Coast Kids GC August Party issue by Luke O'Connor

Coast

Free

Win

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August 2012

KIDS GC

a party at drax 4 kids star Parties disco party party at Kidz N Play 25 Tubs of Spun Fairy Floss

Fun on a stick cake pops rule! Make Happiness a Way of Life

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From the Editor… It’s party time this issue as Coast Kids unwraps some cool new trends, old tips and massive give-aways to make your next party a hit! Can you believe we are giving away three party packages this month! So don’t miss your chance to win - enter online at www.coastkidsgc.com.au! A big thank you to Star Parties, Drax4kids and Kidz n Play, there will be some lucky GC kids partying in style at their next birthday! We dive into some sweet treats and explore re-gifting plus the art of réspondez, s’il vous plait. Putting this issue together has really put me in a party mood, so the next reward at our house is going to be a party! (that’s if my four year old can give up sucking her thumb and her big sister can independently finish her homework all term!). After reading this issue, you won’t need much of an excuse to party either!

Features Communication

Réspondez, s’il vous plaît’

GC Parks

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Launching the NEW Active & Healthy Program

Let’s Party

Selection of fab, fun and far out party ideas

Fairy Floss is back!

A new spin on an old favourite

Insurance

Coping with Illness

Travel

Noosa – a family holiday with the lot!

For those fans of Coast Kids GC who haven’t been on Facebook yet, please do check us out, (like us) and visit regularly as we will be giving away some cool give-aways in the coming weeks that you won’t find in our pages.

First Aid

Organising a party – be allergy aware!

Regulars

http://www.facebook.com/coastkids Party on!

The team… Editor: Keeley O’Connor l editor@coastkidsgc.com.au Art Director: Emma Mardaine l design@coastkidsgc.com.au Advertising Sales:

Keeley O’Connor l advertising@coastkidsgc.com.au Leanne Gibbs l leanne@coastkidsgc.com.au Jenni Johnson l jenni@ coastkidsgc.com.au Coast Kids GC Magazine Published by: Coast Kids GC Pty Ltd. PO Box 5366 Q Super Centre QLD 4218 Ph: 0433 808 257 l Fax: 07 5610 2035 No part of this work may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means without the written consent of the publisher. Content in Coast Kids GC is for general information only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice. The publisher, contributors and related parties are not engaged in providing legal, financial or professional advice or services. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding a medical condition. The publisher, contributors, editors and related parties are not responsible in any way for the actions or results taken any person, organisation or any party on basis of reading information, stories or contributions in this publication, website or related product.

Reviews Sea Change News Family Health Life Skills What we love, love, love Keeping it Real Eco Chic Health & Wellbeing Give-aways Daddy Diaries Education What’s On Calendar Midwife Matters Mamarazzi Date Night Food Behaviour All About Her… Online Shopping Directory Mamas that ROCK Art & Creativity Directory

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Cover… Julie Willis Photography www.juliewillisphotography.com.au Online… Check us out online and our latest issues www.coastkidsgc.com.au Write to us… You can write to any of our expert contributors asking for guidance, or contact me with feedback or story ideas at editor@coastkidsgc.com.au

Coast Kids GC | 3

Jeni Bone Features Editor Jeni Bone has been writing professionally for 24 years, across newspapers, magazines, TV and online media, covering business, lifestyle and news, as well as in PR and marketing for global brands and media for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. With hubby Carlton, she does her best to raise Alex and Sophie with inquisitive minds, a love of learning and sense of community.

Fe Taylor Health & Wellbeing Fe is the director of Leaps & Bounds Children’s Fitness Centre, Fe Taylor Fitness and also the Children’s Health & Wellbeing Expo, held annually on the Gold Coast. Fe’s health and wellbeing programs are associated with the GCCC Active & Healthy Program. www.childrensfitnesscentre.com.au www.fetaylorfitness.com

Michelle Jackson Midwife Matters Michelle is a registered midwife and nurse, and childbirth educator. Over the last 16 years, she has worked in both private and public practice in Brisbane and the Gold Coast. She is mum to three young children.

Amardy Dhanoya Keeping It Real A proud stay at home mother of two beautiful children, daughter Marley 2yrs and son Kaius 1yr. Amardy teaches Zumba, a class for mums and kids locally on the Gold Coast. She has a background in media and worked in the industry for 10 years working in the magazine sector. amardy_dhanoya@yahoo.com.au

Jane Whittred Arts & Creativity Jane’s most rewarding role is that of a teacher. Having been artistic for as long as she can remember and now being a Mum to 3 young children. Jane is also a qualified Graphic Designer, registered School Teacher and owner of Mrs Red’s Art room. www.mrsredsartroom.com.au

Debbie Hogg Life Skills One of Australia’s leading Coaches & ANZI Coaching Coach of the Year 2010 Debbie is co-creator of ‘Life Skills Programs’ Social & Emotional learning programs for parents, she is passionate about ‘Enriching the Lives of Children’ and is a specialist in family coaching. Debbie is a trainer, NLP Master, author, mum to two girls and is a spirited & passionate coach who will encourage you to shine. www.lifeskillsprograms.com.au www.debbiehogg.com

Tan Curtis

Behaviour Specialist, Counsellor & Facilitator

Tan is Managing Director of Fabic - a behavioural specialist centre offering clinical services, personal assessment, group training and public workshops. Tan is author of the highly acclaimed book ‘Challenging Change’ as well as creator of useful take-home tools and programs to support managing behaviour issues and creating positive behavioural interventions for people of all ages. www.fabic.com.au

John Burchell Naturopath/Homeopath John Burchell N.D Hom. R.M. C.I. is a proud father of three children and has 25 years clinical experience as a naturopath and homoeopath. John practices at The Medical Sanctuary in Benowa and has been practicing on the Gold Coast since 2004 after moving here from Victoria. www.medsan.com.au

Anthony Sherratt Daddy Diaries Anthony Sherratt is a full-time stay-at-home dad who juggles looking after his twin girls, lecturing at university and contributing to a variety of websites and publications. He’s finally thankful for his insomnia.

Dana Strong Communication Dana traded in international corporate communication positions with the likes of Motorola and IBM to launch her own strategic copywriting business so she could have the flexibility to make her family her #1 priority. Dana believes that clear communication is vital to parenting and to business, and she makes it her business to share her skills and experience with others. www.strongideas.com.au

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Avoid the #1 Party Faux Pas

Communication

Words: Dana Strong

Faux Pas. It’s a French word and literally, it translates to ‘false step’; figuratively, it means making a social blunder or a tactless mistake.

thrower, too, when we invited a child from my son’s class to his Birthday and the friend showed up ready to party with his five siblings in tow!

If you didn’t know that, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt that you don’t know what RSVP stands for. It’s French, too. RSVP is an acronym for the term ‘réspondez, s’il vous plaît’ which means ‘reply, if you please.’ It doesn’t mean ‘reply if you feel like it’ or ‘don’t reply if you can’t be bothered’ or ‘you’re not going to go anyway, so there’s no reason to let the host know’ or ‘just show up’.

Keep in mind these other RSVP guidelines for good manners:

There’s a reason why most party invitations include a RSVP: it’s really hard to plan an event if you don’t know how many people are coming. It’s also really hard to explain to your child why only three of their friends showed up at their party when you invited 20 and didn’t hear back from any of them. The #1 party faux pas is forgetting or neglecting to RSVP. You can also save yourself a lot of stress, and potentially a heartbroken child, if you include an RSVP on party invitations so you can anticipate the right number of guests.

RSVP Response Etiquette When your child receives a party invitation, respond right away! Not only will it make the birthday child feel like your little one is just as excited as they are about the special day, it will give the probably stressed out parents time to plan. According to etiquette experts, the appropriate time to respond to any event invitation is within 24 hours of receiving it. If the invitation doesn’t say if parents are welcome to stay or siblings are included, ask. I’ve made plans to meet up with friends while my daughter was at a birthday party only to find out when I dropped her off that parents were not just welcome to stay – they were expected to! I’ve been caught out as the party-

• RSVP either way – yes OR no • Make sure you check your calendar before you RSVP so you don’t accidentally double-book and later have to cancel • If you won’t know until closer to the event if your child will be able to make it, still let the host know that right away. It’s appropriate to say something like, “Jake would love to attend the party, but we won’t know until after the soccer semi-finals if he’ll be playing in the final game that day. Can we let you know on the 20th?” • Respond in the manner the invitation requests. If a phone number is included, don’t use email – the host won’t be expecting the RSVP that way and might not even check If the time comes and your child unexpectedly can’t attend, for whatever reason, contact the host right away to apologise and let them know. And don’t feel too bad – a RSVP is not a binding agreement, it just communicates best intentions If your child has allergies or special dietary needs, a good time to bring that up with the host is when you RSVP.

RSVP Request Guidelines

• Address invitations specifically to whom they are intended: Jake, or Jake and family, or Jake and parents, for example • If it’s a party just for the kids, state ‘drop off’ and ‘pick up’ times to make it clear • Tell your guests how and by when you’d like them to reply. Some common RSVP request formats are: • RSVP to Dana at [phone number] or [email] by [date]. • RSVP by [date] to Dana at [phone number] or [email]. • Please RSVP by phone or email no later than [date]. • RSVP regrets only to Dana at [email]. (‘regrets only’ means that you only want people to contact you if they are NOT coming, otherwise you will assume they are.) A reasonable RSVP request deadline is usually a week before the party so you have time to purchase the supplies and plan the activities. That means you should send the invitations out around two or three weeks before party time Follow up with invitees who don’t respond. If you just expect they won’t be coming, you could end up being short on food, supplies and party bags on the day. Just give them a call and politely ask them

If you want to make planning easy and keep your child’s expectations realistic about how many kids will be coming to their party, make it easy for the invitees by following these invitation tips:

if they will be attending or not.

• Be specific about the party location, start and end times

RSVPs? Share your tip with our readers. Email

Do YOU have an effective method for managing your advice to editor@coastkids.com.au

Coast Kids GC | 5

Reviews

Coast Kids GC Reviews the Latest in Books, Apps & Entertainment

Apps for juniors Here are two new fun and informative apps parents and kids will love.

Loopy! A visual introduction to math for very young kids. Loopy! introduces simple math concepts to kids aged four to seven. With three levels to explore, the app lets kids explore numerals, addition, and subtraction by drawing loops around pebbles.

Stack the Countries The app that teaches interesting facts about the world and proves geography can be fun! Kids learn country capitals, landmarks, geographic locations and more, as they actually touch, move and drop the animated countries anywhere on the screen. Build a stack of countries that reaches the checkered line to win each level.

Books A Hare, A Hound & Shy Mousey Brown “There’s a hare in the air, there’s a hound on the ground, and watching them both is shy Mousey Brown”… And so begins an enchanting adventure, complete with danger, silliness, bravery and romance. Mouse is tiny but bold, Hound is vast and menacing, Hare doesn’t have a clue and, between them, someone has to come out on top. Jonathan Bentley’s inspired illustrations are the perfect complement for Julia Hubery’s impeccable verse and humour. Little Hare, RRP $24.95.

The Emu that Laid the Golden Egg A hilarious Aussie adaptation of Aesop’s The Goose that Laid the Golden Egg, this family classic features the rhyming text by Yvonne Morrison and energetic illustrations by Heath McKenzie! A hungry emu eats what she thinks is some corn, and ends up laying a golden egg! Then two scoundrels lock her up and try to make her lay some more. But soon something strange happens and everyone learns it doesn’t pay to be greedy! Little Hare, RRP $24.95.

Bindi - Behind the Scenes: A Guest Appearance Every girl’s inspiration BFF, Bindi Irwin stars in this fiction series. In book 3, Bindi has a guest appearance on a smash hit US TV show called Riding High, a program based around an exclusive Los Angeles horse riding school. Savannah, Taylor and Andrew are the three teens who feature in each week’s episode, and it becomes apparent to Bindi that there is a lot going on, both on set and off, among the three stars. With a big fashion opening night coming up, Bindi gets a chance to show that being proud of who you are and what you stand for is more important than what you’re wearing. Random House Australia, RRP $12.95.

Who You Are is What You Do Author and counsellor Heather McAllister has created a practical and visual workbook designed to help teenagers make career decisions based upon their own unique strengths, interests and values. Heather shows that by aligning these values with potential careers, students are empowered to pursue occupations that will provide them with the personal fulfilment they need to succeed. This is a must-read for teenagers looking for career clarity and an essential resource for schools, students and parents alike. Wilkins Farago RRP $29.99. 6 | Coast Kids GC

Coast Kids GC

e g n a h Sea C One in four Gold Coast residents is born overseas. Here, Bree Eve shares her family’s story of migration, the challenges of making a new home on the other side of the world, and the transformations she is hoping their sea change will bring. Absence makes the heart grow fonder I wish this saying was true. But for little children, absence just fades vivid memories and blurs familiar faces. I feel sad about this and guilty at how quickly it’s happened. Lately I’ve been busy and I’ve not invested enough time in helping Woody keep memories of his ‘old life’ alive. Up until recently I’d been good at it. You could see how connected Woody felt to friends and family, despite the distance. Even his kindy teachers knew all about his beloved Billericay! I want important people to remain in Woody’s heart. So, what to do? Skype is the obvious choice for this. For us, it’s brilliant and tricky in equal proportions. Woody loves ‘seeing’ people but even more than that, he loves being able to see people’s stuff. His grandparents spend their time running around fetching windup toys, train sets and puppets for Woody to look at. He loves knowing the things he played with once, are still there. He seems to find it reassuring. But what’s not so great about Skype, is Woody gets so excited he ends up playing up. So whoever we’re skyping inevitably gets to watch me discipline Woody. This is not fun for me and cannot be fun for anyone else. (Cringe.) Woody loves to receive a parcel and is lucky enough to get them frequently. In fact, if he hasn’t received one for a week he starts to expect one! I am trying to instil in him that he cannot just expect parcels; he needs to send some too. That’s a work in progress. He particularly loves receiving something handmade: a drawing, a painting or craft project. He seems to treasure them, looking at them over and over again. He currently has a

paper ‘briefcase’ hanging on his wall from a faraway friend. Homemade gifts are also more likely to inspire Woody to make something and send it back, which is what I love most about these gifts. Woody is a lover of books and receives lots. We know who bought Woody every book he owns. So when we pick up a book we talk about who bought it and for what occasion. Sometimes we have themed nights and read the books bought by a particular person. So for me, books are a great prompt to remember these people to Woody. Another prompt to remember people is hand-me-down clothes. We have some of Woody’s older cousins clothes and whenever Woody is feeling a bit out of sorts, nothing fixes it quite as well as wearing his ‘Riley pyjamas’. And I know Woody’s younger cousin in the UK loves Woody’s hand-me-downs and often asks to wear his ‘Woody Shoes’. I would never have considered handme-downs as a way of keeping children connected – but it really works. Woody also enjoys seeing photos of friends and what they’ve been up to. He is not so keen on me reading him long email updates - but he does love to get a quick message like, ‘Isla is not doing dancing anymore and is doing gymnastics instead.’ Funnily enough, this grabs his attention and he always wants to know more. So, as it turns out, I know exactly what I need to be doing. My challenge is now, is to do these things and make that saying come true; ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’.

