ISSUE 81: ISSUE 81: September 2012 September 2012 www.familieswest.co.uk www.familieswest.co.uk FREE FREE Clubs and Classes Clubs and Classes in West London in West London Families West • PO Box 32231 • London W5 1JR • Tel: 020 8930 4707 • Fax: 0208 930 7704 • E-mail: [email protected]
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ISSUE 81:ISSUE 81: September 2012 September 2012
www.familieswest.co.ukwww.familieswest.co.uk
FREEFREEClubs and Classes Clubs and Classes
in West Londonin West London
Families West • PO Box 32231 • London W5 1JR • Tel: 020 8930 4707 • Fax: 0208 930 7704 • E-mail: [email protected]
2 Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR September 2012
3September 2012 Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR
News & Views 3-4
Clubs and Classes 6-9
Local listings in West London 10 & 12
Parenting 14-17
Education 18-23
School Open Days 23
What's On in West London 24-26
Classifieds 27
Contents
www.FamiliesWest.co.uk
Families West is designed by Natalie Schmidt of www.matobodesign.com and printed by Ridgeway Press, 12 Campbell Court, Bramley, Tadley, Hampshire RG26 5EG. Tel 01252 885837. Copyright Families West Magazine 2012. Colour transparencies and any other original materials submitted for publication are sent at owner’s risk and while every care is taken, neither Families nor its agents accept liability for loss or damage. Families West is part of the Families group, established in 1990 and headed by Families South West. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under license. We take every care preparing this magazine but the publishers and distributors cannot be held responsible for the claims of the advertisers nor the accuracy of the contents nor for any consequence.
When you contact us, please say that you saw our advert in Families West!
5September 2012 Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR
6 Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR September 2012
Clubs and ClassesSay that you saw it in
Families West Magazine.
To advertise phone020 8930 4707
Caroline Lester School of DanceCaroline Lester School of Danceoffers ballet classes for girls & boys from 3+ following the ISTD syllabus.
New for September: Zumba Classes.
Classes take place every Wednesday during term time. Examinations are taken in the ISTD syllabus with a 100% pass rate. We are happy to take on new starters throughout the school year. For more information and to book a place please see our website: www.carolinelesterschoolofdance.co.uk
Ealing Educati on CentreMansell RoadGreenfordMiddlesex, UB6 9EH.
11+ TUITION FOR GRAMMAR SCHOOLS8-9 yr olds (Year 4) Discover 11- Plus9-10 yr olds (Year 5) Develop 11- Plus
Children will be taught the techniques and strategies needed to pass the 11+ exam with a major focus on developing and
building vocabulary. The course will cover Verbal/Non Verbal Reasoning, Literacy and Numeracy.
Manageable class sizes ensure individual attention. Inspirational and supportive teaching from
professional experienced 11+ tutors.Courses starti ng in Greenford , Middx in September!
As the new school year starts, so does the time to choose after-school activities, but take a quick look and you will find a whole range of classes available, from Scouts to Ballet, from French to Karate.
How can we know which ones are the best for our child, offer value for money, and critically, which ones they will enjoy!
After-school activities definitely offer value to your children. Reports indicate those
who participate in after-school programs have better school attendance, higher grades
and loftier aspirations. They’re less likely to get into trouble are at lower risk of
obesity. It is also a great opportunity for children to develop social and leadership
skills. The benefits are there, but under which classes?
Talk to your child and find out how they feel about the activity, and let them choose at
least one club or activity themselves. Help them choose activities that reflect who
they are and what they want to learn, don’t impose your preferences. Explain that it’s
important and fun to try new things, and remember switching activities is normal
amongst children.
Always check out the quality of an activity. Discipline-based activities that create a
quality product over a period of time are great, e.g. putting on a play. Don’t think that
high cost equal high quality, some activities are cheaper to run like football. Staff
members should be professionals with skills and experience.
Choosing after-school activities By Elisabeth Dolton
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7September 2012 Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR
Say that you saw it advertised
in Families West Magazine
Cooking Parties!•• Fun, cooking parties
•• For boys and girls aged 5-16 years•• Cooking classes
the car, and eating meals can take substantially more time
for children with disabilities.
• Integrate flexibility into family schedules that allow
opportunities to practice disability independence –
children can learn valuable benefits of teamwork and
planning ahead to meet their goals.
