Offspring Perth Summer 2014 issue

Summer 2014

Australia’s favourite family lifestyle magazine

Mama Kin

Music, Motherhood & Marriage to John Butler

PERTH SUMMER HOLIDAY FREE FUN FOR KIDS

FOSTERING LOVE Real life foster carers AL SPECI AS TM CHRIS E! ISSU

FREE www.offspringmagazine.com.au

Mem Fox:

apps vs books

7 CELEBRITY PREGNANCY CONFESSIONS

Christmas Gift Guide

The

Best in pregnancy, birth and beyond

FREE innerspring mattress with every Incy cot purchase* Simply mention “Offspring� for this exclusive offer *available whilst stock lasts, valid for purchases up to 31 March 2014

Showroom: Shop 4, 260 Leach Highway (cnr Norma Rd) Booragoon, WA 6154

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contents

summer

6

EDITOR’S NOTE

8

THE CONTRIBUTORS

10

CHRISTMAS SPIRIT Beautiful festive keepsakes for your home

12

WHAT’S HOT Nifty finds for kids

14

18

KIDS FASHION 14 & 16 COOL CLOTHS

Fresh fashion for kids this spring!

FEATURE STORY 18

SING IT LIKE MAMA Mama Kin opens up to Ari Chavez about music, motherhood and being married to John Butler.

OFF THE AIR 26

IT’S SAD TO SAY GOODBYE Lisa shares why she’s had to walk away from her fantastic job as a radio star.

28 PIGMENTATION DURING PREGNANCY

For some women pregnancy is a

delightful time where their skin

literally glows but sadly, it’s not the

case for all women.

29 KARA’S PARTY IDEAS

The Place For All Things Party.

48 36

30

MEM FOX: BOOKS VS APPS Mem Fox has her concerns about the role of technology for young children.

FUNNY MUMMY

DAD’S WORLD

34

BECOMING MUM Despite a fight, Ari feels she is turning into her mother.

42

TAKING CHARGE Gary takes charge of the house and kids while his wife has a well-deserved break.

44

Our selection of websites offering great products for your family.

REAL LIFE 36

FOSTERING LOVE We look at what’s required to be a foster carer.

www.offspringmagazine.com.au

40

CARING FOR MERCY Why should we care? How the general population views fostering of children.

INTERNET PICKS

PREGNANCY & BIRTH 46

CYCLING AWAY FROM GESTATIONAL DIABETES With the help of UWA physiologists and researchers, pregnant Perth women are getting fitter in study aimed at preventing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

47

BREAST SUCCESS Celebrating 50 years of breastfeeding support in Australia.

CELEBRITY BABY SCOOP 48

7 CELEBRITY PREGNANCY CONFESSIONS While pregnancy can be a joyous time, it can also present some odd symptoms and fears.

perth | summer 2014 | Offspring

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70

51

MAKING AN ELITE, SUSTAINABLE, HOME-BASED BUSINESS We discover how this WA Educator turns her love of all things sustainable into a small business that benefits children from her local community.

52

SUMMERTIME FUN Be creative with your kids these holidays by making some easy changes to their bedroom.

68

INTERIOR DESIGNS

OUR COMMUNITY 54

IT PAYS TO BE KIND ’Where are the Statistics on Kindness?’ asks Playgroup WA CEO, David Zarb.

56

NEED FOR SPEED? Mel Hearse road tests Speedfit’s electro muscular stimulation (EMS) system that claims to give you all the benefits of three to four hours exercise in a quick 20 minute session.

HEALTH & FITNESS

SPECIAL FEATURE 58

CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE Looking for the perfect gift?

From babies to teens and parents, our suggestions have you covered – for every budget.

PARENTING 68

FESTIVE OVERLOAD Here are ways to minimise sensory overload for your family at Christmas.

SPECIAL FEATURE 70

82 FOOD AND NUTRITION 79

HEALTHY CHRISTMAS FARE Our Survival Guide for keeping your family’s nutrition on track this Christmas.

FAMILY TRAVEL 82

84

SCHOOL HOLIDAY GUIDE Free and fun activities around Perth 85 City throughout December and beyond, guaranteed to maintain your 86 sanity and the keep the kids happy.

THE GREAT AND WONDERFUL GREAT OCEAN ROAD! MAGICAL MELBOURNE PARTY DIRECTORY GENERAL DIRECTORY

ISSUE 16 SUMMER 2014

Mama Kin

Produced and published by Offspring Magazine Pty Ltd. ABN: 95 159 474 245 PO Box 354 Avoca Beach NSW 2251 Website www.offspringmagazine.com.au Editorial enquiries editorial@offspringmagazine.com.au Advertising enquiries Phone 0415 267 414 advertising@offspringmagazine.com.au Subscription enquiries subscription@offspringmagazine.com.au

Publisher / Editor Kate Durack Contributing writers Ari Chavez, Gary Ausbruch, Lisa Fernandez, Ngala Parenting Education Team, Claire Armstrong, Kate Bullen, Brooke Evans-Butler, Colleen Willis, Tara Dryland, Celebritybabyscoop.com, Jane Millington, Nicole Cox, Melanie Hearse, David Zarb, Australian Breastfeeding Association.

Graphic Designers Steven Lillywhite, Sally Travis Printed by Scott Print

Distribution 30,000 copies distributed by paid subscriptions and for free at selected locations throughout Perth.

Also available online via www.offspringmagazine.com.au Offspring magazine is an independent magazine published quarterly by Offspring Magazine Pty Ltd. Opinions represented are not necessarily those of the publisher. Offspring magazine contains general information and does not claim to substitute for health or parenting advice.

All content is subject to copyright, and may not be reproduced without permission.

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Become a home based Educator

• home based business opportunity • educate and care • natural home environments • rewarding career • nuture natural childhoods

1300 796 399 www.elitechildcare.com.au

2

013’s coming to an end and I’m relieved to have just got and now it was coming out through it. Whoa, the year of the snake had certainly whether I liked it or not. reared its venomous head. One of our regular advertisers Maybe I really had no said recently, this year has been so intense because it idea what I was doing contains the Number 13 – Lucky for some and catastrophic after all. Maybe it was all for others! pipedreams. Maybe I was Something in the Cosmos perhaps, but this year has been selfish and worse, perhaps a rough ride with lots of marriage break-ups and financial I was just delusional. hardship for people I know.

Thankfully, having birthed my second child naturally and There are others who have started businesses, gone back drug free, I recalled this stage, and remembered that it was to study or developed a new passion, and while enjoying the precisely when I felt I couldn’t carry on that I really needed stimulation of these pursuits, they have struggled to fit it all to. The defining moment. Now, was when I really had to push in – keeping themselves inspired while the family calls. a little bit more, hang on in a little bit longer, try a little bit Mine’s been a good year, but a hard one. My manic side harder, pray and have faith that it would all work out. has gone into overdrive. We have lived in three houses; my I also knew that while Transition meant lots of pain, it daughter has attended three schools; my husband left his also meant I was close to the end. job to work full time on Offspring; we’ve launched Offspring Much of the hard work had been done and I would soon Sydney; we are in the throes of launching a new interactive see the results of my labours. This gave me so much strength website (www.offspringmagazine.com.au); we’ve moved and hope that it would be worth it. interstate to NSW; and are in the midst of introducing the So I pushed and pushed and pushed. It hurt, I was magazine to other states. exhausted, and at times I really couldn’t be So it’s been positive but challenging. There I felt scared, sick bothered, but I kept going anyway. Then, were times when I felt I was being sucked POP…it worked! and wildly out of into a whirlpool – I had got into something Then there was just the fourth stage scary and didn’t know how to get out. One of labour - the placenta to deliver - these control. I suspected day in particular, I was really struggling to very final stages of this Summer edition to I’d made a mistake complete which were a little hard work, but stay afloat.

We were on deadlines for Spring Perth and wished I could were mostly pleasurable. Because I knew I’d edition as well as the Sydney launch issue, I done the hard work, it was nearly over and just disappear. needed to start work on the Summer Perth I was so close to the end - holidays with my edition and we were moving house (again!) beautiful family.

– All at once. I had budget and time pressures and felt like I So I hope you enjoy this special Christmas edition. It’s was sinking. And, I knew I wouldn’t be coming up for air for filled with great gift ideas, fun and free holiday activities for quite some time. Until this edition went to print, in fact. kids, yummy (and healthy!) Christmas food, suggestions to I was chatting with my brother amidst the chaos one day avoid your littlies becoming over stimulated during the and he asked if I could see the light at the end of the tunnel, festive period (provided by Ngala) and an important and I replied, “Yeah, but not ‘til Christmas. I don’t know how reminder from Playgroup WA’s CEO, David Zarb, to practice a I can make it that far.” little kindness in our community.

I went to meditate, as I do a lot, and I had a strong image I thank everyone who has contributed to Offspring this of giving birth. I was in Labour and in Transition. I was at the year for their heartfelt and professional input. part where I felt like backing out but it wasn’t an option. I’d I wish you all a beautiful Christmas and hope 2014 is changed my mind, didn’t know if I wanted this baby after all fantastic for you and your families. and wanted to go back to the way things were.

KATE DURACK I felt scared, sick and wildly out of control. I suspected I’d EDITOR made a mistake and wished I could just disappear.

I had agreed to do this somewhere along the line and P.S. Please sign up for our online newsletter and join our now, despite whether I still wanted it or not, or whether or Facebook page for your chance to win family passes to see not I believed I could do it, I had already created this ‘Baby’, Disney’s Frozen.

Visit Trigg Christmas Lights & donate to PMH & SIDS

T

his is the third year that Kane Bullen has been displaying Christmas lights in his front yard – with a dual purpose of raising money for PMH Foundation and this year SIDS & Kids but also to share the Christmas spirit with the community.

These are not just any Christmas lights – there are over 15,000 lights in total, all computer controlled and timed to music. You

can sit back in your car with your radio tuned to 98.1 and enjoy the show!

Many of his lights, including the five metre Christmas tree were senselessly attacked by three vandals on the 1st of December – less than two hours after the lights were turned on.

Fortunately, Kane already has the tree back to life again after receiving an outpouring of support and help from so many people.

Please include 130 Arnott St, Trigg on your Christmas lights list – come along and enjoy the show.

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Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

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Photo: Hilary Adamson, www.hilaryadamsonphotography.com.au

The Year of the Snake

our contributors

8

ARI CHÁVEZ COLUMNIST has had work published in Australia, England, Japan and Singapore. She has a delightful toddler, Gabriel, who was born with coffee in his veins. She is currently completing her first novel as part of a PhD project.

GARY AUSBRUCH ACCOUNTANT/COLUMNIST is financial controller for a Perth-based mining company.

He has had columns published on the challenging subject of the lighter side of accountancy, and has written for SBS TV. He is married to Sue and has two young children, Ella and Sebastian.

LISA FERNANDEZ RADIO ANNOUNCER is a Perth girl who co-hosts 92.9’s Lisa, Paul & Baz breakfast show with Basil Zempilas and Paul Hogan. As a mother, Lisa wants to “nurture, encourage, teach, inspire and give my love unconditionally... because the reward is so incredibly great.” Keep up-todate with Lisa daily on Twitter at @Lisa_Fernandez.

CLAIRE ARMSTRONG JOURNALIST of eight years across a range of publications and mother of two beautiful girls. She has a passion for all things parenting and a love of sharing stories about the parenthood journey.

TARA DRYLAND JOURNALIST When she’s not managing the family business (Cafe 58), Tara is busy being a single mum to her two-year-old son, Jett. She loves working for Offspring, as it allows her to merge her passions for writing, parenting and kids fashion!

DEVON PLUMLEY MIDWIFE believes her work is most satisfying when she can empower a woman and her partner to birth their baby naturally; and the new little human being thanks his mummy with a squeal!

KATE BULLEN DIETITIAN runs www.dietitianonline.com. au and is mum to three young children. Kate has translated her love of all things online to providing expert nutrition coaching online – it works well for anyone who is busy! Kate’s passion lies in making healthy eating simple and enjoyable.

BROOKE EVANS-BUTLER JOURNALIST has written for home improvement, bridal and women’s lifestyle publications, but says Offspring enables her to combine writing with her new favourite hobby, being a mum to her boys Caleb and Jonah.

ZOE DELEUIL JOURNALIST is mother to Tilo, two, and has another one due in October. She says that writing for Offspring is ideal for a novice parent as it involves learning more about many aspects of parenting, from choosing the right school to essential buys for newborns.”

BETH JOHNSTON JOURNALIST worked in print media before welcoming baby boy Sam into the world. She is now doing freelance writing and absolutely loving being a mum.“Sam changes so much every day, so it’s great to be able to keep that passion for writing but not miss a thing.”

Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

JANE MILLINGTON INTERIOR DESIGNER has over 14 years experience in all facets of the design industry including Interior Design, Styling, Sales & Marketing.

As owner of Happy Go Lucky www.happygoluckykids. com.au and mother of two children, Samson and Liv, Jane specialises in children’s bedrooms and nurseries.

COLLEEN WILLIS TRAVEL WRITER has roamed the world for many years on her own and with her husband and daughter, Rebekah. During this time, Colleen has been a teacher and an awardwinning recipient of Flight Centre both in Australia and overseas. Colleen will guide you through family travel the way she knows best!

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Distributed by Exquira, see www.exquira.com

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Stag’s picnic blanket – made in UK $91, Ball & Skittle, Uber + Klein

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Uber + klein, Claremont Quarter, Level 2, 9 Bayview Terrace, Claremont. www.uberandklein.com.au Funky Kids, Wembley 352b Cambridge Street Wembley. Karrinyup shop F122 Karrinyup Shopping Centre. www.funkykids.com.au

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Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

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Mia’s Wardrobe, $74.95 & Fifi Rabbit, $34.95 Funky Kids, Cambridge St Wembley & Karrinyup Shopping Centre

What’s

HOT

Novel & fun finds for kids

Great Summer Travel Idea!

Perth Mum of three, created “Boredom Rescue” – entertaining & educational travel packs to keep kids entertained whilst travelling, dining out or visiting relatives. There are different packs available for all ages, including a variety of Activities, Crafts, Puzzles/Model kits, Games, Toys, Story Books and even Phone Contact Lanyards (for missing Little Bored Ones!). For more information visit www.boredomrescue.com.au

Goetz Horse $92, Sevi Drum $48, www.ballandskittle.com.au, www.uberandklein.com.au Maileg Bunny and the Pea $200, www.ballandskittle.com.au, www.uberandklein.com.au

Me and You book

Small business owner and mother, Nicolle Jenkins, lost her mother to cancer at seven years old. Inspired by her experience and becoming a mother herself she created and self-published the Me and You book for mothers to share their history, hopes, dreams and legacy with their daughters. www.meandyoubook.com

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Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

Monopoly Perth

Discover which Perth locations have been immortalised in this special edition, world bestselling game Trover Learning, 301 Selby St Nth, Osborne Park WA 6017 (08) 9446 9663.

www.offspringmagazine.com.au

Shannon Burford ND ANTA, NHAA, ARONAH BSc (Multidisc.)

BHSc (Nat.)

How can I lose FAT & detox quickly?

You may be watching your calories, diet and exercise but your challenges might lie within your endocrine system.

C

hristmas time often brings over endulgence in alcohol, food and good times for young and old. Festive

season treats show their effects for many months after, with a need for some extra time running, cycling or insert-your-cardio-activity-here to stay well and fit!

Unfortunately for many, losing excess fat around the waist or over the whole body is much more of a struggle.

You might be asking yourself, “I eat healthy and exercise hard, so why is it so hard for me to lose this excess fat?”

The answers might lie deeper in your endocrinology.

The following are the some of the main blocks to losing weight and when identified can make your job much, much easier!

1. Excessive Stress & Adrenal Fatigue Do you wake up tired and wish you could sleep another hour or so? Do you need to have a coffee in the morning to get going?

Do you wake in the night to go to the toilet? If you answer yes, then you might benefit from some herbal support.

2. Poor Sleep Quality Are you still gettting to bed late? Do you struggle with insomnia? Melatonin has been shown in animal studies to control body weight.

Nignt time is the time when your body repairs and loses excess weight. Quality sleep is very important.

3. Systemic inflammation Low grade chronic inflammation caused from factors such as chronic stress can encourage the upregulation of fat stores and impede weight loss.

4. Insulin Resistance Do you feel sleepy after eating lunch or do you reach for a snack or coffee around 3pm? Do you suffer from “brain fog” or poor concentration? It may be helpful to investigate you fasting blood glucose levels.

5. Hormone disruption Do you suffer from PMS or have painful periods? Did you gain weight more easily after having children? A Salivary hormone profile can help identify alterations.

6. Subclinical Hypothyroidism Has your doctor suspected low thyroid function and tested, only to find it is “OK”. It is best to dig a little deeper and investigate reverse T3, T3 and T4.

There are also a lot of co-factor nutrients important for optimal thyroid function.

For further help with weight loss, contact Mr Shannon Burford @ Cura Integrative Medicine, Phone : (08) 9284 4644 email : wellness@curamedicine.com.au www.curamedicine.com.au

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Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

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Ball & Skittle, Shop 19, The Mezz Shopping Centre, Mount Hawthorn WA 6016. www.ballandskittle.com.au. eeni meeni miini moh, www.eenimeeni.com.

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Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

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Kids encouraged to get beach safe this summer A summer’s day spent at the beach is a favourite past time for many Australian families.

Children’s ability to be familiar and comfortable at the beach and in the water is a high priority for Surf Life Saving Western Australia and lead to the development of the popular Surf Babies, Surf Kids and Surf’s Up community education programs.

Surf Babies and Surf Kids are six week programs for children aged two to seven and are designed to increase awareness, confidence and safety at the beach. The Surf Babies program caters for little beachgoers (aged 2 to 4) and their parents. The program is especially helpful for parents who are unsure of the beach environment and is also a great way for mum or dad to bond with their child in a safe supervised environment. Children graduate to the Surf Kids program at the age of five where more advanced aquatic recreation skills are instructed.

Surf’s Up is Surf Life Saving WA’s summer school holiday program for children aged seven to ten. Run over three consecutive days, it is a fun filled interactive program allowing children to learn about and enjoy the beach environment for those unaware. environment through a range of fun beach and water activities.

