24- North Shore News - Wednesday, June 21, 2000 Plan spontaneous family time bored kids can make the Gme seem like an eternity. Naturally, adjusting one’s frame of mind can make a huge difference. Rather than seeing the summer as a loss of planned activitics, perhaps it should bz viewed as an opportunity for spontancous activities, or even planned, but shorter activities. The flexibility of summer hours often gives families many new mer is a long time for options to consider for spend- kids who are school- ing some quality time togeth- aged, and accustomed er. to being kept busy by people paid to do so for much of the day. For mom and dad, who pay for the privilege of look- ing after their own children, ‘LET’S face it, the sum- Let’s start with the spenta- neous. How about taking on a family construction project around the house? Install some new shelves or a closet organizer for the kids’ rooms. Build a backyard playhouse or PWE MOVED! COME AND SEE ME AT MY NEW LOCATION, SUPER STYLE STUDIO anp RECEIVE A *20% DISCOUNT. . |. Available for bookings Man. to Wed. “*Offer expires Aug. 20/00 410 - -W. aath Street, North Vancouves “NATIVE JEWELLERY WEDDING Rincs” 441 West 3rd Street, - North Vancouver 988-9215 é , 1 and over. a swing set. Puc together a umple go-cart that is pushed by a stick and then be a one parent-power motor every now and then. Put in a new garden or build 2 fountain and goldfish pond. Oh, what the heck, build vour own ver- sion of the ‘Taj Majal. The point is, building something together can be a wonderful exercise in cooperation and a great sense of mutual accom- plishment when done. Real manual work, and something to show for it at the end, is fundamentally different than typical schoolwork, which is often viewed as busy work and the product is often dis- carded. How about an artistic angle? Why not paint togeth- er, sculpt together, take pho- tos together or travel to sec art exhibits, live theatre or other performing arts. There are generally plenty of cultural . activides coming out into the sun of the summer and it’s a great time to check out the entertainment or arts sections of the Incal paper and take some of those things in. Af ALL DOMES aa ES Femina ° Brother © Eino © usqvarne ® Janome © Kenmore © Omega © Pfaff © Singer © White 986-1341 albses@look.ca Hestetee Centre Authors of oo bomesie CONTRACTS” A book on marriage and separation agreements * "FAMILY LAW MEDIATION ..682-4999 Finally, share a few physi- cal pursuits. Go on a bike hike and picnic. Rollerblade together. Fly a kite on 2 windy day. Sit on the bank of a nver and fish for a day. Go golfing in the carly morning or late evening and enjoy the suntise/sunsct. Train together for one of the many five-kilometre runs that take place in the summer. Just go for a little walk each morning, early, and then cook up a breakfast together. These little moments, inexpensive as they are, may well constitute some of the best memories of the summer. Of course, you may decide to share something more for- mally planned, from vacation getaways to summer camps. There is no shortage of options these days for sum- Mer activities with just about every interest in mind. The local parks and recreation departments are good places to start in looking for options that are affordable and local. Work with your children to . select opportunities that inter- est them and will keep them engaged. en my children were young I remember, very fondly, the times we simply lay together in the hammock on a sunny, summer after- noon and had a nap. Now that’s the kind of s spontancous parental bonding that should- n’t be too hard to sell this summer. — Graham Hookey is the. author of Parenting Is A Term Sport. #602-1 166 Albomi St, Vancouve & ; NEWS photo Chidty Goodman - Jousting TAHNEE Juyn played. the joust game during Lynn: Valley Day held in North Vancouver last month. : Drop-in Storytime: Haif- hour of stories, songs, finger- . plays and puppetry for the _.Whole. family... Wednesdays, at 10:30 a.m. and-1:30 p.m: and Fridays, at 10:30 a.m., W.V. Library. Info: 925-7408, Time Travellers ‘Summer Reading Club: Kids of all _ ages can sign up any time’ before July 15 at any branch of N.V. District ‘Ubrary. Win 2 stickers and Passes each day, Summer. Reading ~ Club: Every day in July and. August at the: N.V. City Library. register. from June: 23 hays 5. Info: 998-3450. Summer Reading Club runs: June-26 to August: 26 ‘on'a drop-in. - basis the! W.V. + See more page 30 + King of the Domne plays on FREE until knocked cif toy spot! . © Ail Games $2.50 each o 5 for $16: -~ UNDE wai Want Lots R-NEW-MANAGEMENT®: Streat, Morth Vancouver It's Ty’ teenie BEANIE BABIES™ 2000 at.your McDonald’ All-new toys! Starts June 13th at your official Happy Meal° headquartérs! er promic name a vadomars oy 62000 Tie af While supplies fast. BEANIE BABIES® plush toys are available at finer retail stores!