B r i n g o n

s u m m e r ! Activities and events for the whole family

You Are Good Enough!

Building your child’s sense of

self-worth

June/July 2013

Happy

3rdBirthday to Us!!

6 Easy Steps to Clean Up Your Picnic Basket

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The Father of All Days

E very year Father’s Day seems to creep up on our family. Are we the only ones?You see, June is just such a busy month! Between dance

recitals, field trips, summer planning, and birthdays galore, it kind of gets lost. (Ooh! And the 3rd Birthday of Kamloops Momma!!)

And my husband doesn’t make a big deal of the occasion. Last year he even suggested moving the date because he was so busy with a construction project! Of course, we forgot. Instead, we casually left the birdhouse we’d made for him on the counter a few weeks later and called that our Father’s Day celebration! And then there’s the fact that he’s worked out of town more Father’s Days than he’s been here…

Don’t get me wrong; our disregard for the occasion certainly is not because we don’t care. My daughters are blessed with an extremely hardworking dad who will take any opportunity he can to bring them joy.

Maybe we just don’t worry too much because my kiddos show him how much they care every single day. My oldest shrieks with joy each time her dad picks her up from school and requests that he tucks her in every night. My youngest insists he “buckles her out” of her car seat and will snuggle him endlessly after a hard day’s work. Plus, the phrase ‘I love you’ is said almost as much as ‘no’ in our house-hold!

Perhaps we really celebrate Father’s Day (almost) every day. We don’t need a special day to celebrate kids because every day is about them, right? Every day is an opportunity to show them just how much we care. So, just like there is no ‘Chil-dren’s Day,’ maybe our family doesn’t need a Father’s Day?

Shouldn’t we show how much we love him all of the time, rather than saving it up for one special day? Or do I simply need to convince myself (and my children!) that it’s fine my husband will be out of town for yet another Father’s Day this year...

To all of the dads out there, I hope you have a wonderful Father’s Day this year but, more importantly, I hope your children don’t need a special occasion to show you how much you are loved. Every day should be Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Children’s Day! Okay…I might not be quite ready to give up Mother’s Day festivities!

-- Courtney Charlton, editor

To share your ideas and comments, contact us at info@kamloopsmomma.com or find us on Facebook!

Letter from aKamloops

Momma

On the Cover:Sisters Courtney and Carly are

stunning young ladies. It was an absolute joy for Kathleen Fergu-son to capture their beauty at such an important age for women. This session, like all her others, was geared towards ‘loving your-self’ and building confidence in young women. It was an explora-tion of the things that they love to do, and discovery of why they

are uniquely beautiful. Kathleen LOVES these sessions with youth. They are so special and so much fun!

www.kathleenfergusonphotography.ca

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Kamloops Momma is the fun, reliable publication connecting local families to each other and to our community. We provide information about regional events, resources and businesses, as well as articles intended to inspire, enlighten and empower parents and caregivers.As a local resource, we want our community to get involved. We encour-

age and accept submissions from any person, business, or organization sharing our goal to strengthen our parenting community.

Kamloops Momma is published every 2 months and available for free at businesses and resource centres throughout our region.

Readers can also download the magazine online and sub-scribe to have it delivered right to their door.

Kamloops Momma MagazinePublished by Courtney Charlton, editorContact: info@kamloopsmomma.com 778.472.0020Sales Contact: Yvonne Dmyterko 250.320.9709 ads.kamloopsmomma@gmail.comDisclaimer: The publisher will not be responsible for errors or omissions. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the contributors/writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of the publisher. All rights reserved. No written or illustrated part of this magazine may be reproduced, except brief quotations in articles or reviews, without permission from the editor and individual authors.

www.kamloopsmomma.com

7 Where’s Mitchel?One mom’s take on imaginary friends

8 You are Good Enough!Building your child’s sense of self-worth

10 Beyond RESPsOptions to help what you’re saving match what you’ll need

13 The Jar of Summer FunHow to remedy boredom this summer

14 Bring on Summer!Activities and events for the whole family

19 Making Swim BabiesNurturing a child’s love of water

22 Pregnancy TipsAn osteopathic perspective

23 Exposure: A Place for PhotographyLife Unfolding Photography

26 Clean Up Your Picnic Basket6 simple steps

Dalila and dad, Neil

Luca and dad, Jason

17 Things We Love

24 Dear Aunty

28 Community Resource Directory

20 Birthday Party Directory

27 Notes from a Boho Momma

30 Community Events Calendar

Resources:

Cora and dad, Sean

Joshua, Samuel, and

dad, Jody

Carson and dad, Patrick

A Look Inside Kamloops Momma...

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By Lou Maze

Anyone with kids knows that reality isn’t all it is cracked up to be and learning to play pretend can make

parenting a lot more fun. I don’t mind that my son has imaginary

friends. They don’t eat much, never talk back and make minimal messes.

But being such a good sport about the imaginary friends has backfired. Now that I have agreed to their existence, I am required to keep track of their wherea-bouts. Which puts a whole new mind bending twist on the expression “watch-ing the kids.”

It started so innocently. We were at the park, riding a pretend train through an imaginary drive-thru and munching on invisible hamburgers and the world’s first no-calorie French fries, when he asked me if I had seen Mitchel.

Now of course I’ve never seen Mitchel. Technically, neither has my son. Techni-

cally, no one has ever seen Mitchel. I’m sure that somewhere in this wide and wonderful universe there is a real body and blood Mitchel, but this particular Mitchel exists only in within the confines of my son’s cranium.

We could go metaphysical and argue that perhaps Mitchel is a spirit that my innocent child sees because his little soul is not corrupted by the world. But I can’t go down that road given the sleep deprivation that comes with parenting. That could be a one way trip to the land of psychosis.

Which is where I thought I may have gone, when I pointed to an empty space and Sunny looked at me oddly and said, “There’s nobody there?”

I stared into that empty space. Now, I’ve had some frustrating moments in par-enting, but this one piqued at my nerves in a fresh and sinister fashion.

So I stabbed at the empty air in another direction. “There he is,” I said through grinding teeth I hoped looked like a smile.

“Who is that?” he asked. At this point I’m pretty sure I growled. It was the only safe response.“Mommy,” he said with marked impatience, “Mitchel’s over there.”

“Well, if you knew where he was,” I snapped, grateful to be back in familiar territory, “why did you ask me?”

There was a long silence between us. Reality wavered like hot air over a searing desert and Mitchel gave me the finger, I returned it.

Truth is, I never did like that kid. I mean, really, who spells a name like that with only one “l”?

www.loumaze.com

“I don’t mind that my son has imaginary friends. They don’t eat much, never talk back and make minimal messes.”

Where’s Mitchel?

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You Are Good Enough:Building your child’s sense of self-worth

By Janet Whitehead

I needed to write an article. “Perhaps something about building self-esteem in girls,” suggested the editor.Shortly after, I stood up in front of my

granddaughters when I noticed they were watching an ad for Barbie and said, “Hey, do you know that if Barbie were a real person, she’d fall on her face?” They looked at me curiously as I explained (with full-on actions!) that Barbie is all out of proportion: her feet are too tiny to support her body and her breasts are so large that she’d just fall, smack on her face. “Really?” one asked as they both laughed. “Really!” I answered.

I’m hoping the antics of it all will help them remember. I certainly don’t want my granddaughters striving for the Barbie-look.

Yes, it’s a great topic; self –esteem. In a world so media-hyped, ‘photoshopped,’ and overwhelmed with technology, now, more than ever, we need to rethink new ways to support our children to have a strong sense of self-worth. I began plan-ning the article by asking the hard ques-tions.

In a world where comparison runs ram-pant and every magazine in the grocery store screams, “You are not good enough

and, by the way, if you’re a movie or mu-sic star and have a pimple or a touch of cellulite, we’re going to shame you on the front cover;” and in a world where “image has been altered” is not required when a real person has been altered into some non-existent pretense of beauty, how do we help our girls feel comfortable in their own bodies?

In a world where school test scores can directly correlate to how much funding a school will get, we need to find ways to ensure our children understand that who they are is so much more than test scores. How do we help them find wonder at the power of their minds, their imagination, their ideas, and all of their strengths that are not tied to test scores?

In a world where even our politicians, the very people running our country, model that shaming, bullying, and lying are acceptable ways to get where you want to be, it’s no easy task to empower our children with a sense of compassion, less judgment, and knowing that it’s okay to make mistakes, both for self and oth-ers.

In a world that is scarcity-driven (I don’t have enough money, I don’t have a good enough job, I don’t have the newest

technology, I don’t have the brand name clothes) and scarcity-thinking gets worse with ‘I am not good enough, I am not per-fect enough,’ how do we help our children know they are enough, they are more than enough and, in fact, they rock?

People everywhere hide their vulnera-bility, their emotions, and what really mat-ters to them, as they try to ‘fit in’ (to what? I ask). This results in a deluge of less than kind voices in our heads further reinforc-ing that we are not good enough. How do we nurture those precious unique souls to share what’s in their hearts? How do we keep them from being controlled by their own negative self-talk? (Yeah, you know what I’m talking about)

We are all, by nature, curious and cre-ative beings… children know this, but in an attempt to protect them from being hurt, it can be us, the parents, who en-courage them to fit in. Yet these are the very qualities that help them to discover their uniqueness, their strengths, their gifts, and their way of having faith in themselves, who they are, and their worth. How do we support them in being their curious and creative selves?