“Our programs are instructed by the same surf lifesavers that patrol Perth’s many beaches every Surf Life Saving WA’s Keta Lemmon said that the programs are unique in that they are instructed by fully summer. qualified surf lifesavers and are suitable to children of all “They introduce basic beach safety messages and abilities. essential life skills in a fun and safe environment, “The beach is a great place for the whole family to have fun ensuring that the children learn to recreate safely and to identify and avoid dangerous situations,” said Lemmon. over summer, but it can also be a dangerous

SurfBabies

SurfKids Water and beach familiarisation program for children aged 2 to 7 Six week series commencing February 1 at Coogee, Cottesloe, Fremantle, Mullaloo, North Beach & Sorrento

Enrol Now: slswa.com.au/kids

A three day school holiday program for children aged 7 to 10 8 to 10 Jan 2014 at Sorrento 20 to 22 Jan 2014 at Sorrento & Cottesloe For more info: 08 9207 6666 or email: training@slswa.com.au

COVER FEATURE

Sing it

Mama Mama Kin opens up to Ari Chavez about music, motherhood and being married to John Butler.

M

ama Kin, aka Danielle Caruana, has just woken her bewildered child and the two are

She tells me she’ll find a quiet corner somewhere, so we can

creeping through a Blair-Witch-Project-style

talk. There’s some muttered chat to a shop assistant, the sound

undergrowth towards a menacing river, their

of a till ringing shut and some hurried walking.

path lit only by a small, wildly swinging, lamp.

It’s an unnerving scene, Mama Kin’s pale face and lank hair

“Okay,” she says, finally. “I’m ready.”

Mama Kin is not easily categorised. A seeming contradiction,

reminiscent of someone possessed, her child’s naive trust

she was born into a musical Maltese family, in which everyone

troubling to witness. All this set to the haunting sounds of

learnt an instrument and was required to perform to entertain

Mama Kin’s latest single, Redwood River, from her new album,

houseguests. It was an expectation she resented until she

The Magician’s Daughter.

understood that her musicality was a gift that could be freely

It’s a cracker of a video clip and a deeply haunting song about that most primal of fears, losing a child. Ethereal,

offered to uplift others.

Nevertheless, her musical journey has been peppered with

hypnotic and eerie, it worms its way into your consciousness,

self doubt, at one point so pervasive it crippled her. It seems

the wailing lament of a woman possessed, a fragile soul.

ironic now, given her obvious talents, the success of her

It is something of a surprise, then, when I call Mama

18

without children tugging at her.

albums and tours, her slew of industry awards and her recent

Kin for this interview, to hear an earthy Australian voice

ARIA nomination for Best Blues and Roots Album for The

explain that she’s doing that most mundane of things:

Magician’s Daughter, named, incidentally, for her mother, Iris,

grocery shopping. She sounds frazzled, her voice dipping

the daughter of a professional magician. The public affection

and crackling with the poor mobile reception, the demands

and industry accolades have been a long time coming

of jamming a myriad of errands into a few precious hours

however, mostly, the unaffected artist admits, because of her

Offspring | summer 2014 | sydney perth

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COVER FEATURE

We live a creative, challenging and alive life together with our kids.

own self-defeating machinations.

While Mama Kin’s brothers, Nicky Bomba and Michael Caruana, used the musical training of their youth as a springboard to becoming successful career musicians, their younger sister floundered.

It was partly, perhaps, being overwhelmed by the great

shadows of her brothers’ successes and partly, perhaps, just feeling discombobulated.

“My first access to music was singing, my earliest musical memories are of singing with my big sister and learning harmonies with her,” she stated earlier this year.

“It felt transcendent to sing with her, our voices so similar somehow, hers so strong and free, and I felt like I was learning to fly with her. I started playing piano at age five and played classical piano until I was sixteen. I found it quite academic, especially in comparison to how my family were expressing

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Offspring perth | summer | summer 2014 2014 | Offspring | sydney

19

COVER FEATURE

Danielle with husband John Butler

John is an amazing partner, an incredible champion of the creative in everyone. We have shared the ultimate creative expression and commitment in having children together. creatively around me, all playing contemporary and original

noting that her struggles were about something much broader

that time and spent years redefining the role that music

and deeper than having children, and the infinite demands of

played in my life.”

motherhood, both sublime and relentless.

While Mama Kin was attempting to redefine the musical

“I think sometimes it can be misread as I struggled with

shapings of her youth, she bumped into one of Australia’s most

the idea of being a mother, or I struggled with the surrender of

unassuming and beloved singer-songwriters, John Butler. In a

being a mother,” she says, carefully.

quintessentially Fremantle story, she stopped a Kombi van she

“I think there was that but, what was bigger than that,

was driving through the Port City to ask him for directions, and,

was that I was really suppressing my creativity. And I had

after further serendipitous meetings, went on to marry him

been doing that before I was a mother, but becoming a

seven months later.

mother heightened that for me in a really confronting way...I

The pair quickly had two children, a girl, Banjo, 10, and a boy, Jahli, 7, and while John’s career went from strength to strength Mama Kin, “fell into a support role, a place of service to my husband and children”.

It was not an easy transition, in fact it very nearly undid her.

Growing up in a family where gender roles were traditional

had a massive amount of creative urge and I wasn’t being true to that.”

It was a dark time. Mama Kin has spoken publically about serious bouts of depression and a feeling of shame so burning, “it kept me quiet”.

She fought against it by saying the simplest of words - ‘yes’.

and clearly defined, Mama Kin observed a loving but dominant

When people asked her if she had written songs, if she, like her

father, a submissive mother and older brothers who also

husband and brothers, was also a musician, would she show

played out traditionally masculine roles. Determined to be

her work, she started, tentatively, to reply in the affirmative

autonomous, she took on, “a masculine energy...I judged

and, “everything opened and opened some more”.

harshly when I saw what I thought was submissiveness”.

Nevertheless, when she married and had her own children,

20

Mama Kin is, now, categorical about that period of her life,

music, and I experienced a disconnect with my music during

She pauses. “What I learnt about myself in that process, more than anything, is that there’s no real suppressing of

she found herself subsuming her creative self, so she could

anything. If you put something away, in the back of the

tend to the needs of her family, while her husband soared both

cupboard, and pretend it doesn’t exist, it becomes a different

creatively and professionally.

kind of thing, a different kind of shadow.”

Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

www.offspringmagazine.com.au

COVER FEATURE

looking jar of home-made sundried

For an artist struggling to express herself creatively, and feeling

tomatoes. There are a lot of ‘likes’,

somewhat shackled by the demands

a genuinely good vibe. Mama Kin is

of marriage and motherhood, being

well loved.

‘John Butler’s wife’, the private half

In addition, after finishing

of a very public entity, rather than

touring for the year, she is about

an individual in her own right, worth

to start work on a new project

of a singular identity, must have

with Emily Lubitz of Tinpan

been difficult.

Orange. It appears, finally, to be a

“It strikes me now how strange

blessed life. On the surface, those

that expression is because I suppose

dark days, where she was crippled

that is what I was playing at, that I was only a half of something,” she

by shame and anxiety, seem far

Danielle with her brothers Michael Caruana (L) and Nicky Caruana (R) aka Nicky Bomba

away yet, in her next breath, she talks of being broken.

said in an interview earlier this year.

“We’re [Mama Kin and Emily

“John is an amazing partner, an incredible champion of the creative in everyone. We have

Lubitz] doing a project together called ‘Broken Songs’, which

shared the ultimate creative expression and commitment

is getting together and writing and singing some of our back

in having children together. I am so grateful that he has my

catalogue songs with the thread of ‘who are we, in spite of

back, but for a long time I pushed him away and resented his

being broken?’. It’s stories that talk about who people are in spite of being broken...I think this

creativity in light of my lack of access to mine.

It was a toxic space and I am very grateful that he could still see me through the haze of a smokescreen I was creating. We live a creative, challenging and alive life together with our kids.”

Indeed. John has contributed to some of the songs on The

My main thing with my kids is to want them to know that they are worth it.

They are worth standing for, and they can make a stance for themselves.

Magician’s Daughter and the

idea of, ‘we’re all just broken or we’re all just shattered,’ that’s what makes us amazing,” she says cheerfully.

Her determination to traverse the range of human experiences in her creative pursuits, is the work of an artist who feels deeply and laments often. Touchingly, perhaps given how she battled

two are heavily involved in activism and The Seed Fund, a

the moulding of her own upbringing, Mama Kin, appears both

philanthropic foundation established to support emerging

preoccupied and concerned about what she is modelling to

musicians and artists. Mama Kin’s Facebook page is a whirling

Banjo and Jahli, both budding musicians themselves.

kaleidoscope of photos of gigs, her husband and kids, jokes, conversations about songwriting and causes and a delicious

“My main thing with my kids is to want them to know that they are worth it. They are worth standing for, and they can make a stance for themselves...They could be creative people and expressive people, but they would find that a lot easier if I modelled what that looked like. Also, anything they want to be good at takes time. You need to do the work.

There’s a lot of instant gratification these days and, for my kids, I want them to understand that good stuff takes time and it takes practise, and that includes parenting, and that includes relationships and all that stuff but we get better at it the more we do it. And sometimes we’re bad at it, and that’s okay.”

It’s a refreshing perspective in this day and age, that it’s okay to be bad at stuff sometimes, even parenting. It could be argued that

www.offspringmagazine.com.au

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There’s a lot of instant gratification these days and, for my kids, I want them to understand that good stuff takes time and it takes practise.

today’s parents, especially mothers, are more pressured and scrutinised than any in history. The parenting journey, particularly for mothers, is often held up to be one of mystical fulfilment, whereby changing nappies, and cleaning up vomit and food spills all day, is all that is required for a nurtured and fulfilled sense of

self. Insidiously, motherhood has become an altar at which we are required to worship. And if we don’t, at least not always, are we somehow lacking?

“I think the distinction here is the difference between looking after yourself and being selfish,” Mama Kin muses.

“I’d love there to be in my family a sense that we are accountable to each other, and we are accountable to what we need as individuals, who we are as individuals and who we are as a collective, and that they are sometimes different things and that somehow our job is to make space for all of that. For each other and for ourselves.

Sometimes there’s an idea in parenting that if you’re doing things for yourself, you’re not being a whole parent, you’re being selfish to your children, it’s not fair to them. I think that that is not true. I think you’re giving your children a great gift by being a whole person, and that’s not selfish that’s generous.”

She pauses for a moment, then brightens.

“My daughter, the other day, she was pulling some of the Angel cards – you know, those cards, you pull out different cards when you’re looking for guidance?

One of the cards she pulled out was ‘Abundance’. And what it advised her to do was write a list of what it is that defines her abundance...the list included things like ‘shelter’ and ‘creative parents’ and ‘a healthy body’ and ‘great friends’ and ‘a great school’. She was able to articulate a long list of things she was grateful for, and I thought that that was a cool thing and it made me feel like maybe we’re doing alright...And I found the list, and I took a photo of it and I sent it to John, and I said, ‘I think we’re doing okay’.”

24

Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

www.offspringmagazine.com.au

OFF THE AIR

with Lisa Fernandez

It’s Sad to Say

Goodbye...

Lisa shares why she’s had to walk away from her fantastic job as 92.9 breakfast show host.

I

made a momentous life-changing

and I would creep quietly in the

decision last month. I decided to

darkness to Bella’s cot and softly

leave my job and take a break from

lift her out for a 3.15am feed. I

radio for awhile. It was a decision that

loved that time with Bella. She

didn’t come lightly and it was one of

was so warm and tiny cradled

the hardest I’ve had to make. Was it the

in my arms and I could have sat

right thing for me to do? Only time will

on my bed and looked at her

tell I guess. I’ve been asked so many

for hours. But I had a job.

times why I walked away. I hope I can

And I loved my job.

answer that here.

So I would tuck her

I’ve missed

I started working at 92.9 radio on

back into her cot,

the breakfast show when my daughter

whisper goodbye,

Isabella was just nine weeks old. I recall

leave the door ajar

those post-pregnancy days on the radio

in case she woke up

solely in terms of breast size. When my

and I’d get into

boobs were enormous my focus was

my car armed

on finding somewhere to pump milk

with a breast pump, a spare

immediately. Nothing bonds radio hosts

bottle for milk, a pink feather boa and

missing out on Dora the Explorer.

more than a couple of leaking breasts I

a hoola hoop (the last two are standard

The person who has been there most

reckon. When my boobs were empty it

brekky radio paraphernalia) and I’d

for Bella is my glorious, hates-to-be-

was absolute relief and I could focus all

head off to the radio station.

celebrated, Dad.

my short attention span on Lady

reading her bedtime stories.

On the nights I am home, I’m tweeting and X-Factoring and

Because of the hours I work I’ve

Facebooking and she’s

‘Rog’ as he is fondly known, has

Gaga being in Perth OH

never dropped Bella to daycare

provided us with a saintly amount of

MY GOD she’s in Perth

in the morning and waved

love and support. He has been there

let’s FIND HER!!! And when my boobs felt

her goodbye. I’ve never been there Monday

for me solely and purposefully to enable me to achieve all that I have

like rocks I regretted

through Friday to give

in my radio career. I don’t have words

not pumping in the

her a cuddle when

for how grateful I am to my Dad. But

8.15am ad break

she first wakes up.

there comes a time when everyone

because I would be

For the last four years

needs a break.

in a goddamn world

I’ve hosted events or

of pain when I got

attended functions

home.

mid-week, every

Ahhhh. Breakfast radio on 92.9. I

week, and on those nights I’ve missed

remember those really,

feeding her dinner.

really early mornings.

I’ve missed bath

My alarm would go off

26

“And when my boobs felt like rocks I regretted not pumping in the 8.15am ad break because I would be in a goddamn world of pain when I got home.”

Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

time. Many times.

So I have make the decision to take some time off from radio.

Bella starts school in just over a year.

I want to enjoy quality time with her before she stops being my baby, and she grows into a proper little girl.

Of course I feel sad. I LOVE my job. I love radio. This decision cooked in the

www.offspringmagazine.com.au

oven for a very long time before it was

AFL game, riding 90kms from Perth to

of you that I’ve gotten out of bed at

ready to come out. I miss it already. I

Mandurah on a mountain bike with

3.50am even when I’ve felt like absolute

miss my microphone especially. I may

Paul Hogan to raise money for Kids

crap. We’ve long lunched together,

even cry.

Appeal, abseiling 80 metres down the

we’ve partied at the Paramount

WACA lights, participating in Warrior

together, we’ve made each other laugh

garner sympathy when I can also

Dash 2013 and not coming last or

every single morning for four years

reflect upon a stellar four years and

losing a limb, Isabella’s

all the totes awesome fun I’ve had???

First Birthday party

Some of my highlights? God there are

on the 92.9 rooftop,

too many but these are just some that

meeting Mel B…

stand out and make me smile.

an actual Spice

But seriously, how can I possibly

Girl, Long Lunch

Flying all the way to Los Angeles

and yes, I can’t lie, some of your stories have brought me to

“Because of the hours I work I’ve never dropped Bella to daycare in the morning and waved her goodbye.”

tears. Little two year old Xzavier who died of cancer not long after I held him in my arms, I think of you

to raise money for Telethon and

in Bali with 20

interviewing both Keith Urban and Will

listeners, following

Ferrell, launching the inaugural 92.9

the journey of Amy’s

Kids Appeal with Telethon alongside

pregnancy and the birth

Basil Zempilas and Sam Mac which has

of beautiful Ava Zempilas, Dog Park

listening. Thank you for sharing your

raised a total of $1,023,491 for the kids

Dating, meeting HRH the Queen (well...I

lives with me. Thank you for sharing

at PMH, the Tree party with Perth’s Tree-

came pretty close!) and getting to the

your hearts with me. And thank you for

Man, hosting Perth’s Biggest Wedding

Grand Final of RAW comedy this year.

allowing me to share mine with you. I

which married 60 couples at Mosman’s, celebrating Baz commentating his first

And then there’s my 92.9 listeners.

Oh how I love you all! It’s because

every day buddy.

Thank you.

Thank you for

will miss you all. Every single morning.

Lise xxx

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perth | summer 2014 | Offspring

27

Pigmentation During Pregnancy For some women pregnancy is a delightful time where their skin literally glows but sadly, it’s not the case for all women.

I

t’s common for pregnant women to develop blotchy areas of darkened skin, commonly called the mask of pregnancy (but officially known as chloasma or melasma gravidarum). If you have a darker complexion you are more prone to this condition than women with lighter skin.

If your mother had it when she was pregnant you are much more likely to develop Chloasma. The effects of chloasma may become more obvious with each pregnancy.

These darker areas can appear all over your face but they usually appear like a mask around your nose, cheekbones, forehead and above your lip.

The professional therapists at

“We highly recommend a course of pregnancy and breastfeeding safe microdermabrasion or gentle peel facials to combat the pigmentation - but home care makes up for 70 per cent of the results,” says Amy Farley, owner of Yummy Mummy Pregnancy Day Spa. To prevent pigmentation from getting worse you absolutely must Slip, Slop, Slap. You need The effects of to protect yourself from the Yummy Mummy chloasma may sun because those UV rays Pregnancy Day Spa e more m co e b are going to make the darker know exactly how ith each patches worse - wear long w s u io v b o to treat and prevent pregnancy. sleeves and wear a hat! pigmentation from If you are concerned about getting worse. They will pigmentation then head to perform a skin analysis and www.pregnancydayspa.com.au prescribe professional products for more information. for you to treat the pigmentation.

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Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

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29

A true advocate of literacy for children, with 40 published picture books under her belt and a new book just released, Mem Fox has her concerns about the role of technology for young children.

Mem Fox

books vs apps

BY NICOLE COX

A

t 67 years young, acclaimed children’s author Mem

gravely concerned about the evolution of apps and their impact

Fox is on the national publicity circuit again and

on a child’s literacy development.

she’s exhausted.

Not only does the doyenne of children’s literature have

babies under the age of one, is concerned at the “heartbreaking”

40 published picture books to her name, but she’s reliving

phenomenon of parents turning to smartphones and tablets

the taxing (yet delightful) experience of raising a child in the

as quasi babysitters. It’s akin to television-sitting. And that, she

energetic form of her three-year-old grandson, Theo.

says, is a danger.

A recent Australian tour to promote her new book Baby

“I’m not anti-technology and I’m not anti-technology for

Bedtime has left the literary stalwart drained and she’s drawn

little kids, but between the ages of zero and five I do feel that

on all energy reserves to keep up with the boundless get-up-

we should not abandon our children to technology,” she says.

and-go of her pint-sized fans at storytimes across the country.

“Even though I’m 67, I’m crazy about technology. I love it. I

Then there’s the book signings and talks to parents and

love my smart phone, I love my mini iPad. I couldn’t do without

teachers about the importance of literacy and reading aloud to

either of them, especially when I’m travelling around and I

children, not to mention another five books in the pipeline.

absolutely love the things that it can do for my grandson.”

