our children magazine
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Our Children MagazineTRANSCRIPT
ourFall 2012
school gardens • reducing food waste • healthy smiles • book reviews
Back to the
Farm!Learning where food comes from
is educational and fun for kids
Blended families How to make the transition
easier on kids
Tackling cyberbullying
What every parent should know
~ NEW ~Reading Party
contest!page 9
Halifax’s Family Magazineourchildrenmagazine.com
Back to the
Farm!Farm!
1747 Summer Street, Halifax, NSTel: (902) 424-7353nature.museum.gov.ns.ca
SEPTEMBER 15, 2012 - JANUARY 13, 2013
Sea and do.
Join our museum family! On the second Sunday of every month, come to the museum and take part in fun activities designed to immerse families in Nova Scotia’s rich maritime heritage.
1675 Lower Water Street, Halifax, NSTel: 902-424-7490maritime.museum.gov.ns.ca
contents
New contest: Which class at your school can read the most books in a month? We want to have a party to celebrate with kids who love to read. 9
features departments12 A new school landscape
A look into the green transformation of our schools’ outdoor spaces
16 Back to the farmLearning where food comes from is educational and fun for kids
19 Top fi ve farms to visit in the fall
22 Tackling online bullyingWhat every parent should know
26 Waste not, want notReducing the amount of food you waste will help your wallet and the planet
07 Editor’s note
09 ContestNew classroom reading contest and summer fun photo contest winners
10 First bellEvents, new products, trends and more
12 Community corner
20 Healthy smilesTips on ensuring proper dental hygiene for your child
24 Face to faceA Halifax psychologist shares what parents need to know about blending families
28 Superintendent’s message
30 Book reviews
Fall 2012
28Under stress? Under learning! Superintendent Carole Olsen shares tips to help reduce back-to-school stress for families
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Scotian Gold1⁄6 page horizontal
our
On our cover:Fall is a great time
to get the kids back to the farm.Contributor Lisa Card tells us about
agritourism and how it’s teaching kids about where food comes from.
Publisher Patty Baxter
Senior Editor Trevor J. Adams
Editor Suzanne Rent
Editorial Coordinator Paula Bugden
Editorial Intern Laura Fader
Design Advocate Communications Group
Production Coordinator Dana Edgar
Sales Manager Jeanne Gillard
Sales Coordinator Megan Couture
Printing Advocate Printing & Publishing
Contributors
Lisa Card
College of Dental Hygienists of Nova Scotia
Zahra Sethna
Edie Shaw-Ewald
Carole Olsen
For advertising sales contact:Vikki MacDougall
Tel. (902) 420-9943 ext. [email protected]
For editorial and subscription enquiries:Tel. (902) 420-9943Fax (902) 429-9058
[email protected] Hollis Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 1T6www.metroguidepublishing.cawww.ourchildrenmagazine.com
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior
written consent of the publisher.Return undeliverable addresses to
Metro Guide Publishingat the address above.
Our Children is a Metro Guide publication.
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Fall is my favourite season. Sure, the days are getting shorter, but the air is clear, the breezes are crisp, the sun is still warm and, of course, the autumn colours are brilliant. Like New Year’s, fall always feels like a new beginning, even though we realize the world is settling in for winter. Perhaps it’s because as the mom of a nine year old, fall means the start of a new school year, with new clothes and supplies, new friends and plenty of new things to learn.
Not all of those new things to learn are happening in the classroom; some can be learned outside in our autumn weather. In HRM, we’re fortunate to be surrounded by communities that light up this season. Not only can we enjoy the autumn weather, but we can also use these places as learning opportunities.
Farmers in the region are opening their properties to families and starting a new industry called agritourism. Some of these farms are only a short drive from home, where we can reap the bounty of the harvest and teach our kids about food and where it comes from before it lands on our dinner tables. A day on the farm is also a day of fun. Last autumn,
I took my daughter to a farm in Truro, where
we got lost in a corn maze, got muddy on
the tractor pull, watched some pig races and
choose a pumpkin out of the patch. It’s a great,
fun day out of the house and so accessible.
In this issue, Lisa Card tells us about agritourism
and explores some of the opportunities
families have to get out, enjoy the season and
learn about life on the farm. This fall, take
your children out of the city for an afternoon
exploring the country that is so close by.
For Our Children, this fall issue also means a
new look. Over the summer we worked with
designers to make fresh, new changes to the
magazine. We hope you love it; we certainly
do. And as always, we welcome your feedback.
Tell us what you think of our new look, or
let us know what’s happening at your school
or community. Drop me a line at srent@
metroguide.ca.
Here’s to fall and new beginnings!
On Facebook:Our Children Magazine
On Twitter:@suzanne_MGP
editor’s note
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Suzanne Rent,Editor
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Cole Moore, Grade Primary, Ash Lee Jefferson School, Fall River
reading party
We’re celebrating with kids who love to read. Get your
class to join in and read all the books they can in the
next month, keep track of the names and number of
books read and we will come to your class and celebrate
with you! Each student in the winning class will receive
a special winter hat with the Our Children logo, and
Mariana Cowan, Family Real Estate Agent with Coldwell
Banker Supercity Realty, will provide awesome treats
for the party. Your class picture will be highlighted in
the January 2013 issue of Our Children magazine and
on our Facebook page.
Have fun reading!
Contest closes November 5, 2012
Forward the list of books your class read, along with your school name and grade to Cathy Hammond at [email protected]
Forms to record books read by class have been provided to your school offi ce. Ask your teacher or school administrator for a form.
Which class at your school can read the most books in a month?
NEW contest
congratulations!
Congratulations to the winners of the Our Children Spring 2012 Summer Fun Photo Contest. Each winner received a photography session with Joseph Jamieson Williams Photography.
Christina Boyd, Grade 3,
Westmount Elementary School, Halifax
Victoria Hannam, Grade 6, Cavalier Drive School, Lower Sackville
Live, Love, Laugh,
Brush, Floss,Smile!
