December 2015 - issue twenty six
al ughcover dis dulge in Summer salad recipes School holiday sanity savers Over $1,500 in prizes Plus much more!
Christmas 150+ gift ideas Organisation & budget tips
Fashion Party threads for the kids Key festive season looks for mum
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Editor’s letter
Image by Elise Garner, lecoco.com.au
hi!
Cover image: Photography by Elise Garner lecoco.com.au Check out the rest of the shoot on page 20
I
s it just me or did Christmas arrive really early this year? Santa has been taking snaps with the kids for nearly a month now and the decorations in store have been up for even longer. And we still have weeks to go before the big day!
I’ve been thinking a lot about Christmas lately. It is truly my favourite time of the year. My birthday is around Christmas, as is Olivia’s and in our family the celebrations run for the whole month. But one thing I can’t wrap my head around is hype. Not so much the hype that gets us excited about the holidays but more the hype that drains us and brings us down. This year I’m saying no to the hype. I’m not rushing around to snag a bargain on Boxing Day or worrying if I can’t get a car park at the shops. I’m going to take the extra time to speak to sales assistants and I’m going to make sure I remember what Christmas is all about. In this issue I’ve got a Christmas organisation checklist from Amanda Lecaude which will hopefully help you get organised for a hype free Christmas. Alisa Nyquist also has some clever ideas for Christmas on a budget. And as always I’ve got tons of gift ideas for every budget. There is also school holiday sanity savers, party fashion for the kids and I even turned my hand to modelling this issue for some fun festive fashion for you. Plus so much more!! I wish you and your family a safe and happy holidays. I hope you get a break to face 2016 head on. I’m calling 2016 my year of hustle so I’ll see you back in February for another exciting year of Kid Magazine. Until next issue, you can find us at www.kidmagazine.com.au for more of the things you love.
Sara
Editor and Chief Kid sara@kidmagazine.com.au kidmagazine.com.au kidmagazine.com.au/subscribe 5
Stipe and chambray shirt in washed blu, $44.95, www.bardot.com/bardot-junior; Milo bow tie, $14, foxyfellow.com.au
Life through the lens of our Editor and Chief Kid, Sara. Join us at instagram.com/kidmagazineau
Keep up to date with our Facebook posts, full of fashion tips, latest articles, competitions and interviews. Follow us at facebook.com/kidmagazine
INSIDE
88
10 46 Behind the blog madmaxmum
vegetarian... with kid
92
14 ladies festive fashion
58 2016 homewares trend report
the gift of music
16
94
5 top christmas saving tips
60 summer school holiday survival tips
summer salads
20 christmas checklist
62
PLUS... Summer beauty essentials
time to party
9
Giveaways 18 5 minutes with Heather Rowland 44
christmas gift guide
Life After Stillbirth 52 Kid Magazine Loves 86 New Kids on the Block 90 Books & Screens 100
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PLAY - DREAM - FLY www.glottogon.com.au
PUZZLES & GAMES AWARD WINNING STRONG & STURDY ECO PAPER & INKS ORIGINAL & QUIRKY ART FUN!
SHOP NOW
8 summer beauty essentials Sara Keli, Kid Magazine Editor
for under $20
JERGENS Shea Beauty Oil, $10.99 www.jergens.com.au
Lady Jayne Tangleze, $13.99 www.lady-jayne.com
Sukin Aloe Vera Gel, $9.95 www.sukinorganics.com
Sally Hansen Miracle Gel 2.0 pack, $19.95 www.au.sallyhansen.com
This divine body oil leaves your skin feeling silky and smooth and with a gorgeous glow. There is no oily residue so it won’t rub off on your clothes and the shea scent is amazing!
Keep one of these brushes in your handbag, particularly for any beach or pool trips you are making these holidays. It is compact and does the job of removing knots beautifully.
If you happen to get sunburnt, Aloe Vera is soothing and nourishing for your skin. This Sukin gel is really light and so cooling on the skin. You can also use it to hydrate dry skin.
If you want a long lasting manicure but don’t have time to go to the salon for a Shellac, this is your answer. It uses natural light to set, so no lamps, and lasts up to 14 days.
Rimmel London BB Radiance Cream, $12.95 au.rimmelllondon.com
Sukin Hyrdrating Body Lotion, $19.95 www.sukinorganics.com
NIVEA Pearl & Beauty Roll On Deodorant, $3.79 www.nivea.com.au
Little Innoscents Sun Lotion, $19.99 littleinnoscents.com.au
I’m always on the look out for time saving products and this BB Radiance Cream is one. It primes, smoothes, conceals, moisturises and leaves you with glowing, natural coverage.
I absolutely love the scent of this Sukin Lime & Coconut body lotion. It is like being instantly transported to the tropics! It is light, non-greasy and feels so nice to apply.
If you find your get dry armpits in the warmer months from shaving more often, this deodorant is the answer. It is light and doesn’t leave white marks on clothes.
It’s hard to find a good sun lotion but this is one! It is thick but rubs in easily without leaving a white residue and doesn’t have a strong scent. It’s perfect for the whole family!
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HIND THE BLOG
MaxMum
In a world where Instagram filters are king and a shiny gloss tends to be painted over aspects of mum life, it is refreshing to find people like Lauren Kate from MadMaxMum who are keeping it real and sharing the whole journey, the good and bad. From a troubled past Lauren now has a career in the health & fitness industry and is mum to two gorgeous kids. Tell us a bit about MadMaxMum MadMaxMum is a continuation of my first blog “The Preggo Diaries”. My blog began as an emotional outlet while I was pregnant and has since grown to everything that goes on as a mummy of two kids! The name came to me one day when I was getting a pregnancy massage and is a collaboration of our names Mad- Madisyn MaxMax & Mum- Me!
What has been your biggest blogging achievement? My biggest blogging achievement was when I conducted a little experiment with my toddler after reading the book “That Sugar Film”. At the time Madi was throwing massive tantrums & I altered her diet to see if it would help, which it did. My blog piece was then shared by the official “That Sugar Film” social medias, & later on I found out it has been printed & shared around many childcare centres around Australia! Why do you love blogging?
When I’m not blogging I am with my gorgeous kids, studying to be a personal trainer, cleaning my house or at the gym. That’s my life!
I LOVE blogging because I feel as though I am very relateable to the average mum. I love health & fitness, I love my family & I absolutely love life, but there are the shitty days & by blogging everything, it helps not just myself by writing it, it also helps other women who might feel alone in the same situation. I’ve made some amazing connections with other mums by writing my blog & I love have the opportunity to help other women when once upon a time, I thought that I was never going to amount to anything.
How do you manage the balance between being a mum, blogger, girlfriend?
What advice would you give to other mums thinking of starting a blog?
I’m honestly still getting used to it! I had to extend my PT course so I could take pressure off myself to do too many things at once (which I have a habit of doing!) but my kids come first of course! Drew & I have a great relationship where we talk about EVERYTHING & he’s the one I pass out on the couch with at night when we are wrecked from our massive days! Blogging - well I do that any spare second that I get (so when the kids are asleep & Drew is busy with his ute).
If you’re going to write a blog about yourself, be yourself.
When you aren’t blogging, what are you doing?
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What impact has blogging had on your life? Blogging has opened up so many doors for me. When I started, I didn’t think that anyone would read it so when I started to get the response that I did, I was so shocked! I’ve had a pretty troubled past & by blogging I am able to help others who are going through what I did. It has also connected me with other mothers around the world.
MadMaxMum is so real and honest, is that how you are in real life?
What is your favourite quote/mantra? Old ways won’t open up new doors. What are your top 3-5 tips for mums who want to stay healthy and fit exercise in their busy days? - Prepare your meals in advance - Invest in a resistance band & use it for body strengthening exercises in your lounge room when the kids are asleep - Protein shakes at brekky (help keep you fuller for longer when you’re busy!) - Make time for exercise (sometimes it is impossible, but you’ll feel better when you’ve worked out!)
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It certainly is! My blog is 100% me, always has & always will be. I would be lying to myself if I was to pretending to be someone that I’m not. What is next for MadMaxMum? I am currently designing a new website that will be fresh, exciting & incorporate a lot of health & fitness, which I am so passionate about! I have so many goals that I’ve set for myself & I WILL accomplish them!
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END
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trend report Sarah Cichy, Director Piccolo PR PR Guru Sarah Cichy is one stylish lady with an eye for trends and gorgeous brands. Here Sarah shares the key homewares trends for 2016 to give you a headstart on your home style. Garnish with Gold. 2016 will be so shimmery! Gold exudes rich opulence and glamour. Add a liberal dose of shine by mixing brass, nickel hardware, gold coasters and copper vases together will evoke a mid-century modern design. Enjoy a little metallic magic using bronze, silver and gold applications against bright white! Enjoy a little grandeur in the bedroom with the Megan Morton Limited Edition Four Poster Bed by Incy Interiors. The frame enables you to add your own little personality and decorate using fairy lights, lavender or frothy fabric.
Baskets Provide the perfect alternative to traditional toy boxes and drawers. Bring yourself back to Boho with an Olli Ella Belly Baskets. They have just enough pop which contrasts again natural wicker. Alternatively, Zig Zag baskets from Marmoset Found are handwoven from seagrass, are functional and at the same time create interest and intrigue to your space. Black Out We’re getting closer to goth next year. Black has once again been embraced by many designers around the globe and is progressively creeping back into homes. Contrasting these dark shades against bright white which will help to create a Scandinavian style of living that is fresh, modern and minimalist. LisaKathMoen by Urbaani Homewares help bring these Nordic elements to life with print. Children’s Rooms No matter what your personality type- colourful and creative, shy and serene- there are some specific rooms in the house which enable you to experiment with colors, texture and fabrication. So next year, be rad! The Toucan collection of prints come in a wide variety of styles that will help you to recreate your room on a budget. It’s Vintage Darling! Take a step back! Next year opt for a few old-world charming pieces and bring them back to life! Decorate your room with salvaged accessories, pieces purchased at flea markets or for an authentic touch, take a deep dive into your parent’s retro treasure-chest. A large GEO basket will instantly lend vintage appeal to a modern living room, whilst a lava lamp will add some retro flair to your room. It doesn’t have to scream ‘yeah baby’ – just a subtle little bright light placed in the corner of the room will help you shape, and shine… and step you back in time. Mirror Mirror on the wall. 2016 is all about high-shine and stretching the inside of a room which will help to create an optical illusion. To do this, gather together a collection of small framed mirrors of different sizes and shapes that can be found at secondhand discount stores. Reach all greater heights and elongate the walls by painting them all the same colour and gather together to create a magic mosaic.
