Okanagan Family Magazine

09/18/2023

A Special Way to Enjoy Winter Posted on September 12, 2023September 12, 2023 By Lori Johnson No Comments on A Special Way to Enjoy Winter Uncategorized by Annabel Stanley • Telemark Nordic Club People with intellectual disabilities are too often left behind and forgotten in too many settings. The ...

09/15/2023

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We hope you enjoy the new issue of Okanagan Family Magazine 2023. There's lots to read. Follow us on Facebook.

09/12/2023

The new issue of Okanagan Family Magazine has arrived and deliveries have started. You can view a copy online at: http://okanaganfamilymagazine.ca/

07/04/2023

Loved this story. It touched my heart.
https://adoption-bc.com/wp-content/uploads/AdoptionStories/Story-Zhen.pdf

04/17/2023

12/20/2022

Finding Childcare
by Kayla Creron • Childhood Connections https://childhoodconnections.ca/

As a mom of a two-year-old, and new to the Kelowna community, I understand first-hand the challenge and importance of finding quality and affordable childcare in our community. At first, starting my childcare search felt very overwhelming, especially as currently there are very few childcare options available to families in our community and I found myself on multiple wait lists. But having a good understanding of what my family’s needs and values are for childcare helped us start this journey off on the right path. And once you have selected your preferred childcare program, we strongly encourage families to be patient and to continue to check in regularly with the childcare program administrator to see if there is any movement on the wait list.

To read more...
http://okanaganfamilymagazine.ca/?p=1910

12/15/2022

Finding Love after 60
by Marie Hartwell-Walker, Ed.D. • Psych Central https://psychcentral.com/

During the last few months of her life, my grandmother Ruth, then 93, was too frail for family to adequately care for at home. With much reluctance, she and we all agreed that a nursing home was the best option. Within days of moving in, her positive approach to life and her gentle manner quickly won her many friends among fellow patients and made her a favourite of staff. She also won the heart of Juan.
Juan spoke no English. Ruth spoke no Spanish. But these two lovely people spent hours every day sitting side by side in the garden, hands clasped between the two wheelchairs. They’d point at birds and people of interest and smile and laugh. Both, who had been ill and failing, perked up considerably. The nurses, with a wink and a smile, reported stealthy night-time trips across the corridor that divided their rooms. Like the young lovers of songs and stories, they fooled no one and delighted everyone. It was wonderful to see them so happy.

To read more...
http://okanaganfamilymagazine.ca/?p=1916

12/12/2022

Creating Your Homeschool Year
by Marissa Dutoff • The Minimalist Homeschooler https://theminimalisthomeschooler.wordpress.com/

It feels like summer just started but I’m already starting to notice the back-to-school jitters are in the air. Homeschool parents especially are starting to plan how they want their school year to look. If this year you’re thinking of bringing your child’s education into your own home, here’s a bit of a run down on how we get ready for a new year in our homeschool.
Pick Your Path: Registered or Enrolled? Registered Homeschool gives you the most freedom, whereas Enrolled Distributed Learning requires that you comply with the provincial curriculum. The upside to enrolled is that you may get access to a support teacher, school resources and some funding for curriculum and other activities. You’re not tied permanently to what you choose so every summer we like to evaluate whether the year met our expectations and decide what best suits our needs going forward.

To read more...
http://okanaganfamilymagazine.ca/?p=1472

12/08/2022

Beyond the Books!
by Ashley Machum • Okanagan Regional Library https://www.orl.bc.ca/elibrary

Visit the Okanagan Regional Library (ORL)! It is a wonderful place to bring the entire family. Most people think of the library and automatically think of books. Yes, we have awesome books for everyone, but your library is so much more these days!
In the library, you can find borrowable tech like Ozobots, DVDs, magazines, comics/manga, classes, and activities for all ages. Check out the online events calendar to see what is happening at your local branch.
Online users can access eBooks, audiobooks, streaming movies and music, eMagazines, Rosetta Stone language learning, helpful tutorials on all subjects through LinkedIn Learning and more.

