Island Parent April/May 2021
Victoria and Vancouver Island's Parenting Resource for 33 Years • The Challenges of First-time Parenthood • Dealing with Differences • Being Born During a Pandemic
Victoria and Vancouver Island's Parenting Resource for 33 Years • The Challenges of First-time Parenthood • Dealing with Differences • Being Born During a Pandemic
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APRIL/MAY <strong>2021</strong><br />
Vancouver <strong>Island</strong>’s <strong>Parent</strong>ing Resource for 33 Years<br />
The Challenges<br />
of First-time<br />
<strong>Parent</strong>hood<br />
Dealing with<br />
Differences<br />
Being Born<br />
During a<br />
Pandemic
An experience that lasts a lifetime!<br />
Summer at<br />
Camp Pringle<br />
We are open open for summer camps<br />
& family cabin rentals!<br />
Visit our website for full details on registration and<br />
COVID-19 safety protocols at our facility.<br />
Summer Camps for Children, Youth, Families & Leadership<br />
Out of School Care • Community & Corporate Retreats<br />
Want to join our team? Visit our website for info on available staff and volunteer positions.<br />
Register or Call Today!<br />
CampPringle.com • 250-743-2189 • info@camppringle.com<br />
2 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
F A M I L Y F U N P E R F O R M E R S<br />
PRESENTED BY<br />
UPSTREAM!<br />
with The Kerplunks<br />
Saturday, <strong>May</strong> 15, <strong>2021</strong> @ 2:30 pm<br />
Virtual Livestream Performance<br />
$11.50 per household<br />
Rick Scott Family Concert<br />
Sunday, <strong>April</strong> 18, <strong>2021</strong> @ 2:30 pm<br />
Virtual Livestream Performance<br />
$11.50 per household<br />
BUY TICKETS ONLINE www.porttheatre.com<br />
OR CALL 250-754-8550<br />
Upstream! with The Kerplunks is a high-energy,<br />
colourful livestream performance guaranteed to provide<br />
children and families with 45 minutes of musical joy.<br />
The Kerplunks’ success has garnered the group three<br />
Canadian Folk Music Awards and three consecutive<br />
JUNO Award nominations. www.thekerplunks.com<br />
If you can’t tune into the livestream event, the performance<br />
is available online for 48 hours immediately following the<br />
performance.<br />
BUY TICKETS ONLINE<br />
www.porttheatre.com<br />
OR CALL 250-754-8550<br />
Music and laughter for all ages! Rick Scott and<br />
his dulcimer combine songs, storytelling and humour<br />
in warm-hearted concerts for the whole family.<br />
One of Canada’s most beloved children’s performers.<br />
www.rickscott.ca<br />
If you can’t tune into the livestream event, the<br />
performance is available online for 48 hours<br />
immediately following the performance.<br />
TheatreOne is generously supported by<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>April</strong>/<strong>May</strong> <strong>2021</strong> 3
<strong>April</strong>/MA Y <strong>2021</strong><br />
Vancouver <strong>Island</strong>’s <strong>Parent</strong>ing Resource for 33 Years<br />
TABLEOFCONTENTS<br />
Features<br />
In Every<br />
Issue<br />
5<br />
Fast Forward<br />
SUE FAST<br />
6<br />
Need to Know<br />
18<br />
Dadspeak<br />
GREG PRATT<br />
24<br />
Family Calendar<br />
10<br />
Being Born During<br />
a Pandemic<br />
Will COVID-19 become<br />
this generation’s<br />
childhood trauma?<br />
KELLY CLEEVE<br />
12<br />
Baby Talk in<br />
Any Language<br />
26<br />
Motherhood<br />
A role not easily summed up on<br />
the inside of a Hallmark card.<br />
SUSAN GNUCCI<br />
34<br />
Easter Eggsperiments<br />
Three “eggsperiments” that<br />
highlight the unique properties<br />
of the amazing egg.<br />
14<br />
The Challenges of<br />
First-time <strong>Parent</strong>hood<br />
Top concerns for new parents.<br />
LAUREN MATHESON<br />
16<br />
Tax Time<br />
Planning ahead is nearly<br />
always the solution and<br />
tax time is no different.<br />
LINDSAY PLUMB<br />
21<br />
Eco Grief<br />
Acts of love to help kids<br />
mourn what is being lost.<br />
LINDSAY COULTER<br />
28<br />
What’s for Dinner<br />
EMILLIE PARRISH<br />
30<br />
Kids’ Reads<br />
CHRISTINE VAN STARKENBURG<br />
32<br />
Moms’ POV<br />
SERENA BECK<br />
35<br />
Businesses You<br />
Need to Know<br />
36<br />
Preschool &<br />
Child Care Directory<br />
38<br />
Cut It Out!<br />
ALLISON REES<br />
On the<br />
Cover<br />
Photo by<br />
Chris Higginbottom<br />
Photography<br />
chrishigginbottom.ca<br />
Being Born<br />
During a<br />
Pandemic<br />
The Challenges<br />
of First-time<br />
<strong>Parent</strong>hood<br />
Dealing with<br />
Differences<br />
Jim Schneider Publisher publisher@islandparent.ca<br />
Sue Fast Editor editor@islandparent.ca<br />
Kristine Wickheim Account Manager kristine@islandparent.ca<br />
RaeLeigh Buchanan Account Manager raeleigh@islandparent.ca<br />
<strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine, published by <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Group Enterprises Ltd., is a<br />
bimonthly publication that honours and supports parents by providing information on<br />
resources and businesses for Vancouver <strong>Island</strong> families. Views expressed are not<br />
necessarily those of the publisher. No material herein may be reproduced without<br />
the permission of the publisher. <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> is distributed free in selected areas.<br />
Annual mail subscriptions (7 issues) are available for $21 (GST included).<br />
Canadian Publication Mail Product Sales Agreement 40051398. ISSN 0838-5505.<br />
<strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine<br />
250-388-6905 islandparent.ca<br />
518 Caselton Place, Victoria, BC V8Z 7Y5<br />
A proud member of<br />
BC<br />
4 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
FASTFORWARD<br />
6½ Ways to Welcome Spring<br />
There’s something about spring that makes more than just the<br />
sun shine and the flowers bloom. Look around and you’re<br />
bound to see more smiles and more light in not only our longer<br />
days, but in each other’s moods and even as a lightness in our steps!<br />
So get outside and celebrate the start of spring!<br />
1. Geocache. Use GPS systems to seek out and hide treasures all around<br />
your neighbourhood. Use a series of coordinates, solve puzzles or decipher<br />
clues for specialty caches. geocaching.com<br />
2. Dog swap. Or if you don’t have one of your own, borrow a friend’s dog<br />
for the afternoon and find a trail you’ve always meant to explore.<br />
3. Create a new ritual. Sunday brunch in the backyard? Dance before dinner?<br />
Take an early morning cold-water swim (like the Oddballs at Willows Beach,<br />
facebook.com/groups/oddballsvictoria).<br />
4. Do a random good deed. Drop off a bouquet of spring flowers,<br />
anonymously, at a neighbour’s. Paint and hide rocks with encouraging notes.<br />
Or do the same with sidewalk chalk around your neighbourhood.<br />
5. Celebrate anything. Make a cake. Light some candles. Pick some flowers.<br />
Open the windows, get dressed up, play your favourite music and silly dance.<br />
5½. And remember: bike parades are always a good idea.<br />
6. Make plans. Sure time flies while you’re having fun and spring won’t<br />
last forever but summer is on its way. Start making a list of what you’d<br />
like to do. From staycations to local road trips, planning is half the fun.<br />
STAGES<br />
Summer Programs<br />
Running This July & August<br />
Preschool Dance Camps<br />
For 3-5 year olds in Ballet, Jazz,<br />
Musical Theatre & Tap<br />
Youth Dance Camps<br />
For dancers 6-12 years old in<br />
Jazz, Hip Hop & Acrobatics<br />
Dance Intensive<br />
For dancers 11 years old & up with<br />
Jazz, Ballet, Hip Hop & Acrobatics<br />
Through these times let’s be<br />
careful & kind out there<br />
Come Dance With Us<br />
Call (250) 384-3267, email: stagesdance@shaw.ca,<br />
or visit us at www.stagesdance.com<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>April</strong>/<strong>May</strong> <strong>2021</strong> 5
NEEDTOKNOW<br />
GVPL on the Go<br />
The Ideas to Go series encourages patrons to learn a new skill or discover a hobby.<br />
Episodes cover a variety of topics ranging from Scratch, the world’s most popular<br />
coding community for kids to the animals that live in the Salish Sea. The series<br />
has introduced many patrons to the resources that are available through the<br />
library’s digital branch, www.gvpl.ca, including the online video learning<br />
platform Niche Academy.<br />
The Take and Make program, which provides ‘to-go bags’ containing<br />
supplies and instructions for various DIY-inspired projects, saw two new<br />
‘bags’. One features a craft project that uses food and Eric Carle’s classic<br />
storybook The Very Hungry Caterpillar to help children understand the importance<br />
of good nutrition. A second ‘bag’ was developed in partnership with<br />
local origami enthusiast Stephen Tran and is designed to highlight the joyful art<br />
of paper folding. www.gvpl.ca<br />
Storytelling Club for<br />
Isolated Learners<br />
Story Theatre inspires young storytellers by creating touring<br />
theatre productions for children, educators, and families. So<br />
what’s a touring company to do when it’s unable to reach their<br />
live audience? Start a Club that reaches their audience through<br />
the mail! Working with an illustrator, actors and teaching<br />
artists, Story Theatre provides 4 activity kits to encourage<br />
children to learn the craft of storytelling. Kits include:<br />
games, crafts and placemaking challenges. For ages 6-10.<br />
By donation. Email club@storytheatre.ca.<br />
AGGV’s Virtual Workshops<br />
The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria’s workshops for school-aged learners have gone<br />
virtual this year, with two online (pre-recorded) workshops featuring local artists,<br />
Bradley Yuxwelupton Dick and Farheen HaQ. In Song & Storytelling, Bradley Yuxwelupton<br />
Dick shares The “Paddle Welcome Song”, welcoming everyone to Lekwungen<br />
lands, today known as the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations. Hear Lekwungen<br />
stories and a “territorial acknowledgement.” In Nurturing through Artmaking, Farheen<br />
HaQ shares how to take care of yourself and others through art making. Learners<br />
create a “Rangoli Mandala” as a class, small group, or on their own, and explore<br />
how art and being mindful are connected. Two online workshops cost $100. Each<br />
video is 45 min. Have access video workshops for 3 months.<br />
aggv.ca/half-day-workshops<br />
6 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
The Kiddies Store<br />
Dedicated to providing Vancouver <strong>Island</strong> families<br />
with high-quality infant and toddler products<br />
at affordable prices for over 25 years<br />
Expecting<br />
Your First<br />
Baby?<br />
Explore all the quirky cuteness from<br />
the creators of the softest toys you have<br />
ever hugged, cuddled and adored. There<br />
is always something original and quirky<br />
yet incredibly soft and sumptuous to<br />
find at a Jellycat jamboree! Irresistibly<br />
cuddly, sophisticatedly silly, hilariously<br />
humorous, a perfect gift for all ages!<br />
Now Offering Curb-Side Pickups Current Hours: Tues–Sat 10am–5pm<br />
3045–C Douglas St.<br />
Victoria, BC<br />
tjskids.com<br />
250-386-2229<br />
Douglas St.<br />
Finlayson St.<br />
Larch St.<br />
T.J.’s<br />
Entrance off<br />
Larch St.<br />
The UVic Healthy Relationships Lab is<br />
conducting a research study called the<br />
Expectant Couples Checkup Study. To get<br />
involved, fill out short online surveys to<br />
see if you qualify. You must be 19 years<br />
or older, expecting your first child, able<br />
to communicate in English, living with<br />
your partner, and a resident of Canada to<br />
participate. Then you answer questions<br />
about communication and conflict in your<br />
relationship. All participants who finish<br />
the survey will receive information about<br />
conflict during the transition to parenthood<br />
as well as a list of local community<br />
resources. All couples will complete<br />
online surveys two weeks after the initial<br />
online session, as well as four, eight, and<br />
twelve months after the baby is born.<br />
Participants will receive an honorarium<br />
for completion of all procedures.<br />
To take the eligibility survey, visit<br />
web.uvic.ca/~psyclime/index.<br />
php/634617/lang-en.<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>April</strong>/<strong>May</strong> <strong>2021</strong> 7
VIRL’s Sea & Cedar<br />
is Seeking Submissions<br />
The Vancouver <strong>Island</strong> Regional Library (VIRL) is currently seeking submissions<br />
