Fun and games

‘north shore news

‘PARENTAL GUIDANCE

ae ii

NEWS photo Julle {verson

STUDENT Alison Searcy, 11, took her best shot at a coin toss at Maplewood
Community School's family carnival April 9.

kids’ stuff
WEDNESDAYS

North Vancouver
Rangerettés: Ages 3-16, N.V.
location. Info: 929-8236.

Drop-in Toddler Storytime:
For ages two and three years,

Wednesdays and Fridays, 10
and 12 am. at N.V. City
Library. Info: 980-4424.

Drop-in Storytime Fun: For
ages 3-5 years, Wednesdays
and Fridays, at 10:30 a.m. and
1:30 p.m., W.V. Memorial
Library. Info: 925-7408.

Junior Stamp Club: For ages
7-12 on Wednesday, April 14
at 3:30 p.m, N.V. City
Library. Into: 980-4424.

Parent Information Line:
Call 985-2988 for informa-

See more page 21

Notice To Builders & Developers

Did you know that commencing May 1, 1999 all residential

It is a universal trait of
parents that they contin-
uously seck threads of
continuity between
themselves and their off-
spring.

What [ am referring to is
the habit of assigning responsi-
bility for certain physical and
character traits to one side of
the family or the other.

You know what I’m talking
about. The minute a child
emerges from his mother’s
womb somcone is affixing
credit (or just as often blame)
for head shape, hair colour,
hand size and even tempera-
ment to the mother or father,
sometimes even to aunts and
uncles, grandparents and sec-
ond cousins.

It happens in all families,
and is part of the basic mix
that bonds family members
together from one gencration
to the next.

When my first boy was
born, my parents were in my
hospital room within minutes,
talking about how he looked
just like my brothers when
they were born. Oh, they were
convinced all right, that their
tiny grandson was all Nelson
(Nelson being my maiden
name). And when he opened
his mouth and let out a holler
they all said with great certain-
ty, “Oh Shannon, look, he
takes after you!”

Shortly after my in-laws
arrived to view the first of our
new generation, and they
identified him instantly as a
Humphreys.

Yup, no doubt about it, he
had the Humphreys look
about him, intelligent, chacm-
ing and sophisticated, a true
bluc blood to carry on the
fine, It didn’t seem to matter
that his head shape was chang-
ing before our very eyes and
he looked exactly like every
other newborn in the nursery;
they could see he was one of
them.

Of course, when the doz-
ing infant emitted a fart that
practically knocked the socks
off everyone in the room, he
reverted back to a Nelson tor a
moment. Bur that was quickly

REGIST

forgotten as he opened his
eyes and gave us alf one of his
spectacular gas smiles.

In our family this assign-
ment of characteristics to one
side of the family or another
still happens regularly.

If one of my boys happens
to play a particularly good
hockey game, his father will
casually say “I kaew he had
some of the Humphreys stuff
in him.”

Likewise, ifa child shows
good sense in dealing with dif-
cult situations, I" admit, “I

was like that when I was
young.” (I try to ignore the
raised eyebrows a comment
like that elicits from my other
family members.)

My in-laws continue to be
active participants in this
heredity program as well. They
still insist on claiming genetic
responsibility for almost all of
my children’s admirable char-
acteristics, frei my daughters
long legs to my sons acadevaic
accomplishments (they aren’t
spectacular, tut he hesn’r
failed a grade yet}. Good skin,
straight teeth, excellent cye-
sight, these are apparently all
charactenstics that the
Humphreys’ DNA is responsi-
ble for.

My parents, on the other
hand, find Nelsonian connec-
dons to one boy's musical
ability, another's good head of
hair, and a girl's tendency to
be argumentative.

According to both sets of
grand parents, when a kid is
polite and sensitive, he is a
Humphreys, when he is

emanding and obstinate, he
is a Nelson.

Oh, and the kid who is
cheeky and prone to mischief
gets those particular traits
from me, everyone agrees
about that.

ON FO

SEPTEMBER 1999

nonsense might feel a little lost
in the shuffle. I mean, after all,
they are their own selves, with
their own unique sets of DNA.
No doubt they get a little tired
of hearing why they are who
they are, and occasionally
you'll hear a rebellious “P?'m
nothing like you are.”

But I believe thar it’s not
all bad news for the kids who
are being assessed in this way.
Sometimes it’s even a relief to
know that you are not entirely
to blame for who you are.

T recall my mother taking
me aside when I was a rather
rambunctious teenager myself,
and explaining to me that one
of the reasons I had difficulty
staying out of trouble was that
my dad was exactly the same
way when he was young.

“You're just like him,” she
reassured me as I looked at
her quizzically. (I never could
figure out why I got into trou-
ble ail the dime, this was a rev-
elation!)

I was tremendously
relieved. “But never, ever tell
him I told vou that,” she
made me swear an oath of
secrecy.

Kids also learn quickly to
throw the old genetic thing
right back in your face. It hap- .
pened cto me just last week on
one of my dreaded driving ses-
sions with the lead-footed son.
He was, as usual, a firtle heavy
on the gas pedal, and when I
pointed it out to him, he
looked at me matter of factly
and said, “I ebviously inherit-
ed the speeding thing from
you, Mom.” .

“Nonsense!” I said in dis-
belief. “Who told you that
bunk? eee

“Dad”, he‘answered, “and”
Gramma.”

Oh, them. One thing I
know is this. This genetic
credit/blame program is a far
cry from being an exact sci-
ence. Still, I’m positive the kid
gets his smarts from me.

—— humpers@be.synpatico.ca

builders applying for a building permit will be required to be

licensed by the Homeowner Protection Office? Mes Petits Montessori

209 West 13th, N.Van
Le Petit Montessori
195 East Windsor Rd., N.Van
102

if you require information or assistance in navigating a course
through the paperwork, the solation is simple...call
Bradbrooke, Crawford & Green and ask to speak to one of our
team of experienced lawyezs.

BRADBROOKE, CRAWFORD & GREEN
#600-171 West Esplanade
North Vancouver, B.C. Telephone: 980-8571

rR

Lighthouse Montessori
4773 Piccadilly South, W.Van
921-1574

ing spots now!

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