The Two Sides of August

There are two sides to August. There’s the fit-all-the-summer-things-in side, and there’s the get-ready-for-back-to-school side. I prefer to focus on the first earlier in the month, but we’re forced to combine it with the second as the month rolls on.

It’s time to get the August wiggles out with ideas from Dance Extreme on page 2. Go on family walks and bike rides, play backyard games (cornhole, bocce, kubb and Kan Jam are popular at our house) or put on some music to dance. All of these are simple ways to make beautiful summer memories with your clan.

The Middlesex-London Health Unit talks smoke-free summer fun on page 7. Did you know? “In Ontario, under the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017, it is against the law to smoke or vape in many outdoor areas, including around publicly owned sports fields and spectator areas, playground equipment, and where food and drink is served.” 

Once it’s time to begin the back-to-school prep, our August pages continue to have you covered. Jayden’s Mechanical reminds us to prepare our homes before the school bell rings (page 9). And dad, Jeremy, shares a very valuable article with Back to School Anxiety: Support Don’t Minimize (page 18). It’s a reminder that who their teacher will be, whether they’ll have friends in their class, and where they’ll sit at lunch, may seem small to us, but are real, valid worries for your school-ager.

We also tackle an ever important topic on page 15: caring for the caregiver. When serious illness enters a family, both the patient AND caregiver are dramatically altered by the diagnosis. Dr. Kylea Potvin believes that the biggest challenge facing caregivers is not learning how to care for another person, it is remembering to care for yourself.

We wish you an August full of summer fun and family memories, combined with a smooth back-to-school preparation. Plus, GET SNAPPING! Our 21st annual Captured Moments photo contest runs from August 5th to September 3rd (find details on page 8). We’d love to see your little one on one of our amazing covers!

 

 

Sabina Manji, a lifelong Londoner, is an irrepressible entrepreneur, mother of a wonderful son, and also a committed volunteer.