END twitter.com/Piccolo_PR
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How to survive summer school holidays Tips to enjoy time with the kids without going crazy
Renée Harwood, Née Say
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End of term is fast approaching and, I’m not going to lie, the prospect of having all three kids home 24/7 for six weeks makes my stomach clench in the same way that a dodgy burrito does. As much as we love our kids and enjoy spending time with them, most parents will understand the feeling of apprehension at the thought of extended time at home with one or more children. Whether you are home with the kids for just a few days, a few weeks or the whole school holidays, here are some tips to help make your time together as enjoyable for everyone as possible.
stories by torchlight and look up at the stars. You could even try toasting marshmallows over a small fire brazier if you are feeling really adventurous! Put them to work Washing the car, cleaning windows or pulling weeds are all tasks we dread but the kids will probably love once they get stuck in. They might not do the job as well as you would but it will keep them occupied as well as ticking something off your to-do list. Done is better than perfect! Don’t leave back to school to the last minute
There are a lot of great resources online detailing local activities for kids over the holidays. Check with local council, shopping centres and child related web pages (e.g. Brisbane Kids) for events calendars. Be sure to check age requirements and cost details – many holiday activities are free!
Back to school preparations can always be hectic and if you are anything like me, you don’t even think about it until the New Year. However, putting it off and doing it in a mad rush the week before school returns can cause unnecessary stress for everyone. Why not pick up a few things from the list each time to you shop, go in with some other classmates on a bulk purchase or better yet, drop your list off at the newsagent or Officeworks and let them do the hard yards for you.
Schedule down time
Shop online
Although it may seem counter intuitive, being out of the house everyday of the holidays isn’t the best idea. Everyone needs a little down time, especially kids. Give them a chance to relax and play around the house. You might even like to have a pajama day where you all laze about watching movies for the day.
Grocery shopping with kids in tow is probably one of the most stressful experiences a parent can embark on. This school holidays save yourself the drama and order online, it’s a great way to stick to a budget too!
Do your research
Timeshare with other parents We are all in the same boat so why not team up with some other parents and take turns having the kids? This might give you some time to finish that Christmas shopping or catch up on some well-earned rest!
If all else fails keep it simple. You will be surprised how much kids simply enjoy spending quality time with you. Happy holidays!
Make a boredom jar The age-old catch cry of “I’m bored!” is notoriously common on school holidays so nip it in the bud straightaway. Write activity suggestions on paddle pop sticks such as; play with Lego, build a cubby house, jump rope, read a book, or write a story. Then pop them in a jar or container. When the kids come to you complaining they are bored, get them to choose a stick at random and do that activity. It might be fun to sit down with the kids and get them to come up with their own suggestions. Camp out If you aren’t going away but want to get the holiday vibe happening, why not have a staycation in your own backyard or living room? Grab some sleeping bags, tell facebook.com/NeeSayer
The important thing to remember these school holidays is to keep your expectations reasonable. There will be days that you collapse in a heap at the end, wondering how you all survived. Other days will be pure magic and amazing memories will be made.
END Renée Harwood is a freelance writer, aspiring novelist and mother to three rambunctious children. When she’s not being distracted by social media or drinking copious amounts of coffee, Renée can be found wandering along one of her beautiful local beaches with her two dogs. Her lifelong dream is to earn enough money to afford a housekeeper. Renée blogs about all these things at Née Say (neesayer.com).
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giveaways
To enter visit www.kidmagazine.com.au/win Competitions close Sunday, 31 January 2016 at midnight AEDT. Full competition terms & conditions at www.kidmagazine.com.au/ terms--conditions
A $100 voucher from Me&Tata
Three Love to Dream Nuzzlin 0.2 Tog Sleep Bags valued at $44.95 each
Three Alexander the Elephant book and CD packs valued at $39.95 each
Two Artline Stix prize packs valued at $50
A swimwear pack from HeavenLee swim valued at $135
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A KIDSAGOGO+ girls prize pack valued at $114
A $150 voucher from Snugglebum
A WD prize pack valued at $579
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A $165 gift voucher from My Family Photo
home of homemade, eco-friendly and organic products www.avidiva.com.au
Pink White Ballet Shoes
Green Apple PJ’s
Pretend Play Pirate Rattle
Charli Bear
Kicky Pants
Dandelion
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Pink Orchid Bean Chair
Nighty Night
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Lelby’s
Milk Baby
time to party! Photography by Elise Garner lecoco.com.au kidmagazine.com.au/subscribe 20
L: NEXT lace dress, $26, www.next.com.au; Dusky Daze headband, $34.99, www.tutudumonde.com R: Kardashian Kids Infant sequin collar top, $20, and Kardashian Kids gold tulle skirt, $20 www.bigw.com.au; Goldrush midi knot bow, $7, www.topknotshop.com
L: Printed tee (available November), $19.95, www.cottonkids.com. au; Bente tights in flash orange, $34.95, www.tumblendry.com.au; R: Tee with ice cream print, $22.95, www.tinytribe.com.au; Short with turn-ups, $28.50, lycorne.com.au
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L: GUESS, Short Sleeve Plaid Shirt, $59.95, guess.net.au; Peter Morrissey baby short & braces, $22, www.bigw.com.au; The Sorrento hat, $25.90, foxyfellow.com.au R: Kardashian Kids Infant sequin collar top, $20, and Kardashian Kids gold tulle skirt, $20 www.bigw.com.au; Goldrush midi knot bow, $7, www.topknotshop.com; Glorious gold baby sandal, $39.95, www.cheekylittlesoles.com.au
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L-R: NEXT lace dress, $26, www.next.com.au; Kids bow princess shoes, $29.99, www.holsterfashion.com Kardashian Kids Infant sequin collar top, $20, and Kardashian Kids gold tulle skirt, $20 www.bigw.com.au; Glorious gold baby sandal, $39.95, www.cheekylittlesoles.com.au Sia mesh dress in ivory, $99.95, www.bardot.com/bardot-junior; Cross over sandals in white, $49.95, www.skeanie.com.au GUESS, Short Sleeve Plaid Shirt, $59.95, guess.net.au; Peter Morrissey baby short & braces, $22, www.bigw.com.au; Freycoo Rory boys leather sandals, $36.95, www.tiptoeandco.com.au
Miles linen jacket in powder blue, $79.95, www.bardot.com/bardot-junior; Lee Cooper stripe denim trim tee, $15, www.bigw.com.au; The Amalfi hat, $25.90, foxyfellow.com.au kidmagazine.com.au/subscribe 26
party tip Serve fruit tea as an alternative to cordial or soft drink. For our party we used Red Seal fruit teas, brewed cold. The kids loved that what they were drinking was sweet and the parents loved the lower levels of sugar!
L: Miles linen jacket in powder blue, $79.95, www.bardot.com/bardot-junior; Lee Cooper stripe denim trim tee, $15, www.bigw.com.au; The Amalfi hat, $25.90, foxyfellow.com.au; Peter Morrissey plait belt short, $22, www.bigw.com.au R: NEXT lace dress, $26, www.next.com.au; Dusky Daze headband, $34.99, www.tutudumonde.com
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Sia mesh dress in ivory, $99.95, www.bardot.com/bardot-junior; Spearmint midi knot bow, $7, www.topknotshop.com
L: Peter Morrissey print shirt, $20, www.bigw.com.au; Bentley bow tie, $14, foxyfellow.com.au R: Stipe and chambray shirt in washed blu, $44.95, www.bardot.com/bardot-junior; Carl boys jeans, $54.95, www.tumblendry.com.au; Milo bow tie, $14, foxyfellow.com.au
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L: Little Drummer Girl onsie - Hydrangea, $155, www.tutudumonde.com; Honeycomb skirt in shell pink, $69.95, www.bardot.com/bardot-junior R: Kids tank set (sold with shorts, $39.95), www.bonds. com.au; Saskia marshmallow skirt, $39.95, oobi.com.au kidmagazine.com.au/subscribe 34
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Peter Morrissey print shirt, $20, www.bigw.com. au; GUESS, Belted Skinny Jean, $59.95, guess.net.au; Bentley bow tie, $14, foxyfellow.com.au; Kids sailor back thongs, $24.99, www.holsterfashion.com
Crochet short in vanilla, $44.95, www.bardot.com/ bardot-junior; Eve peach painted floral tee, $29.95, oobi.com.au; Litte Blue Lamb Clara girls sandals, $30. www.tiptoeandco.com.au; Glory feather headband, $42, www.tutudumonde.com
.95,
Tropicana round picnic rug, $45, www.target.com.au
Attipas Marine in navy, $29.95, www.attipas.com.au
Volley international Velcro toddler in pink/blue, $28, www.volley.com.au
Kids bow princess shoes, $29.99, www.holsterfashion.com
L: Crochet short in vanilla, $44.95, www.bardot.com/bardot-junior; Eve peach painted floral tee, $29.95, oobi.com.au; Litte Blue Lamb Clara girls sandals, $30.95, www.tiptoeandco.com.au; Daisy flower crown, $9.95, oobi.com.au R; Little Drummer Girl onsie - Hydrangea, $155, www.tutudumonde.com; Honeycomb skirt in shell pink, $69.95, www.bardot.com/bardot-junior; Large bow headband in fairy floss, $10, littlebowpeeps.com.au kidmagazine.com.au/subscribe 38
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Cobs popcorn, www.cobspopcorn. com.au; Gold spots dessert plate (pack of 10) and Gold & pink spots dessert plate (pack of 10), $6.99 each, illumepartyware.com.au
Lisa T Paper bags in gold and rose gold, $12 each, www.target.com.au
Macarons from Carinderie, from $18/dozen, www.carinderie.com
party tip If you don’t like the idea of serving lolly bags to your guests but don’t know what to give them instead why not try little bags of popcorn or pop some crayons and a mini colouring book together. Bubbles and a sticker are always a winner or for a personalised gift a handmade card from the birthday boy or girl.
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NEXT lace dress, $26, www.next.com.au; Dusky Daze headband, $34.99, www.tutudumonde.com
5
Minutes with Heather Rowland
Heather is the mum of two behind Kippins, a range of GOTS certified organic baby comforters. Inspired by natire, storybooks and Heather’s wild imagination I can tell that life in the Rowland house must be a lot of fun. Here Heather gives us a little insight into her life. Three words to describe your style Relaxed boho-luxe Top fashion brands for you and the kids For everyday I love Seed, and for events I love Zimmermann and Shona Joy. For the boys I love Milk and Masuki, Kapow Kids and Anarkid. Beauty product you swear by I just bought the Alpha H Liquid Gold. The morning after the first application my skin was fresh and glowing and it’s helped get rid of a lot of pigmentation I had post pregnancy. It means less makeup and more time in the mornings. Advice for juggling motherhood and work Don’t ask me - most days are total chaos. Laugh and drink wine!
Favourite room in your home Our playroom. It’s a hot mess but I get to sit down for five minutes! I have the most fun in that room with my trio of boys (kids and hubby!). Words of wisdom to new mums Try not to be hard on yourself, and don’t feel bad if it’s not always amazing. Motherhood is the hardest thing I have ever done, and some days it sucks. Also, try not to feel guilty doing things for yourself. I still struggle with that so I’m going to take my own advice and put my feet up every once in a while. Quote/mantra you live by “Jump and learn to fly on the way down” – Lisa Messenger. I love her. Shopping - online or bricks and mortar? I love the convenience of online so much so that I have almost forgotten how to shop in store. But nothing beats a good long browse (without kids) in a beautiful retail environment, especially when the staff are helpful! Technology you can’t live without My phone – it’s my lifeline and I wouldn’t be able to run my business without it. Also, Foxtel. I’m a reality TV junkie. Sorry. Ultimate holiday destination I’m dying to visit The Hamptons. Best toy you ever bought your kids My son loves the Wishbone 3 in 1 balance bike. We have it in the black recycled edition. Every time he rides it people stop us, because it looks cool, too. I love it when fashion meets function!
