Island Parent Summer 2023
Vancouver Island’s Parenting Resource for 35 Years • Make the Most of What’s Left of Summer • Beat the Back-to-School Blues • Balancing Exercise & Relaxation • Teaching Healthy Eating • GRAND: A Special Feature for Island Grandparents
Vancouver Island’s Parenting Resource for 35 Years • Make the Most of What’s Left of Summer • Beat the Back-to-School Blues • Balancing Exercise & Relaxation • Teaching Healthy Eating • GRAND: A Special Feature for Island Grandparents
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SUMMER <strong>2023</strong><br />
Vancouver <strong>Island</strong>’s <strong>Parent</strong>ing Resource for 35 Years<br />
FREE COPY<br />
Beat the<br />
Back-to-School<br />
Blues<br />
Inside:<br />
GRAND<br />
A Special Feature for<br />
<strong>Island</strong> Grandparents<br />
MAKE the MOST<br />
of What’s Left of<br />
SUMMER
BURNABY ONLINE<br />
A PROVINCIAL ONLINE LEARNING SCHOOL<br />
Learn where you want, when you want<br />
Ministry approved<br />
BC curriculum<br />
Kindergarten to<br />
Grade 12 program<br />
Contemporary<br />
Indigenous Studies<br />
12 available for<br />
enrollment<br />
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available Grade 10<br />
to 12<br />
Adult learning<br />
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Grade 8 to 12: over<br />
50 course options<br />
Innovative learning<br />
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Experienced online<br />
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Opportunities for<br />
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BURNABY SCHOOL DISTRICT ONLINE PROGRAM<br />
Open to all residents of British Columbia<br />
online.burnabyschools.ca<br />
Direct teacher<br />
support available<br />
Develop communication<br />
and technical<br />
online skills registering<br />
full-time or for a single<br />
course<br />
2 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
Registration: online.burnabyschools.ca/registration
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 3
INTHISISSUE<br />
6 10<br />
Need to Know<br />
9<br />
SUMMER<strong>2023</strong><br />
I ❤ <strong>Island</strong> Back-to-School Blues<br />
Jim Schneider<br />
Publisher<br />
publisher@islandparent.ca<br />
Sue Fast<br />
Editor<br />
editor@islandparent.ca<br />
RaeLeigh Buchanan<br />
Account Manager<br />
raeleigh@islandparent.ca<br />
12<br />
18<br />
Mom’s POV<br />
Kids’ Reads<br />
14<br />
20<br />
Explore<br />
What’s for Dinner<br />
16<br />
Exercise & Relaxation<br />
22<br />
Dad Speak<br />
Kristine Wickheim<br />
Account Manager<br />
kristine@islandparent.ca<br />
<strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine, published by<br />
<strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Group Enterprises Ltd., is<br />
a bimonthly publication that honours and<br />
supports parents by providing information<br />
on resources and businesses for Vancouver<br />
<strong>Island</strong> families. Views expressed are not<br />
necessarily those of the publisher. No material<br />
herein may be reproduced without the<br />
permission of the publisher. <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> is<br />
distributed free in selected areas. Annual<br />
mail subscriptions (7 issues) are available<br />
for $21 (GST included). Canadian Publication<br />
Mail Product Sales Agreement 40051398.<br />
ISSN 0838-5505.<br />
For distribution inquiries, please email<br />
publisher@islandparent.ca<br />
<strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine<br />
518 Caselton Place<br />
Victoria, BC V8Z 7Y5<br />
250 388 6905<br />
A proud member of<br />
24<br />
26<br />
Symphony & Opera<br />
Cut It Out!<br />
A Special Feature for <strong>Island</strong> Grandparents<br />
GRAND<br />
28<br />
Nature Notes<br />
Cover Photo: Kandyce Joeline,<br />
songbirdandoakphotography.com<br />
GRAND Cover Photo: Gina Woods,<br />
driftwoodsphotography.com,<br />
@driftwoodsphotography<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
twitter.com/<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong><br />
facebook.com/<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong><br />
34<br />
36<br />
38<br />
instagram.com/islandparent<br />
Relearning History<br />
Facing Fears<br />
Grandparent Time<br />
4 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
FASTFORWARD<br />
5 Game-Changing<br />
Apps to Help Gear Up<br />
for Back to School<br />
1. Lala Lunchbox<br />
Save time, save money, save sanity.<br />
That’s the premise behind Lala Lunchbox,<br />
a meal planning app that has been<br />
said to “Ingeniously pull your kids in<br />
by turning meal planning into a game.”<br />
Who knew making school lunches could<br />
be so much fun? lalalunchbox.com<br />
2. AIM2BE<br />
Move towards being your best self and<br />
conquering your back-to-school goals.<br />
Designed for families, Aim2Be aligns<br />
with Canadian health and physical activity<br />
recommendations. Discover proven<br />
strategies to help you be a mindful,<br />
healthy eater and learn everyday strategies<br />
to move more. aim2be.ca<br />
3. Habatica<br />
This “gamified task manager” makes a<br />
game out of habit-forming activities and<br />
uses its multiple task-tracking features to<br />
encourage follow-though. Kids and parents<br />
set to-dos and tasks such as brushing<br />
their teeth and leaving for school on<br />
time—when the tasks are complete, kids<br />
earn gear for their avatars and defeat<br />
monsters. habitica.com<br />
4. Remember the Milk<br />
Another task and schedule manager,<br />
this app includes a Smart Add feature<br />
that makes it easy to enter new tasks to<br />
schedule and includes space for details<br />
such as due date and priority. Make lists,<br />
organize using colourful tags and opt to<br />
receive reminders, among other possibilities.<br />
rememberthemilk.com<br />
5. Calm Kids<br />
A specific subsection of the mindfulness<br />
and meditation app Calm, Calm<br />
Kids helps soothe and de-stress kids<br />
after a crazy day at school—or any<br />
other stressful situation, for that matter.<br />
Choose from short meditations or create<br />
longer calming routines for your kids<br />
within the app. calm.com<br />
Delivering RESULTS<br />
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<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
masters skills in math, reading, writing and more<br />
Sylvan of<br />
Vancouver <strong>Island</strong><br />
Free Assessm<br />
Value $15<br />
<strong>Summer</strong> Must <strong>2023</strong> menti<br />
5<br />
offer at time
NEEDTOKNOW<br />
Keep On<br />
Reading<br />
Make the library part of their summer—and<br />
fall! From Baby Times to<br />
the BC <strong>Summer</strong> Reading Club and<br />
the <strong>Summer</strong> Challenge, there is a<br />
lineup of programs, with something<br />
for everyone. Children participating<br />
in the BC <strong>Summer</strong> Reading Club<br />
read (or are read to) for at least 20<br />
minutes each day. The Read and<br />
Write Reviews program encourages<br />
participants to read and share<br />
their thoughts by submitting a book<br />
review. There’s also <strong>Summer</strong> Baby<br />
Times, Indoor and Outdoor Family<br />
Storytimes and a series of Story-<br />
Walks to choose from. For information,<br />
visit gvpl.ca and virl.bc.ca.<br />
Taste the<br />
Flavour<br />
Take part in North Saanich<br />
Flavour Day Festival on August<br />
18–20, a weekend-long community<br />
celebration of local farmers, fishers,<br />
food producers, chefs, vinters and<br />
more. Follow a self-guided tour of<br />
local farms, producers and small<br />
businesses each with their own<br />
Flavour Trail offers. Live music,<br />
food trucks, games and more.<br />
flavourtrails.com<br />
6 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
Learn a new sport or refine<br />
your skills: come join our<br />
rock climbing teams!<br />
Orange<br />
Shirt Day<br />
<strong>2023</strong><br />
September 30 is Orange Shirt Day<br />
and Canada’s National Day for Truth<br />
and Reconciliation, a day to remember<br />
and raise awareness of the harm<br />
caused by residential schools and<br />
the ongoing impact it has on Indigenous<br />
families, communities and cultures.<br />
The Orange Shirt movement<br />
was inspired by the story of Phyllis<br />
Webstad, a former residential school<br />
student who had her brand new<br />
bright orange shirt taken from her on<br />
Registration<br />
for recreational<br />
and competitive<br />
teams open now.<br />
All levels<br />
welcome!<br />
Ages 6–18.<br />
Details and registration at climbtheboulders.com<br />
The Boulders Climbing Gym<br />
1627 Stelly’s Cross Road | Saanichton, BC | 250.544.0310<br />
I am proud<br />
to continue<br />
my support<br />
of parents,<br />
families and<br />
youth in<br />
Oak Bay-<br />
Gordon Head.<br />
her first day of school in 1973. The<br />
orange shirt symbolizes the loss of<br />
Indigenous culture and identity that<br />
occurred in residential schools. To<br />
find Orange Shirt Day events in your<br />
area, visit orangeshirtday.org.<br />
MLA Murray Rankin<br />
Oak Bay – Gordon Head<br />
Murray.Rankin.MLA@leg.bc.ca 250-472-8528<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 7
Explore<br />
Gardens BC<br />
Connect with nature and explore<br />
BC’s gardens for fun, adventure,<br />
beauty, rejuvenation, relaxation<br />
and learning. Historic and modern<br />
gardens offer great trip ideas and<br />
itineraries. From rugged coastal rain<br />
forests to fertile valleys, from urban<br />
centres to mountains—there’s no<br />
better time than summer to visit BC’s<br />
gardens. Birdwatch, take photos,<br />
learn about biodiversity and sustainability<br />
and enjoy immersive unique<br />
garden experiences. For a list of<br />
Vancouver <strong>Island</strong>’s gardens and itineraries,<br />
visit gardensbc.com.<br />
In Sight<br />
Festival<br />
Enjoy a mosaic of live music,<br />
childrens’ art activities, aerial<br />
acrobatics, a visual art showcase,<br />
traditional Indigenous dancers, plein<br />
air painting and tasty food at Fort<br />
Rodd Hill on September 9–10. Let’s<br />
embrace diversity, build friendships,<br />
connect with nature and our local<br />
community, in one of our most<br />
beautiful oceanfront settings. Free<br />
Admission Saturday from 11am<br />
to 4pm and Sunday from 10am<br />
to 4pm.<br />
tourismvictoria.com<br />
8 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
I ❤ ISLAND<br />
To help combat lunchbox letdown, here<br />
are three <strong>Island</strong> food producers that have<br />