“It looks as if I’m going to be dying with a pen in my hand,” Mem says with a hearty laugh. “(I’ll be) going to the grave just crossing out one word and replacing it with another.”

Clearly, retirement is not on her agenda.

It’s 30 years since Mem’s first book Possum Magic was published.

She loves the fact that his motor skills are being developed by trying to navigate a mouse through a maze.

She loves the fact that the iPad can introduce him to the animals of the world and teach him about nature, among other things.

“But what bothers me is when

Originally written as a university

I see children abandoned to the

assignment, it is now one of Australia’s

technology in a way that they

best-selling picture books, amassing

wouldn’t be abandoned with a book,”

almost 5 million sales worldwide.

Mem says.

But these days the Adelaidebased literary expert is grappling with a greater quandary. In the age of smartphones, iPads and tablets, Mem is

30

Mem, who has previously lambasted full-time childcare for

Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

“...between the ages of zero and five I do feel that we should not abandon our children to technology.” www.offspringmagazine.com.au

Mem, who has previously lambasted full-time childcare for babies under the age of one, is concerned at the “heartbreaking” phenomenon of parents turning to Smart phones and tablets as quasi babysitters.

“It is a basic human need that we want to be with other people. We want to interact, we want to know that we’re cared for, we want to know that we’re special to certain people in our lives, we want to know that there are people who are special to us.

“And if you just let a child play on

As an author and avid campaigner for

a tablet for hours on end while you

children’s literacy, Mem has attracted

do the washing, while you put tea

international praise and her timeless tales have

on the table, while you’re out having

reached young minds across the globe in 19

coffee with a friend, even while you

languages.

are reading yourself, it’s terrible for the child.

“The child is lonely, the child doesn’t feel any love and the child is not learning language because the iPad is talking to it, not with it – they’re not having a conversation.”

www.offspringmagazine.com.au

Her bestseller Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes was part of Australia’s official gift to Prince George, the new royal baby born to Prince William and wife Kate in July.

Mem concedes that her concerns about new technologies are not based on formal research but rather a “lived experience”

perth | summer 2014 | Offspring

31

“I feel deep down, psychologically, kids must pick up on the feeling that they are just being palmed off because the adults in their lives just couldn’t be bothered to interact with them.” are just being palmed off because the adults in their lives just couldn’t be bothered to interact with them.”

Mem, a retired associate professor of literacy studies, says after 24 years teaching at Flinders University she is acutely aware of the importance of reading to children and exposing them having helped rear her grandson with

to a wide vocabulary to improve speech

her daughter, South Australian politician

before starting school.

Technology, she fears, hinders that

Chloe Fox, due to her hectic parliamentary

development.

schedule.

“There are things that books can do

“Because Chloe is a politician and

which technology will never be able to do.

because she’s a single parent, we are

“When a story is being read, that child

more like parents than grandparents. Our

is learning about courage, about resilience,

grandson, Theo, is three and a half and I’ve

about meanness and cruelty and there is a

watched this happen,” she says.

whole lot of incidental discussion going on

“Even before Theo was born, I used to

between the parent and the child.

see kids abandoned, playing on Smart

“The interaction between the child

phones and just ignored by the adults around them. I just found it so sad. I just think there is a terrible deep sadness about a child who is ignored in favour of technology looking after it.

“I feel that deep down, psychologically, kids must pick up on the feeling that they

“The child is lonely, the child doesn’t feel any love and the child is not learning language because the iPad is talking to it, not with it – they’re not having a conversation.”

and the parent is of phenomenal importance because all sorts of moral values and feelings of love and comfort and solace and warmth and tenderness are being relayed to the child…

That’s not happening when a child is

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32

Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

www.offspringmagazine.com.au

“Theo was very premature and didn’t

abandoned to technology.”

look to be viable, but he did survive,”

Mem says despite her concerns, there is

Mem recounts.

a still place for a balance of technology and

“His legs were the size of my fingers

books in a child’s life if the experiences are

and he weighed just 1kg.

shared with parents.

“One day, I opened the humidicrib and

“I very much approve of children having no fear of technology, of being able to

looked at his ears and they didn’t stick out

interact with it. I love to let my grandson

like mine. I just loved him so much I just

play certain games on the iPad, literally

wanted to devour him. I said: “I could eat

when I’m cooking sausages and cannot

your little ears, I could nibble on your nose,

leave the stove.

“But even then, he says: ‘Nanny, Nanny, come and look at this’ and I’m always pleased when he wants me to share

“Baby Bedtime is just an absolute outpouring of love. It is the exact opposite of an app.”

particularly like being alone.

“The most wonderful thing about Theo, and it may certainly happen with other children who are immersed in books, is that he never tires of books and he does tire of technology.”

It’s Theo himself who has left an indelible mark on his grandmother. His premature arrival eight weeks early in January 2010 inspired Mem’s latest book, Baby Bedtime.

www.offspringmagazine.com.au

gobble up your toes” and suddenly I realised I’d written the first verse of a poem for him.

“Baby Bedtime is just an absolute outpouring of love. It is the exact opposite of an app.”

his technology with him. He’s used to having an adult interact with him and love him and doesn’t

I could munch your tiny fingers, I could

The doting grandmother says she and husband Malcolm feel “so very lucky” to have had hands-on involvement in Theo’s formative years.

“You know how funny little kids are. It’s side-splitting. And you get so proud of every word that they say and every step that they take.

“As well as the exhaustion, you have all of the joys. It’s a delight, it’s just divine.”

perth | summer 2014 | Offspring

33

FUNNY MUMMY with Ari Chávez

BECOMING MUM

Despite a fight, Ari feels she is turning into her mother.

I

was zipping around Target the other day, trying to find a

Christmas t-shirts, but I only know one person who actually

floaty cellulite-disguising cover-all for trips to the local

likes them. That person proudly buys a Christmas t-shirt every

pool with my energiser-bunny, I mean toddler. I was rifling

year to wear on Christmas Day, and bustles around saying, “Do

through racks of gossamer tents with fake diamonds splattered all over them, when I spotted a shelf full of Christmas t-shirts.

Well. See ya later sparkly-cellulite-tent, hello Mr Claus!

I pounced on the piles of festive shirts – think fat men and

you like my new Christmas t-shirt? I think it’s rather neat!”

That bustling Christmas-t-shirt-person is my Mother.

Bless her.

This means, despite my best and most conscious efforts, I

reindeers and lots of plastic-looking sparkles – wondering if I

am becoming my Mother via an unavoidable genetic blueprint.

should buy a bunch for the whole family so we could sit around

Don’t get me wrong. I love my Mum but I, ahem, don’t want to

on Christmas Day wearing them and giggling at one another

be her. It seems inevitable, however, that I will soon be saying,

because, SO FUNNY!

“What about wearing a nice pair of slacks with that top?” or

I was entranced with this Christmas Day vision until,

“Put some lipstick on dear, you’re starting to look sick!” or “Nice

quite suddenly, I wasn’t. I remembered that I hugely dislike

to see you jazzing up your outfit with some colour after all

Christmas t-shirts because they are the daggiest things on the

those years of wearing black!” As I do not have a daughter, I will

planet, on a par with shorts and long socks and sandals in fact.

probably say these things to my son. And he is only three. It

I then went quite pale when I realised that, not only do I hate

could get weird. Maybe?

I’ve spent a long time trying not to become my Mother, as has my sister. There have been a number of Extremely Earnest conversations about the most effective avoidance strategies. Christmas t-shirts aside, I’m not sure how well it’s working. Everyone thinks everyone is someone else on the phone. My sister thinks I’m Mum, Mum thinks I’m my sister,

This means, despite my best and most conscious efforts, I am becoming my Mother via an unavoidable genetic blueprint.

I think my sister is Mum and Mum is my sister. Everyone calls everyone else “dear” like we’re a bunch of old biddies at a knitting circle, who have forgotten all the jolly names but held on to general niceties.

How does it happen, this becoming-Mum business? One day you’re a hip young thing, if I do say so myself, contemplating buying a moped and holding out hope for that backpacking trip through India, and two seconds later you not only want to walk around in an ill-fitting shirt with a fat man emblazoned across your chest, you want everyone else to join in. Be part of the gang. Contribute to the Christmas jollity. Ho ho ho! We’re all wearing the same shirt! Our shirts have a Christmas theme and we’re wearing them on Christmas Day! How hilarious! Ho ho ho, indeed. That sort of thing.

I’m none the wiser as to how it happens, really. It all seems so inevitable, especially after a certain age. Perhaps I should

34

Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

www.offspringmagazine.com.au

just give in. Stop fighting it. Down tools. Surrender to the transcendental glory of intergenerational Mum-ness.

As well as saying “slacks” and whipping out a red lipstick at any sign of a peaked complexion, I will also have to walk around saying “hmmmm” constantly, and to no one in particular, like I’m giving a commentary – incoherent but a commentary nonetheless – on the general proceedings of the day. Any old day will do. Heck, every old day will do. There are 365 days in the year, and each and every one of them could do with a “hmmmm” or two.

Come to think of it my Mum’s Mum used to “hmmmm” relentlessly

Everyone calls everyone else “dear” like we’re a bunch of old biddies at a knitting circle, who have forgotten all the jolly names but held on to general niceties. too, even between sips of tea. Sip. “Hmmmm.” Sip. “Hmmmm.”

Sip. “Hmmmm.” So there it is. Genetics again. I am probably destined to turn into my Grandmother, “hmmm-ing” and supping tea like nobody’s business, before I tootle off to bowls.

Maybe I’ll take a quick trip back to Target and whizz by the Christmas t-shirts again. Just to make sure that they’re as daggy as I think they are.

Hmmmm.

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perth | summer 2014 | Offspring

35

Fostering love

Real Life

All children should have a safe and secure home environment. The harsh reality is some children can be at risk of harm in the care of their own family.

Tara Dryland looks into Foster Care and introduces some inspiring Australian families that provide a loving home to kids who aren’t their own.

F

oster Care is a form of family-based care for children

training and assessment. Once approved, Foster Carers can

who have experienced trauma, neglect or abuse at

specify the age of the children they are willing to provide care

home and have been removed due to concerns about

for, as well as if they have a preference for providing care to a

their safety, welfare and wellbeing. There are a variety of factors that contribute to parents being unable to adequately

child of a particular gender or cultural background.

The different types of foster care mean that carers do not

provide for their children, including mental health issues, drug

need to be available full-time and can combine the challenging

and alcohol issues, domestic violence or disability.

work of fostering with other commitments.

Thankfully, we have Foster Carers - everyday Australians who have confirmed their commitment to protecting vulnerable children by providing a safe and secure environment and catering to their physical and emotional

Respite care gives full-time foster carers, parents or guardians

needs when their own family cannot. Foster parents provide

a regular break, often for one or two weekends a month, or a

all of a child’s daily necessities and provide them with stability,

week each school holidays.

affection, consistency, and nurturing. Amy Weeks of the Foster

Emergency care is for children who require a placement

Care Program at ANGLICARE says Carers get involved for many

immediately due to concerns for their safety. Care can be for

reasons, including to extend their family or to gain parenting

one night only or more.

experience, but usually just to have the opportunity to provide direct care to children in need.

“We have many carers for whom fostering is their first parenting experience. What matters most is that they are all easily adaptable, child-focused, caring, understanding, flexible and open-minded,” says Amy. The process of becoming an authorised Foster Carer generally takes about six months and involves thorough

36

Types of foster care

Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

Short-term care is for children who may require a placement from a couple of weeks up to 12 months or more while they are on interim court orders. Restoration to birth family will be explored.

Long-term care is a permanency option arranged when a child cannot return home and permanent court orders are made. It is anticipated that a child will grow up in this new family. Adoption by the foster family may be a possibility.

www.offspringmagazine.com.au

Meet the carers Lucy and Edward (both 38)

L

ucy and Edward were inspired by close friends

“Not every child has an ideal environment to grow up in and we just really want to help these kids that need love - that’s easy for us to provide.” Edward Hercus “We are responsible for everything just as though the

who had fostered dozens of

child was our own. It’s a huge responsibility.”

children and after seeing an

The couple love documenting the whole process

advertisement at their church they decided to become foster carers.

Since becoming short-term foster carers in August 2011,

and take tons of photographs and videos of special things the babies do and say. “We feel that’s really important for the

they have cared for four young babies and currently care for

kids,” Edward shares. “We are privy to so much; their first

a baby girl with high medical needs. Lucy explains: “Often

steps and words. We have an obligation to record that and

these babies are victims of substance abuse whether it’s

pass it on and it helps our own children to get involved and

alcohol or narcotics in utero, so we have had situations

to understand.”

where we have fostered a newborn straight out of hospital.

In most instances the family have chosen not to keep

We’re not always told of the situation they’ve come from

in contact with the child once they leave their care and

but obviously we care for them like our own. In our current

have decided it’s better for their own family if they just

situation, the little girl’s medical needs became evident as

say goodbye. “It is absolutely heartbreaking to have the

we got to know her.”

kids leave us, but the goal is to find permanent care. It’s

The couple also have four children of their own and

impossible not to get attached but we know it’s not forever.

Lucy brings relevant experience with her job as a Doula. As

We’re just really passionate about helping children. Not

short-term carers, Lucy and Edward can foster children from

every child has an ideal environment to grow up in and we

periods of two weeks up to two years but say each child

just really want to help these kids that need love - that’s

becomes a firm part of their family no matter the time-frame.

easy for us to provide.”

Onslow Road Pharmacy is now bigger and better Onslow Road Pharmacy has recently expanded to improve your shopping experience. The pharmacy has taken a family friendly approach, with a dedicated kids corner to entertain while you shop. There are dedicated and passionate staff in all areas of the pharmacy, from gifts, to vitamins, to prescription and health advice. Many of the staff have children and are understanding to the needs of families. Onslow Road Pharmacy has an extensive range of quality gifts, for newborns through to the great grandparents of newborns!

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perth | summer 2014 | Offspring

37

Di and John Waddington (retired)

D

had before. We’re firm but fair. Once they know

i and John have been fostering

they’re going to be fed and cared for and loved, they

for more than 12 years and

relax and settle in.”

Di and John are valuable carers not only

have provided crisis, respite and

because of the high quality of care they provide

temporary care for more than 35 children of varying ages and

but also their flexibility and openness to a

needs and from a huge range of

variety of children. “We’ve had children

backgrounds.

for just one night or for longer occasions

Preferring to take on a grandparent-like role, the couple encourage the children to call them as such and still remain in contact with many children they’ve cared

spanning a few years; each one of them becomes a part of the family instantly.”

Di says a favourite part of the process is to create a

for, acting as informal grandparents and taking them on

‘Life Story Book’, an album filled with photos, stories

outings and attending special days at school. Although

and letters for the children to keep once they move to

it’s hard work, they say it’s so rewarding and that all the

permanent care. “It’s my little way of showing how much

positives outweigh any negatives.

I have enjoyed them. I have to do it for them and their

“It can be difficult to prepare yourself for the children’s challenging behaviours, but at the end of the day, it’s not

new carers, otherwise, who else will know these special memories?”

about me,” Di says. “We’re there to provide patience, love, boundaries and consistency, things these kids have never

“We’re firm but fair. Once they know they’re going to be fed and cared for and loved, they relax and settle in.” Di Waddington

Karen (46)

W

hen Karen reached the age of 39 and couldn’t have a biological child, she applied to foster a child of

any age or gender – her motivation was simply to parent.

Her application was successful and Karen became the

Montessori Education for 3–12 year olds

Nurture Your Child’s Uniqueness at Chrysalis Picturesquely nestled in Herdsman Lake, Chrysalis is a sustainable school that puts your child’s individual learning needs first.

Chrysalis is a Montessori School with a close-knit, child-centric community that takes a holistic approach to learning.

Celebrating differences, Chrysalis fosters individual growth and a lifelong love of learning. Academic achievement is equally valued alongside social

capability, practical life skills, independent and creative thinking.

Chrysalis kids are self motivated learners that develop at their own pace. They thrive in the multi-aged classrooms and learn to confidently interact across all ages and levels in the community.

To enrol or for more information call (08) 9444 6025 or visit www.chrysalis.wa.edu.au 38

Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

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Real Life Karen’s foster child has thrived in her care, overcoming academic challenges and transitioning into adolescence as a confident and well-adjusted young girl. full-time carer to an eight year old girl (now 13), who will remain in her care fulltime at least until she is 18 and probably beyond.

Karen’s openness to children of all ages highlights her uniqueness. “I am a parent to a child in every sense of the word,” she says. I make daily, medium and long-term decisions on her health, happiness and education and help her with any problems or issues she may have. We are a

always inform them of big events in her life and seek input

family, just like any other.”

from them if it’s needed.”

Karen’s foster child has thrived in her

Karen says there are definite challenges to fostering, namely dealing with the child’s parents’ feelings toward the child being in care and toward Karen as a carer, but she is lucky to have the support of her own family. “My child comes from a family that we see regularly; she is very much loved by her biological parents and grandparents. I

WANT TO BECOME A FOSTER CARER?

To talk to someone about foster care call 1800 367 837. Or visit www.anglicare.org.au for a Foster Parenting Information and Application pack

care, overcoming academic challenges and transitioning into adolescence as a confident and well-adjusted young girl.

“I’m so thankful to be able to parent a child, to watch her thrive in my care, to guide her to be the best person she can be and to be rewarded with love and thanks.

It’s the best.”

For all your kids fur niture, linen, clothing, toys & gifts.

NB – 7yrs clothing Wooden Toys Baby Gifts Gift Vouchers & Laybys Karrinyup store open Sundays

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perth | summer 2014 | Offspring

39

Caring with Mercy Why should we care? How the general population views fostering of children

T

he understanding and awareness

Whilst there was a view that many

of fostering is considered to be an

people who express an interest in

important influence on potential

fostering are guided by a strong interest

in the carer’s family and career.

foster carers and indeed their motivation

in providing a loving home and family to

MercyCare aims to break down these

and commitment to undertake such

children, giving something back to their

beliefs by providing a service that enables

a special and unique role within our

community and wanting to protect and

positive outcomes for children in care and

community.

keep children safe, there is also evidence

their families and carers. Staff, volunteers

which showed there are beliefs about

and carers are all encouraged to share

University of Oxford conducted an

fostering which can deter people from

stories of the amazing transformations

international literature review on the

finding out about becoming a foster carer.

they see in these families and children.