END
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Ladies Festive Fashionwith Chasing Kate by St. Frock Chasing Kate by St. Frock is clothing that embraces all aspects of femininity though creating beautiful pieces for a variety of women, from all walks of life. The range, exclusive to St. Frock, includes capes, skirts, dresses, pants and tops in exclusive prints and premium fabrics, at an affordable price. I raided the St. Frock shelves to put the Chasing Kate range to the test and pull together four looks for different occasions this festive season. From family picnics to a lunch with the girls, a work party and the big day itself, here are the styles that will see you through the season. All items worn in this feature were gifted for editorial inclusion.
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Family picnic This time of year is ideal for picnics and outdoor activities with family and friends. This outfit is stylish, fun and gives you a little bit of coverage to protect your skin from the sun. But don’t forget the sun cream – the burnt look is never in! Chasing Kate Mayflower Cape, $79.90, shop.stfrock.com.au Chasing Kate Trinity Textured Top in Beige, $49.90, shop.stfrock.com.au Motocross Leatherette Panel Fabric Leggings, $49.90, shop.stfrock.com.au Wide Brim 100% Wool Hat in Blush, $39.90, shop.stfrock.com.au Dazzle Clear Midnight Blue, $49.99, www.holsterfashion.com
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Lunch with the girls Go feminine and floral to lunch with your girlfriends with a full skirt and simple top. Wedges are perfect for giving you a little height but comfortable enough if a girls lunch turns into an evening of dancing (in your dreams maybe?) Chasing Kate Heather Skirt in Tulip Print, $79.90, shop.stfrock.com.au Chasing Kate Destiny Top in Cobalt, $39.90, shop.stfrock.com.au Top End Unico Green, $159.95, www.styletread.com.au
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Work party
Whether it is a work function or not, a maxi dress is the go to for evening do’s. Pair with nude heels to accentuate your legs and stick with a sleek hairstyle to highlight your gorgeous face! Chasing Kate Head Over Heels Maxi Dress, $69.90, shop.stfrock.com.au Misano Savvy Nude Patent, $99, www.styletread.com.au
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Christmas Day On Christmas Day, comfort is Queen. A stretch fabric will keep you comfortable no matter how many servings of Christmas lunch you eat and a pair of Frankie4 heels will soothe your feet throughout the day. Merry Christmas! Chasing Kate Morgan Reversible Dress in Floral, $79.90, shop.stfrock.com.au MONiCA in Walnut/White, $239.95, frankie4.com.au
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Life after Stillbirth A Mother’s Journey Through Grief Tess Woods, HarperCollins Australia author
As an author for HarperCollins, I was approached by Kid Magazine to write a short story for their readership. The brief was for a light and humorous fictional short story about being a mum. I apologise for not delivering on that. Firstly, my story isn’t fictional, it’s real. Secondly, it is anything but light or funny. But it’s a story I feel compelled to share in the hope that it will reach other mums who may find comfort in it and that it may spread awareness and understanding of what so many of us go through but is rarely acknowledged. My story is about my third child, my beautiful perfect precious son Lachy, who was stillborn in 2006. This is the first time I have ever spoken about him because I feel a responsibility as someone with a platform whose voice can be heard, to speak up. I remember sitting crouched on the floor beside the toilet, having just done a pregnancy test, and sobbing into my hands. I didn’t want this. I didn’t want another baby. My youngest was three and a half years old and starting kindy the following year. I was just starting to feel excited about heading back to work and I was tasting the beginnings of getting my life back after eight years as a stay-at-home mum. And here I was pregnant again, thanks to a major condom fail. My husband, Paul, comforted me as best he could, but he was in shock too and no more ready for another baby than I was. Financially, this was the last thing we needed. I rang my mum and dad and my brother and I cried when I told them, not because I was happy but because I was upset. I text messaged my closest friends and told them I was “accidentally “ pregnant and that I was devastated by it. kidmagazine.com.au/subscribe 52
That shock and disbelief lasted one day. One day. Then I got over it. I was having a baby! The things that seemed so important the day before – going back to work, having time to myself, not having to wake up at the crack of dawn to hit the gym, having more money from my income, having coffees with friends without a toddler hanging on – all those things slipped away somewhere into my dreams that night, because I woke up the next morning and the first thing I did was touch my belly and cry fresh tears, but tears of joy this time that I was blessed enough to have been given another child to mother. ‘I’m sorry little one,” I said out loud to my baby. “I’m sorry I wasn’t happy like I was with your brother and sister when I found out I was pregnant with you. I love you and I want you.” Mother’s guilt kicked in that I had told all and sundry that I was unhappy about being pregnant. I considered sending out a group text saying “Hey, I love my baby, I didn’t mean any of that stuff I said yesterday” but it seemed like a stupid thing to do so I didn’t do it. I figured everyone would eventually see me anyway and realise it was the idea of all the upheaval of having a third child that was the reason for me being upset, not the fact that I didn’t actually want my child. We told our children and they were beyond excited, their joy brought out ours and as a family we started happily planning for baby number three. I did my usual pregnancy thing and got violently ill for three months. I was vomiting upwards of ten times a day and by my second trimester I was already retaining a heap of water and looked like a blimp! But I was happy. This unexpected surprise bundle changed my outlook on life. I saw that you can have what you think is a perfect life plan but then that plan can turn to mud and it can be the best thing ever. I loved being a mum. Nothing had ever satisfied me more and I was getting another go at it!
Thinking we were finished with having babies, we had already given away all our baby items to charity and I had given away all my maternity and baby clothes. My girlfriend lent me her maternity clothes and we started buying all the things we used to have – baby bath, crib, etc. The children were beside themselves with excitement as my belly grew and our baby belongings grew and I bought and borrowed lots of children’s books about a new baby coming into the family as we all nested together. My little one, Lara, came along to all the doctor’s appointments and she was with me the day my baby died. The night before, there had been loud storms, and both children had climbed into our bed, being scared by the rattling windows in their own bedrooms. We were squished all four of us in the one bed and somehow both kids ended up with their legs across my belly. Well, the baby did not like that one little bit. He kicked them off nice and hard and they woke up and we all had a giggle that the baby was saying “Hey you guys, get off my Mama!” The children fell back asleep and I had a horrific nightmare that the baby’s heart had stopped. I told Paul about it as he shaved for work the next morning and he laughed it off. For the whole pregnancy I’d been having these recurring awful nightmares that the baby’s heart had stopped and I couldn’t explain why. He thought I was being dramatic and silly, all the ultrasounds and checkups so far were perfect. So that day, Lara and I went for my regular check-up. In the waiting room I read to her from her favourite book of the moment, Shh, You’ll Wake the Baby. The doctor called us in and asked Lara if she would like to be the one to help us listen to the baby’s heartbeat this time so she took the soundhead of the ultrasound and he guided her hand over my tummy. Nothing. His expression changed and he fiddled with the controls a little. Still silence. No heartbeat. Without a word, the doctor, snatched the soundhead from my daughter’s grip and moved it around my belly while he stared intently at the monitor. Then his face froze and I knew. “Oh.” That was all he said. “Oh.” “My baby,” I whispered to him. “My baby?” “Oh no.” He avoided my eyes. “Is my baby dead?” I cried. Lara grabbed my hand. ‘No Mummy, no, our baby isn’t dead!” kidmagazine.com.au/subscribe 53
The doctor just stood there and time stood still. I had my little girl crying, hugging my belly, the doctor staring at his shoes and not speaking and my baby dead inside me. I think we stayed like that for a few minutes before I found my voice. “What happened? How? Are you sure my baby has died?” The doctor nodded. “I don’t know what happened but you’re placenta has detached and is sitting at the bottom of your uterus. The foetus has no heartbeat. I’m sorry. We need to get you to hospital.” “I felt him kicking last night, early this morning,” I said. “This is a dead foetus,” the doctor said wiping off the ultrasound gel. “Whether he was kicking or not last night, he is dead now.” And here’s why I wanted to write this article. If you are someone who knows someone who has had a stillbirth, please read on to see what actually happens to women who go through this. Please take note of what my doctor and others said to me, words that can’t be unsaid and have been heard by mothers other than me, and please make sure you don’t say these things. If you are someone who has experienced the inexplicable grief that comes from giving birth to a child who has passed away, I hope you feel less alone reading on. I hope you see that there are others out here who share your pain and who know your grief.
“If you are someone who has experienced the inexplicable grief that comes from giving birth to a child who has passed away, I hope you feel less alone reading on.”
So, the doctor, who had been a mumbling mess in the consulting room, marched me and my crying toddler out to reception and said these words in front of a roomful of expectant mothers to his receptionist in a loud, clear voice. “Can you please organise a termination today for this foetus?” I was gobsmacked. A termination? He hadn’t even told me that we were doing that! Today? Couldn’t I at least go home and process this information? Everyone in the room went dead silent and stared at me. I wondered if they all thought I had gone in there and voluntarily asked for an abortion. The nurse nodded and in an impassive voice, she said, “Before I arrange your termination, I need you to pay for today’s consult please.” In my brain fog, I couldn’t for the life of me remember my bank account pin and I had no cash on me. She rolled her eyes. “We can’t schedule your termination unless you pay first.” She said quite loudly. I broke down. “Please don’t call it that. Why are you calling it a termination? I don’t want my baby terminated.” She stood up and walked around to the front of the desk, took hold of my elbow and walked me into an unused consulting room. “I’ll give you some privacy away from the other patients. Is there someone you can call who can come and pay your bill for you today?” Her message was clear. I was causing a scene and needed to be removed. I called my husband. He came. He saved me. He took me home. We were living away from all our family who lived in Melbourne and we lived in Perth. We had no baby-sitter and I had to be in hospital a few hours later. I called my friend and asked her to come stay with our kids and then called my mum and begged her to get on a flight. I needed her.
And then something amazing happened. My body didn’t respond to the medicine they gave me to induce labour. I was only having one contraction every ten or fifteen minutes and my cervix wasn’t dilating. They kept checking me every hour and giving me more and more drugs to bring on this birth and it just wouldn’t happen. And the reason that this was so amazing was because it gave me time with my baby and time to say good-bye. I had thirty-six hours from labour induction to when I gave birth. In that time, Paul didn’t leave my side and together we accepted what had come to pass and together we grieved. My mum had time to arrive from Melbourne and she brought the children into hospital to visit. It brought me great comfort to be able to hold my kids. Our Catholic priest came and sat with us and prayed with us and I found peace. In that hospital room, I realised this – God doesn’t stop bad stuff happening to you. Bad stuff happens to everyone. We aren’t God’s puppets and He doesn’t sit in Heaven deciding who gets to live and who gets to die. But God is the peace that you can reach in and find in the depth of the bad stuff. If you turn to God when you are in need, that’s when He steps up to the plate and helps you cope. An overwhelming sense of peace came over me. And then I was finally ready to give birth to my baby. The doctor came back, he was more collected now. He apologised and said that in all his years, mine was only the second time a baby had died this late in pregnancy, hence his shock. I forgave him. But I did tell him not to ever speak the words he spoke to me to another mother in the future and he promised he wouldn’t. I should have told him to sack his receptionist while I was at it, but I didn’t.