This is no tiny topic, I thought. Not a simple task to tuck tips and tools on

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building a child’s self-esteem into a short article. I dug into research, resources, and what I already know, and then I hit a wall: My own thoughts. Suddenly, I had a lot of ‘must get to’s.’ I needed to check email, pop in on Facebook, cut the grass, work on a canvas, go get groceries… anything to avoid where I was clearly heading.

I’m the mom of two women and grandmother to three girls. Immersed in theories and research, I found myself beating myself up for all I might have done ‘wrong’ raising my daughters. As I explored this topic and its challenges, I had a moment’s crazy thought, “Oh, thank God I do not have to play that role nowadays.” It was a brief crazy thought. A self-defense denial sort of thing. It was a direct result of all the research and too much noticing everything that goes on in our society and in our own lives that con-tradicts raising a child to have confi

dence, bravery, and good self-esteem. But, of course, I play a role. And, looking back to my early parenting years, I’m not so sure ‘winging it’ and ‘doing what I thought best at the time’ was enough.

I wanted to run from the article and where my thoughts were taking me. My

first efforts at practicing compassion and gentleness for myself failed as I tried to get out of writing the article. “No, I need the article!” the editor said. Oy. My next effort was to prac-tice my coaching tools to stop the not so nice self-talk and authenti-cally be kinder to myself. That took a while… sometimes it’s hard being a mom, isn’t it?

And here’s what it comes down to. Besides sharing my own vulner-ability, I’m sharing three excellent resources for parents (and grand-parents, apparently) to further explore how to build our children’s sense of self-worth. I’m putting them in catego-ries, but do know that each crosses over into the other areas.

BODY: Dove.ca: Their mission: “To encour-

age all women and girls to develop a positive relationship with beauty, helping to raise their self-esteem, and thereby enabling them to realize their full potential.” You’ll find excel-lent practical guides under ‘Social Mission’ to help parents support their daughters.

MIND:Strengths finder test: www.gallupstrengthscenter.com/Purchase. This long link gets you directly to the page. Pay $9.99, take the test and not only will you receive brilliant insights into your strengths (which can be your ba-sis for your best way to increase self-esteem for both you and your children), you will build your un-

derstanding of strengths that aren’t tested in schools, but that matter in life.

SOUL / EMOTIONS:Daring Greatly – How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brene Brown. This current research is thought provok-ing and, fair warning, may trigger doubts

and overwhelm. But the concepts are valuable and affirming that we, as parents, can be the safe place for chil-dren to explore, be vulnerable, know they are loved, and have the sense of belong-ing that they need to develop their self-esteem.

I’ll leave you with one tip from that book: When your child walks into the room, does your face light up at the joy of seeing them before going straight into “Where’s your shoes?” “Did you brush your teeth?” etc? That small simple ges-ture not only feeds your sense of grati-tude, but helps our children, who are so inundated by contradictory messages in this world, consistently feel loved and supported.

In the end, the wisest insight of all came from my 5 year old granddaughter: “We feel braver when we find our talent,” she said as she curled up beside me in the tent, “and then we can fly.” Out of the blue, out of the mouths of babes.

Janet L. Whitehead is a Professional Life Coach, helping others to live inspired lives with less guilt and more happy.

www.musingsandmud.com

Best Friends Olivia and LexiPhotos: Kathleen Ferguson Photography

Sisters Courtney and CarlyPhotos: Kathleen Ferguson Photography

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You want the best for your child – and, for plenty of pow-erful reasons, a college or university education is one of the best things you can do to give your child a great start

in life. There’s the increased earning potential, of course – the average university graduate earns almost twice as much as someone with a high school diploma. Over a 30 year career, that could add up to $1.2 million of additional income1. There’s the increased opportunity for employment – seven out of ten jobs now require a post-secondary education and having a de-gree or diploma is bound to become even more important in the future2. And there are the valuable life lessons and relation-ships that are an essential part of the post-secondary experi-ence.

RESPs are the first choiceBut you already know all that – which is why you contribute

to a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) for your child. After all, for the vast majority of Canadians, an RESP is the most effective way to create an education fund that grows to offset the future cost of education. However, when was the last time you checked to see how much of the total education bill your RESP will actually cover?

Here are some sobering facts about the dramatically escalat-ing cost of a post-secondary education:

u On average, undergraduate tuition fees have almost tripled since 1990-913. A student attending a full-time college or university program today can expect to pay an average of $4,500 a year in tuition alone2.u Add books, supplies, transportation, and other living ex-

penses and university students living at home spend an aver-age of $4,500 on ‘non educational’ items, while students living away from home spend an average of $8,160 on ‘non educa-tional’ items4.u The cost of mandatory supplies and equipment for col-

lege and trade schools varies widely and can be between $50 and $5,0002.u Schools are increasing fees for programs that may offer

a larger financial payback upon graduation, such as law, medi-cine, engineering and dentistry2.u Nearly 50 per cent of Canadian college and university

graduates leave school owing money for their education – with college graduates owing about $13,000 and university gradu-ates almost $20,0005.u It is estimated that by 2025, the total cost of four years of

undergraduate education away from home may be between $75,000 and $100,0002.Beyond RESPs – further tax-efficient saving strategies

All this means is you need every advantage you can get when saving to help your children pay for a post- secondary educa-tion – to avoid burdening them with huge student loans or the extra stress of a part-time job during the school year. Consider the following investment strategies that can deliver important savings beyond RESPs.

Tax-Free Savings Accounts (TFSAs) – TFSAs are very ver-satile. You can accumulate funds within your TFSA on a tax-sheltered basis, and when your child goes to school, you can withdraw the funds (plus any subsequent growth) on a tax-free basis to help finance your child’s education. Moreover, the amount you withdraw in a given year will be added to your TFSA contribution limit for the following year.

Insurance – Most people think of life insurance as basic fi-nancial protection for loved ones but a universal life insurance policy can also help fund your child’s education.

A universal life insurance policy is a blend of life insurance protection and investment accounts. As the owner, you select a face amount of the life insurance, the type of coverage needed, and the name of the insured – your child, in this case. You pay the insurance premiums, which are usually quite low for a minor, and within certain limits you can make additional pay-ments. Those additional dollars are then invested in a variety of investment funds to grow over the life of the policy on a tax-

1. 2001 Census Data – Statistics Canada. Average earnings for a High School graduate: $34,631; for a University graduate: $61,156. Assuming an average annual inflation rate of 2.69% (following the historical period of 1986-2005). The difference over 30 working years will total $1,259,248. 2. Statistics Canada, The Daily, October 18, 20073. Statistics Canada, The Daily, September 1, 20054. Statistics Canada, The Daily, September 10, 20035. Statistics Canada, The Daily, April 26, 2004

Beyond RESP’s: Options to help what you’re saving

match what you’ll needProvided by Rick Jackson

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deferred basis – making this accumulation the policy’s primary benefit.

At any point after your child turns 18, you can choose to sus-pend further premium payments and transfer ownership of the policy to the child. This is a tax-deferred transfer that gives the child the ability to draw on the policy’s cash values to pay uni-versity costs. And, since the policy is now owned by the child, the taxable portion of any cash withdrawals is taxed at the usu-ally lower marginal tax rate of the child.

Tax-advantaged mutual funds – This unique mutual fund structure gives you the freedom to rebalance the investments in your non-registered portfolio, without triggering capital gains and incurring an immediate tax liability as a result of the switch. You enjoy the substantial benefits of compound, tax-deferred fund growth and the ability to choose a date to utilize the tax efficient withdrawals that can be used to supplement your child’s education budget.

Monthly Income Portfolios – This mutual fund option allows you to create a stable, tax-efficient, monthly cash flow that can be used to support your child. A portion of the monthly payout is treated as a return of capital and is not taxed in the year that it is paid out. This tax deferral feature can reduce the amount of tax that you would pay compared to withdrawing funds from other types of investment vehicles.

Age 40 trust – If you are planning to put away a large sum of money, a properly structured age 40 trust can be an effec-tive means of accumulating capital for education. It provides income-splitting opportunities so that capital appreciation may be taxed in the beneficiary’s hands, typically at a lower rate than you would pay. And when funded with a loan, you can re-tain access to the principal, giving you the flexibility to decide how trust funds should be used, regardless of whether the ben-

eficiary pursues a post secondary education.When the time comes, you want your children to be able to

afford the college or university program of their choice, to fol-low the career they want and to obtain the earning power they desire. We can help you make the best RESP and beyond RESP investment choices for your life and theirs.

Insurance products and services offered through I.G. Insurance Services Inc. (in Québec, a financial services firm). Insurance license sponsored by The Great-West Life Assurance Company (outside of Québec). TMTrademark owned by IGM Financial Inc. and licensed to its subsidiary corporations. “Beyond RESPs: Options to help what you’re saving match what you’ll need” ©2010 Investors Group Inc.

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The Jar ofSummer Fun!The two months of summer vacation can seem very

very long and, chances are, you’ll hear, “I’m Bored” on more than one occasion! So, this summer, be pre-pared to remedy any boredom with activities on-hand to keep your kids entertained!

