KidsLife Magazine Spring 2023

WHAT’S ON LET’S TALK PARENT WELLBEING DEVELOPING FINE MOTOR SKILLS

TEENS MIGHT SURPRISE YOU

Welcome to the 1st edition of KIDSLife! We are so very excited to bring you the re-launched KIDSLife for our Q3 edition. Some 15 years ago, CityLife produced this dedicated supplement and you might remember our well attended KIDSLife Expos too. Well, it’s time to bring them back! We would not be in a position to expand our offering if it wasn’t for YOU, our loyal readers and supporters. Every single one of you have contributed to our success, and for that we say a big heartfelt THANK YOU!

We couldn’t be happier to have a few of the nation’s biggest names in this space as our guest contributors for this edition, Maggie Dent and Dr Justin Coulson. They join some of our favourite locals who have a wealth of knowledge to share about our little people like Baby Bears Chair Founder, Alison Fitzsimmons. We also had the pleasure of sitting down with former yellow Wiggle, Emma Memma when she was in Cairns recently for a chat to hear all about her latest twirly book tour. Whether it’s tips to navigate pregnancy and your newborn baby’s journey, right through to the teenage years and all the parenting stuff in between, KIDSLife is here to support you and your family. As a mother of two myself, I know all too well how important it is to have up to date and helpful information at your fingertips to navigate parenthood!

This year CityLife Magazine celebrates its 28th year in operation! (Yes you read correctly! Crazy how fast time flies huh!?). We have always been proud of being the longest serving lifestyle and business magazine in Far North Queensland, and now we’ll have something for everyone in each edition with the reintroduction of KIDSLife.

You will continue to receive CityLife just the way you want it (Quarterly in Print and Daily in Digital). CityLife & KIDSLife content can be accessed on the following platforms everyday of the year: TV, Radio, Podcast, Social Media, Online, eComms, Print and LIVE Events. So more CityLife, just the way you want it.

We’d love to hear from you and know what it is that you’d like to read about. Feel free to drop us a line –e: operations@citylifemedia. com.au

In the meantime, enjoy this special edition. We hope you can feel the love that was poured into bringing it to life for you.

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT PARENT WELLBEING WITH DR JUSTIN COULSON DEVELOPING FINE MOTOR SKILLS WITH ALISON FITZSIMMONS TEENS