• Keep supplies handy. Portable containers for equipment
and medications enable smooth transitions to the car
and back for instance.
With flexible diligence, parents of children with disabilities
can lead families to a fulfilling and well-balanced life, where
disability activities are just part of a reliable, reassuring
family pattern.
8 Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR
Finding balance for busy families By Elisabeth Dolton
As parents we want our children to take advantage of
opportunities and have enriching experiences, whilst keeping
on top of our own demands and duties. So it’s no surprise
that families can often find themselves over-committing and
running from one activity to another. A over-busy schedule
impacts on us all. Parents feel pressured to maximize every
opportunity for their children, and with less family time
relationships can suffer. Too much structured activity can
contribute to anxiety, stress, and even depression in children.
Finding a balanced lifestyle is key.
There are several signs of an overly busy family. Children
become tired, overwhelmed and irritable as a result of no
downtime, activities are being done out of habit or because
everyone else is, or your children spend so much time in
activities that you don’t know what else is going on in their
lives. Back-to-school makes you think back-to-stress!
If your family is overscheduled, ease the pressure by simplifying
the daily routine. This is achievable in two ways – cutting back
on extracurricular activities, and getting more organized.
Scale down extracurricular activities. Limit the number of
activities you have in a week to one artistic, one athletic, and
one social for example. Focus more on creating a manageable
family schedule.
As you cut down on outside activities, set aside dedicated time
for the family to be together. If you feel it’s important to eat
dinner together a few nights a week, or have a set time when
you and your children can just chat, arrange the schedule to
make it happen. Reserve time to play and hang out.
Streamline household routines to make time at home more
relaxed. Keep spaces that you use every day, like the kitchen
counter, free of clutter. Keep things where you use them.
After dinner, lay out breakfast, make lunches and gather
everything needed for tomorrow’s activities. Have your
children lay out their clothes before going to bed.
Once you create some organisation in the house, it’s likely to
spread. But almost contradictorily, let go of the idea of being a
perfect parent and resist feeling guilty if the house is less than
immaculate. Take a few minutes to relax after getting home;
don’t immediately dive into meal preparation.
Finding a Balance - Top Tips for parents:✓ Listen to your children. If they appear fatigued, irritable or overwhelmed they may be over-scheduled.✓ Talk to your children. Find out which activities they love and which they could live without. ✓ Ask yourself: "Does my child want to be involved in all these activities, or do I want them to be?" Your best intentions may be adding to the pressure✓ Don’t forget ‘me time’. Don’t sacrifice your own wellbeing. Find time to recharge and rejuvenate.
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Butterfly brain Studies are now showing that more time
with technology is lowering attention
spans. The American psychiatry professor
Dr Gary Small (author of iBrain: Surviving
the Technological Alteration of the Modern
Mind) claims that there is an actual brain
gap between generations – those who
have been born into technology and
those who have come to learn it as
adults (like me, for example, who relies
on my five-year-old to work the DVD).
The tendency for the technologically
savvy is to skim and flit rather than focus
on one thing at a time.
Nevertheless, it is not all bad news.
Neuroscientists have also discovered that
our brains continue to develop through-
out life, growing new brain cells and laying
down new neural pathways the more we
mentally exercise. Studies of meditators
consistently show that it is possible to
train the brain into a peaceful and relaxed
default setting.
Mindfulness All this science can be found in the book
‘10 Mindful Minutes’ by the Hollywood
actress Goldie Hawn, who set up the
Hawn Foundation to promote children’s
mental and emotional health. Using the
latest scientific research, the foundation
has created the MindUP programme for
social and emotional learning, which is
used internationally and is currently being
piloted in selected UK primary schools.
There are a whole range of exercises in
the book to help children relax, but the
core principle is the practice of
mindfulness (as opposed to mindlessness);
being able to sit and quietly watch the
breath whilst being aware of thoughts but
not judging them. Simply letting every-
thing be as it is.
Ants in their pants During her decade as a children’s
entertainer in the 1990s, Marneta Viegas
noticed a steady decrease in children’s
ability to sit still and focus. It must be due,
she says, to the ever increasing pace of
modern life: “We now have electromagnetic
radiation and phone masts, chemicals in junk
food, stressed parents working hectic jobs
and the physical onslaught of electronic and
noise pollution. Our world is becoming ever
more unnatural and toxic.”
