WestCoast Families Resource Guide Vol. 30

Classes & Programs

Family Support

Family Fun & Entertainment

Education

Health & Wellness

There’s something for everyone at UBC Point Grey, right on your doorstep. Whether it’s parks, playgrounds, amenities, shops & services, museums, beaches, a forest, community events and more — find that, here.

Credit:

Jim Schneider Publisher publisher@westcoastfamilies.com

Erika Palmer Editor erika@westcoastfamilies.com

RaeLeigh Buchanan Account Manager raeleigh@westcoastfamilies.com

Kristine Wickheim Account Manager kristine@westcoastfamilies.com

For distribution inquiries, please email publisher@westcoastfamilies.com

WestCoast Families, published by Island Parent Group Enterprises Ltd., is a bimonthly publication that honours and supports parents by providing information on resources and businesses for west coast families. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher. No material herein may be reproduced without the permission of the publisher.

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Getting Your Kids Off Their Screens & Into Nature

These days it’s become all too easy for kids to spend most of their time looking at screens. From phones and tablets to video games and TV, screens are everywhere. However, it’s important for us parents to encourage our kids to spend more time outside in nature and less time on their screens. Here are some reasons why we need to act now:

Their Physical Health Will Improve. Spending time outside and being active is extremely important for a child’s physical health. According to the CDC, kids should be getting a minimum of 60 minutes of physical activity every single day. Outdoor activities like biking, hiking, and playing sports can help kids stay active.

So Will Their Mental Health. Too much screen time has been linked to a variety of mental health issues in children, including anxiety and depression. Spending time outside in nature can help alleviate these symptoms and improve a child’s overall mental health.

They’ll Experience More Creativity. When kids are outside, they have a fantastic opportunity to use their imagination and creativity in a way that’s not possible with screens. Whether they’re building forts, exploring new areas, or just playing tag with friends, being outside can inspire creativity.

Stress Levels Will Lower. Screens can be overstimulating and stressful for kids, particularly if they’re playing competitive video games or seeing violence on the news. Spending more time outside in nature has been shown to reduce stress levels in children and promote relaxation.

They’ll Gain a Strong Connection to Nature. Kids who spend time outside and in nature develop a stronger connection to the natural world. This can lead to a greater appreciation for the environment and a desire to protect it and teach others to protect it, too.

They’ll Develop Solid Social Skills. Spending time outside with friends and family can help kids develop important social

skills, like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. Whether they’re simply going on a hike, or hanging out at the beach, being outside with others provides opportunities for social interaction and learning.

It’s Educational. Being outside and experiencing nature can be a wonderful way for kids to learn about the world around them. Whether they’re learning about plants, animals, ocean life, seasonal changes, or weather patterns, being outside can be an engaging and interactive way to learn about science and the environment.

So, what can parents do to encourage their kids to spend more time outside? Here are a few helpful tips:

Lead by Example. If parents are spending all their time on screens, their children will likely emulate that. Make a point of spending more time outside yourself and show your kids that nature can be fun and engaging.

Plan a Variety of Outdoor Activities. It can be a short walk around the neighbourhood after dinner, or something longer like visiting a park or taking a camping trip but planning several different outdoor activities can help get kids excited about spending time outside.

Set Limits on Screen Time. There’s no need to limit screens completely if you don’t want to. Kids can watch educational videos, video chat with their loved ones, and play games that help them learn new skills and incorporate teamwork. However, it’s important to set some healthy limits around screen time and encourage them to engage in other activities.

Erika Palmer is a writer living in Victoria with her husband and daughter. She believes most problems can be solved with a good cup of tea and a huge piece of chocolate.

Education

CHILD CARE

123 ABC Montessori Childcare FV 123abcmontessori.com

3 Corners Child Care Centre V mountpleasantcc.ca/3-corners-child-carecentre

A Place to Grow DS aplacetogrow.ca

A to Z Childcare Centres M a2zchildcare.ca

ABC University Daycare V abcdaycarevancouver.com

Acorn Early Education Centre NS acornearlyed.com

Alexandrea Neighbourhood House DS alexhouse.net

Apple Tree Family Daycare BN apple-tree-family-daycare.business.site

Aubrey Daycare Centres BN aubreydaycare.com

Aves Early Education Centre R aveseducation.com

Baby Panda Childcare Centre R

Birchwood Daycare BN birchwooddaycare.com

Bluebird Group Daycare Centre NS bluebirddaycare.ca

Bonny Castle Daycare DS Bonnycastledaycare.com

Bright Eyes Academy M brighteyesacademy.ca

Burnaby Association BN for Community Inclusion gobaci.com

Burnaby Family Life BN burnabyfamilylife.org

Caterpillar Family Daycare FV facebook.com/thelittlecaterpillars

Child Care Resource M & Referral Programs childcareresource.ca

LICENSED PRESCHOOL

Play based learning in a warm and nurturing environment. surrey.ca/preschool | 604-501-5100

City of Surrey DS surrey.ca

The City of Surrey delivers affordable excellence in licensed preschools for children ages 3–5 years. The City of Surrey’s high quality, playbased preschool program runs from September to June and is designed to promote healthy growth and development throughout a child’s early years.