AUG 23

NATIONAL ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER

CHILDREN’S DAY

Wuchopperen Manoora Clinic

2:00 – 5:00 pm

www.facebook.com WuchopperenHealthService

AUG 24

BABY RHYME TIME

City Library, Smithfield Library, Stratford Library

10:00am

www.cairns.qld.gov.au/library

AUG 24

CAIRNS YOUTH AND CAREERS EXPO

Cairns Showgrounds

8:30am – 5:00pm

www.bla.org.au/2023-cairns-youth-and-careers-expo

AUG 25 - 27

AUSARMOURFEST 2023

The Australian Armour and Artillery Museum

9:00am – 4:30 pm

www.ausarmour.com/ausarmourfest/

SEP 2

GORDONVALE COTTAGE MARKETS

Norman Park

7:00am – 12:00

www.gordonvalecottagemarkets.com.au

SEP 3

CARNIVAL ON COLLINS

Tanks Arts Centre & Cairns Botanic Gardens, Collins Avenue

9am- 3pm

www.cairns.qld.gov.au/festival

SEP 15

OPEN AIR MOVIE & SOUTH SIDE CELEBRATION

Ravizza Park

3:00pm -5:30

Movie Screening 6:00pm

www.cairns.qld.gov.au/experience-cairns

SEP 16

BABINDA HARVEST FESTIVAL

Babinda

8:00am – 11:30pm babindaharvestfest.org

SEP 17

LIVIN’ THE DREAM EXPO

Cairns Show Grounds

8:30am - 8:00pm bigboystoysexpo.com.au

SEP 18 - 22

REPTILE ZOO

Mt Sheridan

9am- 4pm

www.mtsheridanplaza.com.au

SEP 20 - 21

SLSQ LITTLE LIFESAVERS –CAIRNS LAGOON

Cairns Esplanade Lagoon

8am - 12pm

www.cairns.qld.gov.au/experience-cairns

SEP 25 - 27

STEAM GONE WILD –CAIRNS CHILDREN'S MUSEUM

Mt Sheridan

9am – 12pm

www.mtsheridanplaza.com.au

OCT 1

WELCOME TO THE WATER –FREE INFANT SWIM PROGRAM 3-6 MONTHS

Mt Sheridan

9am – 12pm

www.mtsheridanplaza.com.au

OCT 7

MUSIC MAKERS 2023

Buzz Music

9:30 – 10:00 am

www.facebook.com/buzzmusiccairns

The FNQ Interschool Chess Finals were held in August. Congratulations to Trinity Anglican School Secondary Team Adeepa and Primary Team Zhou, who were named FNQ Champions and earned a place in the state finals to be held in Brisbane in October. TAS will also be sending teams to the girls’ state finals at that time.

MacKillop Catholic College’s Grayson Coleman loves to hike the pyramid at 4am with a headlamp to catch a sunrise from the peak. Sadly he was not old enough to enter The Great Pyramid Race this year. But he was able to enter the 6km Race to the Base, which he completed in an impressive 32mins, winning himself 3rd place.

Claire Hutley, Jensen Blake & Nikkola Veronese competed in the 1800m race and Jensen won the gold medal in his age group. Nikkola Veronese and Mikayla Arnold ran in the 3000m race, where Mikayla took out 2nd place and Nikkola 3rd place.

Grayson, Mikayla, Claire, Levi, and Jensen love going to the running club on Thursdays at school, which helped them train for this event. They are all looking forward to next year’s race and training hard to better their times.

With 30 dedicated volunteers, Saint Augustine’s secondary students collected 35 bags of litter on the Cairns Esplanade this month to do their bit in cleaning up the city’s foreshore. A big thank you to the students for taking the time to care for our environment.

Congratulations to MacKillop Catholic College’s Mason Cornwell, CJ Cavanagh and Leon Cornwell who represented the Far North and Gulf Region for Soccer.

They have played in Townsville, Mackay and Sunshine Coast throughout the year with the last carnival held in Cairns.

We Need to Talk About Parent Wellbeing

BY DR JUSTIN COULSON

Mental Health is on everyone’s lips. There are countless news articles about mental health every year – in fact over the course of a typical day, there are more articles published about mental health than there are about other hot topics like AI, the risk of a recession, and even Taylor Swift!

With 44% of Australian adults having experienced a mental disorder over the course of their lives, and 1 in 5 having experienced symptoms of a mental disorder over the last 12 months, it’s no surprise that Google searches for mental health queries reached an all-time high in 2021.

Additionally, across Australia there are 102 days dedicated every year to raising awareness of important mental health and wellbeing related topics, including Neurodiversity Week in March, World Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day in May, and R U OK? Day in September. A growing number of Australian states and territories are also promoting Mental Health Month in October, to align with World Mental Health Day.

With all the talk about mental health and wellbeing, it’s valuable to understand how we describe mental health. First off, if someone is dealing with issues like depression and anxiety, we don’t say that they are having time off because they’re struggling with ‘mental health’. We describe them as having a ‘mental illness’! And that’s because mental health and mental illness are two different things. They actually exist on two different lines. Here’s what I mean:

Mental Health vs Mental Illness

In the diagram at the right (which we call the dual continuum of mental wellbeing), we see two axes. On one axis, we have mental illness.

Low mental illness means you aren’t experiencing symptoms of mental illness (such as depression and anxiety), high mental illness means you are.

And on the other axis is mental health. If you have high mental health, you have a generally positive mood and outlook on life and are functioning optimally. You are said to be ‘flourishing’. On the other hand, if you have low

mental health, you may feel hollow or empty, and have a generally low mood. You are said to be ‘languishing’.

For most people experiencing mental illness, interventions such as therapy and medications are both valuable and necessary. However, anyone – including those with a diagnosed mental illness – can take simple steps to improve mental health and lead a flourishing life. And the good news is that these steps are simple, effective, and free.

Let me ask you a question.

What makes life most worth living for you?

The simplest way to experience improved mental health and wellbeing is to identify the answer to that question and then find a way to do a little more of those things each day. Yet if you’re having a hard time figuring out what that looks like in reality, let me outline a few things science points us to that can help:

1. Sleep

This might be the most boring thing I can put on the list of ideas to bolster wellbeing (for you and your kids). But it might also be the most valuable item on the list.