At the beginning the summer holiday, sit down with your kids and ask what they want to do this summer (a summer ‘bucket list’). Do they want to learn to swim, make s’mores, have a backyard camp-out, or visit a relative in another city? Maybe they’d like to do science experiments, paint their room, or learn how to play an instrument.

Write down your kids suggestions and add a bunch of your own. Have fun with this part! Choose a range of activities: some that your kids can do alone, some with friends, and some with family. But be sure not to in-clude anything that you don’t really want to do because you could be stuck doing it!

Choose some age-appropriate science experiments like flubber or invisible ink (lemon juice). Indulge in an at-home spa day, a board game marathon, or a pyjama day. Include treats like home-made popsicles, ice cream in a bag, and do-it-yourself pizza. Don’t forget craft projects, like rock creatures and key wind chimes. And a lot of outdoor activities are a must, like planting gardens, sponge ball water fights, and bubble wands!

Include some learning-based activities, too: write a story, learn a new word, research another country etc. And don’t forget the summertime favourite: a lemon-aid stand! (Don’t worry - as long as the stand is on your private property, it’s allowed...we checked!)

When you’re finished, cut the list into individual strips of paper and put them into jars. You can create whatever jar categories you like, such as “go, make, eat,” “by myself, with friends, as a family” or simply one jar: “Mom, I’m Bored!”

If you have a tween, why not let them create their own personal jar of activities? If they protest, just explain that you’ll fill the jar with activities if they don’t!

Summer is a great time for tweens to develop their confidence and independence. Volunteering is a fan-tastic option. Check out Volunteer Kamloops for ideas! If your tween is entrepreneurial-minded, they could try dog walking, lawn mowing, or car washing. Sug-gest including new recipes to make, books to read, and places to go. They could even redecorate their bedroom!

The jars will be your kids’ ‘go to’ whenever they complain about being bored this summer...plan ahead by having the necessary stuff on-hand so you don’t spend the activity day shopping and preparing instead of doing!

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Celebrate!A Day in Wonderland A magical family event for with princess-es, pirates, singing, dancing, a mad tea party, and more! July 7, 10:30 - 2:30Westsyde Centennial Parkwww.kamloopsprincessparties.com

Alpine Blossom Festival The whole family can enjoy hiking, kids activities and entertainment during one of the most beautiful times of the year. Festivities take place August 2 - 5 at Sun Peaks Resort. www.sunpeaksresort.com

BC Bears DayCelebrate Grizzly Cub’s 2nd birthday with special events everyone can enjoy! August 5. www.bczoo.org

Canada Day On July 1, celebrate our national holiday at Riverside Park. Festivities begin at 7 am with a Lions pancake breakfast and end with fireworks. There will be enter-tainment, art, food, and cultural activi-ties. www.kamloops.ca/event/canadaday

Ribfest 2013 Professional ribbers bring their tasty rib recipes to Kamloops August 9-11. In conjunction with Hot Nite in the City, this free event includes a rib cook-off, music, entertainment, a children’s area, and more! www.kamloopsribfest.com

Logan Lake Day Travel just 30 minutes from Kamloops for a full day of family-friendly events! Best of all, it’s free. August 4, all day.www.loganlakeday.com

Summer Kick-Off Weekend A weekend of activities for all ages: The West Coast Lumberjack Show, Mountain of Beer & Chili Cook-Off, rock climbing wall,bouncy castle, live music, and more. June 28 - 30. www.sunpeaksresort.com

The Summer Kick-Off On July 6, kick off summer with the award-winning singing duo Bobs and Lolo at the BC Wildlife Park. www.bczoo.org

Teddy Bear Picnic and Mother Goose Celebration Pack up your teddy bear and a picnic lunch and head to this free event. En-joy games, races, face painting, crafts, gymnastics, music and more at Prince Charles Park on June 20 from 11 - 1 pm. www.interiorcommunityservices.bc.ca

B r i n g o n s u m m e r ! Activities & Events for the Whole Family

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Create!Home Depot Kids Workshops Every second Saturday of the month, kids ages 4-12 can participate in these free workshops. Every child receives their very own Home Depot apron, a cer-tificate, a pin, and an awesome project to take home. 10 am - 12 pm. 250. 371.4300.

CAMP: 4Cats Art StudioBring out the artist in your child with camps exploring artists like Monet, Ma-tisse, and Carr, or themes like magical creatures mixed media camp and stop motion animation. 6-275 Seymour St.kamloops@4cats.com 778.471.6335 4cats.com/kamloops

Make and Take Art Projects Kids 3 and over can make a fun selec-tion of crafts every Thursday in July and August. There are 2 sessions a day at the Old Courthouse Cultural Centre: 11:30 and 1 pm. Get creative with print mak-ing, weaving, image transfers and more! 250.828.3500.

Chapters Craft and Story time Enjoy a story and craft for free at Chap-ter’s Bookstore every Saturday at 11 am. 250.377.8468

Explore!Farmers’ Markets

Downtown Farmers’ MarketWednesdays, 8 - 2 / Saturdays, 8 -12 North Shore Farmers’ MarketFridays, 4 - 8 Tranquille Farm Freshtranquillefarmfresh.ca

For a complete list of farmers’ markets in BC, visit www.bcfarmersmarket.org.

Kamloops Children’s Museum In the lower level of the Kamloops Muse-um and Archives is a world of discovery for kids. The Children’s Museum features interactive displays, such as a puppet theatre, dress-up area, space station reading room, steamship station, water table, games, models, and more. Admission is by donation. 207 Seymour Street 250-828-3576

Secwepmc Museum and Heritage Park Discover the rich history of the Secwepemc people when you explore the museum’s cultural displays, the 5 hectare Heritage Park, and the unique Ethnobotanical Gardens. www.secwepmicmuseum.com.

YMCA Child Interactive CentreVisit the Southwest Y’s drop-in playgroup Monday to Friday from 9 - 12pm. Circle time, crafts, and a huge selection of toys and activities are available for children ages 0-6. Unit E, 1420 Hugh Allan Dr250-372-7791

Learn! CAMP: BIG Little Science CentreBLSC makes science fun with more than 140 hands-on stations and entertaining demonstrations. In addition to summer drop-in (Tuesday to Saturday, 10am - 4pm), BLSC offers Super Science and Robotics summer camps. 985 Holt Street 250.319.0689 www.blscs.org

Summer Activities & Events

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CAMP: Eureka Science CampDiscover ‘Crazy Chemistry,’ ‘unBelieve-able Biology,’ ‘Exciting Engineering,’ and ‘Funky Physics’ at these week long science camps held at TRU. Camps run from July 2 to August 23 and are for ages 7 - 14. Visit www.tru.ca/eureka for more info or call 250.371.5534.

Family Fun with LiteracyThese free Friday night events are fun for the whole family. Games, storytelling, crafts and more, plus every family goes home with a free book. Literacy nights are held monthly at Riverside Park and McDonald Park. www.interiorcommunityservices.bc.ca

Summer ReadingThe TNRD offers free themed summer reading programs with incentives to keep kids reading all summer long. Registration opens mid-June and the program starts at the beginning of July. Younger children can participate in the Read-to-Me club. www.tnrdlib.ca 250.372.5145

Listen!Music in the ParkRiverside ParkFree nightly musical entertainment at Riverside Park Bandshell from 7- 8:30 pm all July and August, weather permitting. McDonald ParkEvery Friday night in July and August, enjoy free musical performances at the from 7- 8:00 pm, weather permitting.

Burton Cummings Enjoy one of Canada’s original rock su-per stars, Burton Cummings, in this free outdoor concert event. July 13.www.sunpeaksresort.com

Move!CAMP: Academy of DanceFrom July 15-19, kids ages 3 - 8 can enjoy dancing, arts and crafts, and various community activities. Children will also put on a recital for parents to attend. www.theacademyofdance.ca

CAMP: Junior Golf CampThese 2 day camps for ages 6 - 18 are a great introduction to the game of golf, or an chance to improve your skills. www.sunpeaksresort.com

Kids of Steel TriathlonOn June 16, swim, bike, and run to the finish line of this fun event for ages 5 and up. Registration required. Brock Arena.250.828.3500

Lil’ Monkey’s TreehouseGet out of the summer heat (or rain!), with this indoor play place. It has a multi-level jungle gym, digital interactive games, water table, and yummy food! 250.377.PLAY City View Shopping Centrewww.lilmonkeystreehouse.com

CAMP: Recreational Summer Day CampsBoys and Girls Club of Kamloops offers camps all summer long for ages 5 -12. Swimming, hiking, water parks, crafts, dancing, sports, crafts, and more! www.bgckamloops.com

Summer Activities & Events

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CAMP: Summer Horse CampKamloops Therapeutic Riding Associa-tion offers week-long camps that include riding lessons, horse care, safety, mainte-nance, crafts, games and more! 100% of the proceeds fund the Kamloops thera-peutic riding programs. 250.554.3811 ktrainstructor@gmail.comwww.ktrahome.ca

Sweaty Summer Fun SkateEscape the heat with free indoor skating.Brock Arena. July 6 from 11-1 pm.

