crunchy peanut butter (less-processed is best, without added fillers)* 1 cup flour (whole wheat or white flour) 1 cup fat (suet or vegetable shortening)** 4 cups grains, seeds, legumes and/or dried fruit*** Directions: Melt fat in a saucepan on low heat. Mix other ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour melted fat over dry mixture, stir well and pour into pancake, loaf or muffin tin. If using a larger pan, cut the mixture, once it’s cooled, into smaller blocks (the size of a large brownie). To avoid attracting rats, squirrels and raccoons, feed blocks should be small enough for birds to consume in a day. Discard rancid or moldy feeders. Blocks can be frozen until needed. Spread one serving of feeder mixture onto tree bark or smush it onto a pine cone. You can also place one fat block into a mesh onion bag or a wire suet cage—these give birds something to hang out on. If you hang your feeder from a tree branch, secure the holder to a tree trunk with wire or string. Keep it at a distance from bird houses or nest boxes to avoid attracting predators. Feeders may be cleaned with a solution of Borax and water (1 T Borax to 1 litre water) or non-chlorine bleach. * If peanut allergy is an issue, substitute almond or other nut butters. If nut allergies are a problem, try seed butters. ** Suet, the best fat choice for birds, can be purchased from a butcher, or at a wild bird store. If you choose vegetable fat, be sure it’s non-hydrogenated — it’s better for birds for the same reasons it’s better for humans. *** Options: rolled oats, cracked corn, cornmeal, sunflower seeds, millet, peanuts (raw, unsalted), currants, cranberries, raisins, apples, wild berries or birdseed. Lindsay Coulter is David Suzuki’s Queen of Green, queenofgreen.ca. Her article is reprinted with permission from davidsuzuki.org.

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Children’s Music Classes Birth to 12 years

These classes build confidence and improve social and academic skills, all while your child gets creative with sound. REGISTER TODAY!

Families Making Music Orff Piano Trumpet & Trombone Violin, Fiddle & Cello Choir Guitar & Ukulele . . . plus more!

900 Johnson St. 250.386.5311

vcm.bc.ca/departments/childrens-music September 2015 17

Fall Programs From art classes to wellness programs—and everything in between—our community offers many programs, resources and services for families. For more details on the following listings, please refer to the ads in this issue of Island Parent. Art

week. Day and evening classes Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday. Ages 5 and up. Drawing: pencil, pastel, charcoal. Painting: Acrylic and water colour. Sculpture: Clay and wire. Portfolio preparation: ages 14 and up. Emphasis is placed on technique and everyone works at their own level. Register now. Call Joan at 250-383-0566. artisticstatementgalleryandschool.com.

Join us for Fall art classes in the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria’s (AGGV) Studio to connect with cool new ideas, techniques and experiment with the creative process! Classes are for a wide range of ages inspired by Gallery exhibitions. Register online: aggv. ca/art-studio; by phone: 250-384-4171 ext 0; or in person: 1040 Moss Street. For more information email: jvandepol@aggv.ca. See you in the Studio!

Dance/Drama/Performing Arts

Artistic Statement Gallery & School of Fine Art Back to school art classes. One or two hour session, one, two or three times per

Arabesque Dance Studio offers Classical ballet instruction for students aged four years to advanced levels. Students develop a sense

of artistic line, musicality, grace and agility, as well as focus and technical strength in a friendly and supportive atmosphere. Valerie Grant, owner and teacher, is a Licentiate member of the Cecchetti Society of Canada, the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, and Cecchetti International. Ballet examinations are available in the Cecchetti Method. Classes begin September 9th and finish with a recital in June. Students training with Valerie may enjoy dancing for recreation and fitness, or may choose to pursue a career in dance. For more information visit dancearabesque.ca, call 250-595-3107, or email valerie@dancearabesque.ca The Beat Dance Studio is a new, recreational studio serving the West Shore. We offer fun and safe classes in Hip Hop, Jazz, and Contemporary for ages 6 to adults. Classes are located at Royal Roads University Recreation Centre. Our rates are affordable, and our faculty care about providing quality instruction, promoting healthy lifestyles, and giving back to our community. Check out our website for more information: thebeatdancestudio.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 18 Island Parent Magazine

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CENTREPOINTE BALLET SCHOOL

Centrepointe Ballet School provides a nurturing environment for all level of dancers. R.A.D. syllabus taught by Registered Teachers. Exams and Recital offered. Beginners welcome. New classes for 5 and 6 yr. olds, Teen Ballet and Contemporary, Musical Theatre for Tweens and Adult ballet. Faculty: Peggy Bain, Tara Crouse, Shannon Delaney and Roberta Waal. Many classes with Pianist. Located at SMS, beautiful sunny studio, easy parking. centrepointedance. com. 250- 592-4260. centrepointe@shaw.ca Four Seasons Musical Theatre classes are back in session! FSMT classes teach the fundamental skills of stage acting, singing, and dancing. Our goal is to foster confidence and success on the stage. Students also have the opportunity to experience our fall show, A Christmas Carol, as part of their learning process. The 8 sessions of classes are available for children 7-14 years old starting September 19th-November 21, excluding the Thanksgiving weekend (Oct. 10th). For more details and registration visit our website: fsmtheatre.ca. Kaleidoscope’s Performing Arts Studio provides exciting and comprehensive exploration of fundamental acting techniques in a fun and safe learning environment. With over 40 years of experience, discover why Kaleidoscope has been Victoria’s choice in professional theatre education for young people since 1974. Offering classes in acting, musical theatre, film, and television and more. Locations include Victoria, Sidney, Saanich, and the West Shore. More information and registration available online at kaleidoscope.bc.ca. Kate Rubin Theatre & Drama Studio specializes in dramatic training for children, young people and adults. Classes, workshops and individual coaching are offered throughout the year. Within a professional, experienced and supportive learning environment, students flourish with improved acting skills, stronger confidence, creative thinking, public speaking skills, spontaneity and versatility in physical and vocal expression. For more info, or to register, contact katerubin@telus.net or 250-386-8593.

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Why WindStars is right for you? • We come to you! • Hand-picked, highly qualified, passionate teachers only. • Exclusively: Unlimited lesson rescheduling. • Automatic online safe booking system. • All ages and levels are welcome. • Competitive rates and no registration fees! Music School Quality Lessons @ the comfort of your home

www.windstars.ca

Floating Museum Series Join us as we livestream to Ocean Networks Canada’s team aboard a research vessel and learn about the exciting and important discoveries that are being made.

Deep Sea Volcanoes Finding Museum Connections Free | Clifford Carl Hall royalbcmuseum.bc.ca Client: Royal BC Museum Publication: Island Parent Shipping Date: August 19, 2015; Ad Size: 4.75” X 4.5”

Sep 12 | 1 – 3 pm Oct 3 | 1 – 3 pm

In partnership with

September 2015 19

katerubintheatre.com. facebook.com/KateRubinTheatre. Lighthouse Academy of Dance began in response to parents’ requests for good dance classes where they were assured of pure, clean moves, music and dress, and had quality teaching with experienced and qualified teachers. Our school offers classes from toddlers to adults, in various styles such as Ballet, Acro, Jazz, Modern, Tap, Contemporary, Street Dance, and National Dance. lighthouseacademyofdance.com Maple Leaf School of Ballet. Vancouver Island’s Premier Russian Ballet School offers Standard Program Classes including ballet, jazz, creative movement, contemporary, Baby Koala Ballet, Pre-school dance, Levels 1-8 Society of Russian Ballet Levels Examinations, Adult Ballet beginner to advanced. Our Comprehensive Professional Development Program prepares dancers to become competitive aspirants to professional dance companies. A positive dance training environment and qualified instructors welcomes students who love to dance. mapleleafballet. ca. 778-433-5323. info@mapleleafballet.ca.

The O’Brien School of Irish Dance offers both recreational and competitive dance programs for children to adults. Registration is open all year for classes both in Victoria, Nanaimo, and our new Duncan location. Highly energetic classes taught with toe tapping music. Dancers are taught the basics of traditional Irish step dance and ceile dancing (group), as well as show steps similar to those seen in Riverdance and Lord of the Dance. Opportunities to perform around the community especially around St. Patrick’s Day! See obrienirishdance.com for more information or email irishdance@shaw.ca. Pacific Dance Centre’s Artistic Director, Maureen Eastick and her students have earned reputations for excellence throughout Canada and beyond. PDC offers traditional values in ballet training for children from four years to pre-professional levels in a supportive and nurturing environment. New this year is “Creative Ballet” with Leah Wickes; an introduction to creative movement and ballet for the littlest dancers aged 2 and 3. For September classes phone 250-477-6114 or visit our website pacificdancecentre.com.

Screen Actor’s Studio. The Studio is pleased to welcome Chari Arespacochaga’s as instructor for Fall term. Her directing credits include Honk, Footloose, Doubt, Altar Boyz, Spring Awakening The Musical, Legally Blonde, Aida, The Little Mermaid, Avenue Q, Aladdin, The Full Monty, Disney’s Tarzan, Rock Of Ages, A Wedding Proposal, Stupid Kids, and 9 Minutes for PopUP Theatrics’ Long Distance Affair. She was Associate Director for Broadway Asia’s Asian tour Cinderella and Venus In Fur at the Belfry Theatre. She recently directed the much acclaimed production of Amadeus for the Phoenix Theatre. A long list of credits as an actress, creator of musical staging, drama teacher includes an MFA in Theatre Directing and video projects. Since 1980 STAGES Performing Arts School has offered professional instruction in jazz, ballet, lyrical, tap, musical theatre and hip hop for all ages and levels of experience; preschool to professional. It is our goal to promote self-confidence, self-esteem, and fulfilment in each student. We believe that all students should have an equal opportunity to learn in a safe, non-competitive environment which fosters self-expression,

The Screen Actor’s Studio

Est 1980

Explore Acting for Film & Television! Young Actor’s Conservatory: Fall 2015

Sept 19 – Dec 12 (12 Sessions)* Programs for Beginners & Continuing Studies

Instructor: Chari Arespacochaga,* see bio p. 20 Saturdays: Ages 8–12 (10:30–12:30 pm) $300 Saturdays: Ages 12–15 (1:30–4 pm) $400 Payment plan available. i.e. 4 x payments

Call: 250-595-1339 e: screenact@shaw.ca www.screenactors.ca

20 Island Parent Magazine

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a healthy body, confidence, and encourages responsibility, discipline, inspiration, creativity and pride in their accomplishments. For more information, please call STAGES at 250-384-3267 or visit our website stagesdance.com. Victoria Academy of Ballet is widely recognized as a leading Canadian dance school. The Faculty of internationally qualified and award winning teachers are dedicated to giving children dance experiences designed to develop imagination, musicality, kinesthetic awareness and self confidence. Students age 3 to Professional are assisted to develop to their full potential. VAB is celebrated for its sense of community and dedication to developing in students lifelong transferable skills. Like us on FB victoriaacademyofballet.ca The Victoria School of Irish Dance offers Irish dance classes in Victoria at Dance Victoria Studios, in Nanaimo, and in Cedar BC, for ages 4 years to adults, Beginners to Champion, competitive and recreational. VSID dancers compete at the world, national and regional level. VSID develops confidence/ self-esteem, practical skills and lifelong friendships. The Victoria Irish Dancers perform locally year round in many community events. Receive a lesson from certified instructors for Jigs, reels, and lots of fun. 250-888-9421. victoriairishdancers.com

Gymnastics Do you have a little girl who likes to dance, jump and juggle? Register her for a class at Island Rhythmic Gymnastics. The nationally certified coaches at Island Rhythmics will provide a fun, safe and nurturing environment where she will learn the beautiful sport of rhythmic gymnastics. Rhythmic gymnastics is an Olympic sport that combines dance and gymnastics and is performed to music with ball, ribbon, rope, hoop and clubs. Visit us online at Islandrhythmics.com Victoria Gymnastics provides Greater Victoria with gymnastics instruction that is safe, well structured, and most importantly, fun. Our 7,200 sq. ft. facility, which is naturally lighted and acoustically insulated, provides a learning environment that will allow children to maximize their potential as they move through our non-competitive skills development program structure. We are also excited to announce that this Fall, we will be opening our 2nd location in Colwood. IslandParent.ca

Boys and girls ages 2-17, beginner through advanced, all benefit from the strength and flexibility that gymnastics develops. Visit. victoriagymnastics.com.

Island Rhythmic Gymnastics Club

Mid-Island Nanaimo Unique Kids Organization. Does your child struggle in the regular school system? NUKO may be the right fit for you and your child. We are now excepting application for or fall program and under 6 autism program. Founded 10 years ago by parents who faced these same struggles, NUKO provides support for your child in a learning centre environment where we can focus on academics, social skills, and behavioural support. NUKO started with a family based foundation and we continue to do so today. We have small class sizes with 3:1 student to staff ratio. Phone: (250) 585-6856. Email: uniquekidsoffice@shaw. ca. Visit us online: nuko.ca.

Music Music is Way Cool. Why piano lessons? “Providing children with high-quality music education accelerates cortical organization in attention skill, anxiety management and emotional control.” – U. of Vermont. “Multiple studies confirm that children who take piano lessons improve their coordination, concentration, reading scores, memory skills, & increase their confidence levels.”– Harvard. So...Why was the piano invented? To have a place to put down your drink? Contact Ron Sandor, 25 years teaching in Victoria. “musiciswaycool” guarantees a positive experience—your first month is free. Google, musiciswaycool.com Success in music, success in life…a winning combination for your family. The Tom Lee Music Learning Centre at Millstream Village offers professional, friendly instructors, state-of-the-art teaching equipment, in-house performance hall with sound/ lighting/stage, plus a wide range of private and group programs for beginner through to advanced musicians. Lessons available on piano, guitar, drums, bass, violin, voice, flute, ukelele, trumpet and saxophone. Enrol today! 250-383-5222. The Victoria Conservatory of Music has been breathing music into life for 50 years. One of our most exciting areas of program-

Do you have a little girl who likes to dance, jump and juggle? Register her for a class at Island Rhythmics! Classes for girls 3 and up Contact us to register for our fall session

www.islandrhythmics.com 250-514-6761

Maple Leaf School of Ballet

Vancouver Island’s Premiere Russian Ballet School

Have you heard about the

Ballet - Character - Jazz Creative Movement Ages 3 to 18+ 310 Henry St. Victoria BC V9A 3J2 +1 778 433 5323

Artistic Director David Beales Bolshoi Ballet Academy TCP, S.R.B. Assoc., A.R.A.D.

w w w. m a p l e l e a f b a l l e t . c a September 2015 21

Please join us at our Annual Sale.

20% Off

* Everything *excluding Lego

October 13–17 (Tuesday–Saturday) Once a year for five days only. 2494 Beacon Ave, Sidney

1831 Oak Bay Ave, Victoria

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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: Classes for 2015–2016: 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

ming are for Babies to 12yrs. Providing a child with a foundation in music is one of the most valuable things a parent can do. Studies show that when children take part in music classes, their social and cognitive skills are impacted in extremely positive ways. Let’s Play. vcm.bc.ca/departments/ childrens-music/ or call 250-386-5311. All Ages Together in Song, offered by the Victoria Good News Choir, Louise Rose, director. We welcome you and your family to sing with us for the joy of singing. Experience the gifts of music with your child(ren) in a warm, caring community. Lots of fun too! No auditions. All ages welcome. Rehearsal/ Drop-in Tuesdays 6:30 pm / Saturdays 10:00 am beginning Sept 13 and Sept 19. Choose one or both. Join us. 250-658-1946, info@ victoriagoodnewschoir.com, victoriagoodnewschoir.com. WindStars Music Academy provides fun, high-quality, and safe private music lessons at the convenience of your home. We are rigorous about qualifications, teaching abilities and backgrounds, so you can focus on having fun and getting great results! Our carefully selected music teachers come to your home. You could book, cancel, reschedule and safely pay, online, anytime! You will like our competitive rates, and unlimited lesson rescheduling policy. Start anytime, all levels are welcome! visit: windstars.ca.