Parenting
While many of us parents remember childhoods playing out in the woods, garden or the street, children today grow up in a very different world. The choice of digital entertainment on offer is dizzying: TV, Internet, console games, iPods and iPads not to mention mobile phones and Facebook. As magical as modern technology is, you cannot help but wonder what it is doing to young brains.
Calm kidsDowntime: How to help children relax
15September 2012 Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR
Celebrating the Jewish FestivalsPLEASE JOIN US FOR HIGH HOLY DAY SERVICES AND
ACTIVITIES AT EALING LIBERAL SYNAGOGUESeptember 17th – Rosh Hashanah morning
September 26th – Yom Kippur morningFamily services for:
Sukkot September 30th – & Simchat Torah October 6th –
• A strong, supportive community for Jewish families including those with non Jewish partners
• Special services and supervised activities for children and young people during morning services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Simchat Torah
• A friendly and diverse community of all ages• Religious, educational, social and cultural activities throughout the year
We look forward to welcoming you. Information/guest tickets from – ELS Administrator, Deirdre Martin – 020 8997 0528, Mon-Thur 9.00am-12.00pm, offi [email protected] & www.ealingliberalsynagogue.org.uk
Resources: Relax Kids: www.relaxkids.com Transcendental Meditation in schools: www.consciousnessbasededucation.org.uk 10 Mindful Minutes by Goldie Hawn (with Wendy Holden) Calm Kids: Help Children Relax with Mindful Activities by Lorraine E Murray
Mindful breathing (adapted from 10 Mindful Minutes)
In a quiet room with no distractions, ask your child to sit comfortably with their hands
on their laps and close their eyes (or focus on a single object like a picture or window).
In a soft voice, guide them to become aware of their breath. Ask them to put their hands
on their bellies and feel how it rises and falls as they breathe, or how the air feels as it
comes in and out of the nose. If they fidget (which is normal) or get distracted, gently
remind them to bring their attention back to their breath. Start small – just a minute or
two at first, especially for younger children – and build up gradually to maybe five minutes
a couple of times a day. Debrief afterwards. Talk about how mindful breathing can help
them at school or other situations.
Try these exercises from Relax Kids (www.relaxkids.com) Start with something
active, like the Butterfly Massage below. Then you can engage their imagination
with the following relaxation scripts.
Butterfly massage Try these massage strokes on your child’s back or encourage siblings to massage each
other. Imagine your thumbs are a caterpillar crawling up your child’s spine. Slowly and
gently walk your thumbs up to the neck and down again. Now, rub the back to warm it up.
Finally practice some butterfly strokes: flutter your fingers all over the head, neck and back.
Green breaths Lie down and put your hands on your tummy. Breathe in and out gently and feel your
tummy rising and falling. Now, as you breathe in, imagine you are breathing green light.
It feels very calming and peaceful. Breathe the green light out into the room. Fill the
whole room with it. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out.
Melting chocolate Imagine you are a piece of chocolate outside in the sunshine. You feel yourself melting
slowly. Feel your whole body becoming relaxed and letting go as you melt and sink
further into the floor.
Relaxing on the beach Close your eyes, be still and imagine you are lying down on the beach. Feel the warm
sand underneath your body. Listen to the waves of the sea. Now, very gently you are going
to relax each part of your body. Start with your feet. Let your toes completely relax and
become soft. Let this feeling spread gently through your feet. Squeeze your legs and gently
let them go. Feel all the tension in your legs being released as they become relaxed and
soft. Squeeze the muscles in your tummy and let go completely. Stretch your back as long
as you can and relax. Can you feel your back sinking into the sand? Let your shoulders and
neck become soft. Feel all the tension melt away. Squeeze your arms as tight as you can and
let them go. Your arms feel heavy as they sink into the sand. Squeeze your fingers into a
tight fist, and now uncurl them slowly and rest them on the golden sand. Scrunch your face
into a tiny ball and let go and relax. Let your head completely relax: relax your eyes, your
ears, your cheeks, your forehead. Feel the warm sun on your face and body as you sink
further into the powdery sand. Stay there for a few more moments, enjoying the feeling
of being completely relaxed.
