North Canterbury News: November 23, 2023
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4 The<br />
NEWS<br />
<strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>November</strong> <strong>23</strong>, 20<strong>23</strong><br />
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Reaching out ... Arecent Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Support Group meetandgreet<br />
function.<br />
PHOTO: SUPPLIED<br />
Seniors taking care<br />
of grandchildren<br />
By JOHN COSGROVE<br />
Mostseniors are free to enjoy friend’s<br />
company, travel and retirement.<br />
But sadly for agrowingnumber, life<br />
inadvertently throws them acurve ball,<br />
which can see them looking after young<br />
childrenoreven babies.<br />
Due to circumstancesbeyond their<br />
control, they have become parents again<br />
at atime far removed from when they<br />
had their children.<br />
They become the principal caregivers<br />
to their grandchild, while coping with<br />
the sometimesdire or fraught<br />
circumstanceswhich caused the<br />
children’s upheaval.<br />
Where do they go for schooling<br />
information, primary medical care,<br />
financialassistance or even to answer<br />
any of the 101 questions about modern<br />
childcare that they are now facing daily?<br />
Community Wellbeing <strong>North</strong><br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong> Trust’sclinical operations<br />
leader Julie Best says it is often alonely<br />
job raisingyour grandchildren but the<br />
the trust is there to help.<br />
‘‘Some grandparents are in their late<br />
70s or 80s and suddenly they have to take<br />
care of anewborn baby or teenager.<br />
‘‘It’stricky for them and they don’t<br />
know where to turn to for support, all<br />
while trying to be substitute parents for<br />
kids used to acompletely different<br />
lifestyle.’’<br />
She says grandparents soon find their<br />
social lives disappearing as friends don’t<br />
understand why they can’tcome out<br />
anymore to play golf, ride or socialise.<br />
Then there is the reason behind this<br />
sudden change of circumstances and<br />
how the grandparents try their best to<br />
shield their grandchildren, all while<br />
trying to support whichever of their<br />
children is also in trouble.<br />
Marcus and Vicki have custody of two<br />
grandchildren described by them as<br />
two ‘‘fullon’’boys, 11 and 12 years old.<br />
Both have been diagnosed with<br />
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD).<br />
Marcus and Vicki took custody of the<br />
children 10 years ago when the children<br />
were infants.<br />
If they had not obtained custody, the<br />
children would have been placed in<br />
foster care.<br />
They already had four children ,two of<br />
whom still live at home, along with the<br />
grandchildren in their care.<br />
Joining Community Wellbeing’s<br />
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren<br />
support group in 2020, Vicki says they<br />
now know they are not on their own, and<br />
there are many others in the same<br />
situation.<br />
‘‘You are doing something that you<br />
didn’t expect to do, but knowing that<br />
other people are doing it and this little<br />
group of people can get together and<br />
share stories of what has been going on<br />
is abig help,’’ Marcus says.<br />
The Community Wellbeing<br />
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren<br />
support group often has up to 14 people<br />
attending the meetings, held several<br />
times during the school terms.<br />
The next one is on <strong>November</strong> <strong>23</strong>, at 200<br />
King Street Rangiora.<br />
Christmas in Kaikōura<br />
AChristmas Grotto, apool party, movies,<br />
stories, crafts, carols and agift giving tree<br />
are all helping to bring some Christmas<br />
cheer to Kaikōura.<br />
Innovative Waste Kaikōura is hosting a<br />
Christmas Grotto until Sunday, <strong>November</strong><br />
26, with the doors open from 9am today<br />
and tomorrow and from 10am on Saturday<br />
and Sunday.<br />
Locals from Clarence River to Oaro are<br />
encouraged to ‘‘light up your letterbox’’<br />
with aChristmas theme. Entries close on<br />
December 9, with nine Hammer Hardware<br />
voucherstobewon.<br />
Young people aged 12 to 18 years are<br />
invited to make asplash at afree pool<br />
party at the Kaikōura Aquatic Centre from<br />
4pm on Friday, December 8.<br />
Christmas themed movies, The Muppet<br />
Christmas Carol and The Santa Clause,will<br />
be screening at the Mayfair Arts and<br />
Culture Centre on Saturday and Sunday,<br />
December 9and 10.<br />
Gift giving trees will be located at the<br />
Kaikōura Library and Te Whare Putea<br />
from December 1to15, so pop along and<br />
bring some Christmas cheer for those less<br />
fortunate.<br />
Fyffe House will be opening its doors for<br />
Christmas crafts on Thursday, Saturday<br />
and Sunday, December 7, 9and 10. Contact<br />
Ann on (03) 3195835 to book your spot.<br />
The West End Festival will be held on<br />
Saturday, December 16, from 3pm to 9pm<br />
with festive entertainment, bouncy castle,<br />
children’s crafts, market stalls, food,<br />
shopping and Santa Claus.<br />
The Kaikōura combined churches carols<br />
evening will be held from 7pm on Sunday,<br />
December 17, at the Kaikōura Memorial<br />
Hall.<br />
Mrs Claus will be reading children’s<br />
Christmas stories at the Kaikōura Library<br />
from 4.30pm on Tuesday, December 19, so<br />
come along in your favourite Christmas<br />
pyjamas.
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