kamloops momma issue 21 online
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The free magazine for local moms...and dads too!TRANSCRIPT
Raising Kids in the
Digital World
Holiday Gift Guide 2013
Dec/Jan 2013-14
Sleep Debt What is it and how can it affect your child?
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lisa
(778) 471-6411
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That time of year again...
Every year, the holiday season seems to come out of nowhere. One even-ing we’re dressed as princesses,
meeting our new neighbours, gleefully collecting candy - trying to avoid the ghouls and ghosts of the night - and the next morning our drive-thru coffee shop is draped in ‘joy,’ donning red and gold ornaments and offering our favourite holi-day drinks and treats.
And I have to use a debit card to scrape my frozen car because I haven’t even considered finding our scraper yet. And I’m actually grateful that a nail flattened my tire so I ‘prematurely’ put on the winter tires. Yes, November brings snow every year, but for some reason the first snowfall always feels like a surprise.
But why does gift giving seems like a surprise too?! I always think: “This is the year I’m going to get everything done in advance and prepare wonderfully thoughtful handmade gifts for everyone.” But, no, this is not how it works. Ever.
Instead, I make the mistake of showing my husband an amazing loft playhouse bed on Pinterest 2 weeks before Christmas and he says, “We have to make those for the girls THIS Christmas!” And we did…and we ‘finished’ at 7 am on Christmas morning. Seriously. 7 am!!!
And Christmas Eve wasn’t the only late night: I stay up until 4 am the night before the last day of school making ‘smart cookie’ cookie jar mixes for everyone in my daughter’s class!!! Why I didn’t just make each kid one ‘smart cookie,’ I don’t know!
So, will this year be different? Will I plan ahead? Be creative? Have time to enjoy it all.?Well, I’d really like to say ‘yes,’ but that would probably be a lie! You see, I’m sitting here in a new house, boxes still packed from a frightfully chaotic move, patches of paint colours on every wall, and a sewing machine nowhere in sight.
Yup, this holiday season is sure to include at least one very late night!
-- Courtney Charlton, editor
To share your ideas and comments, contact us at [email protected] or find us on Facebook!
On the Cover:Jaxon Marshall, 7, has a smile
that will break hearts!He was photographed by
Melanie Dreyer of Aria Arts and Photography.
Family, children & marriage are what she values most and it’s why she wants to photograph yours! She wants to capture for all time the way your family is today - whether it is at the beginning of
its formation at your wedding or throughout the varied stages of growth, as children are added and mile-stones are reached.
www.ariaartsandphotography.ca
Photo: Milk & Honey Photography
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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: [email protected] 778.257.1510Sales Contact: Yvonne Dmyterko 250.320.9709 [email protected]: 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 Daddy Dental DigestFirst dental visit
8 A Cut for a CauseHadley Dmyterko donates her hair to Wigs for Kids BC
10 GIFT GUIDE 2013!15 Sleep Debt
What is it and how can it affect your child?
16 Another Kind of MotherhoodLife Unfolding Photograpy
18 Raising Kids in the Digital WorldFinding and maintaining a balance
20 Get Moving!With PEGAMES.org
21 Posture for ChildrenThe tools to help improve posture
Evan, 7
Fletcher, 4 months
11 Things We Love
22 Dear Aunty
24 Community Resource Directory
26 Community Events Calenda
Resources:
Rielle, 3
Anaka, 6
Emaline, 10 months
A Look Inside Kamloops Momma...
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As a dentist and a father of 2 young boys, I am often asked questions regarding children’s dental health.
The most frequent question I am asked is, “At what age should I bring my child in for his/her first dental check-up?” Parents often wonder whether there is a certain minimum age that is required for the first visit.
“1st visit by 1st birthday” is the general rule. To prevent dental problems, your child should have his/her first dental visit when the first tooth appears, usually between 6 and 12 months of age, and cer-tainly no later than their first birthday.
Now, please don’t panic if you are one of the many parents who thought that your child has to be 3 prior to seeing a dentist for the first time. This is a com-mon misunderstanding because at one time, the recommended age for a child’s first visit was in fact 3.
“So why so early?”It is all too common to see a child
coming in at the age of 3-5 for their first dental visit because of a toothache. Many parents are shocked when I tell them that their child has a mouth full of cavities.
Children are at a higher risk than adults are of getting cavities. Baby teeth have thinner enamel, which is the outer protec-tive layer of teeth, and therefore, cavities can develop at a much faster rate for chil-dren. Also, kids eat more frequently than adults do and are often exposed to more simple carbohydrates.
Early childhood caries (aka baby bottle
tooth decay or nursing caries) is prevent-able. Bottle during naps/night or nurs-ing continuously are not the only reason for cavities, however, contrary to what the name might suggest. Many parents are surprised to hear that both milk and fruit juices contain sugar (and a lot of it). Fruits are healthy snacks but only in moderation.
It is not how much sugar that is impor-tant but how often. A cup of juice once a day during a meal is better than a cup of water diluted with juice all day long. When in doubt, just give your child water. Your child will not refuse to drink water if he/she is thirsty.
“I keep hearing this thing about a dental home. What is it?”
It is important that you help establish a ‘dental home’ for your children early on. This essentially means taking your children to the dentist every 6 months so that they become comfortable being at the dentist.
The first visit will likely be a ‘knee-to-knee’ exam. This means the parents sits facing the dentist, your child faces you, and your child is laid down so that the dentist can examine your child’s mouth. It is normal for your child to fuss during parts or all of the first visit. However, regular visits will help them become comfortable in their ‘dental home.’
“But it’s just baby teeth. Won’t they get adult teeth later on?”
Good oral health is an important part of total health. Baby teeth are important for
many reasons. Baby teeth help children:• Speak clearly• Chew naturally permitting good
nutrition• Develop proper path for their adult
teethYes, baby teeth will fall out and be
replaced by adult teeth. However, you may be surprised to hear that some adult teeth do not erupt until your child is 12 years old. No parent ever wants to see their child suffer from pain because of a dental abscess. So, yes, baby teeth are important.