Conscious Kids Care FV consciouskidscare.com

Curious Minds Learning Centre FV curiousmindslearningcentre.com Dinosaur Daycare NS dinosaurdaycare.com

Happy May Childcare Centre M happymay.ca

Harbourside Children’s Centre NS harboursidechildren.ca

Head Start Pre-Kinder NW headstartpre-k.com

Honey Tree DS The Children’s Learning Centre honeytree.ca

Imagination Station M imaginationstationchildcarecentre.com

Kids Only Daycare D kidsonlydaykidsdaycare.weebly.com

Kidzville Learning Centres DS kidzvillelearningcenters.com

Ladybird Daycare D facebook.com/Ladybird-Group-ChildcareCentre-Delta-168101456553522

Learn ‘n Play Childcare Centre M learnplaychildcare.com

Les Moussaillons R moussaillons.ca

Little Rascals Daycare NS littlerascals.ca

Little Wings Daycare Society R littlewingsdaycare.ca

0-3-yrs-586610828174475

Friendship Corner Daycare TC friendshipdaycare.com

Fun Farm Child Care FV funfarmchildcare.ca

Gatehouse Montessori NS gatehousemontessori.com

Goodwin Academy Daycare Centre DS goodwinacademy.ca

Green Apple Daycare M greenappledaycare.ca

Lonsdale Creek Daycare NS Centre Society lonsdalecreekdaycare.ca

Meadow Ridge Centre FV for Childcare mrccdaycare.com

My First Step Child Centre NS myfirststep.ca

V Vancouver

R Richmond

DS Delta/Surrey

TC Tri-Cities

FV Fraser Valley

BN Burnaby/New West

NS North Shore

SW Squamish/Whistler

M Multiple

O Online

Olio Childcare DS oliochildcare.ca

Olive Grove Childcare ltd. NS olivegrovechildcare.ca

One Two Buckle My Shoe DS facebook.com/bucklemyshoe.ca

OneSpace Childcare V onespaceforall.ca/childcare

Our childcare service allows you the freedom and flexibility to drop off your child at our Children’s Atelier in our second floor play space while you make use of all the services OneSpace has to offer. By providing flexible workspace, child care, wellness services and affordable business consulting, we aim to remove many of the traditional barriers that exist for parents, entrepreneurs and small businesses.

Park Place Daycare & Montessori NS parkplacedaycareltd.com

Parkland Players TC parklandplayers.com

Pear Tree V pear-tree.ca

PJ Kids Club NS pjkidsclub.com

Port Coquitlam Daycare Society TC pocodaycare.com

Rainbow’s Nest Child Care V facebook.com/rainbowsnestchildcare

Rise N Shine Childcare Centres R rnschildcare.vpweb.ca

Robyn’s Nest Daycare DS robynnest.weebly.com

Rothewood Academy M rothewood.com

Sandcastles Park Children’s Centre R sandcastlepark.ca

SFU Childcare Society BN sfu.ca/childcare.html

Shining Star Daycare TC shiningstardaycare.ca

Small Steps Childcare FV smallstepschildcare.com

Smiling Stars Daycare Centre NS smilingstarsdaycare.com

Society of Richmond R Childrens Centres richmondchildcare.org

Sophia’s Family Child Care BN facebook.com/sophiachildcare

Starlight Child Care Centre BN starlightchildcarecentre.com

Start Smart Childcare Centre FV start-smart.ca

Stay N Play Daycare TC staynplaydaycare.com

Sunshine Children’s Centre M ridgemeadowschildcare.com

Sweet Peas Cottage NS sweetpeascottage.ca

UBC Childcare Services V childcare.ubc.ca

West Point Grey Community Centre V westpointgrey.org

West Vancouver NS Child Development Centre westvandaycare.org

Wise Owl Montessori Childcare FV wiseowlchildcare.com

Wonder of Learning V wonderoflearning.ca

Childcare Learning Centre for ages 2–12. Our learning centre is Reggio-Emilia inspired and incorporates best practices in education while highly valuing the arts. Our School of Arts includes educational development in the areas of music, art, character and psychological development. We specialize in providing fun, engaging and educational piano lessons for all ages.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS

Brentwood College School M brentwood.ca

Brentwood College School is a co-educational, university preparatory boarding school for Grades 8 through 12 located in Mill Bay, Vancouver Island, BC. Our spectacular oceanfront campus sets the backdrop for a modern and progressive boarding school where our unique Tripartite Program provides students from 55 countries unrivalled opportunities that challenge them to become the leaders of tomorrow.

Brockton School North Vancouver NS brocktonschool.com

Collingwood School NS collingwood.org

Fraser Academy V fraseracademy.ca

Fraser Valley Elementary FV fves.bc.ca

Island Pacific School SW islandpacific.org

James Cameron School FV jcs.bc.ca

Kenneth Gordon Maplewood V kgms.ca

Madrona School V madronaschool.com

Southpointe Academy D southpointe.ca

Urban Academy NW urbanacademy.ca

Vancouver Montessori School V 8650 Barnard St | 604-261-0315 vancouvermontessorischool.com

A child-centred community. Preschool for children 3–5 years of age. Extended day for the 5 year old child. Elementary for children 6–12 years of age.