good taste in the bag!<br />
Holy Humous<br />
Looking for an alternative to sandwiches? Try<br />
tortilla chips and <strong>Island</strong>-made Holy Humous. With<br />
two versions to choose from—original or roasted<br />
red pepper—kids won’t be able to resist. Not only<br />
is it tasty, but it’s filling and nutritious, too.<br />
holyhomous.com<br />
Tree <strong>Island</strong> Yogurt<br />
Started by a microbiologist and a whole food<br />
enthusiast, Tree <strong>Island</strong> Yogurt is handcrafted in<br />
small batches in the Comox Valley. But better than<br />
that? With flavours ranging from Coconut Lime to<br />
Okanagan Peach, the taste can’t be beat!<br />
treeislandyogurt.com<br />
Hornby Organic Snack Bars<br />
You can’t go wrong with these 100% organic<br />
snack bars that feature flavours including peanut<br />
butter and jam, chocolate chip banana and chocolate<br />
espresso. Or for an afterschool pick-me-up,<br />
try Hornby Organic energy bars—delicious and a<br />
great source of protein.<br />
hornbyorganic.com<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 9
LEARN<br />
Beat the<br />
Back-to-<br />
School<br />
Blues<br />
Just got into the swing of summer and<br />
now it’s time to start preparing for<br />
back to school? Don’t sweat about it!<br />
There’s still time to squeeze a little more<br />
fun out of summer while gearing up for<br />
the fall and getting ready for back to<br />
school. Here’s how:<br />
1. Plan an <strong>Island</strong> Adventure<br />
Scavenger Hunt<br />
Organize a scavenger hunt with clues<br />
that lead to various outdoor locations in<br />
your neighbourhood—or even a farther<br />
flung area on the <strong>Island</strong>. Incorporate fun<br />
facts and learning opportunities into the<br />
clues to make it not only fun but educational,<br />
too. (Where can you find an<br />
Elasmosaur dinosaur? Answer: Courtney<br />
District Museum…then go there!). Or<br />
organize a hunt that follows with the<br />
route to school.<br />
2. Schedule a Backyard/Back<br />
Porch Camping Night<br />
Set up a mini campground in your<br />
backyard—or even on your back porch<br />
or living room floor—to bid farewell to<br />
summer vacation and hello to the soonto-be<br />
school routine. Pitch a tent/string a<br />
tarp, sing campfire songs (sans campfire!)<br />
tell ghost stories (if you dare!) and stargaze.<br />
3. Make a DIY <strong>Summer</strong><br />
Memory Collage<br />
Have kids create a visual representation<br />
of their favourite summer memories.<br />
10 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
Give them craft supplies—a scrapbook<br />
or paper, markers, stickers, photos and<br />
any other souvenirs/ticket stubs/shells etc<br />
they may have collected over the summer—<br />
and encourage them create a collage<br />
showcasing their favourite summer<br />
memories.<br />
4. Family Learning Excursions<br />
Plan educational outings as a family to<br />
<strong>Island</strong> museums, historical sites or parks.<br />
Hand of Man, Royal BC Museum, Miniature<br />
World, Fort Rodd Hill, Nanaimo<br />
Museum and The Bastion and Port Alberni<br />
Railway, to name a few, will spark<br />
kids’ curiosity, helping them switch gears<br />
from summer to school.<br />
5. Organize a “Get Ready<br />
for School” Party<br />
Turn the process of preparing for<br />
school into a fun and collaborative activity.<br />
Let your kids invite their friends over<br />
to organize school supplies, decorate<br />
backpacks or create personalized calendars.<br />
Turn it into a party, a celebration of<br />
sorts, with music, snacks and maybe an<br />
end-of-summer sleepover.<br />
6. Go on Nature Walks and<br />
Beach Explorations<br />
Still have a few places you meant to get<br />
to this summer but haven’t yet? Botanical<br />
Beach? Strathcona Park? Englishman<br />
River Falls. Go now! While you’re there,<br />
challenge kids to identify different plant<br />
species, collect shells or study tidal pools.<br />
7. Create a Quiet and/or<br />
Creative Corner<br />
Okay so it doesn’t have to be in a<br />
corner but having a special space for not<br />
only homework and reading, but being<br />
creative, contemplative or just plain quiet<br />
is a great thing for kids to have to help<br />
calm the chaos of back to school. Take<br />
some time before the school year begins<br />
to set up the space and help kids customize<br />
it so that it suits their needs. •<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 11
MOM’SPOV<br />
Bravery & the Importance<br />
of Trying Something New<br />
My daughter decided to try volleyball for the first time<br />
and joined the school’s Grade 7 recreation-level<br />
team. I was pleased that she had willingly signed<br />
herself up for a school sport—an activity that I didn’t have<br />
to organize or pay for after years of community sports and<br />
other pursuits. No uniforms. No equipment. No early mornings.<br />
No crazy parents. I was thrilled.<br />
It didn’t take long to realize that my daughter was average<br />
at volleyball. I didn’t expect her to be good. She had never<br />
played before. But I think every parent secretly hopes that<br />
their kid is an undiscovered superstar with scholarships and<br />
excellence in their future and I was no exception.<br />
I needed to believe that the hours I’d put in on bleachers<br />
and benches would add up to something.<br />
So, as I sat there on the bench watching my daughter and<br />
her teammates make mistake after mistake, it was no surprise<br />
that the girls weren’t skilled volleyball players. Most of them<br />
had never played before.<br />
And that got me thinking about how uncomfortable it is to<br />
try something new and not be good at it. It doesn’t feel good<br />
to fumble, to put yourself out there and risk being embarrassed<br />
or incompetent. I can recall many times in my own life<br />
when I’ve opted out of an activity or invitation because to<br />
participate felt too scary and too vulnerable.<br />
Then a moment came in the game when one of my daughter’s<br />
teammates bumped the ball off of her arms onto her<br />
own bench, causing her teammates to scramble out of the<br />
way. She blushed and looked apologetically at her teammates<br />
and coach. She then looked over to her dad, who was sitting<br />
next to me. He smiled and said, “It’s okay.” She turned back<br />
toward the game and got into position.<br />
She had made an error, one that had come at a cost: a lost<br />
point for her team, an insult to her confidence and worst of<br />
all, in front of an audience. It occurred to me then that I was<br />
bearing witness to bravery in action: a girl, willing to stand<br />
in front of us in all of her imperfection, exposed and seen.<br />
12 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
Vulnerability is not winning or losing: it’s<br />
having the courage to show up and be seen<br />
when we have no control over the outcome.<br />
– Brené Brown<br />
It’s an understatement to say these girls had no control<br />
over the outcome. None. It was almost funny how little control<br />
they had over the ball. I’m not exaggerating when I say<br />
that the girls were terrible. Most of the serves didn’t make it<br />
to the net. There was the odd time that the volleyball traveled<br />
back over the net but mostly, it was a lot of bad bumps and<br />
misfires.<br />
The ball landed on the score-keepers table, on the bench<br />
where I was sitting with the other parents and sometimes it<br />
just traveled through the air and its destination was anyone’s<br />
guess. You had to have your wits about you as a spectator in<br />
the game or risk a volleyball to the head.<br />
The benefits of team sports go beyond just the physical.<br />
Being a part of a team creates a sense of community in which<br />
kids can build connections and grow in a supportive environment.<br />
Teamwork fosters compassion and teaches kids to be<br />
able to accept the limitations and strengths of others. They<br />
get to experience the joy that comes from lifting up a teammate<br />
after they’ve missed a shot and encouraging them to<br />
keep going.<br />
At the heart of all of this is the building of self-esteem and<br />
community, two pieces of being human that are essential in<br />
all of our lives.<br />
What was happening on the volleyball court that day was<br />
good practice for what will continue to happen in these girls’<br />
lives. They will on occasion be embarrassed. They will sometimes<br />
make mistakes that disappoint people. They will always<br />
have to push through the discomfort of learning to do new<br />
things and develop the grit and tenacity to stick with them,<br />
even when it’s uncomfortable to do so.<br />
I left that game feeling so filled with pride for my daughter<br />
and her teammates who showed up that day. I’ve always marveled<br />
at the duality of life and it was captured so well in that<br />
volleyball game: Can you be not good at something and still<br />
be worthy enough to try?<br />
To hold both truths at the same time is possibly the most<br />
important work a person can do.<br />
Sarah Seitz is a working mother, wife and writer.<br />
She spends her free time cutting off crusts and uses<br />
good coffee and humour to get through the day.<br />
St. Christopher’s<br />
Montessori School<br />
Now Receiving the New CCFRI<br />
(Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative)<br />
Preschool $489/month | Kindergarten $331/month<br />
Offering an enriched and nurturing<br />
Montessori program<br />
Competitively priced independent school education<br />
Half day for 3 & 4 year olds<br />
Full day kindergarten<br />
stcmontessori.ca 250-595-3213<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 13
EXPLORE<br />
Make the Most of<br />
What’s Left of <strong>Summer</strong><br />
As the days grow shorter and the<br />
air hints at autumn, it’s an ideal<br />
time to slow down and explore our<br />
own backyard. Parks Canada has put<br />
together a selection of events and activities<br />
that are perfect for families on<br />
southern Vancouver <strong>Island</strong> and the<br />
Gulf <strong>Island</strong>s.<br />
Learn About Indigenous<br />
Languages and Cultures<br />
September 30 is National Day for<br />
Truth and Reconciliation. Indigenous<br />
Languages are an essential part of<br />
Canadian culture and society, and it’s<br />
crucial to preserve them as outlined<br />
in the Truth and Reconciliation Calls<br />
to Action. Consider learning about<br />
the local First Nations language and<br />
culture. The W_ SÁNEĆ Nations and<br />