“How can I prepare my child for their first dental visit?”
Keep it simple. Don’t over-prepare your child. Have them well-fed and and well-rested. In other words, don’t bring them in during their nap time. Also, bring their favourite comfort item such as their stuffy.
Most importantly, talk about the den-tist in a positive manner. Children often mirror their parents’ reactions or feel-ings to certain things that they do not yet understand. Your fear and anxiety of dentists can have a negative impact on your children’s first visit. In other words, comments such as “no needles today” or “it won’t hurt” are not going to be helpful.
Do your kids run away from you when you try to brush their teeth? My next col-umn of Daddy Dental Digest will be about brushing your children’s teeth.
Dr. Ho-Young Chung is a resident of Kamloops since 1992. He welcomes new dental patients of all ages.
Daddy Dental Digest: First Denta l Vis i tBy Dr. Ho-Young Chung
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The 5 Languages of Love:• Words of appreciation• Acts of service
By Courtney Charlton
Photos: Aria Arts and Photography
Five year old Hadley Dmyterko was known for her hair - gorgeous blonde locks that flowed all the way down her back. You see, Hadley didn’t like to get her hair cut...at
all. In fact, she suffered through hours of brushing, braiding, and up-does just to avoid going to the hairdresser’s. Her mom, however, was getting tired of all of the upkeep!
But one day she decided she was ready to let go of her long hair. So why did Hadley change her mind?
“Because I wanted to donate it to a little girl who got sick and didn’t have hair,” says Hadley, “I wanted to be nice.”
Hadley donated her hair to Wigs for Kids BC, a charity work-ing with B.C. Children’s Hospital to provide free human hair wigs to children who have lost their hair because of cancer or other serious illnesses.
Hadley understands how tough it would be to have no hair: “If I had no hair I would feel very sad and I would want some-one to donate hair to me, as a wig.”
And how does Hadley think the little girl who gets her wig will feel?
“Very happy and she will want to wear it ALL the time. She’ll feel excited to have hair again and she will feel good at school with her new hair because everyone will like it.”
“She will get to feel like a princess,” adds Hadley, “I wanted to be a bucket filler.” (Don’t know what a ‘bucket filler’ is? Check out Have You Filled a Bucket Today? A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids by Carol McCloud!)
Hadley was a little nervous on the big day, but hairdresser Chrissy Robinson at Blowfish Hair Studio put her at ease. It was pretty strange to hold her hair in her hand, but Hadley was absolutely thrilled with her cut for a cause!
A Cut for a
Cause
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And an important cause it definitely is. At any given time, there are around 350 children being treated for cancer at BCCH.
“As you can imagine, once a child is diagnosed with cancer, the devastation a family will go through is enormous, not only emotionally but financially. The normal is for at least one parent and often both parents to leave their employment to be with their child while they are hospital-ized for treatment. During this trying time, most families cannot afford wigs for their children which help greatly with their self esteem or additional expenses for feed-ing supplies,” explains Linda Thompson of Wigs for Kids.
For every pony tail donated, the cost of a human hair wig is reduced by 50%
Since starting in 2006, Wigs For Kids BC has grown to 32 volunteers and raised more than $600 000. Every penny raised goes to their charity. There are NO ad-ministration costs.
At the request of BCCH, Wigs for Kids has expanded their mandate to include fundraising for feeding supplies and es-sential drugs that are required for chil-dren undergoing chemotherapy.
“The drugs and feeding supplies are not covered under B.C. Medical unless the child stays in the hospital and they cost upwards of $1,200.00 per month. These drugs and feeding supplies enable children to return home between their chemo sessions, which can sometimes be critical to life and death for these chil-dren.”
Do you want to be a bucket filler like Hadley? Wigs For Kids BC accepts dona-tions of untreated hair 8 inches and long-er. They also have pledge sheets available for ‘hair cutters’ to fundraise as well.
Don’t have hair to donate but want to get involved? Wigs for Kids also accepts financial donations. Check out their web-site for more information about this great cause: annabarlow.wix.com/aug-2012.
A very special thanks to Chrissy Robin-son at Blowfish Hair Studio (778.471.5540) and Melanie Dreyer of Aria Arts & Pho-tography (ariaartsandphotography.ca) for making Hadley’s big day so wonderful!
“I wan
ted to
be a
buck
et fill
er”
“She’ll feel excited to have hair again, and she will feel good at school with her new hair because everyone will like it.”