Bree

I now call Australia Home! Tara Bird, Medical Practice Manager Mum to Kaiya (8 ) and Tegan (6) From Canada to Mudgeeraba Living on the Gold Coast for 14 yrs How did you end up living on the Gold Coast? I came travelling with a girlfriend for a year and met my husband. I met him in my first week in my first job. After six months together, I went travelling to see the rest of Australia and when I came back he said “Is it alright if I came back to Canada with you?” So we lived in Canada for a year which was awesome... but cold! The lifestyle was better here, so we decided to move back.

What were you expecting from life in Australia? I don’t think I was expecting much; I didn’t give it much thought. I was impulsive and in love! It was mostly to be with my husband, Shane. And when we compared the lifestyles we thought we’d rather be by the beach and not have to deal with the winter in Canada.

How did you find returning to the Gold Coast? It was not the same feeling; living here for good versus travelling. It wasn’t as much fun. Also, I needed a base and friends. The only relationships I had were my fiancée and his family, and any friends I made from work. I found it very difficult to make friends.

How did you go about building friendships and how long did it take? It took five years! At first, I mostly met people through my husband. I did make two friends early on who are still my close friends. However, I was surprised at how long it took. It was difficult for a while there, quite lonely. What made it really good for me was having kids. It wasn’t until I had my first daughter that I really felt grounded and like I had a support network. Having our girls start school opened the door to meeting so many likeminded and supportive people who I felt an immediate connection with. I feel so grateful for the close relationships I have now!

Does Australia feel like home? It feels like home now. I love the simplicity of the lifestyle and the people. I sometimes still feel homesick for Canada. I miss the people there, the culture and Canadian humour! Sometimes I fantasise that Canada is perfect when things are hard here. I think ‘if I was back home, none of this would be happening and everything would be perfect’, but I know that is not the reality.

What impact has the migration experience had on you? If I’d stayed near my family I think I would’ve stayed the same person as I was. But, because I came over here I was forced to look at myself, adjust and grow. When you’re in your comfort zone, I don’t know if you’re challenged in the same way. For this reason, it’s been brilliant for me! I think I have grown a lot. I used to be quiet and didn’t really know myself. I didn’t have a very strong identity. I do now!

What’s been the biggest challenge? Loneliness and sometimes, not feeling understood. Sometimes you want the perspective of someone who is from the same culture. I also feel I have a different way of parenting because I am Canadian. That can be challenging and at times I have felt judged for this.

Coast Kids GC | 7

News…

School kids contribute to Food Bank Australia Do our children who sit down to breakfast in the morning and dinner at night realise that each year, two million Australians will rely on food relief and half of them will be children? The answer is most probably ‘no’. Leanne Conoley owner and director of School Camps QLD also and no idea this was such a big issue in our community. “I was shocked when I read an article that one third of all food produced in Australia is wasted and we have children on our own doorstep going to school and bed at night hungry,” said Leanne.

Support Queensland Children and you could win a Car! Playgroup QLD has launched the Hyundai and Playgroup QLD 2012 Art Union with the major prize, a Hyundai iMax, is valued at over $46,000. Other prizes include holidays, toy packages and entertainment packages, with the total prize pool of 10 prizes valued at over $56,000. Proceeds from the ticket sales will contribute toward establishing playgroups, improving playgroup facilities, purchasing toys and equipment, expanding Playgroup QLD’s early intervention programs for vulnerable families and providing parent resources and support. Tickets are available for $5 each on the Playgroup QLD website at www.playgroupqld.com.au or by phone 1800 171 882. Each ticket sale allows the purchaser to nominate their favourite Playgroup and the 20 Playgroup with the most nominations will win great prizes. The raffle will be drawn on 2 November 2012, and winners will be notified by phone or email. More at www.playgroupqld.com.au

Mummy Tree Markets Expands Your favourite boutique family markets, The Mummy Tree Markets are branching out into Robina after a successful year at Sanctuary Cove. The markets are a little bit different to what you may expect – they are not a second hand, or just for baby goods, or hand made items you will find quality, unique products and services which are not mass produced or easily found in the shops. You will love browsing and buying from the hand selected unique stall holders that make this market a great fit for families. Entry is free so shop till you drop at the new Robina Mummy Tree Market Saturday 11 August from 9am to 1pm at the Robina Community Performing Arts Centre, Glen Eagles Drive. More details at http://themummytreemarkets. com.au/goldcoast/

Obesity raises diabetes stats Obesity will make diabetes the leading cause of death and disease in 10 years and put a heavy burden on the Australian healthcare sector, according to Henry Cutler, head of health economics at KPMG. Official figures put the number of Australians diagnosed with diabetes at round 900,000, but that figure is likely to be highly inaccurate. “We can expect the actual prevalence of diabetes to be around 1.6 million, most of that is the cause of type 2 diabetes,” Dr Cutler told the Diabetes and Sustainable Population Forum held in Sydney in July. “In 10 years’ time diabetes will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in Australia. A large proportion of diabetes is due to obesity, with five 8 | Coast Kids GC

million people now in Australia being obese, which is nearly one quarter of all Australians.” Coinciding with the forum, a report in ScienceDaily cites a US study of high school students that provides new evidence that a person’s circle of friends may influence his or her weight. The research showed students were more likely to gain weight if they had friends who were heavier than they were. Conversely, students were more likely to get trimmer, or gain weight at a slower pace, if their friends were leaner than they were. A student’s social network also influences how active he or she is in sports. (By social networks, researchers mean face-to-face friends, not Facebook friends.)

Leanne’s business, School Camps QLD teaches primary and secondary school aged children leadership and communication skills through outdoor exploration and activity. “We have thousands of children at our camp each year and immediately thought that those children could make a difference if only they knew.” Leanne and her all woman team work to educate their School Camp visitors to change the way we deal with food and its wastage. “Food Bank Australia’s website says hunger is one of the best kept secrets in Australia. This is where we are going to start,” said Leanne, adding that if children who come to camp bring one non-perishable food item with them, it will be donated to the School Breakfast Program. “There is no better way to instil confidence in our children than for them to do something for their local community that they can be proud of for years to come.” More at www.foodbank.com.au

Family Health

Getting to the Bottom of the Problem… We’ve all heard the old adage ‘if you don’t eat, you don’t poop, and if you don’t poop, you die’. One could write volumes expanding on how relevant this saying is to our health. There is always coverage in the media, the health professions and general education on the importance of taking care of the liver, gallbladder and pancreas, the kidneys and lungs. All of these are vital, however primary to all of these organs is the bowel and gut. The happier and healthier our bowels are, the less load there will be on all our other organs. Our bowels or our gut in general – which includes the stomach, small intestine and large intestine – are responsible for the breakdown and absorption of foods and the elimination of waste from the foods we ingest. In practice, I frequently find myself helping patients understand the significance of a healthy bowel, and how to observe bowel function. Bowel motions, bloating, flatulence, gurgling etc. are all useful tools to assess the state of your gut. Generally,

Words: John Burchell

people are reluctant to discuss this topic. Bowel discussions should be commonplace within the family unit, as there is much to gain health wise in understanding what your gut is telling you.

good bugs and bad bugs in our gut. Generally

Modern diets expose us to chemically treated water and food, and food groups and additives that once were not available or were only occasional foods. Coffee, chocolate and ice-creams are good examples of these. Seasonal eating has been forgotten amongst the availability of all foods all year round. Alcohol and other beverages often contain chemicals and preservatives, as do many commercial foods. Modified foods and food modifiers are becoming staple. Then there are the many medications such as antibiotics, antiinflammatories and laxatives may adversely affect various aspects of gut health.

is a good start to normalizing gut function.

This is not necessarily all doom and gloom, more a snippet of the factors that may impact gut health. So how is all this relevant to gut health? Our gut is a living organ, and within our gut are many living organisms. Put simply: There are

speaking, many aspects of modern diets tend to be conducive to bad bugs over the good. Natural foods in the form that nature intended them to be

A healthy gut equals healthy immunity, healthy mood and healthy appetite. An unhappy gut may be responsible for behavioral disorders, autoimmune disorders, eczema, asthma, allergies, sinus and bronchial problems, headaches, joint pain – just to name a few. Some common signs of an unhappy bowel are: less than 2 motions per day, changeable motions, bloating, pain, indigestion, rectal itching or bleeding, variable appetite, weight gain or loss, cravings, bad breath or bad taste in the mouth. One of my first considerations in practice is whether you have an unhappy gut, and if so, what course we have to take to make it happy again! More at www.medsan.com.au

New APProACH to Family HealtH Holistic Medical Doctors l Naturopaths l Homeopath Osteopath l Acupuncture l Massage l Energy Healing Kinesiology l Hypnotherapy l Yoga Choose the Holistic Medical Alternative for your Families Health Finally no longer a need to choose between “Conventional” and “Alternative” medicine when your children are sick. The Medical Sanctuary is a Holistic Medical Clinic where the practitioners understand family health because they too have young families. • General Practitioners practicing Nutritional Medicine • Children treated for Half Price* * Initial consultation only

150 Ashmore rd, Benowa Book today, you will feel better for it www.medsan.com.au

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Life skills

I’ll be happy when?… Words: Debbie Hogg

We move house…I get a job…I earn more money…I have a new car…I lose 10kg, I get fit, decorate the house! What stops us from choosing to have an things are examples actions will assist us aren’t achieving.

feeling fully happy now? Making excuses, unhappy mindset and tolerating situations/ of not feeling fulfilled. These thoughts and to feel lost, out of balance and feel like we

Ultimately it holds us back from our dreams and goals. It can feel like being on a merry go round, same story, same channel, same scene and same results! Albert Einstein’s theory regarding insanity was “Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. Deep inside we know we are in control, but do we put steps in place to get over the ‘poor me’ hurdles either by ourselves or with support from others? Or do we continue to play out our life in the “I’ll be happy when…” mindset? These choices cause negative energy and unhappiness and it’s an uncomfortable and pretty horrible place to be. The implications in choosing to play this way have a knock on effect, like a stone dropping into a pond, the ripples go a long way, just like the implications of ‘choosing to be unhappy right now”. There are different degrees of happiness and it’s important to know how we are feeling inside by understanding our own barometer and check our gauge regularly. What impact does “I’ll be happy when…” have on us mentally/ physically and spiritually?

Everything you do is based on the choices you make. It’s not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an arguement or your age that is to blame. You and only you are responsible for every decision and choice you make, period. Elements of your Life

Mentally: it will increase self-doubt, lack of confidence, low selfesteem, an uncomfortable churning feeling inside, an unhappy heart and no inner peace or self-worth. This can lead to anxiety attacks, stress and depression. Physically: we can gain weight or lose weight depending on individual wiring, can lead to addictions, anti-social behaviour, feeling sick and operating from a place of low energy where the body can start feeling at ‘dis-ease’; and illness kicks in. Spiritually: when having negative thoughts, motivation isn’t around, we are unable to develop ourselves, there is no personal growth and learning doesn’t happen. Our spirit itself is ‘disspirited’, beaten and lost. The implications for our family and friends impacts greatly, our behaviours are unusual or out of character our words are

10 | Coast Kids GC

Life skills Love generously – expressing our appreciation,

incongruent, our role modelling is disappointing to ourselves and the whirling plug hole is getting wilder and wilder. Through the power of choice things can be different - 100%! What we focus on expands; therefore focusing on the positive good things will lead to a change in our own ‘Happiness’. “We are our thoughts – choose the good ones”. In 2005 I learnt a presupposition “It’s never too late to have a fabulous childhood” – it gave me permission to lighten up on myself, not to take things so seriously. Now I love to play even more than before, happiness, playfulness and joyfulness are all daily requirements to being happy and fulfilled. Remember your life is a perfect reflection of your beliefs.

Tips for having more happiness, playfulness and joy in your life! • Be honest with yourself. We can trick others however we cannot fool ourselves. In being completely honest with ourselves comes a great release and freedom. Respect yourself, be self-accepting and find your truth • Make a choice to be a happier person – change your mindset.

• Work with a purpose – there is wonderful satisfaction in completing or achieving our tasks. • Practice an Attitude of Gratitude – write down what you are grateful for, maybe take a gratitude challenge. We have so much to be grateful for, thanking those who support us, teach us, encourage and assist us. It could take some time however it’s special and important to acknowledge all those who assist us. • Love generously – expressing our appreciation, friendship and affection to family and friends will reflect directly back to us. • Have goals – these give clear direction and purpose for our way forward – live each day and be happy to fill in the details as required. Have flexibility, focus and enjoy living one day at a time. Be in the moment. • Laugh everyday – at yourself and with other people. Laughter is magic medicine, the diaphragm, thorax, abdomen, heart, lungs and liver all get a good massage when laughing. Make a conscious choice to add more joyous laughter into your day. Abraham Lincoln once commented: “Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be”. In a nutshell, give yourself permission!

school readiness classes

Phone-0407 155 227 Level 1, 3/1712 Gold Coast Highway Burleigh Heads 4220 Qld. Email-info@goldenyoga.com.au

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Come and visit us in the heart of Burleigh Heads

Hatha, Vinyasa Flow and Yin classes

Became a

Smart Squirrel!