Gulf <strong>Island</strong>s National Park Reserve<br />
collaborate to create programs like<br />
the Coast Salish Campfire Programs<br />
at SMONEĆTEN Campground (every<br />
Saturday at 7 pm in August) near Sidney<br />
to further people’s understanding<br />
of Coast Salish Culture. There are also<br />
self-guided activities like the ḰENES<br />
SOL- Whale Trail at T_ EK_ TEK_ SEN<br />
(East Point) on Saturna <strong>Island</strong>.<br />
Experience Festivals<br />
Many communities hold cultural<br />
festivals and events at the end of summer,<br />
showcasing their traditions and<br />
heritage. On September 9 and 10,<br />
Parks Canada and Arts & Culture<br />
Colwood Society present the “In Sight<br />
Festival” at Fort Rodd Hill & Fisgard<br />
Lighthouse National Historic Sites.<br />
This event features music, art activities<br />
for children, aerial acrobatics, visual<br />
art exhibitions, Indigenous artists and<br />
dancers, en plein air painting and delicious<br />
food. Let’s celebrate diversity,<br />
build friendships, connect with nature<br />
and engage with our local community<br />
in Colwood’s beautiful oceanfront setting.<br />
Admission is free.<br />
14 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
Visit Local Attractions<br />
Take advantage of the quieter endof-summer<br />
days to visit local attractions<br />
like Fisgard Lighthouse National<br />
Historic Site in Colwood or the Shaw<br />
Centre for the Salish Sea in Sidney.<br />
Gulf <strong>Island</strong>s National Park Reserve’s<br />
interpreters offer daily programs until<br />
the end of August at the Shaw Centre<br />
for the Salish Sea. Entry fees apply.<br />
NEW!<br />
Kid<br />
Zone<br />
Peninsula<br />
Since 1991<br />
Story<br />
Time<br />
for<br />
Kids<br />
As summer comes to an end, take<br />
the opportunity to explore different<br />
traditions, art forms and perspectives<br />
to enrich your life and foster a more<br />
inclusive and interconnected society.<br />
For information about learning experiences<br />
offered by Gulf <strong>Island</strong>s National<br />
Park Reserve, visit parks.canada.<br />
ca/pn-np/bc/gulf/activ/apprentissagelearning.<br />
To find out more about programs<br />
and events at Fort Rodd and<br />
Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic<br />
Sites, visit parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/bc/<br />
fortroddhill/activ/calendrier-calendar.<br />
CORN<br />
HOLE!<br />
Saturdays 9am – 1pm<br />
June 3 – Oct 7 at Saanich Fairground<br />
1528 Stelly’s Cross Road, Brentwood Bay/Saanichton<br />
Weekly Kid Zone Activities<br />
Storytime: 9:30am<br />
Interactive Educational Activities: 11am<br />
Full schedule on our website:<br />
peninsulacountrymarket.ca<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 15
HEALTH<br />
Balancing Exercise<br />
& Relaxation<br />
Maybe you have moved into your new house after separating<br />
from your spouse. Or your family went on vacation,<br />
and you had to stay behind to work. Or you’re travelling for<br />
business and have just got to your hotel room. Whatever the<br />
scenario, you’re now faced with silence when you are used to<br />
the hustle and bustle that is family life.<br />
This may be the first or hundredth time you’ve been here.<br />
Your thoughts start pacing and you start listening to the voice<br />
in your head that accompanies the absence of sound. However,<br />
you’re not used to it and you don’t like it.<br />
You think to yourself, who can I call or text? What’s been<br />
posted on social media? What’s on TV? Should I play some<br />
music?<br />
How many times do we choose these options rather than<br />
embrace this rare chance to get to know ourselves better, or<br />
to allow our brains to decompress from the preceding days,<br />
weeks or months.<br />
We live in a world where we are constantly plugged in<br />
to technology—social media, gaming, listening to music or<br />
watching tv with our friends or families. We also plug in<br />
socially, by meeting friends for drinks, coffee or to eat, play<br />
dates with our children, dog dates, gym buddies, running<br />
groups, the lists are endless.<br />
Yet in an age where we are constantly seeking ways to optimize<br />
ourselves and lives, we overlook one of the most basic<br />
tools which I believe is undervalued and underpromoted. We<br />
stress to our children how important quiet time is for them,<br />
but rarely do we adopt the same principles.<br />
Many of us live fast paced lives and do not entertain the<br />
idea of self-imposed quiet time as we think that it involves being<br />
in a house and sitting still as we try to stop ourselves from<br />
thinking. However, it can take any form that you want as long<br />
as the only noise that exists is from your natural environment.<br />
For me when I was faced with my “quiet house,” I gravi-<br />
16 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
tated towards exercising. I began running and hiking with<br />
a friend’s dog, not listening to music so I knew where she<br />
was at all times. We would spend hours in the mountains,<br />
not coming home until I had enough of what I thought we<br />
needed, which was to burn off energy. What I didn’t know<br />
at the time, was that what I actually needed—and got from<br />
my runs and exercise—was a place free from distraction and<br />
noise so I could productively make sense of everything that<br />
was happening in my life.<br />
Since then, my exercise practice has evolved and now not<br />
only do I use this time to unplug, but also to think about decisions<br />
that need to be made in the upcoming week, or have<br />
been made, and to reflect on the social or professional interactions<br />
I’ve had, analyzing whether they could have been<br />
improved. In fact, the longer I am out running, the more I<br />
mentally accomplish, and I always come back refreshed.<br />
By no means am I an expert in this field, I am more a beginning<br />
practitioner. In fact there are articles written by more<br />
reputable authors, so I will not be listing ways that you can<br />
get structured periods of silence into your own lives. A simple<br />
audit of your day could potentially provide you with an insight<br />
into areas where I hope you could find time to incorporate<br />
this. For me, quiet time is as necessary as food or water<br />
on an almost daily basis. So much in fact, that whenever I see<br />
the toll of life weighing down my friends, I not only ask them<br />
what “me time’ have they had recently but I also try to emphasize<br />
that “me time” should involve quiet time.<br />
Henry Ogwudire is a proud father of two<br />
and a self-described fitness enthusiast who is<br />
passionate about ensuring parents commit to<br />
being ready for life’s challenges by staying<br />
mentally and physically active.<br />
Classes Begin September 5 th<br />
STAGES<br />
Performing Arts School<br />
since 1980<br />
Come Dance With Us<br />
• Offering classes for Teens & Pre-Teens in Jazz,<br />
Ballet, Lyrical, Tap. Musical Theatre, Acrobatics &<br />
Hip Hop, in a non-competitive atmosphere.<br />
• Not sure which class to take?<br />
- Try a Drop-In: No hassle, No Obligation.<br />
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STAGES Performing Arts School<br />
#301 1551 Cedar Hill X Rd<br />
Call 250-384-3267 Email us at: stagesdance@shaw.ca<br />
Or visit our website: www.stagesdance.com<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 17
KIDS’READS<br />
Lean into<br />
Learning<br />
Well, another summer has come and gone. I hope you<br />
were able to spend some of your time watching the<br />
ocean waves, visiting exciting places, meeting new<br />
people and, of course, reading. But with the end of the summer<br />
comes a new school year and that can have all sorts of mixed<br />
feelings for our children. So this year, let’s strive to teach our<br />
children to be more accepting of others and more comfortable<br />
in their own skin. To help you, here are a few books that you<br />
can read with your children to start the conversation.<br />
This book might seem like an odd addition to a beginning<br />
of the year reading list, because Frankie’s Favourite Food by<br />
Kelsey Garrity-Riley (Tundra, 2019) is about an end of the year<br />
school play. However, this story is all about learning how to be<br />
happy and excited for others, how to solve problems creatively<br />
and how to embrace everything you love. The brightly coloured<br />
picture book starts by introducing us to Frankie, a young boy<br />
who loves ever kind of food so much that he can’t pick his favourite.<br />
This is a problem, because everyone is dressing up as<br />
their favourite food for the school play. For ages 4 to 7.<br />
While it’s not about traditional school learning, The Most<br />
Magnificent Idea by Ashley Spires (Kids Can Press, 2022) can<br />
help spark some ideas in your own children’s minds. In this<br />
tale, a young girl loves to make things and she always has a<br />
new idea about what to make. Until one day when she doesn’t.<br />
If you and your children can relate to that, don’t worry, the<br />
story doesn’t leave her there, but follows her along as she tries<br />
to find something that will give her brain the idea-creating<br />
boost it needs. Along the way she learns about perseverance,<br />
noticing the needs of others and problem solving—all of which<br />
are great skills to remember at the beginning of a new school<br />
year. For ages 4 to 7.<br />
The summer is also a time when a lot of people move<br />
around, and so your child might have a new child in their class<br />
(or they might be one). If that’s the case than Tayra’s Not Talking<br />
by Lana Button and illustrated by Christine Battuz (Kids<br />
Can Press, 2022) is a good book for them. This book is told<br />
from the perspective of all of the other kids in Tayra’s class,<br />
which is a smart idea on the author’s part because we get to see<br />
the kids’ thought processes as they struggle to understand and<br />
include the new girl Tayra because she won’t say anything. But<br />
as the book moves along, the classmates learn that it’s okay if<br />
Tayra isn’t vocal, because they can learn to communicate and<br />
include her in other ways. For ages 4 to 7<br />
If your children love learning and don’t want to stop when<br />
the school day ends, they may enjoy these next two books. The<br />
first is Elinor Wonders Why: Hiding in Plain Sight, which was<br />
18 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
Children’s Museum<br />
in Olympia, Washington<br />