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GIF
T G
UID
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Jamberry NailsWhy do we love them? Want fancy painted nails but don’t have the time or the budget to make it hap-pen? Jamberry Nails vinyl
nail shields are the answer! They are non-toxic, easy to
apply, and easy to remove. They can be applied to both fingers and
toes, and natural, gel or acrylic nails. There over 300 amazing, funky designs to choose from (and they have kids nail shields too!).www.crystalduncan.jamberrynails.com
Things We Love... {Holiday Gift Edition}
Salt of the EarthWhy do we love it? We love to support local businesses almost as much as we love natural products so, of course, we love Salt of the Earth! We tried a bunch of awesome products but our absolute favourite was the margarita body scrub. If you ever have a craving for a margarita, but don’t have the mixin’s, just have a bath instead! Made with all natural ingredients like dead sea salt, apricot kernel oil and yummy essential oils,this scrub is sure to leave you invigorated and exfoliated!Salt of the Earth, www.salt-ofthe-earth.ca
Bamboo Tank by Keylime Why do we love it? Flattering, breathable, and oh so soft, this extra-long racer back ‘A’ frame tank is the perfect addition to your athletic wardrobe. The bamboo-blend is fast-drying, anti-static, thermal regulating, and flat-seamed for comfort. And, like all of Keylime’s clothing, it’s designed for every woman, from xs to xxl. Best of all, Keylime is Canadian owned AND produced. All of their clothing is made in Edmon-ton and Vancouver! Keylime Athletic Wear, [email protected]
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Spa for Baby by BeautiControlWhy do we love it?Love the smell of lavender and chamomile for your baby? Well, you’ll love the way it relaxes your baby, too! Spa for Baby includes Gentle Hair and Body Wash, Gentle Baby Creme, No Rinse Wash (for quick cleaning), and Baby Cologne (for that extra bit of freshn-ness!). Each are designed with ingredients to soothe your baby while nourishing their skin.Natalie Sanesh, www.beautipage.ca/natalie_spadiva
Spirit Locket by Charmed Memories KamloopsWhy do we love it? Looking for a thoughtful, personal, gorgeous gift for your daughter, mom, or yourself? We’re definitely get-ting Spirit Lockets for the girls on our Christmas list! We love them so much because each locket is truly a custom creation! First, you choose from a beautiful selection of lockets and chains, then fill the locket with charms and jewels, and complete the look with dan-gles and slides. The result is a meaningful, stylish and custom treasure.www.CharmedMemoriesKamloops.com
Fondue Warmer by VelataWhy do we love it? Love fondue, but don’t like the flame...espe-cially with children? Velata fondue warmers use 25 watt light bulbs to warm cheese and chocolate, so you can enjoy a special family treat without any worries. Warm-ers come in a fun selection of styles and colours.www.MarieNicole.Velata.ca
Wedgits Buidling BlocksWhy do we love them? Wedgits is one of our all
time favourite toys. Yes, we love it almost as much as our children do! The 15 piece building block toy can create hundreds of designs and provide hours of entertainment. And sets can be combined to make even more intricate designs. This toy is for ages 3 and up...we’re pretty sure it’s great for ages 3-99!www.TumbleweedToys.com
www.musingsandmud.com
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Custom Cookies by Sweet Spot Cupcakes Why do we love them? Have you ever looked at a cookie so beautiful that you thought you shouldn’t eat it, but then you do and you are so happy you did because it tastes just as good as it looks? Well, if the answer is ‘no,’ then you’ve never had a cookie made by Sweet Spot! They make all of their cookies from scratch (sugar cookie, chocolate, and gingerbread) and designs are only limited by your imagi-nation! The cookies can even come indi-vidually wrapped or on lollipop sticks.www.sweet-spot-cupcakes.com
Mother Daughter Aprons by Beneath the Monkey TreeWhy do we love them? We’ll admit it: sometimes it’s fun to match our daughters! And we love the idea of matching aprons because aprons aren’t just clothing, they’re an opportunity to spend quality mother/daughter time together in the kitchen. We love these aprons because they are handmade locally and available in a fantastic selection of fun [email protected]
fb/beneath the monkey tree
BC Spa Manicure SetWhy do we love it? Love getting a manicure, but can’t go as often as you would like? With BC Spa Manicure Set, you can have a manicure anytime you want! Instant Manicure refreshes and nourished your hands with Dead Sea salts and natural oils. Extreme Repair Hand Creme moisturizes and protects. And the Cuticle Oil Pen leave your nails looking and feeling their best! Your hands will feel silky and smooth for days after each use.Natalie Sanesh, www.beautipage.ca/natalie_spadiva
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Stop and listen to a group of par-ents of infants and one of the top-ics that you will undoubtedly hear
discussed is that of sleep. It is one of the most common topics of discussion during visits to doctors, public health nurses and other professionals working with infants and young children.
Although every child and family is unique, a common theme of families who have children with “sleep issues” is sleep debt and its effect on a child’s ability to
sleep.Sleep debt is basically an accumulated
amount of sleep loss caused by a lack of sleep. This is often a very difficult concept to grasp, especially when we are talking about a population that seems to spend the majority of their early weeks sleeping. The problem is that it is not just about sleeping but sleeping at the right time so that it is restorative and does not lead to a debt.
If a child is consistently going to bed late or skipping naps then the child is
often behind in the number of hours of sleep that they biologically require. The longer the poor sleep continues, the larger the sleep debt and the longer it will take to get caught up and on track.
Infants and children who are chroni-cally overtired often have difficulty sleep-ing. Yes, you read that correctly. Now, you may think that this makes little sense but just think about what happens to you as an adult if you don’t get the amount of sleep that you need. Do you become
irritable? Do you lose your appetite? Is it difficult for you to fall asleep or stay asleep when you are finally lucky enough to get to sleep? Well, it’s the same for infants and children.
Often, the signs of overtiredness or sleep debt that we see in infants are early wake ups, waking during the night and short napping. In children over a year night terrors and difficulty with bedtime are common signs of being overtired.
It is certainly difficult to understand the concept of a sleep debt or being sleep
deprived but what is even more difficult to understand is the amount of time that it takes to ‘recover’ from the sleep debt. Depending on the time that it took to ac-cumulate the debt, it could take several weeks to catch up and then several more to settle into a new pattern of sleep that allows for sleeping at the right time of day. It can be a slow process but it is so important to the healthy development of your child to be debt free.
Children who are chronically overtired or carry a sleep debt often have short attention spans and find it difficult to focus and learn new skills. Again, think about how dif-ficult it is for you to learn some-thing new when you are tired. Infants and children are acquiring new skills at an astounding rate so it is so important to ensure
that they are well rested and ready to integrate those new skills into their daily lives.
It is very important to understand the process of getting a child out of their sleep debt and that every time a parent is successful in getting their child to sleep a few minutes earlier or are able to get their infant’s to nap a few minutes longer they are chipping away at that debt. A consistent, confident approach will pro-duce results and the ultimate payoff will be a happy, content, well-rested child.
Sleep Debt:What is it and how
can it affect your child?
By Diane Henry, RN, IBCLC, Certified Child Sleep Consultant
“The longer the poor sleep continues, the larger the sleep debt and the longer it will take to get caught up and on track.”