Small groups designed to build confidence and prepare your child for school Fun, hands on and interactive sessions, catering for all levels and abilities

www.goldenyoga.com.au

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PREPARE YOUR CHILD FOR SCHOOL with our ‘Smart Squirrels’ program in a fun, supportive and nurturing environment with qualified teachers.

directly back to us

• Pause a while – notice the surroundings, the smells, the sounds. Notice what’s going on inside (our barometer) and how you truly feel about something. Take a nap if needed, be playful, reflect and sit on a quiet beach or in a tranquil garden. Be in the moment!

friendship and affection to family and friends will reflect

choo

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ess

tutoring for prep to year 12 All sessions taken by qualified teachers One on one, or small group sessions Individualised programs specifically designed for each individual child Building confidence

Call now to build a brighter future for your child.

Call 07 5535 6926 today to find out how we can help your child

EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTRE 11, 43 Tallebudgera Creek Rd, West Burleigh, Australia 4220 www.learningblockscentre.com.au Coast Kids GC | 11

Clifton kids clear dome pony umbrella

What we… Clifton kids clear dome hearts umbrella

BrollyDollys Just in time for spring showers, the adorable and infinitely practical range from BrollyDollys – the online umbrella and rain accessory store. Take a look at their exceptional range for all the family at www.brollydollys.com.au

Lassig Green Label Bags

Clifton kids dinosaur poncho

Designed to handle anything that comes your way, the Green Label bags are reliable and dependable for all occasions. Made from only safe and environmentally friendly materials including 100 percent recycled polyester, Lässig is doing their part to slow global warming. There is no PVC, Nickel, AZO Dyes, Cadmium or Phosphates used in ANY Lässig products. The stylish Green Label bags are full of handy features including easily accessible inner compartments, changing mat, insulated botte holder, zip pouch, water repellent, antibacterial wet pockets, hooks for pram, integrated compartment for your mobile and much more. The designs are suitable for both mums and dads. So if you’re a parent looking for an eco-friendly yet stylish alternative the Green Label diaper bags are for you. Lassig Green Label Urban Bag RRP $249.95 For stockists: 1300 661 885

CreaClip – haircuts at home The CreaClip is a hair-cutting guide for home hair cuts. It’s easy to use: Just Clip, Slide, and Cut! If you’ve got a lot of children’s hair to cut, if you need a little trim or maintenance between cuts, or if you want to create your own customized style, this is the gadget for you! More at www.creaclip.net.au

my cubby

Miracle for stretch marks The new advanced formula from Palmer’s contains Bio C-Elaste™, an advanced blend of stretch mark-fighting ingredients to improve the elasticity and moisture content of skin to help prevent and reduce the appearance of stretch marks. It’s Hypoallergenic, Paraben and Phthalate Free, as well as Dermatologist Tested. More at www.palmersaustralia.com

The search for a unique modern cubby house is finally over! The kids will love love love this one with all that space to roll play the day away in the My Cubby’s Mega Triplex cubby house! My Cubby create stunning open plan, wooden cubby houses to inspire hours of active outdoor play. The open plan designs allow you to watch your kids play in a light and bright space. As a bonus, they can be custom-made to your individual needs, and are made just up the road in Brisbane. www.mycubby.com.au

12 | Coast Kids GC

Keeping it real

Birthday Presents

kids take a moment to actually look at a card made by a friend because it’s more interesting. So get out the scissors, glitter and glue and let your kids get creative.

Words: Amardy Dhanoya

As your child gets to pre-school age they seem to be invited to more and more Birthday parties. By the time they get to school there could be up to three parties on a weekend and ripping open the gifts as we all know are the highlight of the child’s day. Although it is nice to watch the excitement on the Birthday child’s face when they’re sitting amongst mounds of wrapping paper moving on from one gift to another, it can sometimes get stressful when you see the costs building up over the year. My children are three and four and for me, the act of buying gifts has almost turned into a job on its own. I have started buying gifts in advance so I keep an eye out for specials all year round and when there are sales I take full advantage. The great thing is, you know what your child’s age group is interested in so you can bulk buy generic gifts and keep them for future use. You don’t have the hassle of a last minute rush to the shops to add to the trauma of the amount you’re spending. I usually don’t spend more than $5 to $7 on a gift, however if I were to buy that gift full price it would probably set me back $20. Yes, you read right. If you pay attention to all the toy sales you would know that when they are over there is still so much excess stock left over that the store needs to get rid of so they put ridiculously low

prices on them. Stock up! I am also a big fan of books. Although you want to give a gift with the highest fun factor I feel it’s important to encourage kids learning and interests about the world around them and I appreciate when my kids get books for their Birthday because it gives the kids a chance to sit down with me and really enjoy quality time together. There are so many book stores around and every now and then, you will get a huge book stall set up in the middle of a shopping centre. Take full advantage of the low prices and the amount of interactive creativity on offer. From DIY kits, how to books, arts and craft, short stories, there is something for everyone. Another great way to save money is to use kid’s drawings as gift wrap. It’s very cute and very personal. A Birthday card can sometimes set you back as much as $5 so make them. I always notice

Sometimes parents turn gift giving into a competition but take it from me it’s not. Your gift will not make or break a child’s Birthday and within about two minutes the child would have forgotten who the gift is from. Sometimes you might be giving a gift to a child of good friend and in that case it feels good to spend a bit more and actually put effort in finding out what the child is interested in but while kids are pre-school, early school age you may not know the parents very well at all don’t feel obliged to find out the child’s interest. Now, for a part about gift giving people don’t talk about openly… re-gifting. Make sure you know which gift comes from which child. You’re probably wondering why and yes, it is nice to mention the gift in a thank you card but for re-gifting purposes it is vital. I will use an example: my husband and I aren’t too keen on Bratz dolls so when our daughter gets a few for her Brthday I keep them aside and give them to someone else’s child, whose parents I know won’t mind them. I just make sure I keep note of who the gift was originally from so I don’t re-gift to the same child. Now that would be embarrassing! Don’t stress yourself out and lose sleep over someone else’s Birthday party. Take the lead from your child and go have some fun.

LE ! SA NOW ON

Coast Kids GC | 13

Parks

Sunday 12 August 10am – 2pm Broadwater Parklands.

Active and Healthy Fun Day Come along to this jam packed free family fun day that will inspire you to get up, get out …and get active! Lots of come and try activities for adults and kids, including inflatables and a variety of sports. There is also musical entertainment, healthy food and much more! Join us as we celebrate the new Active & Healthy Citywide Program 2012 - 2013 and pick up your copy of the new booklet at the event. • Inflatable fun and games for the whole family • Come and try sports • Live music and entertainment • Healthy food

New Active & Healthy Program Booklets Out Now!

Over 150 Free Healthy cooking workshops

The new 156 page booklet is out now, so don’t forget to grab your copy at any GCCC library or customer service centre or at the Fun Day. The full program is also available at www.gcparks.com.au

Get your body feeling great on the inside and join our healthy eating sessions and cooking demonstrations.

There are hundreds of weekly activities to choose from for all ranges of ages and fitness levels. All the regular favourites are back such as tai chi, yoga, group fitness, running and walking groups, pilates, stroller groups, small sports, active after school kids activities, nifty over fifty and more!

They include information to help your confidently choose, prepare, cook and eat a great range of healthy and delicious food everyday!

New features include: • Huge get healthy section with over 150 free healthy cooking classes, seminars and kick start for health programs

Workshops are free and are held in locations all across the city.

• Weekend experience program with new activities such as make and fly a kite workshops, park fit, self defence super sessions, mini Olympics, retro fun, sandstorm beach fun, musical mornings out and much more

Choose from over 150 sessions, with topics ranging from:

• Fifteen $2 Active and Healthy Aqua classes per week and a new Active & Healthy After Dark Program

• Ten minute healthy dinners • Raw food basics and super food smoothies • Fast and fabulous snacks on the go • Cooking on a budget and healthy school lunches

For more information on these great events, or to find out more about the fabulous parks across the coast, visit gcparks.com.au 14 | Coast Kids GC

Eco chic

eco chic

Environmentally conscious products for your family

APPLE & BEE CHANGE MATS Oh so handy, cute and compact, the apple and bee change mat is a mummy must have! Perfect for changing nappies on the go, this change mat is well padded, eco-friendly (using a PET waterproofing fabric) and lined with organic cotton. Available in a selection of unique and funky fabrics. RRP $29.95.

CLAY GARDEN LABELS The perfect gift for a green thumb, these clay garden and herb labels will adorn herb pots and veggie gardens beautifully. Handmade locally on the gold coast by Caroline C, the labels come wrapped in twine in a set of four. Choose from Rosemary, Lavender, Oregano & Thyme or Basil, Coriander, Mint & Parsley.

BILLIE BABY CLEANSING BARS Made completely by hand and with extra special care for sensitive baby skin, these soaps have no added colours or fragrances. The olive oil and vitamin E will help to keep baby’s skin feeling clean, fresh and soft. Goat’s milk contains proteins, amino acids and Vitamin A to nourish the skin.

$19.95 for a set of four.

Each box has 2 x handy 50g sized bars. RRP $9.95.

All of the above products can be found in store at Eco Vida, Shop 2, 33 James Street Burleigh Heads (07) 5535 2001 Or shop online at www.ecovida.com.au.

SPECIAL! 10% off for Coast Kids Readers. To redeem, mention this ad in store or for online orders, enter code: CKVIP

Great range of eco gifts Wooden toys & balance bikes Neoflam pots and pans BPA free baby products Handmade jewellery & handbags Books, DVDs & recycled stationery Organic & botanical skincare Free gift wrapping

Eco Vida @ 33 James Street Burleigh Heads Ph: 07 5535 2001 SHOP ONLINE: www.ecovida.com.au Coast Kids GC | 15

Health & Wellbeing fa gr

mi eat ly fu n

family fun

Run for Family Fitness

Last month I had the pleasure of working at the ASICS Sport and Leisure Expo at the Convention Centre. The Expo is the Gold Coast Airport Marathonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s venue for runners to register and collect their numbers and goody bag. What struck me most was the number of families entering the event together. The kids were involved in either the 2km or 4km dash, one parent was generally doing the 10k whilst the other either the full or half marathon. Words: Fe Taylor The energy at the event was fantastic and the kids were so excited to be getting their bag and hat, and talking about mum or dad doing their event, and about the times they wanted to complete their races in. Many of these families had travelled for the event so it was a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Family Holidayâ&#x20AC;?, but unlike most, this one included a marathon. Cool!

have a roaring good time 2769 Gold Coast Hwy, Broadbeach QLD

Ph. 07 5592 4884 www. junglecats .com.au find jungle cats on facebook 16 | Coast Kids GC

A quick check on the marathon website showed a steady increase in the number of participants across all events and this year 1537 kids registered for the Kids dash events, an increase of nearly 500 from 2011. I spoke to Chris Van Hoof of Chisel Fitness about the benefits of families competing in these events. Chris is passionate about running and explained that running and exercising together as a family is a great way of promoting healthy lifestyles to our next generation. Children learn behaviours from a very young age and those that stay active within the

WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT?

Join us for a Seminar & High Tea Buffet and meet the team from Charles Cooper Lawyers

family unit have much higher chance of going on to be active adults. Not only does this result in increases in health and lower risk of disease, but also promotes greater relationships within not only the family unit, but children’s wider social structure. Encouraging children to focus on participation rather than achievement promotes the important development of the concept of community and social responsibility. As a mum to a very active eight-year old, the “thing” that we like to do together is running – hills and steps are our favourite and the steeper the better! Having enough energy to play with your kids, take them for a run and be active with them is vital not only for your own health, but as Chris mentions, your child will learn from your behaviours, and fostering positive experiences and fun form fitness will assist them in their journey through life – and that of their own families too one day. So where do you start? You may not have “Run a Marathon” on your to do list, but joining up as a family for the Parkrun Program here on the Gold Coast would be a great start. Firstly – it is FREE, and secondly there is one near you. Parkrun is a not-for-profit organisation that offers a free, weekly electronically timed five kilometre run or walk, catering for all ages and fitness levels. Parkrun is designed to encourage the community to participate in fitness activities and meet other people at the same time. It is open to all ages. You can run, walk, push a pram or even take your dog. This is a great opportunity to get out and active with the family! Registration for your first run is essential. And for those of you who are ready for the challenge, perhaps you and your family competed in last month’s Marathon events, then look no further than the Tomewin Mountain Challenge. The Tomewin Mountain Challenge is the perfect environment for family’s to enjoy an active day out. From the 22km Mountain Challenge for the serious athletes in the family, through to the Dash for Duchenne which is an event that will raise valuable funds for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Foundation. There’s a run for everyone to enjoy. So register as a family and be a part of this fantastic community event and take in the spectacular views and atmosphere that will be a part of each course. A great family day out! For more information about the Tomewin Mountain Challenge which takes place on Currumbin Valley on the 26th of August, log onto: http://www.tomewinmountainchallenge.com.au/ Parkrun: To register or get more information, visit www.parkrun.com.au.