It all happened so fast that I could barely process what was happening. Doctor after doctor, nurse after nurse, test after test and then I was induced to go into labour.
Then the anaesthetist turned up to give me an epidural. After an intense labour, the doctor had decided an epidural was the way to go. The anaesthetist touched my heart with his kind gentle nature and I noticed that as he prepared the syringe, his hands were shaking. (He stayed in my mind that anaesthetist, so much so, that when I became an author years later and wrote my first novel, I wrote in an anaesthetist as one of the main characters and gave him a scene where his hands shook as he injected a woman with anaesthetic who was about to have a stillbirth. That scene in my book, which was completely unrelated to the rest of the story, was my way of honouring our stillbirth experience.)
All the while I rubbed my belly, desperate to feel a kick so I could tell them they had made a terrible mistake.
People didn’t believe me later when I said what a special privilege it was to give birth to a child I knew had died. It
We comforted our devastated children and left them at home in the care of my friend and checked into hospital. They put me in the maternity ward where several other women were in labour, I could hear them. And I could hear newborn babies crying.
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was still a joyful, beautiful birth. I was still wanting to meet him, to hold him, to love him.
grieving because we were too in love with our beautiful new little boy.
And I got to do all those things. He was perfect. He was so, so perfect. His eyes were shut and he was tiny and he was so very still. But he was beautiful and the image of his big brother. My love for him couldn’t have been stronger were he breathing. And this is the part I think people who haven’t been through this don’t get. We love our dead children as much as we love our living ones. It doesn’t matter that they never interacted with us. It doesn’t matter that they didn’t grow up and we didn’t get to see them develop. We love them all the same. Because as mums, as parents, we expect nothing back from our children. We don’t love them because they grow up and walk and talk and interact with us. We just love them for being. And I loved my baby Lachy for being.
But just over two hours later, the nurse came and said she had to take him away. To this day, it makes me sad at how I handed my child over without a fight. I didn’t ask her why. Why do you have to take him away? Give me more time with him! Instead I just handed him over and I never saw him again. The next time I was with my baby, he was ashes in my hands that I scattered.
“He was perfect. He was so, so perfect. His eyes were shut and he was tiny and he was so very still. But he was beautiful and the image of his big brother. My love for him couldn’t have been stronger were he breathing.” Paul and I took turns nursing him and kissing and cuddling him and singing to him and admiring his little fingers and toes and little upturned nose, taking photos of him, the way all new parents do. We didn’t have time for kidmagazine.com.au/subscribe 55
Nowadays, parents have the option of taking their baby home. They are given more time to be with their precious little one. I’m still hurting and angry that I only had two hours and I wonder if that hurt will ever go away. When Lachy was taken away from me, that’s when my grief took hold of me and almost paralysed me. I had to keep functioning as a mother but inside my heart was broken, completely broken. When you lose a child, you face a pain nobody can put into words. It’s indescribable. I honestly wondered how I would ever be happy again. (I felt guilty the first time I laughed after I lost Lachy as if I shouldn’t have the right to laugh.) And to add to that, was the pain caused by those I loved. I had some wonderful support from people I will always be thankful for. But things like this happened and I really hope, through writing them down and sharing them, they happen less to others from now on. I was told: - “Don’t feel guilty that he died. You know it’s not because you didn’t want him that this happened. God wasn’t punishing you for not wanting your baby.” So this was what people were thinking? That I had willed my baby’s death? My baby that I adored? I berated myself for having let slip that first day to people I trusted that I was unhappy and shocked at being pregnant. But that comment haunted me and I wondered if it was because I was ungrateful for his conception that my baby had died. Was it a punishment from God? - “Do you think it was your diet or anything you did that made your placenta detach?” I began to analyse everything I had eaten during the pregnancy. Had my actions led to my baby’s death? I had drunk Coke Zero – was that what had killed him? I completely tortured myself over this. - “You can keep those maternity clothes, I don’t think I’d ever lend them to anyone now after what happened.” One of my closest friends thought I had stained her clothes with my dead baby. She thought I was a jinx. That hurt so very much.
- “At least he died before you got too close to him.” Don’t people know you love your child as they grow inside you? By the time they are born you have already invested your whole heart and soul in them. - “Thank God you have other kids.” I have no words for this but I lost track of how many times people said words to this effect. And then there were all the clichés that achieved nothing but make me feel weak for being in pain – you know the ones - “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”, “There’s always a reason for everything”, “God doesn’t give you more than you can handle”, “This is a journey you are meant to be on.” I felt that I needed to put on a brave face and carry on because if I let people see what was going on in my head, I would be judged. People referred to my beautiful baby as a “miscarriage” and I believed that this was how it was viewed by nearly everyone. “She had that terribly sad miscarriage but she has two healthy children thank goodness.” We didn’t ask anybody to his funeral. It was just us and the priest. Nobody witnessed how much we suffered that day and I never ever spoke of it. Instead, being the pleaser that I always have been, I gave the people what they wanted. I plastered a smile on my face and was seen as the stoic mum who was a “coper” and “strong” and “inspirational”. Inside I was dying. I spent hours at night holding Lachy’s photos and his little foot name tag. I packed away all his belongings and with them packed away the dreams that I had for him. I never got answers about why he died. I wondered about his suffering. With my placenta detached he had essentially been starved to death. So when he was kicking the night before, were they desperate kicks from a baby who was in agony and dying a slow death? I went over and over it in my head and it left me helpless and desperate and then I had the burning questions that tormented me about life after death. Where was my baby now? In Heaven? What was Heaven? Who was looking after him? Was he scared? Was he alone? Was he watching me fall apart like this? Was I making him sad? Did he feel anything when we had him cremated? Did it hurt? Was he trying to connect with me and I couldn’t feel him? And as time went on, it didn’t get better. Everywhere I looked were pregnant women and baby boys. At six months I imagined him in the highchair at our family dinner table entertaining his brother and sister by throwing his food around. At one year I imagined all of us celebrating his birthday and him taking his first wobbly kidmagazine.com.au/subscribe 56
steps. My daughter started kindy and on her first day, a mother was calling to her toddler son, “Lachy! Lachy!” and I left the room, ran to my car and fell to bits. Even now, I look at boys who are around ten years old, the age he would be had he lived, or families with three children and I hurt.
“But here’s what is important. If a mother grieves privately, let her. If a mother grieves publicly, let her. A baby born sleeping and silent is no less important to a mother than a baby born awake and crying. We will NEVER get over it so please don’t ask us to.” It took years of me faking that I was doing okay but actually dying inside before I finally sought help. My older son was heading off for school camp for the first time. And I spent every second of his time away thinking he was going to die. I was utterly convinced he would die at that camp. And I knew then that these obsessive thoughts indicated that I wasn’t functioning or coping as
well as I thought I was. I booked in to see a psychologist who told me I had the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. For the first time, I sat and talked about Lachy with someone other than Paul. Speaking to her now felt so good, I was able to share my grief and she helped me a great deal in our sessions that went over a few months. By hiding my grief from the world, people never realised the pain I was in so it built a wall between me and everyone around me. To this day I have never sat with a friend or even my mother and talked openly about what happened. And I still have no desire to, it’s just the way I am. Some years after I lost Lachy, my cousin Joelle lost her precious baby Zayli in similar circumstances, although her baby died during labour not before labour and she was at full term. Joelle was vocal about her grief. She shared photos of Zayli, she cried for her publicly, she posted on Facebook and continues to do so about how much she misses her baby. I beat myself up about this. I thought, “everyone will think she loves her baby and misses her more than I miss mine.” In comparing myself to Joelle, I felt that I hadn’t been loyal to Lachy by not grieving him publicly and I was in awe of Joelle and also jealous that she was so able to articulate her pain to the world where as I was trapped silently in mine. But over the years I have learned this – grief is love. It’s a bond between you and the one you have lost and it’s a bond that connects you to each other. So for me the only one who is connected to my grief is my baby Lachy. And I will grieve for him as long as I breathe. He knows I love him and I know I love him. What the rest of the world thinks doesn’t matter. Joelle has her way of expression and I have mine. She gets judged for grieving so openly and I’m sure I get judged for never grieving openly. But, you know what, who cares! It’s not important. But here’s what is important. If a mother grieves privately, let her. If a mother grieves publicly, let her. A baby born sleeping and silent is no less important to a mother than a baby born awake and crying. We will NEVER get over it so please don’t ask us to.
And if you are a mother who is new to this loss, let me reassure you that you will be okay. The pain is always there, don’t expect it to ease. But time is a healer of sorts in that time will bring you acceptance and you will learn how to live and live well, even with this pain that you carry. You will laugh again, you will dance again and you will experience pure joy again. Your baby will live in your heart and experience life through you and with you, just on another plane that we are too human to grasp. But your baby will never leave you. And I promise you that you will be okay. Whether you are okay on your own or you are okay with the help of counsellors or family and friends you will be okay.
END
Tess Woods is a physiotherapist who lives in Perth, Australia with one husband, two children, one dog and one cat who rules over all of them. Her first novel, Love at First Flight, released by HarperCollins in April 2015 received worldwide critical acclaim and hit the best-seller charts in Australia, being nominated for Book of the Year in the AusRom Today Reader’s Choice Awards and Tess being nominated for Best New Author. Her short story, Destiny in Day, will released in the HarperCollins anthology Hot Stuff: Surfing Love in December 2015 and Tess is currently writing her second full-length novel, Flat White with One. When she isn’t working or being a personal assistant to her kids, Tess enjoys chatting with her readers online, reading and all kinds of grannyish pleasures like knitting, baking, drinking tea, watching Downton Abbey and tending to the veggie patch. You can learn more about Tess on her website www. tesswoods.com.au
I am unashamed when I say that I have cried for my son every week if not every day for close to ten years. We are mothers. There is no greater bond than that between a mother and child. So don’t tell a mother who has lost her child to be grateful for those that are living, of course we are grateful! Don’t tell us it was God’s plan – God is hurting over our loss as much as we are. This is what we need from you, we need you to see that these babies were our world, our hopes and our dreams and then you can start to understand the gravity of our loss. For we continue to breathe when our own life has been taken away from us. facebook.com/Tesswoods.harpercollins
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5 top christmas saving t Alisa Nyquist, Smart Mummy Saver
There are plenty of ways to be generous at Christmas time without paying generously. Here are Smart Mummy Saver’s Top 5.
Make a voucher
Record A Message
Instead of giving people more ‘stuff’ they don’t need, treat them to an activity or experience. Create a personal voucher. Ideas like: go fishing, see an exhibition, outdoor cinema, out to brunch... Get creative and have some fun with it!