Recently, the Rees Centre at the

motivation to foster. The review published

These are: No one wants to be around

Those seeking information about

in September this year reveals some

children who are in care; Children will

fostering are given information by a team

very significant information surrounding

lose their friendships and networks;

of experienced and dedicated carers

community beliefs and understandings

Carers are just driven by economic gain;

and professional staff who talk openly

of what foster caring looks like within our

Agencies do no support carers enough;

to interested people about the world of

current community.

and Foster children will cause disruption

foster care.

If you are interested in becoming a foster carer or just have a few questions, the staff at MercyCare are more than happy to chat with you. Please contact them on 9442 3439 or email fosteringservices@mercycare.com.au.

There’s care...

Can you share your life with a child?

MercyCare’s Fostering Services are currently looking for foster carers from all walks of life. Whether you’re single, male or female, a couple with or without children - you can become a valuable part of a child’s life.

For more information contact us today

s ’ e r e h t and

e r a C y c Mer

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Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

T 9442 3439 E fosteringservices@mercycare.com.au W www.mercycare.com.au

www.offspringmagazine.com.au

Toddlerfest Indulge all your child’s ‘why’ and ‘how’ questions by bringing them to the home of curiosity and inquisitiveness – Scitech!

T

oddlerfest is on again from the 10th to 23rd of February, turning the centre into an exclusive haven for children from 0 to 5 years of age.

This event is all about ‘learning through play’, using simple activities to help

enhance a child’s learning and encourage young developing minds.

The essence of Scitech’s Discoverland will be stretched into every corner of the centre, with a plethora of activities for young children including a petting zoo full of baby animals, daily puppet shows on the big stage, play-dough creations and bubble-blowing.

It’s not all about the tots though with Mum and Dad also able to use the opportunity to tap into a range of helpful resources and connections from several notfor-profit and community groups including Ngala, Community Child Health Nurses, Kidsafe WA and

For information on ticket prices, group bookings and other enquiries visit www.scitech.org.au or call 9215 0740.

Playgroup WA. Free parking is available at the City West complex that houses Scitech (including in the undercroft area) and a pram park area is also allocated within the centre.

inating events to inspi re, educate Fasc

and captivate 0-5 year olds

S AC TIVITIE

als Baby anim gh Play-dou nce ie Bubble sc e Baby zon

FEBRUARY

11-2 4

ADVICE ON THE BIG

STAG

E Engaging pe rformances on the big st age

GENERAL ADMISSION Children under 4 years ....................FREE Children 4-15......................................... $11 Concession............................................. $14 Adults ...................................................... $17 Limited space for prams inside.

www.offspringmagazine.com.au

ity child Communurses n h lt a he Ngala p WA Playgrou A W fe sa id K innings g e B r e Bett

PLUS MUCH

MORE!

AVOID THE QUEUES BUY TICKETS ONLINE Parking is free for Scitech visitors. We recommend you park in the undercroft area, however, there is also open-air parking available.

Please ask for free parking validation on arrival at our ticket office.

For more information please call Scitech Bookings on 9215 0740.

Full program timetable on the Scitech website.

perth | summer 2014 | Offspring

41

DAD’S WORLD

with Gary Ausbruch

TAKING CHARGE Gary takes charge of the house and kids while his wife has a well-deserved break.

E

ven though The Omnipotent One was thousands of kilometres away, enjoying a well-deserved break from her two children and occasional third child – me – I could still

hear her voice loud and clear, and feel her eyes trained on my back. Make sure they wash their hands. Take a jumper for them in case it gets cold. They have to eat at least three quarters of their salad before they get dessert. Yes, that brand of apple juice might be cheaper but it’s got bad numbers in it. Do either of them have itchy bottoms? Do you?

It was the first time she’d been away from me and the kids, and the first time I was left completely in charge for more than a day.

I was a little daunted, but let me say, completely in charge felt pretty good. Actually, it felt really good. Finally, I had the chance to put my mark on things a bit more. Only for nine days mind you, and I intended to follow the instructions she’d kindly left on the planner in the kitchen, and I certainly intended to heat up the meals she’d left in the freezer, but my brain was ticking over, identifying the areas where the rules could afford to bend a little.

There’s something about being left alone that triggers a

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rebellious switch in me. It’s remained with me since I was a kid, and my mate Vince and I used to steal cigarettes from his dad’s stash when he was out. And when my brother and I swigged sips from those obscure liqueur bottles in the liquor cabinet, finally old enough for our parents to leave us home alone to go out on a Saturday night. And when I first moved out of home and could finally put the music on full

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Call 9440 1771 or visit www.wcss.wa.edu.au 42

Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

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blast in my bedroom so I could hear it in the shower. Being left alone reminds me of youth, discovery and opportunity. And now that The Omnipotent One was half a world away, I could almost taste the Horizon

Being left alone reminds me of youth, discovery and opportunity.

And now that The Omnipotent One was half a world away, I could almost taste the Horizon 50s and Tia Maria.

This is of course, not to say that the way The Omnipotent One operates isn’t right, or effective. Except for perhaps the dishwasher thing. It’s just not the way I roll, or would roll if I had absolute rolling discretion.

The Omnipotent One arrived back during the

50s and Tia Maria.

night, visibly impressed with the state of the house

It wasn’t as if I was going to throw a party though. Given my primary, well pretty much only,

– better than just still standing, and the kids – not just alive,

responsibility was to keep our kids alive, the craziest I was

but healthy and sleeping soundly. I was congratulated and

going to get would have to be limited to putting my stamp

genuinely felt proud that I’d managed without her.

on daily tasks. I would have to get my thrills from things like

She lingered as she looked in at the kids. “It’s a cool night,”

the washing. This I chose to do infrequently, conjuring up

she said. “Why are they wearing short pyjamas?” I opened

fond memories of the overflowing, broken-under-the-weight-

my mouth, but waivered. It didn’t seem right that I attempt

of-dirty-clothes plastic laundry basket from my bachelor

to cling to power when she was the one who puts the

days. School lunch making would occur the night before,

majority of the daily effort into making sure our children are

so as to generate an invaluable extra 15 minutes sleep-in

as happy, healthy and comfortable as possible, and does an

each morning. Dishwasher stacking would be undertaken

amazing job of it.

immediately upon finishing a meal instead of being left in the

The next day, I put them in their flannelette pyjamas for

sink with water and bits of food in them. Being a hot sleeper,

bed, and the day after, my beard was off. I had enjoyed my

the kids would wear cool, summer pyjamas to bed like me,

time in charge, but realised I just didn’t need it. Eventually,

even though it was an unseasonably cold spring. I grew a

even the rebellious learn that the home is a place for

beard, which I normally don’t do if I know what’s good for me.

harmony, not revolution.

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perth | summer 2014 | Offspring

43

INTERNET PICKS

Our internet picks SHOPPING online is fun and convenient. Now there is fantastic range of fashion items and great buys for the family. However, looking for good-quality sites can be overwhelming with such a large number from which to choose.

Finding your way around can be daunting! We’ve provided a few good Australian sites, including a couple from WA, which offer a great range of stylish, beautiful and practical items to help point you in the right direction.

www.minippl.com

“My child looks like a fashionista without the usual price tag!” – happy mum Minippl is an online store for little princesses and princes offering gorgeous clothes to suit the everyday occasion or those times when your little one takes centre stage! Our collection caters for sizes 2 to 6, with a range of outfits from tutu sets to tights and cardigans. Visit us online today.

Like us on facebook to keep up to date with new products and promotions.

Contact: minippl@live.com

Free delivery throughout Australia with no minimum order.

www.teesh.com.au Teesh is an online store providing practical, simple and colourful accessories for tween girls. Their product ranges from necklaces to customised bookmarks. It makes a perfect birthday gift or stocking filler.

• Flat rate shipping fee of $5 Australia wide • 30 day return policy

Use code “OFFSPRING15” at checkout to receive 15% off your total order.

www.asterandruby.com.au

Tucked away in Dolphin Quay, Mandurah, you’ll find a little boutique called Aster & Ruby.

Filled with gorgeous handmade and Australian designed products for babies, women and children, this is a shop not to be missed. In store you’ll find clothing, gifts, toys, nursery, maternity, shoes, accessories and so much more!

Shop 5 Dolphin Quay, 37 Dolphin Drive Mandurah Ocean Marina

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Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

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INTERNET PICKS

www.cutelittlebubs.com.au Cute Little Bubs is a WA based online boutique offering an affordable and stylish range of baby and children’s clothing and accessories.

Our range includes Australian and International labels including an organic cotton range.

We cater for Newborns through to 10 year olds.

Contact: 0416 292 427 Email: cutelittlebubs@hotmail.com

Enter Offspring at the checkout to receive 15% off your order

www.uberandklein.com.au

If you’ve had a chance to walk through their pop-up shops, you’ll be so happy to know you can now shop their fabulous range from your arm chair! You’ll find a wide range of popular brands, but most surprisingly, brands not seen before as they scour the globe to find new delights for your super (+8) and small kids.

Where will they pop up next? Choice retailer for brands you love like Mini Melissa Shoes, Micro Scooters, Nutcase Helmets. *pre-order for Feb delivery Mini Melissa Shoes is a must* We also love that you receive free shipping as a subscriber!

www.choodie.com

Choodies are made from 100% organic towelling and are just the thing for wrapping up in after a beautiful day at the beach or a busy session at the pool.

The sleeves and zip ensure that play is not interrupted and you and your little ones can hop in the car or on the bus, and head home without the hassle of cumbersome towels!

These beautiful beach robes are designed in Fremantle, and made by an environmentally and socially ethical manufacturer in Turkey.

www.skiptomylou.com.au

Skip to my Lou is a Perthbased online boutique stocking some of the coolest clothing, accessories and giftware from Australia and around the world for babies and children aged 0-8. Brands include Mini Rodini, Sudo, Bobo Choses, Moi, Paper Wings, ESP No.1, Coco & Ginger, Beau Loves, Fabrik, Mini & Maximus and Little Titians just to name a few! contact@skiptomylou.com.au

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perth | summer 2014 | Offspring

45

PREGNANCY & BIRTH

Learn and grow with Playgroup WA!

Cycling away from Gestational Diabetes For some pregnant women, exercise can be a struggle.

But with the help of UWA physiologists and researchers, pregnant Perth women are getting fitter in a study aimed at preventing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

T

he UWA Cycle Study began more than two years ago as a clinical trial to investigate

the effects of a 14-week, supervised, home-based exercise program on the incidence of gestational diabetes in pregnant woman. The study recruits pregnant volunteers with a history of GDM and provides participants with a stationary bike between weeks 14 and 28 of their pregnancy. An exercise physiologist visits the participants three times a week and aims to build their fitness levels throughout the program. Best of all, the program is free.

Many women across WA who have participated in the program have subsequently avoided a diagnosis of GDM in their pregnancy. Morella Rey, of Canning Vale, participated in the study in 2012 and avoided a gestational diabetes

A Playgroup is a group of parents and caregivers who meet with their children and babies in a relaxed and friendly environment.

Find your nearest playgroup at www.playgroupwa.com.au

diagnosis following completion of the program. “I believe the Cycle Study had a very positive impact on my pregnancy”, Morella says. “I felt more energetic from the beginning of the exercise program and much fitter by the end.”

GDM is a complication that affects 10 per cent of all pregnancies and has serious health consequences for both mother and child. Women with a history

“I recommend 100 per cent to join the study.

It is beneficial for you, your baby and it has a very positive effect on your family as well.” of gestational diabetes are five times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes in the future and put their children at risk of diabetes and metabolic diseases

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The Cycle Study’s exercise program has also been designed to help busy, and previously sedentary, mums achieve a regular exercise regimen. Pregnant women with children can find it hard to find time to exercise, compounded by other factors like morning sickness and fatigue. Morella says, “As a result of the program, I’m keen to keep physically active after the birth of my baby”.

Women who were previously affected by GDM who are currently planning to get pregnant or are less than 14 weeks pregnant can volunteer for The Cycle Study until mid-2014. Volunteers are randomly selected for either the exercise program or the control group (the control group does not receive treatment but is used as a benchmark to measure the participant’s results).

1800 171 882

“I recommend 100 per cent to join the study. It is beneficial for you, your baby

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and it has a very positive effect on your family as well,” says Morella.

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/thecyclestudy or call the research midwives on (08) 9340 1705.

Offspring_Dec13_Vertical70mmx297mm.indd 1

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BABIES

B r ea st success

Celebrating 50 years of breastfeeding support in Australia

IMAGE: MICHELLE FULCHER; INSPIRED IMAGES

reastfeeding, while natural, is a learned skill. It

B

seek help straight away. Most challenges can

used to be a skill watched and learned from

be overcome with help.

our own mothers, sisters and aunties. But

many parents-to-be nowadays have grown up missing

HOW TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT BREASTFEEDING OR GET HELP

out on this traditional learning.

• Become an Australian Breastfeeding

The Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA),

Association member and access help and

formerly the Nursing Mothers’ Association, was founded by

support from antenatal classes through to the early weeks,

six mothers frustrated by the lack of breastfeeding

returning to work, introducing solids and much more.

information and advice available in 1964. Fifty years on, more

• Call ABA’s 24-hour Breastfeeding Helpline on 1800 686 268.

than 800 ABA volunteer breastfeeding counsellors provide

• Come along to an ABA group get-together in your local area.

mother-to-mother support to more than 80,000 women

• Check out the huge range of information on the ABA website

around Australia each year.

www.breastfeeding.asn.au

TIPS FOR LEARNING TO BREASTFEED:

• Talk to your midwife if you are in hospital, a lactation

• Most babies breastfeed within an hour of being born, so it

consultant or your child health nurse.

helps to learn what to do well before your baby is due.

• Healthy, full-term babies are ‘hard-wired’ to find their way to the breast. If you hold your baby skin-to-skin on your chest, between your breasts and wait a little while, you are likely to find that she attaches to feed all by herself.

• If you prefer to help your baby to attach, hold your baby

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close to you, chest to chest and chin to breast with your nipple opposite baby’s nose. Gently brush your baby’s mouth with the underside of your areola (the darker area around your nipple). Your baby should open his mouth wide when you do this. Make sure that your nipple and as much as possible of your areola is in baby’s mouth. If you are finding breastfeeding painful or uncomfortable

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AUSTRALIA’S LEADING ONLINE BOUTIQUE & LIFESTYLE OUTFITTER FOR 0-6 YEAR OLDS.

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(Excludes furniture and bulky items.)

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47

CELEBRITY BABY SCOOP

7

Celebrity Pregnancy

Confessions

By CelebrityBabyScoop

While pregnancy can be a joyous time, it can also present some odd symptoms and fears.

F

Jenna Dewan-Tatum: Handsome couple Jenna Dewan-Tatum and Channing Tatum welcomed

rom Jenna Dewan-Tatum‘s hormonal dreams, to

their first child – daughter

Kim Kardashian‘s wacky food cravings, to Kristin

Everly – on May 31. During

Cavallari‘s delivery dilemma, let’s hear from seven

her pregnancy, Jenna

celebrity mums and their pregnancy confessions.

shared a wacky pregnancy dream.

Kim Kardashian:

“OK my fellow preggars

Kim Kardashian and boyfriend

ladies... about these

Kanye West welcomed their first

hormonal dreams,” she

child – daughter North West –

posted on Twitter. “Is

on June 15. The first-time mum

it normal to fly on a magic carpet while

admitted that pregnancy wasn’t

presenting at Golden Globes?? Lol.”

exactly a walk in the park.

“Being pregnant is not as easy as my sister [Kourtney

plan didn’t exactly go as she had hoped when

Kardashian] made it look or

it was time to deliver Camden, her first child

as my mum [Kris Jenner] has

with Jay Cutler.

made it look,” Kim admits.

As for her pregnancy cravings? “I’m craving carrots and ranch dressing,” she said.

“[Childbirth] hurt like a bitch and felt like period cramps, but ten times worse,” Kristin says.

And when it came time to deliver her son,

“I used to love sweets, I used

she didn’t want her football star hubby to

to love chocolate, can’t even

see the birth. “I was like, ‘You’re going to be

eat chocolate!”

behind me. You’re not going to see anything,’”

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48

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Jessica Simpson: New mum-of-two Jessica Simpson

was like, ‘Oh, no, no. He’s

accidentally revealed the gender of her second baby – son

going to hold your leg. I

Ace Knute – in March 2013.

was like, ‘Oh, no, he’s not.’

“The crazy thing is I never

She was like, ‘It’s different

knew a wiener could make

when it’s your own’.”

me nauseous,” Jessica quips.

Snooki: In her signature

different pregnancy. I

quirky style, Nicole

just feel awful, I’ve been

“Snooki” Polizzi gives

vomiting,” says Jessica,

graphic details of her son

also mum to 16-month-old

CELEBRITY BABY SCOOP

she says. “And the nurse

She added: “It’s a totally

Lorenzo’s August 2012 birth.

“When my water broke,

daughter Maxwell with fiancé Eric Johnson.

I thought it would be like [gushing],” she shares.

Snooki adds: “But I was just

Kristen Bell: Star couple Kristen Bell and Dax

like, peeing my pants every two

Shepard welcomed their first child – daughter Lincoln

seconds. I didn’t know what was

– on March 28.

going on! I couldn’t control it,

“I’ve got nothing to prove” by giving birth naturally, she joked

and I was like ‘I think my water

in January. “I feel like, when I arrive at the hospital, I want a

broke’.” I was in labour for 27

glass of whiskey, I want the epidural in my back and I want to

hours, but I didn’t feel anything

get hit in the face with a baseball bat and wake me up when it’s

because I got the epidural.”

over because I’ve seen the videos - and it looks terrifying.”

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49

CELEBRITY BABY SCOOP

That being said, she

thought I was gonna be

loved pregnancy and said

really tough and make

her “self-esteem has never

it, I was gonna labour to

been higher”.

like 8 cm . . . but the first

“I look in the mirror and I think it’s the reverse body dysmorphia,” she added,

contraction that I got was horrific!”

And it sounds like

“because I can understand

the pain left no time for

what my shape is, but I see

beautifying pre-birth.

Brooke Shields. And it doesn’t make a lick of sense, but it’s

“I had wet hair so I was

something that the baby’s giving me hormonally makes me

trying to blow-dry my hair

feel really giggly and happy”.

before I went to the hospital,” she laughs.

“I didn’t want to go to the hospital with wet hair!”

Megan Fox: This is 40 star Megan Fox opened up about giving birth naturally to her son Noah Shannon.