Set the facts straight about how to protect yourself in love. • Relationship Breakdown • Protect Family Property and Assets • Child Support and Parenting Orders • Separation and Divorce • Superannuation Splitting • Domestic Violence • Spousal Maintenance • Prenuptial Agreements

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TIME: WHERE: FEE: BOOkING:

10.30am to 2pm QT Gold Coast Hotel Surfers Paradise $35* kelly phone: 07 5532 2557 Pari A/H mobile: 0431 966 097 Friday 24th August 2012

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First 30 people to reserve their place receive a special gift. *Fully reimbursed from the price of your first consultation

Lvl 4/64 Marine Parade Southport QLD 4215 Ph: 07 5532 2557 admin@charlescooperlawyers.com.au www.charlescooperlawyers.com.au Gold Coast law firm committed to excellence in family law Coast Kids GC | 17

Coast Kids GC

Let’s Words: Jeni Bone

When I was growing up in the 70s, it was all about pool parties in the warmer months, garage parties when it was too cold for swimming. The entertainment included pass the parcel, pin the tail on the donkey, the occasional scavenger hunt, home-made patty cakes, chocolate crackles and enough fairy bread to down an elephant. And of course, jaw-jamming Minties thanks to the compulsory Mintie Hunt. Once in a blue moon, somebody’s mum went all out and hosted a party at Maccas (opened 1971 at Carlingford, Sydney), braved the movies with a squealing bunch of kids (Benji, Bedknobs and Broomsticks and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, as I recall) or for one highly memorable party, Janny Atkins’ mum splashed out on a Magician. Now, blame it on affluence, or competitive one-upmanship, kids’ parties are decidedly extravagant affairs, complete with theming, weeks of planning (perhaps a planner?) and lolly bags that are heavier than the guests’ gifts!

So to bring you the array of options for all ages, the team at Coast Kids has done the ground work and come up with this selection of fab, fun and far out party ideas.

Picnic in the park Hinze Dam is a great spot for an outdoors party, complete with BBQ facilities, amenities and grassy slopes, as are the parks at Cascade Gardens, Broadbeach, Kurrawa, Burleigh Beach, Broadwater Parklands. At Merrimac, the new ‘Faerie Park’ is dedicated to Tiny Tots and the perfect place for creative play and storytelling. It also has a traditional playground, with swings and spider web climbing net, to add to the fun. 18 | Coast Kids GC

There’s a myriad of excellent parks all over the Gold Coast and GC Parks has all the information you need to plan the perfect park party. www.gcparks.com.au

Home sweet home Hire a DJ, face painting, clown, magician, host a cooking party, craft or scrapbooking party, rent a jumping castle, fair floss, popcorn machine or fishing tank for real live fun! For all the fun of the fair, farmyard pets and ponies are another crowd-pleaser, as are themed parties: pirates, cowboys, jungle, circus, fairies, fluero, disco, rock star, spa parties, backyard sleep outs as a variation on the slumber party theme.

Game on What about a footy party – fun at the big game for ARL or AFL fans, then there’s Timezone, karting, laser skirmish, bowling, Infinity or the movies for the older kids and for toddlers, there’s a plethora of playcentres up and down the coast that host your party with plenty of pizazz. We live in the thick of theme parks, and there are hidden gems as well, such as Tropical Fruit World at Duranbah, Superbee Honey World near Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary (another great option), roller skating, ice skating and a host of amphibious craft for sightseeing cruises around our superb waterways.

Coast Kids GC

Get crafty Kids of all ages love to paste and stick, rip, shred, paint and create. There are many scrapbooking and craft centres you can hold an educational and utterly fun party, plus take home your own piece of art. Or just pop in to your local craft or discount store and stock up, then Google some craft templates, or take a leaf from Coast Kids’ Mrs Red column and DIY at home (or Mrs Red can come to your house!)

Dine in We all love a party at somebody else’s place. As well as Hungry Jacks and McDonald’s which offer themed games, gift bags, prizes, meals and cakes, you could consider Sushi restaurants for a yummy alternative, Jungle Cats for meal,

We give you peace of mind when booking a babysitter. Our team of experienced babysitters are friendly, reliable & hardworking.

party and play, Drax 4 Kids which offers a great show and disco or a banquet at any of the hotels on the Gold Coast, all of which offer great tailored packages for events.

Go Bush For the ultimate escape, take a hike or camp at any of the marvellous hinterland trails – Binna Burra, Lamington National Park, Tamborine Mountain (home to the Rainforest Skywalk), Beechmont, Springbrook (with its Glow Worm Caves), Purlingbrook Falls, and as far down as Murwillumbah and Mt Warning. Kids will love the wildlife and the back to nature experience. And these days, camping can be as civilised or as primitive as you like.

At Simplistyle parties, we have simpli everything you need to style your party to give it the

WOW FACTOR

Our services include: • Babysitting • Night Nannies • Before & After School Care Our amazing array of party themes and products have all

m 0404 090 572 t 07 3870 4416 e hamey@twineze.com.au www.nanneze.com.au

been specially designed and crafted by our talented team, making sure you simpli won’t find them anywhere else. And, if you’re looking for something extra special, simplistyle can design a theme just for you and even do all the party setup!

0425 762 062 simplistyle.com.au Coast Kids GC | 19

Give-aways

awesome give-aways WIN an exciting Drax 4 Kids Party for 10 children and two adults! You and your friends can celebrate your Birthday in spooky style at Drax-4-Kids. Ideal for children aged five to 12 years, fantasy becomes a reality with all the thrills and chills of a gothic theme park. The two hour Drax 4 Kids show includes song and dance, interactive games, state of the art special FX, spectacular costumes, a 3D Ghost train ride, hilarious comedy, the famous ‘Dracula’s blacklight puppets’ and a groovy disco. All children receive hot and cold party treats and unlimited soft drink. Dietary requirements are catered for as well. More at www.draculas.com.au This sensational prize is valued at $350 and valid for six months from the date of notifying winner.

Ultimate Disco Party Star parties has a range of themed childrens parties but by far the most popular is the Ultimate Disco Party. Party entertainment for girls and boys and each party is customized with music and activities to suite ages from 3 yrs. Two and half hours of fun where all the guests are entertained and all you have to do is provide a venue. You can invite as many as you like and they will even design the personalized invitations for you. www.star-parties.com.au Ultimate Disco Party Valued at $300

For your chance to win please register online www.coastkidsgc.com.au/competitions-giveaways. Click on the prize you would like to win and complete the entry form online to enter. Only winners will be notified and entries close on 20 August 2012. Good luck! Entrants details may be shared with give-away sponsor.

Kidz n Play is a family owned and operated indoor play centre and cafe, catering for families of the Gold Coast. Kidz n Play is fully air conditioned, with new and exciting equipment, featuring an enclosed juniors play area and a large 3 level climbing structure for adventurous children. There are many ways to enjoy Kidz n Play - simply come in and take a break while your kids have stacks of fun or book a fantastic affordable party with our party co-ordinators. At Kidz n Play we never overcrowd and only allow 1 - 2 parties at any given time - making sure your party is safe, fun and super special. We even offer an amazing after hours party option where you have the whole play gym all to yourself so you can dance and play the night away. Located opposite Robina Town Centre, Kidz n PLay has over 400 car park spaces so parking is always a breeze. So, come on in and enjoy a coffee made by one of our specially trained baristas or try something delicious from our fresh new range of cakes and light meals at our Café.

u See Yo Soon!

Kid z Play Daily Deal entry just $5 for all a- From 3pm ges. Ph: 5593 0063

www.kidznplay.com.au 20 | Coast Kids GC

Give-aways

ABC for Kids – DVD Bonanza We have five copies of each of the following family favourites to give away.

MISTER MAKER – Now That’s An Idea!

Set in a magical studio made of larger than life arts and crafts materials, Mister Maker brings the world of art to life. Mister Maker will show you how to make lots of great pictures and knick knacks such as a cool key ring charm, a glowing firefly, and your very own puppet out of boxes! Includes 5 episodes. RRP: $16.95

FIREMAN SAM

Kidz n Play Win an after hours party for up to 30 kids (valued at $600.) After hours party includes entry for 3 hours of private play with disco lights through the equipment, video clips and party music. Hot food for 30 kids, plus snacks and slushies. Adult seating with cafe and food available for purchase.

– Choppy Waters Time for some fun, thrills & spills with Fireman Sam! There are seaside shenanigans a plenty in Pontypandy as Norman and Penny take sailing lessons and a whale becomes stranded on the beach. Back on dry land, there’s even more adventures when Elvis is left in charge of the fire station. Join in the excitement and make a splash with ‘Choppy Waters’! RRP: $14.95

BABAR AND THE ADVENTURES OF BADOU – Adventurephant

After 75 celebrated years, the iconic tales of Babar get a 21st century update in Babar and the Adventures of Badou. Badou helps Babar recreate a treacherous but thrilling balloon flight through Windsong Canyon. Then, tired of being a Prince with responsibilities, Badou joins Heropotamus on a grand expedition and discovers that life is an adventure no matter what you do. RRP: $9.95 More at www.abc.net.au

“be

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AUSTRALIAN

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Coast Kids GC | 21

Win

For your c hance to win 25 tubs of S pun Fairy Floss for your next party or e ven www.coa stkidsgc.c t, visit om.au

WEDNESDAY 5 SEPTEMBER FROM 9.30AM TO 11.30AM SKYPOINT (on top of the world!)

Join us to learn from human behaviour specialist tan curtis, master of behaviour management, master of counselling, bachelor of health science (behaviour management) and an associate diploma of education. tan has extensive experience and immense passion with supporting individuals to understand and change their own unwanted behaviours and to train any person to understand behaviours used by other individuals. learn real world tools to help people in everyday life. PLUS we wiLL chat with MaMaS that rock aboUt the SUcceSS of their bUSineSS! take the Morning off! connect with other mamas, get inspired and relax! crèche facilities available (extra fee applies) For bookings and more information visit www.savvymama.com.au and follow the sm connections links. $35 includes morning tea, door prizes and parking don’t miss this fabulous morning out on top of the world! rsvp by saturday 1st september (seats are limited).

Skypoint - Level 77 of Q1 Resort, 9 Hamilton Avenue, Surfers Paradise sponsored by

22 | Coast Kids GC

Fairy floss is back! Words: Jeni Bone

Nostalgia buffs and the rest of us will be thrilled to know that fairy floss, cotton candy, spun floss is now available any time we like! Buderim entrepreneurs Genevieve and Paul Loxley have launched a revival but with a new spin… 100 natural flavours, including savoury. Artistic and curious by nature, Genevieve pondered why it wasn’t possible to buy passionfruit flavoured fairy floss or why natural fairy floss wasn’t available. Intensive research followed and in 2011 the dream of spinning natural fairy floss in awe-inspiring flavours became a reality. Originally sold at markets and charity events on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, Spun Fairy Floss has been met with enthusiasm and delight. Aside from the eager children who line up for taste tests, adults are equally drawn to this sweet treat, commenting that it takes them on a trip down memory lane to the innocent fun of their childhoods. Beyond the nostalgia are cutting edge flavours: Violet, fig, coffee, choc hazelnut, pine lime, peanut butter, pistachio, strawberry/banana, coconut, pineapple, fruit salad, mocha and rose are just a few. Savoury flavours will also be available soon with the first contenders to be horseradish and a special herbal fairy floss. It may be a kids’ favourite, but adults can get creative with fairy floss too, with applications such as champagne floaters, inside champagne flutes with champagne poured over it, as a garnish on cocktails, as a topping for cupcakes, delicious decoration for desserts and even an accompaniment for cheese platters.

Genevieve

proud

have

delivered

the

showground staple to a whole new level. “I always knew it would be popular but with so many amazing applications, the possibilities are endless. And we love that adults are going crazy for it. Everyone’s got a little kid inside them and fairy floss sparks something special inside us all.” The ingredients are all natural and certified kosher and the fairy floss contains no artificial colours or flavours. It is vegan, free of gluten, fat, sodium, preservatives and lactose and is Australian made. More at www.spunfairyfloss.com.au

Daddy Diaries Words: Anthony Sherratt

It’s amazing how we parents sometimes do weird things for our kids. No matter how intelligent or well-read or even experienced we are, sooner or later we find ourselves bending over backwards to induce a smile (or prevent a scream). Yesterday, for example, I found myself driving around a shopping centre car park for my twin girls. No, we weren’t shopping. And no, I wasn’t trying to lull them to sleep with the car (they’ve passed that phase unfortunately). I was simply trying to make them happy. Why? Well it’s partly my fault for tiredly giving in to head a pair of tantrums off at the pass, but mostly, I blame Peppa Pig. Yes, the children’’s show. The one where the sometimes-brattish Peppa throws little tantrums and is quite selfish. Not that I’m blaming her for my little precocious piggies directly. They’re not quite at that level (yet). But they are at a point where they’re not afraid to voice their displeasure quite loudly and forcefully. And I’ve only just realised how I sometimes just give in to keep the peace. To prevent the meltdown or the inevitable fighting (I know I have two girls but they could show the boys some fighting moves. You’d swear I watched Ultimate Fighting with them the way they brawl when upset with each other). I’m not one of those super-strict parents, but discipline is important and ‘not raising a brat’ was in my top five goals of parenting. And we know the experts and books tell us to not give into their every whim and I have been doing that. Or at least, I was and somewhere along the line it became a little less black and white. Certainly, I still find myself quickly running into their bedroom at 3am when they call (so their sister isn’t woken). And when faced with a crying girl who had wanted to flush the toilet for herself (after I’d done it), I have come up with fake poo so I could pretend the flush didn’t work. I have performed entire TV song and dance numbers when they want a specific episode we simply don’t own. I have even, despite swearing I never would, caved to the checkout nagging once or twice just to move the line along.