of short fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry and artwork for the first issue of the new<br />
serial digital publication. The submission deadline to have your work considered<br />
for the summer Issue (July <strong>2021</strong>) is <strong>May</strong> 15. Sea & Cedar Magazine is a biannual<br />
digital publication dedicated to showcasing exemplary new writing by both emerging<br />
and established writers in VIRL’s service area. It also highlights the work of visual<br />
artists who are creating at all levels of experience in VIRL’s service area. Submissions<br />
welcome from BIPOC writers and artists, writers and artists with disabilities,<br />
2SLGBTQIA+ writers and artists, low-income earners, and writers and artists<br />
from other intersectional and under-represented communities.<br />
virl.bc.ca/sea-cedar-magazine-call-for-submissions<br />
INGENIUM<br />
Ingenium represents a collaborative space where the past meets the future<br />
in a celebration of creativity, discovery and human ingenuity. Telling the<br />
stories of people who think differently and test the limits, Ingenium honours<br />
people and communities who have shaped history—and inspire the<br />
next generation. Under Ingenium, three museums—the Canada Agriculture<br />
and Food Museum, Canada Aviation and Space Museum and the Canada<br />
Science and Technology Museum—provide a sensory experience that immerses<br />
young and old alike in the countless ways science and technology<br />
connect with Canadians’ everyday lives. The Ingenium museums have a<br />
jam-packed virtual activity schedule to keep the kids busy.<br />
ingeniumcanada.org<br />
Train Your<br />
Brain with a<br />
Video Game?<br />
The Victoria Brain Injury<br />
Society (VBIS) has partnered<br />
with the UVic Concussion<br />
Lab in a research project<br />
that measures whether a<br />
video game can improve the<br />
performance and daily life<br />
activities in VBIS clients who<br />
have sustained a traumatic<br />
brain injury. NeuroTracker,<br />
a computer program, uses<br />
a 3D object-tracking task to<br />
test participant’s visual and<br />
cognitive-perceptual abilities.<br />
NeuroTracker trains cognitive-perceptual<br />
skills and<br />
aids recovery following<br />
concussion. For more<br />
information, contact the<br />
VBIS at 250-598-9339<br />
or admin@vbis.ca.<br />
8 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
Rick Scott<br />
Family Concert<br />
Livestream<br />
Beloved all-ages artist Rick Scott will perform a virtual<br />
Family Concert Livestream with special guest Nico Rhodes<br />
on Sunday, <strong>April</strong> 18 at 2:30pm. Tickets $11.50 per household<br />
for a 48 hour viewing window. Presented by TheatreOne<br />
and the Port Theatre. Call 250-754-8550 or order online<br />
at porttheatre.com/events/rick-scott-family-concert<br />
PISE PLAY Your Way Grant<br />
Remember the joys of days spent playing outside all<br />
summer? We want our kids to have the same healthy,<br />
active experience. The high cost of living on the <strong>Island</strong><br />
often means both parents work most of the summer,<br />
and it can be even harder for single-parent families.<br />
This can lead to the only option being to leave the<br />
kids in front of one screen or another, especially when<br />
money is too tight to afford summer camps and people<br />
are working from home. This summer, Pacific Institute<br />
for Sport Excellence (PISE) will offer over 40 camps and<br />
programs for children and youth located on South Vancouver<br />
<strong>Island</strong>. To ensure children aren’t excluded due to<br />
financial reasons, PISE offers the Play Your Way Grant,<br />
a program that can cover the cost of any PISE-facilitated<br />
program or camp. To learn more about the Play Your<br />
Way Grant, visit pise.ca/grant.<br />
SUMMER CAMPS<br />
BASKETBALL • VIKES ADVENTURERS • SWIMMING •<br />
VIKES SPORTS • TRACK & FIELD • and more!<br />
Develop skills, meet new friends,<br />
explore creativity and experience<br />
exciting activities in a fun, safe and<br />
positive environment.<br />
RECREATION<br />
SPORT DEVELOPMENT<br />
HIGH PERFORMANCE<br />
CLIMBING & OUTDOOR<br />
Presented by<br />
Supported by<br />
REGISTRATION OPENS APRIL 1!<br />
See complete camps listings online:<br />
vikescamps.com<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>April</strong>/<strong>May</strong> <strong>2021</strong> 9
Being Born During<br />
a Pandemic<br />
few weeks ago, I met my sister and 15-month-old<br />
A nephew for a walk in the woods. I hadn’t seen them as<br />
much I would like, due to COVID safety restrictions, but<br />
felt compelled to spend time with my favourite baby, so we<br />
sanitized, put on our masks and headed out for some socially-distanced<br />
time in nature.<br />
Very conscious that my mask covered the lower half of<br />
my face, I tried to express my joy at seeing my nephew with<br />
my body language and overly excited tone of voice. (The<br />
phrase “apple of my eye” takes on a whole new meaning<br />
when that’s the only part of your face which can convey<br />
emotion. Can he tell, by my eyes, that I’m smiling?) As he<br />
wobbled up to me, on unsteady toddler legs, I bent down to<br />
greet him and the very first thing he did was reach for my<br />
mask and pulled it off.<br />
This tiny gesture, made by tiny hands, set my brain a-<br />
whirling. I have an academic background in human development<br />
and the researcher in me was awakened. Did my<br />
nephew reach for my mask because it looked silly and he<br />
wanted to touch it? Or did he reach for my mask because he<br />
longed to see my face?<br />
Being born only months before our first national quarantine,<br />
my nephew knows no other way of life. His first<br />
experiences on this planet have been of faces covered in<br />
masks. My sister told me that he naturally extends his<br />
hands for sanitizer when he sees his parents applying their<br />
own. I wondered, how is COVID affecting the development<br />
of small children? My natural curiosity soon turned an ugly<br />
corner into anxious fretting.<br />
What will become of a generation of toddlers who could<br />
not see facial expressions? Who cannot spend time around<br />
family? Who are being raised to avoid skin to skin contact<br />
with people other than their parents and siblings? Will CO-<br />
VID become this generation’s childhood trauma?<br />
Could there possibly be anything good that comes of this?<br />
After some serious brooding, I concluded that almost all<br />
generations are shaped by childhood trauma and that most<br />
of us rise above it. Some of us even use these experiences to<br />
better ourselves and our society. My grandparents’ childhoods<br />
were marked by war and famine. As a result, they<br />
became resilient and self-sufficient.<br />
Our society became acutely aware of safety and vowed<br />
to work tirelessly to prevent another war. My parents were<br />
raised in the civil rights era, a time when violence was ripping<br />
Band-aids off previously accepted culture. My parents<br />
grew up to become open minded and accepting. Our society<br />
10 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
created new standards for human rights. I was raised in a<br />
generation which experienced Columbine and 9/11. Fear<br />
was the predominant emotion felt by most adults at that<br />
time society became aware that fear, unleashed, can create<br />
a dangerous us versus them mentality or, recognized, can be<br />
used as inspiration to come together in community.<br />
Yes, this generation of children are being raised in a time<br />
unlike we have seen before. Yes, that certainly has its drawbacks<br />
and limitations. However, when I sat down to truly<br />
think about my nephew’s experience, thus far, I was able to<br />
discover some benefits. For instance, my sister’s husband,<br />
who works in the movie business, was able to stay home for<br />
more than 6 months shortly after his son was born. How<br />
many children are able to spend their first months in life<br />
with both mom and dad to care for them? When I had children,<br />
my husband was able to take one week off to spend<br />
with us.<br />
Children all over the world are spending more time with<br />
their parents than ever before. People are watching movies<br />
together, playing games, reading books and going for walks.<br />
This, if you asked me, far outweighs the temporary cancellation<br />
of swimming lessons, toddler playdates and music<br />
groups. This generation of children is less likely to be latchkey<br />
kids (as I was), or day care kids (like my children were).<br />
They will have a strong foundation of being raised by parents<br />
who are able to spend quality time with them. Families<br />
are more present and connected than they have been in generations.<br />
That’s got to mean something, right?<br />
While the researcher in me will continue to be curious<br />
about the impact of COVID on toddler development, I am<br />
doing so with hope and not fear. I am certain that COVID<br />
will affect family dynamics and a child’s perception of the<br />
world, however, I am also certain that these children will<br />
rise above it all to create something beautiful as a result of<br />
the lessons we are all learning during this time.<br />
Kelly Cleeve is a best-selling author<br />
and an educator. More importantly, she<br />
is the proud parent of two amazing sons.<br />
Visit kellycleeve.com or follow her on<br />
Instagram @resilient_kel and Facebook<br />
– Raising Resilient Children/Radiant and<br />
Resilient.<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>April</strong>/<strong>May</strong> <strong>2021</strong> 11
Baby Talk in Any Language<br />
Babies prefer baby talk in any language, but particularly<br />
when it’s in a language they’re hearing at home, according<br />
to a new study including close to 700 babies on four<br />
continents. The research, published in the journal Advances<br />
in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science, showed<br />
that all babies respond more to infant-directed speech— baby<br />
talk—than they do to adult-directed speech. It also revealed<br />
that babies as young as six months can pick up on differences<br />
in language around them.<br />
The study involved 17 labs on four continents—in Canada,<br />
the United States, Europe, Australia and Singapore—and tested<br />
333 bilingual and 385 monolingual children. Babies were separated<br />
into groups of 6-9-month-olds and 12-15-month-olds.<br />
The bilingual babies shared at least one of their two languages<br />
with the monolinguals.<br />
Each baby was played short, pre-recorded tapes of Englishspeaking<br />
mothers using infant-directed and adult-directed<br />
speech. The researchers then measured each baby’s looking<br />
time while those recordings were playing.<br />
Although infants exposed to many different languages<br />
showed the same listening preference, those babies who came<br />
from homes in which English was spoken paid even more attention<br />
to the infant-directed speech. The more familiar they<br />
were with the language, the more they liked that infant-directed<br />
speech. So a baby who is hearing English 75 per cent of the<br />
time in their home would show a greater preference than a<br />
baby who is hearing English 25 per cent of the time.<br />
To read “A Multi-lab Study of Bilingual Infants: Exploring the Preference<br />
for Infant-Directed Speech”, visit Advances in Methods and Practices in<br />
Psychological Science at psyarxiv.com/sqh9d.<br />
day camps<br />
are back!<br />
watch our new sumMer video<br />
at qwanoes.ca/sumMer/media<br />
the best of<br />
summer from<br />
monday to friday!<br />
Return bus<br />
transportation<br />
for some weeks!<br />
12 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
BRANDED CONTENT<br />
VANCOUVER-BASED MEAL KIT COMPANY<br />
SERVING UP SUSTAINABILITY AND TASTY FAMILY MEALS<br />
My son loves trying new things! When he finds something new and<br />
interesting, I hear about it constantly. So when he asked about meal kits<br />
after seeing an ad, we thought it was a great solution to family dinners<br />
and a week later we had one delivered. We were all excited, and that<br />
night we cooked up a storm.<br />
The kids got the condiments and seasonings ready, Dad read out the<br />
recipe, and I started cooking. It was a fun and connecting experience<br />
with music on and everyone playing a part. After we finished our<br />
amazing dinner, though, we were surprised to find a counter filled with<br />
containers, baggies, and boxes.<br />
The problem with meal kits, we soon realized, was what was leftover at<br />
the end: the packaging! As great as the experience was, the packaging<br />