To read more...
http://okanaganfamilymagazine.ca/?p=1922

12/05/2022

Get Outside, Go Adaptive Biking
by Ali Westlund • photo provided by City of Kelowna
https://www.kelowna.ca/parks-recreation/recreation-sport/recreation-programs-registration

Cycling has always been important to the St. Pierre family.
“Back when the kids were growing up, we were what you’d call, a ‘biking family’,” says mother, Karen St. Pierre. “It was a big part of our lives. Our two boys loved to watch their dad cycle cross when they were young and Evan, our youngest, enjoyed bike competitions and biking club with his dad by his side.”
Karen says it was also an especially wonderful time for their oldest son Kai, who has Down syndrome. Kai would ride along in an adaptive trailer towed behind his dad’s bike.
“We always looked at biking as a great family activity where we could all be together.”
However, Kai’s father, Jason, an avid cycler and runner, passed away suddenly in 2014 when he collapsed during a bicycle trail ride. It was a devastating loss to the family and their close-knit cycling community.

To read more...
http://okanaganfamilymagazine.ca/?p=1899

12/04/2022

Art Exploration
by Maria Friesen • Teacher, Mother, Occassional Artist • photo provided by Maria

Summer break is a wonderful time for kids to relax, enjoy nature and have fun. After the first couple of weeks, when they have had a chance to do many of the things that they had been hoping to do, there may be a sudden lull. This is an opportunity to work in a little creativity and try an art project. My (captive) audience consisted of my child and a few friends, some of whom were enthusiastic participants and others not as much. The age range of this group spanned from 8 to 13 years old. Not only was it a chance to encourage creativity, but also some perseverance.
If I was at school, I would have access to a number of useful art supplies but being that I was doing this at home over summer, I figured I would try to work with what most people would have kicking around the house. You can easily adapt the materials as you wish. Most people have some white paper for their printer, or partially used art sketch books, as well as leftover school supplies, pencils and erasers, rulers, wax crayons, pencil crayons, fine black permanent ink pens, markers and possibly oil pastels and basic paint sets.

To read more...
http://okanaganfamilymagazine.ca/?p=1897

12/01/2022

Get Connected
by Dorothee Birker • KCR Community Resources
https://kcr.ca/family-services/cofh-kelowna/

Do you see the word connect (and its derivatives connections, connectivity) far too much these days? Do you think ‘connect with me’ has become that most hackneyed phrase that makes you want to roll your eyes when you hear it? Social media is rife with ‘connection’ opportunities, but does it really satisfy our core needs? Because honestly, whether we use the word too much or not, connection truly is a core need that human beings have.
As parents we strive to develop the metaphorical umbilical cord of attachment with our children to build their emotional, social and intellectual intelligence. Being connected to us helps them to grow and develop into the amazing human beings we dream of. But what about us as parents? Who are we connected to? Often it is family and friends. For a variety of reasons, sometimes that isn’t possible. For people new to the community (whether it is from a new town or a new country) they have to work to build those connections. Add in language and culture differences, unfamiliarity with ‘social norms’ and how to access services, and it is really easy to feel alone and isolated. On top of that add the huge and totally natural insecurities all parents feel (at least at one point or another) and the overwhelming pressure of society to be ‘perfect parents’ and you have a situation that so many parents of young children face: feeling lost and alone with nowhere to turn. For families in the Central Okanagan, there is a solution that offers the connection to community and resources that parents need and children deserve: The Family Hub, located at Pearson Road Elementary. The Family Hub is an inclusive and inviting safe space for families, offering a one-stop shop for supports, referrals and information. Here are two stories about two moms that found the critical connections they craved at the Hub.