Promoting high quality and accessible dental hygiene care to Nova Scotians.
For more information visit www.cdhns.ca
When considering your child’s back to school
checklist, make sure to place oral health at the top.
The right combination of proper home care, a healthy
diet and professional oral health services are sure
to make a child’s future as bright as their smile.
Graphic designer Jayme Walters is turning her talents to socks by making them into creative hand-sewn creatures. Some of her specialties include sock monsters, owls, zombies, ballerinas, cats and snails. Each creature is unique and many are decorated with one-of-a-kind pieces Walters fi nds at thrift and antique stores. Prices vary depending on the size of the creature. Check out more crazy creatures at www.rawrcreatures.com.
featurecreature
harvest feasts
seeing stars
Up Front
Young and aspiring astronomers in the family will love the free public tours of the Burke-Gaffney Observatory at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax. The tours run on the fi rst and third Saturday nights of each month from September to June. Visitors will learn how the telescope works and have a chance to look at planets, the moon and other celestial objects. Organized tours for larger groups or school classes are available on Monday nights. For free public tours call 496-8257. For the Monday group tours, call David Lane at 420-5633.
the size of the creature. Check out more crazy creatures at www.rawrcreatures.com.
On October 13 and 14, the Cole Harbour Heritage Farm Museum is hosting its fi rst annual Harvest Weekend from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Celebrate the harvest with guided tours in the animal barn and vegetable garden. There will be demonstrations of traditional harvest activities, games for the kids, and horse and wagon rides. There will be a charge for some activities.
The museum is also hosting a harvest dinner on Sunday, October 8 at 6:30 p.m. The three-course meal includes homemade soup and biscuits, turkey dinner and dessert of pumpkin pie or gingerbread with lemon sauce.
The farm, located on Poplar Drive, off Cole Harbour Road, is a community museum preserving the area’s agricultural past. On site there are heritage homes, friendly farm animals, a barn and a tearoom where the menu includes recipes made with fresh ingredients grown in the garden just outside.
For more details, surf to coleharbourfarmmuseum.ca.
Graphic designer Jayme Walters is turning her talents to socks by making them into creative hand-sewn creatures. Some of her specialties include sock monsters, owls, zombies, ballerinas, cats and snails. Each creature is unique and many are decorated with one-of-a-kind pieces Walters fi nds at thrift and antique stores. Prices vary depending on the size of the creature. Check out more crazy creatures at www.rawrcreatures.com.
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An unused tennis court behind Harbour View Elementary schools in north-end Dartmouth is home to a new outdoor classroom and community garden where local kids can learn about growing food. The project is the result of a combined effort from the Take Action Society, the Rotary Club and other community members and groups. The outdoor classroom has seating for 150 people while the garden includes large planters where local community members can plants their own flowers and vegetables. The Take Action Society plans on using the space for community events such as talent shows and movie nights. They are also planning more finishing touches, including installing plaques naming the local plants and wildlife.
Halifax Theatre for Young People presents The Monster Under the Bed, a funny, profound story about Ben and his adventures with the monsters that live under his bed. The play includes fantastical flying sequences and monster chases, and is an exploration of the monsters that live inside all of us. It’s a celebration of imagination and its ability to help us face our fears. Show times at Alderney Landing Theatre are: October 19 to 21, October 24 to 27 at 7 p.m., October 20 to 21, October 27 to 28 at 2 p.m., and October 26 at 10 a.m. Surf to halifaxtheatreforyoungpeople.com.
monster tales
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growing a garden
protect their nogginsOver the summer, the province of Nova Scotia launched a new initiative to increase helmet use with kids. Under the program, called Protect Your Noggin, the use of helmets will be promoted in wheeled activities such as bicycling, skateboarding, roller blading and scootering, as well as winter activities, like ice skating. Local police and paramedics will distribute helmets to kids in need. The program will also help support the implementation of an all-age helmet policy in arenas across the province. For more information, check out www.childsafetylink.ca.
As I arrive at Beechville Lakeside Timberlea Elementary
School, nostalgia sweeps over me. I scan the schoolyard that
I played on as a girl, but something has changed. Next to the
doors that I used to blast out of every afternoon now sits a
blossoming garden. An island that was once a wild tangle of
bushes now bears rows of logs, trees and fl owers.
As Rhea Mahar waves to me and grabs a shovel out of
her pickup, she looks around the schoolyard with a smile.
“It’s looking good,” she says. As a school ground greening
consultant for Evergreen since 1995, Mahar spends most of
her time travelling around to schools, planning, educating,
and transforming their outdoor spaces into beautiful and
useful areas for students to learn and play.
School Ground Greening is a national effort, and Nova Scotia
is the only province to also receive fi nancial support from the
Department of Education. This, plus extensive fundraising
and donations by schools and community members, result
in the massive changes and improvements for schools across
Canada.
Mahar took me on a tour of eight schools that she’s helped
to green, proudly pointing out various alterations while
picking up garbage and empty pop cans. Although all
schools have the opportunity to apply for grants, precedent
is often given to those with higher need John MacNeil
Elementary, for example, is in an area of Dartmouth where
many of the children live in apartment buildings and don’t
have backyards. The school had no equipment—not even
a basketball net—when Mahar arrived in 2005. “I think
it made a difference in the community,” She says of the
current nature installments, vegetable gardens, mural
paintings, and playground. “We took a barren landscape and
changed it.”
Throughout the year, Mahar usually takes on three to four
“intensive” projects like John MacNeil—ones that require the
design, production and initiation of a master plan—and 20
to 30 “light touch” schools, requiring only smaller accents or
minor maintenance. Each project is initiated by a teacher or
principal in the school. Once approved, the project moves
into the analysis and design phase.