Have you noticed what a difference it makes when you feel well rested? Have you noticed how much better you behave (not to mention the kids) when you’ve had a full night’s sleep? Yet for many of us, sleep is the first thing to be sacrificed when life starts to get busy. We consistently rank work, entertainment, and socialising above sleep in our priorities, and as a consequence close to half of Australian adults report suboptimal sleep.

Interestingly, scientists don’t have a solid answer for why we need to sleep. We do know that it is a biological imperative, given that all animals and even some plants sleep. Some animals (like dolphins who sleep with one half of their brains at a time and migratory birds who sleep while gliding) have even evolved extreme adaptations to enable them to get enough sleep. Given the increased dangers that come to all animals when unconscious of their environment, it follows that the benefits of sleep must outweigh the risks.

While science can’t tell us why we need sleep, it can tell us how much we need, and what happens when we don’t get enough. Young children need about 11 hours sleep, and that drops to 8 hours by the time they reach 17 years old. Adults do best with about 7 hours sleep a night, although everyone has varying sleep needs. As for what happens when we don’t get enough, we can look at a toddler up past nap time to see the consequences – negative mood, reduced emotional regulation, and increased risk of accidents. On the other hand, improving sleep quality improves mental health, including reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.

Sleep makes you a better parent. It makes you a better partner, employee… it makes you a better person. Prioritising a solid 8 hours of sleep per night is just about the best thing you can do to be happier.

Sleep hygiene matters, so try the following to optimise your sleep:

1. Try to go to sleep at the same time each night (within 30 minutes), and wake up around the same time every morning (even on weekends),

2. Establish a relaxing bedtime routine, including minimising screen use in the hour before sleep,

3. Establish sleep supporting daytime habits, such as engaging in physical activity and getting enough sunlight,

4. And optimise your sleep space, by making sure the room is around 18°C, as dark as possible, and as quiet as you can.

2. Build Connection

Relationships are at the core of our wellbeing. In fact, having poor social relationships carries similar risks to mortality as smoking 15 cigarettes daily and excessive alcohol consumption. Having a sense of connection or relatedness with others happens when we feel seen, heard, and valued. Not only is connection considered one of our basic psychological needs, having our own need for connection met predicts relationship functioning and wellbeing. In fact, an 80 year study of human flourishing found that there was a strong correlation between relationship satisfaction and happiness. In essence, people with strong relationships live longer, are happier, and have better health.

You can boost your wellbeing by finding ways that you and your children can connect with one another and with others regularly in healthy, positive ways. The following might help to build stronger feelings of belonging:

1. Smile at one another more. Even fake smiles can amplify and initiate feelings of happiness due to the effect of the facial feedback hypothesis. Smiling helps us to feel happy, both when we give them and receive them, and much like yawns, they are also contagious. In fact, Fredrickson’s Positive Resonance Theory suggests that high quality connections form when we share a moment of positive emotion with someone we care for, in such a way that our behaviour is sync – such as by sharing a smile together.

2. Express words of affirmation. Saying nice things feels good! Expressing gratitude has well-documented impacts on wellbeing. Say “I love you”, “I’m grateful to have you in my life”, and “I love spending time with you”.

3. Slow down and spend time together. To a child LOVE is spelled T-I-M-E. Additionally, it’s practically impossible to do other relationship building activities if you don’t have enough time together.

3. Get Active

A recent study from the University of South Australia found that exercise is 1.5 times more effective than counselling or the leading medications at improving symptoms of depression, anxiety, and distress. Physical activity also keeps our brains healthy, increases positive mood and increases self-esteem, as well as reducing the risk of heart disease, cancer, and increasing bone health. The World Health Organisation recommends that children and adults aim for about 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity daily, but if you’re just starting out, replacing sedentary time with physical activity of any intensity will offer health benefits. Here are some simple swaps you can do to increase your levels of physical activity and get active:

1. Walk instead of drive. Or if you have a bit further to go, ride your bike. It might require leaving a bit earlier, but combining your commute with exercise is an effective way of maximising your time.