Can’t see a loved one this Christmas? Record your child with a direct message to them. You could ask them questions like: “Why do you love Nanna? What do you enjoy most when you see her? What do you want to say to Nanna?” It’s a gift to remember and an instant pick me up for the receiver, costing nothing but a bit of time!
NB: “Mummy’s Time Out” vouchers - in a pack of 10 would work a treat! Right mummy? Send your partner here to download them!
Pamper Package Put together a pamper package for someone who loves to indulge but may not get to regularly (ie. any mother!). You can collect cost effective items such as a loofah, bath salts, candles, body scrub, moisturiser, and a magazine. Emergency ‘Pamper Pack’. Who wouldn’t want that??? kidmagazine.com.au/subscribe 58
Make Your Own Gift What are you good at? Making Jewellery? Baking? Craft? Art? I love to draw and my kids love to paint so we get our little creative on around birthdays or Christmas. * Friends of ours made a jar of caramelised balsamic vinegar and hand delivered it to us one Christmas. It was delicious, personal and thoughtful! * Frame your best kids paintings and give to grandparents, aunties or uncles or use them for cards or wrapping.
tips Wrapping Speaking of wrapping... after Christmas buy up on wrapping paper (often at 50c a pop!). You’ll be grateful you did in a year. Also if there’s the choice, choose a generic looking paper you can use throughout the year! Merry Christmas to all the mummies!
Alisa is a former TV producer, now stay-athome mum and the creator of the Smart Mummy Saver ebook, full of practical ways mothers can save dollars everyday. She is a budgeting queen, a savvy saver and an expert on living a champagne life on a beer budget!
Remember if your kids get too many toys this year (I know first world problems) put some away and bring them out throughout the following year. Perfect surprise on that rainy/busy/work from home day. I’ll be posting more tips on my Instagram and Facebook Smart Mummy Saver page. Another great bang for buck idea: my ebook is under $10 and covers ideas for all the areas in which you spend throughout the year (saves you thousands!)
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Christmas Chec Getting organised for Amanda Lecaude, Organising You Christmas cards/newsletters • Do you like to send these? • Have your purchased your cards? • Have you drafted your newsletter? • Do you have a list of who you need to send them to? Pull out last years list and make any changes to it. It is fast approaching that festive time of the year with only a few weeks to go. Have you started any preparations yet? Each year I seem to get later and later with my own preparations and just recently purchased my fruit and nuts for my pudding and florentines that I bake as gifts. If you haven’t started any preparations then hopefully this Christmas Checklist might assist and make it a bit easier for you! The list below contains a things you might want to consider to assist with your preparations. Please don’t be overwhelmed by the list and just pick out the things that apply to you!
Budget • First and foremost is to plan the budget you have available for Xmas food, gifts, travel, and events – be sensible about this one and try not to create a debt you have to deal with in the New Year.
Decorations • Can you reuse the ones you have or do you need to purchase new ones? • Do you decorate inside, outside or both? • When will you put them up?
Holidays • If you are going away have you started thinking about what you need? • Do you need to get the car serviced? • Do you need someone to house sit? • Do you need to get pets cared for? • Have you booked your accommodation? If not you might want to do it, as it can be difficult this time of year.
Events • Make sure you put all those important dates in your diary as soon as you get them for school concerts, work breakups, parties, bbqs … at the same time think about what you might need to prepare or take along to these occasions. Do you need to arrange babysitting, as that too can be tough to get someone without time up your sleeve? • Do you have photos taken with Santa? • Are you hosting family or friends over the festive season? • Have dates been set for catch-ups?
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cklist
the upcoming festive season • What will you cook or will you ask everyone to bring something?
• Add a few extra gifts under the tree for those unexpected visitors who might pop by.
• Do you have recipes? Do you know where they are?
• Remember to post any items to friends or family so they arrive in time.
• Prepare a list of what you need – naturally you want enough food but not an over abundance so you have lots of leftovers. • Do you need to preorder food ie hams, turkeys?
Many people dread the festive time of year and my advice is to enjoy and celebrate life and good times – I know that the best part for me is spending time with friends and family. Remember you need to do what works for you!
• Work out a bit of a timetable for the lead-up so you know when you can start any preparations.
PS: If you have children don’t forget to leave food out for Santa too!
• Will you have house guests? Have you prepared the space for where they will sleep?
END
Gifts • Prepare a list of all the people you need to give a gift to – pull out last year’s and add to it. • Maybe start putting ideas against the names and then writing what you purchase. I find this useful to look over past lists to make sure I am not giving the same gifts. • If you have children have they prepared a list to send to Santa? • Do you already have gifts you have purchased for people that you have put away in the cupboard? • Think about giving intangible gifts like homemade gifts like biscuits or jam or experiences. No one seems to have enough time these days so why not give people permission to enjoy an activity. You are then not adding any clutter to people’s lives.
Amanda Lecaude is professional organiser who loves being able to help people – her clients – get organised. She see’s the difference it makes in their everyday lives, particularly families, just to have a way to create some TIME, SPACE and BALANCE! She also very passionate about equipping school students with organising skills for life to maximise greater results primarily in secondary school and limit the overwhelm and frustration for both them and their parents. Get in touch 0409 967 166 amanda@organisingyou.com.au
• Do you have wrapping paper left over or do you need to purchase more? facebook.com/OrganisingYou
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2015 Christmas Gift Guide Wishing you and your family the happiest of holidays. I hope you enjoy the Christmas Spirit with those you love with good food, lots of laugh and of course a present or two!
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christ fee LUSH Santa Fun, $10.50 www.lush.com.au
Nick Jr.’s Play Along with Sam: Sam’s Family Christmas DVD, $14.95 Now available at all major retailers
Spiced cookie dough votive candle, $19.95 www.mozi.com.au
Girls
stmas tea towels, $29.95 w.annabeltrends.com
Christmas Pine Candle, $39.95 www.peppermintgroveaustralia.com
Candy apple Santa sack, $49.95 www.oobi.com.au NEXT Tee, $21 www.next.com.au
stmas els French Christmas, $25.95 www.putumayo.com.au
s Christmas playdress, $39.95 snugglebum.com.au
Hi-5 Happy Holidays DVD, $14.95 www.hi-5world.com
Cuddledeer reindeer towels, $89.95 www.thestorknest.com.au
Recycled steel EAT wall hanging, $125 www.lisasarah.com
Make My Day Breakfast at Mums, $24.95 www.sillymillymoo.com.au
Davis & Waddell wood chip smoker box, $24.99 www.davisandwaddell.com.au
BUGG Pizza stone set, $39.95 sydneyheaters.com.au
Food Truck Feasts, $34.95 www.oxfamshop.org.au
Guilty pleasures - milk chocolate honey cashews, $10 shop.sanchurro.com
food
Mini mix 3 pack, $25 www.adventuresnacks.com.au
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Kitl Syrups, $18.50 www.facebook.com/Kitl-Australia-
Peronalised Nutella, $12.95 www.myer.com.au
Summer TABLE, $34.95 www.hellotable.com.au
Oliver Brown chocolate boxes, from $13 www.oliverbrown.com.au Ginspiration kit, $65 www.herbies.com.au
Bam-Boo meal trays (pig), $9.95 www.annabeltrends.com
dies
Coffee Encounters, $70 smudgeeats.com.au
Spanish hot chocolate tin - classic, $22 shop.sanchurro.com
Sketch Dolls from Urbaani Homewares- there’s a charming character for the whole family! Kokeshi clown, %49.95 www.urbaani.com.au
Green Frayed cushion from Marmose Found is one of our faves! It’s minty fresh, and delightfully radiates warm and modern- day charm. Green frayed cushion, from $59 www.marmosetfound.com.au
BLUSH! Soft, Scandinavian colour palettes are a key trend this season. I love this as it’s so light in design and very decadent. Helena Stitch Blanket, $219 sageandclare.com
Opal Vase in Mint- the mint is such a striking and beautiful shade and not too ‘christmassy’ green. Opal vase in mint, from $14 www.marmosetfound.com.au
Toucan Prints- Be warned- This is a kids zone only! There is so much variety with the colours and some of the prints have such gorgeous inspiring quotes that really help to dress up the room. Be Little, Be Cool print, $15 www.toucanonline.com
hom sty
Words b
Christmas is a time to slow down and lazy summer days, enjoying grea The season starts when we decorate decoration boxes and my husband and being
Every year at the start of December, w friends and dress up in whi Christmas eve is my favourite time of th new PJs and a Christmas book, we put su
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On Christmas day we travel to my paren set up a table under the gum tree by spread that m
et y mth
The Peacock Bath range by Ninnho has so much sprightly character with a stylish elegance that gives instant glamour to a bathroom. Peacock bath sheet, $99 greenhouseinteriors.com.au
This ointment is such a saviour and sure to be your rescue for the festive season ahead. A few pumps will help hydrate hair, skin and nails! Organic Beauty Oil, $50 twigandskinbody.com
Posh pink- say no more! It’s definitely the colour of the season ahead. Begonia Leaf Cushion, $155 www.bonnieandneil.com.au
me ylers
by Cherie Slater, Designer and Founder of Marmoset Found
enjoy time with my family. It’s about long at food and catching up with friends. the tree – the kids rummage through the d I enjoy a glass of bubbles. We just all love g together.
we host a White Christmas party with our ite to kick off the festive season! he season – the kids open a little present of on a festive movie and have mince pies for upper.
nt’s property on the Mornington Peninsular, the dam and enjoy the massive Christmas my Mum prepares.