Education Programs

www.emmanuelpreschool.ca

O’Brien SchoolofofIrish Irish !ancing O’Brien School !ancing

2015-2016 classes

*Traditional IrishIrish dancing classes for thefor the *Traditional dancing classes recreational, performance recreational, performance *Traditional Irish dancing classes for andthe competitive dancer and competitive dancer recreational, performance

LIFE Seminars Parenting Programs has two main courses—eight week courses covering many aspects of family living. Sidestepping the Power Struggle and Cutting Through Conflict, (The Parent Child Connection) takes a deeper look at family dynamics, boundaries, communication, solving issues and self-esteem. We also offer a couple’s course and a professional development course for leaders. Lifeseminars.com

READ Society. On September 14, READ launches its 39th year of delivering inand competitive dancer *Victoria (Cadboro Bay,Esquimalt, Downtown) *Victoria (Cadboro Bay,Esquimalt, Downtown)dividualized remedial language arts and mathematics programs. Using nationally • Victoria*Nanaimo (Cadboro Bay, Esquimalt, Downtown) *Nanaimo *Duncan recognized Level B Assessments and a variety • Nanaimo • Duncan *Duncan of learning tools and approaches, READ’s qualified teachers design and deliver remewww.ocobirishdance.com dial learning programs that build skills and create confident, capable learners. Classes irishdance@shaw.ca irishdance@shaw.ca are scheduled after school, Monday to 604-340-2370 irishdance@shaw.ca 604-340-2370 Thursday. Assessments are available by 604-340-2370

www.ocobirishdance.com

22 Island Parent Magazine

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appointment. Expand your knowledge and find the joy in learning with READ! 250388-7225. readsociety.bc.ca

Recreation Crystal Pool and Fitness Centre. Back to School can mean busy schedules for the family so don’t forget to make time for fun! We’ve made sure there’s something for everyone: Preschoolers: Tiny Toes Ballet, Art, Soccer, Swimming Lessons, Skating. School Age: Ballet, Soccer, Home Alone, Music, Tennis, Swimming, Skating. Teens: Red Cross Babysitter, Lifesaving/First-Aid, Skating. Adults: Kayaking, Day Trips, Bootcamp, Dance, Swimming, Skating. You can register 24/7 with online registration for Crystal Pool and Fitness Centre programs! Check it out at victoria.ca/recreation. For more information call 250-361-0732. Juan de Fuca Skating Club has Exciting News! We have developed a new CanSkate Program. Exciting new features include a fresh new look, new awards, great tools for certified coaches and most importantly a tested and proven curriculum and delivery methods that guarantee skater success in developing stronger basic skills and developing them faster. The new program also includes specific skills that pertain to hockey, speed skating and figure skating. For more information visit juandefucaskatingclub.ca. Learn to Skate with the Oak Bay Figure Skating Club! OBFSC has exceptional programs for all levels of skating. The focus is on fun, participation, and basic skill development. With NCCP Level 3 Certified coaches, OBFSC has skaters who compete to podium at Provincial and National levels. Recently redeveloped, the CanSkate program is based on long term athlete development and has a proven new curriculum to develop basic skills faster. CanPowerSkate is an actionpacked, high energy instructional power skating program geared to hockey and ringette skaters that focuses on balance, power, agility, speed and endurance. Registration is ongoing. Contact us today at jamiemcgrigor@gmail.com. The Saanich Skating Club of Victoria offers Canada’s best learn-to-skate program. CanSkate uses nationally certified coaches, trained to teach the mechanics and proper techniques of skating to prepare skaters for recreational skating, hockey or figure IslandParent.ca

Pumpkin Pie Chai Latté Pumpkin Spice Latté

Serious Coﬀee locations can be found throughout Vancouver Island and in Powell River �o �nd one near �ou go to� seriouscoﬀee�com September 2015 23

NEW DANCE STUDIO IN THE WEST SHORE! HIP HOP - JAZZ - CONTEMPORARY

SE OPEN HOUCT 1

O SEPT 21 – LASS TRY ANY C ! FOR FREE dults

A Ages 6 –

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

skating CanSkate is based on nationallytested and proven curriculum and delivery methods to guarantee skater success. Our group lessons are designed for 90 per cent movement so skaters learn in an active and fun environment. Visit our website saanichskatingclub.com. TRY SYNCHRO Victoria Synchro Fall For FREE Registration. Synchro Contact us for next ages 4-6 Wed 4-5 SessionKids !

pm, learn introducBeginner Synchro JUNE Mini-Sessionskills s tory Synchro and ages 7-11 $120 become more comfortable in Email: the water; Tues & Thur 4:30—6pm jennifervicsynchro@gmail.com Boys School & Girls Synchro ages 7-11 choice of Mon, It’s swimming combined Tues or Thurs evening classes; learn basic with music, dance, Synchro skills, earn& drama! Synchro Canada Star gymnastics Pins. All classes participate in club watershows! Saanich Commonwealth Place. Synchronized swimming is swimming combined with music, dance, gymnastics and drama and it’s a team sport! Fun, fitness, friends! Website: victoriasynchro.com. For more information and to register please email: jennifervicsynchro@gmail.com.

Saanich Commonwealth Place

WWW.THEBEATDANCESTUDIO.COM LOCATION: ROYAL ROADS UNIVERSITY RECREATION CENTRE

Science Working with Mad Science means weeks of exciting hands-on activities, fascinating demonstrations, inquiry based discussions, group and individual activities, and spectacular take-homes. This year we are calling all junior agents to join our SPY ACADEMY program. Get into gear and learn what it takes to be successful in the spy world. We explore science behind a spy in action. Check all our After-school Camps, Science Shows and Birthday Parties. Info at madscience.org/vancouverisland or call 1-888-954-6237. Book on-line any time.

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

• Reggio • N E W SC H O O L

Boardworks. Join one of Canada’s most successful springboard and platform diving clubs this fall at Saanich Commonwealth Place. Learn how to dive in a fun and safe atmosphere, and possibly follow in the footsteps of ’08 and ’12 Olympian and OlympicGarten graduate Riley McCormick. We offer a variety of diving programs for all ages and abilities, including OlympicGarten (5-9 years), FunDive (8-15 years), Swim’n Dive (6-12 years) and Adult FunDive (16+ years). Visit boardworks.ca to register or for more information.

Other Andrea’s Sew Easy. Can you imagine how excited your child would be to make their own clothes? Andrea Bailey has been teaching children to sew from the age of seven, including teens, for over 24 years! Small classes, maximum of four, allow students to work at their own speed. Friends and family will be amazed at the clothes they are able to make for themselves! Classes are held after school and on Saturdays. Home school classes also available. For more information call 250-592-7879, email aseweasy@shaw. ca, or visit andreasseweasy.com. If you are 7 to 11 years old, come join the BC SPCA Pro-D day workshops and March Break camps! Learn about the needs of our domestic and wild animals through games, crafts, activities and interacting with our shelter animals! For 12 or 13 year olds, you can also join our new leadership program which will be one Saturday a month for 4 sessions starting in October. For more information, or to register, visit spca.bc.ca/ kidsevents. •

Preschool Children’s Program Space available for REGULAR SCHOOL YEAR 2015/16 with Introductory Discount Designed for ages 3 to 5 Monday to Friday – 8:30am to 3:30pm or Monday to Friday 1/2 Day – 8:30am to 12:30pm

Where learning is fun! R.I.A. Early Learning Centre Reggio International Academy

24 Island Parent Magazine

Swimming & Diving

Please check our website for more information

3307 Wishart Rd, Victoria V9C 1R2 www.reggiopreschool.ca

Call us for a Tour! 250.590.0781

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@ the Vancouver Island Baby Fair Make a day—or two!—of the Vancouver Island Baby Fair on Saturday September 26 and Sunday September 27 and check out the following exhibitors. See your there! Recognizing the value of outdoor play and child led experiences, The Cridge Centre for the Family is excited to continue our Nature Preschool Program in September 2015. This innovative program is based in a natural Garry Oak meadow located in an urban setting close to downtown Victoria. We strive to give children new opportunities to explore, discover and learn in our outdoor setting. By encouraging curiosity and nurturing creativity who knows where your child’s imagination will lead them? Check us out at cridge.org/childcare/preschool/. Dr. Joslin, Dr. Morin & Associates: Doctors of Optometry specialize in comprehensive eye examinations for the whole family. The care of an optometrist can start before a child can speak, read or respond in traditional ways. More than just a vision test, modern technology allows an optometrist to test for nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, lazy or crossed-eyes, eye coordination and depth perception. The recommended age for the first eye exam is 6 months. Call 250-474-4567 to book your appointment. 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 numerous 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 happybabysleepsolutions.com or call 250-857-1408 for a free evaluation. Let’s get started!

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Mothering Touch Centre is the comprehensive resource centre for new and expectant parents. We offer support through every stage of pregnancy and early parenthood: childbirth preparation, pre-and post-natal yoga, breastfeeding support, parenting classes, parent-and-baby groups, and baby massage. Our friendly staff inform and support parents and grandparents as they select cloth diapers, nursing bras, breastpumps and breastfeeding accessories and much more. Drop in for a chat, nurse your baby in our lounge, and experience the warmth of the Mothering Touch. 975 Fort St. 250-595-4905. motheringtouch.ca. Sun Life Financial. When starting a family there are many things that consume your thoughts. Am I ready? Is my job secure? Do I have enough money? Often, finances are top of mind. We provide family planning strategies so you can focus on your new family while knowing you’re on the right path. If thinking about Life Insurance or saving for your child’s education is stressing you out, let’s start with a conversation. Call Bobby Vu Today at 250-686-2622. Whether it’s diapers or decor, TJ’s The Kiddies Store is the place to go for all your baby needs. Welcoming your new baby into the world is a wonderful and challenging experience; so many decisions and so little time. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff is ready to help make your decisions as stress-free as possible. Our selection varies from furniture sets to safety items and everything in between. TJ’s is also a great place for gifts—with a baby registry and many wonderful gift ideas you will be able to find the right thing to make any new parent happy. We’re easy to find at 3045-c Douglas St. (enter off Larch St)…we’re under Sleep Country. 250-386-2229.

Mark your calendars for September 26 and 27, 2015. The 9th annual Vancouver Island Baby Fair is happening at Pearkes Rec Centre. Come visit an arena of exhibitors, a full lineup of main stage presentations, great shopping and resources, fantastic prizes, our popular photo contest, baby races and more for families ranging from pregnancy through preschool. Go to VancouverIslandBabyFair. com for details or call 250-686-5693. Vancouver Island Co-operative Preschool Association (VICPA). Co-operative preschools are special and unique. Early childhood educators and parents work together on education programs that emphasize “Learning Through Play.” Visit one of our 14 cooperative preschools located on Vancouver Island and the surrounding Islands to discover how these schools strengthen families and communities. Co-operative preschools provide educational and creative play activities in half-day programs to children aged 3-5 plus orientation and education programs to parents/caregivers. Classes are small, warm, and nurturing, providing children with considerable individual attention and time to “Learn Through Play.” Members of VICPA are listed at vicpa.org. •

Visit Us at the Vancouver Island Baby Fair! (Booth 46)

Come be part of our community at

www.kidsinvictoria.com

September 2015 25

Skewers Kids love food on sticks. Keep bamboo skewers on hand and you’re ready to go. Some good combinations include: • bite-sized waffle pieces, kiwi fruit, strawberries, orange wedges, breakfast sausage • bite-sized French toast pieces, banana, and raspberries • silver dollar pancakes, banana slices, peach pieces • melon (cantaloupe and honeydew), prosciutto, and mozzarella • strawberries, kiwi, grapes, apples, bananas, and oranges • cherry tomato, bocconcini cheese, and cucumber wedges • BBQ chicken satays

Dips & Spreads Fruit & Veggies Because, to kids, almost everything tastes An apple a day…gets boring after awhile. better with dip—and by “dip” we’re not just Here are a few twists on some old standbys: • homemade fruit leather • homemade applesauce • dehydrated fruit: apples, bananas, peaches or any other favourite • Rainbow Wraps: spread tortilla with cream cheese; cover with sliced strawberries, pineapple, kiwi, oranges and blueberries. Roll. • Grab ’n Go: Keep containers full of sliced and prepped veggies for grab and go snacks and lunches.

talking about ketchup. Possibilities: • Hazelnut Butter and Toasted Coconut Spread/Dip: blend the two ingredients in a food processor until they reach desired consistency. Dip or spread. • hummus, tzatziki, salsa, and guacamole all make yummy dips for kale chips, veggie sticks and bread cubes. • Nutty for Dip: Nutella, cream cheese and almond milk. Combine first two ingredients in equal parts and then thin to desired consistency with almond milk. • Peanut Butter and Honey Dip: Thoroughly combine 1/2 cup natural peanut butter with 2 Tbsp honey. • mayonnaise and sriracha, blended thoroughly. • plain Greek yogurt mixed with chopped fresh dill. • stir together 1 cup of sour cream, ½ cup brown sugar and 1 tsp vanilla until sugar is dissolved.

Fuel 4 Back to School

Ideas to help avoid Lunchbag Letdown

Tip: Fill water bottles half full with water and then freeze overnight. In the morning, top up the bottle with fresh water. By lunchtime, the ice will be partially thawed and the water will be ice cold! Alternately, freeze juice boxes. Both methods do double duty as an ice pack.

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Sandwiches • Grilled Cheese Fingers. Prepare grilled cheese sandwiches. Cool. Cut into fingers and pack in a re-usable container along with a side of dip. • Cheddar & Apple Sandwich. Increase your child’s chances of eating both their sandwich and their apple slices by combining the two. Sandwich thinly sliced apples and cheddar between two pieces of whole grain bread and voila—three food groups in one. • Nut Butter & Jam Pancake Sandwiches. Using leftover pancakes for your sandwich, spread one with jam and the other nut butter. Squish together. Pack and enjoy.

Pita Pockets Quesadillas, Just like food on sticks, food in pockets is a hit with kids. Using whole wheat pitas, or another favourite flavour, slice pitas in Roll-ups & Wraps To switch up the sandwich, pack a que- half, open pocket and stuff with: sadilla, roll-up or wrap instead. Quesadillas: Pizza Quesadillas. Place pepperoni slices, ham, mozzerella, pineapple and any other favourite pizza ingredients between two tortillas and heat both sides in a frying pan until cheese has melted. Cool, cut into wedges, and pack in a reusable container. Roll-ups: Banana Sushi. Spread nut butter on a tortilla shell then lay a peeled banana on the nut butter at the edge of the tortilla and roll it up like sushi. Slice into 1" rounds. Wraps: Soft Chicken Tacos. Pack a container with avocados mashed with lemon juice; top with a layer of shredded cheese. Fill two small whole wheat tortillas with shredded chicken and sliced romaine lettuce and store in resealable plastic bags. Assemble at lunch.

• a layer of creamy cheese, roast turkey slices, baby spinach leaves and cucumber slices. • leftovers like sliced chicken breast, meatloaf, roasted vegetables, with hummus and lettuce C

Miscellaneous • Homemade Trail Mix. Combine equal MY

parts cheddar bunnies and graham cracker bunnies with a handful of dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, bananas) and your favourite nuts. Toss in a few chocolate chips. Custom design with toasted coconut, pumpkin seeds, breakfast cereal or pretzels. • Nutty Pretzel Wands. Spread nut butter on the top few inches of pretzel rods. Roll in chopped nuts, coconut and/or dried fruit. • Twisted Krispie Squares. Make Rice Krispies Treats as the box instructs, adding 1/4 cup sesame seeds and 1/2 cup each chopped dried fruit and sunflower seeds with the cereal mixture. CMY

Trick:

To keep an apple from oxidizing—and for kids who have wiggly teeth or braces—slice an apple around its core (so it fits back together) and gather the pieces so they fit back against the core. Then put a rubber band around the apple and, voila, a whole apple that comes apart in easy-to-eat pieces.