was more than we bargained for and put us off meal prep delivery<br />
services.<br />
Things have evolved in a big way over the past year, and families have<br />
even more demands on them than ever. We’re all looking for a little<br />
break and a lot of help. But our past experience with other meal kits had<br />
us hesitant to try again.<br />
Bring us to <strong>2021</strong>, and we discovered that Vancouver-based meal kit<br />
provider, Fresh Prep has provided a solution to the problem. Earlier<br />
this month, the meal kit delivery service brought a first-of-its-kind<br />
sustainable product to market, with the launch of its Zero Waste Kit.<br />
The Fresh Prep Zero Waste Kit is a reusable meal kit container that<br />
significantly reduces waste from single-use plastic, and allows for an<br />
easier and more organized cooking experience. Delivered in Fresh Prep’s<br />
signature cooler bags, all parts of the Zero Waste Kit are made with BPAfree<br />
reusable plastic.<br />
One of the many benefits of using the kit is that you receive preportioned<br />
ingredients in each compartment, resulting in no excess<br />
food waste. You’ll spend less time cutting open plastic as the kits are<br />
structured for grab-and-go cooking. And since the ingredient cups<br />
double up as measuring cups and mixing bowls, there’s instantly less of<br />
a mess for you to clean up afterwards.<br />
Finally, a meal kit that is delicious, convenient AND sustainable! No<br />
cardboard boxes here, as deliveries are made in reusable, insulated<br />
cooler bags that are exchanged upon next delivery.<br />
Today, families are much more aware of their footprint in the world:<br />
our cities have massive recycling programs, schools require zero-waste<br />
lunches, and we use reusable containers as much as possible. So it just<br />
makes sense that Fresh Prep is providing convenience and enjoyment at<br />
mealtime together and helping us manage our waste too.<br />
Using a service that helps in our busy lives really adds to our quality of<br />
life. Fresh Prep provides tasty menus each week that you can choose<br />
together as a family, which means the kids get involved in the planning<br />
too. When the meals arrive with pre-measured ingredients, it’s easy for<br />
everyone to participate in the cooking. It’s a great way for busy families<br />
to spend a little time together in the kitchen<br />
and around the dinner table!<br />
Given the value, we’re amazed<br />
that Fresh Prep is one of the<br />
more affordable meal kit<br />
offerings having a lower<br />
price per serving and<br />
minimum order costs<br />
than competitors.<br />
As a family, we still<br />
get the same locallysourced,<br />
high-quality<br />
ingredients and chefquality<br />
recipes that<br />
Fresh Prep is known<br />
for, at a great price and<br />
without the waste we don’t<br />
want.<br />
As if there wasn’t already enough to<br />
love, there is more to Fresh Prep than just meal<br />
kits. They have also added quick meals, salads, kids meals and sides to<br />
your delivery options which make great lunches and snacks too. Over<br />
75% of ingredients and Add-on items are supplied by local companies<br />
and suppliers, and the kits are also prepared and packaged locally, to<br />
deliver fresh and high quality ingredients to people across BC.<br />
Plus, you can gift meals to a family or friend who needs a little extra help<br />
too. We’re hooked!<br />
ZERO WASTE RECIPES ARE ON THE FRESH PREP WEBSITE<br />
NOW, AND ARE GRADUALLY ROLLING OUT ACROSS THE<br />
ENTIRE MENU. IF YOU HAVEN’T SIGNED UP YET,<br />
YOU CAN PREVIEW THE MENU AT<br />
WWW.FRESHPREP.CA/MENU/THIS-WEEK<br />
10<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
www.WestCoastFamilies.com<br />
BRANDED CONTENT<br />
<strong>April</strong>/<strong>May</strong> <strong>2021</strong> 13
The Challenges of<br />
First-time <strong>Parent</strong>hood<br />
Although becoming a parent comes<br />
with countless ups and downs, many<br />
enter parenthood with eyes wide open to<br />
some of the challenges of taking care of a<br />
new baby. They have heard other parents<br />
talk about how peace and quiet will be in<br />
short supply and dirty diapers and sleepless<br />
nights will become the norm. However,<br />
diapers and sleep were rarely listed<br />
among the top concerns for new parents<br />
interviewed by researchers from the Department<br />
of Psychology at the University<br />
of Victoria.<br />
Instead, new moms and dads were<br />
more likely to talk about the parts of parenthood<br />
less often mentioned in popular<br />
media and in public imagination:<br />
• They talked about the frustration of<br />
waiting in line at walk-in clinics because<br />
they were without family doctors, or of<br />
calling daycares over and over again just<br />
to get put on a waitlist.<br />
• They described being surprised by<br />
the challenges of breastfeeding, a process<br />
that they had been told would be “natural”<br />
and “easy.”<br />
• They talked about isolation, a challenge<br />
new parents faced long before the<br />
COVID-19 pandemic put an end to many<br />
in-person services.<br />
These are some of the experiences firsttime<br />
parents shared during 20 interviews<br />
in 2019 and early 2020. Fourteen new<br />
moms and six new dads were interviewed<br />
to gain a better understanding of the resources<br />
available to parents in the Victoria<br />
area and to pinpoint where they could<br />
use greater support. The interviews were<br />
part of the larger “Perinatal Resources<br />
for <strong>Parent</strong>s” (PeRC) study, funded by a<br />
University of Victoria Internal Research<br />
Grant awarded to Dr. Erica Woodin.<br />
The biggest challenges mentioned by<br />
most parents related to ongoing, systemic<br />
issues in the Victoria area such as the<br />
high cost of living, lack of family doctors,<br />
and shortage of childcare spaces. Most<br />
parents in the study did not have family<br />
doctors and found themselves waiting<br />
in line at walk-in clinics and receiving<br />
minimal continuation of care. Even early<br />
childhood vaccinations were difficult<br />
to come by, with local Public Health<br />
Units booking far in advance. <strong>Parent</strong>s<br />
frequently had to make use of same day<br />
appointments to get their vaccinations,<br />
which meant calling the Health Unit each<br />
morning until they were able to secure an<br />
appointment.<br />
Similar to the lack of available doctors,<br />
parents also expressed frustration surrounding<br />
the lack of available childcare<br />
in Victoria. When asked about childcare,<br />
many parents admitted they were still on<br />
waitlists and worried about being about<br />
to return to work once their parental<br />
leave was over. Those who had secured<br />
spots had placed their child on waitlists<br />
before they were even born, a practice<br />
some parents found out was commonplace<br />
only too late.<br />
“I realized when he was…a couple<br />
months old already,” said one participant,<br />
“that we should’ve been on top of<br />
this and then that’s just one more thing<br />
that I had to worry about.”<br />
<strong>Parent</strong>s were equally surprised by an<br />
aspect of parenting that many had never<br />
thought to worry about: breastfeeding.<br />
Almost all parents in the study expressed<br />
concerns around breastfeeding and about<br />
half noted it was a primary area of difficulty<br />
for them or their partner during<br />
early parenthood.<br />
Many were quick to point out that<br />
there are ample resources for breastfeeding<br />
parents in Victoria but that they had<br />
to access several services before issues<br />
with breastfeeding resolved. For others,<br />
despite accessing many services, breastfeeding<br />
continued to be difficult or had<br />
to be discontinued. <strong>Parent</strong>s were often<br />
surprised by how difficult breastfeeding<br />
was or felt shame in being unable to feed<br />
their child.<br />
“Before you have a baby, you assume<br />
that it’s natural and that it’s easy, and<br />
that’s how babies eat, and that it should<br />
14 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
just happen like that,” said one parent.<br />
“It doesn’t. It’s so challenging and, despite<br />
the fact that it’s natural, you have<br />
to have all of your ducks lined up for it<br />
work smoothly.”<br />
Although all parents faced unique challenges,<br />
common threads such a trouble<br />
with breastfeeding and barriers to accessing<br />
medical and childcare services<br />
emerged in the interviews. Along with a<br />
clear need for greater local resources to<br />
support health care access and childcare<br />
availability, participants also said they<br />
would benefit from messages that normalize<br />
the challenges of breastfeeding<br />
and de-stigmatize some women’s inability<br />
to breastfeed.<br />
Check out more information on local<br />
parent and family resources and about<br />
research being conducted by the University<br />
of Victoria’s Healthy Relationships<br />
Lab at: onlineacademiccommunity.uvic.<br />
ca/healthyrelationshipslab.<br />
Lauren Matheson is a PhD Student in the<br />
Clinical Psychology Program at the University of<br />
Victoria.<br />
Time to Take the First Steps<br />
Glenlyon Norfolk School is excited to announce that we will be offering a First Steps<br />
Junior Kindergarten half-day pilot program this fall, primarily for three-year-olds. These<br />
young students will have the opportunity to learn and play in an environment that is<br />
Montessori based within the framework of the respected inquiry-focussed IB Primary Years<br />
Programme. Nature School as well as Art, French and PE with our specialist teachers, will<br />
complement the work of the classroom teachers. And, of course, there will be ample time<br />
for the unstructured play that is so crucial for early childhood development. Please contact<br />
admissions@mygns.ca or visit our website for more information.<br />
IB CONTINUUM<br />
CONTINUUM DE L’IB<br />
CONTINUO DEL IB<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>April</strong>/<strong>May</strong> <strong>2021</strong> 15
Tax Time!<br />
There are few things more frustrating and confusing than<br />
money for the modern family. For many families, this time<br />
of year is the climax of those emotions as we find ourselves in<br />
the middle of tax season.<br />
But before we look at the current season, take this opportunity<br />
to look ahead to next season. This is a conversation I have<br />
on a regular basis as an accredited financial counsellor. At any<br />
given point, there is very little about our current financial situation<br />
that is managed, or fixed, by looking down where our feet<br />
are planted now. Planning ahead is nearly always the solution<br />
and tax time is no different.<br />
Get organised. A simple filing system can make a world of<br />
difference. Choose from paper or paperless to get started, get<br />
your supplies, and spend an afternoon getting started. Expert<br />
TIP: Place a “To Be Filled” folder in the kitchen, or command<br />
centre, for those statements and bills amid a hectic day.<br />
Save for your tax bill. If there’s a chance that CRA will be<br />
calling to collect, start saving each month now. Looking at your<br />
most recent return is a good way to estimate what your future<br />
might hold. Expert TIP: Open a separate account, start automated<br />
transfers in, and name the account “Tax.”<br />
Seek support. If you have a question about your financial<br />
situation, find a professional to answer it. Too often we shy<br />
away from paying for help and end up costing ourselves more<br />
in the future. (Expert TIP: Join the free group on Facebook<br />
called Black Is The New Red to participate in exciting conversations<br />
about money.)<br />
Now that we’ve looked ahead, let’s look at what’s right in<br />
front of us. While I don’t offer tax advice in my practise, I do<br />
hear the vibrant chatter each spring. Because getting organized<br />
to take our file to the accountant can be confusing, I’ve put<br />
together a quick reference list for some of the most common<br />
areas of concern:<br />
• Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP): Contributions are<br />
not tax deductible.<br />
• Canada Child Benefit (CCB): Benefit is not taxable.<br />
• Affordable Childcare Benefit (ACCB): Benefit is not taxable.<br />
• Childcare expenses: Deductible up to $8000 for children under<br />
age 7 and $5000 for children under age 5.<br />
• Fitness and/or arts credit: Those were removed a few years<br />
ago when CCB was increased.<br />
• Medical expenses: If you were not reimbursed for your expenses<br />
and you spent more than 3 per cent, you can claim.<br />
