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Are you wondering about how to talk about sex and sexuality with your school-age child? What are students learning about this topic at school? What is “normal”? What about my family values?
If you would be interested in a parent workshop to help you answer some of these questions, call Marg at 519-434-3644 x38. If there is sufficient interest, this workshop will be offered in the New Year.
The Fathers Network is an 8-week group for dads run by dads that looks at ways for men to be better fathers to their children. The group may include biological fathers, step-fathers, same-sex fathers, and males who are in a parenting role. It is also open to first time fathers or soon-to-be fathers. Call Steve Didham at 519-455-9000 for more information.
We also have two “dad-specific” workshops coming in the New Year at Childreach :
Play With Me Daddy
Saturday, January 23 from 10 am to 12 noon – for dads to learn the importance of play and how it builds the father/child relationship.
Infant Massage
Saturdays, February 6, 13, 20 and 27 from 10 to 11 am – for dads and their babies under 6 months of age. Build a special connection!
Register online or call us for more information.
Offering children an array of natural materials at the playdough table can encourage interesting design work. Things such as polished stones, sprigs of rosemary, massage tools, and wooden cutting boards integrate an interesting array of designs. The rosemary adds a beautiful scent opening an awareness of senses and is also beautiful to look at.
A supply of columned paper encourages children to draw the steps in how to make things. These can be used as directions or recipes by other children.
As the weather changes, outdoor activities change. The cooler days of fall are ideal for long walks of discovery. Pack a snack of cut fruit, cheese curds, crackers or finger sandwiches and some water to drink. Walking in familiar places makes changes more noticeable.
Watch for:
- Flowers turning brown
- Leaves changing colour and drying
- Birds and animals gathering food
- Pets growing heavier coats
Encourage children to:
- Look, smell, feel and think
- Collect pebbles, twigs, leaves, pine cones, wild flowers
- Hug some trees and decide which is largest, smoothest, friendliest
Use nature collections for crafts and to decorate at home:
- Make a branch mobile with leaves and nuts.
- Dip leaves, feathers, evergreen sprigs, etc. in paint and then press onto paper.
- Adopt an abandoned spider web by sprinkling it gently with talcum powder – lift it by placing a sheet of black construction paper underneath.
- Create a table centrepiece of acorns, pine cones, pebbles in a glass jar, or flowers dried by hanging upside-down.
- Preserve leaves by pressing between wax paper (cereal and cracker boxes have super wax bag liners) or use a placemat-size piece. Place gathered “treasures” on one piece of wax paper. You could shave crayon pieces with a grater, cut out magazine letters to create a name or add magazine pictures for added interest. Place another piece of wax paper on top and iron gently (no steam) to melt together.
- Press leaves between sheets of wax paper placed under a heavy book. Preserve leaves permanently by covering with clear MacTac. Cut around leaves leaving 1/16” MacTac around edges. Hang these in a window to twirl and sparkle in the sunlight.
- Place a leaf or two under paper, rub the top of the paper with a crayon to see the leaves appear magically.
- Create an apple face with miniature marshmallows or raisins.
- Use apple chunks to add to muffins or pancakes. Share a cooking experience!
- Use apple pieces dipped in paint or pudding to make apple prints.
The colder weather of early winter brings out mittens and scarves. The changing textures of clothes and dropping temperatures can be discovered.
- The ground is hard.
- We see our breath.
- We hope for snow.
- Watch the grey sky, and move quickly when outdoors to stay warm. Play FREEZE! – then HOP – FREEZE, JUMP-FREEZE and so on. Let the children take turns calling freeze.
Stress affects everyone! Our bodies and minds both respond when we get excited, fearful, challenged or anxious. Our brain tells our bodies to get ready to deal with these feelings and gets our body ready to “flee from danger” or to stand up and “fight it”. This helps us deal with things that threaten us. Special hormones are released in our body that prepares us to be alert and respond with lots of energy. This is a good thing once in awhile, but not when adults and children are constantly dealing with stress. These raised levels of hormones can make us feel very tired, create sore muscles and make it hard to fight off illness. One group of researchers found that parents with more worries also had children who were sick more often.
Some signs of stress in children:
| Behaviours | Body | Mind | Feelings |
| Whining Crying Nail Biting Fighting Low appetite or eating more Day dreaming |
Headaches Stomach-aches Fast heartbeat Being cold Poor sleeping Tired Illness |
Forgetful Easily distracted Confused Can’t concentrate Unreasonable Can’t problem solve |
Fear Anxiety Sad or Angry Panic Overly sensitive Helpless Frustrated |
What can we do?
Eat healthy food, get lots of exercise, get enough sleep, learn to reduce or manage stress, spend time with your children, laugh a lot, ask your children if they are worried about anything and really listen to them, minimize competitive activities, provide regular routines, make a stress management list (like deep breathing) and post it where all family members can use it.
Mary Ann Avey, Parent Educator
“Children are miracles. Believing that every child is a miracle transforms the way we design for children’s care. When we invite a miracle into our lives, we prepare ourselves and the environment around us. We may set out flowers or special offerings. We may cleanse ourselves, the space, or our thoughts of everything but the love inside us. We make it our job to create with reverence and gratitude, a space that is worthy of a miracle. Actions follow thoughts. We can choose to change. We can choose to design spaces for miracles, not minimums.”
- Anita Rui Olds, author of Child Care Design Guide
3-4 sweet apples
½ cup water
½ tsp cinnamon
Combine in a saucepan and cook on stovetop until mushy. Cool a little and enjoy!