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When my Mom pointed out a lump on Mikayla’s leg this past sum-mer, I put it aside. I convinced
myself that she’s an athlete; she runs hard and falls even harder. It’s just left from a soccer game. But when I ran my hand down her leg five weeks later and real-ized the lump was still there, painless and colourless, it sent up a red flag. The x-ray showed nothing but, sure enough, the ultrasound showed three lumps and a smaller fourth one all nestled between the bone and the skin along the lower front of her left leg.
It could have been a lot of things. It could have been something easily fixed or something that doesn’t require fixing at all. What I want to share with you is what happens to a Mother who has lived this kind of Motherhood so that you will better understand a Mother like me in your own life.
The days before Mikayla was diag-nosed are memories I yearn for every morning. I wish I could go back to the day before. The day I didn’t know. The day before I was told to say good-bye and
handed my limp 18 month old daughter in a room that smelled wrong, in a place where people looked at you as if they thought their sadness could help undo your own. The day I didn’t understand the sensation of trauma. It was so long ago I don’t remember how it felt. Or what I thought or even who I was. I know I was tired. I had two babies. Mikayla was already sick. In fact, she was already dy-ing. I was young and I thought the silli-est things were overwhelming. I know it wasn’t perfect but I wish every morning for that naïvety. For the last moments of NOT KNOWING. For that limited under-standing that fear is something you can taste; that grief is a lot like drowning even though your lungs are full of air. I remem-ber everything after that day. What I des-perately want is too remember before it.
The panic I felt when the doctor told me the x-ray showed nothing was thick and instant. Not the relief one might expect. I live another kind of Motherhood. The sort where, even though you often call this Motherhood heroic and strong, one shoe is already kicked off ready to run for the
water, where, just maybe, if I put my head under deep enough I won’t hear anything I’m not ready for. One that expects the worst. One that was wishing for a cracked bone rather than an undiagnosed lump.
The day of the ultrasound I walked around with a drowning sensation in my lungs, finding myself breathing in a pant like an animal that is overheated. My heart beat hard and laboriously through my entire chest and down into my feet.
The morning of the ultrasound was spent reliving the days before. Trying to remember the details. Trying to decide if it was the morning before I spoke to the doctor or six weeks before my Mom men-tioned the lump. I knew it was not the day of the ultrasound when I thought I saw a glimpse of the same sad look I recognize from the first diagnosis when she was a baby and heard the same tone of voice from the day of the second diagnosis when she was six. I knew it was before I saw the four tiny lumps nestled together on the ultrasound.
I panicked about what day I need to re-member. Desperate not to forget it so that
By Sara Schreiner, Life Unfolding Photography
Life Unfolding:Another Kind of
Motherhood
Advertising Feature
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I could replay it later. Just in case I needed to hold on to a day before I knew anything.
And nothing bad had happened yet. The looks and tone of voice were bits of trauma surfaced from the past. I knew this. I walked back from the hospital in oversized sunglasses so my daughter wouldn’t see my upset and squeezed her little hand too hard for no reason at all. The hardest part was how hard she squeezed back because life has stripped away her protective naive layer too. Neither one of us cried in an attempt to protect the other from our fear. At ten she doesn’t even know exactly what the fear is of, but knows, all the same, because her life has never been easy. It has been full of sick.
People have asked me what it feels like to be me, or Tracey or Jenn. To be any of the thousands of wom-en who live this kind of Motherhood. It feels like a lot of things. Some of them are powerful and even beau-tiful. But a part of it feels like those 24 hours before the ultrasound; a little like crazy held together and determined not to crack. It feels confusingly like you can’t hold on while feeling resolute like a rock.
Nothing else is coming for my kid. My gut trusts that this will be true. My heart, however, is always shifting weight around to make room to cope.
A week after the ultrasound we learned that Mikay-la does not have cancer. Jenn Harbaruk, however, has twice learned that her small daughter Lizzie does. Our children live with entirely different diseases yet we share a kind of Motherhood. It’s the kind that cre-ates small girls that will someday be unstoppable women. We wish to extend a huge thanks to Kam-loops for generously participating in Christmas for the Harbaruks this year. It has been crazy, lively and fun just like our girls!
“The days before Mikayla was diagnosed are memories I yearn for every morning. I wish I could go back to the day before. The day I didn’t know. The day before I was told to say good-bye and handed my limp 18 month old daughter in a room that smelled wrong, in a place where people looked at you as if they thought their sadness could help undo your own.”
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By Fiona Clare
Raising Kids in the
Digital World
I’d roll my eyes when my mother started reminiscing about the good old days, but now I find myself wandering down that same memory lane, only to be confronted by my teen-
age daughter’s major eye-roll! It’s worth the trip though, when trying to understand the issues of raising children in the digital world – our children who cannot imagine a world without cell phones, lap tops, video games, iPads and iPods.
We spent our childhoods mostly outdoors, playing tag and Hide-and-Go-Seek, riding bikes, building forts, and climbing trees; now our children are mostly indoors relying on technol-ogy for their recreational play. We were busy and active all day, ravenous for the home-cooked family dinner and sharing sto-ries around the table; now our children sit for hours, stimulated only by images flashing across a screen, eating fast food and prepackaged dinners. We fell into bed exhausted, ready for a cuddle, bedtime story and a good night’s sleep ; today our chil-dren watch TV alone in their bedrooms or fall asleep with their cell phones still buzzing on their pillows. Childhood memories for many of today’s children will look a lot different to ours.
It’s still the early days and the impact of the digital age is yet to be seen, but early evidence raises some red flags. Studies show that too much ‘screen time’ is linked to obesity, declining levels of fitness and nutrition, and sleeping problems. The New England Journal of Medicine (2005) made a frightening predic-tion, “For the first time in two centuries, the current generation
“Our concern is not so much for what we are doing whilst immersed in our multimedia world but for all the experiences we are not having - those interactions and outdoor activities we remember of our childhood days.”
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of children… may have shorter life expectancies than their parents.”