This fragrance has such a beautiful intensity to it which fills the room with subtle sweetness. Grapefruit & Lemongrass candle, $45 www.cocoluxaustralia.com
OK – perhaps it’s not ‘homewares’ per se- but this chocky should be a permanent feature in every home. It has such a beautiful texture and depth of flavour. Melt!* Hazelnut & Caramelised Cocoa Nib Chocolate, $8.90 www.kokoblack.com
Done by Deer art boxes, $29.95 www.danishbydesign.com.au
‘Let’s Feed’ The Very Hungry Caterpillar Game, $24.99 www.kmart.com.au
Barbie I Can Be Doll, $18.99 All leading toy retailers
toy pla Tearaway Unfolded, $69.95 www.jbhifi.com.au
Hot Wheel
Available Targ
Modelling Masterpieces - Glowing Girls, $19.95 www.tigertribe.com.au
Pink Poppy Animal capes, $39.95 www.pinkpoppy.com.au
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Shout, $29.99 www.moosetoys.com
Franky the Hanky Whale, $29.95 available at Baby Bunting, Toys ‘R’ Us, Big W, Target and all good independent baby retailers
Digga the Dog, $44.95 bopalongbuddies.com.au
Doctor’s Suit Case, $33 nanahuchy.com.au
Alphabet lacing set, $47.99 child.com.au
ys & ay
Cleverkeet, $79.99 www.moosetoys.com
ls Colour Shifters splash science lab playset, $39.99 e from available from Big W, get, Kmart and Toys R Us VW Campervan childrens pop up play tent, $129.95 www.yellowoctopus.com.au
Just Dance 2016, $59.95 ebgames.com.au
essano Little Lovelies gift pack, $24.99 essano.com.au
Amelie sh Starlight Sounds Hippo, $49.95 www.kmart.com.au
www.lo
The 28 Day Mummy Mojo Challenge eBook, $14.95 www.kidmagazine.com.au
pamp rel
VS Sassoon LUSH pack, $29.95 www.vssassoon.com.au
WildWarmer Tiger, $32 www.intelex.com.au
Acorn leaf lavender eye pillow, $19.95 www.mozi.com.au
Bubba bath and massage oil, $39.95 www.vanessamegan.com Charcoal robe, $69.90 thatonlineshop.com.au
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Inside by Chris Judd, $39.99 www.allenandunwin.com
hower cap in coral dot, $40 ouvellewear.com
Murphy & Daughters Murray River Bathing Salts, $33 www.murphyanddughters.com.au
per & lax
5
Café Skin Scrub, $14.99 Exclusive to Chemist Warehouse
VM Men’s Sandalwood Face Cream, $49.95 www.vanessamegan.com Breganwood Organics Sleepy Owl bath mitt, $21.90 www.avidiva.com.au
BathBlocks Castle Set, $36.95 danishbydesign.com.au
Aveda Feeling Balance is a Gift, $88 www.aveda.com.au
Target Active Massage Ball, $5 www.target.com.au Mermaid Tail, from $107.90 www.finfunmermaid.com
Buy yourself a gift with the Body Beyond Birth postnatal exercise program. The first 50 people to enter SANTA at the checkout will receive the entire program for only $99! bodybeyondbirth.com
Foram Roller, $30 www.66fit.com.au
MNB Diary 2016, $39.95 www.lornajane.com.au
MTX Home Suspe www.gym
heal hab
Words by Jackie Steele a
We LOVE Christmas! For us, it’s all about family and frien thankful for all the special people we have around us! One Kindness” calendar. It’s like an advent calendar to coun surprises being for us, we do a random act of kindness for some cold drinks to the guys working on the ferry in th
We spend many nights going out to see Christmas lights dinner, put the boys in their pyjamas then off we go in s an amazing street, we park the car then go for a walk th atmosphere.
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As we head towards Christmas day, we love going to Chris family (including my parents, brother and his family) have a away with the whole carols thing - nobody sings louder th up and open presents then spend the day with our familie away with traditional food and moved towards fresh seafo Of course there is always a delicious dessert to follow! Thr and lots of laughter... And that’s our Christmas
Swim Fin, $44.95 www.swimfin.com.au
Fruit Infuse Water Bottle, $34.95 www.slashsport.com
ension Training Kit, $99 mdirect.com.au
lthy bits CellSafe Radi-Chip, from $69.95 www.cellsafe.com.au
and Becky Dyer, Body Beyond Birth
which the boys all totally love. We’ll have search of Christmas lights. When we find hrough the streets so we can soak up the
stmas carols and a service where my whole a fun night together. We all get really carried han us :-). On Christmas morning, we wake es. Due to the hot summer time, we’ve done ood (prawns, fish, crabs/lobster) and salads. row in some games, swimming in the pool done! We love this time of year!
Zing Anything Salad Zinger 350ml, $49.95 www.biome.com.au
A Yoga Mat that doubles as a piece of art, $129 www.divinegoddess.net
nds - spending time together and being e thing we’ve started doing is a “Christmas nt down to Christmas, but instead of the someone else each day! Yesterday we took he hot sun - they were so appreciative.
Original metal slinky, $8.99 Australian Geographic, Big W, Myer, Toys R Us, Coles, Kidstuff
Batman football, $24. www.sherrin.com.a
Little squirt Oobi drink bottle (red dot), $9.95 www.oobi.com.au
Inside Out Bluray, $59.95 Available from JB-Hifi, Target and other independent stores
Hair Iron pouch (chevron aqua), $29.95 www.annabeltrends.com
stoc stuf Traceless hair ties, $10.95 www.invisibobble.com
Animal ABC Flash Cards, $19.95 www.tigertribe.com.au
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.99 au Kids World Party, $25.95 www.putumayo.com.au
Poppy Pig baby rattle, $16.50 nanahuchy.com.au
Jemima fairy cuddle doll, $29.99 shop.abc.net.au
cking ffers
Tangle Teezer Magic Flower Pot, $34.95 www.tangle-teezer.com.au
Urbanni Homewares egg cup, $24.95 www.urbaani.com.au
Pink Poppy Wand, $7.95 each www.pinkpoppy.com.au Dandelion Crinkle Bear, $19.90 www.avidiva.com.au
Kroom Fold My Robot Collection, $9.95 www.limetreekids.com.au
Bells Beach ble sunshade with yoga bag, $39.95 sunnyjim.com.au
Splash 2 year swimsuit, $49.95 www.heavenleeswim.com
Purple beac downthatlitt
Reusable swim nappy in Byron Beauty Liberty print, $39.99 www.rashoodz.com.au Board short, $44.95 www.tumblendry.com.au
bea bu
Bambury Tulum printed beach towel in sorbet, $74.95 www.bambury.com.au
Neon orange www.kidsa
Beach rule bus roll, $29.95 www.zanui.com.au
Polar white shadez, $9.99 www.rashoodz.com.au
Lost Island rash top, $44.95 www.heavenleeswim.com
ch bootie, $30 tlelane.com.au
PaddlePak Coral, $39.95 www.brightstarkids.com.au
ach ums
e stripes canvas bags, $49.95 agogoplusaustralia.com.au
Stripes short sleeve rashie, $24.95 www.plumcollections.com.au
Surf’s Up boardshorts, $39.95 www.heavenleeswim.com
Bridgette painted blue floral hat, $27.95 www.oobi.com.au
Scrunch buckets, $14.95 www.thestorknest.com.au
Stay sun safe this summer with fun little stocking fillers like Zink Sticks from the Cancer Council. Cancer Council Zinc Stick range, from $10.95 www.cancercouncilshop.org.au
If you are headed to a beach destination you will need a beach towel. This design from Bambury is gorgeous for the kids or mum and dad! Maldives printed beach towel. $39.95 bambury.com.au
My kids love getting stuck into a good book b traveling can be a heavy task. We now buy a their iPads. This is one of our favourites at Look at The Clouds, What Can You See? e Available in the iTunes store
A fond holiday memory is playing board games and card games with the family. So why not create that memory yourself and grab some great games the kids will love too. Kmart has a selection of ‘Retro Traditional Games’ like Quoits and Marbles. Lets bring back ‘the good old days’! Quoits, $6 www.kmart.com.au
tra bu
Mozzies are never fun, especially when travelling. Throw in a PARA’KITO band and watch the mozzies disappear. PARA’KITO Zebra band, $26.95 au.parakito.com
Words by
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Always have colouring in books on hand when out and about with the kids. The Frixion pens are erasable and will keep the kids happily entertained! Frixion pens (available in a pack of 4), $10.99 www.officeworks.com.au
Christmas is my absolute favourite time I love a good old roast dinner on Christ the weather is beautifully warm outsid community, celebrating our beliefs a One of my favourite traditions is that on our street to join our neighbours with t past on the back of a ute, decked out w you see him come over the hill and the then comes past with a ‘Ho Ho Ho’ thr to find them in the grass. After that we which is where Santa ends up and you right gifts ready for the morning. The ho sausage sizzle is cooking away while w drop coins into the barrel to raise mon what Christ
but taking books lot of ebooks for the moment! eBook, $2.99 e
One of our Christmas traditions is that our Elf on the Shelf gives new pyjamas on Christmas Eve. I love this years cute Christmas PJs at Target. Boy’s Christmas Pyjama set, $15 www.target.com.au
Keeping creative kids busy while traveling is easy with the fun Creative Kits from Tiger Tribe. I really love the Postcard Kit, it’s a great way for little friends to stay connected during the holidays. Postcard Kit, $17.95 www.tigertribe.com.au A beach holiday always calls for new swimmers and they make for a great stocking filler. Plum have great swimmers for boys and girls. Floral swimsuit, $24.95 www.plumcollections.com.au
avel ugs
A back pack full of bits and pieces creates a fantastic ‘busy bag’ for the kids to enjoy when traveling. A good lunchbox is essential also when travelling with kids. The kids love discovering what goodies you have packed for them! Skip Hop Forget Me Not Backpack & Lunch Bag Set, $74.95 www.davidjones.com.au
You’ll always need a great set of headphones for the kids to use when traveling, so why not make them a stocking filler! I love the Target brand headphones they are comfy, stylish and a great price. Target headphones MDR-891 - Green, $8 www.target.com.au
y Jenna van Bentum, The World and Kids
e of year. With an English family background, tmas Day with all the trimmings, even when de. But Christmas to me is all about family, and welcoming the big man in a red suit! n Christmas Eve we walk down to the end of their kids and wait for Santa to come driving with thousands of fairy lights. That moment e squeals from the kids is just priceless. He rowing lollies to the kids as they scramble e all walk up to our community street party u can sit on his knee and ensure he’s got the ouses in that street are covered in lights, the we dance and sing to Christmas carols and ney for our local charity. Now that to me is tmas is all about!