IslandParent.ca

September 2015 27

Erin Skillen

It’s All Mine! Thoughts on having my body back

et’s be clear: I am hugely grateful to have been pregnant and to have been able to breastfeed. I struggled in both departments so I take neither for granted. But after a total of six years of trying to get pregnant, being pregnant or breastfeeding, it’s finally time for me to take back my body and reclaim some autonomy. My uterus is off the housing market and the boob buffet is closed. My kids are no longer physically dependent on my body and I’m doing cartwheels as the freedom sets in—no nursing bra required. Within hours of giving birth, I snarfed down sushi, and my breast pump made it possible to have a drink here and there, so those to-do’s are already crossed off my list. My next big “It’s All Mine!!!” body moment is—drum roll please—cold medication. Kind of lame? It might seem that way to a non-nursing outsider, but this will be the first cold and flu season since 2009 when I can finally take the damn Nyquil. Now when my adorable little kids/snotdrenched disease vectors bring home a litany of bugs this winter, I can finally imbibe in some over-the-counter relief. No longer will I be forced to suffer medication-free at the hands of every revolting virus that they’ve hacked directly into my face. This year, I too can lose myself in the fantasy that a goopy, cherry-flavoured liquid has the ability to perform medical miracles. And that is worth celebrating. When I was pregnant, I read an interview where Angelina Jolie said that she loves being pregnant and it makes her feel sexy. It’s already clear from her appearance alone that Mrs. Jolie-Pitt isn’t actually human. Her attitude toward pregnancy further proves this fact—to me at least. I was a lot of things when I was pregnant, but sexy was one of the last words I’d use to describe the experience. Yes, it was amazing to grow little people inside me and feel them move and bring them into the world. Being nauseous for 90 consecutive days, unexpectedly farting in public and being unable to roll over in bed without grunting like a truffle-hunting pig was NOT sexy. So no, I did not love

28 Island Parent Magazine

the majority of my time as a baby motel. There are many, many upsides to no longer having baby feet tangled in my ribs, but despite my disdain for alien-hosting, I did grieve the end of it. My husband and I wanted to have two kids and we were fortunate enough to have that happen. As each stage of babydom came and went, I remembered discovering it with my first and I said goodbye to it as I experienced with my last. It makes me a little heartsick sometimes. There’s still a little ping of memory every once in awhile, a longing to be back at the beginning. It’s just a ping mind you, not a PONG that will result in one more little person going into research and development. After parting ways with pregnancy, I initially panicked when my husband and I discussed the beginning of the end of breastfeeding. Would I still have the same power to comfort without the boob advantage? Would “Mommy” still be the first name called out, or would weaning finally give my husband equal billing? I’m aware parenting isn’t a competition, but I did give birth to these little people. The least they could do is maintain my priority ranking. I made excuses, a lot of them, to continue nursing even though I knew my daughter was probably ready to go cold turkey. And then I remembered it was about her, not me. As the weaning process began I felt fear, sadness and some loss. Saying goodbye, even to something that made me feel like an underappreciated cow on a short leash is still really hard. It’s acknowledging that you succeeded at one of the first steps toward shaping your baby into a person of their own, able to take on the world completely independent of your body. As if that’s not hard enough to process, your period comes back and you remember all the ridiculousness that entails. The combined hello/goodbye makes for a complex double whammy that’s difficult to articulate, especially through a haze of newly rediscovered PMS. While my kids no longer require me as a B&B, they still have a vested interest in my body. Obviously not in its appearance—I

got it back in far worse shape than it was when I lent it to them. Despite ransacking my stomach and leaving me with a mommy pooch, my kids have a definite stake in my health. Life and death are only starting to creep into my preschooler’s brain, but whether he’s aware of it or not I expect he wants me to be alive and well forever. His expectations will be near-impossible to achieve unless there are significant advances

in modern science and/or vampirism. The least I can do is be here on this planet in good working condition for as long as possible. Having physical autonomy doesn’t mean I can do anything I want to my body. Well, I can, but I won’t. As much as I might like to try a bunch of insane stuff I never got around to doing pre-kids, I’ll try to take decent care from here on out. I did the best I could to provide a body that safely created, housed and nourished two amazing little people. Now I need to do my best to enjoy a life that sustains my body so it’s available as needed for years of listening, hugging, possibly for chucking things at during an angsty teenage fit, and then hopefully for more listening and hugging. My kids don’t live in or on me anymore, but to me they’re non-residents who still have some voting rights. And even when they call me “Mom!” or “Mother!” down the road I’ll still be “Mommy!” on the inside. Erin Skillen is a producer and entrepreneur in Victoria.

kidsinvictoria.com

Jerri Carson

Confident girls. Teddy Inspiring women. •

Canada’s first & only girls’ STEM* school

•

Leaders in Early Childhood Education

•

Nature-based early learning curriculum

•

Empowering girls’ leadership program

•

Small school benefits: safe, supportive, high engagement

•

Continuity in education from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12

*STEM = Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.

ST. MARGARET’S SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23 Come see our campus in action

Bear Day

nvented by toymakers in the early 1900s and named after President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, the teddy bear has become a popular children’s toy, celebrated in story and song. National Teddy Bear Day, celebrated each year on September 9, is an excellent opportunity to encourage active play for your child and to plan family activities and play-dates. Children should play and be active every day and playing with teddy bears or other stuffies helps them develop physical fitness and imaginative play. There are so many games and activities you can do on this special day!

Teddy Bear Games There are many teddy bear games that help build muscles while having fun, too. One fun game is “Going on a Bear Hunt” which is also a storybook by Michael Rosen. Read the story and have your preschooler do the actions. Be the thick, oozy mud, the whirling snowstorms, and the long, wavy grass. Encourage your child to interact with the story and to think up other actions they could add.

The Teddy Bear Hokey Pokey

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

250·595·3107

The Hokey Pokey Song is a traditional and old time favorite song with fun actions. Encourage your child to copy all the actions with their teddy bear as you sing the song. You put your bear in, you put your bear out. You put your bear in, and you shake it all about. You do the Teddy Pokey and you turn yourself around. And that’s what it’s all about. Add other verses such as “put your paws in,”…“put your bear ears in” or “put your tail in,” etc.

www.dancearabesque.ca Valerie Grant, L.C.S.C.-C.I.C.B., L.I.S.T.D. (Cecchetti Faculty)

30 Island Parent Magazine

Registration and classes held at: St. Matthias Anglican Church Hall (Richmond Rd. & Richardson St.)

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Dancing with a favourite teddy bear or stuffy is fun. Play different music tempos and encourage children to make their bears dance or move in a way that matches the beat. Encourage them to improvise different dance steps such as skipping, marching, hopping or twisting to the music. When the music stops, they and their bears need to freeze until the music plays again.

PRODUCED BY KOBA ENTERTAINMENT

Teddy Bear Freeze

Teddy Bear Singing Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear is a simple repetitive tune and the note range is perfect for little ones to learn and sing easily. Kids can act out the rhyming words in the song with their teddy bear such as turn around, touch the ground, turn out the light and say goodnight. Another well-known nursery song is Round and Round the Garden. It is a finger play song that involves a tickle on the hand and up the arm. Babies will squeal with delight.

Teddy Bear Tea Party Invite friends and their teddy bears to have a snack or lunch outside (or inside!) on a blanket. Have a teddy bear picnic with delicious delicacies such as teddy bear cookies or teddy bear gummies. There are hundreds of ideas for teddy bear snacks on Pinterest. Play the music Teddy Bears’ Picnic and march around to the song. To round out National Teddy Bear Day, there is a wonderful book entitled Can’t You Sleep Little Bear? by Martin Waddell. This is the ideal bedtime storybook for all little bears who are sometimes a little afraid of the dark. It has beautiful illustrations, and it is a comforting book to read with your child. Another wonderful book to read aloud is Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson. This is a story about forest animals gathering in a bear’s cave while he sleeps. The story is about love and friendship. The animals help each other, with everyone making room for the next. National Teddy Bear Day can be celebrated by all ages. It will bring back childhood memories and some of us might even get out our old teddy bears tucked away in a closet. Happy Teddy Bear Day! Jerri Carson is a primary music teacher for SD #61. She is a member of the CRD Arts Advisory Council. Jerri plays the cello in the Victoria Conservatory Cello Orchestra.

September 29 | Port Theatre

ON SALE NOW!

Call 250.754.8550 or visit www.porttheatre.com www.BubbleGuppiesOnTour.com MEDIA PARTNERS

R.A.D. Classes Pre-school Ballet R.A.D. Graded/Vocational Syllabi Youth Beginner Ballet Adult Ballet

CENTREPOINTE BALLET SCHOOL 2015 | 2016 Season Register: online www.centrepointedance.com OR at the Studio Saturday, Sept. 12th,

9:15 – 11:15 a.m.

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Peggy Bain Artistic Director Tara Crouse Shannon Delaney Roberta Waal

Dance Studio St. Margaret’s School 1080 Lucas Avenue Victoria BC T 250.592.4260

E centrepointe@shaw.ca www.centrepointedance.com

September 2015 31

Sept/Oct 2015

Generously Sponsored by and

Family Calendar For calendar updates throughout the month visit kidsinvictoria.com September TUES 1 Fun in the Wild at Thetis Lake Regional Park. Join CRD Regional Parks naturalists for a fun and adventurous afternoon hiking up Seymour Hill. Learn to identify a few of our native wild plants and participate in an adventure challenge along the way. There is no fee for this program, but you must pre-register. 9-12 years. 1-3pm. Call 250-478-3344 by August 31 for registration and location details.

WED 2 Seasonal Safari at Mill Hill Regional Park. The leaves are turning yellow, and the air feels crisp. Animals know it is time to prepare for winter. Join a CRD Regional parks naturalist to play games, look at leaves, and explore how raccoons, squirrels, bears and more are collecting food in the fall and preparing a winter spot to rest. Meet at information kiosk in parking lot off Atkins Ave at 1pm. 8 years and under. BC Transit #53. 250-478-3344. crd.bc.ca/parks.

TUES 8 Transportation Workshop at Victoria Disability Resource Centre. Learn how to plan bus routes, how to use Handy Dart and learn about other transportation options in your community. You will also have the chance to practice getting on and off a city bus. 1-4pm. Contact the VDRC at 250-595-0044 or email jessica@drcvictoria.com to RSVP. More in-

32 Island Parent Magazine

formation can be found at drcvictoria.com. 817A Fort St.

SAT 12 Game Design Workshop for Girls Learning Code at St. Margaret’s School. Combine the power of play with basic design and programming skills for a full day, game-making workshop. Imaginations will come to life using Scratch, a beginner level programming environment that encourages mathematical and computational skills. For girls 8-13 years. 10am-4pm. 1080 Lucas Ave. Register online at stmarg.ca. Tall Trees at Devonian Regional Park. Unlock the mysteries of trees on a fun forest adventure with a CRD Regional Parks naturalist. Follow clues and riddles along the trail to meet Devonian’s giants. Meet at kiosk in parking lot off William Head Rd at 1pm. 5+ years. BC Transit #54 or #55. 250-478-3344. crd.bc.ca/parks.

SUN 13 Paper Bag Transformer at Victoria High School. Prior to walking in the Victoria Puppets for Peace Parade, join puppeteer Gaby Osro and transform simple paper bags into fabulous puppets. Everyone welcome. No registration required. 1260 Grant St. 12:30-1:30pm. Autumn Splendor at Francis/King Regional Park. The universally accessible Elsie King Loop trail is the perfect place to take in the majesty of the maples and the surrounding woodland on this guided walk led by a CRD

Regional Parks naturalist. Meet at the Francis/ King Nature Centre off Munn Rd at 1pm. All ages. 250-478-3344. crd.bc.ca/parks.

FRI 18 Job Club Workshops at Victoria Disability Resource Centre. Emphasis on peer support consisting of a group of like-minded people looking for work. You will learn how to write an appropriate resume and cover letter, nail an interview, how and when to discuss your disability with an employer, and what to expect on your first day on the job. 1-4pm. 817A Fort St. Contact the VDRC at 250-595-0044 or email jessica@drcvictoria.com to register. More information at drcvictoria.com.

Sat 19 International Talk Like a Pirate Day at Russell Books. Stories and pirate fun with children’s author Mandy Spottiswoode. 9, 11:00 am12:30 pm. , 734 Fort St. Info: 250-360-0829.

SAT 19 & SUN 20 Victoria Kids Consignment Sale at Eagle Ridge Centre. Baby/kids clothes, toys, gear and much more. Public sale Sat, 10am-4pm; 1/2 price sale Sun, 9am-noon. Free admission. VictoriaKidsConsignment.ca for details.

SUN 20 Insect Walk at Beach Drive (Uplands Park sign). Join entomologist Claudia Copley, from the

kidsinvictoria.com

Royal BC Museum, on a walk through Uplands Park exploring for insects and their relatives. Who knows what we’ll find! 1-3pm. Free for all ages. Donations appreciated. Contact Margaret Lidkea, 250-595-8084.

mon 21 Baby Chat at Central Branch Library. Stay after drop-in Baby Time to learn about baby care and other child development topics from Island Health practitioners. For babies 0-15 months and parent or caregiver. 11-11:30am. No registration required. Victoria Children’s Literature Roundtable “Word-and-Picture Sandwiches” at Saanich Centennial Branch Library. Author/Illustrator Troy Wilson has crafted the words for a wide variety of word-and-picture sandwiches, including picture books, illustrated magazine stories, comics, and greeting cards. He’ll take you into the kitchen for a peek at the different ways these sandwiches were put together (with the preparation method for his most recent book, The Duck Says, being the most surprising of them all). Doors open at 7pm, presentation starts at 7:30pm. All welcome. $5; members free. Stories on Fern Street. The Victoria Storytellers Guild welcomes you to hear and tell stories. For people who love to tell stories, for people who love to listen, for people of all ages. Doors open at 7:15pm, stories start at 7:30pm. 1831 Fern St (park on Begbie). $5; $3/students (includes tea and goodies). victoriastorytellers. org. 250-477-7044.

See WED 23 for details. For ages 3-5. 10:3011:15am. Registration begins September 8. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL. Baby Chat at Saanich Centennial Branch Library. See MON 21 for details. For babies 0-15 months and parent or caregiver. Noon12:30pm. No registration required.

SAT 26 Hawk Watch at East Sooke Regional Park. Have you ever seen turkey vultures “kettling”? Join CRD Regional parks and the Victoria Natural History Society for this annual migration event complete with live raptor demonstrations and activities at Aylard Farm. Experts with spotting scopes will be at the viewpoint above Beechey Head. The hike up to the viewpoint requires sturdy footwear and a 20-minute trek up a steep and rocky trail. Bring binoculars, water, and a lunch. Drop in anytime between noon and 3pm at the Aylard Farm parking lot off Becher Bay Rd. All ages. 250-478-3344. crd.bc.ca/parks. Science Week: For the Love of Bugs at Central Branch Library. Celebrate Science Literacy Week with a visit to the Central Branch from the Victoria Bug Zoo Crew and many buggy friends. Drop by between 1-4pm to have all your questions answered and take advantage of photo ops with the bugs (bring your own camera). Everyone welcome; children under 3 must be accompanied by an adult. No registration required. 1-4pm.

SUN 27

Science Literacy Week: Science Storytime for Preschoolers at Oak Bay Branch Library. Listen to stories and participate in fun activities that teach the scientific concepts behind the stories. For ages 3-5. 10:30-11:15am. Registration begins September 8. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

Célébrons la nature—Mammifères mervelleux at Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary. A celebration of marvelous mammals, in French! Come for an afternoon of fun featuring hands-on exploration, games, crafts and more. Francophones and Francophiles welcome. Noon-3pm drop-in. Admission by donation. For more information, call 250-479-0211 or visit swanlake.bc.ca.

THUR 24

TUES 29

Science Literacy Week: Science Storytime for Preschoolers at Oak Bay Branch Library.

Falling for Fall at Emily Carr Branch Library. Join the GVPL for stories about Autumn and

WED 23

falling leaves. For young children and their families. This program will occur before regular opening hours and all children must be accompanied by an adult. Registration begins September 8. 9:30-10am. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875).

October SAT 3 Birds of Beechey Head at East Sooke Regional Park. Join CRD Guest naturalist, Geoffrey Newell, and walk to Beechey Head to observe raptors during their fall migration. Meet at the Aylard Farm Parking lot at 10am for the walk up to Beechey Head. 9+ years. 250-478-3344. crd.bc.ca/parks. Quintessence Breastfeeding Challenge at Mayfair Shopping Centre. Join GVPL and public health staff for story time at 10:30am, and the official breastfeeding count at 11am. Families, breastfeeding children, and siblings are welcome to participate. No registration required. 10:30am-noon. For info visit viha.ca. Brought to you by Island Health and GVPL. Esquimalt Children’s Story Fest at Esquimalt Branch Library. Join Esquimalt Recreation and the Esquimalt Branch Library for a festival in the plaza in front of the library. Storytellers will delight and entertain children of all ages. Free lunch is provided by the Kiwanis Club. Everyone welcome. 11am-2pm. No registration required.

Does your school need extra funding? We can help! Here’ how… The Thrifty Foods Smile Card Fundraising program provides 5% back on the dollars loaded onto the Smile Cards assigned to your group. This program helps to fund everything from school band trips to new playground equipment, library books or computers. It’s simple – to apply online visit thriftyfoods.com/community. Fact: In the past 5 years 302 different school groups have fundraised over $1.6 million dollars. Customer Care: 1 800 667 8280 • thriftyfoods.com

IslandParent.ca

September 2015 33

AGES 2 TO 5

QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

MORNING OR FULL DAY PROGRAMS QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

Shawnigan Lake PART-TIME AND FULL-TIME OPTIONS AGES 2 TO 5

AGES 2Children’s TO 5 Writing Workshop: Sidney Literary Festival at Sidney/North Saanich Branch

Montessori PART-TIME AND FULL-TIME OPTIONS

young writers! Join children’s MORNING OR FULLLibrary. DAY Calling PROGRAMS author Nikki Tate for lots of writing fun.