created by Jorge Cham and Daniel Whiteson (Kids Can Press,<br />
2022) and is based off of the TV show with the same name.<br />
This science-based graphic novel teaches children about camouflage<br />
using the game of hide-and-seek, so be prepared for them<br />
to get a bit better at the game if they read this book. The story<br />
also has discussion questions sprinkled throughout to keep<br />
your kids thinking and, if talking about it isn’t enough, there is<br />
an activity in the back that your kids can do to bring their newfound<br />
knowledge to life. For ages 5 to 8.<br />
Finally, for children who love all things that are gross and<br />
yucky, you can try Poopy Science: Getting to the Bottom of<br />
What Comes Out Your Bottom by Edward Kay and illustrated<br />
by Mike Shiell (Kids Can Press, 2022). This non-fiction book<br />
is filled with all sorts of gross facts. If your children ever wondered<br />
how people in the past dealt with poop, if they want to<br />
know what paleo poop is (and where they can see the biggest<br />
paleo poop ever) or if they want to know why human poop and<br />
animal poop is different, this book is for them. For ages 7 to<br />
10.<br />
And there you have it, five books to help your children start<br />
their school year off right. I hope they all find themselves in<br />
classrooms with friends and teachers they can connect with, so<br />
they can learn, play and grow. Good luck everyone and have a<br />
great year!<br />
INSPIRED LEARNING<br />
INSPIRED LEARNING<br />
INSPIRED LEARNING<br />
INSPIRED LEARNING<br />
INSPIRED LEARNING<br />
As<br />
Seen on<br />
Blippi!<br />
INSPIRED LEARNING<br />
Presented<br />
By:<br />
Guests & Activities<br />
All <strong>Summer</strong>!<br />
Guests & Activities All <strong>Summer</strong>!<br />
Major Festival Major Support<br />
Support: Festival Support: M<br />
Major Festival Support:<br />
Major Festival Support:<br />
Major Festival Support:<br />
INSPIRED LEARNING<br />
Animal Encounters • Rock Wall Climb<br />
Visiting Artists • Stage Performers • Nature Play<br />
Explore the Hands On Children’s Museum!<br />
150 Exhibits • MakeSpace • Art Studio • Outdoor Exhibits<br />
414 Jefferson St. NE • Olympia, WA 98501 • (360) 956-0818 • www.hocm.org<br />
See airplanes, seaplanes,<br />
helicopters and more at the<br />
BC Aviation Museum<br />
Learn about BC’s aviation history from early<br />
bush planes to water bombers and beyond!<br />
Christina Van Starkenburg lives in Victoria with<br />
her husband, children and cat. She is the author of One<br />
Tiny Turtle: A Story You Can Colour and many articles.<br />
To read more of her work and learn about her upcoming<br />
books visit christinavanstarkenburg.com.<br />
Facebook: facebook.com/christinavanstarkenburg<br />
and Twitter: @Christina_VanS.<br />
<strong>Summer</strong> Hours, May 1 to Sept 30:<br />
10am to 4pm, Thurs through Tues<br />
Winter Hours, Oct 1 to Apr 30:<br />
11am to 3pm, Thurs through Tues<br />
For special days and events<br />
go to bcam.net.<br />
1910 Norseman Rd, Sidney | 250-655-3300 | bcam.net<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 19
WHAT’SFORDINNER<br />
Teaching Healthy Eating<br />
Through Lunch<br />
Fruits and Vegetables<br />
Fruits are often more popular with kids than vegetables. The<br />
textures and flavors of vegetables can be difficult for them to<br />
get used to. So offer a variety of different options and they’ll be<br />
sure to find something they like. My secret to getting them to<br />
eat vegetables is to serve it first, while I’m cooking the rest of<br />
dinner. Hungry kids are way more likely to enjoy a salad.<br />
• Carrots, cucumbers, peppers, cherry tomatoes are classic.<br />
• Raw green beans and snow peas are popular.<br />
• Microwave frozen edamame until it is just warm.<br />
• Serve defrosted mixed frozen vegetables.<br />
• Steamed broccoli and cauliflower are nice with a dipping<br />
sauce.<br />
• Offer salad or leftover cooked vegetables.<br />
• Try kohlrabi or diakon radish spears.<br />
• Dust apple slices with cinnamon to prevent browning.<br />
When my kids were just starting school, we invested in<br />
a whole set of lunch containers. They came in different<br />
sizes (small and large), were dishwasher safe and<br />
easy for the kids to use themselves. They were a bit more pricey<br />
than other lunch containers, but 10 years later we’re still using<br />
them.<br />
It wasn’t just getting high-quality lunch containers that was<br />
an important part of our lunch routine, it was teaching our kids<br />
about what went into those containers that mattered. The small<br />
container was for treats. Two large-size containers were protein<br />
and carbohydrates. And two large-size containers were for vegetables<br />
and fruit.<br />
It was a simple way to teach healthy eating as set out by the<br />
current Canada Food-guide: food-guide.canada.ca/en. The recommendation<br />
is for half of what we eat to come from the vegetable<br />
and fruit food group, whereas treats should only make<br />
up a small part of our diet.<br />
We started right away, letting our kids decide what they<br />
wanted for lunch in preschool. By Grade 1, they were filling<br />
their lunch containers and by Grade 3 they were chopping up<br />
their own vegetables and fruit.<br />
Now that our oldest is in high school, obviously he is packing<br />
his lunch without any parental involvement. But I’m pretty<br />
sure he’s still following our traditional lunch set up because we<br />
keep buying vegetables and they keep getting eaten.<br />
Involving your kids in food prep, is parenting for the future.<br />
It takes time to teach and supervise a seven-year-old in<br />
the kitchen. However, the skills they learn and the established<br />
routines are so powerful that they’ll keep them up, even when<br />
they’re in high school. And that is pretty powerful.<br />
Healthy lunches can look like whatever your kids enjoy eating.<br />
The key is to offer a variety of options and teach them<br />
about proportions.<br />
Here’s some suggestions for filling healthy lunch boxes.<br />
Carbohydrates<br />
Carbs are the quintessential kid-friendly food. Whole grains<br />
pack in a lot more nutrition than processed food. So try switching<br />
up your white rice for brown basmati or jasmine rice instead.<br />
Whole grains more appealing when accompanied by a<br />
flavorful sauce.<br />
• A slice of bread with butter<br />
• Whole wheat pasta<br />
• Crackers and corn chips<br />
• Rice, millet, quinoa<br />
Protein<br />
Nuts are generally not allowed in school lunches, but if your<br />
kid loves peanut butter or roasted almonds, be sure to stock<br />
them in your snack cupboard. Then they can help themselves<br />
after school. Here are some school-friendly options.<br />
• Pumpkin and sunflower seeds<br />
• Hummus or chickpeas<br />
• Cooked meat and smoked salmon<br />
• Hard-boiled egg<br />
• Tofu (tofu puffs are popular)<br />
• Cheese<br />
Treats<br />
Treats are anything that is high in salt, sugar, or unhealthy<br />
fat. So vegetable chips, sesame snaps and rice crackers are<br />
treats. They are perfect for putting into a small lunch container.<br />
Small containers are also the perfect place for muffins, cookies<br />
and pretzels.<br />
Dips and sauces are a great way to make healthy lunches<br />
more fun! They are good for dipping vegetables or pouring<br />
over rice. Here are two dips that really make my kids happy!<br />
20 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
Creamy Herb and Yogurt Dip<br />
(Prep time: 10 minutes)<br />
This dill and green onion is popular with our kids. Feel free to<br />
leave out the garlic powder or swap the dill for basil or parsley. It’s<br />
perfect for your favourite dip flavours.<br />
1 green onion<br />
1 1 ⁄2 cups of full-fat yogurt or Greek yogurt<br />
1 ⁄2 cup mayonnaise<br />
1 tsp lemon juice<br />
1 ⁄2 tsp garlic powder<br />
1 ⁄2 tsp dried dill<br />
1 ⁄2 tsp salt and black pepper, to taste<br />
Dice the green onion. Measure the yogurt, mayonnaise and other<br />
ingredients into a serving bowl. Stir to make sure everything is well<br />
mixed. Taste and add more salt, if needed.<br />
Cover with an air-tight lid and place the dip in the fridge at least<br />
30 minutes before serving to allow the flavours to infuse. Use within<br />
one week.<br />
Emillie Parrish loves having adventures with her<br />
two busy children. You can find more of her recipes<br />
in her recently released cookbook Fermenting Made<br />
Simple. fermentingforfoodies.com<br />
Dill Pickle Dip<br />
(Soaking time: 2 hours, Prep time: 5 minutes)<br />
This vegan-friendly dip is hugely popular with kids. If cashews<br />
aren’t allowed in your child’s classroom, swap them with sunflower<br />
seeds instead. It won’t be quite as creamy, but it will still be delicious!<br />
1 cup of cashews (or sunflower seeds)<br />
2 cups of water<br />
1⁄2 cup of dill pickle brine<br />
1 tsp dried dill<br />
1⁄2 tsp garlic powder<br />
1⁄2 tsp onion powder<br />
1⁄2 tsp salt and sugar, to taste<br />
Measure the cashews into a large measuring cup. Cover with water<br />
(approximately 2 cups) and leave the cashews to soak for 1 to 2 hours.<br />
Sunflower seeds will need to soak for 2 to 3 hours.<br />
After the cashews have soaked, drain the water. Place the cashews<br />
in a blender with the pickle brine, dill, garlic powder and onion powder.<br />
Grind on high until the cashews are a smooth paste. Add additional<br />
water at this point to get it to the desired consistency (dip or sauce).<br />
Taste and add salt or sugar if needed. It will depend on the flavour<br />
of the pickle brine. Sometimes really sour pickles need a bit of sugar<br />
to balance the acidity.<br />
Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.<br />
A place of<br />
possibilities<br />
Students of any age, any instrument,<br />
and any level are welcome.<br />
Register today for Fall classes!<br />
vcm.bc.ca/course-calendar 250.386.5311<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 21
DADSPEAK<br />
The Value<br />
of Pushing<br />
Past Where<br />
You’re At<br />
When I first considered writing about fatherhood, I<br />
wasn’t sure what fresh perspective I could bring to<br />
the conversation. Still reeling from my recent separation,<br />
adjusting to my new life as a single dad and focused<br />
on holding all the shards of my life together, I decided that<br />
any relationship-related topic was off the table—except perhaps<br />
as a cautionary tale.<br />
My confidence was shattered and scrolling through my<br />