2. Have a family dance party instead of a family movie night. On top of the benefits of physical activity, dancing also has emotional and cognitive benefits.

3. Play ball games instead of board games. Next time a lazy afternoon opens up for you, don’t take out the board games and puzzles, grab a ball and head outside instead. And if you can get other kids and parents involved for an informal game, you’ll also be creating opportunities for the development of other skills such as perspective taking, conflict resolution, and sportsmanship.

4. Slow Down and Smell the Roses

Nature is fuel for the soul. Spending time interacting with nature has a long list of benefits, including: improved academic and task performance, improved productivity, stress reduction, increased social interaction, reduced violence, increased social cohesion and support, increased inspiration, and improved mood. Researchers say that you need at least 120 minutes a week spent in nature to get the best benefits, however it doesn’t seem to matter if this threshold is reached in many short trips to the local park or in one big weekend outing.

One of the best benefits of being outside in nature is that it forces us to slow down and enjoy the moment. To boost your time in nature, try these:

1. Eat a meal outside. Even taking just 10 minutes outside while you eat a snack can be enough to increase relaxation and lower your heart rate.

2. Walk the long way home. Being outside is good, but being in nature is even better. Instead of walking along your normal route, try detouring through your local nature reserve. Pause to listen to the birds, notice the seasonal changes in the trees, and smell the flowers.

3. Spend your weekend getting out into nature. It could be a trip to the beach, a hike in the mountains, or sitting around a campfire in the bush.

5. Have Fun

It’s all well and good to say get enough sleep, spend time together, get active, and go outside. But the thing is, families are busy! And with the economic pressures that many of us are under, things can feel even harder than what we’re used to. However, this last tip – having fun – can help us build connection, boost our physical activity, and take us outside, all at the same time. How’s that for multitasking! Playing and having fun also stimulates the release of “feel-good” hormones, such as endorphins, in the brain. To build fun times into your family’s culture, try:

1. Having a once-per-week adventure. Two hours of low-cost or no-cost time that’s about exploration. Quality time? Check. Physical activity? Check. Getting into nature? Check. Fun? Hopefully.

2. Family traditions. Anything from a daily routine of taking snack time outside to an annual Christmas backyard cricket tournament. By turning these fun moments into a tradition, we get to enjoy them in the moment and also experience positive feelings of excitement and anticipation as we look forward to these events.

3. Spontaneous adventures. Is there anything more fun than spontaneously pulling the kids out of school for the day to take advantage of empty beaches?

On the road to flourishing

Work, school, homework, cleaning the house, finances… these are all important things, but they’re not the things that make life worth living. If we want to get on the road to flourishing, we may need to re-prioritise our time, making sure that we build in opportunities for sleep, connection, movement, nature, and fun. Fortunately, mental health boosting initiatives don’t need to be huge, time-consuming commitments. Often, simple swaps are all it takes to bring greater positivity into your life.

A Hands On Project:

Developing fine motor skills, thinking skills and rethinking single use plastic water bottles

BY ALISON FITZSIMMONS

Founder of Baby Bears Chair

www.babybearschair.com.au

Itwas through Rudolf Steiner’s research on the connection between the brain, thinking and the hands that I fell in love with his quote “All culture and art is created by the hands.” I love this!

As an experienced early years educator I have observed over decades, young children engaged in fine motor exploration and have come to truly believe their little fingers are at work like “10 Little Thinkers.”

Subsequently, it is through fine motor skills that our young learners develop their cognitive abilities and is commonly known as “hands-on” learning. However, the development of fine motor skills is so much more than mastering the tripod pencil grip for writing, it is more about the expression of the child’s spirit, thoughts and ideas.

This Hands On Project is simply to fill the clear plastic bottle with different objects. As always consider your child’s age and development when setting up an invitation to play. Always arrange the materials in baskets and wooden bowls on a wooden tray as an invitation to play and to invite boundless curiosity and thinking.

“All culture and art is created by the hands.”

Early Years Excellence

BY MAGGIE DENT

As a former high school teacher, counsellor and a parent who has raised four sons over the bridge to adulthood, I am passionate about understanding and supporting our teens and young adults so they can all grow and thrive.