MORNING OR FULL DAY PROGRAMS

PART-TIME AND FULL-TIME OPTIONS

Presented by the Sidney Literary Festival and sponsored by the Friends of the Library. Ages 9-12 years. 1-2:30pm. Register by email at sidney.virl.bc.ca or phone 250-656-0944.

SUN 4 16th Ultimate Hobby & Toy Fair at Pearkes Vancouver Island’s premier toy and hobby show. Over 200 tables with action figures, vintage toys, models, trains, comics, Barbie, dolls, bears, LEGO, video games, Star Wars, GI Joe, Transformers, diecast cars, Hot Wheels, vinyl records and more. Local food vendors. Silent auction for the MS Society. Charity Carnival Games with all proceeds for BC Children’s Hospital, run by 501st Star Wars characters and Heroes Inc. Free door prize entry with admission. Dress in costume for extra door prize entry. General admission: 9am-3pm, $5/adults; kids are free. Early bird entry for the serious collector from 8am-9am, $15. ultimatetoyfair.com for more details.

QUALITY EARLYCHILDHOOD CHILDHOOD EDUCATION QUALITY EARLY EDUCATIONArena. AGES 2 3 TO AGES TO65 PART-TIME ANDDAY FULL-TIME MORNING OR FULL PROGRAMS Programs Available

PART-TIME AND FULL-TIME OPTIONS

Located at 1979c Renfrew Road On Shawnigan Lake School campus T: 250 743 6279 E: shawnigan.montessori@gmail.com Located at 1979c Renfrew Road On Shawnigan Lake School campus T: 250 743 6279 Located at 1979c Renfrew Road E: shawnigan.montessori@gmail.com

Spectacular Spiders at Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park. Walk anywhere in BC and you’ll T: 250 743 6279 be less than a metre from a spider! Join guest E: shawnigan.montessori@gmail.com naturalists, Claudia and Darren Copley, and go for an expedition in search of spiders and shawniganmontessori.com more. Meet at the Beaver Lake Picnic shelter at the Filter Beds parking lot at 1pm. 5+ years. BC Transit #70 or #72. 250-478-3344. crd. shawniganmontessori.com bc.ca/parks.

On Shawnigan Lake School campus shawniganmontessori.com

Abra-Kid-Abra

Everything for Kids

From their first day through to graduation. Aspengrove is there for your children.

Located at 1979c Renfrew Road On Shawnigan Lake School campus T: 250 743 6279 Abra-Kid-Abra E: shawnigan.montessori@gmail.com

At you’ll find “Everything for Kids” along with caring and helpful service from our knowledgeable staff. We sell a variety of new products including children’s apparel, dress-up, dance, swim and sunwear, hats, shoes, toys, baby layette and much, much more! Have you checked our consignment section? We have a fabulous selection of gently-used secondhand clothing, baby equipment and toys. Do you have visitors coming? Use our rental services for baby furniture, strollers, car seats, etc. Book early to avoid disappointment. Now accepting Fall and Winter Consignment. Visit us for back to school shopping.

2024 Oak Bay Ave, Victoria, BC 250-595-1613 34 Island Parent Magazine

shawniganmontessori.com

FRI 9 Lego Stories at Sidney/North Saanich Branch Library. Use the library’s Lego® to build your own creation. Each meeting will explore a different theme. Ages 5 years and up. 3:304:30pm. Please register by email at sidney@ virl.bc.ca or by phone 250-656-0944. Little Lego at the Library at Bruce Hutchison Branch Library. Listen to stories and have fun with the library’s Lego. Bring your own Lego for a take home project. For ages 7-10. 3:30-4:30pm. Registration begins September 8. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

FRI 16

Learn more today! 250 390 2201 AspengroveSchool.ca

N A N A IM O ’ S JK-12 IN T ER N AT I O N A L B ACC A L AUR E AT E WO R L D S C H O O L

Job Club Workshops at Victoria Disability Resource Centre. See FRI Sept 18 for details. 1-3pm. 817A Fort St. Contact the VDRC at 250-595-0044 or email jessica@drcvictoria. com to register. More information can be found at drcvictoria.com. Lego at the Library at Bruce Hutchison Branch Library. Listen to stories and have fun with the library’s Lego. Bring your own Lego for a takehome project. For ages 7-10. 3:30-4:30pm. Registration begins September 8. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875).

kidsinvictoria.com

SAT 17

you

NatureHood All Buffleheads Storytime at Sidney/North Saanich Branch Library. It’s all about the world’s most punctual duck. Spend a special storytime welcoming the Buffleheads back to the Saanich Peninsula and celebrate Canada’s newest NatureHood, Shoal Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary. Make your own Bufflehead to take home. 10:30-11:15am. Ages 0-5. Please register by email at sidney@ virl.bc.ca or phone 250-656-0944.

a place where matter

SAT 17 & SUN 18 Uplands Park Ivy and Broom Bash at Uplands Park. Bring your family, tools (loppers and pruners), and gloves to join in the fun of weeding out Ivy, Daphne and a few remnants of Scotch broom. Join Friends of Uplands Park and the Greater Victoria Green Team at the Beach Drive entrance to Cattle Point and sign in at the Registration table. Some tools are available. Refreshments available. Rain or shine. 1-4pm. Free. Donations Welcome. Contact Margaret Lidkea, 250-595-8084. friendsofuplandspark.wordpress.com.

Grades 7 – 12 Bus Service | Small class size Weekday Boarding available IB Diploma Programme Scholarships Available Diverse Extra-Curricular Activities

DWIGHT SCHOOL CANADA

Igniting the spark of genius in every child

PERSONALIZED LEARNING | COMMUNITY | GLOBAL VISION

2371 Shawnigan Lake Road | 250.929.0506 | www.dwightcanada.org

SUN 18 – SAT 24 Teen Read Week: Get Away @ Your Library at Sidney/North Saanich Branch Library. Especially for teens! Leave the daily grind behind and get away with a good book. Read, write, win prizes all week long. For ages 13-18. 250-656-0944.

WED 21 Sensory Storytime: Pete the Cat at Oak Bay Branch Library. Discover sensory-rich stories, movement and songs. This fun program is appropriate for preschoolers with autism or sensory processing issues, or preschoolers who thrive on routine. For ages 3-5. Parents and caregivers are required to participate with a maximum of 2 children per accompanying adult. 10:30-11:15am. Registration begins September 8. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

FRI 23 Splash, Bang, Whizz; Science is Fun! at Saanich Centennial Branch Library. Listen to stories and participate in fun activities that teach the scientific concepts behind the stories. For ages 3-5. 10:30-11:15am. Registration begins September 8. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250940-GVPL (4875) for more information. Lost? Find Your Way Using Satellites 20,000 km Away at Bruce Hutchison Branch Library. Celebrate Science and Technology Week with a program on how GPS space technology is used by scientists in their work. The event includes a rain or shine High Tech Treasure Hunt on the grounds of the library. GPS receivers are available to borrow during the hunt. You can also use your smart phone, download

IslandParent.ca

Have you registered your child yet for CanSkate? Register at Juan De Fuca Skating Club for the best learn-to-skate program with certified coaches. No matter if your child wants to play hockey, speed skate or figure skate; CanSkate will start them off on the right foot. For more information and to register please visit www.juandefucaskatingclub.ca or email juandefucasc@gmail.com September 2015 35

the basic GPS App with the “UTM” location coordinated needed for the hunt. For ages 7-12; accompanying adult required. 12:30-2pm. Registration begins September 8. Register online at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information. Archaeology Afternoon for Kids at Sidney/ North Saanich Branch Library. Dirt digging, storytelling, unlocking secrets from the past—archaeology is part detective story, part Indiana Jones! Chris Mudigler from UVic will introduce the wonderful world of archaeology through slides and hands-on activities. Ages 7-12. 1:30-3pm. Please email sidney@virl.bc.ca or phone 250-656-0944 to register. Storyteller Shoshana Litman: Around the World with Stories at Oak Bay Branch Library. Embark on a magical journey around the world with master storyteller Maggidah Shoshana Litman and be swept away with fun stories and crafts. For ages 5-8. 2-3pm. Registration begins September 8. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information. Drama Rama at Esquimalt Branch Library. What do you get when you mix imagination and movement? Drama Rama! Join professional theatre artist Diana Swayze for some fun and creative high energy games. For ages 5-8. 2-2:45pm and 3-3:45pm. Registration begins September 8. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

36 Island Parent Magazine

Story Buddies: Tween Volunteers at Juan de Fuca and Nellie McClung Branch Library. If you like working with children, enjoy stories, are a fluent English speaker and want to help young children with early literacy skills, we need you. Story Buddies tween volunteers pair with young children aged 4-6 to make an original story book. We provide training and, upon completion, a letter outlining your volunteer hours. First-time volunteers, please complete a Tween Volunteer Referral Form and register for a Story Buddies Training Session. For ages 10-12. 2:15-3:30pm. Registration begins September 8. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information. Story Buddies: Little Buddies at Juan de Fuca and Nellie McClung Branch Library. Make your own original book even if you can’t read or write yet. Story Buddies pairs young children with volunteer tweens for creative writing and illustration fun. Your Big Buddy will write down your story and then you will illustrate it together. For ages 4-6. 2:30-3:30pm. Registration begins September 8. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs at Central Branch Library. Celebrate food with fun stories and activities. Decorate your own recipe book and enjoy a fruit and veggie snack. An Island Health nutritionist will provide kids with

some fun food tips. For ages 5-8. 2:30-4pm. Registration begins September 8. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

SAT 24 Japanese Cultural Fair at Esquimalt Recreation Centre. Traditional Japanese entertainment, Japanese cuisine, kids’ activities, and craft tables. Enjoy Bon Odori dancing, Taiko drumming, live music, and martial arts demonstrations by local groups. VNCS members will also demonstrate ikebana flower arrangements, a Japanese tea ceremony, and traditional calligraphy. New for 2015 is an anime presentation. There will be bento lunch box, sushi, manju (a Japanese sweet cake), and other baked goods for sale. Free. 10am-4pm. 527 Fraser St. Forest Spooktacular at Francis/King Regional Park. Drop by any time between 11am and 2pm with family and friends for this spooktacular afternoon of Halloween fun with CRD Regional parks naturalists. At 11:15am and 1:15pm, join the guided walks if you dare— CRD Parks will fill the cauldron with spooky treasures from the natural world. Displays, Halloween crafts, and hot ghoulish brew await. Wear a costume and win a prize. Meet at the Francis/King Nature Centre off Munn Rd. All ages. 250-478-3344. crd.bc.ca/parks.

kidsinvictoria.com

SUN 25 Forest Spooktacular at Francis/King Regional Park. See SAT October 24 for details. All ages. 11am-2pm drop-in. 250-478-3344. crd. bc.ca/parks. Spooktacular Spiders at Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary. What carnivorous animal spins threads stronger than steel, injects venom to liquefy its prey, and ingests food with a sucking stomach? The web of intrigue will be spun and unfolded during this special event. Meet the locals, find out which of the few are dangerous and the many that aren’t, and make a spider craft. You might even shake hands with Rosebud the Tarantula! Experts will be on hand to identify any spiders you’d like to bring for identification. Noon-3pm drop-in. Admission by donation. For more information, call 250-479-0211 or visit swanlake.bc.ca.

Telling life stories through images. squishyprints.com 250-634-3444

MON 26 Baby Chat at Central Centennial Branch Library. See MON Sept 21 for details. For babies 0-15 months and parent or caregiver. 11-11:30am. No registration required.

TUES 27 Boo! I Scared You! at Emily Carr Branch Library. Celebrate Halloween with fun, silly, and maybe a tiny bit scary songs and stories. For young children and their families. This program will occur before regular opening hours and all children must be accompanied by an adult. 9:30-10am. Registration begins September 8. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250940-GVPL (4875) for more information. Sensory Storytime: The Green Grass Grows at Esquimalt Branch Library. Discover sensoryrich stories, movement and songs. This fun program is appropriate for preschoolers with autism or sensory processing issues or preschoolers who thrive on routine. For ages 3-5. Parents and caregivers are required to participate with a maximum of 2 children per accompanying adult. 10:30-11:15am. Registration begins September 8. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

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

Special Services:

short wait list • intravenous sedation • hospital dentistry • nitrous oxide

Victoria Pediatric Dental Centre 206–1830 Oak Bay Ave

www.victoriapediatricdentalcentre.ca

250-383-2133

Batwings & Broomsticks: A Halloween Program for Preschoolers at Juan de Fuca Branch Library. Have fun at this Halloween storytime filled with not-so-scary stories, songs, an easy holiday craft and a not-too-spooky short film. For ages 3-5. 10:30-11:30am. Registration begins September 8. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

WED 28 Batwings & Broomsticks: A Halloween Program for Preschoolers at Oak Bay Branch Library. See TUES Oct 27 for details. For ages 3-5. 10:30-11:30am. Registration begins

IslandParent.ca

September 2015 37

September 8. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

ONGOING BABIES, TODDLERS & PRESCHOOL

THURS 29 Halloween Spook-tacular at Esquimalt Branch Library. Scary stories, a creepy craft and other spooky activities will get you in the mood for the big night. Costumes encouraged. For ages 6-9. 3:30-4:30pm. Registration begins September 8. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

FRI 30 Batwings & Broomsticks: A Halloween Program for Preschoolers at Central Branch Library. See TUES Oct 27 for details. For ages 3-5. 3-4pm. Registration begins September 8. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information. Halloween Spook-tacular at Bruce Hutchison and Nellie McClung Branch Libraries. See THURS Oct 29 for details. For ages 6-9. 3:30-4:30pm. Registration begins September 8. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

SAT 31 Forest Spooktacular at Francis/King Regional Park. See SAT October 24 for details. All ages. 11am-2pm drop-in. 250-478-3344. crd. bc.ca/parks.

Drop-in Storytimes at the Greater Victoria Public Library. Caregivers are welcome and encouraged to participate. Storytimes are free and drop-in. Please come early to find a space. For a complete schedule of drop-in programs, visit gvpl.ca, or call the library for more info. Good Morning Rhymetime at Sidney/North Saanich Branch Library. Bring your littlest ones to the library for stories, songs, rhymes and movement. 0-5 years. Drop in. Thursdays September 10-October 22, 10:15-11am. 250656-0944.

CHILDREN Reading Buddies: Little Buddies at Esquimalt, Juan de Fuca, and Nellie McClung Branch Libraries. Does your child need a little help with reading? Reading Buddies provides reading practice, literacy-based activities and fun with volunteer teen Big Buddies. Sessions available in both English and French. For children in Grades 1-4. Registration begins September 8. Fall session runs Saturdays from October 24 to December 12, 2-3pm, or 3:30-4:30pm. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more info.

Youth Leadership program with Toastmasters International at Central Branch Library. Develop leadership and communication skills through practical experience and fun exercises with a Distinguished Toastmaster and other community speakers. For ages 8-12. Registrations begins September 8. Program runs Saturdays, October 3 to November 14, 11am-noon. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250940-GVPL (4875) for more information.

YOUTH Latin Course for Teens at Nellie McClung Branch Library. Want to learn Latin? Latin is not a dead language—and with a little effort, you can learn to read it. This is a rigorous course in classical Latin for committed teens taught by Mark Nugent & Dr. Gregory Rowe (UVic). By year’s end, you will be able to read poems by Catullus, the medieval Bayeux Tapestry, and the Latin translation of Harry Potter. The course is free, but a text book is required; contact teens@gvpl.ca for information about purchase, second-hand, or borrowing options. Course runs for eight months, please register for the September-December term, and you will be automatically registered for the January-April term. Registration begins September 8. Thursdays beginning September 17, 6:30-8:30pm. For ages 13-18. Register online at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more info.

