Grey-Bruce Kids Winter 2021/22
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WINTER <strong>2021</strong>/<strong>22</strong> • Volume 11 Issue 4 • greybrucekids.com<br />
A FREE MAGAZINE FOR<br />
PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS<br />
10th Anniversary Issue<br />
FREE!
Child care costs add up<br />
Fortunately, families in <strong>Grey</strong> County may be eligible for a fee subsidy for<br />
children in licensed child care. You may be eligible if:<br />
• You are a <strong>Grey</strong> County resident • You are the child’s legal guardian<br />
• You are working, attending school or training • You have filed your taxes<br />
• You have a referral from another agency • Your child is living with you<br />
• You are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident<br />
If you meet the above eligibility, you can use the subsidy calculator on www.grey.-<br />
ca/childrens-services to estimate your monthly child care costs. Costs are calculated<br />
on a per-family basis and not per child. Families may have multiple children in<br />
licensed care. An income test will be completed when applying to confirm eligibility.<br />
Learn more and apply at www.<strong>Grey</strong>.ca/Childrens-Services<br />
PLAY • LEARN • GROW<br />
Find program calendars for<br />
EarlyON locations across <strong>Grey</strong> County at:<br />
<strong>Grey</strong>.ca/Childrens-Services
FROM THE PUBLISHER<br />
Celebrating 10 years!<br />
“The days are long but the years are short.”<br />
It’s a quote that every young parent hears at some point from well-meaning,<br />
experienced people, when they are in the trenches of parenting. It’s only when you are<br />
able to take a step back that you can truly appreciate this statement.<br />
CONTENTS<br />
4 Family<br />
10 Posture<br />
With this issue, we are celebrating our 10th anniversary of publishing <strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong><br />
<strong>Kids</strong> and I’m not sure how we got here so fast. Publishing this magazine, much like<br />
parenting, is a true act of love. We started this publication when our daughters were<br />
four years and 10 months old (read our full story on Page 4), and have raised the<br />
magazine alongside them.<br />
Starting it was much like parenting – learning as you go, feeling overwhelmed, feeling<br />
proud, asking for help/not asking for help, late nights and early mornings, some tears,<br />
some laughs, and making mistakes, while celebrating our successes.<br />
It’s certainly much easier to shut down the laptop at night than put kids to bed, and<br />
publishing our three magazines (sister publications <strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong> and Huron-Perth<br />
Boomers) requires far fewer snacks, no toilet training or breaking up of fist-fights than<br />
raising a family. Yet, reflecting on the last 10 years, I recognize how much I have grown<br />
both as a parent and as a business owner.<br />
14 Healthy parents<br />
16 Cool <strong>Kids</strong><br />
<strong>22</strong> Grandparenting<br />
26 Resources<br />
30 Recipes<br />
The saying, “It takes a village to raise a child (or a business)” is also very apt. This<br />
publication has thrived because of you – our loyal readers, writers, graphic designers,<br />
advertisers, distributors, family, friends and local cheerleaders.<br />
I am honoured to have provided a free local resource for parents in <strong>Grey</strong> and <strong>Bruce</strong><br />
counties over the past decade. After the last 18 months, the only thing we know for<br />
sure is that nothing is for sure – you just have to enjoy the ride while you are on it!<br />
My thanks to our contributors in this issue – Dr. Brad Murray writes about posture<br />
and how it affects your children. Tori Hamilton shares her wisdom on how to stay<br />
healthy in all aspects of your life. Sande and Rick Irwin reflect on what being a<br />
grandparent means to them and how to<br />
maximize your time spent with grandkids.<br />
We also check in on some of our ‘Cool <strong>Kids</strong>’<br />
to see what they’re up to now (hint, they’re<br />
still awesome!).<br />
Thanks again for your continued support!<br />
Amy Irwin, Publisher<br />
Cover: Jace and Layne Irwin,<br />
daughters of <strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Kids</strong><br />
Publisher Amy.<br />
Photo by LPhotography<br />
WINTER <strong>2021</strong>/<strong>22</strong><br />
Publisher<br />
Amy Irwin<br />
amy@greybrucekids.com<br />
Magazine Design<br />
Becky Grebenjak<br />
Advertising inquiries<br />
amy@greybrucekids.com<br />
<strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Kids</strong> welcomes your feedback.<br />
EMAIL amy@greybrucekids.com<br />
PHONE 519-524-0101<br />
MAIL P.O. Box 287, Ripley, ON N0G 2R0<br />
<strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Kids</strong> is distributed for free in <strong>Grey</strong> and<br />
<strong>Bruce</strong> counties, and is published each March, June,<br />
September and December. Distribution of this<br />
publication does not constitute endorsement of<br />
information, products or services by <strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Kids</strong>,<br />
its writers or advertisers. Viewpoints of contributors<br />
and advertisers are not necessarily those of the<br />
Publisher. <strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Kids</strong> reserves the right to edit,<br />
reject or comment on all material and advertising<br />
contributed. No portion of <strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Kids</strong> may be<br />
reproduced without the written permission of the<br />
Publisher.
FAMILY<br />
NEAR DEATH,<br />
THAI ISLANDS<br />
AND A<br />
GLOBAL PANDEMIC<br />
AN EVENTFUL 10 YEARS FOR GREY-BRUCE KIDS<br />
BY AMY IRWIN<br />
4 GREY-BRUCE KIDS • WINTER <strong>2021</strong>/<strong>22</strong>
When people do something difficult, they’ll quip that it<br />
almost killed them.<br />
Well, the first issue of <strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Kids</strong> in late-2011 literally<br />
almost killed me.<br />
It was my 31st birthday, Oct. 25, and just three weeks before<br />
our first press deadline. I’d been feeling under the weather<br />
for a few days, but, as all Moms do, I powered through the<br />
discomfort to chase my young daughters and work on my new<br />
business venture – <strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Kids</strong> magazine.<br />
Yet I knew something wasn’t right and Googled my symptoms<br />
– I was pretty sure my appendix had burst, and most likely a<br />
few days prior, which is very dangerous as you surely know.<br />
None of my husband, my sister or the ER doctor believed me<br />
because most people rush to the hospital when their appendix is<br />
first inflamed, thankfully not being able to stand the pain long<br />
enough to allow the useless organ to burst. Unfortunately, my<br />
high pain tolerance allowed me to live my regular life for days<br />
after, even as my bloodstream was poisoned from within.<br />
By the time the doctor believed me and cut me open, I was septic.<br />
What had been my appendix was gangrenous. They had to do two<br />
surgeries just to wash the infection off my other organs.<br />
I was in bad shape, delirious on medication, in incredible pain,<br />
unconscious for hours and the better part of days at a time, and<br />
there was a window where we didn’t know if I’d ever again hold<br />
my daughters, tell my husband a joke only I find funny, or put<br />
the first issue of <strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Kids</strong> into your hands.<br />
Thankfully, I turned the corner, making incremental<br />
improvements and leaving the hospital 17 days later, weak and<br />
so tired. Still – somehow – we hit our first deadline that very<br />
week and here we are, 10 years later, celebrating the 41st issue of<br />
our little local magazine that almost never was.<br />
A SERVICE DIRECTORY?<br />
My husband Dwight and I were both born and raised in Ripley,<br />
and we graduated from Conestoga College in Kitchener in<br />
2002; me with a diploma in social services, he in journalism.<br />
We immediately moved to Alberta to start our careers, and, after<br />
getting married in 2004, we quit our jobs and sold our house<br />
in Big Sky Country to go backpacking across New Zealand and<br />
Australia for 10 months. Eventually we landed in Port Hope,<br />
Ont., where we welcomed our daughter Layne in 2007.<br />
I was newly pregnant with our second daughter when we moved<br />
back to Ripley in 2010, so I had no job from which to take<br />
maternity leave after her birth just a few days before Christmas.<br />
As I said in my first Publisher’s Note, “I immediately realized,<br />
despite the fact there are thousands of families in <strong>Grey</strong> and<br />
<strong>Bruce</strong> which face the same challenges mine does, there was<br />
no publication dedicated solely to parents and caregivers.”<br />
Families need easy access to services, baby groups, breastfeeding<br />
information, health care, and much more, so I decided I’d be the<br />
one to bring that information to local parents and caregivers.<br />
After brainstorming different options, we landed on a free-forpick-up,<br />
widely distributed magazine that we called <strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong><br />
Left: The Irwin family (clockwise, Dwight, Amy, Layne and<br />
Jace) in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam, in December 2019. Above:<br />
The family photo that marked the 1st anniversary of <strong>Grey</strong>-<br />
<strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Kids</strong>, in 2012.<br />
<strong>Kids</strong>. With my background in social services and a natural<br />
business acumen, and my husband’s newspaper writing and<br />
editing experience, we convinced ourselves we could do this.<br />
Somehow, through my hospitalization, a few weeks of very<br />
little sleep for Dwight, and a lot of help from our parents,<br />
our first issue made it to press on time, and on Dec. 1, 2011,<br />
we distributed 10,000 copies across <strong>Grey</strong>/<strong>Bruce</strong>. We were<br />
astonished by the feedback, with many commenting on the<br />
professional look of the product and the interesting articles,<br />
made better by being written by local people for local people.<br />
NO TOPIC TOO BIG<br />
With our backgrounds in social services and journalism, our<br />
intention was never to have <strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Kids</strong> be a “fluffy”<br />
magazine. There would be no topic too big for our little<br />
publication and, right from Issue 1, we met the challenge head<br />
greybrucekids.com • 5
on, interviewing Kincardine native Kendra Fisher – a former<br />
teammate of mine on our high school hockey team – about the<br />
mental health issues that cost her a shot at playing goal for Team<br />
Canada and a good chunk of her 20s.<br />
Ten years ago, mental health was still a rather taboo subject, and<br />
we were one of the first publications to tell Kendra’s story. She<br />
has since become well known provincially and nationally for her<br />
Mentally Fit program and impactful speaking engagements.<br />
In 2013, Dwight spoke to Walkerton’s Yolanda Cameron about<br />
the suicide of her son Wes, which could have torn her and<br />
husband James to pieces but instead led to them launching<br />
Wes for Youth Online, which in 2020 helped over 830 youth<br />
through times of crisis, undoubtedly saving lives. Even today,<br />
the story’s lede still brings tears to my eyes.<br />
“For two years, pain has been a constant companion of Yolanda<br />
Cameron. It drains from her eyes and undercoats each laugh,<br />
sometimes in the same breath. Always, it threatens to best her, to keep<br />
her all to itself, shutting out the world. Yet she refuses to give in. She<br />
can’t bear the thought of another family experiencing her ultimate<br />
pain, the unexplainable loss of a child.”<br />
And, on Yolanda’s advice from eight years ago, we still do not<br />
let our kids keep their phones or iPads in their rooms at night,<br />
allowing them to be unavailable for essentially the first time all<br />
day, get a good night’s sleep and recharge their batteries. She told<br />
us she wished she had known to do the same for Wes.<br />
Jace Irwin, 18 months<br />
at the time, helps Mom<br />
with her first Summer<br />
issue in June 2012.<br />
We’ve tackled racism, and separate series on the local LGBTQ+<br />
community, Ontario’s youth justice system, and how to keep<br />
