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FALL 2015 BERMUDAPARENT.BM

FREE

What Parents are Talking About

Alpha Beau 2015 Winner Managing Your

Strong

Willed Child While Staying Calm

Protecting Your

Digital Reputation

WHEN TEENS TEST THEIR

Limits

Choosing the

Right School

Wrap your newborn in comfort and protection so all he feels is

love.

Š2014 P&G

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Contents 34

54 America’s Cup Special

Departments

PREGNANCY

12

A Mom’s Perspective on VBACs

Robyn Bardgett and Doula Fiona Dill share their perspective on preparing and planning for a VBAC.

34

What to Expect From the World Series Races

BABY

18

Raising Readers

36

Pauletta Francis shares great tips to build readers for life.

Business Ideas for America’s Cup

LITTLE ONES

38

22

Managing the Strong Willed Child

The Adventure of a Lifetime

Tips to stay calm while managing difficult behaviours.

24

Finding the Right School

Choosing the best school for child can be difficult for even seasoned parents, here are some ideas to help you decide.

58

Interval Training

60

8 Benefits of Family Mealtime

TWEENS & TEENS

Brenda Dale shares 8 reasons why your family make eating together a part of your family tradition.

46

64

Cold, Flu & Homeopathy

BIG KIDS

30

Tips to Stop Bullying

Arm your children with these tips to prevent and stop bullying.

50

Managing Your Digital Reputation

Be smart about what you share, send and post on the internet.

48

ASPIRE

Name: Zaren Bennett Location: Bermuda Institute Photo by: Sarah E Photography

50

Use interval training to lose the vacation pounds.

Don’t get caught out! Consider another way to defend yourself against cold and flus this season.

When Teens Test The Limits

Tips on setting healthy boundaries for your teens.

On the Cover

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Alpha Beautillion 2015

Find out why your son should be striving to get involved in this competition.

54

Boarding Schools Aren’t Academic Factories

Niall Browne of BVS Education gives us 5 points to consider about why boarding schools are a great alternative.

In Every Issue 4 BIRTHDAYS 8 BPM KIDS 32 MAMA’S KITCHEN 40 FAB FINDS 66 FAMILY FINANCES

editor’s note

Hello!

What Parents are Talking About

PUBLISHER & EDITOR

As a parent of a school age child,

Katrina Ball

18

46

B U S I N E S S CO N S U LTA N T

Vic Ball A DV E R T I S I N G S A L E S PHOTO BY JESSII TERRA

I have become very conscious of how important it is to not allow summer to drain my son’s brain of all the hard work he put in academically throughout the year. So, I am constantly pushing him toward things that will improve his reading so that he can develop a love for it. ‘Raising Readers’ on page 18 by Pauletta Francis, has six great tips that I believe can help lead us to instill a love for reading within our children.

As school starts back, not all children will be as eager as others. Some may have dealt with teasing and bullying throughout the previous year and unfortunately some may even experience it for the first time. Niamah Cann, a school counselor has provided us with 10 strategies to stop bullying, which may help you and your child to handle the situation should it arise.

This issue, we have put our focus onto teens and provided parents with information that’s relevant to their era and how you can assist them to think futuristically.

Articles such as ‘Managing Your Digital p.

Reputation’ (page 46). ‘When Teens Test the Limits’ and for parents with male children read about the Alpha Beautillion and why you should be encouraging your son to excel in all areas of his life. Also, parents/guardians along with schools should rally around young men and encourage them to seek to compete in this prestip. gious competition by the Epsilon Theta Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity here in Bermuda. Get to know this year’s Alpha Beau 2015 on page 50 and see an example of what our sons can become.

Happy Parenting!

Wanda Brown wanda@bermudaparent.bm 333-1925 Carlita Burgess sales@bermudaparent.bm 747-4767 D E S I G N & P RO D U C T I O N

Picante Creative W R I T E R S & CO N T R I B U TO R S

Robyn Bardgett, Duncan Hall, Alicia Resnick, Melanie Dupres, Pauletta Francis, Elinor Lucas, Niamah Cann, Cybertips.bm, Jamillah Lodge, Brenda Dale, Dr Renee Simons, Jamillah Lodge, Fiona Dill, Warwick Academy, Freseniburch Meyer CO N T R I B U T I N G P H OTO G R A P H E R S

Sarah E Photography, Fiona Dill, Alicia Resnick Bermuda Parent Magazine is published five times a year. Reader correspondence, photo submissions and editorial submissions are welcome. We reserve the right to edit, reject or comment editorially on all material contributed.

No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without express written consent of the publisher. The opinions expressed by contributors or writers do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this magazine. Distribution of this product does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services herein.

CO N TAC T U S

info@bermudaparent.bm Tel: 504-2937 www.bermudaparent.bm facebook.com/bdaparentmag

Publisher & Editor

www.bermudaparent.bm

3

CELEBRATE YOUR CHILD’S BIRTHDAY! Ale’ylah Lema August 20 Happy 11th Birthday!

Love always, Mommy, Dequan, Azari & Azenjae’.

Wynta Lovell August 14 Happy 6th Birthday Wynnie!

Love mommy, uncle Shaun, TJ and Hailey.

Angelina Azzario-Mckenzie September 8 Happy Birthday Angie Pangie!

Love mommy, daddy, brother and sister

Cayden Bartley-Waldron August 4

Camila Wellman

Happy 5th Birthday to our big boy.

We all love you so very much!

October 28 Happy 2nd Birthday Camila! May God continue to bless you sweet angel!

We love you; Daddy, mommy & brother Caiden

Madeleine Pedro August 7 Happy Birthday! Love Mommy, Daddy, Nicole and Adam.

Zariya Daniels Ford August 14 Happy 8th Birthday!!

Enjoy your day, Hugs and smooches, From Nana!!

Elsa Daycard-Rusch August 1 Happy 5th birthday Elsa!

Love Maman & Daddy xoxo.

Jasmine Markham Stovell August 7

4

Happy 1st birthday to our little miracle, a true gift from above!

Aerial Williams September 8 Happy Birthday Aerial from your loving family.

birthday wishes!

Landon Knights September 20 Abuelita loves you!

Azaenjae’ Lema August 10 Happy 6th Birthday!

Love you always Mommy, Dequan, Aleylah & Azari.

Alaya & Amir Ford August 9 Happy 9th Birthday!!

May God continue to shower you with his love and protection!!

With much love from Nana Boogie.

Kyra Vieira

Saniya Burrows

August 8 Happy Birthday Kyra!

The big 10!

Mommy’s little lady, we love you.

Love Mom, Seven and Jayden xoxo.

August 20 Happy 6th Birthday Saniya!

Love Mommy, Janico & Jaquan.

Kaliq James August 23

Kaleb Camara August 20 I’m turning 1!

Happy 10th Birthday Kaliq! We are very proud of you and continue to be amazed by the person you are becoming! Lots of love, Mom, Dad and Nathan xxxx.

Matteo Maybury August 20 Happy Birthday to my baby boy, Matteo J. Maybury!

Torenne Liles August 22 Happy Birthday to our Princess.

Love, Mommy, Rayshawn, Ma and Pa.

Nevaeh-Grace Thomas October 5 Happy Birthday Princess let your light shine bright. Love your family and godparents and especially your Mommy xoxo www.bermudaparent.bm

5

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Purchasing Second-hand Children’s Products Buying second-hand children’s products is an affordable way to equip a nursery. But it can also be dangerous as some items can be out of date and no longer safe.

Some children’s products, especially cribs and bassinets have caused deaths and have been the subject of numerous recalls.

Check our website, www.ca.gov.bm before you purchase any children’s products second-hand.

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should be comfortable.

If you are experiencing discomfort or you have concerns about , contact us.

We’ve been mothers for almost three decades.

Email islandgirl@northrock.bm or check us out on Facebook at La Leche League of Bermuda.

www.bermudaparent.bm

11

pregnancy Real Families, Real Stories

BY ROBYN BARDGETT & FIONA DILL

Robyn Bardgett’s Successful VBAC

Story

he births of my two children couldn’t have been any more different. Almost three years ago I went into labour with my son and ended up having an emergency c-section. As with most first-time mothers there was a little bit of naiveté about what to expect from labour but also a bit of relying on the birthing system in Bermuda and that it would all work out fine no matter what.

We are often told that as long as our babies arrive safely nothing else really matters. However, the morning after the birth when I was handed this little boy to care for, it became very clear that how he arrived did have a huge affect on me. I was emotionally fragile, which is not uncommon for new mums, but I also found it incredibly difficult to bond with my son. It took us two days of struggling to breastfeed, to finally get him to latch and the first six months were a huge emotional rollercoaster. When I started to really think about all that had happened in delivering my son, I knew intuitively that how a baby is born has as much to do with a safe arrival as it does with a mother’s perception of how the birth unfolded.

Fast-forward to 2014 when I found out I was pregnant with my second child. Having done a great deal of research since the birth of my son, I knew that if I were ever to have another child I would attempt a VBAC – a vaginal birth after c-section. I wanted to feel absolute joy at the birth of 12

a child and I had a practical reason for wanting to avoid another surgery. I didn’t want to be spending weeks recovering knowing that I was coming home to care for a newborn and a toddler. I started to assemble a team of people who would provide me with the support I needed to look back and know I had done everything to make this my best birth.

I had always been a bit skeptical of doulas and chiropractors but on the advice of other seasoned mothers, I decided to give them both a chance. I hired doula Fiona Dill last summer after hearing mountains of praise from other mothers, as well as their partners and husbands, about the great work she does in assisting women through their births. Doulas are there to provide support for women throughout their birth and during labour, so I really did feel that no matter how things were going to play out this time around, my choices and decisions would be supported throughout. One of my recurring thoughts looking back on my first birth was that my body had somehow failed me.

Aren’t women made to give birth? A friend mentioned that her chiropractor had gotten her into the “best birthing body” during her pregnancy and that thought struck me.

At around 12 weeks into my second pregnancy I started seeing a chiropractor and continued straight up until I gave birth.

I believe, a major reason why I was successful. I knew the risks but I felt absolute confidence in my team – from Fiona to my partner to my OB and the hospital.

Now, as I write this two months in, I can truthfully say that the newborn period is still the worst! However, I feel more confident, more emotionally stable and the connection that I fought so hard for the first time around with my son came so naturally. You can have the birth you want and still have a healthy baby – a healthy, happy mama is just as important a piece of the puzzle.