“I was screaming for an epidural when Brian was driving me to the hospital because my water broke on its own,” the actress says of Noah’s September 27 birth. “It was level orange alert pain.”

With husband Brian Austin Green by her side, Megan (currently pregnant with the couple’s second child) says the pain was “horrific”.

“It hurts so bad,” she shares. “It was so intense. And I

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www.offspringmagazine.com.au

EARLY CHILDHOOD

Making a sustainable, home-based business We discover how this WA Educator turns her love of all things sustainable into a small business that benefits children from her local community.

A

manda was a teacher’s

Pallets. They are incredibly engaged

care in a family-like venue. In turn,

assistant before starting

and happy, as is Amanda, who is

the community plays an active role

her own Family Day Care.

turning her interest into a sustainable

in the local family day care. Amanda

educational oasis and business.

is also involved in her community

She wanted independence and the flexibility of running her own business.

“We provide educational care within

of Educators, sitting on the Educator

She now runs a home-based business

a fun and social environment, which

Advisory Group for Elite Childcare

providing care to children from her

I believe is so important in a child’s

Solutions ensuring she provides

local community of Dardanup. In

growth and development,” she says.

valuable feedback from an Educator’s

planning activities for children in

“Each child is unique and we try to

perspective on changes that affect

her care, Amanda has integrated her

encourage this with our activities,

Educators.

passion for sustainability, craft and the

while listening to their likes and

natural treasures in her backyard.

interests. We encourage activities to be

Children in her care take you on tours of worms, compost, chickens,

sustainable or incorporate aspects of sustainability.”

vege patches, herb gardens and point

The community and its families

out the current projects with recycling

now can stay local and receive quality

For more information on becoming an Educator like Amanda and for your opportunity to earn an income without leaving home call 1300 796 399.

Educators are in high demand and there are low set-up costs.

The firsT choice sports programs for 18 months - 7 years

R

www.junglesports.com.au (08) 9499 1800

www.offspringmagazine.com.au

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perth | summer 2014 | Offspring

51

This Globe rug is hand crochet and done in layers to create the world map look. 125cm Diam. Made from 100% Cotton. RRP: $350 + delivery, www.ladedahkids.com.au

Balloon ornament rainbow 18cm. RRP: $69. www.incyinteriors.com.au

Love Mae ‘Floating Feathers’ fabric wall decal. Add a soft touch of floating feathers to your walls. Individual feathers vary in length from 15-22cm. RRP: $46.95, Stork’s Corner, www.storkscorner.com.au

Summertime

Be creative with your kids these holidays by making some easy changes to their bedroom. Simply hanging a storage basket, a garland, chalkboard or a set of unique prints off the wall can brighten up their space.

A4 print by Sweet William. ‘She climbs mountains.’ RRP: $30, Story Boutique, Floreat Forum

Tiger tribe inflatable globe. 50cm Diam.

RRP: $20, Henry Hiccups, Leederville

Pink and Mint or Green and Cream crochet baskets.

These baskets are made from the finest 100% cotton yarn - giving them durable and also washable properties. Baskets come in one size and fit nicely in to the Cube shelving units. Great for storing toys, books, clothing and footwear. 100% cotton basket large carry handles. 29cmH 34cm Diam. RRP: $65, www.ladedahkids.com.au

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Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

Gorgeous A4 print by Sweet William. ‘Dance with the wind.’ RRP: $30, Story Boutique, Floreat Forum

‘A Mother’s love (tree design).’ Print

by Sweet Willam.

RRP: $30, Story Boutique, Floreat Forum

Black chalkboards. This design features a little girl and her zebra friend. Supplied with a short rope attached for hanging.

Looks great and is useful for writing notes or having fun with chalk drawings. RRP: $39, Story Boutique, Floreat Forum

All Colour Garland. The garland is made using a mixture of felt spots (wool and acrylic) as well as some cotton fabric spots.

Each strip is machine sewn and attached to cotton tape. RRP: $198, www.lillylolly.com.au

Vintage inspired; whimsical children’s art that celebrates the innocence of childhood.

‘Icecream’ print. RRP: from $25 - $75, Sosi, Eighth Avenue, Maylands.

Wire Baskets. Decorative and practical. RRP: From $22.00 www.lillylolly.com.au

‘By air’ Petit Collage Print on wood. RRP: $7, Archie and Evie, North Beach.

‘Tree’ Petit Collage print on wood. Printed on sustainably grown, chemical-free maple veneer.

All custom framed in hardwood timber with shatterproof acrylic pane. Measures 30 cm x 35.5 cm. $70, Archie and Evie, Flora Terrace, North Beach.

Hand Crochet Horizontal stripe rug. Made from 100% cotton and approx 125 cm wide. These rugs can be hand washed and then need to be dried flat. RRP: $180, www.ladedahkids.com.au

Pink splice bean bag. These bean bags make a perfect accessory to a Childs room. 100% cotton can be warm hand wash . Beans not included. D50 x H98 cm. RRP: $110, www.ladedahkids.com.au

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Versatile foam Bed Bumper that stops children rolling out of bed Simple to use and lightweight Great Bed Divider to make Bed sharing easy Perfect for travel, making a standard bed a Bumper Buddy Bed. Check out the website for more info:

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Ned wall box. Perfect to mount next to a bed to host a lamp and your favourite bedtime story. Designed and made in Australia with no assembly required.

35cm W x 25cm H x 20cm D. Material: Tassie Oak Veneer. Backing Colours: Red, Orange, Green & Yellow RRP: $150, www.lillylolly.com.au

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perth | summer 2014 | Offspring

53

OUR COMMUNITY

It pays to

be kind ‘Where are the Statistics on Kindness?’ asks Playgroup WA CEO, David Zarb.

I

recently read a report from the US which described how a young father was so impressed with how a single mother with three children managed during dinner that he

anonymously paid her restaurant bill and left her a gift card and congratulatory note.

My first reaction was how unusual it was to hear something nice in the news but then I had dark thoughts along the lines

Probably because I spend so much time looking at research,

of ‘have things got that bad in our world that a simple act of

the next obvious question was, “How would you know if

kindness is now news?’

kindness was going up or down?’. There are probably people out there studying this very subject but I haven’t seen any charts or graphs. I have seen plenty of reports on rates of murder, burglary, police crime clearances, cancer, obesity levels, school test results. In fact just about anything you can think of except the nice things we do for each other.

‘Well so what?’ you might say, everyone knows that most news is bad news and the last thing we need is more statistics.

Since we all care about our children, it actually matters very much as there is a lot of research that suggests that the life outcomes of children are significantly impacted by how their broader community is going. Whilst we are now used to all the reports telling us that family is the single biggest influence on children’s lives (not that many of these explain why), the idea that the whole community around children is also a big factor, can be scary. After all I can’t control the community, can I? Before you rush off to increase the mortgage to move to a better suburb, social capital has nothing to do with money.

Social capital is a term that was developed to describe

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54

Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

the social relationships between people and families and institutions such as schools within communities. Researchers

“Before you rush off to increase the mortgage to move to a better suburb, social capital has nothing to do with money.”

www.offspringmagazine.com.au

OUR COMMUNITY

“There are plenty of reasons for the (social) decline including increased working hours and longer travel times and, in WA in particular, we live further from family and friends than ever before”.

amazing. To all those who go to the local council meeting to talk about the local parks and playgrounds, we need you.

Still we might not all be able to be on a committee but there a million other things we can do. We can say hello to people who share our community, we can say something nice to people we see doing good things, we can talk to parents and children and help make our streets a friendlier place.

Even the couple in Fremantle that told me how great it was to see a grandfather out with his grandchildren as I was

“To all those who buck the trend and keep your local playgroup and sports club going you are heroes.”

walking with my Jordan and Millie one day, how refreshing to be acknowledged, even if they were my children not grandchildren. I must have been looking a bit tired after the use a number of measures to come

trip to the park! The simple reality is that the community is us

up with an overall score. These

and we are the community and we all have a part to play in our

measures include participation

children’s future. Every little bit counts!

and volunteering in the local community; feelings of trust and safety; and social support networks.

Now I’m thinking that all of that connection implies some quality kindness somewhere but what is really interesting is that these

community qualities have been shown in many studies to have a strong influence on things such as education outcomes, developmental and behavioural outcomes for pre-school children, crime rates, youth employment rates and youth crime. What is even more compelling is that even in wealthy communities, those who have higher social capital will produce better outcomes for children. In disadvantaged communities the gains for children are even higher.

The most worrying thing about the social capital research is that there is general agreement in the research that social capital is in decline. There is less volunteering and people don’t spend as much time with neighbours or family for that matter.

There are plenty of reasons for the decline including increased working hours and longer travel times and, in WA in particular, we live further from family and friends than ever before.

To all those who buck the trend and keep your local playgroup and sports club going you are heroes. To all those who keep the school Parents and Citizens group and Surf Lifesaving clubs going, your work and your commitment are

www.offspringmagazine.com.au

perth | summer 2014 | Offspring

55

HEALTH & FITNESS

Need for speed?

Interested in getting fit, but short on time?

Mel Hearse road tests Speedfit’s electro muscular stimulation (EMS) system that claims to give you all the benefits of three to four hours exercise in a quick 20 minute session.

W

hen it comes to health and fitness, I come from

stronger and more intense than what you’d achieve with

the cynical, old school line of thought that you

weights and cardio alone - you’re actually doing 1200 muscle

get out what you put in. While I completely agree

contractions during a 20 minute session (150 per muscle

we all have different metabolisms, body types, shapes and

group), which you are going to notice! The other reason it is a

sizes, the amount of exercise we get and our diet plays an

more efficient way to train? Because all the muscles are being

inevitable (and considerable) role in how our bodies look and

worked out at once, you don’t need to spend twenty minutes

how healthy we are. Having spent the last few years getting

per muscle group, which quickly adds up.

sporadic exercise, eating a lot of healthy foods, but also putting a 14 year old boy to shame when it comes to my capacity for

WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE?

chocolate biscuits, it’s of no surprise to me that I’m carrying

When you arrive at the Speedfit studio, you put on the special

more weight than I’m used to. I’ve recently started riding my

cotton training suit (which can be hired or purchased).

bike everywhere, have upped the amount of fruit and veggies I

Moistened electrodes are then attached to the major muscle

keep in the house, while decreasing the biscuit consumption.

groups, using a vest that is tightened like a girdle for the upper

Sure enough, I’m starting to slowly notice a difference. So when

body, a belt around the glutes and straps around the legs and

I was offered the chance to trial Speedfit’s EMS system, I was

biceps. Once you are plugged into the system, your trainer will

keen to fast-track my fitness journey and curious as to whether

take you through a one-on-one traning session using simple,

or not it would work as promised.

static exercises including lunges, squats and arm raises, while

As soon as the first pulse went through and all my muscles

the impulses contract your muscles in a four seconds on, four

contracted at once, I worked out why the claims are both

seconds off rhythm. The trainer can adjust the strength of the

true and logical. Roland Safar, owner and trainer at Speedfit

impulses for each body part to suit your comfort levels. I have

explains. During EMS training, 90 per cent of muscles are

weak core muscles and relatively strong legs and glutes (or so I

activated at the same time, and the muscle contractions are

thought until the following morning) and I was able to tolerate much deeper contractions on these areas. Roland explains that while the system is suitable to train every muscle passively, even in a lying position, you’ll see the best results if you work out actively while your muscles are being stimulated through the electrodes as the combined training increases the tension.

As well as being time efficient, I found the system had a few other big benefits over traditional exercise.

“It’s very good for strengthening pelvic floor muscles, we’ve seen some amazing success with incontinence issues, and my wife had her stomach muscles back very quickly after giving birth, using the system.” Roland Safar, Speedfit 56

Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

HEALTH & FITNESS

IS IT FOR EVERYONE? EMS is safe for most people to use, though Roland does caution it is not safe for pregnant women, or until you have been cleared for exercise post birth, as well as a few other health conditions, that would also prevent some people from participating in conventional sport.

Interested?

Contact: Roland Safar Because the electrodes are doing the work perfectly, I didn’t have to worry

Phone: 0402 850 308

about injuring myself with poor form, particularly on weaker muscle groups.

Email: roland@speedfitness.com.au

Another bonus is the low impact nature of the exercise, which means it puts

Web: www.speedfitness.com.au

no strain on tendons or joints.

Visit: 8/325 Newcastle Street, Northbridge

DOES IT WORK?

Opening hours

Roland says they’ve seen clients make huge progress on areas that have

8.00am – 7.00pm, Monday to Friday

been causing pain, particularly back pain, or a weak core. “It’s very good for

8.00am – 5.00pm, Saturdays

strengthening pelvic floor muscles, we’ve seen some amazing success with

All other times by appointment

incontinence issues, and my wife had her stomach muscles back very quickly after giving birth, using the system.”

The science behind it is strong. Roland says numerous studies have shown the effectiveness of EMS training, noting even those new to training see and feel tangible results in very little time, and while investing only 15 to 20 minutes per week. Muscle building is also accepted as an effective way to

Fun and Learning too!

burn fat, as well as sculpting muscle and building tone.

“An innovative Australian Program” American acadamy of Pediatrics

In my experience? After only one session, I did notice a difference in my posture – I was sitting up and walking much

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woke up with very stiff glutes, and the last time I had achieved that feeling was after spending a full day in the gym. The day after that, probably because my glutes had stopped screaming so loudly, I noticed my calves were quite stiff and more defined.

Considering I had done no more than a few basic squats and lunges on the day, and I am used to doing a lot more than that without experiencing any stiffness, the electrodes are clearly doing something. I’ll also add that I certainly felt I’d done more than 20 minutes of gentle exercise when I was done!

The verdict: I walked in feeling skeptical, and left feeling very impressed. Within two days of my session I’ve been back

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in touch and signed myself up for more – I really enjoyed the feeling of increased strength and improved posture, and the muscle stiffness reduces as you get used to the exercise – as with any new activity. I also noticed the kids play area and X-Box when I arrived – Roland says they have a lot of clients that are mums and they take great care of them.

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57

2011/08/12 12:31 PM

SPECIAL FEATURE

Christmas gift guide

Looking for the perfect gift? From babies to teens and parents, our suggestions have you covered – for every budget. BY BROOKE EVANS-BUTLER

A special soft toy makes a special first Christmas gift. Silver Cross – Elizabeth Traditional Bear $59.95 (presented in white Silver Cross gift box) from Tiny Polkadots, www. tinypolkadots.com.au

Gifts for

babies Puppet books are great (they are a book and toy in one!)

We love: Hello Spot! A Puppet Play Book by Eric Hill, RRP: $19.99 from Dymocks.

GAIA bath and body wash, from $11.50 from selected supermarkets, pharmacies and health shops.

Bath accessories are great stocking fillers – and natural products are perfect for a baby’s skin. GAIA bathtime fun pack, $21.95 from selected supermarkets, pharmacies and health shops.

Buying clothes for babies and toddlers is so much fun – and cool outfits will be great for all the parties during the Christmas and New Year season.

Rock Your Baby Kitten Bandit Bodysuit, $35, from Stork’s Corner, www.storkscorner.com.au

Rock Your Baby Nina Tutu Dress, $40 (Available in Vanilla, Framboise and Violetta) from Stork’s Corner.

Rock Your Baby Headstock Tshirt, $35 and Come As You Are Tshirt, $35 From Stork’s Corner.

58

Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

www.offspringmagazine.com.au

For baby (newborn to 1 year old)

BATH TIME

CHRISTMAS GIFT

Bath toys need

Baby’s first Christmas is very special, so why not give

replacing regularly

something to do with a Christmas theme? A good quality

– and you can get so

much more than the humble rubber

Christmas stocking, a personalised Christmas decoration or special Christmas book can be used every year.

SPECIAL FEATURE

Afforda b options le $20 and und er

duck, with squirters, shape sorters and musical toys all available or bath play. Sticking with the bath theme, a gentle baby bath gel or moisturiser, wash cloths or even a fluffy towel will be used and appreciated.

KEEPSAKES

Somethin special g over $50

Looking for a special gift? There are various businesses that can create a personalised canvas for Baby’s play room

BABY SENSORY TOYS

or name sign for their bedroom door. A piece of ‘Baby’s first

Babies learn through play and love simple toys with various

jewellery’, such as a bracelet or necklace is a lovely idea for a

textures or that make noise. Look for stacker toys, rattles,

first Christmas, and getting the jewellery engraved will give

teething toys, mobiles and soft books.

it that extra special touch.

SWIMMING GEAR

PRACTICAL AND LOVELY

Swimming lessons are a popular activity for parents and

Some people can struggle knowing what to buy a baby for

babies during the summer months, so swimming gear is

Christmas, so it can be a good opportunity to buy something

an affordable and useful gift. Think swim nappies, cute

practical – but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t also be special.

swimwear and towels.

A beautifully crafted wooden toy box is a special first Christmas gift that will be used and treasured for years to

Mid-ran g $50 and e under

BOOKS

come. Other practical but lovely ideas include book ends or

Books are a great gift idea for any

bookshelves, or bedding and accessories and furniture for

age – but spending a little bit more

when they outgrow their cot.

and getting a book that is personalised for a baby will be a gift that will be loved for years to come. Look for recordable

ON THE MOVE

books, which allow you to record yourself reading the book.

A good quality tricycle can be a gift that will be used into

This is a beautiful way to personalise a gift and a great gift

toddlerhood (look for ‘smart trike’ models that can grow

idea for grandparents to give to grandchildren.

with your baby, by being adjusted to suit babies from one year up). Ride-on toys are always a hit once baby is on the

SPECIAL OUTFIT

move. Look for the large range of push-along toys, activity

Parents will usually buy clothes that are practical, so it is

walkers, baby swings and rocking horses.

great to have a bit of fun and buy clothes with the cute or

Stocking fillers: Bibs, wash cloths, a hat, socks, sippy cups,

cool factor for gifts. Larger clothes are always appreciated by

plastic cutlery and plates, teething rusks, food pouches,

parents (as babies grow very quickly!).

bubble blowers.

For toddlers (1 to 3 years old)

Afforda b options le $20 and und er

BOOKS

DRESS UP FUN

Toddlers love books

Sometimes it can be difficult to find popular costumes in

– after all, they

toddler sizes, but toddlers will have just as much fun with

encourage special one-on-one time with a

parent. For something a bit different, puppet books are cute (these have a puppet incorporated into the book). Toddlers and babies will also love pop-up books.

dressing up accessories, such as tiaras, fireman hats and feather boas.