Mahar tailors each design specifi cally to the school she is
A group of student and parent volunteers tend the gardens at the entrance to BLT Elementary. Photo:Rhea Mahar
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A look into the green transformation of school outdoor spaces
Community Corner
By Laura Fader
A new school landscape
dealing with, incorporating ideas from teachers and students,
and providing various workshops. She accounts for sun
exposure, the amount of shade, age level of students and
accessibility. Her themes have a wide range and depend
entirely on community interest: butterfly, fruit, vegetable,
and wild bird gardens are examples of her installations.
One of Maher’s most popular installations is an outdoor
classroom. “It’s fantastic for cognitive development,”
she says.
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Above left: The student’s herb garden at Sackville High School.Above right: A Grade Primary class potato garden. Photos:Laura Fader
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Maher and I also at BLT with teacher Carolyn Champagne. A
Grade 5 teacher at BLT, Champagne has been involved in the
greening of her school for four years. “I came from a school
where there was no opportunity [for outdoor learning],” she
says. “And it only benefi ts the kids, at the end of the day.”
There are countless advantages to playing and learning
outdoors, even for adults. “Having kids in contact with nature
calms them,” says Mahar. “They’re easier to teach, they’re
not aggressive, they’re not bored.”
Protection, maintenance and advancement of BLT’s new
outdoor spaces are the main concerns for both Mahar and
Champagne. The latter cites goals such as a gardening club, a
vegetable garden for the Grade 3 soil unit, and developing a
space near the lake for the Grade 4 students’ habitat studies.
Champagne also tries to incorporate the outdoor classroom
into her lesson plans. “We really enjoy doing science outside,
especially our weather unit,” she says.
Unfortunately, vandalism is an ongoing issue for Mahar and
her schools. Vandals killed the fi rst two trees at BLT right
away. “This summer has been good,” she says. “Last summer
[the vandals] ripped out all the plants and threw them on
the roof. It was very disheartening.” Although the gardens
are diffi cult to protect, the trees don wire cages for the fi rst
10 years of being planted—and not just for protection from
vandalism. Mahar laughs and explains that sometimes the
kids are too enthusiastic in hugging, pruning and playing
around the new trees.
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A parent and student tend the garden at BLT Elementary.
Photo: Rhea Mahar
Parents like Catherine Ferguson are keen to help. With daughter Chelsea and son Jacob entering Grade Primary and Grade 5, respectively, this fall, she’s a strong supporter of BLT’s project and insists that the children are absorbing life skills. Here to help with the pruning, ultimately Ferguson would like to take part in the pending Outdoor Spaces Committee, which will be reaching for volunteers this fall.
“It’s great for kids to see their parents involved,” she says. “It sends a good message.” Ferguson also insists that the gardening transcends the school/home barrier, and that her family “can all talk about something around the dinner table..., [it’s something] we can all do together.”
As Ferguson talks about the project, little Chelsea is getting antsy to head outside into the school ground. She nods coyly when asked if she is excited to start Grade Primary, and even more so when asked if she likes to garden.
The commitment between these three women and their school ground is palpable. As they laugh and begin their work, I glance around my old stomping grounds. I remember which classroom windows were mine, where I scraped my knee chasing boys too fast, and the corner I got sent to once for stealing another girls swing (I still say she was done with it). But the yard looks different now; kids are playing amongst the shady trees and the outdoor classroom is ready for the school year to begin. Thanks to Evergreen, Rhea and her volunteers, children at BLT Elementary, and schools across the province have an opportunity to learn and play in a way that was once unavailable.
For more information on the Evergreen School Ground Greening Program, visit www.evergreen.ca/en/programs/schools.
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Learning where food comes from is educational and fun for kids
farmback to the
Take a cow train ride through cornfields at a local farm.
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Cover Story
By Lisa CardPhotography by RiverBreeze Farm & Cornmaze
Fall is the perfect time of year to get outside and enjoy some family fun at one of the many farms in Nova Scotia. Agritourism during fall in Nova Scotia is a bustling industry, and seeing firsthand how and where our food is produced can be both fun and educational for children. Many local farms have pumpkin U-picks, elaborate corn mazes, wagon rides, games, playground equipment, and petting zoos. Taking the kids to the farm during the fall season is becoming increasingly popular with HRM families. Sackville mom Anitra Carr has been taking her children to Noggins Corner Farm and other Annapolis Valley area farms for the better part of a decade. “The first time I went I just got hooked. The kids liked it so much we go back at least once a year,” she says. “My kids like the playground and the apple
picking.” Carr feels that visiting the farm helps to dispel the modern-day disconnect between consumerism and the origins of food production that can often occur for children growing up in urban environments. “I think kids tend to think that everything shows up in the store and that’s it. This shows them where it came from. I think through play it teaches them how a farm works and that there are still working people producing food for the stores and for us,” she says.
The appeal for Mount Uniacke mom Andrea Weatherdon and her family is the time spent together outside in the country and away from the flurry of their daily routines. “The kids get
For helpful tips on playground and home safety, car seats, helmets
and poisoning prevention, visit our website at
www.childsafetylink.ca
Helmet
Protecting his noggin with a properly fitted
will reduce his risk of a brain injury by 88%.
For realFor more info on helmet use &
Nova Scotia’s Protect Your Noggin Program, and other safety issues
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childsafetylink.ca Check out our new
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to spend time with us and we’re not rushed,” she says. “They get to sort of dictate the day because we let them get lost in the corn maze, and that is the best part [because] they get to make the rules.” The slower pace and relaxing atmosphere keeps Weatherdon and her family coming back to farms like RiverBreeze in Truro year after year. “I really like to get out of the city and unwind,” she says. “We try to show them life isn’t always a hectic hustle and bustle. Personally, I think that the Valley and Truro and all those areas show them a better perspective on how life should be.”
Janice Kirkbright is the museum director for the Cole Harbour Heritage Farm Museum. Kirkbright says the increasing demand for fall farm activities has prompted the museum to launch a Harvest Weekend Festival this year. Kirkbright pointed out that the majority of fall farm activities are occurring outside HRM and the museum saw a need for more activities in the local area. The Harvest Weekend will take place on October 13 and 14. Activities will include wagon rides, a cider press demonstration, garden tours, and sauerkraut and fall preserves tasting. There will also be traditional games organized for the kids such as sack races, horseshoes, sawhorse lassoing, and stilt walking. The farm also hosts a Harvest Dinner on Thanksgiving weekend and a corn boil and ceilidh on September 8.