kids safe online. We talked to the family of Ava Morgan,<br />
who, as an eight-year-old, chose to live life as her true self –<br />
a transgendered girl in a small town. We attended the first<br />
birthday party of the Coutts quadruplets in Tiverton. I joined<br />
a group of locals in Nicaragua and wrote about the people<br />
who live in, and scavenge for food from, a local dump. We<br />
(hopefully) educated local parents on the dangers of vaping,<br />
the local opioid crisis, marijuana as it was moving from illegal<br />
substance to sold in downtowns across the region, ‘sexting,’<br />
education, human trafficking, being money-wise at a young age,<br />
and so very much more in what has felt like a very short decade.<br />
Some of this we’ve written ourselves, while we’ve leveraged the
expertise of local professionals for countless stories on the topics<br />
of health and wellness, travel, finance, social justice, and every<br />
other topic that impacts local families.<br />
We’ve seen regular features come and go like TidBits, Tales<br />
from Tots (thanks COVID!), Our Town, arts and crafts, kids’<br />
books, and others, as we’ve received feedback from readers and<br />
adjusted our focus on what’s important to them. The best – and<br />
sometimes hardest – part of publishing <strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Kids</strong> is there<br />
is no blueprint, so we are continuously adapting to life as it is in<br />
<strong>Grey</strong> and <strong>Bruce</strong> counties. Journey Through<br />
Take the short 10-15 minute Ages<br />
Take the short 10-15 minute Ages<br />
and Stages Questionnaires (ASQs)<br />
and Stages Questionnaires (ASQs)<br />
and Take find the out short if your 10-15 child minute is meeting Ages<br />
Journey and find out if your<br />
developmental milestones.<br />
Through<br />
child is meeting<br />
and Stages Questionnaires (ASQs)<br />
developmental milestones.<br />
and find out if your child is meeting<br />
developmental milestones. Help your child<br />
Take the short 10-15 minute Ages Help and be ready your Stages child to<br />
Questionnaires (ASQs) and find out learn be ready<br />
if your in school to<br />
Help learn and your in for school life! child<br />
child is meeting developmental and be ready for life! to<br />
milestones.<br />
learn<br />
Help<br />
in<br />
your<br />
school<br />
child<br />
and be for ready life! to<br />
learn in school<br />
ASQs are available for children month and for years life!<br />
ASQs are available for children 1 month 5 years<br />
ASQs are available for children<br />
ASQ<br />
1 month<br />
ASQ:SE 5 years<br />
ASQ<br />
ASQ:SE<br />
Communication ASQ<br />
Self-Regulation ASQ:SE<br />
Communication<br />
Gross Motor<br />
Gross Motor<br />
Fine Communication<br />
Motor<br />
Fine Motor<br />
Problem Gross Motor Solving<br />
Problem Solving<br />
Personal-Social<br />
Fine Motor<br />
Personal-Social<br />
Problem Solving<br />
Journey Through<br />
the Journey the<br />
Ages<br />
Ages Through and<br />
and<br />
Stages<br />
Stages<br />
the Ages and Stages<br />
the Ages and Stages<br />
Personal-Social<br />
Self-Regulation<br />
Compliance<br />
Compliance<br />
Autonomy<br />
Self-Regulation<br />
Autonomy<br />
Affect Compliance<br />
Affect<br />
Social-Communication<br />
Autonomy<br />
Social-Communication<br />
Interaction Affect with People<br />
Interaction with People<br />
Adaptive Social-Communication<br />
Functioning<br />
Adaptive Functioning<br />
Interaction with People<br />
Adaptive Functioning<br />
To receive the age appropriate ASQs for your child(ren), please<br />
To receive the age appropriate ASQs for your child(ren), please<br />
reach out to your <strong>Bruce</strong> County Licensed Child Care Setting or<br />
reach out to your <strong>Bruce</strong> County Licensed Child Care Setting or<br />
email To receive childcare@brucecounty.on.ca the age appropriate ASQs for your more child(ren), information! please<br />
email childcare@brucecounty.on.ca for more information!<br />
reach out to your <strong>Bruce</strong> County Licensed Child Care Setting or<br />
email Inquire childcare@brucecounty.on.ca Early, Discover Often, Guide for Your more Child’s information! Path.<br />
Inquire Early, Discover Often, Guide Your Child’s Path.<br />
ADDING TO THE FAMILY<br />
As <strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Kids</strong> grew, one thing we kept hearing was<br />
there was no local magazine for people whose kids were grown<br />
and had flown the coop. These older parents and/or young<br />
grandparents loved <strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Kids</strong> but wanted something<br />
that impacted their lives today, not the lives they led when the<br />
children were at home.<br />
So, in December 2014, we launched <strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong> Boomers,<br />
the area’s only magazine for adults 50+. Once again, we were<br />
met with a wave of enthusiasm from readers, advertisers,<br />
contributors, and distributors that surprised us, and its<br />
The Community Education Department<br />
would like to thank you for your continued<br />
support and patience during the global<br />
pandemic. The safety of everyone sharing<br />
our schools is our greatest concern.<br />
The start of indoor Community Education<br />
programs currently remains delayed.<br />
Unfortunately Beginner Driver Education is<br />
cancelled in our schools for the <strong>2021</strong> – 20<strong>22</strong><br />
school year. We hope to bring this program<br />
back in the future.<br />
Community Education will continue to stay<br />
in touch and provide updates as information<br />
becomes available. If you have any questions,<br />
please feel free to reach out - we are<br />
happy to hear from you.<br />
Thank you again for<br />
your patience as we<br />
adjust and plan.<br />
Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow<br />
www.bwdsb.on.ca<br />
Inquire Early, Discover Often, Guide Your Child’s Path.<br />
greybrucekids.com • 7
popularity continues today. Then, in the spring of 2016, we<br />
added Huron-Perth Boomers to our suite of publications,<br />
and now publish all three every quarter, and still offering free<br />
distribution to our faithful readers.<br />
Above: Amy gets to know an elephant at a sanctuary in the<br />
jungle of northern Thailand. We spent a night frolicking in the<br />
grass, mud and river with the five resident elephants at the<br />
no-electricity sanctuary, in November 2019.<br />
Below: Dwight finishes up the Spring 2020 issue in our<br />
hostel’s restaurant on the Thai island of Koh Lanta.<br />
GBK AROUND THE WORLD<br />
In July 2019, we took our magazines on the road, as our family<br />
embarked on a one-year trip around the world as part of a<br />
sabbatical program offered by Dwight’s (other) employer. The<br />
beauty of technology – as well as help with magazine delivery<br />
from family and other community members – meant we could<br />
prepare and publish three issues simultaneously, even as the<br />
four of us backpacked through 12 countries – the U.S., western<br />
Canada, London, UK, Paris, a Kenyan safari, various Indonesian<br />
islands, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia and Sri<br />
Lanka.<br />
Unbeknownst to many, we completed our Fall 2019 issue from<br />
a hostel in Nanaimo, B.C., not having been home for six weeks<br />
at that point. It was a challenge to focus on our <strong>Winter</strong> 2019/20<br />
issue while experiencing the mind-blowing and tongue-numbing<br />
flavours found in the street food and the stifling humidity of<br />
the cities and jungles of northern Thailand that November. Our<br />
Spring 2020 issue was fine-tuned with feet buried into the sandfloored<br />
restaurant at our hostel on the tiny Thai island of Koh<br />
Lanta in February 2020, with final edits completed in a swaying<br />
hammock.<br />
Unfortunately, on March 16, 2020, after 18 days of fresh fruit<br />
smoothies made with produce from the stand next door, and<br />
surfing morning and night at our quiet beach, we scrambled<br />
to catch one of the last flights off the island of Sri Lanka. The<br />
COVID-19 pandemic had finally forced us home, our year-long<br />
travels ending three months early.<br />
While our kids experienced the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes<br />
of international travel during our nine months as backpackers,<br />
the Summer 2020 issue was a completely different experience –<br />
for one, we were stuck in our house, during the early days of the<br />
pandemic. It was the also first of five issues of <strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Kids</strong><br />
that were only available online, and we’re very happy to be back<br />
in print with this, our second issue since the pandemic brought<br />
the world to a stand-still.<br />
We are incredibly fortunate to own a business that could be<br />
operated from some of the most stunning – and sometimes<br />
rustic – places in the world. And I apologize if I took a while to<br />
respond to your email… you’d be surprised how little wifi there<br />
can be on the savannah of the Maasai Mara in Kenya, or during<br />
a two-day boat ride down the Mekong River between Thailand<br />
and Laos, or at an electricity-free elephant sanctuary in the Thai<br />
jungle...<br />
THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT<br />
I sometimes pause to consider there are readers out there who<br />
first picked up <strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Kids</strong> when they were raising a preteen<br />
or full-blown teenager and are now grandparents! I hope they<br />
picked up at least one nugget of information that made them<br />
a better parent then, and a better grandparent now. I also hope
that they have shared our magazine with their children, as they<br />
themselves become new parents.<br />
The fact our publication is now spanning generations is why<br />
we’re still excited every time we send an edition to the printer<br />
– even 40 issues after our first.<br />
Thank you to all our readers, contributors, distributors and<br />
advertisers – we certainly wouldn’t be here today without you.<br />
We cannot thank our families enough for their assistance and<br />
advice over the years – from those difficult first days when I<br />
was in the hospital to organizing the distribution while we<br />
experienced the world, we are forever indebted to you.<br />
To our wonderful daughters Layne and Jace – who grace the front<br />
cover of this issue – you are our inspiration and, though we can’t<br />
say we’re always perfect at taking the advice we offer within these<br />
pages, please know that we love you with all our hearts and can’t<br />
wait to see what great impact you’ll have in this world.<br />
GBK<br />
AMY IRWIN is the Publisher of <strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Kids</strong>, which is celebrating its<br />
10th anniversary with this issue. Follow GBK on Facebook and access<br />
our archived issues at www.greybrucekids.com. She is also the Publisher<br />
of <strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong> and Huron-Perth Boomers magazines.<br />
Jace, left, and Layne enjoy sunset at Dream Beach on the<br />
Indonesian island of Nusa Lembongan.<br />
BY PLAYING A CRITICAL ROLE IN<br />
CANADA’S CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE.<br />
brucepower.com<br />
greybrucekids.com • 9
HEALTH<br />
Importance<br />
OF POSTURE<br />
DO YOU CRINGE AT YOUR CHILD’S POSTURE?<br />
BY DR. BRAD MURRAY<br />
10 GREY-BRUCE KIDS • WINTER <strong>2021</strong>/<strong>22</strong>
Most of us, as parents, have at one time told our children<br />
to sit up straight and don’t slouch. Most of us likely do so<br />
without knowing why.<br />
With the increase in use of smartphones, video games, tablets,<br />
and home-schooling due to COVID, it may seem like your kids<br />
are looking at a screen the majority of their day. In fact, one<br />
study found that children and adolescents spend an average of<br />
five to seven hours a day with their head flexed forward.<br />
Poor posture, including only 15 degrees of forward bending,<br />
as with looking down at a phone, has been shown to triple the<br />
stress of your head on your neck. This can lead to forward head<br />
posture, and associated neck pain, headaches, neck and upper<br />
back stiffness, joint dysfunction, shoulder and trap pain, and<br />
numbness in the arms. This is often referred to as ‘text neck’ or<br />
‘tech neck.’<br />