Mid-ran g $50 and e under

ART AND CRAFT Art supplies are great to channel a toddler’s love of mess into something

creative (just don’t buy art and craft kits with small pieces MUSIC

that could be a choking hazard for a young child). A chalk

Toddlers love making noise! Choose an easy instrument,

board or easel will be something that can be used for years

such as a tambourine, maracas or toy drums.

to come. A good quality art smock is also a great gift idea that will also be appreciated by parents.

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59

SPECIAL FEATURE

Gifts for

Sunglasses are a great gift for kids – they look so cool and are great for the summer months! Frankie Ray – Sun Glasses for Children, $29.95 from Bloom and Grow, www.bloomandgrow.com.au

toddlers All toddlers love to role play – and this beautiful pram will be a gift they will love. Tidlo – 3 in 1 Dolls Pram, $109.95 from Bloom and Grow.

Bubble bath is so much fun – and a great idea to add to a Christmas stocking! Natural Mini Moo Bubble Wash, $17.50 from pharmacies and health food stores.

Give your child their on letter box to post letters to Santa, the Tooth Fairy or Easter Bunny – or just to play postman. How cute! $39.95 from www.dearlittleletterbox.com

This fun inflatable ride-on toy is so much fun, and recommended for children from 18 months. Howdy Cow (inflatable ride-on) $75 from Tiny Polkadots.

Bring a touch of magic to your child’s room. Fairy Door, $44.95 from Stork’s Corner, www. storkscorner.com.au

FAVOURITE SHOWS If the toddler in your life loves The Wiggles, High 5 or any of

OUTSIDE FUN

the many other children’s programs and groups, there will

A toddler will get hours of enjoyment from a sandpit (if

be a collection of CDs or DVDs that they will love (and likely

purchasing a sandpit for Christmas Day, remember to buy

to be to additional licensed merchandise, such as toys or

some bags of clean washed sand from a hardware store as

clothing, to match).

well).’Stand and play’ toys such as water and sand tables, are also great gifts for summer-time play.

TODDLER FURNITURE Look for toddler-sized fold out sofas (for sleepovers or for

CUBBY HOUSE

watching television) beanbags and child table and chair sets.

Toddlers love cubby houses – and choose the right one, and

Many are bright, colourful and affordable.

this could be a gift that is still being used for years to come.

Cubby houses range from around $100 for a plastic play

Somethin special g over $50

60

ON THE MOVE For toddlers starting to learn how to ride a

house into the thousands for a quality timber construction.

Stocking fillers: bath crayons, toothbrushes, crayons,

bike, a balance bike is a great option (don’t

chalk, water-based paints, PlayDoh, sunglasses, bubble bath,

forget the helmet).

balloons.

Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

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For children (3 to 10 years old)

SPECIAL FEATURE

Afforda b options le $20 and und er

PUZZLES Puzzles are fantastic educational toys –

they help children develop problem solving skills and hand-eye coordination and are great, quiet toys to keep the kids entertained. And if you thought puzzles were boring, think again! Check out magnetic puzzles (such

Gifts for

children

as fishing puzzles where the child has a magnetic ‘fishing’ rod for picking up the pieces). There are even ‘sound puzzles’ where the sound of each puzzle piece is activated for each piece (such as animal or transport sound puzzles).

ART AND CRAFT There is nothing more wonderful than a child’s imagination, and the gift of art and craft supplies is an affordable option.

Colouring books, chalk, pencils, crayons, stamp sets or water-based finger paints will always be a hit with the kids.

IN THE GARDEN

Add these great titles to the kids’ Christmas list. Hard Luck Bk8 Diary Of A Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, $14.99 from Dymocks. Weirdo

by Anh Do, $12.99 from Dymocks. Hey Jack Stack! 10 Book Slipcase by Sally Rippin, $49.95 from Dymocks. The Royal Ranger Bk12 Rangers Apprentice by John Flanagan, $17.95 from Dymocks.

Get the kids out in the sunshine by giving them the tools they need to create their own garden. Many gardening centres sell gardening tools for kids (including gardening gloves). Add some seeds for quick growing flowers or vegetables and a flower pot that they can decorate and you have a great gift!

Mid-ran g $50 and e under

SCHOOL SUPPLIES For daycare, kindy or school, backpacks, lunch boxes, water

bottles and library bags are always on the ‘needed’ list for this age bracket. Choose a fun design or bright colours that the kids will love.

DRESS UPS Children love dressing up and there are so many costumes available for purchase. For stocking fillers, kids will love dressing up accessories such as fairy wings, wands, swords

Magnetic puzzles are great for your child’s developing hand eye coordination – and are a fun twist on the usual puzzles.

Tidlo magnetic puzzle, $19.95 from Bloom and Grow.

and masks, but if you have a greater budget, a costume so they can dress up as their favourite princess or superhero is sure to be a hit.

BEACH ACCESSORIES For the beach or the pool – towels, sun hats, beach or pool toys will always be used over the summer Christmas holidays.

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61

SPECIAL FEATURE

Gifts for

children

What kid doesn’t love dress ups? Indian Headdresses, $69 from The Cool Kids Space, www. thecoolkidsspace.com.au

Micro Scooters (Mini $119.95, or Maxi $179.95) from Stork’s Corner.

EverEarth Fairy Tale Dollshouse $55 from Tiny Polkadots.

Balance bikes are essentially small bikes without pedals. They are great training bikes to teach children about balance, and are so much fun! Kiddimoto Balance Bike, $119.95, from Stork’s Corner.

Somethin special g over $50

OUTDOOR FUN A scooter or skateboard (and of course, the essential helmet elbow and knee pads) will be a great gift to encourage the

Role playing toys encourage a child’s wonderful imagination. Playmobil Summer House #4857, $150.00 (includes summer house, family, furniture and accessories) from Tiny Polkadot.

kids to get outside and enjoy some sunshine. Depending on size, a trampoline will be a more expensive option, but will

BUILDING BLOCKS

be something that can be enjoyed by siblings and friends.

The range of Lego and Megablocks sets are pretty impressive – and you can get different brands for a smaller budget or

ROLE PLAYING TOYS

could spend hundreds of dollars for a set with all the bells

Toy kitchens and doll houses will be a hit for both the

and whistles. Always popular with the boys – there are now

boys and the girls, and depending on the size, complexity

also sets aimed at the girls as well. They encourage problem

and brand, can range from around the $50 mark into the

solving and can be used over and over again – what’s not to

hundreds. Whatever the role-playing toy, these give great

love about that?

scope for some stocking fillers to complement, such as play food, apron/chef hat, tea set, dolls and doll furniture.

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Stocking fillers: Crayons, pencils, PlayDoh, stickers, toy jewellery, colouring books, jigsaw puzzles, marbles, lollies.

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For tweens and teens (11 to 16 years old)

SPECIAL FEATURE

Afforda b options le $20 and und er

TOILETRIES Fruity and sweet smelling bath and shower gels, body

sprays and lip balms are pretty and useful stocking fillers. Travel-sized

toiletries are great to take to school and for sleep-overs.

Gifts for

tweens & teens

ART AND CRAFT Depending on their interests and age, stocking filler art and craft ideas could range from drawing pencils and water colours or rubber stamps. DIY kits are great to give bored tweens and teens something to do, so kits that allow them to make their own bracelets or build-your-own car/train models are great choices.

BOOKS Yes, this age bracket is very tech savvy, but that does not

Cute toiletries are great stocking filler for tweens.

Hello Kitty body mist, $4.95 from Coles, Priceline and selected pharmacies.

Teardrop by Lauren Kate, $24.95 from Dymocks.

mean they will not appreciate a good book, especially over the holiday season. Ask your local book store about popular titles for teens. Or look for music/television/celebrity magazines. Journals, scrapbooking albums, joke books or fun calendars are also great stocking fillers.

Mid-ran g $50 and e under

COOKING

Any gift that is a boredom buster is a great idea for the holidays! Idea Boxes for Kids (features wooden double sided coins in each pack, with an idea or activity suggestion on each side), $20 (until after Christmas) from The Cool Kids Space.

You only have to look at the popularity of Junior MasterChef to

see that cooking is becoming popular with kids, tweens and teens. Look at the range of child-focussed cooking books and accessories such as aprons, oven mits and kitchen utensils.

FRAGRANCE For boys and for girls, perfume or aftershave is a nice gift idea – and if it is one named for their favourite celebrity, it is sure to be a hit!

A product endorsed by a favourite celebrity will be a hit with teens. Katy Perry Killer Queen, from $39 or 30ml. Phone 1800 812 663 for stockists.

CLOTHES There are so many styles of clothes at various price points,

EXPERIENCES

so you are bound to find something in your tween or teens

Bored teen? Why not give the gift of an experience, such as

style to suit your budget. Celebrity or sports star endorsed

movie tickets or what about a photography, cooking or art

brands are popular – but remember to keep the receipt in

class? Talk to the parents of one of your child’s good friends

case you are unsure of the size or style – or give them a

and enrol them in the class together.

voucher to their favourite clothing store.

JEWELLERY

Somethin special g over $50

ELECTRONIC DEVICES

For a boy or a girl, a piece of jewellery is a special Christmas

There is no getting away from the

gift – whether a watch, bracelet or necklace. For a teenage

popularity of electronic devises, so

girl, a charm bracelet such as Pandora charms, is a great

high on the Christmas list for many

option, as they can be added to each year. They also give

tweens and teens will be portable DVD player and iPads or

your teen an opportunity to personalise the jewellery to suit

tablets. iTunes cards and accessories such as covers and

their style.

headphones can make great stocking fillers to complement these gifts.

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Stocking stuffers: chocolate, lollies, iTune cards, movie tickets, stationery, hair chalk, fashion jewellery.

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63

SPECIAL FEATURE

For Mums and Dads

GOURMET DELIGHTS Afforda b options le Food gifts are always $ and und 20 popular Christmas gifts er – but go gourmet for

Gifts for

Mums and Dads. Include favourite chocolates, nuts and coffee

mums & dads

for a grown-up spin on the food stocking fillers.

ACCESSORIES Socks and jocks are always popular gifts for Dads – and underwear, stockings and scarves are also good choices for the mums.

Great reads for Mums and Dads: Breaking News by Paul Barry, $39.99 from Dymocks.

Eyrie by Tim Winton, $45.00 from Dymocks. Ned Kelly by Peter Fitzsimmons, $49.95 from Dymocks.

THE ORGANISED PARENT Calendars are a popular Christmas gift to prepare for the new year, and ‘family organiser’ calendars (with room to write each family member’s appointments) are a great choice.

Diaries and notepads are also good useful gifts.

Mid-ran g $50 and e under

FRAGRANCE A fragrance is a lovely purchase – whether an old favourite or the latest celebrity

release. Price can range from mid-range to a higher budget, depending on the type of fragrance and the size of the bottle purchased.

BOOKS Who wouldn’t want a good book for some holiday reading?

From crime, romance or the latest cookbook from Mum or Dad’s favourite celebrity chef, the book store is sure to have plenty of ideas!

KEEPSAKES Save with Jamie by Jamie Oliver, $49.99 from Dymocks.

Maggie’s Christmas by Maggie Beer, $49.99 from Dymocks.

Cook books are a great gift – team with some tea towels, oven mits or funky utensils for something a bit extra special!

For parents, a keepsake can be one of the most special gifts.

Keepsake books or photo albums to record their children’s special moments, or canvases and keepsake boxes to take small hand and footprints or to treasure first shoes or tiny clothes.

Somethin special g over $50

EXPERIENCES Vouchers for a meal at a favourite restaurant, movie tickets or magazine subscription.

JEWELLERY Jewellery is always high on many Christmas lists and personalised jewellery is huge at the moment. Think engraved bracelets or pendants for mums, and cufflinks or key rings for dads.

BAG/WALLET A quality leather wallet, sports bag or overnight bag is a nice gift A manly fragrance for the man in your life: Tommy Hilfiger Freedom Sport, from $55 from Myer and David Jones.

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Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

idea for Dad. For Mum, look for a handbag, stylish nappy bag for new mums, or chic shopping tote bag – there are so many options!

Stocking stuffers: Lotto, scratchies, body wash, hand cream, iTunes vouchers, biscuits, candy canes.

www.offspringmagazine.com.au

Gifts for

mums & dads

How much to buy?

SPECIAL FEATURE

New parents love keepsake gifts.

Pearhead - Baby Shoe Frame, $32.95 from Bloom and Grow.

How much to spend will depend on the individual budget – do you get one big present or lots of stocking fillers? The choice is yours.

A gift category becoming popular with parents includes: ‘Something you want, Something you need, Something you wear, Something you read.’

All women love handbags – and for a new mum, a stylish and practical nappy bag is a musthave. Petunia Pickle Bottom - City Carryall (embossed) $199 from Bloom and Grow.

Hand cream is a small and affordable luxury to add to a Mum’s gift. The Body Shop Almond Hand and Nail Cream, from $9.95 from The Body Shop.

For siblings ‘Something to share’ may also be added, which could be a board game or DVD. It is a good idea to keep on track with your spending, as it can be easy to blow your budget if you go overboard when buying numerous gifts.

Note: Prices quoted were correct at time of print and may change without notice or depending on stockist. Note: Prices do not contain postage costs.

STOCKISTS: Bloom and Grow, 1300 557 691, www.bloomandgrow.com.au | The Body Shop, 1800 065 232, www.thebodyshop.com.au The Cool Kids Space, 0423 532 788, www.thecoolkidsspace.com.au | Dear Little Letterbox, www.dearlittleletterbox.com | Dymocks, www. dymocks.com.au | Stork’s Corner, 08 6161 9123, www.storkscorner.com.au | Tiny Polkadots, 03 9077 2833, www.tinypolkadots.com.au

Summer

Workshop Specials And So To Sleep

Growing Baby

(7-24 months): Explores the skills a child is acquiring at this age and how they impact on sleep, communication, play and nutrition.

(3-7 months): Explores sleep, communication, play and nutrition for this age group.

You and Your New Baby

Mums without mums Many mums are raising young families without the support or presence of their own mother.

The city runs a free fortnightly mums without mums group, which is open to all, regardless of where you live.

This is a chance for women in similar situations to support each other, talk about raising children and share their stories over a tea or coffee. Lords crèche is available for $7.30 a session.

(0-3 months): Explores sleep, wakefulness, brain development and feeding patterns for this age group.

Positive experiences build brain connections

WHEN: Tuesdays fortnightly from 10.30am to 12pm (except during school holidays) Upcoming dates – 11 and 25 February, 11 and 25 March, 8 April

WHERE: Lords Café, 3 Price Street, Subiaco For more information, or to attend, please contact the city on 9237 9317 or email culture@subiaco.wa.gov.au

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Book at: www.ngala.com.au/course/parenting-workshops

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65

New products at Koolaman Designs Clementine heart key ring • The Clementine makes the perfect gift for the new driver or perhaps for a house warming and turns any set of keys into an individual statement.

Included in the price is a sterling silver split ring.

• RRP $80 Rosie Pendant • Coming in two sizes, small and large, Rosie is an ideal gift for anniversaries and birthdays, or ‘just because’, she’s the special something for your special someone.

• RRP $185 (includes necklace) Florence book mark • Florence is the perfect gift to mark a special occasion as well as a place in a book.

• RRP $135 Christian leather cuff • This is one for the person who loves a heady mix of country style and city trend. A gorgeous, hand-braided leather cuff, tailored to individual fit, with a sterling silver pendant.

Christian is for him or her, big or little, day or night.

• RRP $185 To purchase any of these beautiful Sterling Silver products and to check out the huge range visit

www.koolamandesigns.com.au

Great gifts for kids at Trover Learning

Box Kart - Good old fashioned fun on a modern machine. Australia’s newest billy cart is strong and sturdy with easy steering, pneumatic tyres and even a braking system.

Vertigo - Take construction to a new level with this 133 piece set of Quadrilla tracks, blocks and marbles.

Let your imagination run wild!

Lock Box - Fantastic activity box to teach children about opening and closing different locks and catches. A best seller for fine motor development.

Kiddimoto - Fun balance bike in stylish designs ensure toddlers learn riding and balance skills.

Adjustable seat height.

TROVER LEARNING 301 Selby St Nth, Osborne Park WA 6017. T: (08) 9446 9663

Toys, Games, Books, Puzzles, to inspire creative and logical thinking!

301 Selby St (Cnr Pearson Way), Osborne Park.

Phone 9448 9663 Open Monday-Friday 9am-5pm Saturday 9am-3pm

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Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

15% *OFF STOREWIDE

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LELBY’S BEAN CHAIRS $99.95 100% cotton canvas.

11 different designs to choose from. Free shipping Australia wide.

WOODEN PADDIE RIDERS $90 Ride-on animals feature a sturdy wooden trike with a comfortable seat. Produced from sustainable rubber wood and finished with non-toxic child safe paints and lacquers.

Free shipping Australia wide.

SPECIAL FEATURE

Enjoy your Smallish Love

Gorgeous boys and girls swim diapers, sizes up to 12 months, cute prints and colours, ruffles on bottom for girls, no nappy needed, all UPF 50+. Swim diaper $15.50, Board shorts up to 2yrs $25

CHARLI BEAR – RED FLOWER MARY JANE SHOES $29.95 Charli Bear Shoes are an Australian Owned Company.

100% leather. Sizes: newborn to 2 years.

Minidiva tutus made here in WA, with detachable flowers in different colours $45.00 Wooden toys like this wooden train set $27.95

HANA BABY WRAP CARRIER $89.95 Hana Baby Wrap is a wraparound baby sling that offers full head and neck support for your baby. Made from bamboo fabric with some added organic cotton and a touch of elastane. Available in four colours.

Visit 16 Subiaco Square Road or phone 9381 5724

www.avidiva.com.au

home of homemade eco-friendly & organic baby products

Giimmo Night Light

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Come visit us: Shop 16, Subiaco Square Rd, Subiaco Mon-Sat 9:30-5:30 Sun 11-4pm 08 9381 5724 www.smallishlove.com

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67

PARENTING

Festive

Taking steps to minimise sensory overload for your family at Christmas.

Overload

C

hristmas is just around the corner! It comes with a variety of sights, smells, sounds, and social interactions that can be pleasant to some and

overstimulating for others.

Believe it or not, Christmas is on the list as one of life’s stressful events. Some families are under enormous financial pressure trying to keep up with expectations and others experience sadness and stress from estranged family members and ones they simply cannot get on with.

Not only adults experience stress. For the first few years, children learn about the world through their senses. It may be exciting for your baby or toddler to see all these bright colours, loud music with carols blaring and the hustle and bustle of crowded shopping centres for a short time.