The 148th Annual Saanich Fair Take a Spin at the Fair _____________________ Featuring Llamas & Alpacas

September 5, 6 & 7 Admission $11 for Adults, $8 for Seniors/Youth FREE for Kids 6 & under Midway - Ride All Day for $40 Gates 8am – 9pm No Dogs, Drugs or Alcohol 1528 Stellys Cross Rd, Saanichton BC V8M 1S8

www.saanichfair.ca Presented by NORTH & SOUTH SAANICH AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY

WESTERN CANADA’S OLDEST CONTINUOUS AGRICULTURAL FAIR 38 Island Parent Magazine

kidsinvictoria.com

Reading Buddies: Teen Volunteers at Esquimalt, Juan de Fuca and Nellie McClung Branch Libraries. 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 1-4 with reading practice, literacy-based activities and fun. We provide training and, upon completion, a reference letter outlining your volunteer hours. First-time volunteers, please complete a Teen Volunteer Referral Form and register for a Reading Buddies Training Session. Sessions available in both English and French. Registration begins September 8. Fall session runs on Saturdays from October 24 to December 12, 1:45-3pm, or 3:15-4:30pm. For ages 13-18. Register at gvpl.ca or call 250-940-GVPL (4875) for more information. Teen Council at Central Branch Library. Work on special library projects, represent the library, meet other teens and earn volunteer hours. For ages 13-18. Registration begins September 8. Saturdays September 19, October 17, November 21 and December 19, 3-5pm. Register at gvpl.ca or see gvpl.ca/teenvolunteers for more information. W.R.A.P. (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) for Kids at BCSS Victoria. For kids 8-12 who have a family member with a mental health challenge. WRAP for Kids aims to enhance resiliency, support and knowledge about how to live a happy and healthy life. This course includes art, games, food and fun. Eight week course on Saturdays starting September 26. No registration fee. 941 Kings Rd. 250-384-4225, or email admin.bcss@shaw.ca. More info at bcssvictoria.ca.

FAMILIES Young Parent Weekly Drop-In at the YM/ YWCA. The Y Young Moms Program hosts a free breakfast and drop-in for young parents in the community. Come enjoy a hot meal, socialize with other young parents, enjoy a kids’ craft, let your little one explore the fully equipped playroom, or have a look in the ‘free store’ for gently used children’s items and household supplies. 10am-noon. 250-382-1004.

The

little

fox run The 6th annual Terry Fox Run For children age 3-5!

Hosted at your facility No minimum pledge No entry fee

To register, contact: bcevents@terryfoxrun.org To register, contact: | Toll Free 1.888.836.9786 bcevents@terryfoxrun.org | Toll Free 1.888.836.9786

Oak Bay Figure Skating Club

! e t a k S o t n r a Le Power & Figure Skating Programs Registration on-going For more information or to register email jamiemcgrigor@gmail.com or call Jamie at 250-744-6603

www.oakbayfsc.ca

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. Moss St. Market at Sir James Douglas School. Local organic produce, delicious food, handcrafted products and live music. Children’s activity tent. Saturdays 10am-2pm until Oct. mossstreetmarket.com.•

IslandParent.ca

September 2015 39

Island Parent Celebrating

27 Years

on for Vancouver Island

The Resource Publicati

Parents

5 September 201

Fuel 4 Back to School

Lunch & Snack Ideas

Vancouver Island Baby Fair Show Guide Inside

Fall Programs Guide 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

DuNCAN Duncan Mall (centre court) Indigo Red Balloon Cowichan Recreation Centre Cowichan Aquatics Centre Kinderbeez Duncan Tourist Information CHEMAINuS Chemainus Theatre SHAWNIGAN LAKE Community Centre LADYSMITH Ladysmith Recreation Centre NANAIMO Nanaimo Aquatic Centre Quality Foods Country Club Mall Regional Library – Boban Fairway Market Island Natural Health Foods Woodgrove Centre

Around the Island

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

SEPTEMBER TUES 8 Not Back to School Picnic at Bowen Park, Nanaimo. Bring blankets, chairs, and snacks and come enjoy a day with homeschoolers, both new and veteran, from all programs and learning approaches. All homelearning families welcome. Contact Susanne Lee at 250-760-0822 for more information.

THURS 10 Lighthouse Plant Tour in Oceanside. Learn about the wild plants that you can eat: stinging nettles, salal, miner’s lettuce and more. Discover how to identify each plant and use them for your own survival and comfort on a daily basis. See, touch, taste and feel as our park naturalist brings samples to share including hand salve and a new way to make your next bit of rope. 9:30-11:30am. $15.50/ person. Phone RDN, Recreation and Parks at 250-248-3252 to pre-register. rdn.bc.ca/ recreation.

FRI 11 Nanaimo Community Home Learners (NCHL) Monthly Meet-up at Oliver Woods Community Centre. Resource library, gym time, and parent support. $5 drop-in fee/family or $20 year-long membership. nanaimocommunityhomelearners.org.

TUES 15 Moorecroft Regional Park Bird Tour at Moorecroft Regional Park. Bring your camera and binoculars for a tour that will delight both novice and expert bird watchers. Guy Monty, a local bird expert, will lead you through Moorecroft Regional Park, which is host to a diverse list of bird species. 7-9pm. $15.50/person. Phone RDN, Recreation and parks at 250-248-3252 to pre-register. rdn. bc.ca/recreation.

WED 16 For a complete list of where you can find a copy of Island Parent Magazine, go to

islandparent.ca 250-388-6905 40

Island Parent Magazine

Sno Cone Swim at Ravensong Aquatic Centre. Oh the weather outside may be frightful, but our sno cones are oh so delightful. Come for

a swim and cool treat. Everyone welcome. 6:30-8pm. Phone RDN, Recreation and Parks 250-752-5014 or visit rdn.bc.ca/recreation.

FRI 18 BBQ and DJ Teen Swim at Ravensong Aquatic Centre. Celebrate the end of summer with a free BBQ, field games, and teen swim featuring fresh beats from DJ All Good. The BBQ and field games begin at 5:30pm, with the swim from 7-9pm. Free admission courtesy of the Youth Recreation Services Plan. 250-752-5014. rdn. bc.ca/recreation.

SUN 20 Terry Fox Run at Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park. Walk, ride or run 3.3km, 5km, or 10km for cancer research. Registration begins at 9am and run starts at 10am. Register and pledge online at terryfox.org. No entry fee, and no minimum pledge. Volunteers are needed for this event, please call 250-248-3252.

SUN 20 – SAT 26 Active Aging Week in Oceanside. Let the adventures begin with free activities all week in celebration of active aging. Local resources will be showcased, and older adults are invited to be active in a safe, friendly, fun atmosphere. Free events and activities will be posted online at rdn.bc.ca/recreation.

TUES 22 Mini Golf Tourney for Youth and Seniors at Paradise Adventure Mini Golf. A chance for youth 11-18 years and adults 55+ to connect over a free game of golf and a bite to eat. 4-6pm. Space is limited, so register early by calling RDN, Recreation and Parks at 250248-3252. rdn.bc.ca/recreation.

SAT 26 Skate with the Generals at Oceanside Place Arena. Meet the players, join in a small scrimmage, and receive skating tips from your favourite player. Free admission and skate rentals courtesy of the Oceanside Generals Jr. Hockey Club. 2-3:30pm. Phone 250-248-3252 or visit rdn.bc.ca/recreation.

kidsinvictoria.com

• Three to Five • Before and After School Care

October FRI 2 Nanaimo Community Home Learners (NCHL) Monthly Meet-up at Oliver Woods Community Centre. Resource library, gym time, and parent support. $5 drop-in fee/family or $20 year-long membership. nanaimocommunityhomelearners.org.

SAT 3 Quintessence Breastfeeding Challenge Around Vancouver Island. Join local library and public health staff for story time at 10:30am and the official breastfeeding count at 11am. Families, breastfeeding children and siblings are welcome to participate. No registration required. 10:30am-noon. For details, visit viha.ca. Brought to you by Island Health and the Greater Victoria Public Library, Vancouver Island Regional Library, and Salt Spring Island Public Library.

ONGOING

Big Kids’ Corner We offer four licence group childcare programs:

• Infant Toddler • Multi-Age Before and After School • ThreeCare to Five and care on Non-Instructional Days. • Before and After School Care

Pick-up and drop off for Vic West Elementary School. Open 6:30 am to 5:30 pm 949 Fullerton Avenue, Victoria, BC V9A 3Z9

www.babiestobigkids.com 250-590-2722 office@babiestobigkids.com

ALL AGES TOGETHER

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.

SING WITH US… FOR THE JOY OF SINGING ! Victoria’s Non-Audition Community Choir for All Ages Directed by Louise Rose

REHEARSAL/DROP-IN: Tuesdays 6:30 pm Saturdays 10:00 am Choose one or both

www.victoriagoodnewschoir.c o m

Children/Teen (from 7 years)

FAMILY Parksville Lion’s and Save-On-Foods Free Family Skate at Oceanside Arena, Parksville. Free family skating Sundays 12:15-1:45pm. Free admission and skate rentals. Children must be accompanied by an adult 19 years or older. 250-248-3252. rdn.bc.ca/recreation.•

250-658-1946

Sewing Classes Your child/teen can SEW!

It’s SEW Easy!

YOUTH Youth Drop-in in Nanaimo. The ultimate place to be. This is a supervised space for youth 12 to 17 to hang out and chill. Regular gymnasium activities and more. Program is free, but please register using barcode 134870. 7-9pm until May 27. Monday: Nanaimo District Secondary School; Wednesday: John Barsby Community School.

SONG

Y OU AND Y OUR F AMILY ARE I NVITED !

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, 9:30am-noon. $2 suggested donation per family. familyandfriends.ca.

Emphasis is on sewing clothes they can wear! Home School Classes also available Bay/Fernwood area

Call 250-592-7879 Andrea’s

Andrea Bailey

24 years experience

aseweasy@shaw.ca www.andreasseweasy.com www.facebook.com/aseweasy

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 www.islandparent.ca for specific information on submissions. We’d love to hear from you. Please email submissions to editor@ islandparent.ca.

IslandParent.ca

September 2015 41

Party Directory G Y paint your own ceramics studio

Dirt Bike Birthday Parties We supply everything: Bike • Gear • Riding Lesson for ages 6yrs to adults over 30 bikes to choose from

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Hassle Free Parties for kids & families You provide the space and food…

Learn to Ride with Us! 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.

We’ll provide an hour of fun with puppet shows and play

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PAR-T-PETS are here! Adorable AND affordable. Exclusively made for Par-T-Perfect

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You’ll Flip Over Our Birthday Parties * Greater Victoria’s newest, largest and cleanest facility with hassle free parking for you and your guests * * Large private party rooms * * Experienced Qualified Fun Coaches * * 3 Trampolines & 40ft Tumble Trac * * Awesome Foam Pit *

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Party Directory Bring your party of Bring your party of Grubs and Larvae for a Grubs and Larvae Bugtastic Adventure for a Bugtastic Adventure atatthe Bug Zoo! the Bug Zoo!

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Gymnastics

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We offer the largest selection of inflatables on Vancouver Island—trust your party or special event to the experts—the original bouncy castle company, serving Vancouver Island since 1990. 631 Courtney St (Downtown in Nootka Court) 631 Courtney St. (Downtown in Nootka Court)

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Come Fly With Us!

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:: Gym & Bouncy Castle, themed parties: creative kids, girl power and preschool parties from Princesses to Pirates! at Henderson Recreation Centre!

Call 250-370-7200

Pool, Skate, or Soccer parties at Oak Bay Recreation Centre!

Call 250-595-SWIM (7946)

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250-380-2442 IslandParent.ca

September 2015 43

Over the past 14 years of parenting, I’ve learned the difference between offering a reward and giving a bribe. A bribe is when you want the kids to do something for your benefit—like paying the kids to give you a back massage. A reward is when you’re encouraging them to do something difficult that is for themselves, like going on a wilderness canoe trip. With this in mind, my wife and I suggested

The Hard Sell of a Wilderness Canoe Trip

ooking back at how my wife and I have been raising our three daughters, at least a part of me seems to be attempting to recreate the best of my own childhood. That’s likely part of the reason I forced our 14-year-old daughter on a 15-day canoe and kayak trip in Northern Ontario this summer. When I was 14, I went on a similar trip—two weeks in Algonquin Park with a program called Outreach. While I wouldn’t say I enjoyed it, I certainly learned a lot. I grew and matured. It was good for me. Raising three daughters, I sometimes fear we’re allowing a princess kind of a childhood—too much time at the mall, not enough dirt under their fingernails, more concerned about appearance than adventure, more time spent on Facebook than in front of campfires. And so when our eldest daughter Evelyn turned 14, we suggested she

go on a canoe trip with Outreach. We wanted her to know what it is to go camping—not glamping or car camping, but real, out-inthe-wilderness, no-cell-phone-reception camping. Two weeks in the wilderness to learn about canoeing, kayaking and outdoor life seemed a great opportunity. Evelyn on the other hand wanted nothing to do with this, and for almost a year, we had endless arguments about it. Even when Evelyn learned that her cousin from Germany would go if she went, she still refused. My wife and I didn’t give up. We worked away at her. My parents worked away at her. Even my brother wrote her an email about how important it is to try different things and challenge yourself. Our campaign to convince Evelyn lasted for months, but she steadfastly refused.

Dadspeak Daniel GriFFin we contribute some money towards the new iPhone Evelyn wanted, and last winter, she and her cousin signed up and booked tickets to travel to Ontario where they’d stay with my parents while they did pre-trip training. Up until the very day Evelyn flew to Ontario, in fact, beyond that and through the first days of training in Kingston, Evelyn still insisted that she didn’t want to go. My

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wife and I talked to her on the phone every day and did our best to reassure her. In each of those conversations we hoped to detect some part of her that was looking forward to the experience, even if she mostly didn’t want to go, surely deep inside some aspect of the trip excited her. If it existed, we never found it. In those phone calls what we most heard was dread. Almost every day while Evelyn was in Kingston we talked by phone, and then it was radio silence while she went canoeing in Killarney Provincial Park and kayaking around Georgian Bay. Our house seemed a little quiet with one less kid. Every evening we discussed what Evelyn might be doing, we checked the weather and even went camping ourselves just to share a bit of the experience. Throughout, both her sisters missed her—one night our youngest daughter burst into tears when we started talking about Evelyn. One of those evenings we had friends over for dinner. At this point, everyone knew of Evelyn’s trip, and just about every parent we talked to loved the idea. Half way into dinner, our friend Jon said he’d bet $10 that within a year Evelyn would say she wanted to go again next year. I opened my wallet, pulled out a $10 bill and set it behind a porcelain dish for safe keeping. “I’ll keep this here for a year and it’s yours if she says she wants to go again. Believe me, there’s nothing I’d like more than for you to win this money.” Evelyn’s trip was fine. By day two she was friends with everyone in her group. She and her cousin had a great time together— though they were the least experienced paddlers in the group. Once they needed someone to tow their double kayak to catch up to the group, once in a while they fell behind on a portage. Evelyn got about 60 mosquito bites, but she survived. It’s now a month later and while Evelyn firmly says she never wants to go again, just hours after her return, by phone, she did thank me for making her go. Hearing that was almost as good as if she’d said she wanted to go again, but I don’t think I owe Jon the ten dollars. Daniel Griffin is the father of three children and the author of Stopping for Strangers (Vehicule Press, 2012), a collection of short stories about parents, children, brothers and sisters.

IslandParent.ca

CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR CHILD’S DEVELOPMENT?

we can help • Free drop-in speech and language screenings the first Wednesday of every month from 11am-12pm • Developmental screenings by a Pediatrician • Speech Language Pathology services • Occupational Therapy • Behaviour Therapy • No waitlists

discover what’s inside MONARCH HOUSE VICTORIA 611 Discovery ST 250.220.8999 info@monarchhouse.ca www.monarchhouse.ca September 2015 45

Creepy Reads

love it once the September chaos has settled into a type of rhythm, the air is crisp but bright, Christmas stress is still ages away and it begins to feel like time to cook soup and snuggle in. After a good romp in the leaves, climb up Mt. Doug, or soccer game in the park what better thing than to curl up on the couch with a good book? With Halloween about to be on every child’s mind, a spooky, ghostly or witchy tale can help create the perfect ambience. Here are some ideas to get you in the spirit of the fall and, before you know it, Halloween… Black and Bittern Was Night, by Robert Heidbreder and John Martz (Kids Can Press, 2013) Oh no! The Skul-a-mug-mugs are taking over town and adults, in quaking fear, are cancelling Halloween. “Brain-frizzled tall-big ones latch-click-locked doorholds.” But the tyke-tots, the Noras and Nicks of the town, are determined to save trick-or-treating. They hatch a plan to outbrave and outskul the threatening villians. This is a somewhat kooky, playful story told in nonsense verse that will go over the heads of most teeny tots. While they will still enjoy the story’s rhythm, it is older kids, and adults too, who may enjoy rereading the tale just to figure out the playful language. It is a battle of scare that brings trick-or-treating back to the kids! Creepy Carrots, by Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown (Simon & Shuster, 2012) I love this picture book. It is illustrated in black and white with the exception of the carrots, which are bright orange. A young bunny, Jasper, loves carrots and he takes the best of them from Crackenhopper Field. But one day he has a sick sense that the carrots are following him. At first he thinks they are just in his imagination, but he starts to see them everywhere. Are the creepy carrots real? Could they really

be after him? Suspense is used beautifully in this little story. There are simple, short sentences that make for a dynamic read, and which are interspersed with humour and cute pictures making this the perfect young ‘scare’ book.