Chocs & Pops It’s easy to say you won’t give in and that you’ll force them to understand sharing, accountability and how throwing a tanty won’t get you that toy/ lolly. Easy to say BEFORE you have kids anyway. Once you have them and lose sleep and a sense of sanity, that seemingly simple theory is out the window. And when you’re weary and close to tears yourself it turns out that a tanty sometimes DOES get them that lolly. And yes, sometimes I feel like I’m doing it wrong and am not a good parent, but to be honest, I sometimes don’t even notice I’ve given into the terrorists’ demands until after the fact. So what does this have to do with Peppa Pig? Well, the girls were watching Ms Pig the other day and, in between making fun of Daddy Pig, the family went on a car trip where they played a game where they looked for cars that were their favourite colour. So my terrorists.. er.. twins decided to play the same game when we were next in the car. That doesn’t sound too bad, except my girls’’ favourite colours are green and yellow respectively. And let me tell you, there aren’t that many green and yellow cars on the road. So, by the time we neared home, they were getting angry and frustrated and I was becoming frantic. It wasn’t really the complaining, it was the genuine sadness as they couldn’t understand why their favourite colours weren’t represented on the road. Which is why, despite having already completed our errands, I headed to the nearing shopping centre to simply cruise around the carpark – for the smiles and excited laughter when we hit the mother lode. And I know I can’t indulge them all the time, but I also need to remember that they’re not even three-years old yet and that to them, a yellow or green car can be a source of true excitement and joy. And, now that I’m an expert on the colour distribution on Queensland roads, I also need to be thankful that neither of them has pink as a favourite colour.

Chocs & Pops

can cater for any celebrations including: BaBy showers, Birthdays, Bridal showers, CorPorate events, high teas, weddings and Fundraisers. we stock specialised products including: dairy Free, gluten Free, Fair trade & organic

Chocs & Pops

e! happy for everyon a little Piece of leigh heads, Qld ur 3/27 Park ave, B

Ph: 07 5535 5023

http://www.facebook.com/chocspops Coast Kids GC | 23

Insurance

Coping with illness The statistics are one in nine women will experience breast cancer in their lives – a figure that is made more relevant when you consider those women in your family, your friends and some of the high profile women whose own stories have highlighted this terrible disease. Breast cancer is the most common female cancer, affecting nearly 13,000 Australian women a year, accounting for nearly a third of all female cancer diagnoses. Research shows that 75% of women diagnosed with cancer are over 50 and that a history of breast cancer in the family increases your chances of developing the disease. A breast cancer diagnosis can devastate a family. And those who recover can be away from work and/or family duties for months. Crisis Recovery cover, also known as Trauma cover, pays you a lump sum should you be diagnosed with a specified illness like cancer. These payments after an appropriate diagnosis can help pay off a mortgage, pay medical bills, support families and their general expenses as well as the many other financial stresses that inevitably arise. In 25 years as a financial adviser, Steve Culpitt principal at Arrow Insurance, has witnessed the impact of illness on families. “When there are children involved, the other parent may have to take time off work look after them, while the other parent deals with treatment and fighting the illness. Then of course, the financial concerns begin – just footing the bills for everyday living. Health insurance is vital but it only goes part way to covering all the associated expenses.” When Trauma Cover is paid out, that removes that removes the financial stress, he adds. Insurance companies have recently altered the definition of some cancers, and the criteria for claims, which is comforting for families. Trauma and Life Insurance should be top of mind for all women, giving them greater peace of mind should they ever need treatment.

Interestingly there’s still a stigma in Australia associated with insuring yourself or your family. Most of us understand the value and benefits of insuring our car against damage and our house against floods, earthquakes, fires and other disasters. But it’s even more important to consider insuring yourself and your health against illnesses and injuries that can have an even more devastating impact on our lives. The value of a financial adviser is evident when it comes to the process of submitting claims to an insurance company. “As advisers, we act as liaisons between the insurance company and the client to ensure a smooth claim process and take the paper work burden from a client and simplify everything,” says Steve. More at www.arrowinsurance.com.au

A personalised approach to help you understand and create a successful financial future for you, your family and/or your business.

Phone 1800 731 328 www.arrowinsurance.com.au 24 | Coast Kids GC

Arrow Insurance Consultant Services Pty Ltd ABN 61 982 105 983 is a Corporate Authorised Representative of GPS Wealth Limited ABN 17 005 482 726 / AFSL 254 544 97 Noosa Drive, Noosa Heads Qld 4567 www.gpswealth.com.au

Coast Kids GC

Balls of fun! Described as the “latest trend in dessert and party culture”, cake pops are irresistible treats on a stick that can be decorated to limitless themes and will guarantee the ‘wow’ factor at your next do. And whether that’s a toddler’s or teen’s party, or the most sophisticated corporate affair, you can’t help smile when you behold these finely crafted delicacies. We challenge anybody to stop at devouring just one! So, what do the experts have to say about the appeal of cake pops? Jo Keeble and Ceri Phillips at Chocs & Pops, say the craze reflects the novelty value of these delectable morsels, plus “they’re pretty”. “They are fun, they’re creative and personalised. The smaller portion sizes suit those who are perhaps weight conscious, and the kids can take their cake home.” The varieties are head-spinning: raspberry swirl, vanilla, banana, gluten-free and dairy-free, and

adults-only with Baileys and other liqueurs, and the most popular, oreo cookie smashed into chocolate cake and smothered in more chocolate. Then there are the fillings and toppings as diverse as roses, sprinkles, popping candy, coconut, toffee and any flavours in existence! These masters of the sweet specialise in themed cake pops like angry birds, dinosaurs, babies, numbers for significant Birthdays, flowers, chicks and rabbits and more! Perfect for your party, Chocs & Pops also creates personalised chocolate party favours with chocolate printing. Their unique technology allows their experts to capture your image on digital camera and reproduce it on chocolate, right in front of your eyes, entertaining guests with a truly memorable experience. Opening on Park Ave, Burleigh in March to massive response, Chocs & Pops is popular with all kinds of customers, from kids to grannies. “And we’ll try anything! Whatever you can think up!” More at www.chocspops.com.au

Coast Kids GC | 25

Education

Super e c n a m r o f r e p centre

Words: Jeni Bone

ies, new and Amazing facilit t e of equipmen extensive rang d coaches an and the best ast! on the Gold Co rs circus traine tics, ba ro mnastics, ac Classes in gy l Needs, ia ec sp , kindygym g, in ad rle ee ch groups d performance an s ill sk us rc ci tivity for all d physical ac loads of fun an . mths to adults ages from 18

Together in tutoring PARTIES

A unique and fantastic idea for birthday parties, the Super Performance Party Team are all experienced instructors who know how to make your child’s birthday memorable

HOLIDAYS

The SPC Holiday Program is a great way to keep the kids entertained during the school holidays. Introducing the children to the art of circus, acrobatics and gymnastics, our holiday programs are taught to the ability level of each individual child with the focus on Fun Fun Fun.

ACrobATICS • TrAPeze TIGHT WIre JuGGlING bAlANCING Globe GermAN WHeel • TeeN TrICkS SIlkS ANd lyrA GymNASTICS TumblING • AdulT ClASSeS

2c/2 middleton Street (opposite Domayne pick ups) ashmore QLD 4214 info@Superperformancecentre.com.au

07 5532 8429

Superperformancecentre.com.au 26 | Coast Kids GC

It’s a common extra-curricular activity these days, tutoring. And thankfully, it doesn’t mean hours of hard slog with grumpy old pedagogues. Today’s tutors are dynamic and fun, partnering our children on the path to a fascinating world of learning. The ATA first national tuition survey canvassing parents for their views and experiences of tuition found that Parents report that they ‘learn from the earlier children not to leave things too late. “Intervention must be early to make the biggest difference to my child” was the common response. Tutoring is seen as both a short term and long term intervention and support. Importantly, 92% of parents say that tuition boosts the self-esteem and confidence of their child and caters for their individual needs, revealing the value and importance of academic tuition to families and children, and also to mainstream schooling. Mohan Dhall, ATA CEO said, “Parents value education and realise the importance of early intervention and support. The common misperception that tutoring is singularly used as a tool to coach students for high stakes exams is completely disproved by this data”. “Parents like to supplement their child’s education in order to better meet the academic aspirations of their children and to boost schooling resilience and performance,” he added.

Tanith Dixon from “Let’s Get Smart” says all children can benefit from tutoring. “I tutor children who struggle at school as well as those who excel and are looking for challenges.” According to Tanith, “tutoring provides children with academic support and much more”. “Tutoring is an additional learning outlet (other than school and parents) where children feel confident to ask questions, which will help them understand. Tutoring can also build confidence and improved academic results.” But it’s a jungle out there and like any industry, there are the good the bad and the mediocre out there. What should parents look for when selecting a tutor? “I believe parents should seek someone that their child will connect with, and programs that are individualised to each student,” advises Tanith. From her own experience, Tanith has struck a chord with GC parents and their children, who describe her as “patient and understanding”. “Kids says that I explain things to them, and they understand the concepts. Most importantly, feedback centres on the children’s improved school results.” More at www.letsgetsmart-education.com.au

Demystifying the Gonski Report “The Gonski report will help fix our education system.” So said PM Julia Gillard when she announced a review of funding for the Australian school system. This review was undertaken by a panel of eminent Australians and chaired by David Gonski AC, businessman and philanthropist who is also the Chancellor of the University of NSW and Chairman of the Australian Securities Exchange, Coca-Cola Amatil and Investec Bank. It comes on the back of warnings that Australian students are falling behind their counterparts in Asia, and there is significant gap between high and low-performing students and an unacceptable link between low levels of achievement and educational disadvantage, particularly among students from low socioeconomic and indigenous backgrounds. But what does it all mean? In short, the report identified the following: • Student performance has declined over the past decade

Coast Kids GC Words: Jeni Bone

targeted programs with proven success at overcoming educational disadvantage, choice, autonomy and accountability is where differences in performance can really be addressed.”

He argued reforming education is not just about

Dr David Zyngier, Senior Lecturer in the areas of Curriculum and Pedagogy at the Faculty of Education at Monash University suggested we look to Finland for answers to our funding questions. “In Finland all teachers and administrators are given prestige, decent pay, and a lot of responsibility. Teachers typically spend about four hours a day in the classroom, and are paid to spend two hours a week on professional development.

we actually teach children from communities of

“At the University of Helsinki, 2,400 people competed last year for 120 slots. Unlike Australia it’s more difficult to get into teacher education than law or medicine. While there are private schools in Finland, if they wish to receive public funding support they are unable to charge fees. In this way the growing student achievement gap that is so well documented between Australian public and private schools does not exist.”

funding from one school system to another,

throwing money at the problem. “There is no guarantee that without changing what we are doing in schools, how schools are organised and how disadvantage will actually make much difference.” Murdoch University’s Greg Thompson observed that Australia’s public spending on schools is below the OECD average and the gap is increasing. “Rather than seeing education as a cost, let’s see it as a down payment on our future. The challenge for the Gonski Review is to use funding as a tool to promote equity. Rather than shifting inadequate let’s identify that which we see as outstanding educational outcomes for our young people. Then pay to make those outcomes a reality for all.” For more, visit www.deewr.gov.au/ Schooling/ReviewofFunding/Documents/ Review-of-Funding-for-Schooling-FinalReport-Dec-2011.pdf

• There is a large performance gap between highest and lowest performing student • Every school must be appropriately resourced to support every child • Current funding arrangements are complex and lack coordination between federal, state and territory governments • School capital, infrastructure funding is also uncoordinated • The main recommendations include: • Significantly increased funding is needed, about $5 billion • Most of the increase should flow to government schools because they have more disadvantaged students • A new schooling resource standard to determine funding for all school sectors • School Planning Authorities to coordinate new school building and expansions • A new independent National School Resourcing Body to oversee schooling resource standard. What do the experts think? Professor Scott Prasser, who heads the Australian Catholic University’s Public Policy Institute, said the review was big on bureaucracy, small on substance. “The link between education performance and either the quantum of resources or the allocative mechanism is generally considered very indirect, and by most researchers very weak,” he said. “A strong focus on elements of schooling such as teacher and principal quality, early intervention,

Coast Kids GC | 27

what’s on

What’s on in… 1st - 2nd August Me and My Shadow The Arts Centre Gold Coast 135 Bundall Road Surfers Paradise Box Office (07) 5588 4012

3rd August

5th August

Madam Sparrow’s Market 29D Musgrave Avenue Chirn Park Sam Lardner 0417210264

Zero 2 Five Market 9am till 12pm Runaway Bay Indoor Stadium Sports Avenue Runaway Bay www.zero2five.com.au

Make and Fly a Kite Workshops 10.30am till 12pm Hollindale Park Macarthur Parade Main Beach Free event – bookings required info@creativecraftcentre.com

Farm Yard Friends 10am till 12pm Currumbin Farm Campus 1226 Currumbin Creek Road Currumbin Valley (07) 5533 0312

African Drumming & Dancing 4pm till 5pm Justins Park The Esplanade Burleigh Heads Free event – bookings required 0431 726300

3rd - 4th August Gold Coast Science Fair 10am till 4pm Evandale Parklands Bundall Free admission (07) 5510 3790

10th August

11th August

Miami Marketta 5pm till 9pm 23 Hillcrest Parade Miami www.miamimarketta.com

Mummy Tree Market 9am till 1pm Community Performing Arts Centre Robina State School Gleneagle Drv, Robina www.mummytreemarkets.com.au/goldcoast

Mini Olympics 3pm till 4.30pm Justins Park The Esplanade Burleigh Heads Free event – no bookings required Leaps & Bounds Childrens Fitness Centre (07) 5534 4030

15th August Around the World Storytime (Italian) 9.30am Runaway Bay Branch Library Lae Drive Runaway Bay (07) 5581 7220

Children’s & Teens Self Protection Course 9am till 11am Varsity Lakes Community Resource Centre Mattocks Road Varsity Lakes 0430 695 550

17th August

18th August

20th August

25th August

Broadbeach Jazz Festival 5pm till late Broadbeach precinct www.broadbeachgc.com

Emmanuel College Fete 11am till 6.30pm Birmingham Road Carrara (07) 5561 4000

Cupcake Day for RSPCA Gold Coast www.rspcacupcakeday.com.au

Gold Coast City Cup Family Raceday 11am till 3pm Gold Coast Turf Club Racecourse Drive Bundall (07) 5538 1599

30th August Identifying Signs of Being Bullied! 5.30pm till 7pm Nerang Library Cnr Price & White Streets Nerang Bookings required (07) 5581 7180

Sport… 5 August

GC Titans –v- South Sydney Rabbitohs 3pm – Skilled Park Robina www.titans.com.au

11 August

GC Suns –v- GWS Giants 4.30pm till 7pm – Metricon Stadium Nerang Broadbeach Road Carrara www.goldcoastfc.com.au

25 August

GC Suns –v- Carlton 7.30pm till 10pm – Metricon Stadium Nerang Broadbeach Road Carrara www.goldcoastfc.com.au

Community… 31st August Gold Coast Show 2012 9am till 9pm Gold Coast Parklands Cnr Smith Street & Parklands Drive Southport www.goldcoastshow.com.au

11 August

BeachCare Community Dune Care 9am till 11am – Opposite Abalone Avenue Paradise Point www.griffith.edu.au/coastal-management

18 August

BeachCare Community Dune Care 9am till 11am – Shearwater Esplanade Runaway Bay www.griffith.edu.au/coastal-management

Events around the corner… 1 September High Tea with Charles Cooper Lawyer family law specialist - 10.30am to 2pm

QT Gold Coast Hotel 7 Staghorne Ave, Surfers Paradise Ph: Kelly 07 5532 2557 www.charlescooperlawyers.com.au

If you would like to place your event in our calendar, please email us at editor@coastkidsgc.com.au and add Calendar of Events in the subject line.