Even though I am constantly updating my knowledge by reading excellent books and articles written by those who work with teens or who study adolescence, being a teen today is even more different than I could ever have imagined. I wrote an article some time ago about the concept of there being a chasm between teens and their parents, and I think it’ll be helpful to write an update to that blog given that I wrote it before the world was impacted by a global pandemic.

We need to acknowledge that the world we live in now is so very different from the world parents of teens lived in when they were adolescents. With 24/7 world news of every disaster and crisis being poured into our homes, our children are marinated in more trauma than ever before. The digital world – while I acknowledge that it has brought many benefits – has created some additional challenges particularly for our emerging adults and how they see the world and themselves.

One of the things that makes my blood boil is the fact that the largest tech companies in the world have deliberately created algorithms that marinate us in more negative content.

It seems the more negative the content, the more people stay engaged and that means the more advertising that they are exposed to and the more money the companies make. Why are we more drawn to negativity? Well it’s all down to a function of our evolution called ‘negativity bias’, which means we’re designed to look out for threats to our survival. In his book, Stolen Focus, Johann Hari urges us all to put pressure on tech companies to demand that they change these algorithms (You can hear him talk about that here). That’s a whole other blog, in fact it requires a big push of people power. It’s not impossible though and I just want to plant the seed here that we could improve the wellbeing of our children and our teens significantly by demanding this kind of change. Our kids’ wellbeing should not be at the mercy of making profits.

But what can parents of teens do right now, living in the world as it is?

Not only do our teens need rails on the bridge, they need caring humans to help them. Sometimes, the best thing we can do if we are raising a teen or teaching a teen or working with teens, is have them share their life through their lens, while we listen and observe with compassion and curiosity. As a former counsellor, that was exactly how I approached the time I spent with teens who were struggling. I wanted to hear their story, without judgement and to help them find a way to understand and then

to navigate a better way of being themselves. To be reassured that you are not broken, or dumb or not enough and that you are simply experiencing one of the most turbulent times of transformation in a human life, can be a real lightbulb moment for a teen.

So often, they simply hear all the messages about how they are disappointing people, they’re not working hard enough, they lack focus and motivation, and they seem to always have their eyes on a screen, especially a phone.

In Australia every year, Mission Australia does a Youth Survey and in 2022 they had responses from 18,800 young people surveyed between April and August. The main three challenges that were identified were school challenges (41.5%), mental health challenges (27.7) and relationship challenges with friendships and family (19.7). Sadly and deeply concerning, the number one killer of 12- to 25-year-olds in Australia continues to be suicide.

Statistically both our boys and our girls are struggling with poorer mental health in our homes, schools and communities. Given that adolescence is such a stressful and tumultuous time of change, feeling stressed and overwhelmed needs to be recognised as quite normal. I remember being a really moody teenager and I wrote really dark poetry, and yet I had moments when I was happy.

Dr Lisa Damour, an American clinical psychologist who specialises in teenagers, wants us all to know that mental health isn’t just about feeling good or happy. Rather, she would like to see mental health be more about having the right feeling at the right time in the right context and then to have the ability to manage that feeling in a way that doesn’t hurt anyone else and actually brings a sense of relief. This makes such good sense to me because as a moody teen, I would often take myself on long walks in nature when I was having big ugly feelings. Interestingly, I still do that today.

Some good news

We have known that today’s teens are drinking noticeably less than their parents’ generation. We have also been aware that smoking has also drastically decreased over time. There is some research that shows that the use of marijuana has also dropped. Overall, though, in a recent research study that considered countries around the world, it has been identified that there has been a significant decline in the risky behaviour of adolescents in general.

This has to be the best news possible given that we know:

• adolescence is a time when many teens yearn for their own autonomy and choices;

• and have a tendency to avoid the wisdom and guidance of parents and teachers as they strive for that autonomy;

• and they often make impulsive poor choices due to the fact their prefrontal cortex is still developing.

In this comprehensive study, the researchers found that across the developed world, there had been a dramatic decline between the late 1990s and approximately 2015 in adolescent smoking, drinking, in underage sex and also juvenile crime.

I found the decrease in juvenile crime and underage sex quite illuminating, given that the media seems to portray a very different picture. And we need to remember, that bad news (often sensationalised) is what the media tends to focus on. There’s that negativity bias again!