The Childbirth Educator/Doula’s Perspective Robyn contacted me last summer, initially enquiring about VBAC prenatal classes. We emailed back and forth and she told me a little bit about her last birth experience and her hopes for the next one. I see one of my main roles as a childbirth educator and doula as one of offering couples access to evidence-based information to make the best choice for themselves and their baby and then supporting them in those choices. Robyn had already done a lot of research for herself and I would suggest to anyone wanting to make a choice of whether to have a repeat c-section or to

On February 16, 2015 I woke in the early morning hours to some mild contractions. I decided to just go ahead with the day as planned, getting my son ready for school and trying hard not to focus on the pain. Like a true second-time mum, I played down the contractions and I was waiting as per instructions from my OB, for the contractions to come every 5 minutes. But things started to escalate quickly and I went from talking happily to Fiona on the phone to feeling the urge to push in 20 minutes! Fiona and my partner, Nick, rushed me to the hospital in what can only be described as the world’s worst car ride and within an hour and a half I had delivered my second child, a little girl.

I had arrived at the hospital ready to push, no drama, no c-section, just a calm atmosphere with really what felt like everyone rooting for a successful natural delivery.

Afterwards the only thing I felt was elation. I couldn’t believe that all of the planning and positive thoughts had worked and I had my VBAC. Now when I look back on this birth I know that support is the most important thing you can have throughout your pregnancy and birth. Bringing together a team of people who will answer your questions and provide you with positive feedback throughout was, www.bermudaparent.bm

13

Making Memories That Will Last A Lifetime

try for a VBAC to seek out such information. (see websites below). There is no doubt that there is persistent and pervasive misinformation about vaginal birth after cesarean. Many women believe that the only safe choice after a cesarean is another cesarean. However, although it obviously needs to be considered on a case by case basis, the research suggests that often this is not the case. The information women are hearing here is Bermuda is confused, because although in much of the world VBAC’s are encouraged, in the US, there are for a variety of reasons, a surprising number of hospitals where VBACs are not offered. We are fortunate in Bermuda that we have supportive Obstetricians, midwives and hospital staff.

Historically VBAC has a reputation of being “risky” and repeat cesareans

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are thought of as the “conservative and safer approach,” but according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), “VBAC is a reasonable and safe choice for the majority of women with prior cesarean.” The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) concurred when they said “most” women with one prior cesarean and “some” women with two prior cesareans are candidates for VBAC. The reality is that although people are worried about the risks of VBAC, what is often forgotten or perhaps ignored, is that a repeat c-section carries its own set of risks for the mother and baby and also for future pregnancies. On the websites listed, you will find statistics about risks of rupture (about 0.5% – 1% depending on differing factors) chances of successful VBAC (varies but is somewhere between 70-90%) but ultimately, although clearly important, these are just numbers and each couple need to discern what is right for them and this pregnancy. As ACOG says and I have found in my own experience, two women can look at the exact same information and make very different choices. Either way, they should be supported in those choices.

What is clear and is often underestimated in importance, is that just as many women have a strong desire to have a baby, many women like Robyn, have a strong physical and emotional drive to give birth – it really matters to them to have this experience if they can. Also we know that vaginal birth does have many physical as well as psychological benefits for both mother and baby.

How to Prepare for a VBAC Prenatal classes. Robyn signed up to

do the ‘normal birth’ day of a Birth Matters workshop. Even though she and her partner had taken classes in her previous pregnancy, it was an invaluable way of reviewing the basics, promoting discussion, regaining trust

your

in the process and examining and planning for the options that would make a vaginal birth more likely. For example: your OB may require some additional monitoring, so it important to think about ways of still being able to change position and use comfort measures while being monitored.

Supportive care provider. Make sure

your obstetrician is fully supportive of VBACs. Robyn’s OB made it clear from the beginning that she was fully behind her choice and was willing to be flexible with evidence based care options to give her the best chances of enabling a successful VBAC. Hire a doula. After much research,

Robyn realised that a doula would

often translates into the birthing situation and so if you are fearful, ambivalent or unprepared both mentally and physically, then it reduces your chances of having a positive and successful experience. That is not to say that there are sometimes physiological reasons for birth not being straightforward, but that if you want to tip the balance for a successful outcome, then preparing mentally and taking ownership of the experience is key. In the context of a woman preparing for a VBAC this may mean surrounding yourself with positive VBAC stories (which might not always mean a vaginal birth), de-briefing and processing your previous experience and creating a good team around you that believes in enabling the process of labour and

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Believe in yourself, your body, and the process of birth.

be an invaluable part of her support team, to reassure, support and encourage her through the process.

Believe in yourself, your body, and the process of birth. In my experi-

ence, how we feel about our bodies, ourselves and our ability to give birth

birth. Robyn hired a doula but also involved a chiropractor, to enable her to, as she put it ‘have the best birthing body’. Anything, that you can do to help you feel like you are making positive choices and moving towards your goal, will help the whole process along. I recently heard this called gaining ‘core birth strength’ and it is, I believe, essential for every birth but even more so in a VBAC situation where you may have perceived your body as having ‘failed’ you and your baby, or perhaps that you just weren’t strong enough or just generally having had a negative experience. As Robyn wrote to me in one of our early emails: “I recognize that there can still be complications having a vaginal delivery, but I feel like the idea of giving birth naturally without the need for surgery is the best option and it is something that will be very important for me to have for this second birth, especially knowing what happened the first time around.

I think there will be a lot of fears for me to overcome from my first birth”.

Robyn worked hard towards her ‘core birth strength’ and it was wonderful to witness how it all came together on the day that her little girl was born.

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baby

baby

BY PAULETTA FRANCIS

Raising Readers

Instilling a Love of Reading in Your Children

Create a Literacy- Rich Home

A literacy rich home encourages children to become lifelong readers.

Provides are encouraged to …

•

Set aside regular time daily to read to/with your children

•

Have available a variety of reading and writing materials (newspapers, magazines, picture books, comics, Atlases, dictionaries, Chapter books, recipes, Kindles, I-pads).

•

Watch educational TV programs that teach and reinforce literacy skills such as Reading Rainbow and The Electric Company

•

Set the example and read good books yourself

•

Reinforce language and literacy skills by playing with working with puzzles and playing games that reinforce literacy such as Boggle, Old Maid, Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit

18

Become an Integral Part of Your Child’s School

Develop a relationship with the teachers and staff at your child’s school. Support the school by volunteering to read to classes, assisting with field trips and being available for any literacy event.

Establish Membership at our Libraries Spend time at our Libraries. Membership is free!! Take advantage of the vast array of activities that are offered throughout the week, week-ends and during school vacations.

Choose Good Books That Your Children Love

Look for classics, books that you enjoyed as a child and award winning children’s books such as Caldecott award winners. Additionally, check out lists generated by various literacy organizations such as The International Reading Association, American Library Association and Children’s Book Guild.

6

TERRIFIC TIPS!

Discuss, Discuss, Discuss!

Reading is all about thinking and sharing thoughts. Strengthen comprehension skills by having your children re-tell and summarize.

Ask them to change the ending and make connections with other books they’ve read.

Visit the Websites of Favorite Authors and Illustrators

Many authors have wonderful websites where children can learn more about them and their writing style. Your children will also have opportunities to engage in creative activities. For example, check out the websites of the following wellknown authors and illustrators: Gail Gibbons, John, Scieszka, David Shannon.

So engage in these terrific tips and you’ll be well on your way to instilling a life-long love of reading in your children.

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•

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Are you a Home Child Care Provider and would like resources to help you to care for young children?

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little ones

little ones

BY DR. RENEE SIMONS

Managing the Strong Willed Child,

While Staying Calm From tantrums to toilet training, bed time to bullies, parenting can be hard, especially when you have a strong willed child.

With the huge selection of parenting books and endless advice from friends and family members, finding effective ways to manage your child’s challenging behavior can be confusing.

This article offers suggestions on how to manage your strong willed child’s challenging behaviors while keeping your calm.

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22

So what is a strong willed child? A strong willed child could be seen as “difficult” or “stubborn” at first glance, but if you look closer you can see that these kids are people of integrity who are not easily swayed from their own viewpoints.

They want to learn for themselves, and don’t passively accept what others tell them. They test the limits, want to be the “boss” of themselves and love to be right. These kids are passionate and live at full throttle.

Often, strong willed kids challenge their parents to a power struggle. Parents, always remember that you do not have to accept the challenge! Engaging in a power struggle leaves parents open to get caught in a trap, known as the Talk-Persuade-Argue-Yell-Hit Syndrome.

Although you may have the best intentions, when your child is doing something that you do not like you start by telling him to stop. If he continues to misbehave, you try persuading him to see things your way. When this is unsuccessful, you start arguing. When arguing fails, you yell. If yelling fails, you might feel as though there is nothing left to do, so you may turn to hitting. The two biggest parenting mistakes – too much talking and too much emotion – trigger the Talk-Persuade-Argue-Yell-Hit Syndrome.

Getting caught up in a yelling match and experiencing feelings of anger are destructive for many reasons. 1 – The focus of the interaction is no longer the child’s misbehavior, rather it becomes the parent’s own outburst. 2 – Many kids see a parent’s emotional outburst as a challenge to a fight, e.g. “you yell at me, so it’s okay for me to yell at you.” 3 – Parents who over explain send their children the message that “You really don’t have to behave unless I can give you a good reason as to why you should.”

Change your expectations in order to change your child’s behavior.

Choose a method and repeat it consistently until your child learns the ropes.

Most importantly, remain calm, patient and gentle, while also being persistent and firm. Children thrive off of consisten- • cy and repetition in a warm and loving environment.

Here are some tips to help you manage your strong willed child: •

Avoid power struggles by using routines and rules – For example: “The rule is we use the potty after every meal and snack,” or “The schedule is that lights-out is at 8pm. If you hurry, we’ll have time for two books,”

•

Remember that strong-willed kids learn through experience. That means they have to see for themselves if the lemon is sour. So unless you’re worried about serious injury, it’s more effective to let them learn through experience. Expect your strong-willed child to test your limits that’s how he learns. Once you know that, it’s easier to stay calm, which avoids wear and tear on your relationship--and your nerves.

