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UW student looks for families to take part in sibling rivairy study Like video games, one of the biggest battlegrounds in today‘s households. She‘s _ hoping _ her "research on sibling conflicts and how parental interven trons affect the resolutions of these problems" will help families find better ways of coping with what she sees as "an incvitable part of child hood." lo locate families for her study, Smith has conducted a search of local birth announcements to locate newborns having an older sibling. As part of the detecâ€" tive work to track down these children. now between five and 10 years of age, "we‘ve made hundreds of phone calls," she leughs. So far. Smith has recruitâ€" ed 39 families with two chilâ€" dren in this age range, and she‘s hoping to find about 10 more to complete her research. Most of the participating families have had cither two boys or two girls between five and 10 years old, and Smith is interested in work ing with boy/girl pairs for the next phase of the proj PCLl. The study takes place over three to four weeks, she explains. with the parents LIFESTYLE and the two siblings coming to the family studies lab in the Psychology Anthropoloâ€" gy. Sociology building twice, and Smith visiting the home onee. Between the two visits, parents are asked to keep track of conflicts between the children and fill out a checklist of answers to quesâ€" tions on each occasion. For their efforts, the famiâ€" ly is paid $50 (to help defray travel/babysitting expenses) and the children are given small gifts to take home after each visit to the lah. Parents will receive a newsletter summarizing the results, she says. noting that all information collected remains confidential. As an added benefit, says Smith, "families enjoy helpâ€" ing with research and someâ€" times find a better way of dealing with conflict." Smith sees sibling rivalry as "a potentially constructive part of children‘s lives," through which they learn "how to negotiate their own goals, how to make persuaâ€" sive arguments and how to compromise, "A lot of our research is focused on trying to find ways parents can belp their children learn those positive things from conflicts â€" first at home, then in other situaâ€" tions." Dave Mejer, president of the Conestoga Sailing Club, sets some of the rails on the Optimist class boat that vo! unteers were building Satâ€" urday morning at the Kinsâ€" men Centre. The club was building eight of the easyâ€" toâ€"sail boats for its upcom:â€" ing youth sailing and sumâ€" mer sailing camp programs at Conestogo Lake. The club has about 40 families involved in various sailing programs, and is actively seeking new membership. For more information, visit www.kwsailing.org. For more information about the study or how to participate, contact Smith at 8BRâ€"41567, ext. 2360 or j4smith@watarts.uwater loo.ca The research is superâ€" vised by psychology Prof. Hildy Ross and has been approved by the UW Office of Research Ethics. Smooth sR vreanat riGto The Hospice of Waterloo Region will be holding Girls Night Out, an evening of fun, pampering, and play for women of alt ages, Feb. 24 at Bingeman‘s Ballâ€" room The event will teature more than 30 pampering staâ€" tions and display vendors. Other exciting initiatives for the evening include the silent and live auctions, which include items such as a diamond ring valued at $1,000,. gourmet prepared dinners delivered to your home or office every month for a year, and over $2,000 in door prizes. Entertainment for the evening will be plentiful, and will include many interactive venues such as karaoke, line dancing, cooking demonstrations, and Fitzrovy Vanderpool, who will be onâ€"stage "Boxing it up." Iiusbicv of Waterloo Regimi'relir:«; significantly on fundraising through donations and special events such as Girls Night Out. The second annual KW Cottage Home and Leisure show is will take place Feb. 21 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Feb. 22 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.. at Bingeman‘s in Kitchener. This event showcases leisure time activities at the cottage, home or away. The KW Cottage Home and Leisure Show 2004 is here to help create the great escape. Admission is $5, or $4 for seniors and students, and children under 12 are free. For more information, call 1â€"800â€"561â€"5078 or visit www.regionalshows.com for discounts and coupons. Doon Heritage Crossroads will host its ninth annuâ€" al Seedy Saturday, this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. This event is a celebration of Canadian gardening heritage, featuring presentations by members of the Kitchener Master Gardeners Association and Doons gardening staff. Presentations by members of the Kitchener Master Gardeners Association on collecting seeds, pruning in the garden, annuals, biennials, perennials and Herâ€" itage seed varieties will occur throughout the day. As well. a community seed exchange table will be set up where local gardeners can swap their favourite heirloom seeds. Admission is $2 per person Create a great escape at cottage and home show Hospice throws ‘Girls Night Out‘ party Seedy Saturday offers tips for gardeners