Vancouver Waldorf School NS vws.ca

Lynn Valley, 2725 St Christophers Rd info@vws.ca | 604-985-7435 Edgemont Village, 307–3255 Edgemont Blvd highschool@vws.ca | 604-986-2922

The Vancouver Waldorf School provides an experiential, ageappropriate approach to education. Our rich curriculum integrates hands-on creativity, language arts, music, physical education, nature studies, fine arts and crafts, math and sciences to support the development of the whole child.

West Vancouver School District NS westvancouverschools.ca

Westside Montessori School V westsidemontessori.ca

York House School V yorkhouse.ca

Edify Learning

Spaces is a 1-on1 online tutoring agency. Quality tutors work with your child’s unique strengths to increase academic scores but also provide social emotional learning support to help increase focus and confidence! BC based, neurodivergent affirming agency. Book a free consultation.

.com

LDS – Learn. Develop. Succeed. ldsociety.ca

LDS – Learn. Develop. Succeed. offers accessible, innovative learning support to individuals with learning differences, like dyslexia and ADHD, aged 3 to adult. Our 17 specialised programs are offered in person or online. Little Mountain Learning Academy V lmacademics.com

Tutor Doctor M tutordoctor.com

Tutors in Vancouver V tutorsinvancouver.ca

Vancouver Learning Centre V vancouverlearningcentre.com

PRESCHOOL

Aboriginal Head Start Association M ahsabc.com

Association of Neighbourhood M Houses anhbc.org

BC Aboriginal Child Care Society NS acc-society.bc.ca

Bee Haven Kids NS beehavenkids.com

Brightstart Childrens Academy M brightstart.ca

Burnaby French Language BN Preschool bflp.org

Burnaby Neighbourhood House BN burnabynh.ca

CEFA Core Education & Fine Arts V cefa.ca

Child Care Options M childcareoptions.ca

City Hall Child Care Society V cityhallchildcare.org

Collingwood Neighbourhood House V cnh.bc.ca

Council of Parent Participation M Preschools cpppreschools.bc.ca

Creative Kids Learning Centres DS creativekidslearningcenters.ca

Developmental Disabilities Assoc. R develop.bc.ca

Elite Montessori Academy V elitemontessori.ca

Fraser Montessori Daycare NW edithsmontessori.com

Garderie et Prematernelle R les Moussaillons moussaillons.ca

Global West Montessori FV Preschool and Daycare globalwestmontessori.ca

Granville House Montessori V granvillehousemontessori.com

Highlands Preschool NS highlandspreschool.ca

Jellybean Park M jellybeanpark.com

Jewish Community Centre V of Greater Vancouver jccgv.com

Kerrisdale Little Owls Preschool V kerrisdalelittleowls.com

Kids and Company M kidsandcompany.com

Kinderheart Montessori TC kinderheart.ca

Kiwassa Neighbourhood House V kiwassa.ca

WestCoast Families .com

North Star Montessori NS northstarmontessori.ca

Providing an education as unique as your child. North Star Montessori offers a nurturing, engaging and challenging environment in which each child develops at their pace academically, physically, socially and emotionally.

Pomme d’Api V pommedapi.org

Purpose Society NW purposesociety.org

Reach Developmental Preschools DS reachchild.org

Reach for the Stars Montessori BN reachforthestarsmontessori.com

Roots & Wings Montessori DS rootsandwingsbc.com

Little Koala Montessori M littlekoalamontessori.com

Little Rainbow House TC Preschool & Daycare littlerainbowhouse.com

Montessori Daycare Society V mdcsvancouver.com

Montessori Mes Petits NS mespetits.ca

Mount Pleasant V Community Centre mountpleasantcc.ca

My Whole Earth Academy V 778-379-1858 mywholeearth.ca

Unlock your child’s full potential at My Whole Earth Academy! Our programs integrate multiple intelligences, while nurturing curious minds through hands-on experiences in an encouraging environment. Enroll now and watch them thrive!

North Shore Child Care NS Resource and Referral northshorechildcare.ca

Saplings Outdoor Programs M saplingsoutdoorprogram.ca

Smilestones M smilestones.ca

Spare Time Child Care Society V sparetimesociety.org

UBC Childcare Services V childcare.ubc.ca

Vancouver Montessori V vancouvermontessorischool.com

Vancouver Society V of Childrens Centres vsocc.org

Westcoast Child Care M Resource Centre wstcoast.org

Westside Montessori V westsidemontessori.ca

Write Choice Early Learning TC Centre writechoicelearning.com

YMCA of Greater Vancouver V gv.ymca.ca

YWCA V gv.ymca.ca

Hiking, Biking, Swimming, Canoeing, Kayaking, Camping, Stargazing, Naturalist Programs & Exploring.

Winter Camping, Snowboarding, Downhill Skiing, Cross-Country Skiing, Snowshoeing, Ice Skating & More!