social media feed, I could find dozens of people I felt may be<br />
better suited to talk about parenting, as they were continuously<br />
delivering family, relationship and parenting advice on<br />
the daily. My knee jerk reaction was to decline the opportunity.<br />
But I couldn’t shake the feeling that I wanted to contribute<br />
to this community and took time to hone in on my personal<br />
motivation for that desire.<br />
Let me be clear, I’m not a writer; I’m far too painstakingly<br />
analytical. It takes me forever to write, revise, rinse, repeat.<br />
Any infrequent writing that I do is as a domain expert,<br />
providing technical advice and speaking from a position<br />
of comfortable confidence to industry clients with whom I<br />
share a working relationship. The thought of writing about<br />
a personal topic for an audience of strangers triggered a fair<br />
amount of anxiety as I was well outside my comfort zone.<br />
In digesting all these mixed feelings, I realized this process<br />
was what I wanted to write about.<br />
My son is a naturally talented and gifted child who excels<br />
when he participates in most activities. He has an innate curiosity<br />
for nature and love for art, a remarkable amount of<br />
emotional intelligence and seemingly boundless energy.<br />
However, sometimes he loses interest when he’s not immediately<br />
good at something or if it takes too long or requires<br />
too much effort to reach his desired outcome. He wants<br />
to return and play the “fun” games he’s already mastered,<br />
where he always wins, instead of pushing through the challenges<br />
of learning and mastering a new activity.<br />
As a parent, I often encourage him to stick with these<br />
new activities, enjoy the learning process, as he builds his<br />
skill set and pushes his own abilities. His smile when he<br />
achieves a goal that he struggled at minutes earlier is all the<br />
reward I need to keep supporting him in this manner and I’m<br />
confident that each of these little wins is building his own<br />
22 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
sense of self-worth and helping him grow as a person. I love<br />
watching this evolution within him, each victory padding<br />
his intrinsic value and helping shape the man he’ll one day<br />
become.<br />
It occurred to me that these same virtues I’ve asked him<br />
to embrace had also taken hold of me. I needed to push<br />
my own boundaries despite the discomfort of sharing my<br />
thoughts on parenting in a space where I feel vulnerable. In<br />
doing so, I would be more in line with my personal values,<br />
leading by example and acting as a role model for my son.<br />
By espousing these values of lifelong learning and personal<br />
growth, my encouragement for him would carry more<br />
weight for me personally and hopefully resonate better with<br />
him.<br />
So here we are… it’s been a minute for you, but over a<br />
week since I wrote my first sentence above. I’ve written,<br />
revised, removed, replaced and refined my thoughts you’ve<br />
just read. In the meantime, I’ve stalled, procrastinated and<br />
re-prioritized.<br />
Through the process, I’ve grown a real compassion for<br />
how frightening it is to try something new, how raw it feels<br />
to put yourself out there when the result may fall flat of your<br />
objectives and seen firsthand how easy it is to retreat back<br />
to the comfort of where you’re at and not put yourself out<br />
there at all.<br />
There’s an expression “The child is the father of the man”<br />
which implies the values instilled in us and behaviours of<br />
our childhood shape the person we become as an adult. I<br />
hope that the virtues I’m trying to extoll are setting my boy<br />
on a path for happiness, fulfillment and success, that I am<br />
embracing his inherent love and natural gifts while providing<br />
the leadership to show that his path requires not only talent<br />
but also initiative and dedication.<br />
Geoff Spears is a mobile app developer living in<br />
Colwood with his adorable son and their tiny gold dog.<br />
When he’s not chasing them in opposite directions<br />
at the beach, he may be playing music or wondering<br />
what became of his other hobbies.<br />
geoff.spears@gmail.com<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 23
PLAY<br />
Symphony & Opera<br />
in the Park<br />
Have you always wanted to take<br />
your child to the opera or symphony,<br />
but you weren’t sure which<br />
concert to choose, or the tickets were a<br />
little too much for your budget? Well,<br />
look no further, because the Victoria<br />
Symphony and Pacific Opera Victoria<br />
are offering two free full orchestral<br />
concerts on August 4 and August 5.<br />
These special concerts are called<br />
“Symphony and Opera” and it will be<br />
performed at the Cameron Bandshell in<br />
beautiful Beacon Hill Park. Cameron<br />
Bandshell, also known as The Stage<br />
in the Park, is located in the middle<br />
of the park, off Arbutus Bridge Way.<br />
Since it is an outdoor event it’s best to<br />
bring folding lawn chairs or a blanket<br />
for your family to share. There are<br />
also outdoor benches at the Bandshell.<br />
Another good idea is to pack a food<br />
hamper or small cooler with water and<br />
snacks.<br />
The symphony will be playing a variety<br />
of orchestral and opera pieces. On<br />
the program is Rossini’s The Barber of<br />
Seville, Vaughan-Williams Sea Songs,<br />
Bernstein’s West Side Story, John Williams’<br />
Flight to Neverland and much<br />
more.<br />
Listening to the symphony and hearing<br />
opera singers is a wonderful way to<br />
spend time with your family, especially<br />
when it is presented in an outdoor venue<br />
in the park. As parents, we should<br />
encourage our children to listen to all<br />
forms of music including symphonic<br />
and operatic music. Research suggests<br />
that classical music can have numerous<br />
positive effects for children, including<br />
memory development, creativity and<br />
self-expression.<br />
Listening to a selection of symphonic<br />
and operatic music before attending<br />
the concert is a good idea. This will<br />
give your child an idea of what instrument<br />
and vocal sounds to expect at a<br />
concert. For operas, start with childfriendly<br />
plots and characters, such<br />
as The Magic Flute by Mozart. This<br />
opera features enchantments and silliness<br />
with some of the most memorable<br />
music of all time. Or listen to Rossini’s<br />
The Barber of Seville. It is a fun opera<br />
24 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
Opera can be a great way to introduce<br />
kids to music and storytelling.<br />
Here are a few ideas to make it fun<br />
for them:<br />
Use visual aids. Watch videos of<br />
operas online and show your kids<br />
the sets, costumes, and singers. You<br />
could also use picture books to help<br />
them understand the story.<br />
Attend an opera together. Many<br />
opera companies offer family-friendly<br />
performances, with shorter running<br />
times and interactive elements.<br />
that features Figaro, the barber who<br />
charmingly masterminds a successful<br />
ending for two lovers. The opera is full<br />
of funny scenes and music that you will<br />
never forget.<br />
As well, an excellent book to read<br />
before attending the concert is Meet<br />
the Orchestra by Ann Hayes. It is a<br />
lively book that explains the orchestra<br />
sections with colorful illustrations. Another<br />
informative book is Zin!Zin!Zin<br />
a Violin by Lloyd Moss. It is written in<br />
rhythmic verse with bright detailed artwork<br />
of the various instruments.<br />
By taking the time to explore music<br />
and attending the Symphony and Opera<br />
concert you will be expanding your<br />
child’s music appreciation and creating<br />
memories for your whole family.<br />
EXPLORING OUR WORLD<br />
LICENSED PRESCHOOL<br />
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Enrollment is open for this<br />
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SEPTEMBER<br />
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& COMMUNITY SERVICES<br />
Jerri Carson is a retired<br />
music teacher. She now<br />
spends her time playing the<br />
piano and cello.<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 25
local innovative theatre<br />
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info@thrivingroots.org<br />
Your Loving<br />
Other<br />
Many couples are sure that learning better communication<br />
skills will fix their relationship. If<br />
this were true, why weren’t your communication<br />
skills a problem back in the romance stage? While learning<br />
more effective ways of listening, speaking and taking turns<br />
is important, research shows, it’s only a small part of a<br />
healthy relationship.<br />
While we need the foundation of trust and commitment,<br />
we also need to be on the lookout for bad habits and our<br />
own immature reactions. We all have immature parts that<br />
stop us from using all our great skills. Over-reactions,<br />
pouting, criticisms, sour tones, defensiveness and throwing<br />
the blame ball sum up just a few behaviours to catch and<br />
extinguish. First step; notice if you are doing these things.<br />
Second step; stop yourself, breathe and take some time to<br />
access a little calmness. Slow things down and connect to<br />
your values. Who do you want to be in relationship? What<br />
do you have control over?<br />
There are certain values, that if shared by a couple, can<br />
guide a relationship. They are:<br />
Responsible communication where you listen effectively,<br />
use safe language and show respect.<br />
26 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
BIRTH NEWBORN MATERNITY FAMILY<br />
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KANDYCE JOELINE<br />
VANCOUVER ISLAND<br />
SONGBIRDANDOAKPHOTOGRAPHY.COM<br />
250 951 3831<br />
Protecting your relationship from intrusions (children,<br />
extended family work, hobbies…). Obviously, our children<br />
need us but that shouldn’t be our main focus. If it is, we can<br />
lose sight of important issues to resolve as a couple and our<br />
children will carry that anxiety.<br />
Being accountable and doing what we say we are going to<br />
do, even if it means putting the toilet paper on the right way.<br />
Yes, there is a right way.<br />
Take responsibility for your feelings, needs and wants.<br />
Your partner can’t and shouldn’t read your mind.<br />
Commit to personal growth and development.<br />