Chronic forward head position may lead to a number of other<br />
issues as well. These may include the head position that stays<br />
forward, decreased in neck curvature (decreased lordosis),<br />
increase in the mid-back curvature (increased kyphosis),<br />
misalignment of spinal joints, increased rate of wear on spinal<br />
joints, sore and strained muscles, muscle imbalance, early<br />
spinal disc degeneration, permanent changes in the shape of the<br />
spine, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, and the possibility of more<br />
difficulty breathing and digesting food.<br />
Start a Home Child Care Business<br />
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Are you great with children?<br />
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Toll free: 1-800-265-3005 Local: 519-881-0431<br />
VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE<br />
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MyFrenchSchool.ca<br />
greybrucekids.com • 11
WHAT IS POSTURE?<br />
Posture can be referred to as the overall position of your body as<br />
you stand, sit, lie down, or with movements.<br />
Good posture involves training your body to stand, walk, sit<br />
and lie, so as to place the least strain on muscles, ligaments, and<br />
joints while you are performing these activities.<br />
When sitting, it is best to sit up straight with support behind<br />
the lower back, knees and elbows and 90 degrees, feet flat on the<br />
floor, and have the screen placed just below eye level.<br />
Ideally, when standing, our ears should be aligned with our<br />
shoulders, which are aligned with our hips, knees, and ankles.<br />
What can kids do to reduce the stress placed on the body with<br />
screen time?<br />
• Get up and move – go for a walk around the room, get a<br />
drink of water every 15 minutes.<br />
• Stretch – reach up with your arms, look up to the ceiling<br />
and hold for 10 seconds every 15 minutes.<br />
• Take breaks from screens when possible and try to limit the<br />
time spent on electronics.<br />
• If possible, try standing with electronic use, as long as<br />
screens are near eye level.<br />
• Maintain good posture<br />
In order to help maintain a healthy posture long term,<br />
getting into a wellness routine that focuses on mobility and<br />
strengthening is a good way to keep your child feeling young<br />
while promoting good posture. Our bodies are designed to be<br />
dynamic, and therefore movement is important. Both flexibility<br />
and strength play a significant role in how your posture<br />
develops. Flexibility and mobility of the spine and body can be<br />
improved with stretching, soft tissue techniques, chiropractic<br />
adjustments, and strengthening exercises.<br />
SIMPLE STRETCHES<br />
• Doorway stretch. Place forearms on the door frames, elbows<br />
at 90 degrees, and lean forward.<br />
• Cat/camel. On hands and knees, raise upper/mid-back<br />
while bringing head down, then raise head upwards while<br />
letting your upper/mid-back arch downward.<br />
• Trapezius stretch. Reach your hand on your head and pull<br />
your head down to the side toward your hip.<br />
• Thoracic extension. Lie on your stomach and push up off<br />
the floor with your forearms to stretch your upper back.<br />
• Foam roller mobility. Lie on your back on top of a foam<br />
roller placed across your upper back, and roll up and down.<br />
• Neck range of motion. Move your neck forward, backward,<br />
side-to-side, and rotate each direction.<br />
• Scap retractions. Sit with your elbows at your side and pull<br />
your shoulder blades back and down.<br />
• Wall angels. Standing with your back and arms against the<br />
wall with elbows near 90 degrees, slowly raise and lower<br />
your arms, keeping your back and arms against the wall.<br />
• Superman. Lying on your stomach, reach arms out in front<br />
and raise your chest and legs off the floor.<br />
These are just a few of the many stretches and exercises that<br />
may help with maintaining a good posture, and there are many<br />
more available. Additionally, having strong core muscles enables<br />
proper posture from the pelvis upwards to the upper back and<br />
neck. Including core strengthening exercises to your child’s<br />
wellness routine would be highly recommended and beneficial.<br />
Realistically, and as a parent of teenage boys, I understand your<br />
kids may not be as excited or motivated as you are to perform<br />
all these exercises. So, start slowly. Pick one stretch, one mobility<br />
exercise, and one or two strengthening exercises. Make it fun by<br />
challenging your kids to see how long they can hold stretches,<br />
or how many sets and reps they can do versus mom or dad.<br />
Have them set a timer on their phone so they will be reminded<br />
to get up and move and stretch every 15 minutes while on their<br />
devices. Pick a time of day to work on their exercises.<br />
Good posture is about more than standing up straight so you<br />
can look your best. It is an important part of your long-term<br />
health. Making sure that you hold your body the right way,<br />
whether you are moving or still, can prevent pain, injuries, and<br />
other health problems.<br />
GBK<br />
DR. BRAD MURRAY is a Chiropractor and owner of Lucknow<br />
Chiropractic & Wellness Centre. He has been in practice for over 20<br />
years. Contact him at 519-528-5083, drbrad@lucknowchiropractic.com<br />
or visit www.lucknowchiropractic.com.<br />
12 GREY-BRUCE KIDS • WINTER <strong>2021</strong>/<strong>22</strong>
Time to Register for<br />
KINDERGARTEN<br />
Are you the parent or caregiver<br />
of a 3 or 4 year old?<br />
Call your local school in<br />
Bluewater District School Board<br />
today!<br />
To find your school:<br />
www.bwdsb.on.ca/schools/school_listing_elementary<br />
The Cold Case <strong>Kids</strong><br />
are back in action!<br />
This time Brogan, Brycen and<br />
Heather - along with their<br />
zombie friend, Angus - discover<br />
an ancient wooden chest<br />
washed up onto the shores of<br />
mysterious Chantry Island on<br />
Lake Huron. And they make the<br />
mistake of opening it.<br />
What comes out plunges the<br />
kids into a mystery filled with<br />
sinister masks, walking<br />
skeletons… and a tale from<br />
beyond the grave. A tale filled<br />
with cryptic clues that point the<br />
way to hidden riches.<br />
An ideal read for ages eight and up, Dead Man’s Tale (along with the first<br />
two books in the series, Ghoul’s Gold and Legend of the Phantom Reaper)<br />
is available in Port Elgin at Books and Strings and Turtle Crossings; in<br />
Southampton at A Little of This and That, as well as the <strong>Bruce</strong> County<br />
Museum; and in Kincardine at Fincher’s. Books can be obtained at the<br />
Paisley Christmas Market and the Artisans Christmas Market in Port Elgin.<br />
All three books are also available on Amazon.ca or can be purchased<br />
directly from the author, Doug Archer, by emailing him at archer@bmts.com.<br />
CHRISTIAN ENVIRONMENT IS AN<br />
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FUN, SAFE STRUCTURED ENVIRONMENT<br />
AGES 6 - 16<br />
Loacted along<br />
the Saugeen River,<br />
<strong>Bruce</strong> County<br />
TEL (519) 881.2448<br />
director@campcherith.ca<br />
www.campcherith.ca<br />
greybrucekids.com • 13
HEALTH<br />
MAXIMIZE<br />
Wellness<br />
YOUR<br />
IT’S IMPORTANT PARENTS STAY HEALTHY IN TRYING TIMES<br />
BY TORI HAMILTON
As parents, it’s easy to find ourselves solely focused on caring<br />
for our children. Parenting, though exhausting at times, is<br />
such a rewarding experience.<br />
We gladly give our energy, time, and money to make sure that<br />
our kids have a childhood brimming with positive experiences.<br />
Every waking moment is spent cleaning, organizing, hugging,<br />
washing, wiping, cooking, consoling, helping… well, you get<br />
the point.<br />
With the pandemic approaching two years, there is another layer<br />
of expectations on us to have it all together, and it’s heavy. This<br />
constant feeling of having to stay ever-vigilant in case of another<br />
school shutdown or a change in public health guidelines, layered<br />
on top of the usual parenting challenges, has many of us on<br />
the verge of collapse. After a while, giving ourselves fully to our<br />
families can lead to burnout, exhaustion, and even resentment.<br />
If these feelings resonate with you, you are not alone. Whether<br />
you have a teenager struggling with isolation, a nine-year-old<br />
who is struggling academically, or a toddler who hasn’t been in a<br />
grocery store let-alone on a playdate – we are all in this together.<br />
One of the biggest predictors of a child’s mental health and<br />
well-being is their parents’ mental health and well-being. As<br />
we enter parenthood, we can lose sight of things we enjoyed<br />
doing. The truth is, there are many of us running around with<br />
an empty tank right now. It’s hard to stay present for our kids<br />
when we feel this way. We may begin to use unhealthy coping<br />
mechanisms to help us get through our days. Our mental health<br />
can suffer too, which can lead us to act in a way that is not<br />
consistent with our parenting values and beliefs.<br />
Above all else, our kids want happy, healthy parents. When we<br />
shift our perspective to recognize that our wellness impacts our<br />
entire family, it doesn’t seem selfish at all to invest in ourselves.<br />
When we make our own needs a priority, our kids learn that it’s<br />
OK to prioritize their own wellness.<br />
Below are some ideas of what we can do to put our wellness first.<br />
I hope you find them helpful.<br />
Since being perfect is not possible, let’s stop trying. Easier<br />
said than done, I know – I am the queen of workaholism and<br />
perfectionism, which is actually the thief of joy and often ends<br />
up with us doom-scrolling at 2 a.m. We all have strengths, but<br />
we can’t be good at everything. When you fail (and you will<br />
– we all do), give yourself grace and move on.<br />
An example – I have never been a morning person, and I<br />
probably never will be. I like staying up late and I get some of<br />
my best work done then. My husband and kids aren’t morning<br />
people either, so when I found out the bus pick-up time this<br />
year was moved up to 7:30 a.m., it threw me for a loop. It took<br />
less than a week to realize that getting the kids on the bus just<br />
wasn’t worth the stress and anxiety it caused when I could drive<br />
less than 10 minutes and drop them off at 9 a.m. I used to beat<br />
myself up over things like this, but this year? I just. Don’t. Care.<br />
The moral of the story is, play to your strengths, and do what’s<br />
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greybrucekids.com • 15
FILL YOUR CUP<br />
Emotional needs<br />
• Talk to a therapist or health care provider who<br />
has training in perinatal mood and anxiety<br />
problems.<br />
• Learn as much as you can about pregnancy and<br />
postpartum depression and anxiety.<br />
• Build an empathy team of like-minded friends<br />
who are simply there to listen, not fix things.<br />
• Positive self-talk. Tell yourself you are loved and<br />
keep a gratitude list.<br />
Social needs<br />
• Get support from family and friends. Ask for<br />
help when you need it.<br />
• Join a support group in your area or online.<br />
• Unfollow social media accounts and avoid<br />
websites that make you feel bad about your life.<br />
• Plan a coffee date with a friend or a daily phone<br />
call to socialize.<br />
• Set up “date nights” with your partner once a<br />
month.<br />
Physical needs<br />
• Drink lots of water! Aim for at least two litres<br />
per day, as dehydration is common.<br />
• Make time for eating and focus on balanced,<br />
healthy nutrition.<br />
• Aim for eight hours of sleep a day, however, that<br />
looks for you.<br />
• Sit in the sunlight each morning (Vitamin D!).<br />
• Physically connect with loved ones – a 10-20<br />
second hug releases oxytocin.<br />
Spiritual needs<br />
• Pause for a moment, listen to the birds,<br />
appreciate the blue sky, be in the moment and<br />
breathe.<br />
• Develop a yoga and/or mindfulness-based<br />
routine.<br />
• Start a gratitude or reflective journal.<br />
Practical needs<br />
• Outsource/delegate.<br />
• If you have older children, give them a chore list<br />
and develop a self-care routine for them.<br />
• Don’t track your baby’s sleeping and feeding<br />
routines if it impacts your mental health.<br />
• Say “no” to extra work when possible.<br />