To read more...
http://okanaganfamilymagazine.ca/?p=1914

11/24/2022

Everyone Needs Help at Sometime
by Dorothee Birker • KCR Community Resources https://kcr.ca/

Let’s be real … everyone needs a little help now and again. Over the past two years (yes, sorry, but I am going to reference the pandemic, even though we are all tired of hearing about, talking about and living it) we have been tested on so many levels, and many of us may be experiencing mental and emotional fatigue. I know I am. It has been hard to navigate it all. I am doing my best, but I feel stretched too far. Even without a global pandemic, our personal circumstances can at times conspire to create a perfect storm on a very personal, individual level. When that happens, where can we turn?
For 39 years, KCR Community Resources has been providing a critical community safety-net for everyone: the Crisis Line. This easily accessible resource is available for anyone personally dealing with a crisis or supporting someone who is facing challenges. Help is available by phone 24/7 at 1-888-353-2273 and by text to 45645 between 1:00-9:00pm PST.

To read more...
http://okanaganfamilymagazine.ca/?p=1905

11/20/2022

How to Work Hard Without the Stress
by Marie Hartwell-Walker • Psych Central https://psychcentral.com/

I worry about several young adults I know. They seem chronically overworked, stressed out and exhausted by the demands of their jobs. They work long hours, skip lunch, and take work home at night. Yes, it’s important for us all to work at something we care about. But it’s also important for us to care about out-of-the-office life.
Why are these young people working so hard? Some of it is in response to very real demands. Jobs are hard to find. Advancing in a job is even harder. The key to getting ahead, at least in many workplaces, is to be observed going the extra mile.
Financial stress about unpaid school loans, high rents, and the general cost of living also put some people in a not entirely unreasonable panic. By working hard, perhaps doing overtime, it may be possible to keep the proverbial wolf away from the door. And some of these overworking young adults are in the grip of the need to prove themselves to themselves or others are really addicted to the adrenaline rush of setting almost impossible goals and meeting them anyway.

To read more...
http://okanaganfamilymagazine.ca/?p=1895

11/17/2022

The Truth Behind Cerebral Dominance & Learning
by Jemma Davey, 3rd year UBCO psychology student and Lynne Brown, M.Ed. Owner/Director of Oak Learning Centre
http://www.oaklearning.ca/

Are you left or right brain dominant?
How do you learn? Are you more intuitive and creative or analytical and methodical in your thinking?
There are plenty of online quizzes these days that use these types of questions to reveal the much anticipated *drum roll please* ... Congratulations! You are a highly organized, critical thinking left-brainer!
It is true, that there is some late realization to brain functioning, making some cognitive processes specialized to one side or the other. However, effective real-world functioning involves the contribution of both cerebral hemispheres (sides of the brain).

To read more...
http://okanaganfamilymagazine.ca/?p=1912

11/10/2022

Physical Literacy & Quality Sport Starts with You!
by Skylar Bown, MPT (c.) • by PacificSport Okanagan https://www.pacificsportokanagan.com/

We all want our children to be literate. But, what happens when our children’s digital literacy or other distractions and societal changes overpower their abilities to be physically literate? Unfortunately, in recent years, the vast majority of Canadian children are not meeting physical activity guidelines: a large scale study which took place following the pandemic showed that fewer than 4% of children were meeting the 24-hour movement behaviour guidelines [physical activity, sedentary behaviour (screen time), sleep].
Sedentary lifestyles in children have become more prominent in the age of COVID-19, and though some may try to argue the benefit in utilizing apps on smart devices to encourage physical activity, nothing beats the benefits of exercising with peers, socializing, and enjoying the fresh air outdoors. Physical activity benefits children through numerous methods including increasing bone density, promoting growth and healthy development, developing motor skills, and reducing the risk of chronic disease. One area of particular concern, is the rate the girls have not been returning to sport after the pandemic. The Rally Report (by Canadian Women and Sport) found that one in four girls were not returning to sport activities post-pandemic. For more information on the reasons and impact of this finding visit womenandsport.ca.