• Work from home: if you worked from home for more than<br />
50 per cent of the time for four consecutive weeks, you can<br />
claim $2 per day.<br />
In <strong>2021</strong>, there are many online resources to help you. Please<br />
ensure you’re using reputable resources like canada.ca or work<br />
with an experienced professional to prepare your tax return.<br />
This article should not be considered tax advice.<br />
Lindsay Plumb is coach and founder of MOOLA<br />
Financial Coaches & Advisors. yourmoola.ca.<br />
16 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
We’re Going on a Nature Hunt!<br />
Do you know a budding biologist? A little nature lover? A young (or young at heart)<br />
scientist? Are you and your family interested in learning more about the amazing<br />
biodiversity that lives right outside your door? Grab your binoculars, camera and<br />
sense of curiosity and participate in the CRD’s first ever Biodiversity Challenge.<br />
Between <strong>May</strong> 21 and 24, <strong>2021</strong> join other nature lovers across Greater Victoria<br />
to build a record of the species that surround us using the free iNaturalist Canada<br />
website or app. iNaturalist provides image recognition for photos you take of local<br />
nature, so that you and your family can learn to identify new plants and animals<br />
while having fun outdoors. With an adult’s help, iNaturalist is an engaging way for<br />
kids to learn about nature and participate in real world citizen science.<br />
BRANDED CONTENT<br />
Joining the CRD’s Biodiversity Challenge is simple and fun:<br />
Find nature in your backyard, neighbourhood, favourite park or beach between<br />
<strong>May</strong> 21–24. Observations of wild native plants, animals, fungi, insects, tracks, or<br />
even scat are all welcome.<br />
Use a digital camera or smart phone to capture your sightings.<br />
Create a free iNaturalist account and upload your observations and photos.<br />
Identify your findings as best you can and have people from the iNaturalist<br />
community help confirm your identifications.<br />
Search iNaturalist for the CRD’s Biodiversity Challenge project page to see live<br />
updates of what other families are finding. Join the project to have the chance to<br />
win some fun prizes.<br />
Biodiversity at your Doorstep<br />
You do not have to stray far from home to find amazing plants, animals and<br />
ecosystems in the capital region. Did you know that Greater Victoria lies in one of<br />
Canada’s nature hotspots, bursting with an incredible diversity of plants and wildlife?<br />
Nestled among our neighbourhoods and workplaces are salmon-bearing streams,<br />
Garry oak meadows, vibrant wetlands and dynamic shorelines. In our backyards and<br />
local parks we can find pollinating insects, migrating birds, native wildflowers, and<br />
towering trees. This incredible abundance of life, or biodiversity, supports clean air<br />
and water, food security, recreational and cultural opportunities, and is key to the<br />
high quality of life we enjoy in the capital region.<br />
Observing and learning about the natural world that surrounds us can boost<br />
mental health and wellbeing, and is a key step in conserving nature for future<br />
generations. Visit crd.bc.ca/biodiversity for more information on biodiversity in<br />
the CRD and the iNaturalist challenge, including details about prizes and iNaturalist<br />
resources that will help you get started.<br />
Calling all nature lovers!<br />
Join the CRD’s<br />
Biodiversity Challenge!<br />
Friday, <strong>May</strong> 21 - 24, <strong>2021</strong><br />
How many plants, animals and fungi can you find? Join us on <strong>May</strong><br />
long weekend and get outside with your family to explore the diversity<br />
of life around us! Enter your observations into the free and simple<br />
iNaturalist app and check out what other people have found too!<br />
Learn more at www.crd.bc.ca/biodiversity<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>April</strong>/<strong>May</strong> <strong>2021</strong> 17
DADSPEAK<br />
Life After COVID-19<br />
know things aren’t always like this, right? You won’t<br />
always have to wear a mask or stay away from people<br />
“You<br />
or line up outside stores to get in?”<br />
So I found myself awkwardly asking my oldest kid the other<br />
day, as we celebrated one year of life with the plague, one year of<br />
awkward side-stepping strangers, one year of being unclear on if<br />
we’re allowed to have playdates (no) or meet friends at the park<br />
(yes, I think) or go to the grandparents’ houses (no). And, man, it’s<br />
the last one that’s the killer, our kids barely seeing their grandparents<br />
for the past year; considering our youngest is barely two years<br />
old, that’s a big deal.<br />
It’s all just so awkward, really. Before the pandemic my kids had<br />
started to get a bit of independence; maybe they would hop over<br />
to the grocery store by themselves to grab a snack. Now, with all<br />
the rules and regulations, with all the increased tension and news<br />
reports of horribly miserable people getting into fights with store<br />
clerks because they don’t want to wear masks, I just think, no, my<br />
kids aren’t ready for that.<br />
Of course, none of us was ready for this, which is probably why<br />
people are miserable, people are getting into fights, people are just<br />
staying home with their kids, getting increasingly more agitated as<br />
the days, weeks, months pass.<br />
We celebrate a year of kinda barely living by continuing to<br />
kinda barely live, passing on taking the extracurricular stuff online<br />
because that just isn’t working on our end, Zoom malfunctions<br />
leading to familial malfunctions until all plugs are pulled.<br />
After homeschooling for a while, we actually put our kids<br />
back in school—during a pandemic! Well, we put our kids back<br />
in school because of the pandemic, really. Because homeschooled<br />
kids aren’t allowed indoor playdates with other kids, it just all<br />
become a bit too much, a bit too much time spent without social<br />
contact.<br />
I’m still not entirely sure about that decision, but are any of us<br />
entirely sure about any parenting decision we’ve made during the<br />
pandemic?<br />
This is a messed-up time to be a parent, no doubt about it.<br />
Every decision—seriously, even just running into the mall to grab<br />
something—becomes a matter of life or death, even for people like<br />
me who regularly eat food off the ground (I don’t mean food I just<br />
dropped, I mean, “Holy crap, I found a chip on my floor, Daddy’s<br />
day is looking up.”) and aren’t exactly what you could call a germophobe<br />
by any stretch of the imagination. We forget our masks,<br />
we curse under our breath, we lament the fact that our kids all just<br />
lost a year of their lives, a year of what should be the best time of<br />
their lives.<br />
We were barely getting the hang of parenting before this. Now<br />
we’re relearning.<br />
“Do you remember what it was like before this?” I added on<br />
Safe, Socially-Distanced<br />
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This Spring, Elevate is kicking off weekly disc<br />
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your athletes are guaranteed to have fun, in a safe way!<br />
Sign up or learn more today: victoria@elevateultimate.com<br />
18 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
OLYMPICGARTEN CAMP<br />
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to my line of questioning to my daughter,<br />
who said yes as she kinda rolled her eyes at<br />
me, reminding me that, hmm, alright, kids<br />
are maybe a bit more resilient than we are<br />
and don’t overthink things as much as us<br />
adults do.<br />
Still, I yearn for the day when I can<br />
shake another dad’s hand in greeting, when<br />
my kids can go to the store without having<br />
to worry about total societal collapse<br />
around them resulting in strangers spitting<br />
on each other in fear and anger (or walking<br />
the wrong way down an aisle), when I can<br />
just make a decision without factoring in<br />
COVID-19 restrictions that I need to recheck<br />
every single time because I can never<br />
remember what exactly they are.<br />
I guess, like everyone else, I just want our<br />
lives back. And, like every parent out there<br />
right now, I just want my kids’ lives back.<br />
Greg Pratt is the father<br />
of three children and a local<br />
journalist and editor. His<br />
writing has appeared in,<br />
among other places, Today’s<br />
<strong>Parent</strong>, Decibel and Douglas.<br />
He is @gregprattwriter<br />
on Twitter.<br />
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<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>April</strong>/<strong>May</strong> <strong>2021</strong> 19
BRANDED CONTENT<br />
In 2012, Robert Bateman, a world-renowned<br />
artist and environmentalist, founded the<br />
Bateman Foundation. He wanted to help<br />
people reconnect with nature, hoping that, in<br />
turn, people would be inspired to conserve<br />
and protect it. The goal is to create a lasting<br />
legacy—one where our world is preserved<br />
and our children “know their neighbours.”<br />
This is not an easy task to accomplish, and<br />
the foundation started small. Nine years later,<br />
its flagship program—Nature Sketch—has<br />
become a great success. The premise behind<br />
Nature Sketch is simple: rebuilding our relationships<br />
with nature by sketching it. Participants<br />
are guided by artists and naturalists as<br />
they learn about local ecosystems through<br />
sketch and study.<br />
In the trying times of a pandemic, the need<br />
for people to connect with nature is even<br />
greater. Sketching nature not only promotes<br />
knowledge, understanding and connection<br />
to the environment, but the act itself is also<br />
a mindful one: taking time to stop, look and<br />
sketch can be a useful tool for managing<br />
mental health in a time of isolation and anxiety.<br />
The Bateman Foundation redesigned<br />
its programs in the wake of COVID-19, and<br />
the new online courses attracted participants<br />
from as far as Europe. They have also<br />
launched free drop-in sessions guided by an<br />
art therapist for the local community. Swing<br />
by the Bateman Gallery in Victoria on Tuesday<br />
evenings or Thursday mornings, and you will<br />
be welcomed to express your unique creativity<br />
and find support in each other.<br />
In <strong>2021</strong>, the foundation will re-introduce<br />
in-person outdoor education programs on<br />
Vancouver <strong>Island</strong>, after months of preparation<br />
to integrate new safety protocols. In Victoria<br />
and Duncan, you might be able to see participants<br />
of all ages studying and sketching<br />
outdoors on the weekends: Junior and Adult<br />
classes will run on Saturdays starting in <strong>May</strong>.<br />
Meanwhile, online programs will continue to<br />
run—if Nature Sketch is not yet available in<br />
your area, you can still join in!<br />
This past year has taught us to appreciate<br />
the importance of nature in our lives. Studies<br />
have shown reconnecting with nature can<br />
improve mental health, boost energy and promote<br />
overall well-being. Nature helps children<br />
unleash creativity, and gives them a chance<br />
to exercise, play and discover. The Bateman<br />
Foundation is very proud to be doing this<br />
work. In the words of Robert Bateman: “Nature<br />
is magic.”<br />
For information on Nature Sketch classes<br />
in your area and online, please visit<br />
batemanfoundation.org/naturesketch.<br />
20 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
Eco Grief<br />
Acts of love to help kids mourn what is being lost<br />
Mom, who cries for the orca?” asked my six-year-old son<br />
asked.<br />
It was 2018, orca J35, Tahlequah, carried her dead baby<br />
across 1,600 km of the Pacific Ocean for 17 days.<br />
“We can,” I answered and we both wept. It was a relief to<br />
share my tears with someone.<br />
I felt unsure how to lead a meaningful and age-appropriate<br />
way to mark this sorrow end. We chose to kayak in “our” cove<br />
near Haro Strait to offer a prayer and gratitude. We also created<br />
a piece of impermanent Earth art on the beach with shells,<br />
sea glass, stones, and leaves.<br />
Nature is important to acknowledge. It reminds us of our<br />
lasting connection to the living world and each other. But have<br />
we allowed ourselves to mourn these kinds of losses? What are<br />
the rituals for losing a baby orca, or an entire species?<br />
Our culture feels broken. Society tells us idolize work ethic,<br />