Among these values is the ongoing curiosity about your<br />
partner. Ask how they feel about their day rather than what<br />
they did. Nurture a friendship and play together. Not everything<br />
has to be so serious. Try getting together and not talk<br />
about the kids and recycling.<br />
Share your dreams, your goals and challenge one another<br />
to get there. Above all, make the comfort of your partner’s<br />
nervous system your top priority. If they are upset or feel<br />
hurt by something you have said, stop talking. Turn toward<br />
them and give them your loving, mature reassurance reminding<br />
them that you are their loving other.<br />
Eternal<br />
Bond<br />
PHOTOGRAPHY<br />
couples • family • birth • newborn • maternity • wedding<br />
intimate lifestyle photography<br />
tamara-bond@hotmail.com<br />
@eternal.bond.photography<br />
Dr. Allison Rees is a parent educator, counsellor<br />
and coach at LIFE Seminars (Living in Families<br />
Effectively), lifeseminars.com.<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 27
NATURENOTES<br />
Celebrating Dead Wood<br />
When I was a youngster, I made<br />
a discovery so shockingly glorious<br />
that I still search for the<br />
feeling it gave me to this day. I decided<br />
for the first time to flip a decaying log.<br />
What was under this log awoke something<br />
in me that felt like it predated back<br />
thousands of years. The feeling was so<br />
alluring, soothing and utterly thrilling!<br />
Finding things. This feeling is everything…searching<br />
and finding, and relishing<br />
at nature’s magic. What did I find?<br />
An Eastern Red-backed Salamander.<br />
The thing was, I had absolutely no idea<br />
that salamanders existed! To me, this animal<br />
was completely novel. It was snakelike,<br />
but with the most adorable little<br />
limbs! It looked waxy, smooth and shiny,<br />
boasting two large eyes and a handsome<br />
red stripe. It was the greatest creature I<br />
had ever seen and my heart filled with<br />
awe.<br />
What are the happenings at the site of<br />
a single dead log? Who shows up? Who<br />
stays, comes and goes? Why should you<br />
love your local dead logs as much as you<br />
love your local birds and flowers? I’ll tell<br />
you.<br />
It is so often the underappreciated<br />
parts of an ecosytem that form the building<br />
blocks for the elements that are most<br />
cherished by humans. The things we label<br />
as gross or burdensome in fact play indispensible<br />
roles. They are the life source for<br />
the charismatic creatures that are popular<br />
and loved, and they are incredibly neat!<br />
Home<br />
Dead wood is an ecological house<br />
party and many are invited. The variety<br />
of species that live inside, around, on<br />
top of and underneath dead wood is astounding.<br />
This list includes the obvious:<br />
worms, isopods, salamanders, centipedes,<br />
ants…. And the not-so obvious: bears,<br />
bats and even large cats! A single stick<br />
could be home for fungi, protizoae, bacteria,<br />
springtails, mites and many other<br />
micro-fauna.<br />
Consider ants. Their bodies are built<br />
for incredible feats of strength and enduarance.<br />
Living up to 30 years and having<br />
jaw parts that can move at a speed of<br />
nearly 400km/hr, these tiny creatures are<br />
rather impressive. Dead logs are a prefered<br />
habitat for many ant speices, and<br />
ants are a prefered food souce for certain<br />
bear populations! Some BC populations<br />
of bears are dependent on ants as a food<br />
source when berries become sparse. The<br />
roles of ants go far beyond this example,<br />
but it gives us an idea of the connections<br />
to be made.<br />
Food<br />
Dead wood is an ecological house<br />
party and the food is pleantiful. The<br />
creatures that dwell near or within dead<br />
wood are an important food source for<br />
the forest, as is the dead wood itself.<br />
Fungi, for example, are a major food<br />
source for many animals like slugs, squirrels<br />
and deer. Fungi love dead wood and<br />
are consummate decomposers. Consider<br />
a tree that has fallen after 800 years of<br />
life. Who has walked by this tree in the<br />
past 800 years? What has happened<br />
above its root system? What has this tree<br />
witnessed?<br />
An organism this old has aquired mass<br />
amounts of nutrients in its voyage to<br />
become a towering and fantastical old<br />
growth tree. Within the now-dead tree is<br />
a cache of nutrients, but not just anyone<br />
can eat dead wood!<br />
Fungi, using fine filliments called mycelia,<br />
excrete enzymes that break down<br />
dead wood for their consumption. Tree’s<br />
cell walls contain lignin which allows<br />
them to stand tall and avoid rot—it is<br />
very difficult to break down. In fact,<br />
fungi are the only major group that can<br />
break down lignin. They are effectively a<br />
giant digestive tract for the forest! They<br />
take the nutrients in wood and turn it<br />
into food for the whole ecosytem.<br />
Function<br />
Dead wood is an ecological houseparty<br />
and the performers are incredible! Dead<br />
wood isn’t just an important habitat and<br />
part of a diverse food system. It provides<br />
numerous ecosytem functions. It stores<br />
carbon which is slowly released as it is<br />
broken down and can be used by the<br />
forest and its organisms. Removing the<br />
wood robs the soil and micro-organisms<br />
of carbon stores, and burning the wood<br />
releases carbon into the environment too<br />
quickly.<br />
Logs, snags, and trunks create habitat<br />
diversity and can provide shade for new<br />
seedlings, or help keep moisture in the<br />
ecosytem during dry seasons. In areas<br />
near water (riparian zones), dead logs<br />
can stabilize soil, provide nutrients to the<br />
aquatic ecosytem, divert waterflows…the<br />
list goes on and on.<br />
Wonder<br />
Dead wood is an ecological house<br />
party and you are invited (if you follow<br />
house rules).<br />
While I don’t recommend flipping over<br />
dead wood all over the forest (it could be<br />
disruptive to its inhabitants), I invite you<br />
to spend some time with it.<br />
28 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
You could win WildPlay Season<br />
Passes for your family by<br />
sharing your Family Favourites!<br />
Family Favourites, presented by <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong>, is developed<br />
to celebrate and be a resource for quality family retailers<br />
and service providers in our community.<br />
Find a log and imagine all that has<br />
happened at the site of this once tree,<br />
now log. What has it seen? How many<br />
organisms have used this wood? Thousands?<br />
Millions? Billions? How many<br />
nutrients have cycled through this microhabitat?<br />
How many connections have<br />
been made?<br />
Perhaps the dead wood will spark a<br />
poem, a painting, a one-act play, a conversation<br />
or even just an acknowledgment.<br />
“Good job wood, you’ve done<br />
more than I can imagine.”<br />
Join Us<br />
Join us this summer at the Nature<br />
Sanctuary for one of our children’s, family<br />
or adult programs and you will also<br />
find wonder in nature! See our calendar,<br />
register, and learn about our programs on<br />
our website: swanlake.bc.ca or follow us<br />
@SwanLakeNature.<br />
Madi Haller is a Community Educator at<br />
Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary.<br />
Madi is enthralled by the often unnoticed corners<br />
of the natural world, like slime molds, fungi<br />
and insects!<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
Categories Include<br />
• Favourite Outings • Favourite Personal Services<br />
• Favourite Retail Stores • Favourite Food Services<br />
• Favourite Children’s Businesses and Services<br />
We want you to nominate<br />
your Family Favourites!<br />
Who has the best products and services<br />
that your family loves?<br />
Enter at islandparent.ca/family-favourites-nominate<br />
And be entered to win Season Passes for WildPlay!<br />
<strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 29
Join<br />
Our<br />
Team<br />
<strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Group—BC’s largest publisher of parenting<br />
content—is expanding its editorial team. We publish <strong>Island</strong><br />
<strong>Parent</strong> Magazine, WestCoast Families, GRAND and Tweens<br />
& Teens. We are looking for someone who is passionate about<br />
sharing the joys and struggles of parenting through multiple<br />
mediums. This position will help shape the editorial direction of<br />
our magazines, websites and social media. We are looking for a<br />
growth-minded star who wants to be a part of a mighty team!<br />
Contact publisher@islandparent.ca<br />
I S L A N D P A R E N T G R O U P<br />
Tweens Teens<br />
Piano • Guitar • Bass • Voice • Strings • & more!<br />
Register For Music Lessons Today.<br />
Why Choose Long & McQuade?<br />
Music lessons for all ages, stages, and styles.<br />
Professional instructors make learning fun.<br />
Convenient lesson times for busy families.<br />
No registration fees. Affordable instrument rentals.<br />
With 15 locations across British Columbia.<br />
Visit our website to find the location nearest you!<br />
30 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
PRESCHOOL&CHILDCARESPOTLIGHT<br />
ENROLL<br />
TODAY!<br />
Come Learn & Grow with Us!<br />
FULL TIME 3–5 DAYCARE<br />
PART TIME PRESCOOL<br />
BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL CARE<br />
Cloverdale Childcare Society<br />
Vic West Site<br />
at Vic West Elementary School<br />
cloverdalechildcare.com<br />
250.995.1766 cloverdale@shawbiz.ca<br />
Licensed child care facility with spots available for children<br />
aged 3-5 years. Contact us to book a tour today!<br />
Victoria Social Innovation Centre: 1004 North Park St<br />
littlephoenixchildcare.ca<br />
director@littlephoenixchildcare.ca 778-269-2273<br />
Christ Church Cathedral Childcare<br />
& Jr. Kindergarten..................250-383-5132<br />
ECE and specialist teachers provide an<br />
outstanding all day licensed program for<br />
2.5–5 year olds at our Fairfield and<br />
Gordon Head locations.<br />
cathedralschool.ca<br />
SEEDLINGS<br />
Forest Education<br />
Where nature becomes the Teacher!<br />
Seedlings Forest Education is a Nature based program<br />
that includes After School Care, Nature Preschool, <strong>Parent</strong><br />
Workshops, Saturday Seedlings, <strong>Summer</strong> Camps and more!<br />
250-880-0660 seedlingsforesteducation.com<br />