Splash!Indoor PoolsCanada Games Pool910 McGill Road 250.828.3655Westsyde Centennial859 Bebek Road 250.579.8121YMCA Kamloops400 Battle Street 250.372.7725

Outdoor PoolsBrocklehurst Pool2470 Fleetwood Avenue 250.554.1747

McDonald Pool 262 King Street 250.554.2254

Water ParksRiverside Park (Downtown)

McDonald Park (North Shore)

Albert McGowan Park (Uptown)

For a complete list of parks and locations, check out www.kamloops.ca/parks/cityparks.shtml.

CAMP: Summer Swim CampsKamloops Classic Swimming offers summer swim camps for ages 5 and over. Camps are taught by experienced competitive swimmers and include activities both in and out of the water. 250.828.3660 www.swimkamloops.com

Watch! Kamloopa Pow WowThis 3 day celebration of First Nations’ culture features storytelling, songs, and dance in traditional regalia. August 2 - 4 250.828.9782 www.tkemlups.ca

Children’s Outdoor TheatreEnjoy free theatre productions at a River-side Park this July and August. Check out www.kamloopsarts.com for dates and times. 250.372.7323

Interior Savings Moonlight Movie TourBring your blankets and pj’s and watch a movie under the stars at Riverside Park. By donation, with all proceeds going to Big Brothers Big Sisters Kamloops. August 12, 7 pm.www.bgckamloops.com

Project X-Fest TheatreThis year’s outdoor theatre festival fea-tures 2 family favourites: The Fantastic Mr. Fox and You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown. Mon- Sat, July 24 - August 10. Prince Charles Park www.projectxtheatre.ca www.kamloopslive.ca

Summer Activities & Events

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Things We Love... {Summer Fun!}

Squooshies Why do we love them?

Need a mess-free way to feed your baby? Tired of spilled yogurt and applesauce for your older kids? Want a fun way to feed your kids smoothies or oatmeal?

Looking for a way to feed kids on the go? Squooshies are reus-able food pouches that can be

filled with any squishy food. They have a sturdy zip-lock style seal located on the bottom and a choke-proof cap. And, best of all, they come in adorable animal designs that help make healthy food fun!Snug-Glee Bumz Diaper Service, www.snuggleebumz.com

Hape Sand Toys Why do we love them?It might be hard to believe, but inexpensive, high-quality sand toys really do exist! (They even come with a 5 year guarantee!) There are so many creative toys, like an ice cream shop, sea creatures, baker, and a master bricklayer kits. There’s even the Taj Mahal and the Mayan and Egyptian Pyramids! Of course, Hape makes shovels, hand diggers, and buckets too.Tumbleweed Toys,www.TumbleweedToys.com

Teal Tot Dress by Madeleine Effie Why do we love it? Looking for the perfect dress for a special occasion this summer? Made-leine Effie creates high quality, durable dresses that are not only beautiful, they comfortable. Best of all, each dress is lovingly made in Kamloops. Madeleine Effie also creates cus-tom women’s dresses and mater-nity garments. Madeleine Effie, www.madeleineeffie.com

Do you make or sell something we’ll love? Contact us at info@kamloopsmomma.com to find

out how your product could be featured here!

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By Glen Cheetham

When my wife cheerfully announced that our first born had been with us for 100 days I can still remember quietly thinking, “wow…that means we’ve given him a

100 baths.” And despite those awkward early baths (is it a ‘new dad thing’ to stress about manoeuvring a tiny, fragile, slippery baby in a risky, watery environment?), I have come to really enjoy the bath time ritual; good thing as between our two boys we’ve now ‘enjoyed’ over 2,000 baths! I have also discovered how naturally soothing and enjoyable water really is for ba-bies. Which brings me to the point of this article, and a lesson learned from a 25-year career in aquatics: a child’s love and respect for water starts at home.

As the Aquatic Program Supervisor for the City of Kamloops, a smile still comes to my face every time I see our latest batch of ‘parent & tots’ participating in our Starfish or Duck program. And, although I’ve been around pools for most of my life and have taught many preschool programs in my time, I only now – as a father – can really appreciate both the great challenges and the rewards of encouraging young children to swim.

I hope the following tips are helpful to prepare new parents to get their young children swimming.• When to start? As I suggested above, it really starts at home

in the bath. Make it fun but also make it safe. Constant super-vision is a must to ensure safety and to prevent a ‘near miss’ which may instill a fear of water. Unless otherwise directed by your physician, it is generally accepted that babies can start swimming at 4 months.

• What to wear? There is no shortage of baby swim attire options designed for a variety of weather and water condi-

tions (e.g. UV swim shirts/suits, etc). Most important, though, is a properly fitted swim diaper. Not only do swim diapers (along with frequent checks/bathroom breaks) prevent ac-cidental ‘discharges’ and subsequent pool closures, they will not become over-saturated with water like regular diapers and become a dangerous ‘anchor.’ Swim diapers are available for purchase at most retail stores and at your local swimming pool.

• What to expect? Try to go at a quieter time (e.g. mid-morn-ing/afternoon weekdays) and avoid busy swims. If possible, bring someone to assist with the transition into/out of the pool, which can be trying. Consider putting the baby’s swim gear on at home. And don’t forget a healthy recovery snack for both baby and parent!

• How to learn? For young swimmers, enjoying safe, com-fortable water experiences is the first priority. Parents play an important role in modelling safe behaviour and providing learning opportunities through songs and games. Enrolling in a preschool learn-to-swim program designed for children and their parents/caregivers is a great way to meet other parents and to learn basic methods to encourage your child to learn the fundamentals of swimming.

Given the multitude of fantastic options to enjoy water recreation in our community, parents should get an early start in actively promoting their child’s love of the water. For more information about swimming in Kamloops, visit kamloops.ca/swim - there you will find an article by the Canadian Red Cross with more helpful information on how to safely enjoy the water with your own precious water baby.

Making

Babies Swim

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Birthday Party Directory

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At times, children experience very difficult things; such as the death of a loved one, a traumatizing event, or the divorce of their parents. Fortunately, children can be

resilient, bounce back from adversity and carry on in difficult circumstances but some are able to do so more fully than oth-ers. Children experience stress, emotional pain, anger and sadness much in the same way as adults but because of their developmental levels they are unable to put their feelings into words. Strong emotions can be confusing to a young person.

You want the best for your child – and for plenty of power-ful reasons, a college or university education is one of the best things you can do to give your child a great start in life. There’s the increased earning poten- tial, of course – the average university graduate earns almost twice as much as someone with a high school diploma. Over a 30 year career, that could add up to $1.2 million of addi- tional income1. There’s the increased opportunity for employment – seven out of ten jobs now require a post-sec- ondary education and having a degree or diploma is bound to become even more important in the fu-ture2. And there are the valuable life lessons and relationships that are an essential part of the post-secondary experience.

RESPs are the first choiceBut you already know all that – which is why you contribute to

a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) for your child. Af-ter all, for the vast major- ity of Canadians, an RESP is the most effective way to create an education fund that grows to offset the future cost of education. However, when was the last time you checked to see how much of the total education bill your RESP will actually cover?

Here are some sobering facts about the dramatically escalat-ing cost of a post-secondary education:

3 On average, undergraduate tuition fees have almost tripled since 1990-913. A student attending a full-time college or uni-versity program today can expect to pay an average of $4,500 a year in tuition alone2.

3 Add books, supplies, transporta- tion, and other living expenses and university students living at home spend an average of $4,500 on ‘non educational’ items, while students living away from home spend an average of $8,160 on ‘non educational’ items4.

3 The cost of mandatory supplies and equipment for college and trade schools varies widely and can be between $50 and $5,0002.

3 Schools are increasing fees for programs that may offer a larger financial payback upon graduation, such as law, medi-cine, engineering and dentistry2.

3 Nearly 50 per cent of Canadian college and university graduates leave school owing money for their education – with college graduates owing about $13,000 and university gradu-

ates almost $20,0005.3 It is estimated that by 2025, the total cost of four years of

undergraduate education away from home may be between $75,000 and $100,0002.

Beyond RESPs – further tax-efficient saving strategiesAll this means is you need every advantage you can get when

saving to help your children pay for a post- secondary educa-tion – to avoid bur- dening them with huge student loans or the extra stress of a part-time job during the school year. Consider the following investment strategies that can deliver important savings beyond RESPs.

Tax-Free Savings Accounts (TFSAs) –TFSAs are very versatile. You can accumulate funds within

your TFSA on a tax-sheltered basis, and when your child goes to school, you can withdraw the funds (plus any subse- quent growth) on a tax-free basis to help finance your child’s educa-tion. Moreover, the amount you withdraw in a given year will be added to your TFSA contribution limit for the following year.

Insurance – Most people think of life insurance as basic financial protection for loved ones but a universal life in- sur-ance policy can also help fund your child’s education.

A universal life insurance policy is a blend of life insurance protection and investment accounts. As the owner, you select a face amount of the life insurance, the type of coverage needed, and the name of the insured – your child, in this case. You pay the insurance premiums, which are usu- ally quite low for a minor, and within

continued on next pageComprehensiveEducation Planning Solutionscontinued from previous page1. 2001 Census Data – Statistics Canada. Average earnings

for a High School graduate: $34,631; for a University graduate: $61,156. As- suming an average annual inflation rate of 2.69% (following the historical period of 1986-2005). The difference over 30 working years will total $1,259,248.