If you’re heading to the beach this summer then you can’t go past a good bucket and spade set. So why not up it a little and get the Travel Beach Wagon set by B. Toys. B. travel beach wagon - tomato, $49.99 kidstuff.com.au
Sonix iPhone 6 Plus case in Criss Cross Rose Gold, $45 www.jbhifi.com.au
Powertraveller Powermonkey Explorer 2, $119 www.poweredlife.com.au
Logitech Play Collection www.logitech.co
Sonix iPhone 6 Plus case in Beverly Hills, $45 www.jbhifi.com.au
te gur Kidizoom Action Cam, $99.95 www.bigw.com.au
Happy Plugs deluxe ear plugs in rose www.jbhifi.com.au DustyPup puppy, $8 www.intelex.com.au
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Adonit Jot Dash, $89.99 www.thestyluscompany.com
n Mice, $34.95 om/en-au Kogan full HD action camera - black edition, $149 www.kogan.com
iShower Bluetooth shower speaker, $149.95 www.yellowoctopus.com.au
ech rus
10� Technology organiser, $35 NomadEssentials.etsy.com Moochie mobile-watch, $119.99 www.moochiesforkids.com.au
WD My Cloud, from $249.99 wdstore.com
gold, $44.99
Griffin PowerDock 5, $119 www.poweredlife.com.au
Kid Magazine Loves
Puzzles are fabulous for kids development and Glottogon have some of the brightest, fun puzzles around! Made from recycled board and printed with vegetable or soy based inks, the puzzles feature bold and vibrant graphics for a variety of age groups. glottogon.com.au
Throughout Summer I spend so much time on “feet management” but this year I’ve discovered Milky Foot. You wear the Milky Foot “socks” for 1 hour and within 3-7 days the dead skin and callouses will start peeling away to leave you with soft sandal ready feet. Beware though the peeling isn’t pretty so don’t start the week before a big event! www.milkyfoot.com.au
Would you know what to do if a friend or loved one went into Sudden Cardiac Arrest right next to you? Administering CPR early can double or triple the chance of survival and it is a life skill that many of us just don’t have. The recent Take Heart Australia Day saw people all around the country learning CP. It’s never too late (or early) to learn a new skill, especially one that could save a life (Image by Sarah Keayes) www.takeheartaustralia.org kidmagazine.com.au/subscribe 86
Made in Spain from quality and durable leather, ViLa Australia sandals are a timeless shoe for toddlers and young girls. The rubber outsole helps with grip and the design ensures toes are well protected. Available in classic neutrals, fun brights or heavenly glitter, or my favourite Leopard print! www.shopvilashoes.com.au
One brand that I consistently crush on is Papinelle. The ultra feminine designs are produced in the most divine cotton and silk fabrics. My absolute favourite pieces in the range are the baby bloomers. The perfect summer accessory for chubby baby legs! www.papinelle.com
Baby clothes made for parents is a the premise mum Ash of Parent Trap Design works with. The onesies, tees and pillowcases all feature sayings for mums and dads to remember to #laughnotcry. I’ve needed the “Sleep Regression? Who me? Never” design more than a few times and “3AM is not OK” would have helped too! www.parenttrapdesign.etsy.com
If you are traveling overseas with a baby this holidays make sure you pop a Fly Babee in your hand luggage. Fly Babee fits over most inflight bassinets to block out light so bub (and mum & dad) can sleep peacefully. It also fits over prams and strollers for those ever important day sleeps and then packs away neatly in the provided storage bag! flybabee.com.au
This summer when you still want to pop bub in a sleeping bag but don’t want them to overheat, reach for the Love To Dream 0.2 Tog Nuzzlin Sleep Bags. Offering comfort and a lightweight fabric the Nuzzlin range is breathable and soft. The new unisex Scotty Dog design is one that everyone will love! www.lovetodream.com.au
The Monochrome Baby Book, designed by mum Chloe Watts, is a baby memory book for modern parents and babies. The black and white sketches allow you to add your own splash of colour, or retain the minimalist look. Record big milestones, add photos and keep those precious baby memories in a timeless baby book! www.blueberryco.com.au
You might not know that 900 million people around the world don’t have access to sanitation facilities. But Domestos and UNICEF are doing something about it, partnering to help provide 25 million people with a toilet by 2020. You can buy specially marked bottles of Domestos to help change a life today. www.domestos.com.au
Stronger and longer lasting than regular reusable bags, Trolley Bags are also more functional. Connected by Velcro, the bags can be rolled and hung on the trolley while shopping and then spread across the trolley to organise your groceries. They also stand up on their own so you can pack hands free. Easy! www.packingsorted.com.au
If you think the art of conversation is dead then think again. FuelBox is a toolbox to help you engage in good reflective dialogue with your partner . The boxes contain over 170 questions across a range of categories. Use the questions as a conversation starter or make it a regular event with your partner to reconnect! www.fuelboxaustralia.com.au
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Vegetarian... with kid Christine Knight, freelance writer and blogger I’ve been a vegetarian for over 10 years for moral reasons. I’ve been an animal-lover my entire life and I remember as a child having a dislike for meat as soon as I was able to understand where it came from. An adult vegetarian is pretty common these days, so while it was painful when it came to eating out if a restaurant didn’t have any non-meat options, it only really affected me, and then my husband when we moved in together. My husband is one of those great men who, while not vegetarian, is very vegetarian-friendly and doesn’t eat a lot of meat for similar reasons to me. This has made our household easier to run (no meat in the house), but when we added a third family member, our daughter, it became more complicated. Suddenly I had to consider the consequences of this diet on a baby, toddler and now preschooler. A few of the challenges I face as a vegetarian - raising my daughter as a vegetarian are below: 1. The many, many questions we are asked It’s one of the top questions I get asked when it comes to parenting. My daughter is also vegetarian at this stage, but I’m not strict about it. If she wants to try a hamburger she can try a hamburger. We have conversations about meat and she knows that Mummy doesn’t eat meat and that meat comes from dead animals. If you asked her, she would tell you that she doesn’t eat meat either, but that some people do. If we are eating out and someone orders food with meat she thinks it looks disgusting because it’s not her normal. 2. Packing for school My daughter is thus far in preschool and I pack her lunch each day. At her preschool kids are discouraged from sharing meals so I haven’t had to worry too much about what she eats there as I know I’m sending her to school with a balanced meal. When she gets to primary school, I’m sure everything will change! 3. Getting all the nutrition she needs I am not a nutritionist so I don’t know everything there is to know about diets, particularly for growing kids. I
facebook.com/ChristineKnightWriter
do consult with my daughter’s GP on food and make sure she eats a lot of fruit, vegetables (when i get her to tolerate them), protein and carbs. She gets her protein the same way I do - through dairy, eggs (although I eat very minimal of both I don’t limit her intake) meat substitutes such as Quorn, beans, seeds, rice and pasta. She also takes a vitamin supplement that covers iron and vitamin B. 4. Social situations This can be tricky for us both. Sometimes we are invited to parties where the hosts haven’t catered for vegetarians and there isn’t anything we can eat. I always pack snacks for us both just in case this happens. We also sometimes get asked to stay for dinner after a playdate and the lovely host has forgotten we’re vegetarian and so offers us something like lamb chops. I always hate having to turn the offer down, but I also don’t want to put the host out by feeling like they need to scramble around and make something else that we can eat. 5. What lies ahead As my daughter gets older, I keep vegetarianism as a talking point. I hope that it’s something she will choose to keep up with as she begins to make her own food choices, but I will also understand if she chooses not to. My goal as a vegetarian and a parent is to teach my daughter about the choices she has in all ways of life. I am teaching her how to have a balanced diet that does not include meat if she decides to keep following that path, and I will support her decision on this, like I do all her decisions that are turning her into her own unique person.
END
Christine Knight is a Sydney-based writer. Her blog, Adventure, Baby!, is a guide to navigating the world and parenthood. Follow her travel, food and parenting adventures over Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram.
instagram.com/christine.knight
www
christineknight.me/
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New kids on the block
The My Cloud gives you your own personal cloud storage without the monthly fees. Leave it at home and access all your family’s photos, videos and music from anywhere – wonderful for showing off photos from your latest adventures directly to your connected mobile devices over the internet. An updated OS and interface mean enhance usability and capability. wdstore.com
Minions would have to be one of the cutest iconic characters in recent times and now you can have Minions on your feet with the new range of cute and quirky thongs from Havaianas. The kids (and maybe mum and dad too) will go Minion mad! www.havaianasaustralia.com.au
A delightfully endearing elephant named Alexander is about to teach children the important life lessons of courage, independence and standing up for your beliefs. The character of Alexander is the hero in a new children’s album and book, Alexander the Elephant in Zanzibar, which is a labour of love from ARIA-winning rock musician and writer Pat Davern from the band Grinspoon. shop.abc.net.au kidmagazine.com.au/subscribe 90
A new label to land on our shores is KIDSAGOGO+, a range of clothing, accessories, home décor and soft toys that perfectly combine a retro feel with an on trend modern edge. I love the bright colours, classic finishes and easy wear styles for on the go kids! www.kidsagogoplusaustralia.com.au
No more sticky fingers on tablets and smart phones with the new range of water resistant ‘smart sleeves’ from LASER. The zip lock covers protect your devices from water, sand, food and grime while still remaining fully functional. The smart sleeves come in a range of sizes to fit most popular models. LaserCo.com.au
Those hot summer days can be almost unbearable, particularly for our little people who do feel the heat. Geleeo is a selfcooling pram liner which uses hydrogel to cool the body quickly absorbing and releasing the heat. Suitable for most strollers and prams and available in four different colour combinations for $89.95. www.minimonarch.com.au
Dressing a tween girl can be a huge challenge but One Sunday, the baby of mum of three, Henrietta Cheshire, fills the void for age appropriate styles. The range is made in Sydney using fabrics milled in New Zealand and has recently expanded to divine womenswear styles. www.onesunday.com.au
Not necessarily new to market but a new discovery for me is Nightie Night Lane. Created by two Aussie mums, the range is ethically produced using fair trade organic cotton for boys and girls in sizes 2-14. With pretty prints and classic styles these are pyjamas that will last the test of time. nightienightlane.com
Baking just got even better with the arrival of Dr Oetker baking products. From Baking and Gelatine Powders in individual sachets to gel food colourings, edible decorations and three types of icing, the range is competitively priced between $1-$5 each, available from Coles supermarkets. www.oetker.com.au kidmagazine.com.au/subscribe 91
Born from a desire for #instaworthy aprons, Norma Dakhoul has created just that with her chic, modern and practical range, The Apron Studio. Launched in September with six collections of aprons in vibrant prints and cool classics, The Apron Studio is the ultimate in domestic goddess kitchen style. theapronstudio.com
The world could do with a little more fun and that is what IKEA is bringing with their new LATTJO collection of toys, games and dress up accessories. IKEA want to encourage us to make time for play, to schedule it and enjoy exploring imagination with our kids. The range is consistent with the unique IKEA style and will bring out the big kid in any of us! www.ikea.com/au/
This game is massive. Possibly the most definitive LEGO game I’ve ever played. The main story is incredibly long and detailed - plus the added replay value of the multiple worlds will keep your kids (or you) glued to the screen for hours on end. If you’re concerned that you already own similar games like Disney Infinity or Skylanders, don’t be. LEGO Dimensions definitely holds its own - purely in the number of expansion packs alone. A great gift this holiday season.
The gift of music
Tina Bangel, singer and vocal coach
I did get a few strange looks one Christmas, whist galloping and neighing with my then, 3 year old son around the block. I had wrapped a bright green Kindermusik humongous scarf around his waist; attached bells around his ankles and wrists and off we went travelling around our pretend snowfield. On the way, we stopped off at the pretend lake to get a drink, we stopped off at the pretend stable for a rest and we even climbed up mountains and deep valleys. This is just one of the many memories that I hold dear to my heart…no pun intended. It was a time of curiosity, wonderment, and lots of learning, developing and teachable moments. Although I am a vocal coach and music educator for almost 2 decades, I have not pressured my son into learning an instrument. To stay a sane parent we learn to choose our battles. This year, I gave my now 9-year-old boy, very basic piano sheet music to one of my favourite Christmas carols, White Christmas. He worked out the notes after listening to me play it a few times. His goal is to play it for the family when we have Christmas Lunch. Not because of the idea of “performance” but to start a new family tradition. To bring a sense of community back into the family- where we take pleasure in each other’s company and sing together with joy and love. Traditions can be created at any age and at anytime. Traditions are more memorable for Children when the all the senses are involved. Here are 7 ways you can give the gift of music to your child this Christmas and start creating treasured memories and Christmas traditions. kidmagazine.com.au/subscribe 92
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Teach your child a Christmas song that you use to sing as a child. It could be a song that you learnt from your parents or grandparents. It could be a Christmas song from your cultural background.I can remember waking up for the Filipino midnight masses and hearing the Filipino Choir sing in our native language, Tagalog. To this day, when I hear a choir sing in church, I feel my heart about to burst. The voice is a powerful tool that can touch your soul at any age and in any language.