Ready Set Grow Preschool.....250-472-1530<br />
Join our learning through play preschool located<br />
in Hillcrest Elem. Our caring ECEs offer<br />
an enriched Program for 3-4 hour, 2-5 days a<br />
week and help with kindergarten transition.<br />
heoscmanager@gmail.com<br />
Nestled on 4 acres of lush west coast forest, our Award<br />
winning, Nature based program will not disappoint!<br />
While firmly embracing the Reggio-Emila (Italy) Philosophy our<br />
dedicated team of educators use the environment as the third<br />
teacher as we encourage your child throughout their day.<br />
Our purpose built facilities have been handmade using the<br />
trees from our forest. Come take a virtual tour on our website!<br />
lexieslittlebears.ca Waitlist: 250-590-3603<br />
BC Award of Excellence in Childcare & Prime Minister’s Award of Excellence in Early Childhood Education.<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 31
PLAY<br />
SunFest <strong>2023</strong><br />
Get your tickets now to see this incredible family-friendly country<br />
music festival in Lake Cowichan! Grab a campsite and take in some<br />
or all the concerts from August 3–6. You’ll enjoy shows by big<br />
international stars such as Blake Shelton, as well as show your<br />
support for local bands such as The Country Line.<br />
sunfestconcerts.com<br />
COWICHAN VALLEY<br />
NANAIMO & AREA<br />
Nanaimo Blues Festival<br />
The Nanaimo Blues Festival will be at Matteo Sutton Park in Nanaimo<br />
from August 10-13, <strong>2023</strong>. Bring your blankets and beach chairs to<br />
sit back with your family and enjoy music from new local artists to<br />
famous names. Pack a picnic or purchase food from a variety of<br />
trucks on-site. Get your tickets now!<br />
nanaimoblues.ca<br />
Cumberland Wild<br />
One weekend. One stage. Three shows! Get your tickets now<br />
to Cumberland Wild, happening at Cumberland Village Park on<br />
August 19 and 20. This incredible non-stop weekend of food, fun<br />
and music—including a silent overnight dance party—will provide<br />
all different types of world class music and dance in the<br />
picturesque village of Cumberland.<br />
cumberlandwild.com<br />
GREATER VICTORIA<br />
COMOX VALLEY<br />
Day of the Dog<br />
Bring your entire family—including your furry friends—to Bullen Park<br />
in Esquimalt on August 12 and 13! This free event offers fun, food<br />
and all the festivities to have a great day out in the park. You’ll find<br />
pet products, pet activities and everything else you need to make<br />
your dog a happy pup!<br />
petapaloozawest.com/victoria1<br />
Need help with the Affordable Child Care Benefit?<br />
Looking for child care? Taking care of children?<br />
Need child care training?<br />
Call your local CCRR for free referrals and resources.<br />
Victoria & Gulf <strong>Island</strong>s: 250-382-7000<br />
Sooke: 250-642-5152 ext 239 West Shore: 250-940-4882<br />
Cowichan Valley: 250-746-4135 local 231<br />
PacificCare (Ladysmith North): 250-756-2022 or 1-888-480-2273<br />
gov.bc.ca/ChildCareResourceReferralCentres<br />
Your community’s best source of<br />
child care information and resources.<br />
Funding for the CCRR is provided by the province of B.C.<br />
32 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
Vol. VI, Ed. III<br />
GRAND<br />
grandmag.ca<br />
<strong>Summer</strong>time Is<br />
Grandparent Time<br />
Helping Kids<br />
Face Their Fears<br />
Relearning<br />
History<br />
A Tour to Kiixin
Explore<br />
Relearning History<br />
A Tour to Kiixin<br />
The sky is overcast but the rain is<br />
holding off as we gather at the Kiixin<br />
Tour Office on the East Government<br />
Dock in Bamfield. There are 10 of my<br />
family members present, spanning three<br />
generations, all eager to follow a Traditional<br />
Knowledge Holder through lush<br />
rainforest to an ancient village site on<br />
the west coast of Vancouver <strong>Island</strong>. Stella<br />
Peters introduces herself as our guide for<br />
the morning, and it’s clear at once that<br />
we’re in good hands. There’s a final washroom<br />
run once we’ve signed our paperwork,<br />
and then we pile into our cars and<br />
following Stella’s truck a short distance<br />
back down the Bamfield Highway and<br />
onto a private gravel road.<br />
With two giant carved figures to welcome<br />
us, the trailhead is impossible to<br />
miss. The figures are Nutchkoa and Hominiki,<br />
we later learn, the first ancestors<br />
of the Huu-ay-aht, one of the Nuu-chahnulth<br />
peoples. As impressive as they are,<br />
the two figures are significantly smaller<br />
than the original carvings first erected in<br />
the village of Kiixin over 160 years ago.<br />
Taken from Kiixin in 1911, the original<br />
figures now stand watch in the lobby<br />
of the Royal BC Museum. New, full-size<br />
figures were carved and installed at the<br />
entrance to the House of Huu-ay-aht at<br />
Pachena Bay in 2000.<br />
As we join the other tour participants<br />
in the shelter at the trailhead, Stella<br />
shares this and more. “Journey with our<br />
ancestors” is one of the taglines of the<br />
tour—and with Stella’s guidance that is<br />
exactly what we do. Her words and visual<br />
materials take us from the distant past to<br />
the present. We learn about the ancient<br />
site itself, a 19th century village and fortress<br />
that shows evidence of continuous<br />
occupation for at least 3,000 years—and<br />
as much as 5,000 years, according to oral<br />
tradition. We learn about the archeological<br />
surveys that Stella participated in—<br />
and her Nation’s decision not to proceed<br />
with a full-scale excavation. We learn<br />
about the traditional skills and practices<br />
that allowed the Huu-ay-aht to live in<br />
this area for millennia. Best of all, we<br />
receive this information from a Traditional<br />
Knowledge Holder rather than an<br />
“outside,” non-indigenous source.<br />
As we move through time, Stella’s<br />
words inevitably lead to more painful<br />
territory—the decimation of the Huu-ayaht<br />
population as the result of European<br />
diseases, the loss of cultural treasures to<br />
19th and 20th century collectors, and the<br />
tragic consequences of the residential<br />
school system. These are difficult but<br />
necessary subjects, and Stella discusses<br />
them in a manner that is both matterof-fact<br />
and sensitive to the presence of<br />
children on the tour.<br />
With our guide’s introduction complete,<br />
we start down the rainforest trail<br />
towards the village site. The trail is not<br />
particularly long (at least not for our<br />
family of hikers), but we take our time,<br />
moving carefully down flights of stairs<br />
and over long sections of boardwalk.<br />
There are frequent stops as well, as<br />
Stella points out things of interest. I’m<br />
fascinated by the culturally modified<br />
trees—ancient cedars with strips of bark<br />
removed for clothing and basket-making,<br />
and other trees with entire planks missing<br />
for cradles, boxes and houses.<br />
Finally, we reach our destination. I’ve<br />
had the privilege of visiting many west<br />
coast beaches and coves, but this one is<br />
particularly breathtaking. It’s a strategic<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
BRIGHT BEGINNING<br />
location as well as a picturesque one, set<br />
for defensive reasons “between the rugged<br />
outer coast and the protected inner<br />
waters of Barkley Sound.” Today there’s<br />
a bear waiting to greet us as we reach the<br />
sand. We keep a respectful distance, and<br />
the bear eventually wanders off—into<br />
the very section of the forest where Stella<br />
was planning to lead us. While we wait<br />
for the bear to wander a little further, we<br />
take out our packed lunches and have a<br />
quick picnic.<br />
Kiixin was the traditional capital village<br />
of the Huu-ay-aht, and it remains a<br />
sacred site. According to Parks Canada,<br />
“it is the only known First Nations village<br />
of more than 100 villages on the southern<br />
B.C. coast that still features significant,<br />
standing traditional architecture.”<br />
To see the remains of these structures<br />
in person, and to hear dramatic stories<br />
from a descendant of the resourceful and<br />
courageous people who lived on the site<br />
for millennia, is an unforgettable experience.<br />
As a child growing up in Nanaimo, I<br />
had very little knowledge of the complex<br />
indigenous cultures that existed on Vancouver<br />
<strong>Island</strong> before the first newcomers<br />
disembarked from their ships. The curriculum<br />
didn’t cover much local history<br />
back then, and what I did learn mostly<br />
began with the arrival of European explorers<br />
in the 1700’s.<br />
Things are different for my grandchildren—and<br />
for that I am profoundly<br />
grateful. I am especially grateful to Stella<br />
Peters and other Traditional Knowledge<br />
Holders across the <strong>Island</strong> who are sharing<br />
their stories and cultural teachings<br />
so generously. We can’t change the past,<br />
but we can certainly be intentional about<br />
how we go forward—and learning what<br />
we didn’t know before is an essential part<br />
of that process.<br />
Kiixin Tours are offered from the May<br />
long weekend to Labour Day. While the<br />
4-hour morning tour worked best for<br />
our extended family, there is also an<br />
evening tour, which includes songs and<br />
drumming on the beach. Headlamps or<br />
flashlights and a towel or blanket to sit<br />
on are required on the evening tour. The<br />
hike into Kiixin is rated “moderate plus,”<br />
thanks to uneven terrain, potentially<br />
slippery boardwalks and a steep flight<br />
of stairs down to the beach. According<br />
to the tour website, people with injuries,<br />
mobility challenges or hiking-restricted<br />
medical conditions cannot be accommodated.<br />
Children aged seven and older are welcome<br />
on the tour, as long as they are accompanied<br />
by a parent or guardian aged<br />
19 years or older. For more information,<br />
visit kiixin.ca/tour.<br />
Rachel Dunstan Muller is a<br />
children’s author, storyteller,<br />
podcaster and grandmother.<br />
You can find her podcasts<br />
Hintertales: Stories from the<br />
Margins of History and Sticks<br />
and Stones and Stories<br />
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<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 35
Grandparenting<br />
Helping Kids Face Their Fears<br />