Our children are overdosing on technology. The Canadian Pediatric Society recommends no more than 2 hours of screen time per day and children under two years old should watch even less, if any. Yet a 2010 Kaiser Foundation study showed that elementary aged children use on average 7.5 hours per day of entertainment technology, 75 percent of these children have TV’s in their bedrooms, and 50 percent of North Ameri-can homes have the TV on all day. Our children are getting 3-4 times more than the recommended amount.
“One in 11 kids is addicted to technology,” says Cris Rowan, a pediatric occupational therapist and leading expert on the impact of technology on child development. It’s not just kids we have to worry about. The psychological field is concerned about adults and teens who are connected 24-7 to their media multi-tasking. A Nielsen survey found that teens send an average of 3,417 texts a month, 7 times an hour. That’s a lot of interruptions in a day. Anthony Wagner, a Stanford professor says, “What I worry about is not what my kids are doing on the internet but what all this connectivity is doing to their brains.” Jim Trelease writes in The Read-Aloud Handbook, “So what happens to the creative process when we and our children are constantly downloading, uploading, texting, YouTubing, Googling, tweeting, or messaging our 742 ‘friends’? Less ‘deep thinking’ takes place, less ‘creativity’.”
What we need is more downtime, more disconnect time, when we can ponder, imagine, dream, and create.
Our concern is not so much for what we are doing whilst im-mersed in our multimedia world but for all the experiences we are not having - those interactions and outdoor activities we remember of our childhood days. Parenting was never easy, and raising children in the digital world comes with a new set of challenges. As we learn to navigate this ever-changing digital landscape, there is much to gain but also to lose. The new rules are still being written, but mother’s advice would be, “Just use your common sense.”
Cris Rowan identifies four critical factors necessary to achieve healthy child development as movement, touch, hu-man connection, and exposure to nature. Instead of provid-ing our children with more TV, video games, and the latest iPads and cell phone devices, rather let’s go outside and play together - roll down a hill, collect fall leaves and bugs, make snow angels and build snowmen, climb trees and fly around on merry-go-rounds. Then let’s go inside, cuddle up and read a great book together.
It’s about finding and then maintaining a healthy balance!Join us January 20 to 27, 2014 for Interior Savings Unplug
and Play Family Literacy Week when the City of Kamloops and many organizations will be hosting free events and activities for families to enjoy. There are activities for all ages and we encourage the whole family to come out and have fun. Look for the schedule of events in a special insert in the Kamloops Daily News on Jan 18. You can also check us out on http://www.facebook.com/unplugandplayweek
Fiona Clare is the Chair of Interior Savings Unplug and Play Family Literacy Week Committee and the Literacy Outreach Co-ordinator for Literacy in Kamloops (LinK).
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Hello Kamloops Mommas and everyone else dedi-cated to keeping kids healthy, happy and active! We would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to
pegames.org. This site is dedicated to keeping kids active and engaged during physical activity, whether it is in the gym, outside, at home or in the classroom.
In this, the day and age of video games, iPhones and other mobile devices that lead to sedentary free time, it has never been more important, or necessary, to get our kids moving. The key, however, is to make sure that they are always having fun while doing it.
Our website is designed specifically for anyone wanting to keep large or small groups of kids active. With all of our
games, our mission is to keep the most amount of kids moving for the most amount of time possible. To this end, we do our very best to outline games with the smallest amount of equip-ment possible, and also make sure to give straightforward, simple explanations that will have your kids moving as soon as possible.
Every game, warm-up, challenge and activity on this site has been tested by our resident PE specialist. David Helm has been teaching physical education at the elementary school level for 7 years, and will make sure that we post only the best of the best.
During the average 45-minute block of physical education in school, students are actually active (i.e. moving around, elevating their heart rates), for approximately 17 minutes (less than half!). With our program and the hundreds (soon to be thousands, as our updates continue), of activities, warm-ups, games, individual and group challenges…etc., we aim to keep kids moving, moving, moving!
Please feel free to visit us online, and be sure to check out our pegames.org book (the only book you’ll need to keep kids smiling and active), as both will provide you with a boat-load of options to keep kids going! We are updating daily, so please continue to check back frequently as there will always be something new to keep your kids smiling and active.
We also do professional development for schools, districts and recreation programs. If you would like Mr. Helm to visit you and your kids to set you up with a game-based physical education program, please contact us through the website.
Let’s keep our kids interested in fun physical activity!
Get Moving!with PEGAMES.org
Advertising Feature
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As a parent, my children are the most important things in my life. I know that like most parents, when I hear my little ones (or big ones!) are in pain, it can be heartbreak-
ing. Headaches in children are for the most part relatively normal.
There are many causes of headaches in children. Causes can include viruses and other infections, general dehydration and stress. The causes I see most frequently are due to things that we can change in our daily activities.
If you have ever looked at the way a toddler sits or stands you will see the picture of perfect posture. However, as our children get older, that great posture starts to change, typically for the worse. This is due to many factors related to their biomechan-ics throughout the day. Most children these days have access to multiple devices that can definitely stimulate their mind but have detrimental effects on their posture. By looking down at mobile devices or sitting looking at a TV screen with a control-ler in their hands for long periods of time, their muscles in their chest, front of their neck, hip flexors (front of hips), hamstrings and abdomen (to name a few) get shortened. At the same time their opposing muscles in the back and neck may spasm due to chronic eccentric (the muscles is being stretched while it con-tracts) muscle contraction trying to fight gravity. Many of these muscles can also trigger tension headaches.
In order to combat this children should of course be encour-aged to seek out a variety of different activities that counteract the forces that displace their biomechanics. Sports like soccer and hockey are definitely a great option. Climbing activities at your local playground and park are great for not only kids but their parents as well. These activate muscles that we typically don’t use on a daily basis.
