Lifestyle Triple P : Helping You Raise Healthy Kids

For more information on the Positive Parenting Program, click here.

National Simultaneous Storytime Title Unleashed!

Remember - National Simultaneous Storytime will be held at the Busselton Public Library on 23 May 2012 at 10am. 'The Very Cranky Bear' by Nick Bland will be read, along with some complementary stories and a special craft activity!

No bookings are required for this event, and participation in all storytime events at the Busselton Library is FREE - for more information, contact the library on (08) 9754 1588.

Would you like a sneak peek at the book selected for this year's National Simultaneous Storytime?

Nick Bland’s award winning and much loved children’s book, ‘The Very Cranky Bear’, is now an animated, interactive app! Narrated by well-loved Australian actor Angus Sampson with an original music score by Helen Croome. Join Moose, Zebra, Lion and Sheep as they try to hide from the rain in a cave, but accidentally disturb a very cranky bear…

Special Features:

* You be the narrator: Record and play back your own voice!
* Tilting the device on special pages adds depth to wonderfully animated pages.
* Find 5 hidden cards to unlock a secret surprise!

Check out this promo vid here of the app:

Back to School

The holidays are over, the kids are back to school - and for some, this means beginning year one, taking the first exciting steps into "big school", and wading a bit deeper into the refreshing waters of lifelong reading!

To help your child have the best chance of learning success at school, give them lots of opportunities to read aloud at home. Inspire your young reader to practice every day! Reading Rockets has put together some tips for parents of first-graders that offer some fun ways you can help your child become a happy and confident reader.

Try a new tip each week, and see what works best for your child.

Don’t leave home without it.	-	Bring along a book or magazine any time your child has to wait, such as at a doctor’s office. Always try to fit in reading!
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Once is not enough.	-	Encourage your child to re-read favorite books and poems. Re-reading helps kids read more quickly and accurately.
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Dig deeper into the story.	-	Ask your child questions about the story you've just read. Say something like, “Why do you think Clifford did that?”
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Take control of the television.	-	It’s difficult for reading to compete with TV and video games. Encourage reading as a free-time activity.
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Be patient.	-	When your child is trying to sound out an unfamiliar word, give him or her time to do so. Remind your child to look closely at the first letter or letters of the word.
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Pick books that are at the right level.	-	Help your child pick books that are not too difficult. The aim is to give your child lots of successful reading experiences.
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Play word games.	-	Have your child sound out the word as you change it from mat to fat to sat; from sat to sag to sap; and from sap to sip.
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I read to you, you read to me.	-	Take turns reading aloud at bedtime. Kids enjoy this special time with their parents.
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Gently correct your young reader.	-	When your child makes a mistake, gently point out the letters he or she overlooked or read incorrectly. Many beginning readers will guess wildly at a word based on its first letter.
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Talk, talk, talk!	-	Talk with your child every day about school and things going on around the house. Sprinkle some interesting words into the conversation, and build on words you’ve talked about in the past.
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Write, write, write!	-	Ask your child to help you write out the grocery list, a thank you note to Grandma, or to keep a journal of special things that happen at home. When writing, encourage your child to use the letter and sound patterns he or she is learning at school.

Visit www.ReadingRockets.org for more information on how you can launch a child into a bright future through reading.

A Midsummer Knight's Read : Fairytales at the Library

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Come along to the Busselton Library for a school holiday storytime full of fairytales both classic and twisted!

Stories read will be suitable for ages 5 and up (though younger kids are more than welcome too), followed by a fairytale-themed craft activity. The entire session will last about an hour.

Where:	Busselton Public Library
	Stanley St, Busselton
Date:	Wednesday 18th January 2012
Time:	10.00am - 11.00am
Cost:	FREE!

The Busselton Library runs regular storytime sessions throughout the year at 10.00am, every second Wednesday. For more information call the library on (08) 9754 1588 or email.

Relationships Australia : Parent - Teen Connection

We have all come through adolescence - do you remember? It has always been a challenging, sometimes frustrating period of life's journey.

Thankfully, today's parents are usually more inclined to listen. Living with teenagers can be confusing and even worrying, but also rewarding. This course reduces stress and teaches parents to communicate, negotiate and minimise conflict.

This 4 week course covers topics such as:
* Behaviours and tasks of adolescence
* Developing a helpful perspective on adolescence
* Communication adolescents understand
* Handling conflict
* Discipline

Where:	Bunbury Family Relationship Centre
	20 Molloy St, Bunbury (Symmons St entrance)
Date:	Each Tuesday morning 28th February - 20th March 2012
Time:	9.30am - 12.00pm
Cost:	$50.00 per person / $75.00 per couple

For bookings and payment please call (08) 9792 1111.
Concessions are available for concession card holders.

For more information please visit the Relationships Australia website.

Relationships Australia : Living in a Step Family

Strategies on communication, agreement on discipline - who spells out what the rules are - and on handling competitng demands. It is just as important for couples to ensure that in a busy environment there is time just for each other.

This 6 week course covers:
* The differences and uniqueness inherent in stepfamilies.
* The need to let go of the past in order to devise mutual expectations, which requires good communication skills.
* Parents' roles and challenges in the stepfamily, and the need to establish positive biological and step-parent roles.
* What children experience and how they cope in stepfamilies.
* Nuturing the couple bond and development of conflict resolution skills particular to the stepfamily experience.
* Charting of stepfamily stages and the building of new stepfamily traditions.

Where:	Bunbury Family Relationship Centre
	20 Molloy St, Bunbury (Symmons St entrance)
Date:	Each Thursday evening 23rd February - 29th March 2012
Time:	6.30pm - 9.00pm
Cost:	$75.00 per person / $120.00 per couple

For bookings and payment please call (08) 9792 1111.
Concessions are available for concession card holders.

For more information please visit the Relationships Australia website.

Boredom Busting Ideas for Summer

Looking for ideas to keep the kids occupied these holidays?

Try these fun and simple craft ideas from across the galactic interweb:

"laser beam" obstacle course : streamers/string stuck across a corridor

(from Chicken Babies blog)

bubble wrap painting

(from Intello Kids blog - they also have a great idea for using squares of bubble wrap taped to the floor for hopscotch!)

coiled magazine paper glued to a balloon - when the glue has dried, pop the balloon!

(from Veetje blog)

photo bookmarks - have fun taking the photos before you even start on the bookmarks!

(from creativefamilymoments.com)

balloon and paper plate ping pong

(from Giggleberry Creations blog - they have lots of ideas for paper plate crafts)

paint bobby pins with nail polish - make sure they're completely dry before you wear them!
(from Pinterest)

pompoms - need we say more?
(from kraft croch blog)