• Work on a budget with your partner.<br />
Mental needs<br />
• Listen to a podcast or audiobook while doing<br />
work around the house.<br />
• Watch a season (or two or three) of a favourite<br />
show.<br />
• Decorate your home, paint, shop, reorganize –<br />
make your space your own.<br />
right for you and your family. Life will go so much smoother for<br />
you that way. Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing –<br />
they’re not perfect either. Those pictures on social media? Fake<br />
news. People are often too busy with their own lives that they’re<br />
not as focused on our lives as we may think.<br />
Spend some time thinking about what makes you, you!<br />
Becoming a parent is such a huge transition, and it can swallow<br />
us up in one bite. Do yourself a favour and think back to what<br />
used to really lift your soul before having kids. What did you<br />
love spending your creative energies on? Did you love to paint?<br />
Did you practice yoga, go for walks in the forest, sing along to<br />
punk music in your car, or skip rocks on the water? I want you<br />
to write down your favourite thing and then brainstorm ways<br />
you can add it back into your life – even just a little – now that<br />
you have kids. Talk to your partner, family, and friends about<br />
what you love doing and ask them to help you. Chances are,<br />
there will be a way you can do it. This will be the best selfcare<br />
you will ever have. It will fill your cup up so that those<br />
mundane, everyday tasks don’t feel as heavy, and you may find it<br />
easier to connect with your kids.<br />
Recognize your triggers. We all have them. Triggers are<br />
things that can set you off emotionally and throw you into a<br />
fight, flight, or freeze mode. These triggers are often related to<br />
previous experiences that we had, and we automatically go into<br />
self-preservation mode. Once you start noticing these triggers<br />
and what your body does in reaction to them, then you can<br />
anticipate it happening. When you know they are coming and<br />
you can name these feelings, the after-effects won’t last as long.<br />
This means that you can snap out of your funks much faster and<br />
go back to enjoying your life.<br />
I’ll give you an example – when I have something important<br />
coming up, I usually end up with knots in my stomach and I<br />
can’t eat or sleep. I go into hyper-vigilance (flight) state, trying<br />
to clean my disaster of a house at record speed, leaving my kids<br />
and husband in complete awe and utter confusion. Then I get<br />
snappy because I haven’t eaten and I’m exhausted. Now that I<br />
recognize this behaviour, I can spend less time in this state by<br />
doing something that calms me down. This could be listening to<br />
a mindfulness track, doing 10 minutes of yoga or forcing myself<br />
to take a break to eat. We all have traumas and triggers. Our kids<br />
often pick up on them before we do, which isn’t fair to them.<br />
Figuring out what sets you off will make your home run much<br />
more smoothly.<br />
Set boundaries and stick to them. I don’t know about you, but<br />
for me COVID-19 has put a lot of strain on my relationships.<br />
Once you know your triggers (again, write them down), it’s<br />
important you set boundaries to protect yourself as much as<br />
possible. Here’s another example – when my kids playfully hold<br />
onto my leg and want a ride, it makes my stomach flip and my<br />
skin crawl. I used to get upset at them for it, which is completely<br />
unfair. Now, I have been able to set a clear, age-appropriate<br />
boundary so that we both don’t need to be in that awkward<br />
situation. They now know that my foot is a no-sit zone.<br />
This can apply to your kids, friends, family, the school system,<br />
your co-workers, daycare, whatever. You may get some pushback
ut stick with it. Change is hard for all of us, and, while setting<br />
boundaries is often new for us, people will pick up on it. Having<br />
clear boundaries in the long run will help solidify all of your<br />
relationships, as miscommunications become less frequent and<br />
everyone knows where you stand. Setting boundaries isn’t easy,<br />
but it’s so worth it.<br />
Try to spend more time in conscious awareness. Have you<br />
ever driven for 10 minutes to the store and not remember the<br />
trip? That’s because you were probably thinking of a million<br />
things that you have (or feel like you have) to do. Maintaining<br />
conscious awareness takes a lot of practice, but it will make<br />
parenting so much easier.<br />
The next time your kids are acting out, try this – once they are<br />
relatively settled post-meltdown, sit down with them in a quiet<br />
place. Look at their face, touch their hair, smile at them, and tell<br />
them you love them. See them for who they are. Eventually, you<br />
will see the wall fall and they will begin pouring out their heart.<br />
Ask them why they had their meltdown and empathize with<br />
them. They will never feel so connected, and a connected child<br />
is much easier to reason with than one who feels alone.<br />
Shoot for 10 minutes of connection a day with each of your<br />
children. Sounds easy enough, right? If you’re finding it hard to<br />
stay connected for that long, try setting a timer for yourself. As<br />
your kids start looking forward to these special moments, you<br />
may find that attention-seeking behaviours lessen, and drop-offs<br />
become less stressful.<br />
If you find yourself saying, “Everything is fine,” and it’s not,<br />
indeed, fine – stop. Most likely, everything right now in your<br />
life is not fine. I’m not fine. You’re not fine. We are not fine. So<br />
why do we say it? Often we don’t want to burden others, or even<br />
ourselves, with what’s really going on.<br />
The best thing to do? Talk it through with someone who will lift<br />
you up. The important thing is to find someone who can listen<br />
without trying to fix the situation, place blame or try to tell you<br />
what your problem is – it can be a therapist, a friend, family<br />
member, whoever. Just be careful with who you share your<br />
truths with. Once you have commiserated and feel a bit better,<br />
work through some small changes you can make to your life,<br />
and then plan to take some even smaller steps to get there. Some<br />
situations (such as leaving an abusive relationship) involve big<br />
changes and you will need lots of support. Remember, any sort<br />
of change includes ups and downs, good days and not-so-good<br />
days.<br />
Eventually, you will see a shift and you won’t want to look back.<br />
TORI HAMILTON, BScN, RN, IBCLC, PMH-C, is a mom of four and has<br />
been a Registered Nurse for 10 years with experience in Obstetrics.<br />
She helps parents navigate the postpartum period, with a focus on<br />
infant feeding, sleep and mental health. She is an International Board<br />
Certified Lactation Consultant, Baby-Led Sleep & Well-Being Specialist,<br />
and is certified in perinatal mental health. You can find her offerings at<br />
themamanurse.com and connect with her on Instagram<br />
@themamanurse.<br />
GBK<br />
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Dig deeper, learn more<br />
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greybrucekids.com • 17
COOL KIDS<br />
WHERE ARE<br />
THEY NOW?<br />
CHECKING IN WITH SOME OF OUR ‘COOL KIDS’<br />
THEN<br />
NOW<br />
EDEN BABBITT<br />
<strong>Winter</strong> 2019/20<br />
Over the past two years Eden, now 15<br />
and in Grade 10, has continued her<br />
work with Eden for Our Environment.<br />
Her Instagram page features tips on<br />
greener living as well as updates on her<br />
projects. Last Christmas, Eden sold<br />
tickets and raffled off a gift basket filled<br />
with environmentally friendly goodies,<br />
raising over $500 for the Jane Goodall<br />
Institute of Canada.<br />
This is also around the time the idea for<br />
her summer <strong>2021</strong> adventure was born.<br />
After chatting about her family’s annual<br />
trip to the cottage, Eden was thinking<br />
about how she could get there with as<br />
little environmental impact as possible.<br />
She has always loved biking and decided<br />
she would embark on a mission to ride<br />
to Tobermory from her house in Lurgan<br />
Beach, near Point Clark.<br />
Eden began working with her trainer Vy<br />
Waller, as well as three other women, for the<br />
190 km ride. The team consisted of Eden,<br />
Vy, Sandy Elston, Terri Rintoul and Jen<br />
Bedford. Together the five of them built up<br />
18 GREY-BRUCE KIDS • WINTER <strong>2021</strong>/<strong>22</strong>
THEN<br />
NOW<br />
CHRISTOPHER PENNINGTON<br />
<strong>Winter</strong> 2015/16<br />
Christopher, 16, lives in Kincardine. He was diagnosed<br />
with kidney disease in 2015 and, since then, he and<br />
his family and friends have raised $85,000 for the Kidney<br />
Foundation of Canada.<br />
Christopher chooses to embrace his disease and search for<br />
options to bring awareness to his community by participating<br />
in and chairing local walks. His passion to search for a cure for<br />
kidney disease and a world without failure is truly incredible at<br />
such an early age.<br />
Christopher has been recognized many times for his efforts,<br />
receiving a Volunteer of the Year Award in 2016, the Excellence<br />
in Fundraising Award from the Ontario Kidney Foundation<br />
in 2017, the Meridian Good Neighbour Award in 2018 from<br />
the Kincardine and District Chamber of Commerce, and a<br />
Huron-<strong>Bruce</strong> Remarkable Citizen Award in 2019. He was also<br />
awarded the Ontario Junior Citizen Award in 2020, as well as<br />
the Kidney Walk of Excellence Award.<br />
He plans to continue raising funds for the charity that’s closest<br />
to his heart.<br />
their endurance for the two-day journey. As she trained, Eden also<br />
worked hard to raise funds and sponsorships for the trip.<br />
On Aug. 18 her team biked the first 100 km, ending in Wiarton.<br />
The next day, they rode the remaining 90.1 km, arriving at the<br />
Tobermory ferry terminal just after noon, accompanied by an<br />
OPP cruiser with sirens blaring and lights flashing.<br />
Eden raised $5,355 for her favourite charity, the Jane Goodall<br />
Institute of Canada. She was also successful in inspiring people<br />
to think about their own environmental impact and learn how<br />
to make better, greener choices. On Sept. 17, Eden travelled to<br />
Toronto to deliver her donation in person. She was welcomed by<br />
the staff of the JGIC with much enthusiasm and gratitude.<br />
Eden attends Sacred Heart High School in Walkerton. She<br />
is starting an environmental committee there and continues<br />
to work tirelessly to bring awareness and raise funds with the<br />
hope of protecting the natural world. Eden also works for At<br />
Last Forest Schools as a leader, teaching the next generation of<br />
children all about the wonders of nature and the need to protect<br />
our Earth from the devastating damages of climate change.<br />
Keep your eyes open – you haven’t seen the last of Eden Babbitt.<br />
greybrucekids.com • 19
NOW<br />
THEN<br />
OLIVIA AND HARPER LITTLE<br />
<strong>Winter</strong> 2017/18<br />
Olivia and Harper Little, of Port Elgin, are<br />
in Grade 6 and 3 respectively at Edge Hill<br />
Country School, which is a big change for them<br />
as they’ve been home-schooled until this year.<br />
Olivia – who lives with the rare disease Cystinosis<br />
and is well known locally as the face of the Liv-<br />
A-Little Foundation – has been fortunate to have<br />
her health remain stable. She has joined the swim<br />
team and was the top fundraiser last year. Her<br />
favourite stroke is the fly, and she loves being in<br />
the water with her team.<br />
Harper is on her way to becoming a master at<br />
crocheting, and she will ‘art and craft’ any material<br />
left behind.<br />
Compassion, kindness and understanding remain<br />
their super-powers.<br />
CORBIN CUNEO<br />
Spring 2013<br />
Corbin is currently in Grade 11 at John Diefenbaker Secondary<br />
School in Hanover. His favourite classes are gym and<br />
manufacturing (welding).<br />
His interests include playing basketball and hockey, four-wheeling,<br />
cars, hunting, and, of course, PlayStation.<br />
Corbin recently got a job at Harvey’s, and his future education plans<br />
include either law enforcement or the skilled trades.<br />
Corbin, the first Cool Kid featured in <strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Kids</strong>, is holding<br />