•

Your strong-willed child wants mastery more than anything. Let her take charge of as many of her own activities as possible. Don’t nag at her to brush her teeth; instead, ask “What else do you need to do before we leave?” If she looks blank, tick off the short list: “Every morning we eat, brush teeth, use the toilet, and pack the backpack. I saw you pack your

backpack, that’s terrific! Now, what do you still need to do before we leave?”

Kids who feel more independent and in charge of themselves will have less need to be oppositional. Not to mention, they learn responsibility early.

Give your strong-willed child choices.

If you give orders, he will almost certainly push back. If you offer a choice, he feels like the master of his own destiny. Of course, only offer choices you can live with and don’t let yourself get resentful by handing away your power.

If going to the store is non-negotiable and he wants to keep playing, an appropriate choice is: “Do you want to leave now or in five minutes? Okay, five minutes with no fuss? Let’s shake on it.

KERIN ORAL CARE General Dentistry & Oral Medicine Practice

When it comes to parenting, always trust your instincts. If you have concerns about the following, consider seeing a mental health professional: •

Trouble paying attention or sitting still

•

Problems with language development, social interaction, and restricted interests

•

Negative, hostile and defiant behavior

•

Excessive worrying or unusual anxiety about separation

•

Loss of interest in fun activities and irritability

•

Excessive verbal and physical aggression

•

Disregard for age appropriate norms and rules

•

Unexpected learning difficulties

References: www.123magic.com/newsletter-archive/april2015-newsletter www.ahaparenting.com/parenting-tools/positive-discipline/Parenting-Strong-Willed-Child

Dr. Renee Simons is a Post Doctoral Psychology Fellow, working within the Association of Diagnostic and Psychological Services (ADPS).

Currently, Dr. Simons works with both children and adults conducting psychoeducational evaluations and therapy for individuals suffering with depression, anxiety, life changes, and situational stress. To contact Dr. Simons call 295-7766 or e-mail drreneesimons@logic.bm.

Welcome new patients & emergencies!

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23

little ones

BY WARWICK ACADEMY

FINDING

=the right school For Your Child Probably one of the most important and difficult decisions we as parents, have to make is where to send our child to school. As children get close to school age (or preschool age), we start to look around and can be overwhelmed by the choices. hether your child is quite young or a bit older, how do you decide where to send your child for his or her education? Obviously there can be many factors involved, including finances - but outside of those external factors, what should you consider?

As someone who has been involved in education for over 25 years and has worked at schools in seven different countries that span four continents, this idea of what makes a great school is one that I have thought about a lot. It certainly does not depend on where in the world the school is!

There is a mountain of documentation out there that compares different curricula; single-sex versus coed education; class sizes - and the list goes on. The one thing you quickly find out when you start looking at all of this documentation is that for one article that celebrates and recom24

mends one approach, you can find another that celebrates and recommends a different approach. So, as parents are surrounded by this sea of sometimes contradictory ‘evidence’, what can we do to make up our own mind?

There are many organizations around the world that set standards against which schools can compare themselves.

When schools have been held to account by these organizations, one starts to see the common factors that they all identify as key to a quality school and first-class education.

With this in mind, I have put together some questions that I believe you should consider when you start researching schools for your child, regardless of their age: How do the teaching staff attend to individual learning needs? Is there even recognition that different approaches should be used?

•

•

What is the school’s approach to behaviour management? Are there clear expectations and a clear philosophy behind how the school supports positive behaviour?

•

What extracurricular opportunities are available for your child to take part in, and how diverse are those opportunities?

•

•

possible), but the averages. How does the ‘average’ student at the school do?

How diverse is the curriculum, and is it available to all students? Will your child have a chance to find an area in which he/she can excel, to balance areas where he/she may struggle?

My final piece of advice is probably the most important: Visit the school when it is up and running! As soon as you step into the corridors of an educational establishment, you find out more than you possibly could from any other source. Consider the following: • What is the atmosphere in the classrooms like? Do children appear to be enjoying their learning?

Is the school a learning community? What courses are teachers taking? How many are furthering their qualifications? Does the school think this is important?

•

What is the human interaction like in the school? (Child-to-child, adult-to-child, adult-to-adult).

•

Do the children and adults appear to be happy? (Do you hear any laughter as you move around?)

I hope that this very brief piece has at least given you some ideas of what to look for should you be at the point where you have to make decisions on the best school for your child.

For schools that take external exams - what are the results like?

Not just the top end results (these are important as they show what is

Maggie McCorkell B.Ed.M.Ed. Principal

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Bullying is a conscious, willful, usually repeated and deliberate act intended to inflict pain, discomfort, embarrassment, and/or induce fear through violence, the threat of violence or humiliation. Bullying can be perpetrated by an individual or group and can be ‘in your face’ or behind your back. Bullying can take many forms including hitting, emotional cruelty, intimidating using gestures or social exclusion, harassment and electronic persecution.

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Children react to bullying in different ways. Some children may retreat inwards while others may lash out. Either way, bullying can have harmful and lasting negative effects if it is ignored.

As a parent you may feel scared, angry, confused, defensive and powerless; however there are a number of things you can do to help stop the bullying.

1

Listen to your child without interruption and validate their feelings.

Gather as many facts as you can, including who was involved and how your child responded to the bully.

2

Tell him or her that bullying is wrong and is not their fault. Praise your child for having the courage to tell you about it.

Listen to your child without interruption and validate their feelings.

3

Do not rush into solving the problem for your child. Talk to your child about how they would like to handle the situation. This allows them to think about options. If you attempt to solve the problem or act without your child’s consent this could prevent him or her from reporting situations to you in the future.

4

Do not confront the bully or the bullies’ family. You may think this is the best way to handle the situation but it really can turn into an even more explosive situation. Check your emotions and consider the next steps carefully.

5

If the incident took place in school report the incident to Head of Year and School Counsellor. When reporting please be patient, they will need time to investigate the situation and address it.

6

If the incident occurred in the community, or involves serious verbal threats and/or violence report the incident to the police and the school.

7

Teach your child safety strategies. Talk about who he or she should go to for help and role play how they can handle the situation in an appropriate way. Stress the importance of body language and using ‘I’ statements if they are confronted.

8

There is safety is in numbers. Encourage your child to have a buddy system, or make new friends (including outside of the school environment).

9

Be a model of strength and assertiveness, not of aggression.

10

If necessary, seek counselling for your child to deal with the emotional trauma of being bullied or to learn skills and strategies for dealing with aggressive peers.

Niamah Denbrook Cann is a Professional School Counsellor with the Bermuda High School, and private practitioner with Solstice. For more information or assistance you may email her at niamah@solstice.bm or call 292-3456.

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Pepperoni Pizza Pasta • 1 package CATELLI® Spaghetti • 1½ cups sliced deli pepperoni • 1/4 cup finely chopped onion • 1 chopped green pepper • 1 teaspoon each dried oregano and basil leaves • 2 cups pizza sauce (approx.)

• 2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese • 2 beaten eggs • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese • 2 cups sliced mushrooms (optional)

Asian Style Fettuccine • 3 green onions, in fine strips • Salt and pepper to taste • 1/3 cup fresh coriander, coarsely chopped • 1 red bell pepper, in strips • 1 package CATELLI® Fettuccine • 1/3 cup hoisin sauce • 3 tablespoon chicken broth • 2 chicken breasts, boned and skinned • 6 tablespoon roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped • 2 tablespoon canola oil

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Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain well. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Slice all but 1/4 cup (50 mL) of the pepperoni into thin strips. Stir the pepperoni strips, onion, green pepper, mushrooms (if using), oregano, basil, pizza sauce, half of the cheese, eggs and Parmesan in a large bowl until well combined.

Toss the sauce mixture with the cooked pasta. Transfer the mixture to a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and dot with the reserved pepperoni slices. Bake for 30 minutes. Let the dish stand for 5 minutes. Slice and serve with additional warmed pizza sauce if desired.

• 1 bag shiitake mushrooms Cook CATELLI® Fettuccine according to package directions.

Set aside. In a bowl, blend 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce with 1 teaspoon water. Use to baste chicken breasts; salt and sprinkle with 2 tablespoon roasted peanuts. Cook in oven preheated to 400°F for 15 minutes. Set aside. Meanwhile, clean mushrooms and remove stems. Cut bigger mushrooms. In a skillet, heat oil and sauté mushrooms around 1 minute. Add pepper strips and continue cooking another minute. Add chicken strips, remaining hoisin sauce and chicken broth, then bring to a boil. Add pasta and green onions, mixing well to coat pasta.

Sprinkle with remaining peanuts and fresh coriander.

6/17/15 9:31 AM

Easy Pasta Salad With Basil, Grape Tomatoes & Chickpeas • 1 box (300g) CATELLI® Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Penne • 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved • 3/4 cup red onion, sliced • 1 cup fresh basil, chopped • 1 can (19oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed • 1/2 cup peanuts, chopped (optional) • 1/4 cup virgin olive oil • 3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar • 2 tablespoon lemon juice • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Classic Tomato Sauce With Italian Sausage And Bows

Cook CATELLI® penne in boiling water according to package directions. While the pasta is cooking, in a large bowl combine halved grape tomatoes, chopped basil, sliced red onion and chickpeas. When the pasta is ready, drain and add to the grape tomato and chickpea mixture. In a small bowl or measuring cup whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing. Add the dressing to the pasta salad mixture and mix well. Serve immediately or put in the refrigerator in an airtight container to be enjoyed later as a cold pasta salad.

• 1 bay leaf • Parmesan cheese for garnish

• 1 package (375 g) CATELLI® Bows • 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil • 2 lb Italian sausage, casings removed (mild) • 1 small onion, chopped • 3-4 garlic cloves, minced • 3½ cup canned cherry tomatoes • 3/4 cup tomato paste • 2/3 cup canned tomato sauce (optional) • 3 teaspoon fresh basil • 2 teaspoon parsley chopped • 1 teaspoon sea salt • 1/4 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper • 4/5 cup skim milk • 6-8 fresh green asparagus tips

Snap the woody ends off asparagus stalks and discard.

Slice the stalks finely with a knife (or use a food processor), leaving the tips whole. Set aside. Prepare Catelli® pasta as directed on the package (save 1 cup of cooking water before draining the pasta). Heat olive oil in a pan and add bay leaf. Add onions, garlic and Italian sausage. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add cherry tomatoes, tomato paste and cook until tomatoes are soft. Add skim milk and stir. If you wish to increase the body of your sauce, add canned tomato sauce to your liking. Add the sliced asparagus and the tips to the sauce and simmer for about 1 minute, then remove from heat and stir in a few fresh basil leaves and parsley. Add the pasta to your sauce and toss, adding splashes of pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Serve with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, black pepper and a grating of fresh Parmesan cheese.