Why the change in risk-taking behaviour?

The research found that the most significant reason for some of the reductions especially around alcohol and smoking, has been the extensive education around potential harm. Many parents came to realise that giving their teenagers alcohol early was extremely problematic not only for physical health reasons, but also due to the link to mental illness. If our teens are drinking less they are also likely to make less risky decisions in social situations.

Given the increasing rates of young people using e-cigarettes and vaping, with the dangers of developing nicotine addiction it is obviously time for a major education focus in that direction.

There has been a significant decline over the last 10 years in face-to-face socialising among teens and in Europe and North America this has been linked to a significant drop in adolescent risky behaviour. Given that teens are prone to being influenced by peers and friends, this makes sense. For example, research is very strong around the influence of driving at night with friends in the car versus driving without friends in the car. And in some places there are laws in place around this. It is much more dangerous to have your friends in the car with you as you are more likely to be distracted or choose more risky behaviour in terms of speed. Sadly, there have been some tragic multiple deaths of young people in car accidents over the last 12 months in Australia.

like me, you thought this shift in risky behaviour was because the digital world has replaced the real world, it seems it’s not so simple.

Much is written about the ‘displacement effect’ of the digital world, which basically means that engagement in the digital world stops other activities that have been a normal part of childhood and adolescence. A number of studies showed that heavy Internet users, particularly social media users, were more likely to smoke and drink than those who rarely use the Internet! One study hypothesised that a rise in computer gaming was empirically linked to declining adolescent binge drinking in six Nordic countries but found that there wasn’t an association. (I have to say though I have spoken to young gamers who said they felt they were safer in their bedrooms gaming, rather than being out on the streets with their mates being tempted to make poor choices).

Even before the pandemic, research showed there was a significant decrease in the amount of unstructured time spent among teen friends. Our kids are not playing as much with other kids outside, and the decline in resilience, coping skills and the capacity for self-determination has been well documented. Vital social and emotional skills are learnt through the dynamics of human interaction especially through play. We all need practice in learning how to lose, how to cope with disappointment, how to be creative to form strategies and the ability to negotiate. Perhaps this is a contributing factor.

The double-edged sword of a less risky adolescence

The last 20 years has seen a massive decline in risky play for children in many parts of the world. As Tim Gill writes, we have created a risk-averse society where parents are hyper vigilant and monitor their children much more than previous generations. Could this be also contributing to the decrease in risky behaviour? I’m not saying it’s a bad thing that adolescents are taking less risks – I’m just saying some of the reasons behind this may indicate that it’s a double-edged sword. Sometimes as emerging adults we have to take potentially big life risks – to leave home, get a job or to dive into an intimate relationship, so some risk taking is necessary.

More good news is that the shift in parenting from strict authoritarian styles, to more connected and respected styles, has meant there has been less teen rebellion. Being emotionally closer to your parents means that more adolescents are spending time with their families rather than their friends and they seem to be more compliant with parental expectations, which ultimately results in less risky behaviour. Hallelujah that is fabulous news! This result from the study was not found in all countries however it became evident in many.

Dr Arne Rubinstein and Andrew Lines have both been strong advocates for the importance of rites of passage in adolescence, where young people experience markers of transition that help them prepare to become adults. In many parts of the world there have been delays in these markers like getting a driver’s license, getting a job and leaving home. Some of these have been driven by financial challenges, however it is becoming more and more common for these things to be happening later. There is some argument that these delays may mean that risky behaviours are happening later, and given the growing maturity of the executive function of the brain, they may simply be making better choices as a consequence.

Another possible influence that is a double-edged sword is the increased pressures to succeed in school and beyond. There is evidence that some young people see drinking and partying as not being compatible with their ambitions in academics, sport, or career. Sadly, this increasing pressure, is impacting the wellbeing of many students especially with heightened levels of stress and anxiety.

Over the years it has become more difficult for young people to get into the workforce, then with the global financial crisis, followed by a pandemic, many have less disposable income to be able to afford alcohol and cigarettes. They just don’t have enough money to spend! There is conflicting evidence to this idea, however it may be applicable to some.

We know that young people are far more aware and concerned than previous generations were about the environment, equity and discrimination, and well-being. Some scholars and researchers have proposed that a decline in risky behaviours may be a shift in youth culture where healthy lifestyles are becoming more fashionable.