the signed Owen Sound Attack stick he received for being<br />
recognized by the magazine and the team, an early partner of the<br />
Cool Kid feature.<br />
20 GREY-BRUCE KIDS • WINTER <strong>2021</strong>/<strong>22</strong>
THEN<br />
NOW<br />
greybrucekids.com • 21
FAMILY<br />
Best. Job. Ever.<br />
WHO KNEW BEING A GRANDPARENT WOULD BE SO MUCH FUN?<br />
BY SANDE AND RICK IRWIN
Crouched down – so close to the earth that I can smell the<br />
rich, dark soil – I peer at the tiny bug making its way across<br />
the puddle in the driveway; a puddle that must seem like a vast<br />
ocean.<br />
A little hand reaches out to offer a safe resting place, no fear of<br />
creepy crawlies, just an inquisitive child wanting to explore. It is<br />
during these encounters that I feel the most blessed to have the<br />
best job in the world, one that has no schedule, no limits, no<br />
judgment... just pure, in-the-moment wonder.<br />
On Nov. 7, 2012, my husband Rick and I were promoted to<br />
the best job ever… we became grandparents. From that day on<br />
we became Nana and Ba (our granddaughter Gracie’s choice as<br />
she learned to say Grandpa), and knew that every day we would<br />
work on developing a loving, supportive and joyful relationship<br />
with her and with her brother Gavin, who arrived over three<br />
years later.<br />
Grandparents provide a different type of relationship than<br />
parents do with their kids. Speaking for ourselves, it is a more<br />
relaxed experience. Without the pressures that come with raising<br />
children, our role as grandparents is one of unconditional love<br />
and support, filling our time together with imaginative play and<br />
creativity, while passing down skills and knowledge. Grandkids<br />
love to learn and what better way to spend time than learning<br />
something together.<br />
The pandemic has made it difficult for some families to nurture<br />
the grandparent and grandchild relationship. In our case, our<br />
grandkids live in the U.S., and with border closures, it has<br />
been a challenge to see them. Thankfully with technology, we<br />
can talk every day and share some of their milestones and daily<br />
happenings. We have had tours of Gracie’s doll house, been<br />
shown her dolls and their extensive wardrobe, listened to tales<br />
from Girl Scout meetings, checked out all the cool bugs and<br />
reptiles in her book, and enjoyed a dance party or two. Gavin<br />
will call and ask what we did that day, telling us all we need to<br />
know about tractors, showing us his latest creations, and playing<br />
dress up.<br />
Many times when the kids video chat, all they want to do is<br />
play around with the settings to become dragons or catch pizza<br />
instead of chatting. What is a grandparent supposed to do?<br />
Play along, enjoy the giggles, become a pizza eating dragon!<br />
Sometimes we read a book or have the kids read to us. There are<br />
many ways to interact using the Internet such as family Bingo<br />
games or watching movies together. We have even organized<br />
charades, favourite jokes nights and trivia calls with them.<br />
Our grandkids know they can call any time to share anything<br />
with us... even if it is a 30 second call to say they just saw a<br />
snake eat a frog on TV! It always makes our hearts sing when we<br />
receive a voicemail notification from them and have fun sending<br />
one back.<br />
When the kids are here we are completely invested in their time<br />
with us. The chore list is shortened so that our precious time<br />
with them is maximized. The great outdoors never fails to keep<br />
us all active as we build memories together. Sharing our love of<br />
respecting Mother Nature through gentle exploration, teaching<br />
them how things grow, and child-led play has us looking at the<br />
world with new wonder as we experience it through their eyes.<br />
Gracie wants to be a master baker so we spend time learning<br />
how to make macarons or basket weave pastry for a pie. While<br />
the pie is baking, you will find us outside saving a bug or<br />
learning to change a tire. Gavin is all about farm work and you<br />
never see him without his John Deere hat. If he isn’t outside on<br />
the tractor with Ba, you will find him and Nana building a Lego<br />
city or helping Ba bake cookies.<br />
Sometimes letting their time with us be child-led allows for a<br />
day filled with learning together about a mushroom we saw on<br />
a walk in the woods, or tracks left by a woodland creature. Just<br />
the simple question, “What do you want to learn about today?”<br />
opens an incredible opportunity for adventure.<br />
Many times our everyday activities around our property and<br />
in the house allow for learning and play... nothing fancy or<br />
planned, just sharing our knowledge. It’s important for us<br />
to spend time doing things they find interesting but just as<br />
important to do things with them that you enjoy or they may<br />
not have the opportunity to be exposed to, such as planting a<br />
garden or raising chickens. It’s all a part of sharing what you love<br />
with an open heart and open mind. You might not really like<br />
painting rocks but the time spent chatting and being creative is<br />
time well spent.<br />
We like to travel with our grandkids and do our best to<br />
introduce them to different cultures and experiences. It adds<br />
an element of pureness to travel since they don’t have any<br />
judgments and always live in the moment. There’s nothing like<br />
returning to a place you have visited previously and visiting<br />
again with your grandkids... I guarantee you will have a totally<br />
different experience seeing it through their eyes.<br />
World travel with our grandkids started early with a volunteer<br />
trip to Nicaragua when Gracie was five and Gavin was 18<br />
months. Watching them playing with the local kids reminded<br />
us that we are all the same no matter how you live or what you<br />
have.<br />
Volunteering and giving back has always been a part of our<br />
family life. As grandparents it’s important to us to instill this<br />
value within our grandchildren, whether it be locally, such as<br />
picking up garbage or helping at an event, or global service,<br />
such as designing a bookmark to raise funds for sea turtles or<br />
gathering supplies for a sloth sanctuary.<br />
We truly believe that experiences are better than things, and you<br />
don’t have to travel far – there is so much to do in our own area.<br />
Spend a night in a yurt, plan a day-long road trip, go on a search<br />
for the best poutine, do a scavenger hunt or Bingo at a local<br />
provincial park, take them to a play or a concert, visit the local<br />
library, museum or art gallery, take a class together, volunteer<br />
at an event, hike or cycle the local trails, or pick up litter in a<br />
playground. The things to do are truly endless.<br />
A lovely way to nurture the grandparent/child relationship is by<br />
having routines and traditions.<br />
greybrucekids.com • 23
The kids know that when they come to visit we always have slow<br />
mornings, waffles, Nana’s butter tarts, and cookouts. We do our<br />
best to follow bedtime routines and homeschooling agenda that<br />
their parents have set in place.<br />
Every day is an opportunity to start a new tradition. We are<br />
going to start having “world cuisine and traditions” days, where<br />
we will learn things throughout the time they are with us about<br />
a chosen country. What do they eat there, what do kids play<br />
there, what traditions do they have and how do they live? It will<br />
be fun to do some cooking together with ingredients they might<br />
not have an opportunity to try otherwise.<br />
Being a grandparent isn’t just about fun and games though. It<br />
does come with a learning curve.<br />
It means taking a step back and respecting that you are not the<br />
parent and what that means when it comes to boundaries and<br />
different perspectives. Keeping an open and positive dialogue<br />
with the child’s parents is key to developing a supportive<br />
environment.<br />
There have been times we have raised our eyebrows, but it is<br />
important to recognize that our ideas of child-rearing might<br />
be different than theirs. We’ve let our daughter and son-in-law<br />
explore what works for them and develop their own parenting<br />
THINGS YOU CAN DO TO CULTIVATE<br />
A MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIP<br />
WITH YOUR GRANDKIDS<br />
• Read a chapter book together.<br />
• Ask what they would like to learn about.<br />
• Have them teach you how to play their<br />
favourite game.<br />
• Plan a trip... imaginary or real.<br />
• Cook together... share a family recipe or<br />
find a new one to add to the collection.<br />
• Build a fire and have a cookout.<br />
• Play charades over Zoom.<br />
• Go on a scavenger hunt.<br />
• Watch a movie or documentary about<br />
the Earth and animals.<br />
• Do outdoor activities like archery, hiking,<br />
cycling, and tree identification.<br />
• Plant a garden.<br />
• Learn a new skill together such as knottying<br />
or making jam.<br />
• Let them help with everyday chores<br />
and activities.<br />
• Get dirty, jump in puddles and dance in<br />
the rain.<br />
• Share your stories of growing up.<br />
style, knowing they will ask for our opinion or advice when<br />
needed. We don’t have to agree, but being respectful and having<br />
a clear understanding of their style will allow you to develop<br />
your own way of grandparenting, one that will compliment<br />
theirs.<br />
Being their cheering squad and acknowledging their struggles<br />
and triumphs as a parent is sometimes all they need... not<br />
your opinion. It’s also important for parents to know what<br />
boundaries, if any, the grandparent might have, and to be clear<br />
on what they see as their role.<br />
Asking grandparents to watch the kids every once in a while is<br />
OK but be careful not to take advantage of their generosity...<br />
they have already raised their family and who knows, maybe<br />
they now have the time to pursue interests they didn’t previously.<br />
We cherish the relationships we have nurtured with our<br />
grandkids. If, for whatever reason, that is not possible for you,<br />
then get creative and seek out alternatives. Adopt a senior<br />
friend or neighbour that your child can develop a grandparent<br />
relationship with. Find them a common interest or maybe<br />
something they would like to learn from each other. Schedule<br />
video chats if they are unable to get together.<br />
If there is one thing we’ve learned as grandparents and can pass<br />
along is to slow down. Spend more time together exploring and<br />
experiencing the world. Don’t fill your calendar up with group<br />
activities. Time is so important and, as grandparents, we usually<br />
have this luxury, but just by taking one thing off your calendar<br />
and spending that time together, planned or not, will allow you<br />
to be more in the moment. We have also learned that being<br />
active and healthy makes it a lot easier to keep up with our<br />
grandkids, and opens the door to try new things together.<br />
Who says Nana can’t go ziplining in Costa Rica with her<br />
seven-year-old granddaughter? Or how about physical work like<br />
stacking wood with Ba? We have learned to be more flexible and<br />
tolerant, and not worry so much about crossing things off the<br />
‘to do’ list. If we are in the middle of something and Gracie or<br />
Gavin have a question or want to show us something, we stop<br />
and become invested in this gift of a moment with them.<br />
Being a grandparent has been life-changing. Sometimes it can<br />
be frustrating and sometimes it can be challenging, but it is<br />
filled with love, snuggles, and giggles. Be kind to yourself when<br />
it comes to navigating this new role, because you are learning as<br />
you go.<br />
It’s not always what you expect it to be, but if you remember<br />
that the relationship is more important than “the rules,” you will<br />
be rewarded with a relationship that will continue to be special<br />
as your grandchild grows.<br />
My greatest hope is that my grandkids will still want to spend<br />
time at Camp BaNana, exploring and sharing stories when they<br />
are teenagers and adults. GBK<br />
SANDE and RICK IRWIN are self-proclaimed foodies, homesteaders<br />
and adventure travellers, living in rural <strong>Bruce</strong> County. Sharing their love<br />
for life brings them great joy.