One Pot Macaroni Supper

• 2 cups milk • 1½ cups cubed, partly skimmed mozzarella cheese

• 2 teaspoon vegetable oil • 1 lb lean ground beef • 2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves • 1 teaspoon each dried basil leaves and salt • 1 onion, chopped • 2 cups sliced mushrooms (optional) • 1 package CATELLI® Macaroni • 1 can canned diced tomatoes with juices • 2¾ cups plain tomato sauce or strained tomatoes

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• 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the beef; cook for 5 minutes or until browned.

Stir in the oregano, basil, salt, onion and mushrooms (if using). Cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until onion and mushrooms are tender. Stir in the dry CATELLI® macaroni, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and milk. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes or until the pasta is tender. Stir in the cheese until just melted. Serve immediately.

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6/17/15 9:31 AM

BY DUNCAN HALL

What Can We Expect from the

Louis Vuitton

AMERICA’S CUP World Series

Bermuda will get its first full-on introduction to America’s Cup sailing when the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series Bermuda comes to the island October 15-18.

T

he four-day programme consists of two days of racing on the weekend of October 17-18, with two races each day between 2 and 4 p.m., as well as a variety of other festivities.

Each race is expected to take 20-25 minutes. The boats are one-design foiling versions of the AC45 catamaran.

Kinley Fowler sails with Oracle Team USA. Born in New Zealand, and raised in Australia, he was part of Oracle’s America’s Cup champion team in San Francisco two years ago.

He has been training with Oracle Team USA on the waters of the Great Sound, either in training runs – or as part of ‘structured racing’ with the Artemis Racing (Sweden) team.

At the October event, though, six teams will be involved in the fleet race.

“It’s gonna be full on,” Fowler says. “If you haven’t seen the boats before, it’s going to blow your mind. The boats will be up on their foils and it will be spectacular. Six boats will be out there fighting for spots. It will be pretty intense and tight racing.”

Fowler says Bermuda’s sailing conditions have come as advertised.

“Sailing here has been really good, a different challenge from San Francisco,” he says. “Bermuda has a much bigger wind range – the conditions are shiftier, trickier. It’s kind of a return to grassroots sailing.

“We have had different conditions each time we’ve gone out. That means the boat will be really well-tuned for the full range of conditions.”

The race format is fleet racing - all the teams racing at once on the Great Sound race course. Six teams are confirmed to compete with a possibility of a seventh.

In addition to the American and Swedish entries, currently the teams are: Ben Ainslie Racing (United Kingdom), 34

Team France, Emirates Team New Zealand and Team Japan.

Unique to the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series Bermuda is the finish line - when weather conditions allow, the racing will finish inside Hamilton Harbour.

The race will be the third World Series event of the year after races in Portsmouth, England in July and Gothenburg, Sweden in August.

More World Series events will be held in 2016.

Points are accumulated from each event with the top team earning a bonus point for the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifiers in 2017.

While the six teams will produce plenty of excitement on the water in October, organisers are seeking to provide a great experience for spectators on land as well.

The Our Bermuda festival is a showcase for the best that Bermuda offers. Organisers say that up to 100 merchants, clubs, organisations, entertainers, food vendors and the like will be selected and form the heart of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series Bermuda Village along Front Street.

The public festivities open on Thursday, October 15 with a local fish fry and regatta in St. George’s from noon to 4 p.m. followed by the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series Bermuda Village opening on Friday, October 16.

Highlights over the course of the four days include: •

St. George’s Fish Fry & Regatta (Two races: youth sailors from the Community Sailing Programme competing against each other; and local sailors competing against America’s Cup sailors) - Thursday, October 15, noon4 p.m.;

•

The Opening Ceremony - Friday, October 16 at 7 p.m.;

•

The daily Dock Out show – chance for members of the public to see the sailors before they head out on the water for racing -- Saturday, October 17 & Sunday, October 18 at 12:30 p.m.;

•

Our Bermuda Festival - Friday, October 16, 4 p.m. – 11 p.m., Saturday, October 17, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., and Sunday, October 18, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.;

•

Live Entertainment - Saturday, October 17 at 7 p.m.; and

•

Awards Ceremony - Sunday, October 18 at 5 p.m.

“The upcoming Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series event is

Bermuda’s time to shine and show the world just how incredible both our island and its people are,” says Michelle Halpin, Bermuda Event Manager for the America’s Cup Event Authority.

“If there’s one thing Bermudians know how to do, it is to throw a party and have a good time. Bermuda will be THE place to be in October. The fourday event will be filled with spectacular sailing, tantalising food, gyrating rhythms and world class entertainment

guaranteed to keep you off your seat.”

Named after the schooner America, the America’s Cup is the oldest sporting trophy in the world. It had been contested nine times before the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens, Greece in 1896.

As defending champion, Oracle Team USA has automatically qualified for the June 2017 final in Bermuda.

For more information, see www. americascup.com.

www.bermudaparent.bm

35

BY JAMILLAH LODGE, BEDC

AMERICA’S CUP

Do opportunities exist for local business owners?

C

an the America’s Cup be a catalyst for business growth in Bermuda? Known as one of the most prestigious events in the world, will local Bermudian entrepreneurs be able to profit from playing host to this international sailing event?

In response to these questions, one thing we are certain of is that an event of this magnitude brings with it large numbers of spectators and sailing enthusiasts. As a result there will be a need to provide services that cater to the large influx of people flocking to the Island. With more people comes more opportunities for business.

As Bermuda readies itself, the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) has been working with members of the America’s Cup Event Authority (ACEA), the ACBDA and the Chamber of Commerce to provide information and access to on the available opportunities for existing and new business on the Island. The goal of this partnership is to ensure that all local businesses across the Island are aware of the business opportunities that exist and can get the necessary assistance to be able to take full advantage of them.

To date there have been several RFPs that have been disseminated that range from providing design services, production services, construction related services and most recently vendor services. These RFPs highlight the wide range of amenities that are needed for the Americas’ Cup. For those of you still unsure as to how you may profit from the Americas’s Cup consider these additional opportunities: 1. Short Term Rentals 2. Support or Concierge Services 3. Transportation services/ water and land 4. Island wide Excursions 5. Bed/Breakfast Type Service The list above is in no way exhaustive of the types of products and services that will be needed

36

to support the America’s Cup. One thing for sure is that entrepreneurs should be readying themselves to fill in the gaps as identified above.

Although the 35th America’s Cup doesn’t officially commence until 2017, events will be held as early as October 16th – 18th 2015. The Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series will be in Bermuda and plans are already

underway to turn Front Street into a hub of activity to receive the spectators that will be arriving to participate in the event. Find out how you can get involved and take advantage of this entrepreneurial opportunity. The BEDC will continue to provide information about available RFPS on its website and directly to the members of its Business Register.

If not already signed up as a member, log on to www.bedc.bm to sign up today.

Registration is free until October 2015.

Jamillah Lodge is the Information, Education & Communication Officer for Bermuda Economic Development Corporation. She manages the BEDC Business Register, marketing and communications plan for the Corporation and oversees the development of a mentorship and youth entrepreneurship programmes. She has a degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing.

If you have questions about starting a business in Bermuda, just ask BEDC: Email us at info@bedc.bm or call 292-5570.

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The Adventure

of a LIFETIME “When we were nearing Canada there were dolphins and whales that came near our boat. The dolphins were jumping by our bowsprit. It was incredible,” Blair Blakeney n experience he’ll never forget is how Blair Blakeney describes his 2014 Summer Voyage aboard the Spirit of Bermuda. Blair, along with 15 other local students, sailed from Bermuda to Prince Edward Island, Canada, participating in the Bermuda Sloop Foundation’s “Sail Training Program.” A student at Saltus Grammar School, Blair has been an active sailor with the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club since he was eight years old. He started sailing with the club’s afterschool and summer programs. He first learned to sail with “Optis” moved on to “Open Bics” and now sails “Lasers.” Blair says he’s been around boats and water his whole life.

This past August, Blair spent six days at sea on the Spirit of Bermuda. The Spirit of Bermuda is a “Tall Ship” built to replicate a Royal Navy sloop-of-war. Blair describes the sea voyage as being packed with activities that included classroom learning and shift work. “Every morning after breakfast we had to help clean the boat.

After that we had a daily classroom to learn about Prince Edward Island and their culture, general boat and sailing knowledge, knot tying and the history of the Bermuda Sloop.” Blair says the hardest part of the sea voyage were the shifts. “We had different watches during the day and night. Sometimes you had to wake up at 1am for your watch.” There were five supervised students to a watch. “During our shift the five of us were responsible for keeping the boat on course. We had to make sure the sails were trimmed, check the wind speed, and make sure there were no obstructions in our path. We basically had to make sure the boat stayed safe and afloat.” Part of the watch also included the maintaining of a detailed engine log book.

Blair describes his first day at sea as being difficult. “I got seasick on the first day but, by the second I was fine,” he says. The weather for their journey was good except for one day of rain and one rough night. “One night was stormy and part of the track for the foresail blew off. The watch were forced to lower it and put up the storm sail.” Blair says he wasn’t scared by this – he slept through most of the excitement. While at sea, safety was always a priority. Blair says they were required to use safety precautions at all times. “Above deck we had to wear harnesses. When walking along the side of the boat you had to hook on to safety ropes.” He says some days the ocean was rough. “Sometimes the seas were high but they weren’t high enough to worry me.”

Once in Prince Edward Island, the Spirit of Bermuda took part in Founders Week - a celebration commemorating the Fathers of the Canadian Confederation and the 150th anniversary of the 1864 Charlottetown Conference. Along with five

38 48991 MEF_FW_BPM_Ad_2.25x9.75_2015.indd 1

2015-04-20 10:47 AM

other Tall Ships, the Spirit of Bermuda took part in a Parade of Sails. As well as touring other boats, The Spirit of Bermuda crew also gave tours of their ship. “We got to tour other boats and saw the conditions they sailed in. Our ship was luxury in comparison,” says Blair. He described one boat as actually having a wood burning fire, below deck.