Agritourism not only provides families with fun and educational fall activities, but also is breathing new life into farms that were hit hard by falling beef markets in the mid-1990s. It’s doubtful that 200 years ago Jim Lorraine’s ancestors could have predicted that the majority of profits from the family’s beef farm would someday be derived from agritourism. However, that’s exactly what turned things around for RiverBreeze Farm. By turning their focus
RiverBreeze Farm and Cornmazein Onslow offers all sorts of family-friendly activities, including playgrounds, a pumpkin patch and pig races.
toward agritourism the Lorraines not only made their farm financially viable once again, but also became a major contributor to the local economy.
Jim Lorraine and his wife, Tricia, began to shift the farm’s activities toward agritourism with a two-hectare strawberry U-pick after a difficult couple of seasons. “We were in a position then that you either figure out what you are going to do with the property and do it differently than what our family had always done or we wouldn’t be here any longer,”
says Lorraine. From there they moved into opening a farm market, producing sweet corn and the corn maze. The corn maze has turned out to be one of the most profitable undertakings for the farm, and draws 35,000 visitors each year. During the day the corn maze, pumpkin U-pick, and farm-themed playground are geared toward families. In the evening the farm hosts an ever expanding haunted corn maze that is aimed at older kids, teens, and adults. The farm also hosts school tours in the fall where the children
visit the pumpkin patches, the observation hives, and the cornfields. During the tours Jim teaches the kids how the corn crop is grown and how the farm operates. “It’s just a way for them to get out and see how farming is done—because how would you know anything about agriculture unless you visit a working farm,” he says. “That’s what we try to provide.”
The decision to move toward agritourism has been very gratifying for Jim and Tricia Lorraine. The farm is the biggest attraction in the community during the fall, and the surge of people has impacted other local businesses and the local
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Work your way through a giant corn maze this fall.
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Top five farms to visit during the fall:
1.RiverBreeze Farmwww.riverbreeze.infoLocated in Onslow, near Truro. The farm features strawberry and raspberry U-pick, day and night-time corn maze activities, a farm-themed playground, bouncy pillow, and a farm animal petting zoo.
2.Noggins Corner Farmwww.nogginsfarm.caLocated in Greenwich. The farm features a barnyard adventure area for play, food kiosk serving hot buttered corn, and a farm market selling fresh produce. From October 1 to 25 you can also check out the famous Kentville pumpkin people.
3. Cole Harbour Heritage Farm Museumcoleharbourfarmmuseum.caLocated in Cole Harbour. The farm features a tearoom, gift shop, museum, barnyard animals, and gardens. The farm hosts different fun events throughout the year.
4.Ross Farmmuseum.gov.ns.ca/rfmLocated in New Ross. The farm is a working historical farm with costumed interpreters. Farm tasks are demonstrated to visitors as they were done 150 years ago. The farm also hosts many events and special activities though the year. In the spring people are invited to plant their own pumpkins and in the fall they come back to harvest them for Halloween.
5.Willowbank Farm and U-Pickwww.willowbankupick.comLocated in Port Williams. The farm is open from September until the end of October and features a U-pick, farm market, petting zoo, school tours, museum, dykeview walk, picnic area, corn maze, and pony and wagon rides.
Also check out:A government site lists farms in Nova Scotia that participate in agritourism and host events and/or U-picks for the public.www.gov.ns.ca/agri/marketing/contact/landsea/
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economy in a positive way. Creating a fun experience for families has also been very rewarding for the couple. “It’s a big deal to be able to entertain people,” Lorraine says. “It’s a unique kind of thing for a farmer to do, but when you get it right and when you have what we consider is a winning formula, it sure is satisfying.”
A daytime trip through a cornmaze is great for the little ones. Older kids, teens and adults can tour the maze at night, if they dare.
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fall 2012new books
Dental decay is the most common chronic childhood disease. Left untreated, children may experience pain and discomfort that manifests as irritability, fatigue, depression, or withdrawal from normal activities. Dental pain can be difficult for a child to verbalize and may affect their normal sleeping or eating patterns. Other signs of a dental infection or dental decay include brown or black teeth, a swollen cheek, neck, or underside of the chin, or a “bubble” located on the gum near a tooth. If children are experiencing any of these symptoms, they should see a dental professional as soon as possible.
Prevention is the first line of defense in the fight against dental decay. It’s recommended that a child have a dental exam within six months of the eruption of the first tooth, or by their first birthday. This will ensure that any dental problems are addressed early and will reinforce homecare techniques. Acknowledging potential problems early will ensure that your child has a pain-free future. The first visit is also a good time to familiarize the child with the professional dental experience at a young age, and to promote the dental office as a safe and familiar environment. Establishing good oral health care practices at a young age will help ensure that they continue throughout their adult life—this is important because of the connection between oral health and overall health. Diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory diseases have all been linked to poor oral health.
It is important that children have assistance from an adult when brushing their teeth until they have adequate motor coordination. While helping your child brush, lift the lip and check teeth and gums for early signs of infection or dental decay. Early signs of dental decay often appear at the gum line as chalky white patches or discoloration of the tooth’s surface.
Difficulties with cooperation can be frustrating when brushing a child’s teeth, but there are many tips and tricks to make brushing fun.
• Use a sticker chart to track the number of times your children brush their teeth with an incentive after an appropriate number of brushes.
• Tell toothy stories or singing toothy songs, using a brush with a favourite character, or using a power brush (some of which even sing).
• Use tablets or rinses that show the plaque or germs on teeth. Brushing can become a game to remove all the germs they can see in their mouth.
• Using toothbrushes with timers. An egg or sand timer can also ensure proper two minute tooth brushing.