28 | Coast Kids GC

Midwife Matters

OOps! I’ve had a little accident! Words: Belinda Anderson

The pelvic floor is a mysterious thing – all of us have one, including men, and like all our muscles, we need to use it or lose it and risk incontinence or prolapse. As a Pilates Instructor, I am discovering more and more ladies who only become aware of the significance of the pelvic floor during pregnancy, after childbirth or after excessive weight gain - it is just something they were never taught to train and look after. That is until this area makes itself well-known with a little leakage mishap or full-blown incontinence!

working but ensure you are not clenching your buttocks, tensing/squeezing through your legs or holding your breath to try and achieve it. It is a deep internal feeling and no one will see this happening (it is not a tilt and tuck of the pelvis or a lift of the hips), so you can work your magic right in front of a group of people and they will be none the wiser!

It could be while laughing, coughing, sneezing, unable to hold on to a full bladder or attempting to do some exercises that they very quickly realise that one of the most important muscle groups in the body has been neglected and overlooked. Some choose to ignore the symptoms as they are too embarrassed to ask for help. There are others who have worked these muscles regularly and correctly when they were younger so they never had to face the hard work of trying to get them to work again, but for some who have always worked them, they become shocked after child birth because they don’t feel they have the strength they once had.

Once you have found your muscles, you need to learn to develop strength and control using your breath; breathe in to prepare and then breathe out and visualise your internal organs being vacuumed up your spine as if travelling in a lift. By the end for your breathe out, you want to reach the top floor and then as you breathe in, gradually lower your organs back to the ground floor and repeat as many times as you wish. Once you advance, breathe in at the top and hold a little bit longer and then as you breathe out release slowly, breathe in at the bottom and relax and then get it going again - you want to aim to be able to hold it with control instead of a quick lift and release.

Like anything in life, prevention is better than cure but in saying that, it is never too late to change and learn. The Pelvic floor muscles span the bottom of the pelvis that stretch like a hammock, running from the pubic bone to the tail bone (front to back) and from sit bone to sit bone (side to side). This hammock acts as a very vital support to our internal organs - it keeps everything in place in our abdominal cavity. These group of muscles also guide the baby down the birth canal during childbirth, they play an important role in bladder and bowel function and control, they significantly contribute to the enjoyment, or lack of, during sex. If your hammock becomes saggy and loose, overstretched and weak it can lead to prolapse – a common condition where the bladder, uterus or bowel has nothing keeping it in place so it protrudes (sticks-out) of the vagina! Depending on the severity of the symptoms and the type of prolapse your Doctor may need to do surgery and then the recovery process begins. To identify your pelvic floor muscles you may like to stop the flow of your urine next time you are going to the toilet. This is not a recommended regular exercise, it is simply for you to create some body awareness. So, do whatever it is that works for you to get the pelvic floor activated and

You can strengthen your pelvic floor muscles any and anytime and the only person that will know is you. Think to lift them up and inside you when you stop at every red light or when you hang the washing out or every time you check the mail box - get into the habit and I promise you will be laughing and star jumping again in no time without any mishaps! Happy lifting! Belinda Anderson is a Pilates and Meditation teacher. Her focus is on helping her clients to master skills and tools to implement into their daily life by connecting their mind, body and spirit. She is currently working on her first book “LIVE from the Inside Out”.

Coast Kids GC | 29

Mamarazzi Abigail 1, Southport Ashley 3, Maudsland

Ha Mau rry 5, dsla nd

Lachlan 7, d Maudslan

Luca 2, Pizzey Park Cohen 2 Maud 0 mths, sland

30 | Coast Kids GC

Kids out and about on the Gold Coast. Email us your kids in action enjoying some fun in our beautiful city at editor@coastkidsgc.com.au

Ava 6 & Amelia 6, Maudsland

4 and Sienna 7, Smurfette, Addison Town r Harbou

Nic Mauholas 1, dsla nd

Anjea 4, The Spit

Flynn 2, Mermaid Water

en 2, Jayddsland Mau

Coast Kids GC | 31

“Smile - dinner is ready” Words: Jesper Juul, founder of FamilyLab and author of “Raising competent children” The food we eat is obviously important because of its nutritional content. In terms of our physical survival it does not really matter how we eat it, with whom or under which circumstances. We need it to live. Food also has an important psychological importance. The shared meal can be an important psychological and emotional event within the family. Subconsciously, children will often use a meal as the means of announcing how they are thriving. Their appetite changes more than usual no matter what is for dinner. Very often their comments are really about the psychological nourishment the family is currently offering. In this way, the shared meal a concrete demonstration of how the individual is feeling and how the family as a whole is thriving. If either is in chaos there will be chaos around the table. If there are hidden conflicts between two of the family members these will either become open conflicts or lay a depressed mood around the table. Food and sharing a meal is very important to us. Perhaps this is why it is also one of the areas where we find many old prejudices and out-dated rules. Some are so old and so meaningless that a thorough clean-up is well overdue. Experience has taught us that this is a very sensitive area for many parents. Let us look at some of the most common statements: “You must eat up!” The responsibility for our own appetite and digestion is one of the things that is taken away from us at a very young age. Why is that? Well-nourished children are considered to be healthy children - who therefore must have good parents.

No wonder so many of us are overweight. Children try to protest but they end up pleasing their parents who have a need to feel like successful parents. Ultimately, the children’s integrity is violated and they learn to be hungry when it is time to eat, they learn to eat well, eat up and eat things they do not like or maybe even make them feel sick. If you serve your child’s food, then serve them only about half of what you think they can eat. When they begin to serve themselves, guide them gently and be aware that it takes some years to learn. It is with food as with so many other things: the less the adults interfere, the sooner the child learns to do the right thing. Some will say: “This might be true, but what happens when they eat out? They will be frowned upon if they don’t eat up!” The answer is very simple: Children can easily handle two different realities - one domestic and one social. The more we can give them a feeling of being all right the way they are, the more confidence they get and the better they “behave” when they are out. This also works the other way: The more we criticise them at home, the more inappropriately they will behave when they are with strangers. Children’s appetites fluctuate as much and as frequently as adult’s appetites do - and perhaps

even more. Your child might sit and only nibble at whatever you serve for dinner. Then they might howl down two big bowls of corn flakes later that night. Try not to take it personally - it is not meant as a comment about your cooking. Children have a well-developed sense of what is good for them at different stages as they grow. We mistakenly think that they would like to eat corn flakes eight times a day for years on end if they were allowed. No child has ever been permanently damaged from eating corn flakes, bananas, spaghetti or honey sandwiches for a month or two. As parents, we do not need to do much about it. We are in control of what we buy and put into the pantry. Use your energy on cooking food, which is varied, taste well and looks nice. It is with food, as with so many other things in the family, there is no need for parents to go through too much trouble to constantly try to “educate” their children. It is far more effective - and more peaceful - if you quietly set a good example and focus on your own behaviour and thereby create a good atmosphere. Remember, a good atmosphere also leaves room for meaningful conflicts. Relax! Enjoy the food, each other and your children! There is no better way of educating them.

experience a world of cuisine at Chevron renaissanCe BarItalia l 5592 4700 Chelles @ Chevron l 5539 0062 Classic India l 55706132

CHEVRON RENAISSANCE 3240 Surfers Paradise Blvd Surfers Paradise QLD 4217, Australia

32 | Coast Kids GC

Ristorante Renaissance l 5504 5401 Sardijionos l 5539 0080 Wa-ssam japanese l 5538 8836 Flames Gourmet Grill l 5526 8611 Uchouten japanese l 5504 6063

www.chevrondining.com.au

Food

Party Compendium

The beloved Donna Hay annual Kids’ Party issue is now available and it’s bursting with fabulously fun parties for boys and girls, as well as creatively cool cakes, and tasty lunchbox ideas that kids will love. The experts on entertaining have also included a family cookbook to get little hands on-deck in the kitchen, with flavours to suit the whole family.

Up in the Air

What child wouldn’t love a buoyant balloon Birthday cake? And it’s not so challenging that even busy mums and dads can’t whip it up the night before. The secret is in the planning. Make sure you assemble all the ingredients – make a list, check things twice – and while the kids are asleep, get baking! Assemble before the party because, as we all know, balloons have a tendency to pop! Serves 8–10.

Ingredients 2½ cups (375g) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted 1½ teaspoons baking powder, sifted ½ cup (50g) cocoa, sifted 1¾ cups (385g) caster (superfine) sugar 4 eggs 1¾ cups (430ml) milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 250g butter, melted

chocolate ganache ¾ cup (180ml) single (pouring) cream 200g dark chocolate, finely chopped

to decorate

chocolate malt biscuit sticks red and white twine 4 extra long bamboo skewers blue balloon, inflated candy-coated chocolates To make the chocolate ganache, place the cream and chocolate in a saucepan over low heat and stir until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Place the flour, baking powder, cocoa, sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl and, using a large whisk, mix

to combine. Gradually add the butter and whisk until well combined. Divide the mixture between 2 x lightly greased 15cm-square cake tins lined with non-stick baking paper. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes–1 hour 25 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool cakes in tins for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely. To assemble, trim the tops of the cakes and discard. Stack the cakes on a cake board and using a small, sharp knife, cut a shallow square, leaving a 2cm border, from the top cake. Using a spoon, dig a 1cmdeep hollow in the cake (see creating the basket), discarding the crumbs. Using a palette knife, spread the cakes with the ganache. Using a cross-hatch pattern, adhere the biscuits onto the cake to create the ‘basket’. Adhere the twine to the skewers and press into the basket. Carefully place the balloon between the skewers to secure. Push the extra twine into the ganache to create the ropes and fill the cake hollow with the chocolates. More at www.donnahay.com.au

nanny... but what you really need is an Au Pair. You want a

A nanny would be a wonderful luxury, but an au pair could be more practical and accessible. Go on - what are you waiting for? One call is all • You actually DON’T need to pay au pair’s (up to 4 hrs a day comes free) • They are personally screened by us and need to meet strict criteria • They are chosen from polite, child aware backgrounds and cultures • They offer great opportunities for you and your children to experience foreign cultures • All you need to offer is a room and 3 meals a day

it takes to get back some time you deserve?

(07) 5520 4442

aupairhouse.com.au

AuPairHouse

aupair-nanny-housekeeper accommodation

Coast Kids GC | 33

Coast Kids GC

Let’s Party

Glama-Girl Birthdays at Ziggetty Snipits Kids Salons are really snazzy! Your daughter and her BFF’s have 2 hours pampering with full upstyles, sparkling nailpaint, shimmering makeup, dress-ups, red-carpet catwalk photo-shoot plus hot & cold party food

www. ziggettysnipits.com.au

Let “It’s All About Kids” help you make your kids party a special time to be remembered. Whether you’re shopping for all your children’s party supplies, including balloons, decorations, favours, pinãta, It’s All About Kids has what you want at the prices you can afford. Shop online or visit our warehouse showroom. www.itsallaboutkids.com.au 4/44 Dover Drive, Burleigh Heads, Qld 4220

Try something different and book a Magical pony for your child’s birthday party. Magical Ponies are ponies of a magical variety providing rides and hours of delight to children young and old. All our ponies are well behaved and very friendly and love giving rides to kids! Fully insured with Safety helmets provided

www.magicalponies.com.au

Host an art party for a child or teen in the art shed. We can cater for all ages doing sand art, chosen theme project through to canvas painting for the older kids. Head to website for all the details!

Ph: 0412 026 207 23 Hillcrest Pde, Miami

BALL CRAWL FOR HIRE Great for parties Free delivery / setup in the GC area. Fully Insured 0400 869 482 www.ballcrawl.vpweb.com.au 10% discount if you mention this ad

Fairy princess Party of 6 only $199! get pampered with a hair-do, make-up, mini-mani and jewellery making, Plus - be the first 6 to book and get to bring 1 more friend for FREE (valued at $40)

Ph: 5570 2002 www.kidiz.com.au

To advertise on our February party page contact advertising@coastkidsgc.com.au for more details. 34 | Coast Kids GC

Hands-on fun! For a messy lot of creative party games that kids (and grown ups) can enjoy, get your hands dirty with these home-made recipes for fun!

a Edible Finger P

ints

s of sugar 4 tablespoon rnflour 1/2 cup of co ater 3 cups cold w ng Food colouri d cornflour Stir sugar an owly ile stirring, sl together. Wh edium m d heat over add water an It will s. n ture thicke . heat until mix ls o o er when it c d n thicken furth a rs ur containe Divide into fo . in uring. Dip add food colo

Playdough 1 cup flour 1/2 cup cooking salt 1 cup water 1 tablespoon of cream of tartar 1 tablespoon of cooking oil Food colouring Mix the flour, water, salt and cream of tartar in a saucepan over medium heat until thick. Allow the mixture to cool and then add the oil and knead well over a floured cutting board or similar. Divide this blob evenly into as many colours as youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to make. Add food colouring to each ball until it is the right colour.