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We have created a tradition where we play our favourite Christmas carols whist decorating the tree. Here are a few Christmas albums I have gathered over the years that I would have playing in the background. d Hi-5 Christmas d 100 kids Xmas hits d Christina Aguilera - Christmas d Mariah Carey – Merry Christmas Album d Celine Dion – These are special times d Funky Christmas d Cee Lo Green – CeeLo’s Magic Moment d Ultra Lounge – Christmas Cocktails
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Each Christmas, from the age of 2-6 years old, Christian and I would make reindeer food made from oats, glitter and sparkles. It’s something my Kindermusik families also love to make whilst singing Christmas carols. The idea is to sprinkle them in the garden before the arrival of Santa. Make sure there is plenty of glitter in the mixture so that it will attract the reindeers in the Christmas moonlight and lead them to your house.
Here are some songs you can sing whist making your Reindeer food: d Santa Claus is Coming Town d Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer d Oh, Christmas Tree d Jingle Bells
I would dim the lights and play some light music (Children’s Corner Suite: I. The Snow Is Dancing) take a box of tissues and one by one throw a tissue in the air. The kids love watching the “snow” fall down to the ground, in time with the music. Some kids will cover themselves up in the “snow”, some will make snow angels, after we turn them into “Snowballs” and have our snowball fights!
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Traditional Christmas songs can really make you think, especially one of my favorites, the 12 days of Christmas. What a great song to help build your child’s recollection, pattern recognition, as well as teaching them about numbers. Songs like these can really bring out the humor in your child. Other fun songs you can teach them are: All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth, I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas and Rudolf the red nose reindeer with the echoes and actions.
"The voice is a powerful tool that can touch your soul at any age and in any language." 5
We have covered the sense of sight, touch and now for the smell and taste! What would Christmas be without the food made from love and the heart? From the beautifully decorated ham to baking your favourite cookie to leave out for Santa. The night Santa arrives we place the cookies and milk by the rocking chair which sits near the lit up tree. We play soft Christmas music while reading the storybook “Twas the Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clarke Moore. I love this quote by Dr Seuss, “Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory.” I hope your Christmas is filled with music and magic moments! By the way, if you would like to be a reindeer in the comfort of your own home, you can gallop away to this music: Over the River and Through the Woods. Enjoy!
A tradition in our family was travelling to friend’s houses - caroling. Carolers would sing and after the performance the hosts or parents would toss coins into the air. We would have a field day collecting the coins and seeing who collected the most coins!
END Tina Bangel is a mum who sings professionally and is the founder of One Voice School of Singing. When she is not singing or teaching Tina is on a mission to find the best Eggs Benedict in Sydney. Together with her family they love explore Sydney for the best Cafés, so much so that she even wrote a song called Our café which is featured on her “Be Heard” album. A graduate of the Australian Institute of Music and a Licensed Kindermusik Educator, Tina has a podcast on iTunes called “One Voice can change the world” where she interviews people making a difference in the music industry and in the world today.
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Although we are in the hottest part of the world during Christmas there is one activity that is always a hit with my 3-5 year olds students. We would dress up in our beanies, gloves and scarves. facebook.com/onevoiceschoolofsinging/
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www.tinabangel.com
Summer Salads On those hot summer nights when you just don’t know what to cook, turn to one of these tried and tested salads. Easy to make, refreshing and delcious!
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Warm pasta salad
A few years ago I went to a Barilla cooking class and learnt how to make this pasta salad. I have made it many times and tweaked it along the way to come up with this version ideal for picnics or a quick weeknight dinner. Serves 4 as a main, more as a side dish Ingredients 200g Barilla Fusili pasta 300g cherry tomatoes, halved 1 tbsp Olive oil 2 pinches salt 100g pittedolives, sliced into rings 1 stick of celery, finely slliced Barilla Ricotta pasta sauce 2 cups rocket Method Cook the past according to the packet instructions. While the pasta is cooking you can get onto preparing the rest of the salad. Place the halved cherry tomatoes in a glass mixing bowl with olive oil and salt. Stir well and set aside to rest. When the pasta is cooked, drain, reserving the water. Add the chopped olives and celery, pasta and pasta sauce to the mixing bowl with the cherry tomatoes and stir well to combine. If the salad is too dry you can add a little of the pasta cooking water. Serve into bowls and top with the rocket. If you are serving this as a salad at a picnic, add the rocket on top as you are serving it. This salad works well warm or cold and is great for leftovers!
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Leftover BBQ Chook Salad
A BBQ chook is such an easy dinner option but unless you are feeding a big group, or have teenage boys in the house, you probably won’t finish it with one meal. This salad is delicious, fresh and really simple to whip up for a quick dinner winner. Serves 3 as a main meal or more as a side dish Ingredients 1 ½ cups quinoa 300g leftover BBQ chicken 1 cup sultanas juice and rind of 1 orange juice and rind of 1 lime 2 tbsp olive oil ¼ cup flaked almonds Method Cook the quinoa following the packet instructions. Set aside to cool when cooked. Shred the chicken into smaller pieces or chop into 1cm cubes. Add all the ingredients, except the flaked almonds into a bowl and stir well to combine. Serve onto plates and sprinkle with the almonds.
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Tomato panzanella
Head to the farmers market and pick up everything you need for this twist on an Italian Panzanella salad. The juicy tomatoes combined with the crunchy croutons make it the perfect balance for a meal the whole family will love. Serves 2 as a main or 4 as a side Ingredients 1Ž2 small red onion, thinly sliced 200g tomatoes, cut into wedges 1Ž4 loaf day old sourdough bread, cut roughly into chunks 1 yellow capsicum 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 5 tbsp olive oil 10 pitted kalamata olives 1Ž4 cup fresh basil leaves 1 small Lebanese cucumber, skin removed, cut into 2cm cubes Method Preheat the oven to 150°C. Place the sliced onions in a bowl of water and leave to soak while you prepare the other ingredients. Soaking will take the sharp edge off the onions so they don¹t over power the salad. Arrange the bread onto an oven tray and cover with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Cook in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Using a grill pan or BBQ hot plate, char the skin of the capsicum. This will take about two minutes on each side. Once the skin is blackened place it to the side until it is cool enough to remove the skin. When you have removed the skin, cut the capsicum into 3cm pieces. Place the tomato, onion, capsicum, olives, cucumber and bread into a bowl. Pour the balsamic vinegar and remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil over the salad, season with salt and pepper and mix through. Set aside for 30 minutes for the bread to soak up the dressing. kidmagazine.com.au/subscribe 97
Serve as is or with grilled lamb. Top with fresh basil leaves.
Prawn and mango salad
In my opinion, prawns and mangoes are the perfect summer food combination. There is no cooking required in this tasty dish so you can whip it up in no time at all! Serves 4 Ingredients 600g tiger prawns, peeled with tails intact (or remove the tails if you prefer!) 4 cups iceberg lettuce, roughly chopped 3 mangoes, peeled and sliced 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce handful fresh mint leaves Method To make the dressing, take Âź cup of the mango slices and mash with a fork. The mango should be quite smooth but still have some small lumps. Now stir through the sweet chilli sauce. If you are making this dish for kids you can skip the sweet chilli sauce or just add less. Place the chopped lettuce onto the plates and top with the prawns, mango and basil leaves. Using a spoon dollop, slowly pour the dressing over the top of the salad. Voila! Enjoy.
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Books & Screens
A simple and sweet book to learn the animal sounds with your kids. Cows, ducks, pigs and sheep appear in this interactive book which has a sister title, Listen to the Music. The best part? The sounds can be switched off for when mummy needs a break! Nosy Crow, $15.99
If you want to get into some Christmas activities with the kids but don’t know where to start, you need a copy of this book. From Santa Hat cake pops to Rudolph cupcakes and reindeer masks, there is an activity for everyone to enjoy! The Five Mile Press, $14.95
A picture tells a thousand words and in the case of this delightful picture book, the illustrations really do tell the story. Sam loves robots but no one believes his theory that they live in outer space until one day… Gecko Press, $19.99
The 12 Days of Christmas, Aussie style. So many Christmas books are set in the snow and don’t reflect the Australian Christmas but this beautifully illustrated book takes us through an Aussie Christmas at the beach, two Uncle Bobs and all! The Five Mile Press, $16.95
Did you know that the food you eat and the habits you have are impacting on your brain and not just your waistline? Dr Mike Dow has created a three week program to reduce the fog and create healthier habits for your brain. The perfect way to jump into the new year! HayHouse, $24.99
Crime thrillers aren’t normally my thing but I loved Resurrection Bay. There is intrigue, mystery and a beautifully portrayed human element with Caleb, the profoundly deaf protagonist. An exciting novel and a great read. Echo Publishing, $29.99
No more wasted food with this pocket bible from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. If stew enchiladas or quick lentil and parsnip curry or easy macarons sounds good to you then is the book for you. There are also ingenious ideas for Christmas leftovers! Bloomsbury, $45
Former Reserve Bank Australia Economist, Julie Ann Cairns has written a personal, insightful and fascinating insight into money myths. With real life examples and practical tools, this book is a must for anyone interested in wealth creation and abundance. HayHouse, $15.99
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It’s Christmas time and who doesn’t love a Christmas DVD? Get into the spirit of the season with some of your favourite ABC Kids Christmas shows. Including the Pajanimals, Mister Maker, Thomas & Friends and Peg + Cat. ABC, $9.95
There is just something about Iggle Piggle and the crew that has kids enthralled. Whether they are Upsy Daisy fans or prefer the petite Pontypines, this latest DVD has all their favourite characters for more weird and wonderful adventures. ABC, $14.95
I recently had the pleasure of meeting Lah-Lah herself and she is just as delightful in real life as she is on our screens. I love how Lah-Lah and the band interact with the kids through the TV and really encourage a love of music. Roadshow, $14.95
Whether you love him or hate him you must admit that Mister Maker does have some clever craft ideas. With the latest DVD release he is bust crafting and making and meeting friends along the way. To the doodle drawers! ABC, $14.99
When I think of Christmas I think of Bill Murray. Well, maybe not, but A Very Murray Christmas is sure to be a hit this December. Featuring stars like George Clooney, Amy Poehler, Chris Rock and more, it is an evening of comedy, music and good cheer. Netflix (available 4 December)
I’m not lying when I say that Hart of Dixie is probably my favourite TV shows of all time. From dreamy Wade to straight up George, the scheming Lemon and city girl Zoe, there is plenty of romance, friendship and a few frenemies to boot. What’s not to love?! Roadshow, $129.95
If you couldn’t get enough of Channing Tatum in the original Magic Mike, he is back, years later with the new Magic Mike XXL. With new moves and new friends, Mike and the guys burn down the house with one last show! Warner, $39.95
Season 4 of hit series Homeland was an exciting one to say the least with Carrie stationed in Pakistan and facing a new set of challenges. Parts of the series are on the edge of your seat drama softened with the personal dramas faced by Carrie. Available on Netflix
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october/november 2015 - Issue twenty five