According to Health Canada, children under three years of age who are at risk for dental decay should have their teeth brushed by an adult with a rice-sized amount of fluoridated toothpaste—risk for dental decay can be determined by a dental professional. Those who are not at risk should have their teeth brushed by an adult with a toothbrush moistened by water. Children between the ages of three and six should use a pea-sized amount of fluoridated toothpaste during tooth brushing. There are many flavours of toothpaste on the market that appeal to children and should be used when brushing twice daily—preferably morning and night.
It’s important to floss your child’s teeth once the teeth are touching one another. Flossing a child’s teeth can be a challenge but the best approach is from behind the child, not standing in front of them. There are many flossing aids available, even some with your child’s favourite cartoon
Teach dental health early in life and everyone smiles.
Contributed by the College of Dental Hygienists of Nova Scotia
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smileshealthy
character to make flossing fun. Most children do not have the skills to properly floss or brush until they are able to write (not print) their names.
Diet can have a major effect on the formation of dental decay. Sugar contained in many foods and drinks are a key component to the dental decay process. The frequency and consistency in which sugar is ingested can be more harmful than the amount consumed. Sending a child to bed with a bottle of milk or juice can result in rampant decay of the teeth sometimes known as “Nursing Bottle Caries.” The consistency of sugary food affects the length of time the sugar is in contact with the tooth’s surface. Such foods include chewy candies, bubble gum with sugar, or sticky fruit snacks. It’s best to give drinks and snacks that are high in sugar as an occasional treat, and when possible, combine these items with mealtime. Meal items such as crisp fruits and vegetables or cheese can help to buffer plaque bacteria and sugar away from the tooth’s surface.
The Province of Nova Scotia provides oral health services through the MSI Children’s Oral Health Program. This program offers children 10 years of age or younger yearly dental examinations and basic dental hygiene services. These services can be provided at any dental office in Nova Scotia.
Throughout Nova Scotia, Public Health dental hygienists deliver a provincial Fluoride Mouthrinse Program to students in grades primary through six in selected schools. The
dental hygienists train community school volunteers to safely deliver a weekly fluoride rinse to the students. The children “swish and spit” a measured amount of fluoride rinse under the watchful eyes of the trained volunteers. Since fluoride is an effective way to prevent tooth decay, the Fluoride Mouthrinse Program is helping to create an equal opportunity for all children across the province to have a healthy smile. If your child’s school has a Fluroride Mouthrinse Program, it is best that your child participates—you might consider becoming a volunteer in the program as well. Dental hygienists working in public health can recommend oral health resources to educators when oral health is part of the school’s curriculum.
The College of Dental Hygienists of Nova Scotia maintains a community education resource centre that provides a variety of educational materials and supplies for oral health educational sessions to dental hygienists willing to volunteer their time to educate the public about oral health practices.
When considering your child’s back to school checklist, make sure to place oral health at the top. The right combination of proper home care, a healthy diet, and professional dental services are sure to make a child’s future as bright as their smile.
The CDHNS is the regulatory body that in the best interest of the public registers and license dental hygienists. The CDHNS represents 660 dental hygienists in Nova Scotia. For further information, surf to www.cdhns.ca.
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Feature
on-line bullyingtackling What every parent should know
about cyberbullying
By Zahra Sethna
Bullying has long been an unfortunate fact of life at school, but it’s taken on a new form as young people spend more time interacting online, especially through social media sites such as Facebook.
Online or cyberbullying can manifest itself in many ways, from sending mean or threatening messages, hacking another person’s account, or harassing someone in an online chat.
One million children were victims of online bullying in 2011 on Facebook alone, according to uKnowKids, a Washington D.C.-based child safety company. In Canada, about 40 per cent of children aged eight to 17 in a recent Microsoft survey said they had been subjected to a range of behaviours that may be considered online bullying.
So what does a parent need to know to keep their child safe? A first step is to clarify exactly what “cyberbullying” means. The Government of Nova Scotia recently revised the Education Act to include the following definition
“Bullying is typically a repeated behaviour that is intended to cause, or should be known to cause, fear, intimidation, humiliation, distress or other forms of harm to another person’s body, feelings, self-esteem, reputation or property…
Cyberbullying (also referred to as electronic bullying) is a form of bullying and occurs through the use of technology.”
While 69 per cent of young Canadians in the Microsoft survey said their parents talk to them about online risks, uKnowKids found that only 10 per cent of children who are bullied online actually report the incidents to their parents.
“One of the most important factors we have learned through focus groups is that kids are not having a dialogue with parents or adults about cyberbullying,” says Nova Scotia’s Minister of Education Ramona Jennex. This might be because the child is too ashamed to admit they are being bullied, Jennex says, or it might be that they do not recognize the actions as online bullying.
Either way, the minister believes that solutions must come from young people themselves. “Kids live in a different space than we do,” she says. “We need to hear their voices. They need to tell us what to do.”
Now that students are back in school, the province hopes to ensure they all hear those voices. The Department of Education is launching a province-wide advertising campaign that uses ideas and messages generated by young people to spread awareness of cyberbullying and provide solutions for preventing and addressing it.
Schools are just one entry point to tackle bullying, Jennex says. Parents must also play a key role. She believes it is important for parents to keep an open dialogue with their children. “Don’t hide from it,” she suggests. “Have a listening ear without being judgmental.”
Parents should also learn everything possible about their children’s online activity, according to WITS, one of Canada’s best-known peer victimization prevention programs. The acronym represents a four-step conflict resolution strategy: Walk away, Ignore, Talk it out, and Seek help.
The group recommends that parents become familiar with any profiles (e.g., Facebook), web pages or blogs their kids use. Keeping computers in a shared family space rather than in a child’s bedroom helps to monitor usage and allows for
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open dialogue about online activity. WITS also suggests:
• Knowing your child’s passwords;
• Teaching your children never to post online or send in a text message anything they wouldn’t want the entire world to see or read;
• Discussing the importance of treating others with kindness and respect when sending electronic messages;
• Encouraging your child to come to you if someone says or does something online to make them feel uncomfortable.