Coast Kids GC | 35

Behaviour

Support vs. Dependence Words: Tan Curtis How can we reduce the role of support while still providing much needed assistance? We are all support workers in some way, whether you are managing staff, supporting a client, mothering a child, teaching a friend and so on. The aim is to make your role with one person or one skill redundant by equipping people with the tool to become as independent as they are capable of becoming. What is a support worker? A support worker is simply any person who is supporting another to manage the requirements of day to day life… as an employed position or an informal role. A support worker’s role is to aid their clients to better manage their home, place of employment, school and/or community. The more we focus our attention on equipping people with the skills they currently don’t have, the more: • Capable the person becomes

If you teach a person to contribute in some manner to any skill required to be more independent you are offering two key factors: 1. You are making your role redundant with that particular skill, that is, you are no longer required to perform that skill as they can now do it for themselves. 2. You are supporting the person to contribute to their own life and thus:

• That person feels a higher sense of control over their own life

a. Increasing their sense of responsibility over their own life b. Increasing their perceived level of control of certain factors in their own life

• That person’s level of self-esteem and self-worth will increase

c. Decreasing the person’s anxiety level over the same factors in their life

• That person can contribute to their own life

d. Increasing a person’s feeling of self worth and

self esteem

How awesome is that! How do support workers make their role redundant? 1. Teach a person to do for themselves what they are not yet capable of doing for self 2. Stop doing for a person what they are capable

of doing and allow the person to take responsibility

and do it for themselves 3. Offer non-judgemental, accepting support as the person attempts to integrate and utilise their new skill.

Send us your questions on children’s behaviour to editor@coastkidsgc.com.au and put Kids’ Behaviour in the subject line

Behaviour Specialists > Understanding & changing any unwanted behaviour(s) > Adults - Adolescents - Children > Unwanted anger, anxiety, sadness, grief, frustration

> Social skills > Autism Spectrum Disorder > Asperger’s Syndrome

Call for more information on our upcoming regional workshops

> Pervasive Developmental Disorder > Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

FABIC Director Tan Curtis – Author of the highly acclaimed “Challenging Change... Behaviour Strategies for Life” For general enquiries email info@fabic.com.au or call 07 5530 5099 FABIC National Behavioural Centre: Level One Worongary Town Centre, Worongary, Gold Coast QLD.

fabic.com.au 36 | Coast Kids GC

Behaviour IF any persons you are supporting are at the same skill level at the end of your time with them as what they were at the beginning, you should question … • Have I really been supportive or have I further entrenched dependence • Have I negatively or positively contributed to how this person feels about themselves?

VISUAL TEMPLATE

Step No.

What to do

Dependent Worker or True Support Worker

Tick when completed

• Have I really offered true support?

Here are two templates that can help individualise a person’s path to independence:

BRAIN STORM TEMPLATE

Whether your role is supporting a person to make a peanut butter sandwich, or another more advanced skill, it all comes down to our role is to make the person with the skills become as independent as they are capable of becoming. If a support worker keeps doing for a person what they could otherwise learn to do for themselves we are in fact harming the person by creating dependence and stunting their own advancement. What sort of support worker will you be?

Independant

Dependant 6 7

GOAL

8 9 10

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Coast Kids GC | 37

Noosa an Undiscovered Gem? if you think you have seen it all in Noosa, now might be the perfect time to rediscover this gem and enjoy a family holiday with the lot. Words: Luke Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor

You may think the title is a little weird. Everyone has been to or heard about Noosa right? Its beauty, great village atmosphere, lovely beach and shopping. Or if you are like me I remember the terrible drive through road works, overpriced accommodation, pretentious and expensive restaurants and hideously overpriced shops! Well Noosa, thanks to that pesky GFC, has had a bit of a change. It had been a long time since I had plucked up the courage to drive over the Gateway Bridge and onto the Bruce Highway to head to Noosa for a long weekend. The last time (and I swore it would be the last) ended up taking four hours and my then three year old needing to do a number two in the back of the car during a monsoonal downpour. Thankfully with the Gateway upgrade the trip was a pleasant one and we made it door to door in two and a half hours, a very good start indeed! We arrived to find Noosa looking the same but something had changed. We seem to notice more families than we had before and perhaps a more relaxed atmosphere. The before mentioned pesky GFC and high Aussie dollar have had a big impact in Noosa with tourist numbers down and many shops and restaurants having to change or close completely. A positive from this is Noosa is a lot more family friendly on the budget than in previous years but still retains that village resort feel tinged with a bit of luxury. The Sebel Resort Noosa is where we set up base. This beautiful resort is perfect for families as it fronts right onto Hastings Street, has an amazing pool and the rooms are spacious, clean and well appointed. You and the kids will love to hang out on the oversize day beds by the pool and the beach is only just across the street. 38 | Coast Kids GC

After the obligatory walk down Hastings Street and watching my wife try and shop away our holiday fund, the family decided to tackle the Noosa National Park. Now I have driven down to the carpark at the end of the Little Cove many times but I have never walked the park tracks. It was a magical afternoon adventure for the family, think the Burleigh Heads National Park but on steroids! We spent the afternoon exploring little bays, checking out surfers and wildlife watching. We spied wallabies, Koalas, flocks of different birds, dolphins and even a sea turtle. For my little nature-obsessed girls this was heaven.

Coast Kids GC

After a couple of restful days, we decided to take a drive and visit the Buderim Ginger Factory which is about a 30 minute drive South of Noosa. The Ginger Factory is free to enter but does charge to use most of the attractions such as the Ginger train tour and the kids favourite the Overboard Boat Ride. We also took in a great bee keeping and honey tasting presentation and yummy ice cream from the Bliss ice creamery. Deciding that we wanted to explore a little more we took the return trip through Peregian beach. Usually a drive through town on the way to Mooloolaba we found it to be a real hidden treasure. Brilliant little shops and restaurants dotted the main beachside shopping area and one of the best playgrounds on the Sunshine coast right on the foreshore. Once back in Noosa it was time for our big night out. You know when you go on the family holiday and plan your itinerary and say to yourself that kids or not I am going to go to one fancy restaurant and enjoy myself! We picked an old favourite, The Sails.

I must admit there is not a huge kids selection and the prices can be pretty steep but as a treat this place is a must! Be sure to make reservations as it is booked out most nights. Our relaxing and surprising Noosa trip almost over we decided to check out Noosaville. The development along the river has been immense, with accommodation, eateries of every persuasion and more shops than I care to look at all set on the banks of the beautiful Noosa River. It was well worth the trip and capped of nicely with a cold drink watching the sun go down from the Boathouse floating restaurant’s Sunset Bar. So if you think you have seen it all in Noosa or perhaps you were like me and vowed never again, now might be the perfect time to rediscover this gem and enjoy a family holiday in beautiful Noosa. More info at: www.gingerfactory.com.au www.visitsunshinecoast.com.au www.sebelnoosa.com

Nestle in at The Sebel Resort Noosa Escape to this fabulous tropical resort, superbly positioned on Hastings Street and surrounded by exquisite restaurants, cafés, galleries and stylish shopping, and all just steps from Noosa’s main beach. • Beautifully appointed 1 and 2 bedroom apartments serviced daily

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Call 13 15 15 or visit www.sebelresortnoosa.com 32 Hastings Street Noosa Heads Queensland *Conditions apply. Subject to availability. **Children share fold out divan.

Coast Kids GC | 39

First Aid

Organising a party? Be allergy aware! Holding a birthday party or simply inviting the neighbour’s kids over for an afternoon snack has become more complex these days with the concerns of food allergies. Any carer, whether you’re a parent, friend, family member, employee of a Child Care Centre or School, needs to be aware of the triggers and signs of severe allergic reactions. Anaphylaxis is a big word that means severe and life threatening allergic reaction. Anaphylaxis is when a foreign substance enters the body, usually a protein, like nuts and seafood, latex, bite, stings and medications. These proteins can enter the body by being inhaled, digested, injected or absorbed through the skin. Once this protein or foreign substance is in the body, our mast cells, which are part of our immune system, pick them up and react by releasing histamines. This is normal as it protects the body and quickly eradicates the problem. A mild or moderate allergic reaction presents as a rash, mild swelling around the sight of the affected area, swelling can occur around the face and lips and abdominal pain. These mild to moderate signs and symptoms are not classed as anaphylaxis as they are not life threatening. The first aid treatment for a mild or moderate allergic reaction is to give anti histamine. If symptoms progress, you may end up with an anaphylactic reaction and should seek medical advice urgently by calling 000. In the situation of an anaphylactic reaction not only does the local area react to the proteins, the whole body reacts causing the blood vessels to expand and the airways to be restricted. Quite simply the body has a massive over reaction and must be treated as a medical emergency, requiring immediate treatment and urgent medical attention.

D I A T S FI R

G N I N I TRA Apply First Aid $100 p/p HLTFA301C

CPR $45 HLTCPR201B

CPR, Asthma & Anaphylaxis $7o p/p HLTCPR201B 22024VIC 22099VIC

Asthma & Anaphylaxis $4o p/p

The signs and symptoms of Anaphylaxis are: Difficulty breathing or noisy breathing, rash, hives and welts, swelling of the tongue, swelling and/or tightness in the throat, difficulty talking and /or a hoarse voice, wheezing or persistent coughing, loss of consciousness, fainting or collapse and young children may appear pale and floppy. Abdominal pain or vomiting (when associated with an allergic reaction to an insect sting or bite) may also be a sign of Anaphylaxis. In this case, we still recommend giving the anti histamine first, this may keep the reaction at bay. If the signs and symptoms become worse or do not subside; you must administer Adrenaline via an Epi pen or Anna pen auto injector and call 000. Being allergy aware at parties by using alternative healthy options with food and picking up early warning signs can save lives.

Tips for allergies and Anaphylaxis at parties: • Ask parents if their kids have allergies before planning the food and if the child has an action plan • Check if the Child has any medications in case of a reaction, usually antihistamine and Epi/Anna Pen • Ask parents to show you how to use the Auto Injector (a trainer pen can be purchased for this purpose) • Find out what the child looks like if they are having a reaction-signs and symptoms • If a reaction happens give the anti histamine, wait a minute to monitor response, if there is no response or the reaction gets worse, lay the child flat, elevate the legs and Give Epi/Anna pen auto injector • Administer the Pen into the upper thigh through clothing and hold for 10 seconds • Note the time you gave the Epi/Anna Pen as the Auto Injector can be given every 5 minutes and ambulance officers need to know how long it’s been since administering medication. • Call 000 as the auto injector will only buy you time until the ambulance arrives. If you would like more information on Anaphylaxis or would like your group trained to manage this situation or any first aid situation contact First Aid Accident & Emergency.

22024VIC 22099VIC First aid Accident & Emergency. Scott and the team now run regular courses from the brand new Sports House located at 337 Christine Ave, Varsity Lakes.

For specials mention Coast Kids at time of booking *Conditions Apply CALL TODAY FOR MORE INFORMATION Office: 07 5520 5068 or Email: admin@firstaidae.com.au Visit www.firstaidae.com.au for course dates

40 | Coast Kids GC

RTO: 32508

More at www.firstaidae.com.au or call 07 5520 5068

All about her…

Words: Jeni Bone

news, info, tips, gadgets and much more.

The Myths that prevent weight loss Losing weight – who isn’t looking for new ways to attain that elusive ideal weight? Trouble is, the facts have merged with fiction, wives’ tales with wisdom and those top tips from the health professionals seem to have slipped your mind. According to RealAge.com, the official Dr Oz website, here are three current weight loss beliefs that have morphed into myths:

Myth 1: Eat five mini meals throughout the day. The initial idea was to eat small, healthy amounts of food every couple of hours to keep blood sugar levels steady and energy high. The trouble is, many people end up eating what amounts to five full meals. “I find that people do much better when they sit down and have three balanced meals a day with two small snacks in between,” says nutrition counsellor Katherine Tallmadge, MA, RD. “Real meals stave off hunger. If you eat tiny bits throughout the day, you’re hungry all the time.” Myth 2: Eat less by using small plates. Studies have shown that large plates lead to more eating because they make portions look

smaller, but the small-plates idea only works if there’s a limited amount of food to put on the plate. In a recent diet study in the US, 10 overweight and 10 normal-weight women were randomly assigned a large or small plate for eating lunch on two different days, then allowed to serve themselves. The result? The ladies ate until they were full, regardless of plate size. “Make what you need, or measure the amount before putting it on a plate, then put things away,” recommends Tallmadge. “It’s having easy access to food that keeps you eating more.”

Myth 3: There’s only one right way to diet. Diet books are churned out all the time, touting pounds lost by following the rules of the latest trendy plan. Research reveals it doesn’t matter what meal plan you’re on because you’ll lose weight as long as you stick to it. “A healthy diet will work because it forces you to organize yourself,” Tallmadge says. “You’re watching portions, you’re following a guide. What needs to be looked at is weight loss over the long term. You can only follow an eating plan like an automaton for so long. It’s better to understand the principles of healthy eating.” More at www.realage.com

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www.chevronfashion.com.au Coast Kids GC | 41

All about her...

Here comes the sun We may give a collective cheer that long, sunny days will soon be back, but taking care of our skin must be a year round priority for every member of the family. UV rays cause DNA damage, and also trigger formation of free radicals, which wreak havoc on cellular material and result in pigmentation, wrinkling, actinic keratosis, and skin cancer. Here’s the latest arsenal of products to combat the sun’s sting, soothe and soften, and give a healthy dose of colour in a can!