Book Nook paisleY aiken That One Spooky Night, by Dan Bar-el and David Huyck (Kids Can Press, 2012) This is a collection of three Halloween stories written in a graphic novel format. My son says he has read them at least 20 times, cover to cover. Witches, magical underwater sea monsters and haunted houses all come to life as three sets of kids set off to trickor-treat on that one spooky night! Who will be tricked? And who will get treats? This is a fun collection, perfect to get kids in the spirit of Halloween. Earwig and the Witch, by Diana Wynne Jones (Harper Collins, 2011) When Earwig is adopted by a witch she is very skeptical of her new family. All of her suspicions come true when her new “mother” uses her simply as a slave. Earwig is depressed until she finally realizes that she can use the situation to her own advantage to learn magic. So along with a certain black cat she begins to learn some magical tricks of her own. This is a delightful early chapter book and won’t scare off any of its readers! The Great Ghost Rescue, by Eva Ibbotson (MacMillan Children’s Books, 1975) Humphrey is the misfit of his family. He is pink and fluffy and isn’t at all scary like a ghost should be. Sadly, Humphrey’s family and friends are losing their homes due to mass development. They manage to find a young boy willing to help them petition for a sanctuary for ghosts, but just when they think they have been saved, their lives are threatened and it is up to Humphrey to save them. This is a sweet, fun ghost story that paints a spectrum of vibrant, colourful characters without any real scare. A Tale Dark & Grimm, by Adam Gidwitz (Puffin Books, 2010) kidsinvictoria.com

I don’t know what it says about me but I love dark, gruesome stories. This one is based on Hansel and Gretel but is so much darker than the tale I am familiar with. It is so terrifically horrific that I couldn’t help but chuckle as I read it. If, however, you have a sensitive, nervous or very young child, this is probably not an appropriate book. The author makes this quite clear in the story a number of times and even says, as a warning at the beginning, “For the little ones, if they are still around, I warn you, I plead with you: Make them go away. Don’t let them hear this story. They may have nightmares. No, they will have nightmares.” If you have a child who loves the sinister characters in, let’s say The Twits, The Witches, or Lemony Snicket, chances are they will find this retelling of Grimm’s fairy tales captivating, full of bold and clever twists. If you think your child has grown beyond fairytales, think again. Wicked and delicious…but bedtime may not be the best time to read them. Paisley Aiken reads extensively to her three energetic young boys. She is founder of The Story Studio Writing Society, a charity that grows kids’ relationship with literacy.

IslandParent.ca

For the Explorer in You! • Hike the Fossil Trail • Visit the Cave Theatre • Explore a Cave • Try Rock Rappelling Family Tours every hour, every day

250-248-7829 HORNELAKE.COM

Ranked #1 on TripAdvisor

September 2015

September & Schedules...Again

hings slide a bit in the summer. Holidays mean that a coffee break can extend well beyond 15 minutes, even into the next coffee break, and lunch can kind of never happen. A recent stay with a friend and her family introduced me to the brunch idea of boiled perogies, covered with grated Cheddar and then broiled, with some grapes on the side, at 11 a.m. This was a catch-all meal for her latesleeping son that hit several food groups, re-stored his blood sugar, and nourished him for his active afternoon. My son tends to drift kitchen-ward in the mid-morning, wanting a cup of strong, sweet, milky tea first of all. Only after he has absorbed that can he begin to focus on solid food: what, when, how. My appetite is similar and so I can go with it his schedule. A bigger adaptation for me was with my daughter when she was small. Her hummingbird-like

metabolism demanded protein, pronto, and beware all who stood in the way. Like snowflakes or sand castles, no two of us are exactly the same: one person’s feast of dreams will be another person’s plate full of gag-stimulation. So, institutional insistence on herding us all into set nutrition breaks goes against nature (the very nature of institution, though?). And this is the time of year for parents everywhere to heave weary sighs, dig out last year’s lunch boxes, and start to toss around ideas for snacks and treats that might pique the interest of their target audience in the crucial 18 to 23 minutes allotted to the mid-day meal. Sandwiches are for home: open-faced tuna salad, grilled cheese, bacon and tomato. School lunches need to be a quick hit, small bites, variety but not overload. Think cultural themes: visit Japan with easy sushi. Cook sushi rice the night before, and serve in a compartmen-

! t s e n i p Pum k f

• Hayrides • Corn Maze • Pumpkin Patch • Train Rides • Petting Farm Saturdays & Sundays 10 am - 4 pm • Haunted House October 10 & 11, 17 & 18, 24 & 25 • Bouncy Castles Also Halloween Day! October 31st • Live Entertainment

48 Island Parent Magazine

talized container with slivers of carrot and cucumber, slices of avocado, strips of nori and maybe a one-egg omelette, thinly sliced. Add a soy sauce package or two and you’re set. Or go the bento box route with edamame beans, soba salad, and some steamed or baked yam cubes. Not things that your luncher likes to eat? How about Mexican:

Just Eat It! Kathy Humphrey basic burritos wrapped with refried beans, ground beef/turkey/veggie round, grated carrot and a smattering of salsa, with some crunchy nacho chips and mashed avocado on the side? Or go Greek, sending along olives, pita, tzatziki, and maybe some mini cukes and cherry tomatoes. It’s easy to get caught in North American’s insistence that children’s palates demand processed and bland foods. These type of foods may save time, but they also cost more, and contribute nothing to a healthy diet. Bring different

ride the new Cow Train!

kidsinvictoria.com

food into your homes, and into their lives, and suggest that trying new things can be fun. France means a bit of creamy cheese, some sliced cured sausages, and a bit of good bread, with radishes and carrot-sticks on the side. Italy? Well, how about a slice of leftover pizza? Or a risotto ball, a meatball, and a bit of cooked pasta tossed with olive oil. The Middle East offers hummus, to be eaten with red pepper slices and flat-bread. Spin a globe, choose a country, and read about the country’s customs and cuisine, then pack the lunchboxes based on your adaptations of what you’ve learned, together. That’s a nice way to start the year!

Tzatziki Sauce 1 cup low-fat plain yogurt 1⁄ 2 English cucumber, peeled and finely chopped 1 large clove garlic, minced 1 Tbsp fresh mint, minced (optional) Line a sieve with cheesecloth; add yogurt and let drain for 2–4 hours. Place chopped cucumber in colander and sprinkle with 1⁄4 tsp salt, let stand for 30 minutes then rinse under cold water and pat dry. Combine drained yogurt, cucumber, garlic and mint if using; mix well. Cover and refrigerate for up to two days.

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Soba Sesame Salad 300 grams soba noodles (1⁄2 package) 1⁄4 cup sesame seeds pinch of salt 3 tsp rice vinegar 6 tsp soy sauce 3 tsp liquid honey 3 tsp sesame oil 5 green onions, tops and tails discarded, finely sliced Fill a large pot with water, bring to a boil and add salt. Cook soba noodles for about 6 minutes, or according to package directions, until tender but not mushy. Heat small skillet over medium-high heat. Pour sesame seeds in pan and toast until golden brown and lightly fragrant. In a large bowl, mix together vinegar, soy sauce, honey and sesame oil. Whisk well. Stir in green onions. Toss soba noodles with dressing and green onions, then add sesame seeds and mix well. Kathy Humphrey lives in Victoria with her husband and two children. She tries to see cooking for a family not as a chore but as a creative outlet.

IslandParent.ca

Cowichan Aquatic Centre 2653 James Street 250.746.7665

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September 2015 49

Babies? Meh.

It gets (even) better!

T Space available for Sept 2015 in Explorers program for 3 year olds.

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here are people out there right now, clutching their babies wistfully and dreading the thought of them getting bigger, becoming less squeezily delicious, and taking on the smells of mouldy potatoes and goats. I get it. I’ve been there! Babies are mighty cute little creatures. But everyone knows that their cuteness is their only survival tactic. Because babies, even the so-called easy ones, are a whole ton of work. When you are a baby’s primary caregiver, aside from occasional fits of weeping, you rarely have time to reflect on this fact. But this year, my kids turned four and seven, which gave me ample time, like a whole four-minute stretch (it’s all relative, okay?) to come to the realization that life has suddenly gotten a whole lot more relaxed, and even though my babies were way cuter than any of your babies, I am quite happy to see those years behind me. Here’s why. 1. Mild negligence no longer equates an ER visit. Let’s face it, babies/toddlers are not rocket scientists. Mine have been known to eat glass, wander into the paths of moving vehicles, run towards the edge of a cliff whilst looking in the opposite direction, and place their hands on burners. It’s helicopter parenting or death from the time they wake up till the time they go to bed. Now if I ignore them, the worst they might do is find my Ben and Jerry’s stash, but last time I checked lactose intolerance was not life-threatening. 2. You can forget something while packing for vacation and life will go on. Didn’t bring your specific brand of pacifiers, your baby monitor, your pack and play, your diapers? You are detouring. And it might get expensive, and someone will definitely be having a tantrum. Didn’t bring Ellis the Elephant or Mr. Blankie? Turn that minivan around and hand over another UCCB payment to BC Ferries (speaking from experience). The worst packing blunders these days just mean that my kids are a little extra sticky. 3. Your kids can play. And by play I don’t mean: peekaboo (repeat 836 times), chew on this block for 12 seconds, drop it, cry (repeat 43 times), or tickle (repeat ad infinitum). kidsinvictoria.com

These “games” are both labour intensive and crushingly dull (see repeat statistics) for the adults who are forced to be play. Rather, slightly older children may independently build, create, pretend, you name it. Listening to my kids’ off-the-charts-cute imaginary play has been one of my favourite things about parenting thus far, and my ability to enjoy a still-hot cup of coffee as they do it only adds to my pleasure.

Is There an App for This? Carly SUTHERLAND 4. You feel what can only be described as a weightlessness due to the absence of chronic baby-induced aches and pains. The parenting of very young children is rarely conducive to an ergonomically satisfactory environment. When you spend the bulk of each day toting what feels like a squirmy bag of wet sand on one hip, in a sling/carrier, or—the worst—an infant bucket seat, it’s a rare night you don’t ease into bed emitting an exhale of ohhhhmyback. Back in the 80s, my dad ended up in surgery for his already bad back after being tipped over the edge by strapping my baby brother into the back seat of a two-door ’83 Celica. The threat is real, people. 5. You start to like your partner again. There have been multiple peer-reviewed studies that show an accelerated decrease in marital satisfaction after the birth of your first baby, in 90 per cent of couples. Anyone who has had a baby (except for the other 10 per cent, you guys go away) doesn’t need me to go into the reasons why. Speaking of not going into details, this is a family publication, so I will not get into why your love life gets better when you are no longer running on three hours sleep and moaning about your back. But trust me, it does. So whether your baby is a high-maintenance, albeit adorable pain in your rear/ lower back, or the kind of a perfect angel whom you have actually been known to wake from a nap so that you can play with them (aka a Unicorn Baby), some awesomeness lies ahead. Carly Sutherland is issuing a disclaimer to readers that she knows diddly squat about raising teenagers and expects that some people are laughing at her right now. IslandParent.ca

Take your creativity out of the box. Time to unpack your sense of curiosity and wonder. Registration for Fall programs at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria begins Saturday, August 29 at 10am. Join our encouraging artist-instructors in the art studio, galleries and gardens for classes and workshops for a wide range of ages.

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250.370.6801 | Victoria, BC

September 2015 51

World Breastfeeding Week

Healthy Families, Happy Families

Child, Youth & Family Public Health South Island Health Units Esquimalt 250-519-5311 Gulf Islands 250-539-3099 (toll-free number for office in Saanichton)

Peninsula 250-544-2400 Saanich 250-519-5100 Saltspring Island 250-538-4880 Sooke 250-642-5464 Victoria 250-388-2200 West Shore 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 250-850-2110 Courtenay 250-331-8520 Kyuquot Health Ctr 250-332-5289 ‘Namgis Health Ctr 250-974-5522 Port Hardy 250-902-6071

www.viha.ca/prevention_services/

52 Island Parent Magazine

e celebrate Breastfeeding Week annually in Canada on October 1 to 7. The first week of October represents the 40th week of gestation, when life outside the womb begins with breastfeeding. Balancing work and family life, including breastfeeding, is challenging but necessary for a strong, healthy, and vibrant workforce as well as healthy babies, families, and communities. Everyone plays a role in supporting mothers, babies, and families to succeed in balancing work and family life. The World Breastfeeding Week 2015 campaign aims to empower and support all women, working in both formal and informal labour sectors, to combine work and child-rearing. This is especially important with respect to breastfeeding because of the key role that breastfeeding plays in babies’ and mothers’ health. Work is defined in its broadest form, from paid employment, self-employment, seasonal, and contract work to unpaid home and care work. Supporting mothers to combine work and child rearing is a complex task, requiring various strategies and involving many different partners who share common agendas. Why is this important? Although research has firmly established the importance of breastfeeding, and while most mothers have every intention to breastfeed, statistics show mothers are not continuing to breastfeed as long as is recommended. Current recommendations set by the World Health Organization, Health Canada, the Canadian Paediatric Society, Dietitians of Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada state that, for healthy-term infants, exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first six months. Thereafter, introduction of complementary foods starting at six months along with continuing breastfeeding for two years or more. According to Stats Canada, in 20112012, nationally, 89 per cent of mothers start breastfeeding their babies (94 per cent in B.C.), and at 6 months, this is down to 26 per cent (41 per cent in B.C.), this includes mothers not exclusively breastfeeding. Statistics on breastfeeding at one year and beyond are hard to find. The latest numbers

from 2009 show that only about 16 per cent are breastfeeding their baby. (Quintessence Foundation Newsletter August, 2014) This year’s global theme is focused on supporting mothers to combine breastfeeding and work. Regardless of where moms may be working, it is important to empower mothers to continue to breastfeed.

Healthy Families, Happy Families Ch ild Y outh & Family Pub lic Health

S Scott, C Thomson, J Krenz, J Wardle

How can we all contribute? Make it possible for mothers to breastfeed and work. Seek collaborative ways to work with men, youth, and male dominant work places to increase awareness and active involvement in supporting moms. Work with employers to increase awareness about the importance and acceptance of breastfeeding in the workplace. Introduce and have work and child care policies and practices that address issues mothers face, including barriers such as poverty and food security. Mothers and families need to know about their right to health, food, and safety. These rights are clearly stated in provincial and national legislation, an example is our B.C. Human Rights document. In Canada, many mothers can enjoy maternity benefits that allow them to be at home for up to one year and often combine this with their partner so both parents can share parenting roles and duties. Even so, many mothers take shorter leaves for a variety of reasons. Financial need and lack of support from the work place are common reasons expressed by mothers and families. Also, many mothers are not aware that they can do combination feedings. Breastfeeding doesn’t have to be “all or nothing;” any amount of breastfeeding contributes towards the positive health of both mom and baby. In fact, if mothers spend time breastfeeding where the child is cared for, the mother’s immune system will make kidsinvictoria.com

specific antibodies to that environment. This provides additional protection to the baby since this can help to decrease illnesses as well as the severity of illness that may be picked up from the care environment. So any amount of continued breastfeeding can help towards disease prevention and good health. Healthy babies, healthy moms and healthy families lead to healthy communities and vibrant work forces. Let’s all do what we can to better support breastfeeding moms in the workplaces and everywhere! Join us on Saturday, Oct 3 to celebrate

Breastfeeding Week in Canada and Quintessence Breastfeeding Challenge. In 2014, we had nine locations Island-wide, with 162 moms and 164 babies participating, one of 210 sites around the world participating in the Annual Breastfeeding Challenge. Visit viha.ca for details about locations in your community. Swati Scott, RD, IBCLC, Christy Thomson, RD, Janet Krenz, RD, and Justine Wardle, RD, Community Dietitians with Child, Youth and Family Community Health, Island Health.