2. Statistics Canada, The Daily, October 18, 2007 3. Statistics Canada, The Daily, September 1, 2005 4. Statistics Canada, The Daily, September 10, 2003 5. Statistics Canada, The Daily, April 26, 2004 Insurance products and services offered through I.G. Insurance Services Inc. (in Québec, a financial services firm). Insurance license sponsored by The Great-West Life Assur-ance Company (outside of Québec). TMTrademark owned by IGM Financial Inc. and licensed to its subsidiary corporations. “Beyond RESPs: Options to help what you’re saving match what you’ll need” ©2010 Investors Group Inc. (05/2010) MP1363

certain limits you can make additional payments. Those ad-ditional dollars are then invested in a variety of invest- ment funds to grow over the life of the policy on a tax-deferred basis

By Rachel Pasemko

Play Therapy:Telling the story of a child’s internal world through play

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Pregnancy Tips:An Osteopathic Perspective

By Imogen Wood, M. Ost

Society tells us that pregnancy is a beautiful and wonderful experi-ence. Our friends might even tell us

about their magical textbook pregnancy. However, some of us are not quite as blessed. The following tips are designed to help those ladies who just need a push in the right direction to make their preg-nancy a fairy-tale experience.

Gastro-oesophageal Reflux and Heartburn

When the first trimester of pregnancy ends, we hope that the reflux and feeling sick will go away with it. However, some-times it sticks around.

How does this happen? It can be caused by an increased abdominal pres-sure. In order to make room for the baby, a woman’s organs will move up and back towards the spine, which leaves less room for the stomach and the diaphragm. Our diaphragm forms a sphincter for the top of our stomach, so when we are pregnant, our diaphragm gets stuck and so acid can leak back up our oesophagus, leading to symptoms of reflux and/or heartburn.

How can I help myself? 1. Reduce acidic foods in your diet. For

example peel off the skin of cucumber.2. The less time food is in your stomach,

the easier it is to digest and the less acid is produced to break it down. There-fore make sure all foods are thoroughly cooked i.e. steam your vegetables.

3. Do not sit down after eating a meal. Get up and do the washing up. This will aid digestion and help maintain space for your stomach and diaphragm.

4. Practice deep breathing exercises

to encourage diaphragmatic movement. Your diaphragm will naturally massage your organs as you breathe in encourag-ing healthy digestion.

5. Avoid fizzy drinks and caffeine. If you love your coffee too much, try switching to green tea.

HeadachesDue to the changes pregnancy cause

to a woman’s body, headaches can be a common symptom experience.

Why does this happen? Whilst it can be due to an increase in blood pressure, it is also possibly due to changes in the curves of the spine. As we get further into a pregnancy, a woman’s cervical lordosis (curvature) often increases. This shortens the muscles at the base of our skull called the suboccipital muscles, leading to ten-sion headaches or cervicogenic head-aches.

How can I help myself?1. Stand against a wall with your back

flat against it. Practice elongating the back of your neck and giving yourself a double chin, and repeat. You should feel a stretch at the base of your skull. Perform this exercise twice a day for 30 seconds.

2. Neck stretches. Start and end your day with a healthy stretching regime.

3. Reduce feelings of stress and anxiety by attending prenatal yoga classes.

Pelvic pain and low back painLow back pain is very common in

pregnancy due to the increased anterior load (your wonderful little bump). This will increase the curve (lordosis) in the lumbar spine, which can in turn shorten the distances between the joints in our

vertebrae, causing inflammation and pain. This is often intensified by the ex-traordinary hormone, Relaxin. When you are pregnant, your body releases relaxin to prepare your body for birth. This leads to the ligaments in a woman’s body to be-come lax, making you very flexible dur-ing pregnancy. However, in order to pro-tect your joints, your muscles sometimes tighten leading to widespread muscle pain and aches.

Pelvic pain is often caused by the in-crease of relaxin. One of the most com-mon parts of the pelvis to become painful is the pubic symphysis. The increase in relaxin leads to a shearing effect on the joint causing walking to be extremely painful.

How can I help myself?1. Joining a prenatal yoga class can pro-

vide the relief from pain that you need.2. Contrast bathing. When our joints

and muscles are inflamed, it feels good to cool down our joints, and great to warm up our muscles. So put ice wrapped in a tea-towel on the painful joint for 5 min-utes, then immediately afterwards place a hot water bottle over the area for another 5 minutes. You will contrast five times in total: cold, hot, cold, hot, cold. This will flush the area with fresh blood and help drain away any metabolites and waste products.

3. Pelvic tilts work wonders for pelvic and low back pain.

With any of the problems mentioned above, you could always contact your lo-cal Osteopathic Manual Practitioner for advice.

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Drywall crumbled at my feet. I felt like superwoman tearing it apart and revealing a brick wall behind

it - the wall that will create a meeting cor-ner for photographers and their clients.

Life Unfolding is getting a new home!Together, with photographer Kathryn

Learie of Owen Imaging, we are creat-ing a space we only imagined working from. A space that celebrates the rich and diverse work of Kamloops photographers.

We imagined going to work everyday in a lively space. A gallery with traffic walking back and forth as students at-

tended classes. Photographers meeting to collaborate and share each others work. A place to go everyday and be in-spired.

It sounds like a big dream.It is. It’s a scary one. But if it wasn’t

scary, it wouldn’t be nearly as exciting.Kamloops is full of talented photogra-

phers shooting with different styles, tech-niques and skills. We need a space that brings us all together. A space to show-case work, collaborate and teach others.

Often it’s the people who aren’t profes-sionals but just love to shoot who bring

the greatest energy. People who love photography can come take classes, pur-chase photographic art and fun photogra-phy related items.

Kathryn and I want to go to work ev-eryday in a space we imagine wanting to visit ourselves, so we decided to take the plunge and create it - a space we can all share and be excited about.

Come by 351 Victoria street and wave at us through the window! We will be the ladies covered in sweat working towards a dream.

By Sara Schreiner, Life Unfolding Photography

Advertising Feature

Life Unfolding:

Exposure

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Ilove camping! I’m positively giddy that it’s once again time to pack up the ol’ RV and head

out with the kids to check out BC’s amazing provincial parks. That being said, generally our camp-ing excursions go something

like this: Drive hours to a beautiful park miles away from the nearest town. Set up camp, settle the kids on their bikes, start a campfire, pour a drink, sit down and... WHAMMO! Something nasty happens. Usually it’s one of the three B’s: blood, burns or bumps, but we’ve managed to chuck in a few others for good measure: croup, earaches and stings (to name a few). Happily, I tend to travel with an Emergency Physician. If you aren’t quite as lucky, read on to help decide whether it’s time to pack up or simply dig into that well-stocked first aid kit.

Aunty’s first aid kit always includes the following: Emla cream (topical numbing agent), Auralgan (for earaches), anti-biotic ointment, really good tweezers, elastic bandages, cala-mine lotion, Tylenol, ibuprofen, Benadryl, and a wide variety of shapes/sizes/colours of Band-Aids. Special thanks to my awe-some hubby, Dr. Ian Mitchell, for providing the general medical advice, and remember, if you’re worried, if things seem to be getting worse, or your mommy-radar is screaming, it’s always best to have your child checked out.

BURNSSunburn: When it comes to sunburn (the kind where the skin

is red and painful without blistering), generally you can handle this one with the first aid kit. Recent studies have shown that giving an anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen (as soon as you no-tice your child has had too much sun – don’t wait until the pain starts) can help reduce the severity of the burn. Aloe/moistur-izing lotion will also feel soothing, and help with the peeling skin. Grandma was wrong about applying butter to the burn (yikes!) but right about cold compresses providing some relief.

Blistering Burns: If your child has blisters, either from sun-burn, the campfire, or hot tea/steam, things are more serious. You’ll likely have to pack up and head to the local emergency department because the pain will likely be severe. More than a few blisters can lead to some nasty complications, such as infection and dehydration. If you see a blister, don’t pop it. Antibiotic ointment can be applied to open sores. Keep them clean, and seek help.

LACERATIONS AND PUNCTURE WOUNDSGenerally, tetanus is very serious, but very rare. If your little

one has stepped on something and you’ve been able to remove all of the debris and wash the wound well, some antibiotic oint-ment and a bandage should be fine – no need to rush in for a tetanus shot. However, if you can’t seem to get the wound clean, you may need to consider a trip to the emergency depart-ment. The best medical literature suggests that plenty of clean water is as good as sterile saline in cleaning a wound, so run clean tap water over the injured area, and use your tweezers to get any bits that may be stuck a bit deeper in. When it comes to deep or wide wounds, usually doctors will stitch up head wounds even a day after they occur (but the sooner the bet-ter). For bad lacerations on other parts of the body, less than six hours from injury to stitches is ideal. In the meantime, keep the area as clean as possible. Tylenol is never a bad idea, and if you have some Emla in your kit (which I think is a first aid kit essential!), you can always apply some (although check the package insert to be sure you don’t leave the patch on for too long).