To read more...
http://okanaganfamilymagazine.ca/?p=1903

11/06/2022

The Basics of Self-Love
by Marie Hartwell-Walker, Ed.D. • Psych Central https://psychcentral.com/

“It’s surprising how many persons go through life without ever recognizing that their feelings toward other people are largely determined by their feelings toward themselves, and if you’re not comfortable within yourself, you can’t be comfortable with others.” - Sidney J. Harris
It is very difficult to find a loving partner if you don’t love yourself. Yes, love. Love means acceptance, compassion and a general positive, even affectionate feeling about who you are. Finding unconditional love from someone else is almost impossible. Everyone has some conditions. But acknowledging and deserving unconditional self-love is the basis for having a loving adult relationship. Why? Because you can’t expect others to love you if you don’t.
Self-love isn’t selfish or self-centered or self-deluding. It acknowledges your basic worth but also requires that you take care of that worth by actively nurturing yourself and others through loving behaviour. Self-love is the foundation for being loving and attracting love.

To read more...
http://okanaganfamilymagazine.ca/?p=1933

11/03/2022

Fun & Learning in a Park
by Risti Lesperance • photo provided by Regional Parks Services https://www.rdco.com/en/parks-and-trails/parks-and-trails.aspx

There is a myriad of physical, emotional, and intellectual benefits to be gained from time spent outdoors. Children, like the rest of us, need access to natural green spaces and time to discover the world around them. What better way to spark an appreciation for nature and pursue an active lifestyle, than venturing with the family into a Regional Park near you!
Regional Parks Services offers many park programs for school groups and community groups of all ages. Maybe your child has already visited a Regional Park with their class on a field trip, or perhaps their teacher has such an outing planned for the school year. Programs in Regional Parks include Pond Study, Owls of the Okanagan, Bees and Pollinators, Bats, Bears and Trees of the Okanagan. Each program is designed to get students outdoors with a Regional Park Interpreter so they can learn firsthand about specific aspects of park ecology. Often, simply being outside in the fresh air in a natural setting is the highlight of the program! Inquire about the outdoor learning opportunities planned for your child’s class this year.

To read more...
http://okanaganfamilymagazine.ca/?p=1901

10/27/2022

More than Just Skinny Skis
by Teresa Pavlin • Telemark Nordic Club https://telemarknordic.com/

Nordic sports were born in the land of snow and ice, and those challenging conditions surprisingly make for the best kind of epic fun. And for the summer-lovers amongst us, these sports make the winter season pass by quickly. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing give access to the solitude and peace of the snow laden forest and the natural beauty of wintertime. And the best thing is, these activities can be enjoyed by every member of the family, at any age.
While the Central Okanagan might be known for wine, beaches and hot summers, it’s a not-too-well-kept secret that it offers some of the best ‘self-propelled’ winter fun. The Telemark Nordic Centre on the west side offers great trails, facilities and programs for both skiing and snowshoeing as does Kelowna Nordic on the east side of Lake Okanagan, with a fun rustic, recreational atmosphere. Both clubs are open to the public and only 30 minutes from downtown Kelowna. Telemark offers rental snowshoe and ski equipment if you just want to sample these activities before you commit to buying gear.

To read more...
http://okanaganfamilymagazine.ca/?p=1918

10/20/2022

Signs of Struggles with Mental Health or Substance Misuse
by Zarka Stojanovic • The Bridge Youth and Family Services https://www.thebridgeservices.ca/

Healthy social and emotional development in childhood and adolescence is one of the main prerequisites for becoming a resilient and healthy adult. According to data from Statistics Canada and Mental Health Commission of Canada for Children and Youth, 70% of adults living with mental illness experience symptoms before 18 years of age. This data also suggests that 1.2 million of children and youth currently experience mental health struggles, with this number rising to 7.5 million if we look at the population of people 25 years old and younger, inclusively.
The Covid-19 pandemic further exacerbated already existing challenges children and youth experience while going through the natural ups and downs of puberty and maturation. Although it is well known that children may experience some degree of turmoil as they go through developmental changes in puberty, it is important to be aware of signs and behaviours that may indicate things might be going sideways.

To read more...
http://okanaganfamilymagazine.ca/?p=1920