“Healthy is the new cool,” the research paper purports.

Back here in Australia Sharon Callister, CEO of Mission Australia asked young people in the 2022 Youth Survey for suggested solutions to the issues that they face. The results were enlightening and instructive and she found that many of them had the answers to so many of the challenges.

“Young people have the answers. They’ve voiced their concerns and solutions loud and clear. I encourage everyone reading this report to genuinely listen, ensure young people are included in decisionmaking processes, and take the actions available to them to ensure young people can access the opportunities and supports they need to thrive. Young people hold strength and power to create a bright future for Australia, and we must do all we can to support them so they can follow their dreams and create a better way forward for everyone.”–

Sharon Callister CEO, Mission Australia

To be honest, I am finding many of our teens and young adults more aware, more concerned, more passionate than previous generations. They are worried about the environment, they do tend to embrace diversity more openly, and they are finding ways to become better informed, and to be a part of the solution to the problems they see. I guess one of the positives of all the technology is they can share their views more widely too.

I hope this is giving you food for thought and possibly giving you an opportunity to refresh the lens with which you view our teens. They have always needed significant, caring adults to guide them, an opportunity to have a voice and to be heard, and we can all make a difference by leaning in with compassion and understanding, not judgement and shame.

If,

Year 10 student Edward Hamilton will feature in an upcoming short film, with filming already commenced at St Andrew’s Catholic College. Film teacher Anthony Ring has had a successful run with producing award-winning short films and is now inspiring the next generation of young actors at the P-12 College in Redlynch.

As the founder of a local production company and with over 10 years’ experience in the film industry, Mr Ring says that Edward has a bright future ahead in film.

“He has really found his tribe and flourished here at St Andrew’s and at The Young Company (TYC) Theatre this year, he also played a key role in our recent Grease musical school production,” said Mr Ring.

“It will be great to see him alongside big-name Australian actors.”

St Andrew’s Catholic College

Principal Mr Ian Margetts noted the many extension and enrichment programs on offer in the arts, dance, drama, and music departments at the college.

“We are proud to offer our students the chance to extend their skills by having real-world opportunities, along with being supported by our very talented teachers,” said Principal Margetts.

“Our state-of-the-art All Saints’ Theatre is a fantastic facility that can host up to 667 people at capacity, which we saw at our college musical earlier this year.”

For more information about St Andrew’s Catholic College please visit www.standrewscc.qld.edu.au

An exclusive Q&A with Emma Memma!

We caught up with Emma Memma to learn all about her new book, ‘Hello, Emma Memma’. Find out how she’s like her character, what she wanted to be when she grew up and more in this fun Q&A with the beloved entertainer

What did you want to be when you grew up and why?

I really wanted to be a ballerina, specifically. And I wanted to learn to dance and I was very excited about that. I think I wanted to be a dancer because I love moving and flying around everywhere.

Did you ever expect to write a children’s book?

I don’t think I ever expected to write a children’s book. But let’s be honest, having beautiful illustrations like these from Kerrie Hess make all the difference. And being able to write with beautiful illustrations just makes a complete picture and sets the imagination for the children.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

The best piece of advice that I’ve been given is probably just to try everything. Try every dance class, and learn every skill because you never know when you’re going to need it.

What was the writing process like?

The writing process for Hello, Emma Memma was pretty fun. I wrote this book with my husband, Oliver Bryan, and we were trying to create a visual description of what the Emma Memma character would be and where she emerged from, so this book is really about the introduction of the character Emma Memma.

In what ways are you like Emma Memma?

I have been told that Emma Memma is an extension of my personality, so I guess we’re fairly similar. And she is an exaggerated and very happy version of me all the time.

What is it like seeing yourself illustrated? Well. Seeing myself illustrated. . . I guess it’s a little bit weird, but I don’t know if I see her as me, even though we do look very alike. She’s just beautiful and I feel immersed in her world when I see her pictures.

What is the main message behind the book?

The main message behind Hello, Emma Memma is about the emergence of a personality and this book is about the introduction of the character coming out into the world.

What do you hope children take away from the books?

I hope that this book inspires children to be themselves, to feel comfortable and not be afraid to express who they are.