BUG BITES AND STINGSNo one likes a mosquito bite, but it isn’t the bite itself that

causes infection, it’s the bacteria from dirty hands scratch-ing into an itchy bite. To prevent infection, keep fingernails clean and clipped and apply Calamine lotion to help with the itching. Generally, it takes about a day or two for infection to develop. Signs of infection are redness, heat, and pain. If this happens, seek medical attention, as antibiotics may be needed. With stings, use a credit card or piece of cardboard to “brush out” the stinger. I’ve applied Emla to my son’s sting to take away some of the pain, then applied ice and gave him an anti-inflammatory to help with the swelling and redness. You can also consider an antihistamine such as Benadryl (give 1mg per kilogram – check the bottle for dosage instructions). Watch for signs of infection, but generally, you should be able to handle these with your handy first aid kit.

RASH/HIVESWe’ve experienced this one after the kids have been swim-

ming in the lake. Some kids will also get hives from certain kinds of pollen, or a contact dermatitis (a skin reaction from touching an allergen). Generally the first step is to clean the skin well with soap and water, then give an antihistamine such

Dear Aunty...Answering questions about you and your child’s health

25

Do you have a question for ‘Aunty’ Erin? Contact her at cdnnurse1995@yahoo.ca.

as Benadryl. However, if the allergic reaction involves the head, neck or throat or there are any signs of breathing difficulties, it’s critical to get help as soon as possible.

LEECHESMy daughter was the lucky leech-getter. We totally removed

that one the wrong way – with salt (salt in a wound? Ouch!). Here is the right way to remove a leech (note: leeches do have bacteria growing in them and you can get a nasty infection if they’re removed improperly). Find the head-end of the leech (the narrow end). Push it sideways until it releases suction. Then find the back end (the wider end). Again, push it side-ways (don’t pull!) until it releases suction. You’re free to chuck the leech back in the lake. Wash the wound with lots of clean water, then apply a Band-Aid (the leech will inject an antico-agulant into the wound, so expect a bit of blood). Your little one should be fine, and have an awesome story to tell their friends. Again, remember to watch for signs of infection.

WEIRD ANIMAL BITESMy kids love animals. If yours are the same, they might be

tempted to try to pet that deer/squirrel/bat, and as a result, might get bitten. Rabies is the big concern here, and the only animal you need to be worried about carrying rabies in the Interior is a bat. So if your little guy gets nipped by a bird or a squirrel, tend to the wound the way you would any other lacera-tion – clean it, bandage it, and watch out for signs of infection. However, if you think your little one may have been bitten by a bat, it’s time to head into town and get a Rabies booster shot.

SWIMMER’S EAROtitis externa, also known as an “outer ear infection” or

“swimmer’s ear” is usually pretty easy to spot: pain/itchiness, heat, redness, swelling and goo coming out of the ear. It may or may not be accompanied by hearing loss and jaw pain. Kids usually get this one from bacteria growing in wet ear canals. It can take a couple of days after a swim in the lake for it to de-velop. If you can get to a pharmacy, try some over the counter antibiotic ear drops, such as Polysporin eye/ear drops, plus Tylenol for pain. I’ve also used Auralgan numbing drops for my daughter’s outer ear pain, and it’s helped numb the aching enough for her to fall asleep. If the pain is severe or the infec-tion seems to get worse, seek medical attention, as your little one might need a prescription for oral antibiotics.

POISON IVY/OAKWe all remember “leaves of three, let it be,” right? Totally

true. Both are three-leaved vine-y plants, and both are found in BC. If you’re camping in the mountains, you’re probably safe since these plants don’t tend to grow well above 4000 ft. They don’t like growing in deserts either, but can be found near lakes, ponds and streams in dry climates. If you know your little one has touched the plant: 1) Break out the first aid kit and clean the area with rubbing alcohol. 2) Rinse with water. 3) Wash those areas of the skin with soap and water. 4) Prevent re-contamination by washing/tossing out anything your child might have been wearing when they touched the plants (shirts/shoes/etc). Remember, the goal is to remove the sticky sap/oil that causes the allergic reaction without spreading it around to other areas of the body. If you can do this very quickly, some-times the allergic reaction can be completely avoided. Unfor-tunately, by the 30 minute mark most of the plant’s oil will be absorbed by the skin. To remove the oily sap, remember: don’t scrub, just wash (you don’t want to irritate the skin more), use cool water (hot water will just open your pores and let the oil in) and remember to get under the fingernails.

It’s also important to note that dogs can’t get a rash from Poi-son Ivy/Oak, but they can get the sap on their fur, which would

pass to us when we pet them. Therefore, if you know Fido has been playing near poison ivy, don some gloves and give him a bath. Now... If that ship has sailed and blisters/rash have al-ready formed, you’re in for a long and itchy road. Once the rash has developed, treatment will be directed at helping to control your child’s itching, and may involve steroids, oral antihista-mines like Benadryl, and/or topical medications. You may get lucky and get to finish your camping trip before the blisters ap-pear, since it takes a bit of time for a newbie’s immune system to kick into overdrive, but once they do, you’re likely heading home since your child will likely be feeling pretty darn awful. The rash itself is not contagious, so you don’t have to worry about catching poison ivy by taking care of your child. When you’re home, seek medical attention to get the best tips on how to keep your child comfortable while waiting out the week or two it will take to heal.

AND THE MOST IMPORTANT CAMPING TIP:Ian and the other Trauma Room doctors will tell you that the

absolute *worst* injuries they see over the summer months come when folks decide to have a couple drinks and then go for a quick ATV’ing excursion. Horrific things happen. Shat-tered spines, brain injuries, death...and it happens every single year. Almost nothing is as dangerous, and as deadly, as mixing ATV’ing with alcohol. Please, keep your kids safe. Keep your-self safe. Never EVER combine ATV’ing and alcohol. It’s just not worth the risk.

“Aunty” Erin Mitchell is a proud nurse, momma, and owner of Aunty’s House Registered Family Daycare. She is currently work-ing on a degree in child and adolescent psychology through TRU.

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When you are from the coast, the Kamloops heat can really be hard to take some days, especially with our two sons who love to dig in the sand. When Hubby

suggested we take our picnic up to Paul Lake because it was around 10 degrees cooler, we happily loaded our sand toys, beach umbrellas, sunscreen...okay, our car was pack full of “essentials” to the point where hubby could barely see out the back window. But we felt the trip was worth it as it was much cooler, and the beach was very family friendly.

As we set up our picnic, I was left to wander around with our 16 month old son, who loves to say hello and check out every-one’s picnics. As we wandered from family to family saying ‘hi’ and making small talk, I couldn’t help but notice the amounts of junk that everyone was packing. Now I am not judging, not one bit, but I would love to share some ideas of how you can pack nutritious choices this summer. It can be easy and fun to clean up those picnic baskets!

1. Ditch the Chips. That’s right. They are full of chemicals, preservatives, artificial colours, flavors, etc, but you KNOW that, don’t you! It’s just that the kids love them, and hubby wants them and you like the occasional handful too, right? Did you ever think of replacing chips with other kinds of finger food? Cut up veggies, fruit, meat or cheese. If you want to have that fast and easy food, then try some cheese flavored rice crackers (gluten-free), some mini sandwiches or even pre-cooked pop-corn is a fun beach favorite at our house!

2. Ditch the Soda, the Coloured Drinks, Powdered Juice Crystals.

Children need to keep hydrated in the heat, and soda is not going to do the trick. Sugary juices and coloured drinks are just not healthful for them or YOU. There are so many fun and better options, especially for summer!

Coconut water. Rich in potassium and electrolytes, this is the perfect hydrator and it’s completely natural! Homemade lem-onade with stevia instead of sugar or a bit of honey for sweet-ener is a great natural treat as well! Take a trip to the natural foods store or section in your grocery store and find some other soda substitutes that are fruit juice sweetened if you re-ally need to wean yourself and children off of soda-ike drinks.

3. Filler Foods that we could all do without.The nuts and bolts, the cookies, the crackers, the bread

items. These are the ones that are really going to have mama and daddy packing on the pounds if you are just sitting all day and watching your children play. These sort of “empty” calo-ries are easy to keep popping in your mouth all day long, as you never really be satisfied from them. Try to pack some food like left over dinner, or maybe some mini wraps, yogurt or cot-tage cheese cups…if you are going to eat, then eat REAL food. What about making a gluten-free banana bread or muffins the night before and packing them instead? Our family has come to love gluten free flours as everyone feels less bloated .

4. Buy a decent cooler or make one! As you can tell, we pack a lot of REAL food when we go to

the beach, so since our food will not keep for 100 plus years, we do pack a lot of ice packs, frozen fruit, or frozen gluten free cookies and we try to eat the perishable foods first or store the cooler in some shade.

5. Forget the Candy, or other vices that you really CAN live without.

If you don’t have it on hand then you are not going to eat it! Leave the candies and really nonessentials that just cause cavities, or extra pounds that nobody needs. Too many sug-ary sweets actually make us CRAVE more of them. It’s a primal response we get to an immediate energy source, so ditch the really obvious sugary snacks, eat real food, hydrate and have

By Jessica Martel

Simple Steps to Clean Up Your Picnic Basket6

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FUN!!! 6. Plan ahead. Yes, it does seem like a lot of work to eat this way, but I

promise you, that it really does not take that much time if you get in the habit of planning ahead and cooking in big-ger batches. I do this for our regular meals and snacks for at home as well.

For example, I cook enough chicken breasts for dinner and lunch the next day, I always have boiled eggs in the fridge to grab and go, I buy boxes of salad mix and I pre-cut veggies every few days to have on hand. Cut up the whole watermelon, or make up a few overnight oatmeal cups so you can grab and go!