Elements of Support W

hether you are claiming your right to breastfeed or campaigning to support women to work and breast feed, there are three necessary factors that determine success: TIME, SPACE, and SUPPORT. All three factors are needed for women in any kind of work setting. From worldbreastfeedingweek.org.

TIME: 1. Six months paid maternity leave post-natally to support exclusive breastfeeding. And, adequate paid leave prenatally. Where leave is shorter, women need means to extend their leave period so that they can be with their babies, combining fully paid, unpaid or some other form of leave. 2. Additional paid leave for mothers of premature or other vulnerable infants who may need extra time for special care, and to express and provide life-saving human milk for their babies. 3. One or more paid breastfeeding breaks or a daily reduction of hours of work to breastfeed her child. 4. Flexible work hours to breastfeed or to express breastmilk such as part-time work schedules, longer lunch and other breaks, job sharing or any such alternatives.

SPACE/PROXIMITY: 1. Infant and childcare at or near the workplace, and transportation for mothers to be with their babies. For rural worksites and seasonal work, women could use mobile childcare units or shared childcare and wet nursing arrangements according to accepted cultural practices. 2. Private facilities for expressing and storing breastmilk. It can be a breastfeeding room, a corner or any safe space at or near the worksite. 3. A clean work environment safe from hazardous waste and chemicals.

SUPPORT: 1. Information about national maternity laws and benefits—as well as maternity provisions provided aat their workplace or sector-wide—which may be better than national laws and practices. 2. Support from employers, management, superiors and co-workers in terms of positive attitudes towards pregnancy, motherhood and breastfeeding in public. 3. Information about women’s health during pregnancy and lactation in order to be better able to combine employment with breastfeeding and childcare needs. 4. Support from worker’s or trade unions either from their own work sector or the larger national unions. 5. Job security and non-discrimination on the grounds of maternity and breastfeeding.

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September 2015 53

Family Services Directory our Parents Together program and parent workshops. For more information on all programs and services visit bgcvic.org or call 250-384-9133.

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!

The Canucks Autism Network (CAN) provides yearround, high quality sports, recreational, social and arts programs for children, teens and young adults living with autism, while building awareness and providing training through community networks across British Columbia. CAN currently offers Soccer (ages 5-15), Swim (ages 4-15), Physical Literacy (ages 4-11), Family Events and Camps on Vancouver Island. To learn how you can join, please visit canucksautism.ca/join or email info@ canucksautism.ca.

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.

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.

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.

Countryside Preschool is a cooperative preschool where our qualified ECE provides stimulating instruction to develop your child’s social and cognitive skills. Families build a network of support through our parent-participation days. Classes are in session Sept–June; Tues–Thurs; 9am–1pm. Flexible registration options available. Visit our FREE Stay ’N Play sessions for caregivers and tots, Mondays, 10am–noon. Visit countrysidepreschool.org or call 250-652-3424.

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.

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 Metchosin. We also offer support to parents through

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 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.

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. Excit-

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Call Today for a Complimentary 10 minute phone consultation Call 250-686-7582 maxinefisher@shaw.ca victoriafamilycounselling.com 54 Island Parent Magazine

kidsinvictoria.com

ing Volunteer opportunities available! 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. Rested Development Sleep Consulting. I am educated in ALL sleep-training methods and together we use a method that best suits YOUR family and values. My services are unique in that I use an integrative approach to sleep using healthy sleep foundations including: emotional well-being, nutrition, breastfeeding, family dynamics, child temperaments, sleep environments, sleep/wake windows, sleep associations, and developmental milestones, in conjunction with sleep training. For more information please visit resteddevelopment.com or call 250-937-0996 for a free 15 minute consultation. 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.

IslandParent.ca

& 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. Looking for that special something you had when you were a kid? Check out our classified ads. Want to see what’s up today or this weekend? 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—Kids In Victoria has it all! Maybe you are looking for something to engage your mind or perhaps need a little bit of advice. Well we have that too on our community forum. Receive Island Parent & Kids In Victoria e-newsletter for updates and exclusive contests. You can also enter our monthly and photo contests.

Come be part of our community at

kidsinvictoria.com

September 2015 55

BC SPCA Youth Programs

To register and for more information: spca.bc.ca/kidsevents

Victoria, Nanaimo and Cowichan

Join us for workshops during the school year and on school holidays. Learn about animals through games, crafts, guest speakers and some hands-on time with animals. For kids ages 7 to 11

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56 Island Parent Magazine

Put Your Mask On First Why self-care matters—to you and your baby

hen you think of self-care, do you have visions of heading to the spa for an afternoon of massages or pedicures? Certainly physical care is a big part of the overall self-care picture, but total self-care also includes eliminating self-criticism, not overscheduling, releasing the need to be perfect, saying no, refusing to do things out of guilt and giving yourself rest and down time to refuel. Learning to attune and respond to your needs and desires impacts every area of your life. Nurturing yourself is not selfish—it is essential to your survival and well-being. Just like flight attendants instruct passengers to put on their own oxygen mask first, before helping their children, we must take care of our needs so that we are better able to parent our little ones. I tell all my prenatal clients that their new boss—their newborn—will demand attention at all hours, not caring about the time of day or night. And you will find that your own crying baby will likely send you into a panic of how to settle the crying immediately. This newborn parenting is exhausting, especially right after labour and delivery. Most expectant parents will agree that they have experienced “burnout” at one time or another in the past when I ask them if they have ever been tired. When I ask how they were able to recover from it, the answer is always a version of “a long uninterrupted period of rest and/or sleep.” In preparation for the upcoming birth, I let them know that their newborn will not let tired parents rest or sleep for long uninterrupted chunks of time. A strategy is necessary or serious physical and emotional burnout is inevitable. That is why self-care is of extreme importance, since this parenting gig can last 18 years plus! The same love, gentle care and compassion we offer so generously to our little ones should be extended to ourselves as well. Regardless of what we tell our children, we teach them about self-worth through our actions, not our words. Child development experts tell us that modeling self-love and self-acceptance is the most effective way to influence our children’s self esteem and how

they view themselves. Ultimately we want to teach our children that we value who they are rather that what they do. So what qualifies as self-care? Self-care is the art of attuning and responding to your deepest needs and desires. This will look vastly different for each of us. More than

New Parent Pages Diana Hurschler, BScN anything, it is about cultivating a new mindset in which we slow down, tune inward, and respond to what we need most in the moment. So that could mean that self-care to you would be asking for help, doing less, taking a nap, or having lunch with a friend. As new parents, even taking a shower or going to the bathroom when you need to is a form of self-care! As a rule, our society typically does not honour or do a good job of promoting selfcare. Mothers often buy into ideals such as “Good mothers always put their families first,”…“Motherhood is pure bliss”…“You just have to let your body/career/social life go when you become a mom”…“Good mothers are completely selfless.” These beliefs run deep. Even if you do not accept them on a conscious level, they insidiously impact the way we view our roles today as women and mothers. Because of these embedded beliefs, you may find it foreign and difficult to embrace the concept of self-care. To successfully implement a selfcare practice, you have to dig deep, engage your heart and ask yourself, “What is my personal motivation for self-care? Why does this matter to me, and how will it positively impact my relationship to myself and my family?” The answers will be different for each of us. But if you want to experience a shift in your behaviour and perspective, the motivation has to come from the inside out.

kidsinvictoria.com

Take a moment to think about some of the reasons that self-care is important to you. The following are a few benefits you may notice once you implement a self-care program. You will: • feel more generous with time and therefore avoid resenting others who demand your energy and your time • restore energy and even create energy reserves so that you are able to roll with unforeseen events more easily • be more present and calm with your family and loved ones • be able to respond wisely and effectively instead of having reactionary responses One of the biggest benefits of a self-care practice is that it supports us in being more present with our partner and children. When we are present with those around us, we are more able to experience openness, connection, joy, playfulness and spontaneity, compassion, empathy, gratitude and enhanced communication. Once you taste the benefits of self-care you will begin to appreciate the payoffs. Eventually, self-care will be something that is scheduled into your daily life, just as any other appointment would be. You will discover that self-care is integral to your emotional survival and that you are wiser and more effective in all areas of your life when you take time to fill up your cup first. The journey to getting self-care on my calendar has been a long process, and one that is still evolving. Learning to nurture myself has helped me to relax, accept help and go with the flow a little more: that way, the little things stay little (like my two youngest messing some area of the house) and it does not become front page news. I have more space around my thoughts and I am more present and less reactive. I am more patient and compassionate to those around me. When these things are not flowing in the right direction, it is an indicator that I have not had enough time for myself. Please, take some time to have a break from your family and from being a parent—whether it is for 30 minutes or an afternoon. When was the last time you did something nice for yourself?

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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. Countryside Preschool........................... 250-652-3424 Learn through play at our co-op preschool for 2.5–5 yr olds! Big classroom, beautiful playground, nurturing ECE:countrysidepreschool.org.

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. Jenn’s Little Bears................................... 250-478-8999 A safe nurturing environment for children from infancy to kindergarten. Our Infant and Toddler Program enriches each child’s development while our 3-5 Program prepares children for kindergarten. Two separate buildings allow each age group space to grow! 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 3307 Wishart Rd. The REGGIO WAY – A New Approach to Children’s Learning – Designed for Ages 3 to 5.

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

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. La Pre-Maternelle Appletree Preschool.. 250-479-0292 A French Immersion Program. 30 months to school age. Licensed Christian centre. prematernelleappletree.com.

Highlands Lexie’s Little Bears.................................. 778-432-3600 Only seconds past Luxurious Bear Mountain our HIGHLY

Child Care

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

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.

METCHOSIN A Growing Place...................................... 250-391-1133 Half day program (AM or PM) for 2.5-5 yrs. ECE educator, small class size. Our own petting farm. Summer program for July. Metchosin Co-op Preschool................... 250-478-9241 Come visit our stunning natural outdoor playspace, and see how our inclusive, play-based program allows parents to grow and learn alongside their children. Exceptional ECE staff provide a warm and enriching experience for 2.5–5 yr. olds. Come Grow With Us! EST. 1960. Reg. begins March 1 @ 9am. metchosinpreschool@gmail.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 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.

OAK BAY 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 use imaginations in a Learning through Play classroom and natural playground. Reggio-Emilia inspired, focus is on art, nature and music. Nurturing, highly qualified ECE and ECE assistant. Parent participation options. Allergy aware. gonzalescooppreschool.com. Recreation Oak Bay................................ 250-370-7200 Fully licensed, ECE Daycare, Preschool and Nature Preschool. Play based, child led learning. Afterschool care available. Sundance Playschool.............................. 250-590-9955 Group daycare for ages 3–5, centrally located off Fort. Offering an exciting ECE program in a lovely character house with a maximum of 16 children for a focus on individual attention. Great yard and gardens with lots of outdoor activities. Spaces coming available July 1st.

SAANICH 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. Bee Happy Montessori House................ 250-516-6191 Childcare and pre-school based on Montessori approach which meets each child’s need, according to individual development and learning styles. 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. carrotseedpreschool.com. Cloverdale Child Care.................................250-995-1766 Full time daycare 3-5 year olds. Preschool–register now for September 2015. 3 year olds Tue/Thur 9:00-1:00. 4 year olds Mon/Wed/Fri 9:00-1:00. cloverdalechildcare@ shawbiz.ca. cloverdalechildcare.com. Forest House Childcare Academy............. 250-881-1975 ECE Licensed, Full Day in home Childcare Program for children 30 months – 5 years. An enriched, unique environment to inspire and nurture child directed learning and critical thinking skills, through in-depth and on-going study of nature and the power of play. foresthouseca.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. Hoof Beats Preschool & Childcare............ 250-588-2583 Licensed HighScope program fostering learning through nature, farm life, and horses! 3-6 yrs. Year round. hoof-beats.ca. 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. 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. 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. Little Readers Academy.......................... 250-477-5550 An enriched learn-to-read program for your 3-6 year-old! Reading, Writing and Math. Half-day, weekend and evening sessions available. oxfordlearning.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

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Preschool & Child Care Directory Montessori Educare................................ 250-881-8666 Beautiful learning environment in Broadmead and Saanichton. 30 months to 5 years. Open all year around. Summer program available. montessorieducare.com.

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.

Little Friends Childcare Center.............. 250-479-8423 Infant/Toddler........................................... 250-479-9796 For a creative learning environment. Licensed group facility. Infants/Toddlers/Preschool. littlefriendschildcare.ca.

Neighbourhood Junior Kindergarten..... 250-479-4410

VICTORIA

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

ArtsCalibre Academy.............................. 250-382-3533 Comprehensive programs for Preschool through Grade 5, delivering academic excellence through music, dance, drama and visual arts. Outstanding educators, locations and facilities. ArtsCalibre.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.

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 Puddles & Paints (Nature Daycare)........ 250-658-6573 Introduce your children to the natural world around them! Surrounding them with nature and animals, we build on their curiosity while exploring the outdoors! On 10 acres of parkland the children lead the way towards environmental awareness! With a new ART STUDIO, and weekly lessons from the Vic. Academy of Music... your child’s day will be FULL of wonder and NATURE. Strongly influenced by Reggio. Visit our facebook page for pics of our studio, and handmade toys! 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. 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. 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.. 250-479-1232 ext 120 • A Christian child centre for 3–5 year olds. • A warm nurturing and challenging program • Offered by St. Joseph’s Catholic School.

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. 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. Centennial Day Care............................... 250-386-6832 Providing quality childcare for 35+ years. Nature inspired, play based program. Brand new “green” building, central location. centennialdaycare.ca. 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. NEW location: 1670 Richardson opens March 2015. cathedralschool.ca. Downtown Y Child Care Centre............. 250-413-8869 Enriched program, for children ages 3-5 years, supporting healthy child development and future school success. victoriay.com. Lansdowne Co-op Preschool................. 250-370-5392 An extraordinary learning environment for families with young children. Parent participation. lansdownepreschool.com.

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

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. Starchild Centre........................................ 250-929-3240 Infant/toddler 3 to 5 daycare combines the best of Montessori and Waldorf. Our 9 acre hobby farm enables each child to have a garden plot, participate in planting tree, feeding animals, and other outside adventures. starchildcentre.ca.

DUNCAN 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.

St. Margaret’s School.............................. 250-479-7171 For girls from Junior Kindergarten (ages 3-4) to Grade 12. Unique STEM-focused curriculum with outdoor exploration, art and music. stmarg.ca.

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. New Arts/ Drama programme – September 2015 – Kidsworks.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.

Strawberry Vale Preschool..................... 250-479-4213 Programs for kids 3-4 at “The Little Red Schoolhouse.” An opportunity to be actively involved with your preschooler’s education. strawberryvalepreschool.org.

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.

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.

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.

Rainbow Express Daycare...................... 250-382-2314 Enriched preschool style program in a daycare setting. Visit our website at rainbowexpressdaycare.com.

Chemainus

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. Adel’s Play N Discovery House.............. 250-655-4888 Licensed childcare, 3-5 years, Reggio Emilia inspired. Mon–Fri, 7:30am–5:30pm. 2146 Beacon Avenue W. adelplayndiscovery.ca, adelina.gotera@gmail.com. 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.

IslandParent.ca

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. 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.

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.

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

Qualicum Beach 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.

September 2015 59

Give your child a head start. Anxiety? ADD/ADHD? Trouble focusing? You should know: • Neurofeedback is rated the Level 1 Best Support intervention for ADD/ADHD by the American Academy of Pediatrics. • Neurofeedback can help strengthen and forge new neural pathways resulting in reduced anxiety and improved focus. Call today 250-590-5090 for a consult with a Valentus Psychologist.

www.ValentusClinics.com VANCOUVER I VICTORIA I CALGARY

A is for Amazing

ast week I received an email with the subject line, “Chelation.” It was not from a medical professional promoting a method of removing heavy metals from the bloodstream, but from the investment advisor who set up Angus’s Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP). The text of the email was about making an appointment to change our life insurance policy, and then below was a forward from our advisor’s colleague with links to articles and books about heavy metal poisoning and intravenous miracle cures, along with the website of a naturopath trained in fixing kids like mine. I had to talk myself out of deleting the message. Deleting the message, cancelling our life insurance and transferring Angus’s RDSP elsewhere so I didn’t have to ever respond. Would saying thank you encourage more of these tips? But was it rude not to say thank you? Finally I just responded to the relevant parts of the email—I made the appointment—and I ignored the rest. I felt conflicted. On the one hand, it’s the thought that counts, right? What a wonderful impulse: to offer support. But on the other hand, I don’t want to engage with a near stranger about why I won’t be treating Angus’s autism intravenously. That I don’t believe it was caused by trace amounts of Mercury in his MMR vaccination. And furthermore, that science doesn’t believe this either. That I can’t stomach the idea of “curing” my son from being himself. When Angus was a baby, everyone had advice for us. It comes with the territory of being a new parent, when all those difficult things your baby does are things most babies do. Of course your mothers and

A Quality academics in an inspired learning environment. www.BeachcombersSchool.ca 60 Island Parent Magazine

kidsinvictoria.com

grandmothers and all the old ladies at the grocery story can see your mistakes a mile off. They know exactly what they would do if they were you, and they’re more than happy to share. It doesn’t matter that you didn’t ask for their helpful suggestions. You’re probably too overwhelmed to ask. But don’t worry, dear. Here’s what I did… When Angus got older, the unsolicited advice dried up. Disturbingly, I had to

Maternity & Beyond Laura TRUNKEY

Island Business & Professional Directory What is more important than your child’s education?