Tropicare for your skin For year round protection, the Tropicare range includes sunscreens and zinc, After Sun Ice Cool Gel, Insect Repellent and All Seasons Lip Balm, all made from the finest ingredients, easy to use, long-lasting, water resistant and invisible on the skin. More at www.tropicaresunscreen.com.au

of the bronze has taken out the guess work that goes along with DIY fake tanning. The instant bronzer provides immediate colour which allows for uniform application, so in other words no more streaking! RRP $14.95. More at www.palmersaustralia.com

Daylight Defense reformulated Dermalogica’s new Oil Free Matte SPF30, with Oleosome Technology, can deliver much more UV protection without unwanted oiliness or chalkiness. Ultra Sensitive Tint SPF30 and Super Sensitive Shield SPF30 contain the UltraCalming™ Complex to help reduce sensitivity, redness, irritation and inflammation.

Eco Tan Certified Organic, the Eco Tan range includes Invisible Tan, a clear, organic moisturiser that nourishes your skin without any synthetics or toxic ingredients. No staining to clothing or bed linen, you simply apply it to clean skin and watch it turn into a beautiful rich honey tan. Then there’s Eco Tan exfoliant for pre and posttanning, which removes dead skin layers and old tan to reveal fresh smooth skin. More at www.ecotan.com.au

Model bronze Award-winning ModelCo TAN Airbrush in a Can, is a super fine, instant bronzer and self-tanning spray for face and body. This unique self-tanner works with your natural skin tone to deliver lasting natural looking colour with an instant bronzer that deepens over six hours. Fragrance technology removes the tell-tale tanning aroma with a subtle, refreshing scent of Cocoa Butter.

More at www.dermalogica.com.au

Tan up!

Now you see it, now you don’t!

Used by models and celebrities all over the world, Palmer’s has launched its brand new addition to the Cocoa Butter range: Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Bronze, a sunless tanner, sunscreen and instant bronzer all in one yummy cocoa scented lotion. The clever inclusion

This exfoliating scrub works to instantly remove unwanted self-tan colouring from your hands and body in one easy step! More at www.modelco.com.au

Buy 2 treatment products from our ultraceuticals range and Get a free 30 minute microdermaBrasion facial valued at $65

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ultraceuticals : creative: catalina Geo: tuscan tan 42 | Coast Kids GC

Blush

Beauty salons

B o o k o n l i n e : w w w. B l u s h B e a u t y s a l o n s . c o m . a u

Freeze the Fat The Layt Clinic is excited to announce the arrival of the ‘Zeltiq’ Coolsculpting procedure in their Benowa Clinic Dr Layt was so excited about this technology that he was one of the first to line up to have this procedure when it arrived in the busy Gold Coast Clinic. Dr Layt has been watching this innovative technology which has been in the USA for a number of years. ‘Zeltiq’ coolsculpting is also TGA approved in Australia. The procedure is a non-invasive procedure and is great for those hard to budge areas such as ‘love handles’, ‘muffin tops’, abdominal and back areas to name a few. Coolsculpting is ideal for people who have been maintaining a healthy lifestyle with exercise and healthy eating and just have those stubborn areas they wish to get rid of. The ‘Zeltiq’ coolsculpting uses focused cool therapy to induce lipolysis - crystallise the cells by freezing the fat cells which enables the cell to breakdown. The body then absorbs and eliminates the fat waste over the next 2 to 3 months of the procedure. Ideal for men and women, CoolSculpting takes very little time and fits into your daily life. After a CoolSculpting treatment you can typically get right back to your busy day. Like all treatments like this it is important to maintain a healthy diet and regular exercise in order to maintain stable results.

• Highly qualified and experienced surgeon specializing in Breast surgery including minimal scar technique and brazilian implants For more information about ‘Coolsculpting’ and all other surgical and non-surgical procedures contact The Layt Clinic on 07 5597 4100 or visit www.drlayt.com

• Providing a quality plastic, reconstructive and cosmetic service for over 10 years to the Gold Coast and Northern Rivers Region • Past President of the Australiasian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Cool Contours

• Participates in and supports the local communities

Call now to schedule your consultation with Dr. Layt.

Compression garments are key to recovery, support and comfort following various types of surgery, during and after pregnancy and just for looking leaner and taut. Contour Garments offers a unique selection of high quality and medically designed range of compression garments, preferred by large number of therapists, midwives, obstetricians and surgeons. They are stretchy and elastic, and they are worn directly over the target area. As the name implies, they compress the healing area. When reducing stress in target areas, it enhances the healing ability that our body has naturally. Garments are extremely soft, silky textures very comfortable against sensitive targeted areas. They are very different from standard girdles (fashion and shapers) and athletic tights available at local outlets.

P 5597 4100 www.drlayt.com

They have important characteristics like flat nonmarking seams, inner panels that provide the targeted compression during the healing, labels placed outside all garments, the last but not least, an open crotch intended for long term wear (for the medical-grade corset only). Stitches are constructed so they are perfectly flat, zippers and hook-and-eye closures are never in danger of contacting the skin. You may be tempted to continue wearing some of them long after healing! More at www.contourgarments.com and www.facebook.com/ContourGarments

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Member of: Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons. Plastic and Reconstructive Society of Queensland. International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. Corresponding Member of: The American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Past President of: The Australasian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS).

Coast Kids GC | 43

Online Shopping Directory

Whether you’re pregnant, just had your baby or planning that secret make over, you will find the perfect garment in our beautiful and discrete Contour Garments 2012 collection. www.contourgarments.com

44 | Coast Kids GC

Eco Vida is full of stylish eco-friendly, natural products. Looking for that perfect, unique gift? You will find it here.”  www.ecovida.com.au

At Spaces Places you can find, artwork, furniture, soft furnishings & homewares. Shop from the comfort of your own home and Enjoy FREE DELIVERY NOW. We are ready to help you stamp your home with YOU!

Whether you’re shopping for yourself, a friend, or that special little someone, you’ll find maternity, children and women’s fashion essentials and accessories, You’ll also find plenty of lovingly handmade items.

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Coast Kids GC

Cover Snapshot It was party time for Coast Kids this issue so we gathered some friends for a bit of fun at Nobbys Beach. Meet Jarvis 7 yrs, Ashton 4 yrs, Abigail 6 yrs and Sienna 5 yrs, our party crew who braved the winter chill to show off our party style! The team at Simplistyle brought their gorgeous party supplies, delightful polka dot bunting, labelled soda bottles with coordinating chippie boxes! It was awesome! Our balloons and bunting went astray with the wind gusts, but hey we had fun and the kids of course loved eating the props – those yummy cake pops!

Where are you planning your next Birthday party? Jarvis – Drax 4 Kids Abigail – Ice Skating

Favorite Party food? Ashton – I love the yummy cake pops! Abigail – chips and hot dogs Sienna – fairy bread

What is the best present you have received for your birthday? Abigail – Lego friends Sienna – Barbie campervan Photography: www.juliewillisphotography.com.au Styling: Bec Watts and Party Supplies by Simplistyle www.simplistyle.com.au Cake Pops by www.chocspops.com.au

Make Father’s Day! WITH A COOL PAIR OF CUFFLINKS CAPTURING HIS LITTLE ONE’S PRECIOUS FINGERPRINTS.

DO YOU KNOW the

Of VisiON & LearNiNg? ttention problems may be caused by correctable vision disorders. ehavioural problems may be a sign of correctable vision disorders.

Or why not turn a tiny replica of his littlestar’s hand or footprint, doodles or handwriting into a silver keepsake that will make this Father’s Day the best one yet!

orrection is possible. The earlier a hidden vision problem is found, the less a child will struggle or be frustrated.

Over 60% of children with reading or learning difficulties have a hidden vision problem that may not be detected by regular sight checks. Book online at www.harmonyvision.com.au

Iris Long Mobile: 0408 454 020 • Phone: 07 5576 7992 web: www.smallp.com.au email: iris@smallp.com.au

PH 07 5520 5900 Coast Kids GC | 45

Mamas that rock

Keeley O’Connor interviews Christina Polas of Star Parties & The Swim Studio This new mama has taken partying to a new level with her successful kids’ party business, Star Parties. You may know her as DJ Elektra since her move to the Gold Coast four years ago and now she juggles a second business, The Swim Studio. This year she had her own little one, son Harry - you must read on to see how she does it all!

Mamas that Rock! Business

Tell us about your business/current role?

What do you do for childcare?

About six years ago I started DJing kids parties and school Discos. It just evolved into a kids’ party business I did on the side of swim teaching, something I have done since I was 17. I bought The Swim Studio three years ago in partnership with my father and then at the same time Star Parties for Kids started to take off and I found myself running two businesses.

A huge team effort here between Craig, me, my assistant and now my mum will also have him one day a week soon too. Craig’s mum also comes to stay to help when things get hectic. I know things will have to change soon as he begins to get more mobile, but up until now he spends most of his time in the office with us or out with the clients loving the attention.

What time does a typical day start for you? Every week I vow I will make a roster and sick to it, so far it hasn’t happened so I never seem to have a typical day. Now with the baby, office time just works around him and his constantly changing schedule.

Do you have help around the house? Last year I hired my PA Shirani who helps with both businesses, Harry and even the house when needed. She is amazing! My partner Craig is a great help to on weekends while I am doing parties he pretty much does it all.

Who does the cooking and cleaning at your house? The Swim Studio is part of our house so during the week I try to work it into some part of the day but weekends it is completely Craig when I have a hectic schedule of parties.

KIDS

Do your kids do many extra curricular activities? I have just enrolled him into Kids on Keys for a babies’ music class. I thought it was important to get him into new environments as he spends so much time here at the swim school. He has also taken swimming lessons since he was eight weeks old but that is a given with a swim teacher mum.

What do you do for fun with the kids? So far not a lot. He is still at the stage a little game of peek-a-boo is exciting. I can’t wait to be able to take him to some of the great parks all my clients keep telling me about and watch him play.

If you have 10 minutes to yourself – what do you do?

FUN

I have really got into the social networking thing now ie. Facebook, as it seems the only way I can keep up with family and friends. So I will often check out news feeds on there and see what everyone is up to. It has become a great marketing tool too so I am constantly updating the business pages when I get a moment.

As I work most weekends and that includes late nights, and Craig works incredibly early mornings, date nights haven’t really happened yet. Yum Cha or Sushi with the three of us is great when we can.

46 | Coast Kids GC

What is your favourite thing to do for date night with your partner?

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What is your favourite Gold Coast place to hang with the family? With two businesses and a six month old at the moment, when we are all together it is just nice to hang out at home and BBQ with friends. As Harry gets older, we are looking forward to taking advantage of the great parks and beaches on the Gold Coast.

How about favourite place to eat out as a family? Craig and I both love sushi and there are a few in Robina we go to when we can.

GIRL STUFF Where do you head to when you get time for a girls’ night out?

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I have not had one since before I was pregnant so we are actually in the process of planning one now – anywhere the music is loud and there is a dance floor!

Who do you relate most to on Sex and the City? I think I am a combination of Carrie and Samantha.

What is your best beauty tip for mums? Drink plenty of water. I don’t drink enough and I always look and feel so much better when I do.

Favourite place to shop? A friend has just bought ‘Black Rouge’ in Broadbeach and its fashion and a coffee shop so right now that is it.

Fantasy Husband…that celebrity dream man? A younger Sean Connery.

TIPS Must have parenting tip or tool? Don’t be embarrassed about making a big deal of little milestones with your children. It’s okay to get excited as its only going to happen once.

Can you share any tips on the finding the right balance and that juggling act? I am still learning. It’s hard. but it helps I am surrounded by so many amazing mums in my work. I have discovered it is not a sign of weakness accepting help, is a sign of wellbeing. Your baby is only as healthy and happy as you are.

DISCO PARTIES THEME PARTY ENTERTAINERS FACE PAINTERS AND SO MUCH MORE

How do you stay motivated? The two businesses give me great diversity. Also when I think of what my businesses are – one where we teach kids a skill they will have for life and the other creating memories they will have for life – I honestly think I have the best jobs!

Coast Kids GC | 47

Art projects

projects with Mrs Red Words: Jane Whittred

“I have an absolute obsession to paint. I go to bed and can’t wait to wake up and be painting again.” ~ Margaret Olley

Have you ever photographed your shadow? Shadows can sometimes make a really nice image, being one of those ‘stop and smell the roses’ moments that we rarely give ourselves. This winter months art project is all about getting the kids outside in the sunshine (a must for this project) and getting them to trace around shadows. These shadows may be of themselves, a pot plant or as in my example, a wicker laundry basket. All of a sudden you will start creating really cool shadows and find the fun in something so basic. Of course, I always like to add some value to my projects and this one will teach the kids to work quickly but keeping their page very very still. A skill all in itself really! Also, due to the flatness of colour required for this project I have chosen to use watercolour markers as they fill a page quickly. Colouring in with pencils or thin texta’s may defeat the purpose and kids lose interest and start scribbling. Paint is too messy and kids are not the best at neat edges with paint.

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Materials you will need Large paper, A3 is a good size Graphite pencil for tracing Black marker for outline (optional) Watercolour markers or paints Sunshine Hard backing for paper to sit on

How to…

Let the fun begin! Go in search of cool shadows, it won’t take you long to find them. Place paper on a flat surface so it won’t move around and trace around the shadows with a graphite pencil. You are then left with a negative and positive image (positive being the shadow lines) and its up to the kids what they colour in and what colours to use. This is good practice for staying between lines and if they choose to, only working with two colours. You could even mix the shadows up by tracing more than one shadow on each page and overlapping the images. Please visit www.mrsredsartroom.com.au for adult, teen and children’s art classes, birthday parties and events. Photography this month is by Amanda Owen-Evans.

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