visitgrey.ca<br />
Your online guide to winter in <strong>Grey</strong>!<br />
V
RESOURCES<br />
ABUSE<br />
Assaulted Women’s Helpline<br />
Crisis line: 1-866-863-0511<br />
www.awhl.org<br />
<strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Grey</strong> Child and Family Services<br />
(<strong>Bruce</strong> and <strong>Grey</strong> Children’s Aid Societies<br />
amalgamated April 1, 2012)<br />
1-855-3<strong>22</strong>-4453<br />
Keystone Child, Youth & Family Services<br />
1-800-567-2384; 519-371-4773<br />
kcyfs@bmts.com or keystonebrucegrey.org<br />
Owen Sound<br />
Saugeen First Nation - Kabaeshiwim<br />
Respite Women’s Shelter<br />
519-797-2521<br />
cgeorge@saugeenfirstnation.ca<br />
www.saugeenfirstnation.ca<br />
Sexual Assault and Partner<br />
Abuse Care Centre<br />
<strong>Grey</strong> <strong>Bruce</strong> Health Services<br />
1-888-525-0552 or www.gbhs.on.ca<br />
Owen Sound<br />
Victim Services <strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Grey</strong><br />
Perth<br />
Crisis: 1-866-376-9852<br />
Administration: 1-888-577-3111<br />
info@victim-services.com<br />
www.victim-services.com<br />
Victim/Witness Assistance Program<br />
Owen Sound - 1-866-259-4823<br />
Walkerton - 1-866-994-9904<br />
attorneygeneral@ontario.ca<br />
http://bit.ly/ujKyeE<br />
Women’s Centre (<strong>Grey</strong> and <strong>Bruce</strong>)<br />
Administration: 519-376-0755<br />
Crisis: 1-800-265-37<strong>22</strong><br />
womenscentre@bmts.com<br />
www.bmts.com/~womenscentre<br />
Owen Sound<br />
Women’s House Serving <strong>Bruce</strong> and <strong>Grey</strong><br />
Sexual assault crisis: 1-866-578-5566<br />
Crisis line: 1-800-265-3026<br />
Administration: (519) 396-9814<br />
crisis@whsbg.on.ca<br />
www.whsbg.on.ca<br />
Kincardine<br />
BREASTFEEDING<br />
Brockton and Area Family Health Team<br />
1-866-507-<strong>2021</strong> or 519-881-1920<br />
RN/certified Lactation Consultant available<br />
www.bafht.com<br />
Walkerton<br />
<strong>Grey</strong> <strong>Bruce</strong> Health Unit<br />
1-800-263-3456<br />
publichealth@publichealthgreybruce.on.ca<br />
www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca<br />
Owen Sound<br />
Hanover Family Health Team<br />
RN/Certified Lactation Consultant<br />
519-506-4348<br />
www.hanoverfht.ca<br />
La Leche League Canada<br />
Owen Sound; 519-376-5916; www.lllc.ca<br />
Moms Walkerton<br />
New Mom support<br />
320 Durham St.., Walkerton; 519-379-6769<br />
Support groups<br />
Southampton, Port Elgin, Paisley, and Tara -<br />
519-797-2010<br />
Kincardine, Ripley, Tiverton, and Lucknow -<br />
519-368-4847<br />
South-<strong>Bruce</strong> Breastfeeding Buddies -<br />
519-881-1920<br />
Wiarton and <strong>Bruce</strong> Peninsula - 519-534-0912<br />
Markdale - 519-369-3381<br />
Owen Sound - 519-372-1330<br />
The Mama Nurse<br />
www.themamanurse.com<br />
CHILDBIRTH<br />
Glamma Doula<br />
Christine Piotrowski, Postpartum Doula<br />
www.glammadoula.com; 519-477-9985<br />
Hanover and District Hospital Obstetrics/<br />
Family Centred Care Birthing Centre<br />
519-364-2340<br />
admin@hanoverhospital.on.ca<br />
www.hanoverhospital.on.ca<br />
Midwives <strong>Grey</strong> <strong>Bruce</strong><br />
519-371-2886<br />
www.midwivesgreybruce.com<br />
Owen Sound<br />
Owen Sound Hospital Labour and Delivery<br />
519-376-2121<br />
www.gbhs.on.ca/owensound.php<br />
Walkerton Hospital Family Birthing Centre<br />
519-881-1<strong>22</strong>0<br />
www.sbghc.on.ca<br />
CHILD CARE<br />
Acorn Montessori<br />
705-606-1642<br />
Thornbury<br />
Amabel-Sauble Child Care Centre<br />
519-4<strong>22</strong>-3611<br />
Sauble Beach<br />
Beaver Valley Outreach<br />
519-599-2577<br />
Bobi’s Playschool<br />
519-538-5483<br />
Meaford<br />
Brockton Child Care Centre<br />
sbross@brockton.ca<br />
Brooke Montessori Toddler Program<br />
519-376-3447<br />
Owen Sound<br />
<strong>Bruce</strong> County Childcare Services<br />
519-881-0431 or www.brucecounty.on.ca<br />
Walkerton<br />
<strong>Bruce</strong> Peninsula Family Centre<br />
519-793-4100<br />
Lion’s Head<br />
Chesley Nursery School<br />
519-363-9544<br />
Durham Nursery School<br />
519-369-6973<br />
<strong>Grey</strong> County Childcare Services<br />
519-376-7324<br />
www.greycounty.ca/childcare<br />
Hanover Montessori Children's House<br />
1-800-906-7036 or 519-364-6455<br />
Happy Hearts Day Care Centre<br />
519-376-1284<br />
Owen Sound<br />
Inglenook Creche Day Care<br />
519-371-9471; Owen Sound<br />
<strong>Kids</strong> & Us Community Childcare<br />
and Family Education Centres<br />
Ayton - 519-665-20<strong>22</strong><br />
Dundalk - 519-923-2182<br />
Durham - 519-369-9911<br />
Holstein - 519-334-3132<br />
Markdale - 519-986-3692<br />
Osprey - 519-9<strong>22</strong>-2333<br />
Paisley - 519-353-7<strong>22</strong>0<br />
www.kidsandus.ca<br />
<strong>Kids</strong> Street Nursery School - Port Elgin<br />
519-389-9050<br />
Kinhuron Integrated Day Nursery School<br />
Co-op<br />
519-396-4532<br />
Kincardine<br />
Le Jardin des decouvertes - Owen Sound<br />
519-371-4411<br />
Military Family Resource Centre - Meaford<br />
519-538-1371 x6753<br />
mfrc.meaford@sympatico.ca<br />
www.mfrcmeaford.com<br />
Meaford Co-operative Nursery School<br />
519-538-3854<br />
Nawash N'Shiime Day Care Centre<br />
519-534-3909<br />
Neyaashiinigmiing (Cape Croker)<br />
OneList – Find and apply for child care<br />
brucecountychildcare.ca<br />
greycountychildcare.ca<br />
Queen of Hearts Nursery School<br />
109 Balmy Beach Rd., Owen Sound<br />
www.queenofheartsnurseryschool.com<br />
Sandbox Daycare - Hanover<br />
519-506-7263<br />
Saugeen First Nation G’Shaw-da-Gawin<br />
Day Care Centre<br />
519-797-2419<br />
gshawdagawin@bmts.com<br />
www.saugeenfirstnation.ca<br />
Tobermory Primary Place<br />
519-596-2606<br />
Unity House - Owen Sound<br />
519-371-8686<br />
Viola Jean’s Garden Daycare - Owen Sound<br />
519-416-5633 or 519-371-2362<br />
26 GREY-BRUCE KIDS • WINTER <strong>2021</strong>/<strong>22</strong>
Wiarton <strong>Kids</strong> Den Day Care/<strong>Kids</strong> Club<br />
School age Program<br />
519-534-4434<br />
Wiarton Nursery School<br />
519-534-2121<br />
Wooden Hill Child Care Centre (La Colline<br />
De Bois) at Notre Dame School<br />
519-376-6952<br />
Owen Sound<br />
YMCA Childcare<br />
Arran Tara - 519-376-0484<br />
Hanover - 519-364-4938<br />
Kincardine - 519-396-96<strong>22</strong><br />
Owen Sound - 519-376-0484<br />
Port Elgin - 519-832-6<strong>22</strong>5<br />
Ripley - 519-395-5570<br />
ymcaowensound.on.ca<br />
DIET/NUTRITION<br />
EatRight Ontario<br />
Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport<br />
1-877-510-5102; www.eatrightontario.ca<br />
Foodlink <strong>Grey</strong> <strong>Bruce</strong><br />
Find locally grown meat, fruit and produce<br />
www.foodlinkgreybruce.com<br />
Good Food Box<br />
<strong>Grey</strong> <strong>Bruce</strong> Health Unit<br />
519-376-9420 or 1-800-263-3456<br />
publichealth@publichealthgreybruce.on.ca<br />
<strong>Grey</strong> <strong>Bruce</strong> Health Unit<br />
1-800-263-3456<br />
publichealth@publichealthgreybruce.on.ca<br />
www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca<br />
Owen Sound<br />
Hanover Family Health Team<br />
519-506-4348; www.hanoverfht.ca<br />
Keystone Child, Youth & Family Services<br />
1-800-567-2384, 519-371-4773<br />
kcyfs@bmts.com or keystonebrucegrey.org<br />
Ontario Student Nutrition Program <strong>Grey</strong><br />
<strong>Bruce</strong><br />
www.osnp.ca<br />
EDUCATION<br />
Academy of Learning - Owen Sound<br />
1077 2nd Ave. E., Suite B (2nd floor)<br />
519-371-6188 or www.academytraining.ca<br />
Adult Learning Centres<br />
Collingwood, Port Elgin, Markdale, Owen<br />
Sound, Walkerton, Wiarton<br />
www.adultlearningcentres.com<br />
Bluewater District School Board<br />
1-800-661-7509 or www.bwdsb.on.ca<br />
<strong>Bruce</strong>-<strong>Grey</strong> Catholic District School Board<br />
519-364-5820 or www.bgcdsb.org<br />
Conseil Scolaire Catholique Providence<br />
(French Catholic School Board)<br />
1-888-768-<strong>22</strong>19; www.cscprovidence.ca<br />
Edgehill Country School, Durham<br />
www.edgehillschool.org<br />
Georgian Tutors<br />
www.georgiantutors.com<br />
EMPLOYMENT SERVICES<br />
JobsWork<br />
Aimee Kim, Job Developer, akim@clkd.ca<br />
519-396-9434 x<strong>22</strong>3<br />
Leads Employment Services<br />
1051 2nd Ave. E Owen Sound<br />
1-866-955-3237<br />
www.leadsservices.com<br />
Live<strong>Grey</strong><strong>Bruce</strong><br />
www.livegreybruce.ca<br />
VPI Employment Strategies (Walkerton)<br />
519-881-4900 or 1-855-260-4900<br />
jobswalkerton@vpi-inc.com<br />
www.vpi-inc.com<br />
YMCA Employment Services<br />
1450 1st Ave. W., Suite 4A, Owen Sound<br />
519-371-9<strong>22</strong>2<br />
employmentservices@ymcaowensound.on.ca<br />
FAMILY SUPPORT<br />
211 Ontario<br />
Online database of services in your area<br />
www.211ontario.ca<br />
Aspire Youth Services Inc.<br />
Ryan McLeod, CPT, RSW, MSW, CYC (BA)<br />
ryanmcleodplaytherapy@gmail.com<br />
aspireyouth.ca; 416-417-7098<br />
Big Brothers Big Sisters<br />
Owen Sound - 519-376-4449<br />
www.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca/bbowensound<br />
Kincardine - 519-396-3565<br />
www.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca/kincardine<br />
<strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Grey</strong> Child and Family Services<br />
1-855-3<strong>22</strong>-4453<br />
www.bgcfs.ca<br />
<strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Grey</strong> Mentorship<br />
504 10th St., Suite 2, Hanover<br />
519-506-5065<br />
www.brucegreymentorship.ca<br />
Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation<br />
- Native Child Welfare - Cape Croker<br />
519-534-3818<br />