Every child passes through that<br />
stage of being afraid of monsters—under<br />
the bed, in dark<br />
corners, down in the basement—it<br />
seems to be a universal childhood fear.<br />
This fear can take root before a child<br />
is at an age when a parent can even<br />
reason with them and provide logical<br />
explanations, and even then, that<br />
assurance rarely seems to allay such<br />
deep-seated phobias. And some children’s<br />
fairy tales only serve to fan the<br />
fire—the witch in Hansel and Gretel<br />
who cooks children, the giant in Jack<br />
and Beanstalk who will “grind Jack’s<br />
bones to make his bread” or the big,<br />
bad wolf in The Three Little Pigs who is<br />
out to devour some piggies.<br />
I’ve had these experiences with<br />
my own sons, and now predictably,<br />
my young grandson seems to be going<br />
through the same phase. This was<br />
made clear to me on a recent trip to<br />
the public library. Whenever we visit<br />
the library, I turn my grandson lose in<br />
the children’s section where he will<br />
often tuck himself away with a book<br />
that catches his interest. On this particular<br />
visit, I didn’t notice he had his<br />
nose in a book about monsters until<br />
he asked me to put it back because it<br />
was scaring him. As we walked home<br />
afterwards, I noticed he wouldn’t hold<br />
my hand. Any time I extended my<br />
hand to him, he shied away from me to<br />
the other side of the sidewalk. When I<br />
asked him what was wrong, he said he<br />
didn’t want to hold my hand because<br />
he was afraid I was going to turn into<br />
a monster. So I asked him: “You’ve<br />
known me seven years now, have I ever<br />
turned into a monster?” His answer? “I<br />
don’t think so, but sometimes you look<br />
pretty scary.”<br />
Well…I asked.<br />
How best to handle this touchy subject<br />
of childhood fears and phobias?<br />
In my own childhood, the prevailing<br />
approach by many parents at that time<br />
was a no-nonsense one—there are no<br />
such thing as monsters. Period. Simple<br />
as that. It was as if a child’s fears were<br />
not be “indulged.” I was raised with<br />
this approach and can attest that it did<br />
nothing other than cause me to feel<br />
ashamed and somehow inadequate. Although<br />
on one level, I trusted the word<br />
of my parents (that they wouldn’t lie<br />
to me), but their logic simply could not<br />
quell my fears. I still took the basement<br />
steps two at a time and insisted<br />
on my bedroom door being left open<br />
with the hall light on. My fear of the<br />
dark was so innate and so irrational<br />
that it overruled all common sense until<br />
I was well into my teens.<br />
As a result, my approach with my<br />
own children was very different. Having<br />
been a victim of my own fears, I<br />
didn’t want to make my children feel<br />
bad about experiencing their own. So<br />
I listened, hugged and validated their<br />
concerns. I actually found it helpful<br />
to confess my own childhood fears<br />
to them as a way of illustrating that<br />
at some point, these anxieties which<br />
seem so overwhelming when we’re<br />
young, gradually lessen or fall away<br />
as we grow into adulthood. And yet, I<br />
also readily admitted to them that even<br />
in adulthood, I still have some fears I<br />
continue to grapple with.<br />
36 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
I am pleased to see books in the<br />
public library that address the topic<br />
of childhood fears. I’ve read several<br />
stories with my young grandson that<br />
illustrate the mastering of a particular<br />
phobia. While reading these stories, I<br />
am quick to point out the accompanying<br />
feeling of accomplishment and<br />
pride the child experiences by the<br />
end of the book. Many of these books<br />
employ a well-trusted behavioural<br />
therapy technique in which children<br />
are gradually exposed to their fears<br />
in a safe, secure environment. Take<br />
the fear of spiders, for instance, yet<br />
another phobia of mine! Reading<br />
books together about spiders and their<br />
importance in our ecosystem might<br />
be a way to start addressing this fear.<br />
Having a child look at illustrations and<br />
photos, even gently encouraging them<br />
to touch those photos, can help to desensitize<br />
their fear.<br />
Pointing out spiders in one’s outdoor<br />
environment and watching them<br />
build a web or collecting a spider in a<br />
bug box are some further ideas to help<br />
with desensitising. I am a firm believer<br />
that steps like this help make fears<br />
more manageable. Those fears may<br />
never be calmed, but at least we can<br />
develop coping skills that can serve us<br />
well later on in life.<br />
Susan Gnucci is a local<br />
author and a proud “nonna”<br />
to two young grandsons. She<br />
enjoys sharing her experiences<br />
as a grandparent.<br />
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<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 37
Grandparenting<br />
<strong>Summer</strong>time Is Grandparent Time<br />
<strong>Summer</strong>time often means more<br />
time for grandparents to spend<br />
with grandchildren. Sometimes<br />
that’s a vacation or cottage getaway.<br />
Sometimes it’s a childcare-in-the-city<br />
situation. Either way, it may be a time<br />
where grandparents get more day-to-day<br />
interaction with their grandkids who are<br />
not in school. With lots of activities and<br />
destinations to choose from, how does a<br />
grandparent decide what to do?<br />
You may want to think about activities,<br />
which, while being fun and novel, will<br />
also support academic learning. Some<br />
of these will be obvious, but some might<br />
have benefits you have not thought of.<br />
Take the dolls tea party, for example.<br />
Set the table for tea time with the dolls,<br />
stuffed animals and action figures—don’t<br />
forget about the beloved cars and trucks.<br />
Discuss patterns, distributing one napkin<br />
to each creature, anticipating the needs<br />
of others. Pouring out the “tea” and passing<br />
the cookies provides practice in turntaking<br />
and polite pleases and thank yous.<br />
If you want to go all out, how about<br />
baking the cookies? Choose a really simple<br />
recipe with few ingredients. But even<br />
a three-year-old can help to measure and<br />
pour and stir. Cooking is a great way to<br />
reinforce math concepts (measurements<br />
of volume and weights, setting timers,<br />
talking about temperatures).<br />
Baking is also an opportunity for practicing<br />
fine motor skills, pouring, cutting<br />
(butter, with a table knife, for example—<br />
nothing sharp!), blending butter into<br />
flour. It gives kids a chance to experience<br />
and talk about textures (powdery flour,<br />
greasy butter) which they don’t feel<br />
every day, as well as smells: cinnamon,<br />
lemon peel, cloves. Not to mention the<br />
way soft dough become crisp cookie—it’s<br />
not magic, it’s chemistry!<br />
Building with blocks provides lots<br />
of opportunities to practice fine motor<br />
coordination and engineering skills. Of<br />
course it all starts with you building a<br />
tower and your grandchild knocking it<br />
down. A great exercise in turn taking!<br />
A little later, set up a small construction<br />
and challenge your grandchild to copy<br />
it. Then ask them to set you a challenge.<br />
Create enclosures for toys animals and<br />
dinosaurs. Make a house for the dolls.<br />
Lots of opportunities for telling stories.<br />
With older kids (4 and up) grandparents<br />
can teach them card games. Start<br />
with sorting the cards into red and black,<br />
or suits, or numbers versus face cards.<br />
Progress to Memory where all the cards<br />
are laid out face down and each player<br />
turns over two at a time. The goal is to<br />
remember where the cards are and find<br />
matching pairs. Games like War and<br />
PishePasha great starting games that<br />
don’t require small kiddy-hands to hold<br />
fanned-out cards (that’s a difficult fine<br />
motor skill!). By the time kids are 6 or<br />
7, they can learn Crazy Eights or Gin<br />
Rummy. And I know eight-year-olds who<br />
play Bridge!<br />
Outdoor play is a great time to develop<br />
gross motor skills, like running, kicking<br />
and throwing.<br />
These skills take a long time to develop<br />
and kids need a lot of practice! Take the<br />
opportunity to discuss things we CAN<br />
kick and throw (balls in the field, stones<br />
into the water) and those we must not.<br />
There are lots of games you can create<br />
around throwing stones into the ocean<br />
or a lake: who can throw it farther (of<br />
course), who can hit that log, who can<br />
do the silliest throw, who can throw over<br />
their shoulder. But just meditatively tossing<br />
stones in the water can make space<br />
for conversation and connection.<br />
Time outdoors also promotes healthy<br />
eye development. Studies have shown<br />
that spending a couple of hours a day<br />
outdoors reduces the incidence of myopia<br />
(short-sightedness). It seems that the<br />
bright light of the outdoors, and the opportunity<br />
to focus on the far-away things<br />
give the eyes the stimulation they need.<br />
On Vancouver <strong>Island</strong> we are so lucky<br />
to have relatively easy access to the shore<br />
and the ocean.<br />
There are so many opportunities there<br />
for wildlife observation, exploring tide<br />
pools, building sand castles, collecting<br />
pebbles or driftwood. But remember that<br />
just being outdoors, with unstructured<br />
time is hugely beneficial for children—<br />
and everyone else. The fresh air, the sunshine<br />
(remember sunscreen, hats, and<br />
the hydrantion), and the freedom is what<br />
summer is all about!<br />
Eva Bild, MA, AdvCD(DONA), LCCE<br />
is a Childbirth and Lactation<br />
Educator, and Birth Doula<br />
Trainer. She has been teaching<br />
and supporting childbearing<br />
families in Victoria since 1994.<br />
She become a grandmother this year!<br />
38 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
September<br />
2, 3 & 4<br />
<strong>2023</strong><br />
Jammin’<br />
at the<br />
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Celebrate 155 years of the Saanich Fair<br />
September 2, 3 and 4 at the Saanich Fair Grounds!<br />
MIDWAY, 4-H, CONCESSIONS AND MUCH, MUCH MORE!<br />
saanichfair.ca<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 39
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