make money, and serve the economy. Yet, it’s obvious we are<br />
witnessing and contributing to ecological collapse. Can we<br />
reconcile the life we meant to create with reality—a disconnect<br />
from the living world, ourselves and one another?<br />
We can skill-up to mark sorrow endings and we must.<br />
Let’s offer more reverence for the death of a songbird after<br />
hitting the kitchen window and the loss of old-growth forests.<br />
What if we knew how to tend to these moments with the same<br />
energy we give to celebrations like the tooth fairy and birthday<br />
parties?<br />
Eco grief is the pain or physiological response to the loss of<br />
non-human kin. It also requires healthy grief expression because<br />
we can mourn for nature.<br />
Benefits of making grief your friend<br />
• It invites us to be more intimate with the Earth<br />
• It’s a wise and healing force within each of us<br />
• Processing it can help counteract violence against the Earth<br />
• Processing grief expands us<br />
• Emotional tears excrete toxins and stimulate the production<br />
of endorphins, a chemical in the body to relieve stress and<br />
pain.<br />
Dr. Gordon Neufeld a developmental psychologist and bestselling<br />
author, ensures us happiness is on the other side of tears,<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>April</strong>/<strong>May</strong> <strong>2021</strong> 21
Healthy Families, Happy Families<br />
Child, Youth<br />
& Family<br />
Public Health<br />
South <strong>Island</strong> Health Units<br />
Esquimalt 250-519-5311<br />
Gulf <strong>Island</strong>s 250-539-3099<br />
(toll-free number for office in Saanichton)<br />
Peninsula 250-544-2400<br />
Saanich 250-519-5100<br />
Saltspring <strong>Island</strong> 250-538-4880<br />
Sooke 250-519-3487<br />
Victoria 250-388-2200<br />
West Shore 250-519-3490<br />
Central <strong>Island</strong> Health Units<br />
Duncan 250-709-3050<br />
Ladysmith 250-755-3342<br />
Lake Cowichan 250-749-6878<br />
Nanaimo 250-755-3342<br />
Nanaimo 250-739-5845<br />
Princess Royal<br />
Parksville/Qualicum 250-947-8242<br />
Port Alberni 250-731-1315<br />
Tofino 250-725-4020<br />
North <strong>Island</strong> Health Units<br />
Campbell River 250-850-2110<br />
Courtenay 250-331-8520<br />
Kyuquot Health Ctr 250-332-5289<br />
‘Namgis Health Ctr 250-974-5522<br />
Port Hardy 250-902-6071<br />
islandhealth.ca/our-locations/<br />
health-unit-locations<br />
Changes with BC Medical Services Plan<br />
premiums mean that families eligible for partial<br />
payment of some medical services and access<br />
to some income-based programs now must<br />
apply for Supplementary Benefits through the<br />
Government of BC. Applications can be done<br />
online and take approximately 15 minutes.<br />
Families who previously qualified for MSP<br />
Premium Assistance should not need to re-apply<br />
if taxes are completed yearly. It is advised to<br />
confirm coverage before proceeding with<br />
treatment to avoid paying out of pocket.<br />
For more information, visit gov.bc.ca/gov/<br />
content/health/health-drug-coverage/msp/<br />
bc-residents/benefits/services-covered-bymsp/supplementary-benefits<br />
it builds our strength, and tears signal a<br />
turning point.<br />
Shauna Janz of Sacred Grief speaks to<br />
the costs of grief avoidance and having<br />
our losses accumulate:<br />
• They go unfelt, unacknowledged,<br />
and unresolved<br />
• It compromises our aliveness (grief<br />
expression = vitality and joy)<br />
• We deny our birthright to grieve<br />
Grief needs a container, to be witnessed<br />
and shared. There’s so much in our lives<br />
we can’t change. Children and adults<br />
need rest from trying to change it. Yet,<br />
to be fully human we need to feel. Grief<br />
can rearrange our insides, and we will<br />
be forever changed. A container—ritual,<br />
ceremony, activity—can prevent feelings<br />
of overwhelm or closing down.<br />
Eight kid-friendly ways to<br />
grieve for our living world:<br />
Try these ideas to support a child with<br />
the loss of a tree cut at school, finding<br />
a dead fledgling after a storm, or help<br />
with the loss of a beloved pet. Hint: You<br />
may choose to avoid the word grief when<br />
speaking with young children. You can<br />
name feelings of sadness or honour a<br />
goodbye.<br />
1. Energy can’t die or be destroyed.<br />
A mink once killed our rented pair of<br />
chickens. My then 6- and 2-year-old<br />
cried. We chose to keep a feather from<br />
each in a jar, and I helped them reflect on<br />
how Cream Puff and Fig left their mark.<br />
For weeks they had torn up my garden<br />
and pooped everywhere! We remember<br />
them each time we pluck a juicy raspberry,<br />
strawberry, or carrot. Their energy<br />
doesn’t disappear.<br />
2. Create a shrine or altar. There is<br />
no wrong way to do this. Let the child’s<br />
heart lead to create this container for<br />
their grief. It’s a tangible way to honour,<br />
remember and reflect on what’s alive in<br />
their hearts and spirit. Simple tips are:<br />
• It should comfort and nurture them<br />
• It can be inside or outside<br />
• Choose a box, a tin, or special spot<br />
in the garden<br />
• Add items from nature like leaves,<br />
branches, shells, even a found bird nest<br />
• Add photos, fabric (or other textures<br />
like clay), a chime or bell<br />
The purpose is to offer a sanctuary or<br />
refuge. Children may choose to visit often<br />
or at the same time each week or month.<br />
You can sit in silence, close your eyes or<br />
journal here.<br />
Alan Wolfelt, a leading death educator<br />
and author says “Personal times of still-<br />
22 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
ness are a spiritual necessity. Grief is only transformed when<br />
you honor the quiet forces of stillness.”<br />
3. Create impermanent Earth art. An Earth altar, land art<br />
or nature mandala is a simple way to acknowledge sorrow<br />
and joy. Need inspiration? My family took a workshop by<br />
Day Schildkret of Morning Altars. See the beauty he creates @<br />
MorningAltars, read his book, get a calendar, or consider an<br />
online workshop. It’s a heartfelt way to acknowledge a loss,<br />
or life in a humble way. Don’t forget to pay gratitude to items<br />
from nature (leaves, flowers, shells, seeds, etc.) you collect.<br />
Practice consent-based harvesting.<br />
4. Walking meditation. Walk a labyrinth (we have two in<br />
our neighbourhood and you might discover a local one, too!)<br />
or choose a favourite trail. Invite kids to ask a question, or<br />
set an intention then walk in silence (even a couple minutes<br />
counts).<br />
5. Journal. A child who feels heavy with sorrow for the<br />
world may want to share more. Writing can be a release, an<br />
emotional playground. Need prompts? Try “my sadness for the<br />
dead baby bird or clearcut forest…”<br />
• Feels like…<br />
• Sounds like…<br />
• Is shaped like…<br />
• Smells like…<br />
• Is coloured like…<br />
• Has energy like…<br />
6. Write a letter or poem to Mother Nature (drawings are<br />
great). Help a child express their gratitude. What you love<br />
about her: her smell, sounds, colours or how she makes you<br />
feel, etc. You can choose to hang the letter, drawings and notes<br />
in a favourite tree. (Psst, this is how neighbourhood gratitude<br />
trees start!)<br />
7. Restore a local green space. My family is a volunteer<br />
steward for woods near our home. Check with your city for<br />
work parties to remove invasive species, or a beach clean-up.<br />
Be part of a team or lead one to make beauty where ugliness<br />
has set in. We all can restore a world dying and in disrepair.<br />
Experiences in nature promote a deep sense of well-being and<br />
puts us in touch with spirit.<br />
8. Sing, listen to music or watch a film. To feel emotions<br />
sometimes it’s easier to be one step removed from them. Watching<br />
a sad movie or listening to a sad song might help when grief<br />
is too hard to touch directly.<br />
Sometimes there’s nothing to do but cry. These acts of love<br />
can help little hearts find a little rest.<br />
Nurture wonder. Find magic. Seek beauty and experience<br />
more awe. To mark loss and love is work for us all and helps us<br />
restore respect and connection with Mother Earth.<br />
Lindsay Coulter is a dedicated mother<br />
of two, naturalist, community catalyst, soul<br />
activist, mentor, writer and horse lover. Find<br />
her @SaneAction on Instagram and Facebook.<br />
She’s also the Director of Communications,<br />
Culture and Community of EPIC Learning Centre,<br />
a forest and nature school in Victoria, BC.<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>April</strong>/<strong>May</strong> <strong>2021</strong> 23
APRIL/MAYFAMILYCALENDAR<br />
For more information and calendar<br />
updates throughout the month<br />
visit <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
APRIL<br />
V<br />
P<br />
W<br />
Victoria & Area<br />
Peninsula<br />
Westshore<br />
CV<br />
N<br />
CX<br />
Cowichan Valley<br />
Nanaimo & Area<br />
Comox Valley<br />
PR<br />
G<br />
O<br />
Pacific Rim<br />
Gulf <strong>Island</strong>s<br />
Online<br />
1 THURSDAY<br />
Esquimalt Farmer’s Market V<br />
4:30–7:30pm, Bullen Field<br />
A community farmers market committed to<br />
healthy and local living, relationship building, and<br />
environmental sustainability. (Weekly until Sept.)<br />
esquimaltmarket.com<br />
Sea + Cedar Call for Submissions O<br />
The Vancouver <strong>Island</strong> Regional Library (VIRL) is<br />
currently seeking submissions of short fiction, creative<br />
non-fiction, poetry and artwork for the first<br />
issue of our new serial digital publication, Sea<br />
& Cedar Magazine. The submission deadline to<br />
have your work considered for our Summer Issue<br />
(July <strong>2021</strong>) is <strong>May</strong> 15. (Recurring.)<br />
virl.bc.ca<br />
2 FRIDAY TO 5 MONDAY<br />
Easter Book Hunt<br />
CX<br />
4pm, Robert Ostler Park<br />
Put on your super-seeker goggles and find ONE<br />
of 50 specially marked “Egg Tags” hidden around<br />
the library courtyard and in Ostler (pirate) park.<br />
Bring the “Egg Tag” to the library before <strong>April</strong> 15<br />
and redeem it for a book of your choice.<br />
virl.bc.ca<br />
7 WEDNESDAY<br />
Dads with Dads<br />
V<br />
6:30–8:30pm, Centennial United Church<br />
A weekly drop in group designed to offer support<br />
and community to men in the process of exploring<br />
father related concerns. (Weekly.)<br />
singleparentvictoria.ca<br />
8 THURSDAY<br />
Healthy Boundaries<br />
V<br />
6:30–8:30pm, 1UP Single <strong>Parent</strong> Resource<br />
Centre (weekly)<br />
Join this 6-week, in-person course. Due to COVID<br />
restrictions, the courses will have 5 participants<br />
and 1 facilitator to enable social distancing.<br />
singleparentvictoria.ca<br />
16 FRIDAY<br />
Opening: Orcas, Our Shared Future V<br />
10am–6pm, Royal BC Museum (ongoing)<br />
Dive deep into the stories and science that surround<br />
the magnificent orca, spirit of BC’s wild<br />
coast and apex predator of all oceans.<br />
royalbcmuseum.bc.ca<br />
SUMMER FUN<br />
FOR EVERYONE!<br />
Offering programs in Leadership, Science, Technology, Sports,<br />
Outdoor Ed, Robotics, Art, Cooking, Sewing and Business!<br />
www.smus.ca/summercamps<br />
24 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
18 SUNDAY<br />
Family Sunday<br />
V<br />
2–4pm, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria<br />
Enjoy an afternoon of exploring hands-on artmaking<br />
and ideas for all ages. This recurring program<br />
is Oct-June and features special guests like<br />
storytellers, artists, performers or musicians.<br />
aggv.ca<br />
MAY<br />
2 SUNDAY<br />
Woodgrove Mother’s Day Market N<br />
10am–3pm, Woodgrove Shopping Centre<br />
An outdoor shopping event where you’ll find<br />
all your favourite artisans in one place. 100’s of<br />
unique locally made gift ideas. Located out front<br />
of Woodgrove Shopping Centre in the parking lot.<br />
woodgrovecentre.com<br />
6 THURSDAY<br />
Social Media Awareness,<br />
O<br />
Digital Citizenship & Cyberbullying<br />
7pm, online<br />
<strong>Parent</strong>s lead the charge as a digital role model.<br />
Help your child develop a strong digital citizenship<br />
foundation while reminding them that their<br />
digital tattoo reflects their real and online selves.<br />
A snapshot of current trends and concerning apps<br />
will be provided to equip you in your digital parenting<br />
strategy.<br />
speacsocialmedia.eventbrite.ca<br />
8 SATURDAY & 9 SUNDAY<br />
Sarah Beckett Memorial Run O<br />
6am Saturday – 6pm Sunday<br />
The <strong>2021</strong> Sarah Beckett Memorial Run has gone<br />