TRY THIS: Having meditated with her mother since
childhood, Marneta decided that this was
what hyperactive children needed.
“I honestly believe relaxation and
meditation, done well and consistently,
can sort out a myriad issues.”
When Marneta started her company
Relax Kids in 2002, meditations for
children were eyed with some suspicion.
So she decided to base her meditations
on fairy stories – and it worked. To date
Marneta has trained nearly 800 Relax
Kids teachers in her seven step system
that gets children moving, dancing and
stretching before deep breathing and lying
down for a short inner journey using
visualisation. “When one teacher of high
spectrum autistic children in Glasgow began
using our techniques, the children could
barely manage a minute of lying down,”
Marneta adds. “But the teacher persisted
and now they go a whole twenty minutes!”
Down to earth Lorraine Murray, author of Calm Kids:
Help Children Relax with Mindful Activities,
has noticed that children diagnosed with
ADHD tend to be ‘ungrounded’: not so
present in their bodies yet overactive in
their minds, sometimes to the point of
being in a world of their own. She
recommends grounding activities like
gardening and running in nature, music
with a deep steady drumbeat or
imagining that they have roots sinking
deep into the earth like a tree.
Whilst no mindfulness, meditation or
relaxation teacher professes to have a
cure-all for the enormous spectrum of
children’s mental and emotional needs,
the evidence is clear. These practices
benefit everyone.
16 Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR September 2012
Bedwetting is a common childhood complaint, affecting up to
one in 10 children up to the age of nine. In the lead up to
Urology Week on 17-21 September, Mr Feilim Murphy, Urology
Consultant at The Portland Hospital for Women and Children,
shares his expert insights into bedwetting and how to combat it.
• Bedwetting affects more boys than girls and can run in
families, with children tending to grow out of it around the
same age as their parents did
• In the vast majority of cases, bedwetting is temporary and
will quickly disappear with parents and child working together
as a team. In those children where it persists, you should
consult your doctor. Many parents are reluctant to do so
due to embarassment or concern that it is too trivial, but it
is important to rule out any medical causes for bedwetting
• Wetting the bed can be a sign of a minor delay in the
maturity of the nervous system, where a child doesn’t
recognise the signs that they need the toilet during the
night. A lot of children who wet the bed could also have
undiagnosed day time toileting problems, which are reinforced
at night time. Only by fixing the days can you fix the nights
• Bedwetting can feel extremely isolating and shameful. It can
get worse due to anxiety about school trips or sleepovers.
It is extremely important to reassure the child that it is not
their fault and neither they, nor their bladder, is ‘lazy’
• Reassurance, praise and support are important to give your
child confidence, and remove feelings of guilt or blame.
Reward systems like star charts for dry nights will reinforce
this and can be very effective
• To begin to combat bedwetting, make sure your child drinks
lots of fluid during the day, and teach them to recognise the
signs of needing the toilet. Encourage them to use the toilet
regularly, especially in school, or out and about
• Alarm systems, which wake the child (and sometimes the
whole house) upon contact with moisture, have also been
shown to be an effective therapy in a majority of cases, with
a low relapse rate1,2
• In more severe cases, for instance, children who have never
been dry at night or who have daytime accidents, need to be
referred to an appropriate specialist. Children older than
seven can be prescribed medication to decrease the amount
of urine produced3
All children are different, but their active participation in dealing
with their own bedwetting enables them to regain control of
their bladder. The key factor for success is the child’s motivation;
gradually winning the child over is the fundamental step. In
children in which the alarm or medication has not made a
significant improvement I use a protocol driven child centred
treatment program with the assistance of my excellent clinical
nurse specialists which allows the child to gain control over
their own body and the condition
Bedwetting: Confronting the Night-time Challenge
References
1. Bollard J, Nettelbeck T. A comparison of dry-bed training and standard urine-alarm conditioning treatment of childhood
bedwetting. Behav Res Ther 1981; 19(3):215-226.
2. Bollard J, Nettelbeck T. A component analysis of dry-bed training for treatment for bedwetting. Behav Res Ther 1982;
20(4):383-390.