When sailing into Canada, Blair experienced sailing in and out of locks.

“A Canadian Pilot came on board and helped us navigate the locks, it was interesting because this is something we just don’t have to do in Bermuda.”

When doing this, he says the ship was on “motor power” and whoever was on watch got to experience what it’s like steering the ship in and out of the locks.

Blair describes his sea voyage as amazing. “It was beautiful out there.

We saw incredible sunrises and sunsets.

You felt surrounded by a sense of quiet peacefulness. The night sky was incredible - the stars were brilliant.” When asked if he would do it again, Blair says, “In a heartbeat.”

Blair, who is 15, is a competitive sailor. He competes both locally and abroad. He’s sailed in the St. George’s to Somerset Race. He represented Team Bermuda, with the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club, in the “2013 Open Bic Worlds” in Italy. This past February, he sailed in the “Open Bics North American Championship.”

In addition to sailing, Blair volunteers for the Children’s Ward at King Edward Memorial Hospital, swims for the Harbor Swim Club, participated in the Bermuda Shakespearean School Festival, plays Rugby, participated in Outward Bound and is working towards his Bronze Medal for the Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

The Bermuda Sloop Foundation is a non-profit foundation whose mission is to “develop young people in Bermuda, building their resilience and increasing their long-term chances of success by providing character and educational development through experiential learning.” (bermudasloop.org). Sail training programs are offered aboard the Spirit of Bermuda. For further information contact: www.bermudasloop.org or email info@bermudasloop.org. www.bermudaparent.bm

39

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FAMILY FINDS 1

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As headphones are often needed when heading back to school, check out P-Tech for the best-selling Gumy earbud headphones – they’re comfortable, affordable and available in 8 vibrant colours.

2 | Now Ramekins Green is great, as is this set of four ceramic ramekins available at the Home Store at Brown & Co. Pop by their lower level, Front Street entrance to explore additional colour options and you’ll be serving custards, souffles, condiments and spreads in style.

3 | Zak ChillPak

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Keep your child’s lunch cool with Zak ChillPak containers using Cold Hold technology. The Phoenix Stores has a great selection of these handy containers which are BPA free, stain resistant and dishwasher safe.

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4 | Natural Life Tablet Case, Purse,

Wallet & Luggage Tag Give...Love...Laugh...with Natural Life products available in the Hallmark Department at Brown & Co. Visit their Reid Street entrance to discover the unexpected today.

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The Annex Toys has a huge selection of art essentials perfectly suited for all arts and crafts projects.

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6 | Stationery Kits

The Phoenix Centre truly is your back to school headquarters! You’ll find backpacks, lunchboxes and just about everything else including pencil sets featuring Dora, Frozen, Minions and so many other characters.

7 | Serenity Home Accent Piece Everyone wants a small dose of serenity. Create your very own table top tranquillity with kits available at the Home Store at Brown & Co.

8 | Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Should you choose to go with a tablet for your child’s senior school needs, the 7” Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 is an ultra-portable option that will allow for multiple user email, web browsing, eBook downloads et al and is available for only $299 at P-Tech. You’ll also find wireless keyboard options in-store.

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9 | Lenova B50 Laptop

11

We understand that having a laptop or tablet (with a keyboard) is a requirement at some senior schools on island. The Lenovo B50 is one of the best value for money laptops available at P-Tech for only $629. Its 15.6” LED display, built in DVD player and Dolby Advanced Audio will help your child stay productive and on task without breaking the bank.

10 | Character Backpacks

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Every kid has a favourite character whether Minnie Mouse, Doc McStuffins, Spiderman or Lighting McQueen. Make The Annex Toys your first stop when shopping for school supplies and get a character backpack that your child will love.

11 | CANZ 808 Wireless Bluetooth

Speaker The CANZ 808 Wireless Bluetooth speaker provides big sound in a little package and is one of many cool options available at P-Tech when shopping for wireless speakers.

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12 | Crayola

It’s that time of year and The Annex Toys is fully stocked with back to school supplies from Crayola.

Hurry in while stocks last.

13 | Sharpie Highlighters 14

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The Phoenix Stores stocks a large assortment of stationery supplies from the brands you know and trust including Sharpie highlighters and markers, Mead folders and binders, and Pilot pens and pencils. Head to The Basement at The Phoenix Centre for all of your stationery needs.

14 | Rubbermaid LunchBlox Rubbermaid’s LunchBlox Sandwich Kit makes packing lunch easier than ever. The containers are available at The Phoenix Stores and are perfectly proportioned for your favourite lunch foods. Plus, your food will stay chilled with the snap-in blue ice included.

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15 | Melissa & Doug Smarty Pants Melissa & Doug Smarty Pants let kids load up on new facts with puzzles, match challenges, tongue twisters, mazes and much more. Visit the Annex Toys to select the right level for your pre-kindergarten through fifth grader today.

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tweens pregnancy & teens

BY CYBERTIPS.BM

Managing your Digital Reputation

Sharing, Sending, and Posting Pictures on the Internet Until recently, in order to take pictures and immortalize memories, you had to remember to pick up your camera as you were on your way to a special occasion, or if you were on a trip.

Now, your camera follows you everywhere you go: it’s in your phone, tablet, or computer. It is now easier for you to take photos and videos at will. It is also much easier to quickly share them with friends and family: pictures of a birthday or party, photos taken on a recent vacation, videos of what you’ve been up to… nd the reason why sharing photos and videos has become so easy is the Internet: posting, sending, sharing, and forwarding is just a few clicks away.

It is convenient, but also dangerous: as the adage goes, “Once on the Internet, always on the Internet!”

It can often be very hard, if not impossible, to delete pictures or videos once they’ve been posted, or 46

to control where they’re forwarded or reposted after that. Once you’ve shared something online, you can no longer control it. Whether it’s a photo of you or of someone else, once posted or sent, it could stay online for a very long time, and not just on the site(s) where you intended them to be published. A photo you’ve posted can also be copied, shared and even edited, without you even knowing it.

So before you post or forward pictures with your mobile device, remember these facts:

3

Your online reputation is worth protecting: schools, scholarship committees, and employers will very likely do an Internet search on you when you apply. What you say or do online makes a

lasting impression on them, often before you get a chance to meet them yourself.

3

Your behaviour online can also has offline consequences and in some cases, legal implications.

3

Once an image is online, there is no getting it back. Even photos and texts that were deleted -or pictures that were posted under strict privacy settings- can stick around.

They can be saved on thirdparty servers or captured with screen shots, and remain in cyberspace forever without your knowledge and outside of your control.

3

Mobile apps like Snapchat, which for a long time

made it safe to send risqué pictures, have now acknowledged that there is no guarantee that your pictures and videos have actually disappeared. For one, anyone can grab a screenshot of your image before it’s deleted, and use it, forward it, edit it, or repost it at will.

3 People you’ve only met online may not be who they say they are – you cannot trust your personal videos and photos to someone you don’t know personally. When online, communicate only with the people you know.

3

It’s never too late to get help if you’ve shared something you regret. You can report photos and videos to the websites they are on or seek help from an adult you trust.

Internet Tips for Teens When surfing the Internet stay as anonymous as possible and keep all of your private information private.

• Never give out personal details that would identify who you are, such as your name, address, phone number, school, names of family members.

• Never give out credit and debit card information.

• Keep your passwords private and change them often.

• Never participate in cyber bullying and always report incidents of cyber bullying, bad behaviour and inappropriate use of mobile technology, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc.

• Never reply to any messages or bulletin board items that are upsetting, suggestive, obscene or aggressive.

For a complete list of Internet Tips visit www.ca.gov.bm Remember, colleges and businesses do online background checks and any bad behaviour or suspicious activities can be discovered. Your actions today may one day come back to haunt you.

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47

tweens pregnancy & teens

BY NIAMAH CANN

When Teens Test The Limits s your teen matures it’s developmentally normal for them to want to establish some independence and engage in risk-taking behaviour.

By setting clear boundaries parents can reduce negative risk-taking, provide a sense of security, and help their teen find a balanced approach to life as they develop socially and emotionally.

1 2

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When setting boundaries it’s helpful to involve your teen in the rule setting, which creates a ‘buy in’ making them more likely to respect the rules. This also will help you to continue having positive communication with your teen, and facilitate a feeling of trust and respect between the two of you.

Even when you set clearly stated and agreed upon rules there’s a chance that your teen will still test the limits. Here are some tips for guiding your teen when they push the boundaries.

Go easy on the first offence If his/her personal safety was not at risk, use the first offence as a time to discuss the issue, and what your teen can learn as a result of it.

Discipline is meant to teach, and personal experiences are learning lessons. In very clear language state what the consequences will be if the behaviour is repeated.

Stay connected to your teen by listening to them Teenagers need to have limits enforced consistently; however it’s also important to listen to them carefully when it comes to a disagreement. Use reflective language such as ‘What I’m hearing you say is…’ You can also help them to understand your point-of-view by asking ‘How would you feel if you were me?’

As a parent, always try to keep the lines of communication open.

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Be the parent, not the friend Being a friend to your child certainly feels a lot nicer at first; however, down the road it can cause problems. Children and teens need boundaries and your guidance to lead them into adulthood. It must be clear that you’re not afraid to take control if they get out of control.

Make the discipline related to the offence

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Connecting consequences to the misbehaviour encourages your teen to rethink their actions. For example, if your teen continues to slam their door, take it off the hinges. If your teen breaks curfew make them come home an hour earlier the next week. Be careful to avoid giving excessive punishments as it could build resentment in your teen.

Pick your words wisely Words can have the ability to help communicate how you’re feeling, or cause

a defensive response. I encourage all parents to recognize and affirm what their child is doing right. Give lots of positive encouragement. If you’re upset or angry try saying you were ‘worried’ or ‘frightened’ to communicate the feeling behind the anger. This may help build up communication rather than destroying it.

Keep communication open As a parent, always try to keep the lines of communication open. Keep listening and try to understand your teen while also sharing your point of view. Don’t fall into ignoring each other, which is a loss for both of you. As long as you talk it through there’s a chance that the issue can be resolved.