I also try to keep our picnic toys and fresh towels in the trunk at all times so I only have to worry about packing the food part! The feeling you have when you fuel your body with real and healthful foods is worth the extra planning.

Homemade Lemon Aid5 or 6 medium lemons, juiced4 Tbsp. of real honey (make sure it is not just liq-uid sugar) or stevia packets or drops to taste2 small handfuls of fresh mint10-12 cups of waterCombine ingredients, stir, and pour into individual water bottles for easy grab and go healthy hydra-tion for the whole family.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Banana Bread

2 cups gluten free flour (we like Bob’s Red Mill Brand)1 tsp. cinnamon1 Tbsp. pure cocoa powder1 dash Himalayan salt1 Tbsp. baking soda1 cup coconut sugar

Combine ingredients and set aside when mixed. Continue on to wet ingredients.

3 mashed bananas2 eggs (beaten)3 Tbsp. grape seed oil½ cup milk or almond milkMix together and then add to dry ingredientsBake for 35-45 min at 350 degrees or until you can poke it with a fork and the fork comes out clean.

Jessica Martel is an Independent BeachBody fitness and wellness coach. Freelance health and wellness writer/blogger on all topics mommy and wellness related.

www.jessicamartelfitness.com

Notes from a Boho Momma

Hello Mommas!I hope you are thoroughly enjoying the weather and if you are one of the many expecting mother’s

in Kamloops this summer, this article will hopefully add a new idea to your birth plan!

One of the pieces of advice I am always giving excited pregnant women is to try to ignore early labour for as long as possible...it could go on for days, in a start and stop like pattern. It will usually start at night since oxytocin and melatonin are friends, and when the sun rises your labour may stop. Even though I tell them to sleep and not text ev-eryone they know to announce their labours, they usually don’t listen to me!

Asking a woman with a newly contracting uterus to sleep is kind of like asking a child to sleep in on Christ-mas morning, it just won’t happen! So I now suggest that the mother plans a labour project, something she can put her energy into that will honour her birth experience. Some of these projects could include planting some flow-ers in your garden, writing to your child about your labour experience in a journal, or making some birth art that you will treasure forever.

My favorite project is cake making, and since this is THE birth day, I think cake is always appropriate! In fact, there is a Groanin’ Cake recipe in one of my favorite books, written by Ami McKay, called ‘The Birth House.’ I really like chocolate zucchini cake though and if I happen to be your doula, I will gladly make this cake with you!

Birthin’ Cake (gluten free) 3 eggs

2 cups brown sugar3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup coconut oil2 cups zucchini, peeled and grated

1 tsp sea salt1 1/2 cups gluten free flour blend

1/2 tsp xanthum gum1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder1/2 cup cocoa

1 tablespoon vanilla

Mix all ingredients together and bake in a 9 x 13 in cake pan for 25-35 minutes at 350 degrees or until toothpick comes out clean. I suggest cream cheese icing!

Amanda Barker is a herbalist, doula, CBE, and owner of Ovio Organico skin care and Boho Birth.

abarker54@gmail.com.

By Amanda Barker

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Community Resource Directory Activities & Events * See Birthday Party Directory on P. 20

A Day in WonderlandA magical event with princesses, pirates, singing, dancing, a mad tea party, and more! Sunday, July 7, 10:30 - 2:30www.kamloopsprincessparties.com

Lil Monkey’s TreehousePlay and Discovery Centre701-1801 Princeton HWY250.377.PLAY www.lilmonkeystreehouse.com

Logan Lake DayFree fun for the whole family, just 30 min-utes from Kamloops!August 4, all day.www.loganlakeday.com

Sun Peaks ResortFamily festivals all summer long!1 800 807 3257www.SunPeaksResort.com

XFest 2013Kamloops’ favourite outdoor theatre festi-val feat.The Fantastic Mr. Fox and You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown July 24th - Aug 10 www.kamloopslive.cawww.projectxtheatre.com

Childcare and Preschool Kamloops Child Development Society Safe and inclusive child care and early learning programswww.cdckamloops.com 250.376.2233

Children’s Retail Lizzie Bits Baby Co.Cloth diapers, unique children’s items, high quality children’s consignment205-450 Lansdowne 250.374.8706 www.lizziebaby.ca

Tumbleweed Toys Safe, Sustainable & Inspired toys, games, puzzles and more. Sahali Mall250.372.3500 www.TumbleweedToys.ca

Construction Oswell Construction Ltd.He could do it..but wouldn’t it be nicer to spend the weekend with you and the kids? Call for all your home renovation needs! 250.819.1979oswellconstruction@gmail.com

Family Resources Big Brothers Big Sisters 821 Seymour St 250.374.6134

Child Care Subsidy ProgramAssistance with day care costs 1.888.338.6622

Interior Community Services250.554.3134

Ministry of Children & Family Services 250.371.3600

Parent Helpline 1.888.603.9100

Food and Beverage Nature’s Fare MarketsOrganic and Natural Foods Grocer5-1350 Summit Drive 250.314.9560www.naturesfare.com

Specifically TeaLoose leaf tea and tea accessories. 925-C Laval Crescent (Corner of The Wine Shoppe)www.specificallytea.ca 250.851.0604

Health & Wellness Jessica Martel FitnessOnline workout support and motiva-tional 60 day challenges. Brazil Butt Lift, Chalean Extreme, P90X, and Insanity workouts. www.jessicamartelfitness.com

Kix for ChixLadies non-competitive kickboxing for EVERY woman!250.819.4121 www.kix4chixkamloops.ca3 - 953 Laval Crescent

Lighthouse Child & Family TherapySpecialising in play and expressive therapy for childrenRachel Pasemko 250.318.0652rachel@lighthouse-childandfamilytherapy.com

Musings and Mud Coaching StudioWorkshops, work-books, personal coaching with a crea-tive twist.Janet L. Whitehead, certified professional

coach janet@musingsandmud.com250.376.8402 www.musingsandmud.com

The Pilates TreeNew clients can enjoy our unlimited monthly mat package for only $99!101-409 Seymour St. 250.320.BODY (2639)info@thepilatestree.com

Yoga LoftYoga for You. Yoga for Your Family. Your Yoga Community. 201- 409 Seymour Street250.828.6206 250.319.8583info@youryogaloft.com www.youryogaloft.com

Home-based Sales and Services Discovery Toys, Alison GregoryDiscovery Toys Team Leader250.851.2270 aligregory@telus.netdiscoverytoys.com/aligregory

Madeleine EffieLocally designed & handmade dresses for all ages, shapes & sizes...we all de-serve to feel beautiful!www.madeleineeffie.comamy@madeleineeffie.com

McSewJane McMillan, Seamstress & Knitter.Specializing in sleepsacks, infant acces-sories, knitted/felted accessories and alterations. Tel: 250.828.2309 Mobile: 250.319.8808 McKnit@hotmail.com

Music Kamloops Symphony Music SchoolGroup classes and private instruction for all ages and levels. 250.372.5000 Station Plaza #3-510 Lorne St.

Medical Services Healthlink BC 811

Royal Inland Hospital 250.374.5111

Walk-in Clinics:Northshore Treatment Centre 700 Tranquille Rd 250.554.4265

Summit Medical Clinic5 - 1380 Summit Drive 250.374.9800

Kamloops Urgent Care Clinic #4 - 910 Columbia Street 250-371-4905

Online Resources Access KamloopsA regularly updated directory connect-ing people with a variety of not-for-profit resources. www.accesskamloops.org

KamloopsParents.comThe online resource to all things family-friendly in Kamloops. www.kamloopsparents.comelizabeth@kamloopsparents.com

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MakeChildrenFirst.caMap of Family & Breastfeeding-friendly businesses in Kamloops 250.554.3134www.makechildrenfirst.ca

Parent-Child Groups Attachment Parenting2/month - days and locations vary 250-376-4723

Family Tree Drop-in Mon and Wed 9-4 283 West Victoria St. 250.377.6890

Healthy Beginnings Tues 9:45-11:45 / Thurs 10:30-12:30Interior Indian Friendship Society2355 Parkcrest Ave. 250.554.3134

Kamloops Connexions Fri 9:30-11:30, 700 Hugh Allen DriveS.W. Community Church 250.828.1114 coffee-connexions@hotmail.com

Kamloops Wiggles and Giggles Adoption Playgroup Monthly, Deanna, jones_A@telus.net

Next Steps Fri, 1-2:20, Kamloops Public Health Unit519 Columbia St. 250.851.7300

StrongStart Programs (during school year)

BumblebeesMon, Tues, Thurs, Fri, 8:30-11:30 Wed, 12-2:30 Arthur Hatton Elem.315 Chestnut Ave., 250.376.7217

Dragon Flies Mon-Fri, 8:30-11:30 Marion Schilling Elem., 2200 Park Dr.250.376.2027

Eagles’ Nest Mon-Fri, 8:45-11:15South Sahali Elem., 1585 Summit Dr. 250.374.2451

YMCA Child Interactive CentreMon-Fri 9-12 Southwest Y/CCRRUnit E, 1420 Hugh Allan Dr250-372-7791

Prenatal and Postpartum Care Birth Matters - Jodi AndersonDoula and Childbirth Educatorbirthmatters.doula.prenatal@gmail.com250.372.3733 250.819.2099

