Greetings! Welcome to the first of what's planned to become a regular column for The Record, Family Ties.
I'll be keeping an eye on all things family-related in New West - whether it's fun events for the family, programs for kids, workshops for parents or just issues of general interest.
This will be my chance to share information with you - and, hopefully, vice versa. I look forward to hearing from anyone out there with information, resources, programs and events that would interest families in our fair city.
Please feel free to email me with all your ideas and suggestions, [email protected]. You can also track me down on Twitter, @juliemaclellan.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Seeking online resources
Do you have - or do you run - a favourite website, blog or social media connection that helps parents? I'm open to suggestions about good folks to follow on Twitter, pages to "Like" on Facebook or websites and blogs I should keep an eye on.
Of course, I've already discovered the terrific www.kidsnewwest.ca, which, as it says itself, "connects families in New Westminster with other families, community service providers, information, resources and events." (And, I might add, does a fine job doing so!)
From that site, I bring you a heads-up about two upcoming free Parents Night Out events, presented by School District 40 community school coordinators.
On Feb. 26, it's Raising Teens: A Youth Perspective, featuring a youth panel with special guests. Parents will have a chance to ask anonymous questions of a panel of youth and experts, and there will also be a tour of the New Westminster Youth Centre. That runs from 7 to 9 p.m. at Century House.
On March 12, there's a workshop with Saleema Noon on sex education, which helps equip parents with concepts and answers to the questions kids of all ages ask. It runs from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the gym at Queen Elizabeth School.
Register for the nights at www.ecommunityschool.ca or contact Dan Kalivoda at 778-875-9367.
To market ...
If you're looking for family fun in the Royal City, it's always a pretty safe bet you can start your search at River Market.
The market has a seemingly endless supply of family fun on hand. Here are just a few upcoming event ideas from their website:
* ArtStarts presents Ruploops, a free workshop for kids and families, on Saturday, Feb. 22, with sessions at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
"Explore vocal percussion and the art of live looping to co-create original music. Rup will teach and basics of beat boxing, as well as Indian vocal percussion, to give participants an understanding of what he likes to call the 'tungue drum,'" the website explains.
* Mini-Music Drop-in: Music Box (upstairs at River Market) offers this drop-in fun music class for kids aged nine months to three years, with parent or caregiver. It runs Saturdays from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m. (And I'll vouch for this one personally, having been a participant with my own tot - it's a fun class for wee ones!)
* Circus drop-in: Also for the tiny tots, Vancouver Circus School offers a parent and tot drop-in on Tuesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. It's for kids aged six months and up. The sessions are supervised, and parents can help their wee ones try out various circus apparatuses and toys in the school's bright, airy space up stairs at the market. It's $10 per child and $5 for additional child. Check out www.vancouvercircusschool.ca for more details on this and other programs offered by the school.
Want to know what's up at River Market? Check out the website at www.rivermarket.ca.
Perogy feast
This one's a favourite amongst the families I know, so I figured I'd pass it on for those who may not yet have discovered New Westminster's favourite Friday night outing.
Holy Eucharist Cathedral holds Ukrainian perogy supper nights on Friday evenings from 5 to 8 p.m., on the last Fridays of the month.
The next one's Friday, Feb. 28. Be sure to stop in to the church hall (501 Fourth Ave.) for a feast to make Baba proud.
You can also pop in between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. to buy perogies and other Ukrainian delights. Call 604-526-0988 or 604-522-7711 for more details.