However, be mindful that they may be overstimulated and have a sensory overload.

WHAT IS SENSORY OVERLOAD? We all take in information about our internal and external environments through our senses such as sight, touch,

By Kim Johnson, Ngala Parenting Researcher and Consultant

smell, hearing, taste, balance and movement. Sensory overload or sensory overstimulation occurs when the brain is bombarded with too much information from the

senses and is unable to process or understand the information.

Just think of the Royal Show with the smell of farm animals and food; sounds of other screaming children, amusement rides, and buzzers from games, car engines revving; touch

FOR THE ADULTS

KIDS’ STUFF

stimuli from bumping into people within a crowd; the visual input of fast-paced movement including blinking lights, fast moving rides, people and cars.

As can be seen from this example, there is a lot of sensory

•

Duchamp, Kita Ku, Jendi summer ranges & lots more !!!

olours NEW c ITA & K FUN RUNKS T FUNKY REE GIFT F r fo s last Ask while stock

information bombarding the brain and for some children this may lead to sensory overload. These children may throw a tantrum, cry and cling to their parent, become quiet or have difficulty sleeping.

WHAT CAN PARENTS DO? Shopping • If you take your child on Christmas shopping trips, limit the amount of time you are out and consider taking the stroller.

Although you may think children have more energy than you, they really do tire quickly from walking around a shopping precinct.

SUN PROTECTION

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• Also, consider going out early in the day, before the shops get busy and crowded. Being in a noisy, crowded, space can be very overwhelming for young children.

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Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

ad Sensory overlo im st ulation or sensory over e brain is occurs when th too much bombarded with the senses information from unable to and the brain is rstand process or unde io at the inform n.

• If your child/baby needs a break, intervene and let your

in the shopping centre where it is quieter and calmer to give

relatives know.

your baby/toddler some quiet time with you.

• Take rests or ‘time out’ with your child to reorganise

• Swinging and rocking are beneficial for organising the senses,

their senses. Put words to how they are feeling if they are

so quiet time can include those activities as well.

overwhelmed. Be warm and reassuring.

Family gatherings

• Keep your child’s bedtime, naptime, mealtimes and other

Big get-togethers are part and parcel of Christmas - but some

regular activities as stable as possible. These routines provide

relatives can be pushy or talk non-stop. An adult may find that

stability and certainty in the life of the child and help keep

difficult, just imagine what it does to a baby or child when

them feeling safe and secure.

• Avoid extra snacks, cakes and chocolates.

numerous people want to hold, kiss, pinch their cheeks or simply not notice when they have had enough.

Familiarise your child with relatives they seldom see prior to the family get-together by playing a memory game with photos so when your child meets an unfamiliar relative they are more comfortable around them; or prepare your toddler about what to expect on the day by talking to them

PARENTING

• Have regular quiet breaks away from the crowd; find a corner

The rush and a fall of sugar in cause child’s diet can nergy both bursts of e the and fatigue as sugar wears off

about the day and reassure them that Mummy and Daddy will help if they find it too hard.

Christmas Day

The rush and fall of sugar in a child’s diet can cause both bursts of energy and fatigue as the sugar wears off. These highs and lows can lead to behaviour difficulties. If you want to give your child a treat, limit the size and consider offering it as a special dessert after an appropriate meal.

Remember Christmas is also a time for you to

get some rest and relaxation. If tensions within the family

• You and your partner or another family member should try to

are getting to you, practice deep breathing and relaxation and

sit down before Christmas day to work out ways to support each

reorganise your own senses.

other on the day.

Ngala Helpline is available 7 days a week from 8am to 8pm

• Discuss with your relatives (especially if they are the host

on 9368 9368 or 1800 111 546 for country callers. To book a

of the Christmas Day celebrations) your baby/child’s routine

parenting workshop please visit www.ngala.com.au

and care.

Looking for great toys or gifts?

makes it easy with: • quality toys and gifts Free gift with • great gift wrapping every purchase • easy returns over $100 before 31 March 2014

Have a Happy Christmas!

Protect your family from the sun this summer

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69

SPECIAL FEATURE

n u f r e m Sum

The weather is hot, the kids are bored and you’ve run out of ideas for what to do these school holidays? Well don’t stress because there ARE a lot of free and fun activities around Perth City throughout December and beyond, guaranteed to maintain your sanity and the keep the kids happy.

School Holiday Guide

By Lisa Fernandez

PERTH CITY CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS Marvel at the City’s magical lights and decorations including

ALL FREE EVENTS

Perth’s biggest Christmas Tree (10.7 metres high and weighing 1.8 tonne!), giant Christmas Cards in Murray St Mall, Council House Nativity scene and The Bell Tower’s Bethlehem Star and lighting display. See new lights and decorations this year along William St (between Hay & Murray) and James St, Northbridge.

When: 15 November 2013 - 5 January 2014 Cost: Free

TWILIGHT HAWKERS MARKET, FORREST PLACE PERTH CITY FESTIVAL OF CHRISTMAS

70

Sample cuisine from around the globe including Indonesian

The City of Perth is a wonderful place to visit these school

satay, Spanish paella, Turkish gozleme and Moroccan tagine

holidays for children and parents who want to share the joy

at this international food market. To accompany your meal,

of the Christmas season and not spend a lot of money. City

enjoy generous portions of free live music and roving festive

of Perth’s gift to families this season is FREE fun for all ages

entertainment.

to share in a variety of activities and events which run from

When: Friday 22 & 29 November, 6 & 13 December 5pm to 9pm

15 November 2013 through until 5 January 2014.

Cost: Free

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SPECIAL FEATURE

CHRISTMAS CARNIVAL, FORREST PLACE Bring the family to enjoy a kids carnival atmosphere in the centre of Perth, complete with free rides, face painting, a bouncy castle, mini golf, a petting zoo, roving Christmas characters, a giant snow dome and even a visit from Santa and his helper.

When: Saturday 30 November, 7, 14 & 21 December 11am to 5pm Cost: Free

PERTH CITY VIRTUAL FRIENDS APP PIAZZARAMA NORTHBRIDGE: CHRISTMAS, NORTHBRIDGE PIAZZA Piazzarama Northbridge is the City’s free monthly themed family day with roving characters, a heap of activities for

From November 15 you can download the Perth

NEW

City Virtual Friends iOS app and take photos with your favourite Christmas characters around the City. Six characters will each appear

the kids and children’s films. December’s event will include

in different areas around the CBD and Northbridge. Upload

Christmas craft activities, a giant interactive snow dome,

your pics with our augmented reality characters online for

carol singers, and a visit from Santa. Watch The Santa

the chance to win some great prizes, including dinner for

Clause movie on the Piazza SuperScreen at midday and

four at Jamie’s Italian restaurant.

Arthur Christmas screening at 4pm.

When: 15 November 2013 - 5 January 2014

When: Sunday 1 December, 12pm to 6pm Cost: Free

THE CHANNEL SEVEN AND THE WEST AUSTRALIAN CHRISTMAS PAGEANT

CHRISTMAS CHILL OUT ZONE, FORREST PLACE

NEW

Being a True Blue West Aussie I have fond memories of

If the Christmas shopping is getting a bit

watching the annual Christmas pageant make its way

overwhelming then the Chill Out Zone gives

through the streets of Perth. Proudly supported by the City

parents the opportunity to take a break while

of Perth, this year’s pageant will be bigger and brighter than

the kids stay occupied with free fun stuff

ever. Enjoy the colour and spectacle of your favourite floats

including face painting, balloons, the Water Labyrinth

and characters and some brand new ones, as bands, clowns,

interactive fountain sculpture and relaxing deck chairs for

dancers and TV personalities join Santa and his reindeer

the grown-ups.

along the new St Georges Terrace parade route. As well as

When: Monday to Friday, 2 - 6 December and 9 - 13

the one hour parade, take in the City’s magical Christmas

December, 10am to 2pm

lights and late night Christmas shopping until 9pm.

Cost: Free

When: Saturday 7 December, 7.30pm

Michelle Babicci School of Dance Fun and caring classes

www.paperposy.com.au

Creative & non competitive fun for 3yrs old to adults.

Beginners to advanced. Also classes for intellectually disabled • Jazz / hip hop • Classical ballet • Contemporary

Phone: 9243 6946 Email: michellebabicci@yahoo.com.au www.michellebabiccischoolofdance.com.au www.offspringmagazine.com.au

Birth Announcement Cards * Party Invitations Christening Invitations * Party Accessories

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SPECIAL FEATURE

SANTA TRAINS* Santa has traded his sleigh for a train to Perth this Christmas! Take the kids to ride with Santa and his helper on various train lines heading into the City, then make your way to the free Christmas Nativity concert in Forrest Place. Check the Santa Train timetable online at www.visitperthcity.com.

When: Tue 17, Wed 18, Thu 19, & Fri 20 December

FREE FLICKS FOR KIDS

*Requires a valid Transperth ticket to ride

The Free Flicks for Kids film season returns to the City of Perth’s Northbridge

CHRISTMAS NATIVITY, FORREST PLACE

More fun stuff for the kids this school holidays

Piazza screen for its fourth year of free

Share in this enchanting annual event with the

family entertainment, screening feature films

whole family as the traditional story of Christmas

every Saturday afternoon from 5.30pm. Families are

is brought to life on stage with hundreds of

invited to bring the kids, bring a picnic, and enjoy the Piazza’s comfy

performers, live animals and Christmas carols.

beanbags. Highlights for the season include ParaNorman (2012),

When: Tue 17, Wed 18, Thu 19, & Fri 20 December

Adventures in Zambezia (2013), A Monster in Paris (2012) and the

7:30pm to 8:30pm

Disney classic Aladdin (1992).

Cost: Free

When: Saturday 5 October 2013 – Saturday 3 May 2014 starting at 5.30pm Venue: Northbridge Piazza & Super Screen, Corner James and Lake Streets Northbridge

IGA CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT, SUPREME COURT GARDENS

MAYLANDS WATERLAND

Bring a rug and picnic and sing along to your favourite Christmas carols with friends and

Located on the picturesque

family under the stars at the Apex Club’s 69th

Maylands Peninsula, overlooking the

annual Christmas variety concert fundraiser. Join

Swan River just 7km from the Perth

thousands of families celebrating in the Christmas

CBD, is the Maylands Waterland

spirit, with children’s activities from 6.30pm.

which is acknowledged as the

Ticketed event. Proceeds go to local charities

premier outdoor water playground

supporting people in need. Presented by the Apex

in WA. Beautiful wildflower gardens

Club of Perth.

and lawns surround the four

When: Sunday 22 December, 7:30pm

sparkling pools including a splash pool for babies with all but one pool under shade cloth cover. The venue

For more info on City of Perth free events visit WWW.VISITPERTHCITY.COM

also has ample children’s play

Ca no ll u w Coyour fo s ns f r an ult rEE d dis $5 atio Co .00 n *Condit unt ions A pply

cute, comfy & chemical free find out why WA mums are making their next nappy change with us

9.30am to 4pm or ONE OF OUR TRAVELLING FARMS CAN COME TO YOU!

help@bootycrawl.com.au • bootycrawl.com.au www.bootycrawl.com.au • 0422 404 751 72

Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

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Under new management since the 1st July 2013 the Beach House has made many changes including a new

SPECIAL FEATURE

THE BEACH HOUSE

0-3yo area next to the parents room to enable easy access to baby nappy changing and a large sandpit for those who love building sand castles. Lots of other

as Christm Party

toys have been added, including scooters, spinning bikes, animal ride-ons (a huge hit with my 4 year old), badminton, basketball, soccer, and netball plus youngsters can try the brand new adrenalin rushing ‘Flying Fox’ in the Troppo Zone.

Details: Their next big event is the 2013 Christmas equipment, free barbecues, 14 picnic shelters and

Party on Friday 6th December. Get in the spirit of

a mini-golf course making it an affordable and fun setting

Christmas by dressing up in a Christmas costume or

for a family day out.

come along and see their Christmas lights! Kids should

When: November 24th 2013, December 15th 2013, January

take bathers as The Beach House has a GIANT water slide

12th 2014, February 9th 2014 & March 16th 2014. These

perfect for a hot December day.

family fun days run between 11am and 3pm and include

Entry fee: $10 (every child will also receive a wrapped

a bouncy castle (free to use) and a different entertainment

Christmas present)

each month (such as a show or Old Macdonalds farm).

Location: 5 O’Malley St (At rear of building), Osborne Park

Open: 10am-5pm daily.

New Opening Hours: Monday - Saturday 9am - 6pm;

Admission: $4.00 adults, $3.00 children, under 2 Free

Sunday 12pm - 6pm

Family entry (2 adults & 3 children) $15.50. 32

Special: Entry fee for children (all ages) Monday through

Location: Clarkson Road, Maylands Ph: 9272 4456.

Friday between 3-6pm is ONLY $5!!

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perth | summer 2014 | Offspring

73

SPECIAL FEATURE

WA MUSEUM Explore the wonder of WA, our people and environment at the Western Australian Museum in Perth these school holidays!

Get up close and personal with interactive displays,

DOLPHIN DISCOVERY CENTRE BUNBURY

dinosaur fossils, stoneage tools, meteorites and live frogs in the kid-centric

I’ve had to include this place as it has such

Discovery Centre. Marvel at

a fantastic and affordable school holiday

the magnificent creatures in

program for kids which is well worth the trip

the Mammal Gallery and be

further south. Children are fully supervised at all times and

amazed by the beautiful butterfly display.

get to do a variety of activities including exploring along the

Cost: The Museum is free to roam, with plenty of free

beach, art and craft, visiting the aquarium, games, feeding

and low-cost school holiday activities available over the

and a lot of learning about our marine life.

summer period.

Popular sessions include the ‘Secrets of Seahorses’ and

Open: every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and

‘Dolphin Detectives’ and all programs will include watching

New Year’s Day from 9.30am to 5pm.

dolphins in the Interaction Zone (if they come in).

Location: Perth Cultural Centre on James Street, Perth. For more information, including the latest exhibitions and school holiday programs, visit museum.wa.gov.au

WEEKLY

N GET IIN H T ON E ACT! • Dramatic Play • Creative Movement • Story Telling • Songs • Language Skills • Confidence

CLASSES NEAR YOU! Northern Suburbs Duncraig, Greenwood, Banksia Grove

Ph: 9402 8744 Justin.Lowson @helenogrady.net.au

Details: Sessions run from 9am – 2pm (11am to 12noon, supervised lunch hour of free play) and is only $28 for children

Central Suburbs

aged 5 to 12 years. Lunch can be ordered at the café when you

Karrinyup, Leederville, Mt Hawthorn, Subiaco, Wembley

drop the kids off or children may bring a packed lunch.

Open: The school holiday program runs Monday-Friday and

Ph: 9242 4722

commences Monday 6th January to Friday 31st January 2014.

Helen.Davey @helenogrady.net.au

Bookings will open 26th November 2013 and the centre

Rockingham / Mandurah

advises you book early to avoid disappointed children.

For more info visit: www.dolphindiscovery.com.au

Greenfields, Cooloongup

Ph: 9529 1457 Emma.Lupino @helenogrady.net.au

CAVERSHAM WILDLIFE PARK Caversham Wildlife Park is a fantastic place to spend a day with the kids and give them the opportunity to get close with some Australian icons! Kids get to hand-feed the

Classes also held for 5 - 17 year olds throughout Perth

www.facebook.com/helenogradyperth

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Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

061813-312

www.helenogrady.net.au t

kangaroos, have a photo taken with the koalas and interact in one of two great hands-on shows – all included in the admission fee.

www.offspringmagazine.com.au

SPECIAL FEATURE

Return of the tasmanian devil Be sure to catch the Farm Show at 10am, 1pm and 3pm to get a glimpse of farm life, with whip-cracking, sheep-shearing, billy-swinging and more or visit Molly’s

BUSHLAND NATURE TRAIL, KINGS PARK

Farm for an interactive farmyard experience where little ones can feed the buffalo, llamas and deer and meet Tommy the Donkey!

Perfect for active kids who like to get out and

FREE

about in nature. This walk offers an encounter with Western Australia’s famous wildflowers, trees

Details: Shows are on daily at 11am, 2pm and 3.45pm.

and birdlife living in the wild as they have done for

This December school holidays the Caversham Wildlife Park

millions of years. If you are lucky you might see a bobtail lizard

is excited to re-introduce the popular Tasmanian Devils where

or some of the other bushland fauna.

they will be welcomed into a new purpose-built enclosure. A

The Nature Trail is an easy 25 minutes loop walk. It is

definite must-see for the kids.

suitable for most groups including families and people with

Opening Hours: Open Every day 9.00am to 5.30pm Closed

disabilities. The walks are FREE and take place from sunrise to

Christmas Day

sunset at Kings Park, Fraser Avenue, Perth.

Entrance Fees: Adults $24.00 Children (3-14 yrs) $10.00

Cost: Free

For more info visit: www.cavershamwildlife.com.au

Location: Kings Park, Perth

Don’t forget to join our Kidz Club to be the first to know about upcoming specials!

The Kidz Mega Pass is back for 2014 on sale from 1st Dec 2013. Valid 4th Jan to 30th Mar. 5 passes, 10 passes or 25 passes are available for purchase at a discounted rate.

Great Christmas Present idea.

New for 2014 starting February

Christmas Eve Fun Day

9.30am to 1pm Games, fun and a visit from Santa

Family Fun Night

First for 2014 is on 28th Feb and is our annual Fairyland Party (Pirates Welcome)

Awesome Parties at the centre or we can come to you

KIDZ PARADISE 2 FOR 1 ENTRY INDOOR CHILDREN’S PLAY CENTRE AND CAFE!

THE LESSER ENTRY VALUE WILL BE FREE. LIMITED TO ONE VOUCHER PER FAMILY. MUST PRESENT VOUCHER ON ENTRY. VALID UNTIL 28TH FEBRUARY 2014.

179 PLANET ST, CARLISLE Phone 9472 8655 www.kidzparadise.com.au www.offspringmagazine.com.au

Art & Craft activities, Funnyman Storytime, Entry Specials. Check out our website for more details

Book NOW for your end of year function!

Catering packages, games hosts and Santa available.

School Holiday Fun Monday to Friday 10.30 to 2pm Please check our website for our opening hours over the Christmas & New Year break.

We wish you and your families a Safe and Magical Christmas and New Year.

perth | summer 2014 | Offspring

75

SPECIAL FEATURE

Summer Holiday Activities

Summer fun at Kidz Paradise Kidz Paradise, Carlisle, is more than just a play centre during the school holidays. David and the team entertain the children with games and activities Monday to Friday 10.30 to 2pm. On hot days the water guns come out too!!

