Island Parent Magazine Winter 2023
Vancouver Island’s Parenting Resource for 35 Years: Independent Schools & Education Guide • Choosing the Right School • Why Choose a Private School? • Raising Active Kids • Tweens & Teens
Vancouver Island’s Parenting Resource for 35 Years: Independent Schools & Education Guide • Choosing the Right School • Why Choose a Private School? • Raising Active Kids • Tweens & Teens
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and anything that prevents extra mom<br />
guilt is a plus.<br />
Tour at a toddler’s pace. You will be<br />
exploring the museum at a toddler’s pace,<br />
so plan to be there a while (hence all the<br />
snacks you’re bringing). But that doesn’t<br />
mean they’ll toddle slowly from one<br />
place to the next letting you read every<br />
sign you pass. Sometimes they will stop<br />
when there are things to play with, but<br />
other times they’ll simply rush from one<br />
thing to the next.<br />
Side note, if you actually do want to<br />
read something or look closely at one<br />
exhibit that your kids have decided isn’t<br />
worth their time, remind your children<br />
that they agreed to stay close to you. Just<br />
remember to stay close to them if they<br />
want to spend more time than you would<br />
like to at a different exhibit.<br />
Don’t overstay your welcome. Sometimes,<br />
it’s just not a good day to be at<br />
a museum. The last time we went my<br />
youngest did not nap on my back like<br />
I hoped he would, and he desperately<br />
needed a nap. We were also with a small<br />
group of other toddlers and preschoolers<br />
and we knew we were quickly approaching<br />
their naptime too, which meant no<br />
amount of snacks would stop the crying<br />
once it started. So we hurried through the<br />
last exhibit to get them out and on the<br />
way home before the tears began to fall.<br />
It might not always be the perfect<br />
experience you’re hoping for, but it probably<br />
won’t be the horror story you’re<br />
imagining either. Just remember, with a<br />
bit of preparation, you really can enjoy<br />
a trip to the museum with your young<br />
children. So the next time they wake you<br />
up far too early to ask what you’re doing<br />
that day, why not say “I was thinking we<br />
could go to the museum?”<br />
Christina Van<br />
Starkenburg lives in<br />
Victoria with her husband,<br />
children and cat. She is the<br />
author of One Tiny Turtle:<br />
A Story You Can Colour<br />
and many articles. To read more of her work<br />
and learn about her upcoming books visit<br />
christinavanstarkenburg.com. Facebook:<br />
facebook.com/christinavanstarkenburg<br />
and Twitter: @Christina_VanS.<br />
Congratulations<br />
to the<br />
Jeffery Family<br />
(Erin, Steve, Halle 8<br />
& Gavin 5) on being<br />
the winners of a<br />
Nintendo Switch<br />
in <strong>Island</strong> <strong>Parent</strong><br />
Family Favourites.<br />
St. Christopher’s Montessori School<br />
Offering an enriched<br />
and nurturing<br />
Montessori program<br />
Competitively priced<br />
independent school education<br />
Half day for 3 & 4 year olds<br />
Full day kindergarten<br />
SPACES AVAILABLE<br />
stcmontessori.ca 250-595-3213<br />
<strong>Island</strong><strong>Parent</strong>.ca<br />
<strong>Winter</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 29