Summer & Winter

& Restaurant Pub Pool, Hot Tub,

Camping, Lodge & Cabins, Steam & Sauna /

Family Friendly Vibes

Family Fun & Entertainment

6pack Indoor Beach V 6packbeach.com

Adventure Zone + Toddler Zone V theadventurezone.ca

Britannia Mine Museum SW britanniaminemuseum.ca Multi-awardwinning Britannia Mine Museum exceeds expectations, offering an engaging experience of an iconic National Historic Site. Rumble aboard an underground train, pan for gold and immerse yourself in the multi-sensory experience BOOM! Located on the scenic Sea to Sky Highway/Hwy 99 between Vancouver and Squamish.

Burnaby Village Museum BN burnabyvillagemuseum.ca

Captain Kid’s Fun Centre FV sportsplexbc.com

Castle Royale NS castleroyale.ca

Circuit Circus Arcade V granvilleisland.com/directory/circuit-circus

Crash Crawly’s TC crash-crawlys.com

Destination Cultus FV Water and Theme Parks cultus.com

EcoDairy FV ecodairy.ca

Extreme Air Park M richmond.extremeairpark.com

FlyOver Canada V flyovercanada.com

Fort Langley National Historic Site FV pc.gc.ca/fortlangley

Go Bananas M gobananaslangley.com Granville Island V granvilleisland.com

Greater Vancouver Zoo FV gvzoo.com

Grouse Mountain NS grousemountain.com/camps

Gulf of Georgia Cannery R National Historic Site gulfofgeorgiacannery.org

Hazelmere Pumpkin Patch DS hazelmerepumpkinpatch.ca

Historic Stewart Farm DS discoversurreybc.com

Hive Climbing NS hiveclimbing.com

Honeybee Centre DS honeybeecentre.com

H.R. MacMillan Space Centre V spacecentre.ca

Visit the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, home to Vancouver’s Planetarium Star Theatre. Catch a live science demonstration and explore the wonders of the night sky in the Observatory. Open 7 days a week.

Jungle Jacs Play Centre TC junglejacs.com

Kids Market V kidsmarket.ca

Kidsworld V kidsworldprogram.com

Kidtropolis R kidtropolis.ca

Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre NS ecologycentre.ca

Maplewood Farm NS maplewoodfarm.bc.ca

Metro Vancouver Regional Parks V metrovancouver.org/events/calendar

Museum of North Vancouver NS 604-990-3700

monova.ca

Explore the past, present and future of North Vancouver at MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver (115 West Esp). MONOVA is transforming the way people experience North Vancouver’s stories through interactive exhibits and innovative programming.

Pacific Museum of Earth V pme.ubc.ca

Parksville Beach Festival parksvillebeachfest.ca

Known to locals as Beachfest, this 5½ week long family-oriented festival runs from July 14 to August 20 and includes the Quality Foods Sand Sculpting Competition & Exhibition, weekend concerts, daily buskers, an artisan market and a special weekend evening light up of the sculptures.

Place des Arts TC 604-664-1636 | placedesarts.ca

Place des Arts is a not-forprofit arts education centre in Coquitlam, with a mission to inspire the artist in everyone. Place des Arts offers quality instruction for all ages and skill levels in music, dance, theatre, visual and literary arts.

Playland at the PNE V pne.ca

Railway Museum of BC SW wcra.org

Royal BC Museum M royalbcmuseum.bc.ca

Science World V scienceworld.ca/summercamp

SkyZone Trampoline Park DS skyzone.com

Stanley Park Miniature Railway V vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture

Taves Family Farm FV tavesfamilyfarms.com

UBC Botanical Gardens V botanicalgarden.ubc.ca

Vancouver Maritime Museum V vanmaritime.com

Vancouver Symphony Orchestra V vancouversymphony.ca

Are you considering a flexible, home learning environment for your child?

Home

✓ Comprehensive learning structure accessible online, with offline learning options

✓ BC certified teacher guidance for families

✓ Individualized student goals and learning plans

✓ Deep and meaningful collaborative portfolio process

✓ Delta School District report cards

✓ Support for students with exceptionalities

✓ Optional virtual and in-person classes

✓ Optional field trips and workshops

✓ Classes emphasize place-based, outdoor learning, Indigenous principles and opportunities for student socialization

Home Quest, a provincial online learning school, is a public school and is free to all students in BC in Kindergarten through Grade 9. 604.597.8353 homequest.deltasd.bc.ca

The ultimate in diversified learning

VanDusen Botanical Gardens V vandusengarden.org

Victoria Bug Zoo M 631 Courtney St, Victoria 250-384-2847 | victoriabugzoo.ca

The Victoria Bug Zoo is an incredible mini-zoo dedicated to educating people about the wonders of some of this world’s most misunderstood inhabitants. Come see giant walking sticks, fuzzy tarantulas, glowing scorpions, enormous beetles and so much more!

Come on in and see our mini-zoo. Tour guides are and show o our adorable programs are available for Masks

VR Funtastic World V vrfuntasticworld.com

Watermania R richmond.ca/parksrec/pools/watermania

Wesbrook Welcome Centre V discoverwesbrook.com

WildPlay Elements Park FV wildplay.com/maple-ridge

Play IS FOR Parents TOO

On a recent family vacation to the Okanagan, my husband (who clearly felt our marriage was on solid-footing) squirted me repeatedly in the face from his bumper boat. As I laughed hysterically, I had an epiphany: I need more play in my life.