Nothing.

One Tutor

Laura Trunkey is mother to the amazing Angus and the author of a forthcoming short fiction collection from House of Anansi. Email laurajtrunkey@gmail.com.

IslandParent.ca

One Student Your Home

Orton-Gillingham is a completely different method of teaching literacy skills using visual, auditory, kinesthetic and tactile senses to those students with Dyslexia. One-on-one and group lessons available. Tutoring is now available online. Using online tools, qualified students are able to enjoy excellent quality instruction in the comfort and privacy of their homes, anywhere in the world! Some restrictions apply.

C. Heather Robertson Therapeutic Language Tutor

restrain myself from offering some of my own. Like: that swaddle isn’t nearly tight enough! Or, put a hat on your child! But that compulsion faded also. Angus was an individual. All kids are individuals. I accepted that I would have to make my way blindly through the next years of my son’s life (albeit with adequate sun protection). And then Angus was diagnosed. All of a sudden he wasn’t an individual; he was autistic. And all those same people who know how to cure your baby’s colic have read newspaper articles about what precisely is wrong with my son and how best to treat it. I’m sure this is not a phenomenon unique to parents of kids with autism. Likely all parents with labelled kids have had more than their share of unsolicited advice. They don’t need it. If they did, they’d ask. Most of us wouldn’t give a fisherman tips on how to debone his catch based on a YouTube video we watched. Most of us wouldn’t interrupt an astrophysics lecture to inform the professor of something we learned on Quirks and Quarks. Because they’re the experts, right? But all of us parents are experts too—on our own children. And kids with labels are just as much individuals as any other child. Thank you, kind strangers; we’ll take it from here. But please note: if Angus’s name were an acronym, the “A” would certainly not stand for autistic.

Move to the head of the class.

c.heather.robertson@gmail.com

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Ad Directory Abra-Kid-Abra.......................... 34 Alliance Francaise..................... 11 Andrea’s Sew Easy.................... 41 Arabesque Dance..................... 30 Arbutus Grove...........................IFC Art Gallery of Greater Victoria..... 51 Artistic Statement..................... 62 Aspengrove School................... 34 Babies to Big Kids Korner.......... 41 Ballet Victoria.............................. 2 BC SPCA.................................. 56 Beachcomber School................ 60 Bellies in Bloom...................... BFG Boardworks.............................. 60 Buddies Toys............................ 22 Campus Honda........................... 1 Centrepointe Ballet.................... 31 Chemainus DBA........................ 27 The Children’s Treehouse.......... 49 The Cridge Centre................... BFG Discovery School...................... 18 Dr. Joslin, Dr. Morin & Associates........................IFC Dwight School.......................... 35 Emmanuel Preschool................ 22

Evergreen School...................... 50 Four Seasons Musical Theatre... 13 Galey Farms............................. 48 Glenlyon Norfolk School............. 51 HappyBaby Sleep Solutions..... BFG Hillside Mall.............................. 48 Horne Lake Caves..................... 47 IMAX.......................................... 4 Island Farms............................. 32 Island Montessori...................... 49 Island Rhythmic Gymnastics...... 21 Juan De Fuca Skating............... 35 Kaleidoscope............................IFC Kate Rubin................................ 53 Kool & Child.............................. 63 LIFE Seminars........................... 57 Lifestyle Markets....................... 36 Lighthouse Dance..................... 56 Mad Science............................ 53 Maple Leaf Ballet...................... 21 Maxine Fisher........................... 54 Monarch House........................ 45 Mothering Touch................. BFG, 5 Music is Way Cool..................... 50 Nanaimo Unique Kids Org.......... 62

• can’t read words just read earlier • letter reversal • symptoms of dyslexia • “sounds out” words but can not blend them correctly • confuses similar sounding words • avoids reading/poor speller I offer an effective program that works! Call for more information or to arrange your individualized one-on-one tutoring solution.

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totallearningservices2014@gmail.com North Cowichan Parks............... 49 North Island Distance Education...................... 50, 63 O’Brien Irish Dance................... 22 Oak & Orca......................4, 20, 36 Oak Bay Figure Skating............. 39 OCEAN 98.5............................. 29 Pacific Dance........................... 23 Pacquin Entertainment.............. 31 Patricia Lane............................ 34 Phoenix Theatre.......................... 9 READ Society.............................. 3 R.I.A Early Learning................... 24 Royal BC Museum.................... 19 Saanich Dental......................... 13 Saanich Fair............................. 38 Saanich Skating........................ 14 Sailor Jack............................... 44 Screen Actors Studio................. 20 Serious Coffee.......................... 23 Shawnigan Lake Montessori...... 34 St. Margret’s School.................. 30 St. Michaels University School.... 16 Stages............................... 11, 12 Sun Life................................. BFG Sunrise Waldorf.......................... 7 Sylvan Learning........................ 35 Terry Fox Run........................... 39 The Beat.................................. 24

Thrifty Foods............................. 33 TJ’s The Kiddie Store................. 57 Tom Lee Music......................... 63 Tutor Doctor.............................. 49 UVic Behavioural..................... BFG Valentus Clinics........................ 60 Vancouver Island Baby Fair........ 64 VICPA..................................... BFG Victoria Academy of Ballet......... 14 Victoria Bug Zoo Victoria Conservatory of Music... 17 Victoria Good News Choir.......... 41 Victoria Gymnastics................... BC Victoria Kids Consignment......... 47 Victoria Midwives........................ 6 Victoria Pediatric Dental............ 37 Victoria Recreation................... IBC Victoria School of Irish Dance....IFC Victoria Synchro........................ 39 VIHA......................................... 46 Vitamin Shop.............................. 3 VIU IBC Welcome Wagon....................... 24 West-Mont School.................... 37 Westshore Centre for Learning... 12 Westshore Motor Cross Windstar Music......................... 19 World Children’s Summit............. 9

September 2015 61

Going Batty

Nanaimo Unique Kids Organization Supporting children and youth with special needs and their families since 2005.

Autism, ADHD, Anxiety, Tourettes and other Special Needs.

250-585-6856

uniquekidsoffice@shaw.ca Visit us online:

www.nuko.ca

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 taking Registrations for September

Artistic Statement Gallery & School of Fine Art Call Joan at 250-383-0566

www.artisticstatementgalleryandschool.com

62 Island Parent Magazine

wilight in the summer is a wonderful time to be outside and experience that in-between time when the temperatures cool, the birds sing their last songs of the day and head to their night roosts and the creatures of the night become active. As the first stars start to twinkle, bats wake from their daytime torpor (a state where they reduce their heart rate and respiration to conserve energy) and begin to fly and look for food. During the day, bats roost in buildings or tree cavities, behind loose bark, in caves, under rocks or wood piles and on branches which are thickly covered by foliage. After an evening of feeding on insects, bats rest away from their daytime perch possibly to keep their feces away from the day roosts and thus less noticeable to predators. Contrary to popular belief, there is no need to panic if you find bats in your buildings. Some bat colonies can remain safely in buildings without creating a risk for humans. However, if you would like bats removed from a structure contact Habitat Acquisition Trust (hat.bc.ca). Through their Community Bat program, a biologist will come out and help assess the situation and develop a plan to remove the bats without harming them. Alternatively, do you want to attract bats to your yard? HAT can also recommend plans for building bat houses and reminds landowners to leave wildlife trees on their property. Some say that bats pack together for warmth similar to when they move to their winter hibernacula at this time of year, but little is actually known about the over-wintering behaviour of B.C.’s bats. Our province has 16 species of bats—the greatest diversity of any province in Canada—and 10 are found on Vancouver Island. The most common around Victoria are the Little Brown, Big Brown and Yuma Bats. Some hibernating caves have been found but the numbers in each are too low to account for the numbers we see all summer. Do most migrate far afield or are they hibernating close by in smaller groups? Caves, mine entrances and thick-walled trees such as hollow cedars are the most likely candidates for over-wintering sites. Many hibernacula in eastern North America have now become colonized by fungus which infects bats (causing white nose syndrome) which has caused catastrophic declines in bat population. So far this has not been found in B.C. In mid-May, with the return of the insects, the bats emerge and seek out maternal roosts which are occupied by females and young

and are chosen based on their temperature requirements. High temperatures promote lactation as well as the development of the pups. Attics which heat up during the day can provide these qualities and be used as maternal roosts. Males occupy separate roosts that are cooler. This allows the bats to lower their body temperatures and metabolic rate to conserve energy.

Like our species, bats are mammals that produce milk for their young. We also share a similar basic body structure such as arms, legs, feet, wrists, hands and fingers. Selection pressures over time have given bats the unique ability among mammals to fly. Other “flying” mammals such as flying squirrels actually glide and cannot sustain flight as a bat can. The wing consists of two layers of skin stretched over the usual mammalian design of arms, hands and fingers. There is also a skin membrane which extends between the hind legs and the tail. In flight the arms and fingers are outstretched and the wing membranes are tight. At rest the wing membranes are folded and drawn in against the body. Flying is an energy-intensive way to move around and as a consequence bats require three to five times as much food as a similar-sized mammal. The benefit of this extra metabolic expenditure is that flying allows bats to cover larger distances. The bat family is a large one—over 1000 species worldwide—which occupies a variety of habitats and with varied food preferences. Many bats feed on fruit, pollen and nectar and many are important in the pollination of plants. Only three species feed on blood and these are in central and South America. Most bats, and all of the species in Canada, feed on a variety of night flying insects such as mosquitoes and moths. By operating at

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night they avoid competition for insects from daytime predators of insects such as birds. The saying “blind as a bat” is a misnomer. Bats can see very well. However, this sense is

Nature Notes coral Forbes & JaY rasToGi not useful when hunting for insects at night. Instead, at night they use echolocation to move around the landscape as well as to hunt. They emit high frequency calls and listen to the returning echoes to locate nearby objects. The frequency, up to 200 calls per second when zeroing in on prey, and intensity varies depending on what they are trying to do. In spite of this sophisticated hunting method, insects do find ways to escape. Studies of Big Brown Bats and Tiger Moths is now revealing that the Tiger Moth can jam the sonar of echolocating bats. As a bat hones in on a moth, the moth produces calls at rates of 4,500 times per second. This seems to confuse the bats normal processing of echoes and they lose the target. Other mammals have the ability to echolocate to varying degrees. Some whales and dolphins are well known for this. Some humans, particularly vision-impaired, have also trained themselves to use clicks and analyze the returning echoes to “see” the landscape, up to the point of being able to ride a bicycle and go hiking and camping on their own. Some nocturnal birds such as swiftlets of Southeast Asia use echolocation for navigation and for finding food. Bats are frequently maligned and misunderstood, but this is more likely because we know them so poorly. While their nocturnal habitats make them difficult to observe and study, they are a fascinating group of animals with remarkable adaptations. With decorative Halloween bats soon to be in every store, take this time as an opportunity to get to know your batty neighbours, starting with the sad fact that they will not be flying around come trick or treating time. They are already settling in for their long snooze and will see you in the spring! Jay Rastogi is the Site Manager at Swan Lake Christmas Hill Sanctuary and spent the summer enjoying the bats feeding over the lake. Coral Forbes, Program Naturalist, wishes our local bats would eat more of her lifelong nemesis: the mosquito.

IslandParent.ca

Back to School Kool Toys & Teaching Tools

Toys, games and puzzles for all ages #102 – 2517 Bowen Road Nanaimo 250.585.1778

koolandchild.com 10% off your first website order! Use code IP10. Exp. 09/30/15 September 2015

Cut It Out!

Tips from Parent Educator Allison Rees of LIFE Seminars

Embarrassed by Your Child?

ow often do you feel embarrassed by your child’s behaviour? You think people are judging you, you get uptight and stressed, you start to micromanage or discipline too harshly, and as a result, your child’s behaviour gets worse. If you get caught up in what people think of your parenting, you might want to Cut It Out! We know who those judgers are: they don’t have kids, or if they do, their kids are now adults and they have forgotten how children act. Or maybe the gene pool handed out some “easy disposition” traits, and they will realize what it’s like when their next child is more spirited. Temper tantrums, not saying please and thank you, nose picking, grabbing stuff, spitting, hitting, not sitting still, swearing and using toilet talk are not only annoying, but they’re also really embarrassing for parents. Yes, four-year-olds use the “f” word! And how on earth do they learn to use it so appropriately? I wonder! Hey,

64 Island Parent Magazine

wait a minute, they’re acting like us, except we have the maturity to practice discretion. Kids often say things that we only think, because they don’t understand how their behaviour affects other people. When a kid blurts out something awkward, the comment has nowhere to hide. It hangs in the air like a bad smell. To make matters worse, if you were made to be well behaved when you were a child, your child’s behavior can create similar kinds of stressrelated emotions in you. So, how about a little PSR? Parent SelfRegulation. (I just made that up): • Turn on your sense of humour. • Tell yourself, “Who cares what people think about me or my kid?” • If the behaviour isn’t really affecting anybody else, let it go and ignore it. • Know the difference between accepting and approving. You may not approve of the behaviour but if you don’t accept that it’s normal, you’ll end up getting stressed.

How about a little positive self-talk? • This is a stage, it will pass. • This is natural for his or her age. • Kids are impulsive. • Getting angry makes things worse, I can cope with this. • He’s dealing with frustration the only way he knows how right now. • What kind of wine shall I buy on my way home? LIFE Seminars has two books available, Sidestepping the Power Struggle and The Parent Child Connection. See lifeseminars.com.

kidsinvictoria.com

Start your journey here Come do high school at university! The High School at VIU is Nanaimo’s best kept secret! A BC certified independent high school uniquely situated on a university campus. The High School at VIU provides an opportunity to do your high school studies in a university setting and have access to all university resources and amenities. Experience small class sizes, individual attention, and opportunities for intercultural understanding. Accepting students for grades 10 to 12 from the local area. #startyourjourneyhere

250.740.6317 highschool@viu.ca viu.ca/highschool

Get Active!

at Crystal Pool and Fitness Centre and Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre

Swimming • • • •

Drop-in family swims Parent & Tot swims Quality lesson instruction Special events

Skating • • • • •

Drop-in family skates Parent and Child Ice Play Quality lesson instruction Fun and safe environment Monthly free skates

Crystal Pool and Fitness Centre Annual Maintenance Closure is August 29 to September 27. Visit victoria.ca/recreation or call 250.361.0732 for information and to register for Crystal Pool programs. For skating programs and schedules visit victoria.ca/arena or call 250.361.0732

Our 2nd location opening in Colwood this Fall!

ctoria Gymnastics

Why Victoria Gymnastics? Boys & girls, ages 2 through adult, beginner through advanced Morning, afternoon & evening classes seven days a week Start any time – continuous enrollment Optional character

Monthly payments with no further obligation—cancel any time Optional character

Trial classes available

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Make-ups for missed classes

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We guarantee your child will flip over our Birthday Parties! Benefits Victoria Gymnastics Will Provide for your Child: • Unlike other gymnastics clubs, our priority is ‘non-competitive’ gymnastics where all students are treated equally and fairly. Our objective is to provide students with a foundation of gymnastics that will benefit them for the rest of their lives. • Your child's progress is monitored daily, and every 3 months, each student is awarded a medal indicating his or her progress in our 14 level, 600 skill program. • Our ratio guarantee of a maximum of 8 students per instructor will provide your child with the Individualized attention he or she deserves. • We are a family oriented business. Classes are scheduled so that varying ages and genders can take part in different classes at the same time. • Clean. Very Clean. Our facilities are ozone treated. • Consistent, safe and experienced coaching in a well structured, safe and fun environment—all of our coaches have their NCCP certification and First Aid.

www.victoriagymnastics.com

250-380-2442

Celebrating 36 Years of Excellence!