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4 Friday, October 6 2017brooklintowncrier.com Are Children Getting Play Time? Our Brooklin Kids By Leanne Brown A Brooklin Toddler's Random Thoughts "I don't just sit and stare at people" WORSHIP DIRECTORY WORSHIP DIRECTORY Burns Presbyterian Church 765 Myrtle Rd West (just 4 minutes north of Brooklin) 10am Worship, Kids Zone Fun & Nursery Care "Discovering God, Sharing God's Love" 905.655.8509 www.Burnschurch.org St. Thomas' Anglican Church 101 Winchester Road East Sunday Services: 8:30 and 10:30 am Sunday School & Nursery Program (10:30am) Wednesday 10:00 a.m. Communion and Healing Service 905-655-3883 www.stthomasbrooklin.ca Brooklin United Church 19 Cassels Rd. E. Sunday Services at 10:30 am Sunday School & Nursery Care www.brooklinunited.ca 905-655-4141 Come catch the Spirit! Renaissance Baptist Church of Brooklin 40 Vipond Road (Just West Of Library) Sunday Worship & Kids Program 10:30 a.m. 905-655-4554 www.brooklinrbc.ca We're here for Brooklin! Community Calendar If you have a community not-for-profit event you would like included in the calendar, please email it to editorofBTC@gmail.com with the subject line "calendar." Priority will be given to Brooklin events. Some editing may occur. Last Saturday, after a busy morning of activi- ties, I set my daughter free. She and her friend headed to the backyard in bathing suits and played with the hose. They painted water pictures on the fence, de- signed a water slide, made foun- tains and had a water fight. Next they put together a dance routine and tried to do walkovers. I watched them as they collapsed in a pile of giggles. My daughter is very aware of the difference between organized phys- ical activity (ie. hockey practice) and play. She will come home after a 90 minute practice, still sweaty, and wanting to go outside to ride her bike. Mom: "But you just spent an hour and a half playing hockey. Aren't you tired?" Daughter: "But that wasn't playing. I haven't had any time to play today." Mom (confused): "Hockey is play- time." Daughter (strapping on her helmet): "Mom….(sigh)...Can I go now?" Mom (still mystified): "Okay. But… " (child is already out the door) Afterschool programs and orga- nized sports can play an important role in your child's development. But don't forget the value of good, old- fashioned play time! With schedules back in full swing, it's putting a bit of a strain on homework, schedules, bedtimes, and, on some nights, family dinner just doesn't happen. It's often a meal in the car on the way to the activity. Free playtime is sometimes hard to come by. My own childhood was much less structured than that of my daugh- ter's. I went to sports practices and after-school activities but I wasn't booked up every day of the week. My brothers and I would wander the neighborhood with freedom that, as a parent today, I would never allow. It was different back then. That to me is what childhood should be like. It makes me feel good to see children playing this way. And it makes them feel good, too. According to the American Acad- emy of Pediatrics, play is crucial to the healthy cognitive, physical, so- cial and emotional development of children. Play with no parents and no rules is important because play- ing in a creative, non-directed way challenges your child's developing brain. This all sounds like pretty serious stuff, almost as if it's work. How- ever, when the girls played with the hose and attempted gymnastics, they learned valuable skills while having a blast. These skills included how to adjust the water to make the right size water lines on the fence (science); how walkovers are eas- ier if you do it over patio furniture pillows (math and physics); how to choreograph dance moves to mu- sic (creativity); and how water fights can lead to conflicts (social). Plus, they released stress while rolling in the grass and laughing. When my daughter races out to play To assist females interested in be- coming a police officer, the Durham Regional Police Service is offer- ing the following female only 2017 Women's Symposium. We are inviting you to attend and gain further exposure into policing with Durham Regional Police Ser- vice. Come and meet female offi- cers and the recruiting unit to learn about the hiring process and what it takes to become a member of the Durham Regional Police Service. What exposure you will receive from the Women's Symposium: • Panel discussion with female members on how policing has affected their lives • Police Information Session on the current hiring process • Participate in mock interviews • Learn why Durham Regional Police Service is best for you! Date: Saturday, October 21, 2017 Time: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (Please arrive by 8:30 a.m. to sign in) Location: 605 Rossland Road E. Whitby, Ontario To register, please visit our web- site at www.drps.ca and click on Careers, current job opportunities. Register by applying for the 2017 Women's Symposium, or use this link: http://bit.ly/2ddXPFM. A re- sume is required, however it will not be used in the selection process. If you do not have a DRPS account, one will need to be created prior to completing the registration process. If you have any further questions on the 2017 Women's Symposium or registration process, please feel to contact us at recruiting@drps.ca. **Please be advised, space is lim- ited. Only those selected to at- tend will be notified via email by October 11, 2017** QUALITY MOVING SALE!!! Saturday October 14th, 8am - 1pm 33 Downey Drive, Brooklin DVDs, CDs, Electronics, Furniture, etc. FIRST LOOK at items to be sold online Piano, Sofas, Golf Clubs, Sleigh, Bed & more! Cash Visa MasterCard accepted with the neighbourhood kids, it feels good to see her playing. By playing, I mean running around, chasing her friends, making up games, and just being silly. In other words, doing the things that children do when they are allowed to be kids, just having fun with their friends. As I tucked her into bed Saturday night, she said through her yawn, "This was a great day, Mom." It had been a good day. Maybe she's onto something here. Per- haps we could all use a little more play time? DRPS Hosts 2017 Women's Symposium Fri., Oct. 27: 4:00 - 5:00 pm (4th Friday of each month) Teen Leadership Council at Brooklin Library Whitby Library's Brooklin Branch seeks Teen Leadership Council members to share ideas & assist with special events and programs. Grade 9-12 students earn com- munity service hours. Snacks provided. No registration required. For information, email teenservices@whitbylibrary.ca. Mondays: 6:30-7 pm: French Family Storytime: Children and their caregivers can join Madame Sue for weekly French Family Storytime! A half hour of French stories and songs, with a dash of English! Drop in at Central Library's Chil- dren's Program Room Tuesdays: 7:25 pm - Brooklin Toastmasters Club Practice public speaking at Brooklin Community Centre & Library. Contact John Johnstone at jajhj@sympatico.ca or phone 905-683-4439 or Patricia Ro- mano at promano257@outlook. com or phone 905-626-7055. 1st & 3rd Tuesdays Community Care Durham (CCD) Basic Foot Care at St. Thomas' Anglican Church. 905-668-6779 Wednesdays, till end of Oct., 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Whitby Farmers' Market in Cel- ebration Square, Whitby Public Library, 405 Dundas Street West. Visit whitby.ca/farmersmarket for more information. Mon.-Fri. CCD delivers hot or frozen meals. To order: Karen Andrews 905-668-6779