The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Books for Newborns Program Promotes Reading from Birth Issues pertaining to harassment, abuse, and stereotyping/bias were discussed last week at a parent meeting in Lord Elgin School. The parents were participating in a workshop similar to one which has been offered to staff across the Northumberland and Newcasde board of Education for the past two years. "If we continue to be silent about these concerns, we promote them," _ said Ruth Braganca, employment John Savage, service manager at Cowan Pontiac Buick, is shown above with some of the people who cq U i ty 0 ff icer f or the Northumber- conductcd last week's Ladies' Car Care Clinic. The group includes Tony Hiscock, Darrell Engley, Mi- land and Newcastle Board of Educa- chael Naugle and Mike Kicinko, of the Cowan staff. Also in the photo are Debra Hadden, a GM repre- tion. sentative and Esther Rathwell, an OPP officer. "The key message is that respect and dignity for the individual must always guide every inter-action," Braganca said during the discussion which covered topics such as bullying bullying and name-calling at school. Among the other ideas presented to the parents was the advice that parents deal with behaviours and attitudes, attitudes, not the worth of the individual individual person. Parents were reminded not to make assumptions about guilt or innocence, innocence, but to focus on the problem. problem. For example, if a parent calls another another parent and accuses that person's person's child of being a bully, they may get a hostile response. If, in the same circumstances, the parent explains explains the problem in a more neutral fashion, without assigning guilt to anybody, there is a better chance of solving the problem. Parents should also be aware that they are always modelling behaviour. behaviour. They should be knowledgeable about tiie issues by seeking outside help if required. Finally, anyone who must deal with problems of harassment, abuse and bias, must also remember that if they are not part of the solution, they are part of the problem. by Lorraine Manfredo Long before your baby takes a single step, he can be well along the rich and rewarding road to reading. Recent studies show that the sooner a child is guided down the path to literacy, the easier the journey journey will be. According to Ardyth Moorcroft, a volunteer with the Books for Newborns Newborns Program in Clarington and Northumberland, parents can start reading to an infant its first day out of the womb. While some parents may hold off introducing their children to books until age one or even two, she says, the parent who begins a regular reading program before that is giving giving the child a tremendous advantage. advantage. "Our program is based on the theory that children who are read to at an early age (and regularly) will learn the necessary reading skills without such a struggle," says Ms Moorcroft. "They seem to acquire the skill Judging from the turn-out at a ladies' ladies' car care clinic last week, Clarington Clarington women want to know more about the machines they are driving. The clinic took place at Cowan Pontiac. Buick, in Bowmanville, on Tuesday, February 8. John Savage, service manager at Cowan, said about 40 participants attended last week's session and there was another 30 women on a waiting list. Savage says the clinic was so successful that he will hold another one in four to six weeks. The clinic not only included some basic instruction in how a car works, but also some safety advice for female motorists. The group was advised through a presentation by an Ontario Provincial Police officer to be "street-wise." This means taking the most obvious route when travelling travelling a long distance. This way, if the driver is delayed, it is easier to find where she might be. Drivers are also advised to look around the vehicle before they approach it and to park only in well-lit areas. Staff at Cowan Pontiac provided three demonstrations using vehicles in their service bay. The first demonstration demonstration showed how to change a flat tire and how to boost a car with a dead battery. The second demonstration demonstration explained the braking system system on a car and offered tips on what to watch for. A third vehicle was used to demonstrate the items which should be checked at a self- service gas station. A GM representative also talked of reading in a natural way," ex- bies absorb the fundamentals of plains- Judy Dolan, another volun- ■ reading. They learn about turning teer with the Books for Newborns • pages and, (in English at least) read- Program. "It also establishes a rou- ing from top to bottom and from left tine." to right. Eventually, they learn that For infants, just the closeness of the pictures are related to the text, lying in their parent's arms as they Books For Newborns provide read is enough at first. It creates a pew mothers with a kit containing a sense of security. _ "complimentary soft-cover book Soon, though, a newborn will re- printed by Scholastic Books, one of spond to the sound of the parent's , the leading children's book publish- voice and later to the colorful illus- er s in the country. Mothers who de- trations and rhythm of words. liver at Memorial Hospital and at As they grow a little older, ba- hospitals in Port Hope and Cobourg receive the books. The book is entitled, "The New Baby Calf." It is the story of a wobbly wobbly little newborn calf and its gentle and generous mother, written by Edith Chase, who was 79 years old when she wrote it. The book features features the unique plasticine art of world-acclaimed OCA graduate Barbara Reid. The kit also contains a suggested about the company's roadside assistance assistance program. "The women asked a lot of questions," questions," said Savage in describing the three-hour session. He explained that more women are becoming informed informed about cars because of the., number of two and three-car fami- ' lies and also because women are more frequently becoming the per-, sons who