virtual! This means you can participate in the<br />
walk or run any place you want. Outside on a trail<br />
or even in the comfort of your own home on a<br />
treadmill.<br />
sarahbeckettmemorialrun.com<br />
16 SUNDAY<br />
Family Sunday<br />
V<br />
2–4pm, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria<br />
Enjoy an afternoon of exploring hands-on artmaking<br />
and ideas for all ages. This recurring program<br />
is Oct–June and features special guests like<br />
storytellers, artists, performers or musicians.<br />
aggv.ca<br />
Science & Nature<br />
summer camps<br />
Five day Summer camp $240<br />
Register at: www.cowichanestuary.ca<br />
or email: camps@cowichanestuary.ca<br />
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!<br />
Registration is Open!<br />
July-Aug <strong>2021</strong><br />
Summer Camps!<br />
Campers will explore the life of pollinators, shoreline<br />
plants, inter-tidal species and coastal birds, practice<br />
their discovery skills, expression of gratitude, and<br />
respect for self and others through play!<br />
We are excited to offer week-long camps in July and<br />
August as well as one day camps on August 3th, 4th<br />
and 5th. We incorporate COVID-19 advisories into our<br />
programming and daily routines to ensure a safe and<br />
fun experience for all campers!<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>April</strong>/<strong>May</strong> <strong>2021</strong> 25
Motherhood<br />
As children, we see our mothers<br />
through rose-coloured lenses.<br />
They’re that wonderful combination<br />
of softness and warmth combined with<br />
wisdom and a steely strength. They’re the<br />
ones who whisper endearments to us in<br />
the middle of the night to ward off night<br />
terrors or patch up scraped knees and<br />
elbows with ease or remove a splinter<br />
or two with the expertise of a surgeon.<br />
They somehow anticipate every one of<br />
our needs and seem to have an answer<br />
for every question. By far, they are our<br />
greatest teachers as well as our greatest<br />
advocates.<br />
As children grow, mothers become our<br />
confidants, providing advice and guidance<br />
through the often-murky waters<br />
known as adolescence. During these<br />
tumultuous years, they can always be<br />
counted on to have our backs. Even when<br />
many teenagers invariably end up chafing<br />
at the maternal bond in their quest<br />
for independence, they know a mother’s<br />
commitment is always there, steadfast<br />
and unwavering. After all, mothers are in<br />
it for the long haul.<br />
It is this selfless devotion of motherhood<br />
that is so admirable. <strong>May</strong>be it’s<br />
simply hard-wired into us through evolution<br />
in order to ensure the survival of<br />
our species, or maybe it’s the fact that we<br />
have far fewer offspring these days so we<br />
must invest heavily in them, but I tend<br />
to see it that children are an extension<br />
of ourselves. They are by far the greatest<br />
thing we will do in this life.<br />
Certainly, mothers aren’t in it for the<br />
thanks we get, that’s for sure. Most of<br />
us are lucky if we get a quick hug on the<br />
fly or a “thanks, mom” tossed over the<br />
shoulder. But that’s okay. None of us are<br />
in it for the adulation. Our reward comes<br />
years later when our children turn to us<br />
in their hour of need or share the joys<br />
of their own children with us. Being included<br />
and invited into their adult lives is<br />
the best reward.<br />
It’s not until we make that journey into<br />
parenthood ourselves that we can truly<br />
understand and appreciate our mothers.<br />
This hit home with me when I was shopping<br />
for a Mother’s Day card for my own<br />
mother a number of years ago. At first, I<br />
was engrossed in my own search for the<br />
perfect card—not one with any cheesy<br />
sentiment, or a lame sing-song rhyme or<br />
26 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
the inadequate one-liner, but something<br />
special, something heartfelt.<br />
After several minutes, I gradually<br />
became aware of a middle-aged couple<br />
standing beside me who were also on the<br />
same quest. The wife kept showing her<br />
husband different cards, but he rebuffed<br />
each one with a sarcastic or critical remark<br />
or a dismissive wave of the hand.<br />
Finally, he found one of his own choosing<br />
and headed up to the cashier. As the<br />
woman replaced the card she had been<br />
holding, she gave me a sad smile and said<br />
quietly, “I wish I still had a mom to buy<br />
a card for.”<br />
My heart went out to her and I smiled<br />
back in sympathy, but I really had no<br />
true appreciation of her comment until<br />
my own mother passed away on the day<br />
after Mother’s Day in 2017.<br />
Now I am left to contemplate all the<br />
things I wish I’d said to her, the truly important<br />
things like I’m sorry I caused you<br />
sorrow as a result some of my choices,<br />
and thank you for always putting your<br />
children first and supporting me during<br />
the darkest times in my life. I wish I had<br />
told her of the esteem in which I held her<br />
quiet, gentle nature, how she never had<br />
an unkind word for anyone, how much I<br />
wished I could be more like her.<br />
In hindsight, I realize I never got the<br />
chance to ask her things such: as did she<br />
have any regrets? Was there a pivotal moment<br />
in her life? Was there anything she<br />
would have done differently? Those sorts<br />
of questions that a daughter doesn’t think<br />
to ask her mother, except when it’s too<br />
late. What I wouldn’t give for just one<br />
precious hour together with my mother,<br />
to sit down with her and hold her hand<br />
and ask her all these things—to get to<br />
know her as a person, not just as my<br />
mother.<br />
In thinking about the definition of<br />
motherhood, I naturally call to mind my<br />
own mother—someone who loves you<br />
unconditionally, would bear any burden<br />
for you, and would go to the ends of the<br />
earth for your happiness.<br />
Susan Gnucci is a<br />
local author and a proud<br />
“nonna” to two adorable<br />
grandsons. She enjoys<br />
sharing her experiences<br />
as a grandparent.<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>April</strong>/<strong>May</strong> <strong>2021</strong> 27
WHAT’SFORDINNER<br />
Sheet Pan Dinners<br />
I<br />
love<br />
sheet pan dinners. They’re my go-to whenever I don’t<br />
have the energy to think about what to cook for dinner.<br />
Here’s why they are so perfect for a no-fuss and healthy<br />
meal:<br />
There’s not a lot of food prep and they can mostly be done in<br />
advance.<br />
Everything cooks in the oven, so I don’t have to think about<br />
them once they’re in there.<br />
My kids love oven roasted vegetables, so they’re an easy way<br />
to get kids to eat more vegetables.<br />
Here are three simple sheet pan dinners that kids tend to<br />
love—perfect for when you could use a bit of extra time and<br />
don’t want to fuss over the stove.<br />
Sheet Pan Potato Hash<br />
(Prep time 15 minutes; bake time 20 minutes)<br />
Sheet pan potato hash is probably officially a breakfast item, but we<br />
like breakfast for dinner! It’s packed full of vegetables and protein.<br />
It's also perfect for using up whatever you have in the fridge. Replace<br />
the mushrooms and sweet potato with grated carrots or cauliflower.<br />
Replace the kale with spinach, chard or coloured peppers. Really<br />
anything works.<br />
3 large potatoes<br />
1 sweet potato<br />
5 mushrooms<br />
1 onion<br />
3 cloves of garlic<br />
1 bunch of kale<br />
4 piece of bacon (optional)<br />
1 ⁄4 cup of oil<br />
1 Tbsp smoky paprika<br />
1 tsp thyme<br />
1 tsp oregano<br />
1 tsp salt and ground black pepper, to taste<br />
4 eggs<br />
Preheat the oven to 450˚F.<br />
Grate the potatoes, sweet potato and mushrooms. Dice the onion<br />
and garlic. Wash the kale and tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces.<br />
Chop the bacon, if using, into tiny pieces.<br />
Toss everything together with the olive oil. Add in the paprika,<br />
thyme, oregano, salt and pepper. Spread it out on a rimmed baking<br />
sheet.<br />
Bake for 20–30 minutes until everything is cooked and the potatoes<br />
are starting to brown. Toss halfway through to ensure even<br />
browning.<br />
Serve with eggs cooked in your favourite style.<br />
Baked Gnocchi<br />
(Prep time 10 minutes; bake time 20 minutes)<br />
The beauty of this meal is that the gnocchi doesn’t have to be boiled<br />
in advance. The roasted vegetables form the sauce for a delicious<br />
pasta dinner that doesn’t require any effort to prepare.<br />
20 cherry tomatoes<br />
1 red pepper<br />
1 yellow pepper<br />
1 small onion<br />
4 cloves of garlic<br />
1 package of uncooked potato gnocchi (500g)<br />
1⁄4 cup of olive oil<br />
1 ⁄2 tsp dried basil<br />
1⁄2 tsp dried oregano<br />
1⁄2 tsp salt<br />
Grated Parmesan cheese<br />
Preheat the oven to 400˚F.<br />
Slice the cherry tomatoes in half. Chop the coloured peppers into<br />
bite-sized pieces. Slice the onion into bite-sized pieces, and finely<br />
diced the garlic.<br />
Place the gnocchi and the vegetables into the centre of a rimmed<br />
baking sheet. Pour over the olive oil. Sprinkling on the herbs and<br />
salt. Toss everything so that it is fully coated, and spread it evenly<br />
over the baking sheet.<br />
Roast in the oven for 20–30 minutes, tossing once during the<br />
baking time.<br />
Serve with a bit more olive oil and freshly grated Parmesan<br />
cheese.<br />
28 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
JUNIOR GOLF CAMPS<br />
Cauliflower and Potatoes<br />
(Total time 25 minutes)<br />
Crispy baked potatoes and cauliflower are<br />
like a healthy version of fries. Serve this<br />
dinner with your favourite dipping sauces<br />
for a fun and veg-packed meal.<br />
6 to 8 Italian sausages or 2 packages of<br />
tempeh (about 400g total)<br />
2 potatoes<br />
1 sweet potato<br />
1 head of cauliflower<br />
2 Tbsp olive oil<br />
2 cloves of garlic<br />
1⁄2 tsp salt and black pepper, to taste<br />
Preheat the oven to 400˚F.<br />
Slice the sausages into 2cm thick<br />
rounds. Or for a vegan-friendly dinner,<br />
chop tempeh into 2cm cubes. You want<br />
them to be big enough to pick up and dip.<br />
Chop the potatoes and sweet potatoes<br />
into French fry sized sticks about 1 cm<br />
thick. You don’t want them too fat as they<br />
won’t cook quickly enough.<br />
Cut the cauliflower into 2-bite-sized<br />
florets. The stalk is also edible, so don’t<br />
waste it! Chop it into French fry-sized<br />
sticks.<br />
Toss everything, except the garlic onto a<br />
rimmed sheet pan. Drizzle with the olive oil<br />
and toss to combine. Pop it in the oven for<br />
20 minutes.<br />
Meanwhile, finely dice the garlic. After<br />
20 minutes, take the sheet pan out of<br />
the oven, toss everything and add the<br />
garlic, salt and pepper. Bake for another<br />
10 minutes. The dinner is ready when the<br />
vegetables are browning and the sausages<br />
are cooked through.<br />
Summer Break Camps: July 5 through Sept 3<br />
One-week camps are $255 and run from<br />
9am–12pm daily, Monday to Friday<br />
HighlandPacificGolf.com | 250.478.4653<br />
VICTORIA'S PREMIERE THEA<br />
SCHOOL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE<br />
Emillie Parrish<br />
writes from Victoria and<br />
Saturna <strong>Island</strong>. She is<br />
the author of the Pacific<br />
Northwest lifestyle blog<br />
BerriesAndBarnacles.com.<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>April</strong>/<strong>May</strong> <strong>2021</strong> 29
KIDS’READS<br />
Dealing with Differences<br />
As more and more individuals are vaccinated across the<br />
province, it can be easy to hope for things to return to<br />
normal soon so we can visit with friends, see our extended<br />
families, or go to the movies. However, some researchers<br />
are concerned that after living in our abnormal world for so<br />
long, we might struggle with some of the activities we are longing<br />
to do, like socializing with the people we like or interacting<br />
with others around us. If you’re noticing that your formerly<br />
social butterfly of a child is now a homebody that’s normal,<br />
and here are a few books that might help them relearn how to<br />
enjoy the outside world.<br />
The first one is Follow Your Breath! A First Book of Mindfulness<br />
by Scot Ritchie (Kids Can Press, 2020). As the title says,<br />
this book teaches children mindfulness strategies. It is beautifully<br />
illustrated and the activities the author suggests are all<br />