3. National Institute for Clinical Excellent (NICE), Nocturnal enuresis: The management of bedwetting in children and
young people, available at: www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/13246/51367/51367.pdf, accessed May 2012
Parenting
Mr Feilim Murphy is a Consultant Urologist at The Portland Hospital for
Women and Children.
The Portland Hospital is the UK’s largest independent children's hospital,
devoted to caring for babies and children up to the age of 16 years.
It is 'home' to more than 70 top paediatric related consultant specialists – the
largest group of private paediatric specialists in the UK – many of whom are
considered to be amongst the world's leading clinicians.
The Portland Hospital is part of the HCA International hospital group.
HCA International owns the Capital’s six leading private hospitals all
based in central London and each with an international reputation for
the highest standards of acute and tertiary care. They are: The Wellington
– the largest private hospital in Europe, London Bridge Hospital, The
Harley Street Clinic, The Portland Hospital for Women and Children, The
Lister Hospital and The Princess Grace Hospital.
17September 2012 Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR
For children aged from 2 to 5 years. The nursery follows the Montessori method. We also offer, French, Ballet, Music, IT, Art and Drama.
Full and part time sessions are available. Qualifi ed and experienced teachers maintain a high standard of learning and care.
* Excellent academic record* Caring and nurturing environment
* Happy, considerate and confi dent children
Tel no: 0208 579 2304 Mobile no: 07956 228 959Email: [email protected]
Website: www.stmatthewsmontessori.com
Group of International nursery schoolsW2 Lancaster Gate • Bayswater
whole grain gluten free bread and crackers, hummus,
gluten free pasta with pesto and pinenuts, rice cakes with
fun toppings (nut butters, jam, cheese)
• Healthy Fats – Olive oil, raw nuts/seeds, dried fruit,
avocados, olives
By Elisabeth Dolton Parenting
Should our kids eat less wheat?
18 Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR September 2012
Education
SLEEPINGThis applies to children of any change. One of the biggest gripes
from teachers is the child who comes into school tired. This is the
time to lay down routines for bedtime. Take charge – decide what
is acceptable to you and make it clear to your child. For older
children, it can help to write these down as a list so that they can
be more independent. Make sure that bedrooms are clear and
calm and conducive to sleep.
EATINGNow is the time to banish those constant summer time treats. Go
back to basics in terms of nutritional needs for your child. Menu-
plan for weekdays and lunchboxes. Have a really good think about
how much sugar your child is eating and try and cut it down. Plan
to introduce new vegetables to your family. And if you’re not doing
it already – plan to eat together as a family at least three times a
week. (If you’re not at home in time for dinner, breakfast is a good
alternative.) Talking about breakfast; you’ve heard it before. It is the
most important meal. Make time for a good one.
SECURITYAs children get older and more independent, it’s easy to forget
how much they still need you emotionally. Make time to talk and
establish your own way to let them know that you are there for
them. Notes in lunchboxes, a card in the post, and some time as a
family together at the weekend with no interruptions work well.
ORGANISATIONEssential for you and essential for your children if they want an
easier time of school. Declutter and then set up specific spaces for
important things. School bags, PE kit, lunchboxes, spare stationery,
scrap paper, “good” paper for homework, folders, school shoes,
uniform, timetables downstairs and upstairs, emergency phone
numbers list and a wodge of paper and envelopes with your cheque
book in an easy place for when your child tells you five minutes
before school, that they need a permission slip and money for a
school trip due that day.
LEARNINGThe one gift that you can give your child to help them with their
learning is time. Your time reading to your child. No amount of
slaving over extra workbooks or buying the best educational
gadgets can compensate for really enjoying stories with children.
You may not see the results until later but talk to any teacher.
They can tell straight away which children have been read to.
Do it everyday even if it is for just 10 minutes. It’s worth it.
For parents with school age children, September is a chance to start anew and put some good practice into place. Think about what caused the disastrous days last year and ditch the habits that caused them. Think about what worked well last year and build on it. Take time to think about the basics and get them right.
5 Essentials:
19September 2012 Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR
Education
20 Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR September 2012
Education
21September 2012 Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR
EducationNotting Hill & Ealing High School GDSTJunior School for Girls Aged 4-1126 St. Stephen’s Road, London W13 8HH
To reserve your place at an Open Day, for further information on occasional vacancies in other year groups or to request a prospectus contact the Admissions Secretary