Niamah Denbrook Cann is a Professional School Counsellor with the Bermuda High School, and private practitioner with Solstice. For more information or assistance you may email her at niamah@solstice.bm or call 292-3456. www.bermudaparent.bm

49

aspire

BY DANTE’ WILLIAMS, Chair of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Bermuda Chapter

Alpha Beautillion

by Epsilon Theta Lambda Chapter

I

n 2002, the Epsilon Theta Lambda Chapter (“ETL”) of Alpha Phi

Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (“Alpha Phi Alpha”), was in the process of revolutionizing itself to become evermore present and relevant in the community of Bermuda. After returning home from university, many members of ETL witnessed some of the youth down playing their academic abilities just to fit in with the crowd. It appeared as if it was no longer popular amongst young males to be academically astute.

ETL felt the need of a program that would dispel any negative perception of our youth and would showcase our young men in a positive light. A program aimed to put pride back into education and reward our young men for their academic abilities and talents.

Brother Aubrey Pennyman, a member of ETL and a barrister and attorney, insisted on his vision being a part of the revolution. Fourteen years later, it is clear that his vision was not a vision for 2002, but a vision that would span many subsequent years; one of 50

progress, teamwork, unity, dedication and scholarship. Ultimately, the Alpha Beautillion, the brainchild of Brother Pennyman, incorporates these goals.

The Evolution of the Beautillion What exactly is a Beautillion? The Alpha Beautillion is a male scholarship program where top male high school students, selected by their respective school, demonstrate their oratorical ability, talent and community service activities as they compete for bursaries.

The Beautillion is the male version of a Cotillion or Debutante which sororities and Jack & Jill societies conduct each year throughout the United States.

Whilst the Beautillion is not unique to ETL the concept of merging it with a beauty pageant created a program unique to Bermuda.

The Beautillion Program, now in its 15th year, attracts highly motivated and independent high school seniors and juniors who are selected by his school faculty to represent his school in a scholarship program.

Beautillion - 2002 In 2002 four high schools entered the Beautillion competition: The Berkeley Institute, Bermuda Institute, Warwick Academy and Cedarbridge Academy.

The programs and workshops that featured in the Beautillion participants’ (“Beaus”) development included activities at Spice Valley After School Program and volunteering at Matilda Smith Williams Rest Home. The scoring portion of the Beautillion was largely

dependent on how well each Beau did on the night of the show.

ETL continued to build on its inaugural Beautillion program by introducing the Leadership Development Institute to all Beaus commencing 2003 onwards.

Beautillion – 2015 Recently, the ETL completed its 14th annual Beautillion program on 7 June 2015. The Beautillion program was very fortunate to feature seven of Bermuda’s best and brightest talents representing: The Berkeley Institute, Bermuda Institute, Cedarbridge Academy, Impact Mentoring Academy, Mount Saint Agnes Academy, Saltus Grammar School and Warwick Academy. Throughout a period of seven months the young men participated in community service projects and professional development workshops with the Matilda Smith-Williams Rest Home, Big Brothers Big Sisters, CableVision, BELCO, XL Group (Bermuda), Digicel Group, Deloitte and Bermuda Toastmasters Club.

The program culminated in a stage show presentation that showcased these students’ creativity, talents and oratorical abilities. An audience in excess of 500 people attended the Beautillion and they were left with a glimpse of the future leaders of Bermuda. Zaren Bennett from Bermuda Institute was the eventual winner of the $5,000 scholarship. Tariq Brown (Impact Mentoring Academy) and Tahj Cox (Saltus Grammar School) came second and third respectively and were awarded $3,000 and $2,000 scholarships. Dylan Wilson (Cedarbridge Academy), Marcus Henchske (The Berkeley

  

Institute), David Darrell (Warwick Academy) and Evin Mosley (Mount Saint Agnes Academy) were awarded scholarships of $1,000 each.

Scoring The Beautillion scoring is separated into two stages: pre-Beautillion show and the Beautillion show. The preliminary scoring are derived from the following five categories: • Essay writing • Ticket Sales • Community Service • Ad Sales • General Deportment On the night of the Beautillion show the Beaus are judged on five categories: • Introduction • Oratorical Speech • Talent • Impromptu Question • Overall Stage Presence

The Future of the Beautillion The 2015 Beautillion Committee consisted of 10 ETL Brothers. Five members of the committee were former Beaus – Dantae Williams (Chair), Zuri Darrell (Co-Chair), Matthew Sinclair, Jonathan Tankard and Omar Lodge.

These five men had the unique opportunity to feature in the Beautillion and now they lead the charge in taking the Beautillion to new heights.

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da and most recently Deloitte have partnered with the Beautillion to provide scholarship funds. These funds have provided college scholarships to nearly 70 high school students. Some of the Beaus from the early 2000’s are now doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, relationship managers, accountants and educators. Most certainly they are grateful for the financial contributions each corporate and individual sponsor made to help them achieve their academic goals.

Should you want to find out more information about how you can be involved in the Zaren Bennett Beautillion program, please email the following address beautillion@bermudaalpha.bm.

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., was founded on the campus of Cornell University in Ithaca, NY on Tuesday, 4 December 1906. Originally founded as a literacy, study, social and support club, the mandate for Alpha Phi Alpha has gradually expanded. Today, one of its national programs is entitled “Go-ToHigh School, Go-To-College” which each chapter, worldwide, is mandated to conduct at least once during the

fraternity calendar year. The Beautillion program is how ETL fulfills and meets that national requirement.

Who is Zaren Bennett 2015 Alpha Beau Zaren Sean Antony Bennett was born on June 19, 1997 in Paget, Bermuda.

He attended Prospect Primary, and then Bermuda Institute. He has attended Bermuda Institute since 2008 and is currently in his senior year and

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planning to graduate soon. Zaren shows good leadership qualities, being nominated for both head boy and prefect positions at both primary school as well as high school. Zaren has served as the class pastor 3 times throughout his high school tenure.

This year, he was also nominated for two Teen Service Awards for community service and spiritual leadership. He is also a member of both the National Junior Honour Society and National Honour Society.

As a third year Candy Striper at the Bermuda Hospital Auxiliary, Zaren has had the opportunity to work in several of the departments and has gained a bit more knowledge in the areas of the King Edward Memorial Hospital. He has also been volunteering at the Hospital for work release every Wednesday for his last semester, where he has had the opportunity to shadow a Hospitalist to see what her

daily requirements include.

He has had multiple encounters with the patients and has gotten closer insight on how the Hospital is managed and how everybody needs everybody in order for the hospital to run efficiently. He states “when he was assigned to the Continuing Care Unit [CCU] he really had a heart-warming experience. Being as most of the patients are elderly, they are just left in CCU with barely any family or visitors. Just by them seeing young people doing something constructive with their time, such as volunteering, really brought a smile to their faces and it definitely put a smile on his. Just for him to be able to share an experience so small, yet as meaningful as this really made what I do an enjoyable activity. This same sense of joy came from volunteering at Matilda Smith Williams Rest Home every Sunday with the other Beaus.

In his free time, Zaren loves to play one of the six musical instruments, namely: piano, drums, guitar, bass, trombone, or steel pan. He mostly enjoys playing with his band, In Time, who he just recently joined and has performed at various events, including the bands greatest performance to date, the Cablevision Banquet.

Zaren’s future goal is to become an Obstetrician and to return to Bermuda as a doctor to serve in the community.

Zaren states that “more than anything, our community needs people, specifically young people, to care enough to give back.” Giving back to the community is very important to him.

Zaren believes that with God’s help, he will fulfill God’s purpose for his life. He has already seen God’s blessings in his journey thus far and he knows that he will be with him in everything he does.

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53

aspire

BY NIALL BROWNE, BVS Education

Boarding Schools

Aren’t Academic Factories

I

ndependent boarding schools are renowned for producing well-qualified, highly successful and well-rounded young men and women. However, a German banker wrote recently that top boarding schools provided an unspectacular education and cocoon pupils from the real world, and chided that ‘the great strength of the schools and students is the self-presentation…but appearances are deceptive.’ He also concluded that boarding school pupils learned less than in his native Germany.

However, this rather contentious verdict on boarding schools completely missed the point that the great strength of boarding schools is that they are so much more than academic factories.

1 Diversity

There are independent boarding schools of all different sizes and shapes; many of them offer specialist

54

teaching in those areas which few government systems would be able to provide. Independent schools are able to teach ‘minority’ subjects (such as Economics and Latin, for example), or to be centres of excellence for the full range of learning support and emotional needs; few governments would be able to provide this huge range of opportunity.

2 Opportunities

Independent schools offer a plethora of opportunities to students both inside and outside the classroom. The quality of teaching at independent schools is renowned, supported by an extensive range of intellectual pursuits after lessons have finished – but the often spectacular standards achieved in sport, adventure and the performing arts are also why parents choose to spend so much of their hard-earned money on their children’s education. Of course any child can find these things without

going to boarding school, but the fact that all these things are available around the clock and on their doorstep is crucial to creating well-rounded involved young adults.

and Bermuda is blessed with having some education is not money not well spent. excellent schools – both government Niall Browne is a Director at BvS and private – but independent boardEducation. ing schools do offer something differThe Independent Schools Fair Berent, something special – and something muda will take place on 18th and 19th that many parents will try to give their September, at the Fairmont Southampton. It children if they can. A visit to a modern will give Bermuda families the opportunity Independence boarding school should easily disabuse to meet leading boarding schools from the Our progression through childhood and any notion that an independent school UK, USA and Canada. the teenage years is a journey of gaining greater independence. Boarding schools, at whatever age, allow our youngsters the ability to learn to be independent COME ALONG • FREE ENTRY • FOLLOW ISFB and responsible learners and thinkers, through structured independence. This can offer a valuable edge for university and life beyond.

3

4 Presentation

There is no doubt that being involved in such a wide range of activities, being exposed to a high standard of teaching and living and working with contemporaries and adults, means that boarding school pupils often become confident adults who are ease with themselves and those around them. In a world where we often decry how teenagers spend too long playing with vacuous computer games and not interacting properly with the real world, surely this is something to be applauded?

5 Success

There is no doubt that students from independent boarding schools have a huge success rate in achieving places at top universities including Oxbridge, Russell Group and Ivy League institutions.

Similarly, many of the top professions, large international companies and world governments are led by former boarding school students. In an increasingly competitive and meritocratic world, it would be quite naïve to suggest that this is purely the result of the ‘old school tie’; rather it is a reflection of the culmination of the things outlined above.