clearly explained so you can easily try them out for yourself.<br />
However, the actual story about the friends at a sleepover isn’t<br />
the most exciting or interesting, so if you are looking for a<br />
story that weaves mindfulness into the narrative this one isn’t<br />
for you. However, if you want a book that will teach you at a<br />
child-appropriate level what mindfulness looks like, that also<br />
gives you examples of what that may look like in your life, this<br />
book can be helpful. For ages 4 to 8.<br />
Another book for you to consider is Albert’s Quiet Quest<br />
by Isabelle Arsenault (Tundra, 2019), because while we want<br />
our children to enjoy others’ company, it’s also important for<br />
us to respect their desire to be alone and have some quiet time<br />
to help them cope with chaos. In this book, Albert is looking<br />
for a quiet place to read his book. He finds a nice peaceful<br />
corner outside and sets up a chair in front of a painting of a<br />
beach scene that has been thrown away. Unfortunately for<br />
him, no one else wants to be quiet. They all want to play, talk,<br />
and listen to music. And, they all want him to join in. The illustrations<br />
in this book are simple but stunning and they show<br />
Albert’s mind as it flips between his reality and the imaginary<br />
beach world he has created for himself. For ages 4 to 8.<br />
A third book for you to read is The Invisible Bear by Cécile<br />
Metzger (Tundra, 2020). Unlike in Albert’s Quest where Albert<br />
wants his world to conform to his wishes for quiet, the bear is<br />
uncomfortable in his quiet and colourless world. He feels like<br />
he has been forgotten and that he’s invisible. That all changes<br />
when Madame Odette moves in next door. Unlike the bear,<br />
Madame Odette lives in a world filled with colour and sound.<br />
But, since the bear has been surrounded by quiet for so long,<br />
he’s not really comfortable with the beautiful racket. As the<br />
two of them live side-by-side they both have to learn to live<br />
together and cherish the other ones silence or sounds. For ages<br />
4 to 8.<br />
Your House, My House by Marianne Dubuc (Kids Can Press,<br />
2020) is another book filled with detailed illustrations that<br />
can remind your children that not everyone lives like you. This<br />
book follows the story of Little Rabbit as he gets ready for his<br />
birthday party. But while the narrative only tells the story from<br />
Little Rabbit’s perspective, the illustrations show us what everyone<br />
in the apartment building is doing, from the mice triplets<br />
who are causing havoc, to Mr. Owl who just wants to nap, to<br />
Goldilocks who is looking for a good place to eat and sleep. As<br />
an added bonus, the story itself is easy enough that your emerging<br />
reader can read this book on their own, which is good because<br />
they might want to spend more time looking at each page<br />
than you are ready for. For ages 4 to 8.<br />
A final book for younger children that can remind them that<br />
not all families are like theirs is Peppa Pig and the Family Reunion<br />
(Candlewick, 2019). In this book Peppa’s extended fam-<br />
30 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
ily comes over for a family reunion, and while they are there,<br />
Peppa discovers that in order for her baby cousin to sleep,<br />
his father needs to vacuum and his mother plays the trumpet,<br />
which makes for a very long and noisy night. For ages 2 to 4.<br />
If you and your children are struggling with getting along<br />
with others after spending so much time apart, I hope the lessons,<br />
illustrations, and stories within these books can help you<br />
because spending time with friends is amazing.<br />
Christina Van Starkenburg lives in<br />
Victoria with her husband, children and cat.<br />
She is the author of One Tiny Turtle: A Story You<br />
Can Colour and many articles. To read more<br />
of her work and learn about her upcoming<br />
books visit christinavanstarkenburg.com. Facebook:<br />
facebook.com/christinavanstarkenburg<br />
and Twitter: @Christina_VanS.<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>April</strong>/<strong>May</strong> <strong>2021</strong> 31
MOM’SPOV<br />
BYTE CAMP<br />
Creative<br />
Tech<br />
Summer me<br />
r Camps<br />
Video Game Design<br />
3D Animation<br />
Claymation<br />
App Design<br />
2D Animation<br />
Music and Video<br />
Production<br />
Thinking Putty<br />
I<br />
place my tray of tea on my side desk<br />
in my home office. All three kids are<br />
off to school on time (which is no<br />
easy feat). All parents deserve a reward<br />
for surviving the morning chaos (I mean<br />
routine). I sit down and tuck my rubberducky-slipper-feet<br />
under my desk. As I<br />
adjust my footing, my slipper sticks to<br />
my carpet. I pull and free my foot, but<br />
my slipper is glued to the carpet.<br />
Ugh. Found it!<br />
I have found my 7-year-old son’s Crazy<br />
Aarons Thinking Putty. It bounced into<br />
my office the day before.<br />
I thought he had already bounced it<br />
back out. I also thought that the putty<br />
wouldn’t end up being played with before<br />
falling asleep, but our strict “putty at the<br />
kitchen table only” rule was ignored.<br />
This thinking putty has thought its<br />
way onto my pillowcase, it has thought<br />
its way through two sheet sets and two<br />
numerous times while playing with it.<br />
I could handle the slime. My oldest<br />
daughter is the queen of making slime<br />
and even getting it out of fabric and carpet<br />
with contact solution or ice cubes. I<br />
can handle the kids making messes. We<br />
bake buns from scratch and we play with<br />
oobleck (cornstarch and water). However,<br />
this putty is different. It seems to<br />
embed itself and bond forever with our<br />
clothing and bedding.<br />
To figure out how to remove the putty,<br />
I visited the website. The solution: Isopropyl<br />
Alcohol 99%. It is poisonous and<br />
flammable and the instructions indicate<br />
that you “Apply full strength to affected<br />
areas and rub in.” The label suggests that<br />
it will provide temporary relief of muscle<br />
aches. In our age of natural oils and using<br />
the least harmful substances, there<br />
is no way I would rub a poisonous and<br />
flammable substance on my skin. So I put<br />
1-888-808-BYTE<br />
www.bytecamp.ca<br />
bedspreads. It has thought its sparkly<br />
blue way onto numerous articles of clothing,<br />
into hair, and now onto carpet. I am<br />
about ready for it to think its way right<br />
out of our house.<br />
It’s called thinking putty because it<br />
is marketed to act as a fidgeting toy to<br />
help you think. It can help people focus<br />
and help people with anxiety. However, I<br />
think in my son’s case, it should be called<br />
“sleeping putty” as he has fallen asleep<br />
on my rubber gloves and I placed all the<br />
putty stained items in to the tub.<br />
I poured the rubbing alcohol on and<br />
then I used a butter knife to scrape the<br />
putty. The fumes were worse than cleaning<br />
up vomit. I think a facemask and a<br />
well-ventilated area should be required<br />
too. I aired out the house and turned on<br />
all our fans. Next, I soaked and rinsed<br />
the items in water numerous times.<br />
After the putty and alcohol smell dissi-<br />
32 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
pated, I used some stain remover to try to remove the evidence<br />
of where the slime was. Next, I placed them in the wash with<br />
an extra rinse cycle. I air dried the items for a few hours and<br />
then I used a low setting on the dryer, while I crossed my fingers<br />
that the dryer and our house would not blow up.<br />
The clothing and all our appliances remained intact. I think<br />
the type of fabric and how long the putty sits on it influences<br />
the stain removal. Some items may need another round of stain<br />
removal and a wash yet. I think my white linen pillow will<br />
always have the putty outline. However, my office carpet only<br />
has a few sparkles left to lint roller off.<br />
Perhaps, the Easter bunny or Santa can bring us more putty<br />
after all. When the putty goes astray again, I’ll be prepared to<br />
remove it from unwanted surfaces.<br />
ST. MARGARET’S SCHOOL – ISLAND PARENT HALF PAGE AD<br />
7” × 4.5” 03/31/21<br />
Serena Beck works full-time as a Technical<br />
Writer. She loves to write, travel and swim at the<br />
beach with family and friends.<br />
SHE CAN.<br />
Dream big.<br />
As the only all-girls<br />
school on Vancouver<br />
<strong>Island</strong>, St. Margaret’s<br />
School teaches girls to<br />
learn, lead, and grow.<br />
St. Margaret’s School • enrolment@stmarg.ca • 250-479-7171 • stmarg.ca<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>April</strong>/<strong>May</strong> <strong>2021</strong> 33
Easter Eggsperiments<br />
Eggs aren’t just for breakfast…they can be fun and fascinating too! Try your hand at<br />
a few “eggs-periments” that highlight the unique properties of the amazing egg.<br />
The Spin Test<br />
Materials<br />
A raw egg. A hard-boiled or hard-cooked egg. A flat surface on<br />
which to spin.<br />
Whichever egg spins better (smoothly without wobbling) is<br />
the hard-boiled egg.<br />
For a neat variation, spin them both again then stop them.<br />
Quickly release them and watch the raw egg. It should continue<br />
moving even though the hard-boiled egg has completely<br />
stopped.<br />
Explanation. The yolk and white in a raw egg slosh around<br />
unevenly as it spins, making it impossible to spin it smoothly<br />
while the solid yolk and white in the hard-boiled egg enable the<br />
egg to spin smoothly.<br />
The raw egg will continue to move even after you have<br />
stopped it and then let go of it because the liquid inside is still<br />
moving around.<br />
Fun with Naked Eggs<br />
Method. Spin the raw egg and the hard-boiled egg at the same<br />
time on a large flat surface.<br />
Materials<br />
At least 2 naked eggs. 2 clear cups large enough to hold an egg plus<br />
some liquid. Corn syrup. Water. Food colouring. A spoon or ladle.<br />
Active Arts Camps<br />
Join us for a summer of creative, active fun! Exciting camps will<br />
engage children in music, art, crafts and lots of fun and games.<br />
v New activities to explore every week<br />
v Outdoor fun every day v Field trips to local parks<br />
Camps for age groups 3 to 5 and 6 to 9<br />
June 28 th to 30 th &<br />
July 2 nd (4 days)<br />
“Mad Scientist”<br />
July 5 th to 9 th (5 days)<br />
“World Explorers”<br />
July 12 th to 16 th (5 days)<br />
“Goin’ Green”<br />
July 19 th to 23 rd (5 days)<br />
“Wacky & Wonderful”<br />
July 26 th to 30 th (5 days)<br />
“Action & Adventure”<br />
August 3 rd to 6 th (4 days)<br />
“Magic & Monsters”<br />
August 9 th to 13 th<br />
(5 days)<br />
“The World at Our<br />
Fingertips”<br />
Register Online at: www.ArtsCalibre.ca For more information: summercamps@ArtsCalibre.ca 250.382.3533<br />
34 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
Summer Programs<br />
BUSINESSES<br />
YOUNEEDTOKNOW<br />
Running This July & August<br />
ms will be running (hopefully) in<br />
person, These or online... local businesses are family-focused and committed to our community and helping you.<br />
eschool Dance Camps<br />
or 3-5 year olds in Ballet, Jazz,<br />
Musical Theatre & Tap<br />
h Dance Camps<br />
ncers 6-12 years old in<br />
Hip Hop & Acrobatics<br />
Dance Intensive<br />
For dancers 11 years old & up with<br />
Jazz, Ballet, Hip Hop & Acrobatics<br />
Little Dancers Classes<br />
Are running through the summer for<br />
those 18 months to 3 years old<br />
STAGES Summer Programs<br />
Come Dance With Us<br />
Summer Programs<br />
Running This July & August<br />
Call (250) 384-3267, email: stagesdance@shaw.ca,<br />
Running or visit This us July at & www.stagesdance.com<br />
August<br />
Come Dance<br />
With Us<br />
Through these times<br />
let’s be careful &<br />
kind out there<br />
STAGES<br />
Summer Programs<br />
Running This July & August<br />
Through these times<br />
let’s be careful &<br />
kind out there<br />
STAGES<br />
Come Dance<br />
With Us<br />
Call (250) 384-3267,<br />
Email: stagesdance@shaw.ca,<br />
or visit us at<br />
www.stagesdance.com<br />
Through these times<br />
let’s be careful &<br />
kind out there<br />
FREE services are open to ALL single<br />
parents in Greater Victoria who are<br />
caring for children at home ages 0–18<br />
• Market Day – Weekly Food Support<br />
• Free Clothing Room<br />
• 1-1 Counselling & Coaching<br />
• Support Groups & Courses<br />
250-385-1114 | 1-Up.ca<br />
Method. Put a naked egg into one of the cups and add enough Naked Eggs<br />
Come corn syrup to Dance cover the egg.<br />