One of the most important keys to improving our children’s posture is bringing their awareness to it and encouraging them to really focus on it. I’m sure many have mentioned to their child to “sit up” or to “pull your shoulders back”. Perhaps try other physi-cal cues such as trying to tuck their shoulder blades in their back pockets, lifting the breastbone up towards the sky, and bringing ones ears above ones shoulders are all good things to focus on for improving posture.
We have all seen people that have poor posture, both young and old. I have to wonder if they were given more tools to im-prove it, would they be much more comfortable. Hopefully with a little more education and some gentle reminders we can help limit issues such as headaches and chronic pain for our children as they grow through adolescence and adulthood.
Jason Morrison is a Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) at Ka-mloops Active Health. [email protected], 250-372-8856, or visit www.kamloopsactivehealth.ca.
Posture for ChildrenBy Jason Morrison, RMT
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Happy New Year,
Kamloops Mommas! There’s been a few
big transitions at Aunty’s House this year: I (tearfully, I admit it) waved goodbye to my baby at Mme. Ruston’s Kindergarten doorstep while simultaneously switching our playroom’s shape-sorters with “not for children under the age of 3” K’nex sets as I move from daycare to before/after-school care for my four daycare graduates (where did the time go?!).
Dear Aunty: School’s in and for the first time, my 10 year old seems com-pletely obsessed about what other peo-ple think of her. It’s like she’s become a pre-teen drone. Ideas? -BD
Dear BD: Your daughter is completely normal. School-aged children go through critical social and emotional development from ages 6 through 12, including major developments in peer relations. During this period, children are making great strides in self-understanding, including an inclination to define themselves in terms of relationships with others, and to use others and a source of information in evaluating themselves. Peer groups are increasingly important, partly because of the sheer amount of time children spend
with their peers – by age 11, time spent with peers usually surpasses time spent with family. Whereas adult-child rela-tionships are based on power (the adult has the right to tell the child what to do), peer groups are more nearly equal and they are guided by principles of shar-ing and fairness. This is where kids learn to regulate aggression, and understand principles of loyalty and equity. They pro-mote interaction and conflict negotiation since children must work to make peers understand what they are thinking and feeling, as well as to see other children’s points of view. In middle childhood it is completely normal for children to be-gin to expect more from their friends, to start to form groups, to adhere to group norms, and to set boundaries for interac-tion with members of the opposite sex (this is when gender norms start to be enforced by peer groups, and caregivers and teachers will start to notice gender segregation on the playground as well as teasing and ostracism of children who do not follow the un-written rules). So, what can you do as a parent to support your daughter through this developmental phase? The good news is that parents and siblings are both powerful influences on children’s development. Researchers who have studied parenting styles have found that certain parental characteristics are closely related to differences in children’s behaviour. According to research, in gen-eral, parenting characterized by warmth, support, and a reasoning approach to dis-cipline (rather than shouting or physical punishment) is consistently associated with such positive child characteristics as cooperativeness effective coping, low levels of behavioural problems, strongly internalized norms and values, a sense of personal responsibility and high levels of moral reasoning. Such findings apply to both mothers and fathers. I’m will-ing to bet that if you have more than one child, there is also some sibling conflict happening in the house. Guess what: This is also normal. In middle childhood children start adopting the role of “boss” of younger siblings Adopting the role of boss may help older siblings practice leadership skills and enhance their so-cial confidence. One study found that in families with bickering children where the older child was definitely in charge, these older children were more compe-
tent with peers. See? A silver lining. One final note: Children who see that their parents understand their feelings learn not only how to show concern for others, but also tend to seek more harmony with their parents. Good luck, hang in there. Let me know how it goes.
Dear Aunty: When can I get my flu shot? -EE.
Dear EE: Flu shots are available now. There should be information in the local papers and on Interiorhealth.ca as to the exact locations and hours of the vaccina-tion clinics. Here is some information on this year’s flu vaccine, courtesy of Immu-nizeBC and Interior Health. Remember, it is important to get a flu shot yearly because flu viruses change from year to year. Each year the influenza (flu) vaccine is updated to include the current viruses that are circulating. This year’s vaccine contains three different flu strains:• A/California/7/2009 (H1N1) pdm09-
like• A/Victoria/361/2011 (H3N2)-like virus• B/Massachusetts/2/2012-like virus• Am I eligible?Flu shots are safe, effective, and pro-
vided free for:• People 65 years and older and their
caregivers/household contacts• People of any age in residential care
facilities• Children and adults with chronic
health conditions and their household contacts
• Children & adolescents (6 months to 18 years) with conditions treated for long periods of time with Acetylsali-cylic Acid (Aspirin/ ASA) and their household contacts.
• Children & adults who are very obese• Aboriginal people• All children 6-59 months of age• Household contacts and caregivers
of infants and children 0-59 months of age
• Pregnant women at any stage of preg-nancy during the influenza season and their household contacts
• People who work with live poultry• Health care and other care providers
in facilities and community settings who are capable of transmitting influ-enza disease to those at high risk of influenza complications
• Individuals who provide care or ser-vice in potential outbreak settings
Dear Aunty...Answering questions about you and your child’s health
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housing high risk persons (e.g., crew on ships)• People who provide essential community services (First Re-
sponders, Corrections Workers)• Inmates of provincial correctional institutionsPeople not eligible for free flu vaccine through the publicly-
funded program should contact their physician, local pharmacy, walk-in clinic, travel clinic or private provider.
Dear Aunty: You’re all “Pro-Vaccination,” but isn’t it true that last year’s flu shot wasn’t even effective? -AM.