As parents, we cultivate incredible lives for our children. We put time and effort into making sure they have activities and experiences that make them happy.

Personally, I get no kick out of watching my children bounce in a kindergym bouncy castle, swim in pee-filled public pools or go door-to-door selling Girl Guide cookies. I’m not complaining—I signed up for it. But when the focus of your life centers around filling their buckets, it can leave your own feeling a little empty.

Sarah Seitz is a working mother, wife and writer. She spends her free time cutting off crusts and uses good coffee and humour to get through the day.

There are several stages for reclaiming yourself after having kids. You start with the smallest act of self-care when you have a newborn. Then, as the kids become more independent, you restore a few hours for yourself; a hobby resumed, books read.

But there’s another layer to reclaiming your old self and engaging in play is an important part of that.

Play is different than what we typically think of as self-care. People throw around a lot of euphemisms of selfcare; a candlelit bath, a girls weekend getaway, some leisure time watching Netflix. While these things can relax you and relieve the pressures of daily life, they don’t typically elicit the feelings of vitality and aliveness. Play can do that.

Play comes in many forms: creative play, social play and just silly play. In his book, Play, Dr. Stuart Brown calls play a “state of being, purposeless, fun and pleasurable.” I know that in our home, just the simple act of turning the music up and having an impromptu dance party can elevate our spirits, erase the stressors of the day and foster connection.

Growing up, our blended family included children ranging from ages six to 16. There weren’t a lot of activities we could do together that would please everyone. But we had a small boat, and cruising and waterskiing created some of the happiest memories of my childhood. It was a way of engaging in play as a family. It connected us in a way that nothing else could.

During our vacation, we spent a day at the waterslide park. The cashier asked if I was buying two or four tickets and my first response was two because, after all, we were there for our kids. Like most of the other activities in our lives, our goal was to provide fun and excitement for our children. If we were planning the day around my idea of fun, we would be childless, driving from winery to winery in a convertible.

But we were a long way from that dream. We were at the waterpark kiosk. That was my reality. I told the cashier to ring us up for four tickets. Might as well enjoy the waterslides too, I thought. Even though I couldn’t remember the last time I did something for the sole purpose of having fun.

I slipped and slid down those waterslides and when it shot me out at the bottom like a rocket with my hands in the air, I laughed and felt a familiar pang of joy that I hadn’t felt in years.

It’s never too late to develop your playful side. It’s the joke that you tell your child when they’re mad at you. It’s the game of frisbee in the park. It’s squirting each other on bumper boats.

Playfulness reminds us that we are worthy of pleasure and joy. I’m learning that play is the best antidote to an empty life-bucket.

Classes & Programs

Evergreen Cultural Centre TC evergreenculturalcentre.ca

Evergreen Cultural Centre is the Tri-Cities home for professional live events and arts experiences. Join us for a show, explore the Art Gallery at Evergreen or get creative at one of our free public programs.

Fraser Valley FV fvrd.ca

Richmond R richmond.ca

Squamish/Whistler SW squamish.ca whistler.ca

Tri-Cities TC coquitlam.ca | portcoquitlam.ca portmoody.ca

Vancouver Community Centres V vancouver.ca

DANCE

Ache Brasil V achebrasil.ca

Arts Umbrella V artsumbrella.com

Circus West V circuswest.com

Driftwood Dance NS driftwooddance.com

Gabriela’s Movement Studio R movementstudio.ca

Pacific Dance Arts V pacificdancearts.ca

Royal City Youth Ballet NW royalcityyouthballet.org

DAY PROGRAMS

Eagles in the Sky V eaglesinthesky.ca

Saplings Outdoor Program NS saplingsoutdoorprogram.ca

Summer at Southridge Day Camps DS southridgesummer.ca

MUSIC

Ava Music and Arts Centre NS avamusic.ca

H.O.W. Music and Arts Academy FV howmusic.ca

Langley Community Music School FV langleymusic.com

Life Musique Academy R lifemusique.com

Long & McQuade M long-mcquade.com

Modern Music School V modernmusicschool.com/en/vancouver

Music for Young Children M myc.com

School of Groove V schoolofgroovevancouver.com

Staccato BN staccatostudios.com

Tom Lee Music V tomleemusic.ca

Tom Lee Music M tomleemusic.ca/learningcentre

Tri-City School of Music TC tricityschoolofmusic.com

Vancouver Bach Choir V vancouverbachchoir.com

Vancouver Youth Choir V vancouveryouthchoir.com

VSO School of Music V vsoschoolofmusic.ca

NATURE

Burns Bog Conservation Society D burnsbog.org/summer-day-camps

Soaring Eagle Nature School BN soaringeaglenatureschool.org

Stanley Park Ecology Society V stanleyparkecology.ca

Surrey Nature Centre DS surrey.ca

VanDusen Botanical Garden V vandusengarden.org

SCIENCE

Daedalos Enrichment M daedalosacademy.com

GEERing Up! V geeringup.apsc.ubc.ca

Genome Geneskool Camp V genomebc.ca

High Touch Science Made Fun V sciencemadefunbc.net

Vancouver Aquarium Kids Camps V vanaqua.org/learn/camps

SPORTS

Abbotsford Minor Hockey FV Association abbotsfordminorhockey.ca

Abbotsford Soccer Association FV abbotsfordsoccer.com

Aldergrove Minor Hockey FV Association

aldergroveminorhockey.com

Aldergrove Youth Soccer Club FV aldergrovesoccer.com

Aquaventures Swim Centre V 101-5550 Fraser St | 604-736-SWIM (7946) aquaventuresswim.com

Aquaventures features an exceptional learn to swim experience with tropical warm water and excellent instructors in our brand new state-of-the-art facility! Our students truly love the water for a lifetime!