So, when the German banker suggested that independent schools were more style than substance, he was quite wrong: of course there are excellent government schools throughout the world –

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57

Health & Wellness

BY ELINOR LUCAS of Balanced Fitness

Interval Training

More Benefits in Less Time September always seems frantic. Vacations are over and kids are back to school and activities.

All of a sudden, free time seems to disappear. But sadly, fitness levels have dropped from all that summer fun, food and relaxation. How can you get back in shape and lose the vacation 5lbs and cope with back to school, work and general craziness?

The answer is interval training.

Cardio interval training has numerous benefits, not the least of which is that you are done in 30 minutes. Interval training has shown to increase aerobic fitness, lower blood pressure, improve heart health, insulin sensitively and cholesterol profiles as well as lowering abdominal fat and bodyweight while maintaining muscle mass.

ing steep hills with flat or sprints with jogging. On other cardio equipment simply adjust the tension or speed.

Walking, running or cycling outside?

Hit the up hills for your hard intervals and down hills for the easy ones. Harder intervals could be jumping jacks or skipping rope. Easier intervals could be marching in place, jogging or walking.

So, what is interval training?

“Hard” should feel like an effort level of 8-9 out of 10. You should be breathing really hard and only able to say a few words at a time. You can’t go on too long like this.

Interval training can be applied to any cardio workout. Simply put, interval training alternates bouts of hard to extremely hard intervals with easier ones.

On a treadmill this could be alternat-

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How should “hard” and “easy” feel?

“Extremely hard” is your maximum, you can’t keep this pace for longer than a minute and you can’t speak at all. A great analogy for running extremely hard is to imagine being chased by a bear!

“Easy” should feel like a 4-5 out of 10 and be at a pace where you can recover for the next hard interval. Your breathing and heart rate should gradually lower to a little above a comfortable pace. This is also your warm up pace.

How do we apply it to our workouts?

Always warm up with at least 5 minutes of easy cardio. Then try one of these 3 interval workouts:

Time (Minutes) One to One Intervals: The simplest interval workout combines equal amounts of hard work with easy. After warming up, exercise hard to for 3 minutes and easy for 3 minutes. Repeat 3 more times. Or 4 hard, 4 easy, repeat 3 more times. If you can’t hold hard effort for the interval time, make the intervals shorter.

If you can hold your hard effort for more than 4 minutes, make your efforts harder! Make sure you recover enough in your easy intervals to maintain the same hard effort across all the hard intervals of the workout.

Sprint Intervals: These alternate short 30 second bursts of very hard with longer periods of easy. The easy period needs to be long enough to be able to complete the next 30 second very hard interval at the same intensity as the first. Generally this is between 3 and 4.5 minutes depending on fitness. Alternate the sprint and easy intervals for 20 minutes after the warm up and take 5 minutes at an easy pace to recover at the end of the workout. Warning: This workout is tough!

Pyramid Intervals: In this workout, you gradually build your effort level to hard several times within the workout. The following workout uses the same effort level as above, very easy being 4 and extremely hard being 10:

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How often should we do interval workouts?

Interval workouts are tougher on the body and the cardiovascular system than steady state cardio workouts. Do no more then twice a week and never on back to back days. Be sure to include some steady state cardio workouts during your week at an effort level of 6-7.

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59

Health & Wellness

BY BRENDA DALE, AVP Wellness, BF&M Insurance Group

Eight Benefits of Family Mealtime When was the last time your family sat down and enjoyed a meal together? It can be tough to make family mealtimes happen with conflicting parental work schedules and children’s school and extracurricular activities across the island. Making time for family meals may seem impossible at times, but research now shows that eating together can benefit every member of the family.

The very act of preparing a meal that everyone will sit down and eat, tends to lead to healthier choices all around.

A study of 4,746 middle and high school students in the US,

with diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds, found that children whose families eat together most days of the week consume more fruits and vegetables and less soda than children who rarely or never eat dinner with their families.

Further, a Harvard study found that children who eat with their families are also more likely to eat low-fat foods and have significantly higher intake of dietary fiber and essential vitamins and minerals. More importantly, these children are more likely to make healthy food choices on their own when away from home, and will develop a lifelong habit of choosing healthy foods.

Aside from the many physical health benefits of family mealtimes, there are mental health benefits as well. For example, another Harvard study found that adolescents who eat dinner with their families are less likely to suffer from extreme eating behaviors such as purging, binging, and excessive dieting.

Here are eight more reasons why you should try to arrange family mealtimes 5-6 times a week - whether for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Benefit #1: Improved Communication and Bonding Improved communication is one of the top benefits of family mealtime. Family mealtime provides the opportunity for everyone to engage in conversation and update each other of the days’ events. Such conversations foster family bonding and unity, and enable members to share information, connect, laugh and learn from one another. It is suggested that mealtime communication with the TV turned off and everyone sitting in one place strengthens the family bond and can strengthen a child’s sense of self-worth. Establishing a routine of family dinners gives children more opportunities to talk with their parents on a regular basis. www.fluidfitnessbermuda.com

Classes Offered Most Days of the Week!

Check www.wateraerobicsbermuda.com or Fluid Fitness Bermuda, on Facebook, for the current schedule.

Michelle@fluidfitnessbermuda.com • 704-7624

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Benefit #2: Opportunity to Model Manners and Etiquette

Family mealtime provides the perfect opportunity to model, teach and practice appropriate table manners, meal etiquette, and social skills. It should not, however, become another class, as the mealtime atmosphere should be kept light, relaxed, and loving. Table manners and etiquette are best taught by modeling!

My soul has had enough chicken soup

Fresh Fudge made with cream and butter in the parish of Sandys.

The Clocktower Mall, The Royal Naval Dockyard, Sandys open 7 days a week Decadent flavors include chocolate, chocolate nut, chocolate mint, chocolate raspberry and many others, not to mention a vast selection of seasonal flavors.

Benefit #3: Opportunity to

•

Expand Your Child’s Food Repertoire

Family mealtimes also enable you to introduce and encourage your children to try new foods, without forcing, coercing, or bribing them. New foods are best introduced gradually along with some of the stand-by favorites. Be patient - it can take 8-10 exposures to a new food before it is accepted. Trying a new food expands your child’s knowledge, experience, and skill, so make it fun by: •

Introducing foods from other cultures and countries

•

Encouraging your child to pick a new fruit or vegetable from the supermarket, or better still, a local farmer’s market

•

Assisting your child to grow a new herb, fruit or vegetable

•

Asking your child to select a new recipe from a cookbook, magazine or website (e.g. www.letsmove.gov/eat-healthy) Keeping cultural roots alive by sharing family favorites

Benefit #4: Improved Nutrition Research has shown that meals that are prepared and eaten at home are usually more nutritious and healthy as they contain more fruits, vegetables, and dairy products, along with additional nutrients such as fiber, calcium, vitamins A and C, and folate. Research has also shown that there is a lower consumption of soda and sweetened beverages at the dinner table. In addition,

Benefit #5: Opportunity to Learn Life-skills

We also carry coconut cake, peanut brittle and cookies made with “secret” family recipes!

Don’t forget, if you are looking for wedding favors, or corporate gifts, ask about our personalized ribbon printing service. Yes, we can include you Company Logo on any ribbon from 3/8” to 4”

Bermuda Fudge Company Dockyard: Tel: 533-8343 bermudafudgco@gmail.com www.bermudafudgeco.com

Children must learn how to plan and www.bermudaparent.bm

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prepare meals in order to prepare and eat regular, nutritious meals and snacks when they leave home. We must take the time to teach our children and involve them in menu planning, grocery shopping, basic cooking, baking, and food preparation as these are necessary life skills. For example, your preschooler can tear lettuce, cut bananas, and set the table, while older children can pour milk, peel vegetables, and mix batter.

By the time they are teens, they should be able to bake, grill and prepare basic meals. Involving your children in meal preparation can reduce meal prep time and can also make all family members more responsible and accepting of the meal! You can also reduce the stress of meal planning by creating a weekly plan and shopping list at the start of the week, and involving the whole family in the process by assigning each family member

W E L L N E S S M A T T E R S F O R H E A LT H

LiveWell Program

for a specific task of the meal preparation or for the day’s menu, including selecting healthy recipes. Getting children involved may also spark their interest in trying new foods and recipes.

Benefit #6: Prevention of Destructive Behaviors

Research shows that frequent family dinners (i.e. five or more a week), are associated with lower rates of smoking, drinking, and illegal drug use in preteens and teenagers when compared to families that eat together two or fewer times per week. If family schedules prevent everyone from being home at dinnertime, then try to have family breakfasts instead. Waking up earlier may not be fun at first, but the benefits are worth the effort!

Benefit #7: Improvement of Grades

Research shows that children improve their vocabulary and do better in school when they eat more meals with their parents and family. A Columbia University study determined that teenagers who eat dinner four or more times per week with their families have shown higher academic performance compared with teenagers who eat with their families two or fewer times per week.

Benefit #8: Saves Money A Wellness Program Tailored for You BF&M offers a free online wellness resource for our health insurance clients. Your company can work with BF&M to develop a wellness program tailored to your needs and interests.

Our easy to use online wellness platform includes: • An individualized Wellbeing Activity Hub • Fun and engaging wellness challenges • A personal Wellness Assessment • Healthy Habits programs • Access to healthy lifestyle and chronic disease management programs and events • Access to BF&M’s LiveWell Rewards Program… and much more!

Visit www.bfm.bm and click on LiveWell, or contact us at livewell@bfm.bm

BF&M LIFE

112 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda

295-5566

livewell@bfm.bm

LiveWell is intended to compliment rather than substitute proper medical advice or treatment.

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Meals prepared at home tend to cost two to four times less than meals purchased at restaurants. Western lifestyles tend to lead to families eating out several times each week due to scheduling, commitments, and activities, resulting in the restaurant industry’s 46% share of the total food dollar.

The idea of a family mealtime seems so simple, but consistently making it happen can be anything but simple.

It’s a good idea for the family to discuss and make a list of mealtime rules, such as no TV, no electronic devices at the table, and no complaints about the meal.

This will enable you to share mealtimes together, easing day-to-day conflicts, as well as establishing traditions and memories that can last a lifetime.

D E PA R T M E N T O F PA R K S

notice

Dogs, Horses and Bonfires

Notice

Dogs and Horses on Public Beaches

The Department of Parks is informing the general public that as of the 1st November 2012, the 1988 Bermuda National Park Regulations have changed regarding dogs and horses on the public beaches, under the jurisdiction of the 1986 Bermuda National Parks Act.