Dear AM: You’re right, I am pro-vaccination. And you’re also right, the flu shot isn’t perfect. The BC Centre for Disease Con-trol estimates that last year’s vaccine was just over 60% effec-tive. Existing flu shots offer moderate protection some years and less in others. An American report released last year even went as far as calling the influenza vaccine “sub-optimal”. Now, to clarify, these experts never suggested that you shouldn’t get your flu shot. What they were suggesting is that scientists need to come up with a better vaccine, since the ones we have are, well, “sub-optimal”. The report was the product of a three-year investigation into the science supporting flu vaccine efficacy and safety and the decision-making processes that led to the US policy to recommend all Americans get a flu shot every year. If you’re interested in reading the entire study, start with a Huff-ington Post article on the subject (http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/10/15/flu-vaccine-effective-_n_1967115.html) and fol-low the links. Again, it’s important to remember that despite the fact that “our current influenza vaccines (only) work for some of the people some of the time, and we clearly need vaccines that work for most of the people most of the time,” in the meantime people should use the tool that exists. “We recommend you continue to get your flu shot. It’s the best protection we have. But (we know) it’s not enough”.
Still on the fence? A personal story... My son is a happy 5 year old boy, thrilled to be in his first year of Kindergarten. Earlier this year he was on chemotherapy, and because of that, he can-not get any vaccinations for six months from the completion of his chemo. Vaccinations work by stimulating your body to build up an immune response, and since chemotherapy impairs the immune system, my little boy’s body can’t build up the immune reaction necessary for a vaccination to work. Since the comple-tion of his chemo, he’s also been on powerful immunosuppres-sive drugs for his autoimmune disease, meaning that he has lit-tle to no immune protection from viruses. Again, even if we tried to have him vaccinated, his body couldn’t build up the immune response necessary for the vaccination to be effective. For my son, and other immunosuppressed children and adults like him, the flu can lead to serious complications that can be deadly. By protecting yourself from the flu, you are protecting others, like my little boy. Please, talk to your doctor, nurse, or public health office about the flu shot. Every year in BC hundreds of people die from flu-related complications. From one mother to another, please...get your flu shot and have your children vaccinated. By doing so you could literally be saving a life.
”Aunty” Erin Mitchell is the owner/operator of Aunty’s House Registered Family Daycare and a full time geriatric “Home Care” student through the Academy of Learning.
Do you have a question for ‘Aunty’ Erin? Contact her at [email protected].
24
Community Resource Directory Activities & Events Drummer Dave Rhythm & drumming classes Birthday parties & special events all ages 778.220.4447 www.davidmilwaindrumschool.com
Enchanted TeacupPrincess Parties, Theme Parties, Tea Par-ties & more! 250.376.8327 www.EnchantedTeacup.com
Lil Monkey’s TreehousePlay and Discovery Centre701-1801 Princeton HWY250.377.PLAY www.lilmonkeystreehouse.com
The Lion, the Witch, and the Ward-robe Pavillion Theatre, December 11-22 250.374.5483 wctlive.ca
Pegames.orgYour #1 online source for fun Physical Education Games. www.pegames.org
Childcare and Preschool Kamloops Child Development Society Safe and inclusive child care and early learning programswww.cdckamloops.com 250.376.2233
Kids & Company Flexible full-time, part-time, & back-up child care solution! kidsandcompany,ca702-1801 Princeton [email protected]
Sweet Home Cafe Licensed Occasional Daycare Mon - Sat, $7/hr 2-1380 Hillside Drive 778.471.5579 www.sweethomecafe/dropin/dropin.html
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
Peekaboo Beans Playwear for kids on the grow!Christina Fitzmaurice 250.320.2337 [email protected]
Construction Oswell Construction Ltd.Call for all your home renovation needs! [email protected]
Dentistry Dr. Ho-Young ChungFamily Dentistry welcoming new patients of all ages 250.374.2272 101-629 Lansdowne St.
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 Ser-vices 250.371.3600
Parent Helpline 1.888.603.9100
Food and Beverage Gourmet KettleUp to 350 flavours of fudge, 450 flavours of popcorn, and kettle and potato chips! 2121 ETC HWY Unit 11
250.377.0997 [email protected]
Nature’s Fare Mar-ketsOrganic and Natural Foods Grocer5-1350 Summit Drive 250.314.9560www.naturesfare.com
Health & Wellness Aina Massage SpaMassage therapy and aesthetics using organic and natural products250.319.4111 www.ainaspa.ca
Kamloops Naturopathic Aesthetics and Day Spa - Rejuvenate & Restore Your Youthful Potential. 754 Seymour St [email protected] 250.377.3077
Kamloops Active HealthChiropractic. Rehabilitation. Massage.865 Seymour St. 250.372.8856www.kamloopsactivehealth.ca
Kix for Chix Ladies non-competitive kickboxing for EVERY woman! 3 - 953 Laval Crescent250.819.4121 www.kix4chixkamloops.ca
Musings and Mud Coaching StudioWorkshops, workbooks, personal coach-ing with a creative twist.Janet L. Whitehead, certified professional coach www.musingsandmud.com
Smooth Effects Laser Hair RemovalThe leader in laser hair removal#8-1390 Hillside Dr. 250.372.2261www.smootheffects.ca
Home-based Sales and Services Beauticontrol - Natalie Sanesh Independent National Executive Director Change your skin...change your life 250.828.9435 [email protected] www.beautipage.ca/natalie_spadiva
Velata - Marie LeBlond Independent Consultant Fun, stylish and safe fondue warmers and accessories without the flame! www.marienicole.velata.ca 250.819.8478
Music Kamloops Symphony Music SchoolGroup classes and private instruction for all ages and levels. 250.372.5000 Station Plaza #3-510 Lorne St.