Burnaby Girls Soccer BN burnabygirlssoccer.com

Burnaby Minor Hockey BN Association burnabyminor.com

Canlan Ice Sports M icesports.com

Cliff Avenue United FC BN cliffavenuesoccer.com

Cloverdale Minor Hockey DS Association cloverdaleminorhockey.com

Cloverdale Youth Soccer DS cloverdaleyouthsoccer.com

Coastal Football Club DS coastalfc.ca

Coquitlam Metro-Ford TC Soccer Club cmfsc.ca

Coquitlam Minor Hockey TC Association coquitlamminorhockey.org

Deep Cove Canoe & Kayak NS deepcovekayak.com

Evolve

Flicka

Vancouver All Star Cheer V vancouverallstarcheer.com

Vancouver All Stars V Summer Baseball Camp vancouverallstars.ca

Vancouver Hockey School V vancouverhockeyschool.com

Vancouver Phoenix Gymnastics V phoenixgymnastics.com

West Van Soccer NS westvansoccer.com

Windsure Adventure Watersports V windsure.com

TECHNOLOGY

Digital Media Academy M digitalmediaacademy.org

UME Academy M ume.academy

Under the GUI V underthegui.com

THEATRE

Bard on the Beach V bardonthebeach.org/young-shakespeareanworkshops

JCC Camps V jccgv.com Kids Zone Camp FV kidszonecamp.ca

La Movida Fashion V Design Academy lamovida.ca

Langara College Camp V langara.ca

Metro Vancouver V metrovancouver.org

Resort Municipality SW of Whistler whistler.ca

Robotics Building Camp M bricks4kidz.com

Sasamat Outdoor Centre FV loftcountry.ca

Seabreeze Community Centre V coalharbourcc.ca

SFU Camps BN sfu.ca/camps

The Cut Fashion Academy V thecutfashionacademy.com

UBC FarmWonders V farmwonders.ca

Urban Safari DS urbansafari.ca

Vancouver Chess School V/O vanchess.ca

YMCA Youth Leadership V vanymca.org

Young Entrepreneur M Learning Labs yelearninglabs.com

Come on in and see our incredible live animals in this unique mini-zoo. Tour guides are always available to answer questions and show o our adorable critters! Virtual tours and outreach programs are available for larger groups and birthday parties. Masks and vaccines required. Thank you!

victoriabugzoo.ca

The Truth About Step-Parents

There is a gaping hole in the conversation about parenting. Sure there’s ample discussion about positive discipline practices, growth mindset, resilience, emotional intelligence, and play based learning. There are articles written for mothers, fathers, adoptive parents, foster parents and single parents. However, it seems no one is talking about a growing population of people who love and struggle, just like the rest of us do. No one is talking about the difficulties of being a step-parent.

No one grows up hoping to become a step-parent. It’s something that just happens to you, a curveball thrown your way. When I was a young girl, I knew I wanted to be a mother. I would play dolls and role play with my friends, acting out the caring nature I saw modelled by my own mom. I never once imagined, “What if these make-believe children weren’t actually mine?”

I never thought I would be divorced. Another curveball. All of a sudden, I was a single mother, raising two small boys on my own. I wasn’t alone, though; many of my girlfriends found themselves in the same boat. We shared articles, podcasts and books about the struggles of being a single parent. We spoke openly about our fears, our challenges and our hopes for the future. We formed a supportive community, picking each other’s children up from school, babysitting and cooking meals when someone had to work late. For a while, it was like a single mom’s sister-wife club.

After a few years, I met a wonderful man and we fell in love. He came with a plus one—a son. With sweet naivety, my new beau moved into my home and we planned to create a loving, safe space for all of our children. We both shared custody with our exes and we had a vision of bringing said exes into the folds of our life, co-parenting with grace and respect.

Though it may not be surprising to you, it was shocking to me that our exes were not on board with this unicorns-andbutterflies version of our new reality. There were very clear lines drawn in the sand in terms of boundaries, and new business-like relationships were formed, instead of close friendships as I had hoped.

Along with navigating custody arrangements and learning to co-parent with your ex, your new relationship is complicated by an instantaneous change in family dynamics. When you fall in love in your twenties, you hold hands and gaze romantically into each other’s eyes as you daydream about the children you might have together, in the future.

Falling in love the second time around does not afford you this luxury. Moving in with someone is complicated, at the best of times, as you adapt to the other person’s habits, expectations and quirks. Now, throw three children into that

dynamic and you can imagine how unromantic the situation might be.