For their part, officials at Facebook say they acknowledge the important role they play in keeping the Internet safe for young people. “Nothing is more important to Facebook than the safety of the people that use our site,” says a company spokesperson. “Our governing document prohibits the posting of content that bullies or harasses, and we have made numerous efforts to promote an environment where people can connect and share comfortably.”
These efforts include a policy that prohibits using fake names or operating under a false identity, restricting the site to those who are 13 years of age or older, and instituting a system for reporting offensive or potentially dangerous content.
If online harassment or bullying is discovered, it is important to save the evidence, says Constable Colleen Fequet of the RCMP’s Internet Child Exploitation Unit. Fequet recommends recording the name of the website or social media account where the incident took place and trying to obtain any usernames or other identifying information of the people involved.
“We don’t recommend going into that site any further,” she says, as that may alter any potential evidence. Once all the available information is recorded, she says the best thing to do is close the computer down and report the incident to school administrators or the police.
School staff are being sensitized on their role in combating cyberbullying and in documenting and reporting severely disruptive behaviour, says Minister Jennex. “We are going at this comprehensively,” she says. “The most important thing is tackling the root causes of bullying and making sure we have a more respectful society overall.”
School doesn’t always have to be a struggle. In fact, some kids love it—and not just because of friends or good grades. They love it because they’re willing to try, and because they feel confident in their ability to learn. All kids can love school. It just takes Oxford Learning to show them how. Better confidence. Better motivation. Better grades. Call today, or visit oxfordlearning.com
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What is the biggest issue with blended families?When a marriage breaks up—and there is nothing I am aware of—I would love parents to go through a divorce class. The biggest problem, I think, for children is the lack of potential respect and cordial relationship between their parents. Very often, it seems, the marriage breaks up suddenly for one of the people. So now we have one parent who is left surprised, angry, and grieving. Children are emotional radars and they know something’s going on that is out of the ordinary when one of their parents is upset. I think what we tend not to do is involve the children on an appropriate developmental level that helps them know that, yes, “I am upset, I am hurt, I am sad, but I will be okay.”
And then we are almost expected to be okay with the person to be bringing a new person into the relationship. So, if the primary person isn’t okay with that, then it’s hard for the primary person to allow the children to have a new stepmother or stepfather and it creates a lot of animosity. The children tend to be used as pawns.
So how do prevent putting the kids in the middle of that? Ideally, we would have that opportunity when the parents are separating or divorcing to at least come to some level of understanding, and what they’d both like to have for the children moving forward. I find it’s very adult–focused during the separation or divorce process when it’s really the children whose lives are also being disturbed. I’d love to see parents who instead of leaving a marriage and going straight into a new relationship and expecting the children to be okay with that, they have their new relationship but give the kids time to get to know the new partner, to become friends with the new partner and warm up to that relationship.
Is that a problem, people start over too quickly?I think so. People are ready and willing to move on with their lives at some level, but they aren’t considering the collateral damage to those they are bringing along with them.
Is there a timeframe you would suggest when introducing a new person to your children?Yes, I would suggest over a year. Take that time and think about where you are bringing that new person. Are you bringing them to family functions, putting them in a position where the people who are there just aren’t ready to receive them in a way
Face to face
we’d like to have them received? It’s very gradual exposure. With the children, of course, some of the scary things that will happen will be like, “Now I have to go through my stepmother in order to talk with my father.” Kids need to have access to their parent, because the parent is their safe person. When there is somebody that is standing between them and the parent, that can cause some difficulties.
What should the new person’s role be? They have to learn how to step back in a way.I think it’s a difficult position because I think they have to be somewhat selfless. I think sometimes if our marriage is ending and a new relationship is starting, there is already an unsettled kind of fear for this person that they may go back to the wife or the wife might not be finished in the marriage. We need to allow the individual from the marriage to deal with that marriage on their own and in their own time. I think there is pressure on that person to start over without finishing. I think we really need to finish and heal what happened, and we don’t take the time to do that.
It’s really all about timing?Yes, it’s all about timing. I think one of the worst things the stepparent can do is to take over discipline. Children don’t have that level of respect or familiarity with that person to be able to be okay with being told what to do, or being punished, by someone who is relatively a stranger. Maybe together the adults can understand what the goals are. Research says it takes seven years for a blended family to blend. That’s a long time and not a lot of people are patient enough to give it that time. But I think the friendships between the children and the new parents need to develop before we can take that higher place as disciplinarians.
So a new parent can be more of a mentor? Absolutely. They can be a big fan of the children. In a lot of ways they have a privileged place. They are in the children’s lives, but they can become not someone who encourages them to break the rules, but someone who can be more of a friend, or who can be more compassionate or console them in different ways.
So how do parents deal with including those children of a new partner?I think, again, it’s about developing a relationship, doing activities together that constitute team building. Being very
inblendingCarol Shirley is a Halifax-based registered psychologist who’s been working in private practice for the past five years. Prior to that, she worked in counselling at Mount Saint Vincent University and within the public school system. She’s also a parent and a former nurse. Shirley currently counsels children from age five to late teens, as well as adults and families. Our Children spoke to her about issues surrounding blended families, and what parents need to do to make the transition after a separation or divorce easier for the children involved.
By Suzanne Rent
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careful not to have one set of kids with different rules and not to show the kids there is privilege. There needs to be consistent things happening. We also still need to remember that children need one-on-one time with their parents. Essentially, what happens is that the parent becomes a part-time parent. It changes the whole family dynamic, in that if some of our kids are living with us full time and the other parent’s kids are there part time, there needs to be some differences so that the children who are there have consistency of rules, consistency of expectations. It’s so dependent on the age of the children, the personality of the children, the level of reciprocity of that primary relationship. We really need to be careful about our own behaviours and reactions to things, because our kids will follow.