Long & McQuade Music EducationMusic lessons for all ages, stages, and styles. Register for music lessons today!250.828.2315 www.long-mcquade.com
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
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resources. www.accesskamloops.org
KamloopsParents.comThe online resource to all things family-friendly in Kamloops. [email protected]
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 [email protected]
Kamloops Wiggles and Giggles Adoption Playgroup Monthly, Deanna, [email protected]
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 [email protected] 250.819.2099
Breastfeeding CentreDrop in breastfeeding info and helpKamloops Health Unit 519 Columbia St 250.851.7300 Mon 1- 4, Thurs 9 - 12
Counting SheepDiane Henry, RN, IBCLC, Certified Child Sleep Consultant www.countingsheepconsulting.ca [email protected]
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 [email protected]
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 Aria Arts & PhotographyFresh. Fun. Connected.www.ariaartsandphotography.cainfo@ariaartsandphotography.ca250.579.9604
Life Unfolding Photography Photography for all your little wild thingsMoms with Camera’s facilitatorwww.lifeunfolding.ca
Milk & Honey PhotographyLisa [email protected]
Real Estate and Investments Karen Lanoue Canadian Scholarship TrustBoost your post-secondary education savings by $7200 [email protected] 250.573.2299
Ken Featherstone, Realtor Royal LePage Westwin RealtyPersonal Real Estate Corp. 250.374.1461 [email protected]
Women’s Clothing & Hair Keylime Athletic Wear Look your best, feel your best, be your best Canadian made and manufactured ath-letic wear designed for EVERY woman. [email protected] 250.320.9709 www.keylimecanada.com
Melon Hair Lounge Is it time for a new & beautiful you? 4-860 8th St. 250.376.7177 www.melonhairlounge.com
The Ruby Room New & Recycled Fashion265 Victoria Street250.828.7829
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 [email protected] us on Facebook!
Visit www.KamloopsParents.com for a complete, up-to-date calendar of family-friendly events!
Dec 1-12: Les Miserables Sagebrush Theatre www.kamloopslive.ca
Dec 1 (Cont): Kamloops Library Family Storytime Kamloops Library, 1-1:30pm (free)
Dec 2: Toonie Day Sun Peaks, 9-3pm ($2 + non-perishable food donation)
Dec 2 (Cont): Tiny Tunes North Kamloops Library, 10:15-10:45am (free)
Dec 2 (Cont): Tiny Tunes Kamloops Library, 10:15-10:45am (free)
Dec 4: Club M.O.M. Pregnancy Care Centre, 250.376.4646
Dec 4: Swim with Santa Westsyde Pool, 1-4
Dec 4: Christmas with a Twist St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, 7pm
Dec 4: Toys for Kids Hotel 540, 6-10am, (new, unwrapped toy or $10 donation)
Dec 5: Shrine Variety Show The Coast Hotel, 7pm
Dec 6/13: Silent Night Woodwards Christmas Tree Farm, 250.579.8739
Dec 6: Christmas Craft and Bake Bazaar Overlander Residential Care, 10-2
Dec 6(Cont): Connexions Southwest Community Church, 9:30-11:30am ($5)
Dec 6 (cont): Next Steps Drop-in Public Health, 519 Columbia St, 1-2:30pm (free)
Dec 7: The Muse Affair St. Andrews on the Square, 10-4
Dec 7 (Cont): Chapters Craft and Storytime Saturdays 11-12pm 250.377.8468 (free)
Dec 7 (cont): Visions Farmers Market Sahali Mall 10-2 (free)
Dec 7/Jan 11: Home Depot Kids Building Workshop Home Depot, 10-12am, free
Dec 7: Surf with Santa Canada Games Aquatic Centre, 1-4pm
Dec 7/8: A Christmas Celebration Calvary Community Church, Thompson Valley Community Orchestra
Dec 8/Jan 12: LEGO Club Kamloops Library. 1-2:30pm
Dec 8: Sunrays Christmas Watershow Tournament Capital Centre, 5pm (free)
Dec 9: Christmas Frolics Calvary Community Church
Dec 10: The Lion, The Witch And the Wardrobe Pavillion Theatre www.Kamloopslive.ca
Dec 12: Cowboy Christmas Concert Calvary Community Church, 7pm
Dec 12: Cookie and Cocoa Ridgepointe Retirement Residence, 2-4, 250.851.8800
Dec 13-Jan 5: BC Wildlife Park Wildlights BC Wildlife Park, 5-9pm ($11 adults, $9 children) 250.573.3242 ext 226
Dec 14: Santa’s Alpine Visit Sun Peaks Village, 3-7pm (free)
Dec 14/15: Christmas with the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra Sagebrush Theatre,
Dec 14: CP Holiday Train North Side of Interior Savings Centre, 5:30pm
Dec 14: Skate with Santa, Brock Arena, 2-4
Dec 15: Breakfast with Santa Coast Hotel, 8am
Dec 16/ Jan 20: Kamloops Infant and Pregnancy Loss Support Group 205-535 Tranquille Rd, 7 – 8:30pm 250.376.4646
Dec 17: Choral Rhapsody Sagebrush Theatre, 7pm (free)
Dec 20: B3 Kings Christmas Concert St. Andres on the Square, 7:30,
Dec 21: Christmas Party Lil Monkey’s Treehouse, 10-2, 250.377.PLAY
Dec 22: Hayride with Santa The Rainbow’s Roost, 11-2 (250.374.2141)
Dec 24: Breakfast with Santa (Sun Peaks) Masa’s Bar and Grill, 8am ($5)
Dec 24-31: Aladdin: the Panto Presented by Laughing Stock Theatre www.kamloopslive.ca
Dec 31: New Year’s Eve Bullarama and Dance North Thompson Agriplex, 6pm
Dec 31: New Year’s Eve Family Dinner and Dance The Rainbow’s Roost, 5pm
Jan 2-27: Heap the Honda Children’s Book Drive
Jan 5-15: Sun Peaks Family Cup A celebration of family
Jan 19: Walloper Lake Family Ice Fishing Day 10-2
Jan 20-27: Uplug and Play Family Literacy Week Various events and activities
Jan 22: Literacy Skate Valleyview Arena, 6-8pm
Jan 25: Free Public Skate Brock Arena, 2-4pm
Jan 25: ABC Family Literacy Day 9-12pm Henry Grube Centre (free)
Jan 25: Winter Wonderland Royal Ball Columbo Lodge, 4:30-8:30, kamloopsprincessparties.com
Jan 26: Let’s Get Walking, Walk for Memories 10:30-12pm, TCC
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