Back for 2014 is the Kidz Mega Pass valid Jan-Mar 2014 (on sale 1st Dec).

The Kidz Paradise Annual Christmas Eve Fun Day which is fun for the whole family will be on the 24th Dec 9.30 to 1pm. It includes a visit from Santa.

For more information call 9472 8655 or visit www.kidzparadise.com.au

Keeping kids healthy, happy and active can be a challenge for busy parents, particularly during the long summer break.

VenuesWest specialises in developing activities to keep kids fit, happy and healthy, making this time a little more enjoyable for everyone.

Challenge Stadium offers Kids Sports Club (full & half day), Holiday Swim and Kids Holiday Gym. Arena Joondalup’s Vacation Care is packed with excursions and fun, educational activities including access to the aquatic centre’s whirlpool, splash pool and a 42 metre fully enclosed water slide.

Preschool holiday swim classes are also on offer.

For further information and to enrol please contact: Arena Joondalup Phone 9300 3355 www.arenajoondalup.venueswest.wa.gov.au Challenge Stadium Phone 9441 8222 www.challengestadium.venueswest.wa.gov.au

Newborn | Children | Families | Weddings Specialising in beautiful outdoor locations For $20 off your next Family session quote ‘Offspring’ when booking

Contact Amber: 0457 999 174 www.amberscobie.com.au | amberjane@iinet.net.au

76

Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Kids have fun at Tumblers Tumblers Kids Gym at Riverton Leisureplex is a large playground across four levels, which offers fun, adventure, excitement and exercise for children up to 12 years. Bring your friends along to explore the structures and zoom down the slides.

Kindy Gym classes for children aged 1 to 4 years, involve a structured class of warm up, circuit activities, music, games and lots of fun. Classes include free entry into Tumblers after the session.

Riverton Leisureplex specialises in children’s birthday parties from catered and non-catered parties to pool, waterslide and exclusive hire parties. Packages can also be organised to suit your budget and child’s needs.

For more information or to book your child’s next birthday party, contact Riverton Leisureplex on 9231 0900 or leisureplex@canning.wa.gov.au.

Beatty Park ready for Summer The iconic Beatty Park Leisure Centre which recently went through an exciting $17 million dollar makeover is gearing up for a bumper summer season.

With extra change rooms for families and more accessible facilities it is a favourite for all ages and abilities.

There are five pools of varying depths and temperature both indoors and outdoors, with child-friendly water slides and water features.

The café is well stocked with indulgent treats and healthy options, with many items sourced from local suppliers.

The Centre’s Swim School is widely regarded as the best in the state and is taking new enrolments.

Beatty Park Leisure Centre is open every day except Christmas Day this holiday season. For a full list of opening hours, please visit www.beattypark.com.au

Beatty Park Leisure Centre Is Ready for Summer!

Pools for all ages now open and ready for business after our $17 million dollar makeover.

Tumblers Kids Gym School Term Monday - Thursday 9.00am - 2.00pm Friday 9.00am - 2.00pm and 4.00pm - 6.00pm Saturday & Sunday 10.00am - 3.00pm School Holidays Monday - Friday 9.00am - 5.00pm

Open every day these school holiday except 16th 17th 18th December and Christmas day.

Entry Prices 1-4 years $5.80 5-12 years $6.80 Birthday Parties Riverton Leisureplex offers a range of birthday parties from Play Parties, Tumblers Deluxe Parties, Pool Parties to Super Slide Parties. To celebrate your child’s next birthday, contact the Leisureplex staff to organise a package.

Kindy Gym Classes Kindy Gym classes for children aged 1 to 4 years. Classes involve a structured class of warm up, circuit activities, music, games and lots of fun. Kindy Gym classes include entry into Tumblers Kids Gym for free play. $9.00 per class or $81.00 for a 10 entry pass.

Tuesday & Thursday 1-2 years 9.15am - 9.45am 3-4 years 10.00am - 10.45am Food and drinks Crèche available fo r School Term - Weekdays 8.45am - 12.45pm purchase at our School Holidays - Weekdays 9.00am - 12:00pm AQUACCINO Entry Prices CAFE 1 hour sessions - $4.60 per child Multi-passes available Riverton Leisureplex Cnr High Road & Riley Road Ph: 9231 0900 leisureplex@canning.wa.gov.au

www.offspringmagazine.com.au

www.canning.wa.gov.au

M.Bertling

M.Bertling

Beatty Park Leisure Centre 220 Vincent St North Perth WA 6006 www.beattypark.com.au perth | summer 2014 | Offspring

77

Book today fo Autum r n 2014!

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FOOD & NUTRITION

Dietitian, Kate Bullen, provides a Survival Guide for keeping your family’s nutrition on track this Christmas.

Healthy

christmas cuisine C

hristmas is a time of holidays, celebration, relaxing and having fun. It is often also a time for over indulging,

Deluxe Chia Puddings

with many adults gaining a couple of kilograms from

eating extra kilojoules. And it happens quickly – an extra rum

Serves 4

ball here, an extra glass of champagne there and a couple of slices of camembert on water crackers and BAM! There is your

1/3 cup chia seeds up 2 tablespoons maple syr

extra couple of kilograms over a month.

h

Here are my five top tips to get you and your family throug the Christmas holidays in the healthiest possible way:

Place chia seeds, maple am syrup and coconut cre

TIP QUALITY NOT QUANTITY

1

1 can lite coconut cream Chopped fruit to serve

expensive fruits such as cherries. Cherries might be $15 per

in a bowl and stir well. ge Cover and place in frid g. overnight to thinkin

kilogram or more – but compare this to a block of chocolate at

Top with fruit.

This season, mangoes are predicted to be expensive. Don’t let this stop you from buying this delicious fruit or other

around $20 per kilogram and suddenly it is all put in perspective.

I like to consider quality when it comes to protein foods – as you often get what you pay for. Sausages may be liked by your children, but they are typically high in salt, fat and many other things when you look at the ingredient list. Instead choose seafood, lean meat or chicken without skin. Did you know that an average thick sausage contains around 1100kJ – the same as 3 cups of prawns?

www.offspringmagazine.com.au

“Cherries might be $15 per kilogram or more – but compare this to a block of chocolate at around $20 per kilogram and suddenly it is all pu t in perspective.”

perth | summer 2014 | Offspring

79

FOOD & NUTRITION

Christmas is also a time of buying a lot of food and it is easy to over-buy. Keep a check on this – the shops only shut for one day so there really is no need to stockpile anything.

Remember – fresh is best! Even better, plan your Christmas shopping in advance to shop online and avoid the chaos and queues.

TIP MORE VEGETABLES AND FRUIT

2

Summer fruit is the best! Berries, stone fruit, melons – there are so many delicious options. And don’t forget

about freezing. I always have frozen raspberries and mangoes in the freezer to whip up some smoothies.

And I chop and freeze those slightly overripe bananas – great instant ice cream when blended.

Add some cocoa to make it choc-banana. Frozen grapes are another favourite in our house. Great on hot afternoons.

We live on salad in summer – so many greens to

Dinner with a Santa plate might just help get that extra serve of salad eaten by your children.

just help get that extra serve of salad eaten by your children. Fresh,

choose from. My children are not the biggest fans of

air-popped corn served in Christmas

lettuce or baby spinach, but I serve it up and ask them

cupcake cases make it all that bit more

to at least try it. Increased exposure is key to expanding taste buds. No force feeding – it doesn’t work.

special and appealing. A pop corn machine is a fantastic Christmas present I might add!

Try finding opportunities for extra vegetables. When getting out the cheese and biscuits, take a few extra minutes

TIP STAY COOL

to chop up some vegetables and add some dip to go with it.

4

Pre-chopped vegetables last for a good few days in the fridge

We have hot summers here in Australia and my children are loving having icy poles for breakfast

– great to do ahead and save time. Fresh corn on the cob is

– yes breakfast! Blend some oats, ripe banana, milk and

another popular vegetable – so easy over summer and healthy.

freeze. Sometimes I blend some almonds and chia as well for a protein kick. Also great for our hot afternoons when

TIP MAKE IT FUN

3

We are all very visual in our eating – especially children. Add some fun by buying Christmas plates

to enjoy summer meals on. Dinner with a Santa plate might

Breakfast icy poles makes 4

– y spinach & 1 kiwi fruit Green layer – ½ cup bab l of ice blended with a handfu s blended until fine, 1 oat cup Banana layer – ½ l of ice. blended with a handfu banana, ½ cup milk – all in h icy pole mold. Place Put green layer into eac and Add banana layer on top freezer for 30 minutes. id. return to freezer until sol

80

Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

everyone is getting a bit tired.

My children will often go to the freezer and get a plain ice block to suck on – instantly cooling and refreshing. So we now make some tasty fruit and vegetable blocks that they can

enjoy. Current favourite combinations blended up are: Strawberry & baby spinach

n n

n

Avocado & coconut milk

FOOD & NUTRITION

The shops only shut for one day so there really is no need to stockpile anything - remember, fresh is best!

Orange & carrot

n

Watermelon & raspberry

n

Blueberry & cucumber I often make a batch of chocolate protein balls and

keep them in the freezer. Such a tasty pick me up in the afternoon and the children love them – and I do!

TIP ENJOY!

5

Everyone is busy at this time of year – so take some time for yourselves and your children to relax. Your bodies and your health

will thank you!

Another important part of enjoying the festive season is to not deprive yourself. If you really enjoy Christmas stuffing then have some – just don’t eat all of it. Same with desserts – have some and don’t go back for seconds. Weight loss is probably not going to occur at this time of year, so instead aim for weight maintenance until Christmas is over. It is all about being realistic!

Kate Bullen is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and Mum to a seven year old, four year old and 18 month old. More information can be found at www.dietitianonline.com.au.

Valid until 28th February 2014 *conditions apply

www.offspringmagazine.com.au

perth | summer 2014 | Offspring

81

TRAVEL

The Great and Wonderful

BY COLLEEN WILLIS

Great Ocean Road!

A family road trip - what could be more fun? Before you start shaking in your shoes at the thought of “are we there yet?” a road trip can actually be great fun and educational at the same time.

With a bit of forward planning, a good time can be had by all!

W

e are fortunate in Australia to have a multitude

For example, in Torquay itself, a visit to the Tiger Moth World

of scenic routes from which to choose. One of

holds lots of fun and is aimed at families with children up to

the most spectacular would have to be the Great

teenage years. Some activities include: • Paddle boats

• Mini golf

The Great Ocean Road is 243km of road between the Victorian

• Mini soccer

• Giant Tiger Moth play park

towns of Torquay and Allansford, and is next to Warrnambool.

• The Jolly Roger ship

• Scenic flights

Ocean Road, which is on the Australian National Heritage List.

The beauty of a trip like this is that you can decide how fast

For more information visit www.tigermothworld.com.au

or slow you want to do it and what sights you want to stop at.

Here are some of the amazing things to visit:

If you feel like a swim in the ocean then head to the famous

• Bells Beach

• Wye River

Bells Beach or take a stroll along the Surf Coast walk.

• Apollo Bay

• Kennett River Koala Walk

For more information visit www.travelvictoria.com.au/torquay/

• Otway National Park

• Otway Lighthouse

• Port Campbell National Park

• The Twelve Apostles

Helpful Hint

• Tower Hill Warrnambool

Plan to make stops at some of the many playgrounds along the

For more information visit www.greatoceanrd.org.au

way. Some of them have more than just your run-of-the-mill swings and slides, such as the Lorne playground and skate

However, to make a family road trip successful, it’s

park, which has:

important to do things to keep the kids interested, or you may

• Globe designed skate park

• Pool

well end up with that chorus of “are we there yet??” The Great

• Trampolines

• Mini golf

Ocean Road has plenty of opportunities to stop, have a look and

• Beach access

have a play.

For more information visit http://www. visitgreatoceanroad.org.au/media/33385/ playgrounds_brochure.pdf

Road trip hints • Pack plenty of healthy snacks and water • Pack wipes and hand sanitiser

This is fantastic as it lists 35 playgrounds, their facilities and an age guide.

Brilliant!!

• Make several stops to cover the toilet and a run around • Keep hats and sunscreen handy

www.offspringmagazine.com.au

TRAVEL The closest major airport to get back home from is Adelaide. (Another great city to stop • Bring a First-Aid kit

and play in; after all it has been ranked the

• Have plastic bags handy for

9th city in the world to visit by Lonely Planet!)

rubbish and possible accidents

For information visit www.qantas.com.au

• Plan your route before you start

www.virgin.com.au | www.jetstar.com.au

• Update navigation systems

www.driveaway.com.au

• Bring books, ipads, DVDs, colouring-in packs

If flying is not on your radar, then there

• Plan some games eg I spy

are other options available, such as the train

• CDs to sing along

and of course, taking your own vehicle.

• Talk to each other and have fun!

For more information visit www.greatsouthernrail.com.au

Accommodation There are so many great towns along this road and they have a large number of accommodation options available, ranging from basic camping to luxury lodgings.

There are plenty of caravan/holiday parks to choose from, spanning from the Big 4 chain to those privately owned and run. Most will allow camping and range from basic facilities to having a pool and playground.

For more information visit www.vicbig4.com.au If this isn’t your style but you don’t want to pay 5 star rates, then why not consider a Bed and Breakfast accommodation?

B&Bs allow for more interaction with the ‘locals’ who can give you lots of tips and hints on the area.

For more information visit www.visitvictoria.com If you’re travelling with a group then another option is to rent a house for a few days when stopping. This can sometimes help cut costs yet give you the freedom and flexibility to come

Bali Baby Hire provides a wide range of baby equipment and related services to assist with all your needs for traveling to Bali with babies and young children.

Stocking only high quality brand named products that are clean, safe and comfortable. Bali Baby Hire will make life as easy for you on your holiday in Bali just as it would be in your home.

10% discount on hire items ✔ car seats for Offspring ✔ strollers readers ✔ prams ✔ high chairs ✔ bathtubs ✔ safety bed rails ✔ safety gates ✔ play pens ✔ baby monitors ✔ fun toys and much more Baby sitting, VIP fast track airport service, transfers and tours with car seats fitted also available.

and go as you want.

For more information visit www.visitmelbourne.com/Regions/Great-Ocean-Road www.stayz.com.au | www.greatoceanroadtrip.com

Getting there The most direct way from Perth is to fly to Melbourne, pick up a rental car and then go from there. Torquay is roughly 100kms

Phone: +628593511030 email: info@balibabyhire.com www.balibabyhire.com

south west of Melbourne on the Geelong route.

www.offspringmagazine.com.au

perth | summer 2014 | Offspring

83

TRAVEL

l a c i g Ma e n r u o b Mel Once there I

Think Melbourne

recommend a visit to

is just about food and

the Children’s Garden,

shopping? Well you’d be

a fantastic spot for

wrong! It has lots of fun things for kids and adults to do!

children who love to

Melbourne has so much to

get their hands dirty!

It has been designed

offer families that it would be a

specifically to help

shame to miss her out if coming across to see the Great Ocean Road.

Highlights include • The Galactic Circus

teach and excite children about the importance of conservation and caring for the environment.

• Melbourne Zoo

Other highlights include

• Fairy Park (perfect for little princes and princesses)

• Canna Bed Rain Garden

• Guilfoyle’s Volcano

• Science Works

• Melbourne Aquarium

• The Melbourne Observatory

• Lakes and Islands

• The Queen Victoria Markets

• Cooks Cottage

For more information visit www.rbg.vic.gov.au

• Federation Square

• Melbourne Trams

For more information visit www.visitmelbourne.com

Accommodation

www.melbourneforkids.com.au

Like all cities, Melbourne has plenty of accommodation, and apartments tend to be the most popular for families.

If it’s fun and excitement you’re after then a day spent at the Galactic Circus should fit the bill. It’s classed as Australia’s largest indoor interactive park and is situated within the Crown Entertainment Complex.

Highlights include • Indoor Laser

• Bowling

• Arcade games and prizes • Central location • Fully costumed and interactive staff • It’s open every day of the year, including public holidays For more information visit www.galacticcircus.com.au If it’s something more laid back you’re after, then why not take a picnic to the gorgeous Royal Botanical Gardens. A good place to start is the Visitor Centre which is on Birdwood Avenue, where you can get maps and information on how to spend your time.

84

Offspring | summer 2014 | perth

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For children 0-14 years playing in separate areas!

Come Play at The Beach House this Summer!

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Create a special party with our children’s chairs, tables & decorative cloths for Learn to partyorstyle like a pro with your next birthday world’s best at Kara’s Party Workshop family celebration. in Perth - March 12, Perth Zoo Vicki Buy Ticket: www.sugarcoatedmama.com

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DIRECTORY Horse Riding Lessons for children aged 3+ and adults

own Choodie Get your child’s

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Cyo

“Fam site is a ily C or This Blood Ban d bloo means k your ” d ste b

Australia’s Leading

Cord Blood Bank

aby’ to tr m cells s co e c othe at them an be s rd to selve r com s an red patib d le mem bers family .

Now is the time to get the facts on cord blood banking and decide who should store your baby’s cord blood stem cells.

1. Your baby’s umbilical cord blood is an invaluable resource as

it contains their stem cells. These stem cells can be frozen and stored indefinitely for future use.

2. You only have one chance to save your baby’s stem cells - at the time of their birth. The cord blood will otherwise be discarded. Collection is quick, safe and painless.

3. Cord blood stem cells are routinely used to treat patients with cancers, blood disorders and immune system deficiencies.

4. Cryosite

pioneered private autologous(1) cord blood banking in Australia in 2002 and since 2011 Cryosite has been licensed to provide a “Family Cord Blood Banking” service for

Australian families(2). Family banking represents a significant new era in cord blood banking in Australia and greatly extends the potential uses.

5. Since 2002 Cryosite’s scientists have banked cord blood for thousands of Australian children in our own TGA licensed laboratories. With a decade’s experience in cord blood banking, Cryosite continues to provide the scientific expertise and financial stability(3) essential to confidently store your child’s stem cells for your family’s future use.

Need more information?

For more information call and talk to our friendly cord blood experts on 1800 220 410 or download a comprehensive brochure from our website.

www.yourbabyscordblood.com.au

References: 1. “Autologous” means your child’s cord blood can only be used to treat themselves. 2. Cryosite’s cord blood laboratories are fully licensed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (Lic No MI-18072008-LI-002488-11). 3. Cryosite is Australia’s only publically listed private Cord Blood Bank (ASX code “CTE”).