supervisor.ncw@gbtel.ca<br />
www.nawash.ca<br />
EarlyON Child and Family Centres<br />
Chesley, Hanover, Kincardine, Markdale,<br />
Meaford, M’Wikwedong (Owen Sound), Owen<br />
Sound (East Ridge), Port Elgin, Thornbury,<br />
Wiarton<br />
1-800-616-8116<br />
Family Support Initiative<br />
Peer support for family of those with mental<br />
health issues<br />
519-371-4802; fsi@hopegb.org<br />
mhagb.ca<br />
Grandparent Network<br />
For grandparents raising grandchildren<br />
Meets first Monday of month at 9:30 a.m.<br />
Owen Sound<br />
Call Mary Nuckowski at 519-371-2498<br />
<strong>Grey</strong> <strong>Bruce</strong> Supervised Access Program<br />
519-371-5991; pc-superacc@bmts.com<br />
www.supervisedaccess.ca<br />
Owen Sound<br />
<strong>Kids</strong> Help Phone<br />
1-800-668-6868 (24 hours)<br />
www.kidshelpphone.ca<br />
Multiples in <strong>Bruce</strong><br />
For families with or expecting multiples<br />
http://multiplesinbrucecounty.webs.com<br />
Nemesis Group Services<br />
Owen Sound; 519-372-2425<br />
www.nemesisgroupservices.com<br />
Parent Help Line<br />
1-888-603-9100<br />
Penetangore Wellness<br />
Art and family therapy<br />
www.penetangorewellness.com<br />
Salvation Army<br />
Hanover - 519-364-3450<br />
Owen Sound - 519-371-0957<br />
Port Elgin - 519-389-3942<br />
Wiarton - 519-534-0353<br />
Victim Services <strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Grey</strong><br />
Perth<br />
Crisis: 1-866-376-9852; Admin: 1-888-577-3111<br />
info@victim-services.com;<br />
www.victim-services.com<br />
Victim/Witness Assistance Program<br />
1-866-259-4823 - Owen Sound<br />
1-866-994-9904 - Walkerton<br />
attorneygeneral@ontario.ca<br />
http://bit.ly/ujKyeE<br />
FINANCIAL SUPPORT<br />
Beaver Valley Outreach (Thornbury)<br />
519-599-2577; info@bvo.ca; www.bvo.ca<br />
<strong>Bruce</strong> Children are Special Foundation<br />
Directs donations to the children programs<br />
provided by <strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Grey</strong> Child and Family<br />
Services (formerly Children’s Aid)<br />
1-855-3<strong>22</strong>-4453 ext 4133<br />
Social Services<br />
<strong>Grey</strong> County - 1-800-265-3119<br />
www.grey.ca/health-social-services/<br />
Owen Sound<br />
<strong>Bruce</strong> County - 1-800-265-3005<br />
www.brucecounty.on.ca/ontworks.php<br />
Walkerton<br />
United Way of <strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Grey</strong><br />
519-376-1560 or manager@unitedwaybg.com<br />
www.unitedwayofbrucegrey.com<br />
YMCA of Owen Sound and <strong>Grey</strong>/<strong>Bruce</strong><br />
519-376-0484 or ymcaowensound.on.ca<br />
FOOD BANKS/HOUSING<br />
Beaver Valley Outreach - Thornbury<br />
519-599-2577<br />
info@bvo.ca or www.bvo.ca<br />
Durham District Food Bank<br />
Monday and Friday, 9 a.m.-noon<br />
greybrucekids.com • 27
RESOURCES<br />
Flesherton and Area Food Bank<br />
Marian Doyle, 519-599-3576<br />
Kincardine Ministerial Food Bank<br />
519-396-2185 or circlek@bmts.com<br />
Lion’s Head and District Food Bank<br />
519-793-3860 or helen.rick@amtelecom.net<br />
Markdale and District Food Bank<br />
519-986-3094<br />
Meaford Food Bank<br />
519-538-4550<br />
Paisley Food Bank<br />
Immanuel Evangelical Mission Church<br />
307 Balaclava St.; 519-353-5270 (Carol)<br />
Salvation Army<br />
Hanover - 519-364-3450<br />
Owen Sound - 519-371-0957<br />
Port Elgin - 519-389-3942<br />
Tobermory Food Bank<br />
519-596-1501<br />
Walkerton and District Food Bank<br />
519-881-0168<br />
Wiarton Food Bank<br />
519-534-0353<br />
Habitat for Humanity <strong>Grey</strong> <strong>Bruce</strong><br />
1-866-771-6776 or habitatos@bmts.com<br />
www.habitatgreybruce.com<br />
Ontario Tenants Rights<br />
ontariotenants@hotmail.com<br />
www.ontariotenants.ca<br />
Safe ‘n Sound Homelessness Initiative<br />
519-470-7233; www.safensoundgreybruce.com<br />
Subsidized housing<br />
<strong>Bruce</strong> County - 1-800-265-30<strong>22</strong><br />
www.brucecounty.on.ca/socialhousing.php<br />
<strong>Grey</strong> County - 376-5744<br />
Online: http://bit.ly/vVG1k0<br />
HEALTH CARE<br />
Auditory Health Care<br />
202 Cayley St., Walkerton<br />
519-881-4994 or info@auditoryhealthcare.com<br />
Brockton and Area Family Health Team<br />
1-866-507-<strong>2021</strong> or www.bafht.com<br />
Walkerton<br />
Canadian Mental Health Association<br />
<strong>Grey</strong>-<strong>Bruce</strong> Branch<br />
Administration - 519-371-3642<br />
Crisis: 1-877-470-5200<br />
jralph@cmhagb.org; www.cmhagb.org<br />
Collingwood General and Marine Hospital<br />
705-445-2550<br />
www.cgmh.on.ca<br />
Connect Rehabilitation, Yoga and Fitness<br />
1100 16th Ave. E., Owen Sound<br />
admin@connectrehab.com; 519-372-2121<br />
www.connectrehab.com<br />
ConnexOntario Help Lines<br />
Drug and alcohol - 1-800-565-8603<br />
Gambling - 1-888-230-3505<br />
Mental health - 1-866-531-2600<br />
www.connexontario.ca<br />
<strong>Grey</strong> <strong>Bruce</strong> Health Services (hospitals)<br />
Lion’s Head - 519-793-3424<br />
Markdale - 519-986-3040<br />
Meaford - 519-538-1311<br />
Owen Sound - 519-376-2121<br />
Southampton - 797-3230<br />
Wiarton - 534-1260<br />
www.gbhs.on.ca<br />
<strong>Grey</strong> <strong>Bruce</strong> Health Unit - Owen Sound<br />
1-800-263-3456<br />
publichealth@publichealthgreybruce.on.ca<br />
www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca<br />
Hanover and District Hospital<br />
519-364-2340/info@hdhospital.ca<br />
www.hdhospital.ca<br />
Healthy Babies, Healthy Children<br />
<strong>Grey</strong> <strong>Bruce</strong> Health Unit<br />
519-376-9420 or 1-800-263-3456<br />
www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca<br />
Hanover Family Health Team<br />
519-506-4348 or dford@hanoverfht.ca<br />
www.hanoverfht.ca<br />
Healthy Smiles Ontario<br />
Dental for families making under $20,000/yr<br />
Register through the health unit<br />
Online: http://bit.ly/JAqJbY<br />
Honouring Life Network<br />
Indigenous youth suicide prevention<br />
www.honouringlife.ca<br />
Hope<strong>Grey</strong><strong>Bruce</strong> - Owen Sound<br />
Mental Health and Addiction Services<br />
519-371-4120 or www.mhagb.ca/gbchc/<br />
Keystone Child, Youth & Family Services<br />
1-800-567-2384 or 519-371-4773<br />
kcyfs@bmts.com or keystonebrucegrey.org<br />
<strong>Kids</strong> Help Phone (24 hours)<br />
1-800-668-6868 or www.kidshelpphone.ca<br />
Kincardine Family Health Team<br />
Kincardine - 519-396-2700<br />
Ripley - 519-395-2601<br />
www.kincardinefht.ca<br />
Mino Bimadsawin Health Centre<br />
57 Mason Dr., Saugeen First Nation<br />
519-797-3336<br />
M’Wikwedong Native Cultural Resource<br />
Centre - Owen Sound<br />
1-866-202-2068 or admin@mwikwedong.com<br />
www.mwikwedong.com<br />
Owen Sound Crisis Pregnancy Centre<br />
1-888-371-2004<br />
oscpc@wightman.ca<br />
Pediatric clinics<br />
Hanover - 519-364-2340<br />
Kincardine - 519-396-3331<br />
Markdale - 519-986-3040<br />
Owen Sound - 519-376-2121<br />
Walkerton - 519-881-1<strong>22</strong>0<br />
Penetangore Wellness<br />
Art and family therapy<br />
www.penetangorewellness.com<br />
Poison Control Centre<br />
1-800-268-9017<br />
Postpartum depression<br />
<strong>Grey</strong> <strong>Bruce</strong> Health Unit - 1-800-263-3456<br />
Keystone Child, Youth and Family Services -<br />
1-800-567-2384<br />
Sandra Hall Physiotherapy<br />
519-270-6528; shallphysio12@gmail.com<br />
www.sandrahallphysiotherapy.com<br />
South <strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Grey</strong> Health Centre (hospitals)<br />
Chesley - 519-363-2340<br />
Kincardine - 519-396-3331<br />
Durham - 519-369-2340<br />
Walkerton - 519-881-1<strong>22</strong>0<br />
www.sbghc.on.ca<br />
South East <strong>Grey</strong> Community Health Centre<br />
55 Victoria St., Markdale<br />
519-986-<strong>22</strong><strong>22</strong> or 1-855-519-<strong>22</strong>20<br />
info@segchc.ca or www.segchc.ca<br />
St. John Ambulance First Aid training<br />
519-364-7004 or grey.bruce@on.sja.ca<br />
Online: http://bit.ly/t3Ye8g<br />
TeleHealth Ontario<br />
1-866-797-0007<br />
Thames Valley Children’s Centre<br />
519-396-3360 or 1-866-590-88<strong>22</strong><br />
www.tvcc.on.ca<br />
LIBRARIES<br />
Blue Mountains Public Library/<br />
L.E. Shore Memorial Library<br />
Thornbury<br />
519-599-3681 or thebluemountainslibrary.ca<br />
<strong>Bruce</strong> County Public Library<br />
opac.brucecounty.on.ca; 519-832-6935;<br />
libraryinfo@brucecounty.on.ca<br />
Cargill - 519-366-9990<br />
Chesley - 519-363-<strong>22</strong>39<br />
Kincardine - 519-396-3289<br />
Lion’s Head - 519-793-3844<br />
Lucknow - 519-528-3011<br />
Mildmay - 519-367-2814<br />
Paisley - 519-353-7<strong>22</strong>5<br />
Port Elgin - 519-832-<strong>22</strong>01<br />
Ripley - 519-395-5919<br />
Sauble Beach - 519-4<strong>22</strong>-1283<br />
Southampton - 519-797-3586<br />
Tara - 519-934-2626<br />
Teeswater - 519-392-6801<br />
Tiverton - 519-368-5655<br />
Tobermory - 519-596-2446<br />
Walkerton - 519-881-3240<br />
Wiarton - 519-534-2602<br />
Collingwood Public Library<br />
519-445-1571; www.collingwoodpubliclibrary.ca<br />
Dundalk/Southgate Public Library<br />
519-923-3248; http://southgate-library.com/<br />
<strong>Grey</strong> Highlands Public Library<br />
Flesherton - 519-924-<strong>22</strong>41<br />
Kimberley - 519-599-6990<br />
Walter Harris Memorial Library (Markdale) -<br />
519-986-3436; greyhighlandspubliclibrary.com<br />
28 GREY-BRUCE KIDS • WINTER <strong>2021</strong>/<strong>22</strong>
Hanover Public Library<br />
519-364-1420 or www.hanoverlibrary.ca<br />
Meaford Public Library<br />
519-538-1060<br />
www.meaford.ca/meaford-library-home.html<br />
Owen Sound and North <strong>Grey</strong><br />
Union Public Library<br />
519-376-6623; www.owensound.library.on.ca<br />