What was the hardest part of writing the book?

The most challenging thing about writing the book was keeping it within the page limit because you always want to extend and tell more about the character and more about the story, but you’ll have to wait for book two!

What advice do you have for children who want to be writers?

For all of the children out there who would like to be writers themselves, go ahead! Get writing! Start creating stories, make videos, and make a record of all the funny things that happen to you because one day they might become a very telling story.

Why did you want to include an Auslan translation?

We have been so excited to include an Auslan translation of Emma Memma on YouTube because we want to make sure that our book is accessible in different languages, particularly sign language. So our translation is in Auslan, Australian Sign Language, and you’ll be able to see our dear friend, Sue, doing that beautiful interpretation. So check it out!

Will there be more books after Hello, Emma Memma?

There will absolutely be more books after Hello, Emma Memma. We have lots of surprises in store for you, but we can’t tell you about them right now. But we have written books two, three, four and five. So stay tuned!

How did you translate your superpowers of singing and dancing to the page?

I really love to dance, it’s my favourite thing in the whole wide world. And I love to sing and I love to use sign language, so that is the challenge of having to make that transform and come alive on the page. I really love the page where the Emma Memma character is bursting out of the cocoon and it’s just so enthusiastic. The fact that she just springs out of the cocoon, that’s probably my favourite one!

What can readers expect from the eBooks/ audiobooks?

With the audiobook of Emma Memma, you get a special surprise. You have some of the “Emma Memma” music embedded in the soundtrack, so see if you can pick which we put in the audiobook.

Nutrition For Kids

WITH WHOLELIFE NUTRITIONIST JACQUI

Can you suggest any products that are great for fussy eaters when it comes to getting in quality nutrition?

Morlife and Nutra Organics both do an awesome kids’ powder range, with a variety of blends available if your child is not getting enough variety in their diet. It brings peace of mind, knowing that you will be supporting a natural source of vitamins and minerals to help any gaps in your child’s diet. If your child is not eating enough food overall, then it can be helpful to discuss your options with a nutritionist or naturopath as there are also some child-friendly protein powder formulations that can be incorporated into the diet.

What can I add into my child’s diet to support their immune system?

Aiming to get a variety of coloured fruits and vegetables into the diet is helpful for the immune system as each colour will contain different vitamins and minerals. For example, green foods tend to be high in iron, folate and vitamin C, Red and Yellow foods tend to be high in vitamin C and vitamin A. It is also important to consider a variety of macronutrients –carbohydrates, fat, and protein – protein especially is important for immune system function and is typically found in meat, lentils, nuts, eggs, and dairy products.

Any tips for introducing new and unfamiliar foods into my child’s diet?

It may take several attempts at offering a new food to a child before they feel comfortable eating it. You may notice that your child wants to touch or just get familiar with the food item a few times before licking or putting it near their mouth. It’s important to be encouraging and praise the child when they do eat the new food to reinforce the behaviour. Make the new food part of the whole family’s meal so that the child can see it’s for everyone to try.

What

should I be packing in my child’s lunchbox? Any golden rule of thumb?

A lot of schools have now introduced crunch and sip programs to allow time for children to eat fruit, vegetables, and drink water as part of their daily routine. This is important otherwise you will notice all the healthy food options come back in the lunch box and into the bin at the end of the day. It’s important to pack a variety of foods in your child’s lunchbox. Get to know what healthy options they enjoy eating so that the lunchbox is exciting to open for them. As a rough guide, try to stick to 1 serving of fruit, some veggie sticks, some rice crackers or popcorn as a snack, yoghurt, and a healthy main, such as a wholegrain sandwich or a cooked frittata or muffin. Limit how many discretionary foods are in the lunch box as they will always get eaten first! Consider having treat days once a week say on a Friday, so the child learns that these foods are only a sometimes food.

How can parents encourage healthy eating habits and behaviours from a young age?

It’s important to involve kids in healthy eating from a young age. Talk to them about why healthy food choices help make their bodies strong, their brain think etc. Involve them in the food preparation process where possible, so that eating healthy is a normal part of life. It’s important to demonstrate healthy eating and to eat together as a family. Offer a wide range of foods so that children can see that healthy eating involves eating a lot of different coloured fruits and vegetables.