make decisions on car purchases and repairs. "It's not the old scenario where' the husband or boyfriend goes with the woman to buy a car," he added. The evening's presentation included included a display offering examples of wom-out parts which had been replaced. Refreshments were available and; doorprizes were part of this very successful evening. i reading list from Scholastic Books, and a more extensive one from the local library. Parents particularly appreciate the lists, Moorcroft says. "It's such a daunting task to find good parenting books. The list gives them a place to start looking in the library." ' Invariably, parents are happy to receive the books. "Even if the parents had already planned to read to their newborns, our visit reaffirms to them that what they intend to do has got benefit," says Moorcroft Many of the volunteers who distribute distribute the Reading from Birth packages packages have a teaching background. Both Moorcroft and Dolan are teachers from Emily Stowe Public School. Ms Moorcroft says the reading habit shouldn't cease when kids are reading on their own. "You can be reading to them, Judy Dolan (left) and Ardyth Moorcroft are two volunteers with the Books for Newborns Program which operates in hospitals in Clarington and Northumberland. Through the program, books are distributed distributed to new mothers to encourage them to start a regular reading routine with their infants. even if they're 17," she says. At that age, a parent can get young readers involved in researching researching summer vacation destinations. Have them sharpen their math skills by drawing up a travel budget, Moorcroft suggests. Or parents can discuss international international events through newspaper reports. reports. "You can stop and explain the puzzling content and facilitate discussions." discussions." During the first year of operations, operations, the Books for Newborns Program Program distributed more than 300 copies copies of the book. "None of this would be possible if it weren't for our sponsors," Ms Moorcroft says. The program is jointly sponsored by the Bowmanville Lioness Club, the Bowmanville Rotary Club, the Royal Canadian Legion, Scholastic Books and the Northumberland and Newcastle Women Teachers' Association. Association. z Getting people to believe they arc on a runaway roller-coaster or stranded in an arctic blizzard is all in an evening's work for hypnotist Mike Mandel. I 1-Ie can also make his subjects believe believe they arc contestants in the Mr. Universe competition or arc members members of the world champion women's women's yodelling team. Equipped with nothing more than' a stage and a microphone, Mandel captivated his audience of close to six hundred as he hypnotised his volunteer subjects during a show on Saturday evening, February 5. The sold-out performance took place at the Bowmanville High School auditorium. "All hypnosis is self-hypnosis," lie told his audience at the start of the performance. People, in everyday everyday life, go in and out of trance states. For instance, they might spend 10 to 20 minutes driving somewhere and not remember any of that time. Hypnosis works on almost anyone anyone in reasonably sound mental health. And the type of hypnotism demonstrated by Mandel takes effect effect almost instantaneously. His method needs only 15 seconds. "You will not realize it's working at first." he said to those thinking of volunteering to be part of the demonstration. demonstration. "1 started hypnotizing people when I was a kid," Mandel said by way of introduction. But, he confided confided diat he never had any real success success until he was about 18. His performances have taken him to Canada and the U.S. as well as Australia and England. He is currently entering his 20th year as a professional hypnotist and estimates he has demonstrated his skills on between 80,000 and 90,000 volunteers. He said there have been only two serious injuries in his career. And, in bodt cases he was die victim. Both times, lie was injured by subjects subjects responding a little too enthusiastically enthusiastically to one of his suggestions. He told potential volunteers that even if he did not release them from a hypnotic suggestion, the effects would wear off in a matter of about five minutes after die hypnosis. "The things that work the strongest strongest arc often the strangest," he added before calling on about 30 members of the audience to participate in the show. During the performance, a group which was eventually narrowed down to around 20 subjects respond ed to suggestions both individually and together. Through hypnosis, they were convinced that they were in a desert, in the arctic, or being attacked fry biting insects. The repertoire also consisted of convincing the group that its members had artistic talent and getting the individuals to go through the motions of painting a picture, taking photos, performing a ballet, playing musical instruments etc. Responding to hypnotic suggestion, suggestion, individual volunteers were convinced convinced that they could recite the alphabet alphabet in the voice of a Shakespearian actor, speak Chinese or chastise Revenue Canada for collecting collecting all of their worldly possessions. possessions. ■ Mandel told his subjects they would not remember what they had done on stage until they were outside outside the building. "When you go back to the audience, audience, you'll feel like you've had a couple of extra hours' sleep," he said. And, as an extra bonus, lie promised promised the volunteers that (due to his hypnotic suggestion) they would enjoy enjoy particularly vivid and imaginative imaginative dreams that night. Hypnotist Mike Mandel works with a group of volunteers on the stage of the Bowmanville High School auditorium during a performance February 5. As part of the demonstration, lie convinces convinces members of the audience that they cannot lower their amis. Here, lie is releasing them from that suggestion. The performance by Mandel was a fund-raising event sponsored by the local hockey teams.