West <strong>Grey</strong> Public Library system<br />
www.westgreylibrary.com<br />
Durham (main) branch - 519-369-2107<br />
Elmwood and area - 519-363-3321<br />
Neustadt - 519-799-5830<br />
Ayton/Normanby - 519-799-3242<br />
MUSEUMS<br />
Billy Bishop Heritage Museum - Owen Sound<br />
519-371-0031 or www.billybishop.org<br />
<strong>Bruce</strong> County Lighthouse Museums<br />
Cabot (Lion’s) Head - 519-795-7780<br />
Chantry Island (Southampton) - 866-318-8889<br />
Kincardine - 519-396-3468<br />
Point Clark - 519-395-2494<br />
<strong>Bruce</strong> County Museum, Cultural Centre &<br />
Archives - Southampton<br />
519-797-2080 or www.brucemuseum.ca<br />
<strong>Bruce</strong> Peninsula Visitors Centre<br />
519-596-<strong>22</strong>33 or http://bit.ly/rQQFf6<br />
Tobermory<br />
<strong>Bruce</strong> Power Visitors’ Centre<br />
519-361-7777; www.brucepower.com<br />
Chesley Heritage & Woodworking Museum<br />
519-363-9837<br />
Craigleith Heritage Depot - Thornbury<br />
519-599-3131<br />
www.thebluemountains.ca/Craigleith-Heritage-Depot.cfm<br />
<strong>Grey</strong> Roots Museum & Archives<br />
Includes county’s archives<br />
1-877-GREY ROOTS; www.greyroots.com<br />
RR4 Owen Sound<br />
Meaford Museum<br />
519-538-5974<br />
www.visitmeaford.com/meaford-museum.html<br />
Owen Sound Marine and Rail Museum<br />
519-371-3333<br />
www.marinerail.com<br />
Paddy Walker Heritage Society - Kincardine<br />
519-396-1850<br />
www.walkerhousekincardine.com<br />
South <strong>Grey</strong> Museum - Flesherton<br />
519-924-2843 or museum@greyhighlands.ca<br />
www.southgreymuseum.ca<br />
St. Edmunds Township Museum - Tobermory<br />
519-596-2479 or online http://bit.ly/vEdicK<br />
Tobermory Maritime Association<br />
519-596-2700; www.tobermorymaritime.ca<br />
Treasure Chest Museum - Paisley<br />
519-353-7176 or http://bit.ly/1PjTS1D<br />
ONLINE SUPPORT<br />
www.211.ca<br />
www.pathwaysawareness.org<br />
www.mentallyfit.ca<br />
www.shelternet.ca<br />
www.targetyouth.ca<br />
www.thehealthline.ca<br />
www.wesforyouthonline.ca<br />
PLAYGROUPS<br />
Kincardine Toy Library and Playgroup<br />
249 <strong>Bruce</strong> Ave.; Wednesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m.<br />
Pine River Moms<br />
519-389-7136; jill.ricica@gmail.com.<br />
Thursdays during school year, info on FB<br />
EarlyON Child and Family Centres<br />
Chesley, Hanover, Kincardine, Markdale,<br />
Meaford, M’Wikwedong (Owen Sound), Owen<br />
Sound (East Ridge), Port Elgin, Thornbury,<br />
Wiarton; 1-800-616-8116<br />
SPECIAL NEEDS<br />
Autism Ontario <strong>Grey</strong> <strong>Bruce</strong> Chapter<br />
<strong>22</strong>6-787-0333 or marti@autismontario.com<br />
http://bit.ly/tO6kam; Owen Sound<br />
Autism Parent Support Group<br />
Community Living Kincardine & District<br />
519-396-9434 or www.clkd.ca<br />
<strong>Bruce</strong> County Childcare Services<br />
1-800-265-3005 or www.brucecounty.on.ca<br />
Walkerton<br />
<strong>Bruce</strong> Peninsula (Wiarton) Association<br />
for Community Living<br />
519-534-0553<br />
Community Living Kincardine & District<br />
519-396-9434; www.clkd.ca<br />
Community Living Meaford<br />
519-538-4165<br />
Community Living Owen Sound<br />
and District<br />
519-371-9251 or communitylivingowensound.ca<br />
Community Living Walkerton & District<br />
519-881-3713 or www.clwalkerton.org<br />
Georgian Riding Association<br />
for Challenged Equestrians<br />
519-372-2721; grace@log.on.ca<br />
Wicklen Stables, RR5 Owen Sound<br />
Hope Haven Therapeutic Riding Centre<br />
519-986-1247<br />
www.hopehavencentre.org<br />
Keystone Child, Youth & Family Services<br />
Owen Sound; 1-800-567-2384<br />
kcyfs@bmts.com or keystonebrucegrey.org<br />
PRANCE Therapeutic Riding Centre<br />
519-832-25<strong>22</strong> or prance@bmts.com<br />
Miramichi Farms, Hwy. 21 Port Elgin<br />
Reading Rescue Ontario<br />
519-794-4745 or soehner@bmts.com<br />
www.readingrescueontario.ca<br />
Holland Centre<br />
South <strong>Grey</strong> <strong>Bruce</strong> Youth Literacy Council<br />
519-364-0008 or info@sgbyouthliteracy.org<br />
www.sgbyouthliteracy.org<br />
Hanover<br />
Special Therapy and Education<br />
Program of Saugeen (STEPS)<br />
519-797-1935<br />
info@stepsahead.ca; www.stepsahead.ca<br />
Southampton<br />
Thames Valley Children’s Centre<br />
519-396-3360, 1-866-590-88<strong>22</strong><br />
Paula.Holla@tvcc.on.ca or<br />
Clare.Matthews@tvcc.on.ca<br />
www.tvcc.on.ca<br />
United Way of <strong>Bruce</strong> <strong>Grey</strong><br />
519-376-1560; unitedwaybg@bmts.com<br />
www.unitedwayofbrucegrey.com/<br />
Owen Sound<br />
SPEECH/LANGUAGE<br />
<strong>Bruce</strong> County Childcare Services<br />
1-800-265-3005; www.brucecounty.on.ca<br />
Walkerton<br />
Closing the Gap Healthcare Group<br />
Rehab Express <strong>Grey</strong> <strong>Bruce</strong><br />
1-866-990-9901 or www.closingthegap.ca<br />
Owen Sound<br />
<strong>Grey</strong> <strong>Bruce</strong> Health Unit - Owen Sound<br />
1-800-263-3456<br />
publichealth@publichealthgreybruce.on.ca<br />
www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca<br />
South West Community Care Access Centre<br />
In-Home Services<br />
Owen Sound - 519-371-2112<br />
Walkerton - 519-881-1181<br />
www.sw.ccac-ont.ca<br />
VOICE for Hearing Impaired Children<br />
Support, speech and language therapy<br />
<strong>Grey</strong>/<strong>Bruce</strong> chapter is free to families<br />
www.voicefordeafkids.com<br />
WISH PROGRAMS<br />
Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada<br />
1-800-267-9474<br />
on@childrenswish.ca or www.childrenswish.ca<br />
Ajax, ON<br />
Make-A-Wish - Southwestern Ontario Chapter<br />
519-471-4900 or www.makeawishswo.org<br />
London, ON GBK<br />
greybrucekids.com • 29
RECIPES<br />
Turkey time!<br />
BAKED TURKEY SPRING ROLLS<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
4 oz rice vermicelli<br />
2 tbsp vegetable oil<br />
1 onion, diced<br />
3 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger root<br />
2 cups shredded red cabbage<br />
1 lb turkey, cooked and coarsely chopped<br />
½ tsp each salt and pepper<br />
2 large carrots, grated<br />
2 cups bean sprouts<br />
1 pkg large square spring roll wrappers<br />
1 egg yolk, beaten<br />
SWEET CHILI SAUCE<br />
¾ cup hoisin sauce<br />
¼ cup water<br />
2 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1 tbsp each liquid honey and rice vinegar<br />
2 tsp sambal oelek or hot chili sauce<br />
INSTRUCTIONS<br />
Sweet Chili Sauce: In bowl, whisk together hoisin sauce,<br />
water, garlic, honey, vinegar and sambal oelek until honey is<br />
dissolved. Set aside. Cover rice vermicelli in hot water and soak<br />
10 minutes or until soft. Drain very well, using fine sieve to<br />
extract as much liquid as possible. Cut into 2-inch lengths and<br />
set aside.<br />
In large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of the oil over medium-high heat;<br />
cook onion, garlic and ginger, stirring, until softened, about<br />
three minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add cabbage; cover<br />
and cook until tender-crisp, about five minutes. Add turkey and<br />
1 cup of the sauce, salt and pepper; cook, stirring to coat, for<br />
two minutes. Transfer to bowl. Stir in carrots, bean sprouts and<br />
rice vermicelli; let cool. Lay one spring roll wrapper on work<br />
surface with point facing away from you. Place 1/2 cup of the<br />
turkey mixture just below centre. Fold bottom point of wrapper<br />
over filling. Roll over once, so filling is enclosed. Fold over sides<br />
and continue rolling. Using fingertip, dab egg on top point of<br />
wrapper and seal. Repeat with remaining filling and wrappers.<br />
Place on greased baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for up to<br />
two days. Brush remaining oil lightly all over spring rolls. Bake<br />
in 425 F oven, turning once, until crisp and golden, about 25<br />
minutes. Serve with remaining sauce.<br />
TURKEY, CAULIFLOWER AND PASTA BAKE<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
3 cups penne pasta<br />
3 cups small cauliflower florets<br />
3 tbsp butter<br />
1 onion, diced<br />
¼ cup all-purpose flour<br />
1 tsp dried sage leaves<br />
½ tsp each salt and dried thyme leaves<br />
Pinch pepper<br />
2 ½ cups sodium-reduced chicken broth<br />
2 cups shredded havarti cheese<br />
1 ½ cups turkey, chopped and cooked<br />
4 cups torn spinach leaves<br />
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs<br />
INSTRUCTIONS<br />
Bring large pot of water to boil. Add pasta and return to boil;<br />
cook six minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cauliflower; cover<br />
and return to boil. Uncover and cook for two minutes or until<br />
pasta is al dente. Drain well.<br />
Meanwhile, in medium saucepan, melt butter over mediumhigh<br />
heat. Add onion and cook until slightly softened, about<br />
two minutes. Stir in flour, sage, salt, thyme and pepper,<br />
gradually stir in broth; bring to boil, whisking often. Cook a<br />
few minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Stir<br />
in 11/2 cups of the cheese until melted.<br />
In large bowl, combine pasta mixture, turkey, spinach<br />
and sauce. Pour into a greased 12-cup casserole dish. Toss<br />
breadcrumbs with remaining cheese; sprinkle evenly over all.<br />
Bake in 375 F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly and<br />
top is golden. Let stand for five to 10 minutes before serving.<br />
Recipes courtesy Foodland Ontario<br />
30 GREY-BRUCE KIDS • WINTER <strong>2021</strong>/<strong>22</strong>
WWW.CAMPCELTIC.CA INFO@CAMPCELTIC.CA 519-793-3911
Borrow<br />
than books,<br />
Borrow<br />
Snowshoes<br />
Ukuleles<br />
Sensory Kits<br />
Museum Passes<br />
Technology & STEM Kits<br />
Sports Kits<br />
library.brucecounty.on.ca