In the midst of growing a marriage and a new relationship, you are also carefully walking through a landmine of worries, anger, and fear from the children, who have not asked for this enormous change.

It was uncomfortable for our children, being parented by someone new. It is even harder to allow someone else to parent your children. It requires an extreme level of trust, one which might not have developed yet, when you first choose to blend families.

In truth, the children handled the change with more grace than either my husband or I. Here’s the straight talk. You can care for someone else’s child. You can console them, help them with homework, feed them, laugh with them, play with them and drive them to practice. However, when the proverbial sh*t hits the fan, the biological parents have executive decision making power.

Your opinions and advice, as the step-parent, may go unheard and then you need to sit back, zip your lips and try your best to be supportive. You and your new spouse may try to co-parent as a team, but there will be moments when you just can’t because, at the end of the day, that’s not your child and you may be out voted. It’s a tricky situation, one which requires a complete lack of ego. Easier said than done.

As time progresses and trusting relationships are formed, everyone will likely find a new normal. But it isn’t easy. For the first year of my new marriage, I questioned if I had made a gigantic mistake. I held on strongly to my belief that we are given what we can handle and that every adversity is an opportunity to grow and become a better human.

That’s what got me through the tough moments and what still carries me. I am seven years into this marriage and there are still times when I feel I am failing as a step-parent. It’s a role that is relatively new in our society, and one for which I feel very little advice is offered.

A step-parent is a care-giver, a cheerleader, a scapegoat at times, a sounding board for your spouse, a friend and a chauffeur. But you are not your step-child’s mother or father. So to all of you step-parents, I say this: You are the unsung heroes, the ones who swallow their egos, who lose sleep over children who are not yours. It’s not easy being in this role. And, I think it’s okay to say we don’t always act with grace. Our feelings may be hurt, our pride bruised, our voices unheard. But we get up every day and support our spouse in the hardest job they will ever do: raising their children. And they do the same. After all, we’re in it together.

Kelly Cleeve is a best-selling author and an educator. More importantly, she is the proud parent of two amazing sons. Visit kellycleeve. com or follow her on Instagram @resilient_kel and Facebook, Raising Resilient Children/ Radiant and Resilient.

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Want a Money-Smart Kid?

Start their financial education early.

Learning a skill early in life helps create developmental building blocks. The same rule applies to financial literacy, experts say. Across Canada, provinces have begun introducing this educational life skill into school curriculums, with Alberta being the latest region to announce a new syllabus beginning this coming September.

“Money plays a big role in life,” says CPA David Trahair, a personal finance expert and author of CPA Canada’s free practical guide, Survive and thrive: Move ahead financially after losing your job. “The earlier you start developing your habits, the better.”

From the classroom to the kitchen table, here are a few ways to educate kids about money.

1. Start the Conversation Early

Money can be a sensitive subject, making it awkward for some parents to talk to their kids about it, says Melissa From, CEO and

president of Junior Achievement Southern Alberta. “It’s uncomfortable [yet] it’s so important,” she says.

Surprisingly, teaching children about finances can begin when they are young as three or four years old, according to Gary Rabbior, president of the Canadian Foundation for Economic Education, which runs the annual Talk With Our Kids About Money Day.

“Behaviour development is so much easier than behaviour modification,” he says. “When they’re young, it’s so much easier to work with them. By the time kids get to high school, many of their behaviours have become entrenched.”

CPA Michael Massoud, financial literacy principal at CPA Canada and father of a three- and seven-year-old suggests parents use real life “teachable” moments to kickstart lessons in financial education.

“Giving children those opportunities to be comfortable with money is step one,” he

says. “When I’m at the cash register, I like to get my kids to count out the money we owe and hand it to the cashier and count the change we get back. I remind them to always get the receipt in case we need to return the item to the store.”

While COVID-19 may change some daily interaction, parents can still teach these lessons when making online purchases, he adds. “For example, when shopping online with my son, I try to help him develop savings habits early on by showing him how to use apps such as Honey and Rakuten,” says Massoud.

2. Make it Relatable

For a lesson to be effective, it also has to be age appropriate, says From, whose organization is helping develop Alberta’s financial literacy curriculum for kindergarten through grade 6.

“Children as young as kindergarten are certainly equipped to understand some of those really basic concepts, as long as it’s done appropriately,” she says. Like Massoud, From suggests activities such as discussing transactions when they occur in-store or while ordering items online. “For high schoolers, this teaching may be preparing a budget and learning economic theories,” she adds.

As a father of seven- and nine-year-old children, CPA Eitan Dehtiar, a business consultant, knows kids learn lessons most effectively through personal experience. When his children play video games, he gives them a certain amount of money to start, with no top-up when they run out.

“The kids enjoy that kind of thing—they don’t realize they’re actually learning,” he says.

Massoud agrees with this approach, adding that games and stories themselves can become the lessons. “Those are the magical kind of moments of learning that give insight to the topic and help children remember a lot more,” he says.

3. Teach the Long Game

Learning to be money smart is a lifelong lesson. And experts say goal-setting and delayed gratification is a large part of becoming financially literate.