Put another naked egg into another cup and add enough water<br />
to cover it and a few drops of food colouring.<br />
A raw egg. White vinegar. A container big enough to submerge<br />
Materials<br />
0) 384-3267, With Us<br />
stagesdance@shaw.ca,or Put Call both (250) cups 384-3267, into the refrigerator visit us at for www.stagesdance.com<br />
24 hours.<br />
the egg. A spoon or ladle.<br />
Email: stagesdance@shaw.ca,<br />
After or the visit 24 us hours at you should have one nice and plump egg<br />
in www.stagesdance.com<br />
the water and one shriveled and flabby egg in the corn syrup. Method. Place the egg in the container so that it does not touch<br />
the sides and add enough vinegar to cover the egg. You will<br />
Explanation. The membrane of the naked egg is selectively already see bubbles forming on the egg.<br />
permeable–it lets some molecules through and blocks others. Cover the container and put it in the fridge for 24 hours.<br />
Water (mixed with food colouring) moves through the membrane<br />
easily but bigger molecules (like sugar molecules in the vinegar being careful not to break it. Dump out the vinegar and<br />
After the 24 hours have elapsed, scoop the egg out of the<br />
corn syrup) don’t.<br />
cover the egg with fresh vinegar. Leave the egg in the fridge for<br />
In the corn syrup cup, the water molecules from the egg another 24 hours.<br />
white (which is 90 per cent water) have moved through the Scoop out the egg and rinse carefully. Throw away any broken<br />
eggs.<br />
membrane to the corn syrup (25 per cent water) causing the<br />
naked egg to shrivel and go limp.<br />
You should now have a translucent egg without a shell. It is<br />
being held together by its membrane which while flex if you<br />
squeeze it.<br />
From The Canada Agriculture and Food Museum and Ingenium. For more<br />
ideas, visit ingeniumcanada.org/online-resources-forscience-at-home.<br />
Explanation. The acetic acid in the vinegar breaks apart the<br />
calcium carbonate crystals that make up the egg shell into separate<br />
calcium and carbonate parts. The calcium parts float while<br />
the carbonate makes the bubbles that you see.<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>April</strong>/<strong>May</strong> <strong>2021</strong> 35
PRESCHOOL&CHILDCAREDIRECTORY<br />
v Comprehensive programs for<br />
Preschool through Grade 11<br />
v Delivering academic excellence through<br />
music, dance, drama and visual arts<br />
v Outstanding educators,<br />
locations and facilities<br />
www.ArtsCalibre.ca 250.382.3533<br />
La Pré-Maternelle<br />
Appletree Preschool...............250-479-0292<br />
French immersion preschool. Group child<br />
care programs. 30 months to school age.<br />
Christian centre.<br />
prematernelleappletree.com<br />
Castleview Child Care........... 250-595-5355<br />
Learning Through Play & Discovery.<br />
Licensed non-profit, ECE staff. Since 1958.<br />
Morning or full-time care.<br />
castleviewchildcarecentre.com<br />
Nightingale Preschool &<br />
Junior Kindergarten Ltd........ 250-595-7544<br />
We offer education through creativity and play, providing<br />
rich learning experiences through a well sourced<br />
and stimulating indoor and outdoor environment. Early<br />
years reading programme. nightingalepreschool.com.<br />
Arts/Drama programme. kidsworks.ca<br />
Photo: Annilee Jane<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 />
Pre-School<br />
Junior Kindergarten<br />
PacificChristian.ca<br />
250-479-4532<br />
Educational Excellence to the Glory of God<br />
Sir James Douglas<br />
Preschool.............................250-389-0500<br />
Fun, creative and educational ECE program<br />
for 3-5 year olds to grow and develop life<br />
long skills. Come play and learn in our bright<br />
and modern centre in Fairfield.<br />
sjdoutofschoolclub.com<br />
Cloverdale Child Care............250-995-1766<br />
Come join us in our preschool programs for<br />
fun and learning. Classes 9:30 to 1:30, we offer<br />
3 and 4 year old classes and a Mon to Fri<br />
multiage preschool class. Flexible schedule<br />
available. Located at Quadra and Cloverdale<br />
streets. cloverdalechildcare@shawbiz.ca<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 />
Victoria Montessori.............. 250-380-0534<br />
Unique, innovative learning environment<br />
combining the best of Montessori and<br />
Learning Through Play. Open year round.<br />
30mths–K.<br />
victoriamontessori.com<br />
<strong>Island</strong> Kids Academy<br />
Esquimalt..............................250-381-2929<br />
High quality child care (ages 1-5). Enriched<br />
Curriculum. Includes Music Classes and<br />
Character Development using the Virtues<br />
Project. Wait list being taken. <strong>Island</strong>kids.ca<br />
St. Margaret’s School Jr. Kindergarten<br />
Apply now for our Early Learning (JK and<br />
Kindergarten) Programs. Early learning at SMS is<br />
a curriculum-based program for 3 and 4 year olds.<br />
St. Margaret’s School<br />
250-479-7171 | admissions@stmarg.ca<br />
722 Johnson St,Victoria,BC<br />
604.366.7080<br />
willowbraeacademy.com<br />
9006admin@willowbraechildcare.com<br />
We implement<br />
a play-based<br />
curriculum where<br />
our trained professionals<br />
develop<br />
and adapt individual<br />
programs<br />
by observing<br />
and listening<br />
to your child.<br />
36 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
Victoria & Area Peninsula Westshore Cowichan Valley Nanaimo & Area<br />
Carrot Seed Preschool...........250-658-2331<br />
Where children can discover, imagine,<br />
construct and learn through play.<br />
Wondrous natural playground.<br />
carrotseedpreschool.com<br />
The first steps in<br />
your child’s education<br />
Call for more information today: 250.746.3654<br />
<strong>Island</strong> Montessori House....... 250-592-4411<br />
Inclusive, integrated and nurturing Preschool<br />
and Before/After School Care programs.<br />
Lovely rural setting with a focus on nature<br />
and outdoor environmental activities.<br />
islandmontessori.com<br />
Queen Margaret’s School........250-746-4185<br />
Early Childhood Education Program. Co-ed<br />
nurturing curriculum to develop the whole<br />
child. Healthy snacks and lunch provided.<br />
qms.bc.ca.<br />
Sidney Preschool<br />
We are a licensed co-operative preschool<br />
with a philosophy of learning through play!<br />
Four hour program, four days per week, for<br />
children ages 2.5-5 years. Celebrating 49<br />
years! sidneypreschoolteacher@gmail.com,<br />
sidneypreschool.com<br />
Sunrise Waldorf School<br />
Preschool...............................250-743-7253<br />
In a warm environment, this nature and<br />
play-based program enlivens and<br />
nurtures the growing child.<br />
sunrisewaldorfschool.org<br />
Photo: Chelsea Rumsby<br />
• Licensed programs, for children 3–5 years<br />
• Flexible part-time schedules • Supported spaces available<br />
• 3 and 4 hour morning classes<br />
Encouraging your child’s development and<br />
learning through play and exploration<br />
Fullobeans.ca 250-360-1148 E: fullobeans@snplace.org<br />
Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12<br />
Learn more today! 250-390-2201 AspengroveSchool.ca<br />
NANAIMO’ S JK–12 INTERNATIONAL<br />
BACCALAUREATE WORLD SCHOOL<br />
<strong>Island</strong> Kids Academy<br />
View Royal........................... 250-727-2929<br />
High quality child care (ages 1-5). Enriched<br />
Curriculum. Includes Music Classes and<br />
Character Development using the Virtues<br />
Project. Wait list being taken. <strong>Island</strong>kids.ca<br />
Photo: Chelsea Rumsby<br />
Little Star Children’s Centre...........250-752-4554<br />
Little Gems Infant & Toddler Care..250-228-5437<br />
Mother, Daughter owned and operated. Earth<br />
friendly preschool education inspired by nature.<br />
Infused with fun and creative daily yoga<br />
practices! Licensed group care. Enthusiastic<br />
ECE instructors. littlestardaycare.ca<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<br />
our dedicated team of educators use the environment<br />
as the third teacher as we encourage your child<br />
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<br />
Waitlist: 250-590-3603<br />
Programs for Infants/Toddlers/Pre-school Age.<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>April</strong>/<strong>May</strong> <strong>2021</strong> 37
CUTITOUT!<br />
Growing a Self<br />
It can be a shock when our children start<br />
asserting themselves as they struggle to<br />
become independent. A child who was<br />
sweet and cooperative one day can suddenly<br />
become downright defiant, resistant and<br />
even aggressive the next. And just when we<br />
think they have had enough of us, they seek<br />
comfort and reassurance.<br />
Maturing is not a one-way street. Kids<br />
need permission to individuate, and they<br />
need a sense of love and belonging, no<br />
matter how prickly they get along the way.<br />
When kids resist doing anything you<br />
want them to do, like getting in the car<br />
seat, eating a meal or just having a conversation,<br />
chances are, they are going<br />
through the struggle for independence.<br />
The one day you are in a hurry, the threeyear-old<br />
will insist on putting on their<br />
shoes. “I can do it myself!” And heaven<br />
help you if you suggest your child do<br />
something. “I was just going to do that<br />
until you asked!”<br />
Hold on to your heart when you go to<br />
hug your teen, and they pull away with<br />
that blank look. Ouch! They seem so allergic<br />
to you. “My friends are the only<br />
cool people!”<br />
Behind this stage is the need for autonomy<br />
and independence. Stifling this<br />
need interferes with the development of<br />
your child’s ability to differentiate. A<br />
high degree of differentiation contributes<br />
to healthy adult relationships and good<br />
boundaries. They can hear no and say<br />
no. They don’t sacrifice themselves to<br />
fit in and are less concerned about what<br />
people think of them.<br />
Emotional maturity provides calm<br />
thoughtfulness that can be brought to life<br />
and relationship problems.<br />
When you dig underneath the difficulties<br />
and see what is going on, you will be<br />
more likely to respond with emotional<br />
maturity yourself. Less intensity of feeling<br />
and finding your calmness will allow<br />
you to love and let go.<br />
What to do:<br />
• Minimize your rules and stick to the<br />
ones that matter.<br />
• Give them more choices and say less.<br />
• Reflect their feelings of frustration<br />
and their need for independence.<br />
• In the heat of the moment, breathe<br />
and deal with things later.<br />
• Ignore the verbal flack; correcting<br />
it doesn’t work; it only feeds a negative<br />
loop.<br />
• See this as a stage rather than a character<br />
flaw; it really will pass.<br />
• Don’t take things so seriously; a little<br />
humour can help.<br />
Dr. Allison Rees is a parent<br />
educator, counsellor and coach at<br />
LIFE Seminars (Living in Families<br />
Effectively), lifeseminars.com.<br />
EXHIBITION OPEN<br />
APR 16, <strong>2021</strong> – JAN 9, 2022<br />
GET TIMED TICKETS AT<br />
rbcm.ca/orcas<br />
Exhibition produced by the Royal BC Museum in partnership with MuseumsPartner.<br />
IN PARTNERSHIP<br />
WITH<br />
38 <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong> Magazine <strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca
NEW:<br />
CYCLING<br />
CAMPS!<br />
<strong>2021</strong><br />
SUMMER<br />
CAMPS<br />
Ages 3-18<br />
PLAY your way to:<br />
SKILL<br />
FUN, TEAM WORK &<br />
CONFIDENCE RESPECT INCLUSIVITY<br />
DEVELOPMENT<br />
COOPERATION<br />
pise.ca/summer-camps<br />
FUN & SAFE<br />
Camps will have increased time spent outside this year with health<br />
& safety protocols in place. Campers will use PISE’s track, outdoor<br />
training areas, the nearby park and more!
More than half of all children in one-parent<br />
families in BC live in poverty. (Stat. Canada, 2018)<br />
Here’s how 1Up Victoria Single <strong>Parent</strong> Resource Centre is helping:<br />
To stretch a monthly budget a little further we have:<br />
• Free Clothing Room<br />
• Market Day – Weekly Food Support<br />
• Birthday Gifts for Children<br />
To provide additional support and resources we have:<br />
• Moms and Mentors Program<br />
• Dads with Dads Drop-in Support Group<br />
• <strong>Parent</strong>ing and LifeSkill’s Courses<br />
• 1-1 Counselling and Coaching sessions<br />
These and other FREE services are open to ALL<br />
single parents in Greater Victoria who are caring<br />
for children at home ages 0–18.<br />
Learn how to DONATE<br />
Learn how to ACCESS our services<br />
250-385-1114 | 1-Up.ca