The Regulations and Policies regarding Dogs in Protected Areas are as follows: • •

From April 1st to October 31st dogs are NOT PERMITTED to be on any of the public beaches.

Special provision

relating to horses.

Dogs can be walked either on the trails, in parks or on the dunes, in South Shore Park at anytime.

Dogs are permitted to be on the public beaches until the 31st March 2013.

•

Bermuda National Park Regulations 1988 Please carry and use the DOGIPOT litter pick-up bags as you

The dogs must be on a leash at all times.

•

in the designated areas at no all times.

1.travel (1) Subject to paragraph (2), person shall, in any protected area Dogs must be on a leash at ALL times.

Horses

The Regulations and Policies regarding Horses in During this period the 30th April 2013 horses are Protected Areas are until as follows: •

Dogs

NOT permitted on the following beaches at any time: 1st November to 30th April in any year no person shall take or ride 1.

John Bay Park a horse onSmith’s Horseshoe Bay beach in the South Shore Park or on the beaches in John Smith’s Bay Park and Elbow Beach Park but may 2. Elbow Beach Park take or ride a horse on all other public beaches below the high 3.

Horseshoe Beach ( South Shore Park ) water mark at anyBay time;

The cooperation of dog kennel operators, andNOT the owners of dogs, From 1 May until 31 October horses are PERMITTED to be on any beach South Shore Park (inclusive of the following beaches: in abiding byinthe regulations, is greatly appreciated.

(Port Royal Cove ) Horseshoe Bay, Peel Bay, Butt’s Beach, Wafer Rocks Beach, Chaplin Bay, Stonehole Bay, Jobson’s Cove and WarBermuda National Park Regulations 1988 wick Long Bay) John Smith’s Bay, Elbow Beach and Shelly Bay. 6. No person shall, being the owner of,or in control of, a dog – • From 1 May until 31 October owners and handlers of horses may (a) subject to paragraph bring such dogbeaches unleashed tofollowtake or ride the horses(b), on all other public withon the any area; or and handlers can ONLY take or ride the ingprotected restrictions: owners horses below water mark between hours or 5:00during a.m. (b) bring such dogthe onhigh to any public beach in a the protected area and 8:00 a.m. the period from the 1st April to the 31st October in any year; or

•

(a) take a horse other than on Main designated roadways or trails; Dogs are NOT PERMITTED in the Show Ring in Botanical Gardens. (b) ride a horse in a manner likely to cause danger to any person therein;public are reminded that Botanical Members of the general

•

Gardens publicgreater at sundown each day. (c) rideisaclosed horse to at the a speed than fifteen kilometers per hour; For safety and health reasons dogs are NOT ALLOWED on

•

National Park (d) being in playgrounds. control of a horse leave the horse unattended when it is not properly tied to some suitable object, other than a tree or shrub;

•

• (c) subject The cooperation of stable owners, as dog well as and area to paragraph (b), bring such onhorse to anyowners protected handlers, in abiding thethree 1988 meters Bermuda using a leash greaterby than in National length, orParks Regulations and 1986 Bermuda National Parks Act, is greatly appreciated. (d) cause, permit or suffer such dog to annoy or disturb any person in any protected area.

NOTE: From January 1st to December 31st Horses and Dogs are allowed withinNo any Nature Reserve.

Alsonot by signs and notice: dogs in the Main Show Ring at Botanical Gardens and no dogs in Coopers Island Nature Reserve.

Bonfires (e) lead from horse-back a riderless horse which is not

Patrons appropriately must be mindful bridled;of the rules and regulations outlined (f) lunge or break in any horse; for recreational open fires as (g) ride a horse in excess of a slow walk when passing in mandated by the Bermuda the vicinity of other members of the public using the area.

National Parks Act 1986 and The BERMUDA NATIONAL PARKS AMENDMENT REGULATIONS 1994 Bermuda National Parks Regulations exercise of the powers conferred upon the Minister by section 1988. In See www.bermudalaws.bm.

25 of the Bermuda National parks Act 1986, the following regulations Allare bonfires herebyrequire made: -a special permit which must be obtained from the Department of Parks’ Office.

Amendment of BR 49/1988 • 5 Upon a special patrons will receive all the (2)obtaining During the period permit, – necessary information on proper bonfire conduct within our (a) 1st November to 30th April in any year no person shall national parks. take or ride a horse on Horseshoe Bay, John Smith’s Bay and Elbow Beach but may take or ride a horse on all other public beaches below the high water mark at any time; •

If you have any questions regarding the information above, please contact (b) 1st May to 31st October in any year no person shall the Department of Parks at 236-5902 or e-mail parksdept@gov.bm take or ride a horse on Horseshoe Bay, Johns Smith’s

Bay, Elbow Beach and Shelly Bay but may take or ride

Health & Wellness

BY MELANIE DUPRES

COLDS & FLU

Finding A Solution With Homeopathy ack to school........commonly means sickness: runny nose, fever, coughs, and ear infections. Not only is it upsetting for the child it means days off school and work for parents. The solution…….bring out the tissues and make an appointment with the paediatrician for another prescription of antibiotics. Is this a familiar vicious cycle for you and your children? Children seem to be a mine

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field of germs when they are in school so generously sharing their illnesses with each other.

Conventional thinking is that germs are the cause of colds and flus but the truth is that these germs are all around us, all of the time. They spread due to compromised immune systems. Let’s think about it.....in a room full of people, someone walks in with the flu…not everyone in the room

will catch the flu, only people that are SUSCEPTIBLE will succumb to the symptoms. The same is true for children at school. They will only be vulnerable to catching the cold and flu symptoms if they are run down and immune compromised. This is could be due to factors such as not eating well, being overly tired or being emotionally out of sorts.

Rather than going down the common route of antibiotics, decongestants and pain killers, there is an option of treating with homeopathic medicine. Homeopathy is a natural form of treatment that helps children to quickly and safely get over cold and flu symptoms by building up their immune system. There are no contraindications with homeopathy if you opt to give alongside conventional medicine.

Homeopathic remedies are not toxic, have no side effects and are safe for people of all ages.

Top Homeopathic remedies for colds and flu.

Pulsatilla – Generally good children’s remedy where the child is clingy, tearful and dissatisfied. There is no thirst and they desire fresh air.

Mucus tends to be yellow/green and thick.

Dosage is dependent on the severity of symptoms. The most common strength is 30c found in local pharmacy’s and health food shops.

This can be given hourly for up to 5 doses. If the symptoms are very strong then the remedy can be given every 15

minutes (for up to 5 doses) until the symptoms subside. If nothing happens then you should change to a different remedy that fits more closely to the symptom picture.

It is best to consult a health professional/homeopathic practitioner for guidance if symptoms persist for more than 2-3 days, if your child is on long-term medication or if you are unsure about which remedies to use for your chid experiencing cold or flu symptoms.

Aconite – When symptoms come on quickly, after being chilled or shocked.

Allium Cepa – Sneezing and watery mucus that burns the top lip. Patient is hot and thirsty and wants to be in fresh air. Headache with the congestion.

The cold is brought on by cold, damp weather.

Bryonia – Dry nose, mouth and throat. Everything hurts with movement. The patient wants to lie still in bed and they are very thirsty.

Ferrum-phos – For the early stages of cold and flu when the patient is chilly, pale and flushes easily in the face.

Eupatorium perf – Flu like symptoms where the bones are aching with chilliness and shivering. The patient is weak and feels battered and bruised.

Gelsemium – flu like symptoms with chills up the spine with weakness and drowsiness. The eyelids are droopy and the patient has no thirst despite the fever. www.bermudaparent.bm

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family finances

BY FREINSENBRUCH MEYER GROUP

Planning for

ention retirement planning, and most people think about their pension plans or mutual funds. The association with the two comes about because the following is generally accepted, “if I keep saving, invest those savings wisely, get to age 65, I’ll be all set for retirement!”

Maybe! But what if things don’t work out as planned? What if you die prematurely? Or become disabled? What will happen to the people in your life? What about your spouse or partner, who may be depending on your retirement savings to help support them into old age? A retirement plan WITHOUT insurance is just a plan to have unprotected savings and an investment program.

Thankfully there are three key ways life insurance can help you meet important retirement planning objectives.

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Prevent your retirement plans from dying when you do. If you die before retirement, your survivors will miss out on your salary for living expenses and also the money you were setting aside for the future. Obviously people who die prematurely haven’t had as much time to put together an investment program that can really pay off. If you have sufficient life insurance, it can help pay your family’s expenses and even your spouse’s retirement.

Supplement your retirement income. Suppose your circumstances change and you no longer have anyone who would need the proceeds of a death benefit. With a permanent life insurance contract you have the flexibility to surrender the policy and supplement your retirement income with the funds that have accumulated in the policy’s cash value account.

Preserve your assets for your survivors. If for example, you have accumulated a large estate, then life insurance can help foot the estate-tax bill, preserving assets for your heirs. Or, if perhaps your estate is more modest, then life insurance can provide a legacy for your children (and grandchildren) even if you use up most of your assets during your retirement years.

“But.. what type of life insurance suits me???” you may ask.

This depends on a number of factors, including how long you need the coverage, how much you can afford, and how much flexibility you need.

Term Life Insurance is well suited to meeting high, short-term needs for a low initial cost. These policies are renewable after 10 or 20 years, with no need for proof of health. At renewal, the price increases as appropriate for your age. These increases can become substantial in later years. Coverage usually ends at age 75 or 85.

Term Life Insurance policies also provide the option to convert to permanent life insurance, with no proof of health. However, this convertibility often expires around age of 65 or 70.

Permanent Life Insurance. As the name suggests, permanent life insurance can protect you and your family throughout your lifetime. It provides the same death benefits as all life insurance policies but also builds cash value.

The cash value consists of the guaranteed cash value, and the non-guaranteed cash value of dividends. Guaranteed cash values starts on the 2nd anniversary and dividends are credited after the first year. The total cash value, less any indebtedness, will be paid to you if you surrender the policy.

Dividends (your portion of the earnings) are determined using the current dividend scale, and are declared by the Board of Directors.

To help you gain a better understanding of which type of insurance might be right for you. Please contact the office of FreisenbruchMeyer Group (Life Department) 296-3600 or 297-8689.

www.bermudaparent.bm

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