Do you find there are parents who are over accommodating, and that creates problems?Absolutely. A lot of the guilt and shame that goes with separation and divorce itself is carried forward into the new relationship. That sometimes makes parents feel as though it’s their fault the child’s life is upset, and they have to make that up in some way. So, they make it up by over accommodating and that over accommodating leads to a privileged attitude and it leads to a sense of righteousness. We have to make an abnormal situation as normal as we can.
Are there any benefits in a blended family?Benefits would really start with having happier parents. When parents are happy it all trickles down. Many kids say, “I just want to see them smile. I just want to see them happy.” It really affects them when parents are sad and they don’t know how to make that better. If parents are happy and getting along and moving forward, looking out for the kids’ need, the kids follow that and they have a nice life. Kids, after awhile, will talk about the joy of having four adults who really care about them, or the joy of having two birthday parties or two Christmases. It’s really important to have routines and rituals in our lives and we can have a diverse set of routines and rituals. All of those things are working together to give our kids roots–two sets of roots. To broaden them is our life’s mission.
In the families you work with, what are the key things they do to make it successful?I’ve sat in this room with four parents and their interest is in the children. They are willing and able to put their ego aside and put whatever is happening in their adult relationships on hold, and they are truly interested in the welfare of the children. That, to me, is beautiful. It means the children have an opportunity to have a wonderful life. The adults really do set the tone and when they are able to do that, kids can thrive. I think all parents truly want to do that, but it’s to clear the fog, clear the other emotions out of the way well enough to be able to do that.
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“Waste not, want not” was a daily refrain my mother used to encourage us to eat all of the food on our plates. Wasting food used to be right up there with stealing as a sin just a few decades ago. These days, food waste is an everyday occurrence—and it’s a real problem, not only for your wasted money, time and energy, but for the environment and global food security, too. Yes, that plate of wasted food does affect the starving children in Africa.
What’s the good news? We can all do something about it.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization reports that roughly one third of all food produced is lost or wasted; one billion people are starving, yet enough food is wasted to feed three billion people.
Food waste occurs at many levels of our food system, from the farm to the fork. In developed countries, most of the waste occurs in homes and restaurants.
A study done at Guelph’s George Morris Centre showed that 40 per cent of Canadian food is thrown out. Of that amount, 51 per cent is wasted from homes. Most of it is edible and some still in original packaging.
Reducing the amount of food you waste will help your wallet and the planet
But we compost—isn’t it okay to throw away food if we put it in the compost?
When we throw out food we are wasting all of the resources that went into producing it: the land, water, energy and labour used in growing, harvesting, storing, transporting, processing, and packaging. Resources are also used in the transport of the food waste to the garbage dump or the municipal compost.
Demographers believe that by 2050, the world population will be more than nine billion people. Food production will need to increase by 70 per cent—but if we develop habits and attitudes to reduce food waste now, it will reduce the need for increased food production in the future.
Food waste has a huge environmental impact. That mushy tomato is not harmlessly rotting at the dump. Food waste produces methane, a greenhouse gas, which is 25 times more damaging than carbon dioxide when it comes to climate change. In the United Kingdom, scientists estimated that if food waste stopped, it would be equivalent to taking one of every five cars off of the road in terms of gas emissions.
want not
wastenot,
Feature
By Edie Shaw-EwaldPhotography by O’Toole photo
• Start by keeping track of your family’s food waste for one week. Either write it down or keep a container in the freezer to collect waste.
• Plan meals before going grocery shopping.
• Include meals that use several of the same ingredients during the week.
• Include a meal in your weekly plan that can use up an assortment of wilted veggies such as a soup, stew, or frittata.
• Turn tired veggies into soups or stews; transform mushy fruit into smoothies, muffins, crisps, or sauces; stale bread can create croutons, bread pudding, or French toast.
• Use leftovers in lunches or other meals.
• Be realistic about your time to prepare foods.
• Stick to your grocery list and avoid impulse purchases.
• Store food properly.
• Know that “best before” is not an expiry date, but refers to freshness of an unopened product. Many foods can be eaten several days after this date (but once a product is opened it should be eaten within days).
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• Cook smaller amounts if you often throw out leftovers.
• Serve smaller amounts if food is often left on a plate.
• Plan to eat more perishable foods (i.e. leafy greens) soon after a shopping trip and less perishable foods (i.e. carrots) later.
• Don’t overstuff your fridge so that you can’t see what is inside.
• Rotate foods so that the oldest are in front and the newest are in back.
• Compost food scraps.
• Visit farmers’ markets and keep a garden to feel more connected to your food.
• Talk about food waste with your family, friends, and neighbours.
• It’s a win-win situation: you save money and the world.
Check out these two great websites on food waste: www.lovefoodhatewaste.com www.stilltasty.com
Thanks Mom! Thanks Dad!The start of a new school year is an exciting time for students, parents and teachers.
Learning improves when parents get involved in their child’s education. Nova Scotia’s teachers thank parents for their continued involvement and encouragement.
Show your child that learning is important. Stress good work habits. Set expectations that encourage your child to succeed. Show an interest in what he or she is learning and keep informed about what is happening at school and in class.
Meet your child’s teacher. Discuss what is being taught, homework, expectations, and discipline. Let the teacher know about situations that may affect your child’s learning.
Children succeed when there is a strong partnership between home and school. The teachers of Nova Scotia look forward to working with you this year.
Nova ScotiaTeachers Union
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Superintendent Carole Olsen shares tips to help reduce back-to-school stress for families
under learning!
under stress?
For many children, heading back to school in September is
exciting. It’s a time to reunite with old friends, meet new
ones, and to start fresh with a clean slate and a new teacher.
For many others, however, new beginnings and new routines
can trigger unnecessary worry, stress, and anxiety—all of
which can affect the entire family.
Excessive stress can also impact a student’s ability to learn,
their social development, and their overall health. According
to the Psychology Foundation of Canada, a non-profit
organization dedicated to promoting positive mental health
for children and families, stress can “interfere with executive
functions such as attention, memory, organization, and
integration. Over time, stress can cause damage to brain cells
and shrink main memory structures.”