This includes letting children make mistakes. Rabbior says it’s better for them to regret choosing the wrong $5 toy with allowance money—a lesson most kids will remember—than buying the wrong car when they’re older.

“The most important thing that I think we

can teach our kids is a sense of self-sufficiency, meaning that they believe they can set a goal and achieve it,” says Rabbior.

“And that is the crux of financial literacy education. Because, later on, they will set their financial goals, map out a path to get there, budget money, make trade-offs, set aside savings and do things that give them the confidence that they can achieve their goals.”

4. Creating Positive Outcomes

By being actively involved in educating your kids about money from an early age, you’ll not only complement the training they get at school, but you’ll also help them move into early adulthood with a better understanding of how to manage their personal finances and avoid a lifetime of debt. (This is an important skill; as Trahair points out, 45 per cent of the Canadian population cannot pay off their high-interest credit card debt.)

“As parents, we want to raise our kids to be happy, healthy and financially successful,” says Massoud. “Parents have the biggest responsibility and stake in building the financial foundation of their children.”

And early intervention has proven effective.

“We know that when young people have access to this information and are given financial literacy education, they will have fewer instances of debt, they will have more instances of financial success … there will be less need to rely on social services and economic support,” says From. “Those are all the things that we want for our society, but also the things as parents that we want for our children.”

Michelle Singerman is a Toronto-based writer and digital content creator who began her career in local news reporting. Courtesy of cpacanada.ca.

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What Age Is Best for Your Tween or Teen to Have a Cell Phone?

”EVERYONE has a cell phone but ME,” whined my twelve-year-old daughter.

“Your twin brother doesn’t have one either,” I responded.

Avariation of this same conversation had been going on between us for years. Since my twins had lost their North Face jacket, DS games, and other expensive items, I wasn’t too keen to shell out hundreds of dollars for a cell phone.

I knew what my daughter was saying was true, that most of her friends had a cell phone. According to Techcrunch, the average age a child gets their first smartphone is age 10. Another survey found that children received smartphones as young as age six.

Despite the statistics and my daughter’s perpetual whining, I didn’t feel that was a reason for me to buy a cell phone. I finally caved when my twins turned thirteen years old—but not because they were the only ones without cell phones. I did it because it was easier for me for them to have phones.

When they turned 13 years old, they entered high school. At their school, they had the opportunity to stay after class to participate in activities or sports. Sometimes they also received extra help from their teachers which meant varying pick-up times between the two of them.

The frequent changes became confusing (for all of us) and required them to go to the office to use the school phone which meant they missed out on classes. It was much easier for me to send a quick text asking, “What time do you need me to pick you up?” rather than

waiting to hear from them. Or it was easier for me to ask, “Where are you?” instead of frantically calling the school to try to figure it out.

WHAT AGE IS BEST FOR YOUR TWEEN OR TEEN TO HAVE A CELL PHONE?

The answer to this question will be different for every family and even kids within the same family since maturity levels vary for all kids. Here are some factors to consider:

Responsible Behaviors: Cell phones are expensive and enable your children to have access to the Internet, so you want to make sure your kid demonstrates responsible behavior by keeping track and caring for material items before you allow them to have their own device. You also want to make sure they can be responsible regarding Internet safety.

Safety: According to the CDC, almost half of all homes did not have landlines. If your tween or teen stays home alone without a landline then they may need a cell phone so they can call 911 or another emergency line if necessary. Your child may also feel safer knowing they are able to contact you when they are alone. There may be other situations when they would be safer if they had a cell phone such as walking alone to/from the bus stop.

Convenience: The more involved your tween or teen becomes in activities, the easier it will be for both of you if your child has a cell phone for communication. Instead of calling the school or their friends’ parents, you will be able to contact them directly to find out where they are or when they need to be picked up.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

• Has your child been able to keep track of expensive items (such as jackets, headphones, iPad) for the past month? Has your child used good judgement when using the Internet (you can check their search history or opened apps)?

• Does your child follow rules and limits within the home and school?

• Is your child respectful of other people?

• In general, do you feel like you can trust your child?

• In general, do you feel like your child is responsible?

• Does your child walk and wait at the bus stop alone?

• Are there times when your child is alone at home?

• Is your child involved in multiple activities?

BUYING A CELL PHONE FOR YOUR CHILD

If you answered mostly “yes” to the above questions, it might be the right time for you to purchase a cell phone for your kid. Before purchasing the cell phone, discuss with your child how they can demonstrate being responsible by keeping track of their phone and using the Internet safely. You can also let them know that you will be checking their phone to make sure they are being responsible and respectful when using the Internet. You can also remind them that using a cell phone is a privilege.

My twins have had their cell phone for almost a year now and they have managed to not lose it or break it. The communication between us has been easier when I’ve had to transport them to all their many activities. And it’s nice to not hear my daughter whining about wanting a cell phone. I figure I have about a two-year reprieve until she starts up again about wanting a car.

Cheryl Maguire holds a Master of Counseling Psychology degree. She is the mother of twins and a daughter. Her writing has been published in The New York Times, Parents Magazine, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Count Your Blessings and many other publications. You can find her at Twitter @CherylMaguire05.

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