Boho BirthDoula services & prenatal educationAmanda Barker 250.376.8331bohobirth@gmail.com

Breastfeeding CentreDrop in breastfeeding info and helpKamloops Health Unit 519 Columbia St 250.851.7300 Mon 1- 4, Thurs 9 - 12

CBWellness.ComPregnacy Programs*Aqua Prenatal * Watsu * Prenatal Journey * Pregnant PausesFree Consultation ph: 250 374 7383

Mighty Oak Midwifery Personal, professional, woman-centered maternity care. 250.377.8611 www.mightyoakmidwifery.ca

Pregnancy Care CentreA faith based charity that offers support and education for all people impacted by a crisis pregnancy. 200-535 Tranquille Rd.www.mypregnancychoices.cainfo@mypregnancychoices.ca

Tiny Blessings Prenatal Prenatal education focusing on late preg-nancy, labor & delivery, breastfeeding, & newborn care. 250-819-0510www.tinyblessingsprenatal.com

Welcome to the Babyhood Your resource for child passenger safety and cloth diaper education.Jennifer Harbaruk 250.572.1717www.welcometothebabyhood.com

Photography Ann Weninger PhotographyModern-vintage photography for the whole familywww.annwphotography.ifp3.com

Captured Memories Photographywww.captured-memories.cahrsayers@gmail.com 250.320.6558

Life Unfolding Photography Photography for all your little wild thingsMoms with Camera’s facilitatorwww.lifeunfolding.ca

Milk & Honey PhotographyLisa DiGesomilkandhoney@mail.comwww.milkandhoneyphotography.ca

Real Estate and Investments Karen Lanoue Canadian Scholarship TrustBoost your post-secondary education savings by $7200 karen.lanoue@cstresp.com 250.573.2299

Ken Featherstone, Realtor Royal LePage Westwin RealtyPersonal Real Estate Corp. 250.374.1461 kenfeathetone@royallepage.ca250.828.7829

Rick JacksonInvest in your child’s future!Investor’s Group 250.372.2955Rick.Jackson@investorsgroup.comwww.investorsgroup/en/rick.jackson/home

Yamilka ZienowiczBrighter solutions to protect your plansSun Life Financial250.374.5308 ext. 208www.sunlife.ca/yamilka.zienowicz

Summer Camps 4Cats Arts StudioThe Best, Most Fun Art Studio Ever!Register now for summer camps778.471.6335 kamloops@4cats.com4cats.com/kamloops

Academy of DanceDance, crafts, and outings for ages 3-8 July 15-19 250.314.9974www.theacademyofdance.ca

Big Little Science CentreBLSC teaches kids how fun science can be with Super Science and Robotics sum-mer camps. 985 Holt Street 250.319.0689 www.blscs.org

Boys and Girls Club of Kamloops Recreational Summer Day campsJuly 8 - August 30, Ages 5-12www.bgckamloops.com

Eureka! Week long science summer campsAges 7-14, July 2 - Aug 23www.tru.ca/eureka 250.371.5534www.factionskatepark.comwww.swimkamloops.com

Kamloops Classic Swimming Summer swim campsAges 5+, 5 sessions in JulyCanada Games Pool 250.828.3660www.swimkamloops.com

Kamloops Therapeutic Riding Assoc.Summer Horse CampRiding lessons, horse care, safety, and maintenance. July 15-19/ July 22-26250.554.3811 ktrainstructor@gmail.comwww.ktrahome.ca

Kingdom Rock Vacation Bible School Calvary Community ChurchJuly 15 - 17, 8:45 to 12:00 noonFree of Cost1205 Rogers Way 250.374.2888

Vacation Bible School Kamloops ChristadelphiansJuly 22 - 26, 1:30 to 4:30Free! Parkview Activity Centre250.554.7378vbs@kamloopsbiblestudy.info

Community Resource Directory

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Community Events Calendar presented by: Have an event? Tell us about it and we’ll put it in our Community Events Calendar for FREE!info@kamloopsmomma.comFind us on Facebook!

Visit www.KamloopsParents.com for a complete, up-to-date calendar of family-friendly events!

June 1: Capital One Race for Kids McArthur Island Youth Club www.raceforkids.ca June 1: Youth Fundraiser Garage Sale Calvary Community Church, 1205 Rogers Way June 1, 250.374.2888

June 1(Cont): Saturday Kamloops Farmers Market 200 Block of St Paul Street. 8-12pm

June 1: Grand Opening of Tranquille Farm Fresh 4600 Tranquille Road. 9-4pm

June 1(Cont): BIG Little Science Centre Tues-Sat 10-4pm

June 1: Canadian Cancer Society Relay for Life Riverside Park. 10am

June 2: YMCA/YWCA Healthy Kids Day Downtown Y 10am – 2pm (free)

June 3: Tiny Tunes North Kamloops Library. 10:15-10:45am

June 3: Tiny Tunes Kamloops Library. 10:15-10:45am

June 3: Strawberry Shortcake Sagebrush Theatre. 6pm

June 5 (Cont): Wednesday Kamloops Farmers Market 400 Block Victoria Street. 8-2pm

June 1 (Cont): Shambhala Buddhist Meditation Sat 9:30am, Mon + Thurs 7:00pm, 433b Lansdowne St. kamloopsshambhala.org

June 6(Cont): Kamloops Art Gallery Free Thursday Admission 465 Victoria Street. 10-9pm

June 6: Catch the Fun at Edith Lake! Edith Lake. 6-8pm (250.828.3500)

June 7 (Cont): Connexions Southwest Community Church, Fridays 9:30-11:30am

June 7: Mighty Oak - Mom’s Morning Out Heritage House, 100 Lorne Street. 11-1pm

June 7: Scott Woods Show Swingin’ Fiddles Calvary Community Church. 7pm

June 14/ July 12: Home Depot Kids Workshop 10am – 12pm 250.371.4300 (free)

June 8: Dufferin Elementary School Spring Craft Fair 1880 Hillside Dr.

June 8: Family Fun Run – Under the Same Sun McArthur Island Parkway. 9-11am

June 8: Torch Run for Special Olympics Riverside Park. 10am

June 8 & 9: Yoga for Runners Workshop Yoga Loft, 201-409 Seymour Street. 1-3:45pm

June 9: Walk to Cure Juvenile Diabetes McDonald Park. 9am

June 9: Gutsy Walk for Crohns and Colitis McArthur Island Park 9am 250.376.4080

June 9: Kamloops Young Naturalist’s Club Pond Study 250.573.3127

June 11: Kamloops Celiac Chapter Meetings Above Living Kitchens, 1361 McGill Road. 7pm-8:30pm

June 14: Cactus Classic Nationals-Kamloops BMX McArthur Island Park

June 15: Make-your-own-kite Day BIG Little Science Centre. 10-4pm ($6/adult, $3/child 6-15 yrs, $15/family)

June 16: Kids of Steel Triathlon Brocklehurst Pool. 6:30-1pm

June 16: The North Face Dirty Feet 6 hour Enduro Race Kenna Cartwright Park. 10-6pm

June 16: Father’s Day Celebration BC Wildlife Park. 9:30-5pm

June 20: Teddy Bear Picnic and Parent Child Mother Goose® Celebration Prince Charles Park. 11-1pm (free)

June 21-23: Kamloops THRiVE Festival http://kamloopsthrive.eventbrite.ca

June 22: Free Timbit Golf Day Sun Rivers Golf Course. 250.571.7888

June 24: St Jean Baptiste Celebration Riverside Park. 6pm

June 28-30: Summer Kick-off Weekend at Sun Peaks Sun Peaks Resort

June 30: Sun Peaks and Region Farmers’ Market Sun Peaks Resort. 9:30-1:30pm

July 1: Canada Day Celebrations Lions pancake

breakfast, Art in the Park, Cultural Celebrations, fireworks, Riverside Park.

July 2: Toonie Day at Sun Peaks Sun Peaks 250.578.5542

July 4(Cont): Kamloops Art Gallery Free Thursday Admission 465 Victoria Street. 10-9pm

July 5: Mighty Oak - Mom’s Morning Out Heritage House, 100 Lorne Street. 11-1pm

July 6: Sweaty Summer Fun Skate Brock Arena. 11-1pm (free)

July 7: A Day in Wonderland Westsyde Centennial Park. 10-2:30pm ($25/person) (778.471.5767)

July 7 (Cont): Sun Peaks and Region Farmers’ Market Sun Peaks Resort 9:30-1:30pm

July 9: Kamloops Celiac Chapter Meetings Above Living Kitchens, 1361 McGill Road. 7pm-8:30pm

July 13: Kamloops Highland Games Hal Rogers Centre. 7am-5pm

July 13: Burton Cummings Free Outdoor Concert Sun Peaks Resort.

July 21: The North Face Dirty Feet Mountain Bike Marathon www.dirtyfeet.ca, Sun Peaks Resort.

July 24-August 10: Project X Theatre Production – X Fest Prince Charles Park,

July 27 & 28: Kamloops Marathon http://www.kamloopsmarathon.ca/run.html

July 28: Farm2Chefs Annual Fundraiser 5pm, Sun Rivers Organics

* See p. 13 for more events and activities this summer!

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