At the Halifax Regional School Board, we believe every
student can learn, and sometimes it’s a matter of creating
the right conditions in which to do so. As parents and
guardians, you can help ease (or potentially avoid)
unnecessary back-to-school stress by taking steps to prepare
your children in advance.
superintendent’s message
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At one of our 4 locations or on-site at your workplace.
This won’t hurt a bit!FLU SHOT CLINICS
For details [email protected] or visit
thefamilyfocus.ca
29
The Psychology Foundation of Canada’s top fi ve tips to reduce back-to-school stress
Prepare a “must-know” list for the school and teacher. Write a list of important information for the teacher, school offi ce, or daycare staff. This list could include allergies, illnesses, physical limitations, or any necessary accommodations that might need to be made, such as the best seating arrangement for your child in the classroom.
Listen carefully and respectfully to your children when they talk and keep an eye out for possible signs of stress. Watch for disturbed sleep, headache, stomach pain, a lack of appetite (or eating more than usual), anxiety, or poor concentration. Don’t forget to ask your kids if they have any concerns or worries about the new school year. Follow up on their concerns and provide information, reassurance, and problem solving help as needed. Remind your kids that you are there for them at all times. Also remind them that teachers are there to help too.
Be careful not to overload your child with too many competitive activities outside of school. Sometimes the best cure for stress is just to have some quiet time or to have children involved in a variety of non-competitive activities in the community or at home. This could include walking the dog or volunteering at a community centre. Doing nothing sometimes is fi ne too!
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I believe that parents are kids’ fi rst teachers in life. According
to the Psychology Foundation of Canada, research has shown
that “parents and caregivers are in the best position to teach
their children life-long stress management skills, and there is
no better time than the fall when children are going back-to-
school!” I couldn’t agree more.
Never hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or principal if
you have questions or concerns about his or her well being.
On behalf of the Halifax Regional School Board, I wish you
all great success in 2013!
Be a motivator. Be positive about school with your children and help them feel it’s a good experience. Be part of their learning and show interest in what they are working on. It’s also important to monitor and manage your own stress level so that it does not create more anxiety. You may not know it, but a child will pick up stress management techniques from you.
Start thinking about next year! Consider preparing your kids for school at least a week before.For example, arrange some fun social times with new classmates, practise the route to school and have them review some of the school material from last year. Take time to get your child back into a school-time sleeping schedule.
Special thanks to the Psychology Foundation of Canada for the tips and information. To fi nd out more on how to help children cope with stress, please visit www.psychologyfoundation.org and www.kidshavestresstoo.org
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Carole Olsen was appointed Deputy Minister of Education for
Nova Scotia, effective September 1, 2012.
Ghost Boy of MacKenzie HouseBy Patti LarsenAcorn PressAges 8 to 12
Already reeling from the death of her brother, Chloe is suddenly orphaned when her parents die in a car accident. She moves to the Maritimes to live with her aunt, in a creepy old house on the shores of the Northumberland Strait. There, she wrestles with her grief and accidentally attracts the attention of the ghost of a young boy. Despite all she’s been through, Chloe maintains a lively curiosity and starts digging into the boy’s history. What she fi nds helps her cope with own tragedies and start building a new life. A well written, complex story, this is still some pretty heavy subject matter—many will enjoy it, but it’s not recommended for kids who tend to worry or be anxious.
Lulu and the Duck in the ParkBy Hilary McKayIllustrations by Priscilla LamontAlbert Whitman & CompanyAges 7 to 10
Lulu loves animals. Throughout her neighbourhood, she’s famous for looking out for them, defending them. She even worries that her class’s guinea pig doesn’t have any friends. One day, whilst walking in the park, she fi nds a duck egg that has rolled from its nest. With momma duck nowhere in sight, she pockets the egg, determined to keep it safe until the duckling can hatch. She takes it to school and not-unexpected-chaos ensues. A good-hearted, intelligent tale, this story is a good way for young readers to graduate to big-kid books, but still meaty enough to hold older readers. Priscilla Lamont’s clever illustrations complement the story perfectly.
Gender Born, Gender MadeBy Diane EhrensaftThe Experiment
Most boys do those stereotypical boy things—catching gross insect, playing with toy cars, etc.—because they come naturally to them. Others do them because their parents give them little choice, pushing them into the stereotypical behaviours. Some little girls like ponies and pink princess dresses because they appeal to them. Others are simply following the behaviour of the women they know.
And some little boys like pink princess dresses. And that leaves their parents quite at a loss. That’s where Gender Born, Gender Made comes in. Development psychologist Diane Ehrensaft “debunks outmoded approaches to gender nonconformity,” offering parents advice on how to raise kids who are healthy, happy and comfortable with who they are.
Warriors: Skyclan and the Stranger – the RescueWritten by Erin Hunter, Book Review by Annie Savoie
This book is about cats that are wild; the wild cats are called Warriors. But the cats that have owners are called KittyPets, and people are called Twolegs. In this story the main character is Leafstar. Leafstar has three little kittens. Then a lady that is about 60 years-old fi nds Leafstar and her three kittens and brings Leafstar and her three kittens to her house… The lesson is “do not steal or take things that are not yours.” I liked this book because I like cats, because it’s a fi ction
book and because it’s a good book. I think you would like this book especially if you’re a cat lover but I think you would like this book anyway because it’s a fun book to read. I hope you read this book, because it’s a very interesting book.
So read this book. It’s a fun book.
Just so you know, this book is sort of sad.
By Trevor J. AdamsreviewsbookSt
uden
t rev
iew
PARENTS’ pick
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Even monkeys needmedication some time!
PROfile Kids Club encourages yourlittle monkeys totake their medicine,making your job awhole lot easier.
Registration includes a personalized welcome kit with fun activities!For more information, speak to your PROfile Pharmacist.